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Jan. 21, 1976—June 25, 2023
JEROME — Shawna Marie (Howell) Lemoine, 47, passed away on June 25, 2023, after a 12-year courageous and miraculous journey with cancer.
Shawna’s soul lives on through the hope, humor, and love she generously poured into those around her. One of my favorite things that Shawna would say when experiencing difficult situations was, “First things first, but not necessarily in that order”, and that is how it felt trying to condense such a beautiful life into such a short amount of space.
Shawna was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, on January 21, 1976, to Russell and Jackie Howell. She was raised in Jerome and excelled in school and other activities. She spoke often of working on the Jerome wrestling and track teams. Once someone became a friend of Shawna’s, they were friends forever.
After school in Jerome, she moved to Boise and attended Boise State University studying theater and working at the Supreme Court. She then served an LDS Mission in Guatemala. After returning home, Shawna worked at the Jerome Hospital and the Regional 911 center where she met Joseph, who became her husband.
Shawna and Joseph married on July 23, 1999, in Twin Falls and were later sealed in the Boise Temple. They created a family together with four precious children, Ariel, Jericho, Tory, and Cara. Joseph and Shawna both worked with the Jerome City Fire Department and were part of the Hazmat Team.
Shawna followed her dream of finishing school, graduating from C.S.I. in 2007. She continued her education at Oregon State University and received a B.A. in Anthropology. She went on to finish her education with a Master’s degree in Medical Anthropology at Idaho State University. She also attended field schools in Coopers Ferry, Idaho, and at Hadrian’s Wall at Vindolanda in England. While in England, all of Shawna’s digging companions always commented on how she would always bring the sunshine for a perfect two-week digging session where there would be no rain. That is the best way to describe how she showed up in the world—always bringing the sunshine.
While following this dream Shawna and Joseph faced the challenges of having two children that are autistic and one who is a Type 1 Diabetic. Shawna was determined to give them the best life possible and continued that fight until her passing.
Shawna loved to do everything, and I mean everything. Reading was her first love, and she would read 48 hours a day if she could. She would read stories, romance, fiction, heck even out of a dictionary or an encyclopedia (by the way, that was the internet before there was an internet). She also loved Anthropology, Archeology, reading and watching things on Anthropology and Archeology, and traveling. Experiencing the world was another dream she made a reality, and she made it to at least twelve countries.
Shawna was an active leader in the Boy and Girl Scouts. In the Scouts, she excelled in teaching young people and taking them on grand adventures, even one to England! Shawna was creative and gifted in arts, crafts, and music. She studied and played the piano and would sing in choirs or perform solo. She loved the Scottish Highland games, comedy shows, and playing video games with her family. She loved getting lost in some place new to find something unexpectedly delightful and spent time hiking, exploring, paddle boarding, and kayaking.
She would quote Dr. Who “The Universe is big, it’s vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen, and we call them miracles.” Shawna’s life and presence were nothing short of a miracle.
Shawna was preceded by her younger brother, David; and both sets of grandparents, Howells and Jones. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Lemoine; her four children, Ariel, Jericho, Tory, and Cara; parents, Russ and Jackie; two younger siblings, Michael Howell and Michelle Garey; nieces, Abby Emma, Elara, and Kieran; and nephew, Bryson.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the family.
A viewing will be held from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm, Friday, June 30, 2023, at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S. Lincoln, Jerome. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, July 1, 2023, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. 100 S, Jerome. Grave dedication will conclude at Jerome Cemetery.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Shawna’s memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/shawna-marie-howell-lemoine/article_581cdf45-73d6-539e-ae18-04ecead7bb66.html | 2023-06-29T06:24:38 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/shawna-marie-howell-lemoine/article_581cdf45-73d6-539e-ae18-04ecead7bb66.html |
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Just in time to celebrate the country's 247th birthday, 800 people took the oath and became American citizens.
A special Independence Day Naturalization Ceremony took place in Roseville. People came from 74 countries, including Mexico, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Ukraine.
"It feels amazing. After 20 years almost going through every alphabet on the U.S. visa, the day finally came that I join the ranks of my family, (becoming a citizen of) the United States of America," said Alex Sanginov, a new citizen from Tajikistan.
Some say the process to naturalization was a long journey.
"It was like, maybe a year. but I've been here 45 years, and I just decided to be a citizen," said Maria Rico, a new citizen from Mexico. "It's worth it to vote and to have more rights."
More than 800,000 new citizens in 2021. 21% were residents of California.
The process to becoming an American citizen is a long and detailed process. Part of it includes passing a 100 question oral civics, history and government test.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville/roseville-citizen-swearing-in/103-c7d92b4f-ee03-4bf9-b4c7-2693a643fb34 | 2023-06-29T06:40:56 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville/roseville-citizen-swearing-in/103-c7d92b4f-ee03-4bf9-b4c7-2693a643fb34 |
Kenosha police looking into the death of a child earlier this week said the incident appears to be medically related.
The death was reported just after 10 a.m. on Tuesday where investigators responded to the 5100 block of 56th Street.
Lt. Joseph Nosalik of the Kenosha Police Department said late Wednesday that officers would continue an investigation into the matter to determine the exact cause. The incident, he said, appeared to be medically related.
"There's no overt signs that a criminal activity took place," Nosalik said.
A representative of the Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office also responded to the scene where the child was pronounced dead. The exact cause of death is still pending an autopsy.
Counties with the warmest summers in Wisconsin
Counties with the warmest summers in Wisconsin
It's almost summer, and the weather is starting to heat up.
With this in mind, Stacker compiled a list of the counties with the warmest summers in Wisconsin using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information . Data represents the average temperatures from June to August 2022; the historic average is the average for these months from 1901 to 2000.
Maxim Grohotov // Shutterstock
25. Dodge County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 69 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 68 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.7 degrees
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24. Richland County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 69 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.1 degrees
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23. Winnebago County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 69 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 68 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.2 degrees
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22. Marquette County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 69 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 68 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.9 degrees
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21. St. Croix County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 69 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 68 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.3 degrees
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20. Green Lake County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 69 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 68 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.2 degrees
Maarten Daams // Shutterstock
19. Columbia County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.0 degrees
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18. Waukesha County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.8 degrees
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17. Trempealeau County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 68 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.3 degrees
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16. Iowa County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.8 degrees
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15. Jefferson County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.4 degrees
spiritbridge // Shutterstock
14. Walworth County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.2 degrees
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13. Pierce County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.1 degrees
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12. Buffalo County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.0 degrees
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11. La Crosse County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.9 degrees
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10. Crawford County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.1 degrees
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9. Pepin County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.0 degrees
Maarten Daams // Shutterstock
8. Lafayette County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.8 degrees
Barbara Smits // Shutterstock
7. Dane County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.2 degrees
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
6. Green County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.6 degrees
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5. Grant County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.2 degrees
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4. Racine County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 70 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.0 degrees
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3. Rock County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 71 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 0.6 degrees
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2. Milwaukee County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 71 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 69 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.8 degrees
Canva
1. Kenosha County
Summer 2022 average temperature: 71 degrees
Historic average summer temperature: 70 degrees
2022 difference from historic average: 1.0 degrees
Canva
Why have our lawns turned into latest culture war fight? | The Ethical Life podcast
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Get local news delivered to your inbox! | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/child-death-medical-kenosha-not-criminal/article_2391afc4-1635-11ee-87b2-9f646475a6b6.html | 2023-06-29T06:50:57 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/child-death-medical-kenosha-not-criminal/article_2391afc4-1635-11ee-87b2-9f646475a6b6.html |
BREMERTON, Wash. — A Bremerton couple woke up to a fire alarm and flames quickly taking over their home of 21 years earlier this week. They lost everything.
Curtis and Marie Kirkland were getting ready to celebrate their wedding anniversary this week when tragedy struck.
"The place was already engulfed way above the roof and the ceiling and out the windows and glass was breaking and I mean, it was just a lot of heat, a lot of fire," Curtis said.
They both got out safely, but Marie was hurt. She suffered second-degree burns on her foot.
"It's really hard for me to walk around, but I have to be strong," Marie said.
The Bremerton Fire Department responded and they are still working to figure out what caused the fire.
"They said it was a hot, very hot heat, flight fire once it got started and went like kindling, and it just spread so quickly," Curtis said. "I'm just glad I was able to get out, it was a matter of minutes. If we didn't. It would have trapped us inside."
Curtis and Marie are grateful they are alive and they have a strong support system and their faith to get them through this difficult time.
"It kind of reminds you that, you know, not to take life for granted. And just, you know, love every moment and all that you have," Curtis said.
Not everything is lost, even when it may look that way.
"I mean, just the fact that we're together, and we're not mourning each other at all, no, we're not," Curtis said. "We're just supporting each other, loving each other."
A GoFundMe has been created to help the couple rebuild their lives.
Watch KING 5's top stories playlist: | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/bremerton-family-loses-everything-house-fire/281-ff25dca2-2f77-40e5-a155-0df0606cde6b | 2023-06-29T06:53:43 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/bremerton-family-loses-everything-house-fire/281-ff25dca2-2f77-40e5-a155-0df0606cde6b |
Reno County adopts same fireworks ordinance as Hutchinson
In addition to approving a tentative 2024 budget during their Tuesday meeting, the Reno County Commission approved a new fireworks ordinance for July 4, school board canvassing dates and releasing the city from holding onto old checks.
Similar to Hutchinson, which relied upon both the state of Kansas and Sedgwick County, the county has removed restrictions and now allows consumer fireworks during the July 4 holiday. The resolution that was adopted by the commissioners uses the same policy for unincorporated Reno County.
The resolution keeps in place other county fireworks policies as well. Fireworks may be discharged from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 30 through July 4 in the unincorporated areas of Reno County. The discharge of consumer fireworks must be on property owned by the people discharging them. Discharge of consumer fireworks is allowed on any property if permission is obtained from the landowner and written evidence is furnished. Parents must be responsible for all minors who use fireworks.
"This pretty much mirrors the City of Hutchinson," Reno County Commissioner Daniel Friesen said.
Commissioner Whitesel asked that possession be stricken from the ruling as some people might be driving through Reno County from a location where some other fireworks are legal. The other commissioners agreed.
The County Commissioners also set a date and time to canvass the Aug. 1 primary city/school election. This would occur at 8 a.m. Aug. 9 in the Reno County Courthouse Annex Conference Room. Kansas rules state the canvassing date must be conducted not later than 13 days following any election.
Certain warrants against the funds of the county treasury were agreed to be deleted as the period of more than two years has elapsed since the signing of such checks. The people the checks were made out to, usually from $10 to $40, have not cashed the checks in the designated period of time. The commissioners agreed to negate the unpaid amount of slightly more than $1,200.
More:Reno County Commission slashes budgets of inside and outside agencies
After a long discussion over budgets, the commissioners agreed not to increase taxes or increase the mill levy.
The overall budget for tax-levied funds that was being presented as the maximum budget (not finalbudget) was $75,114,581, compared with $74,096,116 in 2023. The mill levy rate for the presentedbudget was 37.598, compared with 37.808 for 2023, for a reduction of .21 mills.
To reach the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR), an additional $1.3 million of cuts from tax-levied funds was needed. The RNR of 35.764 mills would leave Reno County with the same property tax revenues as budgeted for in 2023. After more than seven hours of discussion, the commissioners cut the budget by more than $1.3 million, reducing the mill levy and leaving the county at Revenue Neutral for 2024.
Reno County Commissioners were given new technology for their meetings. The new microphones were placed before each commissioner.
Visitors, including Reno County staff, were asked to use the microphones as well. Several in the room gave a thumbs-up to the new technology. | https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/28/reno-county-adopts-fireworks-ordinance/70360278007/ | 2023-06-29T07:33:15 | 0 | https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/28/reno-county-adopts-fireworks-ordinance/70360278007/ |
Reno County Commission slashes budgets of inside and outside agencies
Reno County commissioners on Tuesday slashed the budgets of inside and outside agencies, keeping taxes low and making the budget revenue neutral again for 2024.
The theme for the seven-hour meeting was "what can we cut?"
At the beginning of the session, County Administrator Randy Partington told commissioners they needed to slash about $1.3 million to remain revenue neutral for 2024.
"I am extremely proud of the county staff and my fellow commissioners for their hard work in our budget meetings today to accomplish reaching a net neutral budget expected to reduce taxes by another 5.4% — something very few governing bodies in Kansas accomplish," said Reno County Commission chairman Daniel Friesen. "I only hope the rest of the taxing entities follow our lead."
Reno County Commissioners slash giving to outside agencies
Partington presented the commissioners with a detailed budget of how much the county gave to 11 nongovernmental agencies. In his budget, he presented past giving and told commissioners how much each organization was requesting for 2024.
Other than the $4,000 asked for by the police chaplain, to remain current on education; the mandated $10,000 for the Reno County Drug Court; $4,000 to the Reno County Farmers Market, which had already done its own slashing by $3,000; and $1.89 million to emergency medical services, the commissioners refused to increase their allowance to outside nonprofits, either holding them to 2023 giving rates or drastically decreasing each organization's budget request.
In 2022, the commissioners allotted $3.4 million to outside agencies. The budget increased to slightly less than $3.6 million in 2023. The request from most agencies increased once again in 2024 to $3.75 million. But the commissioners held to granting a little more than $3.4 million, bringing the spending back to 2022 rates.
Although all the commissioners agreed that these agencies did worthwhile tasks, they did not feel, and were told by many constituents, they said, that this is not the role of the commission.
Many of these agencies' budgets will most likely get slashed again next year, with several commissioners saying some of these entities need to rely on their donor base or other agencies.
Cuts to TECH, the extension and conservation offices and economic development organizations
The largest cut went to TECH, with most commissioners testifying to the organization's worth. Nevertheless, the organization that helps people with disabilities, which was given more than half a million dollars in 2022 and 2023, will be awarded just $400,000 in 2024. Commissioners said there are other agencies in the county that perform similar services and there is government money and private support for this "well-run" organization. They are thinking of cutting the funds again next year.
The Reno County Extension office will be awarded $375,000, the same as in 2023. However, this was $30,000 lower than it requested. Reno County 4-H ended up in the same boat, keeping its 2023 funding rate of $20,000, $3,000 below its request.
The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce's Economic Development wing went down to 2022 rates, with commissioners granting it $50,000. Several of the commissioners asked that these funds be spent on the rural community. The Chamber was given $70,000 in 2023 and asked for the same amount for 2024.
The Conservation District asked for $50,000, the same as in 2023, but was awarded $25,000.
Horizons Mental Health, which serves several counties — all of which help fund it — will receive $400,000. This is down $52,000 from 2022 and 2023.
As for StartUp Hutch, the commissioners awarded it $75,000 for 2024. This is $15,000 lower than it requested and $5,000 lower than in 2023. All the commissioners said they want more representation in rural areas.
"They (StartUp) need someone in the county," said Commissioner Ron Hirst.
Reno County Museum's funding remains the same as 2023, but commissioners want changes
Although the Reno County Museum's budget remained the same, $185,000, as in 2022 and 2023, their ask of $232,000 — an increase to fund a new position — did not go through for 2024. Commissioners held the organization at $185,000 for next year's budget.
Commissioner Randy Parks said the museum should look into cutting days of the week and increasing its donor base.
Several commissioners mentioned the Reno County Museum might examine how the El Dorado Museum is operating and growing. Commissioners voiced they were thinking of decreasing the museum's budget next year.
Commissioners change up mandated park money for 2024
As for the Reno County Parks Fund, the commissioners decided not to award the $10,000 to Hutch Rec this year and instead save it for next year and ask parks across the county to request funds out of the $20,000 that will accrue for next year.
This is a mandatory part of the budget, but it can go toward any park in the county. In previous years, Hutch Rec took care of the money. Next year, it will have different municipalities request grants from this pool to spend on local parks.
Changing the charity paradigm
Commissioner Don Bogner said he was told by many residents they did not feel the county should be responsible for giving taxpayer money to nonprofit agencies, saying instead they should decide where their money goes.
Bogner said the commissioners did their part by cutting budgets for several outside entities. He hopes residents will increase their giving to these groups in the future.
"Certain charities' funds got cut," said Commissioner Don Bogner. "They've got to definitely make up the difference."
Reno County Commissioners ask department heads to cut budgets
The five Reno County Commissioners met with the directors of all the county departments, deciding on how each department could cut a percentage of their budget.
Funds given inside the county government were not immune to cutting. After examining a detailed budget from Partington, the commissioners realized they needed to slash costs to keep taxes from rising.
Partington put in an 8% across-the-board cost of living and merit increase for all county employees, telling commissioners that cutting this down would help them go to revenue neutral. The commissioners decided to cut the increase to 4.5%, leaving it up to Partington how much to give as merit and how much to give as cost-of-living increases.
More:Hutchinson has a new interim police chief. Interviews for permanent job postponed
Feeding inmates is a large expense
Most department heads were asked how they could save money. Some, like the sheriff's department, had already slashed their budget with Partington before entering the meeting. But Commissioner Randy Parks said they should make sure they hire enough staff to keep the community safe.
"I'm concerned about safety," Parks said. "I want to see you staffed, even if it costs more money."
It was also noted the overtime in the department topped $350,000.
During the meeting, commissioners learned that one of the largest costs in the sheriff's budget is in paying for food for inmates at the jail. This cost for 2024 is set at $485,000 a year. This amount supplies roughly 190 prisoners with three meals a day, 365 days a year.
"There's just not much wiggle room there (in food) at all," said Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell. "We've tried to squeeze a little bit from everywhere."
Along with the rising costs of food, Campbell noted the department must keep up with the higher costs of gas and equipment.
The commissioners were educated on how the court works; how many people are in jail, the prevalence of people with mental health issues in the jail; and the reasons some people cannot bond out.
IT wants to bring more work in-house and save money
The IT department is looking into doing more in-house programming and changing over how it utilizes software programs. Its goal is to reduce costs by $30,000 for 2024.
"We want to bring programming in and build software (in-house)," Mike Matthews said.
Matthews also wants to place the commission meetings straight to the streaming service without going through an intermediary.
Michael Plank, the county's appraiser, spoke of going in with the City of Hutchinson to utilize a software system that gets its data from flying over the county every five years and recording the length, width and height of buildings. By utilizing this system, EagleView, Plank said, the county would decrease fuel and maintenance costs, and when questioned, decrease staffing. This digital oblique imagery service is already in use in McPherson, Rice and Sedgwick counties.
Plank said this imagery system could possibly be used by law enforcement, EMS and other departments.
Commissioners asked Plank to not hire for the current open position in the appraiser's office.
Dwindling down archives to save money
As for the District Attorney's office, Reno County District Attorney Tom Stanton thought of generating money. He has observed that there is a small fee, $50, that other municipalities charge for permission to cremate a body. He suggested that the county look into this.
Stanton is also taking county records from the salt mines storage area, going through them and shredding what is not needed. This will save the county money by storing fewer boxes. Stanton expects to save at least $3,000 into "perpetuity" for this task.
Fewer custodians, more maintenance workers
As for maintenance, the department plans to eliminate one of its open custodial positions. The increased use of equipment, using ceramic tile and increasing efficiencies have saved the department time and money with custodial help.
As for maintenance people, the department needs three more workers.
"We're pretty strapped with what we're doing," Jim Arneson said.
Other departments were asked to save where they could by the commissioners or came in with locations where they were already cutting their budgets.
As for Human Resources, which is operating below the suggested level of employees, it was given permission to hire an employee within a certain financial parameter, be that a part-time or full-time worker. As for the administrator's office, he asked for two positions and was granted one.
More:Reno County Commissioners want answers from health department
Reno County Commissioners ask the health department to cut $60K
The commissioners started their budget session with the Reno County Health Department. Similar to earlier this year, the commissioners once again asked the director, Karla Nichols, if she had found out how many services duplicate. Once again Nichols evaded the question, saying she is looking into it.
Nichols brought three other health department workers with her. Also present were assistant directors Karen Hammersmith and Megan Gottschalk (in her social media pages and on government pages, she is known as Megan Gottschalk-Hammersmith), along with the department's accountant, Bethany Jantzen.
Several times during the questioning, Friesen said "the math doesn't add up." Friesen also said that many of the grants that the department gets are "causing the burden." He asked the department to not fill the open environmental health specialist position but was met with resistance.
Commissioner Ron Hirst pointed out that sometimes a grant is given and later on it sunsets but the department is used to the service and does not want to give it up.
Commissioner Parks pointed out that the Reno County Health Department offers more services than many other cities that are both smaller and larger. The commissioners once again asked Nichols to rank the department's services in order of priority and examine how they can eliminate some services. Commissioners Friesen and John Whitesel are hopeful the department will come back with concrete answers before the year's end.
Nichols, who was the third highest-paid employee in the county after Partington and Stanton, made more than $103,000 in 2022. Hammersmith was the seventh highest-paid employee in Reno County in 2022, making more than $96,000. Gottschalk-Hammersmith and Jantzen both made more than $65,000 during that budget year.
In 2022, Adrienne Byrne, who is the director of the Sedgwick County Health Department, made an annual salary of $115,000, with the Shawnee County health director coming in at around $105,000. Sedgwick County serves more than half a million people and Shawnee County has a population of slightly more than 175,000 with Reno County at 60,000.
Jason Tiller, who runs the health department in Saline County, with around 125,000 residents, was paid slightly less than 100,000 in 2022.
"We can't be everything to everybody," Parks said. "Once you build government, it's difficult to tear it down." | https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/28/reno-county-commissioners-cut-health-department-development-budgets/70361775007/ | 2023-06-29T07:33:21 | 1 | https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/28/reno-county-commissioners-cut-health-department-development-budgets/70361775007/ |
New York City is launching the next battle plan in its war on rats.
After appointing a rat czar in April, Mayor Eric Adams has announced his next target: trash from food-related businesses. Restaurants, supermarkets and bodegas will now be required to use containers for their trash in an effort to combat New York City's rat problem.
In his announcement on Wednesday, Adams finalized a rule mandating that all food related businesses put their trash in secure containers. The administration detailed plans to expand the requirements for containerization to all chain businesses with five or more locations in the city.
"Today, we take giant steps towards [the goal of clean streets] by announcing new rules to containerize trash in our city that, once finalized, will cover 25 percent of businesses and result in 4 million pounds of trash getting disposed of in secure bins each day," Adams said.
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NYC Mayor Adams
This new plan would affect bodegas, delis and grocery stores too. This rule will go into affect July 30, 2023.
Department of Sanitation Commissioner Tisch, in the same announcement, noted that the black bags outside food-related businesses basically serve as "a to-go box" for rats. Deputy Mayor for Operations Meer Joshi hoped that the rule would be another step towards the end of "trash-bag mountains."
“No one wants to see it, no one wants to smell it and we certainly don’t want rats to eat it," Tisch said.
Under these two rules, businesses will have flexibility on the type and location of containers, provided they have a lid and secure sides. Containers can be stored either inside of the establishment or within three feet of the property line.
Some restaurant owners hearing the news have concerns.
“Some of the restaurants have a lot of garbage. It’s at least seven containers they’re gonna be using," said Basudeb Shaha, owner of Bombay Grill House on 9th Avenue.
Shaha says it will be difficult for some to store the bins when not in use, and the New York City hospitality alliance agrees.
The alliance saying Wednesday it supports “containerizing trash, but as initially proposed, the Department of Sanitation’s mandate is impractical and creates big problems for small restaurants that will have to store big dirty garbage cans in their food preparation and customer seating areas or leave thousands of trash containers permanently strewn on sidewalks across the city."
Still, the owner is willing to give the plan a shot, saying if it keeps rats at bay, it's a good thing.
“This is a good idea because sometimes you put the plastic bag outside, mouse coming … this is nasty, I don’t like that way. This is a good idea," Shaha said. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-takes-next-step-in-rat-wars-orders-businesses-to-toss-food-waste-in-containers/4461648/ | 2023-06-29T07:37:26 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-takes-next-step-in-rat-wars-orders-businesses-to-toss-food-waste-in-containers/4461648/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Big city concerns about the homeless crisis are now spreading to small towns.
Days after a heated meeting in Aloha on homelessness, Washington County officials had another session, this time over an incoming Safe Rest pod site in rural Cornelius.
While this gathering was online and much more controlled, the sentiments were similar to the meeting in Aloha.
The county is asking for neighbor participation as they work to give people a safe place to stay, and neighbors argue this engagement comes much too late and after the county has already signed on the dotted line.
“We’re being invaded by the pod people,” joked Michael Mitchum, who leaves near the Cornelius pod site that is expected to house 40 people by August. “Several of the residents that reside here are also very concerned, myself included, that once the pod village is established, whatever value we had in our manufactured homes here, will be halved, if not worse.”
County reps and the provider Opendoor say all residents must adhere to a code of conduct, including no illegal activity, drugs or weapons.
But without background checks, Mitchum and others at the meeting say they’re concerned about how close the site is to the only school bus stop for neighborhood children as well as possible community guideline violations as it pertains to equity.
“According to the latest U.S. Census data, Cornelius is nearly 51% Hispanic. This community is majorly low-income and Latina, and it is not equitable to place a shelter here for that reason,” one community member said.
“You’re not screening them for addiction. You’re going to let them out for the day and they come back intoxicated, you know, who knows what status there’ll be when they walk in the site,” added a different community member.
Mitchum says neighbors are not necessarily opposed to affordable housing, but says they are frustrated with the lack of transparency and communication from the county. The day they attended a city council meeting, they discovered that the county had already broken ground on the site.
“Homeless people need a chance. A lot of them are there not because this is the lifestyle they chose, circumstance put them there. Now of those, I wish them the best. May they get the help they need to move back into mainstream living,” Mitchum said.
The meeting took place just a day after Washington County commissioners discussed rules for a new ordinance that would allow a five-day grace period on homeless camping. If adopted, camping would only be allowed when a shelter is not available, limiting sites to less than 144 square feet with no camps permitted within 500 feet of existing shelters, schools or daycares.
Sites would be limited to only essentials items, fires and more than 100 gallons of waste would be prohibited. In response to the continued pushback from community members, Washington County reps stated in part that they “recognize that there are concerns from nearby neighbors and are committed to working with them to develop a neighborhood plan before any shelter program participants move into this temporary pod shelter location. This neighborhood plan will ensure safety both for our program participants and neighbors.” | https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/were-being-invaded-proposed-safe-rest-site-in-cornelius-causes-spirited-debate/ | 2023-06-29T08:09:53 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/were-being-invaded-proposed-safe-rest-site-in-cornelius-causes-spirited-debate/ |
1. Shawnee;19-2
2. Haddonfield;16-5
3. Moorestown;18-4
4. Kingsway Regional;12-10
5. Cherokee;15-6
6. Ocean City;16-5
7. Cherry Hill West;17-3
8. Southern Regional;15-5
9. Holy Spirit;14-5
10. Central Regional;16-4
11. Barnegat;13-6
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The police blotter is a public record of incidents as reported by law-enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty. The information printed is preliminary and subject to change. Prints every Tuesday in The World!
Monday 06/12:
North Bend
• 5:00 am, 27 year old male cited for driving while suspended, Sherman and Bay.
• 3:57 pm, theft, 3200 block of Tremont Avenue.
• 5:14 pm, 35 year old male cited for criminal trespass II and criminal mischief III, 2200 block of Marion.
• 5:35 pm, phone harassment, 700 block of Connecticut Avenue.
Coos Bay
• 12:02 am, 39 year old male cited for DUII, N Bayshore Pine.
• 4:06 am, Facebook account hacked/threats sent, 1100 block of 1st Street.
• 7:29 am, 31 year old male transported to Coos County jail for public indecency, N 10th Street and W Commercial Avenue.
• 8:20 am, criminal mischief, 2600 block of N 17th Street.
• 11:05 am, theft of gas from vehicle, 700 block of Telegraph Drive.
• 1:32 pm, menacing, 100 block of N Schoneman.
• 2:40 pm, harassment, 1400 block of Ocean Boulevard.
• 3:30 pm, dispute, 1400 block of Ventana Court.
• 3:40 pm, fraud, 800 block of Kentucky Avenue.
• 3:59 pm, shoplifter, 2000 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 4:57 pm, civil problem, 500 block of Central Avenue.
• 9:22 pm, indecent exposure, 1000 block of S 1st Street.
• 9:25 pm, family dispute, 1400 block of Ventana Court.
Coquille
• 5:30 am, prowler, 700 block of N Central Boulevard.
Reedsport
• 1:15 pm, trespassing, 2900 block of Longwood Drive.
• 1:59 pm, animal problem, Reedsport Police Department.
• 3:16 pm, disorderly conduct, Barrone Park.
• 5:15 pm, animal complaint, Safeway.
• 6:48 pm, disorderly conduct, 1700 block of Greenwood Avenue.
• 8:47 pm, domestic disturbance, Leona’s Restaurant.
• 9:07 pm, animal problem, Champion Park.
Tuesday 06/13:
North Bend
• 1:16 am, 32 year old male cited on warrant, 3400 block of Broadway Avenue.
• 2:55 am, recovered stolen bike, 1900 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 1:16 am, 32 year old male cited on warrant, 3400 block of Broadway Avenue.
• 2:55 am, recovered stolen bicycle, 1900 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 5:33 am, disorderly conduct, 2400 block of Broadway Avenue.
• 9:15 am, 50 year old male transported to Coos County jail on warrants, 2200 block of Meade Avenue.
• 1:33 pm, animal neglect, 3600 block of Broadway Avenue.
• 5:06 pm, fraud, 1600 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 5:17 pm, theft, 2200 block of Newmark Street.
• 7:18 pm, civil problem, 700 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 9:05 pm, misuse of 911, 1100 block of Lewis Street.
• 10:32 pm, hit and run accident, 1700 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 11:30 pm, loud noise, 1800 block of 14th Street.
Coos Bay
• 2:16 am, 36 year old male lodged at Coos County jail for criminal trespass II, 1700 block of Thompson Road.
• 4:02 pm, dispute, 500 block of Schetter Avenue.
• 4:15 am, loud noise complaint, 800 block of Central Avenue.
• 4:27 am, 64 year old male arrested and transported to Coos County jail, 300 block of W Central Avenue.
• 4:57 am, disorderly conduct, 4th and Anderson.
• 8:18 am, 71 year old male lodged Jackson County jail on warrants, 400 block of W 8th Street.
• 9:57 am, graffiti calls, Mingus Park.
• 10:58 am, shoplifter, McKay’s Freshmart.
• 12:27 pm, theft of mail, 100 block of S Cammann Street.
• 2:01 pm, ID theft, 200 block of 1st Avenue.
• 2:04 pm, criminal mischief, 300 block of N Broadway Street.
• 3:07 pm, dispute, 200 block of S Schoneman Street.
• 3:26 pm, ID theft, 900 block of Kentucky Avenue.
• 3:51 pm, dog bite, 100 block of S 3rd Street.
• 5:43 pm, 46 year old Brandy booked at Coos County jail on warrant, 1900 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 8:28 pm, located stolen property, 800 block of S 1st Street.
• 9:22 pm, juvenile problem, 200 block of S Cammann Street.
• 9:34 pm, dispute, 1800 block of Thomas Avenue.
• 9:43 pm, theft, 1100 block of S 5th Street.
• 11:40 pm, 23 year old cited for driving while suspended, Michigan and Morrison.
Coquille
• 5:50 pm, harassment, 96900 block of Highway 42S.
Reedsport
• 4:11 pm, fraud, 800 block of Laurel Avenue.
• 5:26 pm animal problem, 2000 block of Greenwood Avenue.
• 9:46 pm, domestic disturbance, Black Forest Apartments.
• 11:37 pm, DUI, N 6th Street and Winchester Avenue.
Wednesday 06/14:
North Bend
• 7:38 am, disorderly conduct, California Street.
• 11:21 am, theft, 1200 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 12:56 pm, disorderly conduct, Newmark and Broadway.
• 4:15 pm, fraud, 1700 block of McPherson Street.
• 4:56 pm, 33 year old male transported to Coos County jail on warrants, 3200 block of Brussells Street.
• 5:33 pm, hit and run accident, 1300 block of Virginia Avenue.
• 6:55 pm, 42 year old female arrested by Clayton County Police on warrant, 7900 block of N McDonough Street.
• 7:19 pm, civil problem, 3700 block of Stanton Avenue.
Coos Bay
• 6:44 am, 26 year old male cited on warrant, E Anderson Avenue and S Bayshore Drive.
• 8:02 am, theft, 2000 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 9:58 am, threats, 100 block of Norman Avenue.
• 10:46 am, civil problem, 1200 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 11:17 am, fraud, 1900 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 11:32 am, dispute, 2000 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 11:41 am, hit and run accident, 2000 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 12:00 pm, 70 year old male cited for DUII and reckless driving, Newmark and Ocean.
• 12:15 pm, dispute, 1600 block of Newmark Avenue.
• 3:48 pm, disorderly conduct, 400 block of N Bayshore Drive.
• 6:13 pm, juvenile problem, 200 block of S Cammann Street.
• 6:40 pm, civil problem, 900 block of S 10th Street.
• 7:38 pm, runaway juvenile, Juniper Avenue.
• 6:55 pm, 42 year old female arrested by Clayton County Police on warrant, 7900 block of N McDonough Street.
• 8:36 pm, dispute, 1700 block of Thompson Road.
• 8:57 pm, 33 year old female transported to Coos County jail on warrant and driving while suspended, Marple and Johannesen.
Coquille
• 9:11 am, criminal mischief, 50 block of N Collier Street.
• 1:15 pm, dispute, 200 block of N Baxter Street.
• 6:20 pm, assault, 1100 block of N Dean Street.
Reedsport
• 10:44 am, animal problem, Champion Park.
• 1:51 pm, hit and run accident, Oregon Coast Pizzeria.
• 3:46 pm, restraining order violation, 2700 block of Frontage Road.
• 3:49 pm, juvenile problem, Highland Elementary School. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/police-blotter/article_9d66f88c-1611-11ee-b569-df748df111b3.html | 2023-06-29T08:36:53 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/police-blotter/article_9d66f88c-1611-11ee-b569-df748df111b3.html |
GREENSBORO — There’s more than one meaning to the phrase, “lifting weights.”
For UnitedHealthcare volunteers on Wednesday, it meant lugging cardboard boxes containing new weights, racks and other exercise equipment to a spot near Eastern Guilford High School’s weight room.
That weight room is getting a makeover this week, thanks to UnitedHealthcare and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.
The project also includes painting and flooring work in other areas of the schools’ athletic facilities and adding comfortable seating to what will become a virtual reality lab in the school’s media center (the goggles were previously donated).
UnitedHealthcare is providing $100,000 for the project, including both “hard” costs like the weights and seating, and “soft” costs like t-shirts and lunches for workers.
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It’s also providing the muscle: 60 volunteers, mostly area UnitedHealthcare employees, plus at least one or two spouses.
“This does not happen,” said Eastern Guilford High School Athletic Director Jay White, calling it a “once in a career” gift.
“Around here we are pretty blue collar,” he said. “Our booster club and our coaching staff, and our faculty, teachers, administration, we worked really hard to get the things that we’ve got and we try to take care of them and preserve them for a long time.”
He added that coaches and athletes were “smiling ear to ear” on Wednesday.
The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation — named after the father of the Baltimore Orioles great — is providing planning and management for the project. It’s involved with similar efforts in schools around the country and worked with Guilford County back in 2017 on renovation projects at Andrews and Smith High Schools, according to Joshua Leeper, the district’s program administrator over volunteers and community engagement.
This year, when the foundation reached out again, Leeper said the district picked out a few sites that could potentially use athletics upgrades, but that wouldn’t be redone soon. From those, the district’s athletic director picked Eastern as the one that needed upgrading the most, based on her knowledge of the sites.
Eastern Guilford’s weight room is part of a small building that stands alone on campus, apart from the main building. It’s older than the main school building, which was rebuilt after a fire ravaged the old school in 2006.
Shannon Matthews, a supervisor with UnitedHealthcare, was among those out in the sun on Wednesday moving exercise equipment. Matthews lives in Browns Summit and back when she attended high school at Northeast Guilford, Eastern Guilford was a rival. When UnitedHealthcare was looking for volunteers, she liked the idea of helping that old rival out.
“For the babies,” she said. “For the children.” | https://greensboro.com/news/local/eastern-guilford-weight-room-makeover-cal-ripken-sr-foundation/article_d6f62dde-15e9-11ee-9792-8b3b32640fc8.html | 2023-06-29T09:15:46 | 1 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/eastern-guilford-weight-room-makeover-cal-ripken-sr-foundation/article_d6f62dde-15e9-11ee-9792-8b3b32640fc8.html |
TAMPA, Fla. — As lucky passengers head to their flights, and others look up at the board seeing delays in red, Sherwayne Thompson is checking his phone hoping for good news.
“I’m feeling down," he said. “It's crazy, I put out all this effort and it’s like, I failed again.”
Thompson is one of many flyers across the country caught up in a massive wave of delays and cancellations caused by staff shortages and bad weather in the northeast.
He hasn’t seen his wife since April when she graduated from basic training and he planned to be there for her in Richmond, Virginia, as completes her Advanced Individual Training for the U.S. Army.
“My wife is serving and protecting for America, and I just want to go support her tomorrow morning,” Thompson said.
But he says after a cancellation, the earliest flight he was offered would only get him to an airport about two hours away from his destination...12 hours too late.
Travel experts from AAA say other flyers can expect similar issues.
“Largely due to weather, but it also has to do with staffing and challenges with air traffic control, so unfortunately is causing a domino effect of delays and flight cancellations,” Mark Jenkins from AAA said.
With even more passengers expected to head to the airport in the coming days for holiday travel, AAA says you may want to reach out and see if there’s still time to get travel insurance or potentially look into reconfiguring your plans.
“For some folks, where the destination is within driving distance, that may be the best choice to go ahead and look at another mode of transportation," Jenkins said. "For those traveling across the country, driving might not be the best solution for them, they might have to stick it out.”
As Thompson comes to terms with the fact that his wife may not get to see him in the crowd Thursday morning, he still hopes she knows that her loved ones are rooting for her.
“I love you, your family loves you, everybody’s supporting," he said. "Everybody’s proud of you, and I really did want to be there to show my support.” | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-traveler-miss-wife-military-graduation-flight-delays-canceled/67-4b2ee83a-ba23-4874-ba18-76e28a4386a3 | 2023-06-29T09:34:24 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-traveler-miss-wife-military-graduation-flight-delays-canceled/67-4b2ee83a-ba23-4874-ba18-76e28a4386a3 |
Clerk says Manatee County commissioner improperly used public funds
Manatee County Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge cut a $1,686 check this week to cover the cost of emails and voter data for thousands of Manatee County residents purchased with public funds.
The reimbursement followed public scrutiny by Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Angelina Colonneso, who raised questions about the transaction in an audit of purchase card expenses by Manatee County officials and staff published on May 30 by the division of inspector general.
Colonneso's office claims the purchase does not serve a public purpose, and indicated the funds should be repaid by Van Ostenbridge.
The clerk's office established a method to review a portion of thousands of transactions as a part of the audit. Van Ostenbridge is the only person identified in the 134-page report by name. Former County Administrator Scott Hopes and former Deputy Administrator Robert Reinshuttle were also identified, but only by their previous titles.
Earlier:Manatee County clerk criticizes County Administrator Scott Hopes in letter to commission
Van Ostenbridge says he used the information to create a newsletter for constituents. He defends the transaction and said he cleared the purchase with Manatee County Attorney Bill Clague and a former Chief Financial Officer in October 2021.
"Until this audit report came out, every indication has been that it was a perfectly legitimate expense," Van Ostenbridge said. "The clerk's office would reach out to ask questions, we would respond, then there would be months of silence. So I assumed it was a non-issue."
Hopes plans legal challenge
Colonneso's audit identified four areas of suggested improvement with Manatee County's purchasing card policy.
There are 478 active purchasing cards, also called P-Cards, in the county with a total credit limit of more than $5 million combined. Colonesso's Office of Inspector General reviewed all 566 transactions made by Manatee County commissioners and administration between March 1, 2021, and November 30, 2022. The office also tested another 134 transactions from county staff between March 5, 2021, and May 4, 2022.
Hopes told the Herald-Tribune on Wednesday that he intends to pursue legal action against Colonesso's office to recuperate pay deducted in February because of the claims made against him in the audit. He said the expenses are allowed and were justified.
From the archive:For decades, Scott Hopes advocated for face masks. Now his hands are tied.
More about Hopes:Hopes responds to resignation, describes separation from Manatee County as 'mutual'
And:Fired Manatee employee says Scott Hopes told him to suppress sexual harassment claim
"I find out in an audit report that without even notifying me she withdraws that from my pay?" Hopes said. "I'm going after that. It's not about the money. It's about the principle. Those were all authorized expenses. And if they weren't authorized expenses, then she's got a problem in her office because she reimbursed for it. They're supposed to be verifying those charges before they reimburse."
"If you look at the totality of charges using P-Cards, to focus on the three users who use them the least, I mean I hardly ever used my P-Card for this reason," he said. "Hardly ever."
He called the matter personal.
"In my opinion, it could be nothing other than a personal vendetta or political in nature," He said. "It is not secret that there were people that felt that the combination of Commissioner Van Ostenbridge, who became Chair shortly after I became county administrator and me working together was viewed by some as a partnership of power, so to speak."
Audit findings
The report cites various examples where county officials did not provide enough proof of public purpose, transactions that were not in compliance with county travel policies, and transactions where staff inappropriately split the cost of a single purchase to circumvent limits on spending.
The office scrutinized two purchases from Van Ostenbridge totaling $1,686 in October 2021 for registered voter data and email addresses from McShane LLC, and additional costs for vendors like SendGrid for bulk email services and NeverBounce for email verification. The report claims the information does not serve a public purpose.
In addition to including email addresses for more than 19,000 registered voters, the data purchased contains more than 200 fields of personal and voter demographic information on the individuals.The report also cites $50 spent by Hopes for tickets to two luncheons in 2022, the purchase of five tickets by Reinshuttle worth $378 combined for employees to an award ceremony, and 48 purchases made by unnamed staff between March 2021 and November 2022 worth $2,436 for drinks and snacks for county commission meetings and administrative offices. It also cites $300 spent by Hopes on in-flight Wi-Fi services, and $70 spent by Hopes and Reinshuttle on car washes for their county-issued vehicles.
Colonesso also criticized travel expenditures from Hopes and Reinshuttle.
The report indicates that Hopes and Reinshuttle did not reimburse the county for the cost of upgrading their rooms at the Ritz Carlton on a trip with county commissioners to Washington D.C. in May 2022. Three commissioners stayed at the hotel as well but reimbursed the county $323.31 each for the additional cost.
Hopes identified the three commissioners, Vanessa Baugh, George Kruse, and James Satcher, and said a consultant booked a block of rooms at the hotel that could not be canceled without penalty.
The report also identifies three per diem meal reimbursements for a total of $73, a $30 parking charge at the Destin Airport, and a duplicate $30.91 Uber reimbursement. Hopes said the parking charge was for his personal plane, which was used to travel for county business at a fraction of the cost and time.
"It's allowed," Hopes said. "It's allowed."
A trend in split purchases by unidentified staff members marked the third area of improvement suggested by Colonesso. The report cites 27 instances where staff members split purchases across multiple transactions and 17 transactions where costs were split across multiple purchase cards to circumvent caps on spending limits. The typical spending limit is $2,500 for a single purchase limit and $10,000 per one-month transaction cycle.
Van Ostenbridge defends newsletter
Van Ostenbridge uses his newsletter to send regular updates about Manatee County efforts to District 3 residents.
The newsletter has included tidbits of red tide news, the Robinson Preserve expansion, the county budget, information about property tax cuts, road improvements, new businesses, revitalizations at G.T. Bray Park, the grand opening of the Bishop Animal Shelter, and news of a grant for the All Clams on Deck project.
During Hurricane Ian, the commissioner used the newsletter to provide updates that included food distribution sites, boil water notices, power outages, trash and debris pickup, traffic signal status, and other resources.
He says his intent was to purchase an email list in 2021 that pertained only to District 3 voters for the newsletter and ended up with one that included voter demographic information by happenstance.
But 120 of the 134 pages in the clerk's report are dedicated to documents presented as proof that the purchase was not related to county business. That included a redacted version of the list of emails and voter information and a third-party legal opinion by the Greenberg Traurig P.A. law firm issued in February in support of her findings.
The Traurig P.A. law firm currently serves as the county's bond counsel. Upon protest by the county attorney's office, the firm issued another opinion on June 16 in favor of Van Ostenbridge, rather than Colonneso's office, records show. The law firm has terminated its relationship with Colonneso's office.
Colonneso's team declined to comment on this story but indicated they stood behind the findings in the report. An open records request from the Clerk's office is still pending, including the cost of hiring the third-party law firm. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/06/29/kevin-van-ostenbridge-says-he-did-not-spend-public-money-improperly/70358320007/ | 2023-06-29T10:01:49 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/06/29/kevin-van-ostenbridge-says-he-did-not-spend-public-money-improperly/70358320007/ |
National eviction filings are up 50% from pre-COVID numbers according to Princeton University’s Eviction Lab – and people who fail to pay rent for whatever reason face a greater risk of being shown the door.
In the past month, 4,330 evictions were filed in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, the Eviction Lab revealed. And the Community Justice Project, whose work includes increasing access to quality, affordable housing, counted 19,972 filed evictions – a vast majority of which were residential – in Miami-Dade County in 2022.
Shannon Rose was evicted in September from Gallery on the River (GOTR), a residential apartment building at 401 NW N River Dr., after purposely withholding rent. She did not anticipate being among those nearly 20,000 filed evictions last year.
GOTR was developed by Related Urban – which owns other “Gallery” locations across Miami – with funding from the county and private partners.
Prior to this latest eviction, Rose had at least two other eviction lawsuits filed against her, one of which was under her business alias, Bridge Golde.
“I’ve been couch-hopping since then,” she said, recounting her short-lived, four-month occupancy at GOTR. “If not for friends and family, I would be homeless. This apartment was very important to me because it was my way of bouncing back. I had just left another nightmare apartment. Moving into this building, I thought I was getting ready to bounce back. It was a brand-new building and for about 20 days, everything was moving ahead.”
The 12-story affordable housing and workforce apartment complex advertised as an ideal place to live, work and play was nothing short of a nightmare, Rose said – one that allegedly began with a window leak.
“On June 3, 2022, at about 3 a.m., I felt water dripping on my face and woke up to discover that my window was leaking,” she explained. “The leak was in my bedroom over the window frame, which I would say was about four feet long. Along the length of the window is this long crack, and that was where the water was coming from.
“Not only was the water coming from the crack, but I later noticed that the water was coming down from behind the drywall and underneath the wood floor. You would hear the water underneath it when you’re walking.”
An approaching storm
Rose told management she slipped and fell while getting out of bed because of the leaking window. A maintenance worker stopped by that day to examine and photograph the window frame and concluded there was a minor crack that couldn’t be repaired until the rain – due to the approaching Tropical Storm Alex – subsided. Property manager Belkis Herrera informed Rose by email that a team member would return June 6 or 7 to make repairs.
Concerned about the lack of urgency to complete the repairs ahead of the stormy weekend – during which the storm ultimately dropped 10 to 15 inches of rain on South Florida the next day – Rose emailed a seven-day notice to Herrera disclosing her intent to withhold rent until repairs were made and a recurring issue with electrical outlets being blown out was resolved.
It was dated June 3 of last year, the day Rose said the leak began and also the same day she intended to pay her monthly rent, though it was due on June 1. She said rental payments were accepted by the landlord up until the third of each month.
“I wanted the issue fixed. Once you pay them, you waive your rights … I was just following the law,” she said, referencing the Miami-Dade County Tenants’ Bill of Rights and Florida’s Landlord Tenant Act, which outline rights of tenants and landlord obligations, such as maintaining rental units.
She then received a three-day notice demanding her $2,602 balance be paid by June 9, but she insisted on withholding rent until the window was fixed.
An email sent to Rose June 16, 2022, that was shared with The Miami Times stated that a technician completed her service request at 12 a.m. Additional emails stated that further tests on the windows were scheduled for days later.
However, a public relations representative for the building’s management told the Times last Friday, June 23, that they could not confirm there was a leak or a problem in the first place.
Tenant & landlord rights
According to a Legal Services of Greater Miami fact sheet posted on the county’s website, landlords must ensure that windows, doors and walls are weather-tight and water-tight, electrical systems are in good working order, roofs have no leaks, stairs are safe, and windows are without cracks or holes.
If the landlord does not maintain the unit, Legal Services advises tenants to gather picture and video evidence of the problems in the unit. The tenant can either remain in the rental unit and withhold rent until the issue is resolved or, if the issues render the unit uninhabitable, the renter can terminate their lease and move out.
A tenant can legally withhold rent after notifying the landlord of their nonpayment intent via a written notice requesting unit repairs within seven days of the latter receiving the letter.
The letter should be sent to the landlord via certified mail with a return receipt requested and a copy sent by first class U.S. mail as well as email. It can also be hand delivered by the tenant to the landlord.
Under Miami-Dade County’s tenants bill, renters can also have the repairs made themselves and deduct repair costs from rent owed. A similar notice detailing the renter’s intent to withhold rent and use the money to make repairs must be given to the landlord if the unit’s condition is not improved within a week.
“We recommend sending a letter only when the violations significantly impact your living conditions or impact your health and safety,” read the fact sheet. “We do not recommend sending a rent withholding letter when the repairs are minor or cosmetic.”
Tenants in public housing owned by government entities, such as Miami-Dade County, are not covered by the county’s Tenants’ Bill of Rights, which bans landlords from requiring eviction history in applications. Nor do renters on rent-to-own contracts or living in mobile homes, condominium unita or hotels and motels qualify for protections under the Florida Landlord Tenant Act.
Searching for help
“We passed the first-ever countywide Tenant Bill of Rights, which gave us additional tools to protect thousands of vulnerable residents,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava in a statement to the Times after being contacted for comment. “While reaching every tenant navigating the current housing crisis remains a challenge, we have been able to support over 250,000 families who were behind in their rent and at risk of homelessness.”
Rose personally notified the mayor at GOTR’s June 27, 2022, opening reception of her intention to continue withholding rent and was referred to the county’s Office of Housing Advocacy (OHA), which had initially vouched for Rose to move into GOTR pending a relocation assistance application through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
“OHA explained her rights and eviction process … along with connecting her to legal service providers,” said a spokesperson from the office, explaining that the office could not provide legal advice. “[We] again stressed that withholding rent could be an involved legal matter, often resulting in an eviction being filed, and that she should consult an attorney.”
In light of the filed eviction, OHA said it made every effort to coordinate with Related Urban to prevent Rose’s eviction through ERAP funding but said her application was denied because she surpassed the $54,640 income threshold.
Rose asserts that her income was less than that.
Citing Florida’s implied warranty of habitability, she says her eviction was illegal and argues that her right to a livable dwelling was not upheld, nor was the building structurally safe since the window did not effectively keep out rain.
“If we’re looking at the statues, technically a tenant is required to give [their] rent-withholding notice within seven days and then after seven days a landlord doesn’t make the proper repairs, then you withhold the rent,” said TerryAnn Howell, a landlord tenant attorney. “The timing of the damage and the rental due date was not in her favor, sadly … But I cannot comment on the validity of her rent withholding or her eviction because there may have been other factors that I am not aware of.”
Facing defeat
Caretaker, a property management company, says tenants must be paid up on any rent due at the time of repair requests in order to legally withhold rent. Florida law says tenants cannot be evicted for nonpayment if proper notice of rent withholding was sent to the landlord and still, repairs weren’t made.
“Moreover, Defendant’s purported 7 day notice was served after rent for the month of June 2022 was due on June 1, 2022, and thus, was untimely and ineffectual,” reads a July 2022 motion filed by an attorney for GOTR, requesting a final judgment from the court on Rose’s eviction.
“From June 3 to June 16 and even up until the day they evicted me, no one ever told me what caused the leak in this apartment,” said Rose.
“I can also tell you, that even if the process was done correctly, landlords … generally still sue for an eviction for any nonpayment of rent,” added Howell, saying the outcome of withholding rent depends on the reason and repairs required. “It’s important that a tenant first reads [their] lease, and ensure that all communications about the repairs required are documented.”
Howell, who is the president of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, said her organization will be partnering with Legal Services and other local attorney associations to provide pro bono assistance for qualifying low-income tenants on such matters through next year, thanks to a county grant.
Building safety concerns
Less than a year after Rose filed a lawsuit against CDM Windows & Doors, Inc. for negligence and failure to ensure that windows were installed properly, at least two current tenants have spotted mold growing inside their respective units at GOTR this month. Only one would speak on the record with the Times.
“I was one of the first tenants to move in, but ever since we moved in it’s been kind of sketchy,” said Devante Trotter, who has lived in the building for more than a year. “Things are always breaking, there’s this Lively app that lets us into the building that’s always broken. Then you have the mold problem, which is the biggest issue that we have.
“Out of nowhere, the mold started forming in different areas in my apartment and it messed up my shoes, luggages and a lot of my kitchen supplies, which I need and use as a private chef.”
Trotter, who is awaiting the birth of his son, worries about his family living inside what he says is a mold-infested unit.
“We are not authorized to speak to the press, but there are no concerns whatsoever,” Herrera said Tuesday afternoon, before disconnecting our call, when asked to confirm whether the office had received complaints about mold in units.
“When I told [management] about the mold issue, they said they would send someone up to assess the situation,” said Trotter. “But when they came all they did was spray Zep, which is like this beach cleanser, and scrubbed the wall where the mold was. But you can still see that some of the mold stains are still there.”
He first spotted the mold about three weeks ago on the wall behind his couch, inside kitchen cabinets and on personal items such as pairs of sneakers lined up against a wall near the bedroom window.
“The first apartment I ever rented down here in Miami, there was mold all behind the wall and we didn’t know but my girlfriend started to get sick,” said Trotter. “Then there was mushrooms growing out of my ceiling and when the landlord finally sent someone out, he told me ‘You’re basically not going to be able to stay in this apartment until we’re done.’”
Trotter disclosed being required to sign a form waiving rights to sue GOTR for mold, as did Rose. He told the Times that a maintenance person had recently visited his unit and informed him that there would be no need for a second treatment, stating the mold had been killed, but he says his apartment still reeks of mold.
“This is affecting me mentally because I’ve dealt with this before and said ‘You know what, give me my security deposit, I’m moving out,” Trotter said, emphasizing that he shouldn’t have to move again. “This time, I’m fighting.” | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/a-cautionary-tale-about-knowing-your-rights-and-the-risks-of-withholding-rent/article_cdead566-15c4-11ee-b4f6-ef5222cc1292.html | 2023-06-29T10:01:49 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/a-cautionary-tale-about-knowing-your-rights-and-the-risks-of-withholding-rent/article_cdead566-15c4-11ee-b4f6-ef5222cc1292.html |
Manufacturing complex in Manatee County sold in $13.75 million transaction
A Manatee County manufacturing complex that for decades built boats in the Whitfield community has been sold for $13.8 million as a national building supply company expands operations in the area.
Builders FirstSource (NYSE: BLDR) purchased the 9.9-acre lot to be a distribution center for the publicly traded company's local operations. Builders FirstSource is a national supplier of structural building products and services for residential construction and remodeling companies, according to a news release announcing the sale.
The property was developed by boat manufacturer Donzi Marine in 1964, which operated at the facility until 2010, said a spokesperson for Harry E. Robbins & Associates.
Kevin Robbins of Harry E. Robbins & Associates and Gavin Oberlin of KW Commercial co-listed the property.
Rodney Dessberg, the seller, purchased the property in 2015 and oversaw renovations to the two existing buildings and surrounding infrastructure. The renovated buildings have about 130,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
Dessberg also built a third structure totaling 10,000 square feet of office space before selling the property earlier this month, according to the news release.
The property's west edge borders an active Seminole Gulf Railway line, and the facility is a quarter-mile from U.S. Highway 301 and north of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
Robbins said the sale "speaks to the strength of the industrial market," calling the transaction a significant economic indicator.
"It also signifies the continued expectation for building in the Florida market," Robbins said. "BFS is a home building supply company making a very large investment in the Manatee-Sarasota market."
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More:Higher interest rates not hampering Lakewood Ranch sales as new development sells quickly | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/29/builders-firstsource-buys-donzi-marine-facility-in-manatee-county/70356351007/ | 2023-06-29T10:01:55 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/29/builders-firstsource-buys-donzi-marine-facility-in-manatee-county/70356351007/ |
Plagued by accusations of mismanagement in recent weeks, the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust (MDEAT) held an emergency board meeting Tuesday morning to clear the air.
Executive director William “Bill” Diggs addressed complaints exposed in a Miami Times article two weeks ago and an accompanying opinion piece published last week. Despite coming under fire for misuse of taxpayer funds, derogatory statements and a lack of transparency, Diggs maintains that the organization has done nothing wrong.
Most primarily, he defended his track record of producing upscale, private events that he believes bring in investment opportunities for Black people who have basic wealth and would like to maintain it.
“We’re trying to work at the top of the market and also at the bottom of the market,” Diggs said. “Even today, the goal of this organization is to increase economic participation and the viability of Black businesses and Black families and Black communities, so we’re not just a poor people’s agency.”
Diggs did not publicly address human resources and personnel issues except to assert that MDEAT reserves the right to fire probationary employees, such as Vincent Burnett, who blew the whistle on the reported allegations.
Meanwhile, the public records request that will either corroborate or deny those allegations is yet to be satisfied. Diggs says that the request is far more elaborate than the Times suspects, insisting it will result in thousands of emails that must be searched, partially redacted and printed for a fee, although the Times would gladly receive digital files to lessen the workload.
On May 30, the Times requested the following: MDEAT board packages from June 2022 to May 2023; any county correspondence/notes regarding the MDEAT disparity study; a list of applicants for MDEAT’s rehabilitation assistance program (RAP), including the number of applicants who received underwriting commitment letters and total RAP loans funded for the 2022-23 fiscal year; invoices for the MDEAT Speaker Series with respect to venue and speaker fees from August 2022 to May 2023; board ballots, invoices and the scope of services for a $500,000 loan contract with the Black Business Investment Fund; invoices, contracts and a scope of services since May 2022 for $1.5 million in BAC infrastructure funding; sign-in sheets and any follow-up correspondence from Jazz In The Gardens Housing Hub participants; homeownership assistance program reports from October 2022 to April 2023; a list of pending satisfaction mortgages in need of recording with the clerk’s office with a Feb. 28 payoff date; and any documents detailing the results of investigations into MDEAT personnel complaints filed with the county’s Fair Employment Practices department, including complaints filed against Housing Administrator Edwin Miller and Diggs himself.
On June 15, Roshawn Harris, MDEAT’s departmental administrative coordinator, informed the Times via email that the request would take an additional 30 days to be completed.
The request was allegedly delayed two weeks because MDEAT’s assigned county attorney was on vacation. Diggs said the attorney is his primary and preferred point of contact for such matters, although it is regular practice for Miami-Dade County to assign a substitute attorney when one is away.
As for the accusations of misogynistic and derogatory comments made by Miller, Diggs said he was unaware of such occurrences, but that Miller’s behavior is currently being investigated. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/diggs-defends-mdeat-against-whistleblower-complaints/article_147e61cc-15b7-11ee-a740-637e373df47c.html | 2023-06-29T10:01:55 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/diggs-defends-mdeat-against-whistleblower-complaints/article_147e61cc-15b7-11ee-a740-637e373df47c.html |
Landlords wanted: Sarasota officials recruit for affordable housing voucher program
With a divorce behind her and her credit in disarray, Dana Landin has spent months at homeless shelters, unable to afford area rents.
Once an executive recruiter with a six-figure salary and a cute home of her own, the 47-year-old Sarasota native is now collecting disability for a connective tissue disorder and other ailments.
After finally obtaining a Housing Choice Voucher, formerly called Section 8, she felt at first like she’d hit the Lotto. At last, she thought, she could provide stability to her daughter Zoey, age 4.
Instead, like hundreds to thousands of voucher holders, Dana found her nightmare dragging on.
Some qualified places looked unsafe. Other rentals were beyond the program’s price cap. And many private landlords wouldn’t accept the voucher at all.
“I think people have a preconceived notion about who receives Section 8,” Landin said about negative impressions she once shared. “But life can change in an instant.”
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A tough market
In an effort to help thousands of struggling families through the housing crisis, the Sarasota Housing Authority, or SHA, has launched a major drive to recruit more landlords into the voucher program.
From hiring a new landlord liaison to offering financial incentives to property owners to revamping its website, the SHA hopes to get more families into homes they can afford.
The almost 600 landlords currently renting to nearly 1,900 voucher-holding households are critical to the area’s housing stock and economy, said William Russell, the SHA’s president and CEO.
“As a group, they are the largest providers of affordable housing in our community,” Russell said.
Another 1,300 applicants remain on the waiting list, faced with a one- to four-year wait before receiving a voucher.
When they do get a voucher, there is no guarantee they will find a home with it.
Following the pandemic’s onset, as rents soared along with demand, many landlords turned voucher-holders away, able to pick and choose from a large pool of candidates.
By the end of last year, success rates of applicants finding a landlord to accept their voucher within four months plummeted to 56%.
“In my 18 years here, I’ve never seen the market this tough,” Russell said.
Among SHA’s new initiatives, the creation of a landlord liaison post was rooted in HUD research showing that a designated contact could overcome stiff bureaucratic barriers to landlord participation.
The stakes are high. While other affordable housing proposals can take years to get off the ground, the voucher program holds promise to help thousands of hurting residents right away.
“The more landlords we get,” Russell said, “the more families we serve.”
How it works
On a recent morning, Derrick Kirce folds his six-foot-six frame into the city-owned Ford Escape.
As the new SHA landlord liaison, the Sarasota High School basketball legend and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Hall of Famer scours city neighborhoods and suburbs, seeking houses, duplexes, quads or apartments to recruit to the voucher program.
“There is a lot of stock out there,” he says of the county – a place that has transformed before his eyes since his return home from an athletic career abroad to work in social services.
One of his goals is to encourage landlords to move past negative stereotypes of voucher holders – to see them as fellow residents set back by health issues or struggling with soaring costs even as they work two or three jobs.
While a third of voucher holders are disabled or elderly residents, most are working families, according to Jeremy White, SHA’s housing choice voucher program director.
“It’s amazing,” says Kirce, “that $65,000 is not considered a living wage in this community for a family with four kids.”
Kirce pulls into the Hidden Creek community east of I-75 to meet with a couple that at first planned to sell their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. After delays, they decided to rent, calling the housing authority to ask about the voucher program.
As he does with all inquiries, Kirce was quick to phone them back. He gives out his cell number and follows up with emails, walking prospective landlords through the entire process.
Whether one-on-one or in community presentations, Kirce stresses the benefits of renting to voucher holders, including guaranteed rent payments deposited by SHA the first of the month into the landlord’s bank account; rent amounts equal or close to market rates; a streamlined approval process; and financial incentives of $500 for each new leased signed with voucher-holders.
After several conversations with Kirce, the couple said they wanted to give it a try.
Soon, the couple was contacted by a woman who will become their new tenant: a working single mother with four children.
For Lamarr James, SHA’s intake specialist, that moment, he knows, can represent enormous relief for the desperate parents calling him each day – some of them sleeping in cars with their kids.
“They break down crying,” James said. “They’ve been waiting so long.”
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Hope at your doorstep
James has especially hopeful advice for people who are already in a home before they go searching for a new place that will accept their voucher.
Try your current landlord, he tells them.
That’s what happened with Tim Donaghy.
A Sarasota landlord for about 14 years, he rents a dozen homes in the city to middle- and lower-middle-class families. Recently, when a favorite tenant approached him nearly in tears, asking if he would take her voucher, he readily looked into it.
The woman and her husband, both professionals – with five children excelling at school – had been working multiple jobs to keep up with rent for the four-bedroom house.
For years, Donaghy resisted raising it to keep them as tenants. But finally, as his expenses rose, too, he brought it close to $2,500 a month – a good $1,000 less than what comparable units were charging.
“People in this area seem to be frustrated with landlords because of the rents, but the taxes have skyrocketed, the insurance has skyrocketed, even something simple like a repair for the AC has skyrocketed,” he said.
“The profit margin is not as high as people think.”
When the tenant’s number came up for a voucher, it promised help to them both: higher rent payments for him, while the family’s obligation was cut in half.
But Donaghy had one big misgiving: dealing with the housing authority.
“In the past, I would email someone and not hear back for two or three days about a question on a tenant or whatever situation,” he said. “You would call and someone wouldn’t call you back, and it would be very very frustrating.”
With Kirce, though, he found that the office has turned around.
“That seems to have changed tenfold,” he said about communication and assistance to landlords.
The difference is reflected in the numbers. Following Kirce’s hiring and other initiatives, the success rate of voucher holders getting leased within four months rose from that 56% low point in December to the current rate of 76%.
Donaghy accepted the voucher from his favorite tenant, telling Kirce that the second he has another open unit, he will give him a call.
“Derrick really advocates for these families,” he said. “It makes you want to try to do your part in helping these families out.”
Empowering both sides
Other landlords are less convinced about the program.
Bissell Bissell, a colleague of Donaghy’s in Sarasota, said in his nearly 16 years of renting and managing properties, many of his voucher-holding tenants left major damage behind, sometimes in the thousands of dollars.
The problem, he says, revolves around deposits. Since the SHA can't assist with them, many tenants with vouchers turn to nonprofits for help. But the money is not theirs to get back, Bissell noted, leaving little to deter the destruction of property.
"The deposit works as incentives," he said, suggesting more reforms.
Kirce is addressing that by coaching landlords on how to fortify leases.
He advises them not to wait until the lease expires and tenants move out before contacting SHA, when at that point, there's little it can do. Instead, he shows them ways to insert clauses that call for landlord inspections every few months or reasons to enter the home for things like changes to air filters.
“We want to empower them to monitor their property throughout the year,” Kirce said.
While the SHA is not a property manager, as soon as problems are flagged by landlords, it can intervene with a special inspection -- holding tenants responsible for repairs or threatening to revoke their voucher.
Likewise, he works with tenants, educating them on the rules of the program, encouraging active communication with landlords and how to report violations from their end as well.
For the most part, Kirce adds, voucher holders are hardworking and conscientious. The last thing they want to do – with so much on the line, after waiting so long to get one – is to put their voucher at risk.
Report:Almost half of households in Sarasota-Manatee region live paycheck-to-paycheck
'Best day of my life'
Dana Landin's own search for a rental had been fruitless, costing hundreds of dollars in lost rental application fees.
Even from Kirce’s list, several of the addresses led to dead ends. Every day she had been calling SHA, hyperventilating, despairing in her search for a home for herself and daughter, Zoey.
The last place on the list was a two-bedroom house in North Port. It had a backyard and was in a family-friendly neighborhood, with sidewalks, close to parks and in a good school district.
The owner had talked to Kirce and decided to open it up to voucher holders. The landlord wanted to meet her.
By mid-June she was signing a lease and moving in – the rent at $1,600 a month, her share a little over $600.
A nonprofit and Season of Sharing helped cover the deposit and first month's rent. Now housed with the voucher, Landin eventually will be able to apply it to the Homeownership Program.
Her gratitude to SHA and landlords moved her to tears.
The first night in the house, after a bath and being tucked in, 4-year-old Zoey told her mother this was the best day of her life.
“I’m confident that this move will change our lives for the better,” Landin said. “SHA saved my sanity. And they gave us hope where we had lost it.”
This story comes from a partnership between the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Saundra Amrhein covers the Season of Sharing campaign, along with issues surrounding housing, utilities, child care and transportation in the area. She can be reached at samrhein@gannett.com. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/29/sarasota-officials-recruit-landlords-for-housing-voucher-program/70277766007/ | 2023-06-29T10:02:01 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/29/sarasota-officials-recruit-landlords-for-housing-voucher-program/70277766007/ |
June 20 marked the first North Miami Beach commission meeting since Commissioner Michael Joseph was reinstated to office by a judge, and since former Mayor Anthony DeFillipo was suspended for voter fraud. Vice Mayor Jay Chernoff chaired the meeting as acting mayor in accordance with the city charter.
It was a regular city meeting regarding regular city business – until it wasn’t.
Solid waste, Washington Park community center and the pending senior center project all dominated the meeting up until the time came for commissioners’ remarks. Joseph, with litigation initially brought against him by Chernoff now all but resolved, spoke publicly on the dais about DeFillipo without reserve.
“Some commissioners, like myself, recognized, along with the [former] city attorney, that Mr. DeFillipo was an illegal mayor because he was not living in our city,” he said. “Other public officials sided with Mr. DeFillipo, taking actions to block commission meetings to discuss this matter and any inquiry into Mr. DeFillipo’s residency.”
Joseph condemned those who supported DeFillipo without question and, in a statement made to The Miami Times prior to the meeting, asserted that his fellow commissioners “have a lot of explaining to do.”
The churn inside was at the same time reflected just outside North Miami Beach City Hall, where a group of individuals held up signs calling for the resignations of those who “supported the criminal,” with Chernoff, Commissioner Phyllis Smith and Commissioner Fortuna Smukler referred to by name.
Legal quandaries
Joseph, an attorney, says the city and its taxpayers’ dollars are now left vulnerable to future lawsuits because of the DeFillipo debacle. Defending his actions to boycott past commission meetings in protest of the former mayor’s questionable residency status, the commissioner worries that the criminal charges against DeFillipo confirm his illegitimacy as mayor and nullify any decisions made under his direction.
In Joseph’s eyes, that’s exactly why he and Commissioners McKenzie Fleurimond and Daniela Jean repeatedly missed meetings, breaking quorum and halting city business for months.
“I tried to resolve this situation amicably, but instead I was personally and professionally attacked … I was vilified by the public and the supporters of Mr. DeFillipo, who gaslit the community and colored these issues as conspiracies,” said Joseph.
Joseph similarly fears that attorney Michael Pizzi has a conflict of interest after representing Chernoff and DeFillipo in prior lawsuits, interfering with the attorney’s pending contractual obligations for watchdog investigations into corruption and malfeasance.
For these vulnerabilities, Joseph says, interim city attorney John Herin is to blame.
“These actions should have never taken place if the city had good legal counsel, adequate legal counsel, but the city attorney here with us today said he reviewed the facts and said there was no problem, even though the governor, the state attorney and a circuit court judge indicated disagreement with his view of the law … The cover-up is always worse than the crime,” said Joseph.
“[Joseph’s] characterization of the legal advice that I have provided to you all is incorrect and mixes and matches facts and the law,” responded Herin. “I stand by every piece of advice that I have provided to this commission.”
When asked by Smukler whether the city was indeed at legal risk for effectuating DeFillipo’s mayoral status despite the unresolved residency claims, Herin said no. He also said his conversation with a representative from the Florida Bar ethics hotline concluded that there was no conflict with Pizzi’s continued responsibility to the city, either.
“When we ask him, ‘Hey, is this going to affect us down the road?’ He says no – no legal opinion, no case law, nothing, just, ‘Hey, it’s not going to happen,’” said Joseph.
“The concern is that we’re voting on things without legal research … [A vote] should not take place if you don’t have the proper full research or documented responses from either the governor’s office on issues, the Florida Bar on issues. I’m sorry, but a phone call to a 1-800 number is not good enough to make a decision,” added Fleurimond.
Herin promised to further explain his legal decisions, either publicly or privately, if the commission wished, but had no further comment when asked for clarity by this publication.
The city is now beginning the process of searching for a permanent city attorney, to which Herin himself can apply. As for DeFillipo’s vacancy, a special election to fill the seat has not yet been set, although Herin told the Times that there is a target date of Oct. 3.
Serious allegations
The claims against Herin don’t stop there, however. The interim city attorney also is being accused of theft for paying Pizzi’s legal fees without city authorization.
Fleurimond noted how the city discussed incurring those fees although it was in DeFillipo’s personal capacity that he had sued to restore the city’s quorum. At an April 18 meeting, Herin was directed to assess the fees and bring an amount back to the commission for final approval. The latter request was never fulfilled, but Herin authorized the checks anyway.
In an email sent by Herin to commissioners with Pizzi copied, legal fees for quorum litigation amount to approximately $111,500.
Fleurimond also raised concerns over staff’s failure to pay former city manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey’s sick and accrued vacation pay per the commission’s order. Fleurimond said he was surprised to receive a letter in late May, two months after Sorey was fired, by an attorney demanding that those dues be paid.
Interim city manager Mark Antonio explained how he would not pay Sorey until receiving authorization from Herin, who said it was due to an abundance of caution amid the pending investigation into Sorey’s actions that the payment was not sent out. Herin also noted that the report on that investigation, conducted by Pizzi, is due to the city within 20-30 days from last week’s meeting.
When asked whether the city would like to give direction to pay Sorey his sick and leave pay at the June 20 meeting, Fleurimond said he did not want to interfere with the matter now that an attorney was involved.
“With all due respect, Commissioner Fleurimond, you can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” said Herin, although he quickly apologized for the statement.
“This is not about issuing a check right now or getting anybody their money right now,” responded Fleurimond. “This is very clearly about direction given to your office or the manager’s office, and it’s clearly about what legally we’re supposed to be doing versus how we open ourself up to challenges by this letter I’m seeing here.”
Antonio attempted to take the blame, adding that Pizzi himself had recommended against the payment, but Chernoff ended the discussion at that moment, saying it was heading in the wrong direction.
Unanswered questions
With allegations of theft, neglect, corruption and fraud running rampant, Smith’s consideration of a forensic audit should come as no surprise.
“I think the public’s been yelling for it,” Smith said, “and I don’t think it’s a waste of money, even if they find nothing.”
What the scope of that audit would be and whether North Miami Beach will truly spend the money to engage the service is still undecided. The city is currently finishing up its regular annual audit, which is far less extensive or decisive than what the commission seemed to be considering last week.
Also pending is whether the city will choose to appeal Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Peter Lopez’s decision to reinstate Joseph into office. Chernoff and Pizzi had attempted to do just that earlier this month, asking Lopez to withhold his motion until a higher court had the time to opine. Lopez did not grant their wish.
Joseph’s attorneys nevertheless argued that neither Chernoff nor Pizzi have the right to seek an appeal without the commission’s approval. As such, Herin asked the commission to make that decision last week. As the clock struck midnight, however, Chernoff adjourned the meeting, leaving the appeal question unanswered. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/michael-joseph-calls-out-the-cost-of-vengeance-to-taxpayers-upon-his-return-to-north/article_931e553a-15be-11ee-a47d-abc20db15433.html | 2023-06-29T10:02:01 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/michael-joseph-calls-out-the-cost-of-vengeance-to-taxpayers-upon-his-return-to-north/article_931e553a-15be-11ee-a47d-abc20db15433.html |
Loveland Center and Habitat of South Sarasota County partner on new affordable community
Loveland hoping to raise up to $5 million; Habitat for Humanity of South Sarasota County has $7 million goal to complete its villas in novel partnership to build an inclusive community
With $15 million in state funding secured, the Loveland Center and Habitat for Humanity of South Sarasota County will embark on the public phase of fundraising for the “Senator Nancy C. Detert Home of Your Own,” 122-unit inclusive affordable housing community.
The $24.35 million community includes a three-story apartment complex featuring 84 one- and two-bedroom apartments that can be rented by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or seniors age 65 and older who live on no more than 65% of the annual median income for Sarasota County.
Groundbreaking for the apartment complex is targeted for early 2024, with the goal of having units ready sometime in 2025 and a grand opening in 2026.
The south Sarasota County-based nonprofit, which was established in 1962, provides life skills training for more than 400 individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities at four locations in Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Loveland still needs to raise at least $5 million for the apartments and its portion of the villas, while Habitat will have to raise about $7 million.
An all-inclusive affordable community
The apartments will be built on 7.5 acres on the east side of Loveland’s campus at 157 South Havana Road in Venice, along with 38 two- and three-bedroom villas that are being built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of South Sarasota County.
While 40% of those villas will be set aside for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, the remaining 60% will be available as affordable housing for anyone who qualifies under the Habitat for Humanity model.
“The 60% part will be workforce and families and could be seniors,” said Loveland President & CEO Patrick Guerin. “I will tell you that I have a few staff members that are currently working for Loveland that are interested in moving into the community when it is fully built, and they’ll be going through that 60%.”
A novel approach for Habitat
Christina McCauley, executive director and CEO for Habitat for Humanity of South Sarasota County, said the partnership with Loveland is the first of its kind for the nonprofit.
That means that Habitat will finish homes currently under way on single-family lots in Venice and North Port and transition to concentrating solely on fundraising for and building the villas on the Loveland site.
“We thought it was a fabulous idea, not only to help individuals with disabilities but for our own folks, it’s really easy for us to have everything in one location,” McCauley said. “To have all of our construction focused in one area, to have all of our materials in one area, it’s a faster, more efficient way to get people moved into their home than having 10 lots spread out among two cities or more.
“We really want to honor Patrick’s vision of not having this institutionalized living; we really want to mix everybody together and make it a community.”
Grant funds dedicated to apartments
Stephen and Redenta Picazio have pledged an additional $1 million for naming rights to one of the three apartment buildings.
Naming opportunities for the other buildings are still availablel.
Through legislation sponsored by state Rep. James Buchanan, R-Sarasota, and state Sen. Jim Boyd, R–Bradenton, Loveland received $15 million from the state of Florida for the affordable housing community, which was championed by Detert. That and a $5 million grant from the Sarasota County Commission will all go to the construction of the three apartment buildings.
'A synergistic community’
The first residential complex – the 42-unit Nancy Detert Residences at Loveland Village – opened in the spring of 2016.
That $12.1 million complex received state funding – again championed by Detert – and was the first of its kind in Florida.
Related:'We all lost a champion yesterday': Sarasota County commissioner Nancy Detert dies at 78
In 2019, Loveland’s board of directors and Guerin established a strategic initiative that targeted affordable housing as a top need for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
It has already committed about $2 million in land and infrastructure costs; bought the 7.5 acres in February 2020 and then hired Fleischman Garcia Kozlowski Architecture, A&M Engineering, and Halfacre Construction.
“The whole purpose behind this is to really create a community that’s synergistic,” Guerin said. “One of the reasons you have seniors there is that’s the highest volunteer group we have here at Loveland – those are the people who come and volunteer here with our individuals and the same thing as a turnaround the group that our individuals can go and volunteer with to support them are seniors.”
The hope is that other residents who buy into the Habitat workforce housing will fit the community as seamlessly.
“We want to make sure the people who are moving in here are here to help each other,” he added.
A chance to build wealth
Loveland will essentially hold the mortgages for the individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, at an anticipated cost of $500 a month.
“It’s to help people with an IDD get some financial security in their life and to buy their own home because traditionally that’s not something that’s given to people with IDD,” Guerin said.
Guerin said Loveland’s stretch goal for the project is close to $30 million, since he wants to set aside enough money to cover the costs typically covered by homeowners association fees for about 15 years.
Interested donors can contact Habitat for Humanity of South Sarasota County at development@habitatsouthsarasota.org or call 941493-6606; or Camille Cline at Loveland at ccline@lovelandcenter.org or call 941-539-8872,
The partnership is still evolving and eventually there may be a central avenue for people to donate to Home Of Your Own and split that contribution between the two nonprofits.
Guerin stressed that the community must be maintained as affordable housing for at least 30 years, “so we have a process in place for the Habitat mortgaged homes, Habitat holds first right of refusal and Loveland is going to be the mortgage holder on a few homes also and we would hold the first right of refusal on those so we can turn around and buy them out and then maintain the affordability.”
Guerin, who took over at Habitat six years ago after 25 years in human services in the New York area, anticipates a successful fundraising effort.
“I am so impressed by the people in this community and their willingness to support the community and support other people in need,” he said. “I see it all the time. It’s one of the things that Sarasota County always blows me away on – the fact that there’s so many people in this community who just care about others in the community and are willing to give from their personal funds to help someone out is extremely impressive and it touches my heart to see that.” | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/29/loveland-habitat-for-humanity-partner-to-build-122-affordable-homes/70355521007/ | 2023-06-29T10:02:07 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/29/loveland-habitat-for-humanity-partner-to-build-122-affordable-homes/70355521007/ |
IDAHO, USA — You can count on them like you can count on 90 degree days in a Southern Idaho summer.
If you spend any time in the outdoors - especially backcountry brush - chances are you've brushed up against some ticks.
The bothersome bloodsuckers can cause some serious health problems, so it's important to know what to do if you spot a tick.
Idaho is in the middle of peak tick season, which runs from around May to July - and experts say that ticks are more common in years where there has been a lot of rain and brush growth.
"These foothills are very active with ticks in the springtime and early summer," Dr. Kirk Campaña with AFC Urgent Care in Garden City said.
The parasites hide in tall grasses and shrubs, Dr. Campaña says that ticks live on blood - kind of like mosquitos.
"They go from host to host," Dr. Campaña said. "So, there are bloodborne illnesses, viruses, parasites, bacteria."
Illnesses like Lyme Disease - although Dr. Campaña says Lyme Disease is more common on the East Coast. Ticks can also spread diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which was first reported in Idaho, and can lead to permanent health complications.
"Contracting the disease is first of all very sensitive to how long the tick was attached, and two, the ability to treat the illness is very sensitive to how long you've had it," Dr. Campaña said. "So, someone that had Lyme Disease for two or three weeks - they get tested, they get treated, most of the time they'll be cured. Someone who's had it for months and then is treated, not always completely recovers."
Before you head into the backcountry this summer, there are some ways to help prevent getting ticks.
"One of the best protections is a barrier," Dr. Campaña said.
Barriers like longer layers - and insect repellants like DEET.
"When you finish your hike...a lot of people have a habit or a good routine of showering afterwards and just kind of doing a survey," Dr. Campaña said.
If you find a tick, you can often flick it off yourself - unless it's already attached.
"You can tell when it's attached because the head is down buried into the skin and the abdomen, or round part, is sticking up in the air," Dr. Campaña said.
The best way to remove a tick is with a pair of pointed tweezers or forceps.
"You get as close to your skin as possible and grab its mouth parts and just lift straight up," Dr. Campaña said. "And then wash with soap and water to kind of get rid of any infectious agents that might be present."
Whenever you handle or remove a tick, make sure to wash your hands after, because the tick may have blood or pathogens from other animals or humans.
After you remove a tick, monitor for redness or a sore in that area.
"It's really key that you get checked out early if you think you have something unusual going on," Dr. Campaña said.
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Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download. | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-dont-let-them-tick-you-off-what-to-know-about-tick-season-in-idaho/277-395b9253-c979-4e66-956c-370c77c5b076 | 2023-06-29T10:09:25 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-dont-let-them-tick-you-off-what-to-know-about-tick-season-in-idaho/277-395b9253-c979-4e66-956c-370c77c5b076 |
ROANOKE, Va. – Happy Thursday! Grab your morning coffee and check out the Morning Sprint to find out what’s trending.
The digital-only newscast is filled with laughter, smiles and stories you won’t want to miss. You can catch it Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
Don’t be shy! Be sure to join the conversation as we chat about the news of the day.
Here are some of the stories we will discuss:
- Emergency landing at Charlotte airport caught on camera
- Roanoke College partners with Habitat for Humanity to build home for local family
- More than $600,000 raised so far during Give Local NRV
- Budweiser Clydesdale set to visit Roanoke this summer
- We’re showing off your Thankful Thursday Pins. Here’s how you can have your photos featured during the Morning Sprint
Here’s where you can watch us:
The Sprint can be watched on our website, YouTube account and wherever you stream WSLS 10 weekdays at 8 a.m.
You can also watch it on our 10 News app. Click here to download if you’re an IOS user and here to download if you have an Android.
Be sure to leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for watching!
Want to know more about the Morning Sprint? Leave us a question using the form below: | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/29/coming-up-delta-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-charlotte-airport-the-morning-sprint/ | 2023-06-29T10:12:52 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/29/coming-up-delta-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-charlotte-airport-the-morning-sprint/ |
An 18-year-old student named Harvey Kesselman arrived for Stockton College’s opening day at an Atlantic City Boardwalk hotel in 1971, knowing he was attending a new, experimental school.
That didn’t stop him from being amazed by the non-traditional atmosphere.
“We went walking up one of the Boardwalk ramps ... to the then-condemned Mayflower Hotel,” Kesselman said in a recent interview as he is about to step down as Stockton University’s president.
The hotel, now demolished, was the interim location for much of the initial semester while the Galloway Township campus was being finished, Kesselman said.
The first faculty member he met was chemistry professor Shelby Broughton, whom he still sees from time to time.
“He had a long, long ponytail. He was wearing a leather vest, leather pants and no shirt. That is who my original preceptor or adviser was. I thought I was in La La Land, quite frankly,” Kesselman said. “He turned out to be one of the most brilliant people I ever met.”
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The second faculty member he ran into was political science professor Bill Daly, whom he calls a Stockton legend. Daly died Jan. 31 at 83.
“He was a Midwestern conservative looking guy … in a short-sleeve shirt with a tie. It was two different worlds yet in the same place. It turned out to be an extraordinary experience.”
Kesselman, 72, graduated from Stockton with a political science degree and lots of math credits, and has worked at Stockton for more than 40 years, the last eight as president.
His last day will be Friday, after which new president Joe Bertolino takes over. Bertolino, named the sixth president of Stockton in March, leaves his post as the president of Southern Connecticut State University to come to Stockton.
Inheriting the Showboat issue
In 2015, Kesselman was named the president of the University of Southern Maine, but then-Stockton President Herman Saatkamp resigned after a botched attempt to open an Atlantic City campus at the former Showboat casino hotel.
Under Saatkamp, Stockton had purchased the Showboat for $18 million and sank another $8 million into it, even though it was under restrictive covenants that made it impossible to put a campus there.
When he was offered the Stockton presidency, Kesselman took it and then led the effort to sell the Showboat to Bart Blatstein, who now operates it as a hotel, and to build the city campus in the Chelsea neighborhood instead.
“I really don’t like to talk about Showboat,” Kesselman said. “I think he (Saatkamp) made a calculated risk. ... We all take risks and some of them work out and some of them don’t. It’s that simple.”
Kesselman credits Stockton with transforming his life. He was the first in his family to complete college — his mother graduated from high school but his father didn’t. And he eventually got his doctorate in higher education administration from Widener University.
He also met his wife, Lynne, at Stockton; they have three adult children.
But his K-12 educational experience was a lot more mixed, he said in a recent interview.
‘I was the class clown’
“I was the class clown,” he said of his days in elementary school in the Philadelphia suburbs. “My fourth grade teacher made me sit up in front of the class with my back to everyone else for almost a whole year. It was only when I won the (Delaware County) spelling bee she let me go sit back with my classmates.”
He didn’t like the regimentation of high school, going from class to class every 42 minutes with little choice in the matter.
“That’s not the way I think,” Kesselman said. “I always tested well, but I didn’t enjoy it.”
Kesselman realized he was a self-directed learner who read newspapers voraciously and read deeply on subjects in which he had an interest.
“That’s why Stockton was so appealing to me,” he said of the idea of an experimental college in which students carved their own paths of study. “In the early days, it was almost exclusively self-directed.”
The lack of structure was good for him, but not for many other students. The early graduation rate was only about 25%, he said.
Back then, young people rebelled against authority and the older generation, but today the divide is different, he said, and focused on identity.
“It’s ideological warfare happening right now. Facts become meaningless. It’s almost all emotional,” Kesselman said.
At Stockton, those ideological divides aren’t as overt, he said.
“Our students here get along really well. I was stunned — happily — that students crossing the political spectrum all waited four hours to get in to see (former GOP California Gov. Arnold) Schwarzenegger. That surprised me.”
Schwarzenegger spoke at Stockton in March.
Over the years, Kesselman has held almost every high level job at the school, helped it morph into a more traditional one, and eventually into the university it is now.
If he were staying longer, his next big project would be to start a law school at the city campus, Kesselman said.
“If I had five more years, it would happen,” he said.
He’d also love to see the completion of Phase 3 of the city campus, a potential mixed-use building on an empty beach lot near the campus, and the building of a coastal resiliency center at Gardner’s Basin, he said.
But to look ahead much further is difficult because artificial intelligence is evolving so rapidly that it’s almost impossible to predict how it will affect all fields, including education, he said.
‘I’m a blue collar kid at best’
Kesselman grew up in Media, Pennsylvania, with a father who worked in gas stations and later had his own, and a mother who worked in a shop that sold chickens.
A brother went into the military and a sister married out of high school. He was the baby of the family and the first to go to college.
One of his first jobs at Stockton was tutoring math.
“I always loved working with first generation and less-advantaged kids,” he said. “I’m a blue collar kid at best.”
When he sees his last name up on the Atlantic City campus’s first residence hall and on a city street — both recently named for him — he thinks of the years he vacationed there with his family.
“We would save up for two years to do four or five days in Atlantic City. We’d stay in these motels, not high-end hotels,” Kesselman said. “Just one generation later as a result of education, a few blocks away a road and a building are named after me. That really speaks to the value of education.”
The four Stockton presidents who preceded him mentored him, Kesselman said, helping prepare him to eventually take over.
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear,” Kesselman said. “I would seek out their advice. That’s something I’d encourage all young people to do.”
Relationships are important, he said, and admits that his extraversion helped him develop those relationships.
“It’s much more difficult for introverted people. I try to encourage them to get out of that mode and don’t worry about it,” he said. “It’s hard to be a university president — or a senior administrator — and introverted ... even though many times they are the most thoughtful.”
When he’s not working, however, he can be a bit of a loner he said. He’ll sit down and read a book — he’s often in the middle of several at one time.
Right now, he’s reading Malcolm Gladwell’s “Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know” and Thomas Sowell’s “Economic Facts and Fallacies.”
Getting an early start
It has also helped his career to need just four to six hours of sleep each night.
“My day starts no later than 4 a.m. every day, seven days a week. I have never needed an alarm clock in my life,” he said.
That has given him about four more waking hours a day than most people, which may be the single most significant factor in his career trajectory, Kesselman said.
By 8 a.m. he has already read several newspapers and higher education periodicals, written emails and prepared himself for whatever is coming.
It’s difficult to predict what Stockton will be like in 18 years for a child born today. But there will always be a need to help transform teenagers into adults, he said. So he doesn’t see the campus experience going away.
“It does take social interactions, basketball games, concerts, dance recitals,” Kesselman said.
For those above age 22 or 23, he can see off-campus learning predominating, through the internet and/or artificial intelligence.
“Most people above that age are looking to get a credential,” he said. “If they do it that way, they eliminate travel.”
Artificial intelligence will be a major disruptor, he said, “at a level we have never experienced before.”
New leaders will figure out how to negotiate that change, he said, but he will be helping as long as he can.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said of his decision to stay in the region and likely teach at Stockton for a time. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/from-class-clown-to-university-president-kesselman-says-education-transformed-him/article_8394708e-0eae-11ee-a4c8-13c3912eede3.html | 2023-06-29T10:16:39 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/from-class-clown-to-university-president-kesselman-says-education-transformed-him/article_8394708e-0eae-11ee-a4c8-13c3912eede3.html |
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Delainey Sutley
Ocean City
The junior midfielder led the Red Raiders with 64 goals. She helped Ocean City win its second straight Cape-Atlantic League Tournament and CAL American Division titles as well as a South Jersey Group III semifinal. She was dominant on the draw, leading her team with 147 draw controls. She finished with 72 points, 16 ground balls and nine forced turnovers. Sutley is committed to Rutgers University.
FIRST TEAM
ATTACK
Eva Blanco
Mainland Regional
The senior led Mustangs in goals (43), assists (13) and points (56). She added a team-leading 65 ground balls, 48 draw controls and 23 forced turnovers. She finished her career with 113 goals.
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Rylie Gemberling
Our Lady of Mercy Academy
The junior led the Villagers with 78 goals and 96 points. She added 53 ground balls, 46 draw controls and 18 assists. She will enter her senior season with 116 career goals.
Deirdre Jones
Southern Regional
The senior finished second among the Rams with 51 goals and 29 assists and 80 points. Jones added a team-leading 80 draw controls and 64 ground balls to go with 47 forced turnovers. She finished her career with 107 goals to go with 91 assists for 198 points.
Alyson Sojak
Barnegat
The junior led the Bengals with 81 goals to go with 39 assists for 120 points. She also led Barnegat with 98 draw controls, 64 ground balls and 14 forced turnovers. She will enter her senior season with 194 goals.
Hanna Watson
Holy Spirit
The junior led the Spartans in assists (76), goals (58) and points (134). She added 33 ground balls, 16 draw controls and 12 forced turnovers. She has 406 career points (205 assists and 201 goals). Watson is committed to Florida Southern University.
MIDFIELD
Calli Dunn
Barnegat
The senior finished second among the Bengals with 63 goals to go with a team-leading 54 assists for 117 points. She added 76 draw controls, 74 ground balls and 24 forced turnovers. She finished her career with 191 goals.
Delaney Falk
Southern Regional
The sophomore led the Rams with 79 goals to go with 12 assists for 91 points. She added a team-leading 75 draw controls to go with 61 ground balls and 49 forced turnovers. She has scored 129 goals in two seasons.
Zoey Smith
Lacey Township
The sophomore led the Lions with 98 goals to go with 14 assists. She added 140 ground balls and 118 draw controls. Through two seasons, she has scored 166 goals.
Maddie Abbott
Holy Spirit
The senior finished with 48 goals to go with 14 assists for 62 points. She added 33 draw controls, 14 ground balls and 10 forced turnovers. Abbott is committed to play lacrosse at Radford University.
Madi Wenner
Ocean City
The senior scored 54 goals, which was second most among the Red Raiders, to go with 11 assists for 65 points. She added 76 draw controls and 14 forced turnovers. Wenner finished her scholastic career with 109 points. She is committed to Kutztown University.
DEFENSE
Sienna Calhoun
Holy Spirit
The junior led a defense that allowed an average of just 8.31 points per game. She finished second among the Spartans with 38 ground balls to go with 11 forced turnovers. She added nine goals. Calhoun is committed to Lock Haven University.
Olivia Carll
Barnegat
The sophomore anchored a defense that averaged seven goals per game. She finished with 34 ground balls, 11 forced turnovers and six goals. Carll’s contributions helped the Bengals to their third straight undefeated season in the Shore Conference B South Division and to the South Jersey Group II semifinals.
Drew Coyle
Our Lady of Mercy Academy
The senior anchored a defense that allowed an average of 8.25 goals per game. Coyle finished with 25 ground balls to go with a team-leading 15 caused turnovers. She will continue her lacrosse career at Kean University.
Julianna Duff
Ocean City
The junior was a stellar defender for the Red Raiders who helped them win their second straight Cape-Atlantic League Tournament title and make their South Jersey Group III semifinal appearance. She is committed to Rhode Island University.
Andi Helphenstine
Ocean City
The senior was a leader on one of the top defensive units in South Jersey, which allowed an average of just 5.76 goals per game. The shutdown defender finished with 21 ground balls and 15 forced turnovers. She is committed to Ursinus College.
Kaya Nascimento
Southern Regional
The senior led a defense that allowed an average of 7.6 goals. She finished with 43 forced turnovers, which was second most among the Rams, and 41 ground balls. She helped lead the Rams to their second straight South Jersey Group IV semifinal appearance. She is committed to Montclair State University.
GOALIE
Kylie Kurtz
Mainland Regional
The junior made 169 saves for a 48% save percentage. Starting all 20 games, she made 10 or more saves against tough opponents such as West Deptford, Villa Maria Academy (Pa.), Rancocas Valley, Notre Dame, Ocean City, Cherry Hill West, Holy Spirit and Cherokee. She is committed to The College of New Jersey.
Emilie Menegus
Barnegat
The junior made 81 saves in 17 games for an average of 4.76 goals. The Bengals featured a strong defense, but she took care of business in the net as shown by her first-team All-Ocean County honors.
SECOND TEAM
ATTACK
Lauren Cella, Holy Spirit
Brynn Culmone, Ocean City
Anna Malandro, Southern Regional
Grace McAfee, Ocean City
Abbie Teefy, Middle Township
MIDFIELD
Tessa Huber, Lower Cape May Regional
Jane Meade, Mainland Regional
Mia McColl, Cedar Creek
Gracie Pierce, Ocean City
Avery Smith, Southern Regional
Brielle Soltys, Holy Spirit
DEFENSE
Lili Davis, Southern Regional
Giana Germano, Barnegat
Lynn McLaughlin, Mainland Regional
Maddie Monteleone, Ocean City
Ella Petrosh, Holy Spirit
GOALIE
Marissa Gras, Holy Spirit
Aliza Otton, Ocean City
HONORABLE MENTION
Absegami
Sarah Glass
Julia Hartman
Vivian Jiang
Atlantic City
Mia D’Arco
Alexandra Dounoulis
Barnegat
Patience Mares
Samantha Manco
Maya McBee
Savia Singh
Cedar Creek
Cierra Sansone
Emily Winterbottom
Egg Harbor Township
Taylor Lear
Suhayla Johnson-Ramirez
Skyler Wood
Holy Spirit
Taylor Lyons
Hailey Mastro
Kendall Murphy
Kira Murray
Tess Roman
Lower Cape May Regional
Sianna King
Ainsley Reed
Liv Lewis
Ryan Salinsky
Ally Walsh
Lacey Township
Delany Dittienhofer
Maeve Meehan
Mainland Regional
Lani Ford
Avery Notaro
Ava Sheeran
Middle Township
Eliza Billingham
Brooke Nabb
Maddyn McAnney
Cameron O’Hara
Jax Pickering
Millville
Melina Tomlin
Julia Thompson
Maren Woodman
Oakcrest
Rachel Carson
Alexis Thavisack
Ocean City
Faith Pacquing
Katie Pierce
Our Lady of Mercy Academy
Gabby Celli
Gabby Eaise
Lucia Visalli
Southern Regional
Lila DeYoung
Anna Malandro
Piper Murray
Izzy Muti
Jenna Sarnoski | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/the-2023-press-girls-lacrosse-all-stars/article_b0f74728-07af-11ee-a960-17e380f34fd2.html | 2023-06-29T10:16:41 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/the-2023-press-girls-lacrosse-all-stars/article_b0f74728-07af-11ee-a960-17e380f34fd2.html |
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The latest venture from Lindsey Food Group, Rams House Bar + Kitchen (2035 W. Broad St. https://www.ramshouserva.com/) officially opened on Wednesday, in the former home of Pies and Pints. The name pays homage to VCU and chef/co-owner Mike Lindsey’s goal was to create a themed space for fans, students and graduates to feel at home. To that end, you’ll find lots of black and gold in the decor and a menu with 36 beer taps, pizza, wings, sliders and cocktails. We are already predicting long lines for basketball season.
Smoke & Barrel takes over Lady N’awlins space
Smoke & Barrel: Kitchen and Bar is coming to the old Lady N’awlins space (2329 W. Main St.). Kevin Sheffield, a longtime New York Deli bartender whose won multiple bartending awards has taken over the space along with partners Joe Hadad and Jordan Noble. For now, we know the building has been renovated and they are hoping to open in August with elevated food and craft cocktails.
Taco Bamba, a Northern Virginia-based taco chain, will be opening a Richmond location at Willow Lawn with a full bar and patio in 2024. The restaurant group is known for creative, fresh menu items that reflect chef and owner Victor Albisu’s Latin and Peruvian roots as well as his time working in upscale French, Latin American and American restaurants. Diners pack in for traditional Mexican tacos, “tacos nuestros” that have more distinctive flavors, giant “super tortas” sandwiches and other creative dishes that can often vary by location. We can’t wait to see what’s on the Richmond menu.
If you’ve enjoyed an heirloom tomato at any Richmond restaurant, it probably came from Village Garden. This small biodynamic farm grows over 300 varieties of tomatoes each year and is celebrating them by partnering with area restaurants to host a dinner series for the third summer in a row.
The list of twenty different dinners and events in partnership with Barboursville Vineyards kicked off with a dinner at Shagbark on June 26 and runs through Aug. 16. Highlights include a tomato jubilee at the village garden farm on July 16, an already sold-out dinner at Lemaire on August 10, and dinners The Roosevelt, Penny’s Wine Shop, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and more. Each restaurant sells tickets individually—for a full schedule and details, visit @summersuppersomm on Instagram.
Richmond area restaurants opened in 2023
Burtons Grill & Bar
Ellie's Hot Dogs & Ice Cream
Click A Wine Spot
The Queen’s Tea Room
Smashed RVA
Shake Shack
Luxe New American Bar & Grill
Slurp!
Slay Burgers
Mariscos Mazatlan
Eggs Up Grill
Seafood Palace Fat Boy boil
A Taste of Nostalgia
88 Street Food
Acacia Midtown
Odyssey
Lost Letter RVA
Stanley's
Hibachi House
Main St. Dragon
Nokoribi
Urban Myth Street Food
Revel Market & Bar
Genova’s Pizza Station & Take Out Kitchen
Brick House Diner
Mayu Sushi & Thai
Wok This Way
Boiling Crab Richmond
Torchy's Tacos
Raising Cane's
ChefSuite
BigWife's
La Fogata
Grit Coffee
The Brass Tap
Penny's Wine Shop
A.M. Kitchen Company
Verseau Bistro
Chic'n & Beer
Bar West
Sidecar Cocktail Lounge
Soul N’ Vinegar
Wong's Tacos
Elegant Cuizines
Rio Grande Tex-Mex Grill
Mi Casita Restaurant
Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.
Suzy Sno
Diablo Doughnuts RVA
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Megan Marconyak has been devouring every fresh flavor she can find and capturing it in writing for over 15 years. Drool along with her dining adventures, and send her your #RVADine tips on Instagram, @MeganMarcoStyle. | https://richmond.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/rams-house-opens-smoke-barrel-takes-over-lady-n-awlins-space-taco-bamba-headed-to/article_336c6bd4-15a2-11ee-9574-63e132315f3f.html | 2023-06-29T10:19:53 | 0 | https://richmond.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/rams-house-opens-smoke-barrel-takes-over-lady-n-awlins-space-taco-bamba-headed-to/article_336c6bd4-15a2-11ee-9574-63e132315f3f.html |
A developer is planning to build a massive apartment building on the southern bank of the James River, which Manchester residents say will crowd the streets with people and cars and block their picturesque view.
This week, Richmond’s City Council approved a special-use permit for Avery Hall to build a 550-unit residential building on West Sixth Street, directly across the river from downtown.
It was the final municipal hurdle for Avery Hall, which plans to build a 17-story tower and a 16-story tower on the site. The developer has attempted to compromise with residents and has made modifications to the project, a lawyer for the company said.
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But local residents are divided. While some welcome new residents, other say the small roads cannot accommodate a large influx of people. And the towers will effectively block the view of downtown and the river for numerous residents and from Legend Brewing Company.
“The whole view from Manchester is delegated to about 225 people,” said Dave Gott, vice president of Legend.
Avery Hall, a New York City-based developer, plans to build a 4-story parking deck under the towers and green space on the roof. Planned for 301 West Sixth St., it will be among the city’s largest residential buildings.
Most of the apartments will be one-bedroom units and will come with one parking spot per apartment.
Though the zoning requirements in the area call for buildings of no more than 13 stories, the city awarded a special-use permit that allows the tower to go as high as 18 stories.
It is unclear how much money the apartments will command. But they will not be cheap. Avery Hall purchased the 3-acre plot for $17 million.
Avery Hall worked with community members and responded to their needs, said Preston Lloyd, a lawyer for the developer. The building’s plan now includes a dog park and access to green space. Plus Avery Hall agreed to contributed $1 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for grants toward affordable housing.
The building will not create congestion in the streets or overcrowding, Avery Hall said.
Some neighborhood residents have gotten behind the project, saying the area needs housing, and businesses need customers.
“Avery Hall has demonstrated a willingness to be a good neighbor,” Shanice Brown, owner of a nearby dog spa, wrote in a letter to the city.
The building will bring quality homes to the area, allowing more people to live in Manchester and support the neighborhood businesses, said Brian Stewart, owner of a tattoo parlor on Hull Street.
But like many large-scale developments, the Avery Hall project divided residents. Manchester Alliance, a neighborhood group, supports the development, its leader said. Yet other residents said that, while the alliance’s leadership supports the project, most of the rank-and-file do not.
The great view is why Jack Pearsall, 83, moved to Manchester two years ago. From his sixth-floor roof patio, he has a near panoramic view of the James, the flood wall and Richmond’s office buildings.
“This is the view every commercial advertisement is using,” Pearsall said.
His sightline will not be significantly obstructed, he said. But that is not the case for many of his neighbors who live one block east, or for nearby Legend. New residential buildings have sprung up all along Seventh Street, generally all pointed toward the river.
Pearsall said he is not completely against the project. Avery Hall could have built one tower, preserved most of the view and still constructed more than 350 units.
The tweaks made to the building’s design will not allow Legend customers to see much of downtown or the river, Gott said. The four-story parking garage will still be in the way.
“Our views were going to be toast no matter what,” Gott said.
Avery Hall said customers will be able to see between the two towers and around the left side of the west tower.
Legend opened in 1994 and is the state’s oldest operating craft brewery, Gott said. While the view is a component of the location’s appeal, Gott believes the new building will not hurt business in the long run.
His greater concern, he said, is for the community and the small road that leads in and out of the apartment building’s location. He worries there will not be enough street parking for everyone and that the narrow Perry Street will have to accommodate about 1,000 residents entering and exiting the block every day.
Two residential associations that wrote a letter to the city noted that the area is zoned for “medium scale” projects. But this “is a super-sized development,” the associations said.
Historical homes you can own in the Richmond area
3 Bedroom Home in King George - $2,190,000
Nanzatico- 18th century estate home built in 1765 sits within its own private bay, ensconced by a giant tulip poplar, boxwoods, and magnolias. Upon entering the main house you are met with a breathtaking view of the bay. Believed to have been the work of master builder William Buckland, Nanzatico has 70+ acres with original, historic, outbuildings including the perfect guest cottage with bedroom, full bath, kitchen and stone fireplace. There is also a 2 bay car garage and workshop. The main house offers 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath, a grand dining room, drawing room and living room. The woodworking and craftsmanship throughout are exceptional. Soaring ceilings, 6' mantles with large fireplaces, carved wooden cornices and classic archways. A piece of history within your own secluded, protected and private bay. Surrounded by wildlife, river views and tranquility only 15 minutes to King George and 1.5 hours from busy D.C.
2 Bedroom Home in Powhatan - $1,500,000
This Farm is What Dreams are Made of! Stunningly Beautiful Open Pastures and Mature Hardwood Trees in Eastern Powhatan less than Two Miles from the Chesterfield Line! Over 2000 feet Of Road Frontage! The Property is Bordered On One Side By the babbling Butterwood Creek and then Actually Has Some Frontage on The Appomattox River! The Farm House Has a Huge Florida Room and Screened porch with Cool Summer Breezes from The Shaded Rear Yard! There is a Barn/Garage and two pole sheds. This Property Would Make A Great Family Compound! The 35 Acres Of Fields are Currently Being cut for Hay. House being sold "as is".
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $90,000
Conveniently located with 10 min travel time to Downtown RVA!
3 Bedroom Home in Prince George - $150,000
Calling all investors! Cash Only Sale. Old farm house desperately wanting to be brought back to it's original splendor on 5 Acres on a dead end road in Prince George County. Another 30 Acres with a pond is also for sale right beside the property. State maintained road. House being sold As-Is. Well is not deep enough for todays standards and will need a new well. Septic drain field may be on adjacent property owners are working to resolve.
4 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $364,900
Welcome to this historically charming home located in Northside Place! The home boasts a beautiful kitchen with white maple cabinets that feature dovetail drawers and doors that soft close. Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink & an island. There's a laundry room w/utility sink. The home also features a downstairs bedroom/office/study with an en suite. There are three bedrooms on the second floor to include the primary bedroom with en suite and walk-in closet. The backyard has a privacy fence. Located within minutes to interstates, downtown, shopping, bike trail, MCV & VCU.
4 Bedroom Home in Tappahannock - $290,000
Fabulous move-in ready historic gem at Tappahannock, in a neighborhood of lovely homes dating back to the Colonial and Victorian era. Serene natural light fills each room! Hardwood floors & original fireplace mantels. 2 full baths with stand-alone vintage tubs / showers. Built in 1910 by the Phillips family, this home has been well cared for with heat pump, central air, bright white interior, a wonderful front porch with a park like setting and a spacious back yard. Previously renovated to include additional living quarters on the second floor, this property is currently used as a single-family dwelling w/ private 2nd Fl Suite. The wall between the first floor Living Room and the side hall could be opened to access staircase to 2nd Floor. So much charm and potential here! Towering ancient trees, figs, peonies, iris and a host of other heirloom trees, shrubs and flowers. Garden interest all year long. Enjoy leisurely walks to the Rappahannock River, special events, NN Burger, cocktails on the patio at the Essex Inn, restaurants and more. Some Photos have been virtually staged. A Must See!
2 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $299,950
Welcome to 218 High Street...a beautiful colonial in historic Petersburg! An owner/investor's delight...this property has already been respectfully preserved with tons of its original architectural features! On the main level off the entryway, a large living room, an oversized eat-in kitchen perfect for entertaining and a half bath that has been roughed in awaiting completion. The basement hosts a large bedroom, bathroom, a laundry area and large roughed-in space for an additional bedroom all with a separate entrance leading to a spacious, private courtyard! The second level has a large bedroom with a fireplace and a full bath! This house is a must see!
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $249,900
Beautiful 1921 Ginter Park Home. Wide front porch on a shaded street. Large detached garage and off-street parking. Three bedrooms, office, large open kitchen, hardwood floors, full unfinished basement. Property being sold as is. Inspection for informational purposes only.
8 Bedroom Home in Colonial Heights - $309,500
This is a home to be appreciated by a lover of history and antiques. The living room is huge with curved corners and Corinthian Columns. It has both a wrap around porch and a screened back porch. It even has a screened balcony on the second floor attached to two of the bedrooms. Both central air conditioning and heating were just added in April of this year. The plumbing to all the bathrooms was completely replaced in February of this year. The lovely iron radiators and claw foot tubs remain as a reminder of the home’s rich history. As with homes of that era it has a huge eat in kitchen. It needs remodeling but the structure of this home is solid. The 8 bedrooms could be remodeled to craft two en suite bedrooms with a screened in balcony to walk out on to over look the garden. Some of the other bedrooms would make an excellent office and there is even enough room for a billiards room while maintaining a dining room, living room and office. The yard is large enough for both a tennis court and a pool!
2 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $399,950
Built in 1915 renovated in 2005. New Roof in 2018~New Central AC in 2021~Walking distance to VCU, Restaurants, Entertainment and Shopping~ Two tiled full Bathrooms~ Condo is currently rented as a 4 bedroom ~ Decorative non working fireplace with Mantels~ All appliances convey~ Alarm System~ Basement for extra Storage~ 1 off street parking in back~ There are only 2 condos in this building~ Built in pantry~ New windows~
5 Bedroom Home in Stony Creek - $375,000
Warm and welcoming are the words that will come to mind as you walk up the sidewalk to this lovely, 2 story brick Colonial. Situated on a 1-acre lot, this 3614 sq ft home offers 5 bedrooms, 2 of which are primary bedrooms, and 3.1 baths! The first floor of the home features a formal living room with new vinyl plank flooring, a family room with hardwood flooring, built-in shelving, and a room off of it ideal for an office, a formal dining room with vinyl plank flooring and built-in cabinets and hutch, a beautiful kitchen with vinyl plank flooring, new S/S appliances, pantry, and a closet, as well as a spacious eat-in area, a laundry room with new vinyl plank flooring, AND a 1st-floor primary bedroom with new vinyl plank flooring, walk-in closet, and an attached bathroom. On the second level, you will find the additional primary bedroom, with wall-to-wall carpet, a walk-in closet, and direct access to a full bath. The additional upstairs 3 bedrooms have wall-to-wall carpet, one which also has a walk-in closet. The entire home has been freshly painted throughout! Too many improvements and upgrades to list here, so PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTY INFO!
4 Bedroom Home in Blackstone - $580,000
Majestic colonial in the heart of Blackstone sits on more than 1 acre in grand style. With 2,000 sq foot back deck for entertaining or the shaded front porch perfect for relaxing, this home is an exquisite example of modern style blended with classic and original details from the early 1900’s. The first floor opens to a grand entrance with a formal living room on the left and an informal den on the right that leads to a formal bright dining room. Follow the dining room into a custom kitchen with center island and lots of storage. A small office, laundry room, and large reading room are to the rear of the house followed by a main bedroom with full en-suite bath that completes the first floor. The second floor has 2 bedrooms with full bath between them as well as a large full apartment including full kitchen, living area, bedroom, bathroom, and separate entrance via the metal circular stairs. The third level has a large open room great for recreation or storage with an adjacent full bath. Finally, there is an oversized garage currently in use as a 1200 sf workshop and a separate storage shed in the back.
6 Bedroom Home in St Stephens Church - $1,200,000
Once in a great while a property comes along that offers not only comfortable living but a fabulously functional Equestrian Facility, Historic Main House, and Guest House, which has its own unique and wonderful story to tell. Sited amid a vast pastoral landscape, Traveller’s Rest Farm has stood the test of time, welcoming travelers, family and friends throughout the ages. The original portion of the Guest House (circa 1760) was a stopping point for George Washington between Mt. Vernon and Williamsburg and still welcomes guests today as a successful Airbnb. The Manor House features two stories over a high English Basement. It was constructed around 1860, of stucco on brick, featuring a side hall plan. Original pine floors, moldings, staircases and mantels remain intact. The 12’+ ceilings, in the Main House and large windows set the stage with beautiful ambient light and breathtaking views in every direction. Fully stocked farm pond with its own beautifully sited barn is the perfect vantage point for enjoying early morning sunrises. A wonderful oasis and historic treasure with so much to offer. Easy drive to Richmond, Williamsburg, and Fredericksburg.
4 Bedroom Home in Mechanicsville - $795,000
Outstanding Investment Opportunity. 1.84 Acres that fronts Pole Green Road between I 295 and Bell Creek Rd. Hanover County Planning and Zoning has currently designated this Parcel and Adjoining Parcels for rezoning as Mixed Use, depending on Buyers needs. This is a Fast growing Commercial Area. Property is located across from the new ABC Warehouse and Sheets. Currently rented, this property features a 2 story colonial with partial unfinished basement, 2339 Sq. Ft, 4 Bedrooms , 2 Baths . additional out buildings. House and out buildings sold "As Is" Inspections for informational purposes only.
4 Bedroom Home in Hopewell - $104,999
Spacious cash flowing property perfect for an investor looking in the area.
3 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $115,000
In the center of everything! Centre Hill Court is an historic district unto itself. Situated around the Centre Hill Mansion museum. The area has been the sight of several movie shootings and historic events. This property sits on a key corner below the mansion and has skyline views of the City and the river. It is in need of total renovation and has been partially gutted. Building materials inside are available to help with the job. The third floor (walk-up attic) is ready to add two additional bedrooms and one bath if necessary. This house has a major presence in a neighborhood of many restoration projects. This is a must-see for any historic renovation fans.
3 Bedroom Home in Mineral - $185,000
Amazing investment opportunity!! Over 4 acres in the historic town of Mineral. Endless options for improvement! The original home and trailer are on separate septic systems. Can fix and flip and or use as new construction or development! The homes are occupied by tenants, so please be courteous while visiting the site.
4 Bedroom Home in Hopewell - $124,900
What a great find! Get seller financing on this cute home! It is the perfect deal to buy and fix/rent out or to fix and flip for a nice profit! With 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and 1,492 square feet, this home has lots of nice features including an enclosed front porch, vinyl siding and windows, and fenced yard. Recent comps in the area suggest $235K+ after rehab. This home needs repairs, TLC, and being sold “as-is”. For investors, this home will make a great investment property and should cash flow very well while building wealth! As your agent about the owner financing!
4 Bedroom Home in Blackstone - $140,000
A HUGE HOUSE WITH 2,432 SQUARE FEET UNDER $200,000: This two story home sits on a quiet road within walking distance to downtown Blackstone. It boasts 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and an option for a 4th bedroom and additional study, sitting on 0.63 acre. You will find an enormous open and bright kitchen, dining room, living room and family room. There is also an option for a first floor primary suite. All appliances convey as well with the home to include a new washer and dryer. All electrical has been redone as of October 2022. What else could you possibly need?
4 Bedroom Home in Providence Forge - $135,000
NEW PRICE!! CALLING ALL INVESTORS or make this New Kent County home your own with your own flooring and paint colors!! Partially renovated ranch style home in the Windsor Shades neighborhood with easy access to I-64, convenient to Richmond, Williamsburg, and Virginia Beach. Sub-flooring and drywall with floor installation and painting buyer's responsibility. New vinyl siding, roof 3 years old, kitchen and baths updated, brick fireplace in living room. As-Is, Seller will not make any repairs or inspections, including termite, well, and septic. Turning on power for any inspections is the Buyer's responsibility.
5 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $335,000
Welcome to this large Petersburg home located in the Walnut Hills community. The House and garage sit on 2 lots both included in this transaction. The large front porch adds so much character to the exterior look of the home. Upon entering the home the open foyer and office area welcome you. On the first floor there is a large primary bedroom as well as a guest bedroom den with new carpet and the brick fireplace is flanked with built-in shelves. The Kitchen has newly painted cabinets and tile floor. Off of the kitchen is a 10X16 screend porch looking out into a large backyard that is partically fenced in. Upstairs you will find 3 additional bedrooms as well as 2 flex areas. Outback there is a 2.5 car detached garage that is connected to a seperate electrial panel from the home. Parking is off street in the back of the home. The home has been updated throughout with new paint and carpet and is move-in ready. You won't want to miss out on the opportunity to see this home in person. The location is only 7 minutes from Ft. Lee and 25 minutes to downtown. The home is offered "AS IS" and inspections are informational only. Home Warranty included. Schedule a showing today.
2 Bedroom Home in Blackstone - $72,000
2 bedroom bungalow in town. Wood floors. Great price for a fix and flip or keep it as a rental. Needs work.
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $220,000
Welcome Home to 17 E Blake Lane over 1200 sq. ft. with basement. Needs a little TLC to make this your dream home. Detach garage and off street parking. There is a lot of potential in this home and will be a great home for it's next owner. Great for an investor or someone looking for a small project. HOME SOLD AS IS WHERE IS.
3 Bedroom Home in Crewe - $99,900
3 BEDROOMS 2 BATH IN THE HEART OF NOTTOWAY COUNTY . THIS HOME STILL NEEDS SOME WORK BUT HAS GREAT POTENTIAL. PAVED DRIVEWAY AND CARPORT . FENCED IN BACK YARD . LESS THAN 10 MIN FROM BURKVILLE TRAIN STATION , WALKING DISTANCE TO CREWE COUNTRY CLUB . CASH OFFERS ONLY
3 Bedroom Home in Manquin - $324,950
4 Bedroom Home in Hopewell - $199,000
You are almost home! Come view this beautiful 4 bedroom, 2 bath home in the highly favorable river front neighborhood of Historic City Point. This home recently had electrical, plumbing and HVAC upgrades with all inspections from Hopewell City passed. Bring your vision for the furnishes and make this house into your home. Home is selling "AS-IS" Seller is a Licensed Real Estate Agent
4 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $65,000
Historic fixer-upper! What you see is what you get - this is zoned multi-family, so fix it up as a duplex and rent out both, renovate it to live in a large Colonial home, fix it up and flip it, the choice is yours! This property definitely needs TLC and will not qualify for traditional financing. Motivated seller!
3 Bedroom Home in Disputanta - $85,000
Calling all Investors! This 3 bedroom, 1 bath home sits on 1.002 Acres in Prince George. Eat-in Kitchen, nicely sized bedrooms. Good potential. This house is sold strictly As-Is, Where-Is. CASH SALE ONLY!
4 Bedroom Home in Colonial Heights - $50,000
Investor Special! Property needs Renovation. It has been vacant for several years, some fire damage from stove fire & water damage where the fire was put out. The property has a nice lot with 125 ft road frontage. Property is being SOLD AS-IS and may not qualify for traditional financing, may need a rehab loan or cash. Inspections are for buyer's information purpose ONLY. Utilities will NOT be turned on by the seller.
2 Bedroom Home in Dinwiddie - $120,000
Cape cod style home nestled on an open 5 acre lot. Investor special! Plenty of living space with nice stone/brick fireplaces. Property is being sold as-is. Cash only. Seller will not turn on utilities. THERE IS A 48 HOUR RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
5 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $97,500
BACK ON MARKET NO FAULT OF THE SELLER! Positive Cash-Flow Potential. Historical Renovation Plans for the Duplex have already been approved by the Historical Society.
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $335,000
THE ONLY HOUSE IN ALL OF CHIMBORAZO PRICED UNDER $340K!! Great opportunity to renovate a charming fixer-upper, AMAZING location on the hill near The Hill Cafe! Only $196 PER SQUARE FOOT!! Close to Chimborazo and Church Hill neighborhoods. Just minutes from some of the city's most popular eateries, including Grandstaff and Stein, Proper Pie Company, Lulu's and the Boathouse Restaurant. Enjoy the outdoors at nearby Chimborazo Park and Libby Hill Park, or take a stroll to the Clay Street Market for fresh produce. Chimborazo Park offers 30 acres of national and local park, access to walking trails, mountain bike trails, dog park, playgrounds, and breathtaking panoramic view of the city. The home boasts 12-foot ceilings and hardwood floors throughout most of the interior, with ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. The kitchen is equipped with a gas stove, while the living room features a fireplace with a stunning mantle and dentil crown molding. With its prime location and endless potential, this property is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to put their own personal touch on a home in one of Richmond's most sought-after neighborhoods!
2 Bedroom Home in Louisa - $198,000
BACK ON THE MARKET! Last buyers financing fell through. 3 Separate lots being sold. These are legally non conforming buildable lots so no boundary line adjustments can be made per County. Sell off or build homes on the other 2 lots or keep the whole 2.4 acres to yourself, privacy & a home of your own just outside the town of Louisa. Walking in the back door is a bonus room to be used as another bdrm or anything else, then country kitchen w/granite counters, separate laundry rm w/access to cellar below kitchen, full dining, full bathrm, living rm & two bdrms off to the left before reaching the front door where you will want to sit a moment on the full front porch and watch the yard. Two exterior sheds. House has a metal roof, newer well and alternative septic system within the past 5 years while it was being used as a rental. Own your own home for less than you pay in monthly rent! Conveniently located just outside of the town of Louisa and only 14 miles to Zions Crossroads. Property location qualifies for rural zero down loans. All inspections passed & FHA Appraisal came in at 210k 1/17/23. House is move in ready for you. Freshly painted porch for the summer! Bring on the offers!
3 Bedroom Home in Dunnsville - $795,000
This waterfront home is situated on 3.3 acres with sand beach, pier and 300'+ of frontage on the Rappahannock. The view is both long and wide. Improvements include a 2 car detached garage as well as a 30' X 50' metal pole building with lean-to and car port. The home features a large sunroom facing the River and a porch wrapping around on one side of the house. The eat in kitchen opens to a family room and on to the sunroom offering a wonderful river view from the minute you step in the back door. The kitchen features custom hickory cabinetry and new laminate flooring. A laundry/pantry/office adjoins the kitchen. There are spacious formal living and dining rooms with hardwood flooring and a fireplace in the living room. The first floor primary bedroom is spacious with ample closet space and a remodeded bath with low threshold shower. The 2 upstairs bedrooms are large enough to accommdate all the grandkids. This home has undergone serveral renovations and offers comfortable year round living only 1 hour from Richmond. You can work from home with Breezeline high speed internet.
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $850,000
Designer's own home! Beautifully renovated 3 bedroom 2/2 bath Fan townhouse on a great block. The current owners renovated everything in 2016! First floor has fenced front brick patio with beautiful flowering hydrangeas, covered front porch, Foyer with chandelier, Living Room with bay window and chandelier, Dining Room with fireplace and chandelier, Beautiful Family Room with bay window and chandelier, Stunning new (in 2016) Kitchen with beautiful granite, beautiful backsplash, 6 burner plus griddle gas stove, huge amount of counter and cabinet space, Sub-Zero fridge, renovated Powder Room, Bar/Butler's Pantry with glass front cabinets and wine fridge, large pantry, and large back deck. Second floor has huge Primary Suite with beautiful Primary Bath with huge marble shower and dual vanities and 2 custom walk-in closets, 2 additional bedrooms, renovated Hall Bath, and front loading washer and dryer. Renovations in 2016 included: New Roof, new HVAC, new Kitchen and baths, new Master Suite, removal of spiral staircase and more. Huge basement (1385 s ft) that is heated and cooled- great storage and office space. Off-street parking. Don't miss this opportunity for a beautiful Fan home!
3 Bedroom Home in Hopewell - $184,900
Welcome HOME! This lovely one story is close to Fort Lee and features 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom & just over 1,000 sq ft. Upon entry is the bright family room that flows into the dining area. The beautiful kitchen features granite countertops, tile backsplash & ample cabinet space! Just off the kitchen is a large utility room. Many upgrades & other features include vinyl window, refinished hardwood floors, dimensional roof, detached shed, fully fenced in yard & large attic space!
2 Bedroom Home in Hopewell - $129,000
Move in Ready Two Bedroom Home waiting for a new home owner or investor! This open ranch plan offers newly refinished hardwood floors in family room, living room, and both bedrooms; white kitchen cabinets; 2022 Anderson vinyl double pane windows; washer/drier; and stove. Fenced in rear yard. Enjoy evenings sitting on your front porch in the evenings. Ready to view now.
4 Bedroom Home in Crewe - $349,900
This stately colonial revival features all of the classic upscale accents that you desire in a fine home. Recently reconditioned, this four bedroom, two and a half bath home is in "like new" condition and ready for you. Step into the foyer and immediately notice the beautiful pegged oak flooring, crown moulding and robust woodwork found throughout the home. Through the double doors you will find a grand living room with a gorgeous fireplace with artisan-crafted mantlepiece and hearth. Continue through the french doors on to the airy sunporch filled with natural light. Prepare your favorite meals in the new kitchen and enjoy them in spacious formal dining room. The den is a great place to relax by the cozy gas fire logs and the office space will be quite useful. Take the oak staircase to the upper floor when you will find four rather large bedrooms and two full baths. Each bedroom is attached to one of the bathrooms with is a very unique feature. The primary bedroom has an attached auxiliary room which would make a perfect nursery, sitting room or large walk-in closet. Its location is superb on a street with numerous other nice homes. Routes 360 and 460 are just minutes away! AS IS.
2 Bedroom Home in Rice - $225,000
Welcome to 3500 E Broad Rock! This custom 2 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath home is full of character and charm. There are two well-sized front and rear covered porches. The large backyard is fully fenced and ready for customizing. Once inside you are greeted by a cozy fireplace in the living room, which is open to the formal dining room. The Kitchen boasts granite countertops, stainless steel Whirlpool appliances, and an abundance of cabinets for storage. Right off the kitchen sits the half bath. Upstairs features 2 bedrooms plus an additional room that could be used for an office/ study area. The Primary bedroom features an ensuite bath with dual vanity and a glass enclosed shower. An additional full bath and stackable washer and dryer complete the second floor.
3 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $25,000
AWESOME FIND!! This attractive rancher awaits the PERFECT BUYER. It currently features 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath. Renovations or a complete rebuild are ideal. Neighborhood sales in the area have been great.
4 Bedroom Home in Mineral - $2,295,000
This picturesque 100+ acre farm includes the original home, 2 bedroom guest house, lake with cabin, pond, barn, and more! The historic main home, originally built in 1892, is loaded with original character, including lovely pine floors, yet is wonderfully renovated for modern living and entertaining. With stunning curb appeal, spectacular views throughout, and graciously proportioned rooms, this property is exceptional. The kitchen features an oversized island, granite, gas cooking, top of the line appliances, fireplace, and adjoins the great room. This comfortable space features walls of windows, an eating area, and leads to the covered terrace. There is a formal dining room for entertaining and a cozy living room for relaxing. The enviable 1st floor owners’ suite is truly luxurious and captures more amazing views. Upstairs, there are 3 additional bedrooms, each with private en-suite bathroom and dressing room. There is so much flexibility in this home for living and working, including the 1st floor office, and the wine room, rec room, and den in the basement. Do not miss this gorgeous property with more than 6,600 sq ft of living space in the primary home alone!
6 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $1,700,000
Oldest structure in the Hermitage Road Historical District 1870's Queen Anne Style Home with separate Carriage House. Absolutely Stunning Home! Melara Interiors has totally renovated this Beautiful home with some modern finishes while maintaining the historical character and charm. Fireplaces in almost every room. All original hardwood flooring, staircase and beautiful windows. Large kitchen features custom cabinets, 6 burner gas stove with hood, 8' island, recessed lighting and more. Laundry room with tile Pet wash Spa, wall cabinets, drop zone and shelving. Wait until you see this amazing dining room with a wet bar, 2 wine coolers, a large bay window and hardwood floors. Primary bedroom with spa like bathroom, soaking tub with large shower double vanity and walk in closet. Lovely library/study with bookcases. A nice flex room with lots of possibilities. Bedroom, Fitness, playroom etc. 3 large bedrooms w/ceiling fans. CARRIAGE HOUSE WOW! Great for guests or in-law suite. Living room 21x21, Eat in kitchen, space for stackable washer and dryer, bathroom with tile shower and bedroom. Nothing has been left untouched in this Beautiful home and Carriage House!
5 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $799,950
Take a dive into the rich history of this 1920s luxury condo in the City of Richmond! Full of light & overlooking historic Monroe Park, this 4B, 4Ba unit is one of a kind. With a private entry & a spacious private terrace off the courtyard, this Prestwould condo stands out. Upon entering, you’ll notice the abundance of natural light, high ceilings & architectural details. The 1st fl offers a grand entry, expansive living room w multiple seating areas, family/media room that is also perfect for entertaining, & can also be used as a 1st fl master. Elegant dining w access to private terrace will make this "real cook’s" kitchen one to remember. The pass-thru provides additional bar & lounge space for transitioning between cooking to cocktails to dinner. Stairs or elevator take you to the 2nd fl with 3 full baths & 4 bedrooms - each w a beautiful park/city or courtyard view! Walk out your front door and you’re steps away from VCU, parks, museums, theaters, restaurants, shops & MORE! Quick & easy access to air & rail transportation – 20 mins to RIC Intl. Airport & 10 mins to Main Street Station. Pet friendly & parking is never a hassle, as this unit comes w a dedicated parking spot.
5 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $1,300,000
Experience the perfect combination of history and modern luxury at the Turner-Turpin House, located in the picturesque St Johns Historic District. This 1840 Greek Revival home, expanded in 1854, provides peace and quiet in a historic setting while being conveniently close to St Johns and Libbie Park and other top amenities. With a spacious Center Hallway, 4 bedrooms, an office, 3.5 baths, including a lovely Primary suite with a spacious bath, this house boasts its historical charm with its original heart of pine floors, intricate moldings, pocket doors, 6 fireplaces, and other exquisite details. Cook in style in the kitchen with its marble countertops and take in the elegance of the formal dining room or enjoy a relaxing moment in the cozy library. The breakfast nook overlooking the backyard is also a charming place to start the day. The in-law suite provides extra privacy for guests with 2 bedrooms, a bath, and separate street and garden entrances. Take in stunning winter views from the double porch or unwind in the professionally landscaped backyard featuring two entertainment patios, a fire pit, irrigation, landscape lighting, and off-street parking for two vehicles.
1 Bedroom Home in Crewe - $265,000
The value of this property lies in the large deposits of granite. The property features a large creek and two natural water springs. Just within 1 mile from granite mining operations this would be an investors dream. Flip the house and parcel off the granite or sell the mineral rights. The house was built in 1913 and has no well or septic and is served by an outhouse. Part wooded, part cleared. Great for hunting!!!
4 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $556,950
Extraordinary Renovation!! New and Fresh throughout, including the finished basement with kitchenette (sump pump installed). Duel fuel heat source (gas & electric) downstairs, new stucco, windows, heat, roof and appliances. 2 gas fireplaces, yes 2, (1 in the master bd), 36' kitchen cabinets, custom kitchen island, Quartz countertops, hardwood flooring throughout, state of the art baths and a completely fenced property. The front full porch and rear deck are PVC and composite, with LED lighting and a fan on the front porch for those warm summer evenings. Stamp concrete walkways, front & rear, as well as stamped concrete parking pad. Finished garage with remote opener and pedestrian door. $2500. CC Paid Renovations all around this area, don't miss out
4 Bedroom Home in Chesterfield - $349,999
Must See! BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED & REMODELED COUNTRY FARMHOUSE! The Large Covered Front Porch is Perfect for Welcoming & Entertaining Guests. NEW A/C & HEATING! NEW PLUMBING! NEW ELECTRICAL! NEW WINDOWS! NEW FLOORS! 5 Year ROOF WARRANTY! All NEW KITCHEN APPLIANCES including New Side by Side Refrigerator/Freezer with Water & Ice in the Door, New Stove, New Built In Microwave & New Dishwasher, Granite Counters, & Tile Backsplash, Deep Undermount Sink, Industrial Pull-Down Faucet, & Statement Black Hardware. 1st Floor Primary Bedroom with Walk In Closet & Private Ensuite with Double Sink Vanity & Luxurious Walk-In Oversized Shower. Stylish Barn Doors on both the Walk In Closet and the Primary Bathroom. Completely Finished Walk Up Attic/Game Room. Ample Parking for Multiple Vehicles, Boats, & Trailers. Garage/Workshop with Workbench & Storage Shelves. Large, Private Back Yard. Convenient Location, just off 288. Shopping, Restaurants & Food Lion are less than a mile away. No HOA + Owner Financing!
3 Bedroom Home in Waverly - $285,000
Welcome to our charming 1904 home. She’s a showstopper with all the modern conveniences. She has amazing original wainscoting and hardwood floors, along with woodwork and crown molding.Master bedroom is on the main level . Open living room and dining room with woodburning fireplace.Updated kitchen with pantry, new appliances, and a pass-through to the dining room . Off the kitchen is the cutest laundry room you’ve ever seen with washer and dryer that convey.The beautiful office leads out to a screen porch to have a cup of coffee or glass of wine. A gardeners delight awaits you in the backyard. Shed or workshop plus a two car garage. Let’s go back inside . As we ascend the stairs, we are greeted by a muted, sunflower wallpaper, professionally installed, and windows to view the backyard and light up the hallway. There are two large bedrooms and tons of storage. A fully remodeled bathroom with a walk-in linen closet. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this beautiful home New improvements: Roof and gutters 2021 Windows and door 2022 Exterior and interior, painting 2021 Electrical and plumbing 2022 Landscaping
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $915,000
Timelessly renovated in 2022! Large front porch with garden, steps away from iconic Monument Ave & Meadow Park. The home is walking distance to Whole Foods, dining, shops & museums. Enter this tradional Fan design w/ living room, dining and family spaces. The new kitchen has upper end cabinetry, quality stainless appliances, quartz counters, farm sink, sunny windows & opens onto patio. Large updated powder room main lvl, new washer/dryer. Upstairs a big, cheerful master w/walk in closet, huge en suite master bath w/claw foot soaking tub, seperate shower, double vanity. Third large bedroom boosts a sunroom room w/ 1930-40's era vintage industrial windows! Renovated hall bath w/ charming original tub all reglazed! Additional updates include new upstairs windows, plumbing, electrical, wood floors, light fixtures, recessed lighting, interior/exterior painting, fencing, landscaping, parking space, ( can be enlarged for two!) There is even an EV charging Station installed. Dual system HVAC replaced in recent years. Six original fireplaces, refurbished mantels, additional basement storage/workshop area.
3 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $1,099,000
Want to live in the Historic Fan District but don’t want the maintenance of a 100+ year old home? Look no further than 1415 Park Avenue! Over the past 2 years this builder spared no detail or expense taking this home back to the original brick walls and then rebuilding the home with an open floor plan. All systems, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roof, walls, windows, insulation, drywall … etc. have all been replaced with state of the art systems. Walls separating entry hall, front room and dining room were structurally removed to provide the perfect open floor plan. Beautiful bay window with rounded glass windows provides a glimpse into the homes original architecture and views of Park Avenue homes. The chef’s kitchen is at the center of the home with quartz countertops, center island with seating. Off the back of the home is the powder room and family room. Primary suite is at front of the home with walk-in closet with custom cabinetry. Primary bath has dual vanity, separate WC and frameless glass shower. 2 additional bedrooms, hall bath and laundry complete second floor. Brick patio out back with awning and off street parking for one car. See attached builder specifications.
2 Bedroom Home in Richmond - $449,500
This stunning condo offers gracious living spaces and beautiful finishes in an elegant, secure building complete with doorman, private parking and tons of amenities. Quiet and airy with natural light, gas fireplace and an open floor plan, UPL-B is perfect for entertaining featuring a cook's kitchen with granite counters, quality appliances, and plenty of room to gather and dine. Tall ceilings, two large bedrooms, two pristine bathrooms, excellent closet space and the spacious laundry room are a few highlights of this unit's comfort. Other amenities include two courtyard gardens, a roof top terrace with a gas grill, a beautifully appointed club room and meeting rooms designed by Janie Molster, a fitness center and conveniently located elevators. This unit also has a spacious storage unit in the basement. In the heart of The Fan, residents at One Monument Avenue enjoy luxury amenities at their fingertips and easy walks to restaurants, shops, parks and museums.
4 Bedroom Home in Petersburg - $315,000
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE FOR A TURNKEY HOME IN HISTORIC WALNUT HILL. Completely renovated but still boasting character throughout, this home has been fully updated - 2 brand new HVAC Units, New roof, all New kitchen w/white cabinets, new stainless appliances & much more. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, over 2000ft2 and a first floor guest rm/primary, its a must see! Upon entering from the front porch, you will appreciate the renovated details inside including new vinyl plank flooring, original hardwood upstairs & new paint & trim throughout. The main level features a large family room w/brick fireplace, dining area, bedroom w/full bath & laundry room. The kitchen is a must see w/ brand new white shaker cabinets, quartz counters & SS appliances. Upstairs you'll find the primary bedroom with a beautiful ensuite tiled bath. Two more bedrooms complete the second level. The basement provides space for storage or a future rec room with 1/2 bath rough-in, left for you to decide what to use it for! The spacious front porch is made for you to make memories with friends & family this summer. Schedule your visit today, not an inch of this home was left untouched & its ready for you to call it HOME!
3 Bedroom Home in Mechanicsville - $375,000
Welcome to 5448 Mechanicsville Turnpike. Here is your opportunity to have over 9 acres of Agricultural land in Hanover County. Property is located on 360 with road front and potential commercial options as well. Conveniently located to interstates, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and much more. Schedule your private tour of the property today! | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/real-estate/richmond-approves-17-story-apartment-tower-along-james-river-despite-concerns/article_5cc3c0c6-151c-11ee-b8ba-034763238204.html | 2023-06-29T10:19:59 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/real-estate/richmond-approves-17-story-apartment-tower-along-james-river-despite-concerns/article_5cc3c0c6-151c-11ee-b8ba-034763238204.html |
Virginia Commonwealth University plans to cut as much as $25 million in expenses this fall, the result of higher inflationary costs and a dearth of new funding from the state legislature so far.
If this worst-case scenario is realized, VCU will have to cut between 100 and 150 jobs, said Karol Kain Gray, the school’s chief financial officer.
But if state lawmakers come to an agreement and award the university more funds, the trimming will be less drastic.
On Wednesday, the university’s board of visitors unanimously approved a $1.5 billion budget for the upcoming school year, about 3% smaller than this year’s budget.
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VCU hopes to minimize the effect on the student experience, school president Michael Rao said.
“The cuts will be kept as far away from students as possible,” Rao added.
For now, revisions to the state budget are in limbo. House and Senate negotiators are divided over tax cuts and spending, and neglecting VCU is an unintended consequence.
The House and Senate have proposed allocating VCU an extra $10 million to $20 million. But if an agreement is not reached and legislators decide to fall back on the already-agreed upon budget, VCU will not get any new money.
Regardless, the law requires VCU to present a balanced budget by July 1, the start of the fiscal year. So VCU is assuming the worst.
A slashing of expenses is necessary, the university said, because of all the new costs it is facing, including higher utility prices, required raises for VCU employees and state-mandated free tuition for certain members of the military.
Most of the cuts have to be directed at jobs, Gray said, because wages and benefits are the by far the largest expense within the university’s education budget.
VCU has already frozen positions, and it could encourage some employees to retire now or not renew the contracts of term employees.
Administrators already told the Department of Focused Inquiry it would not renew the contracts of 10 to 15 staffers. The size of the department, about 65 full-time, contract employees, is no longer sustainable, provost Fotis Sotiropoulos said last month. Focused Inquiry offers small seminars designed to teach communication, problem-solving and reasoning skills to first- and second-year students.
“The cuts are going to be hard for us to manage,” Gray said.
While a small percentage of the faculty have tenure and, therefore, job security, a larger share work on contracts of one to three years. The university is moving toward offering all contract faculty one-year deals.
Departments that are not meeting enrollment projections will be hit the hardest; this includes the College of Humanities and Sciences, the university’s largest college, which houses majors including English, philosophy and biology. Growing departments, such as the schools of public health and engineering, will be less impacted.
A $25 million reduction represents about 5% of its education budget, not including nonnegotiable expenses, including utilities, police, mental health support and office leases.
VCU already decided to raise the cost of tuition 3%, which will bring in millions of new revenue. Declining enrollment affects revenue, too. The school has shrunk slightly in each of the past four years, but Gray said she is optimistic the student body could grow some this fall.
This morning's top headlines: Ukraine-Russia war; Giuliani interviewed; NFL QB drowns
A Russian missile attack that hit a crowded pizza restaurant in an eastern Ukrainian city killed at least nine people, including three children. Authorities said Wednesday that rescue workers are still sifting through the destroyed building’s rubble. The Tuesday evening attack on Kramatorsk wounded another 56 people. Officials say two sisters, both age 14, died as result of the attack. The other dead child was said to be 17. It is the latest bombardment, a regular feature of Russian tactics in the 16-month-old war.
Smoky air from Canada’s wildfires is shrouding broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to New York and Kentucky. That's led to warnings to stay inside and has exacerbated health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution. The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency warned residents of the mostly Black city that “everyone should stay indoors.” Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Ohio; and Pittsburgh all have “very unhealthy” air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.
The hush money case against former President Donald Trump appears headed back to a New York state court. A federal judge showed little inclination Tuesday to let Trump move the history-making prosecution to federal court. Trump’s lawyers argue that he was acting in his capacity as president when he hired and paid a personal attorney who orchestrated payouts to squelch allegations of extramarital sex. The payouts are at the heart of Manhattan prosecutors' case against Trump. He pleaded not guilty in state court in April to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide the hush money payouts.
Rudy Giuliani, who as a member of Donald Trump’s legal team sought to overturn 2020 election results in battleground states, has been interviewed by investigators with the Justice Department special counsel’s office. A spokesman for Giuliani confirmed he met with the special counsel and said the “appearance was entirely voluntary and conducted in a professional manner." A person familiar with the matter said the interview was not done before a grand jury. The interview is an additional sign of busy investigative activity by special counsel Jack Smith as his team of prosecutors continues to scrutinize efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the election ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.
A court appearance has been postponed for a Donald Trump valet charged with helping the ex-president hide classified documents the Justice Department wanted back. A lawyer for valet Walt Nauta told a judge Nauta had been unable to find a Florida-based attorney and was stuck in New Jersey after his flight was canceled. The judge pushed Tuesday’s scheduled arraignment for Nauta back to July 6. Nauta was charged earlier this month alongside Trump in a 38-count indictment filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. The Republican former president pleaded not guilty to 37 counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified documents kept at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
A suspect has pleaded not guilty and been ordered held without bail in connection with the stabbing and beating deaths of a Boston-area husband and wife and the woman’s 97-year-old mother. Christopher Ferguson is charged with killing 73-year-old Jill D’Amore. Additional charges are expected in the death of her husband, 74-year-old Bruno D’Amore, and mother, 97-year-old Lucia Arpino. The victims and suspect all lived in the Boston suburb of Newton. Authorities say it appears there was no other connection between them. The crime has shaken Newton and the church where the family worshipped. The couple was about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
A London jury of nine men and five women has been seated in the sexual assault trial of actor Kevin Spacey. The double-Oscar winner stood as he was called Wednesday by his full name, Kevin Spacey Fowler, in Southwark Crown Court. He has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The 63-year-old was charged last year on allegations that date from 2001 to 2013. Spacey lived in Britain when he was artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre from 2004 to 2015. He has been free on bail. The jury includes two alternates.
Police in Muskogee, Oklahoma, are investigating the shooting deaths of three relatives of NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson. Muskogee police spokesperson Lynn Hamlin says the bodies of Jack Janway; his wife, Terry Janway; and their 11-year-old grandson, Dalton Janway, were discovered Monday at a home in Muskogee. Hamlin confirmed the three are the parents and nephew of Johnson's wife, Chandra Janway. Hamlin says investigators believe Terry Janway shot and killed her husband and grandson before shooting herself. Johnson's race team has announced it is withdrawing his No. 84 Carvana Chevrolet from this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series event in Chicago.
Former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who also played for New England, Houston and Baltimore during five seasons in the NFL, has died. He was 35. Mallett died in an apparent drowning, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Mallett was a football coach at White Hall High School in his native Arkansas, and the school district also confirmed his death in a post on its website. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said the university “lost an incredibly special person.” | https://richmond.com/news/local/education/vcu-to-cut-as-much-as-25-million-from-its-budget/article_685ebb90-15d3-11ee-817f-47b2777d495d.html | 2023-06-29T10:20:06 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/education/vcu-to-cut-as-much-as-25-million-from-its-budget/article_685ebb90-15d3-11ee-817f-47b2777d495d.html |
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Public Schools board members say they listened to students and parents about high school start times.
The result is the district split the schools into four tiers. Those in Tier One, including Allderdice and Obama, will now start at 7:40 a.m. instead of 7:15 a.m.
The schools in Tier Two will now start five minutes earlier. That list includes elementary and middle schools.
Superintendent Dr. Wayne Walters said the bus schedule was an integral part of the discussion, especially with a limited number of bus drivers.
Channel 11′s Lauren Talotta has more details on the changes through 7 a.m. on Channel 11 Morning News.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pittsburgh-public-schools-change-start-times/J4PY2H564JDKXEJTIWKSQLUBWM/ | 2023-06-29T10:24:44 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pittsburgh-public-schools-change-start-times/J4PY2H564JDKXEJTIWKSQLUBWM/ |
It’s almost the start of the car-buying season, when dealers will focus on next year’s models.
If you’ve shopped for a car in the last two years, you’ve probably felt the sticker shock from higher prices.
Coming up on Channel 11 Morning News, we’ll give you tips for being a savvy shopper.
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TUPELO — After 17 years, Marine veteran and founder of nonprofit organization “7 Days for the Troops” Scott Burns has been going strong in his effort to raise money to assist local veterans in need.
During the annual fundraiser, Burns speaks to a crowd of people within the food court of the Mall at Barnes Crossing to raise as much money as he can to purchase all-terrain wheelchairs for veterans in need.
"This is one of those events where we get to draw attention to veterans’ needs, but it is also an opportunity to talk to people about whether your passion is helping veterans, the homeless or dogs, non-profits are really needing our support,” he said. “If people can donate to their favorite charity, a dollar or two dollars, that adds up, and it makes a difference in allowing people to continue to help others because of the generosity of the people of North Mississippi."
Burns, who served in the Marines from 1991 to 1994 before an ankle injury led to his medical discharge, builds a tower in the middle of the food court and camps there for seven nights. During that time, he does not leave the food court for any reason.
Burns said his fundraising is more important to him than ever. He lost a portion of his leg to the ankle injury after 12 years of pain. He recently lost a portion of his other leg after ankle troubles led to surgery last fall, another infection and eventually amputation.
“Seventeen years ago, I was sitting at home, and it was one of those times when I was in a mood because I couldn’t be in the military anymore. I sat around and existed, for lack of a better word for it, and I was tired of not doing something,” he said. “This is therapeutic, being able to do this. Where I can’t serve myself, I can still help others that are serving or have served. It’s my way of giving back.”
Since the event started, Burns said they raised over $300,000 for veterans, including recently raising $37,000 for a veteran whose home was destroyed in the tornado that hit Winona earlier this year. On top of that, they raised another $8,000 since starting the event Sunday for a total of $45,000 for the veteran to get a tiny home.
While giving away gifts and rewards for donations, Burns gave away a gift basket donated by Raising Cane’s to a teen girl whose birthday was Tuesday after she helped him raise over $100 in under a minute as part of a fundraising challenge.
Emily Burns, Scott Burns’ wife, said she has been alongside him since the beginning, making sure everything goes smoothly in the background — though she leaves and sleeps in her bed at home.
“It’s really neat to see how it's moved from something he thought was just a one-time thing to now it is a yearly event, and it's spread out to different states,” she said. “There are a lot of organizations that help raise money for veterans, but what is unique about this organization is it helps with the specific needs of local veterans for whatever community he is doing the event for.”
During his lunchtime presentations, he gives away gift cards to restaurants, t-shirts, candy and other toys to families who give. Other raffle items include bicycles, guns, outdoor supplies, appliances, electronics, toys, a ride in a 1934 Waco classic bi-plane and other items.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/annual-fundraiser-to-help-veterans-returns-for-17th-year/article_3f7300e0-1521-11ee-ba86-5ff5248f3aa2.html | 2023-06-29T10:27:59 | 0 | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/annual-fundraiser-to-help-veterans-returns-for-17th-year/article_3f7300e0-1521-11ee-ba86-5ff5248f3aa2.html |
EUSTIS, Fla. — Police in Eustis are looking for a man who is accused of groping a woman and nearly hitting an officer with a truck.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Officers said he’s accused of groping a woman who was jogging Tuesday night.
Police said he also nearly hit an officer with his truck as he tried.
Officials said the officer opened fire to protect their own life as the man used the truck as a deadly weapon.
A ring doorbell video shows a woman walking down the street in Eustis. A man is also seen walking back and forth in the same area.
Police said the man later groped the woman in the same area.
Read: Titanic tourist sub: ‘Presumed human remains’ found in debris field
When police arrived, the man jumped back in his truck and sped towards an officer, officials said.
The officer fired his weapon into the truck, but the man was able to get away.
He was driving a black pickup Cadillac Escalade truck with damage to the passenger side.
Watch: New Florida law addresses technology transparency: What does that mean for you?
Eustis police are asking anyone with information about the groping incident or the suspect to come forward.
They are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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/eustis-police-search-accused-groper-who-was-shot-by-officer/7DHAM5UU5ZHSJISO5MGVT7XHUQ/ | 2023-06-29T10:29:33 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/eustis-police-search-accused-groper-who-was-shot-by-officer/7DHAM5UU5ZHSJISO5MGVT7XHUQ/ |
The friendship that started between 10-year-old pen pals — one from Twin Falls and the other from England — remains strong 65 years later.
A Times-News article dated Sept. 1, 1968, documents the brotherhood that had grown between college students Ned Williams and Ian Taplin. The two had met for the first time that summer after 11 years of correspondence.
Taplin spent three months working in southern Idaho while staying with Williams’ family in Twin Falls, enjoying rodeos and fairs, dating and visiting pizzerias.
The men’s camaraderie hasn’t abated, and the two meet regularly, although methods of communication have changed from letters to texting, phone calls and emails.
The two stopped in Twin Falls on Wednesday after a trip to northern Idaho.
“His letters and postcards were always very welcome,” Williams said. “Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, when you got a letter from England, the whole neighborhood would show up and want to read it.”
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While most people’s experiences with pen pals might be limited to a few letters exchanged in elementary school, these pen pals were meant to stay in touch.
Williams visited England in 1970, and through the years the two have met in locales across the United States and Europe.
And although the men are now in the 70s, “there are more adventures to come,” Taplin said.
Williams, who retired five years ago after being an English professor at BYU-Hawaii, now splits his time between Hawaii and Provo, Utah, while Taplin is still a professor at Wake Forest University.
What intrigues Taplin is the men’s similar interests and careers.
Both have had careers in education. Both grew up loving the game of basketball, with Williams playing for the Vandals while attending the University of Idaho.
And they love to travel, much of that being done by hitchhiking during their earlier years.
Both men are married and have families.
“What makes it so interesting is that you would randomly be chosen to write to somebody and the person you end up writing to has a career that is very parallel to yours,” Taplin said.
The friendship started when a Twin Falls music instructor visited England and brought back letters from students she had worked with there. Williams’ teacher handed out some letters in class.
Williams remembers the moment vividly.
“I remember exactly where I was sitting in the room, in one of those old-style desks with the little ink well,” he said.
Williams received the letter from Taplin. It conveyed a simple message.
“Dear Friend, my name is Ian Taplin, and I live in Guildford, England. Won’t you please write to me?”
Williams admits the long-lasting friendship might not have happened if it wasn’t for their mothers, who encouraged them to write.
“My mother was a junior high school teacher at O’Leary and she loved everything about Great Britain,” Williams told the Times-News.
During holidays or birthdays, the two would send letters and small presents. Taplin would often travel with his parents and send Williams postcards from faraway places including Morocco and Yugoslavia.
“...The letters were extremely informative and incredibly pretentious. That is the best way to put it,” Taplin said. “We tried to wax eloquent about certain things when we really don’t know the whole story.”
The two now share brief text messages — usually with a photo — that are much less pretentious, Taplin joked.
The letters they shared cover a lot of years.
“From the time we started writing, we went through our high school years, the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, girlfriends, and careers.” Williams said. “We kept all the letters we wrote starting roughly at age 10 and so have a fairly complete correspondence.”
The two plan to continue to stay in touch, and, where their next trip will be is anyone’s guess.
“It’s totally open ended,” Williams said. “Sometimes it just materializes.” | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/pen-pals-still-friends-after-65-years/article_abec62c0-1602-11ee-aca5-4b971ce26423.html | 2023-06-29T10:39:24 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/pen-pals-still-friends-after-65-years/article_abec62c0-1602-11ee-aca5-4b971ce26423.html |
A boy went missing with his father in Chester County late Wednesday night.
Preston Ferko, 4, was last seen in the area of Milligan Street in Phoenixville around 10 p.m. on June 28, 2023, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Preston -- who stands around 3-feet, 7-inches tall, weighs around 35 pounds and has blond hair and blue eyes -- was last seen with 28-year-old Joseph Dallas Ferko, state police said.
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"Police believe this person may be at special risk of harm or injury," state police said. However, an Amber Alert was not immediately declared.
Ferko -- who stands around 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighs around 200 pounds and has brown hair and eyes -- is Preston's father, Phoenixville police said.
Ferko was operating a Silver 2002 Toyota Camry with Pennsylvania tag LPD7572, state police said.
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Police asked anyone with information on Preston's whereabouts to call 911 or the Phoenixville Borough Police Department at (610) 935-2440.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/boy-missing-father-chester-county/3594882/ | 2023-06-29T10:39:44 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/boy-missing-father-chester-county/3594882/ |
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WATERLOO — The salary and benefits of Hawkeye Community College’s president are growing by 4%.
The college’s board of trustees on Tuesday approved a $10,000 increase in Todd Holcomb’s salary and extended his three-year contract. Starting July 1, his annual pay will rise to $272,620.
He will also receive other benefits including $10,000 for a monthly vehicle allowance, $7,000 for a monthly expense account and $22,000 for his 403(b) retirement contribution. His retirement contribution for the current year was $11,000, according to Courier files. This brings the total compensation package to $311,620.
Trustee Jay Nardini, board chairman, said the raise in Holcomb’s retirement contribution is due to his commitment to remain at Hawkeye until retirement. Another reason for the raise, Nardini said, is the overwhelming community support for the bond issue passed last November.
More than 75% of voters approved the $35 million bond referendum in support of three future facility projects to help expand Iowa’s workforce and address community needs.
“We sincerely appreciate your efforts,” Nardini said during the meeting. “We believe we have a great president and are encouraged that you love this college.”
In April, the board approved a 3% increase for faculty and non-bargaining employees for the 2023-24 year, which begins July 1.
Wettest counties in Iowa
Wettest counties in Iowa
Rain, sleet, snow, hail, wintry mix. Precipitation takes on many forms, and the degree to which climate change affects precipitation levels comes down to something almost everyone learns about in school—Earth's water cycle. A system in endless motion, the water cycle traces the process through which water exists in its three primary phases—liquid, solid, and gas—as it moves perpetually between the Earth and its atmosphere.
Increases in precipitation frequency and intensity are markers of climate change . When temperatures rise and oceans grow warmer, the amount of water that evaporates into the atmosphere—and the speed at which it does so—also increases. As atmospheric circulation carries the moisture-rich air over land or pushes it into a storm system, heavy rain or snow is often the result.
The continental U.S. on average received about 30 inches of precipitation between March 2022 and February 2023. Traditionally "wet" regions—such as Washington state and Alaska in the northwest and Georgia and Mississippi in the southeast—continue to have some of the rainiest counties in the United States. Other areas such as Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, as well as pockets of the South and of California, experience the opposite extreme: drought, also largely a product of climate change .
Stacker cited data from the National Centers for Environmental Information to identify the counties in Iowa that receive the most precipitation through rain, sleet, or snow. Counties are ranked by five-year precipitation averages in inches as of February 2023 with rainfall over the past year serving as a tiebreaker. Supplementary data on how last year's precipitation compares to the 100-year average for the area is also included.
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#50. Warren County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.60 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.58 inches (#49 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -2.35 inches below norm
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#49. Tama County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.64 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.46 inches (#43 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.66 inches below norm
Lucas Oglesbee // Shutterstock
#48. Hardin County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.67 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.89 inches (#81 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.86 inches above norm
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#47. Mahaska County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.73 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.43 inches (#44 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.40 inches below norm
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#46. Taylor County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.77 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 31.08 inches (#45 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.31 inches below norm
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#45. Franklin County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.81 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 31.87 inches (#61 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -0.03 inches below norm
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#44. Marion County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.95 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 31.98 inches (#56 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.60 inches below norm
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#43. Clarke County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.05 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.82 inches (#44 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -2.90 inches below norm
Mary Key // Shutterstock
#42. Story County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.11 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.97 inches (#100 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 6.06 inches above norm
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#41. Wapello County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.22 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.00 inches (#35 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -4.50 inches below norm
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#40. Cerro Gordo County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.40 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.51 inches (#69 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.72 inches above norm
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#39. Jefferson County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.47 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 28.97 inches (#23 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.96 inches below norm
stivanderson // Shutterstock
#38. Grundy County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.61 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.89 inches (#70 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.77 inches above norm
Melissa L Oltman // Shutterstock
#37. Van Buren County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.66 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 29.44 inches (#25 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.66 inches below norm
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#36. Poweshiek County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.78 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.14 inches (#40 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.96 inches below norm
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#35. Monroe County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.92 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.06 inches (#49 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -2.20 inches below norm
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#34. Washington County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.97 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 28.82 inches (#22 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.48 inches below norm
IN Dancing Light // Shutterstock
#33. Worth County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.98 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.03 inches (#66 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.12 inches above norm
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#32. Butler County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.19 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.32 inches (#78 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.47 inches above norm
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#31. Ringgold County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.25 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.14 inches (#33 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -4.49 inches below norm
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#30. Linn County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.33 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.11 inches (#75 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.07 inches above norm
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#29. Lucas County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.33 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.36 inches (#53 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.49 inches below norm
Doug Lambert // Shutterstock
#28. Louisa County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.54 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 28.88 inches (#26 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.55 inches below norm
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
#27. Henry County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.62 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 29.55 inches (#22 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.72 inches below norm
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#26. Decatur County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.63 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.96 inches (#40 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.32 inches below norm
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#25. Johnson County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.75 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.36 inches (#53 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.41 inches below norm
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#24. Davis County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.92 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.66 inches (#53 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.60 inches below norm
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#23. Des Moines County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.99 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.62 inches (#32 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -4.59 inches below norm
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
#22. Muscatine County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.01 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.16 inches (#66 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -0.32 inches below norm
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#21. Black Hawk County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.25 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 36.21 inches (#81 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.74 inches above norm
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#20. Mitchell County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.43 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.16 inches (#72 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.18 inches above norm
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#19. Wayne County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.72 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.19 inches (#50 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.87 inches below norm
Brooke Van Zee // Shutterstock
#18. Jones County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.78 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 36.16 inches (#80 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.51 inches above norm
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#17. Cedar County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.81 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.62 inches (#70 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.46 inches above norm
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#16. Floyd County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.96 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.12 inches (#71 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.00 inches above norm
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#15. Buchanan County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.04 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.79 inches (#80 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.58 inches above norm
Doug Lambert // Shutterstock
#14. Appanoose County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.31 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.51 inches (#54 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -0.67 inches below norm
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#13. Lee County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.54 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.01 inches (#39 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.51 inches below norm
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#12. Scott County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.69 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.12 inches (#83 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.22 inches above norm
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#11. Fayette County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.84 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.70 inches (#80 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.40 inches above norm
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#10. Dubuque County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.06 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.78 inches (#79 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.37 inches above norm
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#9. Bremer County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.37 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.46 inches (#79 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.25 inches above norm
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#8. Clinton County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.39 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.51 inches (#100 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 4.54 inches above norm
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
#7. Howard County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.60 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 36.27 inches (#90 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 3.70 inches above norm
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#6. Jackson County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.64 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.41 inches (#101 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 5.34 inches above norm
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#5. Delaware County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.79 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.19 inches (#93 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 3.86 inches above norm
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#4. Chickasaw County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.92 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.73 inches (#64 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.36 inches above norm
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#3. Clayton County
- Five-year precipitation average: 41.44 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.65 inches (#98 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 4.45 inches above norm
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#2. Winneshiek County
- Five-year precipitation average: 41.58 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.59 inches (#107 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 6.50 inches above norm
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#1. Allamakee County
- Five-year precipitation average: 42.15 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.97 inches (#109 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 7.21 inches above norm
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HUDSON — For nearly 25 years, Joan Webster-Vore could gaze out the window above her desk at the cornfield across the road from her studio. She relished watching the scene change with the seasons and often drew inspiration from the view.
Even now, a series of three cornfield studies, thickly painted in rich, vibrant colors, are laid out on her desk as she finishes packing her studio. “I’d see different things at different times of the year, and I tried to capture what I saw,” said the award-winning artist.
Webster-Vore’s husband, Marv, recently retired and the couple is preparing for their move to Boise, Idaho, where one of their sons lives.
“And there’s the draw of grandkids and being able to watch them grow up. Moving out to Idaho actually will make it easier to see our other son, too, who lives in Maryland. We’ll only be traveling between two places, not three,” she explained.
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Webster-Vore looked around her studio and laughed. “This is as clean as it’s ever been,” she said, standing knee-deep in boxes and storage containers with plenty more to pack.
Those three cornfield paintings may be the last pieces she boxes up as she finishes packing away more than two decades worth of artwork and art projects. It’s been a labor of love, in many respects, and an opportunity for Webster-Vore to revisit paintings, watercolors, drawings, mixed media installation and art objects she’s created through the years.
“I’m sad to leave. It feels very bittersweet,” she explained.
“Going through all my stuff has been a bit of a journey through my visual history. It’s curious to remember what I was thinking about when I was working on something in the past and it’s also curious to discover how often some of those same elements and thoughts creep into what I am doing now.”
That cornfield has influenced her work but nature itself is where her passions lie. She regularly communes with the outdoors – painting en plein air – and is fascinated by bodies of water. Earlier this spring, her series of graceful watercolors of the California coastline as well as a delicate, ethereal installation exploring the decline of damselflies and dragonflies were displayed at Hawkeye Community College’s art gallery in the Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center.
The artist often works with natural and inorganic materials – paper, thread, sticks, wire, screen and paint to create striking and complex three-dimensional structures that play with movement, light and shadow. In one of her favorite installations, “Passing By,” Webster-Vore chronicles the plight of the passenger pigeon, a species that numbered in the billions in North America prior to the 19th century. It was officially recorded as extinct in 1914.
“I have known and exhibited with Joan for 20 years. She is very dear to me,” said Scott Hudson, a Cedar Falls artist and curator. “Joan has a lot of technical skills, but that is only the surface of who she is as an artist. She has a very strong sense of ethics and a moral compass, and she is not afraid to use her art to advocate for what she believes.
“She has a gentle spirit but she is a brave artist,” he said.
Katie Walberg of Waverly also has shared exhibition space with Webster-Vore.
“Joan will certainly be missed in the Cedar Valley. She is an extremely talented artist whose work is an important and needed examination of the impacts we have on our environment. I know she will continue these pursuits in her new home, and I wish her the best,” Walberg said.
Webster-Vore grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and earned a bachelor of fine arts in art, a master’s degree in textile design and a master of fine arts in design at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She also met her husband at the U of I. They moved to Hudson 44 years ago.
Her work has appeared in numerous competitive, invitational and solo exhibitions both regionally and nationally. She has been a featured artist at the Sioux City Art Center Select and the Brunnier Art Museum in Ames, and her work has been exhibited at the Waterloo Center for the Arts, Hearst Center for the Arts and more.
Before leaving for Idaho, Webster-Vore has been teaching a class in the Amana Colonies, exploring a contemporary approach to traditional Batik.
One of her latest works – a large-scale mixed media piece that’s “all about water” – still hangs from the ceiling in the garage studio. “Working with layers of (window) screen is cool, and I’ve been experimenting with reserve applique. I’ve been playing with the screen, sewing on it with regular heavy cotton thread and buttonhole thread, adhering paper with a gel medium. I like the idea of making something big that can store small.”
It will be featured in a new exhibition in September at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
Joan Webster-Vore artwork
Award-winning artist Joan Webster-Vore often works with natural and inorganic materials – paper, thread, sticks, wire, screen and paint to create striking and complex three-dimensional structures that play with movement, light and shadow. She also paints watercolors and acrylics, and creates nature-oriented art objects. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/hudson-artists-packs-studio-for-idaho/article_11951148-0f83-11ee-9735-8fc15e350241.html | 2023-06-29T10:40:22 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/hudson-artists-packs-studio-for-idaho/article_11951148-0f83-11ee-9735-8fc15e350241.html |
Last in a series
WATERLOO — Jamie Swartley has lived in Iowa basically his entire life.
The Waterloo resident and Cedar Falls High School graduate remembers aspects he admired about the state as he grew up in the Cedar Valley.
“When I was younger, we were one of the first states to legalize gay marriage, and that was really exciting,” he said.
But now, as soon as the transgender man is able, he’s looking to move out of state – largely because of what happened in Des Moines earlier this year during the most recent legislative session, when several anti-LGBTQIA+ bills were signed into law.
“It just seems to be the complete opposite now. I know that it’s more than just Iowa, it is a national trend,” he said. “But to see my home state going so backwards, it is just heartbreaking.”
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The 25-year-old couldn’t immediately identify any positives when asked about the Republican-controlled state government’s work. As someone who votes Democratic, he believes the negatives overshadowed any possible bright spots.
The recently passed bills put his health, well-being and safety at risk. He feels particularly upset about the way those laws target transgender minors.
One example is Senate File 482, the “bathroom bill,” requiring students in kindergarten through 12th-grade schools to use the bathroom that aligns with their biological sex, barring transgender students from the bathroom matching their gender identity.
Swartley worries about disapproving parents who are now required to give their permission for kids’ access to individual bathrooms.
He remembers hearing about the first bill proposed to ban gender-affirming care for minors, the most notable law that eventually passed. Senate File 538 outlaws transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries.
“I had a really hard time for a couple days, and it was really hard for me to go into work and just knowing that this was happening,” he said. “I don’t know what I can do about it.”
He transitioned from a woman to a man as an adult. While Swartley was no longer a juvenile, he takes to heart the challenges younger Iowans will face, reflecting on what such laws would have meant for him.
Swartley worries about Senate File 496 banning discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through sixth grade.
“I didn’t get any of that education when I was in school and here I am still,” he said, “but I think that could be really harmful. I imagine that if I had known that it was possible to be trans when I was younger I could have avoided a lot of misery.”
He also fears the requirement that schools notify parents if a student requests to change their name or pronouns.
“That’s also really scary because if a kid doesn’t feel safe at home with their parents, the only other place they’re at is school,” he said.
Having to fight for his identify – who he was born to be – is the “scary” reality. And that’s in addition to other challenges he and other young adults face.
Think rent. Swartley hasn’t seriously struggled and hasn’t needed government assistance. He says he was lucky to find a place with cheaper rent, but he knows people who have been less fortunate.
Think health insurance. When he turns 27 he will no longer be carried on his parents’ plan and does not currently have an employer offering a plan.
And there’s thousands of dollars in college debt that will take a “very long time” to pay off.
“I went to Boston University, and that was not cheap either, for my grad school. I think about how am I ever going to pay all this off. There’s that federal student relief that still hasn’t gone through, and it seems like it’s not getting any further,” he said.
He’s trying to figure out his next move after graduating from Luther College in Decorah in 2020 with a music degree and minor in computer science. He has been unable to find a job in the field after obtaining his master’s of music in composition at Boston.
Now working as a bartender, he also thinks about Senate File 542 that will allow teenagers to work more jobs and later hours. The bill allows 16- and 17-year-old employees to sell and serve alcohol. He worries about young servers at his place of employment.
“In high school, you’re still just a kid,” he said. “I hope high schoolers are considered a kid now that they are passing these labor laws.”
He doesn’t think everything should be focused on getting a job or getting into college, taking away from that joyous time in life. Instead, he feels the Legislature should promote other things, like music as a requirement in the upper grade levels as opposed to bans on books.
“I think it’s important to let people be creative,” he said.
He attended a forum on mental health not too long ago and was disappointed by what he heard.
“First of all, there were not a lot of people there, including government officials. I was really glad for the people who were there, though. It was sad and they were talking about how mental health care is not great,” he said.
And, the bottom line is, he feels those who want change won’t be listened to. The legislation relating to gender and sexuality brings out another level of “nervousness.”
“I don’t want to put myself in a situation where someone’s going to tell me that they don’t think I should exist,” Swartley said. “But I guess maybe we’re at a point, I’m at a point, where I have to start doing something.”
Jamie Swartley
Age: 25
City or town of residence: Waterloo
Occupation: Bartender
Family: Two parents, one brother, and two sisters. No significant others or kids.
Years in Iowa: 23 years.
Political affiliation: Democrat
Presidential candidate supported in 2020: Joe Biden
3 Questions
What are the biggest challenges you face in your everyday life? Like many young adults, I need to handle my rent, college debt and health insurance. But as a transgender man, I fear future challenges because of the Legislature passing legislation that targets transgender people.
How do you see Iowa’s government affecting your life? There’s not much of a direct impact right now, as a lot of the legislation signed into law this past session targets transgender youth. I can’t think of anyway it’s impacted me positively. But it’s indirectly taken a toll on me because I feel as a state we’ve gone backwards, and even if I speak up, I fear legislators telling me they don’t think I should exist.
What issues do you wish the government paid more attention to? Less attention to? Rather than banning books and discussion of sexual orientation in classrooms, I feel there should be more a focus placed on mental health, and on instituting music requirements in the upper grade levels to encourage them to be creative. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/legislation-transgender-man-wants-to-leave-iowa/article_3de03ebe-03e7-11ee-95ae-93ab878abd1b.html | 2023-06-29T10:40:29 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/legislation-transgender-man-wants-to-leave-iowa/article_3de03ebe-03e7-11ee-95ae-93ab878abd1b.html |
As Brian Payne retires, his city-defining innovations will be his Indianapolis legacy
Brian Payne has spent the last 30 years studying Indianapolis' gems, its idiosyncrasies and its talent — and then shaping them into city-defining innovations.
He pioneered the Cultural Trail. He backed cutting-edge artistic ideas that have bloomed into cultural mainstays. He reset his thinking on systemic racism. And he broadened discussion on how it has held back Central Indiana economically, powering change by shifting the mission for the region's behemoth nonprofit philanthropic collaborative to focus on equitable opportunities.
As Payne retires in June as president and CEO of the Central Indiana Community Foundation and president of the Indianapolis Foundation, he — a California transplant — leaves a legacy as one of Central Indiana's biggest forces for cultural economic development.
Threading it all together, those close to him say, is his genuineness and unrelenting commitment to teams that often remain friends long after projects are finished.
"Brian has a gift to give, and part of it is his relationships," said De'Amon Harges, who helped build CICF's ambassador program and is now an adviser for it.
"And he knows that."
A California transplant who fell for the Midwest
Payne, 64, has a life rule to thank for his introduction to Indianapolis. If five people unexpectedly tell him the same thing, he pays close attention.
So when colleague after friend after actor recommended that Payne and Libby Appel connect, he traveled to meet the then-artistic director of Indiana Repertory Theatre and interviewed to be managing director. Besides, even as a self-described adrenaline junkie, Payne was struggling with enough burnout as managing director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz that he'd given his then-employer a year's notice.
Payne fell for Hoosiers' warm authenticity. And after his 1993 hire, his new colleagues fell for him, too — after they teased the former San Diego resident for wearing suits too bright to meet Midwest donors.
"My joke has been that I must have had a previous life in the Midwest because I really felt a strong connection to Indianapolis," Payne said.
Embracing big ideas to fuel a cultural surge
Payne's theater colleagues cite his part in strengthening the organization's financial health and finding funding for inventive ideas.
"If I could get him enthused about something I thought we ought to do, but I still felt like it was too big or too costly, it would really motivate him to say, 'Let's go find the resources to do this,'" said Janet Allen, who was promoted to artistic director after Appel left.
Retiring arts leaders' big legacy:Here's what they built and what's next
Over Payne's seven years at Indiana Repertory Theatre, he turned down interviews for theater jobs in other states. But another Indianapolis opportunity did capture him.
In 2000, Payne left to lead the Central Indiana Community Foundation, which houses the Indianapolis Foundation and Hamilton County Community Foundation. All together, they facilitate donor-advised funds and award grants to nonprofits. Under Payne, assets have tripled to about $1 billion, which he attributes to teamwork.
"For most of my career, we have created a really creative, fun culture where if you had a great idea, no matter what your job was, you would be listened to," he said.
As a leader, Payne has championed quality-of-life initiatives, including Reconnecting to Our Waterways and cultural development firm Ganggang, which organizes the Butter Black fine art fair.
He also was key to ensuring that Massachusetts Avenue kept its theater — now called the District — when Theatre on the Square disbanded.
Through these projects and others, Payne introduced ways to connect people in public spaces through art, design and activities, said Rob MacPherson, who joined Payne at CICF after working with him as director of development at Indiana Repertory Theatre.
"One of his biggest contributions to this community is ... introducing the concept of a cultural economy," MacPherson said.
Building Cultural Trail support with Segway tours and napkin sketches
Shortly after Payne took the reins at CICF, he also took out napkins to sketch a new idea over lunches and in meetings. He wanted to connect the city's newly formed downtown and adjacent Cultural Districts with an urban Monon Trail-like loop.
As the Cultural Trail grew from his after-hours hobby into a major project, supporters quickly jumped on board. But the project team also spent time talking with critics who dubbed the trail a traffic-clogging, expensive "fancy sidewalk."
"Someone would say, 'OK well, why would we need this? We don't even have a biking culture," Payne said. "It's like, 'Because people need to bike here, and the reason they don't bike here is cause there's no safe place to do it. And here's what it will do: It will create a quality of life that will make us more competitive.'"
He took people on Segway tours to explain the idea.
"People thought it was kind of a crazy idea to extend (the trail) all the way down (to Fountain Square)," said Jim Walker, co-founder of creative organization Big Car, who noted his family's then-difficulty walking downtown from the neighborhood. "He had the vision to see that."
Over the past 10 years, the public-art studded 8-mile trail, which now has extensions in the works, has become heavily used and the envy of other cities.
"The whole inclusion of public art was new ... to a lot of people, and I think there were some out there who felt like, 'Well, this is another frivolous piece,'" said Lori Miser, who at the time worked in the city's Department of Public Works.
"It adds an amazing amount of beauty and interest. ... Brian was insistent that that had to be part of it."
But one controversial sculpture — planned for the trail but never fully realized — would become key to Payne's learning journey about race.
Earning trust with equity work
In 2010, renowned artist Fred Wilson had designed a standalone statue of the formerly enslaved man from the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. But Wilson's piece would be tilted forward with a flag representing the African Diaspora instead of holding a broken chain while gazing upward. The idea, the artist said at the time, was to question why the figure was the only art representing Black Indianapolis.
But many Black residents objected to the work, called "E Pluribus Unum," and it never came to fruition. After a new process with more public input, people selected Bernard Williams' "Talking Wall," at Blackford and Michigan streets, which pays homage to Black Indianapolis icons.
"What I learned was that if you want to do anything in your community, you've got to earn trust and be in relationship with all parts of your community, and I was not in certainly deep enough relationship with the Black community at the time," Payne said.
Imhotep Adisa had initially become aware of Payne during the controversy, and the two met for the first time about seven years later when the CICF leader spoke about it at a community talk.
Payne invited Adisa, executive director of the Kheprw Institute, to join the Indianapolis Foundation's Racial Equity Advisory Council, formed to support the philanthropic collaborative's mission change. Announced in 2018, it centers on providing equitable opportunities to everyone — regardless of their identity, race or where they're from. And a major initiative of the Marion County plan is ending institutional racism.
New leadership:Who will helm the Central Indiana Community Foundation and Indianapolis Foundation
"Brian's an optimist, and he's also a white guy with lots of voice and power and community, and of course that comes with its own set of challenges," Adisa said. "I've seen directly adjustments to decision-making and processes."
Frank discussions born from shared personal stories
The racial equity work plays out in CICF's grants, leadership and partnerships, which include support for people at the highest risk of gun violence involvement, permanent supported housing for the unsheltered and incubator support for entrepreneurs who are underrepresented.
The shift attracted more people of color to the staff, said Pamela Ross, vice president of community leadership and equitable initiatives at the Indianapolis Foundation. It also brought in new donors who offered unrestricted funds toward the mission, Payne said.
But not everyone was on board, finding the language offensive or "too political," Payne said. Some donors who disagreed pulled between $8 million and $12 million from donor-advised funds and planned gifts, MacPherson estimates.
"Criticism affects me personally. Losing funds makes me sad, it makes me upset, and it makes me go into deep reflection," Payne said.
"But ultimately, we're in this work and we know that when you do big things and try to make change, you're going to get people who do not like what you're doing, and I have to tell myself to toughen up."
Payne's strength, Harges said, has been partnering with people who are in close touch with their neighborhoods, which has led to an ambassador program that informs CICF's grant-making and leadership decisions.
"Part of building trust was saying, 'We're not going to work for CICF.' That was the deal," said Harges, who founded the Learning Tree, which harnesses people's talents to encourage greater collaboration and quality of life. "That's why Learning Tree was the intermediary."
At the core of the business relationships-turned-friendships are Payne's willingness to share personal stories and have frank discussions about race.
"We weren't afraid to not just be real about different conversations but also at different times, we put humor in it — not on purpose either, but it was just one of those things," Ross said.
What's next for Brian Payne
Part of Payne's legacy at CICF will be determined by how the foundation's commitment to fighting systemic racism carries on. Ross said much of the framework is in place, like adjusted grantmaking guidelines, more opportunities for grassroots organizations led by underrepresented entrepreneurs, and a staff that's grown to comprise about 45% people of color.
"I have reminded Brian ... that we always have that language that the work continues so that this has not been something that's been centered on Brian and his leadership but moreso has been centered on Brian using his leadership and his power to move real change," Ross said.
For Payne, his future plans consist of keeping the parts of his work he likes. He plans to split time between New York — where his wife, Gail Payne, is an actor and singer — and Indianapolis.
Moving forward, he'll provide executive coaching for community foundations and theaters. He'll be executive-in-residence for Indiana University's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, where he'll work with students. He'll create a consulting firm with his wife. He'll vacation with Indianapolis colleagues-turned-friends.
He'll take some time to learn about what he hasn't yet, like cultural anthropology. He'll travel while trying to answer the question: Why do residents like their city?
And while enumerating these plans, Payne reinforces — as much for himself as for the person he's telling — that he'll just be working part time.
Looking for things to do? Our newsletter has the best concerts, art, shows and more — and the stories behind them
Contact the reporter at d.bongiovanni@indystar.com or 317-444-7339. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/brian-payne-legacy-in-indianapolis-city-defining-innovations/70314014007/ | 2023-06-29T10:40:33 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/brian-payne-legacy-in-indianapolis-city-defining-innovations/70314014007/ |
Fireworks, parades, concerts: Your guide to Fourth of July weekend at the Delaware beaches
Don your red, white and blue, apply copious amounts of sunscreen and prepare to stand for the National Athem: It's Fourth of July weekend at the Delaware beaches.
Festivities for the quintessetial summer holiday stretch on in the days before and after Tuesday. In fact, it's perfectly acceptable to start wearing your wacky, tacky U.S.A. t-shirts and accessories now. Another thing to start before the weekend: practicing patience when it comes to traffic and parking.
The beach towns host fireworks on different days, as well as parades, concerts and kids activities. We have all of that information for you below in Delaware Online/The News Journal's weekly guide to the Delaware beaches, as well as weather predictions, beach replenishment updates and anything else you need to know. We'll have it all again next week, so check back.
Weather
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures over 80 degrees from Saturday on, and a chance of showers or thunderstorms every afternoon from Friday through Tuesday.
Showers and storms were predicted last weekend too. Some areas had short storms. This reporter never saw a drop.
Summer storms can come and go quickly. Plan for the best, be prepared for the worst and always check the latest forecast.
More:'Zeke is such a force.' 3-year-old Lewes boy recovering after lawnmower severed his leg
Another thing to keep an eye on: air quality. The Division of Air Quality has declared Thursday is a Code Red air quality day due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Conditions are expected to improve Friday afternoon, but check back here to be sure.
Beach closures
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is finishing up replenishment at the Delaware beaches. This week, there may be portions of Bethany Beach and South Bethany beach closed while work is underway.
Work has already been completed in Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island. More on that here.
There's another beach closure this week, unrelated to replenishment.
For the first time since 2016, a piping plover has nested at the beach at Gordon's Pond in Cape Henlopen State Park, just north of Rehoboth Beach.
About 800 feet of beach has been closed and fenced off to protect the endangered species. It can't been driven through, so the surf-fishing reservation system had to adjust for that.
Speaking of surf-fishing...
Surf-fishing
Coming to the Delaware beaches for the first time since last summer? Heads up, there have been big changes to drive-on surf-fishing rules.
You can walk-on to the beach and fish with only a fishing license. To drive on, you need a permit, which you can get at most state park offices.
More:Beach season is near. Here's your guide to parking at the Delaware beaches for 2023.
To drive on on a weeked or holiday, you now need a $4 reservation. For the Fourth of July weekend, that's Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. If you hope to drive-on Monday, go early, the beaches will likely reach capacity.
As of Wednesday afternoon, all the Cape Henlopen State Park drive-on beaches and 3R's in Delaware Seashore State Park were sold out for Saturday and Sunday. There was still plenty of availability at the other drive-on beaches. Reservations can be made at destateparks.com/surftagsales.
The reservation system opens at 11 a.m. Thursday for Tuesday, July 4 reservations.
Events and activities
First, on Saturday, St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes will host an all-day art show to benefit numerous nonprofits. You'll find it on the streets surrounding the church, at 200 Second St., and in the adjacent M&T Bank parking lot.
Now, prepare to medicate your dog. Here are all the Fourth of July fireworks and other activities at the Delaware beaches this weekend.
Lewes: Tuesday, July 4, is a big day in Lewes. It starts at 9 a.m. with old-fashioned children's games on Second Street. At 1:30 p.m., a boat parade begins at Roosevelt Inlet and cruises down the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal to the Savannah Road bridge.
The Doo-Dah Parade is "a Lewes Independence Day staple," according to the Go Fourth Lewes website. There is no official organizer for the truly whimsical event. There are floats, cars, bicycles, farm vehicles, walkers and a whole lot of red, white and blue.
Anyone who wants to participate just lines up along Manila Aveune before strolling or marching down Savannah Road. There's no offical start time, either, but it's usually between 4 and 5 p.m.
Fireworks are at dusk, launched from a barge in the Harbor of Refuge. The Savannah Road bridge closes at 7 p.m., while the Freeman Highway bridge closes at 8 p.m.
Cars east of the bridges won't be allowed to cross for at least half an hour after the show to allow pedestrians to get off the beach safely. The Go Fourth Lewes website advises going early and staying late.
You can watch the fireworks from certains part of Cape Henlopen State Park, but get there early. Way early. There are also many locations west of the beach, even west of the canal, where the fireworks will be visible. See if your site is one of them at gofourthlewes.org.
More:Looking for Delaware, Maryland fireworks? Here is our list for 4th of July shows
Rehoboth Beach: Rehoboth has opted to host fireworks at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 2. They launch from between Philadelphia and Hickman streets. The display will be "sandwiched" by a free show from The Funsters at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand. They'll play at 8 p.m. and again after the fireworks cease.
You won't be able to enter Rehoboth Avenue by car after 7:30 p.m. Get to town early to find parking or plan on parking on the outskirts and hoofing it. (Wear comfortable shoes and bring strollers for kids, trust me.) Better yet, take the DART bus or the Jolly Trolley.
Immediately after the fireworks, there will be a ton of traffic leaving town and on Coastal Highway. You can sit in it, but it would probably be more fun to stay for part two of The Funsters show or have a late dinner or drink.
Dewey Beach: On Monday night, watch the movie "National Treasure" with the fam at 8:30 p.m. on the Dagsworthy Street Beach. Highway One hosts fireworks out of Rehoboth Bay at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4.
Bethany Beach: Sadly, Bethany Beach was forced to postpone this year's Fourth of July celebration due to beach replenishment.
However, there are still many other celebrations happening in Bethany Beach over the weekend.
The 5th Annual Firecracker 5K will take place downtown, starting at 7:15 a.m. Sunday, July 2. That evening, the 287th Army Band will play at the bandstand at 7:30 p.m. The animated move "Rumble" will play at the bandstand at dusk on Monday, July 3.
More:Will the battle between Fenwick Island mayor and outgoing police chief end up in court?
July 4 festivities start with the "Sand & Sea in '23" parade at noon, which includes a large variety of marching bands and musical acts. It traverses Pennslyvania and Atlantic avenues between Cedarwood Street and Ocean View Parkway. Fan favorites Mike Hines & The Hook will play the bandstand at 7:30 p.m.
Check out kids' performers Mr. Jon (6 p.m.) and The Little Mermen (7 p.m.) at the bandstand on Wednesday, July 5, and the U.S. Army Downrange band at the bandstand at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6.
You'll find more info on all these events at townofbethanybeach.com.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter at @MarvelMcNaught | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/fourth-of-july-at-the-delaware-beaches-heres-your-guide/70364751007/ | 2023-06-29T10:40:46 | 1 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/fourth-of-july-at-the-delaware-beaches-heres-your-guide/70364751007/ |
'Feel like there's hope': How will Hogsett's big gun violence prevention plan fight crime?
On a warm spring day this year, Liz Moser, 61, pulled into the Fashion Mall at Keystone parking lot with her granddaughter. Then she remembered the recent Greenwood mall shootings. She turned around. Malls, like city parks and outdoor concerts and splash pads, don’t feel safe anymore to her.
“I always think, is it worth it? Do I really want to go?” Moser said. “It makes me reevaluate the places I’m going to go and even a lovely walk along the canal, you second guess things you shouldn’t have to second guess.”
But a new three-pronged gun violence prevention plan announced by Mayor Joe Hogsett's administration in May to tackle Indianapolis’ gun violence crisis is giving Moser hope. The City-County Council will vote July 10 on the plan.
The first prong, which is already in effect, establishes gun-free zones that take advantage of an exception in otherwise restrictive state laws allowing the city to enforce no-guns rules of private event organizers. Broad Ripple Village Association has requested the city create a zone in the neighborhood after a shooting there last weekend left three people dead.
The second proposal consists of a slate of aspirational strict gun control measures that cannot take effect in Indianapolis unless Indiana’s gun laws change.
The third entails the city hiring three new federal prosecutors as part of a tougher approach to punishing serious violent crime.
Even as Hogsett's plan is applauded by supporters — including many gun violence prevention advocates — it is not without critics. The Republican minority members on the council have slammed the gun control measures as unconstitutional. Federal defender Monica Foster has raised concerns that locking people up through federal prosecution doesn’t work and could result in deeper racial disparities.
Hogsett said in mid-June that he’d received threats after unveiling his gun proposals —which IMPD said are being investigated — but that he's not changing course."I won’t be threatened into turning my back on Indianapolis residents," Hogsett said. "I am not backing down."
The package of policies mark Hogsett and the city making a serious political statement in an election year that pushes back on the Republican-dominated Indiana General Assembly’s narrative about Second Amendment rights, Indiana University Bloomington law professor and Second Amendment expert Jody Madeira said.
Indianapolis killings:Tracking every homicide in 2023
“Indianapolis and the mayor, and Marion County in general, are stepping forward and saying, there are these public health consequences and you have to look at this,” Madeira said. “(They're saying) 'we are not trying to undermine the Second Amendment. We are trying to make people safer.'”
Republican mayoral opponent Jefferson Shreve has attacked Hogsett for the city's high homicide rates.
“As usual, it is hard to disagree with the sentiment the Mayor sets forth, but the substance and execution are sorely lacking,” Shreve wrote in a statement after four people were shot in Broad Ripple last weekend. He said he was in favor of any practical and effective measure to get guns out of Broad Ripple at night, such as additional cameras in places like Broad Ripple Avenue or hiring a public safety director, a position Hogsett scrapped when he took office in 2016.
When asked what Shreve’s plan was for public safety, Shreve’s campaign spokesperson Jennifer Erbacher said he is spending time with people in the nine townships to gain feedback on his plan and plans to roll it out after July 4.
Indianapolis pushes for strict gun control…symbolically
A slate of gun control measures known as Proposal 156, which comes before the council July 10, would only take effect if Indiana state gun laws were repealed or changed.
Like Indiana, the vast majority of states prohibit local governments from adopting local gun regulation. Known as state preemption, this dynamic poses the biggest legal obstacle to gun regulation, according to a 2021 paper by Duke University law professor Joseph Blocher, which also found it was the result of a concerted campaign by the National Rifle Association and other gun rights advocates.
Hogsett made back-to-back appearances before City-County Council committees on June 13 and 14, issuing a searing indictment of the 2011 Indiana law that prevents cities from passing stricter gun control.
“It’s a bad policy and I will continue to fight for the people of Indianapolis to have the right to craft their own laws on this critical issue,” he said in mid-June. “Until that happens, votes like these do send a powerful message about where Indianapolis stands.”
The restrictions that would apply to Indianapolis if they could ever take effect include a ban on assault weapons, as defined by the proposed 2023 federal Assault Weapons Ban. The proposal also bans carrying a handgun without a permit, concealed carry of a firearm and prohibits those under 21 from purchasing a firearm, unlike the state limit of 18 years old.
Last year, a law passed eliminating the license requirement to carry a handgun in Indiana.
Mark Bode, a spokesperson for Hogsett’s office, said that the proposal sends a message about Hogsett’s stance on commonsense gun safety measures.
But Indiana's Republican leaders appear to have no interest in seeing the city override state laws.
Republican council minority leader, Brian Mowery, opposed the gun control proposal along with the rest of his party on the council. He called the proposed firearms restriction unconstitutional and said rather than demonizing firearms, the city should look at what causes people to turn to gun violence.
“What we're talking about right now is the constitutional right for people that have the right standing within the government to have a firearm,” he said. “You're telling them they can no longer defend themselves.”
He added, “I said last night, none of those firearms has ever pulled the trigger itself.”
Federal prosecutors double down on Indianapolis violent crime
The Hogsett Administration’s plan also involves seeking stiffer penalties for violent crimes, particularly gun crimes, and more efficient sentencing, by hiring three new federal prosecutors focused on prosecuting crimes in Indianapolis.
This move has bipartisan support on the City-County Council and would take effect as soon as the attorneys are hired, if the council approves money for their salaries on July 10.
The three federal prosecutors’ salaries will be paid by Indianapolis with $225,000 in this year's budget through the office of the city’s corporation counsel and will subsequently be funded through the office's budget. They will report to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana violent crimes unit, which currently has eight attorneys.
Other cities have done something similar, including Baltimore and Philadelphia, according to Bode.
These new prosecutors will focus exclusively on serious violent crimes and gun crimes impacting Marion County. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has the discretion to decide which cases to take, which tend to be a tiny fraction of overall criminal cases in Marion County.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary Myers said currently federal prosecution is reserved for the worst of the worst — the most dangerous criminals and the most serious crimes, such as criminal conspiracies and repeat violent offenders.
With the three additional federal prosecutors, his office will use the same standards and criteria but will be able to take on more cases, he said.
“Arrests and prosecutions are never going to be the only solution to any societal problems, especially violence, but they are an important part," Myers said.
The ability to bring charges in federal court as opposed to state court offers a number of benefits, said Indianapolis corporation counsel Matt Giffin.
Those include stiffer penalties due to a federal doctrine known as 'real offense sentencing’, the ability to bring gun possession charges that are illegal under federal law but not state law, and mandatory minimums imposed by some federal crimes. In addition, federal trials can be more efficient, sentences tend to be longer on average and convicted federal felons serve at least 85% of their sentence, much higher than the state system, Giffin said.
Another benefit from the city’s perspective is that pre-trial detention is more likely in federal courts than in local courts and does not hinge on the ability to make bail but on the evaluation of an individual’s flight risk and danger to the community.
Critics raise concerns about Feds targeting Black offenders
Chief federal defender at the Indiana Federal Community Defenders office, Monica Foster, said she disagrees with adding federal prosecutors to the battle against gun violence. Indianapolis has tried to fight violent crimes and guns before through locking people up and that has not worked, she said.
Moreover, she said, federal prosecutions tend to disproportionately target Black and Hispanic offenders, while white offenders tend to go through state prosecution or are not policed altogether. Federal sentencing commission statistics show that 60% to 70% of federal prosecutions from 2018 to 2022 were for non-white offenders, even though non-white residents make up a much smaller percentage of the population.
"I'm really concerned when the city starts talking about solving their problems through the criminal justice system, that really what they're talking about is attempting to solve their problems on the backs of Black and Brown people," she said.However, Foster added that she trusts that the current U.S. Attorney, Myers, will not go back to racist charging policies of the past.
Myers said he is keenly aware of how structural racism means that the communities that suffer the most violence also are the ones that have been historically marginalized.But, he suggested, federal prosecution is an important way to deter people from and hold them accountable for violent gun crime, especially in marginalized neighborhoods.
"That’s not to say that you aren’t going to be careful about making sure that prosecutor and investigation decisions you’re making are responding to the needs the community is suffering as opposed to things that might be intentionally, or unintentionally, disproportionately targeting people of one background or another," he said.
Gun-free zones take advantage of Indiana laws
The last part of Hogsett's gun prevention policy takes advantage of one of the few tools it has under otherwise restrictive Indiana laws to keep guns out of public spaces.
"Gun-free zones" involve the city helping private groups who have leased a public space for an event enforce a gun-free policy by sending in more law enforcement, something the city is allowed to do under Indiana law.
The idea debuted this month at WonderRoad Music Festival, where organizers wanted the city's help to keep the festival gun-free and is starting to catch on. Festivalgoers at WonderRoad passed through metal detectors with specialized firearm screening technology and a dozen officers were on hand to help manage the crowd.
After a violent weekend in Broad Ripple that saw three people shot dead, the Broad Ripple Village Association requested the city make Broad Ripple Village gun-free on Friday and Saturday nights through August 31.
But the request has to overcome legal hurdles first. The "gun-free zones" can only be set up where a private company leases public property from Indianapolis.
Indianapolis corporation counsel Giffin said that a "lease" need not be a long-term lease agreement. Instead, the city will require that any group trying to establish a gun-free zone must have either gotten a special events permit from the Parks Department or the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services.
Broad Ripple Village Association doesn't currently have a lease on public land, like sidewalks, with Indianapolis, board member Kip Tew said, and isn't contemplating one. Tew said the Association is working with the city to find a way to establish the zones without running afoul of state law.
Meanwhile, families across Indianapolis continue to reckon with the lasting damage of gun violence.
Moser said she will never forget the look on her husband’s face when he found out his only son, her stepson, had been shot and killed by police in 2021 in Florida during a mental health episode.
The tragedy led them to become gun control and mental illness advocates. In her work as a volunteer with Moms Demand Action, she said she’s met many families who’ve lost loved ones to both sides of the barrel. The proliferation of guns has made her more afraid, knowing even a road rage incident could turn deadly.
She's backing the city's plan because she wants things to change.
“It seems like we’re not just screaming into the abyss," she said. "It feels like somebody with authority, a mayor, a chief of police, someone with some agency and authority, recognizes this isn't okay. This has got to change. And they're stepping forward with a plan.”
Contact the reporter at 317-903-7071 or kcheang@indystar.com | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/indianapolis/2023/06/29/indianapolis-gun-violence-hogsetts-federal-prosecutors-gun-control/70360128007/ | 2023-06-29T10:40:48 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/indianapolis/2023/06/29/indianapolis-gun-violence-hogsetts-federal-prosecutors-gun-control/70360128007/ |
Once dubbed a basketball star, Elouise Matthias, 92, is now the life of the bowling lanes.
A 'basketball star' is what Elouise Matthias was labeled by the yearbook editor in small text under her senior portrait at George Washington High School in Indianapolis. Though today, at 92, the mother of eight, with 22 grandchildren and 'too many great-grandchildren to count' is best known for her bowling.
Matthias started bowling in the 50s after marrying her husband, Warren, in 1949. They both took a break from the sport after retirement but started back up seven years later. She says she and Warren lost time playing cards together, and that he was an avid fisherman and a hunter. And though he died in 2008, she continued to find joy in bowling.
Twice a week, Matthias tosses a 12-pound ball in two different, 29-week bowling leagues. As she's aged, her hands have begun to stiffen, making it harder to throw, she says. But she keeps trying, at least for now.
Years ago, she had her name inscribed on an 11-pound ball but someone stole it, likely by accident she says. The only thing left to do was take the only ball remaining on the return, the 12-pounder she still uses today.
"I'm still stumped by that one," Matthias said with a laugh. "Who would want that? It has my name on it."
Inside Royal Pin Western, on Indianapolis' west side, the stereotypical cigarette smell is gone but the laughs and lifelong friendships still remain – something that Matthias says keeps her coming back. And, according to Tom Hanes, who has served as president of Ping Properties bowling league for 15 years, it takes a lot to keep a senior bowler away from the lanes.
"Don't get between a senior and their bowling," Hanes said. "One bowler down there just had a stint put in last week, another had pneumonia. Another had an electrical issue with his heart and technically died two or three times. The first thing he said when he came out was, 'When can I bowl.' He's planning on being back in here in two weeks."
During senior league, which is handicapped to keep the competition fair, there are lots of high-fives and cheers. Jokingly, one man says he takes his hearing aids out because the pin-clinking is too loud. Everyone around him laughs. There are racing T-shirts, a couple of cowboy hats and more than a few pairs of suspenders. Matthias wears sweaters, often with floral patterns.
Matthias has been bowling on Mondays in the Mooresville Senior League since 2006. Her team name? Elouise & Her Boys. She bowls again on Thursdays with Ping Properties, this time on team Swinging Grannies. Her highest season average is 188, and her highest score ever was 288.
"I had 9 strikes in a row and only hit 8-pins on my first throw in the 10th frame," she said. " I got the spare and then a strike."
But bowling the perfect 300 may never come for Matthias who after this past season says she is likely calling it quits. Though her team Elouise & Her Boys finished in first place, the pain in her hand is too much. She says going out on top is a plus.
Matthias, who turns 93 in August, has moved in with her son about 30 miles from the city, in a wooded rural area with little cellphone reception. She says she can't imagine making the drive back for bowling league.
"A teammate has already offered to come to get me," she laughed. "I just don't want to quit, I have made so many wonderful friends."
Contact IndyStar photojournalist Mykal McEldowney at 317-790-6991 or mykal.mceldowney@indystar.com. Follow him on Instagram or Twitter. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/marion-county/2023/06/29/elouise-matthias-of-indianapolis-is-the-life-of-the-bowling-lanes/70269165007/ | 2023-06-29T10:40:52 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/marion-county/2023/06/29/elouise-matthias-of-indianapolis-is-the-life-of-the-bowling-lanes/70269165007/ |
Employers stepping in to provide housing for seasonal workers at the Delaware beaches
With more visitors flocking to Delaware beaches, businesses are having to get creative to attract seasonal workers, especially workers here on temporary visas.
The dearth of affordable housing is increasingly forcing business owners to purchase housing for employees.
J-1 visa employees, mostly foreign college students, have been coming to work at the beach for the summer for decades. In the post-COVID landscape, J-1 employees are a vital supplemental workforce.
“The work ethic they bring is infectious,” said Haley Ward, team development manager at La Vida Hospitality.
J-1 students have long rented homes near their jobs at the Delaware beach, a necessity since they don’t have vehicles. Now, however, affordable rentals are extremely hard to find, even outside of the downtown areas.
Susan and Rob Wood, owners of The Cultured Pearl in Rehoboth Beach, were forced to use their savings to purchase homes for their J-1 employees to live in.
“We’ve been having trouble with employee housing for 20 years, but now … it just doesn’t exist,” Susan Wood said. “When COVID hit, that’s when it just really got crazy.”
“We’re talking having to close a couple days a week versus being open seven days,” Ward said. “They really help us stay afloat in the summer season when we’re struggling with staffing numbers.”
A growing trend for beach employers
Alex Pires, owner of Highway One Group that runs several nightlife spots in Dewey Beach, purchased several houses and rents to dozens of employees.
Jeff Hamer of Fins Hospitality Group, which runs three popular seafood restaurants in Delaware beach towns, said he’s leasing housing to four of his J-1 employees this year.
Coldwell Banker Premiere’s Kathy Newcomb is also part-owner of Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant in Lewes. The closest rental their J-1 students could find this year is “far from the restaurant, which is nerve-racking because they will ride bikes or scooter(s) down Coastal Highway to get back and forth to work.”
In Delaware:Why it is so hard to find affordable housing in Delaware
If beach businesses haven’t already purchased housing for employees, they’re likely looking into it. Such is the case for SoDel and Big Fish restaurant groups, as well as La Vida.
“This season, we really wanted to invest in the J-1 program, and housing is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome,” Ward said.
La Vida, which runs restaurants such as Crooked Hammock and Taco Reho, hasn’t purchased property. However, this summer, the company is running a pilot program for J-1 students and managing their rentals.
“It’s the first year we’ve tackled the J-1 program head on,” Ward said.
Each of the five condos houses seven or eight J-1 students, according to Ward, and their rent comes out of their paychecks.
“We see so much value in what these students bring to the table,” she said. “Not only are they incredibly hard workers, but in the cultural value alone.”
Skyrocketing housings costs, demand in Sussex County
In May, there were 3,139 homes for sale in Sussex County, with a median listing price of $550,000, according to realtor.com.
“During COVID, everyone bought all the old rental houses and are renting them out weekly, which eliminates the three- to four-month housing,” Wood said. “Or they got torn down and put in a new one, which are a lot more than these students can afford.”
Coldwell Banker Premiere’s Newcomb confirmed.
“Seasonals have dropped considerably as the older homes have been torn down and replaced," she said.
“There really is no average” cost of rentals at the Delaware beaches anymore, according to Newcomb, because so many rental property owners rent by the day now (think Airbnb). However, she estimated a four-bedroom home within a few blocks of Rehoboth Beach usually runs about $4,000 a week.
Of the J-1 students spoken to for this story, they all said they pay their employer between $100 and $150 a week for housing.
Background:Why these big-name beach businesses say they have no choice but to house their employees
Housing for J-1 employees, or even workforce housing in general, just isn’t profitable for developers right now, according to Susan Wood.
“The real estate is just too valuable,” she said. “It’s going to have to be some kind of government program.”
The government, however, is struggling to create affordable housing for year-round Delaware residents.
According to a 2022 National Low Income Housing Coalition, there are only 31 available homes in Delaware for every 100 of the lowest-income renters.
The Delaware legislature just last week passed a budget that included about $30 million or affordable housing, and Gov. Carney announced last year the allocation of American Rescue Plan act funds toward affordable housing.
"We don’t have enough (housing) for our own workforce," said Sen. Russ Huxtable (D-Lewes). "So of course we don’t have it for the J-1s either."
More:Delaware programs offer $30M to developers to incentivize building affordable housing
On the county level, this month, the Sussex County Council approved $2 million in grants to developers to build or preserve about 160 “affordable housing units.” They distributed a similar amount last year. The money comes from the county’s Housing Trust Fund, launched in 2022 with funds mainly from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Grant recipients will receive $500,000 each for projects planned for mostly central and western Sussex County.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/delaware-beach-business-owners-house-j1-visa-workers/70338330007/ | 2023-06-29T10:41:22 | 1 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/delaware-beach-business-owners-house-j1-visa-workers/70338330007/ |
After heart diagnosis, Armonnie Hawkins' family wants EKG screenings for young athletes
- Armonnie Hawkins, 14, was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- It is a genetic condition.
- His family encourages schools to require EKGs as part of the athletics screening process.
CANTON TWP. − When Armonnie "Monnie" Hawkins was born premature at 30 weeks, he was diagnosed with a heart murmur; a fairly common condition that most children overcome when they grow older.
He spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit due to other issues, including pyloric stenosis, a stomach muscle condition that causes forceful vomiting the first few months after birth.
An active boy who loves sports, Armonnie never had any physical problems since growing up, other than asthma. But last August, a screening in preparation for school sports detected the murmur in the now 14-year-old.
"They wouldn't clear him until he went to see a cardiologist," his mother Nicole Spencer said. "We thought it was nothing, that he would get into football."
But after undergoing an EKG in his pediatrician's office, the incoming Canton South High School freshman underwent an additional battery of tests at Akron Children's Hospital that included a second EKG, an MRI, an echocardiogram, and a stress test, which detected some stiffness in the heart. He was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
A genetic anomaly, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the thickening of the heart, which makes it more difficult for it to pump blood to the rest of the body. Most people live a normal life, but it can be serious for others.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects 600,000 to 1.5 million Americans or 1 in 500 people. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, difficulty breathing and abnormal heartbeats.
It is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in people under age 35, especially among athletes. Treatments include lifestyle changes and medication.
Spencer said she's sharing their story to increase awareness of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and because she wants schools to require EKGs as part of the athletics screening process.
"Maybe a parent thinks their kid has asthma, and maybe it's this," she said.
There is no statewide requirement regarding heart screenings for student athletes. The NCAA endorses and recommends EKG tests for college-level student athletes. But the American Heart Association doesn’t recommend routine echocardiograms for pre-participation sports.
“Instead, these tests should be used as follow-up if an initial screening raises suspicions about the presence of a cardiovascular disease," it says.
How did Armonnie Hawkins respond to diagnosis?
"He wasn't allowed to elevate his heart rate or do anything, and I mean, wow, that diagnosis and having my 13-year-old at the time to be told he can't do anything," Spencer said. "He's been in basketball since he was about 4."
Spencer said genetic testing revealed that Armonnie acquired the gene from his dad. Testing on their daughter, Jada'Marie, 11, turned up negative.
The news was crushing for the boy who aspired to play in both the NFL and the NBA.
"I was mad and sad, but I know they were just trying to help," he said.
Meanwhile, Spencer, a physician service manager with Medline Industries, was doing some online research about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy when she found Dr. Kenneth Zahka, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist.
"He agreed to see us right away," she said.
After meeting with Zahka and undergoing more testing, Armonnie was prescribed Valsartan, which is used to treat hypertension and heart failure.
"Remember, the heart is actually a muscle that's pumping blood," Zahka said. "It's essential because it carries oxygen and blood and everything to our tissues and our body. Our body knows how to make muscle because of our genes and chromosomes that are able to tell the heart how to form muscle. Most of the time, the heart muscle is constructed perfectly normally."
Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Kenneth Zahka: Most patients are identified through family history
Zahka said researchers today know a lot about the gene which helps to construct the heart.
"For people who have cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic means 'too thick,'" Zahka said. "The instructions on how to build the heart muscle are not thick. We also know that even though the instructions in building the heart muscle are not normal, the body's pretty smart; there must be a bunch of workarounds because some of this abnormal heart muscle, and particularly the thickening doesn't show up until later in childhood, or in adulthood."
A condition that affects all races, and men and women relatively equally, Zahka said.
The condition is complex, he added, because "there's a lot of variability."
Zahka said the vast majority of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients are identified through their family history.
"The gene is passed on from generation to generation," he said. "At least 60% of our patients are diagnosed because of one of their relatives, usually the mother or father, like in Armonnie's case. There are times we'll diagnose and then the parent is diagnosed after that."
Zahka said Armonnie was properly diagnosed by Akron Children's Hospital cardiologists.
"His mother sought out our expertise because we were one of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association Pediatric Centers of Excellence," he said.
He noted that sometimes, even genetic disease have been known to skip a generation.
"That's what's called 'variable penetrance,'" he said.
There also can be variabilities of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy within a family, Zahka said.
"They've got the same gene, but it shows up in a different ways," he said. "That's why parents can have it and don't even realize it."
Zahka said he became interested in treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 30 years ago as a result of treating Amish families who had the gene. The condition is relatively common within the community.
No cure for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
There is no definitive cure for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, rather, it is treated like a chronic condition, similar to high blood pressure.
"The first is to say, 'How does this affect you?'" Zahka said. "And we have very thoughtful approach. You have to take very careful history. You have to do a physical exam to listen for times of abnormal blood flow. We have to do electrocardiograms to look for heart rhythm changes. We do echocardiogram ultrasounds and MRIs sometimes to look at the thickness of the heart muscle, the strength, and relaxation of the heart muscle. We do exercise. We really have to understand the current data and how it changes over time."
Zahka said that while medication and monitoring might be enough for many patients, there may cases when the heart muscle thickens to point where some of it may have to be surgically removed.
"It may be that the heart rhythm might be dangerous enough that you need the help of a special pacemaker called an internal cardiac defibrillator," he said. "It's really designed to be used, based on what the patient's body is telling us. So, there's a broad spectrum of treatment."
Armonnie responds well to treatment
Zahka said Armonnie has responded well to treatment, adding that he's designed an activity program to keep the teen active because inactivity can be more dangerous by triggering obesity and depression.
"Sometimes, we forget sports is one of those pathways to happiness," he said. "Sometimes, we ask schools for accommodations. We've asked him, 'Please don't do things that tells the heart muscle to get thick.'"
Spencer said her son currently has a workout prescription but currently is prohibited from playing full-contact football.
"He has a new stress test on July 12 which will determine if he is allowed to play," she said. "If so, knowing the risk factors, which would be considered low risk (if approved)...he has been told and has a letter from the Cleveland Clinic that he can condition with his own small workouts with the football team, but he has not gone yet. I think he will feel more comfortable after July 12, or even if he feels up to it."
In addition to medication, the Cleveland Clinic's treatment plan for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy also includes counseling to help patients make good lifestyle choices.
"This is something you can live with," Zahka said.
Spencer said that as a result of Monnie's diagnosis, the family's lifestyle has completely changed — for the better. They've reduced their intake of sodium and red meat, and increased their water consumption.
She noted that her son hasn't needed his inhaler since his treatment began.
"My daughter now knows how to work an AED," Spencer said.
Armonnie said he's now thinking of pursuing a career in music.
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com.
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/29/armonnie-hawkins-handles-hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy-diagnosis/70314905007/ | 2023-06-29T10:48:07 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/29/armonnie-hawkins-handles-hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy-diagnosis/70314905007/ |
'This is a good time': David Brown leaving Canal Fulton Library after decade at helm
- David Brown joined the Canal Fulton Public Library as director on June 17, 2013.
- During the past 10 years, Brown has overseen a number of projects, most notably a 3,000-square-foot addition that includes a programming room.
- Brown is set to retire Friday.
CANAL FULTON – After a decade of leading the Canal Fulton Public Library, David Brown will retire Friday as director.
"I guess it is time to go," Brown said with a chuckle, adding he put off retirement several times. "Now we have our people coming back and increased attendance in programming and circulation and the Friends of the Library are rejuvenated and so this is a good time."
From seeing through the addition of a programming room to dealing with the pandemic, it just was never the right time, he said.
During an open house this week, colleagues and friends celebrated Brown and his accomplishments.
The library's information manager Cathy Morgan will take over Saturday as the library's new leader.
The right time for David Brown's departure
During the past 10 years — Brown celebrated his 10th anniversary on June 17 — the Michigan native has spearheaded a number of changes at the library.
When he was hired, the library board's president told him they needed more room for programming. Before his arrival, programs were held wherever staff could find space in the 1830s home that houses the library.
Library staff would take over a space among the stacks of books. Many of them were held in the information department, he said.
"They would kind of move the furniture so that everyone could sit in one place," Brown explained. "Inevitability the person speaking would be giving a presentation and someone would come in and want the book right behind the speaker. That caused frustration for the patron and everyone really."
A library project takes an average of five years to complete, but the programming room took a little longer, Brown said.
The project was delayed a number of times, he said, noting they went through a couple of architects.
Work on the more than $1.3 million addition began in May 2020. The start date was pushed back by the pandemic.
Construction was expected to take about six months but several things, including delays for materials, extended the project an additional six months.
The 3,305-square-foot addition that features a program room, enlarged handicap-accessible restrooms and office space for department managers was completed in 2021.
"People talk about this being a great accomplishment of mine but it wasn't just me," he said. "Everybody worked together to get that to happen."
Brown is thrilled to have completed the project and said the community has responded positively to the additional space. Program attendance has increased, he said.
Canal Fulton Public Library:Library to show off new addition during open house Saturday
Brown, who lives in Stow with his wife, Nancy, said his stay as the library's leader was filled with good people and excellent work. The staff and the board of trustees have supported him and his efforts to make the library a place for the community to rely on.
Through the years, he's faced challenges but nothing could be greater than the pandemic.
"In the beginning, there was just so much we didn't know," he said. "All of that and libraries strived to provide excellent service to people and information in different formats so that people could stay at home and still have entertainment and get accurate information."
Brown said during his tenure he strived to ensure the library was meeting the needs of its patrons. He often sought the input of community members regarding plans at the library.
"We are not on the cutting edge because we are a small library with a small budget but we try to stay up-to-date and help people with their tech issues and provide programming," he added.
Maintenance has been an ongoing project.
"With the part of the library being inside a house built in the 1830s there is always maintenance and things to be done and will continue to be," he said.
During the past few years, a number of repairs have been made, including the installation of new windows and painting inside the library.
Next month, the exterior of the library will be painted. That will be one of the first projects Morgan oversees in her new role.
Cathy Morgan to become new library director
Morgan, a wife and mother of 9-year-old son Jack, joined the Canal Fulton library in October 2021 as the information manager.
The North Canton resident has worked in various libraries for almost 30 years. Before coming to Canal Fulton, Morgan, a 1990 Hoban graduate, served as the branch manager of the Aurora Memorial Library in Portage County and worked at the Stark County Law Library.
Morgan looks forward to working with the community and continuing to grow the library's offerings and programming for all ages.
"The program room is just so popular. We have multiple programs throughout the day," she said. "I just want to continue to reach out to the community as the face of the library."
The role of the library is ever-changing and Morgan wants to make sure that patrons know what they offer, including the library's new tech trainer.
Through a grant made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and State Library of Ohio, Canal Fulton is sharing a trainer with North Canton Public Library.
Splitting time between the two libraries, the trainer is available to offer technology programming and work one-on-one with patrons to teach them a variety of things such as how to download e-books on their new phone or answer questions.
In the year since the trainer started, Morgan said the program has been well received. The library just received a grant to continue the program for another year.
Morgan also wants to continue to expand and preserve their local history collection. The library hired a history librarian in November to help preserve the collection.
Genealogy is going to grow and she wants the library to be a resource for patrons.
Brown said Morgan will do an excellent job as the new director of the library.
He doesn't have too many plans for retirement. He hopes to visit Mark Twain's boyhood home in Missouri. On Monday, he'll kick off his retirement by viewing the latest movie in the Indiana Jones series, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."
"I think this one is more like the first one," Brown said. "I'm hoping it is."
Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com.
On Twitter: @aknappINDE | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/29/david-brown-retires-as-canal-fulton-library-director-after-10-years-cathy-morgan-taking-over/70357913007/ | 2023-06-29T10:48:13 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/29/david-brown-retires-as-canal-fulton-library-director-after-10-years-cathy-morgan-taking-over/70357913007/ |
CAMP HILL, Pa. — According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 6 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease.
Of Americans over the age of 65, 6.7 million are currently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. KC Wealth Management is hoping to raise awareness and funds with a car wash today.
All the money from today’s event will go directly to the Alzheimer's Association to fund research, care and more in Pennsylvania. This is KCA Wealth Management's fifth year hosting the "Wash Out Alzheimer's" event.
At today's event, car washes, cold drinks and a bake sale will be available to anyone who swings by. The organization is hoping to reach a goal of $10,000 to go to research, care and support of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Brian Kennedy, president of KCA Wealth Management, said that the cause is very near and dear to his heart because his mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
“It was a very difficult situation for the whole family… it impacts more than just my family—it’s impacted clients, it’s impacted friends, it’s impacted a whole community,” said Kennedy.
According to the 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Fact and Figures report, in Pennsylvania:
- The number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer's disease is expected to increase by 14%, from 280,000 in 2020 to 320,000 in 2025.
- There are 404,000 unpaid caregivers, and over 55% of those individuals are living with a chronic health condition themselves.
- Alzheimer's disease kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
“We’re really looking to raise $10,000 today; we want to Wash Out Alzheimer’s completely, and the more people who come, the more we can raise awareness on this terrible disease,” said Kennedy.
The event kicks off at 9 a.m. today in the KC Wealth Management parking lot, located at 3806 Market Street, Camp Hill. For more information and details, click here. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/wash-out-alzheimers-car-wash-kca-wealth-management-group-alzheimers-association/521-0029f738-f399-4dad-920c-c43e3874f7c7 | 2023-06-29T11:06:38 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/wash-out-alzheimers-car-wash-kca-wealth-management-group-alzheimers-association/521-0029f738-f399-4dad-920c-c43e3874f7c7 |
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region. 100 years ago
June 24, 1923: Arthur Elkin, Eureka merchant, who has been so ill for a number of months and who has undergone four blood transfusions, and seemed to improve after each one only to relapse after awhile underwent the fifth blood transfusion. Attorney Ed E. Robeson is supplying the blood this time, and it is hoped this will be the means of permanent improvement in Mr. Elkin’s condition.
75 years ago
June 24, 1948: Wilson (Bob) Tucker, Bloomington writer of mystery books, leaned on the counter before a pile of copies of his new book, “The Dove,” and furrowed his brow. “I got some advice for anybody,” said Tucker, whose Charles Horne mystery books have been coming out on a yearly schedule from Bloomington. “Don’t write a book unless you’ve got a good sense of humor. It won’t be worth it, I’m telling you.”
50 years agoJune 24, 1973: The former home of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity, now a dilapidated eyesore in its Normal neighborhood, is coming down. Fraternity president Gary Sieck said he planned to sign a contract next week for its demolition. Neighbors said the house was abandoned after a rambunctious party in the spring.
25 years ago
June 29, 1998: Knowing that Livingston County does not have an animal shelter, one resident took matters into her own hands. Phyllis Wince has been running a state-licensed, donor-funded animal shelter from her farmhouse in rural Pontiac. Wince Animal Shelter has matched more than 1,000 animals with homes over the past three years.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922
Gerthart's
Union Gas and Electric Co.
Hoover
Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists
Moberly & Klenner
W.P. Garretson
W.H. Roland
Pease's Candy
Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine
The Kaiser's Story of the War
Ike Livingston & Sons
Gossard Corsets
Cat'n Fiddle
'Stolen Moments'
Case Model X
The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co.
The Pantagraph want ads
Franklin Motor Car Co.
'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'
Calumet Baking Powder
Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket
'The Emperor Jones'
'California Fig Syrup'
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/100-years-ago-eureka-man-has-fifth-transfusion/article_27505bac-152b-11ee-b15f-7f9065f02480.html | 2023-06-29T11:10:49 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/100-years-ago-eureka-man-has-fifth-transfusion/article_27505bac-152b-11ee-b15f-7f9065f02480.html |
MONTICELLO — The Piatt County Master Gardener Garden Walk will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8, in Monticello.
Attendees can begin the tour at any garden and visit in any order. A vendor market will be set up from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 224 E. Livingston St
Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Boka Shoppe, The Brown Bag Deli, Hartfield Book Co., Holly's Country Kitchen, Monticello Mercantile, Out of the Blue Polish Pottery, Prairie Fire Glass, Piatt Country Extension Office or online at go.illinois.edu/GardenWalk23 .
Tickets will be available for $12 the day of the event at the Master Gardener ticket booth near the Wabash Depot.
The goal of the event is for attendees to to walk through local gardens to gain inspiration for their own.
The event will be held rain or shine.
Contact 217-762-2191 or bmiglin@illinois.edu for more information.
The Monticello Railway Museum is working to restore a Chicago Burlington & Quincy 14042 caboose that was built in 1891.
Clay Jackson
Photos: Inside the Monticello Railway Museum
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Janet Jones, Linda Kobs, Sue Hayes and Donna LaMar set up a handcar to ride up the rails at the Monticello Railway Museum in 2016.
COURTESY OF DONNA LAMAR
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Volunteer Bill Crisp shows off a variety of parts for trains in a shop at the Monticello Railway Museum.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Volunteer Bill Crisp displays a handcar at the Monticello Railway Museum.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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An overhead view of the Monticello Railway Museum is shown.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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The Aquarium Specimen Transport car was built in 1949 by Pullman Standard. The car, now on display in Monticello, was used by the John G. Shedd Aquarium, of Chicago, to transport live saltwater animals from all coasts of the United States.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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A wooden Chicago Burlington & Quincy caboose, dating to 1891, is undergoing restoration at the Monticello Railway Museum's woodshop.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Detail is shown at the Monticello Railway Museum.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Detail of the Illinois Central No. 8733, which was built in 1958.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Volunteer Bill Crisp talks about the variety of trains in the Nelson Car Barn at the Monticello Railway Museum.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Southern Railway No. 401 is one of two surviving steam locomotives of its type at the Monticello Railway Museum.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Southern Railway No. 401 was built in 1907 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Volunteer Thomas Dyrek, 19, first became enamored with the Monticello Railway Museum when his parents brought him to visit in 2009.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Volunteer Thomas Dyrek works to clean up a Wabash Railroad train at the Monticello Railway Museum.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Watch now: Monticello Railway Museum Railroad Days
Monticello Railway Museum works to restore 1800s caboose
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
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Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/piatt-county-garden-walk-set-for-july-8/article_72a272b2-15d4-11ee-95c0-5b2bf86f4b51.html | 2023-06-29T11:10:55 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/piatt-county-garden-walk-set-for-july-8/article_72a272b2-15d4-11ee-95c0-5b2bf86f4b51.html |
Stacks of artillery shells, aerial assortments, cakes and other fireworks are piled up on the shelves of the Region's many fireworks stores.
Firework stands are hawking a number of gaudy eye-popping packages for explosive products with names like Chicago Hitman, Red Thunder, Feel the Noise, Saturn Missile, the Redneck Special, Wild Horses and Game of Drones. People stock up looking to put on an extravagant fireworks show worthy of Sox Park in their driveways for family, friends and neighbors.
Billboards, giant inflatables and parking lot pyrotechnic displays aim to draw in visitors to one of Northwest Indiana's most booming industries this time of year. Some fireworks stores have been extending their hours to be open 24/7 in anticipation of the Fourth of July rush that accounts for most of their yearly sales.
Business exploded over the last few years during the pandemic when fireworks shows were canceled, people were cooped up at home and flush with stimulus checks. Fireworks sales have skyrocketed from $400 million in 2000 to $2.3 billion last year, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.
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Northwest Indiana has long been a hub of fireworks sales as neighboring Illinois restricts consumer fireworks and Michigan did up until only a few years ago. Around 200 authorized fireworks vendors sell fireworks in Lake County alone, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
"Fireworks tourism is an important part of the economy in Northwest Indiana and supports local businesses both directly and indirectly. First, it provides revenue directly to retail businesses selling fireworks. Second, and more significantly, many of those purchasing fireworks are visiting from outside the Region, bringing their business to local retail stores, restaurants, or breweries as well as local amenities like the Indiana Dunes," Indiana University Associate Professor of Economics Micah Pollak said. "This secondary effect generates revenue for non-fireworks businesses, as well as promotes tourism and awareness of the Region. Visitors to Northwest Indiana in search of fireworks may like what they find and become more likely to visit again for non-fireworks reasons."
Many fireworks stands are clustered along the state line or just off highway exits to cater to out-of-state customers.
"While the exact dollar value fireworks tourism generates for the regional economy is difficult to estimate, as firework sales are not directly tracked by state data, the direct and indirect effects are significant," Pollak said. "In recent years rising costs due to supply chain challenges have driven up the price of many fireworks. However, as these costs decline and the economy remains strong, I would expect the economic impact of fireworks tourism this year to be similar, if not greater than, recent years."
At least 70% of the customers at House of Fireworks just by the state line on U.S. 30 in Dyer hail from out of state, owner Rob Galouzis said.
"Most are coming from Chicagoland," he said. "We also get customers from Wisconsin and Michigan and from across Illinois: Champagne, southern Illinois and Western Illinois. We're a border store and people come to Northwest Indiana for fireworks."
He's hoping the Fourth of July falling on a Tuesday will drive up sales as it will mean an extended weekend.
"Things will be spread out over Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday," he said. "That will push it back a few days."
It may also lead to repeat customers.
"People might shoot on the first or second and want some more," he said.
Sales typically reach high gear on July 1 as many people typically shop last minute for the holiday and that's when many people realize it's almost the Fourth of July, Galouzis said. Business continues to go strong for a few days after Independence Day.
"It looks like we're going to have good weather, which helps," he said. "There was a concern with the drought but it's been raining, which should help with the dryness."
Many Region residents already have been shooting off fireworks for the last few weeks.
"It's something people do in the summertime here," he said. "It either irks people or motivates them to come out. It's a reminder to put on their own show."
Marilyn O'Connor, the owner of Boom Town Fireworks in Dyer, said supply chain issues have largely been resolved and shipping costs have come down.
"I was paying $43,000 per container, for $38,000 worth of product," she said. "That's dropped in half. It's back to 2019 levels. I'm thrilled we can pass that on to consumers."
Boom Town Fireworks has added 100 new items this year to keep customers interested and coming back.
"Their carts are full even in uncertain times," she said. "Gas prices are not as high this year. Some people are choosing to do travel and other things but we're still seeing the same people year after year."
She also wholesales fireworks to supermarkets and other fireworks stores that have suffered from supply shortages.
"When I started there were 40 fireworks stores in Indiana," she said. "Now there's 4,000 in every corner of the state. There might be oversaturation. Not all of the stores are going to survive. It takes decades to build a customer base and loyalty. You have to try to stand out and have exclusive items you can't get anywhere else in the Midwest."
Exclusivity is key because so many customers come from out of town, O'Connor said.
"We've get customers from Wisconsin, Michigan and obviously Illinois. We just had a customer in from Colorado," she said. "Some people are coming more than 2.5 hours so they call ahead and ask what the store hours are and what we have. It's good for Indiana. They pay sales tax and come and spend money."
Many can drop a few hundred bucks on their Fourth of July backyard fireworks displays.
"People will spend $600 and I'll tell them the price tag is still a lot cheaper than a trip to Disney," she said. "You can have a good time and put on a show for a lot less."
She's expecting business will be strong this year.
"We're getting ready for a tsunami of people," she said. "My expectation is that sales will not be record-breaking like the last few years but will be good. I just hope Illinois never legalizes fireworks. They have marijuana and we have fireworks. They can keep the marijuana and we'll keep the fireworks." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/fireworks-stores-gearing-up-for-boom-in-business-from-out-of-state-customers/article_e0b6798e-15ec-11ee-8d81-2fce08a4cdeb.html | 2023-06-29T11:19:18 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/fireworks-stores-gearing-up-for-boom-in-business-from-out-of-state-customers/article_e0b6798e-15ec-11ee-8d81-2fce08a4cdeb.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of different electronic cigarette devices sold in the U.S. has nearly tripled to over 9,000 since 2020, driven almost entirely by a wave of unauthorized disposable vapes from China, according to tightly controlled sales data obtained by The Associated Press.
The surge stands in stark contrast to regulators’ own figures, which tout the rejection of some 99% of company requests to sell new e-cigarettes while authorizing only a few meant for adult smokers.
The numbers demonstrate the Food and Drug Administration’s inability to control the tumultuous vaping market more than three years after declaring a crackdown on kid-friendly flavors. Most of the disposable e-cigarettes, which are thrown away after they’re used up, come in sweet and fruity flavors like pink lemonade, gummy bear and watermelon that have made them the favorite tobacco product among teenagers.
They are all technically illegal, but their influx has turned the FDA’s regulatory model on its head. Instead of carefully reviewing individual products that might help adult smokers, regulators must now somehow claw back thousands of illegal products sold by under-the-radar importers and distributors.
Most disposables mirror a few major brands, such as Elf Bar or Puff Bar, but hundreds of new varieties appear each month. Companies copy each other’s designs, blurring the line between the real and counterfeit. Entrepreneurs can launch a new product by simply sending their logo and flavor requests to Chinese manufacturers, who promise to deliver tens of thousands of devices within weeks.
Once a niche market, cheaper disposables made up 40% of the roughly $7 billion retail market for e-cigarettes last year, according to data from analytics firm IRI obtained by the AP. The company’s proprietary data collects barcode scanner sales from convenience stores, gas stations and other retailers.
More than 5,800 unique disposable products are now being sold in numerous flavors and formulations, according to the data, up 1,500% from 365 in early 2020. That’s when the FDA effectively banned all flavors except menthol and tobacco from cartridge-based e-cigarettes like Juul, the rechargeable device blamed for sparking a nationwide surge in underage vaping.
But the FDA’s policy, formulated under President Donald Trump, excluded disposables, prompting many teens to simply switch from Juul to the newer flavored products.
“The FDA moves at a ponderous pace and the industry knows that and exploits it,” said Dr. Robert Jackler of Stanford University, who has studied the rise of disposables. “Time and again, the vaping industry has innovated around efforts to remove its youth-appealing products from the market.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Adding to the challenge, foreign manufacturers of the prefilled devices don’t have to register with the FDA, giving regulators little visibility into a sprawling industry centered in China’s Shenzhen manufacturing center.
Under pressure from politicians, parents and major vaping companies, the FDA recently sent warning letters to more than 200 stores selling popular disposables, including Elf Bar, Esco Bar and Breeze. The agency also issued orders blocking imports of those three brands. But IRI data shows those companies accounted for just 14% of disposable sales last year. Dozens of other brands, including Air Bar, Mr. Fog, Fume and Kangvape, have been left untouched.
The FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, said the agency is “unwavering” in its commitment against illegal e-cigarettes.
“I don’t think there’s any panacea here,” King said. “We follow a comprehensive approach and that involves addressing all entities across the supply chain, from manufacturers to importers to distributors to retailers.”
The IRI data obtained by the AP provides key insights beyond figures released last week by government researchers, which showed the number of vaping brands in the U.S. grew nearly 50% to 269 by late 2022.
IRI restricts access to its data, which it sells to companies, investment firms and researchers. A person not authorized to share it gave access to the AP on condition of anonymity. The company declined to comment on or confirm the data, saying IRI doesn’t offer such information to news organizations.
To be sure, the FDA has made progress in a mammoth task: processing nearly 26 million product applications submitted by manufacturers hoping to enter or stay on the market. And King said the agency hopes to get back to “true premarket review” once it finishes plowing through that mountain of applications.
But in the meantime disposable vape makers have exploited two loopholes in the FDA’s oversight, only one of which has been closed.
The FDA’s authority originally only referenced products using nicotine from tobacco plants. In 2021, Puff Bar and other disposable companies switched to using laboratory-made nicotine.
Congress closed that loophole last year, but the action gave rise to another backlog of FDA applications for synthetic nicotine products. Under the law, the FDA was supposed to promptly make decisions on those applications. The agency has let most stay on the market while numerous others launch illegally.
An earlier loophole came from a decision by Trump’s White House, which was made without the FDA’s input, according to the previous director of the agency’s tobacco program.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“It was preventable,” said Mitch Zeller, who retired from the FDA last year. “But I was told there was no appeal.”
In September 2019, Trump announced at a news conference a plan to ban non-tobacco flavors from all e-cigarettes — both reloadable devices and disposables. But political advisers to the president worried that could alienate voters.
Zeller said he was subsequently informed by phone in December 2019 that the flavor restrictions wouldn’t apply to disposables.
“I told them: ‘It doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that kids will migrate to the disposable products that are unaffected by this, and you ultimately won’t solve the problem,’” Zeller said.
JUUL’S FALL AND THE FLOOD OF DISPOSABLES
In retrospect, the government’s crackdown on Juul now seems relatively simple.
In September 2018, FDA officials declared teen vaping an “epidemic,” pointing to rising use of Juul, Reynolds American’s Vuse and other brands.
Within weeks, FDA investigators conducted an unannounced inspection of Juul’s headquarters. Congressional committees launched investigations, collecting hundreds of thousands of company documents.
By October 2019, Juul had dropped most of its flavors and discontinued all advertising.
“In a way, we had it good back then, but no one knew,” said Dorian Fuhrman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes.
Parents, health groups and major vaping companies essentially agree: The FDA must clear the market of flavored disposables.
But lobbying by tobacco giant Reynolds American, maker of the best-selling Vuse e-cigarette, has made some advocates hesitant about pushing the issue.
Reynolds and Juul have seen sales flatline amid the surge in disposables, according to the IRI data. Disposable e-cigarettes generated $2.74 billion last year.
The economic barriers to entry are low: Chinese manufacturers offer dozens of designs and flavors for as little as $2 per device when ordering 10,000 or more. The devices sell in the U.S. for $10 to $30.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“If you have $5 billion you probably can’t start a traditional cigarette company,” Jackler said. “But if you have $50,000 you can just send your artwork and logo to one of these companies and it will be on a pallet next week.”
Esco Bars come in flavors like Bubbleberry, Citrus Circus, Bahama Mama and Berry Snow.
The Austin, Texas company behind the brand, Pastel Cartel, racked up more than $240 million in disposable sales before the FDA blocked its Chinese imports last month.
CEO Darrell Suriff says his company has gone to great lengths to comply with the FDA, spending $8 million on an application that the agency refused to accept. He’s appealing that decision and considering challenges to the import ban.
“We’re a company that does very positive things for society and the community, and the government just attacked us,” said Suriff, who added that he recently purchased new cars for several longtime employees.
Import alerts are one of the FDA’s strongest tools to block illegal products, but industry experts say they’re easy to skirt.
“Chinese companies tend to just rename their products and change their shipping address so then the products can easily be marketed again,” said Marc Scheineson, a former FDA attorney who now consults for tobacco clients.
The FDA’s import ban against Chinese manufacturer Elf Bar, the best-selling disposable in the U.S., demonstrates the weaknesses of the whack-a-mole approach. The alert doesn’t mention several other brands made by the company, including Lost Mary and Funky Republic.
Made by iMiracle Shenzhen, Elf Bar alone has generated nearly $400 million in U.S. sales since late 2021, the IRI data shows. The company recently rebranded its U.S. products to EB Design, due to a trademark dispute.
IMiracle criticized the FDA’s recent actions in an emailed statement, saying the agency is “dead-set on eliminating all vaping products from the U.S. marketplace.” The company said it would defend its adult customers by “fighting back” against the agency’s actions.
National retail chains tend to avoid disposables. But new distribution networks have sprung up, according to those in the industry. A wholesaler will import a shipping container of disposables and then sell the contents to smaller distributors, who then sell the products to local independent stores out of vans or trucks.
OUTDATED AND UNFINISHED RULES
The 2009 law that gave the FDA authority over the tobacco industry was focused on cigarettes and other traditional products made by a handful of huge U.S. companies.
The aim was to subject tobacco manufacturing and ingredients to the same kind of scrutiny and inspections as foods and medical supplies. Today’s vaping manufacturers, based almost exclusively in China, weren’t part of the discussion.
Fourteen years later, the FDA hasn’t finalized manufacturing rules that would extend its authority to foreign vaping factories. In fact, regulators only released a draft regulation in March.
“FDA theoretically has the authority to inspect foreign manufacturing facilities,” said Patricia Kovacevic, an attorney specializing in tobacco regulation. “But practically speaking, the inspection program that the FDA has in place only happens in the U.S.”
Of more than 500 tobacco-related inspections conducted since the FDA gained authority over e-cigarettes, only two were in China, according to the agency’s public database. Those two inspections took place at Shenzhen factories used by major U.S. vaping firms, which have filed FDA applications for their products.
Currently, those applications are essentially the only way that FDA learns exactly where and how e-cigarettes are produced. Many disposables have simply skipped the process altogether.
The FDA itself recognizes the problem, stating in its proposed guidelines: “Covering foreign manufacturers is necessary to assure the protection of the public health,” and noting “numerous reports of battery fires and explosions,” with Chinese e-cigarettes.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The agency has been playing catch-up on the vaping issue for over a decade.
The FDA announced plans to start regulating the products in 2011, and it took regulators another five years to finalize rules.
Once implemented in August 2016, no new e-cigarettes were supposed to enter the U.S. and companies on the market had to submit applications for review by September 2020. Only products that could help smokers — by reducing cigarette exposure — while not appealing to youngsters were supposed to win authorization.
With limited resources, the FDA used “discretion” to delay decisions on many applications, allowing products — including major brands like Vuse — to stay on the market for years.
The backlog now includes thousands more e-cigarettes using synthetic nicotine. To date the FDA has only authorized about two dozen e-cigarettes from three manufacturers. None are disposables.
“Any product that doesn’t have authorization is on the market illegally,” King says.
Industry representatives say the FDA’s refusal to approve more options has forced it into an untenable position.
“When an agency declares that everything on the market is illegal, it puts itself in the position of being completely unable to enforce its own regulations,” said Tony Abboud, of the Vapor Technology Association.
The Dayton angle
The Dayton Daily News recently reported that surveys of local students show more than a quarter of Montgomery County high schoolers have used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days. Local public health officials say youth vaping is a serious problem that could have lasting impacts for area children. We will continue covering this important community issue.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/thousands-of-unauthorized-vapes-are-pouring-into-the-us-despite-the-fda-crackdown-on-fruity-flavors/7SXDZKKNJFHLHLDX7UFZSQKMAE/ | 2023-06-29T11:23:45 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/thousands-of-unauthorized-vapes-are-pouring-into-the-us-despite-the-fda-crackdown-on-fruity-flavors/7SXDZKKNJFHLHLDX7UFZSQKMAE/ |
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy praised the work being done at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base after a tour Wednesday, but would not comment on the ongoing push to make the base home to the U.S. Space Command headquarters if competition for siting it reopens.
Asked if Congress would be able to make the siting decision, McCarthy did not answer directly. He said officials tried to keep politics out of the original competition.
“Alabama won. They are looking at that,” said McCarthy, adding that he anticipates there will be a competition if the decision on Alabama is reversed.
McCarthy’s visit came the day after the Ohio House of Representatives passed a resolution sponsored by State Rep. Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek, calling on Congress to designate Wright-Patterson as the permanent location for the Space Command headquarters.
“Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a cornerstone of my district and the state of Ohio,” Lampton said in a news release issued by his office. “It is no question that Wright-Patterson sets the tone for aviation and aerospace innovation and workforce development in our state and country.”
McCarthy on Wednesday was joined by U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, and U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Cincinnati, at the news conference held at the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Turner said U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is currently reviewing an earlier decision to place the command in Huntsville, Alabama, or to keep it at its current location at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.
“That isn’t an open process. It’s not determining where it should go,” Turner said. ”It’s in the process of determining: should it go to Huntsville (or) should it not go to Huntsville?”
He said he has spoken to Austin about the Space Command and the director could choose Alabama or Colorado as the permanent location, or reopen competition.
“If he does open up the competition certainly we’ll be vigorously competing for it,” Turner said.
Earlier this month U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, sent a letter to Austin, President Joe Biden, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Chief of Space Operations General B. Chance Saltzman calling for the command to be in Ohio, most logically at Wright-Patterson.
“It’s clear the (Biden) administration will not go back to Alabama,” Brown said after announcing he’d sent the letter.
Wright-Patterson was not a finalist in the competition for the command launched after the U.S. Space Force was established in 2019.
Wright-Patterson is the state’s largest single-site employer and houses much of the Air Force’s logistics, research and intelligence work.
In May the Air Force announced Wright-Patterson would get a new space-focused intelligence mission and about 90 new jobs with the arrival of a new unit, the 76th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron.
On Wednesday McCarthy, Turner and Wenstrup toured the base and had a security briefing at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, where Turner said they were updated on major issues, including China and Russia.
“The reason I continue to come here is the work the men and women do. This is essential for the defense and the future of America,” said McCarthy, who has visited the base several times. “Every time I leave Wright-Patterson I feel better about where America stands today and, more importantly, that America is prepared for the future.”
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About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/us-house-speaker-touts-wright-patt-but-does-not-comment-on-new-push-to-get-space-command-hq/EUAY2ENKFBGYJDZTRA5FSTB65M/ | 2023-06-29T11:24:04 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/us-house-speaker-touts-wright-patt-but-does-not-comment-on-new-push-to-get-space-command-hq/EUAY2ENKFBGYJDZTRA5FSTB65M/ |
FORT MYERS, Fla. — A dump truck caught on fire Thursday morning around the downtown Fort Myers area.
Investigators and Fort Myers Police Department were at the scene. This fire is the fifth in the area.
On Wednesday a small fire happened at Centennial Park around the same hours.
The cause of the fire is unknown. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/06/29/dump-truck-caught-fire-near-centennial-park/ | 2023-06-29T11:28:17 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/06/29/dump-truck-caught-fire-near-centennial-park/ |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Johnson City Doughboys have been seeing large crowds this season as they are currently number one in the Appalachian Baseball League.
During their season opener, they broke their previous attendance record when 4,254 fans filled the stadium.
Patrick Ennis, general manager of the Johnson City Doughboys, said he credits this year’s success to community involvement.
“Showing our community that we support the folks that support us and they’ve shown that by coming out and supporting this team,” said Ennis. “It helps that we’ve been winning, but having the community support that we’ve been seeing so far this season has been tremendous.”
Ennis said having promotions and family entertainment helps brings in the crowds.
“Fan cams on the video board, to fun theme nights, to having Rocky the bat dog,” said Ennis. “It’s just creating that once-in-a-lifetime memory for folks when they come to the ballpark and making sure they have a good time.”
Rocky the Bat Dog, is the Doughboy’s newest addition to the team this season. He retrieves the bats for players and takes them back to the dugout. Ennis said Rocky has become a superstar on and off the field.
“Stay tuned, we’re working on it; might be some Rocky the Bat Dog merch coming through,” said Ennis. “It’s kind of interesting seeing that if a Doughboys player gets out and a pop fly, you don’t really hear much. And then you hear a loud cheer two seconds later when Rocky is running to retrieve it.”
Ennis said Rocky uplifts the team’s spirit in the dugout as well.
Tonight was Army Wednesday and little league night. Little League baseball players had the opportunity to parade around the field before the game.
Cameron Williams, a baseball player with the Johnson City National Major Little League Allstars, said it’s fun and exciting to come out to the games.
“There’s an army recruitment thing where you spin a wheel and you can do a workout or something,” said Williams. “And over there’s a bouncy house and a strike zone pitching thing. And then it’s also fun to go down and get a drink, sit down, sit and watch the game. It’s all fun sorts of stuff to do.”
Mother and son, Brittany and Jax Richardson-Holt, said they enjoy watching baseball games as they are both athletes.
“He plays baseball, I played softball,” said Brittany Richardson-Holt. “It’s a cheap, easy, fun way to come out and spend time with your family. It’s always a good time. So, we always tell everybody come on out.”
Ennis said there are big plans in the Doughboys’ future.
“Talking with the city, we have some future projects,” said Ennis. “But as of right now, we’re going to make sure we put on a quality product for our fans when they come through the gates and make sure we put the best foot forward.”
The next home game will be on the Fourth of July. There will be a professional fireworks show after the game. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-doughboys-see-record-attendance-this-season/ | 2023-06-29T11:30:15 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-doughboys-see-record-attendance-this-season/ |
River Hut opens for busy summer recreation season in Carlsbad's Pecos River beach area
Johnna Yeager worked in her dad’s restaurant throughout her childhood, preparing her for latest business venture running the River Hut in Carlsbad’s beach area.
Now 33, Yeager said her experience at local eatery Nazzbarr – owned by her father Jim Yeager for years at the current location of Starbucks – led her in May to seek the contract to run the snack stand and boat rental business owned by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.
Her grandfather also owned several Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises, and Yeager said both men inspired her with an entrepreneur’s spirit from a young age.
More:Dunkin', Baskin Robbins dipping into downtown Carlsbad. Here's the scoop.
“As a teenager, I was constantly working in the food industry,” she said. “I believe I got my work ethic from my dad."
She’d been back in her hometown for about 6 or 7 years when she started the business, after graduating from Lubbock Christian University with a major in social work.
She worked at her own private practice JetZen Counseling, mostly providing treatment to adults recovering from traumatic experiences.
More:Cannabis businesses in Artesia wait for Eddy County approval before opening
Yeager was recently honored in the 2022 Carlsbad 40 Under 40 class, also a member of the Chamber’s Age-Friendly Council, and volunteers with Relay for Life and Special Olympics.
She came back to Carlsbad to be closer to her family and friends, and to spend time with her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.
“I have my whole life to travel the world,” Yeager said. “Home is where your closest people are. With the private practice, it was just the perfect opportunity to do it here in Carlsbad. It feels like where I’m supposed to be.”
More:Can you buy fireworks in Eddy County? Yes. Here's what you need to know
Yeager said that passion drove her to take on the business and craft a unique offering for her town.
“Being from here, I have more passion for it,” she said of the Cavern City. “It’s home. I really like seeing Carlsbad thrive.”
She’ll continue to see clients during the week, but on weekends this summer Yeager said she gets to take a break from her mental health work to build River Hut into her vision as a hub of Carlsbad’s beach recreational scene.
More:Demolition of Carlsbad's Executive Suites the latest in property's vast and varied history
“It’s kind of a good little break from my mental health career. That can be pretty heavy,” she said. “There are just not enough (mental health) services in Carlsbad. I have a waitlist.”
She hopes to add a “tiki” theme to the business, hence the name “River Hut,” Yeagar said, adding to the food options and perfecting the shaved ice, making it as “fluffy” as possible.
“You can’t get a fluffy snow cone in Carlsbad,” Yeagar said. “I’m very picky about shaved ice.”
More:The 'hippies got jobs' and opened Hat Creek, Carlsbad's first cannabis café
The shop also rents out paddle boats and aqua cycles for $15 a half hour and plans to begin giving boat tours along the Pecos River next month, while adding kayaks and paddleboards for rent.
River Hut also rents out basketballs, volleyballs and pickleball equipment for use at the river area’s multiple recreational facilities.
Yeagar suggested even hosting “movies on the river” seeing people floating on inner-tubes and taking in a movie projected onto a building along the banks.
More:'Something for everyone' at Carlsbad's newest virtual recreation option Golf Society
Father’s Day was the busiest since opening, she said, and the Fourth of July will be the businesses big “coming out” event.
For July Fourth, Yeagar is planning to arrange for vendors, and activities like face painting to augment her shop as it attempts to serve the masses of local and visitors that pack the beach area every year for Carlsbad’s fireworks show over the river.
“You can’t really prepare for it until you do it,” she said of serving an event the magnitude of the Fourth of July. “I want to be able to serve people appropriately.”
More:State grants $350K for new projector system at Cavern Theater in downtown Carlsbad
She also wants to add misters to the sitting area at the hut and move games and hammocks to craft a relaxing getaway for those visiting the beach area.
“The combination of all of it will work together,” she said of the beach area. “I think there’s a lot of people that don’t know about us. I really want to draw attention. I want it to be enjoyable to sit up there.”
The shop also fit in to the City of Carlsbad’s broader agenda of expanding recreation in the beach area, after recently adding a miniature golf course on the other side of the river, adding pickleball courts and installing a footbridge to connect the two sides of the river.
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway said he looked forward to the River Hut serving residents and visitors alike as they flock to the rare aquatic entertainment option in arid New Mexico.
“It seems like have a great setup, and we wish them nothing but continued success,” Janway said. “Development of recreational services along the beach add options for our residents, but they are also great for our tourism industry.”
Adrian Heddencan be reached at 575-628-5516,achedden@currentargus.com or@AdrianHedden on Twitter. | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/river-hut-open-for-summer-recreation-season-in-carlsbad-new-mexico-beach-area/70342942007/ | 2023-06-29T11:54:31 | 1 | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/river-hut-open-for-summer-recreation-season-in-carlsbad-new-mexico-beach-area/70342942007/ |
AAA predicts 50.7 million people will travel this Independence Day, setting a record for the holiday.
So far this morning at Pittsburgh International Airport, not many flights have been canceled — only three and all from Chicago.
That’s consistent with reports that said United Airlines canceled the most flights among U.S. airlines for five straight days.
The FAA predicts today will be the heaviest travel day over the July 4 holiday weekend.
Channel 11 caught up with a few travelers heading west for the holidays
Many of them hope things continue to go smoothly today.
TSA advises you to allow yourself time by showing up two hours early. Have your things ready to get through checkpoints quickly, such as having your ID and boarding pass out and shoes off.
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The basketball edition of the Backyard Brawl appears to be in good hands going forward.
On Monday, WVSN’s Mike Asti and Ethan Bock — along with other media members — caught up with West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker to discuss the state of the basketball program. Following his press conference in which he discussed former head coach Bob Huggins and interim head coach Josh Eilert, he also made his feelings clear about how often West Virginia should play Pitt on the hardwood.
Baker told Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he has already expressed to his counterpart at Pitt — Heather Lyke — that he has an interest in extending the basketball Backyard Brawl. “I called her and told her we would definitely love to extend it,” he said to DiPaola.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/west-virginia-ad-wren-baker-interested-extending-basketball-backyard-brawl/BTP3JSKF7BB2HG24N5ZIR2HBFQ/ | 2023-06-29T11:56:16 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/west-virginia-ad-wren-baker-interested-extending-basketball-backyard-brawl/BTP3JSKF7BB2HG24N5ZIR2HBFQ/ |
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Some St. Cloud-area residents have been placed under a precautionary boil water advisory.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Toho Water Authority issued the notice on Wednesday to customers who live along Cyrils Drive and in the Sunbridge community.
Officials said a power outage at Sunbridge Water Treatment Plant caused a loss in pressure.
WATCH: Woman rescued after falling off cruise ship out of Port Canaveral
Toho Water Authority said residents should boil their water for at least one minute before using it for the following reasons:
- Drinking
- Cooking
- Making ice
- Brushing teeth
- Washing dishes
Residents may also consider using bottled water for these activities until the boil water advisory is lifted.
READ: Titanic tourist sub: ‘Presumed human remains’ found in debris field
Toho Water did not give an estimate on when that might happen, but customers can click here for updates or call 407-944-5000 for more information.
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/boil-water-advisory-issued-toho-water-customers-sunbridge-cyrils-drive-area/LKNQ4IWV2ZGHRLCRASVWRESCK4/ | 2023-06-29T12:01:25 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/boil-water-advisory-issued-toho-water-customers-sunbridge-cyrils-drive-area/LKNQ4IWV2ZGHRLCRASVWRESCK4/ |
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — (AP) — Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis have asked that a trial involving Disney be postponed until the middle of 2025, well after the GOP presidential nomination race wraps up and voters have picked a winner in the November 2024 general election.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
In a Tallahassee federal court filing Tuesday, attorneys for the Florida governor, who is seeking the Republican nomination, and his appointees to a board that governs Disney World outlined a proposed schedule that requests an Aug. 4, 2025, trial date.
Disney claims in its lawsuit that its free speech rights were violated by the takeover of its governing district in retaliation for opposing the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation DeSantis championed. In the same filing, Disney proposed a July 15, 2024, trial date, which is around the same time as the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Both sides also disagreed about when a motion should be filed asking the judge to make a decision in favor of one side without a full trial. Disney proposed filing its motion for summary judgment at the start of April 2024, while DeSantis’ attorneys said it should be exactly a year later, at the start of April 2025.
Watch: DeSantis asks federal judge to dismiss Disney lawsuit; claims immunity
Earlier this week, DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit, put it on hold or drop them as defendants.
The DeSantis appointees took over the Disney World governing board earlier this year following a yearlong feud between the company and DeSantis. The fight began last year after Disney, beset by significant pressure internally and externally, publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades.
As punishment, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by the Republican-led Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But before the new board came in, the company made agreements with previous oversight board members who were Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction.
In response, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers passed legislation that repealed those agreements.
Read: DeSantis vs. Disney feud to cost Disney Springs businesses money
Disney sued DeSantis and the five-member board, asking a federal judge to void the governor’s takeover of the theme park district, as well as the new oversight board’s actions, on the grounds that they violated the company’s free speech rights.
The board sued Disney in state court in an effort to maintain its control of construction and design at Disney World.
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-proposes-disney-trial-schedule-that-puts-start-date-2025-after-elections/OJNDNRC4GFHTPLFHUFMOAIKWJU/ | 2023-06-29T12:01:31 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/desantis-proposes-disney-trial-schedule-that-puts-start-date-2025-after-elections/OJNDNRC4GFHTPLFHUFMOAIKWJU/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — The rain chances will be lower on Thursday, but the heat will still be high.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
After a muggy and dry start, Central Florida will be very hot in the afternoon.
The high temperature in Orlando should reach around 95 degrees Thursday.
See: 9 things to know about malaria after cases reported in Florida
However, the heat index will make our temperatures feel like 105 degrees.
Our area will have a 30% chance of seeing rain and a pop-up storm on Thursday.
Read: Disturbance south of Bermuda being monitored
This hot summer storm pattern continues the next few days.
We’ll see a better chance of afternoon storms next week.
Channel 9 meteorologists are monitoring the tropics and things are currently quiet.
Read: Red tide guide: How to check Florida beach conditions
Follow our Severe Weather team on Twitter for live updates:
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/extreme-heat-day-rain-chances-down-central-florida-heats-up/FYNYTXVKONG4DD5HC3Z5P2V3NM/ | 2023-06-29T12:01:38 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/extreme-heat-day-rain-chances-down-central-florida-heats-up/FYNYTXVKONG4DD5HC3Z5P2V3NM/ |
SAN ANTONIO — A father and his two young children are in the hospital after being hit by an SUV on the north side Wednesday night.
It happened at around 9:30 p.m. on Northwest Military across from Hardberger Park.
San Antonio police say the man, who is in his 30's, and his four kids were crossing the street near the H-E-B on Northwest Military.
He was pushing his two-year-old child and four-year-old child in a stroller when a small Subaru hit them. The man's other two children were walking in front of them and were not hit.
The father and the two young kids were taken to the hospital, where they are all in stable condition.
The driver of the car that hit them did stop to help and will not face charges.
This is a developing story and further updates will be added as they are received. Check back to this article for details.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/father-two-young-children-injured-after-getting-by-a-car-on-the-north-side-san-antonio-texas/273-2e4647c9-e703-4c6c-ac62-56dca746d708 | 2023-06-29T12:05:02 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/father-two-young-children-injured-after-getting-by-a-car-on-the-north-side-san-antonio-texas/273-2e4647c9-e703-4c6c-ac62-56dca746d708 |
SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio police officer is in the hospital after another member of the force crashed into them early Thursday morning, SAPD says.
The accident happened just after midnight while the two officers were responding to an "officer in trouble" call near West Avenue and Basse Road.
Both officers were heading west when both made left turns onto Basse Road, according to police. One of the officers miscalculated the turn and hit the other San Antonio Police unit.
The sergeant on the scene described it as a "pit maneuver"-style hit, but the impact was so strong, it sent the other patrol car into a pole.
Firefighters had to cut that officer out of his vehicle, and he was taken to the hospital, but he should recover. The officer may have suffered multiple broken ribs and will be x-rayed for additional injuries.
The other officer who hit him was also taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.
One of the officers is from West Patrol and other is from Central Patrol.
This is a developing story and further updates will be added as they are received. Check back to this article for details.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/police-officer-recovering-after-another-officer-crashed-into-them-san-antonio-texas/273-7eae0583-c5c0-48b3-9ccf-67bc1e31327e | 2023-06-29T12:05:08 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/police-officer-recovering-after-another-officer-crashed-into-them-san-antonio-texas/273-7eae0583-c5c0-48b3-9ccf-67bc1e31327e |
SAN ANTONIO — An unidentified man died Wednesday morning after being crushed by several sheets of marble stored in his truck, according to authorities.
The incident occurred around 9:50 a.m. on the north side, along East Nakoma Street.
Police say a truck driver was unloading the marble when a load loosened, falling on and killing him. The trucking company that employed him is based in Houston, according to SAPD.
The medical examiner said the victim was a 45-year-old man. Officers estimated that the marble weighed at least a thousand pounds total. One witness called it "a horrific scene."
The investigation remains ongoing, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they had launched an investigation into the trucking company called Unison Transport LLC.
This is a developing story. Check back with KENS5.com for updates. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/truck-driver-dies-marble-san-antonio/273-26d95309-6b7d-46bc-a5af-57de702a5d6c | 2023-06-29T12:05:14 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/truck-driver-dies-marble-san-antonio/273-26d95309-6b7d-46bc-a5af-57de702a5d6c |
SAN ANTONIO — Two people were able to make it out safely from a north-side home that caught fire Wednesday night.
The fire started around 11 p.m. in the 1700 block of Brandenburg Drive.
Fire officials say they believe the fire started in the garage but quickly spread from there. They said the fire was so fast-moving, it was upgraded to a second alarm.
Two people inside the home made it out safely and there were no injuries.
The home was fully engulfed in flames and is likely a total loss, fire officials said.
This is a developing story and further updates will be added as they are received. Check back to this article for details.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-people-escape-two-alarm-house-fire-on-the-north-side-san-antonio-texas/273-52c0ac04-b58e-4bd2-97c8-34826aa2863b | 2023-06-29T12:05:20 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-people-escape-two-alarm-house-fire-on-the-north-side-san-antonio-texas/273-52c0ac04-b58e-4bd2-97c8-34826aa2863b |
Goochland County will widen the interchange between Ashland Road and Interstate 64 in the county’s eastern edge.
Authorities will add a so-called divergent diamond traffic pattern, in which cars briefly drive on the left side of the road.
Last week, the Virginia Department of Transportation approved $43 million in funding for the project, which is expected to begin construction in 2029 or 2030.
Altogether, the Ashland Road project is expected to cost $76 million, with $33 million coming from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority and the remainder from VDOT.
The interchange, one exit west of Route 288, is the top transportation priority for the county, said Paul E. Drumwright, Community Affairs Manager for Goochland. There are more than 200 nearby businesses, including Midnight Brewery, Luck Stone and Bogeys Sports Park.
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County leaders determined the interchange needs a divergent diamond to meet the road’s future traffic needs. In a divergent diamond, traffic lights are placed on either side of the highway.
Cars crossing the highway veer to the left side of the road before returning to the right side.
A similar traffic flow exists on the Zion Crossroads exit of I-64 in Louisa County.
Construction will include widening Ashland road from two lanes to four and building a second bridge next to the existing bridge that spans I-64.
Top five weekend events: Tedeschi Trucks Band, Temptations, Jazz at the Fountain
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Thursday
Get ready to rock out as the acclaimed 12-piece roots-rock ensemble Tedeschi Trucks Band joins forces with reggae legend Ziggy Marley for a show at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at Richmond Raceway. 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) at 900 E. Laburnum Ave. $41-$61. (804) 612-1900 or www.vaculive.com .
MILO FARINEAU
The Temptations and The Four Tops
Thursday
It's time to get your groove on as The Four Tops and The Temptations, pictured, take Richmond back to the golden era of soul music with a concert full of chart-topping classic hits, from “My Girl” and “Papa Was a Rollin' Stone” to "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch).” 6 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.) at 13030 Genito Road, Midlothian. $26-$99. (800) 514-3849 or www.chesterfieldafterhoursconcerts.com .
The Temptations
85 South Show Live
Saturday
Experience the comedic talents of DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller and Chico Bean as they hit the stage, bringing the "85 South Show" to town for a lively evening filled with audience engagement and their signature improv, freestyling and roasting. 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) at 6 N. Laurel St. Tickets start at $53.50. (800) 514-3849 or www.altriatheater.com .
Courtesy of the artists
'WALL-E' at the Diamond
Friday
Head to the ballpark for a movie night under the stars as "WALL-E" takes over The Diamond, inviting you to snuggle up with a cozy blanket, snack on concessions and join the last robot left on Earth for an outdoor cinematic experience. 7:30 p.m. (gates open at 6:30 p.m.) at 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. $8.33. (804) 359-3866 or www.milb.com/richmond/events/movie-nights .
Richmond Flying Squirrels
Jazz at the Fountain
Sunday
Head to Fountain Lake at Byrd Park for a free concert from bassist Michael Hawkins. Jazz at the Fountain is held the first Sunday of the month, from Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. 4 p.m. 600 S. Arthur Ashe Blvd. Free. https://www.facebook.com/rvaparksandrec
P. KEVIN MORLEY | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/goochland-will-widen-interchange-between-ashland-road-i-64/article_fe679040-1514-11ee-8b44-5396b6cfd4ee.html | 2023-06-29T12:17:06 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/goochland-will-widen-interchange-between-ashland-road-i-64/article_fe679040-1514-11ee-8b44-5396b6cfd4ee.html |
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana State Fair unveiled its plans Thursday morning to celebrate its 2023 theme of basketball.
In partnership with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, there will be multiple interactive experiences and exhibits paying homage to Indiana’s rich basketball legacy.
"Indiana is truly the state that grew the game, and we are excited to celebrate our unmatched basketball history with Hoosiers this summer at our beloved State Fair," said Rick Fuson, chief executive officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
Here's a list of what fans can expect at the 2023 Indiana State Fair:
- Hoopfest: A Basketball Amusement Park, featuring a full-sized basketball court to play pickup games, daily skills competitions, kids camps, Future Legends Games and "Ba-skee-ball" — a unique twist on skee-ball.
Hoopfest: A Basketball Amusement Park
- Pacers Sports & Entertainment Exhibit, featuring interactions with players, coaches, life-size bobble heads and more.
- Indiana Basketball History Exhibit
- Land of Legends: Indiana's Basketball Legacy, in partnership with Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
- Chuck Taylor and Indiana Basketball
- Space Ham: An Augmented Reality Space Experience, featuring the Indiana State Fair's first-ever augmented reality experience. Use your phone to scan the QR code to meet Hammy and his team.
- Family-friendly basketball movies
- "Hoosiers" movie exhibit, featuring the 1951 Chevy Gene Hackman drove in the film.
- Hoosier Hardwood Photo Project: A journey to Indiana's historical high school gyms
- Sneaker Design Contest, presented by Indiana Fashion Foundation: July 28 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- The contest is open to youth ages 11-17 and adults. White sneakers, supplies and paint are provided. There is a $30 registration fee.
- Adaptive Sports: Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana Wheelchair Basketball: July 30 from 6:30 p.m.
- Special Olympics Indiana presents Basketball Inclusion: Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Basketball: A Cultural Arts Exhibit: Aug. 2-6, 9-13, 16-20 at 9 a.m.
- The Evolution of the Game Exhibit
- The 6th Man Exhibit: Agriculture and Basketball
The Indiana State Fair opens on Friday, July 28 and runs 18 days, closing on Aug. 20. The fair is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Click here for more information on the 2023 Indiana State Fair, including tickets, deals and more. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/basketball-themed-programming-2023-indiana-state-fair-pacers/531-bd49784a-8238-4669-a7b3-b4ecf2ee13f5 | 2023-06-29T12:21:03 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/basketball-themed-programming-2023-indiana-state-fair-pacers/531-bd49784a-8238-4669-a7b3-b4ecf2ee13f5 |
INDIANAPOLIS — There is growing concern among doctors as the haze from the Canada wildfires hover above Indianapolis.
"You're breathing in pollutants into your lungs, and that can cause trouble," said Dr. Graham Carlos, pulmonary and critical care doctor at Eskenazi Hospital.
Carlos said that makes it worse for those with respiratory conditions.
"Carbon monoxide, which can come out of tailpipes of exhaust fumes from vehicles and cigarettes, those levels are increased in the air right now, so that can block the body's ability to get oxygen in," Carlos said.
Wildfire smoke contains particulate matter, which is difficult to see. Here's a way to put the size of the particles into perspective:
- A grain of sand is about 90 microns in diameter.
- A human hair is about 70 microns in diameter.
- Dust and pollen particles are about 10 microns in diameter.
When you compare that to the soot particles from the fire, it's just 2 1/2 microns, which is smaller than a red blood cell. This makes it hard for the filters in our homes and our bodies to catch them.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, within the first 24 hours, a person could experience stinging eyes, runny nose, headaches and a scratchy throat.
You may also be short of breath, cough or have a rapid heartbeat.
"A day like today, which is a bad day in Indianapolis, is a normal day for many cities around the world," Carlos said.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, breathing in fine particulate pollution long-term can make it harder for your body to fight germs like viruses and bacteria, and can increase the danger of existing breathing and heart problems.
"These pollutants, these chemicals, these nitrogen compounds can cause a spasm of the airway, which lead to asthma attacks," Carlos said.
These are all reasons why doctors recommend getting help early if you notice any signs and symptoms.
"I worry that some people will just cluster themselves away at home, and before they know it, it will be too late, and they'll become very ill," Carlos said.
It's what health care providers want to prevent as Indianapolis continues experiencing poor air quality resulting from hundreds of wildfires in Canada. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/health-concerns-indianapolis-canada-wildfire-smoke-haze-hazy/531-d9adb2a5-e5d3-4087-97f2-9061cada9b67 | 2023-06-29T12:21:06 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/health-concerns-indianapolis-canada-wildfire-smoke-haze-hazy/531-d9adb2a5-e5d3-4087-97f2-9061cada9b67 |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — From dusk until sunset, players with the Huffman Hurricanes Youth Football are on the field working hard.
It takes resilience to maintain energy and proper coordination and with the extreme heat added in the mix, it can cause strain on the young players’ physique.
“When you’re out here, you’re running, burning off energy and sweating,” Tobias Darden, the President of Huffman Hurricane Youth Football & Cheer, said. “We just try to preach keeping that water back in your body just so they can have a good outcome and just be safe. That’s the most important thing for us.”
Coach Darden is no stranger to the Alabama heat which is why he and his group of coaches enforce ways for his players to stay cool.
“We have coolers at every age group, water bottles and we take 30-minute breaks in between practices to make sure they’re hydrated,” Darden said.
Practicing simple things like constantly cooling their bodies off with water and keeping water on deck are a priority. When temperatures are at an extreme high, coach Darden says they cancel practice.
Efforts parents like Danielle Cowens appreciate.
“Let’s me know they care and that their safety is good out here in this heat,” Cowens said.
With two sons on the team, she keeps an eye out on them because their helmets, gloves and shoulder pads could cause them to overheat, and the consequences could be detrimental.
“The heat is dangerous and sometimes, there’s no way to try to stay cool when it’s really hot out here,” Cowens said.
With their practices running twice a week at Huffman Park, they’ve made an effort to start at 6 p.m. and go until 7:30 p.m. as the hot Alabama sun can truly be intense.
Coach Darden said he wants to continue to encourage other youth football teams to pay attention to their players while extreme temperatures make their way through Central Alabama because their health is far more important than scoring a touchdown. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/birmingham-youth-football-team-prepping-ahead-of-heat-wave/ | 2023-06-29T12:29:38 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/birmingham-youth-football-team-prepping-ahead-of-heat-wave/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – The CDC is reporting five cases of malaria have been found in the United States, transmitted here and not through travel. Four cases are in Florida and one in Texas.
The disease is spread through mosquito bites and mosquito season peaks in the summer. The Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) says these cases of malaria are not something it’s concerned about for people in Alabama.
“We’re probably not going to see a massive reintroduction of malaria; it’s probably going to be more of a one-off event,” says Dr. Wesley Willeford, Medical Director of Disease Control at JCDH.
JCDH says mosquitoes are carriers for malaria, meaning in order for them to transmit the disease they have to first bite someone who is already infected with malaria and then bite someone new.
“The other important thing about these mosquitoes is they don’t travel very far from where they are born. I think I was reading something, maybe 1-1.4 miles from where their eggs hatch,” Willeford said.
Mosquito experts like John Sims with Steel City Pest Control say mosquitoes like to lay eggs and congregate near standing water and shady areas.
“Overall, mosquito populations have grown tenfold over the past five decades in the U.S. and some studies show that over the past two decades, they’ve doubled since then,” Sims said. “There’s a reason they survived when the dinosaurs didn’t. They’re highly adaptable.”
Some people say knowing mosquitoes can carry diseases is always on the back of their minds so they’ll take precautions like using a bug-repellant spray or lighting bug-repellant candles.
“[Malaria]’s a big thing, even people close to me have gotten [malaria] so I know it’s out there. What do you really do? I don’t really know. It’s just luck of the draw I guess but yeah, [mosquitoes] are awful,” Homewood resident Kris Knight said.
JCDH says most malaria cases come during travel. The health department recommends setting up an appointment before you leave the country to make sure there are no vaccines or medications that could help protect you. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/health-department-doesnt-think-malaria-will-be-an-issue-in-alabama/ | 2023-06-29T12:29:45 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/health-department-doesnt-think-malaria-will-be-an-issue-in-alabama/ |
A 33-year-old Indiana State Police trooper died Wednesday night after being struck while attempting to stop a stolen vehicle, the department said.
Trooper Aaron N. Smith, of Franklin, Indiana, was reportedly struck around 8:40 p.m. (EST) on the Ronald Reagan Parkway, north of Interstate 70 in Hendricks County, which is located immediately west of Indianapolis.
Riding Shotgun with Merrillville Police Officer Amanda Earley
The nearly five-year veteran of the force was deploying stop sticks in the roadway when he was struck by the suspect vehicle and critically injured, police said. He was treated at the scene and rushed to a nearby hospital where he died.
Smith is survived by his wife.
The suspect driver involved in the crash, along with an adult and juvenile passengers, were take to Indianapolis hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, ISP said.
The accused reportedly resisted the attempts to help him and repeatedly used offense and racist language toward the emergency responders.
An investigation is underway and all findings will be turned over to the Hendricks County prosecutor's office for review and a decision on criminal charges.
"This is a tremendously sad day for the entire Indiana State Police family," Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter said. "We will band together as we always do in support of Trooper Smith's family, friends and co-workers."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail
Aaron Bernal
Aaron Bernal
Age: 23
Residence: Hobart
Booking Number(s): 2305933
Arrest Date: June 23, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hobart Police Department
Offense Description: Controlled substance possession
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Adam Langham
Adam Langham
Age: 42
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 2305925
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Domestic Battery, Battery against law enforcement
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Amanda Stoddard
Amanda Stoddard
Age: 39
Residence: Cedar Lake
Booking Number(s): 2305903
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Controlled substance possession, Shoplifting, Fraud
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Amir Jones
Amir Jones
Age: 60
Residence: South Bend
Booking Number(s): 2305916
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Property Theft
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Andre Gilbert
Andre Gilbert
Age: 39
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305934
Arrest Date: June 23, 2023
Arresting Agency: Highland Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Andrell Murphy
Andrell Murphy
Age: 37
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305908
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Anthony Radusin
Anthony Radusin
Age : 22
Residence: Hobart
Booking Number(s): 2305696
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: Intimidation
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Beverley Ware
Beverly Ware
Age: 39
Residence: Matteson, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305921
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Indiana State Police
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Bianca Erwin
Bianca Erwin
Age: 23
Residence: Peotone, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305823
Arrest Date: June 20, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lowell Police Department
Offense Description: Controlled Substance Possession
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Chauncey Jordan
Chauncey Jordan
Age: 21
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305917
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Office
Offense Description: Robbery
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Daniel Haywood
Daniel Haywood
Age: 38
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305800
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: Pocket-picking - $750 to $50,000
Highest Offense Class: Felony
David Brown Jr.
David Brown Jr.
Age : 56
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 2305718
Arrest Date: June 16, 2023
Arresting Agency: Merrillville Police
Offense Description: Domestic Battery, OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
David Parchem
David Parchem
Age: 44
Residence: Sauk Village, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305812
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Schererville Police Department
Offense Description: Fraud
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Daymar Webb
Daymar Webb
Age: 22
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305811
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: Motor Vehicle Theft, Resisting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Derrick Ivy
Derrick Ivy
Age: 32
Residence: Robbins, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305803
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Elijah Dillon-Bombin
Elijah Dillon-Bombin
Age : 22
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 2305707
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Resisting — Interfering with Public Safety
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Eudora North
Eudora North
Age: 20
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 2305927
Arrest Date: June 23, 2023
Arresting Agency: Indiana State Police
Offense Description: Fraud
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Florence Flewellen
Florence Flewellen
Age: 41
Residence: Griffith
Booking Number(s): 2305922
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Possessing drugs, Property theft
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Freddie Holman
Freddie Holman
Age : 50
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 2305692
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: LSCT
Offense Description: Battery
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jahir Villaruel Lizarde
Jahir Villaruel Lizarde
Age : 27
Residence: Dyer
Booking Number(s): 2305691
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Highland Police Department
Offense Description: Domestic Battery, Strangulation
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jamar Davis
Jamar Davis
Age: 38
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305901
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Fraud
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jamie Anderson
Jamie Anderson
Age: 49
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 2305919
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hobart Police Department
Offense Description: Controlled Substance Possession, Dealing
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jason Lucas
Jason Lucas
Age: 44
Residence: Hammond
Booking Number(s): 2305799
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Johnny Neal
Johnny Neal
Age : 25
Residence: Matteson, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305698
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Resisting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Juliana Likes
Juliana Likes
Age: 43
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 2305820
Arrest Date: June 20, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hobart Police Department
Offense Description: Pocket-picking — $750 to $50,000
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kory Johnson
Kory Johnson
Age: 35
Residence: N/A
Booking Number(s): 2305807
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Burglary
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Latoya Burns
Latoya Burns
Age: 35
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305907
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Aggravated Battery with a deadly weapon
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Marcus Veal
Marcus Veal
Age: 63
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 2305911
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Nathaniel Carnegie
Nathaniel Carnegie
Age: 24
Residence: Monteray, IN
Booking Number(s): 2305816
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Office
Offense Description: Battery against a Pregnant Woman
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Nicholas Gott
Nicholas Gott
Age : 21
Residence: Knox
Booking Number(s): 2305708
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Resisting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Nichole Hardesty
Nichole Hardesty
Age: 37
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 2305805
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Resisting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Oshannay Gibson
Oshannay Gibson
Age : 23
Residence: East Chicago
Booking Number(s): 2305689
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: Shoplifting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Patrice Williams
Patrice Williams
Age: 28
Residence: Hobart
Booking Number(s): 2305906
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Shoplifting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Prince Raggs
Prince Raggs
Age : 45
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 2305702
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: Domestic Battery, Failure to return to detention
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Roy Wade
Roy Wade
Age: 32
Residence: Merrillville
Booking Number(s): 2305818
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Merrillville Police Department
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Shauen Pearce
Shauen Pearce
Age: 38
Residence: Thorton, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305915
Arrest Date: June 22, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: Property Theft
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Thomas Arnold
Thomas Arnold
Age : 56
Residence: Schererville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2305693
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Schererville Police Department
Offense Description: Battery
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Thomas Stewart
Thomas Stewart
Age : 32
Residence: Gary
Booking Number(s): 2305709
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: Fraud
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Tory Hatcher
Tory Hatcher
Age: 31
Residence: Decatur, GA
Booking Number(s): 2305804
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Tristen Walden
Tristen Walden
Age : 24
Residence: Crown Point
Booking Number(s): 2305716
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Crown Point Police Department
Offense Description: Controlled Substance Possession
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Tyler Wright
Tyler Wright
Age : 27
Residence: Wheatfield
Booking Number(s): 2305711
Arrest Date: June 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Indiana State Police
Offense Description: Resisting
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Yader Castillo Gonzalez
Yader Castillo Gonzalez
Age: 41
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305801
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Yasmin Santos-Morales
Yasmin Santos-Morales
Age: 45
Residence: Sauk Village, IL
Booking Number(s): 2305797
Arrest Date: June 19, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Office
Offense Description: Domestic Battery
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
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Showers and storms are expected in the Region today and it's looking increasingly likely that a few storms could produce damaging wind and hail. Get the latest on the hazards and the timing of the storms in our updated forecast video.
Stock your car first aid kit with these essentials for summer road trips
1. Bandages
Small cuts and scrapes are common during road trips, especially if you plan on camping or hiking. Grab a variety pack of adhesive bandages to quickly address minor injuries and protect wounds from dirt. This 300-piece variety pack from Curad includes antibacterial, heavy-duty, and waterproof bandages in a variety of shades and sizes.
2. Gauze Pads and Tape
Hopefully you don't get a larger wound, but if you are in a more serious accident it’s helpful to have gauze pads and tape on hand. If you have an injury that’s too large for an adhesive bandage, apply the gauze directly to the wound to control bleeding and secure it with tape until you can seek medical attention. This Rite Aid variety pack includes sterile gauze pads and tape.
3. Alcohol Prep Pads
Keeping an injury sterile will help it heal faster and reduce the risk of infection. When you’re on the road, soap and water might not be available, so keep some alcohol prep pads, like these wipes from Ever Ready , on hand.
4. Anti-Itch Soothing Balm
While insect repellent is probably already on your packing list, bug bites and stings are inevitable if you spend enough time outside in the summer. This pocket-sized tin of soothing balm from Murphy’s Naturals will save you some discomfort.
5. Instant Cold Packs
If you sprain or strain your ankle on a hike, instant cold packs can be a serious vacation saver. These disposable cold packs from AllSett Health Store don’t require refrigeration and can help bring down pain and swelling.
6. Scissors and Tweezers
A pair of first-aid scissors can help you safely cut tape, gauze, or clothing in case of an emergency. Tweezers are also helpful to have for bee stings or splinters. This set from First Aid Only Store contains both for under five dollars.
7. Pain Relievers
Whether you sustain a sprain on a hike or just have a headache after a long day of driving, keeping an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, like Ibuprofen , on hand will ensure your summer road trip goes as smoothly as possible.
8. Aloe Vera Gel
Even if you slather on sunscreen, some sunburns can feel unavoidable in the summer. Keeping a bottle of aloe vera in your car first aid kit, like this hydrating gel from Sun Bum , can help you cool down.
9. Burn Relief Cream
Who doesn’t love long summer nights around the campfire? Unfortunately, sometimes minor burns happen to even the most careful campers. Keep some Neosporin burn relief cream in your car to treat any injuries.
10. Poison Oak and Ivy Wipes
No one wants to deal with an itchy rash from poison ivy or poison oak, especially while stuck in a car for several hours a day. If you run into any poison plants on your summer hikes, these Tecnu waterless detox wipes can remove the irritating oils so your skin clears up more quickly.
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Events are being planned throughout the Cedar Valley to celebrate the Fourth of July in style.
Waterloo will kick things off ahead of the holiday on Saturday with the Mayor’s Fireworks festivities at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre and the RiverLoop Expo Plaza. The event will start at 6 p.m. with a Family Fun Zone featuring food, games and activities for all ages.
“We have bands, we have some dance teams that are going to perform, we have lots of food vendors and we have some beverage tents,” said Britni Perkins, executive secretary for the mayor’s office.
Highlights from the event will include a 6 p.m. performance at the amphitheatre by the Cedar Valley Big Band, followed by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony at 7:30 p.m. and 42 Romeo at 9:15 p.m. At the Expo Plaza, peformances include Waterloo Community Playhouse at 6 p.m., Heart Smith at 7:15 p.m. and Fool House at 9 p.m. Additional performers are expected on both stages.
Fireworks will start at 10 p.m. Learn more about the event online at mainstreetwaterloo.org/fireworks .
Fireworks explode over the Cedar River in downtown Waterloo during the 2022 Mayor's Fireworks.
CONTRIBUTED
In Buchanan County, Independence is pulling out all the stops to commemorate the holiday of its namesake. Starting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday at Riverwalk Parks, Celebrate Indee will have events throughout the evening, pouring into the next day, where the annual Independence Day Parade will be held at 9 a.m. The parade will run in its usual route from First Street to Second Avenue Northeast.
According to Michelle McBride, the marketing director for Celebrate Indee, the festivities will include food and beverages from local vendors, local bands and activities for children ranging from bounce houses, to face painting. It will all be topped off with a fireworks display over the Wapsipinicon River at 10 p.m.
“A lot of times, we see we see people that don’t live in the community either coming back to see their family and friends, or just people that come in and see what it’s all about because there really is no better place to be over the Fourth of July than in Independence on Independence Day,” McBride said. “So we’re lucky to have that name in our community, but we know that also holds a lot of weight to it and we need to make sure that we show up and do it well.”
Among the performances scheduled for the Fourth include the Heinz Academy for the Performing Arts Dance Performance and Class at 1 p.m., the Schmidt Brothers at 6 p.m. and the Not Quite Brothers at 8:30 p.m. There will also be a youth sand volleyball tournament at 4 p.m. For a full list of activities go online to celebrateindee.com/schedule-of-events .
Other events across the Cedar Valley are happening in Shell Rock, which will have festivities from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon. Fireworks are at 10 p.m. Monday. Highlights on Fourth of July include a parade at 10 a.m. and a Cutest Baby Contest at 12:30 p.m. For a full list of activities go online to shellrockiowa.org/events-calendar .
Wettest counties in Iowa
Wettest counties in Iowa
Rain, sleet, snow, hail, wintry mix. Precipitation takes on many forms, and the degree to which climate change affects precipitation levels comes down to something almost everyone learns about in school—Earth's water cycle. A system in endless motion, the water cycle traces the process through which water exists in its three primary phases—liquid, solid, and gas—as it moves perpetually between the Earth and its atmosphere.
Increases in precipitation frequency and intensity are markers of climate change . When temperatures rise and oceans grow warmer, the amount of water that evaporates into the atmosphere—and the speed at which it does so—also increases. As atmospheric circulation carries the moisture-rich air over land or pushes it into a storm system, heavy rain or snow is often the result.
The continental U.S. on average received about 30 inches of precipitation between March 2022 and February 2023. Traditionally "wet" regions—such as Washington state and Alaska in the northwest and Georgia and Mississippi in the southeast—continue to have some of the rainiest counties in the United States. Other areas such as Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, as well as pockets of the South and of California, experience the opposite extreme: drought, also largely a product of climate change .
Stacker cited data from the National Centers for Environmental Information to identify the counties in Iowa that receive the most precipitation through rain, sleet, or snow. Counties are ranked by five-year precipitation averages in inches as of February 2023 with rainfall over the past year serving as a tiebreaker. Supplementary data on how last year's precipitation compares to the 100-year average for the area is also included.
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#50. Warren County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.60 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.58 inches (#49 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -2.35 inches below norm
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#49. Tama County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.64 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.46 inches (#43 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.66 inches below norm
Lucas Oglesbee // Shutterstock
#48. Hardin County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.67 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.89 inches (#81 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.86 inches above norm
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#47. Mahaska County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.73 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.43 inches (#44 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.40 inches below norm
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#46. Taylor County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.77 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 31.08 inches (#45 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.31 inches below norm
Kimberly's Impressions // Shutterstock
#45. Franklin County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.81 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 31.87 inches (#61 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -0.03 inches below norm
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#44. Marion County
- Five-year precipitation average: 35.95 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 31.98 inches (#56 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.60 inches below norm
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#43. Clarke County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.05 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.82 inches (#44 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -2.90 inches below norm
Mary Key // Shutterstock
#42. Story County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.11 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.97 inches (#100 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 6.06 inches above norm
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#41. Wapello County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.22 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.00 inches (#35 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -4.50 inches below norm
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#40. Cerro Gordo County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.40 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.51 inches (#69 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.72 inches above norm
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#39. Jefferson County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.47 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 28.97 inches (#23 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.96 inches below norm
stivanderson // Shutterstock
#38. Grundy County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.61 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.89 inches (#70 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.77 inches above norm
Melissa L Oltman // Shutterstock
#37. Van Buren County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.66 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 29.44 inches (#25 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.66 inches below norm
Rexjaymes // Shutterstock
#36. Poweshiek County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.78 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.14 inches (#40 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.96 inches below norm
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#35. Monroe County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.92 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.06 inches (#49 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -2.20 inches below norm
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#34. Washington County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.97 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 28.82 inches (#22 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.48 inches below norm
IN Dancing Light // Shutterstock
#33. Worth County
- Five-year precipitation average: 36.98 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.03 inches (#66 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.12 inches above norm
Kevin Isaacson // Shutterstock
#32. Butler County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.19 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.32 inches (#78 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.47 inches above norm
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#31. Ringgold County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.25 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.14 inches (#33 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -4.49 inches below norm
Life Atlas Photography // Shutterstock
#30. Linn County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.33 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.11 inches (#75 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.07 inches above norm
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#29. Lucas County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.33 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.36 inches (#53 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.49 inches below norm
Doug Lambert // Shutterstock
#28. Louisa County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.54 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 28.88 inches (#26 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.55 inches below norm
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
#27. Henry County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.62 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 29.55 inches (#22 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -5.72 inches below norm
PICTOR PICTURES // Shutterstock
#26. Decatur County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.63 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.96 inches (#40 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.32 inches below norm
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#25. Johnson County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.75 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.36 inches (#53 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.41 inches below norm
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#24. Davis County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.92 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.66 inches (#53 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.60 inches below norm
J Sanderman // Shutterstock
#23. Des Moines County
- Five-year precipitation average: 37.99 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 30.62 inches (#32 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -4.59 inches below norm
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
#22. Muscatine County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.01 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.16 inches (#66 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -0.32 inches below norm
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#21. Black Hawk County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.25 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 36.21 inches (#81 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.74 inches above norm
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#20. Mitchell County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.43 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.16 inches (#72 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.18 inches above norm
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#19. Wayne County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.72 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.19 inches (#50 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -1.87 inches below norm
Brooke Van Zee // Shutterstock
#18. Jones County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.78 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 36.16 inches (#80 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.51 inches above norm
Marsen // Shutterstock
#17. Cedar County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.81 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.62 inches (#70 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.46 inches above norm
SNC Art and More // Shutterstock
#16. Floyd County
- Five-year precipitation average: 38.96 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 33.12 inches (#71 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 1.00 inches above norm
Jim Packett // Shutterstock
#15. Buchanan County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.04 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.79 inches (#80 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.58 inches above norm
Doug Lambert // Shutterstock
#14. Appanoose County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.31 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 34.51 inches (#54 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -0.67 inches below norm
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#13. Lee County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.54 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.01 inches (#39 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: -3.51 inches below norm
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#12. Scott County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.69 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.12 inches (#83 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.22 inches above norm
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#11. Fayette County
- Five-year precipitation average: 39.84 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.70 inches (#80 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.40 inches above norm
Kuehner // Shutterstock
#10. Dubuque County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.06 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.78 inches (#79 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.37 inches above norm
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#9. Bremer County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.37 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 35.46 inches (#79 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 2.25 inches above norm
April Taymen // Shutterstock
#8. Clinton County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.39 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.51 inches (#100 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 4.54 inches above norm
Eddie J. Rodriquez // Shutterstock
#7. Howard County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.60 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 36.27 inches (#90 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 3.70 inches above norm
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#6. Jackson County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.64 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.41 inches (#101 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 5.34 inches above norm
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#5. Delaware County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.79 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.19 inches (#93 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 3.86 inches above norm
Designs2Rise // Shutterstock
#4. Chickasaw County
- Five-year precipitation average: 40.92 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 32.73 inches (#64 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 0.36 inches above norm
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
#3. Clayton County
- Five-year precipitation average: 41.44 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 37.65 inches (#98 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 4.45 inches above norm
Arlen E Breiholz // Shutterstock
#2. Winneshiek County
- Five-year precipitation average: 41.58 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.59 inches (#107 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 6.50 inches above norm
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#1. Allamakee County
- Five-year precipitation average: 42.15 inches
- Precipitation over the past year: 39.97 inches (#109 rainiest year since 1895)
- Precipitation compared to 1901-2000 average: 7.21 inches above norm
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Former district superintendent hired by Gaston College
The former superintendent of Gaston County Schools has been hired as Gaston College's chief operating officer.
W. Jeffrey Booker will start in his new position on July 1, leading the schools finance, operations, purchasing, auxiliary services, information technology, facilities and plant operations departments. He will be paid an annual salary of $160,000.
Booker resigned from Gaston County Schools in a letter on April 17. The letter focused on what he contributed to the district, but he did not provide a reason for leaving.
Booker's time with the school district was overshadowed in the last year by problems with the Oracle payroll system, which resulted in missed paychecks, incorrect deductions, and the eventual distribution of incorrect W-2 tax forms. The situation also resulted in the loss of experienced educators, including a teacher who went public with her reasons for leaving after she found a teaching job in a neighboring county.
The North Carolina Association of Educators, along with two teachers, sued the Gaston County Board of Education in March over the payroll problems. All parties began private mediation on May 31, and Superior Court Judge David Phillips granted them a stay on June 12 to provide time for them to work toward a resolution. If they cannot reach a resolution by Sept. 1, the Board of Education has until Sept. 16 to respond to the lawsuit.
Booker joined Gaston County Schools in May 2009 as deputy superintendent of operations. In November 2013, he was selected by the Board of Education to serve as the district’s eighth superintendent, succeeding L. Reeves McGlohon, who retired in December 2013.
His job as superintendent concluded at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
Booker resigned from the school district without a severance agreement. The school district is still searching for a new superintendent. In a press release Monday, the district asked the community to participate in a survey seeking input from parents, school employees and others as part of the selection process.
In the meantime, Dr. Stephen Laws will begin July 1 as interim superintendent. Laws has served as an associate professor of education at Gardner-Webb University since 2011. | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/former-district-superintendent-hired-by-gaston-college/70362025007/ | 2023-06-29T12:38:14 | 1 | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/former-district-superintendent-hired-by-gaston-college/70362025007/ |
Mayor Cavalier Johnson sets new goal to replace Milwaukee's lead pipes in 20 years
Mayor Cavalier Johnson wants to replace all of the city’s lead pipes in 20 years instead of the original projection of 60 years, but he has not yet secured the funds necessary to make this goal a reality.
In his annual State of the City address this week Johnson promised that the city would shave 40 years off of its current lead pipe replacement plan, citing an influx of EPA funding as part of the federal infrastructure law.
"We are taking all reasonable steps to get lead out of drinking water," Johnson said. "We can replace all of Milwaukee's lead service lines much faster than was initially laid out."
According to Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Patrick Pauly, the city will soon formally apply to receive the funding and will hear back in the coming months.
It is estimated that the total cost to replace these pipes will be $750 million. So far the city has replaced 5,808 pipes. In 2017, the city replaced 687 pipes and has gradually increased capacity to this year when it crossed the 1,000 mark, replacing 1,100 pipes.
To meet Johnson’s goal, the city will need to triple the number of pipes it replaces and double spending per year, according to Pauly.
“I know how challenging it has been to get to the rate we’re currently at,” Pauly told the Journal Sentinel. “When I think about tripling it, it’s a huge challenge but we have a plan to rapidly expand the program in the next few years.”
According to Becky Scott, the Department of Natural Resources state revolving fund program manager, the DNR will announce the grant awardees for the $129 million in funds the state has received from the EPA in late August. Awards will be received by cities after the announcement.
The $129 million in funding comes from the infrastructure law that appropriated $15 billion for lead replacement and $11 billion for clean water grants. Wisconsin received a combined $129 million in 2022 and 2023.
The state expects to receive $80 million for each of the fiscal years 2024, 2025 and 2026 when funding from the bill is supposed to expire. Both Pauly and Scott believe the state will be able to “stretch out” funding for an additional 3-5 years since many states do not have lead pipe issues and that funding will roll over to states that still need support, which would help Johnson achieve its goal.
Pauly estimates that the city will be able to hit the required level of pipe replacements in 2027 at the earliest. He is also confident that the city will receive the funding required to achieve the goal after his office submits applications to the state Department of Natural Resources.
Is funding the only impediment to the new 20-year lead pipe replacement goal?
No. Pauly told the Journal Sentinel that there are also concerns about contractor capacity, vacancies within Water Works, and a current shared cost formula that requires homeowners to pitch in for the lead pipe replacements.
Under current municipal code, private homeowners must pay $1,592 if the replacement is required while the city covers the remaining $8,000, which has been cited as a barrier for socioeconomically disadvantaged residents.
“If I live in a neighborhood that has a median household income of $50,000 an additional $1,500 bill to change my lead pipe even if it’s spread over 10 years is a major barrier,” Richard Diaz, co-founder of the Coalition on Lead Emergency, told the Journal Sentinel. “The Common Council needs to eliminate the fee.”
Pauly plans on beginning a discussion with the Common Council to lower the costs for residents and is also in support of a reduction.
“I think this is absolutely key to increasing the replacement rate because we spend a lot of time currently trying to obtain consent from the property owners,” Pauly told the Journal Sentinel. “The municipalities that have been more successful in increasing the replacement rate to many thousands a year did not have any cost to the owner.”
However, Public Works Committee Chairman Ald. Robert Bauman was not sold on wiping out all costs to homeowners.
Bauman told the Journal Sentinel that this was a policy question that had been debated by the Common Council previously but “arrived at no conclusion.”
“Can I envision some modification to the current subsidy, sure, but I don’t know what it would look like,” Bauman told the Journal Sentinel.
“This might be appropriate for lower-income households, but what about people living in million-dollar homes? Are they entitled to a subsidy? This infrastructure past your curb is private property no different than a roof. Do you see anyone calling for us to subsidize roof replacements?” he said.
Contracting capacity, city vacancies also complicate achieving 20-year goal
According to Water Works spokesperson Brian Rothgery, utilities in the city currently have a 25% vacancy rate, which has made administrative work related to lead replacement difficult.
Only four contractor companies in the city carry out lead replacement, and in the past, contractor shortages have been cited as a major reason for hold-ups in the process.
“The contractors we have spoken to have told us that they can increase their capacity if there is a steady stream of work and steady level of work,” Pauly told the Journal Sentinel.
Diaz told the Journal Sentinel that contractors have not received enough work in the past with only 100 to 200 lead line replacements, which has made it more difficult to scale up the work.
“I think anything’s possible,” Pauly told the Journal Sentinel. “I think there needs to be a commitment to a number of things to fall in place for us to reach this goal in a reasonable timeframe. So, my confidence will grow each step along the way.”
Why is the original projection to replace lead pipes 60 years?
Citing cities like Detroit and Jersey City, where officials have replaced pipes in months or years instead of decades, Diaz and others have questioned Milwaukee’s six-decade-long timeline since the launch of the project in 2017.
According to Pauly, the city is doing the best it can do at the moment with the monetary constraints and contracting gaps it currently has. Pauly hopes to increase the number of pipes replaced next year by 50% or potentially double the rate.
Since taking office, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has called for legislation to appropriate $40 million for lead pipe replacement that has been rejected by Republicans in the state Legislature. Most recently, Republicans stripped a $200 million provision to replace lead pipes from the current state budget.
“It’s way too slow,” Diaz told the Journal Sentinel. “The previous timeline of 60 years was just unacceptable. We need to act with an even greater sense of urgency and bump that down to 10 years or less like other comparable cities.”
How many people have been affected by lead pipes in Milwaukee?
Two-thirds of lead poisonings in Wisconsin were children in Milwaukee. Black Milwaukeeans are four times more likely to have lead poisoning than a white child. Not all of these cases can be tied to lead pipes as there are also thousands of Milwaukee homes that still have lead paint.
According to the state's Department of Health Services' most recent data, 6.25% of Milwaukee children under the age of 6 had blood lead levels higher than 5 micrograms per deciliter, the EPA's standard metric for lead poisoning — that compares with 5% of children in Flint, Mich., had the same lead levels when the city gained national attention.
The Journal Sentinel's previous analysis of lead exposure in the city showed that the highest childhood lead exposure rates were concentrated in census tracts that were predominantly Black, had older housing stock and higher rate of building code violations — a proxy for substandard housing.
Lead paint exposure is also a major contributor to lead poisoning in the city.
In Wisconsin, 9,600 children have tested positive for lead poisoning between 2018 and 2020 according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. In 2020, 5.6 percent of children tested positive for lead poisoning in Milwaukee.
Lead poisoning can carry long-term consequences for children. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Even small amounts of lead can cause serious health problems.”
Poisoning can stunt brain development where “irreversible damage can occur.” There can also be damage to the kidneys and nervous system. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2023/06/29/milwaukee-mayor-cavalier-johnson-seeks-20-year-timeline-on-lead-pipes/70362809007/ | 2023-06-29T12:40:02 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2023/06/29/milwaukee-mayor-cavalier-johnson-seeks-20-year-timeline-on-lead-pipes/70362809007/ |
'It should have security': Downtown Peoria mall tenants want action on safety concerns
Tenants at Peoria's Twin Towers Mall, following a series of unsafe incidents, are asking building management to do something about security.
Centered in downtown Peoria at Southwest Jefferson Avenue, the Twin Towers Mall has been known over the years to be a place where homeless people will pass through.
Business owners say this has not been an issue in years past — a large majority of the homeless who find their way into the mall cause no trouble and often might go unnoticed.
Until recently, that is.
A few incidents of unsettling behavior by patrons have sparked security concerns among business owners, who are asking building management to hire security.
More:Preparing to close her small business, owner has harsh words for the city of Peoria
Tenants plea for security solution
Recently, a shirtless man with a "gash" on his head went into the mall and started causing issues. With no security present, it fell on Ray Daniel, a barber at Prestige Barbershop and one of the only male workers in the building, to escort the man out of the building.
"I personally feel like if this is a mall, it should have security," said Alexis Pickles, owner of Alexis' Aesthetics in the mall. "What mall do you know that doesn't have security?"
Asia Henderson, who owns the recently opened Meneki Permanent Jewelry and Gift Shop, said given the small size of the Twin Towers Mall compared to other Peoria malls, she understands reservations from management about the costs of hiring security but added it's a necessity.
"I do think that's just part of owning a building," Henderson said. "For sure, at the Twin Towers, the majority of businesses there are women-owned and women-run, so I think that presents a unique concern for us and we should be able to go into our businesses feeling safe. To me, it's a no brainer and a worthy investment."
Henderson said the shirtless man came into her store with a drink and didn't respond to her multiple times when she asked if he needed help or knew what he was doing in the mall. After minutes of the silence, the man said, "I can't tell you that yet," and then went through the mall talking to more people. Daniel had to escort the man out after complaints.
Erik Reader, the president and CEO of the mall's ownership group, Illinois Business Financial Services, said the ownership group was exploring solutions and has been working with the Peoria Continuum of Care to assist the homeless population that finds it way into the mall.
"I don’t know that I would say that there’s a security issue so to speak, rather, because of a larger number of human and social service providers within the central business district as well as a transit hub, we become more of a pass through of various individuals that aren’t consumers being that this a climate controlled quasi-public space," Reader said in an email to the Journal Star. "This leads to populations that may have economic distress, mental health issues, or potentially other conditions that may make folks feel uncomfortable or could lead somewhere unlawful."
Reader has also set new operating hours for the mall since taking over management.
A majority of the Twin Towers Mall business owners are women, and after an incident where a man was publicly masturbating in the mall, they say security is of high importance for their own comfort and safety.
"The people that wander in here, if they pay attention, they're seeing all women," Pickles said. "And even a lot of our customers are women."
Pickles and other mall tenants, including Sam Watkins of Cultured Grounds, Henderson and Daniel, said it is difficult for business owners in the mall to differentiate between who is in the mall to shop and who is in there to loiter.
"It's hard for us to distinguish who is supposed to be here and who is not supposed to be here without profiling," Pickles said.
Daniel said the mall is a relatively quiet place during the day, except for a "couple of individuals" who have come in and caused problems.
"Most of the individuals who have come in here that are transients, or whatever you'd like to call them, have been pretty good, respectful and not running around and harassing individuals, not placing anyone under too much stress," Daniel said.
Watkins said the security issues aren't taking place during the daytime hours when the mall is busiest, but she too, said "there is a fine line" between knowing who is buying a cup of coffee or who is coming in to sleep in the mall or loiter.
"Like any other mall across America, it's people kind of loitering and that kind of thing," Watkins said. "I feel bad that we can't do more."
Henderson said loitering in general is not a problem for the mall. She said homeless people have a right to exist in public spaces.
"When I am talking about security, I am not talking about loitering," Henderson said. "I think it comes back to specifically a women's issue. I am not so fearful of being robbed; sexual assault is a huge fear. That's where a lot of our concerns are coming from, too."
In lieu of security, Henderson has started having her husband come into the store with her because she doesn't feel comfortable being there by herself.
"It isn't very sustainable, but until something is done at the manager's level, that's my only option," Henderson said.
Twin Towers Mall shifts hours
Mall management has altered the Twin Towers Mall hours to be Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., forcing some businesses to close earlier.
In part, the change was meant to address some security issues, tenants believe. Reader said the new hours are aimed to help bring continuity to the mall.
"We’ll be moving towards a standardized hours approach so consumers better understanding when the building is open and they can patronize the businesses within," Reader said. "One of the complaints that I’ve long heard, and goes back to before we took ownership, is that you never know what’s open. Paired with an expectation that tenants should have open hours of at least half of the time during the property’s open hours so as to build consumer confidence and regain activity."
More:Twin Towers Mall donated to Peoria nonprofit
Tenants are waiting to see how the new hours will impact business success in the mall.
"It doesn't impact my business, but it does impact other businesses and I don't want them to leave because if they leave, then it could impact my business," Pickles said.
Daniel said the new hours shouldn't impact the barbershop too much but did say they serve some clients who can only come in for haircuts after 7 p.m.
Henderson said she understands where the management is coming from in its decision to change the hours and how it relates to security but added it is the "slowest moving effort of all, and the existing tenants deserve some faster moving efforts in the meantime." | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/twin-towers-mall-tenants-in-downtown-peoria-voice-security-concerns/70364443007/ | 2023-06-29T12:40:20 | 1 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/twin-towers-mall-tenants-in-downtown-peoria-voice-security-concerns/70364443007/ |
Downtown food truck plaza coming to Waupun with help from WEDC grant
The plaza will provide space for four food trucks and outdoor dining.
WAUPUN – Waupun will use a $45,000 Vibrant Spaces grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to create a food truck plaza in an underused space on East Main Street downtown.
A news release said the plaza will be a dedicated space for four food trucks and outdoor dining and will increase foot traffic to local businesses.
Work done in 2019 to create the city’s streetscape plan provided the needed information for the grant application, WEDC said. Community feedback during that process found there was a lack of public space to gather in the downtown and the plan envisioned activating city-owned green space in the 400 block of East Main Street for that purpose.
July 4 celebrations:Looking to celebrate the Fourth of July? Fond du Lac area hosts variety of events
Kathy Schlieve, city administrator and director of economic development, said in the news release: “The City of Waupun has invested in building physical assets such as bike trails, an aquatic center and ball diamonds to strengthen quality of life. Those things matter, but are only possible if we have a vibrant economy.
“Today, there is noticeable investment happening by businesses across the community as the private and public sectors collaborate on these types of improvements with the long-term goal of attracting residents and visitors alike to Waupun,” Schlieve continued. “This award helps us continue to move forward together and we thank WEDC for their support of our vision.”
The Vibrant Spaces Grant program is designed to help cities and towns revitalize underused spaces to build community and attract future residents. Through the grant program, communities across the state invest in their workforce attraction and small business development by creating inviting, walkable spaces in their downtowns, arterial districts and economic centers.
The Vibrant Spaces Grant program is an initiative within WEDC’s Community Development and Investment grant program. Projects were evaluated based on their ability to create visible and pedestrian-oriented public spaces that attract and accommodate multiple users and activities. Successful projects demonstrated they would benefit the local district, nearby businesses and the community as a whole, the news release said. Communities were required to match grant funds and begin construction this summer.
Lakeside Park upgrades:Fond du Lac's lighthouse reopens at Lakeside Park amid other upgraded amenities
Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews. | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/waupun-downtown-food-truck-plaza-gets-boost-from-45k-wedc-grant/70365166007/ | 2023-06-29T12:44:48 | 0 | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/waupun-downtown-food-truck-plaza-gets-boost-from-45k-wedc-grant/70365166007/ |
GRAND MARAIS — Superior National Forest officials say the Spice Lake wildfire is 100% controlled, allowing them to reopen all areas of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness that had been closed due to the fire.
All of the entry points and all of the lakes and portages will open at 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 30, for campers to use as their permits allow.
While the fire is no longer a threat to spread, officials urged people to keep out of the burned area — about 10 miles west of the upper end of the Gunflint Trail — due to the fact that still-standing trees may fall at any time.
Several days of rain and cooler temperatures have all but snuffed the danger of more wildfires in the region, at least for the short term, but a campfire ban remains in effect for the entire BWCAW.
Across all of St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties, campfires are allowed only in developed areas with fire rings.
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Forest officials note that fireworks are illegal in the national forest. They are also illegal in state parks, and the state has imposed a ban on all fireworks in rural areas in the Arrowhead region.
The BWCAW campfire ban could be lifted soon, forest officials noted. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/boundary-waters-fully-opens-with-spice-lake-fire-under-control | 2023-06-29T12:53:25 | 0 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/boundary-waters-fully-opens-with-spice-lake-fire-under-control |
News Tribune, June 29, 1983
- Flag ceremonies and speeches marked the official opening of the 26th Wally Byam Caravan Club International Rally yesterday at the Duluth Arena-Auditorium. Minnesota Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III and Mayor John Fedo welcomed the Airstreamers to the state and the city.
- A final contract negotiating session between Superior police and the city proved futile yesterday, forcing an independent arbiter to settle the dispute. Police have demanded a wage increase of 6.2% for 1983, while city negotiators have offered 3.2%.
News Tribune, June 29, 1923
- The Jewish Center Banquet, held last evening in Duluth, raised $40,000 of the $100,000 needed to erect a Jewish Center building. The building committee will continue the drive for funds until all the money required for the project has been raised.
- Park Point will celebrate the Fourth of July with games and sports of every description lasting all day. The chief event will be the fox trot marathon, whose winners will be crowned king and queen and will lead the evening's dancing. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-park-point-fox-trot-marathon-planned-100-years-ago | 2023-06-29T12:53:35 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-park-point-fox-trot-marathon-planned-100-years-ago |
$1,000 reward offered for tips in fatal shooting on Detroit's east side
Detroit police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect wanted in connection with a fatal June 18 shooting on the city's east side.
Officials said the shooting happened in the early morning hours in a building in the 1600 block of Clay Street near Interstate 75 and East Grand Boulevard.
They also said a $1,000 reward is being offered for the tip that leads to an arrest and conviction of the suspect.
According to a preliminary investigation, during a fight among a group of people at the location, the suspect produced a gun and fatally shot the victim.
Authorities said they are not releasing any further information at this time.
Anyone with information about the shooting or the suspect should call the Detroit Police Department's Homicide Unit at (313) 596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) SPEAK-UP. The case number — 2306180052 — must be included in the tip. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/06/29/1000-reward-offered-for-tips-in-fatal-june-18-shooting-on-detroits-east-side/70363542007/ | 2023-06-29T12:55:04 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/06/29/1000-reward-offered-for-tips-in-fatal-june-18-shooting-on-detroits-east-side/70363542007/ |
18-year-old drowns at Monroe Co. campground
Charles E. Ramirez
The Detroit News
An 18-year-old from Ohio is dead after drowning at a Monroe County campground Wednesday, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies and first responders were called just before 6 p.m. Wednesday to the KOA Campground on Tunnicliff Road near Summerfield Road in Summerfield Township. They were told an 18-year-old from Pickerington, Ohio, had disappeared under the swimming lake's water.
While en route, staff and guests of the campground recovered the victim from the water shortly after 6 p.m., according to authorities.
Medics performed life-saving measures, but the victim was pronounced deceased, officials said.
They said the investigation into the death is ongoing.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/29/18-year-old-drowns-at-monroe-co-campground/70367886007/ | 2023-06-29T12:55:10 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/29/18-year-old-drowns-at-monroe-co-campground/70367886007/ |
Jogger dies after being hit by pickup truck Wednesday in Imlay City
A jogger was killed Wednesday after being hit by a pickup truck whose driver passed out in Imlay City, police said.
According to a preliminary investigation by the Imlay City police, the pickup was traveling south on Almont Street from Third Street at about 12:25 p.m. Wednesday. Its driver, a 70-year-old man, had a medical emergency while behind the steering wheel and lost consciousness, officials said.
Police said the man's wife, who was in the truck's passenger seat, grabbed the steering wheel and tried to bring it to a stop. However, the truck continued to travel for about 80 yards, veered right towards a vacant building and struck a jogger who was running south. The truck finally came to a rest after clipping the corner of the vacant building, police said.
Officials said they are not releasing the names of the parties involved at this time because the investigation is ongoing.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/29/jogger-dies-after-being-hit-by-pickup-truck-wednesday-in-imlay-city/70367919007/ | 2023-06-29T12:55:16 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/29/jogger-dies-after-being-hit-by-pickup-truck-wednesday-in-imlay-city/70367919007/ |
What's needed to transform Downtown West? Lakeland is planning a second public meeting
LAKELAND — Lakeland residents are being asked for their input on what the future of Downtown West should look like and what obstacles will need to be overcome.
A public forum on the Downtown West Action Plan will be held July 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Lake Hollingsworth Room of the RP Funding Center by engineering firm GAI Community Solutions Group. The consultant was hired by the city in February 2022 to study the Downtown West area and suggest ideas to improve the housing, infrastructure and economic development of the area.
The Downtown West area runs from Florida Avenue west to around Lake Beulah, from Memorial Boulevard south to north of Lime Street. It's about 1,140 acres.
"The Lakeland CRA is committed to revitalizing and improving the overall quality of life in our three districts,” Valerie Ferrell, Lakeland's Community Redevelopment Agency manager, said in a statement. “The Downtown West Action Plan serves as a blueprint for turning the community's vision into tangible outcomes, guaranteeing that gradual measures are being implemented towards achieving long-term transformation."
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Key landmarks in the area include Bonnet Springs Park and the former Florida Tile site, where construction has begun on the Prospect Lake Wire apartment complex. It covers the North Lake Wire, Crescent Heights, Lake Bonnet, Lake Beulah and Westgate Center neighborhoods.
Blake Drury of GAI Consultants gave a brief presentation to the Lakeland CRA in January talking about the consultant's early impressions of Downtown West. Drury said it's easy to see how the railroad, Sikes Boulevard and Kathleen Road divided the city's western communities. Some of the biggest changes have included the dismantling of the Moorehead community, once located where the RP Funding Center is now, and the creation of the In-Town Bypass for U.S. 98.
“Public engagement and input in development of the Downtown West Vision is critical to GAI’s completion of the plan, and no less critical to the City’s implementation of the plan," Brian Rewis, Lakeland's director of the Community and Economic Development Department, said.
One previous public meeting was held at The Yard on Mass in mid-February. The timeframe for community input and feedback on this project is expected to end this summer.
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl. | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/lakeland-plans-second-public-meeting-on-downtown-wests-future-in-july/70364873007/ | 2023-06-29T12:58:56 | 1 | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/lakeland-plans-second-public-meeting-on-downtown-wests-future-in-july/70364873007/ |
Lakeland teen, Harrison graduate relishes introduction to Broadway at awards show
Feeling bored during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, high school freshman JD Davis grabbed his father’s ancient Sony digital camera and started taking photos near his Lakeland home.
“Just birds, flowers,” he said. “There's cows in my neighborhood, so I got some of those. It was still COVID, so not many people were out. So I started with animals and just anything I could get a picture of that would stand still long enough for me to get one.”
Over the next three years, photography became an ardent passion for Davis, and he displayed an aptitude for capturing images of humans. Following a transfer to Harrison School for the Arts in Lakeland, his skill and rigor earned him a trip to New York City and a spot at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, commonly known as the Jimmy Awards.
Davis, 18, was one of two applicants selected as student reporters for the awards ceremony, which took place Monday night at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. Standing on the red carpet, he interviewed such actors as Corbin Bleu and Eva Noblezada.
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Davis, who graduated from Harrison this year, hopes it won’t be his last brush with Broadway.
“I just want to make my art for a living,” he said by phone Wednesday morning from New York. “Yeah, that's pretty much it. Anything that involves doing awesome stuff with awesome artists, this is what I'm here for.”
The Jimmy Awards, established in 2009 and named for the late Broadway producer James M. Nederlander, honor musical theater students from throughout the country. The program has helped generate more than $5 million in educational scholarships, according to its website.
Awards alumni include Nolezada, twice nominated for Tony Awards, and McKenzie Kurtz, currently playing Glinda in “Wicked” on Broadway.
Soon after discovering photography through use of his father’s camera, Davis made a down payment on a camera of his own, drawing upon earnings from two jobs. He bought a Sony A7r3 mirrorless model and a Tamron 70-180mm lens and began pursuing opportunities to take pictures at sports events for Lake Gibson High School.
Davis credits former Lake Gibson football standout Jaylon Glover with convincing the school’s coaches to allow him on the sidelines at games. From there, Davis gained permission to shoot at events for Lakeland High School, Lakeland Christian School, the Lakeland Flying Tigers and the Tampa Bay United soccer team. His portfolio also includes images of singer Jeremy Rosado and from his family’s church, Free Life Chapel, and weddings.
Enrolling at Harrison for his senior year, Davis pursued a concentration in motion picture arts. He became immersed in the musical theater program, creating a documentary on the school’s production of “Mary Poppins.”
Making quick impact
Suzi Lambert, a voice teacher at Harrison, said Davis became a central presence at the school despite not having attended in previous grades.
“He was just at everything,” Lambert said. “I am, along with my husband, we're both theater managers, so we were at all of the events for all of the departments, and he just seemed to be present for everything, taking pictures at every moment, video, all kinds of stuff. So he had just been there a year, but he became very noticed. He just became friends with everyone in such a short amount of time, which was pretty unique.”
Lambert said she was going through emails on her lunch break when she saw one from the Straz Center seeking applicants for the student reporter program. Harrison has had theater students invited to the Jimmy Awards — in recent years, Janiyah McAllister and Ronald Spoto — but not a student reporter.
Lambert encouraged Davis to apply for the Straz Center’s Broadway Star of the Future program, a regional competition affiliated with the Jimmy Awards. Davis said he spent about a week at the Straz Center, creating photos and video of performers from schools in the Tampa Bay area.
More than 90 applicants for the Jimmy Awards reporting category created video clips describing how they would cover the program on social media, and a panel reviewed the videos and selected 10 to upload to the Jimmy Awards’ social media platforms.
The videos remained online for about three weeks, after which the judges chose two reporters, based on poise, professionalism and camera presence, according to the program’s website. The panel also considered web analytics, including page views and positive or negative reactions.
Davis said he began anxiously checking his phone on the day he expected the two winners to be announced. He was taking a shower when he heard an email notification. Reaching from the shower, he checked his phone and found an email of congratulations.
“I remember literally hopping out the shower and just losing my mind and calling one of my friends to tell them,” he said.
The other student reporter chosen was Katie Koslow of Connecticut.
A signature to his photos
The Jimmy Awards covered the cost of transportation to New York. Davis’ father, Jonathan K. Davis, accompanied him on the trip, arriving in New York on Saturday. JD said he visited The Julliard School, a prestigious conservatory, and received a tour of the studio of TV station WABC, a media partner of the Jimmy Awards.
Davis also visited the Minskoff Theatre, site of the award ceremony, and he met Andrew Barth Feldman, a former Jimmy winner who starred on Broadway in “Dear Evan Hansen” and appears in the new Jennifer Lawrence movie, “No Hard Feelings.” He also met cast members from “MJ: The Musical,” based on the life of Michael Jackson.
“So we got to meet all those amazing people and talk to them for a little bit and do some interviews with them,” Davis said.
Harrison graduate Quentin Darrington plays two roles in “MJ: The Musical.” Though he wasn’t present for the cast visit to the theater, Davis said Darrington met him for breakfast the next morning.
Photos from the event show Davis in brown slacks and a cream, double-breasted coat, looking relaxed and confident as he interviews Broadway performers, some of them former Jimmy Award winners. He also worked behind his camera, capturing images of the actors on the red carpet.
“He's very talented,” Lambert said. “And you can tell, he has a signature to his photography. Like, you could go, ‘Oh, that’s got to be JD.’ He just has it. When I was looking at the pictures being posted through the Jimmy Awards on their social media, I could tell what was his work just because of the energy that he gets from the people that he's working with. He just brings out a really genuine reaction to the moment.”
The trip marked Davis’ first visit to New York, and he has been eagerly sampling the sights. A devotee of Frank Sinatra, he made a pilgrimage to Hoboken, New Jersey, the crooner’s hometown, to see a waterfront park named for Ol’ Blue Eyes. Back in New York, he toured the Apollo Theater in Harlem and ventured to Washington Heights to see a bodega used in the filming of the movie musical “In the Heights.”
“I was like, ‘I need a picture here,’” Davis said. “It's only so often I'm going to be in New York.”
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/lakeland-teen-gets-introduction-to-broadway-stage-as-student-reporter/70364372007/ | 2023-06-29T12:59:02 | 1 | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/lakeland-teen-gets-introduction-to-broadway-stage-as-student-reporter/70364372007/ |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Jackson 285 cfs
Snake River at Palisades 10,770 cfs
Snake River at Heise 11,833 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 4,839 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 14,053 cfs
Snake River at Milner 3,008 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 257 cfs
Jackson Lake is 85% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 99% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 87% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 91% of capacity.
As of June 28 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_ceec146c-15f0-11ee-8647-bb50560cfbfd.html | 2023-06-29T13:01:55 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_ceec146c-15f0-11ee-8647-bb50560cfbfd.html |
Editor’s note: This feature first ran April 25, 2019, in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com.
Longtime Heyburn resident J.A. Handy described in 1959 the area before the Minidoka Project.
“The first time I saw the spot where Heyburn now stands, was in 1901, I was employed by a sheep company, and was looking for a good range for the sheep, and wasn’t looking for a home, or a place to make one,” Handy wrote. “If I had I sure would have passed up the place where Heyburn now stands.”
But in June 1902, the federal government passed the Reclamation Act, created the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and eventually brought irrigation water to 17 states in the West, including Idaho.
The Bureau began the Minidoka Project at Lake Walcott in 1904 to divert water from the Snake River, creating farms and new towns on both sides of the river.
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By 1919, the fertile Mini-Cassia soil supported 2,208 farms and a population of 17,000, according to the Bureau’s website.
The first town on the irrigation project was called Riverton. It was later renamed Heyburn for U.S. Sen. Weldon Brinton Heyburn, who died in 1912 just months after collapsing on the floor of the Senate while delivering a speech.
“The first activity around Heyburn was when O.S.L. (Oregon Short Line) Railroad Co., started hauling material from Minidoka (train station) to the river to build the railroad bridge across Snake River at Heyburn in the fall of 1904,” Handy wrote when asked to tell what he remembered about the area’s history.
The town started as a town of 19 tents, home to the bridge workers, he said.
Before the railroad bridge was completed, two men by the names of Smith and Hollen put a ferry across the Snake River to transport building materials to the new town of Burley.
The O.S.L. Railroad was finished from the Minidoka train station to Heyburn and the first engine crossed the Heyburn Bridge on June 10, 1905.
Blue Lakes this, and Blue Lakes that. A great-grandson of Twin Falls founder I.B. Perrine wonders why folks in the Magic Valley don't know where the term "Blue Lakes" came from.
Between 1856 and 1860, more than 3,000 Mormons pushed handcarts 1,300 miles on the 85-day trip to reach the Salt Lake Valley.
Mychel Matthews is the managing editor for the Times-News. The Hidden History feature runs every Thursday in the Times-News and on Magicvalley.com. If you have a question about something that may have historical significance, email Matthews at mmatthews@magicvalley.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/from-riverton-to-heyburn/article_7deb2fbd-0f19-52b0-9815-e32bb1d359ae.html | 2023-06-29T13:01:55 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/from-riverton-to-heyburn/article_7deb2fbd-0f19-52b0-9815-e32bb1d359ae.html |
Art Trail on Route 66 set for July 7-8
BLOOMINGTON — The Art Trail on Route 66 will take place in downtown Bloomington from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 7 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 8.
Eaton Studio Gallery, 411 N. Center St., will be participating in the event where attendees can get their "art fix" and "photo pics."
The gallery will showcase local artist Herb Eaton's Route 66 designs in cards, prints, stickers and magnets along with his "Riverscapes" and "Simple Places" drawings and paintings along the route.
Patrons will be able to take photos in front of Herb's Illinois Dancer in Corn Alley and learn about the history of the 1902 two-story brick building that used to repair cars that broke down on Route 66.
The Art Trail includes 16 brick-and-mortar stops throughout Bloomington-Normal featuring the work of local artists. Each stop on the trail is participating in the free, inclusive, accessible art education and appreciation event for all ages, rain or shine.
Trail maps can be picked up at any of the locations and receive a clue during First Friday activities and throughout the day on Saturday.
Those who complete the scavenger hunt can pick up prizes at the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center at the McLean County Museum of History.
Illinois Art Station will also have accessible art activities for kids on the museum square on Friday.
On Saturday morning, the Plein Air Artists of McLean County will bring the Art Trail as they create on-site paintings during the downtown Bloomington Farmers' Market. Second Saturday Sidewalk Sales will also take place in downtown Bloomington.
From 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, guests can join local artists at The Hangar Art Company for a celebration to end the event. | https://pantagraph.com/life-entertainment/local/arts-in-brief-art-trail-on-route-66-set-for-july-7-8/article_cba383d8-111f-11ee-9ecf-57755b0f3b75.html | 2023-06-29T13:03:03 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/life-entertainment/local/arts-in-brief-art-trail-on-route-66-set-for-july-7-8/article_cba383d8-111f-11ee-9ecf-57755b0f3b75.html |
BLOOMINGTON — Country music singer Eric Church has been announced as the Friday night headliner for the 2024 Tailgate N' Tallboys festival in Bloomington.
Next year's event is set for June 12-15 at the Interstate Center, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington.
Eric Church, shown at the 49th annual CMA Awards in November 2015, tied Chris Stapleton with five nominees each for the 51st annual Academy of Country Music Awards. He is set to perform at Tailgate N' Tallboys in June 2024.
CHRIS PIZZELLO, Invision/AP
Church has released nine studio albums since his debut in 2005. He is known for hits like "Springsteen," "Drink In My Hand", "Hell Of A View," "Record Year," "How 'Bout You," "Two Pink Lines" and "Guys Like Me."
The rest of the lineup has yet to be announced and tickets have not yet gone on sale. Those who are interested, however, can sign up for access to exclusive offers, presales and more at usa-concerts.hive-pages.com .
President of USA Concerts & Events Wayne Klein talks about Tailgate N' Tallboys
Clay Jackson
Photos: 2023 Make Music Normal festival
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Friday night during the 2023 Make Music Normal festival.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
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Get local news delivered to your inbox! | https://pantagraph.com/life-entertainment/local/music/country-singer-eric-church-to-headline-tailgate-n-tallboys-2024/article_06c02400-15ec-11ee-acf1-2b2b163be00e.html | 2023-06-29T13:03:09 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/life-entertainment/local/music/country-singer-eric-church-to-headline-tailgate-n-tallboys-2024/article_06c02400-15ec-11ee-acf1-2b2b163be00e.html |
Additional showers and storms are likely in Illinois today. Damaging wind and hail are expected in spots. Flooding and tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Get all the details on the hazards and the timing of the storms in our updated forecast video.
Stock your car first aid kit with these essentials for summer road trips
1. Bandages
Small cuts and scrapes are common during road trips, especially if you plan on camping or hiking. Grab a variety pack of adhesive bandages to quickly address minor injuries and protect wounds from dirt. This 300-piece variety pack from Curad includes antibacterial, heavy-duty, and waterproof bandages in a variety of shades and sizes.
2. Gauze Pads and Tape
Hopefully you don't get a larger wound, but if you are in a more serious accident it’s helpful to have gauze pads and tape on hand. If you have an injury that’s too large for an adhesive bandage, apply the gauze directly to the wound to control bleeding and secure it with tape until you can seek medical attention. This Rite Aid variety pack includes sterile gauze pads and tape.
3. Alcohol Prep Pads
Keeping an injury sterile will help it heal faster and reduce the risk of infection. When you’re on the road, soap and water might not be available, so keep some alcohol prep pads, like these wipes from Ever Ready , on hand.
4. Anti-Itch Soothing Balm
While insect repellent is probably already on your packing list, bug bites and stings are inevitable if you spend enough time outside in the summer. This pocket-sized tin of soothing balm from Murphy’s Naturals will save you some discomfort.
5. Instant Cold Packs
If you sprain or strain your ankle on a hike, instant cold packs can be a serious vacation saver. These disposable cold packs from AllSett Health Store don’t require refrigeration and can help bring down pain and swelling.
6. Scissors and Tweezers
A pair of first-aid scissors can help you safely cut tape, gauze, or clothing in case of an emergency. Tweezers are also helpful to have for bee stings or splinters. This set from First Aid Only Store contains both for under five dollars.
7. Pain Relievers
Whether you sustain a sprain on a hike or just have a headache after a long day of driving, keeping an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, like Ibuprofen , on hand will ensure your summer road trip goes as smoothly as possible.
8. Aloe Vera Gel
Even if you slather on sunscreen, some sunburns can feel unavoidable in the summer. Keeping a bottle of aloe vera in your car first aid kit, like this hydrating gel from Sun Bum , can help you cool down.
9. Burn Relief Cream
Who doesn’t love long summer nights around the campfire? Unfortunately, sometimes minor burns happen to even the most careful campers. Keep some Neosporin burn relief cream in your car to treat any injuries.
10. Poison Oak and Ivy Wipes
No one wants to deal with an itchy rash from poison ivy or poison oak, especially while stuck in a car for several hours a day. If you run into any poison plants on your summer hikes, these Tecnu waterless detox wipes can remove the irritating oils so your skin clears up more quickly.
Local Weather
Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/weather/weather-forecast-illinois-rain-storms-severe/article_087ab553-2594-59bd-936f-7ba91aef0d47.html | 2023-06-29T13:03:21 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/weather/weather-forecast-illinois-rain-storms-severe/article_087ab553-2594-59bd-936f-7ba91aef0d47.html |
Bishop Richard Stika is out. Now what's next for East Tennessee Catholics?
Knoxville Catholics lost their bishop this week and gained an apostolic administrator after Bishop Richard Stika announced Pope Francis had accepted his resignation June 27.
Stika’s decision comes amid allegations of mismanagement and two lawsuits that question his leadership.
For his part, Stika said in a statement he resigned because of ongoing health concerns.
Regardless, the diocese is under new leadership. Here's a brief look at what to expect next.
So who’s in charge of the Diocese of Knoxville?
The diocese announced the Pope has appointed Louisville Archbishop Shelton Fabre, who already oversees the diocese as the metropolitan see, as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Knoxville. He will serve until the appointment and installation of a new bishop.
Fabre will remain archbishop of Louisville, which oversees dioceses in Kentucky, plus the Tennessee regions around Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville.
Diocese spokesperson Jim Wogan said Fabre has already met with the priests and told them he plans to be in Knoxville frequently until a new bishop is appointed.
How has the diocese handled this in the past?
The Rev. Al Humbrecht was twice previously elected by the college of consultors as an interim leader of the diocese, first when Bishop Anthony O'Connell left for Palm Beach, Florida, and again when Bishop Joseph Kurtz was named archbishop of Louisville. Both of those departures were planned, however, and likely less stress-inducing for leaders in Rome.
This time though, the job has been tasked to the archbishop, which is an appropriate decision, Humbrecht said.
Fabre has previously met with priests in the diocese and so, if nothing else, he will have a working understanding of the problems they have faced here.
“He’s the first official person who most priests felt like really listened to us,” Humbrecht said. “Every priest who contacted him, he responded.”
What is an apostolic administrator’s role?
The administrator will be tasked with handling the pastoral needs and administration of the diocese.
How long will it take to name a new bishop?
This is unclear, but the church is centuries old and does not move with haste. Pope Francis will likely take his time and appoint someone in a year or so, Humbrecht said.
Wogan echoed these words and said, simply, there is no timetable.
Tyler Whetstone is a Knox News investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Email tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Twitter @tyler_whetstone. | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/bishop-richard-stika-is-out-what-next-east-tennessee-knoxville-catholics/70359991007/ | 2023-06-29T13:08:40 | 1 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/bishop-richard-stika-is-out-what-next-east-tennessee-knoxville-catholics/70359991007/ |
Venomous or harmless? What to do if you see a snake around your home this summer
As if black bears strolling through your neighborhood weren't enough, now you might want to check your basement for snakes.
Just a quick search on social media offers visual proof that slithery serpents have made their way onto lawns, decks and patios, and even inside homes in recent weeks.
“Snakes are very common on the Tennessee landscape and sightings are going to occur during the warm months of the year,” Cameron Matthews of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency told Knox News.
“Seeing a snake is no different than seeing a robin or seeing a deer. They’re simply part of our regional fauna.”
Snakes cannot regulate their body temperatures, so they seek out warmth from rocks, concrete, asphalt, tin and other objects and structures that hold heat.
Kaden Ladd, the owner of Volunteer Wildlife Control, is called to remove snakes from Knoxville homes around four times a week this time of year. In fact, he had just talked to a client about removing a snake before chatting with Knox News earlier this month.
“Usually over the phone, they're copperheads. But by the time I get there, they’ve somehow magically changed to either black snakes or rat snakes,” Ladd said.
Which types of snakes are common in Knoxville?
There are 35 types of snakes in Tennessee according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Only four of them are venomous, and two of those are found in East Tennessee.
Gray rat snakes are the most common snakes found in our region of the state, Cameron said. They are also referred to as black snakes, Eastern black snakes, chicken snakes and pilot snakes. They use constriction to kill prey and are not venomous.
These are the snakes Ladd usually finds on calls. But fear – a healthy fear, he noted – leads clients to assume a dangerous snake has entered their property.
The black snakes “all will rattle their tails to look and sound tougher than they are,” Phil Colclough, a herpetologist at Knoxville Zoo, told Knox News, but he noted that these snakes can bite, too.
What to do if you see a snake
If you find yourself facing off with a snake, you’re not supposed to kill it. All snake species are protected in Tennessee, and it is illegal to kill them here, unless there’s an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury.
“Snakes think that we’re monsters compared to them, size-wise,” Ladd said. “They only usually strike out of fear. They think that you're gonna hurt them.”
“Fear of snakes is a learned behavior, passed down from generation to generation. Snakes are probably one of the most misunderstood species that we deal with,” Cameron added.
Nonvenomous snakes pose no threat to human life, and the likelihood of encountering dangerous venomous ones in the area is low, he noted.
“If a venomous snake is on your porch or in your house, there's a definite threat. If one is in your yard, then that could also be seen as a potential threat,” Cameron said. “You don’t know where that animal will be 20 minutes from now, so you, your children or pets might find it the hard way.”
Ladd’s biggest advice is to not mess with any snakes if you don’t have experience or are unsure if they are venomous, and because even nonvenomous ones can bite.
TWRA suggests covering vents and drains that lead into your home with screening and removing what attracted the critter such as junk piles, rubble, wood, brush, thick vegetation or bird feeders that attract rodents. Keep areas near your home free of weeds and tall grass. Contact a wildlife agency to remove the snake.
If you’re brave enough to deal with a snake inside your home yourself, it’s possible to gently herd it outside with a long-reach object like a broom, the Humane Society states. Other options include placing an empty pail or wastebasket over it or confining it to a room until a handler arrives.
Snakes in Tennessee
Snakes are most active during the early spring and early summer as temperatures increase, according to A-Z Animals. Tennessee is home to 35 types of snakes in total. Four of those types are venomous: Copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake and pygmy rattlesnake. Only two of those - copperheads and timber rattlesnakes - are found in East Tennessee.
Common harmless types of snakes in East Tennessee include red-bellied snakes, smooth earth snakes, ring-necked snakes, eastern milksnakes and gray rat snakes.
Timber rattlesnakes are the largest and most dangerous of the venomous snakes in Tennessee. However, populations are declining across the region, TWRA noted. They are likely found in mature, heavily wooded forests with rocky, south-facing hillsides. It is common to see them coiled near fallen logs or sunning on rocks.
Copperheads are found throughout the state and prefer mature forests, rocky, wooded hillsides with abundant logs, leaf litter, or rocks for cover. They avoid open areas such as pastures and agricultural fields. On a somewhat positive note, their venom is not very potent and fatalities from their bites are extremely rare.
Although there’s some debate, Phil Colclough of Knoxville Zoo said venomous cottonmouth snakes do not inhabit East Tennessee. TWRA reports cottonmouths are only in the far middle and western parts of the state.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Twitter @dturner1208.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/east-tennessee-snakes-venomous-harmless-what-to-know/70329071007/ | 2023-06-29T13:08:41 | 0 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/east-tennessee-snakes-venomous-harmless-what-to-know/70329071007/ |
Knoxville's real-time crime center will have eyes in the sky starting next year
Knoxville Police Department staffers have been busy moving into the new Public Safety Complex in North Knoxville over the last few months.
But up on the sixth floor, the buildout for its Real-Time Information Center is just beginning.
The center, essentially a surveillance hub with a network of video cameras throughout the community that analysts will watch on a wall of monitors, should be up and running by the middle of next year.
Money to pay for the project was approved during a wave of violence across the country that dramatically increased the number of murders in Knoxville, though those figures have started to come down.
Knoxville saw a startling jump in homicides, from 22 in 2019 to 37 homicides in 2020, a 68% increase. In 2021, the city experienced an additional 11% increase.
Those numbers did drop last year, from from 41 to 35.
The huge investment, proponents say, is one piece of the puzzle as the city and its police department work to save lives.
What is a real-time information center?
Real-time information centers, also known as crime or intelligence centers, are designed to quickly determine suspect vehicle descriptions and a suspect's criminal history, and to take a look at what's happening nearby when a crime occurs. It can help get on-the-fly information to officers.
The primary use would be to help identify those who commit violent crimes, Police Chief Paul Noel has said.
"It would be great if such crimes could be captured on camera or as the suspect is fleeing the scene," he told the Knoxville City Council last year.
It also will support calls for service, Noel said. An analyst will be able to use the cameras to scan the area and give additional information to officers in the field.
And, he added, it will offer more situational awareness during large community events. Noel brought up the possibility of an active shooter, with the center's operators helping with investigation support.
Knoxville plans to have 15 or more cameras up and running when the center goes online, according to the police department's website.
Where in the city the cameras are placed depends on "an analysis of historical and contemporary crime data, community input, insight from officers based on their experiences and observations within their beats, and vendor consultation regarding the best practices," the website says. Cameras can be moved as needed.
Noel has said they'll go primarily where officers deal with violent crime plus where data shows they can do the most good.
How much is this costing the city of Knoxville?
The center's buildout will cost just over $1.5 million, which was authorized in the city's 2023 Capital Improvement Projects budget.
Of that, $1 million is coming from the city's general fund, with $522,000 allocated from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, a city spokesperson said.
The American Rescue Plan Act provides state, county, local and tribal entities across the country with billions to respond to the public health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But many cities have spent the money on law enforcement, with many allocating money to “community violence intervention” projects that ranged from police dogs to surveillance cameras, according to the Marshall Project.
Knoxville's buildout is scheduled to be complete by this fall. After that, the city will need to authorize more funding for infrastructure such as cameras.
Chattanooga and Memphis both have established centers. Do they deter crime?
The Chattanooga Police Department has had a Real Time Intelligence Center since 2017. At the end of 2021, Chattanooga had 53 cameras throughout the city.
Chattanooga has touted successes that include a homicide in 2019 that quickly resulted in an arrest thanks to the center’s camera system. A man was shot in front of a market in April that year, in the line of sight of one of the city’s most-used cameras livestreaming back to the crime center. Investigators pulled the footage and had a suspect identified in 30 minutes. The suspect turned himself in the following day.
The program received a black eye in 2022, however, when it was learned that cameras were offline during a mass shooting in which three people died. The camera that would have covered the shooting had been down for weeks awaiting repair. While police insisted the missing camera did not hamper their investigation, many questioned whether the crowd that gathered before the violence started could have been noticed and dispersed.
The Memphis Police Department also has a Real-Time Crime Center that has access to more than 3,000 cameras across the city.
A 2021 investigation by the Daily Memphianexamined records of all crime investigations in the city and found little data to support claims that the city's surveillance system has deterred crime. It found only a small percentage of investigations even mentioned the camera program and only one murder investigation in 2021 did. In 2021, only 3% of 74,000 crime reports mentioned the SkyCop cameras, the outlet reported.
"In 2020, with thousands of SkyCop cameras monitoring streets, the violent-crime rate was 2,351 per 100,000 — an increase of about 57% over 2010, and nearly six times the national average," the report said.
But earlier this year, Memphis’ camera system recorded the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by police officers. The overhead footage, publicly released along with some of the officers’ body camera videos, has been regarded as critical in shaping the public’s understanding of what unfolded after the police pulled over Nichols that night, by offering an unobstructed bird’s-eye view.
Liz Kellar is a public safety reporter. Email lkellar@knoxnews.com.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/knoxvilles-real-time-crime-center-will-have-cameras-across-city/70222746007/ | 2023-06-29T13:08:52 | 0 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/knoxvilles-real-time-crime-center-will-have-cameras-across-city/70222746007/ |
The controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline project has been given the green light after years of pushback.
This week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted all remaining permits needed to continue construction on the pipeline, a project that has been in the works for more than a decade.
In a report detailing the approval, it reads: “Accordingly, Mountain Valley has all necessary authorizations for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project. Mountain Valley is therefore authorized to proceed with all remaining construction associated with the project. Specifically, Mountain Valley is authorized to proceed with construction in the Jefferson National Forest, 15, and with all remaining waterbody crossings, 16 including waterbody crossings previously approved through the Commission staff variance process.”
The pipeline was approved as part of a debt ceiling negotiation between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which we reported on here. It’s a move that was frowned upon by several state and federal lawmakers, including U.S. Senator Tim Kaine who previously released a statement saying that it was “unrelated to the debt ceiling matter.”
Construction on the project began in 2018 and is close to finished -- now 94% complete; however, legal challenges and permit complications kept it from crossing the finish line.
Now, with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval, the project can move forward. There are only 20 miles left to build and estimates show it could be done by the end of the year.
Once complete, the buried 42-inch interstate natural gas pipeline will run about 303.5 miles from northwest West Virginia to southern Virginia.
Click here to learn more about the project.
Will the Mountain Valley Pipeline pass through your property? Let us know how you will be impacted using the form below:
You can read the full document of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s order here: | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/29/all-remaining-permits-granted-for-mountain-valley-pipeline-project/ | 2023-06-29T13:15:27 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/29/all-remaining-permits-granted-for-mountain-valley-pipeline-project/ |
DANVILLE, Va. – A 27-year-old man was pronounced dead after a shooting in Danville Wednesday night, according to the Danville Police Department.
At about 10:30 p.m., officers were sent to the 200 block of Southland Drive, where shots had been fired.
Once at the scene, they located Andreiu D. Barley who appeared to have been hurt in a shooting. He was then transported to SOVAH Health, where he later passed away.
Danville Police say after getting into an argument with another individual, Barley “initiated an exchange of gunfire” with a 17-year-old boy who was inside a vehicle. Witnesses told police that the two knew one another.
Not long after responding to the shots fired call, officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Franklin Turnpike for a vehicle that had been shot into. Officers later determined that this was the same vehicle believed to be involved in the initial incident on Southland Drive.
The juvenile has been charged with the following:
- Underage possession of a firearm
- Discharging a firearm within the city limits
- Reckless handling of a firearm
The homicide remains under investigation, and officers aren’t looking for any other suspects.
Anyone who has information is asked to please contact the Danville Police Department by either calling patrol at 434-799-6510 option 4, investigations at 434-799-6508 option 1, and option 1 again, calling 911, contacting Crime Stoppers at 434-793-0000, approach any officer you see, through social media, via email crimetips@danvilleva.gov, or use our crime tips app CARE at www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=818#. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/29/juvenile-facing-several-charges-in-connection-with-fatal-shooting-in-danville/ | 2023-06-29T13:15:33 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/29/juvenile-facing-several-charges-in-connection-with-fatal-shooting-in-danville/ |
BLOOMINGTON — The 10th annual BloNo Kite Fest will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Grove Elementary School, in partnership with For A Better Tomorrow.
Kite Fest is a fundraising event that helps support grant recipients awarded by For a Better Tomorrow. The nonprofit organization received 16 grant applications and six were selected to receive nearly $24,000 in total.
Those nonprofits include Safe Passage in Guatemala, Konnect Youth Consortium in Kenya, Illinois Art Station, Back to School Alliance, Prairie Pride Coalition and INtegRity Counseling.
Kite Fest will feature live performances, robotics and astronomy presentations, face painting, music, games, a K9 demonstration, fire truck display, 1K run, nonprofit fair and food vendors.
Cora Guerrero, 7, Normal, appears to give Star Wars characters C-3PO and R2-D2 a ride in the clouds on May 19, 2019, during the sixth annual Kite Fest at Illinois State University's Hancock Stadium. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/kite-fest-2023-set-for-july-15-in-bloomington/article_3df363fa-15cf-11ee-a790-23c743e14430.html | 2023-06-29T13:20:33 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/kite-fest-2023-set-for-july-15-in-bloomington/article_3df363fa-15cf-11ee-a790-23c743e14430.html |
ODESSA, Texas — The City of Odessa played host for this year's annual Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Conference.
More than 70 state Chamber of Commerce members came together over a span of three days, learning fresh approaches to combat obstacles and hearing from lead experts on issues that are relevant in today's world.
"There's so many different resources just relying on our different colleagues through the state, there's so much we could learn from just sitting down and talking with," said President/CEO of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce Renee Earls. "Finding out about projects or programs they have we can immolate here in Odessa or other chambers. We had a talk today on disasters and tragedies and Odessa is very familiar with having both of those and so we had Chambers from Uvalde and Allen, Texas who could also talk about their experience."
Not only were members able to see how other Texas Chambers operate, but also be reminded why their jobs are important to serving the city.
"We exist to help businesses and I think that through these times we've been dealing with the last couple years, Chambers have really stepped to the front and are the leaders in those industries," said TCCE Board Chair and CEO of the Pearland Chamber Jim Johnson. "And that's what we're talking about we're hearing the successes, the challenges that's taking place in the last couple years and it's exciting to hear all these people come together and share what's working. So, then you can take it back to your own community and see what you can apply and continue to be great for your own businesses for your own town."
Members will wrap things up and talk about what the future holds for Chambers at the meeting on June 29. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/city-of-odessa-plays-host-for-annual-texas-chamber-of-commerce-executives-conference/513-a415ae2d-b890-4e23-9508-0b6856b22782 | 2023-06-29T13:23:45 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/city-of-odessa-plays-host-for-annual-texas-chamber-of-commerce-executives-conference/513-a415ae2d-b890-4e23-9508-0b6856b22782 |
ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — A deceased body has been found by the Ector County Sheriff's Office after a trailer caught on fire.
Deputies responded to the structure fire at 9:09 p.m. on June 28 in the 200 block of Tool Street. Odessa Fire Rescue joined the Deputies on the scene and found the body after the fire was extinguished.
At this time, the deceased body has not been identified and the remains will be released to the Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy has also been requested.
The investigation is still ongoing. We will continue to update this story as we receive more information. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/deceased-body-found-inside-trailer-that-caught-on-fire/513-77341b91-83ef-4489-a094-4041c72de993 | 2023-06-29T13:23:46 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/deceased-body-found-inside-trailer-that-caught-on-fire/513-77341b91-83ef-4489-a094-4041c72de993 |
Area parks host free outdoor movie nights through the summer.
“Movie Nights in the Park” takes place Fridays at dusk in Petrifying Springs Park, Area No. 1 (next to the Biergarten), 5555 Seventh St. in Somers.
Movies scheduled this summer are:
- “Jaws” (June 30)
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (July 7)
- “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (July 14)
- “The Goonies” (July 21)
- “Thor Love and Thunder” (July 28)
- “Jurassic World” (Aug. 4)
- “Mitchells vs. the Machines” (Aug. 11)
- “Back to the Future” (Aug. 18)
To find out which movie is playing, “like” Kenosha County Parks on Facebook for weekly movie listings.
- Waterford shows family friendly movies in Village Hall Park, 123 N. River St., on these Thursdays: July 6 and 20 and Aug. 3 and 17. Audience members should bring a chair and blankets to enjoy the outdoor movies next to the Fox River. Beverages and snacks will be sold.
- The Village of Twin Lakes shows free movies in Lance Park, 55 Lance Drive (on Lake Mary) on two more Friday nights at dusk. This summer’s films are: “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” on July 2 and “DC League of Superpets” on July 21.
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Note: All movie nights are free to attend and are subject to cancellation due to weather conditions. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/free-movie-nights-at-area-parks/article_4059c382-1467-11ee-b1f8-bf7e0239d218.html | 2023-06-29T13:24:11 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/free-movie-nights-at-area-parks/article_4059c382-1467-11ee-b1f8-bf7e0239d218.html |
June 29 is International Mud Day, and the Pringle Nature Center — located in Bristol Woods County Park, 9800 160th Ave. in Bristol — is hosting a Mud Day Celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. today. Pringle will have mud pits and lawn games to encourage young kids to enjoy some fun in the mud. (There will also be a sprinkler on site for cleaning up afterward.) Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more details about the event, go to pringlenc.org/events.
Play ball! The Kenosha Kingfish are back in action today at Simmons Field. The Kingfish are hosting the Rockford Rivets for a 6:35 p.m. game. It’s also Teacher Appreciation Night. For tickets, call 262-653-0900 or go to kingfishbaseball.com.
The new Rhythm on the Lake Concert Series continues it summer season of weekly free concerts in Old Settlers Park, 24100 75th St. in Paddock Lake. Concerts are 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, each week through Aug. 17, on the new band shell in the park, overlooking the lake. The group Feed the Dog performs on June 29. Bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. Concessions will be available for purchase, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from a pop-up beer garden. For more details, go to parks.kenoshacounty.org.
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Looking for live music tonight? The Rhythm Dogs Blues Jam starts at 8:30 tonight at Union Park Tavern, 4520 Eighth Ave. It’s free, and everyone is welcome.
The Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave., is hosting the Transparent Watercolor Society’s annual exhibit, showcasing paintings from the top transparent watercolor artists in the country. Admission is free. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. www.KenoshaPublicMuseum.org.
In Milwaukee, the Big Gig is back! Summerfest opens its second weekend, with the Dave Matthews band headlining the festival tonight. It’s “Throwback Thursday,” with $5 admission until 6 p.m. and half-off beverages. For more details about the festival, see our “Road Trips” story in today’s Get Out & About entertainment section. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-thursday-june-29/article_ddc2fe1e-1556-11ee-8785-4718d31bd214.html | 2023-06-29T13:24:17 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-thursday-june-29/article_ddc2fe1e-1556-11ee-8785-4718d31bd214.html |
KENOSHA — The Kenosha Pops Concert Band continues its 101st season, with its annual appearance in the July 2 Kenosha Civic Veterans Parade, along with two programs later next week, both packed with patriotic tunes.
On Sunday, the band's float leads off the Kenosha parade, at the head of the first division.
Then, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the group's two performances will be packed with patriotic favorites.
The Pops Band will play at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4, as part of the City of Kenosha’s pre-fireworks entertainment, and again at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5.
Both performances are on the band shell in Pennoyer Park.
“We load up these programs with patriotic music,” said Craig Gall, the band’s conductor. “On July 4, it’s packed with Americana to usher in the fireworks.”
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Then, on July 5, the band repeats much of the program, with a few changes.
“We have audience members who are out of town for July Fourth or can’t make it to the lakefront for the afternoon program,” Gall said. “And some folks enjoy these traditional pieces so much, they’ll come to both shows.”
A highlight each year at the band’s July 4 concert is the group’s “Salute to the Services Medley.”
The band wraps up its July 4 concert by performing the five official marches of the five branches of the U.S. armed forces: “U.S. Field Artillery March” (Army), “Anchor’s Aweigh” (Navy), “U.S. Marines on Parade” (Marine Corps), “Army Air Corps March” (Air Force) and “Semper Paratus” (Coast Guard).
After the marches comes an echo taps performance with two trumpets, then the playing of the national anthem and John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.” (Those marches will also be played on July 5 but will be placed throughout the program and not performed together as the grand finale.)
Both concerts will also feature other marches and vocals by Pops’ master of ceremonies Greg Berg on “America the Beautiful” and other tunes.
At the July 5 performances, pre-concert entertainment starts at 6:15 p.m. at the band shell. The Lighthouse Brigade Band, directed by Laura Shapovalov, will perform.
Gall is in his 21st season as the band’s musical director; Kathy Ripley is in her second season as the assistant conductor. She also plays flute with the Pops. Admission to all concerts is free.
Note: Bench seating is provided at the band shell. Audience members may also bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. Pennoyer Park is located at 35th Street and Seventh Avenue at Kenosha’s lakefront. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-pops-band-performs-patriotic-programs-on-july-4-and-5/article_9b8d8eb6-1447-11ee-aead-6738d1ff77d5.html | 2023-06-29T13:24:23 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-pops-band-performs-patriotic-programs-on-july-4-and-5/article_9b8d8eb6-1447-11ee-aead-6738d1ff77d5.html |
Thinking of a short road trip? There are plenty of summer season celebrations along the I-94 corridor from Milwaukee to Chicago:
JUNE
Jazz in the Park
When: Thursdays, through Aug. 31. The music starts at 5 p.m.
Where: Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. in Milwaukee
Known for: The outdoor concert series, established in 1991, attracts more than 5,000 concertgoers each week and offers a variety of food and beverage options from local vendors. Concerts feature a diverse lineup of performers. The opening concert showcases Kavon Cortez Jones and The Next Paperback Hero, playing the “funkiest jazz on the planet." This year's concert series wraps up Kenosha's own Kal Bergendahl Project.
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Admission: Free
More information: easttown.com
Cathedral Square Marketplace
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through July 9; and July 23 to Aug. 27
Where: Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. in Milwaukee
Known for: Fresh produce from more than 100 Wisconsin farmers, locally made crafts, live local entertainment (starting at 10:30 a.m.), crafters, bakers and chefs, plus a free outdoor yoga class (starting at 9 a.m.).
Admission: Free
More information: easttown.com
Concerts in the Gardens
When: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31
Where: Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Drive in Hales Corners
Known for: The summer concert series "invites music lovers to pack a picnic along with their blankets and lawn chairs."
Admission: Free for the concerts (and Boerner Botanical Gardens) after 6 p.m. on concert dates.
More information: boernerbotanicalgardens.org
JULY
Music in the Park
When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays, July 10-Aug. 28; and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 12-Aug. 16
Where: Lake Park Summer Stage, 2975 N. Lake Park Road in Milwaukee
Known for: Musical Mondays features a diverse lineup. The Wednesday performances are geared toward children and families. Note: Concerts move inside if the weather is bad.
Admission: Free
Note: bring your own chairs, blankets, food and beverages.
Special opening concert: The series kicks off with a 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, performance by the Florentine Opera: Mozart in the park, featuring scenes from Mozart’s most beloved operas. No knowledge of opera required. It's billed as "fun for the whole family."
More information: lakeparkfriends.org
Bastille Days
When: Thursday-Sunday, July 13 to 16. Open 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Where: Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. in Milwaukee
Known for: This French-themed celebration kicks off with the Storming of the Bastille 5K Run, possibly the best name for a fun run. The street fest also features live music, French cuisine, wine tastings and a 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica.
Admission: Free
More information: easttown.com
Milwaukee Night Market
When: 5 to 10 p.m. on three Wednesdays: July 19, Aug. 16 and Sept. 13
Where: In Downtown Milwaukee on West Wisconsin Avenue between Second Street and Vel R. Phillips Avenue.
Known for: Featuring vendors, performances and artists. Or, as organizers describe it: "The Milwaukee Night Market transforms the heart of downtown into an exciting fusion of all the city has to offer."
Admission: Free
More information: mkenightmarket.com
Milwaukee Air and Water Show
When: Saturday-Sunday, July 22 to 23
Where: Milwaukee’s lakefront, from Bradford Beach and parts of McKinley Beach.
Known for: Thrills in air and on the water. The show features armed forces demonstrations, including the Navy Blue Angels.
Admission: Free for the general public. However, tickets are sold for the reserved seating areas, located at CenterPoint. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the website or in person during the event.
More information: mkeairwatershow.com
German Fest
When: Friday-Sunday, July 28 to 30
Where: Henry W. Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive in Milwaukee
Known for: Festival mainstays are bratwurst, beer and potato pancakes. You’ll also find plenty of oompah-pah bands and the annual Dachshund Derby (on Sunday).
Admission: $5 on Friday only. Adults are $18 at the gate ($15 in advance). Senior citizens (60 and older) and students (with ID) get in for $7. Free for children age 12 and younger, with an adult. Everyone gets in free from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, at the South Gate only, by donating three cans of healthy fruits or vegetables, for the Hunger Task Force.
More information: germanfest.com
Brady Street Festival
When: Saturday, July 29, from noon to 11 p.m.
Where: Brady Street, between Van Buren Street and Farwell Avenue, Milwaukee
Known for: Five stages featuring local bands performing.
Admission: Free
More information: bradystreet.org
AUGUST
Chicago Air and Water Show
When: Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 19 to 20. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.
Where: North Avenue Beach, 1600 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
Known for: Thrilling formation flying and water stunts — and enormous crowds. There’s a reason this is billed as “the largest spectator event in the United States.”
Admission: Free
More information: cityofchicago.org
Mexican Fiesta
When: Friday-Sunday, Aug. 25 to 27. Open noon to midnight daily.
Where: Henry W. Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive in Milwaukee
Known for: Since it began in 1973 as a south side street festival to celebrate Mexican Independence Day, Mexican Fiesta has evolved into one of Wisconsin’s largest Mexican festivals and a showcase for the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, which sponsors the event in an effort to award scholarships for young Hispanic men and women.
Admission: $24 at the gate ($19 in advance). Free for children age 8 and younger. Free admission to everyone from noon to 3 p.m. on Friday. Also, free admission from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for senior citizens (65 and older), people with disabilities, military active duty personnel and veterans (with ID).
More information: mexicanfiesta.org
Chicago Jazz Festival
When: Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 31 to Sept. 3. Open
Where: Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St. in Chicago
Known for: The festival "promotes all forms of jazz through free, high-quality music programming. The festival showcases Chicago's local talent alongside national and international artists," according to organizers.
Admission: Free
More information: cityofchicago.org
SEPTEMBER
PetFest
When: Saturday, Sept. 23. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: The Summerfest Grounds in downtown Milwaukee at the lakefront
Known for: A variety of pet-focused attractions and activities, including dock diving, agility and lure courses, main stage presentations including training and trick clinics and a pet-themed marketplace. A highlight is the pet costume contest.
Admission: Free
Information: petfestmke.com
Festa Italiana
When: Friday to Sunday, Sept. 8-10. Open 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Italian Community Center grounds, 631 E. Chicago Ave. in Milwaukee
Known for: Food, a mass and procession, a bocce tournament and live music all weekend.
More information: iccmilwaukee.com/festa-italiana
Taste of Chicago
When: Friday-Sunday, Sept. 8 to 10
Where: Grant Park, 337 E. Randolph St. in Chicago
Known for: An enormous variety of food, plus entertainment.
Admission: Free
More information: cityofchicago.org | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/road-trips-festivals-take-place-along-the-i-94-corridor/article_57525536-152a-11ee-8318-2f2f935a864c.html | 2023-06-29T13:24:29 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/road-trips-festivals-take-place-along-the-i-94-corridor/article_57525536-152a-11ee-8318-2f2f935a864c.html |
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires has returned to central Pa.: What you need to know
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires has drifted into central Pennsylvania again, and the state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code red air quality alert for today.
As of this morning, AirNow is reporting unhealthy air quality for York and Lebanon counties.
Young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems should avoid outdoor activities, according to a news release. Others should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion.
Here's what you need to know:
Why the smoke from the Canadian wildfires returned to central Pennsylvania
Winds are coming from the northwest, bringing the smoke from the Canadian wildfires into the area, said Ashley Evans, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College.
The Department of Environmental Protection had issued an alert Tuesday about the poor air quality anticipated for today, but it was for counties in the western part of the state and parts of central Pennsylvania.
The department issued a new alert this morning for all of Pennsylvania, according to a news release.
As of this morning, the air quality index in both Lebanon and York counties measures at 156, placing it in the unhealthy range, according to AirNow. The scale runs from zero to 500, and the hazardous conditions fall into 301 to 500 range.
It's not as bad as it was nearly three weeks ago when the air quality index for Lebanon and York counties measured 457, one of the highest levels.
Take action:How you can prepare your home to keep out the wildfire smoke
How long the smoke could create hazy skies
Residents can expect the hazy skies to remain on Thursday, although it's not anticipated to be as bad as today, Evans said.
It's expected to be a code orange day on Thursday, meaning that those who are susceptible to air pollution should limit their time outdoors.
A weather system is expected to move in on Friday, shifting the winds to come from the south and southwest, Evans said. Rain is expected in the evening. That will help to clear out the smoke. | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2023/06/28/unhealthy-air-pollution-reported-today-in-york-and-lebanon-counties-canadian-wildfires/70363915007/ | 2023-06-29T13:27:35 | 1 | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2023/06/28/unhealthy-air-pollution-reported-today-in-york-and-lebanon-counties-canadian-wildfires/70363915007/ |
Traffic alert: Watch for lane restrictions on I-83 in southern York County
Interstate 83 in southern York County will have round-the-clock lane restrictions so that crews can repair bridges near the state line, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Crews will be repairing the northbound and southbound bridges over Tolna Road, just south of the Shrewsbury interchange. Lane restrictions in both directions will be in place for three to four weeks, a news release states.
Work is set to begin at 9 p.m. July 5.
Crews will close the left lanes first, and then move to the right lanes, the release states.
York City:Popular shortcut from Route 74 onto Richland Avenue in York about to change
JD Eckman of Atglen, Pa. is doing the work.
Drivers can check on highway conditions at www.511PA.com, the 511PA smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, or by calling 511, the release states. | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/interstate-83-bridge-work-near-shrewsbury-will-restrict-traffic-lanes/70366135007/ | 2023-06-29T13:27:41 | 0 | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/interstate-83-bridge-work-near-shrewsbury-will-restrict-traffic-lanes/70366135007/ |
McKeesport police are asking for the public’s help to locate a missing woman who recently moved to McKeesport from the Pittsburgh area.
Jasmine Monroe, 35, is missing from the 700 block of Fifth Avenue. She is five feet, five inches tall and was last seen wearing a light-weight jacket and shorts.
Anyone with information is asked to call 412-675-5015 or 911.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/mckeesport-police-asking-help-locate-missing-woman/BYPTIZBVSVFJDJZCUK3L5ZECNE/ | 2023-06-29T13:27:47 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/mckeesport-police-asking-help-locate-missing-woman/BYPTIZBVSVFJDJZCUK3L5ZECNE/ |
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