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Phoenix settles police shooting lawsuit for $1 million with family of two brothers
The family of two brothers killed in a police shootout in 2020 has settled a lawsuit with Phoenix City Council for $1 million.
On Monday, councilmembers unanimously voted in favor of the settlement to the family of George and Emmett Cocreham. The settlement comes as the city awaits the U.S. Department of Justice to finish its investigation into the city’s police department, including it's use of force.
George and Emmett Cocreham died after police responded to a 911 call from Emmett Cocreham’s mother.She thought Emmett would hurt or kill her, according to a recording of the 911 call.
Police got to her house near 22nd Street and Indian School Road, and according to a critical incident briefing, they found Emmett and George arguing with each other. Since 2019, the Phoenix Police Department has produced critical response briefing videos with summaries of police shootings that include some bodycam footage, 911 calls and a narration of the events that led to the shooting.
In the critical incident briefing, police said George had a rifle and pointed it at Emmett when police fired. Both men were shot and killed. It was unclear who shot Emmett.
The original $12 million lawsuit filed in April 2021 claimed that George never fired a rifle and that it was later found inside the home, nowhere near either brother.
Police said evidence showed George fired the rifle in a critical incident briefing. The video from the body-worn camera does not clearly capture the men or a visible gun because of the distance and the fence obstructing the view.
The suit filed against the city, the police department, then police Chief Jerri Williams, and 16 other police officers, alleged that police failed to diffuse the situation or provide evidence that George fired his gun and ultimately shot the brothers without justification.
In the body-worn camera video, the brothers are heard and seen shouting at each other in the backyard of the house.
Police officers who were at a distance behind a fence loudly told one of them to drop a gun, and the two men went back inside the house through the backdoor.
Two minutes later, an officer with a rifle climbed onto the top of a police SUV and looked over the back fence and overgrown brush.
In that officer's body camera footage, Emmett walked up to the back door, and George opened the door from inside the house. The officer shouted, “he’s got the…” and then “Oh, oh,” before shooting at them from the top of the cruiser.
Police had responded to calls from the family before and, according to the lawsuit, had usually helped “defuse the disturbance” without force.
The suit claimed that officers at this call should have known from past experience that "restraint, calmness and patience would have brought the situation under control.”
In a previous report, a family member told The Arizona Republic they had lived in Arizona for six generations and had family that worked in public safety agencies.
According to an uncle, George and Emmett’s father had served as a fire captain in Phoenix.
Their father had died four years before the shooting, and the brothers were the only family left to their mother before they were killed.
"She has no one to give her love to, and she feels as though she lost her purpose in life," the claim said.Between 2008 and 2018, Phoenix paid out about $26 million in settlements, according to reporting from KJZZ.
In 2023 there have been 16 Phoenix police shootings that have left seven dead. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/07/03/phoenix-settles-police-shooting-lawsuit-for-1-million-with-family/70380604007/ | 2023-07-03T22:15:10 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/07/03/phoenix-settles-police-shooting-lawsuit-for-1-million-with-family/70380604007/ |
Real winner of $3M Lottery ticket sold in Lakeville claims prize. Here's what he said
LAKEVILLE — After six months, Paul Little finally cashed in his lost $3 million winning lottery ticket — a little slip of paper which became the focus of an investigation into alleged lottery larceny by an employee at the store where he purchased it.
On June 30, Little claimed his winnings at Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters in Dorchester. He won his Mega Millions prize by matching the first five numbers while playing the Megaplier option. The winning numbers on his lucky Quic Pic ticket were 02-12-18-24-39.
“I’m pretty excited today because it’s real, with the check in hand,” Little said at the lottery headquarters Friday.
Look back in photos 1898 to 2019Remember Brockton Fair's greasy food, demolition derby, Fan Dancer?
What happened to the allegedly stolen ticket?
On Jan. 17, Little purchased the lottery ticket from the former Savas Liquors in Lakeville, now called Lakeville Market & Liquors. But when he exited the store, he left the ticket sitting in the dispensing machine.
Roughly 45 minutes after Little left the store without his winning lottery ticket, a second customer bought five lottery tickets from the same clerk, Carly Nunes, 23, of Lakeville, according to the Plymouth County district attorney's office. The customer noticed there were two extra tickets in the terminal.
"Nunes took the tickets and said they must have belonged to 'him,' meaning the victim," the DA's office said.
Later that night, Little's ticket numbers were announced as the winners.
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Two days later, on Jan. 19, Nunes's co-worker Joseph Reddem, 32, of Randolph drove Nunes and another man to the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters in Dorchester to cash in the $3 million winning lottery ticket, which was torn and appeared to be burned, the DA's office said.
In the lobby, security cameras picked up Nunes and Reddem seemingly arguing over how much of the winnings Nunes would split with Reddem, the DA's office said. According to officials, Nunes said she'd “only pay him $200,000.”
"The argument overheard by state Lottery officials coupled with the condition of the ticket, led Massachusetts Lottery investigators to interview Nunes," the DA's office said.
Surveillance video from the store confirmed Little, not Nunes, purchased the winning ticket, the DA's office said.
What charges does the store clerk face?
Nunes was arraigned Tuesday, June 27, in Brockton Superior Court on charges of larceny from a building, attempted larceny, presentation of a false claim and witness intimidation, the DA's office said.
Reddam also faces charges in connection with the case.
How does the winner plan to spend his prize money?
Little works as a marine engine diesel mechanic, and he said he plans to continue working for the time being.
“What I’m hopeful for is that I utilize this money to not only help my family, but to also help other people. One of the first things I’m going to do is pay the mortgage off on my house," he said.
Lakeville Market & Liquors will receive $30,000 as a bonus for selling the winning ticket.
“My thanks to all of the people who helped me get to this point. It’s so many people who worked on my behalf tosee me here today, and it’s greatly appreciated," he said. | https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/03/lakeview-ma-massachusetts-lottery-stolen-ticket-mega-millions-carly-nunes/70373640007/ | 2023-07-03T22:15:15 | 1 | https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/03/lakeview-ma-massachusetts-lottery-stolen-ticket-mega-millions-carly-nunes/70373640007/ |
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, VA – Fourth of July fun is kicking off at SML, but before you hit the water, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
Independence Day is a busy time at the lake, according to dock boy Alex Scott.
“We’ve sent everything out the past three days,” Scott said.
Scott works at Bridgewater Marina and urges people to be safe while they’re celebrating.
“If you’re tubing or doing any kind of water sports, I know it’s the land of the free, our country’s birthday, but please stay out of the main channel while doing it,” he said.
Conservation Police Sargent Michael Morris at the lake told 10 News this time of year is the busiest, and also the time they run into the most problems.
“We have a lot of boat accidents in Virginia, and alcohol is one of the leading causes of those incidents, so just like in a car, we suggest that people have a designated operator while in the water,” Morris said.
Every year, Smith Mountain Lake participates in Operation Dry Water, which is a national campaign to deter boaters from boating under the influence.
Morris says boaters typically feel heightened effects when drinking.
“Water really has a stronger effect to the alcohol with dehydration and just being outside has a greater effect to the alcohol. "
The waters typically are more crowded on the Fourth, according to police, so be aware of your surroundings.
Morris said to always wear a lifejacket, even if you think you’re a strong swimmer.
“First and foremost is having a lifejacket that fits for every person on board,” he said.
The move-over law is in effect for boats too, so if you see an emergency vehicle with its lights on, make sure you slow down to a no-wake speed within 200 feet of the boat. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/heading-out-on-the-water-for-july-4-keep-these-things-in-mind/ | 2023-07-03T22:24:33 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/heading-out-on-the-water-for-july-4-keep-these-things-in-mind/ |
BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Hundreds of new homes could be coming to Botetourt County.
Next week, the planning commission will hear a proposal for a mixed-use development in Blue Ridge, with green space, new housing, and commercial opportunities.
The proposal is for the former Murray Cider property. By 2035, that land could hold 400 homes. Planned housing ranges from apartments to single-family homes to cottages, and more.
Developer Dale Wilkinson said he has a six-phase plan, to ultimately create the space that will hopefully bring people together.
“Blue Ridge is a great place,” Wilkinson said. “I’ve lived there since ‘91. There aren’t a lot of areas to kind of congregate as a community, and so we hope to do small businesses and meeting spaces and community spaces.”
The project is called Harvest at Blue Ridge. Wilkinson said he’s been working on solidifying his plans for quite a while.
“We’ve really thought this through and met with literally thousands of people in the Blue Ridge area,” Wilkinson said. “We call them stakeholders, from government to business, the neighbors we’ve met with.”
Now, Wilkinson is hoping for a favorable outcome when he heads to the planning commission on Tuesday, July 10.
“Every project we’re doing at my age needs to have some meaning, it needs to have some community purpose,” Wilkinson said. “This is kind of a culmination of doing this for 35 years. It’s a project that will involve the community.” | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/major-mixed-use-development-proposed-in-botetourt-county/ | 2023-07-03T22:24:51 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/major-mixed-use-development-proposed-in-botetourt-county/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – As fireworks celebrations light up across our region in honor of the Fourth of July, pet advocates said you should keep a close eye on your dogs and cats this holiday.
Roanoke Valley SPCA Marketing and Communications Director Julie Rickmond said that the biggest day for pets to go missing is Independence Day when they get scared by the loud bangs and flashes in the sky.
“Dogs tend to get very, very scared of that,” Rickmond said. “They just go running and because there’s so many in the sky they just run and run and run, so during this time dogs can be found counties over.”
Shelter staff recommend a secure, quiet place for your pet during fireworks. They said quiet music, toys, or Thunder Vests are all good calming strategies.
You can find more ways to help keep your furry friends nice and comfortable as the festivities commence by clicking here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/roanoke-valley-spca-shares-tips-for-helping-your-pet-stay-calm-during-fireworks/ | 2023-07-03T22:24:57 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/roanoke-valley-spca-shares-tips-for-helping-your-pet-stay-calm-during-fireworks/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – A water main break in Roanoke is causing road closures, according to Roanoke Police.
We’re told the 3600 block of Brandon Avenue SW is closed between Peters Creek Road and Edgewood Street.
Police ask that you avoid travel in this area for the foreseeable future.
This article will be updated once the roadway reopens. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/roanoke-water-main-break-causes-road-closures/ | 2023-07-03T22:25:03 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/roanoke-water-main-break-causes-road-closures/ |
AURORA -- "I felt bad. I didn't know how to feel," said Cayla Sargent, who was vacationing at Deer Lake Campground.
"It feels like it didn't happen but it did," said Ava Worcester, who was also vacationing at Deer Lake Campground.
This is all Sargent and Worcester could say following the drowning of a 16-year-old boy Sunday afternoon.
In a statement from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Warden Service was called to Deer Lake Campground after witnesses in the area saw a boy go under water and never resurface.
"We heard them yelling for him. Some kids came up to us and asked if we could help them and we did and we tried and we couldn't find him," said both Worcester and Sargent.
Officials say numerous family members entered the water in an attempt to find the boy but were unsuccessful.
The Warden Service was later able to find and recover the boy 60 feet from the shore in roughly seven feet of water.
Cayla and Ava knew of the boy and had nothing but nice things to say about him.
"I knew he was a kind kid," said Sargent.
"He was a nice kid. I didn't know him that well. I knew he used to wear a green hat every day," said Worcester.
Even though the victim has been found both girls cannot bring themselves to go swim at the beach.
The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife plans to release more information when it becomes available. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/16-year-old-drowns-in-deer-lake/article_9b87eea4-19e5-11ee-b0a0-d70f5d20caf9.html | 2023-07-03T22:25:03 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/16-year-old-drowns-in-deer-lake/article_9b87eea4-19e5-11ee-b0a0-d70f5d20caf9.html |
MILLVILLE — A city man was arrested Monday in the murder of a woman in what the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office described as a domestic violence incident.
Police responded to the 200 block of Riverside Drive on Monday and found a 25-year-old woman dead from what appeared to be strangulation, the Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.
Autopsy results are pending.
The Prosecutor's Office did not identify the victim, citing the fact that it was a domestic violence incident.
Steven Gonzalez, 24, a resident of the same address, was taken into custody in Vineland at a family member’s home, the Prosecutor's Office said. He was charged with murder and aggravated assault.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can call Detective John Butschky of the Millville Police Department at 856-825-7010 or Detective Paul Panchesine of the Prosecutor’s Office at 856-332-6233. Tips may also be shared at ccpo.tips. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/millville-man-arrested-in-womans-murder/article_bcb45eea-19e6-11ee-b452-834ba919ee94.html | 2023-07-03T22:28:48 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/millville-man-arrested-in-womans-murder/article_bcb45eea-19e6-11ee-b452-834ba919ee94.html |
The six Long Beach Island municipalities — Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom and Surf City — filed a joint comment with the state Department of Environmental Protection on Friday opposing the federal certification of Atlantic Shores' offshore wind projects.
“The LBI Municipalities recognize the need to transition to clean energy resources, and to mitigate climate change and support the development of offshore wind," Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini said. "But the impact of this specific project must be stopped."
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind projects 1 and 2 would lease more than 102,000 acres off the Jersey Shore with an eventual capacity for wind power that could exceed 2,800 megawatts. Atlantic Shores is a joint venture by EDF-RE Offshore Development and Shell New Energies US.
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued its draft environmental impact statement for the Atlantic Shores projects May 15, and a 45-day public comment period on the statement began May 19. Save LBI, a group opposed to the installation of an offshore wind farm near LBI, argued the comment period did not leave sufficient time to examine and respond to the impact statement.
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Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, a law firm based in Hackensack, Bergen County, filed the 29-page comment on behalf of the LBI municipalities. The comment argues the Atlantic Shores projects violate state regulations the Coastal Zone Management Rules were designed to uphold.
The first listed complaint in the comment is the “drastic visual impact” the Atlantic Shores projects would have on LBI, ruining the island's idyllic coast and having a corresponding detrimental impact on tourism. This could cause “staggering losses” to the island's economy, while reducing tax revenues and causing property values to depreciate.
The LBI municipalities added the projects would disrupt the local fishing industry. There were also concerns that the projects threatened bird and marine life as the wind farms will lie in bird migratory paths.
Other Jersey Shore communities in Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties have expressed similar concerns about the wind projects in recent months. Public officials and advocacy groups skeptical of wind power have organized town halls to protest wind farms as harmful innovations that could damage their views, property values and sea life.
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce has sent a letter supporting …
The LBI letter said they would like to see the wind farm relocated farther from the shore at a location called "Hudson South" for a project they "would look forward to supporting."
The BOEM draft environmental impact statement forecasts what effects the projects will have across a range of resources compared to a “no action alternative.” It estimates the projects, cumulatively, will have minor adverse impacts on recreation and tourism, as well as minor beneficial ones. Its impact on “scenic and visual resources” is expected be major, although the BOEM estimates there will be a similar major impact even absent the Atlantic Shores projects, due to other new projects that could increase light pollution and boat traffic.
The impact statement predicts the projects would have major adverse effects on commercial fisheries; the no-action alternative would have moderate to major adverse impact, due to continued fishery use and management.
Overall, the BOEM draft impact statement predicted the Atlantic Shores projects would have moderate beneficial effects on the area economy, due to investment and workforce development programs. It acknowledged some negligible to minor expenses related to installation and maintenance costs.
Atlantic Shores officials have said the projects would galvanize the local economy. In a 2021 interview with The Press, they said their projects would generate $1.9 billion in economic activity, while directly creating 22,200 jobs and indirectly creating an additional 11,800 jobs.
The offshore wind projects proposed by Atlantic Shores and Danish energy company Ørsted have been a tentpole of the Murphy administration’s agenda to reduce the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions. Gov. Phil Murphy issued an executive order in September for the state to build the capacity for 11 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2040.
The comment on behalf of the LBI municipalities argued Murphy’s executive orders betray bias favoring the Atlantic Shores projects. Casting doubt on the ability of the DEP to “impartially review Atlantic Shores’ request” in light of Murphy’s directives, the municipalities plan to ask that matters concerning Atlantic Shores be referred to a neutral, third party arbiter in the state Office of Administrative Law.
The LBI municipalities also alluded to what has perhaps become the most salient controversy surrounding the wind farms, what they argue is the harm the projects have on whale populations, particularly the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
A bill to allow Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind farm to keep federal tax benefits that w…
The BOEM impact statement said both pursuing the projects and maintaining the status quo could have negligible to major impact on the North Atlantic right whales, as even vessel strikes of individual whales could impact the species’ ability to survive. The report notes Atlantic Shores has proposed to make some of its work seasonal, with no sea pile driving occurring from January to April, to better protect whales.
The concerns on LBI over the future of the whales follow a four-month period from December to March during which more than 20 whales were beached on the Jersey Shore, along with eight dolphins. Critics of wind power attributed the beachings to preliminary work done by the wind companies using sonar.
Prominent politicians have called for a moratorium on wind power work due to the spike in whale deaths, including U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd.
Federal experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have said no evidence exists tying the animals’ deaths to work on wind power projects. Instead, NOAA has cited the unusual migration of fish that are whale prey closer to the shore, and a corresponding higher density of fishing boats out in the water, raising the risk of a vessel strike. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/long-beach-island-towns-express-opposition-to-wind-project/article_277cb51a-1983-11ee-bac1-eb73e6b1edb3.html | 2023-07-03T22:28:54 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/long-beach-island-towns-express-opposition-to-wind-project/article_277cb51a-1983-11ee-bac1-eb73e6b1edb3.html |
OCEAN CITY — Due to a threat of severe weather, a free outdoor Ocean City Pops concert scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday will move indoors at the Ocean City Music Pier, the city said Monday afternoon.
The concert will include performances of patriotic classics and audience favorites, according to a news release from the city. A second free outdoor concert remains on schedule for 8 p.m. Tuesday at Carey Stadium, just off the Boardwalk between Fifth and Sixth streets.
South Jersey was under a severe thunderstorm watch Monday evening.
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, has South Jersey in the watch through 10 p.m. A watch means the ingredients for severe weather are present. When the danger becomes imminent, a severe thunderstorm warning goes into effect. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/severe-weather-threat-moves-ocean-city-pops-concert-indoors/article_85f99b82-19e5-11ee-bdcd-43f55a1ac28c.html | 2023-07-03T22:29:00 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/severe-weather-threat-moves-ocean-city-pops-concert-indoors/article_85f99b82-19e5-11ee-bdcd-43f55a1ac28c.html |
PHILADELPHIA — Darick Hall is an upbeat guy.
On Sunday, he had even more of a reason to feel good
The left-handed slugging first baseman was back in the Phillies clubhouse after recovering from a thumb injury.
Philadelphia promoted Hall from Triple-A. He was in the lineup, batting eighth as the Phillies prepared to host the Washington Nationals.
“I feel good,” Hall said. “I like where I’m at. The good thing is the pain is gone.”
Hall was the Phillies starting first baseman after Rhys Hoskins was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in spring training.
But Hall tore ligaments in his thumb sliding into second base in the sixth game of the season against the New York Yankees on April 5. He underwent surgery and has been out since then.
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“It has been a rollercoaster,” Hall said, “but I’ve just tried to ride it every step of the way. Be where my feet are and just focus on what’s the next goal. That kept me grounded and helped me focus on the right things and not the scenario. That’s what got me to this point. The next thing is just perform.”
Hall, 27, boasted a slash line of .325/.406/.537 at Triple-A the last month. His nickname is “Long Ball Hall” for a reason. Hall can change the game with one swing. He hit nine home runs in 136 at-bats for the Phillies last season. He does struggle against left-handed pitchers, batting .083 (1 for 12) against southpaws last season.
The Phillies could use an infusion of power. They began Sunday ranked No. 18 of baseball’s 30 teams with 90 home runs. Manager Rob Thomson said for now Hall will start at first base against right-handed pitchers and some left-handers.
Hall got the news he was headed back to the Phillies while he was sitting in the Lehigh Valley IronPigs dugout Saturday night.
“I had an off-day and they told me in the third inning,” Hall said. “It was a huge adrenalin rush. It was kind of unexpected. It was just butterflies, just really excited to get back.”
To make room for Hall on the roster, the Phillies sent Kody Clemens back to Triple-A. Clemens played well this season but was 5 for 39 in his last 13 games. Thomson said the plan is for Clemens to pay multiple positions at Lehigh Valley.
“He played really well defensively and had some big hits,” Thomson said of Clemens. “We want him to go down there and play different positions, second, third maybe a little left field and just be ready to go. He’s a pro. He’s a great teammate." | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/darick-hall-phillies-kody-clemens-first-base/article_da3ca044-18f1-11ee-b3b1-63b4259bea5b.html | 2023-07-03T22:29:06 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/darick-hall-phillies-kody-clemens-first-base/article_da3ca044-18f1-11ee-b3b1-63b4259bea5b.html |
YOLO COUNTY, Calif. — Three people were seriously injured Saturday after a car crashed into a sign and tree in Yolo County.
According to the California Highway Patrol, it happened around 4 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 80, east of Mace Boulevard.
CHP says a 2012 Hyundai was on the interstate when it left the road, crashed into a sign, and hit a tree.
All three people inside the car had major injuries and were taken to UC Davis Medical Center.
CHP says alcohol and/or drugs are believed to be a factor in the accident. Anyone with information can call the CHP Woodland area office at 530-662-4685. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/3-people-seriously-injured-yolo-county-crash/103-6b057d9d-9132-4b75-98f2-88f747afa852 | 2023-07-03T22:29:17 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/3-people-seriously-injured-yolo-county-crash/103-6b057d9d-9132-4b75-98f2-88f747afa852 |
GRASS VALLEY, Calif. — This story was originally published by CalMatters.
A new homeless outreach program pairing a social worker with a police officer in Grass Valley, a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills, seemed to be working.
The state-funded effort sent the team to homeless encampments, where they helped build trust among vulnerable people and persuaded them to accept help, according to nonprofit Hospitality House, which ran the program.
It blew past its goal of engaging 90 people in three years, instead meeting with more than 200. It even helped move some people directly into housing, including an 80-year-old veteran.
But when the three-year grant paying for that outreach ended in June, there was no money to replace it. So the program came to a screeching halt, to the disappointment of all involved.
“It is a profound loss to not be able to do this,” said Nancy Baglietto, executive director of Hospitality House.
That loss embodies the worst fears of homeless service providers across California, as they struggle to piece together new funding sources after their state grants expire. Many had hoped that Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders would change that dynamic in the state budget deal they announced last week by committing ongoing funds for homelessness that nonprofits, cities and counties could rely on year after year.
It didn’t happen.
Instead, Newsom and lawmakers settled on another round of one-time funding.
“It really defies logic that the state budget once again fails to include funding to match the scale of the crisis we are experiencing,” said Carolyn Coleman, executive director and CEO of the League of California Cities, which pressed Newsom’s administration for a guaranteed $3 billion a year in homelessness funding.
‘Unprecedented’ homelessness funding under Newsom
As California grapples with how to provide for its massive population of more than 170,000 unhoused residents, Newsom has stepped up homelessness funding to unprecedented levels. He’s funneled nearly $21 billion into housing and homelessness since the 2018-19 fiscal year.
This year, for the third year in a row, the state budget allocates $1 billion to the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention fund, which local officials can use for housing, outreach at encampments, emergency shelters and more.
But the vast majority of Newsom’s homelessness spending has been in one-time grants, which providers say makes it difficult to fund the kind of long-term programs that could make a noticeable dent in the crisis.
California would need to spend $8.1 billion a year for a dozen years to eliminate homelessness in the state, according to a report by the Corporation for Supportive Housing and the California Housing Partnership, two nonprofit advocacy groups.
The governor’s office defended this approach to funding homelessness, pointing out that the state has provided an “unprecedented” $15.3 billion for the issue since he took office at the start of 2019. The governor has also proposed a 2024 ballot measure to amend the Mental Health Services Act that would provide $1 billion a year for housing for people with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. That amendment would require voter approval to take effect.
“This budget provides not just funding to address homelessness — it builds in the accountability needed to ensure that tax dollars are being maximized to produce real results,” Daniel Lopez, Newsom’s deputy communications director, said in an emailed statement. “Ultimately, the challenge of homelessness and housing must be met not only with dollars, but it also requires strong accountability coupled with financial resources to make lasting progress for our state.”
To be eligible for homelessness funding under this budget, cities and counties must submit homeless action plans — in coordination with other jurisdictions in their region — that detail the progress they’ve made.
Short-term homeless services
There was some momentum this year to move away from one-time spending on homelessness. More than two dozen state legislators signed a letter in May supporting the League of California Cities’ demand for $3 billion a year. A coalition led by the California State Association of Counties also called for ongoing funds and drafted bill language it urged legislators to adopt.
But that proved to be a tough ask with Newsom’s office projecting a $30 billion-plus budget deficit.
For years, city and county leaders, legislators and homelessness nonprofits have been clamoring for a source of ongoing funding to tackle the homelessness crisis. Assemblymember Luz Rivas, a Democrat from Arleta, pushed a bill in 2021 that would have established ongoing homelessness funding by raising taxes on large businesses, but the bill died without making it out of the Assembly. Last year, California voters rejected a ballot measure to legalize sports betting, which would have directed fees and taxes from those wages into a fund for homelessness.
Baglietto, of Hospitality House, says that type of permanent funding could have helped save her organization’s Grass Valley outreach program.
Hospitality House and the Grass Valley Police Department received $575,000 in 2020 through a state violence intervention program. The city put the money toward homeless outreach as a way to prevent unhoused people from experiencing violence in encampments, and to reduce confrontations between police and unhoused people. By the time the grant ran out this year, Grass Valley’s crime rate had improved and the city was no longer eligible for the money, Baglietto said.
It wasn’t the first time the nonprofit was forced to scramble because of unreliable state funding. Hospitality House’s 65-bed homeless shelter once largely was funded by the state grants. Several years ago, the state changed how that money was allocated — focusing on permanent housing instead of shelter — and Hospitality House’s portion dried up. So the nonprofit cobbled together funding from a dozen different sources to fill the hole left by the state money, Baglietto said.
Now, Hospitality House keeps its shelter open through money from CalAIM, Newsom’s recent Medi-Cal expansion. The nonprofit still has a “massive” gap, which it is temporarily filling with federal COVID funds designed to help businesses retain employees. That money runs out next year.
“We don’t know each year where the funding is going to come from,” Baglietto said. “It’s kind of a nail-biting scenario.”
‘Havoc’ for California nonprofits
Union Station Homeless Services, which coordinates programs throughout the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, faces the same issues, said CEO Anne Miskey. Every budget cycle, her team has to spend two or three months piecing together their financing as the funding they get from the state changes or ends. Sometimes, the parameters for a state grant shift, and clients Union Station has been working with for years suddenly are no longer eligible.
“This is just creating havoc in our sector,” Miskey said. “And this is why people are leaving. It’s not the clients. It’s not the work. It’s this piece.”
The new state budget has some new language around homelessness funding. It requires that anyone applying for a grant be part of a regional plan that lays out the specific roles and responsibilities of each participant. That was something the California State Association of Counties pushed for, arguing that currently cities, counties and other groups too often fight over who should be building shelters, offering mental health help or providing other homeless services.
The budget also promises that it is the Legislature’s “intent” to provide additional the same funding in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
That’s not enough, said Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties.
“Counties cannot budget based on legislative intent,” he said. “Nobody can. We certainly can’t make multi-year commitments based upon intent where there’s no clarity about what’s going to happen next year.”
WATCH ALSO: What's considered 'low income' in California? | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/a-california-city-was-making-a-difference-on-homelessness-money-ran-out/103-4fdafea1-13a5-486b-b62b-2bbef9d0240f | 2023-07-03T22:29:18 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/a-california-city-was-making-a-difference-on-homelessness-money-ran-out/103-4fdafea1-13a5-486b-b62b-2bbef9d0240f |
CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. — This story was originally published by CalMatters.
Thousands of Los Angeles hotel employees walked off their jobs Sunday morning, two days before Independence Day, after contract negotiations stalled, union officials said.
The strike may be one of the largest in Los Angeles history and is part of a string of union actions affecting various California industries this year. Labor leaders point to rising expenses in California as one reason for union action, but some employers say unions are merely seeking to increase their political influence.
The Unite Here Local 11 represents about 15,000 hotel and hospitality workers in California, including room attendants, dishwashers, cooks, front desk attendants, bellmen, cooks and dishwashers. The union says it is seeking better pay and benefits, which workers say they need because housing, groceries, gas and other basic needs are becoming increasingly unaffordable on their current salaries. Room attendants, the lowest paid workers in hotels, range from $20 to $25 an hour.
“Today I feel like workers (feel) a combination of anger they could release and hope that we will win a wage that allows them to live in L.A,” said Kurt Petersen, co-president of the union.
Petersen said the union presented its proposal at the first bargaining session April 20. It included an immediate $5-an-hour raise with an additional $3-an-hour raise for 2024 and 2025.
Keith Grossman, a spokesman for a coalition of 44 hotels negotiating with the union, said in a statement that Unite Here Local 11 has not shown a desire to bargain in good faith.
Grossman said the hotel coalition has proposed wage increases of $2.50 per hour in the first 12 months of the contract and $6.25 an hour over the next four years, as well as continuing current health care plans and pension contributions.
Under that proposal, Beverly Hills and downtown LA housekeepers would receive 10% wage increases in 2024 and make more than $31 an hour by January 2027, according to the coalition.
Bargaining response
The coalition claims the union responded to its proposal by canceling a scheduled bargaining meeting, refusing to schedule additional meetings, and not budging from the union’s original proposal of a 40% wage increase and a more than 28% increase in benefit costs.
“Based on the union’s actions, it’s clear the union is not focused on the interests of our employees and its members and is instead focused on its political agenda” Grossman said.
Petersen, speaking for the union, denied canceling a planned bargaining session, and said the hotels did not present a counter proposal until two months after the union’s initial proposal.
“We don’t need a bargaining session,” Petersen said. “What we need is for them to sign the agreement that the Westin Bonaventure signed.”
Thursday, June 29, a day before the hotel workers’ contracts expired, the union reached a tentative deal with the Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles’ largest hotel, that avoided a strike of its 600 or so workers at that location.
“The Westin cares about its workers and the city,” Petersen said, adding that hotel representatives in the coalition are worried about how the worker strike will spread.
“They’re worried that what happens in L.A. will go across the country. I hope it does,“ he said.
The strike is the latest among major union actions in California this year.
In March a union representing tens of thousands of teachers, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers won concessions after a walkout shut down LA Unified schools for several days.
Hollywood writers have been on strike since May, and other entertainment unions are threatening action as their contracts expire this summer. A major actors union recently extended its contract to July 12 while negotiations continue.
There also have been strikes, threats and last-minute deals involving nurses, warehouse workers and the food industry this year.
Workers rally
At Le Meridien Delfina, a Marriott-owned boutique hotel in Santa Monica, Patricia Ibáñez rallied a few dozen workers with a loudspeaker as they encircled the sidewalk in front of the hotel. A few hotel guests watched.
Ibáñez said she’s striking because the hotel “wants to save on labor. They don’t want to hire people and give us more benefits.”
Ibáñez said she has to hold a second job at a nearby Jack in the Box to be able to afford her family’s $2,600-a-month apartment in Culver City.
Carlos Martinez, a room attendant, said he is on strike for better pay and better benefits, so he can take care of his growing family. He and his wife are expecting a baby in October.
“I have my wife under my insurance and I want her and my child to be covered,” he said.
He earns $25 an hour, but it’s not enough, he said, with the rising cost of living and with the amount of work room attendants do with limited staff.
“There have been days where the occupancy is 100% and we’re short three or four employees and they have us working double,” he said.
An extra $5 would be a cushion for his family and would make him feel more comfortable working those difficult shifts, he said.
Last year 120,600 workers nationwide participated in major strikes (work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more), a 50% increase over 2021 but a fraction of the strike activity during its height in the 1970s, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
WATCH ALSO: What's considered 'low income' in California? | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/whats-behind-the-hotel-workers-strike/103-5760d9d6-6475-4eaa-8572-c93b6309dd83 | 2023-07-03T22:29:18 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/whats-behind-the-hotel-workers-strike/103-5760d9d6-6475-4eaa-8572-c93b6309dd83 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Northern Californians will be treated to a cooldown after a weekend heat wave toppled daily record highs across the region.
Sacramento tied its daily record high of 109 degrees Sunday and surpassed the previous daily high Saturday.
The Delta breeze made a brief appearance in the southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valley Sunday night and helped to drop temperatures slightly in the evening hours compared to previous nights.
Monday’s high temperatures will be highly dependent on when the Delta breeze moves in. As of Monday afternoon, temperatures are running 5-15 degrees cooler than Sunday at the same time in the Sacramento area. Valley high temperatures are still expected to be in the mid to upper 90s in Sacramento and higher towards the north and south due to lack of the Delta influence.
The Fourth of July will have highs a few degrees below those forecast on Monday as the influence of high pressure weakens further. The high pressure system that supplied the heat is advancing east and will kick off a cooling trend as milder temperatures fill in behind it.
For those heading up to the Sierra, there is little to no threat of thunderstorm activity this week. However, water temperatures remain very cold and flows remain elevated, so practice extreme caution around waterways.
Weak low pressure is expected to form off the California coast by Wednesday and will push onshore by the end of the work week. This will push high temperatures potentially into the low 90s and upper 80s for the Thursday - Saturday timeframe before the start of another warmup by the end of next weekend.
After this week's milder weather, the Climate Prediction center predicts a warmer than average period through July 17 for much of California. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/central-valley-highs-back-80s-end-o-work-week-following-heat-wave-california-sacramento/103-cc5da600-128c-4f65-8494-a027f63da2cf | 2023-07-03T22:29:19 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/central-valley-highs-back-80s-end-o-work-week-following-heat-wave-california-sacramento/103-cc5da600-128c-4f65-8494-a027f63da2cf |
INDIANAPOLIS — A group of Indiana police officers and others are about to embark a two-week cycling journey to honor and remember their fallen colleagues.
The 22nd annual Cops Cycling for Survivors will depart on Monday, July 10 at 8 a.m. from the Police and Fire Fighters Memorial in downtown Indianapolis. The ride consists of active and retired police officers, law enforcement survivors, and friends and family members of law enforcement officers.
This ride is done every year to honor fallen law enforcement officers from the previous year. This year, the ride will honor Carroll County Deputy Noah Rainey, who died in a crash near Rossville on Jan. 29, Hamilton County Deputy Douglas Sanford, who died in March after along illness, Elwood Police Ofc. Noah Shahnavaz, who was shot and killed in the line of duty July 31, and Richmond Police Ofc. Seara Burton, who was shot in the line of duty on Aug. 10 and died Sept. 18, 2022. Correctional Officer Gary Weinke, who died from complications of COVID-19 in 2020, will also be honored during the ride.
The dates and route for the ride will be:
- July 10 — Indianapolis to Richmond
- July 11 — Richmond to Madison
- July 12 — Madison to Jeffersonville
- July 13 — Jeffersonville to Jasper
- July 14 — Jasper to Princeton
- July 15 — Princeton to Terre Haute
- July 16 — Terre Haute to Delphi
- July 17 — Delphi to Merrillville
- July 18 — Merrillville to South Bend
- July 19 — South Bend to Angola
- July 20 — Angola to Bluffton
- July 21 — Bluffton to Elwood
- July 22 — Elwood to Crown Hill Cemetery
Friends, family members, and supporters of the participating officers can track their progress on their Facebook page. Donations can be made at the Cops Cycling for Survivors website. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/cops-cycling-for-survivors-announces-2023-route-noah-rainey-douglas-sanford-noah-shahnavaz-seara-burton-gary-weinke/531-1abb9685-bc1f-4dd9-935c-98b67b892e59 | 2023-07-03T22:29:25 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/cops-cycling-for-survivors-announces-2023-route-noah-rainey-douglas-sanford-noah-shahnavaz-seara-burton-gary-weinke/531-1abb9685-bc1f-4dd9-935c-98b67b892e59 |
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — Tennessee Hills Distillery’s founder Stephen Callahan says Jonesborough’s elected leadership has “nefariously and capriciously moved the goalposts on us” as Tennessee Hills has sought an on-premise beer permit for more than a year.
Jonesborough Mayor Chuck Vest says that’s not the case, and that he and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) have tried to work with the fast-growing brand’s owners to reach a compromise in the town where Tennessee Hills got its start.
Now, Tennessee Hills Distillery’s (THD) founder Stephen Callahan has launched a petition drive to get aldermen and mayoral term limits established.
Meanwhile, Vest said the town’s leadership is continuing to work on a solution that would allow THD to sell beer it currently produces in Johnson City at its Jonesborough distillery.
“Primarily, we wanted to put an end to career-long politicians and we feel like the more turnover in downtown leadership, the more vibrant and innovative this town becomes,” Callahan told News Channel 11 of the term limits petition.
The current issue is THD’s desire to sell beer at its original distillery, where to date it has only had a permit to sell the liquor it produces there.
On Friday, Jonesborough’s BMA approved the sale of THD beer manufactured on-site, but did not approve a standard “on-premise” permit that allows THD to sell beer as long as it is produced on site.
Callahan said THD plans to brew only small batches in Jonesborough as part of its partnership with East Tennessee State University’s (ETSU) minor in brewing and distillation studies.
He said customer demand for Tennessee Hills’ beer outstrips its ability to produce enough volume in Jonesborough, and that their understanding of state law is that if they manufacture any amount in Jonesborough they should also be able to “self-distribute” from other locations.
“We were really relying on being able to self-distribute, which Tennessee state statute says that’s perfectly allowable,” Callahan said. “And so to be able to meet our customer demand, we really needed to allow being able to bring beer here on site.”
For his part, Mayor Vest said he is “a little taken aback” that THD is focusing on “the one ‘no’ they received,” when the town approved on-site manufacturing, sale and a tasting room.
Callahan and his partner, Scott Andrew, said they’ve been clear that they wanted a standard on-premise permit or approval to self-distribute.
Vest said the town has discussed a pathway toward some compromise. That would likely involve amending the current on-premise ordinance.
“They’ve not been patient enough to see if we could get that approved,” Vest said of Callahan and Andrew.
Vest said the potential of a referendum to impose term limits didn’t bother him and that in fact, he’d had a hand in crafting a change in the town charter to allow it.
“We’ve got a pretty deep bench out in the community and we’re always looking for new people to come on board, so I hope that brings new people forward,” he said.
If a term limits referendum passed, mayors would be limited to four consecutive two-year terms and aldermen to two consecutive four-year terms. Previously term-limited citizens could still run again after a break.
THD would have to get more than 165 signatures, or 10% of the total number of people who voted in the last mayoral election. Vest was unopposed in his bid for a third term last November.
Andrew, Callahan’s partner, said the fact that Jonesborough’s BMA “didn’t give us any good reason” for denying THD’s request to self-distribute from Johnson City to the Jonesborough location is a reason he believes term limits are in order.
“I feel like it’s just an example where town leaders have become so arrogant with their control over this town because they have no term limits that they believe they can dictate what they think a business should do, as opposed to leaving that up to the successful business minds who know a lot better what they should do to succeed,” Andrew said.
About that ordinance
Vest said the BMA has tried to work with Tennessee Hills on the beer issue and said he’s open to relaxing the ordinance.
He said he’s set on some type of food component remaining even if the ordinance changes. He’s open to a 50% split in revenue and to allowing food truck revenue to be considered so businesses don’t necessarily have to build a kitchen.
But Vest said he doesn’t support allowing what he referred to multiple times as “beer joints.” He said town leaders “years ago” saw what they perceived as problems with establishments in Johnson City “where you had violence and things like that happening.”
Vest pointed out that people can drink at the Black Olive or other Jonesborough restaurants, “but there’s food available and that’s what we look for.
“If they want to come and just overdrink in beer, Johnson City’s the place, or Asheville’s the place. It’s not going to be Jonesborough.”
Callahan and Andrew said Jonesborough’s ordinance was outdated in other respects. It still defined beer as having no more than 5% alcohol content, while Tennessee law increased that definition to 8% several years ago. Andrew said THD attorney Clark Jordan was the one who pointed out to the BMA that some of its own beer permit holders were violating its ordinance by selling beer that was more than 5% alcohol.
The BMA passed an updated ordinance reflecting that on first reading Friday when it also approved part of THD’s request.
Andrew called the old ordinance “antiquated,” and said so is the food requirement of 75%.
Indeed, even Erwin, a similar-sized town, now has a beer ordinance that allows so-called tap rooms to serve on-premises with no food requirement, as long as at least 80% of gross revenue comes from sale of craft beer. That means it must be made by breweries that produce no more than 6 million barrels annually.
A June 5 letter from Town Administrator Glen Rosenoff to Callahan and Jordan traced THD/Jonesborough beer conversations back to 2020. It referenced Jonesborough’s rule that on-premise beer permits require a business to get at least 75% of its taxable sales from food and non-alcoholic beverage sales.
Rosenoff, who is Erwin’s former town administrator, explained that Erwin had eventually dropped that requirement as “taprooms” became more popular.
Whether Jonesborough updates its ordinances in such a manner or not, Callahan and Andrew both say state law is on their side. As a manufacturer with two locations now, they should be able to self-distribute from Johnson City, they say.
“Our intention for brewing here, knowing we were limited in space, was a small batch pilot system that we bought for our East Tennessee State University program that only brews one barrel at a time and the students brew it,” Andrew said.
He said THD would “never meet customer demand and customers would be furious because we’d be out all the time.”
Andrew said the THD Brewstillery on West Walnut Street in Johnson City is “brewing world-class beers eight miles down the road in a million-dollar facility, and we’re allowed to self-distribute, except for the fact that this town doesn’t want us to.”
Whether that’s a bait and switch that wouldn’t hold up in court is yet to be determined, if the two sides can’t reach a compromise. Vest said he hopes they can.
But Andrew said his frustration over the beer permit issue also has him questioning THD’s so-far $700,000 investment in the former Parson’s Table restaurant building. THD had been considering a business that would sell alcohol-infused ice cream there.
“We just don’t have any trust in current town leadership that if we were to invest another million dollars to getting that building where it needs to be … we don’t trust the way they will manipulate laws or codes or regulations,” Andrew said. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/call-for-term-limits-latest-salvo-in-jonesborough-beer-permit-battle/ | 2023-07-03T22:30:40 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/call-for-term-limits-latest-salvo-in-jonesborough-beer-permit-battle/ |
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — State Route 394 is closed near Blountville due to a crash.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), the highway is closed at Neal Drive, between Blountville and Interstate 81. TDOT reported a multi-vehicle crash at 4:40 p.m.
The crash involved a dump truck and pickup truck, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP).
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/state-route-394-closed-near-blountville-due-to-crash/ | 2023-07-03T22:30:46 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/state-route-394-closed-near-blountville-due-to-crash/ |
Gas prices leading up to Independence Day were more than $1.60 less expensive than what Fort Wayne residents paid at the pumps for last year’s holiday.
Gas prices averaged $3.14 a gallon Monday, which is $1.67 less than the $4.81 average many saw last year, according to GasBuddy's survey of 201 stations in Fort Wayne.
The average gas price in Fort Wayne has fallen 15.7 cents per gallon in the last week, according to GasBuddy.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said gas prices are at their lowest since April.
"Just ahead of Independence Day, the national average has fallen to its lowest level since late April, with oil prices remaining under considerable pressure due to a cloudy outlook for the global economy,
he said in a statement. “We could see gasoline prices under some additional pressure soon, especially as we head into the closing innings of summer next month," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
Fort Wayne‘s typical gas rate is significantly lower – about 66 cents – than the national average of $3.80 a gallon. Last year’s Fort Wayne rate was two cents higher than the national average of $4.71 a gallon.
Fort Wayne’s average gas price is also lower than some neighboring areas. Gas prices averaged Monday about $3.23 a gallon in Toledo, Ohio; $3.49 in Kalamazoo, Michigan; and $3.17 in South Bend.
The average gas price in Indianapolis was $3.28 a gallon on Monday, GasBuddy said.
De Haan said he expects prices to ramp up as consumers enter the peak of summer but thinks they could fall below $3 a gallon by the end of the year.
"At the half point of the year, the national average is right at level we anticipated for a full year average,” he said in a statement. “While that's good news, I believe we may see prices close out the second half of the year below our expectations, which would be welcome news for motorists, and the possibility exists that the national average this fall could fall under $3 per gallon."
AAA Travel predicted record-breaking travel for this past holiday weekend with nearly 51 million Americans traveling at least 50 miles from home. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-gasoline-prices-remain-more-than-1-60-less-than-last-year-for-4th/article_fe897f34-198d-11ee-88ba-d7db94930c15.html | 2023-07-03T22:32:24 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-gasoline-prices-remain-more-than-1-60-less-than-last-year-for-4th/article_fe897f34-198d-11ee-88ba-d7db94930c15.html |
Harrison Street between Wayne and Berry streets will be restricted Wednesday and Thursday during signage installation, the city of Fort Wayne said today.
For questions or to report problems, contact the city's right of way department at 427-6155.
Harrison Street between Wayne and Berry streets will be restricted Wednesday and Thursday during signage installation, the city of Fort Wayne said today.
For questions or to report problems, contact the city's right of way department at 427-6155. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/harrison-street-portion-limited-wednesday-thursday/article_d1d11fc6-1990-11ee-898e-9bd495ccd642.html | 2023-07-03T22:32:31 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/harrison-street-portion-limited-wednesday-thursday/article_d1d11fc6-1990-11ee-898e-9bd495ccd642.html |
Fort Wayne police continued to investigate Monday the death of a man found dead in the backyard of a home south of downtown.
A man, who has not yet been identified, was found about 8 p.m. in the backyard of a home in the 800 block of West Creighton Avenue.
Fort Wayne firefighters pronounced the man dead at the scene, Fort Wayne police said in a news release. Homicide detectives and investigators were called to assist.
The Allen County Coroner's Office is expected to identify the man, along with the cause and manner of death.
No further details were released. The death remains under investigation by police, the Allen County Prosecutor's Office and the county coroner's office. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/fort-wayne-police-continue-to-investigate-creighton-avenue-death/article_f2e8c7d4-1988-11ee-986d-8f9fcf38d734.html | 2023-07-03T22:32:37 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/fort-wayne-police-continue-to-investigate-creighton-avenue-death/article_f2e8c7d4-1988-11ee-986d-8f9fcf38d734.html |
ARKANSAS, USA — On Monday, July 3, Attorney General Tim Griffin officially submitted an appeal for the LEARNS Act ruling.
The decision was made Friday, June 30, by Pulaski County Judge Herbert Wright to push back the Act from becoming law until August.
This is the second time the Act gets pushed back. The first time it was blocked was due to Judge Wright saying districts couldn't take action based on the law until it went into effect in August. The second time, the judge said legislators didn't hold a separate emergency clause vote when they passed the bill.
AG Griffin says he is confident in his decision to appeal the Act.
"I have appealed the Pulaski County Circuit Court's ruling in the LEARNS Act case to the Arkansas Supreme Court, am confident in the strength of our arguments and will continue to defend the Act with vigor and enthusiasm," said AG Griffin.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/ag-tim-griffin-appeals-learns-act-arkansas/527-f571a4fd-561a-4e13-9897-2cdf4c2b0abb | 2023-07-03T22:33:28 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/ag-tim-griffin-appeals-learns-act-arkansas/527-f571a4fd-561a-4e13-9897-2cdf4c2b0abb |
SAN ANTONIO — Worried about where you'll be able to snag an extra rack of ribs or package of hot dogs if you find yourself short Tuesday in San Antonio? We've got you covered.
Here's when the major grocery chains will be open on Independence Day so your grills, coolers and stomachs stay stocked. For other stores and restaurants, click here.
H-E-B
- Stores: Open at regular hours.
- Pharmacy: Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Curbside service: Operating during regular hours.
- Home delivery service: Operating during regular hours.
Walmart
Most locations will be open regular hours, but check your local store.
Target
Open for regular hours.
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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/july-4-heb-hours-san-anonio-texas-stores-holiday/273-2afdab00-9997-43cd-a741-c4aceb98914a | 2023-07-03T22:33:28 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/july-4-heb-hours-san-anonio-texas-stores-holiday/273-2afdab00-9997-43cd-a741-c4aceb98914a |
MCCURTAIN COUNTY, Oklahoma — A sheriff in southeast Oklahoma who was among several county officials caught on tape discussing killing journalists and lynching Black people won't face criminal charges or be removed from office, the state's top prosecutor said Friday, June 30.
In a letter to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, Attorney General Gentner Drummond said his office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation had completed their investigation and found no legal grounds to dismiss McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy.
“There are countless examples of incidents from across the country where public officials make inflammatory comments that spark severe condemnation,” Drummond wrote. "Oftentimes the offending official resigns in disgrace. Sometimes the outrage fades and the matter is forgotten.
He added: “Regardless, there is no provision of law in Oklahoma to throw elected officials out of office merely for saying something offensive.”
Drummond said McCurtain County voters will make the final decision on whether Clardy remains in office and suggested Stitt appeal to voters there and perhaps identify someone to run against Clardy.
Clardy and several other county officials sparked outrage after a local newspaper's audio recording captured them complaining about two of the paper's journalists and knowing hit men and where two holes are dug. Stitt quickly called for the resignation of Clardy, sheriff's Capt. Alicia Manning, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings and Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix. Jennings was the only one to resign.
A message left Friday with the McCurtain County Sheriff's Office seeking comment wasn't immediately returned.
Bruce Willingham, the longtime publisher of the McCurtain Gazette-News, said the recording was made March 6 when he left a voice-activated recorder inside the room after a county commissioner’s meeting because he suspected the group was continuing to conduct county business after the meeting had ended in violation of the state’s Open Meeting Act. Chris Willingham, a reporter at the paper, is Bruce Willingham’s son.
Bruce Willingham said he believes the local officials were upset about “stories we’ve run that cast the sheriff’s office in an unfavorable light,” including the death of Bobby Barrick, a Broken Bow, Oklahoma, man who died at a hospital in March 2022 after McCurtain County deputies shot him with a stun gun.
With a population of about 31,000 and bordering both Arkansas and Texas, the county has a long history of lawlessness dating back to days before statehood, but in recent years it has become a tourism hotbed, drawing thousands of visitors from the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/no-charges-oklahoma-sheriff-talked-killing-journalists/527-3ee69ca8-153c-4323-8e6c-5f23773fb645 | 2023-07-03T22:33:34 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/no-charges-oklahoma-sheriff-talked-killing-journalists/527-3ee69ca8-153c-4323-8e6c-5f23773fb645 |
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Walton Family Foundation of Bentonville announced two new projects for its Design Excellence Program, an organization that funds and promotes design in the development of public buildings and spaces in Benton and Washington counties.
The first project will build high-quality and affordable housing for the downtown Bentonville workforce, the nonprofit said in a news release. The units will fill a gap in locally available “missing middle” housing, a term the foundation defines as the range of housing types that fit between single-family detached homes and mid-to-high-rise apartment buildings.
The project will test a replicable model for more well-designed and affordable housing on infill lots near workplaces, schools and cultural amenities. The project will be designed through Sanders Pace Architecture.
To read more about these two projects, our content partner Arkansas Business has the full story here.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/walton-design-excellence-program-2-bentonville-projects/527-116b3490-9c9c-4b94-a664-56ab962aebb9 | 2023-07-03T22:33:40 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/walton-design-excellence-program-2-bentonville-projects/527-116b3490-9c9c-4b94-a664-56ab962aebb9 |
WEISER, Idaho — A young moose was running around Weiser yesterday evening. The Weiser Police Department jokingly named the moose "Kenny," but reminded people that moose are not friendly and should be given a wide berth.
"An officer located the moose and averted a crisis as it began to charge an unsuspecting person in the park," police stated.
According to police no one was hurt, and "Kenny" has been guided towards the river where Idaho Fish and Game will continue to monitor him as he makes his way through town.
Police added that in addition to leaving moose alone, do not honk your horn at them either; "Your insurance company will thank you for that."
Anyone who sees a moose, or other wildlife, in town should call the police.
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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-moose-spotted-running-through-weiser/277-966c63dc-7059-488b-ae04-5c8ff20e16d0 | 2023-07-03T22:42:20 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-moose-spotted-running-through-weiser/277-966c63dc-7059-488b-ae04-5c8ff20e16d0 |
KUNA, Idaho — Many seagulls were found dead between South Cole Road and West Barker Road in Kuna early today. The leading cause of death for these gulls is road strikes.
Along South Cole Road, there is a large gull colony of about 9,500 adults, consisting of Ring-Billed Gulls and California Gulls. They have been nesting on private property bordering two fenced tannery settling ponds, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
With breeding season in full effect, it is likely that these newly born gulls attempt to take first flight and cannot make it past the crossroads, ultimately ending in a jarring road strike. This is an unfortunate recurring event that this area of Kuna is no stranger to.
The last reportable gull catastrophe in this area was in June 2018. Between the end of June and the beginning of July, in 2019 and 2022, there was a large spike in road strike fatalities when the young gulls became mobile, and it seems the trend is surfacing once again. None of the birds died from disease.
According to a report developed by Idaho Department of Fish and Game, a drift fence was installed in 2019 to decrease the gull vehicle mortality rate and was repaired with extensions in 2022, however this concern is becoming a reality once again.
The fence has taken effect in saving these young gull’s lives, however, there are still some gaps within the fence in which gulls are locating and escaping out of, thus causing more deaths.
However frustrating, displacing the gull colonies is not ideal, for the sake of habitat conservation and greater human health risks, but it has been discussed whether the colony should be shifted back farther from the busy road. These methods of moving the colony will only be applied when the population of the colony is at its lowest during the winter months.
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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-seagulls-found-dead/277-d55d910d-f110-4382-ae1d-f4124eff3d1e | 2023-07-03T22:42:26 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-seagulls-found-dead/277-d55d910d-f110-4382-ae1d-f4124eff3d1e |
PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio — A 34-year-old man died after falling into a 30-foot manhole in Pickaway County on Monday.
The Harrison Township Fire Department says the man was working in a manhole on at 3329 Thoroughbred Drive around 12:30 p.m.
When fire and EMS crews arrived, they learned the man, identified as Terry L. Miller Jr., was working on a sewer line in the area.
When Miller was getting out of the manhole and got to the top, he fell back in. The Pickaway County Sheriff's Office said deputies found the man in the manhole in heavy flowing water.
Fire crews worked for nearly 30 minutes to get him out of the hole and he was pulled out at 2:13 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/man-dies-after-falling-30-foot-hole-in-pickaway-county/530-5d8e3379-c287-49fa-8459-540fe0eecda9 | 2023-07-03T22:47:02 | 0 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/man-dies-after-falling-30-foot-hole-in-pickaway-county/530-5d8e3379-c287-49fa-8459-540fe0eecda9 |
DALLAS — Ellie Breaux graduated from the University of North Texas in May -- and just over a month later, she was crowned Miss Texas 2023.
Talk about an eventful year!
Over the weekend, the annual Miss Texas pageant was held, as women from throughout the state represented their regions, counties and cities in a competition to vie for the ultimate prize.
"I still can't believe this is real life. I am constantly having to look at myself in the mirror to be sure I'm not dreaming," Breaux wrote in an Instagram post.
Breaux entered the pageant as Miss Tarrant County 2023. According to her scholarship donation page, she recently graduated from UNT with a bachelor's in marketing.
She wrote that she previously competed in Miss Texas events and placed second runner-up while in college.
Breaux was also a member of the University of North Texas Dance Team.
"We are so proud of you and your perseverance and determination to never give up on your dreams!" the dance team wrote in a congratulatory Instagram post. "You are going to be the most gracious, vivacious and fierce @missamericatx and we will be cheering you on all the way to Miss America!"
As the daughter of a Houston police officer, Breaux wrote that she hopes to use her pageant opportunities to promote her "Cops in the Community" initiative, which looks to bridge the gap between local communities and police officers.
"My goal is for our children to perceive police officers as heroes rather than adversaries," she wrote.
Breaux will now represent the state of Texas in the 2024 Miss America pageant. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/unt-grad-ellie-breaux-2023-miss-texas-heads-to-miss-america-pageant/287-0b148c2a-43bb-4671-9de0-99165e8e2de5 | 2023-07-03T22:47:08 | 1 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/unt-grad-ellie-breaux-2023-miss-texas-heads-to-miss-america-pageant/287-0b148c2a-43bb-4671-9de0-99165e8e2de5 |
DES MOINES — The southern third of Iowa finally received some much-needed rain, which reduced the days suitable for fieldwork to 5.1 during the week ending Sunday, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Field activities included cutting hay and spraying crops. Some reports were received of farmers getting equipment ready to start the oat harvest soon, the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report said.
“A particularly dry June ended with unseasonably wet conditions across the southern third of Iowa, which saw several rounds of strong thunderstorms due to a more active weather pattern,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in a news release. “Though Independence Day is expected to be hot, outlooks are showing the potential for cooler and wetter conditions over the next few weeks, which is a pivotal period for soybean development and corn tasseling and pollination."
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Topsoil moisture condition rated 17% very short, 38% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 21% very short, 40% short, 38% adequate and 1% surplus.
Reports of corn starting to silk were received, hitting 4% this week. Corn condition rating improved to 61% good to excellent.
Twenty-five percent of soybeans were blooming, five days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average. There were reports of soybeans starting to set pods. Soybean condition rose to 53% good to excellent.
Forty-three percent of oats were turning color, one week ahead of last year and five days ahead of normal. Oat condition increased to 50% good to excellent.
The state’s second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 35% complete, eight days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the average. Hay condition improved slightly to 33% good to excellent.
Pasture condition rated 24% good to excellent. Livestock producers continued to supplement with hay as pasture conditions remained comparable to the previous week.
Weather summary
A large-scale atmospheric circulation shift brought several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms over southern Iowa late in the reporting period, according to Justin Glisan, state climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
This configuration, called a “Ring of Fire,” allowed waves of storms to propagate along the northern boundary of a thermal ridge situated south of Iowa. The southern one-third of the state reported above-average rainfall with drier conditions north. Weekly temperatures were near-seasonal with a statewide average of 72.5 degrees, 0.5 degree below normal.
Weekly rain totals ranged from no accumulation at several northwest stations to 6.20 inches at Donnellson. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.15 inches, while the normal is 1.10 inches. Osceola (Clarke County) reported the week’s high temperature of 94 degrees on June 29, nine degrees above normal. Battle Creek (Ida County) and Guthrie Center (Guthrie County) reported the week’s low temperature of 50 degrees on June 27, on average 11 degrees below normal.
The first of four consecutive supermoons begins with Full Buck Moon Monday
July 3 - Full Buck Supermoon
7:39 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
Named for when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent.
This will be the first of four consecutive supermoons of the year. Expect a slightly larger and brighter full moon in the sky.
August 1 - Full Sturgeon Supermoon
2:31 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
This moon honors when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, like Lake Champlain, where they are most readily caught.
This is the second of four consecutive full moons of the year. Look for a slightly brighter and larger full moon in the sky.
August 30 - The Blue Supermoon
9:35 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
The saying "once in a blue moon" means a rare occurrence in folklore. However, it predates the current use of the term, which indicates two full moons within a month.
"The term Blue Moon is believed to have originated in 1883 after the eruption of Krakatoa. The volcano put so much dust in the atmosphere that the Moon actually looked blue in color. This was so unusual that the term 'once in a Blue Moon' was coined," according to David Williams of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
A blue moon occurs once every 2.5 years, on average.
This will also be the third consecutive supermoon of four, and the biggest of them all.
The moon will be 222,043 miles away from the Earth, besting the other supermoon from up to 4,000 miles. Still, there won't be a noticeable difference between the Blue Supermoon and the others
September 29 - Full Harvest Supermoon
5:57 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
Traditionally, this name goes to the full moon that occurs closest to the fall equinox, which falls this year on Sept. 22. This year's Harvest Moon comes unusually early.
October 28 - Full Hunter Blood Moon
5:57 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, this is the time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox and other animals.
This will be the only full moon with a partial lunar eclipse visible to at least part of the United States. Those in New England, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C. eastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina will see part of the moon shaded brownish red that evening.
You can find start and end times for the eclipse at your location using this link.
November 27 - Full Beaver Moon
4:16 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
At this point of the year, it was time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter.
December 26 - Full Cold Moon
10:33 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
December is when the winter cold fastens its grip on the Northern Hemisphere. Sometimes this moon is referred to as the Long Nights Moon, and the nights are their longest. The moon is above the horizon a long time. On occasion, this moon was also called the Moon before Yule.
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2023 FULL MOONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED
Jan. 6 - Full Wolf Moon
6:08 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
Amid the zero-degree cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the Moon after Yule. In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next moon.
Febraury 5 - Full Snow Moon
1:29 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
March 7 - Full Worm Moon
7:40 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
In this month the ground softens and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. Some more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter.
It's also known as the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night.
April 6 - Full Pink Moon
12:34 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time
The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring.
In 2022, this is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full moon after the spring equinox on March 20. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed the very next day on Sunday, April 17.
May 5 - Full Flower Moon
1:34 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
The term full flower moon is derived from how Flowers are abundant everywhere by this time of year. This moon was also known as the Full Corn Planting Moon.
June 3 - Full Strawberry Moon
11:42 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time
Strawberry picking season peaks during this month; Europeans called this the Rose Moon. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/business/much-needed-rain-falls-on-southern-iowa-fields/article_4feb75fe-19ec-11ee-9faf-c35cfda03ccf.html | 2023-07-03T22:47:32 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/business/much-needed-rain-falls-on-southern-iowa-fields/article_4feb75fe-19ec-11ee-9faf-c35cfda03ccf.html |
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Many Black women face racial discrimination on the job and at school because of their natural hair.
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Currently, federal law prohibits racial discrimination against someone wearing an Afro. But this same protection doesn’t include other natural hairstyles like braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.
That’s why advocates are pushing for federal protections known as the CROWN Act to ban discrimination based on hair texture.
READ: Activists spurred by affirmative action ruling challenge legacy admissions at Harvard
The pain of hair discrimination goes skin deep.
“It feels really awful to know the way I am naturally is looked down upon by people. It’s hard because I just want to be natural and be myself,” said Mya Cook, who experienced hair discrimination at 15-years-old.
As teens, twin sisters, Mya and Deanna Cook, were punished by their Massachusetts charter school for wearing braids in 2017. The style violated the school’s policy at the time.
📣Happy National CROWN Day! 🎉
— The CROWN Act (@thecrownact) July 3, 2023
On this important day, we commemorate the anniversary of The CROWN Act being signed into law in California, marking a historic moment in the fight against hair discrimination. #TheCROWNAct #PassTheCROWN #Dove pic.twitter.com/6VRG3MS2mE
Now years later, their state is one of nearly two dozen banning hair discrimination by passing the CROWN Act.
“Now no one will go through that again it means more than the world - it really does,” said Deanna Cook, who also experienced hair discrimination at 15-years-old.
The law stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” It would prohibit race-based hair discrimination at work and school because of hair texture at a national level.
“It shouldn’t have to take civil rights legislation to declare our human right to just exist,” said Wendy Greene, law professor at the Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law.
Greene helped create the legal framework for the law. Without federal protections, she said many black women and men are being discouraged from wearing their natural hair.
“Because often times they are being associated with being unprofessional or being negatively associated or stereotyped as unkempt, or distracting, or unusual, or even in some instances unnatural,” she said.
A nationwide study from Dove and LinkedIn affirms those concerns.
It shows more 60 percent of Black women change their hair before a job interview. Often changing it from curly to straight.
The survey also shows Black women with coily/textured hair are two times as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace than Black women with straight hair.
READ: Ready for takeoff: FAA gives greenlight to flying car
“So many African descended women and girls talk about being forced or pressured to have to permanently or temporarily alter their hair texture like through toxic chemical relaxes, or through extreme heat styling,” said Greene.
The same study reveals about a quarter of Black women believe they have been denied a job interview because of their hair.
At the federal level, the CROWN Act passed with bipartisan support in the House last year but it didn’t make it out of the Senate.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/advocates-continue-pushing-federal-crown-act-legislation-banning-hair-discrimination/ILWQFRXOZBAVNOLR422CHWML6U/ | 2023-07-03T22:54:22 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/advocates-continue-pushing-federal-crown-act-legislation-banning-hair-discrimination/ILWQFRXOZBAVNOLR422CHWML6U/ |
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer Reports is sending a warning to drivers -- the electric vehicle in front of you might be slowing down, but you might not know until the last second. New tests show the brake lights on some EVs don’t come on early enough to warn other drivers the car is coming to a stop.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Video from the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center illustrates the concerns. The electric vehicle starts at 30mph, but the speedometer then shows it slowing down. It’s not until the car hits just 2mph, right before it comes to a stop, that the brake lights finally turn on. The car was slowing down for nine seconds, but there’s no visual warning for anyone behind it.
“It’s something we want consumers to be aware of,” Alex Knizek, manager of automotive testing and insights for Consumer Reports, said. “You run the risk of maybe getting in an accident, somebody rear-ending the car because they didn’t realize it was slowing down.”
READ: Ready for takeoff: FAA gives greenlight to flying car
Electric vehicles use what’s called regenerative braking or one-pedal driving.
“You can essentially drive the vehicle without ever touching the brake pedal,” Knizek explained.
New from @ConsumerReports — on some EVs, the brake lights don't light up when regenerative braking slows down the car https://t.co/6jxgPjWhwS pic.twitter.com/KuUls8Spl4
— Keith Barry (@itskeithbarry) June 9, 2023
Experts said if the levels are set so high, you can rapidly slow down the car and even stop it, simply by easing up on the accelerator pedal. You don’t need to hit the brake. If your foot is on that pedal at all, the brake lights will not come on.
Consumer Reports found this issue in models from Hyundai, Genesis and Kia. It impacts 101,000 vehicles.
The manufacturers told us they’ll be installing system updates that would turn on the brake lights earlier as the car is slowing down. They’ll be available this summer for free.
In the meantime, Knizek advises drivers lift their foot fully off the accelerator or hit the brakes. Both should turn on the brake lights.
READ: Activists spurred by affirmative action ruling challenge legacy admissions at Harvard
“Certainly, we don’t want people getting into accidents over something like this,” Knizek added.
STATEMENT FROM HYUNDAI/GENESIS:
“After further investigation, Hyundai and Genesis will be launching a field service campaign to update the EV brake light logic for the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Genesis Electrified G80, Genesis Electrified GV70 and Genesis GV60. There will also be a change made to new production of those models. Regardless of the accelerator pedal input, the brake lights will now turn on when the deceleration rate exceeds 1.3m/s2 (approx. 0.13 G). The service campaign will launch in July for approximately 56,000 vehicles and will be performed free of charge.”
STATEMENT FROM KIA AMERICA:
“Kia America will launch a service campaign to update the software of certain 2022-2023 EV6 (non-GT trims) and certain 2023 Niro EV vehicles. The update is designed to modify the “i-PEDAL” brake logic so that the brake lights illuminate once the vehicle reaches a certain deceleration threshold (approximately 0.13G) using regenerative braking, even if the driver does not release the accelerator pedal fully or depress the brake pedal. The software update will be available at no charge to Kia customers with eligible vehicles. The service campaign applies to approximately 45,000 vehicles and is anticipated to launch this summer.”
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/consumer-reports-warns-brake-light-concerns-with-certain-electric-vehicles/SXLKLX3PENE33JBLHS7IIUOX4M/ | 2023-07-03T22:54:28 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/consumer-reports-warns-brake-light-concerns-with-certain-electric-vehicles/SXLKLX3PENE33JBLHS7IIUOX4M/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — Some Central Florida veterans are dreading the boom of Fourth of July fireworks.
Nearly 1.4 million veterans live in Florida and for those who suffer from PTSD the holiday can be stressful.
US Army Veteran Michael Spivey said he’s looking forward to food on the grill and parades dedicated to our country’s independence, but 15 years after he left the military, the celebratory bangs of fireworks still bring him back to a different time and place.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
“I just try to lead with caution. I mean, I really do. Because I know better. I know my triggers,” said Spivey.
In the years after he left the military, Spivey spent close to a decade homeless as he struggled with PTSD and depression.
Spivey has since turned his life around and now helps homeless veterans through St. Cloud’s Transition House.
Read: Orlando hits highest temp of the year: How to keep kids safe in the heat
But fireworks remain a big trigger for him and several of his veteran friends who fought to defend our independence.
“A really close brother of mine lost his life from an IED blast in Iraq. I mean, these types of things you associate with that. So, it always puts you on edge,” Spivey said..
Over at the Orlando VA, leaders want veterans in our community to know their doors are open 24/7.
Read: Ready for takeoff: FAA gives greenlight to flying car
“This is one of those times of the years over the holidays that we do like our veterans to know that we are here for them,” said Tracy Skala, the deputy medical director for the Orlando VA.
Skala says the VA has several programs to manage the mental health needs of veterans. It includes counseling and a new virtual reality therapy program.
She also says any veteran in crisis can call the “988, then press 1″ for a National Hotline for immediate help.
Read: Volusia County officials gear up for crowds, rip current during July 4 holiday at area beaches
As for Spivey, before anyone sets off fireworks, he’s hoping community members are mindful of this challenge.
He wants residents to look out for veteran flags or tags on cars, and then give veterans in their community a heads-up before setting off sparks.
“If you have a veteran neighbor say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna go light off these fireworks,’ If I’m expecting it, and I’m watching, I can kind of manage it a lot better,” said Spivey.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/its-been-trigger-veterans-with-ptsd-say-holiday-fireworks-pose-challenge/6H2JUN5PMJFENNCU54BSLVQ6FE/ | 2023-07-03T22:54:34 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/its-been-trigger-veterans-with-ptsd-say-holiday-fireworks-pose-challenge/6H2JUN5PMJFENNCU54BSLVQ6FE/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — Families living at the Southern Oaks apartment complex off Silver Star Road told Channel 9 they have been living without AC for weeks and they can’t bare it any longer.
The temperature inside some of the apartments is hotter inside than it is outside.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Anthony Brown and his family have felt miserable inside their own homes and they’re not alone.
“We’ve been asking for help for a while but we haven’t really got it,” Brown said.
Neighbors said it gets hotter than 90 degrees inside if fans and plug-ins aren’t on. They said two people have fainted.
Read: 2 dead in shooting outside Titusville apartment complex
Channel 9 asked the complex’s office manager why the AC was out and when they’ll get fixed, and she said had nothing to say.
We asked a local real estate attorney who’s responsible for keeping residents cool.
“Surprisingly enough, under Florida statute, the landlord is not required to provide air conditioning, they are required to provide heat,” attorney Barry Miller.
Read: Police identify man killed in downtown Orlando officer-involved shooting
That is unless it says otherwise in the lease. The Southern Oaks lease states that Southern Oaks is responsible for the AC equipment.
“If the lease says that they’re providing AC and maintain it and they don’t do that, and the landlord breaches that, the landlord could be responsible for consequential damages,” Miller said.
That means tenants can write a letter giving the landlord a week to fix the problem. After that, tenants can break their lease without fees, get their security deposit back or withhold their rent and file that money with the courts.
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BLOOMINGTON — The Bloomington Police Department is teaming up with the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police for a campaign that calls on drivers to quit speeding.
In a statement Monday, BPD said patrols will be ramped up in the city and across the state July 6-31 to cite drivers exceeding speed limits.
BPD Chief Jamal Simington said they've seen careless and risky driving increase in recent years, adding that speeding is relayed to officers as a top complaint at community events. He also reminded the public that speed limits are the law — and not a suggestion.
Bloomington joins the Town of Normal's police department in the campaign . The program is supported by IDOT funds.
Pedestrian deaths are on the rise and a certain type of car may be to blame. People being struck by cars have shot up by 70% since 2010, and some believe that’s because of trucks. The number of people killed by trucks doubled in the last decade. Veuer has more.
The states with the most distracted teen drivers
States With the Most Distracted Teen Drivers
Photo Credit: Burdun Iliya / Shutterstock
Teen drivers are one of the highest-risk groups on the road. Young drivers are more likely to make mistakes from inexperience, get distracted by devices or other passengers, or engage in risky behaviors like speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, or drinking and driving.
In recent decades, more states have implemented policy change in an effort to reduce risks for teen drivers and those who share the road with them. Most notably, states have adopted graduated licensing systems that progressively scale up young drivers’ privileges on the road as they get more experience behind the wheel. States have also introduced stronger laws on the use of seatbelts, mobile devices, and substances, which apply to all motorists but are particular risk factors for teens.
Recent years have shown a marked decline in teen vehicle fatalities as a result of these reforms. In 2005, a total of 4,874 teens were killed in a vehicle crash. By 2019, that figure had fallen by more than half, to 2,165. However, there remains a significant gap between male and female fatalities: in 2019, the number of male fatalities (1,450) was over twice as high as the number of female fatalities (715) for teens aged 15 to 19.
Shutterstock
Male teens are at greater risk for vehicle fatalities
One of the factors contributing to this difference is male drivers’ tendency to engage in more risky behaviors behind the wheel compared to their female counterparts. For example, there is a statistically significant difference between the genders on seatbelt use, with 7.4% of males not wearing a seatbelt compared to 5.6% of females. Male teen drivers also have a slight, statistically insignificant edge in cell phone use (39.6% for males and 38.4% for females), though it is most concerning that the rate of phone use while driving for both genders is so high.
Distracted driving—including using a phone while behind the wheel—is highly risky, responsible for more than 3,000 vehicle deaths annually and more than 1,000 injuries each day . Some research estimates that texting while driving is even more likely to lead to a crash than driving under the influence. This is a particular issue for teens, who have high rates of phone use.
Female teen drivers are more likely to wear a seat belt than males
The distracted driving problem is worse in some states than others. Most of the states where teen drivers report the highest phone use are rural states in the Midwest or Mountain West, including five states where more than half of teen drivers admit to using their phones while driving. Teens in these states also tend to wear seatbelts at a lower rate than teen drivers elsewhere. The lower volume of cars on rural roads may be contributing to a false sense of safety, but vehicle accidents in rural areas are often more likely to result in injury or death.
The data used in this analysis is from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System . To determine the states with the most distracted teen drivers, researchers at CoPilot calculated the share of teens using their phone while driving, defined by the CDC as having texted or e-mailed while driving a car in the past 30 days. In the event of a tie, the state with the higher share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt and/or the higher teen traffic fatality rate was ranked higher. The teen traffic fatality rate was calculated as the number of teen traffic fatalities divided by the teen population, averaged over the past five years.
Here are the states with the most distracted teen drivers.
15. Arkansas
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 43.7%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 12.5%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 16.8Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 35
Shutterstock
14. Mississippi
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 44.0%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 10.6%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 24.5Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 54
Shutterstock
13. Oklahoma
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 44.1%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 6.8%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 17.8Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 48
Shutterstock
12. Alabama
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 44.2%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 9.4%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 22.3Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 74
Shutterstock
11. Wisconsin
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 46.5%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 5.5%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 10.6Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 40
Shutterstock
10. Missouri
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 46.5%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 8.6%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 18.9Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 76
Shutterstock
9. Idaho
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 47.9%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 6.2%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 15.1Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 19
Shutterstock
8. Kansas
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 49.1%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 5.7%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 15.7Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 32
Shutterstock
7. Ohio
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 49.1%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 7.9%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 11.3Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 87
Shutterstock
6. Nebraska
Photo Credit: DomVisuals / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 49.4%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 9.2%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 17.0Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 22
Shutterstock
5. Wyoming
Photo Credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 51.8%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 10.7%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 23.6Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 9
Shutterstock
4. Iowa
Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 51.9%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 6.6%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 13.2Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 29
Shutterstock
3. Montana
Photo Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 54.1%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 8.3%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 25.7Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 17
Shutterstock
2. North Dakota
Photo Credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 54.5%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 7.5%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 15.5Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 7
Shutterstock
1. South Dakota
Photo Credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock
Share of teens using their phone while driving: 57.0%Share of teens who don’t wear a seatbelt: 13.1%Teen traffic fatality rate (per 100k): 18.7Average annual teen traffic fatalities: 11
Shutterstock
Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison
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MAINE, USA — Whether you're boating or hitting the ATV trails for the first time or the hundredth time for Fourth of July festivities, public safety officials want you to be prepared for whatever could happen.
Game wardens will be out on the water, looking for boaters driving under the influence or violating other rules, according to Game Warden Rick Ouellette.
While wardens will be ready to assist anyone who needs help, he said he wants people to be prepared, too.
"You never know what's going to happen out there on the water," Ouellette said. "You want to make sure you have extra life jackets and you have extra safety gear and rope so if you find somebody that is in a rough way that you can help them."
On Monday, many Mainers were getting ready for their Fourth of July celebrations by putting their boats in the water and getting their camps ready for guests.
"We've been trying to wait for dry weather to be able to get it down onto the water and hopefully be able to use it tomorrow for the fourth when we got family coming over," Phillips Lake camp owner Brandon Fell said.
While the waterways will be busy for the holiday, Ouellette said he's expecting a lot of people to hit the ATV trails as well. But with the recent rainfall, you may have to wait to give the ground in certain areas time to dry out.
"Trails vary from day to day or week to week. You might go through an area one day and the next time you go by there may be washouts that you have to be concerned with or trees down that you didn't anticipate would be around the next turn," Ouellette said.
He wants to remind folks to wear a helmet and always be prepared to stop. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/game-wardens-urge-mainers-to-stay-safe-during-fourth-of-july-celebrations-maine-holiday-safety/97-a6337c4f-915f-4859-ba90-f41eedced63e | 2023-07-03T22:57:57 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/game-wardens-urge-mainers-to-stay-safe-during-fourth-of-july-celebrations-maine-holiday-safety/97-a6337c4f-915f-4859-ba90-f41eedced63e |
PITTSFIELD, Maine — Around 11:45 a.m. Monday, state troopers responded to a report of a multi-vehicle crash in Pittsfield on Interstate 95 northbound at mile 146, a news release from Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said.
An investigation revealed Larry DiPietro, 75, of Augusta, slowed down his gray 2005 Hyundai sedan and attempted to illegally enter the highway divider, also known as a crossover, from the driving lane, according to the release.
"DiPietro’s action caused a three-vehicle collision as the vehicles attempted to avoid him," the release stated.
Moss said two people were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
DiPietro was not injured in the crash and was charged with driving to endanger, the release said.
Traffic delays were minor due to a single-lane closure.
The crash prompted a single-lane closure, and traffic delays were minor, Moss said.
"The Maine State Police would like to remind drivers that using crossovers is not permitted for any reason whatsoever," the release said. "It is illegal and highly dangerous to everyone driving on the interstate."
No additional information was released. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/two-injured-in-three-vehicle-crash-on-i-95-in-pittsfield-maine/97-faf2f29e-1191-4835-b2a3-36558752e76a | 2023-07-03T22:58:03 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/two-injured-in-three-vehicle-crash-on-i-95-in-pittsfield-maine/97-faf2f29e-1191-4835-b2a3-36558752e76a |
WASHINGTON — Many Black women face racial discrimination on the job and at school because of their natural hair.
Currently, federal law prohibits racial discrimination against someone wearing an Afro. But this same protection doesn’t include other natural hairstyles like braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.
That’s why advocates are pushing for federal protections known as the CROWN Act to ban discrimination based on hair texture.
The pain of hair discrimination goes skin deep.
“It feels really awful to know the way I am naturally is looked down upon by people. It’s hard because I just want to be natural and be myself,” said Mya Cook, who experienced hair discrimination at 15-years-old.
As teens, twin sisters, Mya and Deanna Cook, were punished by their Massachusetts charter school for wearing braids in 2017. The style violated the school’s policy at the time.
Now years later, their state is one of nearly two dozen banning hair discrimination by passing the CROWN Act.
“Now no one will go through that again it means more than the world - it really does,” said Deanna Cook, who also experienced hair discrimination at 15-years-old.
The law stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” It would prohibit race-based hair discrimination at work and school because of hair texture at a national level.
“It shouldn’t have to take civil rights legislation to declare our human right to just exist,” said Wendy Greene, law professor at the Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law.
Greene helped create the legal framework for the law. Without federal protections, she said many black women and men are being discouraged from wearing their natural hair.
“Because often times they are being associated with being unprofessional or being negatively associated or stereotyped as unkempt, or distracting, or unusual, or even in some instances unnatural,” she said.
A nationwide study from Dove and LinkedIn affirms those concerns.
It shows more 60 percent of Black women change their hair before a job interview. Often changing it from curly to straight.
The survey also shows Black women with coily/textured hair are two times as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace than Black women with straight hair.
“So many African descended women and girls talk about being forced or pressured to have to permanently or temporarily alter their hair texture like through toxic chemical relaxes, or through extreme heat styling,” said Greene.
The same study reveals about a quarter of Black women believe they have been denied a job interview because of their hair.
At the federal level, the CROWN Act passed with bipartisan support in the House last year but it didn’t make it out of the Senate.
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WASHINGTON — Consumer Reports is sending a warning to drivers: the electric vehicle in front of you might be slowing down, but you might not know until the last second. New tests show the brake lights on some EVs don’t come on early enough to warn other drivers the car is coming to a stop.
A video from the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center illustrates the concerns. The electric vehicle starts at 30mph, but the speedometer then shows it slowing down. It’s not until the car hits just 2mph, right before it comes to a stop, that the brake lights finally turn on. The car was slowing down for nine seconds, but there’s no visual warning for anyone behind it.
“It’s something we want consumers to be aware of,” Alex Knizek, manager of automotive testing and insights for Consumer Reports, said. “You run the risk of maybe getting in an accident, somebody rear ending the car because they didn’t realize it was slowing down.”
Electric vehicles use what’s called regenerative braking or one-pedal driving.
“You can essentially drive the vehicle without ever touching the brake pedal,” Knizek explained.
Experts said if the levels are set so high, you can rapidly slow down the car and even stop it, simply by easing up on the accelerator pedal. You don’t need to hit the brake. If your foot is on that pedal at all, the brake lights will not come on.
Consumer Reports found this issue in models from Hyundai, Genesis and Kia. It impacts 101,000 vehicles.
The manufacturers told us they’ll be installing system updates that would turn on the brake lights earlier as the car is slowing down. They’ll be available this summer for free.
In the meantime, Knizek advises drivers to lift their foot fully off the accelerator or hit the brakes. Both should turn on the brake lights.
“Certainly, we don’t want people getting into accidents over something like this,” Knizek added.
STATEMENT FROM HYUNDAI/GENESIS:
“After further investigation, Hyundai and Genesis will be launching a field service campaign to update the EV brake light logic for the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Genesis Electrified G80, Genesis Electrified GV70 and Genesis GV60. There will also be a change made to new production of those models. Regardless of the accelerator pedal input, the brake lights will now turn on when the deceleration rate exceeds 1.3m/s2 (approx. 0.13 G). The service campaign will launch in July for approximately 56,000 vehicles and will be performed free of charge.”
STATEMENT FROM KIA AMERICA:
“Kia America will launch a service campaign to update the software of certain 2022-2023 EV6 (non-GT trims) and certain 2023 Niro EV vehicles. The update is designed to modify the “i-PEDAL” brake logic so that the brake lights illuminate once the vehicle reaches a certain deceleration threshold (approximately 0.13G) using regenerative braking, even if the driver does not release the accelerator pedal fully or depress the brake pedal. The software update will be available at no charge to Kia customers with eligible vehicles. The service campaign applies to approximately 45,000 vehicles and is anticipated to launch this summer.”
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PITTSBURGH — The penalty phase continues in the trial against Robert Bowers, the man convicted of killing 11 people inside a Squirrel Hill synagogue in 2018.
PITTSBURGH SYNAGOGUE SHOOTING TRIAL: FULL COVERAGE ⇒
The defense is trying to persuade a jury to spare his life, while prosecutors are seeking a death sentence.
>>> Tree of Life, community react to guilty verdict in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health effects from the trial, go to 1027healingpartnership.org to find help resources. As always, call 911 to report threats.
- Phone: 412-697-3534
- Email: info@1027HealingPartnership.org
- Web: 1027healingpartnership.org
Medical evaluations and testing are what filled testimony Monday as just one doctor sat on the stand for hours.
The jury listened as another day passes in the eligibility phase of this trial.
Robert Bowers took a lot of notes, rarely glancing up at Dr. Erin Bigler who sat on the stand for the entire day.
Dr. Bigler did not examine Bowers, but rather is an expert in neuroscience and studied the data and evaluations from at least three other doctors.
For nearly four hours, Bigler went step-by-step through two separate reports conducted by two separate doctors. One was the defense expert from 2019 and the other is the prosecution’s expert which was more recent in the last month.
Bigler testifies that Bowers has a superior IQ but falls off lacking in several tests including memory and processing speed which he says are signs of schizophrenia.
But as he told the jury it is important to note there is no one test to confirm any one person has this disorder.
In the cross-examination by the prosecution, Eric Olshen repeatedly emphasized that Dr. Bigler never met Bowers and did not conduct any of this data himself.
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JEANNETTE, Pa. — Jeanette EMS announced that they will be shutting down Monday night after 63 years.
According to a Facebook post, the department will be ceasing operations at 7 p.m., citing poor reimbursement rates from insurance companies.
A plan is in place for neighboring services to provide ambulance coverage for the time being until a more solidified plan is put in place, the department said.
They continued on in the post to say:
“We are sadly not the first service to have this happen to us and we will unfortunately not be the last. We urge you, speak with your government representatives. Let them know that a plan needs to be formulated to save EMS services before it’s too late. The alarm has been sounding for years now and no changes have been made.
“For the residents, friends, visitors and everyone else in Jeannette, please know we appreciate everything you have done for us over the years. The donations, the cards, the treats. All of it has been appreciated. We ask that you please do the same for the services who will temporarily cover the city and, once named, the permanent provider for our great town.”
You can read the full announcement below:
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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PITTSBURGH — A man said his father could lose his eye after he was hit with a foul ball during a Pirates game.
It’s now how Dominick Caimano envisioned his parents’ visit to Pittsburgh ending — with his Dad in the hospital, and potentially losing his eye.
“We were just sitting and enjoying the game, and a foul ball hit my father in the eye,” Caimano said.
He said his dad was hit around 6:45 p.m. 11 News looked at the game video and could see a foul ball fly into the stands around that time.
“Nobody saw it. Nobody was raising their hand to try to catch it. I was sitting next to him, and I didn’t see it,” he said.
Caimano immediately tried to get help for his dad.
“I had to run out to the concession stand to get ice. They didn’t have anything to put it in, so I had to use my shirt,” he added.
The Pirates say Game Day Staff was on scene immediately, and the City of Pittsburgh EMS was there five minutes after being dispatched to give the man medical attention.
“He had to have surgery. He may lose his eye. It will take several weeks to find out if the surgery was successful or not,” he said.
According to PNC Park’s website, “Guests who require assistance at their location can find the nearest Game Day Team Member to have paramedics brought to their location.”
Plus, the Pirates say their staff and City EMS are well-trained to handle all types of incidents, including this one.
Caimano is just hoping his dad recovers.
“You shouldn’t have to lose an eye going to a baseball game,” he said.
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PITTSBURGH — Sheetz will celebrate the Fourth of July by offering all grades of gas for $1.776 a gallon.
This limited-time promotion will begin at 12:01 a.m. on July 4 and will last all day, or while promotional gallons last. The discounted price will apply to regular, E85 (flex fuel), Unleaded 88, mid-grade and premium fuel grades at all of Sheetz locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
It will not apply to diesel or Ethanol Free (E0) fuel.
The price commemorates the year 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Customers can check if their local Sheetz sells a particular grade through the Sheetz website.
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LIGONIER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Big questions remain after a deadly police-involved shooting in Westmoreland County on Sunday.
Ligonier Valley Police were initially called to the address for the report of a domestic disturbance at around 3:50 p.m.
The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said Robbie Thomas Saunders, 59, was armed with a machete when he aggressively approached officers from the front door of a home on Gravel Hill Road.
Saunders was shot once and died after being transported to Conemaugh Memorial Hospital in Johnstown.
But that man’s son, Jonathan Faidley, said there’s more to the story. He spoke exclusively with Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek Monday afternoon.
“I’m doing as well as you can expect to in a situation like this,” Faidley said. “It’s a situation I never thought I’d find myself in.”
Faidley, who served in the military, said it should have never gotten to the point where his father was shot and killed without more de-escalation.
“It seems like they opened the door, he had a machete, and they said he advanced so they shot,” Faidley said. “I’m sorry, I’m too well trained in stuff like this to know that this is not how it works. If I would have done this in a war zone, if I would have went straight to the escalation of shooting without a verbal warning, visual warning, and then tell them, I would have been brought up on UCMJ charges.”
Faidley said he was put into foster care as a kid.
He said his father should have been institutionalized years ago, saying had that happened, he would have never been shot and killed.
He said it stemmed from a mental health crisis -- something his dad dealt with often.
“If he was properly treated in an institution where he should have belonged, he would have never come to the door, wielding a machete, to be shot by police,” Faidley said.
Faidley said he spoke with detectives who say police used a Taser but did not use mace. Havranek asked the DA’s office but they could not elaborate any further as the investigation is ongoing.
Havranek also reached out to the Ligonier Valley Police Chief Monday afternoon. He declined to comment for this story. He told Channel 11 Sunday that he’s been employed at the department since 1993 and there hasn’t been an officer-involved shooting there in his time.
State police and Westmoreland County detectives are investigating and the DA will review the evidence and will determine if the use of deadly force was justified.
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HAMMOND — The U.S. Attorney is charging a man with the illegal possession of a machine gun he is accused of brandishing on social media.
Federal prosecutors allege Augustus Kyritz was armed with a Glock 29 semi-automatic pistol during a police traffic stop last spring.
They allege the pistol was equipped with a “Glock switch" that converted it into a machine gun.
U.S. District Court records show Kyritz appeared Monday with Crown Point defense attorney Michael A. Campbell before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Joshua P. Kolar.
The magistrate advised Kyritz of his constitutional right to a trial and any penalties he may face.
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The magistrate ordered Kyritz held in federal detention pending the outcome of a July 7 hearing on whether he can be freed on bond.
The government alleges it was illegal for Kyritz to possess this weapon because it hadn’t been registered with federal authorities, as required by the National Firearms Act.
Merrillville Police Operations Commander Nathaniel Dillahunty alleges in a federal court affidavit that Kyritz came to his attention through a video posted April 28 on Instagram.
The video allegedly featured Kyritz holding what appeared to be a firearm equipped with a device called an auto sear or Glock switch, which can convert a semi-automatic weapon into a machine gun.
Dillahunty alleges the man holding the gun is heard talking about how he had just beaten someone with his fists during a fight and that he also carries a gun.
Dillahunty said Lake County police stopped Kyritz the next day, April 29, for a traffic violation he committed while driving in the 600 block of West 58th Avenue in Merrillville.
Officers said they detected an odor of marijuana inside the car and found not only marijuana, but also a loaded Glock 29 during a search inside the vehicle.
The semi-automatic pistol was equipped with a purple Glock switch, like the one seen on the Instagram video featuring Kyritz, police said.
Police said Kyritz was jailed for two days, but then released after he refused to answer investigators’ questions about the gun.
Dillahunty alleges a test of the Glock 29 pistol and its auto sear showed the weapon fired automatically upon one pull of its trigger without a manual reload, making it a machine gun, as defined by law.
Dillahunty, who also works as a task force officer for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, further alleges a records check revealed the Kyritz does not have any such gun registered to him. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/feds-detain-a-local-man-accused-of-brandishing-a-machine-gun-on-social-media/article_d5cf61f0-19d1-11ee-a88c-87e15196396e.html | 2023-07-03T23:02:07 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/feds-detain-a-local-man-accused-of-brandishing-a-machine-gun-on-social-media/article_d5cf61f0-19d1-11ee-a88c-87e15196396e.html |
CROWN POINT — Lake Street Elementary will be receiving some new renovations and additions.
Last Monday, the Crown Point Community School Corp. Board of Trustees unanimously approved nearly $7 million to go towards the construction work.
The project includes adding a stage to the gymnasium, a STEM classroom and new preschool classrooms. In addition, the HVAC system, carpeting and flooring will be redone throughout the building, furniture will be replaced, and the building’s entrance and office area will be updated.
Superintendent Todd Terrill told trustees the project is being done to make Lake Street Elementary look “more like a Crown Point elementary school now than it currently does.”
According to the district’s chief financial officer, the total cost of the project is $1 million under the estimated budget.
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Crown Point Community School Corp. has been undergoing capital improvement projects in all of its schools since 2021, with the biggest project being the construction of a new Robert A. Taft Middle School.
Project manager Dion Katsouros told the board it is a “sprint” to complete construction at Taft Middle School but that every day there is more and more progress.
In the past weeks, furniture has been installed in the academic and administration wings, the turf and scoreboards have been installed on the football field, and painting has been completed in the auxiliary gym. In the next few weeks flooring and painting will be completed and furniture for the cafeteria is set to come in on July 10.
Construction of the new Robert A. Taft Middle School is slated to be completed in six weeks, just before classes start on Aug. 16. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/lake-street-elementary-receiving-renovations-construction-on-taft-middle-school-in-final-sprint/article_ba6d0b2c-19ce-11ee-bca6-2f4ef994065c.html | 2023-07-03T23:02:13 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/lake-street-elementary-receiving-renovations-construction-on-taft-middle-school-in-final-sprint/article_ba6d0b2c-19ce-11ee-bca6-2f4ef994065c.html |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — National Night Out is coming up on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
Each year, neighborhoods across Wichita host outdoor parties for National Night Out. The City of Wichita says it’s a good way to get to know your neighbors as well as members of the Wichita Police Department, Wichita Fire Department, and civic leaders who serve your area. Wichita officials say knowing your neighbors can promote safety and help prevent crime.
The deadline to complete registration in Wichita is July 18. The deadline allows time to reserve a city park or schedule city crews to set up barricades for your neighborhood party.
Registering your event also allows time for city leaders, police, and fire to schedule a time to visit your party. For more information or to register your party, click here. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-encouraging-registration-for-national-night-out/ | 2023-07-03T23:02:19 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-encouraging-registration-for-national-night-out/ |
Pulse Technology, an information technology, managed print services and office solutions firm with a major office in Merrillville, has rolled out an artificial intelligence technology to protect employers from phishing scams.
The company, the successor to McShane’s in Munster and Kramer Leonard in Chesterton, aims to help businesses protect themselves against cyberattacks in which hackers steal company data, passwords or credit card numbers with its new AI solution.
“Unfortunately, human error is a leading reason that a business is affected by cybercrime,” said Chip Miceli, CEO of Pulse Technology. “We’ve found that one of the fastest, most effective and easy-to-implement ways to minimize organizational risk significantly is to limit employee access to phishing emails in the first place.”
Many hackers have been targeting smaller businesses with little cybersecurity as larger companies have bulked up their cybersecurity infrastructure.
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“When you automatically filter out suspicious-looking emails from ever reaching your employees, you significantly reduce the possibility of human error," Miceli said. "One reason an AI-powered solution is so effective is that the app is constantly learning from the aggregate data, becoming smarter and more efficient every second that it is turned on. To understand how effective AI can be, think in terms of playing chess on your computer at either the 'Hard' or 'Expert; level. It’s almost impossible to beat the computer. That’s basically why AI can be effective in cybersecurity solutions.”
It's estimated 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses, only 14% of which can defend themselves, according to Accenture. Inc. estimates as many as 60% of victimized businesses targeted in phishing cyberattacks end up going out of business in six months.
“Phishing is the most common form of attack, but it also makes sense to ensure that your cybersecurity solution protects you from malware, data loss, anomalies, and other methods of cyberattack,” Miceli said. “We further advise customers to be sure that their defense system is one that is invisible to hackers. Add in as many layers of security as possible to increase the amount of friction a hacker must endure to breach your company. This increases the likelihood that a hacker would just look elsewhere for a weaker infrastructure to target.”
Pulse Technology dates back to 1955, serving clients across the Midwest.
For more information, call 847-879-6400 or visit pulsetechnology.com.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Mi Tierra closing after 22 years; La Carreta, Flako's Tacos, Wendy's, Bulldog Ale House, WhoaZone, The Love of Arts and Illinois Dermatology Institute opening
219 News Now 6/23/23
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Maple + Bacon, deli and Divalicious Desserts Bakery & Cafe opening | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/pulse-technology-rolls-out-new-ai-anti-phishing-technology/article_603d47ac-176c-11ee-a985-bf0b27a47f34.html | 2023-07-03T23:02:19 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/pulse-technology-rolls-out-new-ai-anti-phishing-technology/article_603d47ac-176c-11ee-a985-bf0b27a47f34.html |
Supporters of an initiative to create nonpartisan open primaries and establish ranked-choice voting announced Monday they intend to sue Attorney General Raúl Labrador over his ballot titles for the initiative.
The lawsuit will likely be filed within the next week.
Labrador’s office submitted ballot titles Friday for the proposed initiative, which would need nearly 63,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 18 of 35 districts to make it onto the November 2024 ballot.
Labrador had already provided a legal review of the initiative in which he contends it's unconstitutional, and in his cover letter proposing the ballot titles, he wrote that the office would litigate if it were to make the ballot.
The attorney general’s office proposed the title that would appear on the ballot as, “measure to (1) replace voter selection of party nominees with nonparty blanket primary; (2) require ranked-choice voting for general voting for general election.”
Idahoans for Open Primaries, which is a coalition of several groups who oppose the closed Republican primary, argued the proposed title makes false and misleading statements about the initiative.
For example, the title says ranked-choice voting would be required, but the proposal says the election method would be “allowed,” not required. Supporters also opposed the term “nonparty blanket primary,” calling it “an obscure term that is almost entirely absent from common usage.”
Idaho code requires the title must use “words by which the measure is commonly referred to or spoken of.”
Labrador has said the initiative does not meet the state law requiring initiatives to address a single subject. Supporters of the initiative say its single subject is elections.
Former attorney general Jim Jones, who has been a vocal critic of Labrador and supported his opponent in the previous election, is among the supporters of the Open Primaries Initiative. He disagreed with the office's legal analysis.
Jones said in a statement, “The Attorney General has made it clear that he intends to file legal action against the initiative on the ridiculous claim that it deals with more than one subject. That is a gross violation of his duty of impartiality. The titles he devised are treacherously designed to play into his false claim. Labrador’s legal analysis uses the wrong legal standards and it won’t hold up in court, but it will cost the taxpayers a bundle of money in attorneys’ fees for both sides.”
Labrador’s office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Although his office deemed the initiative proposal unconstitutional in his review, it was only advisory in nature and the coalition was given the green light Friday by Secretary of State Phil McGrane to start collecting signatures.
The supporters said they will ask the court to expedite its decision on the ballot titles when they file the lawsuit and will launch the signature drive once there is a ruling.
The coalition filed its ballot initiative in early May. Since then, more than 800 Idahoans from 72 different towns have signed up to volunteer in the effort, according to a press release.
Idahoans for Open Primaries have said the closed primary elections block independent voters from participating. It also would put in place ranked-choice voting, also known as instant runoff.
The Open Primaries Initiative would create a “top four” primary election. All candidates participate in the same primary election and the top four candidates advance to the general election. Voters then choose the winner in a general election with instant runoff voting, which gives voters the freedom to pick their top candidate and then to rank additional candidates in order of preference.
After the first choices of all ballots are counted, the candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated. Votes for the eliminated candidate would be counted toward the voters’ next choice — this process repeats until two candidates remain and the one with the most votes would win.
The Legislature this year passed a bill that would ban ranked choice or instant runoff voting, and if passed, the initiative would include a provision to repeal this ban.
“Instant runoff voting ensures that the winner enjoys support from a broad coalition of voters and not just a narrow faction,” the coalition said in a press release.
A spokesperson from the Idaho GOP previously called the initiative an “idiotic idea” and an “unfair and complex voting system.” | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/idahoans-for-open-primaries-coalition-to-file-lawsuit-over-attorney-generals-ballot-titles/article_f1803522-19d7-11ee-b1ef-0f9a7c777317.html | 2023-07-03T23:12:02 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/idahoans-for-open-primaries-coalition-to-file-lawsuit-over-attorney-generals-ballot-titles/article_f1803522-19d7-11ee-b1ef-0f9a7c777317.html |
Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff gives a quick statement about a stabbing occurring in Nampa in 2018. The city council agenda for July 5, 2023 shows an item to accept Huff's resignation and appoint Deputy Chief Curt Shankel as interim police chief.
Nampa Chief of Police Joe Huff will be retiring from his position on July 17.
The Nampa City Council agenda for Wednesday, July 5, includes an item for the council to accept Huff’s resignation and designate Deputy Chief Curt Shankel as the interim police chief.
Huff has served as the department’s chief since January 2016, according to the Nampa Police Department’s website. His informal career with the department began as a child when his father worked for the department and would bring Huff and his brother in to the station, Huff said in his resignation letter to the mayor and the council, included in the agenda packet for Wednesday's meeting.
Huff was hired as a police officer by the department at the age of 21, and spent his entire career with the department, including working for six years as a lieutenant prior to becoming chief, the site says.
Huff has "enjoyed every single shift," his letter said. Some of the goals when he became chief included significantly reducing violent crime rates and pursuing repeat criminal offenders.
"I am proud to say that these goals have been achieved, thanks to the hard work of police employees," Huff said in his letter. "There is no doubt that the Nampa Police Department is the top law enforcement agency in the State. The men and women who make-up Nampa Police are some of the best people I have ever known and it has been an honor to work alongside each and every one of them."
Shankel has worked for the department for nearly 25 years, according to the department website. Prior to becoming deputy chief in April, he served as a sergeant, school resource officer supervisor, and as a captain, the Nampa Police Department's website says. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/nampa-police-chief-to-retire/article_2d21743e-19d7-11ee-b57c-cf5c11171b05.html | 2023-07-03T23:12:08 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/nampa-police-chief-to-retire/article_2d21743e-19d7-11ee-b57c-cf5c11171b05.html |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health recently issued an alert after four cases of malaria, often spread through mosquitoes, were detected in Sarasota County.
Local leaders said the alert does not necessarily mean there will be a widespread outbreak, but people should take precautions.
Here’s what you need to know to keep your family safe this summer.
What is the safest and most effective choice for bug spray?
Miranda Tressler, the environmental program manager for Volusia County Mosquito Control, said you should wear EPA-approved repellents.
“You want to look for the active ingredients, DEET is one of them. Oil lemon eucalyptus is another one,” Tressler said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics said anyone over 2 months old can use DEET-based repellents with up to 30% concentration. Most DEET-based repellents start out at a concentration, with 5% that will last for about 90 minutes, so pick a spray that matches your activity.
“Read the directions. Sometimes they say to only apply in certain areas or put it on your hands and then apply it on your face. Sometimes there’s restrictions on the ages for the repellents,” Tressler said.
How can you protect your home from mosquitoes?
Watch for standing water.
“All you have to do is go around your yard at least once a week. We always say look up, down and all around because these things can be anywhere and dump (the water) out,” said Tressler, adding that some hidden mosquito breeding grounds include old tires, kiddie pools, potted plants, gutters and an over-watered lawn.
According to Tressler, domestic mosquitoes, found in containers around homes, are being collected at an increase of approximately 30%.
“This highlights the need for the public to assist by tipping and tossing standing water from items around their property,” Tressler said.
How often does mosquito spraying occur?
Most agencies plan their treatments based on surveillance data.
“We don’t spray on a schedule. We don’t spray every Tuesday just because it’s Tuesday. What we do is we collect data from the field every day,” Tressler said.
If you have a mosquito problem in your neighborhood, contact your local mosquito control.
Mosquito myths and facts
MYTH: Mosquitoes die after biting someone.
“Mosquitoes follow a life cycle just like a butterfly, except they do it mostly in water,” Tressler said.
FACT: Only female mosquitoes bite.
“Both male and female will eat nectar from flowers for energy, but only females are feeding on the blood,” Tressler said. “That is because the females need the blood for protein to lay the eggs.”
FACT: Not all mosquitoes are bad.
“There’s lots of different types of mosquitoes. Not all of them are bad,” Tressler said. “We monitor the types of species of mosquitoes and look at those trends over the year and then make treatment decisions when they hit our action thresholds.” | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/03/bite-back-how-to-protect-yourself-from-mosquitoes/ | 2023-07-03T23:13:19 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/03/bite-back-how-to-protect-yourself-from-mosquitoes/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The new budget that went into effect on July 1 in Florida includes record funding for mental health services, and industry experts are looking at ways to put that money to good use.
The budget includes $2.5 billion in funding for mental health and substance abuse programs, with the bulk of it being a Medicaid rate increase for behavioral health, the first increase in 20 years, benefiting the state’s more than 5 million Medicaid recipients.
“This will have an immediate impact on the Medicaid population to increase access and to ensure that there’s sustainability for the providers,” said Melanie Brown-Woofter, president and CEO of the Florida Behavioral Health Association. “So we are very, very excited to see that and that is a short-term and a long-term investment in the community.”
Some $400 million has also been earmarked for community mental health programs that are non-Medicaid related. That includes $126 million in recurring funding (meaning funds that will be consistently allocated every budget year) and $137.6 million in non-recurring funds for community-based services – services that benefit the state’s uninsured or underinsured population.
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Florida ranks 46th in the country for access to mental health care, according to Mental Health America. One factor in that ranking is the amount of state funding for mental health services. Mental health officials say until recently, Florida has consistently underfunded mental health services in the state.
“It’s not hard to say we’re bigger this year because we’ve never been big,” said Marni Stahlman, president of the Mental Health Association of Central Florida. “But (state lawmakers) certainly get a lot of credit for beefing it up and recognizing the work that needs to be done. "
The Mental Health Association got its first allocation in the state budget this year, a $175,000 grant for the group’s Outlook Clinic, a community mental health clinic that provides free services.
Stahlman said the money is being used to expand services to care for teens under 17.
“It’s the largest they’ve ever received, the first time a program will have an expansion of services in 12 years,” said Stahlman, who thanks State Rep. Susan Plascencia, R-Orlando and State Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, for their support.
Brown-Woofter also touts $90 million for community short-term housing and residential infrastructure, which she says is important since many buildings have not been renovated in a while.
“You know, in the pandemic, we did a lot of telehealth services, and now we’re seeing people want to come back in. So we’re seeing a mix of telehealth and in-person. And so we’ve got to keep our infrastructure safe so that individuals can come in and be seen,” Brown-Woofter said.
Funding is also being provided to expand beds in crisis units, support the mental health crisis hotline (988) and also provide money for telehealth programs for children in rural counties, helpful given the lack of mental health professionals around the state and in those counties in particular.
“We’ve seen an increase in demand, we’ve seen a decrease in the workforce,” Brown-Woofter said. “And so that together has really kind of put us at a tough situation. And so, you know, that’s one of the things that we’re working our way out of is to be able to provide that care timely, and to make sure that if you call, there’s someone there that can help you.”
As much as the budget boost from the state is welcome, both Stahlman and Brown-Woofter say there is still more to do.
Brown-Woofter said there is still a waiting list for mental health services in Florida. Stahlman said groups like the Mental Health Association of Central Florida help pick up the slack for people who do not have access to affordable mental health care because they don’t have insurance coverage, but the state can’t continue to rely on nonprofits.
“We continue to need to make these kinds of investments and continue to make the budget for it recurring and lift Florida out of the bottom five states,” Stahlman said.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/03/florida-budget-oks-largest-mental-health-funding-yet-but-more-to-do-experts-say/ | 2023-07-03T23:13:25 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/03/florida-budget-oks-largest-mental-health-funding-yet-but-more-to-do-experts-say/ |
MELBOURNE, Fla. – Kip Scarlett used to investigate arsons. Now, the former Melbourne Village police officer said he’s a victim of one after someone blew up his mailbox.
“The guy lit something, put it in the mailbox,” Scarlett said. “He stood there waiting for it to go off and it made this gigantic, freaking explosion. It was absolutely huge.”
Scarlett’s garage camera recorded someone lighting the fuse and running away around 11:55 p.m. on Saturday.
Scarlett said he was inside his house with his goldendoodle, and due to the holiday weekend, thought what they heard was just another firework.
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“When we got in the house, a real big one went off,” he said. “I looked over at her and she didn’t respond. She didn’t get scared, so I didn’t get scared. I didn’t go out and look.”
At least he didn’t look until Sunday morning, when Scarlett said what was left of his mailbox was still smoldering.
“I could smell it when I came out the next morning,” he said.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating.
Scarlett said he thinks he knows who did it and believes he may have been targeted because he worked in law enforcement.
Scarlett said he has no history with this person, though.
“I want everybody to see it,” he said of the destruction. “See what this guy’s capable of. An angry, vindictive person.”
Scarlett said he talked with deputies and postal service police, but USPS told him its leaving the investigation to the sheriff’s office.
We’ll update you if an arrest is made.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/03/watch-former-melbourne-village-police-officers-mailbox-destroyed-by-explosion/ | 2023-07-03T23:13:31 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/03/watch-former-melbourne-village-police-officers-mailbox-destroyed-by-explosion/ |
Federal judge declares mistrial in wrongful conviction lawsuit against former Detroit cop
Detroit — In a scathing ruling that chastised a Wayne County assistant prosecutor for being "obstinate, argumentative and garrulous," a federal judge last week declared a mistrial in a wrongful conviction lawsuit against a former Detroit homicide detective who is accused of withholding evidence in a murder because he feared a Mexican drug cartel would harm his family.
Alexandre Ansari served nearly five years in prison for the 2012 shooting death of 15-year-old Ilena Cuevas in southwest Detroit before an investigation by the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit in 2019 reportedly found problems with how former Detroit police homicide detective Moises Jimenez had handled the case.
Jimenez retired from the Detroit Police Department in 2021.
An assistant Wayne County prosecutor wrote in a Feb. 14, 2019, memo that Jimenez told county investigators that he had withheld evidence linking convicted drug dealer Jose Sandoval to the killings of Cuevas and a man who was gunned down four days after the teen, 28-year-old Tommy Edwards. The memo claimed Jimenez said he'd been reluctant to investigate Sandoval because the detective had family in Texas and Mexico, and feared they'd be harmed by the drug cartel.
Sandoval, who has not been charged in connection with either killing, was convicted in 2013 of cocaine and heroin distribution and is serving a 14-year federal prison sentence.
Ansari was released from prison in March 2019 after a judge granted the prosecutor's motion to vacate his murder conviction based on the CIU investigation. In March 2020, Ansari filed a lawsuit in federal court against Jimenez and the city, seeking an undisclosed sum.
After more than two years, the trial started June 20, but in his June 30 order granting a mistrial, U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy said: "Simply put, the trial suffers from too many issues that undermine its integrity to allow its continuance."
On June 28, Ansari's attorney Wolfgang Mueller called Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Erika Tusar to testify, and Murphy said she "was an extraordinarily difficult witness."
"Ms. Tusar was obstinate, argumentative and garrulous," the judge said in his 10-page ruling. "Nearly every answer she gave was unmoored from the question to which it responded. In fact, Ms. Tusar answered almost none of (defense attorney Krystal Crittendon's) clear, simple questions, and her answers obscured, rather than clarified the truth."
Murphy said in the ruling he "found it necessary to intervene" in the cross-examination so he could "promote efficiency of the trial process." The judge said he asked Tusar several times when she'd learned about an investigation into Sandoval, the cartel-connected drug dealer.
"When Ms. Tusar did not answer, the court warned her, 'You're not answering me ... you're telling me a bunch of stuff that's not relevant.'" The judge also accused Tusar of "obstructing the efforts of these lawyers to get the facts ... to these jurors."
The next day, Ansari's attorney Mueller filed a motion asking to have the case dismissed because the court had "put its thumb on the scale of credibility" by admonishing the plaintiff's witness in front of the jury.
"Defendant Jimenez also moved for a mistrial at exactly the same time because, he argued, defendant had received a great deal of negative media attention the day before he made the motion as a result of a separate, highly-publicized lawsuit against him," the judge said.
On June 28, attorneys for Kenneth Nixon announced they'd filed a federal lawsuit against Jimenez and other former Detroit police officers for allegedly manufacturing false evidence and suppressing exculpatory evidence during the investigation into a 2005 firebombing that killed 20-month-old Tamyah Vaughn and her 10-year-old brother, Raylon Vaughn. Nixon was convicted and spent 16 years in prison before he was released following a CIU investigation.
When Jimenez's attorneys last week filed for a mistrial in the Ansari lawsuit, they claimed the media attention given to the Nixon suit prevented Jimenez from getting a fair trial.
"One thing is clear: both parties unequivocally and without hesitation want the court to declare a mistrial in this case," the judge said. "The court must regretfully conclude that neither party wants the case resolved by litigation of the present jury trial."
Murphy granted both parties' motions for a mistrial, but warned that his docket is full, and that he wouldn't be able to re-hear the case until spring, 2024. The judge added that he would entertain requests to refer the case to federal Magistrate David Grand.
Ansari's attorney Mueller said Monday he plans to refile the lawsuit "hopefully before spring if we can get the magistrate to hear the case. The evidence is strong that Jimenez withheld evidence from the prosecutor's office and it cost Alexandre Ansari several years of his life."
Detroit Deputy Corporation Counsel Charles Raimi said in an email: "The opinion should be read carefully and it speaks for itself."
According to the prosecutor's memo and police investigator's report, the 2012 killings of Cuevas and Edwards were sparked by the theft of 3.5 kilograms of raw heroin that belonged to Sandoval, who was later convicted with five other members of a drug gang that operated in southwest Detroit.
Instead of investigating Sandoval prosecutors said Jimenez focused on Ansari.
After the Conviction Integrity Unit wrapped up its investigation into Ansari's innocence claim, prosecutors forwarded to Detroit police the memo in which it was alleged that Jimenez had confessed to ignoring evidence because he feared cartel retaliation.
An internal DPD investigation found that Jimenez had withheld evidence in the case, according to a January 2020 Detroit police investigator's report and warrant request that sought undisclosed charges against Jimenez. The request for charges was denied by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's Office.
"It has been shown through this investigation that Detective Jimenez willfully withheld information and potential evidence of both the Cuevas and Edwards homicides," the investigator's report said. "Based upon his interview with the (prosecutor's integrity unit), it appears Detective Jimenez purposefully withheld this much of the investigatory information to circumvent the complicity of Jose Sandoval to these murders."
But in March 2022, police reopened the investigation after DPD officials said they'd obtained new information that wasn't available during the earlier probe. Following a three-month investigation, DPD officials said they were unable to prove the prosecutor's allegations that Jimenez had hindered two murder investigations because he feared retaliation from a Mexican drug cartel.
The author of the memo accusing Jimenez of making the statement about the cartel said DPD never contacted her during their internal investigation.
Jimenez, who for years worked in homicide's "REDRUM" squad that investigated drug-related killings, filed a lawsuit in April, saying the claims by prosecutors that fear of the cartel had influenced him were "discriminatory and false allegations."
"(Prosecutors) would not have made similar false and discriminatory accusations towards a non-Hispanic individual or someone who did not have family in Mexico," the lawsuit said.
ghunter@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2134
Twitter: @GeorgeHunter_DN | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/07/03/federal-judge-declares-mistrial-in-wrongful-conviction-lawsuit-against-former-detroit-cop/70379479007/ | 2023-07-03T23:21:08 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/07/03/federal-judge-declares-mistrial-in-wrongful-conviction-lawsuit-against-former-detroit-cop/70379479007/ |
Oak Park guardian pleads guilty to 7 counts of voter fraud in 2020 election
A Metro Detroit guardian has been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a $3,500 fine for receiving payments to influence votes in the 2020 general election.
Nancy Williams pleaded guilty Thursday to seven counts of election fraud. In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors dropped 10 counts of providing a false statement on an absentee ballot, seven counts of forgery and eight counts of forging a signature on an absentee ballot application.
Investigators said Williams, who worked at Guardian and Associates in Oak Park, submitted applications for absentee ballots to nine city and township clerks on behalf of 26 legally incapacitated people under her care and had the ballots mailed directly to her.
She also allegedly submitted separate voter registration applications for each person without their knowledge or consent, according to court records.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Van Houten sentenced Williams to one year of probation and ordered her to pay a $3,500 fine.
She also is facing seven counts of election forgery and putting false statements on an absentee ballot application in Oakland County. That case remains pending in circuit court.
Officials said the state's Bureau of Elections became concerned about the issue in October 2020 when election administrators reported absentee ballot applications signed with an "X" with the request that the ballots be sent to an address for "Guardian and Associates in Oak Park."
kberg@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/07/03/oak-park-guardian-pleads-guilty-to-voter-fraud-in-2020-election/70380130007/ | 2023-07-03T23:21:14 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/07/03/oak-park-guardian-pleads-guilty-to-voter-fraud-in-2020-election/70380130007/ |
CARROLLTON, Miss. (WTVA) — A concerned citizen’s tip led to the arrests of two men in Carroll County.
Deputies arrested Jaquavious Swims, 21, of Greenwood, and Ladell Swims Jr., 25, of Grenada, on Sunday, July 2.
The citizen reportedly saw one of the men holding a rifle outside the window of a passing car in north Carrollton.
When deputies located the car, they found the barrel of a rifle in the backseat and arrested the 25-year-old driver and 21-year-old passenger, according to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
Jaquavious Swims was allegedly found with cocaine, Xanax pills, marijuana and a large amount of cash.
Deputies also found a stolen gun beneath the driver’s seat, according to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/duo-arrested-in-carroll-county-thanks-to-citizens-help/article_4e0fdbae-19e6-11ee-89dd-e3a9313b9153.html | 2023-07-03T23:30:37 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/duo-arrested-in-carroll-county-thanks-to-citizens-help/article_4e0fdbae-19e6-11ee-89dd-e3a9313b9153.html |
PITTSBORO, Miss. (WTVA) — Two adults face charges after a child tested positive for methamphetamine in Calhoun County.
Joseph Alford and Leslie Burks were booked into the Calhoun County jail on Saturday, July 1 on child abuse charges.
Child Protective Services called the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office after the child tested positive, Sheriff Greg Pollan said.
The child belongs to the pair. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/pair-charged-with-abuse-after-child-tested-positive-for-meth-in-calhoun-county/article_67215018-19ec-11ee-9c22-4f67f32d6341.html | 2023-07-03T23:30:43 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/pair-charged-with-abuse-after-child-tested-positive-for-meth-in-calhoun-county/article_67215018-19ec-11ee-9c22-4f67f32d6341.html |
OXFORD, Miss. (WTVA) — An ex-husband is accused of cyberstalking in Oxford.
Law enforcement officers arrested Brandon Beckerdite, 30, of Oxford, on June 27.
The victim claimed Beckerdite had made threats.
Beckerdite received a $10,000 bond.
OXFORD, Miss. (WTVA) — An ex-husband is accused of cyberstalking in Oxford.
Law enforcement officers arrested Brandon Beckerdite, 30, of Oxford, on June 27.
The victim claimed Beckerdite had made threats.
Beckerdite received a $10,000 bond. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/police-ex-husband-charged-with-cyberstalking-in-oxford/article_c0fdfa8e-19e0-11ee-94bd-f7e57d3b95af.html | 2023-07-03T23:30:49 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/police-ex-husband-charged-with-cyberstalking-in-oxford/article_c0fdfa8e-19e0-11ee-94bd-f7e57d3b95af.html |
OXFORD, Miss. (WTVA) — Two teenagers are accused of robbing a delivery driver in Oxford.
The robbery happened Tuesday night, June 27 in the vicinity of Eagle Point Loop.
Oxford Police arrested Larnerian Wyldon, 17, of Oxford, and an unnamed youth.
Wyldon will be tried as an adult, according to Police.
The second suspect will be tried in Lafayette County Youth Court. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/youths-arrested-in-oxford-after-robbery-of-delivery-driver/article_60f5e54e-19df-11ee-b957-cf3787e24097.html | 2023-07-03T23:30:55 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/youths-arrested-in-oxford-after-robbery-of-delivery-driver/article_60f5e54e-19df-11ee-b957-cf3787e24097.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Authorities have identified a man who fell to his death while hiking at Multnomah Falls over the weekend.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office says the hiker who died on Saturday was 41-year-old Gerardo Hernandez-Rodriguez.
Deputies interviewed witnesses who said that Hernandez was hiking on the trail beyond the Benson Bridge near the first switchback when he stumbled and fell down an embankment on Saturday afternoon around 1:30 p.m.
Rescue crews, including a firefighting team from Corbett to rappel from the trail, were brought in for the rescue effort; however, a sheriff’s deputy searching the base of the cliff found Hernandez, who did not survive the nearly 200 foot fall.
Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies say they believe alcohol impairment was a likely contributing factor in the fall.
No other details were immediately available.
Officials are urging hikers to be prepared when hiking this summer in the Columbia River Gorge and that it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and to watch where you step. | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/man-who-died-while-hiking-at-multnomah-falls-identified/ | 2023-07-03T23:33:42 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/man-who-died-while-hiking-at-multnomah-falls-identified/ |
MONTGOMERY, WV (WOWK) – Lazendra Smith says both her parents passed away in the last four years, yet their gravestone is still not done yet.
She was a client with Naylor Monument Memorial Services in Clendenin, West Virginia. She says after her father passed away in December 2021, she had to wait eight months for her father’s name to be added beside her mother on their gravestone in Montgomery. After eight months of waiting, her father’s name was engraved in August 2022.
Smith noticed her father’s passing date was in a bigger size than the rest of the headstone, and did not match. When she asked the cemetery to fix this, they told her that the headstone could not be repaired without damaging the integrity of the headstone.
After hearing this, Smith demanded to be refunded and take her business elsewhere, to which Naylor allegedly refused.
Smith says she paid over $4,000 for the original headstone, and an additional $500 for her father to be engraved later.
Smith is just one of at least three buyers who claim to have had similar issues of waiting months for headstone engraving, or wanting refunds for insufficient service. These three buyers are listed in a complaint of a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Patrick Morrisey against Naylor.
Even after a year and a half since her father passed, Smith says her family’s headstone is still not done, and she’s tired of waiting.
“Their resting place is not finished, and my dad fought for this country!” Smith said. “He deserves better than this!”
Smith adds that going forward, she and other family members will explore different routes when the time comes to consider buying a headstone of their own.
“I have and lots of people have decided that we’re not even going to have burial plots when we die. We’re just going to be cremated so our loved ones and family members don’t have to deal with this nonsense.”
Glenn Naylor is the owner of Naylor Monument Memorial Services, he has not responded to a request for comment from 13 News. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/family-connected-to-gravestone-manufacturer-lawsuit-speaks-out/ | 2023-07-03T23:37:49 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/family-connected-to-gravestone-manufacturer-lawsuit-speaks-out/ |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/yosemite-sam-goes-to-the-slam-philly-da-raps-an-anti-celebratory-gunfire-message/3597524/ | 2023-07-03T23:38:49 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/yosemite-sam-goes-to-the-slam-philly-da-raps-an-anti-celebratory-gunfire-message/3597524/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Birmingham City Council President Pro Tem Crystal Smitherman is encouraging locals to visit an immersive weekend celebration of National Crown Day.
The Birmingham Museum of Art will be hosting the event in collaboration with interculturalist & naturalist Bettina Byrd-Giles. There will be insightful panel discussions, performances and activities that highlight the significance of natural hair as an expression of cultural identity and pride.
The two-day celebration will kick off on July 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with an evocative performance titled “Kinks & Curls,” delivered by the Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Collective.
The Crown Fest will take place on July 9 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and offers a wide range of activities. Embark on a museum-wide scavenger hunt featuring natural hairstyles or engage with Crown Campaign Alabama’s activations, including meet-and-greets with stylists and barbers of LaShawn Hill’s Natural Elements Salon and art activities.
In 2020, Smitherman spearheaded an effort to pass a resolution in observation of National Crown Day in Birmingham to be held on July 3rd. In 2022 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the C.R.O.W.N. Act to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools.
“As a woman of color, I’ve worn my natural hair for a majority of my life,” Councilor Crystal Smitherman stated via a press release. “I’m encouraged by the progress we’ve made, but there is still a long way to go for all women and men of color to be protected by the law from discrimination. National Crown Day is something to celebrate and I’m so proud to continue to work alongside the C.R.O.W.N. Campaign.”
The first C.R.O.W.N. Act was adopted in California in July 2019. Since then, similar statutes have been passed by 20 states and 30 cities, including Birmingham.
To register and learn more information about Crown Fest, visit the Birmingham Museum of Art’s event page by clicking here. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/birmingham-city-council-president-pro-tem-encourages-residents-to-attend-upcoming-crown-fest/ | 2023-07-03T23:48:07 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/birmingham-city-council-president-pro-tem-encourages-residents-to-attend-upcoming-crown-fest/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) – The Dallas Zoo has been keeping a surprise that surely has blown up like fireworks on the Fourth of July.
The zoo announced the birth of two of its newest family members. A baby colobus monkey and a Flamingo.
HI, BABY: Introducing the newest addition to our colobus monkey family – an adorable baby GIRL! This little one was born on June 19 to the proud second-time parents, Pili and Kuruka.
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) July 3, 2023
📸: Zoologist Taylor D. pic.twitter.com/XPR3dSZcJI
According to its Twitter post, The baby monkey was born on June 19 to proud parents, Pili and Kurka. The new addition doesn’t have a name yet.
The zoo also introduced its first flamingo chick of the season. Both babies will be making their public appearances at the Dallas Zoo very soon.
Look who’s here! Our first flamingo chick of the season has arrived! 😍 Keep your eyes peeled for this cute ball of fluff in the Flamingo Pond on your next visit. pic.twitter.com/P8yg2j4xmp
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) July 1, 2023 | https://cw33.com/news/local/a-fourth-of-july-surprise-dallas-zoo-introduces-two-new-animals-to-their-family/ | 2023-07-03T23:48:20 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/a-fourth-of-july-surprise-dallas-zoo-introduces-two-new-animals-to-their-family/ |
TOWSON, Md. — She's the new person in charge of your kids education.
On Monday, she's sharing her goals as a superintendent.
RELATED: Dr. Myriam Yarbrough selected as next BCPS superintendent
Dr. Miriam Yarbrough got the role in Baltimore County last month.
She had been the deputy superintendent since 2021.
She got the top role after Dr. Darryl Williams stepped down.
READ MORE: Baltimore County school board approves new superintendent contract for $310,000
At a news conference on Monday, she said a major focus is getting feedback quickly from teachers on what is and isn't working.
"When we see an opportunity for growth, or when we see a misstep that we're going back in to correct in the classroom, that next week, we're not waiting for the next group of students. We're not waiting for next year. But we are really working in lockstep school, central officers and families to make sure that our students are progressing," Yarbrough said.
Yarbrough did not share any speficics on how feedback will be increased, or how she'll work to improve grades.
She did say those details would come out in the coming weeks. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/dr-myriam-yarbrough-shares-her-goals-as-new-bcps-superintendent | 2023-07-03T23:52:08 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/dr-myriam-yarbrough-shares-her-goals-as-new-bcps-superintendent |
ROME, N.Y. -- Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-C-Rome) wants more proactive and bilateral action to address air quality due to the Canadian wildfires.
Griffo addressed this issue just a day before Independence Day, when many gather outside to celebrate the country's birthday.
In a letter sent to President Joe Biden, Griffo expressed the need for the Canadian and US governments to work together to resolve the wildfires and better protect the health of the public.
"We need to have a direct communication and engagement from the president of the United States to the prime minister of Canada," Sen. Griffo said, "to say this is a significant, not only environmental, but health issue and economic issue, and what can we do to work with you to help put this away," he said.
Here's the letter Griffo sent to the president:
July 3, 2023
President Joseph Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
I am writing regarding the persistent smoke from the Canadian wildfires that has affected many Americans and caused widespread inconveniences and disruptions in communities across the nation.
Families and friends have gathered or will be gathering to celebrate the independence of our great nation. During this celebration, outdoor picnics, barbecues and gatherings will be commonplace. Unfortunately, in New York, like in other parts of the country, residents are once again advised to limit outdoor activities and recreational opportunities due to poor and potentially harmful air quality.
While I recognize that we have no control over when natural disasters may occur, I am urging your administration to continue to work bilaterally with the Canadian government to further address these wildfires. Simply advising people to stay indoors and to limit their time outside is not enough. Further action is needed that will finally resolve this issue, better protect the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, Americans and Canadians and allow for recreational activities and outdoor events to take place safely this summer."
I thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Joseph A. Griffo
New York State Senator, 53rd Senate District | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/senator-griffo-urging-federal-government-to-take-action-with-air-quality-due-to-candian-wildfires/article_7e7f272c-19d7-11ee-b118-473d78f64f46.html | 2023-07-03T23:55:32 | 0 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/senator-griffo-urging-federal-government-to-take-action-with-air-quality-due-to-candian-wildfires/article_7e7f272c-19d7-11ee-b118-473d78f64f46.html |
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) -- The New York State Department of Environmental Conversation is considering regulatory changes when it comes to the management of end-of-life solar panels.
The State DEC wants to gather more information about the current management practices used by the solar industry.
They say that results from the survey will assist in rulemaking efforts "to create more streamlined standards" for the management of spent solar panels.
"Survey questions include types of solar panels and components being managed, storage and packaging of end-of-life solar panels, transportation of end-of-life solar panels, management of solar panels at recycling and/or disposal facilities, and components derived from recycling of solar panels," a release states.
If you're interested in giving your feedback, the DEC invites you to fill out a solar panel survey here. The survey closes Wednesday, July 12, 2023. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/state-dec-seeks-feedback-on-the-solar-industry/article_1a51fbd0-19be-11ee-a4d9-f7bb87448e4d.html | 2023-07-03T23:55:38 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/state-dec-seeks-feedback-on-the-solar-industry/article_1a51fbd0-19be-11ee-a4d9-f7bb87448e4d.html |
DULUTH — A former Superior gymnastics coach is expected to spend at least 20 years in prison for sexually abusing six girls.
A plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court last week outlines the terms of an global settlement between George Francis Deppa, 49, and prosecutors in three jurisdictions.
Deppa on June 26 pleaded guilty in federal court in St. Paul to production of child pornography — the first in an anticipated series of plea hearings that will also resolve five sexual assault cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin state courts.
The pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum of 30 years. However, the agreement stipulates that the parties will recommend between 20 and 25 years when Deppa appears for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Middlecamp also agreed to recommend that the term run concurrent, rather than consecutive, to any state court sentences.
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While judges often sentence in accordance with plea agreements, Menendez is not strictly bound by the accord. Neither Deppa nor federal prosecutors would be allowed to withdraw from the agreement if she departs from the advisory recommendations.
In entering the plea, Deppa acknowledged taking photographs while coercing a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual conduct in May 2008. He is charged in State District Court in Duluth with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly subjecting the same victim to "extreme inhumane conditions" — routinely drugging the girl before molesting or raping her — from the approximate ages of 8-16.
Two other girls also came forward to testify that Deppa provided them with pills before touching their genital areas in Minnesota — one who was 13 or 14 at the time, and another who was 17, according to documents filed in those cases.
In Douglas County Circuit Court, he was first charged in May 2021 with sexually touching two teenage students and trying to "make out" with them while they were out for rides in his boat and during sleepovers at his Superior home, according to a criminal complaint.
Another case was filed weeks later in Wisconsin alleging that Deppa sexually touched a third girl during a private coaching session. That victim reported the incident to her parents after seeing news coverage of Deppa's arrest.
Deppa was formerly a coach at Twin Ports gymnastics in Superior.
Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Jon Holets said he would dismiss the most serious case in Minnesota — the one involving the same victim as the federal pornography matter — as long as Deppa receives a sentence in the recommended range of 20-25 years. The defendant would plead guilty to second- and fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct in the other cases and receive sentences concurrent to the other cases.
In Wisconsin, the offer from Douglas County District Attorney Mark Fruehauf will require Deppa to plead guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child and one count of exposing genitals. Mirroring the federal agreement, the state would seek a maximum of 25 years in prison, with the defense seeking no less than 20 years.
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The Wisconsin sentence, however, could result in more actual prison time, as the state's "truth in sentencing" approach requires the full term to be served, followed by a period of extended supervision specified by the judge. Federal inmates, meanwhile, typically only serve about 85% of their prison terms.
The global agreement stipulates that Deppa, once released from prison, would be subject to lifetime supervision and sex offender registration. He would also be expected to pay at least $35,000 in restitution to the victim in the federal case and at least $3,000 to each of the other five victims.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled in federal court and it's not clear how soon Deppa may enter the pleas in state courts. He's next scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference in Douglas County on July 17. He has not yet been arraigned on any of the cases in Minnesota.
Deppa remains in federal custody at the Sherburne County Jail in Elk River, Minnesota. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/superior-gymnastics-coach-expected-to-serve-at-least-20-years | 2023-07-03T23:56:00 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/superior-gymnastics-coach-expected-to-serve-at-least-20-years |
Vacations, backyard barbecues, and beach days are just some of the sweet things about the summertime. The not-so-sweet? The bugs that come along, too.
Insect repellent is a great way to battle against buzzing mosquitoes, itchy bites, and creepy ticks. Here are some tips to help you decide which one is the best for you.
How does sticking your arm in a cage filled with hundreds of hungry mosquitos sound? That’s exactly what Consumer Reports has brave volunteers do.
A standard dose of repellent is applied to the test subjects’ arms.
After 30 minutes, they stick their arms into cages of 200 disease-free mosquitoes for five minutes and testers count every time a mosquito lands on their arm or bites.
The process is then repeated until the repellent fails or until 8 hours have passed.
“A repellent fails our test if a mosquito bites twice in one 5-minute session. Or if there’s one bite in each of two consecutive 5-minute sessions,” Catherine Roberts, with CR said.
While the mosquitoes in these tests are disease free, the ones you’ll encounter might not be.
“Mosquitoes and ticks can spread serious bug-borne diseases like Lyme disease and west nile virus, and using an effective insect repellent is one really good way of reducing your risk of contracting those diseases,” she said.
The key word there is “effective.”
CR’s tests found that many of the most effective repellents in fighting against mosquitoes and ticks contained 25 to 30 percent deet as its active ingredient.
Two repellents CR recommends: 3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent, and Ben’s Tick and Insect Repellent Wilderness Formula Pump. Both excelled in protection.
Properly applying the repellent is just as important as the kind you use.
Follow the directions on the label, and use a thin coat on all exposed skin.
You can also spray on top of your clothes but don’t apply it under your clothing.
If you’re wary of deet, CR’s tests found some repellents that contain 20 percent picaridin or 30 percent oil of lemon eucalyptus were effective as well. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/best-bug-sprays-for-summer-consumer-reports/ | 2023-07-03T23:56:00 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/best-bug-sprays-for-summer-consumer-reports/ |
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The Fourth of July celebrations continue in the NRV!
If you’re looking for a spot for the whole family to have fun, you might want to head to Downtown Christiansburg.
Starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, the town’s parks and recreation will have live music, food trucks, arts and crafts, and a kid zone.
“We’ve always tried to stay traditional with July the Fourth and we’re looking forward to it hopefully folks will be off from work and will be able to come and enjoy the activities with their family and friends and put a smile on everyone’s faces,” Brad Epperley, Director of Christiansburg Parks and Recreation said.
He says fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. near the new Huckleberry Park. You can see them from the Uptown Mall or Walmart parking lot.
See where else you can watch fireworks across the region here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/fourth-of-july-festivities-planned-in-christiansburg/ | 2023-07-03T23:56:06 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/fourth-of-july-festivities-planned-in-christiansburg/ |
RADFORD, Va. – Starting this month, fake 911 calls are now considered a class one misdemeanor under Virginia Law.
This hits close to home for Radford University after they were the victim of a swatting call.
Emergency services were dispatched for what they thought was an active shooter.
The call ended up being fake, but Radford University Police say these calls have serious effects.
“These things are often resource intensive and usually involve multiple jurisdictions or agencies just because of the type of issue that’s being called into law enforcement. So we have an obligation to respond to that particular call,” RUPD Chief Eric Plummer said.
Prank callers can face more serious charges, like a class five felony if the call results in injury or death. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/prank-911-callers-face-charges-under-new-virginia-law/ | 2023-07-03T23:56:13 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/prank-911-callers-face-charges-under-new-virginia-law/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – The City of Roanoke is looking at ways to revitalize the Gainsboro neighborhood.
The area is known for its deep-rooted African American history, which was decimated in the 1950s because of urban renewal.
Now, city leaders are trying to find ways to bring the area back to life while remembering its past.
On Monday, Roanoke City Council got a first look at a concept plan which would focus on three areas, Henry Street, Jefferson Street, and the area around the former Claytor Clinic.
The plan looks at ways to create more community spaces, address affordable housing needs, and recreate a vibrant business district, like the area saw in the early 1900s.
“As you all know, Henry Street is really the economic epicenter of the African American community and really a cultural hot spot, nationally. They want to revive the economic epicenter,” said Assistant City Manager, Wayne Leftwich.
City leaders like Mayor Sherman Lea hope to hear from Gainsboro residents so they don’t feel as though these plans will be repeating history.
“We want to dissolve that thought. This is a move we are making an impact there and the citizens know we are aware of what happened in the past but right now we have some exciting things that are going to take place in the future,” said Mayor Lea.
City leaders want to remind people this is only a concept plan and there are many steps before final plans will be approved and construction will begin.
“It’s a work in progress and we want the citizens to be engaged to share with us their thoughts,” said Mayor Lea.
A public hearing for the concept plan will be held at the next Roanoke City Council meeting scheduled for Monday, July 17. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/roanoke-leaders-get-first-look-at-concept-plan-for-gainsboro-neighborhood/ | 2023-07-03T23:56:19 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/roanoke-leaders-get-first-look-at-concept-plan-for-gainsboro-neighborhood/ |
SALEM, Va. – The Salem Fair continues this week with special plans to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The fair is open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.
On Independence Day, there will be a fireworks show beginning at 9:30 p.m.
So far, officials say attendance is up compared to last year.
“Plenty of food to eat, rides, games, wonderful entertainment with the new butterfly show, otters,” said Salem Fair Manager, Carey Harveycutter.
A reminder to fair-goers, a clear bag policy is in effect this year.
That means no backpacks, purses, or diaper bags, only clear bags, and small wallets. To read the full policy, click here.
Share your fair fun with us on Pin It! See how you can be featured on TV here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/salem-fair-sees-success-over-first-weekend-looks-forward-to-fourth-of-july-celebration/ | 2023-07-03T23:56:25 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/03/salem-fair-sees-success-over-first-weekend-looks-forward-to-fourth-of-july-celebration/ |
BELFAST -- An update on the legal battle between Nordic Aquafarms INC and a number of conservation advocates along with local land owners.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled in one of the many court actions related to that ongoing land dispute.
As we previously reported back in February Maine's highest court deemed Jeffrey Mabee and Judith Grace the true owners of a stretch of inter-tidal land that was previously promised to Nordic Aquafarms to build piping for an Aquafarm project.
On June 29th Maine's Supreme Judicial Court decided that the Board of Environmental Protections and the Bureau of Parks and Lands should determine the impact of the courts February land ownership ruling in relation to the previously approved title permits.
Now attorney Kim Ervin Tucker is arguing that the prior building permits approved for Nordic Aquafarms should be invalidated since the court has deemed her clients the true landowners.
"It's a basic premise in our country that a multinational foreign operation can't go in and take someone's land with or without the assistance of a municipality in this state to use for its own private use,” according to Tucker.
A city official previously stated that Nordic Aquafarms gained the city of Belfast's support due to the predicted economic growth they say the project would bring to the area as well as tax relief to residents.
We reached out to a spokesperson from the city to learn where they stand in the ongoing legal case and are awaiting their response. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/aquafarms-legal-battle-continues-following-maines-highest-courts-recent-ruling/article_9f0886d8-19ef-11ee-a33c-ffa2aca0c844.html | 2023-07-03T23:56:38 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/aquafarms-legal-battle-continues-following-maines-highest-courts-recent-ruling/article_9f0886d8-19ef-11ee-a33c-ffa2aca0c844.html |
BELFAST -- The number of food trucks in Belfast have gone down this year for a large number of reasons.
With popular favorites like Jamaican Grille or Stone Fox Creamery either moving or shutting their doors all together.
The food trucks that remain are working even harder and adjusting their approach.
At the beginning of the pandemic, food trucks found their way to Belfast. An open air offering that made it easier to drop your mask.
But now, with restrictions being lifted, food trucks are having to find different ways to bring in customers.
Must Be Nice Lobster was a food truck until this year when they moved into a brick and mortar location on the corner of Cross Street and Federal Street.
One reason for this was the price of rent to have a food truck in one of their designated locations.
Although this change has worked thus far, that doesn't mean it didn't come with any challenges.
One of the challenges according to Must Be Nice Lobster employee Mia, "Advertising and people trying to find us, I feel like it's easy to find a food truck. It's right there, it's usually right in the open, you can see it really well. Down here we're tucked in and it's hard to find."
Other problems food trucks in Belfast are facing are just getting food delivered, not to mention the rising food costs for the trucks and consumers, the price and hassle of obtaining a permit, and weather plays a part as well.
With food trucks like Jamaican Grille and Stone Fox Creamery leaving, one local owner says there's one way people could come back to the food trucks. More public parking.
"They could certainly make it more friendly for people to park food trucks in the downtown area or at least even in the other city areas to draw more of a crowd," said Co-Owner of JC's On-A-Roll Jen Stewart. "Food truck life is not for the faint at heart. There's a lot of work, I think it's a lot more work then people realize goes into it. I mean, it's a commercial kitchen on wheels."
Despite the many hurdles to climb and challenges to face, food trucks that are still here in Belfast hope that their form of business is here to stay. Not only for themselves, but for the people who enjoy it. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/belfast-food-trucks-are-facing-challenges-with-rising-prices-and-awful-weather/article_6a13a4e2-19ec-11ee-b757-efe31bb9ef14.html | 2023-07-03T23:56:44 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/belfast-food-trucks-are-facing-challenges-with-rising-prices-and-awful-weather/article_6a13a4e2-19ec-11ee-b757-efe31bb9ef14.html |
COLUMBIA FALLS -- The crew at the Friendship Trap Company on the side of Highway 1 in Columbia Falls have made what they say is the world's largest lobster trap.
"We just thought it would be neat something for people to stop and take pictures with and just to say we have the worlds largest lobster trap," said Branch Manager Jim Emerson.
He worked on the trap for nearly three days with members of their team and his son Brady.
"I helped a little bit with passing parts but I'm not allowed to use the air tools and I did a little bit of spray painting," said Brady Emerson.
They usually build standard traps, but wanted to try to break records with this one.
"It's 15 foot by 6 foot by 45 inches.....We built a big trap quite a few years ago when my father was still here and me and Bj decided we wanted to build one even bigger and hopefully set the world record," said Emerson.
Everything is custom made and is three times bigger than the size of a standard five foot trap.
"Well all the employees chipped in someway I mean Danni and the girls in the headroom made the heads and me and Bj built it he designed the vents and the box so a lot of employees pitched in helping with it," said Emerson.
They plan to take the trap to the East Port and Machias fourth of July parades and encourage anybody to stop by to check out what they say is history in the making.
More information can be found on their Facebook page. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/columbia-falls-company-say-they-have-made-the-worlds-largest-lobster-trap/article_63ea9552-19ed-11ee-810b-7f9d049fecee.html | 2023-07-03T23:56:50 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/columbia-falls-company-say-they-have-made-the-worlds-largest-lobster-trap/article_63ea9552-19ed-11ee-810b-7f9d049fecee.html |
BUCKSPORT -- Bucksport has recently launched a pilot program to support qualifying seniors living independently in their homes.
"We want Bucksport to be a community that people can live in from birth to death. Our seniors have additional needs as they age,” said Susan Lessard, Bucksport town manager.
Senior Safety and Accessibility Home Repair is a three part partnership that includes several collaborative components.
Bucksport Bay Healthy Community Coalition will review residents eligibility, which includes residency and income requirements.
The town of Bucksport will handle funding as the town council has approved $15,000 in ARPA funds to purchase materials.
Finally, Hancock County Habitat for Humanity will assist by finding volunteer contractors.
"We're so grateful that so many resources came together to make this happen. We want to serve at least 20 projects within the next year,” said Vanessa Newman, consultant for Bucksport Bay Healthy Community Coalition. “This is the pilot program so the more people that are excited about it the more we can continue it."
The project will also work as a gateway for additional resources available to aid seniors such as identifying food insecure residents, medical access, virtual classes and more.
"It's so important for safety because quality of life and how you feel about your life really impacts your overall health and we're all about public health and safety,” said Newman.
If you're interested in applying for the Senior Safety & Accessibility Home Repair Program you can visit here..
If you're a contractor interested in volunteering your time and labor to make this project happen contact Hancock County Habitat for Humanity. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/town-launches-pilot-program-to-support-senior-residents/article_a3326ed2-19ee-11ee-a832-e703eec06e8a.html | 2023-07-03T23:56:56 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/town-launches-pilot-program-to-support-senior-residents/article_a3326ed2-19ee-11ee-a832-e703eec06e8a.html |
AUSTIN, Texas — The Travis County Sheriff's Office, along with Lake Travis Fire and Rescue and the Pedernales Fire Department are on the scene of a water recovery effort in Lake Travis on Monday afternoon.
Officials with Travis County ESD 1 said around 2 p.m., callers reported seeing an 8-year-old boy fall off a boat into the water near the 7500 block of Desert Needle Drive in Travis County. Witnesses said the child was not wearing a life jacket.
STAR Flight was called to help with the search. After around 40 minutes, the search transitioned to recovery mode. The TCSO is leading the response.
The boy was reportedly last seen near Cow Creek west of Lago Vista, the TCSO said. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/water-rescue-lake-travis/269-878b3ab5-fa96-4dd4-83bc-9f8b9f740b4d | 2023-07-04T00:00:08 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/water-rescue-lake-travis/269-878b3ab5-fa96-4dd4-83bc-9f8b9f740b4d |
AUSTIN, Texas — Jonathan Chen craves the calm of the waters when he is kayaking at Lake Austin.
"It's about slowing down. No one's in a hurry kayaking, but then you're just down close to the water, you can feel it with your hands as you glide over top," Chen said.
But he is also thinking about something else that is free floating in the water: the zebra mussels. They are an invasive species that spread between lakes, primarily by boat. They are sharp and can cut people's feet.
"We just keep our footwear on anytime we're walking in the water," Chen said.
Steps like these are great to protect yourself from zebra mussels, but Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Senior Scientist for Aquatic Invasive Species Monica McGarrity said we also need to prevent zebra mussels from spreading to other bodies of water. Once they are inside, there's not much that can be done to eradicate them. Over time, the Highland Lakes have seen high populations of these.
"For anybody who has a boat, whether it's motorized or non-motorized like a kayak, you can take steps to clean, drain and drive. So remove any plant material," McGarrity said. "Remove any mud or organisms, drain all of the water out of the boat or kayak and then let everything dry completely when you do get home."
Lake Travis and Lake Austin are drinking water sources for the city, so any time there are zebra mussels in a body of water, there is a chance they could infest the systems and give our drinking water a foul taste and smell.
"We all share this ecosystem and we're all trying to enjoy it the best way we can," Chen said.
It's protecting this waterway the way Chen would protect Mother Nature. For more information on zebra mussel mitigation, click here. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/zebra-mussels-lake-travis/269-2cd64e90-60ac-4983-b555-354023f7967e | 2023-07-04T00:00:14 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/zebra-mussels-lake-travis/269-2cd64e90-60ac-4983-b555-354023f7967e |
On July 3, 2023, Mayor Michael Collins spoke in Margate as a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat .
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, (l-r) Joseph and Deserie Downey, residents of Washington Twp. and Chelsea Heights, attended a plaque dedication to their grandfather and father, Jerry Blavat, in front of his Memories in Margate
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, Karen O'Hara of Avalon looks at a plaque placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, Paul Auday, a seasonal resident of Ventnor, takes a picture of a plaque placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, Kathleen Mitnick of Margate and her dog Honey came to see the plaque placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, Event organizer and Margate resident Jim Richciotti and fund raiser and Ventnor resident Frank Gitto, stand in front of Memories in Margate where a plaque was placed to honor the memory of Jerry Blavat.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, in Margate Carol Tamburino holds up a collection of Jerry Blavat Cd's she brought to his plaque dedication in front of Memories in Margate.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, in Margate a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat with a large crowd in attendance followed by a party thrown by his family in his honor.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, in Margate a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat with a large crowd in attendance followed by a party thrown by his family in his honor.
Matthew Strabuk
On July 3, 2023, in Margate a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat with a large crowd in attendance followed by a party thrown by his family in his honor.
MARGATE — The late, iconic disc jockey and club owner Jerry Blavat was honored Monday by the shore town where he owned a nightclub and helped generations of young people celebrate summer through rock 'n' roll music.
On Monday evening — which would have been Blavat's 83rd birthday — Mayor Michael Collins dedicated a plaque in Blavat's honor at North Madison and Amherst avenues, just outside Memories in Margate.
It's the now-closed club Blavat owned for decades, and which the family reopened this weekend for special events, including a dance party in Blavat's honor Monday.
Blavat's partner Keeley Stahl has said the club is up for sale.
But on Monday it was full of Blavat's former employees and fans.
"I've been following Jerry since I was 15," said Darlene Petrarca, 68, of Hainesport, Burlington County. She made a day trip to see the plaque.
"I saw him on Dick Clark and his Discophonic Scene (TV show)," she said of the 1960s music show on a Philadelphia station. "He always made you happy, he always made you welcome. ... He was an uplifting guy."
The plaque, which is installed in the sidewalk, says "Memories 1972-2022, Dance Club of Legendary Jerry Blavat, The Geator with the Heater, The Boss with the Sauce."
The line of mourners at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul stretched around the bl…
"He was all about his fans, friends, family and the music," said grandson Joseph Downey, of Washington Township. "We'll always have that."
"My dad loved all of you," said Desiree Downey, Joseph's mom and the youngest of Blavat's four daughters. She is now living in Chelsea Heights in Atlantic City, she said.
Kathleen Mitnick, of Margate, said she used to hang out at Memories in the 1980s when she worked at another Margate bar called Maloney's, which is now gone.
"We'd finish our shifts and come here," Mitnick said. "He was always letting people up on stage. ... He always got people to participate. You'd go in in a bad mood and come out in a good mood."
Jim Ricciotti, of Margate, was a bartender at Memories for 23 years, and organized the tribute.
"I saw people today I haven't seen in 35 years," he said of the turnout in Blavat's honor.
The plaque was donated by Frank Gitto, an electrical company owner and former bouncer at Memories.
"He called every day," Gitto said. "He cared about everybody."
Some loyal patrons loved Jerry Blavat’s Jersey Shore nightclub so much, they supposedly boug…
Anita DeFrancesco, of South Philadelphia, said she dated one of Blavat's early DJs, John Dougherty, back when Blavat was starting the club in the 1970s with his parents, Lou and Lucy.
"His father worked the door, and his mother scrubbed floors," DeFrancesco said.
She credits Blavat's dad with encouraging her to go to college and become a dance therapist.
Last week, Philadelphia named a portion of Broad Street between South and Lombard streets "Jerry Blavat Way."
Blavat helped make many musical groups household names, including the Four Seasons and the Isley Brothers.
He died in January at 82 of complications from myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune disorder. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscles, weakening skeletal muscles.
GALLERY: Jerry Blavat plaque dedication in Margate
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On July 3, 2023, Mayor Michael Collins spoke in Margate as a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat .
On July 3, 2023, (l-r) Joseph and Deserie Downey, residents of Washington Twp. and Chelsea Heights, attended a plaque dedication to their grandfather and father, Jerry Blavat, in front of his Memories in Margate
On July 3, 2023, Paul Auday, a seasonal resident of Ventnor, takes a picture of a plaque placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat.
On July 3, 2023, Kathleen Mitnick of Margate and her dog Honey came to see the plaque placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat.
On July 3, 2023, Event organizer and Margate resident Jim Richciotti and fund raiser and Ventnor resident Frank Gitto, stand in front of Memories in Margate where a plaque was placed to honor the memory of Jerry Blavat.
On July 3, 2023, in Margate Carol Tamburino holds up a collection of Jerry Blavat Cd's she brought to his plaque dedication in front of Memories in Margate.
On July 3, 2023, in Margate a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat with a large crowd in attendance followed by a party thrown by his family in his honor.
On July 3, 2023, in Margate a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat with a large crowd in attendance followed by a party thrown by his family in his honor.
On July 3, 2023, in Margate a plaque was placed in front of Memories In Margate to celebrate Jerry Blavat with a large crowd in attendance followed by a party thrown by his family in his honor. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/margate-dedicates-plaque-to-dj-jerry-the-geator-blavat/article_007d54b4-19d4-11ee-8439-e7cc1c9aba05.html | 2023-07-04T00:00:22 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/margate-dedicates-plaque-to-dj-jerry-the-geator-blavat/article_007d54b4-19d4-11ee-8439-e7cc1c9aba05.html |
Ocean City/Upper Township's Andrew Pashley, Henry Bogle and Corey Clemens combined to pitch no-hitter in a 6-1 win over Greater Wildwood on in a District 16 Little League baseball game Sunday.
Bogle struck out seven, and Pashley struck out six. Darrien Mayo singled in two runs.
For Greater Wildwood, Jim Robinson pitched three scoreless innings.
Ocean City/Upper Township will host Hammonton at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Upper Township.
Hammonton 12, Lower Cape May/Middle/Dennis Township 0: Hammonton’s Domenick Elkin hit a walk-off grand slam in fifth inning to win the game on the 10-run rule.
Winning pitcher Frank Restuccio went 2 for 2 with a triple and four RBIs. Restuccio pitched three innings and struck out four. Reliever Colton Robinson pitched the final two innings and struck out six. Colin Peeke went 2 for 2 with a double and a single, and Brayden Bendig was 2 for 3 with a double and a single.
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District 16 8-10 softball
Stafford Township 14, Hammonton 5: Renata Montgomery and Claire Campoli both went 3 for 3 for Stafford.
Montgomery had three RBIs. She also caught a line drive and turned it into a double play.
Stafford's Molly Bayer, Carmella Thompson and Kieran Merlo each went 2 for 3, and Bayer had two RBIs and Thompson had one. Stafford starting pitcher Lexie Bucior worked one inning and gave up three runs but struck out three. Merlo pitched three innings, gave up two runs and struck out six. Brantley Anderson, Stafford’s third and final pitcher, struck out five.
Stafford improved to 3-0 in pool play. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/three-oc-upper-township-pitchers-combine-on-no-hitter-roundup/article_b619d8ca-19ec-11ee-9348-cbef2f8f78f0.html | 2023-07-04T00:00:28 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/three-oc-upper-township-pitchers-combine-on-no-hitter-roundup/article_b619d8ca-19ec-11ee-9348-cbef2f8f78f0.html |
On Monday morning, work crews were busy getting the Frisco Square ready for Freedom Fest, a 2-day celebration of Independence Day.
"We've actually been planning for this event since the beginning of the year," Frisco Communications Director Dana Baird said. "It's really a great event. It's a lot of fun!"
Freedom Fest kicked off Monday afternoon with a Cornhole tournament.
The first day was billed as a 'Day at the Races' because there's a dachshund dash for 4-legged runners and a 'Hotter 'n Firecrackers 5K & Glow Run' for those running on 2 legs.
The first night's events also include a 'Yankee Doodle Poodle Parade' for poodles or any poodle-mix.
Freedom Fest has a stage for entertainment, food vendors, and more.
"I have to tell you, when the fireworks finally go off, it's just ahhhh," Baird said. "It's just, you know, makes you feel patriotic."
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Baird said the event will also have a focus on veterans.
"We don't want to forget the reason, you know, why we're all here," Baird said.
Tuesday, July 4 is the 'Party on the Plaza', the FC Dallas vs. D.C. United soccer match at Toyota Stadium, and Fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
Organizers say it will be one of the largest fireworks shows in North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/2-day-freedom-fest-kicks-off-in-frisco/3289087/ | 2023-07-04T00:06:36 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/2-day-freedom-fest-kicks-off-in-frisco/3289087/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/celebrating-the-fourth-of-july-with-a-sensory-sensitive-event/3289134/ | 2023-07-04T00:06:42 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/celebrating-the-fourth-of-july-with-a-sensory-sensitive-event/3289134/ |
Amid the various fireworks displays, there will be an oasis of calm and quiet Monday night celebrating Independence Day free from loud noises.
Now in its second year, the Sound at Cypress Waters, which sits in a tiny pocket of Dallas proper just northeast of DFW Airport, is hosting a sensory-sensitive Fourth of July on Monday night.
Marci Parrish is the marketing manager at Billingsley Company, the real estate development firm that designed, built and manages Cypress Waters properties.
“Out here the greenery, the land is just really peaceful,” Parrish said.
Against that backdrop, Parrish looked to build an event that was both popular and maintained a sense of calm.
“We kind of talked about and said ‘Hey we could do that out here’.”
Parrish says the event is tailored specifically for families with children on the autism spectrum, veterans who have experienced the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pets who often run away amid loud noises that mark the holiday.
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Most notably, the signature fireworks will be replaced instead by laser light and a host of visually calming and tactile activities, including a snow creation station. There will also be a separate 'calm zone', allowing anyone a break from activities.
“It’s meaningful because you plan these events and you want to make sure it works properly,” Parrish said. “And when they (families) say ‘thank you’, you know you did an okay job. They had a good time and that’s what we want.” | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/cypress-waters-ditches-fireworks-for-sensory-sensitive-4th-of-july-celebration/3289078/ | 2023-07-04T00:06:48 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/cypress-waters-ditches-fireworks-for-sensory-sensitive-4th-of-july-celebration/3289078/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-community-hires-off-duty-police-for-gunfire-protection/3289126/ | 2023-07-04T00:06:54 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-community-hires-off-duty-police-for-gunfire-protection/3289126/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-offering-youth-all-access-passes-to-some-of-the-citys-best-attractions/3289099/ | 2023-07-04T00:07:00 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-offering-youth-all-access-passes-to-some-of-the-citys-best-attractions/3289099/ |
The city of Dallas is urging families of teens to take advantage of its special summer program providing up to 10,000 all-access passes to some of the city’s most popular attractions.
It’s part of the city’s ‘Summer of Safety’ initiative aimed at keeping teens 13-17 safe over the summer months when crime typically ticks up.
There is a concern, however, that the program is not reaching the city’s “most” at-risk youth.
Beginning July 3, the ‘Teen All Access Pass’ program provides youth between the ages of 13–17 years old free entry to more than 10 cultural and recreational venues in Dallas.
Teens can pick up passes at their nearest recreational center.
“You can go to any one of our 40 recreation centers to pick up a pass as long as supplies last,” said Steven Baker, superintendent of the Dallas Parks & Recreation Department. “It’s limited to one pass per teen and if a household has multiple teens in it, each teen is eligible to get a pass.”
The program is in its third year. Approximately 8,000 teens picked up their free passes last year, according to Baker.
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The city hopes all 10,000 passes are used this year.
Baker says he hopes “youth will learn something about our city and feel a little more welcome and feel part of it and just learn about what a great city and great resources we have in the city of Dallas.”
Community advocate Mar Butler says he’s concerned about whether the program is as effective as it could be.
“It is well intended. I appreciate Mayor Eric Johnson for thinking of this initiative,” said Butler. “But at the same time, the process of how we’re distributing the passes and making sure that the right children who are in crime-ridden areas, which is the premise of the ‘Summer of Safety’ initiative, we have to make sure that they’re reaching the people who are in crime-filled areas. They’re the ones that need to take part in it because that’s how we’re going to prove the ‘Summer of Safety’ is actually being effective.”
Butler, who previously headed up one of the city’s anti-violence campaigns through Dallas-CRED, spends much of his time in the high-crime areas of South Oak Cliff, 75216.
“This is one of the areas on the police grid for violent crime,” he said. “It’s also one of the most impoverished, so these are the children that needed the most because they need to see something different.”
Butler says none of the families he’s spoken to has heard of the program.
“They have no idea about the ‘Summer of Safe’ initiative nor the summer passes for their children so therefor it lets me know there’s a disconnect in the level of communication and in our process of distribution.”
Butler is challenging the city to make changes to the program by using police crime data to target and give priority to the city’s highest crime areas over others.
He doesn’t agree with the city distributing passes evenly among all of its community recreation centers and this practice that Baker told NBC 5 about.
“If we find there’s an area that’s not going through all of their passes, their normal allotment, we can re-direct citizens over to those recreation centers,” said Baker.
Butler says he’s also frustrated at a delay in receiving their allotment at the Hiawatha Rec Center in South Oak Cliff.
The city acknowledges they encountered an unexpected delay in getting the passes early this year.
Butler says Hiawatha didn’t receive its allotment until today, the first day of the program, and already had representatives from a different rec center stop by to take some of their batches.
Butler says this leaves his summer initiative ‘We Got Us,’ which provides wrap-around services to children and their families, scrambling to notify families before the passes are depleted.
“We have to make sure that they’re reaching the people who are in crime-filled areas,” he said. “That’s how we’re going to prove the ‘Summer of Safety’ is actually being effective.”
NBC 5 reached out to the city Monday afternoon, asking for comment on calls for the teen pass program to be changed to focus much more on teens living in the most high-crime areas instead.
A city spokesperson sent NBC 5 the following statement:
All youth are at risk. Summer of Safety including Park and Recreation's Teen All Access Pass for 13- to 17-year-old Dallas residents helps young people stay busy to reduce crime and keep public safety trending in the right direction. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-summer-program-to-keep-teens-safe-kicks-off-concerns-it-doesnt-reach-citys-most-at-risk-youth/3289083/ | 2023-07-04T00:07:07 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-summer-program-to-keep-teens-safe-kicks-off-concerns-it-doesnt-reach-citys-most-at-risk-youth/3289083/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/family-of-fort-worth-man-killed-plea-for-violence-to-stop/3289129/ | 2023-07-04T00:07:13 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/family-of-fort-worth-man-killed-plea-for-violence-to-stop/3289129/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/frisco-celebrates-with-freedom-fest/3289098/ | 2023-07-04T00:07:19 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/frisco-celebrates-with-freedom-fest/3289098/ |
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SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Police Department says they've fired an officer after he was arrested on Sunday night in Williamson County.
According to SAPD, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office informed them on Sunday night that they had arrested off-duty officer Steven Mobley for criminal mischief and criminal trespassing.
Police said Mobley had been with the department for less than a year. This is the fifth SAPD officer arrested this year, including three who were arrested for murder after killing Melissa Perez on June 23.
"The San Antonio Police Department terminated the employment of the probationary officer today, July 3, 2023," police said in a press release. "Please contact the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office for any questions regarding their investigation."
This is a developing story, and we are working to learn more details.
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KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/law-enforcement/sapd-officer-arrested-fired-department-says/273-8b798754-8b79-4aa6-aea7-4d1d10a29a37 | 2023-07-04T00:13:35 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/law-enforcement/sapd-officer-arrested-fired-department-says/273-8b798754-8b79-4aa6-aea7-4d1d10a29a37 |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Road closures are planned Monday night in Johnson City ahead of the Pepsi Independence Day Fireworks Celebration presented by Food City.
Closures are happening namely around the Freedom Hall/Science Hill area.
City leaders gave some suggestions on navigating the holiday traffic in Johnson City Monday night, which includes taking Interstate 26 when possible, rather than backroads and side streets around town that will congest much quicker.
Road closures around Freedom Hall Monday night are as follows:
- Liberty Bell Blvd.
- Guaranda Dr.
- Sundale Rd.
- Sells St.
- Tanglewood Ln.
- Oak Ln. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/road-closures-planned-ahead-of-pepsi-independence-day-fireworks-celebration/ | 2023-07-04T00:20:12 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/road-closures-planned-ahead-of-pepsi-independence-day-fireworks-celebration/ |
DALLAS — Dallas police need help identifying a woman whose body was found in the southeastern area of the city three years ago.
Police said they found the woman's body in the 360 block of Pemberton Hill Road, between Elam Road and South Great Trinity Forest Way, on Aug. 18, 2020.
Police said the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office completed a facial reconstruction and released an image of the woman's face.
According to police, the woman is believed to be a Black female between the ages of 20 and 27, 5-foot-1-inch tall and had her toes painted a metallic teal green color.
Anyone who may have information is asked to call the Dallas County Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences at 214-920-5900 and press Option #1. Callers are then asked to refer to unexplained death case #146095-2020. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-need-help-identifying-woman-body-found/287-6f4df674-f70c-4691-b38f-08dc3bf01919 | 2023-07-04T00:30:51 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-need-help-identifying-woman-body-found/287-6f4df674-f70c-4691-b38f-08dc3bf01919 |
DALLAS — Police departments across the U.S. will struggle with the same problems on the Fourth of July: a flood of 911 calls from people demanding action against illegal fireworks and gunfire while at the same time not having enough officers to respond to it all.
An Oak Cliff neighborhood homeowners association (HOA) hopes its solution continues help ease that crisis.
"It's just unbearable, out of control," said Ola Mae Allen, the president of the Marsalis Park HOA, when asked about past problems with illegal fireworks and celebratory gunfire in her neighborhood.
In fact, of the seven neighbors she gathered in her living room on July 3 to talk about the problem, three said their homes have been hit by gunfire before.
"I'd step out the door and look and you could see guys with the guns out...boom, boom, boom, going like that," said neighbor Maurine Hines.
"A bullet may come down and a stray bullet doesn't have a name on it," said Sundra Mitchell Taylor.
So, for the third year in a row, the Marsalis Park HOA has hired three off-duty Dallas police officers to patrol their specific neighborhood the night of July 4. They do the same on New Year's Eve.
Allen said the officers patrol for $88 an hour, with DPD offering the marked squad cars for free. And, she said it works.
"I want you to know it isn't perfect. But it isn't what it used to be. And that tells us we are accomplishing, we are doing something positive that is making a difference," she said.
A difference reminding neighbors that fireworks are illegal in Dallas city limits and that gunfire certainly is too.
"Enjoy the holiday but be cognitive of being a part of the neighborhood and caring about your neighborhood," said Taylor.
"We all like to have fun on holidays. But you need to be careful on holidays so the rest of us can enjoy that holiday," said neighbor Mike Tarrio.
"We want Dallas to know and we want the United States to know that Oak Cliff is not a bad place to live." Allen said. "We enjoy where we live and we want to make it better." | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/oak-cliff-area-hoa-hires-off-duty-dallas-police-officers-july-4-patrols/287-d48bf0c2-2254-48ad-8bfd-7a53c7731ab9 | 2023-07-04T00:30:57 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/oak-cliff-area-hoa-hires-off-duty-dallas-police-officers-july-4-patrols/287-d48bf0c2-2254-48ad-8bfd-7a53c7731ab9 |
DALLAS — Guillermo Oliva is in the next chapter of his recovery from being shot six times in early March.
He is living with his sister in Dallas more than 20 miles from where he was shot while driving for Uber.
WFAA first met with Oliva when he was recovering from surgery at Medical City Plano.
"The best question is, why did you [shoot] me, bro?" Oliva asked rhetorically.
Plano Police say he's a victim of a road rage incident that happened in early March. Oliva was shot six times, once in the shoulder, once in the lung and four times in the stomach.
"We don't know the extent of the altercation but it was very brief. At that time, the suspect discharged a firearm at the vehicle," said Plano Police Detective Justin Duffy.
Robert Crolley faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to Plano Police.
"I'm in jail, too. I think the guy is more better [off] than me," Oliva said referring to the time he now spends recovering in his sister's home in Dallas.
Oliva said he's been struggling with Uber to get medical coverage. WFAA has reached out to Uber for comment and we're still waiting to hear back. Oliva said he's in the process of hiring an attorney.
Oliva can be outside for only an hour a day. He spends it taking a walk in an attempt to get back to full strength knowing that may never happen. He lives off a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) 14 hours a day and can only drink liquids until he gets his next surgery. But none of this is the worst part.
"I feel like in depression because my son lives in Florida, but I can't go to Florida, I can't move," he said. His 8-year-old son does not know the full story and Oliva is not yet prepared to tell him.
An online fundraising campaign has been created to help the Oliva family with expenses. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-road-rage-shooting-victim-recovering-months-later/287-3588a50f-8862-481a-893a-0dbc298ca7eb | 2023-07-04T00:31:03 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-road-rage-shooting-victim-recovering-months-later/287-3588a50f-8862-481a-893a-0dbc298ca7eb |
MCCANDLESS, Pa. — After months of searching, a bone marrow donor has been found for a McCandless baby who is battling a rare genetic condition.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Family searching for bone marrow donor for McCandless baby battling rare genetic condition
Clementine is one of 10 people who have been diagnosed with the condition, which is a rare gene mutation to her TLR8 gene.
A bone marrow transplant is expected to greatly improve her outlook and condition.
The family announced the news Monday night on Facebook.
The family will leave for St. Louis to begin treatment on July 9. Clementine will start chemotherapy on July 24. Her bone marrow transplant is scheduled for Aug. 3.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a bone marrow donor, click here.
If you’d like to donate to the Blackham family, click here.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/bone-marrow-donor-found-mccandless-baby-battling-rare-condition-after-months-searching/4LEMY6LO3JDQTAM4W2VGKXOLSY/ | 2023-07-04T00:31:26 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/bone-marrow-donor-found-mccandless-baby-battling-rare-condition-after-months-searching/4LEMY6LO3JDQTAM4W2VGKXOLSY/ |
PITTSBURGH — We are just one day away from Pittsburgh’s annual firework show when Point State Park will be filled with thousands of people.
Out on the river, the barge is already loaded with fireworks.
Monday, we learned what you should know before heading to the point
“Security is at the top of the list and we want people to have a safe and good time,” said Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Daryl Jones.
With thousands expected to head to the park and thousands more to watch from around the city Tuesday evening, officials are ramping up safety measures
“There will be increased ems units on scene, there will be increased security all the way around, more police officers out tomorrow,” Jones said.
The city will also use a private security company for additional manpower and bag checks
Prohibited items include:
• Tents
• Fireworks
• Alcohol
• Drones
City police will work 12-hour shifts to help with the large crowds.
As for the rivers, boats are allowed, but there will be strict guidelines and safety zones.
“They can still see but they just will be in the area where if there is a faulty shell they can be relatively safe,” Jones explained.
Point State Park will be the central location for festivities from 4 to 10 p.m., including food, music and vendors.
People won’t be allowed in after 9:30 p.m. when the show is about to start.
Across the river, the North Shore will also have activities, making this year’s event even bigger. But officials say its the weather, not crowd size that they are worried about.
For a full list of road closures and event details, click here.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
TRENDING NOW:
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/city-pittsburgh-gearing-up-annual-fireworks-show-4th-july-celebration/NNM5QV6HBJER5BJ3SJWLJRMECE/ | 2023-07-04T00:31:30 | 1 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/city-pittsburgh-gearing-up-annual-fireworks-show-4th-july-celebration/NNM5QV6HBJER5BJ3SJWLJRMECE/ |
BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — State leaders said the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department isn’t operating in the best interest of the community.
The borough requested the study and Channel 11 exclusively learned that a lot of issues were discovered.
Channel 11 first told you in March about the staffing shortage in the department, when it lost about half of its officers. Soon after, we learned it was down to just two officers.
Right now, state police and some neighboring departments are helping out.
11 News learned Seven Fields requested the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services do a police services study on the department.
In that report, the state said the department right now is quote “not in the best interest of the borough of Seven Fields.”
One of the main reasons is the lack of officers.
Some people in the area think this is a public safety issue.
“Because if they have multiple situations at one time and one person there to cover it, people could be getting hurt, be in need of help and there’s no one there to call,” said Ryan Ridley, who lives in Butler County.
In the report, the state made recommendations for police coverage.
One of those was each borough having its own police force. However – that’s expensive.
State police coverage could be cost-effective, yet they can’t provide local services.
“They are on the highways and stuff and it could get a lot longer to get there so that could be a problem,” Ridley said.
Another option was the regional department could remain intact but staffing would need to be resolved.
The state also suggested Cranberry Township, Adams Township and Northern Regional Police could provide coverage for the area, but they would need to be paid for that service.
Some folks think these options are better than the situation right now.
“They are all there to protect the community and more help from everyone shows unity,” Ridley said.
Right now – Evans City is exploring partnerships with local police departments. They have a council meeting on Wednesday.
Seven Fields met with a local department and plans to meet with another one next week and then will decide what to do with the regional police department.
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TRENDING NOW:
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/evans-city-seven-fields-regional-pd-isnt-operating-communitys-best-interest-new-report-says/C4AMJTA62VE67JNQI6NEWNQ5DE/ | 2023-07-04T00:31:33 | 1 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/evans-city-seven-fields-regional-pd-isnt-operating-communitys-best-interest-new-report-says/C4AMJTA62VE67JNQI6NEWNQ5DE/ |
PITTSBURGH — There have been some significant traffic changes along Beechwood Boulevard and South Dallas Avenue, just steps from the Fern Hollow Bridge over the last several months.
Neighbors tell Channel 11 they tried to sound the alarm to the city that some of the changes were unsafe, but the city’s plans went ahead as scheduled.
South Dallas Avenue between Forbes and Beechwood is now one way for southbound traffic.
Rebecca El Hassid, a neighbor in Squirrel Hills says safety has always been the concern.
“There has been a total disregard for experts or residents or safety concerns for pedestrians for children,” El Hassid said.
We saw cars honking at each other as they went the wrong way up a now one-way street.
Neighbors say these traffic patterns add unnecessary drive times and put kids walking to five local schools, bicyclists and pedestrians at special risk.
A stop sign was also added at Beechwood Boulevard and Beacon Street and dedicated left and right turn lanes were created at South Dallas and Beechwood.
“We all want this intersection to be safer, we’re all on board about making this safer and slower,” El Hassid said. “This plan is not safer, it’s not slower.”
The city says they did their research with extensive data, field visits - and public meetings.
As for the Fern Hollow Bridge. It’s been closed for the last three weeks and is set to reopen on July 7.
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TRENDING NOW:
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/traffic-pattern-changed-near-fern-hollow-bridge-despite-petition-neighbors/UDUGK5OPCRCBDPKGBXNHADEKNQ/ | 2023-07-04T00:31:36 | 0 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/traffic-pattern-changed-near-fern-hollow-bridge-despite-petition-neighbors/UDUGK5OPCRCBDPKGBXNHADEKNQ/ |
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