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Thursday's landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to stop colleges from using race as a consideration in the admissions process will change the way many universities go about admitting new students to their campuses.
In Texas, many universities stopped the practice years ago stemming from a 1996 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that prohibited the use of using race in admissions.
In 2003, the decision was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Many universities left it as is, but the University of Texas at Austin resumed using affirmative action.
UT Austin posted a statement to Twitter regarding Thursday's decision saying in part, "The University has lawfully been considering race among many factors as part of its comprehensive and holistic admissions process. UT will make the necessary adjustments to comply with the most recent changes to the law and remains committed to offering an exceptional education to students from all backgrounds and preparing our students to succeed and change the world."
NBC 5 reached out to schools across North Texas, including the University of North Texas Systems, the University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Texas at Dallas. All said they do not use race in the admissions process.
Southern Methodist University, which is a private school, however, does.
"Despite the implications this ruling may have on policies and practices at SMU and every other college campus in America, we will continue to be a welcoming and supportive community," read a portion of SMU's statement to NBC 5. "We will determine how the specifics of the high court’s ruling will affect the consideration of race in our enrollment efforts. We will meet this challenge while continuing to build a community that mirrors our global society – a campus where every Mustang is valued and feels a sense of belonging." | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-universities-respond-to-supreme-court-decision-on-affirmative-action/3287246/ | 2023-06-30T00:39:50 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-universities-respond-to-supreme-court-decision-on-affirmative-action/3287246/ |
COLUMBIANA, Ala. (WIAT) — Filming for the upcoming movie starring Matthew McConaughey continues around central Alabama. This week, the film crew was in Columbiana.
Bruce Finklea and his daughter Harper now have a special experience to share: they were extras in Matthew McConaughey’s new movie “The Rivals of the Amziah King.”
On Monday night, the school board sent out a call letter asking for extras to help with these scenes. The next morning, Bruce and his daughter Harper were on set as the film crew transformed Elvin Hill Elementary School in Columbiana into Bill Waugh Elementary School for the movie.
The shoots on Tuesday and Wednesday were about 10 hours long each, but Bruce said the thrilling experience was worth every minute.
“It was just really cool to see how all that worked behind the scenes. Where they put the camera, how they moved the camera, all the different takes,” Bruce said. “I also went to Elvin Hill so for us to share that, that we got to be there together and to know that our little school is now going to be immortalized in a major motion picture.”
Bruce and Harper even got to see some stunt work and were just a couple of feet away from the big movie star himself.
While filming in Columbiana is now finished, it looks like the film crew could be heading to Walker County next. The staff at the Frosty Mug on Highway 78 between Jasper and Sumiton confirmed that the movie is expected to film there but they don’t when exactly that filming will take place. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/columbiana-father-and-daughter-to-appear-as-extras-in-upcoming-matthew-mcconaughey-movie/ | 2023-06-30T00:41:26 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/columbiana-father-and-daughter-to-appear-as-extras-in-upcoming-matthew-mcconaughey-movie/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The FILES Arts Project is celebrating 10 years of dance and music training for youth in the community.
The nonprofit organization is holding its annual dance and music workshop at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. It started Monday and will end Friday. The project will hold its summer showcase in the Boutwell Auditorium on Friday at 4 p.m. Admission to that event is free.
According to the TFAP, its mission is to strengthen underserved communities through arts education. The workshop has grown from 14 to about 119 students over its history, and there are 83 students enrolled in the 2023 summer workshop.
The workshop has featured artists from Birmingham plus major cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Franciso, Miami and Dallas. Its curriculum includes dance technique includes ballet, jazz, contemporary and Afro-Caribbean dances. The classes that are offered change annually.
A mock audition was added to the workshop in 2023. The mock audition is designed to prepare students for future auditions by improving their memory skills, resume preparation and interviewing skills. It is also supposed to help students build confidence and demonstrate individuality. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/files-arts-project-celebrates-10-years-of-dance-music-training-for-youth/ | 2023-06-30T00:41:32 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/files-arts-project-celebrates-10-years-of-dance-music-training-for-youth/ |
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – An Illinois woman is missing, considered endangered, and may be in Seminole County, police say.
Altamonte Springs police say Julie Merar was reported missing from Prospect Heights, Illinois on Wednesday.
It’s believed the 47-year-old woman may be in the Altamonte Springs-Casselberry area of Seminole County, police said, and they believe she may be a danger to herself.
Police say Merar is 4′10″ tall, weighs 90 pounds, and has pink/red hair.
If you know where she is or has any information, call Altamonte Springs police at 407-339-2441, or call 911.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/30/have-you-seen-her-missing-illinois-woman-may-be-in-seminole-county/ | 2023-06-30T00:45:54 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/30/have-you-seen-her-missing-illinois-woman-may-be-in-seminole-county/ |
15 years after the 2008 floods: How the UI, corridor will prevent the next great flood
Inmates in orange jumpsuits, brought from the Johnson County jail, stood on a large pile of sand. Next to them were members of the Kalona’s Amish community.
“It looked sort of like somebody was trying to make a bad movie,” University of Iowa architect Rod Lehnertz told the Press-Citizen this week, recalling the startling landscape of Iowa City in June of 2008 as flood waters rose.
People from all walks of life descended on the banks of the Iowa River, looking to help fortify the nearby area with sandbags as city forecasts project the fast-rising banks of the river will spill over.
As the dust settled, the destructive flood waters created an estimated $750 million of damage.
A concentrated band of thunderstorms had struck upstream, bringing increased water levels to Coralville Lake and eventually causing water to spill over the top of the dam, UI Center for Hydrologic Development director Larry Weber said.
This brought more water downstream, adding to the significant rainfall that fell earlier in the month. Unfortunately, locals knew what was coming and began to prepare.
More than 3,000 volunteers helped fill and move sandbags, with university staff and many UI student-athletes among them, fortifying their defense against the rising water, Lehnertz said.
“We did not call for volunteers,” Lehnertz said, who helped coordinate the prevention efforts. “They just started showing up, this community wrapping its arms around not only [itself] but the university.”
Lehnertz and many volunteers put in 15-20 hour days that June.
Fifteen years later, the UI and local government have strengthened flood mitigation, modifying existing infrastructure and future construction to ensure they are better prepared for future floods.
Communities united to help prepare
Residents met every morning as they studied the rapidly changing weather forecasts, hoping quell the swelling Iowa River.
“That was frustrating, to say the least,” Dave Wilson, director of the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency, told the Press-Citizen. “It was a constantly moving target.”
The 2008 floods were the first to require a locally unified response, Wilson said. The 1993 floods didn't pose nearly the threat community leaders knew was coming 15 years later.
Iowa City, the University of Iowa, Coralville and Hills all housed command posts for first responders in 2008, Wilson said.
Sandbagging, natural infrastructure couldn't slow 500-year flood
Sandbagging was hard work, requiring a lot of manpower. It was far too inefficient to hold back the rising Iowa River. After the floods, the university purchased seven miles of Hesco barriers, enough to encompass the entirety of the UI campus, Lehnertz said.
The four-by-four-by-four foot barriers, originally built for the military, were used in some places in 2008 and were “very effective.” Still, the university didn’t have nearly enough available.
“They're very effective for flood walls,” he said. “Instead of having 3,000 volunteers trying to fill and place individual flood protective sandbags, we can assemble these Hesco barriers and have contractors fill those in hours instead of days.”
The barriers are also available for nearby communities to prevent local flooding. The barriers can be distributed and immediately replenished at the university, Lehnertz said.
What has the University done since the floods?
In the years following, the university approached construction and renovation near the river, Lehnertz said, by utilizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s recovery money from 2008.
“You have to protect or mitigate against future flooding so that FEMA doesn't have to come back,” Lehnertz said. “Those buildings were protected on a project or building-by-building basis, each one of them with a different story.”
The Iowa Memorial Union installed a flood wall on the west side of the building and took advantage of the new space to build a plaza overlooking the river. Lehnertz said the university built an “innovative, invisible” flood barrier to ward off floods at the Art Building West.
Lehnertz estimates that about 60% of the $750 million in damages was covered by money from FEMA, including the union and Art Building West projects. The university also took on the remaining $300 million in repairs.
The university’s three miles of tunnel systems were outfitted with new “submarine doors” to prevent flood waters from traveling through the system freely. The waters likely entered campus buildings through the tunnels, creating an unusual mess. Rebuilding also included widened sidewalks, especially near the river, allowing for Hesco barriers to be quickly installed.
The university fought for funding from FEMA to rebuild flood protections two feet above the previous flood level rather than one foot, the typical height in reconstruction projects like this, Lehnertz said.
“In floods, every inch matters,” he said. “If you get up to a certain level, in our case a 500-year flood level, to go another few inches that dispersion out into the county and other places is fairly extreme. So, to extend two feet higher, that’s why we protect for that.”
Across campus, Dubuque Street and Park Road were submerged as well. Mayflower Residence Hall was among the more than 20 campus buildings to flood. The Gateway Project was born to slow flood risk at those two main thoroughfares, raising the streets in 2016, more than a decade after the floods shut down Park Road bridge. The road had previously been raised to one foot above the 100-year flood level.
The potential of future floods in Iowa City
The 2008 flood made residents realize how natural disasters were becoming more common, said Larry Weber, the director of the Iowa Institute for Hydraulic Research and co-founder of the Iowa Flood Center.
“Not only our campus but communities throughout eastern Iowa (have) started to make very serious and detailed plans for floodplains,” he said.
The Iowa Flood Center has provided more flood information and helps foster preventative efforts throughout the state.
“We [are] information providers and we help people understand their risk to any flood that might be evolving at [any] time,” he said.
That information is aggregated in the Iowa Flood Information System for cities statewide.
Climate change is a key reason for the Iowa Flood Center's existence and other university research efforts. It's especially important given the proximity to bodies of water for many towns to bodies of water, Weber said.
Climate change has a marked impact on rainfall intensity, he said, increasing the need for quick-deploying, effective barriers.
“So the intensification of rainfall and higher seasonal climactic shifts is what the climate forecasters and scientists have been predicting for a while,” Weber said. “We're living through their predictions.”
Since the flood, the connection between local municipalities and the county has improved as they try to mitigate future flood risk.
“I think it’s been a global effort,” Wilson said. “We just sought out anything that we could do right now, and we were constantly moving forward, and well, we don't have the money to do this, but we can do this [other project]. So every year since ‘08, throughout the county, you've seen communities [or] the university try and knock off different projects.”
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached atrhansen@press-citizen.com or on Twitter @ryanhansen01. | https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/iowa-city-2008-floods-15-years-later-prevention-key-moving-forward/70339438007/ | 2023-06-30T00:50:30 | 0 | https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/iowa-city-2008-floods-15-years-later-prevention-key-moving-forward/70339438007/ |
Lingering air quality concerns - with levels in the mid 200s -continue to impact Iowa City
Iowa City remains under an air quality advisory, impacting the city’s parks and recreation activities throughout Wednesday and Thursday.
The current air quality index in Iowa City is 147 as of 2 p.m. Thursday, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow.gov. This is down significantly from highs in the mid-200s on Thursday morning.
The current index measure falls just below the agency’s 150 PM 2.5 threshold. Once air quality reaches 150, it is considered unhealthy for all groups.
Due to the poor air quality, Iowa City has decided to cancel several Thursday parks and recreation events or moved them inside. These include:
- Party in the Park
- Hydrant Party
- The Playgrounds Program
The city will attempt to reschedule the events and plans to provide further details in the coming days.
Morning and afternoon swim lessons for the day will occur indoors at the Robert A. Lee recreation center at the regularly scheduled times rather than outdoors at City Park Pool.
City Park Pool was closed yesterday and remained closed all Thursday. Robert A. Lee recreation center opened for additional open swim from 1-4:15 p.m. The Mercer Park Aquatic Center is also operating normally from 6:15 a.m. to 8 p.m.
A brief rain shower across the area late Thursday morning helped increase visibility across the area and lowered the air quality index from its peak.
More:Iowa hit with 'unprecedented' air quality as haze from Canadian wildfires blankets state
Sensitive groups, such as persons with heart or lung disease and older adults, teens, and children, are urged to avoid outdoor physical activity. Those who are not part of those sensitive groups can resume outdoor activities, according to recommendations by AirNow.gov, unless air quality were to deteriorate again.
What is causing the poor air quality?
Fires in northern Quebec and low pressure over the eastern Great Lakes sent smoke through the Great Lakes region and in parts of the central and eastern United States, said Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported Monday that 29,393 square miles of land including forests have burned across Canada since Jan. 1. That exceeds the previous record set in 1989 of 29,187 square miles, according to the National Forestry Database.
Nationally, 490 fires are burning, with 255 of them considered to be out of control.
AirNow.gov showed parts of Illinois, lower Michigan and southern Wisconsin with the worst air quality in the U.S. on Tuesday afternoon, and Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee had air quality categorized as “very unhealthy."
The smoke is the result of wildfires caused by climate change, because the warmer, dryer climate that exists today helps ripen conditions for fires to occur, Peter Thorne, professor in the University of Iowa College of Public Health’s Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, told the Press-Citizen Wednesday.
“This is just what the models have been forecasting for years and years,” Thorne said. “So it's no surprise to those of us who study climate change and health to see these events occurring.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached atrhansen@press-citizen.com or on Twitter @ryanhansen01. | https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/smoky-air-prompts-cancellation-of-iowa-city-parks-and-recreation-activities/70370711007/ | 2023-06-30T00:50:36 | 0 | https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/smoky-air-prompts-cancellation-of-iowa-city-parks-and-recreation-activities/70370711007/ |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/officials-promote-boating-safety-at-the-jersey-shore-ahead-of-4th-of-july-weekend/3595521/ | 2023-06-30T00:52:20 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/officials-promote-boating-safety-at-the-jersey-shore-ahead-of-4th-of-july-weekend/3595521/ |
S.C. man on the run for 17 years hid in Detroit under alias, officials say
A man wanted in South Carolina has been arrested in Detroit after hiding for 17 years, officials announced Thursday.
He even fooled his wife and kids, who only knew him by his fake name.
Antran Hall had been found guilty of cocaine trafficking in Anderson County, South Carolina, in 2006, its Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Investigations Unit placed him on a "most wanted" list after failing to appear twice on warrants, according to the release.
This year, detectives learned Hall was living under an alias in Detroit, sheriff's officials said.
On Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service narrowed their search, and Hall was arrested the next day, according to the release.
"The investigation shows Hall lived under a fake identity, even tricking his own wife and kids that only knew him by his alias name," authorities wrote.
Hall is at the Wayne County Detention Center awaiting extradition, the Sheriff's Office said Thursday. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/06/29/s-c-man-on-the-run-for-17-years-hid-in-detroit-under-alias-officials-say/70371268007/ | 2023-06-30T00:52:21 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/06/29/s-c-man-on-the-run-for-17-years-hid-in-detroit-under-alias-officials-say/70371268007/ |
Police are investigating a series of armed robberies and abductions involving a white U-Haul cargo van in Northeast Philadelphia.
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The first incident occurred on Tuesday at 4:20 a.m. along the 12000 block of Academy Road. A woman was walking north on Academy Road when four teenagers dressed in black clothing and wearing black ski masks robbed her at gunpoint, police said. The robbers stole several items from the woman and then forced her into a white U-Haul cargo van, according to investigators. The woman was punched in the face by one of the teens, police said. She then got out of the van as the driver of the vehicle pulled out a gun and fired twice at her though she was not struck.
The second incident occurred less than an hour later at 5 a.m. along the 6300 block of Roosevelt Boulevard. A man was inside his 2011 black Mercedes Benz using a TD Bank drive-through when a white U-Haul cargo van pulled up and blocked the exit. Two masked gunmen in their late teens or early 20’s then exited the van and pointed guns at the man, demanding money, police said. When the man was unable to withdraw money from the ATM, the robbers then stole the victim’s vehicle and fled the scene.
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The final incident occurred on Wednesday at 3:40 a.m. along the 9200 block of Delaware Avenue. A man was walking when a white U-Haul cargo van pulled up next to him. Two armed suspects in the van then pointed their guns at him and forced the man inside the vehicle, police said. The gunmen told the victim they would kill him if he didn’t give them money, according to investigators.
The suspects then drove the man to a convenience store along the 9100 block of Frankford Avenue where the victim withdrew $300 from an ATM, police said. The suspects then drove the victim to a gas station along the 10000 block of Frankford Avenue in an attempt to get more money but the man was unable to do so. The suspects then forced the man to transfer money using a banking app, according to investigators. The victim called his mother who sent him an additional $300, police said. The suspects then stole the man’s phone and fled in an unknown direction.
The first suspect in the incident is described as a Black man in his 20s with a brown complexion and hazel eyes standing between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-7 wearing all black clothing and military-style boots and armed with a gun.
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The second suspect is described as a dark skinned and heavyset Black man in his 20s standing between 6-feet and 6-foot-1 wearing a gray Champion hoodie with the word “Champion” written in blue across the chest and black pants.
“The pattern is very similar. The individuals, the descriptions is similar,” Philadelphia Police Inspector Matthew Gillespie said. “The area where it’s occurring is geographically close so we’re very concerned. We want to make sure the public is aware of it."
If you have information on any of the incidents or suspects, please call Philadelphia Police. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-investigate-armed-robberies-and-abductions-involving-white-van-in-northeast-philly/3595549/ | 2023-06-30T00:52:21 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-investigate-armed-robberies-and-abductions-involving-white-van-in-northeast-philly/3595549/ |
AUBURN, Maine — The Auburn Police Department is searching for a 29-year-old woman whose last known location was almost two years ago.
Celeste Doghmi was last known to be in the Auburn area at the end of July 2021, according to a news release from the Auburn Police Department Thursday.
Doghmi's family, who live out of the country, has not been able to contact her since the time of her last known location.
Police describe Doghmi as a Black female, measuring 5-feet and two-inches tall, and weighing 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Doghmi is reportedly a German citizen.
Auburn police ask those with information regarding Doghmi's whereabouts to call the department's anonymous tip line at 207-333-6653. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/auburn-police-search-for-missing-29-year-old-woman-investigation-maine/97-09be72e2-2f27-4dff-ba7a-f1c51346e32d | 2023-06-30T00:52:23 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/auburn-police-search-for-missing-29-year-old-woman-investigation-maine/97-09be72e2-2f27-4dff-ba7a-f1c51346e32d |
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Maine — Multiple roads in Franklin County were closed due to severe flooding and heavy rains during a Thursday storm.
According to New England 511, Route 156 at Davis Road to Beans Corner was closed in Jay due to flooding and washouts at approximately 5:22 p.m.
As of 6:20 p.m., Jay town officials posted on Facebook that there were closures to Franklin Road, Route 156, Main Street from McDonald's north, Route 140, and many small intersecting roads.
Fire officials said they are receiving at least five to six calls at once and multiple people have reportedly become stuck.
Jay town officials said in a Facebook post they "expect there to be a lot of damage from this storm" and are advising travelers to stay off the roads until the water recedes and roads can be assessed.
"Use caution if you have to be out, and please be patient in the coming days. Our Public Works crews, Fire Dept, and Police are out doing all they can," town officials added.
A flash flood warning will be in effect until 9:15 p.m. for southeastern Franklin County and eastern Oxford County, according to an update from the National Weather Service in Gray. Travelers are being urged not to drive through water.
Destiny D. shared with NEWS CENTER Maine a video of flooding at Beans Corner in Jay:
The Franklin County Emergency Management Agency posted a list of road closures in Jay, Wilton, Farmington, and Canton.
Meanwhile, the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Office also reported flash flooding that required the closure of the Greenville and Elliotsville Road in Monson, according to a Twitter post at 7:21 p.m. from National Weather Service Caribou. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/multiple-roads-close-due-to-flooding-in-jay-weather-maine-public-safety-traffic-alert/97-beafe30e-5165-4cb2-8086-63245271754c | 2023-06-30T00:52:30 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/multiple-roads-close-due-to-flooding-in-jay-weather-maine-public-safety-traffic-alert/97-beafe30e-5165-4cb2-8086-63245271754c |
Two glistening red fire trucks were parked beside a ribbon of yellow caution tape that snapped in the wind near Taylor Hall on Northern Arizona University campus Monday morning. Those trucks weren’t ordinary fire response vehicles.
They belong to the Northern Arizona Regional Response or Special Operations Team, which is operated through the Flagstaff Fire Department.
They’re manned by 18 specially trained firefighters.
Each person on the “special ops” team is both a certified hazardous materials technician and a certified technical rescue technician. In order to earn both titles, firefighters have to attend around 400 hours of tailored training. Then, they have to refresh what they’ve learned and practice specialty response skills in real-life scenarios.
That’s exactly what the team was doing Monday morning.
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Underneath North Campus, a team of firefighters worked on what they call confined space training. That training had the team members suited up and underground.
A series of tunnels snake beneath areas like Taylor Hall, cramped chasms that are no taller than 5 1/2 feet. The underground infrastructure at NAU is characterized by gray brick walls, dusty utility pipes and a dirt floor.
On Monday morning the tunnel air was warm and stale. Not that the training team of firefighters was breathing it in. In order to simulate a response in which oxygen tanks would be required, the special ops team wore masks and coveralls similar to their usual turnouts.
A mannequin was placed more than 20 feet inside the tight tunnels, set for the team to locate and “rescue.”
Using a yellow rope to mark their position, and communicate with the crew at the entrance to the “hole,” firefighters navigated on their knees through the tight space with an orange plastic litter — bound to rescue their simulated patient.
This kind of confined space response, Flagstaff Fire Battalion Chief Dave Wilson said, is manpower intensive.
A lot of people are needed to help bring patients out of trapped in caves, underground tunnels, basements, or even recently dug trenches safely to the surface.
That’s why members of the special ops team don’t ordinarily work together. Their schedules are staggered so that every Flagstaff Fire Department crew on every shift has a technical rescue and hazmat-certified tech on tap if they’re needed.
That’s because skills such as the ones the special ops firefighters were practicing underground are particularly useful in Flagstaff.
“A lot of the businesses that you wouldn’t even think of have subfloor basements. They have crawl spaces. It’s very much needed,” Wilson said.
FFD’s special ops firefighters train for a diverse set of scenarios.
The same firefighters who navigated NAU’s underground in cumbersome gear and oxygen masks are also adept at operations like rope rescue, knot tying, swift water rescues, ice and standard water rescue.
“It all works well in Flagstaff because we have ice. We haven’t had a lot of moving water except for the last two years. You go back to 2000, one of the floods from the wildfires, there was a fatality involved. Swift water is important. We have caves, we have confined space,” said Wilson.
He added that the team responds throughout northern Arizona, making them a strong asset for a community that loves hiking, climbing and mountain biking in the great outdoors.
Flagstaff isn’t just a place for recreation, so the special ops team also focuses on preparing for more industrial emergencies. While the technical rescue supplies are stored in one special operations truck, the other is packed to the gills with the supplies first responders need to respond to incidents involving hazardous materials.
“Where Flagstaff is strategically placed, we have a major railroad, and then we have all our major highways, right? I-40, I-17, 89,” said Capt. Kieth Cashatt, who oversees Flagstaff Fire Department’s hazmat response. "That’s predominantly where we see most of our incidents -- over the highway. If you look across the country, most hazardous material incidents occur on the highway or in transportation."
Cashatt said the majority of hazardous materials his team has seen are flammable liquids, and a lot of those spills and leaks happen on the major highways.
“About 65% of all hazardous materials have some sort of flammability. If you look at, it nationwide or globally, every single community has some sort of flammable liquid. We run on crude oil. That’s what we usually deal with a lot. Different kinds of flammable liquids. We deal with corrosive liquids, oxidizers, flammable gases, toxic gasses, all of those different things,” Cashatt said.
While the technical rescue supplies are stored in one special operations truck, the other is packed to the gills with the supplies first responders need to respond to incidents involving hazardous materials.
Specialized support
The two trucks were purchased after Sept. 11, 2001, when federal grant funding came available to better outfit and prepare hazmat crews.
The grants were meant to boost the nation’s ability to respond to attacks and chemical spills. As time went on, the grant funding dissipated and a lot of hazmat programs took a hit.
In Flagstaff, with the proximity of communities to major highways and a major railroad, the city prioritized keeping the hazmat and technical rescue teams and trucks running, according to Wilson.
“It costs lots of money to keep these trucks up. The city’s been awesome just keeping this program and this tool for the city available,” Wilson said.
For example, the hazmat truck carries three specialized suits. They’re the same shape and shade of bright yellow that young people might associate with fictional first responders in Monster’s Inc. They create an essentially self-contained environment for the wearer, enabling hazmat techs to work in caustic environments for extended periods of time. Those suits cost about $4,500 each.
The hazmat truck is also loaded with pipe fittings to fix leaks, “over pack barrels” that can contain whole oil drums or large quantities of flammable liquids, and clean-up materials for soaking up spills and decontaminating people, places and things.
Cashatt said it’s helpful if his team can identify the contaminants they’ll be dealing with quickly in order to gauge their response.
“We’ve got some of that information, but predominantly if it [the incident happens] over the highway, we don’t really know until we get there,” Cashett said.
The Department of Transportation requires that all vehicles or rail cars carrying hazardous materials display a 12.75-inch diamond-shaped placard that tells first responders some crucial information about the substances they might be dealing with.
“That’s giving us the hazard class. Is it a liquid, is it a solid? We’re taking all of that information,” Cashatt said.
Inside the cab of the city’s hazmat truck is a kind of laboratory-meets-office space. Behind the driver’s seat in the truck, the team has the space to examine samples of spilled substances to get a better idea of what they’re dealing with.
“When you look at hazmat in general, a lot of times we may not know until we get there. We have different clues that we look at. Initially, we get dispatch information. A person dials 911 and whatever they relay to dispatch gets relayed to us, but we don’t know if the [reporting party] is actually the truck driver who actually deals with the material or if it was somebody passing by,” Cashatt said.
Some of the better advance notice of hazardous substances passing in or around Flagstaff often comes from transportation companies themselves. Flagstaff is bisected by BNSF railway, and, according to Cashatt, the railroad has been an important partner in preparing for the effects of a derailment involving hazardous materials.
The railroad can provide data sheets — manifests that detail what’s traveling by rail. BNSF has also designed an app that first responders can use to find out what’s moving through Flagstaff on the train.
Cashett said BNSF has its own internal response teams that prepare for derailments, and trains with Flagstaff's special ops crew.
“It’s two-fold. One we’re getting training, but we’re also making connections with those individuals. We gain trust in their capabilities and they gain trust in our capabilities, right?” Cashett said. “I’ve got contacts with the railroad that I can call. Maybe it’s just a quick technical question about how a valve works and this and that. We do that a lot. We’ll get ahold of their experts and kind of get a little bit of information on the best action to take. It’s a partnership.”
Flagstaff firefighters say they have the same goals when responding to any kind of call — from a house fire or medical emergency to a rope rescue or hazmat spill.
“When we look at any incident, it is life, safety, incident stabilization and property conservation. Those are our three objectives. The big cardinal three,” Cashett said. “We’ll do our best, we’ll set up emergency decon and pull them out to make that rescue. Maybe it’s a really bad chemical that they’ve been exposed to and we know it’s going to be a body recovery, so maybe we need to do more incident stabilization. Then we’ll eventually get the body out. We’ll take care of the incident and stabilize the incident and then get the victim out. It just depends on the call. You never know, right?”
He said that level of unpredictability can make a firefighter’s job rewarding.
It also puts the onus on first responders to prepare for nebulous threats. That, too, is part of the job and the reason why specially trained teams like special ops play a crucial role in keeping the city safe. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-fire-departments-special-ops-team-prepared-for-any-emergency-above-and-below-ground/article_8d7eb0b4-0ef4-11ee-a9bd-9fefb9a1ffe3.html | 2023-06-30T00:52:30 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-fire-departments-special-ops-team-prepared-for-any-emergency-above-and-below-ground/article_8d7eb0b4-0ef4-11ee-a9bd-9fefb9a1ffe3.html |
Michigan man charged in Hancock synagogue defacing
A 23-year-old Michigan man has been indicted for allegedly defacing a Jewish synagogue using images associated with a white supremacist group, federal officials announced Thursday.
A grand jury issued its two-count indictment against Nathan Weeden on Tuesday, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan records show. It was unsealed after the FBI arrested the Houghton resident in Saline.
In September 2019, Weeden and two others, Richard Tobin of New Jersey and Yousef Barasneh of Wisconsin, were active with "The Base," a multi-state, white supremacist organization, according to the filing.
They allegedly used an encrypted messaging platform to discuss vandalizing property associated with African Americans and Jewish Americans, investigators said.
Weeden and his alleged co-conspirators called their plan “Operation Kristallnacht,” which in German means “Night of Broken Glass” and references events in November 1938 when Nazis murdered Jews and burned or destroyed their homes, synagogues, schools and businesses.
On Sept. 21, 2019, Weeden allegedly carried out the plan by spray-painting swastikas and symbols associated with The Base on the outside walls of Temple Jacob in Hancock, Michigan, according to the indictment.
“We are fully prepared to make our case against Mr. Weeden,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten for the Western District of Michigan in a statement. “No one should be the target of hate because of their race, ethnicity, religion or any other status. When hateful words become hateful acts, in violation of federal civil rights laws, my office will use every tool we have to protect the public and ensure accountability. With the rise of antisemitism across the United States and here in Michigan, everyone must do their part to stand united against hate.”
Weeden is charged conspiracy against rights under a civil rights statute that makes it a crime to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate any person in the exercise of their rights, according to the release. The maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
He also is charged in damage to religious property under a civil rights statute. The maximum penalty is one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
“The FBI will not tolerate crimes motivated by hate, which are meant to intimidate and isolate the targeted groups,” said James Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “People of all faiths deserve to feel safe in their communities, and this office, in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue these types of cases to ensure there are consequences for crimes like those alleged in this indictment.”
Weeden was arraigned Thursday through U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $25,000 bond, records show. Weeden was ordered to remain in Michigan, surrender his passport and must refrain from possessing firearms or other weapons.
An attorney listed as representing Weeden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The case coincides with what authorities and activists say is a rise in extremism nationwide and in Michigan.
The Anti-Defamation League tabulated 3,697 antisemitic incidents across the country in 2022, which marked a 36% increase from 2021 and the highest number since the group started tracking such acts incidents in 1979.
The ADL also found Michigan ranked fourth in the U.S. during an all-time high year nationally for white supremacist propaganda distribution.
Last year, West Bloomfield police investigated two threats against the Frankel Jewish Academy, and a Dearborn man was accused of making antisemitic, racist threats to young children, parents and security at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Hills.
This spring, a Metro Detroit woman was accused of spray-painting antisemitic graffiti at the Woodward Avenue Shul Jewish Center in Royal Oak.
Weeks later, FBI agents arrested Seann Patrick Pietila, 19, of Pickford and accused him of threatening a mass killing at an East Lansing synagogue on the fifth anniversary of attacks in March 2019 that killed 51 people at two mosques in New Zealand. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/29/michigan-man-charged-in-hancock-synagogue-defacing/70371412007/ | 2023-06-30T00:52:37 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/29/michigan-man-charged-in-hancock-synagogue-defacing/70371412007/ |
Swimming and ice skating: Places to cool off this summer around the Taunton area
Summer is officially here. School is out for the year, folks are gearing up for summer getaways, and all season long there are sure to be cookouts, day trips, and all kinds of seasonal treats.
There are also going to be some pretty hot days, unless we have an unusual weather pattern this year.
And not just hot days, actual scorchers.
Luckily, there are lots of places around Taunton and just a little beyond where sun-parched residents can go to try to beat the heat. From swimming, to even ice skating!
We put together a list of some spots from around Greater Taunton where you can go to try to stay cool this summer:
Hopewell Park pool and splash pad, Taunton
Cool off: Residents are long familiar with Hopewell Park’s pool, and splash pad. It’s just the thing to take the sting out of a hot summer day. For the latest updates, visit www.taunton-ma.gov.
Massasoit State Park, East Taunton
Cool off: Massasoit State Park, 1361 Middleboro Ave., has plenty to offer in the way of trails and camping, but you can also enjoy time near the water. Spend some time in a canoe or kayak and take in the scenery. Facilities also include an accessible beach. For updated hours and parking information, visit mass.gov.
YMCA upgrades:Taunton Old Colony YMCA undergoing $1.3 million renovation project
Watson Pond State Park, Taunton
Cool off: Open seven days a week beginning at 10 a.m., Watson Pond State Park, 1644 Bay St., has a swimming beach, picnic areas, a playground, and a pavilion. Daily parking fees for Mass. residents are $8, and $30 for non-residents, according to Mass.gov. There are handicapped-accessible restrooms, and Mass.gov also says that beach wheelchairs are available. Call 508-884-8280 for information about reserving the pavilion.
Weir Village Riverfront Park, Taunton
Cool off: On West Water Street, Weir Village Riverfront Park has a boat ramp where you can get in your craft and explore the Taunton River, hopefully finding some respite on a hot day.
Taunton Eats:Fratelli's Bakery has new location at Saint Anne's Hospital
Aleixo Arena, Taunton and Raynham IcePlex
Cool off: How about learning to ice skate? Summer programs are beginning at both Aleixo Arena, 150 Hon. Gordon Owen Riverway, Taunton, and the Raynham IcePlex, 1568 Broadway, Raynham. For more information, as well as a full schedule of events, call 508-824-4987 for Aleixo Arena or 508-880-3311 for the Raynham IcePlex. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Freetown State Forest spray deck
Cool off: Bring the little ones to cool down at the Freetown State Forest spray deck, 110 Slab Bridge Rd. It’s open daily during the season, and Freetown State Forest also offers 25 miles of trails for hiking, where you’re sure to find some shaded relief from the sun.
Clear Pond Park, Lakeville
Cool off: Clear Pond Park, 346 Bedford St., Lakeville, is for Lakeville residents only, although non-residents may accompany residents as guests. Opening for the season on June 24, Clear Pond Park’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. Daily or seasonal passes are available, as are non-resident guest passes. For the latest information, visit the Town of Lakeville’s website.
Peirce Playground, Middleboro
Cool off: Stop by the swimming pool at Peirce Playground, 26 Jackson St., Middleboro. Be sure to follow the Middleboro Park Department on Facebook for the latest updates on the Town Pool, as well as offerings like swimming lessons.
Taunton Daily Gazette/Herald News copy editor and digital producer Kristina Fontes can be reached atkfontes@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette today. | https://www.tauntongazette.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/29/places-to-cool-off-around-taunton-hopewell-park-watson-pond-aleixo-arena-massasoit/70348527007/ | 2023-06-30T00:56:57 | 0 | https://www.tauntongazette.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/29/places-to-cool-off-around-taunton-hopewell-park-watson-pond-aleixo-arena-massasoit/70348527007/ |
MIDLAND, Texas — The City of Midland has identified a driver who was killed in a Thursday afternoon crash on Highway 191.
According to the city, at approximately 12:30 p.m. officers with the Midland Police Department responded to a call for a fatality accident at Highway 191 at County Road 1275.
Sheryl Ricco, 67, of Midland, was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the accident.
Initial investigation revealed that Ricco was driving a Hyundai 4-door passenger car westbound on Highway 191. Her car was stopped just over the County Road 1275 overpass while being diverted onto the service road because of another wreck.
Another driver in a Ford F250 pickup got to the top of the overpass and couldn't stop, colliding with Ricco.
The investigation is ongoing and there are no criminal charges pending at this time. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/midland-woman-killed-in-crash-on-hwy-191/513-38e7fb7e-eb69-4a07-ac19-241baee6cfe2 | 2023-06-30T00:56:59 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/midland-woman-killed-in-crash-on-hwy-191/513-38e7fb7e-eb69-4a07-ac19-241baee6cfe2 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — A fire broke out Thursday evening at the Albertsons in Northeast Portland's Cully neighborhood, according to Portland Fire and Rescue.
Portland firefighters responded to the fire at around 5 p.m. Thursday, reporting smoke at the Albertsons located at the intersection of Northeast Cully Boulevard and Prescott Street.
Fire officials confirmed that the flames didn't reach the inside of the store, and said the fire was located on the roof of the building.
The reason for the fire is unknown. Portland Fire quickly reported that the fire was "under control."
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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See a typo in this article? Email web@kgw.com for corrections | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/commercial-fire-albertons-portland-cully-neighborhood/283-29bb5116-27ad-431f-940e-e065aaedf652 | 2023-06-30T01:01:17 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/commercial-fire-albertons-portland-cully-neighborhood/283-29bb5116-27ad-431f-940e-e065aaedf652 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Fred Meyer shoppers can expect to see a variety of new security measures when they visit Portland stores in the coming weeks, the most visible of which will be more security guards and a new system to verify receipts at the door.
"It may not look identical to a Costco style, but we'll employ measures where we will check receipts as customers leave the store," said Fred Meyer President Todd Kammeyer.
Both changes are part of a broader effort to crack down on crime and shoplifting, and the company said they were developed in partnership with the City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau.
Fred Meyer announced the security updates Thursday, and said the initiative will also include new parking lot and store interior safety protocols and investments in "innovative security technology."
The company didn't specify what those technologies would be, but said they represent a pattern of continued investment in security technology, pointing to public view monitors, merchandise security tags and exit alarms as examples of previous investments.
"We're always looking for different, efficient ways to monitor our stores and what's happening inside of them," Kammeyer said of new technology the company plans to deploy.
The company already uses third-party security guard services to keep tabs on the interior and exterior of its stores, Kammeyer said, but it's about to boost the number of security guards to the highest level it's ever used.
The new security measures might look different in different stores and vary by time of day, Kammeyer said.
At the Hollywood Fred Meyer Thursday, shoppers were grabbing some essentials ahead of the weekend and upcoming holiday under the watchful eyes of a security guard — something several customers said wasn't a bad idea.
"I don't have to watch TV," one customer said. "Just hang around here and you'll see people chasing around the parking lot, filling up. One woman had almost $600 worth of stuff."
"As a customer, I do want to come to a place I do feel safe," another customer said. "I'm here to get groceries so the last thing I need to do is get assaulted or bothered."
Kammeyer said he sees the same sort of incidents, and he's acutely aware of how common they've become. Fred Meyer has seen record levels of theft and loss in the past 12 months, he said, and it's talking a toll on the retailer.
Fred Meyer is far from alone; retailers across Portland have been struggling for years with a big upswings in crime and shoplifting, prompting some of them to close their doors. That's a scenario Kammeyer said Fred Meyer is determined to avoid.
"We want to be part of the city's growth and revitalization efforts as we move forward into the future," he said.
Nike approached the city earlier this year to ask for dedicated police support to reopen its Community Store, even offering to pay for officers. The city declined, saying it wasn't a question of money — there just aren't enough officers to spare at the moment.
Fred Meyer's partnership with the city appears to be less involved than what Nike proposed. Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said Fred Meyer's loss prevention staff met with police a few weeks ago to help plan out security measures and discuss how they could work together, and Fred Meyer said the partnership could also include sharing theft data and trends.
"Portland is proud to partner with Fred Meyer in this crucial initiative," Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement. "We recognize the critical role Fred Meyer plays to our residents, and this partnership exemplifies our joint effort to combat crime, increase safety, and serve the needs of our diverse community." | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/fred-meyer-security-measures-combat-crime/283-761fc70c-dd52-4c7b-a894-f43720509798 | 2023-06-30T01:01:23 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/fred-meyer-security-measures-combat-crime/283-761fc70c-dd52-4c7b-a894-f43720509798 |
SALEM, Ore. — Despite a legislative session riven by Senate Republicans' six-week walkout, Gov. Tina Kotek was able to claim victory on the bulk of her priorities this year, measures to address homelessness and affordable housing chief among them.
But one major piece evaded her grasp. House Bill 3414, which would have adjusted land use rules both within and beyond Oregon's urban growth boundaries in order to facilitate housing construction, went down in the Senate on the very last day of the session.
The bill is dead — and it was Kotek's fellow Democrats who killed it.
In a statement largely covering her legislative accomplishments at session's end on Sunday, Kotek had this brief bit to say about that:
"The legislature missed a critical opportunity to address housing production by failing to pass House Bill 3414."
Kotek declared a state of emergency for homelessness on her first day in office, and got lawmakers to quickly pass $155 million in funding for the hardest-hit areas to address unsheltered homelessness.
The legislature passed another $316 million to maintain some of that momentum over the next two years, intended to rehouse 750 households, keep another 11,700 households from becoming homeless, maintain shelter operations, create new permanent supportive housing and adding some 700 new shelter beds.
Finally, the legislature approved $650 million in bonding to build and preserve affordable housing. But that's where, according to Kotek, HB 3414 would have come in clutch.
The land grab
With Oregon in the middle of an affordable housing crisis, the solution of simply building more housing is certainly the most clear-cut. But it's not exactly simple either. There's still the issue of infrastructure. Housing requires roads, sidewalks, electricity and water — not to mention the land to put it all on.
Kotek's goal has been to add 36,000 housing units in Oregon each year. HB 3414 would have permitted adjustments in local building codes in order to allow for new development. It also would have set up a new statewide office, a "Housing Accountability Production Office," to ensure cities work with developers to get housing built.
But perhaps the most controversial part of the bill is that it would have allowed cities to quickly expand their urban growth boundaries by up to 150 acres.
Historically, expanding urban growth boundaries has not been a popular proposition in Oregon. Urban growth boundaries, instituted in 1973 by Gov. Tom McCall, are what restrict Oregon's cities from creeping into the agricultural and natural areas that surround them.
When lawmakers were crafting a bill to draw in semiconductor manufacturing earlier this year, the issue of finding suitable land became the biggest sticking point. When the semiconductor bill passed, many people were upset about the power it handed Kotek to make some limited changes to urban growth boundaries in order to facilitate development of these high-tech production plants.
HB 3414 went through a number of updates and amendments as the legislative session careened to a conclusion. While it did have bipartisan support, it failed in the Senate by a single vote.
Republicans, with the exception of five conservative senators who still haven't returned from the walkout, joined with a couple of Democrats in voting for HB 3414. Too many other Democrats voted against it.
Assuming they were of a mind to support it, those five missing senators very well could have made the difference in getting the bill across the finish line.
When Kotek spoke to the press on Wednesday, she explained some of the background behind what happened.
"One of the pieces of the agreement for Senate Republicans and Independents to come back was to make a good faith effort to pass 3414 with the land supply portion," Kotek said. "I made a commitment personally to be part of trying to pass it. So I worked in the last 72 hours to talk to members, to try to get their votes — and on the day of the floor, I thought we would pass the bill. We didn't, that happens. That doesn't mean we aren't coming back on the topic. So I upheld my side of the bargain, which was to try and get it done, and we need to continue the conversation."
Kotek said that in order to address Oregon's housing crisis, the status quo simply won't work. Things need to be done differently in order to streamline development. For instance, cities can already apply to expand their urban growth boundaries, but it's a long process that HB 3414 would have expedited.
For and against
The Story spoke to Home Forward, an organization that supported the bill. They have a hand in building housing throughout the Portland area and say that local building codes have slowed them down.
"There's one specific development that we've been working on for three-plus years and it ended up costing significantly more money and taking significantly longer than anticipated due to the denial of very reasonable adjustment requests to the local jurisdiction's land use requirements," said Christina Dirks, director of policy and planning with Home Forward. "The real cost here is that homeless folks and renters at risk of homelessness were denied access for over a year and a half in this specific example that would've been avoided if a law like HB 3414 had been in place."
But leaders from several Oregon cities opposed the bill. They said that they aren't getting enough support from the state when it comes to putting infrastructure in place.
As an organization, the League of Oregon Cities was officially neutral on HB 3414. However, they represent hundreds of cities across the state, and many of those local governments are facing major barriers when it comes to figuring out how to add housing, not all of them related to the availability of land.
"We have a number of infrastructure systems that need updating, need improving, there are new updated federal and state requirements for storm water management, environmental impacts," said Ariel Nelson, lobbyist with the League. "There are new directions and new policies that see support coming down from the state legislature and the executive branch encouraging more walkable, bikeable communities, more increased investment in transit ... all of this is very expensive, and we need increased partnership from the state to make it happen.
"There are also cities who do lack available land. Not every city is in that position, not every city has physically (the) room to grow based on their geography," Nelson continued. "A number of cities are also facing site constraints, whether that be flood plains or wetlands mitigation — which can be really costly and kind of slow down development — whether that's the terrain, very steep slopes that make it difficult to build housing ... Our communities on the coast are having to manage what it looks like to provide additional housing and serve their communities in tsunami inundation zones. so there's a wide range of barriers across the state, infrastructure and capacity are the top across the board for all cities."
Representatives for the League said that local government needs a seat at the table to talk about their needs when legislation like this comes back — and as Kotek indicated, it's likely to come back in some form. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/kotek-legislature-land-use-affordable-housing-urban-growth/283-eaec74ee-2eed-4372-8cac-dae527f93274 | 2023-06-30T01:01:30 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/kotek-legislature-land-use-affordable-housing-urban-growth/283-eaec74ee-2eed-4372-8cac-dae527f93274 |
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — For 50 years, the United States Military has run on an all-volunteer force. Private First Class (PFC) Carter Zaccariello is one of its newest servicemen.
"You want to come in ready to work, and you want to strive to be the best," PFC Zaccariello said.
Carter, who enlisted to become an explosive ordnance disposal technician, comes from a military family and says the choice to enlist was easy.
"My cousin does the same job as me," PFC Zaccariello said. "He introduced me, told me what he was doing and it really sounded interesting to me."
However, Major Mie Horvath, the executive officer at the Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion, says the same can’t be said for others.
"Historically, the propensity to serve hovers around 13 to 14%," Major Horvath said. "And 2022, we saw that come down to 9%.”
A recruitment crisis is dealing a major blow to the armed forces. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard officials say they will not meet their recruiting goals this year.
“We're seeing a little bit more competition from the private sector," Major Horvath said. "[It's] something we just hadn't seen in the past, we're seeing that more and more now."
Large companies like Starbucks and Walmart are offering higher pay and similar benefits that were traditionally incentives people could only get from enlisting in the military.
"Historically, something like student loan repayment, that's military only, was something that we kind of owned," Major Horvath said. "That was an attractive point to bringing folks into military service."
So, the Army is adapting.
"Up to $50,000 in bonuses, that's a huge incentive for just about anybody," Major Horvath said. "And then on top of that, we're giving people an option of a lower contract requirement time, now it's a two-year option."
Traditionally, armed forces contracts are between four and eight years in length. The shorter option gives recruits the chance to a shorter commitment to see if the Army is a right fit for them.
Connecting with the community is also just as important as incentivizing new soldiers.
"It's part of what we do here locally and across recruiting to kind of get ourselves out there," Major Horvath said. "We're trying to make sure that the public knows their army."
PFC Zaccariello says military service offers something for everything.
“It's not all that you see, you're not just going to be going in with infantry and everything," he said. "They have anything really, it's not all just infantry and going into combat."
You can find your local recruiters or how to join the branches at the links below: | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/half-century-of-all-volunteer-force-and-a-new-challenge-military-recruitment/521-6675b757-9b0c-49c0-ba00-a89f12a1ec62 | 2023-06-30T01:09:41 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/half-century-of-all-volunteer-force-and-a-new-challenge-military-recruitment/521-6675b757-9b0c-49c0-ba00-a89f12a1ec62 |
CYPRESS, Texas — An Amazon contract driver got his own unwanted delivery Tuesday evening seconds after approaching a home with a pile of packages.
"Oh good Lord,” the worker could be heard saying in the family's surveillance video that they shared with KHOU 11.
He had a heat-related episode brought on by the blazing weather.
"This is something that can affect anybody,” said Assistant Chief Justin Reed, with the Cy-Fair Fire Department.
Reed reported twice as many heat-related calls this month versus last August and September combined. Those are usually the high-heat months.
"Just for the month of June, the Cy-Fair Fire Department has responded to more than 40 responses for heat-related illness," Reed said. "That’s where it’s the primary call for us going out.”
How to cool off
Reed and others used a training dummy to illustrate part of their response.
"If your core temperature is at 104 (degrees), that’s when we start worrying. You’re now pushing from heat exhaustion to heat stroke,” Reed said.
The dummy’s temperature dramatically decreased during a misting and fanning procedure typically done in the back of an ambulance.
Ice or even frozen food is also used to help cool people down.
"So, this is something that is super low-tech that not a lot of people have jumped onto that is extremely effective,” Reed said.
According to Amazon, the contract employee did not require emergency help.
“We’re very thankful to report this delivery driver is OK and feeling well," a spokesperson said in a statement. "We’ll continue to monitor the driver’s condition, and we appreciate the customer bringing this to our attention.”
The company added there’s nothing more important than the safety and health of employees and delivery partners, especially during times of extreme temperatures.
Full statement
“We’re very thankful to report this delivery driver is OK and feeling well. There’s nothing more important than the safety and health of our employees and delivery partners, especially during times of extreme temperatures, and we take a lot of precautions to minimize risk. All Amazon-branded vehicles have air conditioning, drivers are provided with as much water and Gatorade as they need, and they’re encouraged to take breaks whenever needed to cool off. We’ll continue to monitor the driver’s condition, and we appreciate the customer bringing this to our attention.”
Maureen Lynch Vogel, Amazon spokesperson | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/amazon-delivery-driver-heat/285-101acebc-bda6-441e-a7e4-311c37a4b27a | 2023-06-30T01:09:53 | 1 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/amazon-delivery-driver-heat/285-101acebc-bda6-441e-a7e4-311c37a4b27a |
On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at approximately 12:10 P.M., the Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy-101, near milepost 208, in Douglass County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound silver GMC Sonoma, operated by Raymond Louis Eby Jr. (35) of Molalla, crossed into the on-coming northbound lane for unknown reasons. The GMC Sonoma collided (offset) head-on with a northbound white Toyota Rav4, operated by Shawna Michelle Coolidge (51) of Florence.
As a result of the collision, the GMC Sonoma rolled over and came to an uncontrolled rest on its roof blocking the northbound lane. The GMC Sonoma received heavy front-end damage. The Toyota Rav4 left the roadway after the collision and came to an uncontrolled rest down a small embankment adjacent to the northbound lanes. The Toyota Rav4 received heavy front-end damage.
The driver of the GMC Sonoma (Eby Jr.) and driver of the Toyota Rav4 (Coolidge) were declared deceased at the scene.
A three year old child in the Toyota Rav4 was transported to Lower Umpqua Hospital via Lower Umpqua Ambulance with non-life threatening injuries and later transferred to Sacred Heart Riverbend in Springfield.
The roadway was impacted for approximately 1 hour during the on-scene investigation.
ODOT, Mast Brother's Towing, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Reedsport Police Department, Gardiner Fire Department, Lower Umpqua Ambulance, Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office, and a OSP HWR / Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplain assisted in the investigation. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/fatal-crash-on-highway-101in-douglas-county/article_f32b275c-16d9-11ee-8077-f34c44265907.html | 2023-06-30T01:10:27 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/fatal-crash-on-highway-101in-douglas-county/article_f32b275c-16d9-11ee-8077-f34c44265907.html |
June 10, 1950 – June 23, 2023
Cynthia “Cindy” (Ring) Bodkin, loving daughter, sister, mother, wife and grandmother passed away surrounded by her family on June 23, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer. Cindy was born on June 10, 1950, in Coos Bay to parents, Bill and Glenda Ring. After the passing of her mother, Bill married Mary Ring, who quickly became mom to Cindy. As a child Cindy enjoyed spending time at the family ranch in Fairview. She and her siblings could be found swimming, riding horses and picking blackberries to pass the time.
Cindy graduated from Marshfield High School where she made lifelong friends and memories. She participated on the cheer team at Marshfield and met her first husband. A few years were spent studying at Oregon State University before the birth of their three children, Marlo, Kelsey and Luke.
Cindy later married Michael Bodkin and gained two sons, David and Ben. They shared a full house of school age children that became a close-knit family making lasting memories.
Cindy dedicated her career to education. She worked for over 33 years in the Coos Bay School District. She was very passionate about getting the opportunity to assist other Educational Leaders helping elementary age children learn the fundamentals of reading. Once retired she continued giving back to the educational community by staying active in PEO and their scholarship opportunities.
In her free time Cindy enjoyed golfing with her husband Mike. They regularly played and participated in yearly golf trips with wonderful friends, something to which Cindy always looked forward to.
Cindy had a profound love for her family. She could always be found at her children and grandchildren's events and day to day activities. Her grandchildren quickly gave her the name of Grandma B, although fitting to her last name, she earned that term because she was the grandma with books and spent countless hours reading to all of them. Holidays were always extra special times for her family. Cindy always added tenderness and love to her planning.
Cindy will always be remembered for her selfless, giving nature. She always had a positive outlook on life and gave others the benefit of the doubt. She never hesitated to provide a deep love and support to those surrounding her.
Cindy is survived by her husband, Michael Bodkin; daughters, Marlo (Kyle) Rood and Kelsey (James) Orr; sons, Luke (Jenny) McGriff, David Bodkin and Ben (Jamie) Bodkin; mother, Mary Ring; sisters, Kay (Kent) Mulkins, Janet (Paul) Gammon, Rhonda (Mike) Altenbach, and Denise (Willy) Layton; brothers, Jim (Lori) Ring and Mike Ring; grandchildren, Vanessa, Madee, Kaylee, Alexa, Aubrey, Carter, Ashtyn, Calli, Bradyn and Brooklyn.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Glenda Ring; brother, Hal Ring.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Coos History Museum on July 15, 2023, from 3:00 - 5:00. In lieu of flowers the family asks for contributions to be made in Cindy’s honor to: PEO Scholarship Fund. PEO Chapter AS, c/o Treasurer Liz Cowden, 3874 Vista Dr., North Bend, OR 97459. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/cynthia-cindy-bodkin/article_e4696cdc-16d0-11ee-b178-7bb8245eb8e2.html | 2023-06-30T01:10:33 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/cynthia-cindy-bodkin/article_e4696cdc-16d0-11ee-b178-7bb8245eb8e2.html |
TAMPA, Fla. — In less than 48 hours, Florida’s new immigration law will take effect, sparking concern among some community members wondering how they may be impacted.
“This is the strongest legislation against illegal immigration anywhere in the country,” Gov. Ron DeSantis who said the law aims to combat the dangerous effects of illegal immigration and comes as a result of what he calls a failed federal response to issues at the southern border.
The new law includes stricter rules for employers, making them use E-verify to check employees’ legal status or face fines, and enhanced penalties for people who use fake IDs to gain employment, making it a felony. Hospitals that accept Medicaid will now have to check the legal status of patients and report it.
The legislation has been met with protests across the state since the governor signed it into law last month.
“It's difficult to be a Latino in the state of Florida and not be affected by SB 1718, either directly or indirectly,” Getulio Gonzalez-Mulattieri with the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) said.
LULAC, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization hosted a town hall in Ybor City Thursday, giving people in the community an opportunity to ask experts questions about the new law.
On the panel included an immigration lawyer, community leaders and Hillsborough State Attorney Susan Lopez.
Lopez, a DeSantis appointee, said her office’s number one concern is public safety, adding in her career, she’s never asked a victim or witness what their immigration status was.
“I want victims and witnesses to know that we stand up for them no matter what their status is and we want those people to be heard,” Lopez told the audience.
Local law enforcement echoed that sentiment. In a video released this week, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister assured residents his office will not target individuals based on their immigration status.
“The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is committed to upholding the law while treating all individuals with respect, dignity and fairness,” Chronister said in the video.
His message comes as some voiced worries about potential racial and ethnic profiling that may come with enforcing the new law.
“It just impacts many facets of our society. And unfortunately, people are worried about it,” Gonzalez-Mulattieri added.
Demonstrations against the law will likely continue. Organizers are planning protests in various parts of the state in the days to come. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/immigration-law-florida/67-871dbc5b-f3dd-4dff-84de-eaa83f7c4824 | 2023-06-30T01:14:07 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/immigration-law-florida/67-871dbc5b-f3dd-4dff-84de-eaa83f7c4824 |
SARASOTA, Fla. — Deadly rip currents are being blamed for at least 11 people drowning at beaches north of the Gulf Coast in the Florida Panhandle in recent days.
With big crowds expected at the beach, safety is top of mind for local first responders. Thousands will pack local beaches and some with their boats in waterways ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
That's why local officials say it's important to keep safety in mind – especially when swimming or boating.
Boaters like Bradford Bauer of Sarasota and his friend Todd McAuliff decided to head out on the water a few days ahead.
"We figured we could get in early and that way we wouldn't have all the traffic of the race boats and all the other boats come in," Bauer said.
The two longtime friends have spent many Fourth of July weekends together in Sarasota for over 25 years.
This weekend's high-speed boat race, the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix, will not only draw professional boaters from across the world but also leisure boaters too. Spectators and beach fun seekers are also trooping to the coast.
The friends are hosting other friends ahead and are making sure their boat is all set and ready to sail.
"I did a safety check last night about it with ropes and anchors and all of our lifevest for this many people we're going to have on the boat," McAuliff said.
The U.S. Coast Guard is working with more than 15 agencies along the Gulf waters in the Tampa Bay area to make sure everyone on the water is in compliance.
"Always make sure you have a life jacket on board. You want to make sure you not only have one for every person but you also need to have one for whether they're a child adult or an infant," Chief Derek Waters explained. "There are three different sizes. You want to make sure you have the appropriate size for the people that you have on your boat."
Waters also reminded boaters that along with the standard expectation of a horn, whistle, and flares, it is now law for a vessel operator to have on a kill switch that shuts the engine off in case the operator goes overboard. Personal locator beacons are also highly advised.
Officials also said it's best practice to have a float plan and know what the conditions are before getting into the water to swim or onto it with a vessel.
"If you are caught up in a rip current, you're going to feel the water moving away from shore, and you're likely going to be moving with it and we encourage people to stay calm remain calm try to flag someone down for help if they are caught up in a rip current," Sarasota County Lifeguards Chief Rick Hinkson said.
Local agencies say they are fully staffed, equipped and ready. Sarasota Fire Department plans to have fire boats on the waterways in case of any fires. They're urging boaters and beachgoers to stay hydrated and understand all of the possible hazards they might encounter.
"Enjoy your boating heat with all of the guidance that we've given you ...limit your alcohol consumption, monitor the navigational aids out in the channels and utilize those and watch the tide to have a safe and fun weekend," Assistant Fire Chief Tim Dorsey said.
It's also advised people to swim near a lifeguard. There are six lifeguarded beaches across Sarasota County. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/us-coast-guard-sarasota-county-boater-safety-gulf/67-b9f02e29-99ad-42e6-b30d-bb32653b7707 | 2023-06-30T01:14:13 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/us-coast-guard-sarasota-county-boater-safety-gulf/67-b9f02e29-99ad-42e6-b30d-bb32653b7707 |
GARY — Mayor Jerome Prince and the Gary Common Council made their appointments Thursday to the newly formed Gary Community School Corp. Board.
Prince's pick is Akilia McCain; the council chose Vanessa Allen-McCloud.
McCain previously served on the now-defunct Gary Schools Advisory Board and most recently was president of the Gary Public Library Board. She resigned from the library board in June after a contentious debate over the library's controller. McCain has worked as a speech language pathologist for more than 25 years. She is the wife of Deputy Mayor Trent McCain.
“As a mother of three, Akilia understands firsthand the importance of equipping our students with the tools they need to thrive,” Prince said in a city news release. “In her previous roles as a library board president and an elected school board member, Akilia exemplified her deep-rooted commitment to education. With her profound expertise and unwavering passion, I am certain that Akilia’s primary focus is to propel our schools towards greatness."
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The Common Council unanimously voted during a special meeting to appoint Allen-McCloud. Since 2010, she has served as the president and CEO of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana. She has worked as an administrator at Purdue University Calumet, South Suburban College and in the Gary Community School Corp.
"This is a transition period," Allen-McCloud told the council. "Thank you for your confidence in me."
Allen-McCloud said she will ensure that the council is always kept informed.
The council began accepting applications for the school board in May. The Gary Boards and Commissions Committee conducted candidate interviews June 12. Fifteen people applied, but five applicants did not attend that meeting, making them ineligible.
The five-member, appointed school board was established when Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Enrolled Act 327 into law May 5.
The legislation authorizes the mayor of Gary to appoint one school board member, the Gary Common Council to select another and gives three picks to the Indiana secretary of education, who must appoint at least one Gary resident, one resident of Gary or Lake County, and a final member from anywhere. The school board will eventually replace the Indiana Distressed Unit Appeals Board as the school district's governing body.
MGT Consulting and DUAB have run the Gary Community School Corp. since 2017. The former elected board was dissolved after it spent $21.5 million more than the district took in, racked up $103 million in debt, frequently struggled to make payroll, stiffed vendors, routinely failed to remit to the IRS tax payments withheld from employee paychecks and fell $3 million behind on paying employee health insurance premiums.
The state appointed an emergency manager to lead the district. After relentless cost-cutting and right-sizing along with the extra financial resources obtained through a voter referendum in 2020, Gary schools have a $1.3 million annual operating surplus, has paid off all but $66 million in debt, and has a five-year financial plan in place to maintain solvency and stability.
The board is slated to take effect July 1 and will be tasked initially with advising the district’s emergency manager. It will take full control, including the power to appoint a superintendent, on July 1, 2024, or a later date when DUAB certifies that Gary schools are no longer financially distressed.
In an email Wednesday to the Times, Indiana Department of Education spokesperson Christina Molinari said the IDOE expects "appointments to be made this week." Molinari did not respond to questions about how many people applied to be the IDOE's appointment or about how many candidate interviews were conducted.
Michaela Spangenburg of the Gary Education Coalition said "initially, there was no process" for people to apply to the IDOE. However, the Gary Education Coalition established a pool of candidates, creating a Google Doc where people could submit their names and professional experience. The online document is automatically updated every five minutes; it had 22 names as of Thursday evening.
"When people view this list, the only reasonable conclusion can be that the people of Gary are the most qualified to lead our schools back to local control," Spangenburg wrote in a news release.
Applicants were asked to email their materials to IDOE chief of staff Brian Murphy. However, Spangenburg said that as far as she knows, almost none of the 22 people in the Gary Education Coalition's pool of candidates was interviewed by the IDOE.
"Everyone is feeling like this process is a sham at this point," Spangenburg said.
Some candidates applied to the IDOE and to the Gary Common Council.
At the June 12 meeting, Councilwoman Lori Latham, D-at large, said she was at the Legislature when Senate Enrolled Act 327 was being discussed. During the hearing, Latham said, people questioned whether Gary had enough qualified candidates for an elected school board.
Ultimately, the Gary Education Coalition would like to see the restoration of an elected school board.
Gallery: New furniture for kids at Glen Park Academy
Gary Community School Corp. students returned to their classrooms after winter break to a surprise Tuesday: brand-new furniture.
Glen Park Academy New Furniture.jpg
A classroom at Glen Park Academy for Excellence in Gary, decked out Tuesday with brand-new furniture.
Glen Park Academy New Furniture 2.jpg
Staff rolls brand-new furniture into Glen Park Academy for Excellence on Tuesday. Buildings throughout the Gary school district received new f…
Glen Park Academy New Furniture 3.jpg
Gary Community School Corp. officials said that Tuesday was the first time in decades that many schools in the district received new furniture.
Glen Park Academy New Furniture 4.jpg
Students sit in a classroom Tuesday at Glen Park Academy for Excellence in Gary. Students returned from the holiday break to brand-new furniture.
Glen Park Academy New Furniture 5.jpg
New tables on Tuesday at Glen Park Academy for Excellence in Gary. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/gary-school-board-meeting-common-council-mayor-prince/article_3317352a-16b4-11ee-94ab-4b0eb4443df2.html | 2023-06-30T01:18:28 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/gary-school-board-meeting-common-council-mayor-prince/article_3317352a-16b4-11ee-94ab-4b0eb4443df2.html |
For more than 50 years, a founding New Sweden family has returned to the Idaho Falls area to celebrate their combined history.
In 1895, Peter Jackson moved to the area west of Idaho Falls. He had traveled from Sweden across the Atlantic Ocean and into a sagebrush desert. Large tracts of land were for sale, and Jackson thought settling near the Snake River would be ideal. Jackson's family, including 3-year-old son Ernest, would now have a permanent home in eastern Idaho.
This permanent home became known as New Sweden. What was once dry and desertous terrain became fertile potato-farming land for descendants to come. Ernest worked the fields growing up. Ernest and fellow settlers dug canals that created an irrigable farm.
Ernest, whose 14 grandchildren met for a family reunion this week, became the director of the New Sweden Irrigation District, cementing his family ties in the area.
More than a century after their grandfather moved to New Sweden as a toddler, Carole Rounds and Peggy Newmeyer are just two of 14 cousins returning to their family roots.
Rounds remembers having family gatherings a few times a year growing up. Her parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents instilled a family pride in her.
"This is where our roots are," Rounds said. "(Family) is priceless."
Even though those parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are gone, Rounds thinks it's vital to keep the tradition alive.
"It's sad that they are all gone, but they would want us to do this," Rounds said. "It's kind of unique that cousins have continued the tradition."
Rounds never left New Sweden, but the 13 other cousins did. They live across the western United States in Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico. Every two years, they all meet up in the small farming community to keep their family's history intact.
This year a total of 30 Jackson descendants, including some of the cousins and theirchildren and grandchildren, came out for the reunion. The 14 cousins, ranging in agefrom 35 to 79, will be putting on a skit for the rest of the family. Dressing up in 19th century costumes, they hope to shine a light on the family's local ties through fun and games.
Even though there are some arguments and disagreements, Newmeyer said she couldn't imagine not getting together as family.
"We all have that Swedish blood in us," Newmeyer said about family arguments. "But we all understand each other."
Newmeyer's father worked on the construction of the Palisades Dam. She remembers living in Swan Valley, but driving down to Idaho Falls several times a year as a young girl to visit the rest of the family.
The tradition has held fast for more than five decades, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.
The family gathered for a potato-themed meal Wednesday night. Rounds' granddaughter walked up to her and asked, "Do I have to do this when I grow up?"
"She came up to me with big round eyes. She was like 'do I really have to keep this up?' Rounds said with a laugh.
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Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/founding-new-sweden-family-returns-for-reunion/article_7c216276-16ba-11ee-bde2-f380a066310d.html | 2023-06-30T01:22:03 | 1 | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/founding-new-sweden-family-returns-for-reunion/article_7c216276-16ba-11ee-bde2-f380a066310d.html |
The Idaho Falls City Council placed a proposed amendment to its recently updated child care licensing ordinance on its July 13 agenda during a work session Monday.
On June 8, the council voted five to one to align the city’s requirements for background checks on child care employees and day care center operators with the state of Idaho’s standards, which are less restrictive than the requirements previously set in Idaho Falls code.
“That meant we were not having any restriction for a violation of a civil protection order, no restriction for misdemeanor domestic violence, no for assault, for battery and for stalking in a second degree,” Idaho Falls City Councilman Jim Francis said. “These are lower-level crimes than are in the state statute, but they were in our original (ordinance).”
Francis requested that the city attorneys draft an amendment to reinstate some of the requirements whose elimination could “represent possible threats to children,” he said.
"What this proposal would do is, if you’ve had a conviction for any one of these crimes within the last three years, you’d be ineligible for a city license to own, manage or work at a child care facility,” said Assistant City Attorney Mike Kirkham.
In the past, some council members had objected to the previous code’s license restrictions for offenses such as substance abuse and petty theft, Francis said.
His proposal represented a compromise, matching the state on some restrictions while adding back disqualifications “focused on anger management problems, threat of violence to a child or threat of getting out of control with a child,” Francis said.
He was particularly concerned about misdemeanor domestic violence being eliminated as a barrier to a license.
“It’s a fairly common practice that what would be normally a felony is pled down to a misdemeanor,” he said. “… It’s a very serious offense, a misdemeanor domestic battery. I think we should leave those in there as the city requirement, even though it’s more strict than the state.”
City Councilman John Radford asked for time to consult with Idaho Department of Health and Welfare officials about why the state’s standards do not restrict licensing for these offenses.
“There’s a reason this doesn’t exist in the state code,” Radford said. “… This has been looked at for a lot of years. This is children that we’re talking about, and it’s our most sacred thing. The state doesn’t take that lightly. It seems like there would be a reason that this isn’t included. Maybe it’s something that happens quite often in divorce proceedings, or there’s reasons this is nuanced.”
Councilwoman Lisa Burtenshaw said she would further investigate what constitutes the crimes contained in the amendment.
“I understand the plea down, but I also care about the people who don’t go defend themselves because they have a misdemeanor and they got cited for something,” she said.
Councilman Jim Freeman expressed his support for the update.
“I’ll just mention that I’m totally in support of this at this time,” Freeman said. “I know Councilor Francis has given this a lot of thought. If the Legal Department has looked through state code and have found that these things are lacking in the state code that are covered other places, I agree that they need to be in the code, and I’m in support of it.”
Francis also addressed previous City Council concerns that the process for obtaining certification was too cumbersome.
“The restrictions we put in for licensing and child care certificates, we should recognize that’s a different thing than the process,” he said. “We have discussed delays in process as keeping people from getting certification in a timely manner, but it’s not the restrictions that are preventing that — it’s the process.”
He said that the City Council has addressed those delays.
Idaho Falls Police Capt. Jeremy Galbreaith, who oversees the department’s investigations and special operations bureau, reported that the turnaround time for state background checks in Idaho Falls was three to five days, Francis said.
“If there are other elements in the process that are delaying it, then I think we address that differently than reducing the restrictions of these things that represent possible threats to children, which is our purpose,” Francis said.
Mayor Rebecca Casper said she’d place the amendment on the July 13 agenda with a “do pass recommendation coming from the city.”
“We’ll see where it goes in terms of your debate that evening,” she said. | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/i-f-city-council-to-consider-amendment-to-child-care-ordinance-next-month/article_66cc50a8-16c8-11ee-9d54-abfbc6cc7471.html | 2023-06-30T01:22:09 | 1 | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/i-f-city-council-to-consider-amendment-to-child-care-ordinance-next-month/article_66cc50a8-16c8-11ee-9d54-abfbc6cc7471.html |
The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to a structure fire Thursday morning on the 3000 block of South Holmes Avenue.
Multiple callers contacted the Bonneville County/Idaho Falls Dispatch Center at about 9:23 a.m., reporting a large plume of smoke, flames, and what sounded like small explosions, a fire department news release said.
The fire department responded with three engines, three ambulances, a ladder truck and a battalion chief, the release said.
A reporting party told dispatchers the site contained empty fuel cans, brake cleaner, a propane bottle, as well as polyurethane insulation. Those products contain fuel that burns fast and hot and creates dense smoke and gases, the release said. A home and other structures were adjacent to the blaze.
As Engines 4 and 7 arrived on scene, four minutes after being dispatched, a large plume of heavy black smoke could be seen from a distance.
Firefighters closed the southbound lane of South Holmes from its intersection with Sunnyside Road to a couple of blocks south to the entrance of Sun Circle.
Firefighters reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the south side of a large, one-story mechanical shop, approximately 30 feet wide by 40 feet deep, and quickly began fire attack, the release said.
“The contents inside were typical maintenance equipment,” Idaho Falls Fire Department Public Information Officer Kerry Hammon said.
By approximately 9:35 a.m., most of the fire was extinguished.
No one was inside the shop when the fire started and no one was injured in the fire. The shop’s contents were a complete loss. Damages to the structure and the contents inside are estimated at approximately $300,000, the release said.
The fire’s cause is under investigation by the department’s Fire Prevention and Investigation Division.
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Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/shop-contents-lost-in-fire-on-s-holmes-ave/article_e3356002-16b5-11ee-9849-7b0552d8b016.html | 2023-06-30T01:22:15 | 0 | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/shop-contents-lost-in-fire-on-s-holmes-ave/article_e3356002-16b5-11ee-9849-7b0552d8b016.html |
It often seems there's no rhyme or reason as to who gets bitten by mosquitoes. But according to new research from Virginia Tech, the body soap you choose to use each day may have an impact on whether you are a target for the pesky insects.
Mosquitos in Lincoln have tested positive for West Nile virus, though no human cases have been reported, according to the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.
Mosquitos that test positive can indicate increased transmission of the virus in the community, health department officials said. West Nile virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Health department officials urged residents to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites and reduce mosquito breeding areas around the home.
* Limit time outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
* Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes and socks outside.
* Use an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as those with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane diol, or 2-undecanone. For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents
To reduce mosquito breeding areas:
* Dump small wading pools daily and maintain swimming pools properly.
* Clear debris, weeds and litter from drainage ways.
* Change water in birdbaths weekly and pet bowls daily.
* Store tires, buckets and containers where they can’t collect water.
* Fill in yard low spots.
* Maintain garden ponds and fountains and always keep water flowing.
For more information or to report mosquito breeding site complaints contact the Health Department at 402-441-8002.
Top Journal Star photos for June 2023
Players part of the Lincoln International FC wave flags from different countries while posing for a photo on their last day of soccer practice on Wednesday at Densmore Park in Lincoln.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Henry Schmid builds a new robot using LEGOs and various electronics as part of a LEGO Robotics course, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at The Bay in Lincoln. Brick-by-brick, students between fourth and ninth grades worked to assemble robots they built from LEGOs. As part of the Lincoln Public Schools Summer Technology Program, kids interested in robotics worked to build and program their robots to perform various tasks.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Florida's Michael Robertson embraces Deric Fabian after their loss to LSU, during game 3 of the NCAA College World Series championship series on Monday, June 26, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Florida relief pitcher Cade Fisher delivers to the plate against LSU in the fifth inning, during game 3 of the NCAA College World Series championship series on Monday, June 26, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
LSU's Paul Skenes carries the trophy after defeating Florida in the game 3 of the College World Series championship series on Monday, June 26, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
LSU's Brady Neal pours a sports drink on coach Jay Johnson after the Tigers defeated Florida in the College World Series championship game Monday at Charles Schwab Field.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
LSU players celebrate the victory against Florida in the College World Series championship series final on Monday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Lincoln's Zach Keenan throws a pitch against Winnipeg on Monday at Haymarket Park.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
LSU's Alex Milazzo hurdles Florida catcher BT Riopelle to score in the fourth inning during the College World Series championship series final on Monday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Brenda Schmidt (left) and Charles Schmidt kayak at Holmes Lake on Monday. After a sunny day reaching a high the upper 80s on Monday, Tuesday could see a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. A big warmup is in store for Wednesday, with the National Weather Service forecasting a high near 100 in Lincoln.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Florida players wait to celebrate Jac Caglianone's (14) home run during a College World Series championship series game against LSU on Sunday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Finn Nash, Jaro Lepic, Liam Demshock and Liam Etkes (top, from left) have their sports memorabilia, including a replica of Homeplate, signed by Florida's Philip Abner before Game 2 of the College World Series championship series on Sunday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Florida's Cade Fisher celebrates after closing out an inning against LSU during the NCAA College World Series championship, Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
Florida warms up during the NCAA College World Series championship, Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
With $5 in hand, Lincoln City Council member Tom Beckius checks the odds on a screen before placing his bet Thursday at WarHorse Casino. While the state's gambling regulations require bets to be placed on site at the casino, gamblers can use WarHorse's app to build out their wagers, making it easier and faster to place them in person.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Alex Azevedo sits on his dad's vintage motor car before the International Speedsters Trials and Reunions road trip Thursday morning.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
David Campbell, a recent graduate from Union college's international rescue and relief program, climbs and rappels from a tree alongside Mike Mikler (not pictured) on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln.
The duo, who had earlier created a giant swing, said they were climbing the trees for fun and practice. The program for International rescue and relief is a bachelor of science degree designed for students who want to serve and help others in disaster and humanitarian relief.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Southeast Community College Professor Michael Mellon teaches anatomy of the human brain to his class Tuesday in Lincoln. A change to community college funding in Nebraska will result in higher property taxes to support SCC next year, but officials say a tax credit will offset those increases.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
A'rielle Harvell (bottom), 5, slides down an inflatable water slide next to her sisters, Yahkira Harvell (top), 4, and Samirah Graham, 13, on Monday in central Lincoln. The temperature in Lincoln reached 96 on Monday and was in the 90s again on Tuesday. The National Weather Service is forecasting highs in the 90s and mostly sunny conditions for at least the next week.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Crane removal equipment sits on Q St. between North 9th and 10th St. temporarily closing the section of Q until June 23rd, Monday, June 19, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Malone Ribbon Dancers, including Maisey Ratliff, 8, dance during Lincoln's Juneteenth celebration Saturday at Trago Park.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Scott Copeland (Left) and Donnette Thayer (right) play Irish folk music with friends during the Hub Farmers Market at Union Plaza park on Wednesday. The markets are Wednesdays, from 5-7 p.m., through Sept. 20.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Open Harvest employees shovel gravel at the Open Harvest ground breaking in the Telegraph District, Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Dynasty Volleyball players Abigail Mullen (bottom left), Reese Messer (left), Claire Cisneros (top right), and Skyler Pierce (right) share snacks and stories with one another as they rest on the catwalk overlooking the volleyball courts ahead of their next match during the Midwest PreNationals tournament on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Sports Pavilion Lawrence in Lawrence.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Fisherman Salem Alsareni, catches a 24 inch carp, weighing in at six and a half pounds at Holmes Lake, Monday, June 12, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Angela Gebhardt walks next to Star City Chorus during the Star City Pride Parade Saturday at the Nebraska state Capitol.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Foster Care Closet employee Brooke Horton lifts boxes of diapers onto the bus before departing for Norfolk on Friday.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor candidate Rodney Bennett answers questions from students and staff who are part of the College of Law on Thursday at the Office of the President.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Terrance McIntyre gets his hair cut by Treveon Phinney at 402 Fades Barber Shop on Thursday at Gateway Mall.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Eliana Athena Vargas Smith, 2, plays in the fountain at Union Plaza park on Wednesday, when temperatures reached 88 degrees in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Children extend their arms outward as they reach for bubbles to pop during a family fun night ice cream party on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at the Charles H. Gere Branch Library in Lincoln.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Harper Trumble (top right) dances with her cousin Keegan VanDeWater (right) while Alexis Arai y Su Grupo perform as part of the Jazz in June concert series on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at in the Sheldon Sculpture Garden at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln. The first performers for Jazz in June drew a sizable crowd on Tuesday. The free concert series, held each Tuesday in June, will feature two sets of music from 7-7:45 p.m. and 8-8:45 p.m. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market offered food and drinks to hungry patrons. And a bike Valet will provided free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until the end of the performance in the market.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
The Rev. T. Michael Williams signs the petition to repeal LB753 during Support our Schools Nebraska petition drive kickoff at the state Capitol on Tuesday.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Mia Masch, 5, has her hair adjusted by her father Ian while his pet parrot Mango rests atop his shoulder during an animal blessing ceremony at First-Plymouth Church.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Shriner clowns cover their hearts for the invocation before the Nebraska Shrine Bowl on Saturday at Cope Stadium in Kearney.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
A rainbow is seen near Ralston High School stadium during the Nebraska High School Soccer Senior Showcase on Friday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Grace Jacobson of Lincoln holds a rainbow umbrella over a coffin prop in front of the Governor's Mansion on Thursday, the final day of the legislative session.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Nikita (black) jumps into the dog pool as Pearl chases after her at Off Leash Dog Bar on Wednesday.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Lincoln East’s Carter Mick (10) poses for portrait , Monday, May 29, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Rebecca Rager greets her grandfather Alfred Zieg (from left) during a celebration before his birthday on Wednesday, in the Gramercy dining room on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The Residence at Gramercy in Lincoln. 'It has been a life for sure," Alfred Zieg said during the celebration. "And on Wednesday I get to start all over again, right?"
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Muggs, a 6 year-old chocolate lab fetches his toy from the water following his dive on Saturday at Paws 4 Fun in Lincoln.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Fire fighters clear out hot debris pulled off of 411 Mulder Dr home after alert two back yard fire, Friday, May 26, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Contact the writer at mreist@journalstar.com or 402-473-7226. On Twitter at @LJSReist.
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Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/mosquitos-in-lincoln-test-positive-for-west-nile/article_1d68620e-16b8-11ee-afd1-772be98f0e02.html | 2023-06-30T01:25:20 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/mosquitos-in-lincoln-test-positive-for-west-nile/article_1d68620e-16b8-11ee-afd1-772be98f0e02.html |
It’s a busy weekend in the Roanoke Valley! With July 4th just around the corner, the 10 News team kicked off WSLS Night at the Salem Fair and had an absolute blast, but we know we aren’t the only ones having tons of fun this summer!
While you’re out there making long-lasting memories, snap a selfie, picture, or video, and be sure to send it our way via Pin It as long as it is safe to do so. Now your favorite moments can be featured on TV, too!
Once you submit your photo, you have the chance to be featured during our newscasts and on our social media platforms. It could also even be chosen as our Picture of the Day on Virginia Today, which airs on weekday mornings.
If you’ve never used Pin It before – don’t worry. It’s actually pretty easy!
Here’s how to use Pin It:
- Click “Upload a Pin” and choose a picture or video
- Choose “Something Good” or “Holidays” as the channel
- Include a description (optional)
- Hit submit
Just check out some moments from WSLS Night at the Salem Fair submitted to Pin It below!
Scott Flannigan
Salem Fair
John Carlin
I just did my first ever live report with a two toed sloth. Amazing. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/30/be-featured-on-tv-share-your-4th-of-july-salem-fair-pictures-with-us/ | 2023-06-30T01:27:46 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/30/be-featured-on-tv-share-your-4th-of-july-salem-fair-pictures-with-us/ |
PITTSYLVANIA CO., Va. – A man has been taken into custody after he held his mother hostage at knifepoint on Thursday, according to the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
On Thursday around 2:48 p.m., authorities said they got a 911 call about a man with a knife holding a woman hostage in the 13,000 block of Rockford School Road.
Authorities got to the scene and identified the man as 61-year-old Anthony Simpson, and said the woman was his mother.
Deputies say Simpson would not let his mother out of the home and had barricaded the doors.
Around 5:30 p.m., authorities said they were able to get into the household and used tasers on Simpson in order to disarm him.
Simpson was then taken into custody without further incident, according to the sheriff’s office. He is now facing the following charges:
- Trespass after having been forbidden to do so.
- Injuring, etc., any property, monument, etc. $1,000.00 or more (Felony)
- Assault and battery against a family or household member.
- Abduction and kidnapping.
- Assault and battery on law enforcement
As a precaution, Simpson’s mother was taken to Centra Health in Gretna to be treated, authorities said. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/30/man-arrested-after-holding-his-mother-hostage-at-knifepoint-pittsylvania-co-authorities-say/ | 2023-06-30T01:27:52 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/30/man-arrested-after-holding-his-mother-hostage-at-knifepoint-pittsylvania-co-authorities-say/ |
OTTUMWA, Iowa — An Ottumwa man and his daughter were convicted of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by filing hundreds of fraudulent tax returns and of defrauding applicants out of unemployment insurance benefits and the Iowa Workforce Development out of benefits payments.
On May 22, 2023, Thein Maung, 47, pleaded guilty to 49 fraud and tax charges. On June 2, 2023, a federal jury convicted Phyo Mi, 21, of 16 fraud charges.
"One of the allegations was the preparation and submission to the IRS of fraudulent tax returns," said William Steenson, assistant special agent in charge with the St. Louis Field Office of IRS Investigations.
According to court documents and evidence presented at Mi’s four-day trial, Maung and Mi ran a fraudulent tax-preparation business out of their family’s Ottumwa home.
In exchange for a cash fee, Maung and Mi prepared and filed their customers’ tax returns. Maung and Mi primarily catered to immigrants and refugees who worked at meat-packing facilities in Iowa and who had little or no ability to read, write or speak English.
"[The victims] were saying, 'I don't speak English, I don't even know what a tax return is, I just know that I have to do it,'" said Ottumwa Police Investigator Jeremy Tosh. "And so then they were just directed to go to these people by family members, friends, people who had done it. And they had no idea what was happening."
Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi included on their customers’ federal tax returns fraudulent items like false claims for residential energy credits, business-expense deductions or moving-expense deductions for members of the United States Armed Forces.
"I think really, the most egregious part of this case was when the targets decided to start inflating the refunds and pocketing the difference without without anyone's knowledge," Steenson said. "It's just pure theft."
The effect of Maung and Mi including fraudulent items on the tax documents was to increase the refunds their clients received and increase Maung and Mi’s customer base. In all, from 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi caused over 1,600 tax returns to be filed from their Ottumwa residence. The fraudulent tax returns claimed over $3.5 million in residential energy credits. The pair also brought in over $200,000 in cash fees from customers.
Maung and Mi also offered to help customers apply for unemployment benefits from Iowa Workforce Development. Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi submitted materials to Iowa Workforce Development directing that their customers’ benefits payments be sent to financial institution accounts that Maung and Mi had access to.
From October 2020 through March 2021, Maung and Mi directed nearly $100,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits payments be sent from Iowa Workforce Development to their accounts, instead of to the eligible claimants.
Sentencings for both Maung and Mi are scheduled for September 27, 2023, in Des Moines, before Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose.
You can avoid being a victim of a scam like this by heading to the IRS website and using the Return Preparer Directory. There you can input your zip code to find a tax preparer who has credentials that are recognized by the IRS. | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/ottumwa-father-daughter-tax-fraud-unemployment-insurance-benefits-iowa-workforce-development/524-2226ae89-bc82-4d22-9271-883497ee4b5c | 2023-06-30T01:27:54 | 0 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/ottumwa-father-daughter-tax-fraud-unemployment-insurance-benefits-iowa-workforce-development/524-2226ae89-bc82-4d22-9271-883497ee4b5c |
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Local | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/local/chaos-at-museum-ribbon-cutting-caught-on-camera/4465950/ | 2023-06-30T01:28:31 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/local/chaos-at-museum-ribbon-cutting-caught-on-camera/4465950/ |
A museum ribbon-cutting did not go according to plan when a surprise guest interrupted the opening ceremony of the new Louis Armstrong Center and sent a lawmaker to the hospital.
New York state Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry had just delivered a speech at the cultural center event Thursday morning when he was knocked over on his way down from the stage.
"The ability for us to gather today and to celebrate this particular occasion is a blessing," Aubry had said to the crowd gathered outside. Police had closed the street to traffic for the ceremony.
The man who ran into the assemblyman was reportedly making a getaway after trying to steal some Yeezy's.
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Aubry, police said, suffered a laceration to his head and was transported from the Corona event on a stretcher by EMTs, who took him to a nearby hospital. He's expected to be OK.
The 23-year-old assailant had jumped from his silver Hyundai after drying it through a closed off street. Police said he managed to keep fleeing after knocking down Aubry, 75, but was caught later.
Aaron Prashad, on of the EMTS who rendered aid, said the incident could have been much worse. The car, apparently, came pretty close to the crowd.
News
"He reversed back and angled toward right to drive over people," Prashad said. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/alleged-yeezy-thief-runs-into-nyc-ribbon-cutting-knocking-lawmaker-to-ground/4465651/ | 2023-06-30T01:28:38 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/alleged-yeezy-thief-runs-into-nyc-ribbon-cutting-knocking-lawmaker-to-ground/4465651/ |
The same day Mayor Eric Adams celebrated a budget agreement with city leaders over a proposed $107 billion plan for New York City, the first-term elected made headlines for a testy exchange at a town hall event the previous night.
An exchange between Adams and a woman at the Wednesday meeting in Washington Heights had garnered several million views by the next day. In it, the mayor fires back after pressed by the woman about his role in the Rent Guidelines Board's move last month to raise rents.
"Why in New York City, where the real estate is controlling you, Mr. Mayor, why are we having these horrible rent increases this year and last?" she yelled at the mayor from across the gymnasium.
Adams, seemingly frustrated by the woman's question, did not hold back in his response.
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"First, if you're gonna ask a question, don't point at me and don't be disrespectful to me. I'm the mayor of this city, and treat me with the respect that I deserve to be treated. I'm speaking to you as an adult," he responded.
That reply gained him a bit of applause from people in the room, according to video recording of the town hall. Adams continued:
"Don't stand in front like you treated someone that's on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect I deserve, and engage in the conversation. Up here in Washington Heights, treat me with the same level of respect I treat you. So don't be pointing at me, don't be disrespectful to me, speak with me as an adult, because I'm a grown man. I walked into this room as a grown man, and I'm gonna walk out of this room as a grown man. I answered your question."
News
The woman aiming to get the mayor to discuss housing affordability was later identified by several outlets as Jeanie Dubnau. Forward reports the 84-year-old is a known tenant activist and Holocaust survivor.
“This woman is Jeanie Dubnau, the Co-Founder of the Riverside Edgecombe Neighborhood Association (RENA), a tenants & housing rights advocacy organization in Upper Manhattan,” Juan Rosa, national director of civic engagement at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, tweeted.
Forward got in contact with Dubnau, who called Adams "an enemy of the tenants."
“The fact of the matter is that he is a landlord himself,” she said. “He got millions from the real estate industry and he’s paying them back. He’s as corrupt as that.”
The Wednesday night exchange came on the heels of a new Siena poll reflecting a dip in the mayor's favorability.
The group of New Yorkers polled mid-June were slightly less favorable opinion of Adams than the previous month. In May, 49% of those polled had a favorable opinion of the mayor; that's down to 46%. His previous unfavorability number of 35% climbed to 39%.
Adams is certainly not the first NYC mayor to slip in favorability. His predecessors, Bill de Blasio particularly, faced waves of extreme criticism.
The Daily News, which reported out the poll, also noted the mayor's dip in statewide support among Black voters. Half of the group polled last month had unfavorable view of Adams. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mayor-eric-adams-town-hall-outburst-follows-favorability-dip-in-new-poll/4465905/ | 2023-06-30T01:28:44 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mayor-eric-adams-town-hall-outburst-follows-favorability-dip-in-new-poll/4465905/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — According to Machinist Union President Cornell Beard, the Machinist Union has approved a four-year contract with Spirit AeroSystems.
The second tentative contract passed with 63% of union members voting “yes.”
According to Spirit, it will begin restoring operations at its Wichita plant Friday. Spirit says it will begin to fully resume production Wednesday.
“We listened closely to our employees and brought forward a fair-and-competitive offer,” President and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems Tom Gentile said. “With its approval by our IAM-represented employees, we look forward to getting back to the important work of delivering
quality products to our customers.”
Spirit says it will closely coordinate with its suppliers and customers as it restarts production, and the company remains focused on safety and quality standards as it ramps up production.
View Spirit’s news release below:
KSN will provide more information as it becomes available.
To view KSN’s coverage of the Spirit Machinists Union Strike, click here. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/machinists-union-approves-contract-with-spirit-aerosystems/ | 2023-06-30T01:31:33 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/machinists-union-approves-contract-with-spirit-aerosystems/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — If you're ready to hit the water this holiday weekend, you're probably not the only one.
Arkansas Game and Fish officials expect thousands to head out to the lakes and rivers to celebrate July Fourth, but there's a word of caution before that happens.
"This is by far the biggest boating weekend in Arkansas," Trey Reid with Arkansas Game and Fish said. "With the Fourth falling on a Tuesday, you've got four or five days that people will celebrate."
Adding to that are the states around us. Reid said about 250,000 registered boats in Arkansas, but travelers from nearby states could inflate that.
"You're probably looking at half a million boats on the water this weekend," Reid said.
With heavy traffic on the water, Reid said there are a few simple things to do to stay safe.
"Just pay attention," Reid said. "Just know what's going on around you out there."
Those rules matter no matter the size of the boat.
"We want to supply you with a way to get on the water safely," Rock Town River Outfitters Sam Ellis said. "If you guys are boating on the water this weekend, know your boat, know your capacity for that boat, always have an anchor and bring your life jacket."
In addition, Reid said rules about being intoxicated behind the wheel are just as dangerous if that wheel is connected to a boat.
"Many people like enjoying an adult beverage on the lake," Reid said. "That's fine, just don't drive and drink."
And above all, maybe the most basic reminder – wear a life jacket.
"We've already had 24 boating accidents in Arkansas, eight of those involve fatalities," Reid said. "Many of those could have been prevented by wearing a life jacket."
Reid also tells us that law enforcement will be out on the waterways in force this holiday weekend. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/boating-safety-july-fourth/91-2980a4a4-be2d-43f9-95c8-056092418eea | 2023-06-30T01:31:33 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/boating-safety-july-fourth/91-2980a4a4-be2d-43f9-95c8-056092418eea |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — According to AAA, the heat kills more car batteries than the cold does— and both extremes can even impact the roads we drive on.
At Coleman and Son Automotive in Little Rock, there's been an increase in cars that have gone in for air conditioning service, which is just one example of how heat can wear down your car.
"Coolant leaks, they spring about during this type of weather," Coleman and Son owner, Dee Coleman said.
Coleman has been staying busy fixing the cars impacted by extreme heat.
"There are all types of heat-related problems that come with this type of temperature," he explained.
He said the most common problems involve A/C and overheating.
"Normally you get overheating temperatures on older model cars, cars that are about four or five years older, they will have leaks and they will cause overheating issues. Those are some of the things that you want to keep an eye on," he added.
When it comes to batteries, they typically are made to last 3 to 4 years, but Coleman said that's not always the case during heat like this.
"These extreme conditions can prematurely kill that battery," he said.
If you start to notice any kind of unusual smell or your car is driving differently, he recommends you take it to a professional.
When it comes to the roads we drive on, the heat can also mess up the pavement.
Drivers in Texas have been dealing with road buckling this week because of the high temperatures, but Ellen Coulter with ARDOT said we haven't had a lot of that in Arkansas.
"It hasn't really been an issue. But it certainly can happen," Ellen Coulter with ARDOT said.
She explained that crews prepare for the extreme heat and cold ahead of time to try and prevent road buckling and rutting.
"We have measures in place on putting expansion material in concrete to help it expand and contract a little bit better to prevent that buckling. And we also have different types of oil that we can actually put in the asphalt to help prevent the rutting," Coulter described.
Extreme heat or not, she encourages you to report any road concerns to ARDOT so crews can start fixing them. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/extreme-heat-impact-cars-roads/91-cb04f1f1-fc32-4d66-a697-fe756d796e01 | 2023-06-30T01:31:40 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/extreme-heat-impact-cars-roads/91-cb04f1f1-fc32-4d66-a697-fe756d796e01 |
STOCKTON, Calif. — Three months after Shared Mobility launched Bike Stockton, the nonprofit bike-share organization says some of its electric bikes have been stolen.
In a statement, Shared Mobility did not disclose how many but said they reported cases of both vandalism and theft involving their bikes since April. The program started with a fleet of 105 e-bikes.
"The project team is looking at ways to deal with the issues, while still maintaining the service users expect. This is a pilot project, so we knew we’d be working out glitches along the way," the statement said. "Changes will be rolled out as quickly as possible with the goal of a sustainable program, an even better user experience, and new locations for Bike Stockton e-bikes.”
Much like bike-share services in other cities like Sacramento, the app-based program allows users to rent a pedal-assist bike for up to six hours within city limits.
When not in use, the bikes are locked until crew members collect them for charging or until someone re-activates them using the Bike Stockton app.
Bikes can be picked up at four designated bike racks in downtown and midtown Stockton, and dropped off anywhere within the bike-share's coverage zone.
The program is funded through a state grant awarded to the San Joaquin Council of Governments to increase access to transportation in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
Since the program's launch on April 1, Shared Mobility reports hundreds of users have ridden 1,400 miles so far.
"We’ve been thrilled to see hundreds of Bike Stockton users over the first few months of operation," the statement said. "Consumer demand remains strong and we regularly hear from users excited to learn what’s next for Bike Stockton."
Watch more Stockton news from ABC10: Stockton business hit with six break-ins in six months | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/e-bikes-stolen-bike-share/103-b3b87c3f-7e7e-46b6-82c9-f45145238d03 | 2023-06-30T01:34:05 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/e-bikes-stolen-bike-share/103-b3b87c3f-7e7e-46b6-82c9-f45145238d03 |
PITTSBURGH — Starting Thursday, the fireworks task force is active in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety runs the week-long enforcement every year over Independence Day.
Fireworks are legal to buy in Pennsylvania, but there are a lot of rules about how they can be used.
Fireworks cannot be used within 150 feet of a building or vehicle, and they are prohibited in all city parks.
They cannot be used while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Municipalities may restrict the use of consumer-grade fireworks between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m., except for July 2, 3 and 4, when they can be displayed until 1 a.m.
With the Fourth of July falling on a Tuesday this year, fireworks are permitted to be used until 1 a.m. on the Friday and Saturday before and after the holiday.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/fireworks-task-force-active-pittsburgh-ahead-holiday-weekend/QPSU3JWLHJBIFFIUSH7D3G7WWI/ | 2023-06-30T01:40:42 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/fireworks-task-force-active-pittsburgh-ahead-holiday-weekend/QPSU3JWLHJBIFFIUSH7D3G7WWI/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Pittsburgh Penguins got a steal or a reach, depending on your preferred draft service, in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft, though you may need a little help saying his name regardless of your position.
The Penguins traded out of the 90th overall pick, giving the selection to the New York Rangers, in exchange for the 91st overall pick and a 2024 seventh-rounder. The Penguins selected defenseman Emil Pieniniemi of Karpat U20 in the Finnish Jr. league.
Pienineimi, 18, is listed at 6-foor-2, 176 pounds. He played only one scoreless game for Karpat in the Finnish Liiga, and Pieniniemi said the immediate plan is to stay in Finland and mature there.
Read the full story from our partners at Sports Now Group Pittsburgh here.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-draft-polarizing-finnish-defenseman-emil-pieniniemi-round-3/JEXB76PJ2BAZXOFMRDTO54CZZ4/ | 2023-06-30T01:40:54 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-draft-polarizing-finnish-defenseman-emil-pieniniemi-round-3/JEXB76PJ2BAZXOFMRDTO54CZZ4/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mikhail Ilyin didn’t make it to the NHL Draft, where the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the fifth round Thursday.
That doesn’t mean that he won’t be spending time in North America at some point in the future, however.
Ilyin, 18, is a 6-foot, 181-pound forward who had no goals and two assists in 21 games with Severstal Cherepovets in the KHL in 2022-23 to go with four goals and 22 assists in 28 appearances with the Cherepovets junior team.
Read the full story from our partners at Sports Now Group Pittsburgh here.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-reach-into-europe-most-late-round-picks/VTOD7UCBPNFV7IET4WD53GCY2E/ | 2023-06-30T01:40:56 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-reach-into-europe-most-late-round-picks/VTOD7UCBPNFV7IET4WD53GCY2E/ |
PITTSBURGH — The University of Pittsburgh has partnered with The Durable Restoration Company to restore the spire at Heinz Memorial Chapel.
The chapel is more than 83 years old and after starting to wear, the university began a project to restore it earlier this year.
“We are proud to partner with the University of Pittsburgh on this important preservation project and look forward to unveiling the Heinz Memorial Chapel’s stunning spire upon completion,” said Gary Howes, Chief Operating Officer of The Durable Restoration Company.
Heinz Chapel will remain open during the renovation work.
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PITTSBURGH — Fees for students at Pitt’s Greensburg and Johnstown campuses are going up.
According to our partners at TribLIVE.com, the student activity fee for full-time students at Pitt-Johnstown is increasing from $180 per year to $400.
That fee for part-time students is also rising, from no charge to $100.
At Pitt-Greensburg, the athletic and recreation fee is increasing, going from $210 to $250.
Pitt is expected to set its tuition rate for all of its campuses next month.
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FLORIDA, Fla. — Gov. DeSantis signed a bill that could pave the way for the use of radioactive fertilizer waste in road construction across the state.
The bill permits the use of toxic phosphogypsum in “demonstration” road projects in Florida. Critics said this is the first step in a phosphate industry push to eventually use of the waste in roads nationwide.
The Environmental Protection Agency prohibits using toxic phosphate waste in roadway construction because it poses an unacceptable risk to road construction workers, public health and the environment.
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Conservation groups across the Southeast United States urged the governor to veto the bill when Florida lawmakers passed it in May.
On Thursday, DeSantis signed HB 1191: Use of Phosphogypsum into law.
The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation “to undertake demonstration projects using phosphogypsum in road construction aggregate material to determine its feasibility as a paving material.”
The bill would require the Florida Department of Transportation to complete a study on the feasibility of using phosphogypsum as a material for road construction, with a short timeline and completion date of April 1, 2024.
Read: New immigration rules take effect July 1; what that means for Florida families and businesses
“This dangerous plan to pave Florida’s roads with toxic phosphate mining waste is an egregious handout to an industry that has a lengthy history of damaging the environment and putting public health at risk,” said Ragan Whitlock, a Florida-based attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity.
The EPA currently requires that phosphogypsum be stored in piles called “gypstacks” that are hundreds of acres wide and hundreds of feet tall.
More than 1 billion tons of radioactive waste are already stored in 25 stacks in Florida.
According to a news release from organizations who opposed this bill, “The industry has a demonstrated history of inadequate management when it comes to phosphogypsum waste. The stacks are prone to spills and sinkholes - like the breach at Piney Point and sinkholes at New Wales - that threaten Tampa Bay and the Floridan Aquifer.”
Read: Supreme Court overturns Affirmative Action: Here’s what it means for students
In 2020 the Trump-era EPA approved the use of phosphogypsum in roads. Following a lawsuit and petition by the Center and other conservation, public health and union groups, in 2021 the agency withdrew that approval.
Putting radioactive phosphogypsum in roads would let the fertilizer industry off the hook for safely disposing of the millions of tons of dangerous waste it creates each year while generating another cash stream for industry giants, the release stated.
Read: Florida lawmakers pass bill allowing radioactive material to be built into Florida roads
For more information and to read the bill, CLICK HERE.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/gov-desantis-signs-bill-allowing-radioactive-material-be-built-into-florida-roads/Z3PAKC2OBZDVTP62VNE4WQKHRQ/ | 2023-06-30T01:45:43 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/gov-desantis-signs-bill-allowing-radioactive-material-be-built-into-florida-roads/Z3PAKC2OBZDVTP62VNE4WQKHRQ/ |
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Police are asking the public for help in locating a missing and endangered woman from Illinois who may be in Seminole County.
Altamonte Springs police said Julie Merar, from Prospect Heights, Illinois, is believed to be in the Altamonte Springs/Casselberry area of Seminole County.
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The 46-year-old was reported missing from Prospect Heights on June 28 and may be a danger to herself, police said.
Merar is described as a white female with pink/red hair, standing 4 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing around 90 pounds.
Read: New immigration rules take effect July 1; what that means for Florida families and businesses
If you have any information, please contact the ASPD at (407)339-2441 or dial 911.
Read: Gov. DeSantis signs bill allowing radioactive material to be built into Florida roads
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/police-search-missingendangered-illinois-woman-seminole-county/5FOJVCASVNGVRAEEUG5QZP5MFU/ | 2023-06-30T01:45:43 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/police-search-missingendangered-illinois-woman-seminole-county/5FOJVCASVNGVRAEEUG5QZP5MFU/ |
OCALA, Fla. — While a new Buc-ee’s opened this week in Tennessee as the world’s largest travel center, a bigger location in Florida could take its place.
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Buc-ee’s is known for its selection of snacks, clean bathrooms and over 100 gas pumps.
According to county records, the Texas-based chain is set to open an 80,000-square-foot travel center in Ocala.
The Buc-ee’s in Sevierville, Tenn. has a 74,000-square-foot plan, while another location in Texas is underway at 75,000 square feet.
Read: Buc-ee’s receives approval for new Central Florida location; here’s where it will be
State leaders are also working on construction near the site in Marion County.
In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis handed Ocala a $4 million grant for construction on a new Interstate 75 interchange at Northwest 49th Street.
Read: 9 things to know about Buc-ee’s
The governor said this new interchange will open at the same time as the new gas station.
The company that owns Buc-ee’s was approved to bring another site to Florida in February.
It will be located east of Interstate 75 and near Highway 326.
Read: A new Buc-ee’s could possibly open in Central Florida
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/upcoming-central-florida-buc-ees-will-take-spot-worlds-largest/6SWRGIRDWFE7VAJHEH4GKOEYCA/ | 2023-06-30T01:45:46 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/upcoming-central-florida-buc-ees-will-take-spot-worlds-largest/6SWRGIRDWFE7VAJHEH4GKOEYCA/ |
Greensboro residents talked Thursday about their neighbors Lane and Thomas Gillie, the father and son who lived at 5100 Bayberry Lane.
Greensboro police say Thomas Jackson Gillie, 22, is the suspect in the fatal shooting of his father, Douglas Lane Gillie Jr., 62, which occurred before he was arrested and charged with fatally shooting two men and wounding a man and woman in Kernersville.
“This is a quiet neighborhood,” said Steve McMillan, who lives on Bayberry Lane in Greensboro. “Lane Gillie and his son were usually out in the yard doing yard work or working on their cars.”
Riley said Lane Gillie had lived all his life in the family house, which was one of the first built in the neighborhood and was previously owned by Lane’s father.
In the driveway at 5100 Bayberry Lane were a black and green mustang, a red pickup truck and a military-issue Humvee, as well as a trailer full of tires parked in the driveway. McMillan said they also had a Camaro, which was missing.
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McMillan said he was asleep at 1:30 a.m. when the police showed up next door to investigate the Gillie house.
Another neighbor, Debbie Riley, said police gave neighbors time to sleep before starting to canvas the neighborhood at 7 a.m., and that she was shocked by what had happened.
When she would encounter father and son outdoors, she had to initiate conversation, she said, but that they were "very nice people" and that Thomas was "polite."
Riley said Thomas Gillie had not attended high school and had “homeschooled himself," and that he worked at a nearby Target. She described him as "quiet and shy." | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-courts/thomas-lane-gillie-bayberry-lane-greensboro-kernersville-murder-shooting-homicide-father-son-humvee/article_f35aed7e-16d5-11ee-a56f-bb3de134962e.html | 2023-06-30T02:02:10 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-courts/thomas-lane-gillie-bayberry-lane-greensboro-kernersville-murder-shooting-homicide-father-son-humvee/article_f35aed7e-16d5-11ee-a56f-bb3de134962e.html |
A Bismarck man wanted for allegedly stalking and terrorizing his ex-girlfriend was arrested Thursday night after a five-hour standoff with police.
Nicholas Wessels, 37, hid in an apartment in the 3200 block of East Thayer Avenue that did not belong to him, police said.
Police had been conducting surveillance on Wessels at a residence in the 2400 block of North Fourth Street. Officers watched him leave and drive away in a car, and followed him to the apartment building on Thayer Avenue where witnesses informed officers that Wessels had kicked in a door to an apartment around 2 p.m.
The West Dakota SWAT team and hostage negotiators responded to the scene. Authorities set up a perimeter around the apartment building. By about 4:30 the apartment complex was cleared of residents. It wasn't immediately clear if there were others in the apartment that Wessels entered, or whether he had a weapon.
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Wessels was located in a bedroom with camera equipment and was taken into custody around 7 p.m. He was taken to Burleigh Morton Detention Center. Formal charges are pending. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bismarck-police-take-suspect-into-custody-after-standoff/article_23055dd4-16bd-11ee-8362-5b80a8dcc733.html | 2023-06-30T02:02:34 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bismarck-police-take-suspect-into-custody-after-standoff/article_23055dd4-16bd-11ee-8362-5b80a8dcc733.html |
Funeral arrangements have been made for Shreveport K9
Shreveport Police Department will be laying to rest one of its own Friday morning.
On Thursday, June 29, Shreveport Police Department announced it would hold a funeral for K9 Harrie.
Harrie will be laid to rest at 10 a.m. Friday, June 30, at the Shreveport Police K9 Cemetery, 6440 Greenwood Rd. Harrie, 7, suffered a heat-related injury that resulted in his death Saturday, June 24.
About 4:15 p.m., K9 handler Sergeant Jeff Hammer and Harrie responded to assist a patrol officer in locating a suspect who fled from a stolen vehicle following a pursuit.
Harrie tracked the suspects and sustained his injury during the pursuit. Harrie was rushed to the Animal Emergency Clinic and efforts were made to save him, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Harrie served the citizens of Shreveport since Jan. 1, 2018.
"Please keep Sergeant Hammer, the K9 team, and everyone who loved Harrie in your thoughts and prayers," the Shreveport Police Department said.
According to the Shreveport Police Department, all community members are invited to attend his funeral.
More:Shreveport Police Department loses one of its own
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/funeral-arrangements-have-been-made-for-shreveport-k9/70369879007/ | 2023-06-30T02:05:13 | 1 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/funeral-arrangements-have-been-made-for-shreveport-k9/70369879007/ |
Shreveport street dedicated to the late City Marshal
A Shreveport public servant was honored a year after his death.
Former Shreveport City Marshal Charlie Caldwell Jr. was recognized with a street dedication Thursday, June 29.
Caldwell, 56, fell overboard while enjoying a vacation in Destin, Florida, June 16, 2022. Caldwell served this community for 25 years: five of those years with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and then as deputy with the Shreveport City Marshal Office, advancing to the elected position of City Marshal in 2008.
A year after his death, in the summer heat, members of the community came out to the Shreveport City Marshal Training Facility at 1412 Peabody St. to remember Caldwell and his service to the community.
The street in front of the building is dedicated to Caldwell.
"We stand here at the training center," Marshal James Jefferson said. "This was Marshal Caldwell's last vision, and he was able to make this happen. He had a big passion for training."
Jefferson continued by saying that the street dedication is meaningful because Caldwell's name lives on.
"He always wanted to have his name on a building, but we did one better than that, and he got a whole street named after him," Jefferson said.
Caldwell's daughter, Ashley Caldwell, was in attendance and said, "I just want to thank everyone for coming out and showing the support for the family and Marshal's Office."
More:Remembering Shreveport City Marshal Charlie Caldwell Jr.: 'He will be surely missed'
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/shreveport-street-dedicated-to-the-late-city-marshal/70363388007/ | 2023-06-30T02:05:19 | 1 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/shreveport-street-dedicated-to-the-late-city-marshal/70363388007/ |
SEATTLE — Cynthia Brothers started documenting what she describes as “Vanishing Seattle” in 2016.
“I was just taking photos of local businesses and iconic places that were going away,” says Brothers. Her Vanishing Seattle concept grew from social media to a video series and soon an exhibition.
Seattle Art Fair kicks off July 27 at Lumen Field. It was founded by the late Paul G. Allen as a one-of-a-kind showcase for the vibrant arts community of the Pacific Northwest. Nonprofit Forest For The Trees is taking over the historic RailSpur building in Pioneer Square and is hosting its own satellite even during the art fair.
Forest For The Trees is a public art organization that’s created art by over 150 local and international artists.
“We reached out to Cynthia with Vanishing Seattle so she could feature some of her collection and hopefully get submissions from the public,” says Gage Hamilton, director of Forest For The Trees.
Now Vanishing Seattle is turning to the public asking for historic items from Seattle’s past.
“I get all sorts of interesting things sent to me!” laughed Brothers.
From a vintage Rainier Beer can to a chunk of asphalt from the demolished viaduct, Vanishing Seattle is building a collection to display and is especially looking for signage.
“Neon or window displays and anything that’s a cool piece of the past,” says Brothers.
View the lengthy list of historic businesses and the call for submissions on the Vanishing Seattle social media feed. Brothers can also be reached directly at VanishingSeattle@gmail.com.
The Vanishing Seattle Public Exhibition is set for July 27-30 at the historic RailSpur Building, recently home to F.X. McCrory’s, located at 100 South King Street. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/art-exhibit-feature-seattle-history/281-3ae83386-2a81-4b92-9ea4-72702de76279 | 2023-06-30T02:08:59 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/art-exhibit-feature-seattle-history/281-3ae83386-2a81-4b92-9ea4-72702de76279 |
SEATTLE — The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) and Seattle City Light are rolling out a new Energy Response Unit to address electrical fires in substations and underground faults.
The unit includes 44 firefighters specifically trained to fight energy-related fires, a new rig with 11,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and 600 feet of hose line. The aim is to put out fires safely and quickly to minimize destruction to expensive equipment and the power outages that would follow.
"These fires are rare but can cause catastrophic impacts to infrastructure, possibly causing widespread power outages, and none of us want to see that," SFD Chief Harold Scoggins said. "[This is] the most capable apparatus in the nation for extinguishing these types of powers."
SFD and City Light began partnering together in 2014 to train firefighters on using carbon dioxide to extinguish electrical fires in substations and underground vaults. They pour carbon dioxide into a vault while covering the opening with a tarp, and it robs the fire of oxygen. Then, City Light can deenergize electrical equipment to make the area safe for repairs.
"We're leading with safety," SCL assistant general manager Mike Haynes said. "When we embarked on this partnership with the fire department ... the goal was to enhance safety, efficiently fight these energy based fires in vaults and substations, and there's very few technologies that can do that. This is the latest and greatest and we're glad to be part of this partnership."
Captain Chris Greene has been working on the partnership and has extensive experience at SFD Station 25, where the unit will be stationed.
"For a long time there's been an ethos that you just let them burn, and this is incredibly expensive, but it's an ethos adopted and accepted by the fire service at large for over 50-60 years and it's cost us a lot of money," Captain Greene said. "Not here in Seattle ...There's not a utility space fire in this city we can't handle right now. We've got the reach, we've got the capacity." | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/new-seattle-fire-unit-aims-to-put-out-energy-fires-quickly-and-safely/281-4a5815c2-2680-48d7-bd6b-9a35ce4a11a7 | 2023-06-30T02:09:05 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/new-seattle-fire-unit-aims-to-put-out-energy-fires-quickly-and-safely/281-4a5815c2-2680-48d7-bd6b-9a35ce4a11a7 |
ST HELENS, Wash — Washington State Department of Transportation crews hope to have debris from a May landslide that washed out a bridge and a 200-foot section of Highway 204 cleared by August.
Project Engineer Paul Mason called the slide, and its estimated 300,000 cubic tons of debris, "catastrophic."
“We estimate about 1,200 cubic yards every single minute, so that’s about 120 dump truck loads of material floated by every minute for a solid half-hour,” said Mason.
The state is working on plans to replace the bridge, but in the short term, a temporary one-lane detour around the wash out is being created in a $500,000 project.
The road will be used to allow U.S. Forest Service employees access to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, as well as the dozen people who were forced to leave their cars at the observatory because of the May 14 incident.
Tim Uhler was one of the dozen people who had to be rescued by helicopter following the slide.
He feared he might not get his truck back until next year.
“Huge, huge, thank you,” said Uhler, “I understand the stuff takes time. And I think when we're done and we drive off with the car, we're going to be like, ‘You know what, that was actually a pretty fast turnaround.’”
The general public will not be allowed on the road until the observatory opens next spring.
Several other viewpoints along State Route 504 allow for views of the volcano. Following the slide, the U.S. Forest Service reopened the Coldwater Science and Learning Center to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/work-underway-clear-landslide-mount-st-helens/281-b8ac3845-ec4d-4906-9361-f0d7511194d8 | 2023-06-30T02:09:11 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/work-underway-clear-landslide-mount-st-helens/281-b8ac3845-ec4d-4906-9361-f0d7511194d8 |
CENTREVILLE, Ala. (WIAT) — A bridge dedication was held Thursday morning to honor fallen Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brad Johnson, who was killed in the line of duty one year ago.
Johnson’s mother Nancy Johnson said the ceremony was overwhelming and emotional, as so many attended to pay tribute to her son.
“It means the world to me, and I feel honored because so many people cared about Brad and what he stood for and what he wanted to do with his life,” Nancy Johnson said. “And I am very proud.”
The bridge on Highway 25 in Centreville was dedicated at 9 a.m. There is now a sign on the bridge, and it’s called the “Deputy Brad Johnson Memorial Bridge.” BCSO Sheriff Jody Wade said this is the perfect way to show love to a man who served his community.
“But with this, and this memorial dedication that’s set up for him that everybody will see for many, many years, I think that is the best way that we can honor him,” Wade said.
One year ago, Johnson and his partner deputy Chris Poole were shot during a pursuit in the Briarfield community. Johnson died at the hospital, but Poole recovered. Poole said Johnson was the best partner anyone could ever have.
“We are going to be stronger than ever because we do have one up in heaven that is watching over us and Brad Johnson was simply amazing, and I can only imagine what kind of angel he is up there,” Poole said. “Deputy Brad Johnson was an amazing deputy, and he taught me so much. He was an amazing father and an amazing son.”
More than 100 people attended the bridge dedication to honor Johnson. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/bibb-county-bridge-dedicated-to-fallen-deputy/ | 2023-06-30T02:25:47 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/bibb-county-bridge-dedicated-to-fallen-deputy/ |
CROWN POINT — A Winfield mother detailed the horrors of finding her daughter’s body in February during a hearing to determine whether the Merrillville man charged with her daughter’s killing would receive bail.
Raju Rawal, 65, was charged March 21 with the murder of Winfield nurse Haley Losinski, 36.
Rawal was in court Thursday for the bail hearing, alongside attorney Kevin Milner. In Indiana, defendants held on murder charges typically aren’t granted bail unless a judge finds that there’s not a strong presumption of guilt.
Charging documents said Rawal killed Losinski because he was a jealous lover. Rawal told police that he and Losinski were "friends with sexual benefits" and that he loved her, according to the probable-cause affidavit.
Losinski’s mother told the court that she went to her daughter’s home Feb. 27 because she hadn’t heard from her for a few days. She said the two are close and typically keep in contact relatively often, so she found it troubling that her daughter hadn’t respond to her text or calls.
Milner asked the mother if she and Losinski had spoken about Losinski’s divorce, and more specifically whether Losinski and her ex-husband had gotten divorced because of alcohol problems and infidelity.
The woman said that was not the case, and the couple ended their marriage on good terms, remaining friends for their son. She added that her daughter did not have a drinking problem at that point, so it didn’t affect their marriage.
The woman said her daughter’s drinking often hit peaks and valleys, and there were times when her daughter would drink a lot for a few weeks and then not for a few months.
When Losinski’s mother got to the townhome, the front door was locked, which she said was unusual for her daughter.
Eventually when she went upstairs with her husband, the woman said through sobs that she found her daughter kneeling on a pillow by her bedside with her head down, and when she touched her arm, Losinski was cold.
“She’s cold, she’s stiff, she’s dead,” the woman said through tears.
The autopsy report determined that Losinski died Feb. 23; her death was ruled a homicide, caused by blunt-force trauma to the head.
Surveillance footage obtained from cameras near Losinski’s townhome on Pike Place showed a man visit her residence multiple times between Feb. 20 and 23, the affidavit said, and officers later identified him as Rawal.
Police wrote in the affidavit that Rawal was the last person seen entering Losinski's home before she was found dead.
The first officer at the crime scene also testified at Rawal’s bail hearing. He said when he arrived at the townhome, Losinski's mother was standing outside screaming “She’s dead.”
Milner honed in on whether the doors and windows were locked during his cross-examination of Losinski’s mother and the officer who testified.
He repeatedly asked the mother if she knew whether her daughter would’ve locked her back door, sliding door or windows, and the woman said she is quite certain she would have, but Milner repeatedly asked “How do you know?”
The woman replied that she doesn’t know for sure that her daughter locked the doors and windows.
Milner asked the officer if he checked whether any of the other doors and windows in the house were locked or unlocked, and the officer said he did not.
A decision on Rawal’s bail has not been made. Bail proceedings are set to continue Aug. 21 in Magistrate Mark Watson’s courtroom.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/crown-point/lake-criminal-court-local-news-murder-raju-rawal-haley-losinski-blunt-force-trauma-bail-hearing-magistrate-watson-kevin-milner/article_e56478f4-16d3-11ee-9415-2fc04995944e.html | 2023-06-30T02:37:20 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/crown-point/lake-criminal-court-local-news-murder-raju-rawal-haley-losinski-blunt-force-trauma-bail-hearing-magistrate-watson-kevin-milner/article_e56478f4-16d3-11ee-9415-2fc04995944e.html |
HOUSTON — The video shared Wednesday by KHOU 11 News has a lot of you talking.
It shows an Amazon contract delivery driver coming close to collapsing on a Cypress family’s front porch while dropping off a pile of packages in triple-digit heat.
"It kind of reminded me of me, 'cause on this past Sunday, I kind of had that feeling," another Amazon driver said.
He didn't want to be identified.
"I threw up a lot," he said.
He and other workers who reached out said they love a lot about their jobs but they believe Amazon should adjust what’s known as its EOC, or Engine Off Compliance, that requires engines to be shut off during delivery stops. They feel it's especially important in areas where summer is sizzling.
"Like, if we can leave the engine on to where our A/C can continuously circulate, you won’t have as many people getting hot,” a second driver said.
They said making multiple stops, often in the same neighborhoods, doesn’t give vans time to really cool down.
"And, even with hydration, you know, we’re dealing with unprecedented heatwaves, even for Texas," the second driver said.
While breaks are allowed, drivers said they may impact productivity metrics by which they are measured.
Amazon addressed some concerns in a new statement.
"Currently in Texas, up to an additional two hours of breaks are being built into delivery routes, as drivers are being encouraged to take additional breaks to cool off and stay hydrated while working," an Amazon spokesperson wrote. "In addition, drivers are encouraged to take their breaks inside their vehicle with the air conditioning running whenever routes have been adjusted because of hot weather."
The company said idling is acceptable in some cases as long as safety measures are observed.
Amazon is not the only delivery company that has dealt with heat-related concerns.
UPS decided just this month to equip trucks with air conditioning.
And, according to a recent report, some 70% of U.S. Postal Service vehicles don’t have A/C.
Full statement
"There’s nothing more important than the safety and health of our employees and delivery partners, especially during times of extreme temperatures, and we take a lot of precautions to minimize risk.
"All Amazon-branded vans are air-conditioned, a feature that is above industry standard. If the air conditioning isn’t working on a vehicle, that vehicle is taken out of service immediately.
"Drivers are provided with as much water and electrolyte drinks as they need, along with other cooling supplies like coolers, ice, and cooling towels/bandanas. In addition, they’re encouraged to take breaks whenever needed to cool off and break times are already built into their route each day.
"Currently in Texas, up to an additional two hours of breaks are being built into delivery routes, as drivers are being encouraged to take additional breaks to cool off and stay hydrated while working.
"In the Delivery App, drivers have access to see restaurants, gas stations, and other locations nearby to cool off.
"In addition, drivers are encouraged to take their breaks inside their vehicle with the air conditioning running whenever routes have been adjusted because of hot weather.
"It remains a safety best practice to never leave a vehicle idling without a driver in the driver’s seat, but as part of a number of heat mitigation tactics drivers can use to stay safe on high heat days, we understand the need to run the air conditioning to keep the vehicle cab cool in the hottest areas of the country.
"When drivers decide to do this, we ask that they park safely and use their parking brake." | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/amazon-delivery-drivers-texas-heat/285-24b67bed-eb78-47e1-9482-3ffed4005e99 | 2023-06-30T02:41:10 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/amazon-delivery-drivers-texas-heat/285-24b67bed-eb78-47e1-9482-3ffed4005e99 |
PLANO, Texas — The husband of a missing Plano woman has been arrested after her body was found at Lake Lewisville this week, police said.
The body of 32-year-old Sarah Dudley was found near a camping area at Hidden Cove Park at the east side of the lake on Monday, June 26.
Her husband, Karlton Dudley, was arrested on Wednesday, June 28, and charged with abuse of a corpse without legal authority. He also faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child in regards to a case in Frisco.
According to the arrest affidavit, Karlton Dudley reported Sarah missing just before 10:50 p.m. on Saturday, June 24.
He told Plano police that she left their apartment in the 7000 block of Bishop Road after deciding to walk to work in order to "clear her head" that day, the affidavit says.
After he was taken into custody on Wednesday, Karlton Dudley told investigators that he was cat-sitting for a neighbor and didn't actually see Sarah leave from their apartment that day. He said he assumed the time after reviewing their electronic logs for their smart lock.
Karlton then told investigators that when he returned home around 4:20 p.m., Sarah was gone and he decided to purchase a day pass to visit Lake Lewisville around 5 p.m.
Once at the lake, Karlton told investigators that he didn't get in the water because his kayak wouldn't inflate and then he walked around before leaving at around 7:15 p.m.
But police told WFAA that Karlton's ankle monitor, which he was wearing as a condition of probation for the Frisco sex abuse case, indicated he did enter the water near the location where Sarah's body was found.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner is working to determine her cause of death.
Further details were not immediately released as the investigation continues.
Plano police said their crimes against persons unit and The Colony Police Department are handling the investigation. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/husband-missing-plano-woman-arrested-body-found-lake-lewisville/287-d11e76fc-d534-4cf3-a836-6542edba5c15 | 2023-06-30T02:41:17 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/husband-missing-plano-woman-arrested-body-found-lake-lewisville/287-d11e76fc-d534-4cf3-a836-6542edba5c15 |
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio is considering an ordinance that would make it the third Texas city to require water breaks for construction workers, but a new state law could make the ordinance a target for state officials.
District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo said at Thursday morning's City Council committee meeting there have already been several people across the state who have died due to heat exhaustion, adding San Antonio's own triple-digit weather poses dangerous risks.
"The Baptist Health Systems emergency department have treated more than 100 patents across the city for heat exhaustion. In Webb County, 11 residents have died from heat-related illness over the last 10 days," Castilo said. "This heat has prompted the U.S. Postal Service to allow for earlier start times for letter carriers because a carrier in Dallas passed away from heat exhaustion. We have a responsibility as city council to protect the heath and safety of our constituents."
The city agenda contained a sample ordinance with the City of Dallas' rest break policy.
That ordinance states "an employee performing construction activity at a construction site is entitled to a rest break of not less than ten (10) minutes for every four (4) hours worked. No employee may be required to work more than 3.5 hours without a rest break."
The council was hesitant to adopt that language as is due to HB 2127, which was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.
That law requires Texas cities to stick strictly to state law on certain matters without allowing additional ordinances on the subject. Those matters include agriculture, business and commerce, finance, insurance, labor and property.
Depending on how the State of Texas enforces that law, which goes into effect in September, San Antonio could be blocked from enforcing any rest break rules.
This led some council members to suggest making the rest break a requirement for city contracts instead of applying the ordinance to all construction workers.
"If we can't do what HB 2127 keeps us from doing, what can we do? What I saw, in a letter, is applying it to city contracts. If someone is doing work with the city, then would something like that be able to be taken up?" Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia said.
Rocha Garcia said she wanted more information about the city's options. Councilman John Courage was also concerned about how such an ordinance would be implemented.
"I don't think we can impose this on every construction project that goes on in the city. But like a lot of requirements that we have though public works, or other departments, we can get contractors to agree to terms that we want to impart in our contracts," Courage said. "If people don't want to comply to what we come up with they don't have to do business with the city."
Castillo still hoped the ordinance, which she said she believed to be unconstitutional, could be applied more broadly.
"We should take action to challenge that. I would like to move forward to amend this item... to include mandatory breaks of no less than 10 minutes per four hours for outdoor workers employed by entities receiving funds from the City of San Antonio," Castillo said.
Castillo's motion was seconded and later passed.
The ordinance is set to be discussed at a City Council meeting in August, though council members haven't set a specific date as of Thursday.
Castillo also told KENS 5 she believes HB 2127 is overly vague and that could benefit San Antonio if the state took action.
"While it lists specific buckets (of policy), it doesn't go into great detail of what it is going to restrict," she added. "I believe we owe it to all city workers, those in construction in particular, to prioritize our health and safety and continue to advocate and move forward with this ordinance. It's nothing extreme. What is extreme is limiting our ability to give workers a water break."
>TRENDING ON KENS 5 YOUTUBE: | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/san-antonio-city-council-will-consider-ordinance-that-requires-water-breaks-for-workers/273-f43dc90a-7433-44b9-92c3-bb408b9e6b98 | 2023-06-30T02:41:23 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/san-antonio-city-council-will-consider-ordinance-that-requires-water-breaks-for-workers/273-f43dc90a-7433-44b9-92c3-bb408b9e6b98 |
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — While it's fun to enjoy our local beaches this Fourth of July weekend, it's still important to watch for any potentially dangerous sealife.
University of Texas Marine Science Institute Reserve Director Jace Tunnell said there are quite a few creatures at our beaches that could leave you wanting to jump out of the water.
You don't even have to make direct contact with some of these creatures to be harmed by them.
Sea nettle, a species of jellyfish, are common in our area. When the waves are strong enough, that force can actually detach the tentacles from the jellyfish.
"So people might feel stinging and not know where it's coming from, but most times it's those tentacles," he said.
You may have also heard of sea lice, but those creatures aren't to be confused with the lice we find on land.
"They're baby blue crabs. If you feel something pinching you, their arms and little claws are connecting on to you and it feels like a sting," he said.
Danger doesn't just lay in the water. Our beaches' sand dunes can also be home to some creatures you'll want to stay away from.
"It's pretty common to see rattlesnakes. So, we always ask people not to go up into the vegetation of the sand dunes," he said.
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Email tell3@kiiitv.com so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/sea-critters-to-watch-for-this-4th-of-july-weekend/503-e53839be-bebb-4247-965a-bb34dedd3d5d | 2023-06-30T02:41:29 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/sea-critters-to-watch-for-this-4th-of-july-weekend/503-e53839be-bebb-4247-965a-bb34dedd3d5d |
SAN ANTONIO — Two people, including a Border Patrol agent, were taken to San Antonio hospitals after a highway crash Wednesday afternoon in Dimmit County.
Authorities say the 26-year-old driver of a Dodge pickup "was not paying attention" while approaching a checkpoint near Carrizo Springs, forcing him to veer out of the way of a car in front of him and rear-ending the Border Patrol vehicle instead.
The driver was taken to University Hospital, while the agent was airlifted to Brook Army Medical Center. Their conditions are unknown, but both vehicles sustained heavy visible damage.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident.
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Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/border-patrol-checkpoint-crash-carrizo-springs-texas-dimmitt-county/273-684cbb61-5ab0-4e51-b697-7817255d05d2 | 2023-06-30T02:41:35 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/border-patrol-checkpoint-crash-carrizo-springs-texas-dimmitt-county/273-684cbb61-5ab0-4e51-b697-7817255d05d2 |
UVALDE, Texas — The Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas (CBCST) now has a permanent home in Uvalde, one year after the tragedy at Robb Elementary.
Survivors of the May 2022 shooting took part in a ribbon-cutting of the new facility, which stands adjacent to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church.
“We knew this was not a short-term occurrence. We knew we would have to be here for many years, (that) these children were going to need us,” said CBCST Executive Director Marian Sokol.
CBCST launched a five-year fundraising campaign last June to support the establishment of a center in Uvalde which would provide free mental health services to the entire community.
Teams of CBCST grief counselors have already been on the ground in Uvalde for the past year, assisting children impacted by the tragedy while operating out of a temporary location with the assistance of St. Philip’s Episcopal.
“We’ve been working out of the El Progreso Library, out of the church where parts of the town created a mural room for us to work temporarily,” Sokol said. “Construction workers, architects, suppliers, donors—so many people who care about children.”
Ten-year-old Flor Lara is among several children who has been taking part in one-on-one counseling sessions with CBCST. Lara’s mother signed her up for the mental health support after the Robb Elementary shooting.
Lara was in third grade at the time.
“My mom got me into this counseling and it helps me so much. Since I’ve been at Children’s Bereavement Center I have been learning skills that help me heal through this tragedy,” Lara said.
The Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas will serve as a sanctuary of healing for decades to come for those in Uvalde and surrounding communities.
“My goal is to see children smile, and (to) see healing and more normalcy," Sokol said. "We can’t change the past but hopefully we can do more with mental health with counseling with stressed children in the future.”
>MORE UVALDE SHOOTING COVERAGE: | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/uvalde-texas-children-bereavement-center-robb-elementary-shooting-resources/273-23a84733-6f39-4ad0-bdda-b5f9a9cefc72 | 2023-06-30T02:41:41 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/uvalde-texas-children-bereavement-center-robb-elementary-shooting-resources/273-23a84733-6f39-4ad0-bdda-b5f9a9cefc72 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — A man busted for stealing millions of coins from coin-cashing machines in Oregon, Washington and several other states was sentenced to four years in federal prison. Richard Pena of Las Vegas will also have to pay $582,000 in restitution.
Federal prosecutors said Pena stole hundreds of thousand of dollars in change by posing as a repair man for a coin-cashing company.
Starting in January 2021, Pena went into stores pretending to service coin-counting machines. Instead, prosecutors allege he broke into the machines and walked out with the coin vaults. Investigators figure Pena pulled off dozens of coin heists at stores between his home in Las Vegas, Nevada and Portland, Oregon.
It wasn't pocket change.
On December 21, 2021, federal prosecutors said Pena stole roughly $10,000 from a store in Hillsboro, then stole nearly $7,000 from another store in Hillsboro. Within the next hour, he ripped off nearly $3,000 from a location in Beaverton, then 30 minutes later he took another $3,000 from a different store in Beaverton.
His sophisticated theft scheme came to an end on December 22, 2021 when an grocery store worker in Vancouver watched Pena ripping off coins and called police.
After his arrest, sheriff's deputies in Clark County searched Pena’s rented van, U-Haul truck and hotel room. They found laundry baskets filled with 1.5 million stolen coins totaling more than $133,000.
In total, federal prosecutors said Pena cost the unnamed coin-cashing company more than $715,000 in losses and damage to its machines.
In March, Pena pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property. He was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Portland. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/coin-heists-millions-stolen-sentencing/283-6bfafe61-7cd2-4d75-94cf-b86178a3b17f | 2023-06-30T02:42:02 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/coin-heists-millions-stolen-sentencing/283-6bfafe61-7cd2-4d75-94cf-b86178a3b17f |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country. And to keep up with the demand, Portland Pickleball Club, a private community group, renovated the underused upper tennis courts at Sellwood Park in Southeast Portland into pickleball courts.
“We took it on ourselves, raised the money and supplied the manpower,” said Henrik Bothe, a member of Portland Pickleball Club. “I myself spent three or four weeks, 40 hours a week, working on this place.”
Now Portland Parks and Recs says they’re changing them back to tennis courts after neighbors complained about the noise.
“It was kind of a little bit of a surprise to us,” said Bothe. “They didn’t talk to us about, ‘Hey, we’re shutting you down.’”
Portland Parks and Recs says they issued a non-park use permit to the club to “make repairs to the existing Sellwood Park courts.” The club is frustrated all their hard work, time and money they raised will go to waste.
Nearby neighbors tell KGW the pickleball noise has impacted their daily lives. Some debated selling their home and moving out of the area.
“You really don't know how bad it is until it's gone,” said Nancy Linnon, who lives nearby. “We don’t want people to not be able to do the sport they love. Right? It’s too well documented that the noise of that many courts is not good for people.”
To make both neighbors and players happy — the city will convert the lower Sellwood Park courts for pickleball use. But the decision isn’t sitting right with everyone.
“Instead of 32 people being able to play up there, only 12 can play down here and have a decent court. So, that’s kind of a problem,” said Eric Stephens, a member of the pickleball club.
“You know, I understand the neighbors have some concerns about the noise, that’s always a concern with pickleball. But if you move next to a park and you say ‘there is noise’ it’s like when people move next to an elementary school and say ‘those kids make so much noise.’ It’s like yeah, you live next to an elementary school.”
Other Portland Pickleball Club members are hopeful the city will put in the same effort to these lower lots as they did to the upper ones.
“At first they just painted some lines on the very crappy court that are below us here and wanted us to move down and move away from all the hard work and all the money we put in and give it up,” said Bothe. “But now I think they’re coming around and they realize that they have to make it at least as good or better down there.”
City workers have started preparing for the updates to the lower courts. Portland Parks and Recs couldn’t talk on camera but did sent KGW a statement in part-quote:
“PP&R will resurface and restripe one of the lower courts for pickleball and tennis play, work may be complete in approximately two to three weeks. PP&R is refunding the permit fees which PDX Pickleball paid, with thanks for their efforts.”
But as for a $20,000 refund spent on the renovations? Portland Parks and Recs didn’t clarify to KGW if that would happen when asked the question. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/pickleball-courts-relocating-sellwood-park-portland/283-c1fc444b-c695-4e92-b4ec-d9fca3ea78e0 | 2023-06-30T02:42:08 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/pickleball-courts-relocating-sellwood-park-portland/283-c1fc444b-c695-4e92-b4ec-d9fca3ea78e0 |
LANCASTER, Pa. — After four decades of legal precedent, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges can no longer use affirmative action. The vote split was 6-3 with conservative justices all ruling against the policy.
“Regardless of my feelings or anyone else’s feelings about the decision, it is the law of the land," said John Jones, the president of Dickinson College.
Jones, who also served as a federal judge, said Chief Justice John Roberts used what is known as a 'strict scrutiny' test when writing his majority opinion.
“The Chief Justice says the Equal Clause [of the Constitution] is colorblind and there are no reasons to continue to give favor to an applicant simply because of their race," said Jones.
In the dissenting opinion, liberal justices contend the ruling rolls back decades of precedent and progress.
“It is demonstratively true, they believe, that we need to give assistance in admissions to individuals of color, because of the prevailing climate," said Jones.
Hillen Grayson, the dean of admissions at Franklin and Marshall College, said the school already does not require students to identify their race on applications. Instead, the school takes a holistic approach when vetting potential students, such as looking at their academic achievements and identities.
Despite today’s ruling, Grayson said F&M will continue the work it’s been doing to bring in students from all backgrounds.
“Does race play a part in someone’s identity? Absolutely it does," said Grayson. "That is something we’re still going to consider, the identity of each prospective student we work with that applies to F&M."
Grayson says he hopes to use today’s rulings to better serve its current and future students.
“We’re all, as a profession, going to find new ways to support our students, as a result of today’s opinions," said Grayson. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/local-reaction-to-supreme-court-overturning-affirmative-action-politics-national-supreme-court-lancaster-county/521-d8168705-5109-43de-ad0c-2dbefa1e4a50 | 2023-06-30T02:45:32 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/local-reaction-to-supreme-court-overturning-affirmative-action-politics-national-supreme-court-lancaster-county/521-d8168705-5109-43de-ad0c-2dbefa1e4a50 |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A Johnson City firefighter has died after a battle with cancer.
Ryan Cradic died on June 21 following a 17-month battle with glioblastoma. He was 42 years old.
Cradic was an Army veteran who served in the Iraq War. After returning home, he graduated from Northeast State Community College and East Tennessee State University before joining the Johnson City Fire Department where he served for more than six years.
Last year, friends and fellow firefighters held a benefit concert and barbecue dinner for Cradic’s family as he battled the disease.
A celebration of life will take place on July 9. Details of the arrangements have been posted online. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-firefighter-passes-away-after-battling-cancer/ | 2023-06-30T02:46:03 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-firefighter-passes-away-after-battling-cancer/ |
COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) recently announced the completion of a crucial project to clean up the Clam Pass waterway in Collier County.
With authorization from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, FDEM undertook the task of removing vegetative and construction debris that obstructed the natural runoff from returning to the Gulf of Mexico.
FDEM told NBC2 that “Collier County has been cleared of all authorized waterway debris.”
The cost of the project is yet to be finalized, as the debris is currently being transported to the final disposal point. Once the entire project is concluded, the vendor responsible for the debris removal will issue an invoice reflecting the overall cost incurred.
While the completion of the Clam Pass cleanup project brings positive news for the community, concerns about hidden underwater debris persist. To gain a deeper understanding of the situation, NBC2 embarked on a boat tour from Clam Pass to Keewaydin Island.
Local charter captain Lauren Malinowski of Joey D’s Charters shared her firsthand experience navigating the waters since the hurricane hit.
She noted that the current state of the waterways is significantly improved, stating, “Coming through these waters now is a lot different than what it was when the hurricane hit.”
Previously the waters would reveal new debris every day, with various items washing in and accumulating in the mangroves.
Malinowski expressed optimism about the progress made, remarking, “It’s good, it’s good. It looks like we are getting back to normal.”
However, she also emphasized the need for continued vigilance, acknowledging that there may still be unknown debris below the surface.
“We still don’t know what’s out there. There’s still a lot of stuff that went into the water. You have to stay vigilant and be aware,” she said.
The boat tour provided valuable insights into the recovery process, with Malinowski describing the extent of the damage caused by the storm. She recalled witnessing houses on Keewaydin Island disassembled with parts strewn about, including water cisterns, roofs and even boats. While significant progress has been made in debris removal, Malinowski believes there is still a considerable amount of missing items resting at the bottom of the water.
“I think there’s still so much stuff that we don’t know about under there. So much stuff is missing. Household items washed in and it’s all at the bottom,” said Malinowski.
FDEM said they do not have plans for future debris removal projects in Collier County. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/collier-county/2023/06/29/state-removes-hurricane-debris-from-clam-pass-waterway-in-collier-county/ | 2023-06-30T02:50:06 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/collier-county/2023/06/29/state-removes-hurricane-debris-from-clam-pass-waterway-in-collier-county/ |
Fort Wayne/ Allen County
State Boulevard work rescheduled
Work at East State Boulevard and Maplecrest Road that was scheduled to begin Tuesday has been postponed until 2024 and will be done in a way that allows the intersection to remain open, the city announced in a statement Thursday.
Because of “complexities of the work involved and traffic flow concerns,” the project will be done next year “with modifications that will allow for the intersection to remain open during the work,” the city said in a statement.
The concrete rehabilitation improvement project on State, from Reed to Maplecrest roads, which started this year, will continue, the statement said.
Carson to speak at Right to Life event
Right to Life of Northeast Indiana will host Dr. Ben Carson as the keynote speaker at its annual banquet Oct. 9 at Memorial Coliseum.
Carson, a surgeon, was HUD secretary in the Trump administration.
Doors for the Oct. 9 event open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.ichooselife.org/banquet or by calling the Right to Life office at 260-471-1849.
Area
Air quality issues to continue today
Northeast Indiana is expected to have both high ozone and particulates levels today, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management said.
The department issued a statewide Air Quality Action Day for ozone and an additional forecast for particulates across the area.
Air monitor readings across northern Indiana remain high for both particulates and ozone, as the Canadian wildfire plume moves slowly through the state, IDEM said in a statement.
It said particulates and ozone are expected to be in the unhealthy for sensitive groups range, adding children, older people and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion outdoors.
– Journal Gazette | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/surgeon-author-to-keynote-right-to-life-banquet/article_a45c4e92-16a9-11ee-a924-eb482d1868bc.html | 2023-06-30T02:55:21 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/surgeon-author-to-keynote-right-to-life-banquet/article_a45c4e92-16a9-11ee-a924-eb482d1868bc.html |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Johnson City commissioners approved a rezoning request for the so-called Keebler Annexation in Gray.
A request to rezone about 118 acres of the site was unanimously approved on first reading Thursday.
The owners requested the rezoning from R-2B (low density residential) to RP-3 (planned residential).
“What the commission was voting on was essentially a site plan,” Commissioner Joe Wise said. “That’s the site plan we’ve been looking at for the last six months and so there really wasn’t anything particularly new there. It was just a matter of changing from the zone that was originally applied to the RP-3 that does then have that binding site plan.”
Under the proposed plan, 367 single-family homes would be built on the rezoned land. Another 126 townhomes would also be built on the property.
The Keebler Annexation was approved by the commission last month. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-commission-approves-keebler-rezoning-request/ | 2023-06-30T02:59:05 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-commission-approves-keebler-rezoning-request/ |
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Watch this story on 10 News at 11.
Universities and colleges across the Commonwealth are reviewing their admissions process after the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action.
Now institutions will no longer be able to consider race in the admissions process. The court ruled that both programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and are therefore unlawful.
While Virginia colleges and universities overlook their processes, some are already saying the decision doesn’t change much of what they already do.
Aaron Basko is the Vice-President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications at the University of Lynchburg, and says it’s more of a symbolic change.
[Divided Supreme Court outlaws affirmative action in college admissions, says race can’t be used]
“We really are a place where people find they are welcomed and their diverse viewpoints are welcomed. Those students come to us somewhat naturally. It doesn’t mean really using our admissions process as a way to make that happen,” Basko said.
Basko says universities and colleges that are more highly selective in their admissions process are going to have the toughest time. Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were the two institutions that brought their cases to the supreme court.
“Some institutions struggle with this because they are so super selective. They’re taking 5% of their students and they have to figure out okay we need a certain number of spaces for this kind of student and we need a certain number for this kind,” Basko said.
10 News received statements from other colleges and universities on their reaction to the decision.
Virginia Tech referenced their motto, Ut Prosim, in their statement looking to the future.
“In the spirit of our motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), we remain committed to the mission of our land-grant institution … To accomplish this mission, we will continue to work hard to expand access to underserved and underrepresented populations.
Portion of statement from Virginia Tech
Washington and Lee University said the university’s “commitment to diversity, which is rooted in our mission, remains unchanged following today’s Supreme Court decision. Having a student body that represents a wide variety of perspectives and life experiences makes our institution a better place, and better prepares our graduates to lead lives of consequence in a diverse world.”
Both the University of Virginia and Roanoke College had letters from their presidents.
University of Virginia President Jim Ryan and Provost Ian Baucom released a joint statement, saying, “we are still evaluating the opinion to determine how it may affect our current admissions approach and what changes we may need to make as a result.”
UVA’s Ryan and Baucom also said they’d continue to do everything within their legal authority to bring in future classes who are diverse and to make every student feel welcome and included.
Roanoke College’s President Frank Shushok Jr. also expressed his focus on making Maroons feel included, and referenced the college’s culture.
“Our culture at Roanoke reflects the ‘rooted and open’ calling at the heart of Lutheran higher education, which calls for our ‘appreciation and cultivation of diversity in its many forms’ and reminds us to ’welcome all and learn from all,’” Shushok said, in part.
Shushok continued on to say, like UVA’s Ryan and Baucom, that Roanoke College is still committed to “advancing access, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.”
While the Court’s ruling may have some effects on our current admissions processes, which include a holistic review of every applicant’s academic record, co-curricular engagement, and unique life experiences, our values and goals will remain unchanged. We will continue to evolve in our approach to recruiting and to creating a student-ready, student-first culture and reputation that will make Roanoke College a prized destination for students of all backgrounds.
President Frank Shushok Jr., Roanoke College
To read more about the Supreme Court’s ruling, click here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/30/virginia-universities-colleges-react-to-scotus-affirmative-action-ruling/ | 2023-06-30T02:59:33 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/30/virginia-universities-colleges-react-to-scotus-affirmative-action-ruling/ |
US Trustee details mismanagement at Legacy Park in Mesa
Citing incompetence and mismanagement on the part of executives involved with Legacy Park, the massive sports complex in east Mesa, the U.S. Trustee has asked the court to either dismiss the bankruptcy case filed by the park’s owners or appoint someone to oversee its operation.
The motion filed Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court suggests that the non-profit owner of the park, Legacy Cares, had failed in its role of overseeing the operations of the park. It also suggested that park operators were setting themselves up to bleed millions from the operation during the months-long bankruptcy process.
The motion said that “there is evidence of dishonesty, incompetence, or gross mismanagement” of the operation of Legacy Park, both before the bankruptcy filing in May and afterward.
Legacy Park has drawn hordes of athletes and their families to the multiple soccer fields, baseball fields, basketball courts and pickleball courts sprawled across its 320 acres. It has remained open during the bankruptcy proceeding, with the judge authorizing temporary funding to keep it running.
The facility, according to testimony in bankruptcy proceedings, has been losing $1 million a month, despite the heavy traffic it has drawn to its previously empty corner of east Mesa.
Legacy Park was the brainchild of Randy Miller, who tried in vain for decades to raise private funding for a facility he envisioned housing all manner of athletic events simultaneously. Miller was finally able to build Legacy Park thanks to a relatively obscure state agency: The Arizona Industrial Development Authority.
That arm of the state government helped provide tax-exempt funding for the project, issuing more than $280 in bonds in August 2020.
Miller created a non-profit entity called Legacy Cares in order to qualify for the tax-exempt bonds, court filings say. He then stepped away from that organization, remaining in the top spot of Legacy Sports, a for-profit business that was tasked with managing the facility.
The park opened as Bell Bank Park in January 2022. Bell Bank subsequently asked to end its naming agreement and the park was rechristened as Legacy Park.
The motion details what it suggests was too cozy a relationship between the people on the board of Legacy Cares and those employed by the entity it was supposed to oversee — Legacy Sports.
One example cited by the motion: A company owned by the head of Legacy Cares, Doug Moss, was set to receive a potentially lucrative “technology advisory fee.” But bondholders were told the company, KingDog, was independent, the motion says. Moss’s ownership was not disclosed in the prospectus.
Moss, in testimony included as part of the motion, said he never received the $912,000 fee.
The motion also outlines more than $7 million in loans from Legacy Cares to Legacy Sports and other entities owned by Miller, including two that looked to build similar facilities in Texas and Tennessee. The motion suggests the money from those loans came from bond proceeds, which the motion says would be an improper use.
The motion also notes that when the facility was in financial trouble and sought to restructure its debt, it was Legacy Sports that found a new financier, not the owner, Legacy Cares.
And, just before it filed for bankruptcy, Legacy Cares decided to terminate Randy Miller’s company, Legacy Sports, as the operator of the park. But the company it chose to reverse direction was, according to the motion, not a “wholly new entity,” but one owned by Randy Miller’s son, Brett Miller. That newly-created company, Elite Sports Group, had not yet filed the proper paperwork to transact business in Arizona, the motion said.
Industrial Development Authority:Obscure Arizona agency paved way for troubled $283M Mesa sports park
The motion also questioned the $708,714 in management fees that would be paid to Elite Sports Group over the next 26 weeks. Since Legacy Cares would be paying for the operation of the park and all salaries of Elite employees, the payments represent “pure profit to Elite,” the motion said.
That fact was never disclosed to creditors, the motion said, but was only revealed through informal emails between the U.S. Trustee’s office and attorneys for Legacy Cares.
A spokesman for Legacy Cares did not make Moss or anyone associated with the non-profit available for an interview. But, in a statement, Legacy Cares called the motion “reckless and unnecessary.”
It said the motion was largely based on a telephonic court hearing during which Moss was peppered with “a series of random questions,” mostly about documents he didn’t have immediate access to and that he didn’t prepare.
The Legacy Cares statement said that it was working to sell the facility for the highest price possible, a plan it said was supported by the trustee of the bonds, the landlord of the park and a committee of contractors who claim they were also owed money.
The trustee’s motion, Legacy Cares said in its statement, “will only hinder that process.”
The judge in the case scheduled a hearing on the motion on July 27.
Looking for a true fiduciary
The U.S. Trustee’s office is housed in the U.S. Department of Justice and oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases, serving as a referee of sorts. It can investigate and issue civil penalties for fraud and refer possible criminal cases to the U.S. Attorney.
The attorney for the U.S. Trustee asked the judge to appoint someone to serve as “true fiduciary to all creditors to preserve, protect, and pursue all assets of the estate.” That person would also be called a trustee, but tasked with guarding the interests of Legacy Park, not the public.
The motion said that such a bankruptcy trustee, if appointed, could also “pursue causes of action against Legacy Sports and any insiders” and ensure assets are preserved for the estate and creditors.
Alternatively, the motion asked that the judge dismiss the bankruptcy case altogether, citing the “gross mismanagement” of the facility it detailed in its motion.
East Mesa:Development near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport could bring restaurants, hotels
It is not clear what would happen to Legacy Park should the bankruptcy case be dismissed and the protection granted by the court evaporate.
Several contractors have filed liens against the property for unpaid labor. Those liens ask the court to order the sheriff’s office to seize the property and auction it off so the bills could be paid.
Bondholders could foreclose on the property, seizing it as an asset and looking to recoup their investment somehow. Schedules filed with the bankruptcy court show bondholders are owed in the neighborhood of $300 million.
Estimates of the value of the park have ranged between $50 million and $185 million.
Moss testified the facility was worth at least $50 million during a June bankruptcy hearing.
An attorney for Legacy Cares mentioned the $185 price during a May hearing, saying that the company handling offers for the sports park will receive a bonus if the price is above that amount.
Trouble at Legacy Park started surfacing months after it opened. In a call with investors in June 2022, Chad Miller, who ran Legacy Sports along with his father, Randy Miller, promised bright days were around the corner, blaming financial woes on the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues.
In October, Legacy Cares defaulted on its bond payments. A group of bondholders met to try to salvage a deal, but instead walked away.
The company that was looking to restructure the deal, Loop Capital, was retained by Legacy Sports, Miller’s company.
During a telephonic hearing in June, Jennifer Giaimo, the attorney for the U.S. Trustee, asked Moss why Legacy Sports brought in that company and not the owner, Legacy Cares.
Giaimo asked Moss if he authorized Legacy Sports to do so. Moss, according to a transcript filed with the motion, said he did not. Rather, Legacy Sports “took it upon themselves” to contact Loop Capital.
The motion said that answer showed that Moss “tacitly allowed Randy Miller” to pursue refinancing for Legacy Cares “even though Miller was not an officer, director, or employee of (Legacy Cares).”
In another portion of the transcript, Giaimo asked Moss about loans made to Legacy Sports and other entities operated by Randy Miller.
Moss said that the non-profit’s financial officer would be best equipped to answer the question and, according to the transcript, he seemed to fumble for an answer.
“I believe the bond documents prohibit us from doing loans so I won't…” he said, according to the transcript. “This is where I’m out of my lane here.” | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2023/06/29/court-filing-details-money-troubles-at-legacy-park-asks-for-overseer/70371506007/ | 2023-06-30T03:04:04 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2023/06/29/court-filing-details-money-troubles-at-legacy-park-asks-for-overseer/70371506007/ |
Dismembered human remains found in bag in Phoenix alley
Police were investigating after dismembered human remains were found in a bag in a Phoenix alley on Wednesday.
Just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Phoenix police officers responded to a call regarding a foul smell coming from a bag near 39th Avenue and McDowell Road. When officers arrived, they found a bag in an alley that contained possible human remains, police said.
Detectives were able to confirm the remains were human. Officers received a similar call on Tuesday, but they did not find anything suspicious, police said in a news release.
No additional information was released and an investigation into the finding was ongoing.
Police asked that anyone with information contact the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/06/29/dismembered-human-remains-found-in-bag-in-phoenix-alley/70371669007/ | 2023-06-30T03:04:10 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/06/29/dismembered-human-remains-found-in-bag-in-phoenix-alley/70371669007/ |
Operators of a new clinic in Tucson hope to cut into the time it takes to diagnose and get services for families affected by autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.
Arizona based Axis for Autism has opened a new therapeutics location in addition to its diagnostics office, with a goal of making diagnosis and treatment quicker and cheaper. A grand opening of the clinic took place Wednesday morning at 5055 E. Broadway Blvd., near North Rosemont Boulevard.
“Just three years ago when we were testing out the diagnostic wait times, we had families that were waiting 18-22 months just to get a diagnosis,” said Jessica Reese, vice president of clinical services at Axis.
The new clinic is a huge step forward for those affected by ASD, she said.
“Early intervention services that we all know are so critical, need to be put in to place between the ages of 18 months to 6 years old. If we’re losing 24 months on a waitlist that’s critical intervention time for our children here in Tucson,” Reese said of wait times they found when starting their research into the issue about three years ago.
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Axis for Autism was founded by Christine Elrich. Having a son whose previous health issues required multiple surgeries, Elrich said she knew of the stress put on to families and individuals by complex diagnoses, like ASD.
“I knew very little about autism [when I started], but I knew what it was like to be a vulnerable parent looking for resources,” said Christine Elrich, founder and CEO of Axis for Autism. “The problem we decided to solve first was access to high-quality, evidence-based diagnoses. We’ve been able to do provide diagnostic services and evaluations within 45-60 days.”
The group diagnoses nearly 300 new patients every month at five locations across the state. At the new Tucson location, Axis is expecting anywhere from 30 to 50 individuals to come through its new therapeutics office monthly. It also is looking into opening clinical services on Tucson’s southwest side within the next 18 months.
Their clinically-integrated network, which is modeled after the physical therapy field where Elrich spent time prior to Axis, uses diagnostic evaluation rooms equipped with cameras so patient behavior and interaction can be documented and uploaded in real-time to their electronic medical health network. That helps lower the timeframe from referral to diagnosis. Their new therapeutics office is steps away from the diagnostics location they’ve been operating.
“The average wait time for anyone under five is anywhere from three months to a year-and-a-half. The average wait time for anyone over five is six months to a year-and-a-half. For adults it’s two years,” said Maxine Mathews, from the Autism Society of Southern Arizona. “When Axis came in and were able to cut those times significantly, we were very happy to give that resource out to the people in the community so they can get their evaluations and diagnoses.” | https://tucson.com/business/local/autism-tucson-diagnosis-axis/article_ddbdb984-15cb-11ee-9ede-3f3f8d7e0942.html | 2023-06-30T03:07:47 | 0 | https://tucson.com/business/local/autism-tucson-diagnosis-axis/article_ddbdb984-15cb-11ee-9ede-3f3f8d7e0942.html |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A fire at Bradley Fair broke out at the end of a fireworks show on Thursday night.
Sedgwick County Dispatch confirms the call for a brush fire came in around 9:39 p.m. at Bradley Fair.
A viewer tells KSN it was a pine tree at the edge of the lake that caught fire.
Four fire trucks were called out to the scene, it is unclear how long it took for the fire to be put out. Dispatch said it appeared the fire started on the island inside the Bradley Fair pond.
There were no reported injuries. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/tree-catches-fire-at-bradley-fair-fireworks-show/ | 2023-06-30T03:08:12 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/tree-catches-fire-at-bradley-fair-fireworks-show/ |
FOLSOM, Calif. — Folsom Lake was packed Thursday before the Fourth of July holiday weekend as people anticipate beating the incoming heat wave.
The heat changed many peoples plans for the upcoming holiday, encouraging them to come out to cool off in or near the water.
“We are beating the heat, we just got the boat and are learning what to do,” said Jeanne Bergman as she and her dog climbed onto their boat and into the cool water Thursday.
Maddy Salinas and her family were also headed out on the water with furry friends in tow. She's planning on staying in the water as long as possible to stay out of the heat.
The threat of triple degree temperatures has residents changing their minds about how they're spending the weekend and Fourth of July.
“Oh yeah, I won’t go out on Fourth of July. We were, but I’ll let other people have it I can come out here whenever I want,” said Bergman.
For many, like Joan Greenfield, the lake has been their cool down spot for years.
She decided to take to the water on jet ski's with her nephew to beat the heat the way she did as a kid.
“Obviously with global warming things are different, but I remember as a kid we had no air conditioning. Going to the fair on Stockton Boulevard, [there was] no air condition there and it was 103 it’s just Sacramento,” said Greenfield.
If all else fails, Greenfield has already planned her escape route — heading out of the city and to "cooler places." | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/folsom-lake-ahead-fourth-of-july-heat/103-8cb8a23e-1e00-4b3a-973f-62d2cf610438 | 2023-06-30T03:10:23 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/folsom-lake-ahead-fourth-of-july-heat/103-8cb8a23e-1e00-4b3a-973f-62d2cf610438 |
MOCCASIN, Calif. — A motorcyclist was killed after a head-on crash in Tuolumne County Sunday morning, according to California Highway Patrol.
Officials say the motorcyclist was riding a 2023 Kawasaki Ninja eastbound on Highway 120, just east of Moccasin, when he went into the westbound lane and hit an oncoming 1997 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck around 9 a.m.
The motorcyclist was ejected off his bike and pronounced dead at the scene.
The motorcyclist was identified by officials as a 35-year-old man from Soulsbyville.
It's not clear if the truck driver, identified by officials as a 20-year-old man from Groveland, was hurt in the crash.
While the crash remains under investigation, officials say alcohol and/or drugs are not suspected to be a factor. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/motorcyclist-dies-crash-tuolumne-county/103-b3f404ff-0e66-43f7-b58c-6adfefd8a072 | 2023-06-30T03:10:29 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/motorcyclist-dies-crash-tuolumne-county/103-b3f404ff-0e66-43f7-b58c-6adfefd8a072 |
BONNER COUNTY, Idaho — Former lawmaker and state superintendent candidate Brandon Durst was appointed superintendent for the West Bonner County School District on Wednesday night.
The process is still pending state board approval.
The West Bonner County School District board voted to approve Mr. Branden Durst as the new district superintendent, the vote was 3-2.
It appeared the board chair, Keith Rutledge, wanted to go into executive session for the meeting, that was prevented by a vote 2-3 board vote that needed two-thirds majority.
The meeting itself, sort of a scattered public meeting.
There seemed to be confusion and debate about a number of details and processes involving Durst's contract and a provision that would give legal protection to his wife if Durst were to be sued in civil court.
Maybe a case of flying the plane while building it, the West Bonner school board sat quietly for extended periods while they checked details and facts of the matter.
Viewers in-person and online noticed Durst sitting in a room behind the board watching on as debates and votes continued.
Like other meetings on this topic, a full and passionate crowd was in attendance. They were very vocal going back and forth with the board on a few occasions.
Some in the crowd tried to compose the audience.
Ultimately, the board voted to approve a contract for essentially two years with the understanding that it is not an automatic contract renewal and there needs to be a review of Durst at the end of the year.
So, by a vote of 3-2 the board said Durst is the guy for the job, however, something more to consider:
One of the requirements for Durst to get the district job, or any superintendent job in Idaho, is to have four years of full-time certificated experience working with students while under contract with an accredited school. Which Durst doesn't have.
So, he needs a special emergency provisional certificate through the state. For that to happen, the school board needed to declare an emergency.
One board member, Carlyn Barton, spoke up saying she didn't see an emergency that would allow for the certificate.
"I do not see a need for our district to declare a state of emergency at this time,” Barton said in-part. “We currently have a candidate and potentially a few others in the district that are certified and able to fill as an interim superintend that position. Furthermore, from the research I have done, the superintendent candidate that was voted in is not currently qualified or able to fulfill all the duties of a public-school superintendent. Even with an emergency certification. The direction of our board has turned into a fascist dictatorship with an agenda which is far from our conservative point of view and no way open to uniting the board employees of this district or community. The direction or agenda that has been kept from the members, not only from the board, but our community."
The board approved the declared emergency and ended that portion of their meeting.
So, what happens next?
The school board and Mr. Durst will fill out an application to the State Board of Education for an emergency provisional certificate.
That will end up with the State Board where they can approve the certificate or not by a vote.
If they do approve the idea, Durst becomes the superintendent with the implication that he is expected to catch up his qualifications as he can.
If the state board says no, process of finding a superintendent in West Bonner will continue.
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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/208/local-branden-durst-superintendent-contract-approved-amid-controversy/277-244aa02e-6eef-4b7c-9814-2fc1143b1b51 | 2023-06-30T03:10:43 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/local-branden-durst-superintendent-contract-approved-amid-controversy/277-244aa02e-6eef-4b7c-9814-2fc1143b1b51 |
VALLEY COUNTY, Idaho — The Valley County Sheriff's Office told KTVB that a small private airplane crashed in the Frank Church- River of No Return Wilderness yesterday.
The office said that no one was hurt, although there was some property damage. The crash happened near the Cabin Creek Airstrip.
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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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-private-airplane-crashes-near-frank-church-river-of-no-return-wilderness/277-290260b4-6bb8-41b5-a541-3dd229c7f64e | 2023-06-30T03:10:49 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-private-airplane-crashes-near-frank-church-river-of-no-return-wilderness/277-290260b4-6bb8-41b5-a541-3dd229c7f64e |
MERIDIAN, Idaho — Now that summer is here, things are heating up in the Treasure Valley and Roaring Springs Waterpark in Meridian is expecting to get lots of visitors.
Lots of guests, brings lots of challenges for the lifeguards.
The waterpark has added a state-of-of-the-art surveillance system specifically designed for waterparks.
"Everything has been exclusively designed for the pool and the waterpark arena," Benjamin Strong, COO of Ellis Aquatics Innovations, said.
This new camera system consists of 57 cameras that provide over 100 views above and below the water which are meant to give the almost 40 lifeguards on deck an extra pair of eyes.
"As the complexity of waterparks and rides have evolved, we started to see a huge need to find another way to provide those layers of protection," Strong said. "A way to help adjust for the challenges of being a lifeguard."
There are blind spots and other areas that lifeguards have a difficult time seeing, these cameras give them a clearer view that potentially saves lives.
"We've positioned the cameras in a way that it provides them an advantage over what the lifeguards we have on deck," Strong said. "We put them in elevated areas that allows them to cut throw the glare so that they can focus on what is at the bottom of the water.
The lifeguards at the waterpark said that the extra help from the cameras allow them to perform their jobs with a higher level of confidence and safety for all guests.
"Having that extra failsafe definitely takes a huge load off our shoulders," Dillon Miller, lifeguard at Roaring Springs, said.
It also put parents at ease.
"It makes my wife and I feel a lot better," Oscar Gomez, a visitor at the waterpark, said. "We got a chance to eat our meal knowing that our kids are safe the entire time."
Roaring Springs is the first waterpark in the country to install this surveillance system and made its debut last summer.
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See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-roaring-springs-waterpark-adds-an-extra-set-of-eyes/277-775f2d8e-1511-4319-a936-27f72c6963f7 | 2023-06-30T03:10:55 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-roaring-springs-waterpark-adds-an-extra-set-of-eyes/277-775f2d8e-1511-4319-a936-27f72c6963f7 |
PITTSBURGH — Numerous athletes who got their start in the Pittsburgh area are giving back to their community this summer.
Local stars including Jordan Whitehead, Aaron Donald, Christian Kuntz, and others are helping youth football players in a significant way.
Whitehead held his camp at alma matter Central Valley on Thursday. Lunch was served at the event and gift bags were given to the first 200 online registrations. There were two separate sections for players aged 6-12 and 12 and older. Former Pitt teammates Dane Jackson and Damar Hamlin were in attendance.
Read the full story from our partners at Sports Now Group Pittsburgh here.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/8-local-athletes-giving-back-pittsburgh-community-through-youth-camps/YZOQZJ2KDBEUDNVWTO7M3S3HMU/ | 2023-06-30T03:10:57 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/8-local-athletes-giving-back-pittsburgh-community-through-youth-camps/YZOQZJ2KDBEUDNVWTO7M3S3HMU/ |
DORMONT, Pa. — UPDATE: He has been found safe.
Dormont police are searching for a missing 10-year-old boy.
According to police, Dominic Mulig left his house on Thursday at 8:30 p.m.
Mulig is 4 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs between 75 and 80 lbs and has curly hair.
He was last seen wearing an orange shirt with gray shorts.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/dormont-police-searching-missing-10-year-old-boy/XEQ333UXX5E5ZGQJC6MWOYONIA/ | 2023-06-30T03:11:03 | 1 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/dormont-police-searching-missing-10-year-old-boy/XEQ333UXX5E5ZGQJC6MWOYONIA/ |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania’s politically divided Legislature appeared on track Thursday to start the state’s fiscal year without a spending plan in place, with closed-door talks yielding optimism from Republicans, but discontent from Democrats.
For Shapiro, getting his first budget across the finish line is perhaps the biggest test yet of his political skills under the Capitol dome.
Republicans have spoken positively of their discussions with Shapiro, but discussions with Shapiro’s fellow Democrats have been strained — in part by Shapiro siding with Republicans on a plan to send $100 million to private schools.
Many Democratic lawmakers have muted their criticism of an emerging budget agreement between Republicans and Shapiro, but they say it doesn’t carry nearly enough money for public schools and they oppose the proposed new private school “voucher” program.
The 2023-24 fiscal year begins Saturday, and Shapiro’s signature on a new budget bill is required to maintain full spending authority.
Budget negotiators have said little publicly about their private discussions.
“We would like the budget to be on time. But more than anything, we would like a budget to make significant investments in the commonwealth that are necessary and needed,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, told reporters.
Shapiro has not appeared publicly in the Capitol, and instead has held meetings inside his official residence in Harrisburg. In a statement Thursday, he acknowledged the divide and pointed a finger at lawmakers.
“After a dozen years of total Republican control of the Legislature, Senate Republicans need to give more than they’re used to,” Shapiro said. “And after a dozen years in the minority, House Democrats can’t expect to get everything they’ve wanted over the last decade in one budget.”
The state’s massive reserves — built up by inflation-juiced tax collections and federal pandemic subsidies — have eased spending decisions.
But the last few days have become particularly contentious, as a constellation of public school advocates, including school boards and labor unions, have organized to oppose the $100 million program to pay for children to attend private or religious schools.
Under it, a family would get $10,000 to use for private school tuition and fees for 1st through 12th grade.
An eligible student must attend one of the state’s 15% lowest-performing schools, based on math and reading scores on standardized tests, and come from a family that makes under 250% of the federal poverty level, or $75,000 for a family of four.
The plan passed the Senate on Thursday night, 29-21, with every Republican in favor of it and all but one Democrat opposing it.
Republicans say it will provide better education options for students in failing schools. Democrats contend that it will further drive inequality in schools, and empower unaccountable and unaudited private and religious schools that can cherry-pick the students they want and discriminate against the students they don’t want.
Democratic lawmakers also say the Senate Republicans’ yet-to-be-published budget bill does not adequately fund public schools — just months after a landmark court decision that found Pennsylvania’s system of funding public schools violates the constitutional rights of students in poorer districts.
Another irritant in budget talks is a House Republican bloc that is holding up hundreds of millions of dollars in annual aid to Penn State, Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.
Without new spending authority in place by Saturday, the state is legally barred from making some payments, although a stalemate must typically last weeks before an effect on services is felt.
In a long-term stalemate, the state is legally bound to make debt payments, cover Medicaid costs for millions of Pennsylvanians, issue unemployment compensation payments, keep prisons open and ensure state police are on patrol.
All state employees under Shapiro’s jurisdiction will continue to report to work and be paid as scheduled, an administration spokesperson said.
If necessary, Shapiro’s administration may have to postpone payments to vendors, such as utilities, insurers, suppliers and landlords, and put off paying discretionary items, such as tax credits, grants and some public school aid.
For now, the state’s main bank account is flush with roughly $15 billion and can make its legally required payments, a Treasury Department spokesperson said.
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PITTSBURGH — The deadline for the state to have its 2024 budget in place is June 30, and this year, the hot-button issue surrounds education.
In March of this year, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro charged lawmakers to come up with a plan to make big changes after a Commonwealth Court Judge ruled the state falls woefully short. In a vote of 29-21, the Senate passed the school privatization bill. It impacts 1.7 million public school students in our state.
On 11 at 11, why opponents say the plan doesn’t solve the problem as the clock runs out on funding the rest of the state.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/proposed-plan-pennsylvania-would-shift-education-funding-toward-controversial-voucher-program/MUZ3RJTYRRD6XGLLEAPKTC2FQM/ | 2023-06-30T03:11:16 | 1 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/proposed-plan-pennsylvania-would-shift-education-funding-toward-controversial-voucher-program/MUZ3RJTYRRD6XGLLEAPKTC2FQM/ |
Salina official walked out on Pride Month proclamation. Why some residents are concerned
Salina citizens expressed both their concern and support for one of the city's commissioners after he decided to leave the room during the reading of a Pride Month proclamation earlier this month.
That action by Commissioner Bill Longbine, who also serves as vice mayor, was at the forefront of the discussion during the citizens' forum portion of the Salina City Commission meeting Monday, June 26.
The proclamation, which was read on June 12, was presented to the commission and read without a vote, as is the procedure for all proclamations, and encouraged citizens in Salina to "celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of our community, to honor the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout history and to continue to work toward a future where everyone is treated with equality, respect and love."
Before the reading of the proclamation, Longbine said he would "recuse" himself and stepped outside the meeting room until the next agenda item.
Condemnation from citizens for commissioner's action
The first to bring up the topic was Sandy Beverly, secretary of the Salina chapter of the NAACP, said she sat through the entire meeting, which lasted around two and a half hours, to talk about it.
"In 1997, the Ku Klux Klan threatened to march here in Salina," Beverly said. "My mother, along with then chief of police and the city manager held a lot of meetings and encouraged people to realize that those people had a right to be here, because they made the application to be here."
Beverly continued by saying that if her mother, Cora Lee Williams, a prominent activist for civil rights in the community and throughout the country, and who lived through much of the unrest during the Civil Rights movement, could recognize the freedom the Klan had, then the current leaders of the community could sit through the reading of a proclamation for gay rights in Salina.
"If you cannot (sit there during that reading) and serve the public, you don't belong in that chair," Beverly said.
Just after Beverly spoke, Jon Blanchard, former commissioner and mayor, stepped up to the podium to agree with her.
"When I found out what happened (during the June 12 meeting), I was disturbed by it," Blanchard said.
Blanchard said it is one thing for a private citizen attending the meeting to walk out during an item they don't agree with, but for a commissioner to do it is troubling and possibly unethical.
"For the city commissioner, who ran for election saying he could represent everyone and as someone who is charged with representing everyone, to stand up and walk out, I think was, technically speaking a violation of your code of ethics," Blanchard said.
Blanchard cited a portion of the city's ethics policy, which applies to those on the commission as well as others who represent the city, which provides general ethic principles including to "place the public trust and interest of the city first," "exercise fair, honest and unbiased judgment in one's roles as a decision maker and advisor," and "treat all persons with courtesy and respect at all times."
Going further, Blanchard said the action Longbine took may negatively impact the way people from outside the community think of Salina, which he said is losing 276 people in the community every year.
"If we continue to treat groups that we don't agree with as less than citizens, then we're going to continue to lose (them) and never going to attract new people," Blanchard said.
Finally, Blanchard said he knew Longbine to be a good person and hopes the commissioner is able to learn from this experience and apologize for his action.
"My concern is that when you take over for Mayor Hoppock that if you do this next year it'll ... be national news," Blanchard said.
Blanchard said there could be unintended consequences if Longbine takes the same action next year, including musical acts and artists boycotting venues in the community and possibly the Smoky Hill River Festival.
Citizens come to commissioner's defense
In addition to a negative reaction to Longbine's action, there were several people at the meeting who spoke in support of what the commissioner did.
"I for one applaud Mr. Longbine for the stand he made," said Chad Farber, a local pastor and candidate in the upcoming city commission election. "There is such a thing as deeply held religious beliefs and if something violates those, you have every right to stand up (for them)."
Rosemary Mai agreed with Farber and said she believes that sometimes the beliefs of an individual take precedence when it comes to what an elected official does.
"Even though you represent the community, when you have religious beliefs and your morals you have to stick with (those) religious and moral beliefs," Mai said. "That's what's happening to our country right now ... our religious and moral beliefs are going down the tube."
Finally, Carol Reed said she commended Longbine and questioned the need for the proclamation in the first place.
"I understand proclamations, but I don't understand the proclamation to a sexual orientation," Reed said. "I don't think we need to make a statement as far as our sexual orientation is concerned. We were born male and female, end of story."
More:Air Force flyover in Salina celebrates 100 years of aerial refueling
Commissioner Longbine speaks out
While not required to respond to statements by citizens during the citizens' forum, Longbine did speak about his action during the Pride proclamation on June 12.
"I do have deeply held beliefs and values," Longbine said. "This did conflict with my beliefs and values and I have that right."
Longbine said he had a conversation with Raiden Gonzales, a board member of North Central Kansas Pride who read the proclamation.
"He had no issue with (my actions)," Longbine said. "I stand by my decision. I'm sorry (those who disagree) feel that way."
Finally, Longbine said he meant no hate or animosity toward the people the proclamation was dedicated to.
"I just could not acknowledge that I supported that proclamation," Longbine said. "(My actions) were not geared to any one person, it was the topic as a whole." | https://www.salina.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/salina-commissioner-bill-longbine-walkout-draws-concern-and-support/70356653007/ | 2023-06-30T03:11:29 | 1 | https://www.salina.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/salina-commissioner-bill-longbine-walkout-draws-concern-and-support/70356653007/ |
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — For 50 years, the United States Military has run on an all-volunteer force. Private First Class (PFC) Carter Zaccariello is one of its newest servicemen.
"You want to come in ready to work, and you want to strive to be the best," PFC Zaccariello said.
Carter, who enlisted to become an explosive ordnance disposal technician, comes from a military family and says the choice to enlist was easy.
"My cousin does the same job as me," PFC Zaccariello said. "He introduced me, told me what he was doing and it really sounded interesting to me."
However, Major Mie Horvath, the executive officer at the Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion, says the same can’t be said for others.
"Historically, the propensity to serve hovers around 13 to 14%," Major Horvath said. "And 2022, we saw that come down to 9%.”
A recruitment crisis is dealing a major blow to the armed forces. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard officials say they will not meet their recruiting goals this year.
“We're seeing a little bit more competition from the private sector," Major Horvath said. "[It's] something we just hadn't seen in the past, we're seeing that more and more now."
Large companies like Starbucks and Walmart are offering higher pay and similar benefits that were traditionally incentives people could only get from enlisting in the military.
"Historically, something like student loan repayment, that's military only, was something that we kind of owned," Major Horvath said. "That was an attractive point to bringing folks into military service."
So, the Army is adapting.
"Up to $50,000 in bonuses, that's a huge incentive for just about anybody," Major Horvath said. "And then on top of that, we're giving people an option of a lower contract requirement time, now it's a two-year option."
Traditionally, armed forces contracts are between four and eight years in length. The shorter option gives recruits the chance to a shorter commitment to see if the Army is a right fit for them.
Connecting with the community is also just as important as incentivizing new soldiers.
"It's part of what we do here locally and across recruiting to kind of get ourselves out there," Major Horvath said. "We're trying to make sure that the public knows their army."
PFC Zaccariello says military service offers something for everything.
“It's not all that you see, you're not just going to be going in with infantry and everything," he said. "They have anything really, it's not all just infantry and going into combat."
You can find your local recruiters or how to join the branches at the links below: | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/half-century-of-all-volunteer-force-and-a-new-challenge-military-recruitment/521-6675b757-9b0c-49c0-ba00-a89f12a1ec62 | 2023-06-30T03:16:03 | 1 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/half-century-of-all-volunteer-force-and-a-new-challenge-military-recruitment/521-6675b757-9b0c-49c0-ba00-a89f12a1ec62 |
DALLAS — Alright... this pickleball craze has physically and theoretically reached new heights.
The world's highest pickleball court can be found right here in downtown Dallas. Tower Club Dallas and Invited – which operates more than 800 tennis courts and 400 pickleball courts around the world – have installed a pickleball court on the 48th floor of the North Texas hi-rise.
The court provides a 360-degree view of central Dallas and will be featured at the club for the month of July, officials said in a release. The indoor court can be rented by both members and non-members, the release said.
“Invited continues to surprise and delight its members and the local community with innovative experiences. The 'Pickleball Court in the Sky' is just another example of engaging with the pickleball fans in Dallas and continuing the growth of the sport across our nationwide portfolio of clubs,” said Invited CEO David Pillsbury.
Non-members can rent a court online here, and part of the rental proceeds will benefit Bonton Farms, committed to combating the effects of poverty in South Dallas.
Pickleball courts continue to pop up around the metroplex, including in Plano. The 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships is being held in North Texas, too, out in Farmers Branch.
More Texas headlines: | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/pickleball-in-sky-worlds-highest-dallas-tower-club/287-258b30a6-0dec-43af-9592-98086a871782 | 2023-06-30T03:16:09 | 1 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/pickleball-in-sky-worlds-highest-dallas-tower-club/287-258b30a6-0dec-43af-9592-98086a871782 |
ORLANDO, Fla. — One of the more controversial pieces of legislation signed into law by the Florida governor this year goes into effect in less than two days.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The permitless carry law will allow anyone who can legally own a gun in Florida to carry one concealed without a license.
Law enforcement officials in Central Florida and across the state are making a last-minute effort to teach the community what the law means before it takes effect on July 1.
It will no longer be required to have training and a background check to carry concealed guns in public.
Read: In less than a week, Florida will become a ‘permitless carry’ state
After Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation on April 3, many have been vocal about why they disagree with it.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina is one of the most outspoken about the dangers he thinks this new law will pose to the public and law enforcement.
“We already have what I call is a flawed stand-your-ground law that leads to a lot of these encounters that turn violent,” Mina said. “Now you’re just throwing more guns into the mix.”
In Brevard County, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said this in, in part, on the department’s Facebook page:
“While the new law without question reaffirms that you don’t need a permission slip from the government to exercise your constitutional rights, what it doesn’t do is allow for open carry or change in any way who can carry or possess a firearm and where they can carry it!!”
Both Ivey and Mina emphasize training, even if it is not required.
“We’ve already had a number of accidental shootings this year,” Mina said. “We just had two this weekend where a woman has died because someone was mishandling a firearm.”
Read: Vigil held for local pastor gunned down in banquet hall shooting
Gun rights lawyer James Phillips said that while he understands officers’ concerns, the changes will only help those who follow the law.
“This isn’t going to change anything for criminals because criminals don’t follow the law, to begin with,” Phillips said. “Looking at other states that have instituted some form of permitless carry, their crime rate did not increase, so I don’t expect it will increase in Florida here either.”
Gun owners will still be required to have a valid ID while carrying their weapon, and there will still be several places where you can’t bring a gun.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/central-florida-law-enforcement-informs-community-before-permitless-carry-law-takes-effect/DKQG6KK52VHK7DZ5RNS75GCXKY/ | 2023-06-30T03:17:38 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/central-florida-law-enforcement-informs-community-before-permitless-carry-law-takes-effect/DKQG6KK52VHK7DZ5RNS75GCXKY/ |
A 42-year-old Lincoln man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in connection to a search on his home last year that turned up more than a pound of methamphetamine.
Andrew Lawrence pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced him this week.
In a news release, U.S. Attorney Steven Russell said on March 18, 2022, officers from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force served a search warrant at Lawrence’s home and caught him in a bathroom "actively trying to dispose of methamphetamine down a shower drain" and flushing additional amounts down a toilet.
Investigators recovered 1.25 pounds of methamphetamine in the home and $17,622 cash.
As part of his guilty plea, Lawrence forfeited the currency, admitting it was proceeds from illegal drug sales or used to facilitate drug trafficking. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lincoln-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-search-that-turned-up-more-than-a-pound-of/article_094d38e4-16ae-11ee-bf63-e748f30f81ff.html | 2023-06-30T03:18:33 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lincoln-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-search-that-turned-up-more-than-a-pound-of/article_094d38e4-16ae-11ee-bf63-e748f30f81ff.html |
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A young boy died Thursday evening at a local hospital after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool in Clearwater.
According to city leaders, Clearwater police and rescue personnel responded at 6:14 p.m. to a report of an unresponsive child in a pool off North Highland Avenue.
The child, a boy just under 2 years old, was taken to Morton Plant Hospital for treatment.
After originally being in critical condition, authorities said he died an hour after arriving at the hospital.
No other information has been released as of now. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/child-dies-drowning-clearwater-swimming-pool/67-db7a034e-02d9-4d7c-99f8-82d8675a3f6f | 2023-06-30T03:29:59 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/child-dies-drowning-clearwater-swimming-pool/67-db7a034e-02d9-4d7c-99f8-82d8675a3f6f |
TAMPA, Fla. — As a female in senior leadership, retiring Chief Master Sergeant Shae Gee reflects on her 30 years of service to the U.S. and the Tampa area.
On Thursday morning, Gee officially retired from the U.S. Air Force after 30 years of service to the day. She served as the command chief master sergeant for the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base – the top enlisted leader for the command.
Prior to her retirement, Gee spoke with 10 Tampa Bay about responsibilities as an airman, woman and a top leader in the U.S. Air Force.
“I’m an airman first, I just happen to be a woman,” Gee said.
That is a responsibility on its own. As a woman, she admits that she had to work harder.
30 years ago, the military was not what it is now as it concerns women. Gee agreed.
“As I’ve gone through the ranks as a chief, I’ve been at multiple bases where I was the only female chief,” she said. “You have to work a little harder, just to know that you have a seat at the table.”
The U.S. Air Force has the most active-duty female members. Females make up roughly 21 percent of the U.S. Air Force according to a report from the Department of Defense.
That percentage drops significantly as women hit 20 years of service in which they would be positioned in leadership roles.
“I spent a majority of my young career in the dining facility cooking and baking," Gee explained. "As so for my airmen to see that, who do that job now is important. Very few [women] in our career field have made it to this point."
The point at which she leads comes with pressure. According to Gee, there’s a lot of responsibility that goes on no matter who sits in this seat taking care of the airmen.
As the command chief master sergeant, Gee was responsible for the security and well-being of almost 20,000 employees on MacDill AFB and their families. She served in that role in January 2021.
She describes her job as “chief people officer” as she deals with every kind of relationship, personnel factors, human resources and briefs Wing Commander Colonel Adam Bingham daily. She also provides feedback to make sure they’re making the best decisions for the team.
Gee says it's a job that is all about relationships and admits it wasn’t something that she felt she especially excelled at naturally but learned from those before her and beside her.
In turn, she works to prepare airmen for the future.
Much of Gee’s career was while the country was at war.
“Some of our airmen have not had to deal with the repercussions of war,” she said. "And so, it’s really trying to help them understand this is what we went through, this is why we’re here.
“We’ve got to really do a good job of sharing what could happen, so they mentally prepare themselves.”
With deployments, almost 20 assignments, moves and her family, Gee reflects on the day she got to San Antonio for basic training.
“We got to the squadron and we’re picking our bags up and putting them down, picking them up and putting them down with the instructors," She explained. "And then I just cried myself to sleep that night, thinking you know, I’m ready to go home.
“Who knew 30 years later, I would be on the other side of this thing? I feel like I’m graduating from high school all over again.”
As she transitions into retirement with her husband in Tampa, she’s looking forward to leaving behind 4:30 a.m. wake-up calls.
She leaves airmen and those considering this as a career with some words of wisdom.
“Be you. Be true to yourself," she said. "Bring your experiences and grow others behind you.” | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/top-enlisted-leader-macdill-air-force-base-retires/67-1f92152d-7e8e-46e1-9c73-c0af2637e161 | 2023-06-30T03:30:02 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/top-enlisted-leader-macdill-air-force-base-retires/67-1f92152d-7e8e-46e1-9c73-c0af2637e161 |
Cyclists from the Philadelphia area will come together this weekend to ride in honor of a leader in their community who continues to recover after being injured in a University City shooting earlier this month.
Siddeeq Shabaaz, 33, told NBC10 he was leaving a friend’s restaurant on 40th and Spruce streets back on June 16 at 1:11 a.m. when he was approached by two people who tried to rob him. At least one of the suspects pulled out a gun and opened fire, shooting Shabaaz twice in the abdomen.
“Once they ran off it was just me,” Shabaaz told NBC10 while recovering at the hospital on Thursday. “I guess it’s more scary now reflecting on it than in the moment. Because my biggest thing in the moment was staying calm.”
Shabaaz said he was able to call for help before losing consciousness.
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“I realized that I was getting short of breath,” he said. “I knew I was shot somewhere near my lungs and I was able to get the call out before I passed out. It saved my life.”
Responding police officers rushed Shabaaz to the hospital in critical condition. Police say the two suspects in the shooting, who are possibly in their mid-20s, fled the scene. No arrests have been made.
“Now you shot me. You got nothing,” Shabaaz said. “The only thing you got now is possibly an attempted murder charge. For what?”
Shabaaz is a prominent leader in Philadelphia’s cycling community who is a member of the group K.R.T. Cycling and was also on the cover of Bicycling Magazine in 2021.
While his cycling is currently on hold, Shabaaz told NBC10 he's making progress in his road to recovery.
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“I’ve been more grateful than anything,” he said. “People are wondering why you’re so upbeat and not somber. I’m here. And to be fair, when it happened, I wasn’t sure I would be. So when I look at it that way, I can take some solace and find a reason to smile.”
Shabaaz has another reason to smile thanks to the support he’s receiving from other cyclists across the country. A group bike ride will be held in Shabaaz’s honor on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ride will start at the Tricycling Shop at 1 Station Avenue in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and include a stop at the Velojawn Bike Shop on 3946 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia.
Shabaaz said he hopes to join his colleagues on the road once again.
“I’ll be out there,” he said. “Even if I can’t ride, I’m going to be out there and support. I love our cycling community. I do.”
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/group-bike-ride-to-be-held-in-honor-of-cycling-leader-injured-in-philly-shooting/3595632/ | 2023-06-30T03:30:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/group-bike-ride-to-be-held-in-honor-of-cycling-leader-injured-in-philly-shooting/3595632/ |
A Philadelphia man was convicted of shooting a baby who died from complications related to his injuries more than two years later.
Francisco Ortiz, 33, was found guilty of third degree murder and other related offenses in the 2019 shooting of 11-month-old Yaseem Jenkins.
On October 19, 2019, Nafes Monroe was driving along the 700 block of West Luzerne Street in North Philadelphia when a gunman, later identified as Ortiz, opened fire.
While Monroe was Ortiz’s intended target, bullets struck Monroe’s 11-month-old son Yazeem Jenkins in the head, neck and buttocks.
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Instead of taking his son to the hospital, Monroe drove the boy to a home on the 4900 block of North Camac Street located about ten minutes away, investigators said. Monroe then dropped his son off at the Einstein Medical Center and left, police said. The boy was transferred to St. Christopher’s Hospital in critical condition.
During a 2019 press conference, Anthony Voci Jr., a prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, said Monroe was using counterfeit money to buy drugs while his son was with him at the time of the shooting.
“He was using counterfeit money to purchase drugs knowing that counterfeit money is something that is very upsetting to drug dealers,” Voci said. “When they find out that they’re being burned with counterfeit money, they act violently.”
Voci also said Monroe had used fake cash to buy drugs on other occasions and that some counterfeit money was found in the vehicle his son was shot in.
Voci also accused Monroe of using his child as a “human shield” while buying drugs.
“It’s our belief and our investigation has led us to believe that he intentionally had his child with him when he was making such types of purchases with the idea or belief that if someone saw that he had a child in the car that they would not fire upon him,” Voci said.
Monroe, who was wanted on a probation violation warrant at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment.
Ortiz was also arrested at the time and initially charged with aggravated assault, firearms violations and other related offenses.
The shooting left Jenkins paralyzed and he spent a year in the hospital, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. While Jenkins was eventually released, he was never able to roll over, speak or eat, the Inquirer reported. The boy died in April of 2022 at the age of 3 after choking on his feeding tube. Ortiz’s initial charges were then upgraded to murder a month later.
Ortiz was already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a separate 2019 murder. He was also accused of supplying the AK-47 that was used in the deadly shooting of 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera in Philadelphia a day after shooting Jenkins.
Ortiz is scheduled for sentencing on October 13, 2023.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philly-man-convicted-of-shooting-baby-who-died-more-than-2-years-later/3595616/ | 2023-06-30T03:30:17 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philly-man-convicted-of-shooting-baby-who-died-more-than-2-years-later/3595616/ |
DALLAS —
Brooke and Kyle Morris have been reading headlines about their daughter for more than a year now. Her disappearance from a Dallas Mavericks game and the disturbing details of how she was later found drew attention from around the country.
On April 8, 2022, Kyle Morris and his then 15-year-old daughter were in their seats watching the Mavs take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Sometime around halftime, she got up to use the restroom.
She never returned to her seat.
Ten days later, on April 18, she was recovered in Oklahoma City from what police called a sex trafficking ring.
The Morrises were reunited with their daughter, and they've admitted her into multiple treatment programs out of state to help with her trauma recovery.
The family said the journey with their daughter has been difficult, but what haunts them most is the time they said was lost the night their daughter went missing. It's time they believe could have saved their daughter from the trauma she is currently healing from.
"Maybe they weren't showing it in my presence, but I certainly did not get the sense that there was a lot of urgency or that they were overly concerned," Kyle Morris said.
The Dallas Police Department (DPD) confirmed that Morris reported the teen missing to an off-duty DPD officer working the game and that the arena was searched.
“I’m pretty confident that for, at least until the game was over or they had access to the video, they believed she was still somewhere in the stadium because they were checking bathrooms and stairwells," Kyle Morris said.
The Morrises said police did not check outside of the arena or ask for a photo to share with other officers and security personnel.
"There's footage of her sitting on the steps with police officers coming in and out of view," Brooke Morris said. "If there had been a photo. If there had been a description. Anything."
When officers were not able to find the teen during the initial search of the arena, Kyle Morris was told he had to go home to North Richland Hills to report his daughter missing because that is where the family lived.
North Richland Hills is about 30 miles from downtown Dallas.
According to the North Richland Hills Police Department, Morris made a report to them at 1:24 a.m. the next morning, and the department entered her in the national missing person database at 3:27 a.m.
DPD said a bulletin with a photo and information of the girl was created and sent out to all DPD officers two days after her disappearance, on April 11.
She was found one week later.
Not by Dallas police.
Not by North Richland Hills police, which became the lead agency on the case, even though teen went missing 30 miles away.
She was recovered by Oklahoma City police, but only after her parents worked with an anti-trafficking organization in Houston to match photos of her with online sex ads that were created and posted online.
“Had any circumstance been different, how long would it have taken Dallas or North Richland Hills or the FBI or Homeland to find her?" Brooke Morris asked. "How long before they found those ads? Do they even find these ads?”
Read related: Family of sex trafficking victim who went missing at Mavs game frustrated with police response
It's the idea of what could have been that lingers for the couple.
“When your child is missing, every day is like a year," Brooke Morris said.
The Morrises are not strangers to the feeling. She'd run away from home multiple times. She would usually come home after a few hours or sometimes even a couple of days after having gone off with someone she knew.
"We started to get kind of embarrassed if I'm being honest," Kyle Morris said. "It made us feel like other people were judging us because 'Hey, you can’t keep your kid safe. What’s going on in the home?'”
They were also used to the response from law enforcement when they called to report that she had run away.
"It was pretty much the narrative of, 'She’ll turn up. Try not to worry about it too bad,'" Morris said.
But April 8, 2022, was different.
They said she had been grounded from her phone, so she didn't have a way of communicating with anyone. She also wasn't home when she left and wasn't familiar with downtown Dallas.
“When several days had passed, and we still hadn’t heard from her it was like she just vanished into thin air," Brooke Morris said. "There were no tips. No one had seen her."
Surveillance footage from the game showed her walking around with adult men who would later become people of interest in the case.
“Why didn’t she fight? Why didn’t she scream?" Brooke Morris asked. "Truthfully, I do not know why. And truthfully, even now, yes…visually, it looks she’s just walking out with him but to this day she can’t even remember fully exactly what was said to her.”
Classified as a runaway
But regardless of what followed, the fact that the teen seemingly left the area voluntarily without any evidence that she was abducted or lured classified her as a runaway. That classification is what dictated how her case was handled.
Morris said he was met with a similar response to his daughter running away from American Airlines Center as he did when she left their home, despite the fact that she did not know the area and the number of people who were at the event.
“They viewed it the exact same way," Kyle Morris said. "It really made no difference the circumstances outside of, 'Well, did someone grab her and is there evidence that she was essentially abducted against her will?' And if there’s not that then they’re all lumped in together.”
Days after the teen was recovered, WFAA asked DPD why Kyle Morris was told to travel back to North Richland Hills to report his daughter missing.
A spokesperson cited Section 51 of Texas Family Code, writing that this portion of state law "dictates that missing juveniles are investigated as runaways unless there are circumstances which appear as involuntary such as kidnapping or abduction." The spokesperson went on to write that "...those cases, per code, are to be filed where the juvenile resides."
Section 51 of Texas Family Code details proceedings and punishment for what are called "status offenses" for juveniles in the state. Status offenses are violations of state law that are only illegal because the person committing the offense is a minor. For example, underage drinking and breaking curfew are status offenses.
The law states that a child between the ages of 10 and 16 who leaves home voluntarily without their parents' permission commits the status offense of running away from home.
The law does not address how law enforcement is to respond if a parent or guardian reports that their child has run away.
Also, it does not require a parent to report their runaway child to their home police department.
Chapter 63 of Texas Criminal Code lays out how law enforcement is to respond to reports of a missing child or a missing person. The law defines a missing child as a person who is under 18 who leaves the care of their parents or guardians, both voluntarily and involuntarily.
This part of the law does not state that reports of a missing child have to be filed in the jurisdiction where the child lives. The term "local law enforcement agency" is used in both codes, but it is not clear which jurisdiction the agency has to be local to.
DPD Assistant Chief Catrina Shead, who oversees the department's investigative bureau, agreed to an interview about the way the department investigates cases involving missing children and runaways. She did not take questions about any specific case but about the process in general.
Shead was asked about how DPD interprets Texas law in terms of requiring someone reporting a runaway to file a report where the victim lives, instead of where the teen went missing.
“I would say that investigatively, it may have caused us some concern, and it is something that we would like to address," Shead said.
DPD's website states that runaway kids and teens can only be reported to the department if the runaway lives in the city of Dallas.
"It’s difficult to articulate that, you can imagine being a parent…articulating that to them. Not here, but there…go there and report. You know," Shead said.
Other departments
DPD is not the only North Texas police department that requires runaways to have a legal address in their jurisdiction to receive a report. Fort Worth police said the department has the same policy, though the department said it will initiate the report if the child went missing in Fort Worth.
The Plano Police Department said that runaways need to be reported to the department with jurisdiction where they ran away from.
The lack of uniformity in handling these cases caught the attention of state Sen. Kelly Hancock. The Republican, who represents North Richland Hills, said hearing the Morris's story led him to introduce SB 2429 during the regular legislative session.
"We’re trying to clarify a few things," Hancock said. "You know, there’s a difference between a missing child and a missing adult, clarifying those that are at high risk and making sure when these events occur that there is immediate reaction by the police department.”
The bill states that a local law enforcement agency, regardless of the jurisdiction where the child went missing, must start an investigation and enter the child into the National Crime Information Center within 48 hours.
“There was a lag time and delay that this legislation, working with police and working with the Department of Public Safety here in Texas, hopefully that will address this gap that occurred," Hancock said.
The legislation also provides a clearer definition of what makes a missing child or person at high-risk of falling victim to crimes like sex trafficking and provides training opportunities for responding to those cases. One of the factors the bill lists is a child going missing from a dangerous location.
While Shead maintained that DPD investigates runaway cases thoroughly, she said she supports any moves to add more clarity to the current law on investigating these cases.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2429 into law in June. It goes into effect on Sept. 1.
WFAA asked DPD if it plans to review its policy for investigating runaway juveniles, particularly its practice of requiring runaways to have a legal address in the City of Dallas to receive the report.
A spokesperson for the department said, "We are reviewing all legislation. We will work to implement any required changes when this law goes into effect on September 1."
“My hope is that no one else has to go through anything remotely similar to our situation, any other family or any other parents that are out in public with their child goes missing, that they don’t have to go through the same experience we had of being told to go home and wait until you’re home to file a police report," Kyle Morris said.
Email investigates@wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/parents-of-teen-missing-mavs-game-say-dallas-police-policy-delayed-search/287-ec19f109-7d05-4b9a-bf5e-fdcc25c97b90 | 2023-06-30T03:34:09 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/parents-of-teen-missing-mavs-game-say-dallas-police-policy-delayed-search/287-ec19f109-7d05-4b9a-bf5e-fdcc25c97b90 |
SANGER, Texas — A hailstone that fell in Denton County two weeks ago has set a new record for size in the North Texas area.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said Thursday that a resident in Sanger, about 12 miles north of Denton, recorded a hailstone from June 15 at 5.9 inches in diameter.
According to the organization, this set a new record for the NWS Fort Worth region that was previously held in Bell County by a hailstone that was 5.67 inches in diameter in April 2022.
NWS Fort Worth said a storm survey team verified the size of the hailstone in Sanger.
The state record is a hailstone at 6.42 inches in diameter in the Medina County city of Hondo from back in April 2021.
According to NWS Fort Worth, areas in and near Sanger saw several hailstones larger than softballs on the evening of June 15. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/large-hailstone-denton-county-new-record-north-texas/287-7371acd9-b344-4248-a989-5a7194812270 | 2023-06-30T03:34:15 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/large-hailstone-denton-county-new-record-north-texas/287-7371acd9-b344-4248-a989-5a7194812270 |
2 killed in Highway 101 crash near Reedsport, police say
Two people are dead after a two-vehicle crash on Wednesday on U.S. Highway 101 near Reedsport, according to Oregon State Police.
Police responded to the crash at milepost 208 on Highway 101 just after noon on Wednesday.
A preliminary investigation found a southbound silver GMC Sonoma, driven by 35-year-old Raymond Louis Eby Jr. of Molalla, crossed into the oncoming northbound lane for unknown reasons, police said. The GMC hit a northbound white Toyota RAV4, driven by 51-year-old Shawna Michelle Coolidge of Florence.
The GMC rolled, landing on its roof and blocking the northbound lane. The Toyota rolled down a small embankment off the roadway, police said. Both cars had heavy front-end damage.
Both Eby Jr. and Coolidge died at the scene.
Police said a 3-year-old from the Toyota was taken to Lower Umpqua Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was later transferred to Sacred Heart Riverbend in Springfield.
Coolidge's family has started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs, raising more than $6,000 dollars in one day. Mo's Restaurant in Florence, where Coolidge worked, donated $4,800. | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/2-killed-highway-101-crash-reedsport-oregon-state-police/70371267007/ | 2023-06-30T03:43:02 | 1 | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/2-killed-highway-101-crash-reedsport-oregon-state-police/70371267007/ |
LOCAL
Gray whales can be seen along the Oregon Coast all summer. Here's where to go
Chris Pietsch
Register-Guard
The fluke of a gray whale breaks the surface of the ocean as it dives for food near Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint north of Depoe Bay in June.
Many whales migrate down the Oregon Coast in December and back to Alaska in March, but a few gray whales stay in the area during the summer and can be seen from shore on clear days.
Park staff and volunteers are available to answer questions and help you spot whales and other marine life from the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay during the summer.
For more information, visit stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=183 | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/oregon-coast-gray-whale-watching-boiler-bay-state-scenic-viewpoint/70358189007/ | 2023-06-30T03:43:08 | 0 | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/06/29/oregon-coast-gray-whale-watching-boiler-bay-state-scenic-viewpoint/70358189007/ |
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As the CEO of the nonprofit "Young Leaders, Strong City," Amber Sims spends her days helping equip teens for their futures.
She says Thursday’s six to three ruling by the Supreme Court to strike down affirmative action is yet another hurdle.
“Right now, that narrative around people of color and women is that they're not working hard enough. They're taking something that belongs to me that I should have had and I want it back, and that narrative is unfortunately directed at people who have historically and are today experiencing oppression,” she said.
To see the impact of affirmative action on her life, Sims looks to the past.
“Both of my parents and all of my aunts and uncles went to historically Black colleges and universities in Texas and in Alabama because that's what they had to do because schools were segregated,” said Sims.
Just one generation later, she and other affirmative action advocates argue the policy is still needed to achieve equity in higher education.
Shortly after the court’s decision came down, President Joe Biden urged colleges and universities to remain committed to diversity under a new standard.
“Where colleges take into account the adversity a student has overcome when selecting among qualified applicants,” said Biden.
But adversity is tough to define, according to President of Paul Quinn College Michael Sorrell.
“When I am racially profiled, driving through a neighborhood, does that qualify as adversity? Right? There's the fact that I have been called hateful names that my past, does that qualify as adversity? Even though my parents were successful business owners, and I went to outstanding schools, how do we determine what qualifies as adversity? Because I will tell you, it is very difficult being Black in this country right now. Right? Is that the adversity that we're going to speak to?” said Sorrell.
Thursday several Texas lawmakers praised the high court's decision with Congressman Roger Williams tweeting the "ruling will ensure that admissions are granted based solely on merit, not race."
Texas Representative Matt Shaheen called it a victory saying, "These policies ended up being discriminatory, penalizing Asian students for example."
That's the argument at the center of the two cases that led to the decision, brought by Students for Fair Admission.
“Affirmative action is a well-intentioned idea that is poorly executed in reality. Thus, it is my hope to see a renewed college admissions system that recognizes and rewards the multi-faceted talent and diverse perspective that each individual can bring to the table,” said Calvin Yang in a press conference Thursday.
But while Black and Hispanic students remain underrepresented at top colleges and universities, critics of today's decision argue more needs to be done.
“I think we have to really think about how we eliminate the barriers in front of kids of color,” said Sims.
She said that includes doing away with requirements for entrance exams like the SAT and ACT and considering other factors in the admission process like volunteerism, life experiences and financial backgrounds.
According to Sorrell, if affirmative action goes, the college admissions process should be rethought for all.
“I think if you're going to start attacking preferences, then you need to deal with all the preferences. You need to deal with legacy preferences. You needed to deal with athletic preferences. If we're going to go deal with this one area, then why stop there?” said Sorrell. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texans-react-after-scotus-strikes-down-affirmative-action/3287390/ | 2023-06-30T03:43:52 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texans-react-after-scotus-strikes-down-affirmative-action/3287390/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texans-reflect-on-impact-of-affirmative-action/3287413/ | 2023-06-30T03:43:55 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texans-reflect-on-impact-of-affirmative-action/3287413/ |
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