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SAN ANTONIO — A fishing trip ends in tragedy.
A family is mourning the loss of a father who they say drowned. Family tells KENS 5 Selvin Salgado was fishing with his 24-year-old son, Monday. Officials say the 45-year-old fell into a far south side water hole near the San Antonio River. The family said Salgado was a hard-working roofer who enjoyed fishing on his spare time. He leaves behind his wife and two sons.
Meanwhile, the New Braunfels Fire Dive Team answered the call to find Salgado's body. They're a regional asset, as there is no dive team with San Antonio Fire or on the county side.
James Pierce is the dive team leader with the team. Pierce talked about a tragedy 26 years ago that motivated him to become a diver.
"There was a young man who drowned," he said. "I couldn't do anything to help his family or anyone with him. And it hit me. I went back to the fire station and told me chief I am going to become a diver."
Pierce, now a leader, talked about the biggest challenges they face when they respond to different calls.
"The biggest struggle that we find is that we have zero visibility," he said. "Imagine closing your eyes and going underwater."
The New Braunfels Fire Dive team has 35 members. Pierce said there's a lot of caution going into recovery missions.
"We typically do a minimum of ten dives for recovery a year," he said. "This year we have been pretty busy. I was counting the other day. And I think we are up to six."
One of those recovery missions was on Monday. The dive team got the call to find Salgado's' body. He said a few members of the team already live in the city.
"We get to the scene and what we look for is the last point scene," Pierce said.
Pierce said he sent in one of his most experienced divers. He said they recovered Salgado before their trailer full of equipment even arrived. He said it took less than an hour.
"The body of water was not very large," he said. "It was kind of like a swimming hole maybe like 50x50. The thing about those areas on San Antonio River like that is you don't know of the flow of water and how it cuts the ground."
New Braunfels Fire Chief Ruy Lozano talked about the great need of having an experienced dive team.
"There are so many possibilities for a dive event to occur that it is good to have a good well-trained and well-prepared dive team and that's who we are," he said.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner has not released an official cause and manner of death for Salgado. The family said he will be greatly missed.
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/law-enforcement/family-mourns-father-who-drowned-while-fishing-with-son/273-55f1657a-c086-4519-9caf-5b47e68f3a37
| 2023-07-19T04:57:54
| 1
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/law-enforcement/family-mourns-father-who-drowned-while-fishing-with-son/273-55f1657a-c086-4519-9caf-5b47e68f3a37
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AUSTIN, Texas — The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is conducting Operation Stop Scam Calls.
Operation Stop Scam Calls is an effort to stop the nationwide issue of companies and scammers targeting people across the nation. According to the release from the OAG, it "aims to protect the people of Texas from deceitful telemarketing companies and the nuisance of spam calls."
Under Operation Stop Spam Calls, the OAG "previously filed a multistate lawsuit against Michael D. Lansky, LLC, which does business under the name Avid Telecom, its owner Michael Lanksy, and its vice president Stacey S. Reeves for the alleged initiation and facilitation of billions of robocalls, including hundreds of millions of unlawful calls made to numbers in Texas."
Back in March, as part of an operation, the OAG shut down a massive Texas-based illegal robocall scheme, which totaled over $244 million and affected millions of Americans.
Agencies across the nation and the District of Columbia, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission are working together to stop robocalls and scammers.
To learn more about robocalls you can visit the FTC website here. You can also enroll into the Federal and Texas do-not-call list by visiting the OAG website.
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/operation-stop-scam-calls-attorney-general/269-66d7af3f-ab42-4165-9eae-8c79c3d1e5ec
| 2023-07-19T04:58:00
| 1
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/operation-stop-scam-calls-attorney-general/269-66d7af3f-ab42-4165-9eae-8c79c3d1e5ec
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LEGION BASEBALL
DICKINSON ROUGHRIDERS 11, BISMARCK GOVERNORS 10, 10 INNINGS
At Dickinson
Govs;411;120;001;0;--;10;14;3
Roughriders;001;242;001;1;--;11;15;1
Isaac Mitchell, Eli Thompson (6), Tommy Kraljic (10) and Max Vig. Isaac Daley, Carson Weiler (2), Davin Siebel (5), Jadon Bast (7), Jace Kovash (10) and Landon Olson. W—Kovash. L—Kraljic. HR—Bismarck, Marcus Butts. Dickinson, Daley.
Highlights: Govs – Gavin Lill 1-3 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB; Kraljic 2-5 R, 2 RBI; Michael Fagerland 2-4 R, RBI, SB; Noah Riedinger 1-5 R, RBI; Carter Krueger 3-5 R; Marcus Butts 3-5 HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI; Max Vig 1-5 2B, R, RBI, SB; Jace Groseclose 1-3 R; Mitchell 5 IP, 8 H, 7 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 6 SO; Thompson 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 SO. Roughriders – Jadon Bast 2-5 3B, 2 RBI; Weiler 3-5 2B, RBI; Jace Kovash 1-6 R; Isaac Daley 2-4 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; Kaeden Krieg 1-3 2 R; Landon Olson 2-5 2 R; Colin Tschetter 3-6 2 2B, RBI, 2 R; Jeremiah Jilek 1-3 R.
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Note: Second game was in progress at press time.
CLASS B DISTRICT 1 TOURAMENT
At Hazen
Championship
Hazen 3, Washburn 1
Washburn;000;001;0;--;1;2;1
Hazen;003;000;x;--;3;5;2
Hunter Hoffman, Henke (3) and Ethan Retterath. Grant Krause and Brayden Haack. W--Krause. L--Hoffman. HR--Parker Sayler.
Highlights: Washburn -- Landon Miller 1-3; Jonah Miller 1-3; Henke 3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO. Hazen -- Haack 2-3 R; Bryce Lesmann 1-3 R, SB; Tyson Wick 0-2 RBI, BB; Sayler 1-3 HR, R, RBI; Michael Holland 1-2; Krause 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 1 SO.
Sunday, July 16
Game 1: Hettinger 22, Bismarck Scarlets 1
Game 2: Belfield-South Heart 8, Garrison 5
Game 3: Washburn 5, Hettinger 3
Game 4: Hazen 6, Belfield-South Heart 5
Monday, July 17
Game 5: Hettinger 12, Garrison 6 (Garrison eliminated)
Game 6: Belfield-South Heart 14, Bismarck Scarlets 5 (Bismarck Scarlets eliminated)
Game 7: Hazen 3, Washburn 2 (winner's bracket)
Game 8: Belfield-South Heart 3, Hettinger 2 (Hettinger eliminated)
Tuesday, July 18
Game 9: Washburn 6, Belfield-South Heart 4 (Belfield-South Heart eliminated)
Game 10: Hazen 3, Washburn 1 (championship)
CLASS A WEST REGION TOURNAMENT
At Mandan Memorial Ballpark
Wednesday, July 19
Play-in games
Game 1: No. 8 Williston Oilers vs. No. 9 Minot Metros, 4 p.m.
Game 2: No. 7 Jamestown Blues vs. No. 10 Beulah Cyclones, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 20
Game 3: No. 1 Bismarck Senators vs. Game 1 Winner, 11 a.m.
Game 4: No. 5 Mandan A’s vs. No. 4 Bismarck Capitals, 6:30 p.m.
Game 5: No. 2 Dickinson Volunteers vs. Game 2 Winner, 4 p.m.
Game 6: Watford City Walleyes vs. No. 3 Bismarck Reps, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, July 21
Game 7: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1:30 p.m.
Game 8: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 11 a.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 4 p.m.
Game 10: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 22
Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 10, 1:30 p.m.
Game 12: Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 9, 11 a.m.
Game 13: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12, 4 p.m. (third-place game)
Game 14: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 6:30 p.m. (championship)
Note: Top four teams advance to state tournament in Kindred.
CLASS AA STANDINGS
Team;Conference;GB
Fargo;12-0;--
Minot;10-4;3
West Fargo;10-4;3
Bismarck;9-5;4
Jamestown;7-7;6
Mandan;8-10;7;
Dickinson;6-8;7
Fargo Post 400;7-9;7
Williston;5-13;10
Grand Forks;2-16;13
Monday's scores
Bismarck 5-8, Williston 4-0
Fargo Post 2 4-5, Dickinson 2-3
Tuesday's schedule
Williston at Mandan, 5 p.m.
Bismarck at Dickinson, 6 p.m.
Jamestown at West Fargo
Wednesday's schedule
Minot at Bismarck, 5 p.m.
West Fargo at Fargo Post 2
Thursday's schedule
Fargo Post 2 at Fargo Post 400
Friday's schedule
Bismarck at Willston (nc)
Dickinson at Minot
Jamestown at Fargo Post 2
NORTHWOODS LEAGUE
MANKATO 5, BISMARCK 3
Bismarck;001;001;010;--;3;9;0
Mankato;001;101;02x;--;5;8;0
Colton Dorsey, Brad Helton (5), Justin Goldstein (7) and Bradlee Preap; John Lundgren, Louis Magers (7), Luke McCollough (8) and Ariel Armas. W -- McCollough. L -- Goldstein. HR: Bismarck -- Jackson Beaman.
Highlights: Bismarck -- Nick Oakley 3-for-5, 2 2B; Beaman 1-for-1, HR, 3 BB, Sac fly, 2 R, 2 RBIs; Brock Kleszcz 1-for-2, BB, HBP; Preap 2-for-4, 2B; Ryker Billingsley BB, R; Dorsey 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 1 WP; Helton 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K; Goldstein 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP. Mankato -- Dustin Crenshaw 2-for-3, BB, Sac fly, SB, R, 2 RBIs; Kai Roberts 3-for-5; Max Williams 2 BB, HBP, RBI; Brendan Hord 2 BB, RBI; Brody Harding 1-for-3, BB, 2 R; Jake Duer 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB, SB, 2 R, RBI; Lundgren 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP; Magers 1 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 0 K; McCollough 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K.
Attendance: 1,466.
Time of game: 2:45.
Records: Bismarck 3-12 second half, 19-30 overall; Mankato 9-6 second half, 28-20 overall.
STANDINGS
Second half
Great Lakes East
Team;W-L;Pct.;GB
Kalamazoo;11-3;.786;--
Rockford;10-7;.588;2.5
Battle Creek;10-7;.588;2.5
x-Traverse City;9-7;.563;3
Kenosha;6-11;.353;6.5
Kokomo;6-11;.353;6.5
Great Lakes West
Team;W-L;Pct.;GB
Madison;9-6;.600;--
Lakeshore;7-8;.467;2
Wausau;7-8;.467;2
Wisconsin Rapids;7-8;.467;2
Fond du Lac;7-9;.438;2.5
x-Green Bay;5-10;.333;4
Great Plains East
Team;W-L;Pct.;GB
La Crosse;11-2;.846;--
Waterloo;11-4;.733;1
Duluth;9-6;.600;3
Rochester;8-7;.533;4
x-Eau Claire;6-9;.400;6
Thunder Bay;3-12;.200;9
Great Plains West
Team;W-L;Pct.;GB
St. Cloud;9-4;.692;--
x-Willmar;8-5;.615;1
Mankato;9-6;.600;1
Minot;5-10;.333;5
Minnesota;2-7;.222;5
Bismarck;3-12;.200;7
x--Won first half
Monday, July 17
Fond du Lac 4, Madison 3
Tuesday, July 18
Bismarck at Mankato, 6:35 p.m.
Battle Creek 5, Wausau 2
Battle Creek 10, Wausau 8
Minnesota 13, Thunder Bay 9
Madison 26, Wisconsin Rapids 4
Kokomo 17, Green Bay 5
Kalamazoo 8, Lakeshore 0
Kenosha 5, Fond du Lac 1
Rockford 7, Traverse City 2
St. Cloud 11, Minot 4
Eau Claire 10, Waterloo 4
Duluth 7, La Crosse 4
Rochester 4, Willmar 3
Wednesday, July 19
Bismarck at Mankato, 6:35 p.m.
Minot at Thunder Bay
Green Bay at Kokomo
Wisconsin Rapids at Madison
Traverse City at Rockford
Find du Lac at Kenosha
Kalamazoo at Lakeshore
Eau Claire at Waterloo
Battle Creek at Wausau
St. Cloud at Minot
La Crosse at Duluth
Rochester at Willmar
Thursday, July 20
Bismarck at Minot, 6:35 pm.
Green Bay at Madison
Kalamazoo at Kokomo
Kenosha at Traverse City
Thunder Bay at Rochester
La Crosse at Eau Claire
Minnesota at Duluth
Willmar at St. Cloud
Lakeshore at Fond du Lac
Wausau at Rockford
Battle Creek at Wisconsin Rapids
Waterloo at Mankato
Friday, July 21
Minot at Bismarck, 7 p.m.
Kalamazoo at Kokomo
Kenosha at Traverse City
Eau Claire at La Crosse
Thunder Bay at Rochester
Minnesota at Duluth
Fond du Lac at Lakeshore
Wausau at Rockford
Green Bay at Madison
Battle Creek at Wisconsin Rapids
Waterloo at Mankato
Willmar at St. Cloud
Saturday, July 22
Bismarck at St. Cloud, 6 p.m.
Traverse City at Kalamazoo
Battle Creek at Green Bay
Kokomo at Wausau
Wisconsin Rapids at Fond du Lac
Duluth at Minot
Waterloo at Rochester
Minnesota at Mankato
Madison at Lakeshore
Rockford at Kenosha
La Crosse at Eau Claire
Thunder Bay at Willmar
|
https://bismarcktribune.com/sports/local/area-scores-july-19/article_11a90502-25a6-11ee-bc23-f38d83324ac9.html
| 2023-07-19T05:00:17
| 1
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https://bismarcktribune.com/sports/local/area-scores-july-19/article_11a90502-25a6-11ee-bc23-f38d83324ac9.html
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Former state unemployment worker sentenced for COVID-19 fraud scheme
A former state unemployment examiner has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in a $313,000 pandemic-related unemployment insurance fraud scheme, federal authorities announced Tuesday.
Semaje Reffigee, 26, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The Detroit resident started working as a contract unemployment insurance examiner with the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency in October 2020, had electronic access to the database and used her credentials to access and approve specific claims submitted to the agency, investigators found.
Through June 2021, Reffigee "conspired with others to obtain benefits through the submission of false UI claims. Reffigee’s co-conspirators electronically submitted fraudulent claims to MUIA," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said in a statement. "Reffigee then abused her position ... to re-activate claims that had previously been flagged for fraud, and ... go outside her assigned workflow to approve fraudulent claims in the first instance."
Reffigee re-activated or approved more than 35 fraudulent claims valued at more than $300,000 and received kickback payments from her co-conspirators, according to the release.
“Corrupt public servants compromise the ability of the government to function effectively and undermine confidence in all public programs," U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said Tuesday. "Semaje Reffigee – an employee of the state – stole money from a program intended to help our most vulnerable citizens during an unprecedented national crisis. This prosecution reflects the seriousness with which my office takes corruption and fraud in the public sector, and we hope that today’s sentence deters other government employees from lining their pockets at the expense of the public.”
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General and the IRS with help from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.
“It’s shocking and discouraging when someone hired by the UIA uses the cover of a global economic crisis to scheme with others to steal taxpayer money for their own gratification,” said Julia Dale, director of the Michigan UIA. “Michigan’s unemployment program is an important lifeline for workers who lose their jobs and despicable actions by bad actors such as Semaje Reffigee damage the trust workers have in the system. Reffigee is one of nearly 50 criminals so far who have been convicted of unemployment insurance fraud, and she won’t be the last. We won’t tolerate such shameful behavior and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraudsters, both within and outside of the UIA, and strengthen the program’s integrity.”
According to the terms of her plea agreement, Reffigee is required to repay $313,497 in restitution to the state of Michigan.
In a sentencing memorandum last week, her attorney, Thomas Jakuc, sought a year and one day in prison. He argued his client, who has a young daughter, "clearly demonstrated acceptance of responsibility for her offense."
"It should be further considered by this Honorable Court that the money pocketed by defendant Semaje Reffigee was used solely for maintenance and support regarding her responsibilities as mother and tenant in her grandmother’s house, and to provide care and attention to her disabled uncle who is paralyzed on his left side due to a stroke and ambulates with a cane," Jakuc said. "None of the monies were used for “bling” or other extravagant indulgences or unnecessaries. Defendant Semaje Reffigee further participated in a proffer and implicated others involved and offered to be a cooperating witness, but as of this date, there is no indication that prosecution has been initiated against others involved in the fraud."
The case follows a string of others related to illegally receiving aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, a Battle Creek couple was sentenced in connection with deceiving authorities to receive more than $216,000 in pandemic relief and other federal assistance.
The Department of Justice recently announced six Michigan residents were part of a group indicted after an FBI probe linked them to a $6 million pandemic relief fraud scheme. A former Michigan UIA contract worker pleaded guilty to stealing more than $550,000 in a plot.
Last year, an ex-UIA lead claims examiner received a two-year federal prison sentence for a scheme that investigators said diverted about $1 million from the state.
A 2021 state audit found the UIA lost more than $8.5 billion to suspected fraudulent payments amid record claims and persistent attempts at fraud.
|
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/18/former-state-unemployment-worker-sentenced-for-covid-19-fraud-scheme/70429222007/
| 2023-07-19T05:06:11
| 0
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/18/former-state-unemployment-worker-sentenced-for-covid-19-fraud-scheme/70429222007/
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SACRAMENTO, Calif — A flawed policy at California State University, the largest higher education system in the country, contributed to the closure of nearly a dozen sexual harassment cases without thorough explanation, according to a state audit reviewing 40 cases over the span of seven years.
The audit, released Tuesday, examined allegations of harassment between 2016 and 2022 against employees at the university system's chancellor's office and three of 23 campuses: California State University, Fresno, San José State University and Sonoma State University. It found that the colleges failed to discipline people found responsible for misconduct, including one case where officials took no action in the five years after a faculty member was found guilty of sexual harassment, sexual violence and stalking.
“The problems and inconsistencies we found during this audit warrant systemwide changes at CSU,” California State Auditor Grant Parks said in a statement. “In particular, the Chancellor’s Office must take a more active approach to overseeing campuses’ efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment.”
Parks’ office recommended the university system require colleges to find out if someone has been accused of harassment multiple times, make them clearly explain why officials didn’t investigate a case, and give guidance for how to contact accusers.
Jolene Koester, California State University’s interim chancellor, said in a statement that officials would comply with the recommendations. Representatives from California State University, Fresno, San Jose State University and Sonoma State University did not immediately respond to an email request for comment on the audit’s findings.
Sexual harassment is among the misconduct banned by state and federal laws, but California State University's policy aimed to address it falls short, the audit found. The auditor's office says it should better guide colleges on what steps to take after an incident is reported.
“Deciding whether to conduct a formal investigation is one of the most critical steps in a campus’ process for responding to an allegation,” the audit says. “Nonetheless, CSU’s sexual harassment policy lacks detailed guidelines about how to make and document these determinations.”
There were more than 1,200 reports of sexual harassment by employees overall at California State University campuses between 2018 and 2022, the report shows. Of those, 254 were investigated.
The largest share of reports — nearly 18% — were at California State University, Fullerton, which is about 22 miles (35 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. There were also nearly 160 employees across all 23 campuses between 2018 and 2022 who were accused of sexual harassment multiple times, according to the report.
One student alleged a faculty member made inappropriate comments to her and compared her to women he had dated. The campus declined to investigate, the audit found. It didn't specify which campus.
Seven of 21 investigations the auditor's office reviewed “contained deficiencies that caused us to question the campuses’ determinations that sexual harassment had not occurred.” For example, a faculty member who was found responsible of making inappropriate comments to a contract worker and hugging her, and kissing another worker without their consent was not found to have violated the sexual harassment policy, the audit says.
___
Sophie Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on Twitter: @sophieadanna.
WATCH ALSO:
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/california-state-university-campuses-mishandled-sexual-harassment-allegations/103-7c877c55-63e6-4a84-b7fe-2c413962736c
| 2023-07-19T05:08:34
| 1
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/california-state-university-campuses-mishandled-sexual-harassment-allegations/103-7c877c55-63e6-4a84-b7fe-2c413962736c
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BRADENTON, Fla. — A boating accident last week in Bradenton took the life of a 14-year-old boy, while his brother is in the ICU at Tampa General Hospital.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the boat with two teenage boys on board collided with a 45-year-old on a Jet Ski.
The family of the two boys said the teens loved to fish. Kenny Shewbridge is their father's cousin and said he is like an uncle to the boys.
He said the boys were always out on the boat.
"Fishing was their passion. Any spare moment, that’s where they were at," Shewbridge explained.
That’s what they were doing when their boat collided with a jet ski. At just 14 years old, Hunter Ganey died from his injuries. His 17-year-old brother, James Ganey, is still at the hospital and their parents haven’t left James' bedside.
"They’re pretty broken right now. Distraught, lost. [They] can’t sleep, can’t eat. You got one child in the hospital and one in the morgue," Shewbridge said.
The extent of James’ injuries is unclear. Shewbridge said James was knocked unconscious during the accident. Shewbridge said he has injuries to his head and the right side of his body.
"I don’t even think he knows he has been in a wreck at this point," Shewbridge said.
The brothers have two other siblings. Shewbridge said the entire Ganey family is heartbroken.
He explained people need to follow the rules of the water.
"When you see channel markers or no wake zones, there are rules and regulations in place for a reason," Shewbridge said.
Shewbridge's wife has created a GoFundMe for the family in this time of need. Both parents are out of work for the time being as they stay by James' bedside.
FWC has not said if anyone was at fault for the accident. It's still unclear of the condition of the 45-year-old who was on the Jet Ski. 10 Tampa Bay was told the FWC can’t provide any more information as they continue their investigation.
|
https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/manateecounty/jetski-boat-accident-bradenton-teen-dead/67-e7748afe-77ab-4acb-a59f-98d776b8d278
| 2023-07-19T05:10:34
| 0
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/manateecounty/jetski-boat-accident-bradenton-teen-dead/67-e7748afe-77ab-4acb-a59f-98d776b8d278
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ROCHESTER, MN–Conversations around homelessness are continuing in Olmsted County. The Landing MN and the Legal Assistance of Olmsted County held a community forum Tuesday at Christ United Methodist Church to find solutions to homelessness now that the pandemic is a thing of the past.
There were two panels that spoke today representing organizations and services for those experiencing homelessness. They talked about many people being affected by eviction, when most were halted during the pandemic. Members of the panel say they've been working to get ahead of many people losing their homes because of this.
One community member , named Tom, says he's experienced two years of homelessness and expressed some frustrations suggesting that the panel find a solution by talking more with those impacted by homelessness.
Another community member says there’s also a lack of housing for those with a felony on their record, and are trying to better their lives.
The co-founder of The Landing MN , Holly Fifield says she hopes these discussion will also inspire people who aren't directly impacted by homelessness, to help and understand the experiences they face.
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https://www.kimt.com/news/local/addressing-homelessness-in-rochester/article_56f1693e-25eb-11ee-a746-6fe12f38b1a1.html
| 2023-07-19T05:23:39
| 1
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https://www.kimt.com/news/local/addressing-homelessness-in-rochester/article_56f1693e-25eb-11ee-a746-6fe12f38b1a1.html
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BYRON, MN.--The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office discovered a man's body in a retention pond near Byron City Hall Monday. On Tuesday, medical examiners identified the man as 39-year old Wade Gordon, Jr. of Rochester.
Authorities say Gordon was reported missing on July 7, which his family says was unusual behavior of him. He was last seen leaving his job at Ornua Ingredients in Byron just before 1:30 that morning.
After receiving a tip of strange noises, a deputy investigated the area near the pond, which led to the discovery.
Upon learning the new information, Ornua Ingredients provided a statement saying, “ We think what happened to Wade is tragic. We're currently in efforts to support both existing employees and Wade's family.”
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https://www.kimt.com/news/local/recovered-body-identified/article_5169b228-25eb-11ee-a2df-f3721002eb25.html
| 2023-07-19T05:23:45
| 1
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https://www.kimt.com/news/local/recovered-body-identified/article_5169b228-25eb-11ee-a2df-f3721002eb25.html
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A large brush fire just off I-5 in the Gervais area brought firefighters from Marion County to the scene Tuesday evening.
Authorities said the brush fire was at Quinaby (milepost 262) and I-5.
No other information is available at this time.
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https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/large-brush-fire-i-5-in-marion-county-07182023/
| 2023-07-19T05:32:54
| 0
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https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/large-brush-fire-i-5-in-marion-county-07182023/
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Members of Justice in Action — a nonprofit created last year to address mental health and criminal justice reform — filled the Lancaster County board room Tuesday to oppose the more than $1 million budgeted to move jail inmates to other counties to deal with overcrowding.
Several speakers urged the county to use the money instead to expand diversion and mental health programs.
“As people of faith, we believe in rehabilitation over incarceration,” said the Rev. Kirstie Engel of First United Methodist Church of Lincoln and one of the organization’s co-presidents. ”We want people in our community to have access to organizations that give them the care and help they need to live positive and productive lives.”
The group’s appearance was prompted by a recent decision by county corrections officials to transfer 13 women in Lancaster County’s jail to a Washington County jail because there was no room for them.
County Corrections Director Brad Johnson had been warning of the possibility for months as the jail population increased during winter months when it typically goes down, and he included $1.1 million in his budget request to prepare for the possibility that they’ll need to transfer more inmates to other counties.
The county is in the process of contracting with an organization to do an assessment of the local justice system to find ways to reduce the jail population.
“I share their concerns of the jail being at capacity,” County Board Chairwoman Christa Yoakum said after the meeting. “The reason we are moving some of the women out is because the other option was to have them sleep on the floor, and that’s not humane.”
The money was allocated in case it’s necessary, but it doesn’t mean they have to use it, Yoakum said. The board also approved a new corrections position to help inmates make discharge plans in an effort to help them be successful, she said.
Engel said the group — comprised of leaders of Lincoln and Lancaster County faith communities — hopes a recently hired community corrections director will look for more alternatives to incarceration, but the money allocated to moving inmates convinced them they couldn’t just “wait and see.”
Tobi White, pastor of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, recalled a meeting in May discussing ways to increase diversion programs with county officials, and are “incredibly disappointed” to instead see the county allocate more than $1 million to rehousing inmates in other counties.
She said she knows many inmates suffer from substance use or mental health issues, and the organization’s research has shown diversion programs are successful.
“What I can’t understand is why such a logical approach gets pushed under the rug,” White said. “You and the people in the room have the power to make important directions. This is one of them. Let’s stop kicking the can down the road and start making wise decisions for the sake of our community. You have that power, so let’s start using that together.”
Several people said moving inmates makes it harder for families and attorneys to visit them, removes them from their support systems and leaves them feeling hopeless.
Former Lancaster County Public Defender Joe Nigro, who was with the public defender’s office for 39 years, said moving people to other counties is harmful to the people being moved and could ultimately lead to a new jail — like it did a decade ago.
“Expanding diversion is a better solution than sending people to other counties, and it’s certainly a better solution than building a new jail,” Nigro said. “Because if we build it, we’ll fill it.”
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/government-politics/inmates-lancaster-county-lincoln-nebraska/article_7bdf28e2-25cf-11ee-a9f4-37b2a08ac5a5.html
| 2023-07-19T05:42:04
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/government-politics/inmates-lancaster-county-lincoln-nebraska/article_7bdf28e2-25cf-11ee-a9f4-37b2a08ac5a5.html
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More than 19,000 Hoosiers will have their federal student loans automatically discharged this summer, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday.
The Biden Administration approved $39 billion in federal student loans for 804,000 borrowers will benefit from the income-driven repayment forgiveness, the news release said. Eligible borrowers will not have to do anything to receive loan forgiveness.
In Indiana, 19,470 borrowers will have about $932.8 million in federal student loans forgiven in the coming weeks.
President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday that he will continue to find ways to make attending college possible for all Americans.
“I have long said that college should be a ticket to the middle class – not a burden that weighs down on families for decades,” Biden said. “My administration is delivering on that commitment.”
The initial announcement was made Friday, and state-by-state data was released Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement that borrowers have fallen through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress toward forgiveness. The income-driven repayment program helps address that, he added.
“By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans,” he said. “This administration will not stop fighting to level the playing field in higher education.”
To view how much in loans is being forgiven in other states, go online to https://tinyurl.com/mhfsnyna.
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https://www.journalgazette.net/local/indiana/more-than-19-000-hoosiers-to-receive-932-million-in-student-loan-forgiveness/article_cd585bb4-25be-11ee-bce1-73ec9d29376c.html
| 2023-07-19T05:43:49
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https://www.journalgazette.net/local/indiana/more-than-19-000-hoosiers-to-receive-932-million-in-student-loan-forgiveness/article_cd585bb4-25be-11ee-bce1-73ec9d29376c.html
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Ivy Tech's Summer Bash Jul 19, 2023 1 hr ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email A visitor checks out a booth Tuesday at the Ivy Tech Community College Summer Bash at the Student Life Center, where students could register for the fall. Arman Johnson | For The Journal Gazette Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Ivy Tech’s Summer Bash Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Most Popular 'Marian' producer, student producers announce public records request Winning lottery numbers Winning lottery numbers Glenbrook Square shooting suspect arrested IU's Trayce Jackson-Davis debuts with Warriors Stocks Market Data by TradingView
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https://www.journalgazette.net/local/ivy-techs-summer-bash/article_e1acaac8-25c5-11ee-8f37-5f3402a695f2.html
| 2023-07-19T05:43:55
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https://www.journalgazette.net/local/ivy-techs-summer-bash/article_e1acaac8-25c5-11ee-8f37-5f3402a695f2.html
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AUSTIN, Texas — This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.
A state trooper’s claims that superiors ordered officers at the border in Eagle Pass to push migrants back into the Rio Grande and deny them water has sparked a state investigation, the Texas Department of Public Safety said Tuesday.
The trooper also reported that razor wire deployed by troopers has injured people — including a woman who had a miscarriage while entangled in the wire.
Travis Considine, a DPS spokesperson, said in an email that the Office of the Inspector General, which investigates claims of misconduct by state employees, “is investigating the allegations made in the email in question.”
“There is not a directive or policy that instructs Troopers to withhold water from migrants or push them back into the river,” Considine said.
The allegations made by the trooper were first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The trooper, who works as a medic, sent the email to a sergeant on July 3 detailing some of the things he witnessed while on patrol in Eagle Pass — where Gov. Greg Abbott recently ordered the deployment of a floating barrier in the Rio Grande to deter migrant crossings.
“I believe we a have stepped over a line into the in humane. We need to operate it correctly in the eyes of God,” the trooper wrote in the email, which DPS provided to The Texas Tribune. “We need to recognize that these are people who are made in the image of God and need to be treated as such.”
The trooper said in the email that he was out on patrol around 10 p.m. June 25 when he and other troopers came across a group of about 120 people, including small children and nursing babies, who were “exhausted, hungry and tired” along a fence line on the U.S. side.
“We called the shift officer in command, and we were given orders to push the people back into the water to go to Mexico. We decided that this was not the correct thing to do. With the very real potential of exhausted people drowning. We made contact with command again and expressed our concerns and we were given the order to tell them to go to Mexico.”
The trooper wrote in the email that five days later, a 4-year-old girl who attempted to cross the razor wire “was pressed back by Texas Guard soldiers due to the orders given to them.” The temperature “was well over 100 degrees” and the girl passed out, the email said, adding that she had received medical treatment.
That same day, a man rescued his child who got stuck on a barrel in the water covered with razor wire, according to the trooper’s email. During the rescue, the man got a “significant” cut on his left leg, the trooper wrote. A 15-year-old boy also broke his leg trying to walk around the wire in the river and his father had to carry him across to the U.S. side, the trooper wrote.
Later that night, troopers found a 19-year-old woman stuck in the razor wire having a miscarriage, the trooper’s email said.
On the afternoon of July 1, Border Patrol reported that a mother and her two children were struggling to cross the river, the email said. A DPS boat team found the mother and one child, who later died at the hospital. The body of the second child “was never found,” the trooper wrote.
The trooper told the sergeant the razor wire is an “inhumane trap” that should be removed because it “forces people to cross in other areas that are deeper and not as safe for people carrying kids and bags.”
A pecan farm owner in Eagle Pass told the Chronicle that officials working for Abbott’s border security operation refused to take down razor wire on his property, despite his multiple requests. The farmer, Hugo Urbina, said many people, including a pregnant teenager,have been injured by the wire that the state installed against his wishes. DPS told the Chronicle that under a border-related disaster declaration the governor signed in 2021, the state can use private property without the owner’s permission.
In 2021, Abbott announced Operation Lone Star, a series of border security measures that includes sending state troopers and National Guard members to the Texas-Mexico border to deter or arrest migrants attempting to cross the Rio Grande. Abbott has also ordered shipping containers and concertina wire to be placed on the riverbank to serve as barriers.
The Legislature has allocated nearly $10 billion for Abbott’s border security efforts, which include the construction of border walls. The Department of Justice began investigating whether troopers or National Guard members have violated the civil rights of migrants during Operation Lone Star, according to emails obtained last year by the Tribune and ProPublica.
At a media briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she condemned the troopers' actions "if they are true."
“It is abhorrent. It is despicable. It is dangerous,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said the details outlined in the trooper’s email are an “absolutely monstrous, inhumane policy” and added that he urged the Biden administration to intervene and “remove the death traps Abbott has installed, for the sake of human rights.”
Considine, the DPS spokesperson, said in a tweet on Monday that “Troopers give migrants water. They treat their wounds. They save them from drowning. They also do everything possible to deter them from risking their lives in the first place.”
Considine also attached some emails from DPS Director Steven McCraw to his chain of command. In an email sent on July 15, McCraw calls for an audit of DPS’ protocols “to determine if more can be done to minimize the risk to migrants.
“The smugglers care not if the migrants are injured, but we do, and we must take all necessary measures to mitigate the risk to them including injuries from trying cross over the concertina wire, drownings and dehydration,” McCraw wrote.
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, didn’t address the claims made by the trooper, instead blaming President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
“The absence of razor wire and other deterrence strategies encourages migrants to make unsafe and illegal crossings between ports of entry, while making the job of Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers more dangerous and difficult,” Mahaleris said in a statement. “President Biden has unleashed a chaos on the border that’s unsustainable, and we have a constitutional duty to respond to this unprecedented crisis.”
State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, said state lawmakers plan to investigate the claims.
“The treatment of our fellow humans on the Texas-Mexico border by DPS is unconscionable and unacceptable,” she said in a statement. “The Mexican American Legislative Caucus calls on Gov. Abbott and those of good conscience to denounce DPS’ directives, and we will use every legislative tool to investigate these injustices.”
Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a Latino civil rights organization, condemned Texas “inhumane treatment of innocent people.”
“These are Christian refugees, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” Garcia added. “Operation Lone Star is utterly barbaric, and Governor Abbott and all those supporting him must answer for their actions. What would Jesus say about such treatment of the most vulnerable in society?”
Adriana Martinez, an associate professor of geography at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville who studies the effects of border barriers on the Rio Grande, said that immigrant rights advocates have been warning Abbott that his deterrence policies would not work and in some cases would make things worse.
“How many layers do you have to put before you realize they’re not working and it’s just putting people’s life in danger?” she said.
State Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, whose Twitter bio says, “God is sovereign. Jesus saves,” said in a tweet on Tuesday that he supports Abbott’s efforts.
“If in fact @GregAbbott_TX is taking a bolder approach to border security by directing DPS troopers to repel illegal crossers, he has my full support,” he tweeted. “Every Republican legislator should be speaking up as Dems and the media try to shame Abbott into backing down.”
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/state-investigating-claim-texas-dps-troopers-told-to-push-migrants-back-into-rio-grande-deny-water/287-49738d33-67c5-4834-bec0-4410912abad9
| 2023-07-19T05:48:16
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/state-investigating-claim-texas-dps-troopers-told-to-push-migrants-back-into-rio-grande-deny-water/287-49738d33-67c5-4834-bec0-4410912abad9
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INDIANAPOLIS — Students in central Indiana will head back to school in a few weeks.
Over the past year, Indianapolis Public Schools has been tackling long-lasting inequities in the district, set to continue implementation of its Rebuilding Stronger Plan in the upcoming school year. It's a multi-year plan designed to make sure all IPS students can access a good education regardless of their background or where they live.
The issues Rebuilding Stronger aims to overcome aren't new for IPS. District leaders say they started decades earlier with the forced integration of schools.
"We cannot accept what has been, but we have to keep pushing for what we know is possible," said IPS Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson.
In its 170 years, IPS has educated thousands of students through sweeping changes in the country from the Civil War to Reconstruction and desegregating its schools.
Not every change has come easily for the district.
"IPS has been a part of my life for most of my life almost. Yeah, for most of my life," said Dr. Patricia Payne, racial equity office director for IPS.
Growing up, Payne was an IPS student. After graduating from Indiana University, Payne returned to teach.
"School 21 over on 21st and College," Payne said. "And of course at that time, Black teachers taught Black students and white teachers taught white students. That's where my profession with IPS started."
That was in 1962, years after the Supreme Court's landmark 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision that ordered schools to desegregate nationwide.
But many districts dragged their feet, including IPS. In 1968, the U.S. Department of Justice sued to force Indianapolis to desegregate.
IPS responded by starting a minimal busing program in 1970. But it wasn't enough and, in 1971, IPS was found guilty of segregating its school system.
Finally, in 1973, nearly 20 years after the Brown ruling, the federal courts mandated IPS desegregate. They issued an order directing IPS transfer students to township schools for the 1975 school year.
For many, the transition was tough.
"It was horrible. It was horrible because it was one-way busing and they, our students, were not wanted out in the township schools. Teachers did not know how to teach our children and so it was like they were aliens out there," Payne said.
Payne said that's when IPS moved her and other Black teachers to teach white students. She went to School 61.
"And I'll never forget it, because white parents were pacing the hall, looking in to see if we were doing what they felt was right with their precious white students," Payne said. "And of course, I just invited them right into the classroom."
Issues with segregation didn't fade immediately. One-way busing remained in place for 25 years to ensure desegregation continued.
"We rode the bus," said Trina Terrell, a 1985 graduate of Warren Central High School. "Long ride."
Flipping through her high school yearbook, Terrell thinks back on her time at Warren Central.
"Warren was beating up on everybody in football," Terrell said.
More than 30 years after graduating, she's still in touch with many of her classmates.
Terrell was part of the first bused class to graduate Warren Central. At the time, Terrell said there weren't many Black students attending Warren Central.
"No," Terrell said. "Us. Those that were bused. A lot of my classes, I was the only Black student in the class. Several of them."
Problems at her school, she said, weren't constant but still present.
"Especially when it came to sports. I even experienced an issue running track," Terrell said.
Running indoors, Terrell remembers when a white student ran past.
"I was bumped by one, we were running in opposite directions and pushed and said, 'You need to go this way.' Well, I didn't because the rest of us were running the other way," Terrell said. "When I brought it to the coach, she just simply brushed it off as, 'Now, just bear with them, they're not really used to you all being out here.' Whatever that meant."
Her brother, too, faced issues on the football field, especially when playing other teams.
That animosity over desegregating schools has left lingering issues in the schools and throughout the community. Johnson said that was made clear when families moved their kids out of IPS in droves after desegregation began.
"So, when you think about the impact of a one-way busing order, and let's be clear, the Indianapolis Public Schools school board was absolutely acting in racist ways, so let's be clear about that. But that order led to 64,000 students between 1973 and 1998 that left this district," Johnson said.
With thousands of students leaving the district and challenges throughout IPS as they worked to desegregate, many issues have remained present in the district even to this day.
"What actually really bothers me, looking back on it, is that some of the same things are still going on. I mean, we need to come up with the time," Terrell said. "It shouldn't be like that."
"These were intentional policy decisions that our district still feels the implications of today," Johnson said.
"It's been very hard for us to recover from that," Payne said.
Addressing where IPS students are educated and what kind of an education and environment they receive are chief among the concerns Rebuilding Stronger aims to tackle, Johnson said.
"We saw disparities between the experiences that students got to get. Oftentimes, our white students had access to things like algebra in their middle school, foreign language, art and music in their schools. Our Black and brown students who disproportionately attend our neighborhood schools did not have that same access to programming," said Johnson.
For the past year, Johnson and her team have been working to remove those racial disparities.
The district's plan would ensure all students have a more equal IPS experience by removing geographic barriers to the best schools by establishing enrollment zones where parents can pick where students attend as well as stepping up extracurricular and class options in many schools to ensure all kids can play in the band or take algebra.
These changes are already giving many families across the district hope.
"And now my granddaughter, whichever school she goes to, I want hers to be a better experience as well," Terrell said.
In May, voters approved a $410 million referendum to help pay for these changes and facility improvements.
It won't eliminate the decades of racism or years of inequity across IPS, Johnson said, but it's a needed step in the right direction for Indianapolis kids.
"It won't happen tomorrow," Johnson said. "But we're going to urgently work every single day to make true what we know can be."
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https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/from-segregation-to-rebuilding-stronger-ips-works-to-address-inequities-across-the-district-johnson-scotus-education/531-9beeaebd-93cd-4407-a9fc-18d258f62221
| 2023-07-19T05:51:50
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https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/from-segregation-to-rebuilding-stronger-ips-works-to-address-inequities-across-the-district-johnson-scotus-education/531-9beeaebd-93cd-4407-a9fc-18d258f62221
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TACOMA, Wash. — Erick Tsosie, 25, was one of six killed in a devastating crash on state Route 509 in Tacoma on Sunday.
Family said he had big dreams and aspired to take care of his mother.
He was born in the Navajo Nation and lived in Kayenta Arizona.
Tsosie was a passenger in a gray Kia Forte that was headed to a conference around 11:15 a.m. traveling eastbound on Alexander Avenue. The car was struck by a white BMW SUV that was headed northbound on SR 509. Six passengers in the Kia Forte were killed, including Tsosie. The seventh passenger in the car is still in the hospital with critical injuries.
Tsosie's family received the news of his death on Tuesday morning. Now they’re fundraising to bring him back home.
Tsosie was a marine and had just launched his career as an entrepreneur. He was in Washington to attend a leadership conference.
One of his relatives told KING 5 that he had big plans before he died.
"A lot of us struggle on the Navajo Reservation and one of the things he told his mom was, 'You don't have to worry about money anymore. I'm almost there,'” relative Carmen Tsosie said. “And this conference was something that he was going to bring, you know, get all the knowledge he can and just exercise, initiate something to make a business and become something bigger."
He has five sisters and two brothers. He also leaves behind two children.
“Cherish those you have really close,” Carmen said. “Take the extra time to go visit those who are close to you.”
Carmen says her family’s hearts go out to everyone who was impacted by the crash.
“It’s very unfair, they’re very young. Our hearts are with them as well, nobody should have to go through that."
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https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/tacoma/victim-tacoma-car-crash-erick-tsosie-sr-509/281-87c64152-7fcb-454e-a282-2a505ce3d081
| 2023-07-19T06:12:31
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https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/tacoma/victim-tacoma-car-crash-erick-tsosie-sr-509/281-87c64152-7fcb-454e-a282-2a505ce3d081
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LOCAL
One person dies in Saturday crash on Row River Road near Dorena
Charles Gearing
Salem Statesman Journal
One person died in a crash Saturday morning on the Row River Road in Dorena, the Lane County Sheriff's said Tuesday.
An investigation remains underway into the crash that occurred about 11 a.m. on the 37500 block of Row River Road, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
Preliminary information indicated a westbound, white Honda Accord failed to complete a right-handed turn and collided with an oncoming gray Dodge Avenger, the release said. A person in the Dodge died. Their identity has not yet been released.
Charles Gearing is a breaking news reporter for the Eugene Register-Guard. He may be reached at cgearing@gannett.com.
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https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/one-person-died-saturday-crash-row-river-road-near-dorena-lane-county-sheriff/70424632007/
| 2023-07-19T06:14:08
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https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/one-person-died-saturday-crash-row-river-road-near-dorena-lane-county-sheriff/70424632007/
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New Oak Ridge program will train med school grads to be family physicians
Program will train future doctors in family medicine
Officials cut the ribbon Tuesday on the new Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program, a medical residency program training medical students in family medicine, at the host site for the program - the new Methodist Family Medicine Clinic in Oak Ridge.
The residency program brings medical school graduates to the area to continue their advanced training to become family doctors, according to a news release. Methodist Medical Center is the sponsoring institution for the new Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program, which has been accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
“This new unopposed residency program will create more family medicine providers in the area, which is currently facing a shortage,” said James Schindler, director of the residency program. “Residents will gain real-life experience treating patients at Methodist Family Medicine Clinic and will have access to top-quality resources, physicians and technology through Methodist Medical Center and Covenant Health.”
“At Covenant Health, we aim to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve, and part of that is adding providers that can provide high-quality care,” said Jim VanderSteeg, president and CEO of Covenant Health. “The knowledge the students will gain in the new residency program will allow them to serve current patients in the Oak Ridge area. We look forward to welcoming these students next summer and having them be a part of our care team.”
Family medicine doctors provide coordinated and comprehensive health care for individuals and families across all ages, genders, diseases and parts of the body. The residency program will be integrated with the newly opened Methodist Family Medicine Clinic in Oak Ridge. The clinic offers family medicine and primary care services.
Applications for the residency program opened this summer and the program will welcome its first class of eight residents in July 2024.
Schindler, a physician, also leads the clinic, which is currently accepting new patients of all ages. He is board-certified in family medicine with clinical interests in public health, geriatrics, mental health and sports medicine. He has nearly 40 years of experience in family medicine and previously practiced at Hamblen Primary Care in Morristown.
Tours of the clinic, which began serving patients in February, were provided Tuesday following remarks from the program director, as well as Methodist Medical Center and Covenant Health leaders.
Methodist Family Medicine Clinic is located at 200 New York Ave., Westmall Medical Park, Suite 150 in Oak Ridge. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. For an appointment or more information, call 865-835-5850.
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https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/new-oak-ridge-program-will-train-med-school-grads-to-be-family-doctors/70425824007/
| 2023-07-19T06:14:22
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https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/new-oak-ridge-program-will-train-med-school-grads-to-be-family-doctors/70425824007/
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New operations base for environmental cleanup expected to be complete by summer's end
New base of operations expected to be complete by summer's end
An area cleaned up by the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) years ago is becoming a new base of operations for hundreds of workers who will conduct large-scale cleanup at the Y-12 National Security Complex.
The Old Salvage Yard was established in the 1970s for storing scrap metal. In 2012, OREM finished a project that removed 21 million pounds of old scrap metal and opened the seven-acre area for reuse. Years later, it turned out that OREM and contractor UCOR would be the ones to reuse it, according to a news release from the cleanup contractor.
UCOR had staged its operations for a massive demolition project at the footprint of the former Biology Complex. That station provided crews close proximity to the former complex. That project has since been completed, and the footprint is needed as the site of the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) new Lithium Processing Facility.
The transition to a new, centralized location for OREM helps ensure other critical deactivation and demolition work can continue seamlessly at Y-12, the UCOR release stated. It enhances logistics and efficiency by providing space near some of the largest upcoming demolition projects at Y-12. It also features infrastructure to support employees and field work, such as workspaces for daily briefings, superintendent offices and shower trailers.
“Developing this base of operations is a significant step that helps aid and enable our cleanup efforts at Y-12 for years to come,” said Brian Henry, OREM’s Y-12 portfolio federal project director.
UCOR began designing the infrastructure for the new location last fall and began construction earlier this year.
The project required close collaboration with NNSA and its management and operating contractor for Y-12, Consolidated Nuclear Security. It included a variety of moving parts from agreements to transfer the site to adding utilities and relocating trailers for offices and worker support.
“I am extremely grateful for our project team of engineers, planners, field support and our construction subcontractor who have worked tirelessly to establish our new base of operations,” said UCOR Project Manager Harrison Boyd.
The new base of operations is scheduled for completion later this summer.
Meanwhile, crews at Y-12 continue to prepare three large former uranium enrichment facilities for demolition — Alpha-2, Alpha-4 and Beta-1. The new workspace will be crucial to those ongoing efforts.
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https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/old-savage-yard-provides-environmental-cleanup-operations-base-at-y-12/70419567007/
| 2023-07-19T06:14:28
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https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/old-savage-yard-provides-environmental-cleanup-operations-base-at-y-12/70419567007/
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LONGVIEW, Wash. — A large fire is burning at the Weyerhaeuser Paper Company in Longview, Washington, according to Washington State Department of Transportation Southwest (WSDOT SW).
Officials responded to the fire at 6:39 p.m. at 1701 Industry Way at the Nippon Dynawave chip operation known to most people as Weyerhaeuser Paper Company, according to the Longview Fire Marshal, Jon Dunaway.
Industrial Way is closed in both directions from Washington Way to Oregon Way, WSDOT SW said. They are asking the public to avoid the area and to expect delays.
Dozens of fire personnel from across Cowlitz County have been fighting the blaze. Dunaway said the fire is contained to the property, but smoke is still hanging low. Residents are being asked to stay indoor, and to keep doors and windows closed.
"We arrived along with, Longview fire department arrived with Cowlitz to fire and rescue. We found a sizable fire and we needed more resources 53 we called in multiple agencies from Cowlitz county, as well as Clark County," said Dunaway.
KGW received multiple news tips from people reporting to have seen heavy smoke in the area Tuesday afternoon.
All workers and fire crews are accounted for with no injuries. The fire marshal said some of the equipment from the paper company were damaged in the fire.
"There has been some equipment on site that was damaged but… Again we are surrounding it and we are working the fire, and this is going to be a long-term incident in terms of being able to get through the piles and apply water and put the fire out."
No information has been released as to what caused the fire.
"There will be an investigation at some point. That’s going to be much later into this incident and we hope to learn more and as soon as we know more, we will be releasing the information," said the Longview Fire Marshal.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/large-fire-longview-washington/283-15c0ce66-c8d3-423a-bec8-f623e3712046
| 2023-07-19T06:18:17
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/large-fire-longview-washington/283-15c0ce66-c8d3-423a-bec8-f623e3712046
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MARSING, Idaho — A multiagency search to find William "Billy" Ramos, 60, ended Monday morning with a boat full of family and friends finding his body in the Snake River near Bernard's Landing along Highway 78.
The Owyhee County Sheriff's Office said a Ramos and wife were boating on the river when, at about 11 a.m. Sunday, Ramos went for a swim. He was not wearing a life vest and the strong currents swept him away.
The wife jumped in after her husband, also without a life preserver. The strong currents also pulled her in, but she found her way to shore.
Family friend Dan Carter, brother-in-law Mark Tapp, and brother-in-law Joe Manchaca found Billy's body through their own private search efforts. Carter offered his boat to help; he has been recreating on the Snake River since 1977.
"I'm going to be honest; the Snake River is a very dangerous river. It's not something that people should go swimming in," Carter said. "If you're going to get in the Snake River, for God sakes put a life vest on. That's all I can tell you."
"It's not a river you should play in. And even if you're in a boat, wear a vest. It will save your life. It will increase your chances because the river is so unpredictable," Carter added.
Tapp was in the river Sunday, too - though not with Ramos. He described the current as overwhelming and unsafe.
"I couldn't imagine just falling in it. I was just standing in it knee deep. And it was pulling me around," Tapp said.
The wife jumped in after her husband, also without a life preserver. The strong currents also pulled her in, but she found her way to shore.
Family members told KTVB that Ramos was weeks away from walking his daughter down the aisle at her wedding.
"He raised his kids good," Menchaca said. "Family values, his work ethic, his loyalty and humor. He's a great guy to be around."
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/gods-sake-put-a-life-vest-on-friends-family-warn-about-snake-river-dangers-after-drowning/277-c57ba5b3-f898-447f-9679-c4db174ed759
| 2023-07-19T06:28:08
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/gods-sake-put-a-life-vest-on-friends-family-warn-about-snake-river-dangers-after-drowning/277-c57ba5b3-f898-447f-9679-c4db174ed759
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OLA, Idaho — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) discovered a wildfire Tuesday that is burning four miles northeast of the City of Ola. As of 9:05 p.m., the Goldrun Fire had burned 30 acres of the Boise National Forest.
BLM confirmed that two structures are being threatened by the spreading fire. However, officials could not determine if the structures were residences or not.
BLM informed KTVB that an Idaho Power power line was also being threatened by the fire - as of Tuesday evening, the Idaho Power property boundary was approximately 0.5 miles away from the wildfire line.
According to Idaho Fire Map, the fire was first discovered at 6:33 p.m.
Responding fire crews are working to contain the wildfire. BLM officials said that there are 80 personnel, three BLM fire engines, one state fire engine, one hand crew, two tankers and one helicopter at the scene of the fire.
Officials said that the fire is not contained. This is a developing story. KTVB will provide updates as they become available.
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-wildfire-reaches-30-acres-threatening-powerlines/277-095df5b7-4b3b-43f7-a195-752022f2a903
| 2023-07-19T06:28:14
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-wildfire-reaches-30-acres-threatening-powerlines/277-095df5b7-4b3b-43f7-a195-752022f2a903
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BOISE, Idaho — Idaho's summer is in full force and bringing triple-digit temperatures in many parts of the state, which have many seeking relief and recreation in the mountains or nearby bodies of water. Multiple incidents involving Idaho children drowning while recreating in water are alarming health experts.
"We see a huge increase in pediatric emergencies through this time period, we looked back, and we've seen about 200 cases over the last three months," said Chris Shandera, EMS Manager for Air St. Luke's.
Those 200 cases include injuries from bicycle and ATV crashes to horse-related accidents, and even heat-related illnesses; but still, according to medical officials at St. Luke's, one of the things they are seeing an increasing amount of - are calls for drownings.
"We tend to see a lot more water-related injuries during the summer, as people are out on boats and in swimming pools," said Shandera.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Idaho is ranked ninth in the United States for drownings.
"Which is just kind of a crazy thing because we're not surrounded by water and so you wouldn't think of Idaho as having high numbers of drownings, but we do have a lot of water here," said Allison Gauthier, a combined emergency and pediatrics physician for emergency medicine of Idaho with St. Luke's.
It's not just lakes and rivers that Dr. Gauthier sees some of these children drown in.
"So, we do see it in lakes, we see it in canals, we see it in rivers, we see it in pools, and I mean even bathtubs with young children, so it happens in all bodies of water," Dr. Gauthier said.
Medical professionals said the best way to keep children safe and prevent drowning - is supervision.
"Drowning related injuries are generally pretty preventable," said Shandera. "I think the most important part there is that family members or friends are aware of their surroundings and looking out for those little ones who might not be aware of the risks related to open water."
There are also other ways to minimize the chances of a child drowning. Dr. Gauthier said swimming lessons are a good option and Kirsten Cederburg, General Manager for Goldfish Swim School in Boise agrees.
"Your sweet spot for kids, you know, taking in a lot of learning, being able to really propel themselves through the water, I would say is about three to seven," said Cederburg.
Cederburg said it helps to get kids familiar with water before they develop a fear of water. St. Luke's also mentioned another big cause of injuries they've seen recently are head injuries from bike, scooter and ATV accidents.
"With pediatric trauma we typically see one to two a week, but over the Fourth of July weekend, when everybody was out and busy and doing things, we saw seven a day for three days in a row."
The main issue was many patients didn't have helmets which could've helped prevent the injury or minimize serious injuries.
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/st-lukes-emphasizes-water-safety/277-389f1067-53d9-48c7-b046-920009e2d20d
| 2023-07-19T06:28:20
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/st-lukes-emphasizes-water-safety/277-389f1067-53d9-48c7-b046-920009e2d20d
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DALLAS — Dallas Fire-Rescue mounted a major offensive to put out a fast-spreading blaze at a historic church in Dallas Tuesday afternoon.
The department responded to a structure fire at Saintsville Church located at 2200 South Marsalis Avenue. This is west of Cedar Crest Golf Course and east of Wynnewood Village.
The initial call was received a little before 2 p.m., and the first arriving crews found smoke spreading from the vents and part of the roof.
Immediate fire suppression efforts started once firefighters arrived, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Around 5 p.m., the blaze was out aside for hot spots that were being monitored. Six ladder trucks were attacking the building at one point during the fire.
A fire official said the situation rose to a six-alarm response due to the extreme heat. About 150 firefighters responded to the scene, according to officials.
Firefighters had to deal with a heat index of 110-plus degrees on the official hottest day of the year, so far, at DFW. Many appeared to be working in shifts, relieving others so no one would be entirely fighting the fire at all times.
No injuries were reported. The church's secretary told WFAA that she and others noticed smoke in the building as they were closing the office for the day.
Everyone evacuated, and the fire department was called. The cause of it is being investigated.
Church members showed up to watch firefighters battle the flames from afar. Many were heartbroken by what they saw; the church had recently been renovated and has been around for decades.
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/crews-battling-fire-dallas-saintsville-church-of-god-tuesday-july-18/287-562c80fd-c963-44ed-bf62-a83f2725db57
| 2023-07-19T06:37:32
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/crews-battling-fire-dallas-saintsville-church-of-god-tuesday-july-18/287-562c80fd-c963-44ed-bf62-a83f2725db57
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KILLEEN, Texas — Killeen City Council appointed Riakos Adams to fill the open city council seat at a special-called meeting on Tuesday, July 18.
According to the city, this at-large seat runs through the May 2024 election.
This is the newest development following former councilmember Ken Wilkerson's resignation back in May, leaving his position as mayor pro tem as well.
Applications for the open seat were being accepted from May 24 through June 8. Interviews were held for 14 applicants on Monday, June 12.
According to the city, during the meeting on June 13, the council voted to postpone the appointment of the empty seat after Mayor Debbie Nash-King motioned to pull the agenda item. This allowed the council more time to sift through the applicants and ultimately led them to a majority vote in appointing Adams.
To learn more, visit here.
Also on KCENTV.com:
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/killeen-city-council-fills-empty-seat-following-ken-wilkersons-may-resignation/500-5ce23036-e266-40b9-9d10-c049fc8e2b4d
| 2023-07-19T06:37:38
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/killeen-city-council-fills-empty-seat-following-ken-wilkersons-may-resignation/500-5ce23036-e266-40b9-9d10-c049fc8e2b4d
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KILLEEN, Texas — The search continues for a missing Killeen man after five days with no signs of him.
Bienvenido “Benny” Rios, a loving husband of nearly 50 years and father of six boys, has dementia and the family is starting to fear the worse.
Eliseo Rios, one of the sons of Benny, told 6 News that Benny has been missing before, but only for a couple of hours. Since Benny's dementia has advanced, they put a GPS tracker on his keys so they could find him if something were to ever happen.
When Benny went on his walk on July 13, Elesio said Benny took the tracker off and left it at home.
"Obviously everybody's worried," Eliseo said. "My mom's worried. We have the police looking for him. We have canine tracking dogs. Haven't had any luck yet, but we're praying that he will be found soon because we know that with the heat and his dehydration, time is ticking."
The Rios family, police, and community members have searched the entire City of Killeen and even neighboring cities as they continue looking for Benny. They have also been focusing on Long Branch Park in Killeen and the surrounding area because that was where his cell phone last pinged and the last known location of him.
"When [mom] came home he wasn't here, so she called his cell phone and I don't think there was an answer first, but after multiple attempts, he finally answered the phone," Eliseo recalled. "That's when he told us that he was under a tree. We tried to convince him to stay sitting up so that if somebody drove by we can actually see where he was sitting."
Eliseo said Benny's phone then died and then haven't been able to find any signs since.
There are now missing person flyers of Benny all over the city, including the park. The Rios have checked the areas he would frequent, but no sign.
"We've scoured Killeen, Temple, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, and even as far out as Kempner," Eliseo said. "We keep running over the same areas over and over again and obviously it's not getting any easier."
"When you get somebody with dementia it becomes a challenge because there is that level of unpredictability," said Sgt. Neal Holtzclaw with Killeen Police Department. "With somebody that doesn't have dementia you can kind of guess their pattern, you know what they like... like a certain restaurant, or gas station, they have a routine."
KPD has implemented all their resources since Benny went missing including searches, drones, and scent tracking dogs.
"We have searched extensively," Neal said. "All the fields, anywhere around the area just to see if there's any sign if he has fallen, if he's if he's somewhere hurt. We've searched anywhere that's pretty much in walking distance from the house."
Neal said they don't think Benny could have gotten too far from home given his age, medical condition and the heat. However, Neal did say it is possible he could've been picked up by someone and he hasn't realized where home is.
Now they're calling on the community to step up.
"This is a community effort and we are one piece of that community," Holtzclaw said. "We need everybody's help and we need everybody's eyes and everybody's ears out there."
Police described Rios as a Hispanic man, 5-feet-7-inches tall, 120 pounds, with grey hair, a mustache and sideburns. He is fluent in both Spanish and English. The Rios family believes Benny left the house wearing a blue/teal long sleeve shirt, long pants, and his favorite black cowboy hat.
Anyone who has seen Rios or knows where he could be is asked to contact the Killeen Police Department at 254-501-8830.
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/search-continues-for-missing-texas-man-with-dementia/500-baf5d51a-54fc-4ab6-9c86-8ffe6b9a6791
| 2023-07-19T06:37:44
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/search-continues-for-missing-texas-man-with-dementia/500-baf5d51a-54fc-4ab6-9c86-8ffe6b9a6791
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AUSTIN, Texas — This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.
A state trooper’s claims that superiors ordered officers at the border in Eagle Pass to push migrants back into the Rio Grande and deny them water has sparked a state investigation, the Texas Department of Public Safety said Tuesday.
The trooper also reported that razor wire deployed by troopers has injured people — including a woman who had a miscarriage while entangled in the wire.
Travis Considine, a DPS spokesperson, said in an email that the Office of the Inspector General, which investigates claims of misconduct by state employees, “is investigating the allegations made in the email in question.”
“There is not a directive or policy that instructs Troopers to withhold water from migrants or push them back into the river,” Considine said.
The allegations made by the trooper were first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The trooper, who works as a medic, sent the email to a sergeant on July 3 detailing some of the things he witnessed while on patrol in Eagle Pass — where Gov. Greg Abbott recently ordered the deployment of a floating barrier in the Rio Grande to deter migrant crossings.
“I believe we a have stepped over a line into the in humane. We need to operate it correctly in the eyes of God,” the trooper wrote in the email, which DPS provided to The Texas Tribune. “We need to recognize that these are people who are made in the image of God and need to be treated as such.”
The trooper said in the email that he was out on patrol around 10 p.m. June 25 when he and other troopers came across a group of about 120 people, including small children and nursing babies, who were “exhausted, hungry and tired” along a fence line on the U.S. side.
“We called the shift officer in command, and we were given orders to push the people back into the water to go to Mexico. We decided that this was not the correct thing to do. With the very real potential of exhausted people drowning. We made contact with command again and expressed our concerns and we were given the order to tell them to go to Mexico.”
The trooper wrote in the email that five days later, a 4-year-old girl who attempted to cross the razor wire “was pressed back by Texas Guard soldiers due to the orders given to them.” The temperature “was well over 100 degrees” and the girl passed out, the email said, adding that she had received medical treatment.
That same day, a man rescued his child who got stuck on a barrel in the water covered with razor wire, according to the trooper’s email. During the rescue, the man got a “significant” cut on his left leg, the trooper wrote. A 15-year-old boy also broke his leg trying to walk around the wire in the river and his father had to carry him across to the U.S. side, the trooper wrote.
Later that night, troopers found a 19-year-old woman stuck in the razor wire having a miscarriage, the trooper’s email said.
On the afternoon of July 1, Border Patrol reported that a mother and her two children were struggling to cross the river, the email said. A DPS boat team found the mother and one child, who later died at the hospital. The body of the second child “was never found,” the trooper wrote.
The trooper told the sergeant the razor wire is an “inhumane trap” that should be removed because it “forces people to cross in other areas that are deeper and not as safe for people carrying kids and bags.”
A pecan farm owner in Eagle Pass told the Chronicle that officials working for Abbott’s border security operation refused to take down razor wire on his property, despite his multiple requests. The farmer, Hugo Urbina, said many people, including a pregnant teenager,have been injured by the wire that the state installed against his wishes. DPS told the Chronicle that under a border-related disaster declaration the governor signed in 2021, the state can use private property without the owner’s permission.
In 2021, Abbott announced Operation Lone Star, a series of border security measures that includes sending state troopers and National Guard members to the Texas-Mexico border to deter or arrest migrants attempting to cross the Rio Grande. Abbott has also ordered shipping containers and concertina wire to be placed on the riverbank to serve as barriers.
The Legislature has allocated nearly $10 billion for Abbott’s border security efforts, which include the construction of border walls. The Department of Justice began investigating whether troopers or National Guard members have violated the civil rights of migrants during Operation Lone Star, according to emails obtained last year by the Tribune and ProPublica.
At a media briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she condemned the troopers' actions "if they are true."
“It is abhorrent. It is despicable. It is dangerous,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said the details outlined in the trooper’s email are an “absolutely monstrous, inhumane policy” and added that he urged the Biden administration to intervene and “remove the death traps Abbott has installed, for the sake of human rights.”
Considine, the DPS spokesperson, said in a tweet on Monday that “Troopers give migrants water. They treat their wounds. They save them from drowning. They also do everything possible to deter them from risking their lives in the first place.”
Considine also attached some emails from DPS Director Steven McCraw to his chain of command. In an email sent on July 15, McCraw calls for an audit of DPS’ protocols “to determine if more can be done to minimize the risk to migrants.
“The smugglers care not if the migrants are injured, but we do, and we must take all necessary measures to mitigate the risk to them including injuries from trying cross over the concertina wire, drownings and dehydration,” McCraw wrote.
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, didn’t address the claims made by the trooper, instead blaming President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
“The absence of razor wire and other deterrence strategies encourages migrants to make unsafe and illegal crossings between ports of entry, while making the job of Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers more dangerous and difficult,” Mahaleris said in a statement. “President Biden has unleashed a chaos on the border that’s unsustainable, and we have a constitutional duty to respond to this unprecedented crisis.”
State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, said state lawmakers plan to investigate the claims.
“The treatment of our fellow humans on the Texas-Mexico border by DPS is unconscionable and unacceptable,” she said in a statement. “The Mexican American Legislative Caucus calls on Gov. Abbott and those of good conscience to denounce DPS’ directives, and we will use every legislative tool to investigate these injustices.”
Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a Latino civil rights organization, condemned Texas “inhumane treatment of innocent people.”
“These are Christian refugees, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” Garcia added. “Operation Lone Star is utterly barbaric, and Governor Abbott and all those supporting him must answer for their actions. What would Jesus say about such treatment of the most vulnerable in society?”
Adriana Martinez, an associate professor of geography at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville who studies the effects of border barriers on the Rio Grande, said that immigrant rights advocates have been warning Abbott that his deterrence policies would not work and in some cases would make things worse.
“How many layers do you have to put before you realize they’re not working and it’s just putting people’s life in danger?” she said.
State Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, whose Twitter bio says, “God is sovereign. Jesus saves,” said in a tweet on Tuesday that he supports Abbott’s efforts.
“If in fact @GregAbbott_TX is taking a bolder approach to border security by directing DPS troopers to repel illegal crossers, he has my full support,” he tweeted. “Every Republican legislator should be speaking up as Dems and the media try to shame Abbott into backing down.”
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/texas/state-investigating-claim-texas-dps-troopers-told-to-push-migrants-back-into-rio-grande-deny-water/287-49738d33-67c5-4834-bec0-4410912abad9
| 2023-07-19T06:37:50
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https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/texas/state-investigating-claim-texas-dps-troopers-told-to-push-migrants-back-into-rio-grande-deny-water/287-49738d33-67c5-4834-bec0-4410912abad9
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Delays expected on Interstate 5 north of Keizer due to vegetation fire
Bill Poehler
Salem Statesman Journal
Traffic on Interstate 5 north of Salem slowed to a crawl Tuesday evening as a fire near milepost 263 has snarled traffic in both directions.
It was reported to be a vegetation fire just off the freeway.
The fire was reported at 4:45 p.m. and Marion County Fire District 1 sent equipment, as did crews from Keizer, Woodburn and Salem.
Delays are expected to continue for up to two hours, according to Oregon Department of Transportation.
Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com
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https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/delays-expected-i5-north-keizer-oregon-vegetation-fire/70428642007/
| 2023-07-19T06:49:27
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https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/delays-expected-i5-north-keizer-oregon-vegetation-fire/70428642007/
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Detectives have arrested a 19-year-old man they say shot and killed a man on July 1, according to Salem police.
Michael Ray Solis was arrested Tuesday in connection with the murder of 34-year-old Steven Michael Hill near the intersection of 17th Street and Silverton Road, officials say.
Officers responded to the shooting at 7 p.m. and provided Hill with medical aid, but paramedics pronounced him dead a short time later.
Solis faces charges of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of possessing a firearm, and recklessly endangering.
Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.
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https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/police-make-arrest-2-weeks-after-man-shot-to-death-in-salem/
| 2023-07-19T07:00:22
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https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/police-make-arrest-2-weeks-after-man-shot-to-death-in-salem/
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Dec. 17, 1962—July 7, 2023
BURLEY — On July 7, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., James Elliott Fisher, 60, went to be with his Lord and Savior. Following his October to July fight with melanoma then brain cancer, God promoted him to heaven.
James was born December 17, 1962, in Burley, Idaho, to Thomas Richard Fisher and Thelma Maxine Reed Fisher. He graduated from Burley High School, the class of 1983.
He was a beloved son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend to many. He loved all his friends at the Burley Fire Department. He also had respect for his boss, Stan Quan, at Wilson-Bates.
James was preceded in death by his father, Thomas; brother, Stephen Mark Fisher; both sets of grandparents; as well as a nephew, Jason Luke Fisher.
He is survived by his mother, Maxine; sisters, Sherry Lynn (Mike) Johnson and Lois Maxine Fisher; brothers, Thomas Glen “Bud” (Jill) Fisher and Michael Paul Fisher, all of Burley; his special nieces, Kristy Ann Fisher, Suzie Michelle (Kurt) Celmer, and Danielle Lee Fisher; his special nephews, Daniel “Danny” Brent Fisher, Matthew Lynn Johnson, Aaron Lee (Jamie) Johnson, and Scott Stephen Fisher; as well as many great-grand nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with Pastor Eloy Granados officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery.
Family and friends will be received at the funeral home from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, and from 2:00 until 2:45 p.m. Thursday prior to the funeral service.
A live webcast of the funeral service will be available and maintained at rasmussenwilson.com.
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/james-elliott-fisher/article_7b58dc80-ce09-5fe3-8b6d-db3449dbece7.html
| 2023-07-19T07:10:26
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/james-elliott-fisher/article_7b58dc80-ce09-5fe3-8b6d-db3449dbece7.html
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March 9, 1980—July 9, 2023
PAUL — Jason Eugene Page, a 43-year-old resident of Paul, passed away suddenly on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at his home.
He was born March 9, 1980, in Scottsdale, Arizona, the son of Glen E. Page, M.D. and Jane Pratt Page. He was a graduate of Burley High School. He married Jennifer Petty on March 21, 2003.
Jason was preceded in death by his dad, Glen.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Page; two children, Cole Page and Brady Page; mother, Jane Page; mother-in-law, Ann Petty; father-in-law, Roger Petty; sister-in-law, Iris Petty; sisters-in-law, Robyn Salsbury and Jessica Potila; brother-in-law, Glen Petty; eight siblings: Eric (Janet) Page, Bill (Melanie) Page, Stephanie (Kevin) Bennett, Todd Page, Amy (Clayton) King, Kaylee (Paul) Ludwig, Jessica (Drew) Peterson, and Jordan (Gabrielle) Page; and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral was held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 17, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Paul Stake Center, located at 424 W. Ellis St., in Paul, with Bishop Brent Browning officiating. Burial followed at Paul Cemetery under the direction of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.
A webcast of the funeral service is available and will be maintained at rasmussenwilson.com.
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jason-eugene-page/article_42a6ff33-c617-5753-9e8c-3f3ce35434d0.html
| 2023-07-19T07:10:32
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jason-eugene-page/article_42a6ff33-c617-5753-9e8c-3f3ce35434d0.html
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Mar. 14, 1931—July 12, 2023
BURLEY – Sharol Joy Woodbury Searle, a 92-year-old resident of Burley, passed away Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at her home.
She was born March 14, 1931, in Declo, Idaho, to Leland Rogers and Luella Myrlene Snow Woodbury. Sharol grew up in the View area with her eight siblings where they enjoyed a ranch life. They were poor but it was an adventurous place to live, climbing mountains, wading the creek and swimming in the canal. She attended the View School through the eighth grade and then went to Burley for junior high school and high school. She graduated with the class of 1949.
In high school she enjoyed her journalism class where she wrote many featured articles and school news stories for the school’s paper. Home economic class was also a favorite and she used the skills she learned throughout her life.
After graduation, Sharol attended Utah State University in the fall and married Raymond Clayson Searle the next spring in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple (March 9, 1950). After their marriage they farmed and raised their seven children in the View area. She was an excellent cook and her family enjoyed all her cooking, especially her delicious homemade bread.
When Raymond bought a small acreage that had an established raspberry farm on it, she took over the business and, with the help of her family, ran it for ten years becoming known as the Raspberry Lady.
She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and faithfully served where she was called. She served with her husband on missions to Pima, Arizona, and Olongapo, Philippines.
She is survived by her five sons, Cloyd (Gwendolyn), Kent (Marilyn), Craig (Beverly), Clifford (Terri), and Kelly (Shawna) all of Burley; daughters, Marla (Brent) Stoker of Burley, and Janna (Lane) Webb of Rexburg; her brother, Verl (Hilda) Woodbury of Riverbed Ranch, Utah; sisters-in-law, Gwen Woodbury, Karen Woodbury and Linda Woodbury of Burley, and Carol Woodbury of Raft River; 43 grandchildren; and 106 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Raymond; a sister, Doris (brother-in-law, Clyde) Stewart; older brother, Vernon (sister-in-law, Vernetta) Woodbury; younger brothers, Mervin (sister-in-law, Elnor) Woodbury, Lyle Woodbury, Roger Woodbury, Stanley Woodbury and Orin Woodbury; and a great-grandson, Jace Searle.
The family would like to thank Lisa Asher, Valle Stuby, Aisha White, Marshalyn Timm, and Horizon Home Health & Hospice for their love and help caring for Mom.
The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—View 2nd Ward, located at 490 E. 550 S., of Burley. Burial will follow at View Cemetery.
Family and friends will be received from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, prior to the service, at the church.
A webcast will be available and maintained at
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/sharol-joy-woodbury-searle/article_fedbc07f-ee9f-5cd4-86ee-909908d74633.html
| 2023-07-19T07:10:38
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SEATTLE — Seattle city leaders are moving forward with a proposal to designate some streets in the city as “restricted racing zones” that would allow automated speed cameras to be installed in those areas.
Tuesday, the city council’s transportation committee passed the legislation unanimously with two amendments. One of which adds four more streets to the city’s initial proposal of six to be “restricted racing zones.” The ordinance will still need to go before the full city council for a vote.
“It’s constant. It doesn’t matter what time of day or night,” said Steve Pumphrey.
Pumphrey has been documenting street racing outside his home on Harbor Ave SW, one of the proposed “racing zones.” He said it has been a problem for years.
“I think it's known throughout the county now that this is a fun place to come and race your car,” Pumphrey said.
If designated a racing zone, a 2022 state law will allow SDOT to install automated speed cameras.
“They won't stop the problem but they will deter a lot of it and that's our hope,” Pumphrey said.
Pumphrey said the latest crash along Alki Sunday that sent a woman to the hospital is another reason for the cameras. Witnesses told police a man was speeding before crashing head-on into the woman's car.
“A half-hour later, the racers were back here. It's just a constant problem,” Pumphrey said.
City leaders now want to install cameras along 10 streets spanning across Seattle:
- Alki Ave SW between 63rd Ave SW and Harbor Ave SW.
- Harbor Ave SW between Alki Ave SW and SW Spokane St.
- West Marginal Way SW between SW Spokane St and 2nd Ave SW.
- Sand Point Way NE between 38th Ave NE and NE 95th St.
- NE 65th St between Sand Point Way NE and Magnuson Park.
- Roadways inside Magnuson Park including, but not limited to, NE 65th St and Lake
- Seaview Ave NW between Golden Gardens Park and 34th Ave NW.
- 3rd Ave NW between Leary Way NW and N 145th St.
- Martin Luther King Jr Way S between S Massachusetts St and S Henderson St.
- Rainier Ave S from S Jackson St south to the city limits
Councilmember Tammy Morales said MLK and Rainier are two of the most dangerous in her district, with a combined 270 crashes last year.
“Until we start to prioritize the lives of residents over speed and ease of motor vehicles, until we truly make a concerted effort to redesign our streets, enforcement is what we have,” Morales said.
Councilmembers said the added streets are because of the people living there voiced their concerns.
It's something Pumphrey and his group The Harbor Alki Neighbors have been doing.
“They know we're not just complainers. they know we're trying to work with them and with the system to create safer streets here,” Pumphrey said.
Pumphrey said he knows the cameras won't be up immediately, but it's a move in the right direction.
“This is not the right kind of behavior for any neighborhood to put up with,” Pumphrey said.
The proposal requires a traffic equity analysis before cameras can be installed. The full city council will take up the measure Tuesday, July 25th.
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https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-city-council-ordinance-street-racing/281-bac83222-2a24-4c90-bf8e-03f0130422e9
| 2023-07-19T07:48:19
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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A driver was killed Tuesday afternoon when their car crashed into a Lemay home.
The crash happened at around 2:30 p.m. near the intersection of Kingston Drive and Telegraph Road. The car could be seen lying upside down in the wreckage of the home's front wall.
The St. Louis County Police Department said a vehicle was traveling northbound on Kingston Drive toward Telegraph Road at an "extremely high rate of speed," veered off the roadway, hit an embankment, and went airborne.
The vehicle crashed into a home, causing significant damage. A second home was also damaged.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Police have not released the driver's identity as of Tuesday evening.
"This only happens in the movies," Diane Wentzel said.
She rushed to the scene to see about her adult son.
"I wasn't sure how bad it was and when I got here and saw how bad it was I was like, I guess they'll be staying with us tonight," she said.
The family says the car crashed into the home as a 2 to 3-year-old was sitting on a bed in the bedroom. The impact pushed the bed into the wall so the child was not hit.
"Could've totally hit him, yes. Missed him by inches," Derek Wentzel said.
He says the child belongs to his friends who were visiting the home. They were inside as well as his girlfriend. He's saddened to hear the driver died.
"I just hope she didn't even know what was happening as it happened," Diane said.
Now her son is trying to salvage what he can and return to some type of normal.
"They said we may not be able to enter our home at all. It may be a total loss," he added.
The St. Louis County Police Department said that accident reconstruction investigators have been called to the scene.
Contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident.
A neighbor shared doorbell camera footage that captured the moment the car went airborne and crashed into the house at a high rate of speed.
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/car-crashes-into-house-st-louis-county/63-1fca347e-c911-4947-9bd4-e62251278bbe
| 2023-07-19T07:50:06
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/car-crashes-into-house-st-louis-county/63-1fca347e-c911-4947-9bd4-e62251278bbe
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WATERLOO — Police are investigating a break-in at a Waterloo convenience store early Monday.
According to investigators, two people entered Kwik Stop, 1104 Washington St., around 4:15 a.m. Monday after throwing a rock to break the glass door.
The burglars grabbed vape cartridges and triggered an alarm. The suspects fled before police arrived.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Waterloo Police Department at (319) 291-4340 or Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers at 855-300-TIPS (8477).
The cities with the most break-ins and burglaries
Cities With the Most Break-Ins / Burglaries
Over the past decade burglary and larceny rates have declined
Daytime break-ins of homes are most common
Southern states experience the most property crime
Small and midsize cities with the most burglaries
15. Dallas, TX
14. Houston, TX
13. Las Vegas, NV
12. Columbus, OH
11. Minneapolis, MN
10. Milwaukee, WI
9. Wichita, KS
8. Kansas City, MO
7. Oklahoma City, OK
6. Bakersfield, CA
5. Seattle, WA
4. Baltimore, MD
3. Detroit, MI
2. Tulsa, OK
1. Memphis, TN
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| 2023-07-19T08:41:37
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https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-courts/police-investigate-burglary-at-waterloo-store/article_e02e9ab0-24b4-11ee-ab3f-d7d8e9e4b8a8.html
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WATERLOO – A Waterloo man was arrested after Black Hawk County sheriff’s deputies found 10 guns, including a stolen revolver, while searching his home Friday.
Deputies arrested Rodney Lavern Thein, 51, for 10 counts of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of fourth-degree theft. He was also arrested on drug charges.
Bond was initially set at $15,000.
Authorities allege Thein is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a felony drug conviction for a 2010 case in Buchanan County.
Around 5:30 p.m. Friday, deputies executed a search warrant at his home at 3403 Doris Lane and found 10 firearms — mostly bolt-action rifles —- and a .22-caliber Heritage Rough Rider revolver. A check determined the revolver was reported as stolen, according to court records.
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Other weapons seized include a Remington Model 1917 rifle, a High Standard shotgun, a Smith and Wesson 25-60-caliber rifle, a Steyr CL rifle, a Marlin XT-22 rifle, a Remington Model 510 rifle, a Remington Model 03-A3 rifle and a Savage Model 93 rifle.
Authorities also found heroin and marijuana and traces of meth.
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https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-courts/sheriffs-deputies-make-gun-arrest-in-search/article_3fbdcda4-24bd-11ee-a2d4-67afc59e7003.html
| 2023-07-19T08:41:38
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CEDAR FALLS – The City Council has given initial approval to converting the intersection at Lone Tree Road and Center Street to a four-way stop. It is currently a two-way stop.
On Monday, the council heard from several North Cedar residents supporting the change, and voted 6-1 in favor. Doing so would ignore federal criteria for stop signs for what’s believed to be the first time in Cedar Falls.
Standards indicate there is no need, making the city potentially vulnerable to liability, according to city engineers. Councilmembers in the same vote supported adding a crosswalk for pedestrians crossing Center Street.
“All the people in North Cedar would like that. This is their neighborhood, and I’d like to see them get their stop signs,” said Councilmember Dave Sires after pointing out the signs would slow down Center Street traffic heading into a school zone and that the road used to be part of U.S. Highway 218.
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Councilmember Susan deBuhr dissented, preferring first to try other signage that had been recommended by the engineering division. The ordinance must pass three readings before new signs can be installed. That could happen by the end of the summer.
Right now, east- and west-bound travelers on Lone Tree Road have to halt at stop signs. However, ongoing construction along the north-to-south Center Street corridor led the city to make the intersection a four-way stop on a temporary basis last year.
That led residents to ask that the arrangement be made permanent. A petition, provided by City Clerk Jacque Danielsen, shows dozens of signatures supporting the additional traffic control at the intersection.
The construction was part of an expensive transformation to make the area safer by slowing traffic, better accommodating pedestrians and bicyclists, improving drainage, beautifying the corridor, and attracting private investment and families to the area.
Engineer David Wicke believes it would be the first time the city would contradict these recommendations of the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
Only one crash had been reported at the intersection over the last 12 months, according to Wicke. The threshold is five to require stop signs. He noted the lack of signs was not the reason for the accident.
Additionally, vehicles in the 85th percentile are averaging 36.7 and 38.4 miles per hour from the south and north lanes, respectively, within 5 mph of the posted speed limit on Center Street. That's shy of the 40-mile-per-hour threshold in federal regualtions.
Signs also could be placed as an interim measure if a traffic signal is justified and is being installed. At least one of those three requirements needed to be met under federal rules.
But five neighbors argued the area is the entryway into a school zone. Additionally, they said the speed and number of vehicles make the area dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists. And plans by Jim Sands Construction to build homes north of Tomahawk Lane and west of Cypress Avenue will increase traffic.
“There’s been no mention that it is the crossing for a bike bath, which is heavily used,” said resident Stephen Smith. “We use that all the time, and in our travels on the bike path, that is the most dangerous place that we encounter. Traffic is turning. Traffic on Center Street does not stop, and it is an exciting little adventure every time when the traffic is there and we need to cross the street.”
Wicke had recommended installing an “intersection ahead” sign on Center Street, or a “cross traffic does not stop” plaque under the existing stop signs on Lone Tree Road. He advised against “arbitrarily” putting up the stop signs. There needs to be proof their placement is consistent with other stop signs in other city corridors.
“We want to have that uniformity and that consistency, so it doesn’t cause driver confusion,” said Wicke. "Stop signs are effective when they’re used in situations where other traffic control measures, such as yields or roundabouts, would not be as effective.
“If we just arbitrarily start putting up stop signs, they lose their effectiveness over time because drivers are conditioned to understand and anticipate stop signs where they should be located on street networks. … We open ourselves up to liability.”
The crosswalk issue had not been studied by city engineers prior to the Monday meeting, according to Wicke.
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| 2023-07-19T08:41:44
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WATERLOO – Three years ago, North Crossing – formerly known as Logan Plaza – had new life breathed into it. Now, a new phase of revitalization is underway.
A multi-building apartment complex, child-care center and senior center are slated to be constructed on East Fourth Street behind the McDonald’s on Logan Avenue. The land is already being developed.
Waterloo developer Ben Stroh invested $13 million to clear trees, build new roads and sidewalks and move dirt. He eventually will be reimbursed by the city from infill development dollars and tax increment financing contributions.
Part of the land will house a 180-unit apartment complex comprising five buildings. It will be the largest multi-residential development in the city of Waterloo in the last 20 years, according to Mayor Quentin Hart. The $37 million project by the Annex Group, headquartered in Indianapolis, is expected to be finished by next summer.
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The apartments will serve households making 60% or less of the area’s median income. The U.S. Census states the median income for 2021 in Waterloo was $49,430, allowing residents with a median income of $29,658 or less eligible to live there.
Councilmember Belinda Creighton-Smith, who represents the ward the development is in, hopes it will help residents with smaller paychecks.
“I’m hoping it’ll provide supplemental support for individuals that would want to live in that housing,” she said. “You have to have a fair housing initiative so we are not supposed to make the rent so high that people who are barely making minimum wage can afford to live there.”
At previous council meetings, Creighton-Smith voiced concern about the project, saying she had not had the chance to talk to her constituents about what they wanted to see.
She said they would rather have homes like the 32 single-family homes in the Edison development project rather than an apartment complex, but she understands why the city went through with plans for the development.
“We need more housing, and I understand development has to begin somewhere,” she said. “When we start here and can build from there. We can add single-family dwellings for middle income individuals and families.”
The complex will have five three-story “garden style” buildings with units that are one, two and three-bedroom apartments. There also will be a clubhouse, community room, fitness center, picnic area, playground, dog park and carport parking. The property will be landscaped and have an open space with a half-mile pedestrian walking trail.
Hart said the development goes hand in hand with the city’s 2030 vision plan of creating 800 new residential units.
Within the same developed area there will be a children’s day care and a senior center. Stroh said he donated land to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital for the two projects.
Allen Hospital CEO Pam Delagardelle said she’s “chasing the day care business” because the pandemic caused 67 people to resign in a six-month time period because they didn’t have child care.
The hospital, along with Cedar Valley Kids, received a $2 million award from Future Ready Iowa, a state initiative to build Iowa’s talent pipeline, to construct a child care facility that will create 100 new day care slots.
Sixty of these slots are slated for employees of Allen Hospital and UnityPoint Health, and 40 for the rest of the community.
“We all know that child care issues are a challenge not just in Waterloo, but across the entire U.S.,” Hart said. “Our ability to have quality, affordable child care will allow people to work more and offer people a better quality of life and to make sure children are safe.”
Earlier this year, the hospital opened an interim day care in a remodeled Allen College building that can hold 58 children.
However, due to staffing shortages at the day care, only 20 children are being served. Filling less than half of these spots, while there is a “large waitlist,” according to Delagardelle, is a potential roadblock to the new 8,000-square-foot building in North Crossing.
“Before we build the $2 million building, our focus is to get the interim spot stood up and successful,” she said. “We don’t believe it would be prudent if we can’t staff the interim building with 58 children.”
She said the day care is trying to recruit workers from Waterloo Community Schools’ career center as well as part-time staff from Allen College.
A project that won’t pause is the senior center, a three-way partnership between the state of Iowa, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and UnityPoint to operate a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly.
PACE provides comprehensive medical and social services to elderly people living in the community.
The 20,000-square-foot building will include a community center and medical clinic. It also will provide physical and occupation therapy, laundry services, meals and social work services. Bingo, exercise classes, trivia, puzzles and arts and crafts will be some of the activities offered.
“We take care of everything,” said Executive Director of UnityPoint Health PACE Matt Swanstrom. “We are providing, encompassing and wrapping them with care they need to live safely in the community.”
To receive PACE services a person must be Medicaid and Medicare eligible, age 55 and older and meet the state of Iowa’s criteria for receiving nursing home care.
The program will serve people from Black Hawk, Benton, Bremer, Butler, Buchanan, Fayette, Grundy and Tama counties. Since the coverage area is so wide and there are people in the metro area who don’t have reliable transportation, PACE will offer transportation to the center as well as to appointments outside of the senior center.
Swanstrom hopes the center will open by the summer of 2024.
“We’re taking care of a subgroup of people who really need the care,” he said. “There are socioeconomic factors that don’t allow them to get the care they need. We’re trying to fill that gap.”
Hart said when he served on the Department of Aging board, he constantly heard conversations about access to senior care.
“This will be another opportunity to make sure we remember those that have paved the way by helping create a quality senior center,” he said.
Creighton-Smith said some Ward 4 constituents had concerns about the senior center potentially “competing” with the Jesse Cosby Neighborhood Center. She said she was told the PACE center would be more like a senior rehabilitation center.
Hart, who grew up in the area, said when he became mayor many people told him that “nothing will ever happen to the area,” because it was run down. He said he wasn’t going to take that for an answer.
“This is a dream come true for me,” he said. “I hope that when it’s all said and done, that (we) left things better than we got it.”
Creighton-Smith is also glad to see development on the north side of town as well, and hopes to see more. She said with so much land there are many business opportunities. She hopes there will eventually be a coffee shop, a non-fast food restaurant and recreation centers, giving examples such as an arcade, bowling alley or skating rink.
She said the area became blighted, economically depressed and crime ridden because of the destruction of the neighborhood and community, especially after riots in the 1960s.
She also mentioned the introduction of roads and highways that came through the community, leaving only the railyard. She said things have gotten better in recent years but the community still needs businesses with “a nice appearance” that draw families and individuals to the community.
Stroh, the developer, is a native of Waterloo who grew up on the east side. He said one of the main areas of the neighborhood – Logan Plaza – had a HyVee, Coast to Coast Hardware, Ben Franklin, hair salon, Maid Rite, dry cleaners and a pizza place. He said the pizza place closed down in the 1980s, with Ben Franklin and Coast to Coast following after. He said the only thing left when he bought it more than a decade ago was the Maid Rite.
He said the area was a dumping site — with old sofas, tires and TVs arriving every day. It was also overgrown with weeds and trees.
“That part of Fourth Street, north of Donald, was just so overgrown and kind of a scary, dark place,” he said. “Now you go up there and it’s all cleaned up with new roads going in, and it’s transformed 100%.”
The site is now occupied by UnityPoint Health’s urgent care, therapy, and family medicine, neurology and internal medicine clinics. A $2 million Kwik Star convenience store also was built, as well as a $1 million Burger King restaurant.
The Burger King was closed earlier this year after issues with the franchiser. Stroh hopes it will turn into a coffee shop or ice cream parlor.
He said near the new development there are multiple restaurants and retailers looking at the space, but could not provide any details on what businesses are interested in the property. He also hopes a hotel will be built.
He said that part of the project could be “ready to go” next spring.
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https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/north-crossing-development-waterloo/article_34d36d7c-2251-11ee-b63e-3ff3fe9b9be4.html
| 2023-07-19T08:41:50
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CEDAR FALLS -- Not Quite Brothers and 16 Candles will be headliners for the 2024 Sturgis Falls Celebration, with performances June 28 and June 29 on the permanent weather-resistant stage in Gateway Park.
In addition, there will be three professional weather-resistant 40- by 40-foot private tents for rent that can hold more than 150 people. The tents have lighting, portable toilets, picnic tables or tables and chairs; beverage services can be arranged by request.
Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green presents astronaut Raja Chari with the key to the city during the Sturgis Falls Celebration on June 23, 2023. Credit Andy Milone.
Tents rent for $800 per day from 4 p.m. to midnight. A $400 deposit will hold the reservation with balance due May 1, 2024. Groups can go together to share the rental expense. Contact Jay @ jstodd2000@aol.com for addition information.
Photos: 2023 Sturgis Falls Parade
Sturgis Falls 1
Children cover up from the rain on a parade float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 2
A woman shields herself from the rain on a parade float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 3
The Cedar Falls Dance Team performs during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 4
Spectators grab their umbrellas as rain begins to fall during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 5
Children cheer during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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People watch as the Cedar Falls High School class of 1978 float rolls down the street during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 7
The Iowa Irish Fest float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 8
The Waterloo Trampoline & Tumbling Center float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 9
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Band performs during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Sturgis Falls 10
A large American flag is carried during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green waves to the crowd during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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NASA astronaut Raja Chari and his wife, Holly, wave to the crowd during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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NASA astronaut Raja Chari watches from the crowd during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Cedar Falls women's rugby team waves to the crowd during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Cedar Falls Municipal Band performs during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Cedar Falls Lions Club “Bicycle Built for 10” during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Cedar Falls High School class of 1968 rolls down the street during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The University of Northern Iowa Horizons Band Performs during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Holiday Hoopla float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Kids wave as they walk in the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Kids wave from a parade float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Union Missionary Baptist Church Crusaders march in the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Classic John Deere tractors are driven down the street during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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A Cedar Falls Pickleball Club member hits a ball during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Team Ninja U members wave during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Grout Museum float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Ominous clouds hang over the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade route in Cedar Falls on Saturday. A later overnight storm caused hail damage for some in Black Hawk County and the surrounding area.
CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
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Captain America gives high fives during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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University of Northern Iowa cheerleaders wave during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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University of Northern Iowa's TC and TK wave during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Cedar Falls High School class of 1993 float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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The Cedar Falls Public Library float during the 2023 Sturgis Falls parade in Cedar Falls on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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| 2023-07-19T08:41:57
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CEDAR FALLS – Starting July 17, the city's contractor will be continuing with the third phase of construction on West 27th Street with removals of pavement and the westerly high school construction entrance.
The Greenhill Road and West 27th Street intersection will be opened to traffic with a new high school construction entrance established utilizing PE Center Drive. During this time, the only access point to the high school will be from PE Center Drive as crews continue to work toward the west of the Greenhill Road intersection.
This last phase of construction will be in effect for approximately five months, with all three high school access points open to traffic by the end of the construction season.
Other crews will continue with paving operations near Hudson Road. Lane closures will still be in effect at Hudson Road and West 27th Street as they are currently placed.
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Waterloo and Cedar Falls homes for big families
5 Bedroom Home in Waterloo - $479,900
Welcome to this remarkable 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom home that offers over 1800 square feet of main level living space, ample storage, a spacious deck, overlooking a meticulously landscaped back yard with firepit. Nestled in a sought-after neighborhood, this home boasts convenience, comfort, and luxurious features. The main floor laundry and a heated 3-stall garage further enhance the appeal of this extraordinary property. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make this your dream home!
5 Bedroom Home in Janesville - $1,675,000
RARE offering, this amazing private oasis is nestled on more than 38 acres of land. This hidden treasure is the former Heyata Girl Scout Camp that has been transformed into a private residence. This unparalleled property features a show-stopping home, a private cabin, a large outbuilding, access to the Shell Rock River, and approximately three miles of private trails. Starting with the main home, the clean lines and contemporary styling blends beautifully into the landscape. The foyer opens to the expansive floor plan and gives a glimpse of the surroundings with walls of windows. Heated quartz floors flow throughout the home seamlessly blending the outdoors indoors. The living room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and a wood-burning fireplace surrounded by Anamosa limestone. The formal dining room is ideal for entertaining in this great space and is situated near the beautiful kitchen. Hickory cabinetry, sleek stainless steel appliances, and granite countertops create an outstanding kitchen. The main floor master suite provides beautiful concrete floors, a spacious walk-in closet, a private ensuite bathroom with a steam shower and bidet as well as access to a heated screened-in, covered porch. The main floor also features a beautiful den/bdrm with complete with built ins-with high speed internet available this is a remote workers dream office! Completing the main level is a separate laundry room, access to multiple covered decks, and another screened-in porch. The stunning staircase provides a custom handrail, hickory steps, and massive windows leading to the finished walkout lower level. This lower level provides heated floors, three bedrooms, one full bathroom, ample storage space, and access to an exterior courtyard. The home is complete with an attached oversized heated two-stall garage with both hot and cold water as well as floor drains and a backup generator for major components of the home. This rare offering provides a separate cabin that features a massive fireplace built with boulders and stone, a small kitchenette, a large studio space as well as a bathroom. The outbuilding provides great space to store any tractors, ATVs, boats, or other toys. All of these incredible features are situated amongst incredible timber and untouched midwest land that is packed with wildflowers and wildlife and is prime for deer and turkey hunting. This property adjoins the Shell Rock River and features access to a sandbar and an area to launch a boat or access the water for fishing. Do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime offering! Schedule your showing today!
5 Bedroom Home in Waverly - $450,000
Fantastic spacious ranch in the Prairie Links golf community! Entering into the home, you will love the open concept with beautiful flooring, high ceilings with extra tall doors and bright windows. The white kitchen features solid surface counters, bar seating, great pantry and area that can be used for coffee station or drop zone. The dining area is just off the kitchen as well. The primary suite boasts bathroom with separate tiled shower, tub and dual sinks. The walk in closet is great with pocket door. Two bedrooms and another full bath round out the main level. The lower level features garden windows, space for family area as well as room for pool table or ping pong table. Two more bedrooms are great for large family or guests as well as full bath. Enjoy your coffee in the mornings on the screened porch that leads to the patio area. You will love the sunsets in the evening!
5 Bedroom Home in Cedar Falls - $561,413
Looking for a new construction home with a finished basement? Look no further! This Tyler floor plan has it all including a walk-in pantry, main floor laundry, master suite with tile shower as well as a rec room, and bed and bath in the lower level! This home will be ready end of November and is within walking distance to Aldrich Elementary. Contact agent for details.
5 Bedroom Home in Waterloo - $574,995
**NEW - BASEMENT FINISH IS CURRENTLY BEING ADDED - 2 LOWER LEVEL BEDROOMS, BATHROOM, REC AREA WITH WET BAR** **BATHROOM AND WET BAR FINISH FOR FREE - VALUE OF $15,000++** Welcome to your dream home!! This stunning new construction ranch is situated on a peaceful cul-de-sac, offering a serene and private setting for you and your loved ones. With 3 spacious bedrooms and 2.5 baths, this home provides ample space for comfortable living and entertaining. As you enter the home, you`ll immediately notice the attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship throughout boasting coffered 10` ceilings, and stunning electric fireplace . The open-concept living area is perfect for entertaining, featuring a spacious living room, gourmet kitchen with large island and GE Stainless appliances, and a dining area that opens onto a patio overlooking the backyard. The master bedroom is a true retreat, boasting a generously sized walk-in closet and a spa-like en suite bathroom complete with a tiled separate shower, and dual vanities. The two additional bedrooms are equally spacious and offer ample closet space, making this home perfect for families and guests alike. Other notable features of this home include a main floor laundry room, an attached three-car garage, and a full basement with endless potential for customization. And with the convenience of single-level living, you`ll enjoy easy access to all areas of the home without any stairs to climb. Don`t miss out on this rare opportunity to own a brand new home in a peaceful cul-de-sac setting. Contact us today to schedule your private showing and make this dream home yours!! This home qualifies for Waterloo`s 3-Year 100% Tax Abatement *Price subject to change with additional upgrades throughout construction*..
5 Bedroom Home in Cedar Falls - $670,422
Welcome to the home of your dreams in Cedar Falls! This stunning new construction ranch boasts an impressive 4 bedrooms on the main level, offering ample space and privacy for your family. The finished basement features a 5th bedroom, providing even more space for guests or a home office. Step inside to discover the luxurious finishes throughout the home. The spacious kitchen is sure to delight any chef with its elegant quartz countertops, providing plenty of workspace for meal prep and entertaining. The beautiful luxury vinyl plank flooring adds warmth and character to the space, while the tile shower in the master bath provides a spa-like experience every time you step in. Cozy up on chilly nights in the living room by the electric fireplace, creating the perfect atmosphere for relaxing and unwinding. And with a 3 stall garage, you'll have plenty of space for your vehicles and outdoor equipment. This home truly has it all, from the beautiful finishes to the spacious layout. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make it yours today! **Pricing subject to change as finishes/features are added and priced**
5 Bedroom Home in La Porte City - $229,000
YOU'LL LOVE THE VERY NATURE OF IT! 2-story home, 4-5 bedroom with over 3.5 acres! Nice floor plan, formal dining area, newer kitchen cupboards, main floor laundry, bedroom/den on main level, enclosed front porch and fenced around the home. The views are amazing and are you ready.....Detached 1440 sq. ft. garage/out building with 1/2 bath. Don't miss out on this opportunity!
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| 2023-07-19T08:41:58
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https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/traffic-change-on-west-27th-street-in-cedar-falls/article_4eae1c82-24be-11ee-ab77-0f3acb814d36.html
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Seventh in a series on The Courier’s Eight Over 80 winners.
DYSART — When Catharine Wieck arrived to teach in Dysart in autumn 1949, she fell in love with the town and, not long after, she fell in love with a man named Paul.
“The trees were wearing their finest for fall and it was a beautiful, beautiful town, and I met a young fellow from here,” Wieck said. “Then in 1951, we were married and I’ve been here, of course, ever since, living in town.”
She is being recognized for her devotion to the community as one of The Courier’s Eight Over 80 winners.
Growing up on a farm in Webster County, both of Wieck’s parents were active in their community. Both taught Sunday school and threw themselves into doing whatever was needed by their neighbors.
“When there was a celebration on, my dad was there helping, when there was … somebody in the community that had a need, my mom was there helping,” she said. “And so I had a good example set for me.”
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Wieck’s first venture into volunteer work was as the local 4-H leader. However, her work teaching in Dysart and La Porte City and raising three children sidetracked her from community work.
That kicked off in earnest with the Tree Board, when it was founded in 1988. Members of the board had their work cut out for them, having to replace many of the trees lost in the 2011 derecho and helping in the creation of an arboretum. Over the last 35 years, the board has planted hundreds of trees throughout Dysart, most of them memorial trees.
“They’re a living memorial to somebody who has been important in this community,” she said.
Then in 1997, Wieck founded another major project when the Reformed Church of Christ, down to only eight congregants, went out of operation and was given over to the community. As a member of the Dysart Development Corp. at the time, she decided to put the building to use as a historical museum.
Inside, visitors will find relics from the town’s founding, including its role in taking in children to the orphan train and its contributions to America’s armed conflicts.
Since then, they’ve added an agriculture museum and a machine shed with old vehicle exhibits. They also brought in a former schoolhouse from near Traer, refurbishing it to be as close as possible to what children from Tama County would have experienced in the 1930’s and 40’s.
The challenge now is getting the people coming after her to get involved.
At 92, Wieck intends to step down from the Tree Board when a suitable replacement is found. The involvement of the younger generation in continuing her work and helping to upkeep the community is a top concern, although she is seeing renewed interest.
Parents are starting to pitch in to ensure good summer programs for their children, for example. While this has been centered primarily around athletics, Wieck sees it as a step in the right direction.
“I think it’s changing some. We have a group called Club Dysart that is very active and they are younger people,” she said. “We do have more younger people on our Tree Board, which is wonderful. It’s a lot of work and we need younger ones.”
Even without the Tree Board, Wieck remains a fixture at the Dysart Museum, pulling weeds and showing guests around. The people that take over will be the beneficiaries of her life’s philosophy in motion.
“I guess if you want to know my philosophy about doing all this, I feel that the reason we’re put in this earth is to leave the world a little better place than we found it,” Wieck said.
“I think the work we do is rent for our space. That’s the way I like to think of it.”
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https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/woman-works-to-leave-world-better-place/article_fba12236-1136-11ee-8d1e-7f137414e681.html
| 2023-07-19T08:42:04
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https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/woman-works-to-leave-world-better-place/article_fba12236-1136-11ee-8d1e-7f137414e681.html
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Montgomery and Warren counties once again are leading the state in road rage incidents this year, while Butler County now ranks fifth for the dangerous activity, according to state patrol data.
Many drivers can get frustrated or angry while behind the wheel, but road rage and aggressive driving can lead to automobile crashes, property damage and violent confrontations that can result in serious injuries or death, police and transportation safety officials say.
Credit: Ohio State Highway Patrol
Credit: Ohio State Highway Patrol
Travel and transportation safety groups say motorists and their passengers should try to stay calm and avoid escalating situations when they encounter angry and aggressive drivers.
“If possible, do not engage,” said Kara Hitchens, AAA Club Alliance spokeswoman. “We always recommend to not give the other driver a reason to react. It may be hard to walk away — or drive away — but it could save a life.”
Montgomery County has had 63 road rage incidents so far this year, while Warren County has 62. Those tallies are far higher than any other Ohio county, according to data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. That’s despite being the fifth and 10th most populous counties respectively, and far smaller than the counties of Columbus and Cleveland.
Not every local county is so high — Clark County so far this year has only 22 reports of road rage despite I-70 running the length of the county. That’s 19th highest of Ohio’s 88 counties, right in line with population, where Clark County ranks 21st.
Last year, Montgomery and Warren counties each had 117 road rage incidents, which were 28 more than the next leading county (Clermont).
Montgomery and Warren counties may lead the state in road rage reports in part because they handle a ton of traffic on major highways like Interstates 70, 71, 75 and 675.
This year, Clermont County has had 45 documented cases of road rage (3rd most in the state), while Stark County has had 42 reports (4th most), state patrol data show. Butler County has the fifth-most incidents (39).
Butler County had just 48 cases of road rage in all of 2022, but is approaching that number in July.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
This data is just for the Ohio State Highway Patrol and does not count road rage cases involving other law enforcement agencies.
Road rage involves extreme, deliberate unsafe driving that poses a significant safety risk, says Bankrate.
Common road rage behaviors include rude or inflammatory gestures, screaming, profanity, honking, verbal intimidation, tailgating too closely, weaving through traffic and sometimes intentional ramming or physical confrontation.
Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said road rage is being aggressive in a threatening way while in an automobile, and he said unfortunately it happens fairly frequently.
Last year, a man was shot in the leg during a road rage incident on I-675 in Washington Twp. Other local road rage incidents have resulted in shootings and assaults.
Nearly eight in 10 U.S. motorists demonstrate some form of aggressive driving behavior while behind the wheel, says a survey by AAA.
When a motorist is acting aggressively, it can cause other drivers to oversteer or make other mistakes that can cause collisions, Streck said.
To avoid being a victim of road rage, Streck says motorists should slow down and let the other driver pass or they can try to get away by turning off the road or taking an exit.
Streck said motorists should contact authorities when they witness very aggressive behaviors. He recommends motorists drive to a police or fire station or another public and populated space if they are being followed by an angry driver.
“Try to get away from them,” he said. “The best thing for these kinds of incidents is to get everybody separated so whatever is causing this goes away.”
Road-ragers can face stiff legal penalties if they are caught and if law enforcement determines they engaged in menacing, criminal damaging, assault or other crimes.
Tips for dealing with aggressive drivers
Following the rules of the road can help avoid problems. These include maintaining adequate following distance, use turn signals, allowing others to merge, and tapping the horn if necessary without other gestures.
If you encounter an angry driver:
- Avoid eye contact with the driver.
- Don’t respond to aggression with aggression.
- If you feel you are at risk, drive to a public place such as a police station, hospital or fire station.
- If you are confronted, stay as calm and courteous as possible.
- If you feel threatened, call 911.
SOURCE: AAA
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| 2023-07-19T08:54:12
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Here's how long Brockton-area skies will by hazy from Canadian wildfires
BROCKTON — Smog from Canada’s ongoing wildfires will continue to cloud Brockton-area skies through Thursday.
“Our smoke model is showing somewhat of a decrease in smoke concentration later this afternoon and tonight, but it does come back tomorrow,” National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Cadima said Tuesday. “The smoke will continue through tomorrow into Thursday as well,” he says.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) is reporting 904 active fires today, 587 of which are out of control.
“We're experiencing a record-breaking fire season in Canada. With 8.8 M hectares burned to date, the month of June was extremely busy with mobilizations, especially internationally,” they tweeted on July 5.
'Absolutely stunning'Renovated Brockton Campi that sold for $455,000 has 'final touches'
Is there an air quality alert for the Brockton area?
There’s no air quality alert for eastern Massachusetts right now, and Cadima says he doesn’t expect there to be over the next few days.
“It’s not going to affect anyone other than the sky is going to be hazy,” he says. “The surface smoke is not looking that bad. There’s really not much of it at all in eastern Massachusetts.”
Lobster risotto, pasta from scratchA taste of Italy is here at Easton restaurant
How long will Brockton-area skies be hazy?
“As long as those fires are burning and we have the right wind direction, we’ll see on and off smoke throughout the summer,” says Cadima.
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https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/massachusetts-eastern-haze-canadian-wildfires-air-quality-smoke-summer/70425349007/
| 2023-07-19T09:02:47
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https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/18/massachusetts-eastern-haze-canadian-wildfires-air-quality-smoke-summer/70425349007/
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — The work at Bryant Denny Stadium to replace the old grass on the playing field is almost finished.
Earlier this summer, workers began the process to put down new hybrid Bermuda grass on the field. They also replaced the old drainage system underground. UA director of sports and grounds Jon DeWitt says the last time renovations were made to the field was in 1991.
“It’s pretty exciting and it’s historic and monumental to rebuild the flagship of football in the United States and to do it with systems that have the height of technology at this time is pretty cool,” DeWitt said.
Crimson Tide fan Nathan Cantrell hopes the new grass and playing field will help Bama have a winning season.
“It’s pretty exciting because Bryant Denny has been around for a while so to get updates is exciting for the fans,” Cantrell said. “I know it’s exciting for the players to get a new surface so it’s just something to look forward to for the new season.”
Work should be completed on August 1, just in time for the Tide to play against Middle Tennessee State University in early September.
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/field-renovations-nearly-complete-at-bryant-denny-stadium/
| 2023-07-19T09:03:17
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'Nothing like it': This Barrington estate sold for $5.6 million after 4 days on the market.
The inside of the house was entirely renovated
- It last sold in 2018 for $2.55 million
BARRINGTON − After four days on the market, a renovated estate in Barrington sold for $5.6 million, the highest residential sale price in the town, and $150,000 above asking.
"When it was first purchased, the current owner went through the entire thing, redid so much of it, added on to the carriage house and extended the pool area," real estate agent Elizabeth Kirk said.
Kirk and Lisa Schryver, with Compass, listed the estate, known as "Windy Acres," at 330 Rumstick Road.
"Every surface was touched," Kirk said. "Every lighting fixture, every door, spaces were reconfigured to make more sense. It was a spectacular renovation, really thoughtful with the choices they made."
The estate was last sold in 2018 for $2.55 million, according to Barrington tax assessor records. The house and the land, three acres, is currently assessed and taxed at its 2018 purchase price.
The renovations also took full advantage of the view overlooking Smith Cove, with nearly every room except the bathrooms having "exquisite" views, Kirk said.
The carriage house, up the driveway from the main house, was redesigned into a true living space and all of the landscaping was redone.
"The gardens are unbelievable," Kirk said.
How do you price a mansion?
Since the renovations and the last sale in 2018, prices up and down the housing market have boomed as demand has increased and the number of houses available has dwindled.
Kirk said it was "tough" to price the house because there were no recent sales in the area, or "comps," to compare to.
Instead, Kirk and Schryver looked further afield to Newport, Middletown and Bristol.
"We just felt like this property had so much to offer," Kirk said.
Kirk even looked at houses in Fairfield County in Connecticut, on the Long Island Sound. One comparable property there sold for $12 million. The last time a bunch of properties sold in the area was 2012 and 2013, when prices were much lower.
"There's nothing like it that's come on the market," Kirk said. "Inventory has been a little slim."
The median selling price for a single-family house in the state is up 58% since "Windy Acres" was last sold in 2018, according to data from the Rhode Island Association of Realtors. For the Barrington house, its estimated new value would have been a little over $4 million, not the $5.6 million it sold for, a 119% increase.
More:You can still buy a house, or condo, for $300K in RI. Here's what the market looks like.
Demand outstrips supply everywhere in the market
Demand for the property was so great, they had nine showings in the four days it was on the market. The winning bid of $5.6 million was $150,000 above the asking price.
Good photos and a marketing team helped bring in all the would-be buyers, but it was also the renovated property, she said.
Rhode Island is an "intake" state, attracting interest from people in wealthier surrounding states because it offers much of the same desirability, but without the Boston price tag.
"Nine showings on the first day was incredible," she said.
Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Providence Journal subscription. Here's our latest offer.
Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.
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https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/barringtons-windy-acres-sale-sets-record-at-5-6m/70421003007/
| 2023-07-19T09:41:50
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From Gaffney to Gullah: Here are 13 SC spots to check off on your summer bucket list
You don't have to leave South Carolina to find your next summer adventure.
Known for its beaches and sea islands, the Palmetto State reels in national and international travelers with its warm weather and variety of unique, fun things to do.
And there is something for just about everyone.
Those who enjoy the great outdoors can rest under the Angel Oak Tree on John's Island ― a goliath of a tree that is rumored to be the oldest living thing in the US. While there, you can take your own guess at the age of the ancient oak.
In terms of history, there is much to learn about the state's past. Travel through Gullah communities on a Hilton Head bus tour and hear about how descendants of former enslaved people developed and maintained the communities of the island.
If you are traveling with a significant other, a good date night can include strolling Charleston's Battery or take a hike then enjoy a sunrise or sunset at Pretty Place Chapel in Greenville County.
From our own rolling hills to the Midlands to the Lowcountry, there are plenty of bucket list locations in SC.
Here are just a few:
Bishopville: Pearl Fryer Topiary Garden
Explore the masterpiece that is Pearl Fryar's three-acre topiary garden. Fryar created the garden back in the 1980's without any previous horticultural experience. It now serves as a place for visitors to take in its beauty. Many of the plants in the garden were rescued from nursery compost piles, which Fryar used to transform into a landscape of living works of art.
Charleston: Stroll The Battery
The Battery is a landmark defensive seawall and promenade in Charleston that is popular among tourists and joggers. It is known for its vibrant "Rainbow Row" antebellum mansions overlooking the Charleston Harbor, also offering views of Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, the USS Yorktown, Fort Moultrie and Sullivan's Island lighthouse.
Charleston: Listen to spooky ghost stories on a carriage ride
Do you enjoy listening to a good ghost story? If so, come along for a carriage ride on one of Charleston's ghost tours. The city is full of spine-tingling urban legends and myths, which will be told by your guide as you pass through haunted alleyways, churches, graveyards and hotels.
Cleveland: Watch the sunrise at 'Pretty Place Chapel'
From sunrise to sunset, visitors can visit the Fred W. Symmes Chapel, also known as "Pretty Place" due to its magnificent mountain views. Constructed in 1941, it is one of the numerous buildings that make up YMCA Camp Greenville. Make sure to check the online chapel schedule prior to visiting to avoid conflicts with events that might be scheduled at the chapel.
Columbia: Support local vendors at Soda City Market
Every Saturday morning, Columbia upholds its tradition of gathering people from all over the city for its Main Street mingling. Inspired by traditional European markets, Soda City Market showcases over 150 community vendors who display homemade and freshly grown items, like arts and crafts and produce. A variety of food options are available for visitors, and parking is free.
Gaffney: Snap a picture at the Peachoid
Although Georgia is known as the Peach State, South Carolina leads its neighbor in peach production, as well as other states in the country with the exception of California. The peach became the official state fruit in 1984, and Gaffney's 135-foot-tall water towner resembles the delectable fruit, looming over I-85. Whether you are just driving through the state or stopping for a visit, this gigantic sight is worth documenting.
Greenville: Cross the Liberty Bridge at Falls Park
Falls Park on the Reedy is a Greenville gem. The park is trailed with impressive stonework, with locals often gathered around the public art displayed throughout its lush gardens. Liberty Bridge's architecture adds to the allure and beauty of the park, those who cross it making memories that will last a lifetime as they gaze at the Falls with friends, family or significant others.
Hilton Head Island: Experience Gullah culture on a bus tour
The history and roots of the Lowcountry Gullah people ― a group of African Americans who were enslaved in the late 1600s ― runs deep. They have helped make the region what it is today and preserve their rich heritage through traditions such as craftmanship, cuisine, music, folklore and arts, shaping a strong sense of community. On a heritage trail tour, you can learn more about their past as you ride a bus through Gullah family compounds, hosted by fourth and fifth generation Gullah members.
Isle of Palms: Parasail the Charleston coast
Get a bird's eye view of the serene Charleston coast as you parasail. Tidal Wave offers a multitude of parasailing packages where you can soar the skies over downtown Charleston or the Isle of Palms. Adrenaline junkies who want to go higher than the standard line tether length will also have an option for a 200-feet extension.
John's Island: Guess the Angel Oak Tree's age
There is some considerable debate regarding the age of this mossy oak. While most experts estimate the tree's age is somewhere between 400-500 years-old, there are those that contend that it might be up to 1,500 years-old. Despite this, there is no denying the remarkable beauty of the tree, which measures at 66.5 feet tall and 28 feet in circumference, producing shade covering 17,2000 square feet.
Monetta: Catch a flick at the Big Mo drive-in theater
This seasonal drive-in theater offers double features, a snack bar and a kids' play area. It has three separate fields to play an array of films at the same time, each screen having its own radio station for guests to tune into to hear the movie. The theater opens in March and closes in November. It is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Movies are announced on Tuesdays.
Myrtle Beach: See the views atop the Skywheel
The glorious ocean views that await atop this ride just might be worth conquering a fear of heights. Skywheel towers above the Atlantic Ocean at 20 stories high and is located at the heart of the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, featuring 42-glass enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas, sitting up to six people. It is also handicap accessible and service dog friendly.
Salley: Cruise through Eudora Farms
Our bucket list would not be complete without mentioning a neat place for animal lovers to check out. Eudora Farms is home to over 300 exotic animals and is the first drive thru safari park in the Palmetto state. Animals that can be spotted at the farm are bulls, camels, water buffalo, ostriches, zebras, goats and more.
What's on your ultimate SC bucket list? Email me and let me know at ntran@gannett.com!
Nina Tran covers trending topics for the Greenville News.
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At least 475 people are homeless in Cumberland County. Here's how local government helps.
In 2022, 475 people were without permanent shelter in Cumberland County, according to local data gathered during a count held yearly across the nation.
It’s a total that, according to Chris Cauley, Fayetteville's director of economic and community development, was a 60% increase over 2021.
“That number has grown more and more and more,” Cauley said recently at Fayetteville’s City Hall.
The yearly count, known as the Point in Time count, is held every January to create "a census of the homeless population" during a single night. Volunteers count the number of sheltered and unsheltered people facing homelessness, according to Cumberland County. The total is not intended to be an "exact count" of the county's homeless population, the county said.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are four categories of homelessness — those who have no "fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence," which the department classifies as the "literally homeless"; those who will lose their main nighttime residence within two weeks with no alternative options identified; unaccompanied people under 25 or families with children who have faced housing instability at least twice in the past two months and will likely continue to; and anyone attempting to flee domestic violence who has no other residence and cannot find one.
Furthermore, that total doesn't include what Cauley calls the “invisible” homeless — those who are, by definition, homeless, but aren’t sleeping on the streets, he said.
“Somewhere between 20 and 30% of our total homeless population is that visibly homeless," Cauley said.
While 475 Cumberland County residents are visibly homeless, the number of truly homeless residents is likely far greater, he said.
“This count right here does not take into account a single mom who’s missed too many rent payments because she’s lost her job and now she’s taking her kids and she’s out looking for a job and they’re sleeping in the car,” he said. “Those people get missed in this.”
The numbers from the 2023 Point in Time Count haven't yet been released, Cauley said.
With untold hundreds, or even thousands, of people without permanent shelter in our county, Cauley and other city and county employees are directed to tackle a problem they say can’t be solved by government officials alone.
“This is not a problem that we solve with the county or with a state agency or with a federal agency,” Cauley said. “The only way this gets done is through a total community approach towards addressing issues and deciding as a community, what are we OK with?”
Collaboration and camps
Cauley and Brook Redding, a special projects manager for the City Manager’s Office, handle many issues related to the city's homeless population. Through the Department of Economic and Community Development, Cauley handles grants and strategizing, while Redding manages city projects and portfolios. Ultimately, Cauley is the “owner” of initiatives tackling homelessness in the city, but the two constantly collaborate, Redding said.
Redding is also currently tasked with managing the Impact Reduction Program, a controversial effort by the city to clear out homeless encampments deemed high-risk by the program’s team, which began solely as research into the problem of encampments, he said.
More in this series:How local nonprofits are helping Cumberland County's homeless — and what they need to succeed
“We had about a yearlong taskforce where we actually did some in-depth research, developed five different recommendations, brought that to council and agreed to investigate those,” he said. “We made a recommendation to adopt and develop a protocol for a program, that Impact Reduction program, a recommendation to work with (the North Carolina Department of Transportation) and other state agencies who also have public property in the city.”
According to City Council work session minutes from Aug. 1, 2022, the Impact Reduction Program follows three guiding principles: that homeless people have the same civil rights as people with homes; that they are treated with dignity and respect; and that the relocation of homeless individuals is done collaborative effort and resources are offered.
In spite of those principles, the program was the subject of public criticism in May after clearing out an encampment under the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freeway on Gillespie Street. According to a Fayetteville Police Department incident report, a resident of the camp died by suicide on May 3, a week after notices were posted by city officials at the site instructing residents to prepare to leave.
Redding said the decision to clear an encampment comes only after discussions with the Impact Reduction Program’s team.
“We have a taskforce that’s comprised of city staff, other government agencies and some representatives from our nonprofit service community,” he said.
He said the taskforce identifies encampments in the city and does continuous risk assessments, looking at factors like the presence of drug use, criminal activity, proximity to schools, proximity to high-speed traffic areas and the presence and amount of human waste.
“We bring that back to the taskforce and we discuss, ‘Hey, this is quantified as high-risk and here’s why,’" he said. "Then we discuss, how can we mitigate the risk of that encampment?” he said.
Cauley said such efforts are an example of the city’s attempts to follow its duty of protecting the public while also being compassionate to those experiencing homelessness.
"We really wanted to take that approach to treat folks like they're people," he said. "But at the end of the day, we've got that responsibility to the community for public safety."
Residents of the Gillespie Street encampment were offered a 21-day hotel stay to allow them time to find alternative housing options, Cauley noted.
“We are not under the illusion that that is a permanent solution,” he said. “It buys time for us to really help those social services wrap around those individuals and come up with their game plan.”
Continuum of Care
At the center of city and county efforts to mitigate homelessness is the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Continuum of Care on Homelessness, Debbie Brown, a former principal and administrator for Cumberland County Schools, volunteers 40-hour week as the group's chair.
“Not having been ever close to being homeless, I know that I can’t understand truly what they’re experiencing, but I do hurt for them and I want to try and be a catalyst of change for them,” Brown said recently while at Cumberland HealthNET’s headquarters, where the continuum’s coordinated entry program is located.
Brown has been a part of the Continuum’s board of directors since 2018, serving as its secretary and treasurer before becoming chair in September 2021, she said. The Continuum, also known as the COC, is a coalition of nonprofits, faith-based organizations, advocates, victim service providers, businesses, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, local government and those who have experienced homelessness, Brown said. A board of directors, consisting of a chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, lead agency, city ex officio and up to two members-at-large, oversees the COC, she said. All positions are volunteer.
The continuum recently published a new phone number, 844-401-HOPE, for its coordinated entry program, Brown said. Coordinated entry, she said, is the phone number homeless individuals can call when they need help.
More in this series:'I'm doing what I can': How one Fayetteville man has battled homelessness for 16 months
Those who call coordinated entry will be asked for basic information, like name and age, and must provide details on their situation so workers can determine if an individual qualifies as homeless and "better understand what your needs are," Brown said.
"Then they're going to let you know that, yes, you are considered homeless, and so what we need you to do is either go to one of our access points, or you can come right here, and they're gonna do an assessment on you," she said.
Besides Cumberland HealthNET, those access points are Operation Inasmuch at 531 Hillsboro St.; the Salvation Army at 245 Alexander St.; Manna Dream Center at 336 Ray Ave.; and First Baptist Church at 201 Anderson St., Brown said.
Some needs, like healthcare, can be addressed fairly quickly, according to Brown — but needs like long-term housing can take longer, she said. Many individuals end up in a “waiting stage,” necessitating the creation of a list that works similarly to how first responders triage in emergencies, Brown said. The coordinated entry assessment generates a score that assesses the level of need each person has and determines their placement on that waiting list, she explained.
As numbers show, there is a great deal of need. According to Brown, from June 1, 2022, to Dec. 1, 2022, the coordinated entry program received 2,852 calls and 122 walk-ins. The program was able to refer 865 people to services and provide 33 individuals with emergency housing vouchers through the Continuum of Care and the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority, Brown said.
Knowing that a waiting list can be a source of frustration for people, Brown said that some coordinated entry staffers are taking a class through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The 12-week training, which will finish in August, will assist in coordinated entry prioritization, she said.
Brown, whose term ends in October, said that in the coming months, she hopes to advocate for additional HUD funding to allow for additional case managers and social workers and increased partnership with the Cape Fear Valley health system.
“It’s really expanding our capability of being able to provide services for the homeless, but what it also does is in our application to HUD, it increases our score, because they score the (continuums of care),” Brown said. “Higher score can mean possible additional funding coming to the community because they see that there’s a need.”
A community effort
At the crux of the task to end homelessness, Cauley and Brown said, is the need for community support.
“We know we want to expand into our community to bring to our board,” Brown said. “It may not always be obvious to folks, but once they get involved, I think they’ll be excited to see the work that is truly being done, even though there are big numbers of homeless in our community.”
One area where the community can especially help is by donating and volunteering in ways that go beyond tip-of-the-iceberg efforts like clothing and food drives, Cauley said.
“You can give somebody $5 on Hay Street, or you can give $5 to a nonprofit who’s gonna use that money to help with a larger program,” he said. “Your $5 might be more impactful to that individual for that night, but if that $5 helps pay the salary of a case manager who works for that individual for six months until they’re ready to move into an apartment, what’s more impactful?”
Those wanting to end homelessness can contribute by simply getting involved, Cauley said.
“Are we OK with the progress that’s been made? Are we happy to rest on the laurels of our achievements, or do we want to continue to move forward, continue to invest more?” he said. “All of that comes from the community as a whole.”
Government watchdog reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com.
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How local nonprofits are helping Cumberland County's homeless — and what they need to succeed
Three days before he was found dead from suicide in the homeless encampment where he lived, a 33-year-old man shared with advocates that he was worried about where he would live.
"He was extremely worried that he had nowhere to go," said Valerie Sandoval, known as Dr. Val by the people she helps. "His anxiety level was off the charts."
Sandoval said that while his reaction was extreme, the man's death is an example of why movements to clear out homeless encampments carry so much risk.
People like Sandoval work directly with the homeless population every day in Cumberland County to mitigate homelessness, but each group has its own perspective on what nonprofits need to be successful in that mission.
Sandoval runs Community Awareness Alliance, a nonprofit organization aimed at improving the lives of Cumberland County residents. The organization began 15 years ago, initially focused on education, but quickly evolved to focus on five key issues, Sandoval said — water contamination by GenX chemicals, adult healthcare, voting, education and homelessness, which she said was the 55-member group’s “signature” issue.
Homelessness is not a new issue for Cumberland County, Sandoval said, but it has become a hotter topic in recent years.
“They’ve been here; it’s just that the visibility is stronger now,” she said, noting that increased development has razed many of the wooded areas where homeless people once sheltered.
'It should not happen like that'
Sandoval said the options of 21-day hotel stays and temporary shelters currently offered by the city sound nice, but they aren’t a viable choice for everyone. Many shelters don’t accept those with serious criminal records or drug addictions, she noted.
She said the best way to tackle homelessness is to conduct case-by-case evaluations, but she feels there is a lack of county oversight of how nonprofits meant to help the homeless manage the grants they receive, often resulting in inadequate care for those who need it most.
“The county’s going to tell you they don’t have the staff, they’re too busy,” she said. “Once they’ve handed out the grant, they feel like they’re done. That’s where the gap comes in.”
More in this series:'I'm doing what I can': How one Fayetteville man has battled homelessness for 16 months
Another component of the issue of tackling homelessness is the lack of input from those who have been homeless in policy decisions and strategizing, Sandoval said.
“The policymakers do not welcome or include actual homeless people,” she said. “They are not at the table when decisions and policies are being made about the population that is getting ready to be impacted the most.”
If those with lived experience had been included in decisions like clearing the Gillespie Street encampment, Sandoval said, the process may have been better received by the community.
“If there’s nobody at the table to say that, you can’t see their side of that,” she said. “I’m not going to say that that would’ve prevented the suicide, but individuals at the table could’ve said, ‘Uh-uh. Offer these resources and sources prior to. Really make us believe that it’s for real.’”
Furthermore, Sandoval said, she believes elected officials do the bare minimum to help the unhoused so local governments can receive larger funds and grants intended to address homelessness — what she calls the “homeless industrial complex.”
“If there were no homeless people, then you wouldn’t need a homeless shelter. If there were no homeless people, then you wouldn’t need a homeless day center,” she said.
City partnership
Though some are wary of the intentions of city and county officials, others have welcomed partnerships with them, like Fayetteville Urban Ministry, a nonprofit organization that has partnered with the city of Fayetteville since 1993, according to Johnny Wilson, the ministry’s executive director.
“They’ve always supported our Nehemiah program, which is our house repair program for low-income homeowners,” Wilson said. “That partnership with the city of Fayetteville and the economic development department has just continued to get stronger and stronger and more trusting.”
Since Wilson joined Fayetteville Urban Ministry in 1999 and became executive director 11 years ago, he has seen the benefits of that partnership, he said.
“It’s pretty cool whenever the city can reach out to us as a nonprofit and say, ‘Hey, we need to know what’s going on. What are you guys hearing? What’s the biggest needs in the city going on right now? And, if we have some support that we can lend or give you all, can you take it and do more?’” he said, smiling. “And we say, ‘Heck yes.’”
That support has included funding for temporary hotel stays, security deposits and rent for a tenant’s first and last months, Wilson said.
“We’re able to actually give those folks a hand up who’s ready to take that next step,” he said.
Although support from the city has been helpful, volunteers from the community will be crucial in continuing to battle homelessness, Wilson said.
“We all have three Ts that we can give, and that is time, talent or treasure,” he said. “Any of us are healthy enough to be able to give one of those, if not all of those, to someone else or to a particular agency to make this world go around better.”
The belief in community contribution is one that Sandoval, too, champions.
“If we can help some, then all is not lost,” she said. “I’m not fatalistic, and I don’t believe in fatalism.”
Government watchdog reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com.
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'I'm doing what I can': How one Fayetteville man has battled homelessness for 16 months
Joseph Wheeler has been homeless for 16 months.
Wheeler, 51, came to Fayetteville from Washington, D.C., more than 10 years ago to help take care of a friend’s mother, he said in an interview at the Headquarters Library downtown, where he has a cubicle he jokingly calls his office. He was evicted from his Lake in the Pines apartment in March 2022, ending a nearly two-year battle after losing his job in maintenance shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Wheeler said.
He entered the Manna Dream Center Shelter on July 16, 2022, he said. The shelter can host up to 20 men overnight, according to the city of Fayetteville. Wheeler said he left the shelter in May after receiving a voucher for a 21-day stay in a local hotel.
“I’ve seen some things in this experience that nobody should ever have to go through,” Wheeler said. “We’re talked to like we’re 6, 13, 12, just because we’re homeless, and disrespected within church organizations, disrespected by city leaders, disrespected like we don’t matter because we’re in the way when all we’re doing is asking for assistance.”
Most insulting, Wheeler said, has been disrespect from social workers.
“I had one social worker tell me, ‘If people without arms and legs can work, (you) can, too,’” he said.
'I'm doing what I can'
Though many stereotype the unhoused as lazy, mentally ill or addicted to drugs or alcohol, those beliefs are far from the truth, Wheeler said.
“Half the people out here want to do better for themselves,” he said. “It’s just circumstances have fallen beyond their control and they don’t have the resources.”
He said that in a society where many homeless people’s pleas for help are rejected on a near-daily basis, the temptation to give in to those circumstances can be overwhelming.
More in this series:'I'm not fatalistic': How local nonprofits are helping Cumberland County's homeless
“When you get told no repeatedly, you just eventually go, ‘OK. You know what, I’m not even going to go over here,’” Wheeler said. “None of them are treated with respect or dignity, even in the places they go that are designed for them.”
In Wheeler’s case, the disrespect and dismay haven’t stopped his fight for a better life, he said.
“I’m trying to find housing desperately,” he said. “I’m doing what I can. I’m working with coordinated entry, outreach — you name it. I’m just trying anything I can to find housing. Problem is, I don’t have income.”
Serious medical issues qualify Wheeler for disability benefits, but some shelters won’t accept those receiving such payments because residents are required to take part in chores that they may be physically incapable of doing, he said.
Wheeler noted that finding long-term housing has been “aggravating” because many landlords don’t want a tenant without a current source of income. He was placed by coordinated entry in temporary 21-day housing at a Red Roof Inn in May, which was “very good,” but he was not granted an extended stay and had to leave June 30, he said.
Beyond the problem of shelter, the challenges of day-to-day life for a homeless person quickly add up, Wheeler explained. Without a car, getting around town is near impossible; church shelters might pressure reluctant residents into participating in Bible studies and religious programs; and temporary accommodations often aren’t ideal for those with disabilities, he said.
Another issue when it comes to transportation is that city buses don’t run on weekends until 8 or 9 a.m., posing a problem for those in shelters who must leave at 6 a.m., he said.
“So, here you are on the street at 6 a.m., hoping that you have enough money to sit at Hardee’s, hoping that you have enough money to sit at a restaurant until the bus is running, hoping that you have enough money that you won’t become a nuisance to that restaurant,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said another issue is that overloaded case workers with the coordinated entry program and the Department of Social Services may struggle to stay in regular touch or find timely solutions to problems, requiring many homeless people to do their own research, which can be trickier than it sounds, he said.
Wheeler said he checks out a laptop from the downtown library and spends most days at his “office” doing just that — both for himself and for others in the community.
“I tell everybody, if you need help with anything, come talk to me, and if I can’t figure it out, I’ll find a way for us to figure it out,” he said. “So, I do what I can for the community as well as I help myself.”
Creating change
Wheeler said the needs of the homeless community aren’t respected by elected officials and aren’t communicated properly by the community itself.
“As a group, they don’t know how to communicate what their needs are,” he said. “We need an organization in the city that does not exist — that is for and created by the homeless, that the homeless runs.”
In addition, those who say they want to help the homeless should avoid assuming all unhoused people are the same, Wheeler said.
“Realize that just because everybody eats in the same place or they may take shelter under a bridge, in a homeless shelter or a hotel room at the same place, every single one of them is a unique individual,” he said. “The way that they’re treated by these organizations is that they are a (expletive) and that everybody’s the same. They’re not.”
Government watchdog reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com.
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Keep out of the heat: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Shrek and an SNL comedian in Bloomington
July has been hot and hazy lately. Luckily, staying indoors in Bloomington doesn't have to be boring. Two of the summer's long-awaited films — "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" — will be in theaters Friday.
Besides that, there are historical displays and art galleries, celebrity comedians and cartoon characters, tribute bands and girl groups. Head downtown this week for a number of exciting and affordable events.
Extra! Extra! Read all about the history of local news
Beginning Tuesday, July 18, the Monroe County History Center is hosting an exhibit tracking the history of the local newspaper industry. "Breaking the News: The Past and Uncertain Future of Local Print Journalism" spans three galleries and nearly two centuries of news. Many artifacts from The Herald-Times are included in the displays.
Own a piece of history:Newspaper archive auction to support Bloomington local news
Adult admission is $2, but students pay only $1. Members and kids under 5 get in for free. You have until Dec. 30 to stop by the history center at 202 E. 6th St. in Bloomington for this exhibit. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It's time: Barbie and Oppenheimer in theaters near you
Two of the year's most anticipated movies will be in theaters starting Friday, July 21. You can buy advance tickets for "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" for showings on Friday or the following days at Bloomington's AMC theaters.
"Barbie" has a run time of an hour and 54 minutes, while "Oppenheimer" will last 3 hours. If you time it right, you can see them both in one day. The first stars Margot Robbie as the timeless, glamorous doll and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The latter tells the story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer — played by Cillian Murphy — who created the atomic bomb.
The AMC CLASSIC Bloomington 11 is at 1351 S. College Mall Road, and AMC CLASSIC Bloomington 12 is across town at 2929 W. 3rd St.
Bringing the World Cup to you, today through Aug. 20
The 2023 Women's World Cup starts Thursday, July 20. Head to the Taproom at Switchyard Brewing Company during operating hours to see every match for free. There will be $20 mimosa bucket specials, too.
My Favorite Ride:Meet Idlene, a 'janky' 50-year-old pontoon boat
The first day of the World Cup brings New Zealand vs. Norway, Australia vs. Republic of Ireland, and Nigeria vs. Canada. The United States will play Vietnam on Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern. The World Cup will end a month from now, with the final scheduled for Aug. 20.
Here's when you can hang out at the brewery — located at 419 N. Walnut St. — each week:
- Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Monday-Wednesday 3-10 p.m.
- Thursday 3-11 p.m.
- Friday noon-11 p.m.
- Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Stay sophisticated with jazz, wine and art
Juniper Art Gallery is featuring live music by Peter Lerner for this month's Jazz Night. Every third Thursday of the month, the gallery hosts an evening of relaxation. From 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, head to 615 W. Kirkwood Ave. to listen to jazz, sip wine or beer and observe the artwork.
Lerner is a jazz guitarist with vast performance experience. Juniper Art Gallery displays and sells local, handmade art and artisan goods. It's located at 615 W. Kirkwood Ave. in Bloomington's Arts & Entertainment District. There is free parking behind the gallery.
Get funky and soulful at Switchyard's Summer Concert Series
From 6-10 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, Shannon and the Clams, Say She She, and Abby Jeanne will perform at Switchyard Park in Bloomington. The show is part of the park's Thursday Night Summer Concert Series. You can watch the concert for free from Bloomington's Switchyard Park at 1601 S. Rogers St.
Shannon and the Clams, the show's headliner, is an Oakland-based R&B group with a vintage sound. Say She She is composed of three women from Brooklyn producing "discodelic soul" music. Thursday's third performer is Abby Jeanne, a solo vocalist from Milwaukee.
The bands will be performing on the main stage on the east side of the park. Bring your blankets, chairs and coolers. Food Truck Friday has arranged vendors beginning about 4 p.m.
If you can't make it to the earlier performances, Abby Jeanne will play an after show at the Orbit Room Thursday night, 8:55-11:55 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Rock and roll never gets old
AC/DC tribute band "Thunderstruck" will perform at the Bluebird Nightclub on Friday, July 21, at 9 p.m. The band calls itself America's AC/DC tribute. The five-man ensemble is based in Louisville but has performed across the country since its inception in 2015.
Doors open at 8. It's a 21+ event, and tickets cost $15 per person. The Bluebird is at 216 N. Walnut St. in Bloomington. Buy tickets online.
SNL star coming to The Comedy Attic
Saturday Night Live's Punkie Johnson will take the stage at The Comedy Attic on Friday and Saturday nights. Both the 21st and 22nd have shows at 7 and 9:15 p.m. Johnson is a comedian featured in "Love Life" and "A Black Lady Sketch Show," in addition to SNL.
Students from any school can see the show for $16, while tickets are $20 for the general public. For the 7 p.m. shows, doors open at 6. Get there as early as 8:45 for the 9 p.m. show. The Comedy Attic is at 123 S. Walnut St.
Buy tickets and read Johnson's bio here.
Everyone's favorite ogre is back
Sure, 2023 blockbusters are coming to theaters soon, but sometimes you can't beat the classics. See "Shrek" on Saturday afternoon at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater as part of the Summer Family Film Fest. It'll play at 3:30 p.m., and tickets are $6. Kids five and under can see the movie for free. Doors open at 3.
Get tickets here.
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Gosport woman fights to see her great-grandson. Indiana says she has no right to
GOSPORT − When her great-grandson was born on July 3, 2015, Mary Craft was delighted. She involved herself in the baby's life, and he'd stay with her and her husband on weekends.
It was toddling around their living room where little Tyler learned to walk. "I'm the only one that's always been in his life," the 79-year-old Gosport woman said. "I'm his favorite person. He's told me that."
But it's been awhile since Craft has seen the boy she watched over and helped raise. "I've been with him since he was born. I was right there. When that boy sees me, he lights up."
Circumstances took him away
Caught up in the courts, her great-grandson has been placed in a northern Indiana foster home. His dad is facing felony criminal charges unrelated to the child. His mother was killed in a 2022 car crash. And his paternal grandparents, appointed his guardians in 2019, severed their guardianship and gave up custody last year.
Since then, Craft has been trying to find a way to see or contact the child. She worries about him thinking she's abandoned him, since she never visits, calls or writes — because she's not allowed to.
Last fall, 79-year-old Craft passed the background check and drug test required by the Department of Child Services as part of the process she said was required to visit Tyler. She prayed for the possibility of a reunion.
"I did all of that, and they said I should be able to see him," Craft said. "I called the office every three or four days, saying I wanted to see him. They said they were looking into it. Then they took him away."
Visit 'not going to happen'
She last saw Tyler during an hour-long visit in October 2022, before he went to live with a foster family in Scottsburg. Since then, he's moved in with another family in Merrillville, 180 miles and a three-hour drive from Gosport.
"I've not been allowed to see him," Craft said in a January letter written "To whom it may concern" at the Monroe County Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) office in Bloomington. Like many children whose family circumstances land them in the court system, Craft's great-grandson had a CASA advocating for his best interests.
"I am almost 80 years old and not able to keep Tyler for extensive periods of time," Craft wrote. "However, I want to be in this precious child's life."
Craft included her address and phone number. She heard back from a woman who visited her Gosport home and stayed an hour as Craft presented her case and described her concerns for the boy.
"I told her Tyler hadn't done anything wrong, and now he's being punished by being kept away from me," Craft said.
When she asked about taking the boy out for an afternoon, "the lady said, 'I can tell you right now that's not going to happen.' I just want DCS to bring him where I can visit and hold him close and tell him how much I love him."
She didn't hear back.
Neither CASA nor DCS comment on specific cases. "Indiana confidentiality laws prohibit us from commenting on DCS involvement with a family," said Abbey Venable, external communications coordinator for the agency. So there's no one to ask about details of this case.
Law denies great-grandparent visits
Craft worries her great-grandson believes his extended family has abandoned him. "He probably thinks that I don't want him, either." Her son is allowed a weekly video call, but Craft said she can't be included.
On July 8, Craft penned another handwritten letter. She accused the state of using her age as a reason to keep her from the child. It's not right, she said, despite the legal interpretation of the law.
A 2002 case challenged the interpretation of the Indiana Grandparent Visitation Statute that excludes great-grandparents. In Hammons v. Jenkins-Griffith, the Indiana Court of Appeals decided not to expand the definition of “grandparents” to include great-grandparents.
In that case, visitation rights were denied to great-grandparents who were legal custodians of a child for more than a year. The court "stated that it was not without sympathy for great-grandparents, but was bound by the plain language of the statute," according to a 2021 legal analysis from the Children's Law Center of Indiana.
Craft missed Tyler's eighth birthday earlier this month, but don't think he wasn't on her mind, morning till night. Had they been together, there would have been a birthday lunch at Culver's, his favorite place to eat, then a trip to the playground at Bloomington's Cascades Park.
That's all she's asking for, time with Tyler. "I just love that little boy. My blood runs in his veins. I can't hardly stand worrying about him."
She wonders if she'll ever see him again.
"My great-grandson cannot imagine why the grandmother he loves so much is no longer in his life," she wrote in her most recent letter to the DCS. "I will never give up my fight to have him in my life as always."
Contact Herald-Times reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
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https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/indiana-denies-great-grandparents-visitation-rights/70406986007/
| 2023-07-19T10:03:26
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https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/indiana-denies-great-grandparents-visitation-rights/70406986007/
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ESTERO, Fla. — One person is hospitalized after crashing into an electrical box on the side of the road in Estero late Tuesday evening.
According to Estero Fire Rescue, the driver involved in the single-vehicle crash at Coconut Road and Via Vilagio was extricated from the vehicle and taken to the hospital as a trauma alert.
The traffic signal near the crash is currently out at this time. Both FPL and DOT have been notified.
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https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/07/19/1-hospitalized-after-crashing-into-electrical-box-in-estero/
| 2023-07-19T10:03:26
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https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/07/19/1-hospitalized-after-crashing-into-electrical-box-in-estero/
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Ahoy! Family with local ties leaves land for open sea
So, it’s still summer and you and the family wish you had someplace to go — a little trip, maybe?
Nate Medland, a Bedford native, will tell you what his family decided to do. Speaking by cellphone on a recent Thursday morning from Grenada — that island-nation off South America — he reported they plan to sail around the world.
But they’re going to hang in Grenada for a while, and that’s just fine with the others: his spouse Megan and their son Kieran, age 11, and daughter Eily, 10.
Medland said the family dropped anchor at Grenada alongside similar boats from elsewhere, like South Africa and Israel, bearing families doing the same kind of sailing — aboard “kid boats,” so-named by the passenger lists. Kieran and Eily are happy to have playmates, their dad says.
The Medland family lived most recently in San Francisco, where Nate worked in finance. He’s 45 and holds an M.B.A. from the IU Kelley School of Business. His parents live in Bloomington.
His boat, named “Scout,” is a catamaran built in 1992 that has two 48-foot-long hulls. It’s 26 feet wide and has a 73-foot-tall mast.
“We have five cabins — bedrooms — on Scout,” Medland reported. “We make our own water via a water desalination system we have on board. We get our power from the sun — we have eight solar panels. But we have to watch power consumption — we only have so much, especially when it’s been cloudy!”
And — ahem — toilets?
“We have several toilets and a shower, though we usually shower outside,” he said.
“We recently got Starlink, so we have good wifi wherever we go, though we don't have a cell phone plan or any TV service, or a TV for that matter.”
Sailing out of Miami at the start of their voyage, the Medland group stopped first in the Bahamas, where they spent some time; then they sailed on to Turks and Caicos islands, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Montserrat, Martinique, and down the Windward Islands to Grenada, which is known as “The Spice Island” for its nutmeg plantations.
“You’re kinda all alone,” Medland said about sailing the ocean. It helps to know how to repair your boat and keep it running. “I had to become a diesel mechanic and an electrician,” he said.
OK, what about keeping the kids happy during those long days at sea? “Ups and downs like other families,” he said, adding Kieran and Ely are enrolled in a home-schooling program that’s online based and can be completed anywhere.
The Medlands plan to continue their round-the-world sail sometime in the fall, heading toward Cartagena, Columbia, Panama, and beyond.
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https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/mom-dad-kids-and-a-catamaran-iu-grad-sailing-the-world/70421567007/
| 2023-07-19T10:03:32
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https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/mom-dad-kids-and-a-catamaran-iu-grad-sailing-the-world/70421567007/
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There’s a very active scene in Braddock this morning as officers from multiple police departments continue to investigate an overnight incident.
Officials told Channel 11 one person was taken to a local hospital, but we haven’t been told how they were injured or the extent of their injuries.
INVESTIGATION: At least one person was taken to the hospital after an incident overnight in Braddock. We saw multiple evidence markers on 6th Street and police walk someone out of a house in handcuffs. I’ll have LIVE reports all morning on @WPXI pic.twitter.com/QJNN6fUQCD
— Lauren Talotta (@LaurenTalottaTV) July 19, 2023
First responders were called around 1:15 a.m. to Sixth Street. State police as well as officers from Wilkinsburg, Duquesne and Munhall were called to the scene.
A Channel 11 photographer captured video of multiple evidence markers in the street.
Channel 11′s Lauren Talotta is at the scene gathering information and will have LIVE updates through 7 a.m. on Channel 11 Morning News.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/1-injured-overnight-incident-braddock/4SMVYVGW2JHSDHAHPMO6D5CCEE/
| 2023-07-19T10:19:46
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/1-injured-overnight-incident-braddock/4SMVYVGW2JHSDHAHPMO6D5CCEE/
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A road in Forward Township is shut down due to a downed tree that’s being guarded by a swarm of aggressive bees, a local police department says.
The tree fell on Rainbow Run Road, Route 136, at the intersection of Kelly Hollow Road, according to the Elizabeth Township Police Department. An aggressive swarm of bees is guarding the tree, and the department is working on getting a crew to remove it.
Further complicating matters, the department said PennDOT won’t remove it because the tree is touching a Verizon line and Verizon won’t remove it because it’s touching a road.
Motorists are advised to plan on using an alternate route.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/downed-tree-guarded-by-aggressive-bees-blocking-forward-twp-road-police-department-says/COFXX2ZH7BEXVFVF2CXSQIBJUE/
| 2023-07-19T10:19:53
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/downed-tree-guarded-by-aggressive-bees-blocking-forward-twp-road-police-department-says/COFXX2ZH7BEXVFVF2CXSQIBJUE/
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A section of Route 65 is closed in both directions due to a water main break.
BREAKING NEWS: A Water Main Break has Route 65 CLOSED in Both Directions near Laurel Ave in Ben Avon. #WPXITraffic #PittsburghTraffic #WPXI https://t.co/5mPFseci4x pic.twitter.com/gRzE5qmzQG
— WPXI Traffic (@WPXITraffic) July 19, 2023
The break is between Dickson Avenue in Laurel Avenue in Ben Avon. A police officer blocking the road there told Channel 11 the break happened around 4:15 a.m., when water started pouring onto the road.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area as crews repair the break.
This is a developing story. Check back with us for updates.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/section-route-65-closed-due-water-main-break/IQAK52KGEBACTJRFTRAUXKJBBQ/
| 2023-07-19T10:19:59
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/section-route-65-closed-due-water-main-break/IQAK52KGEBACTJRFTRAUXKJBBQ/
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https://www.djournal.com/news/local/5th-district-supervisor-candidates-take-aim-at-public-safety-economic-growth-infrastructure/article_e7cab7be-25ad-11ee-974d-77b0665cb4ef.html
| 2023-07-19T10:46:09
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https://www.djournal.com/news/local/5th-district-supervisor-candidates-take-aim-at-public-safety-economic-growth-infrastructure/article_e7cab7be-25ad-11ee-974d-77b0665cb4ef.html
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United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
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https://www.djournal.com/news/local/regional-rehab-to-host-new-dyslexia-summit-thursday/article_fe699eb4-2016-11ee-8437-3f12ea47b4d0.html
| 2023-07-19T10:46:15
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https://www.djournal.com/news/local/regional-rehab-to-host-new-dyslexia-summit-thursday/article_fe699eb4-2016-11ee-8437-3f12ea47b4d0.html
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A Twin Falls man faces three counts of aggravated assault charges after he drove a pickup truck in the direction of deputies, forcing them to draw their weapons, records say.
A deputy was dispatched to a housing unit near U.S. Highway 93 and 3500 North, southwest of Twin Falls, after Leslie Brian Van Wetter, 48, was reportedly using an ax to get inside a unit. A woman had locked herself in the unit and was holding a knife to defend herself.
The incident apparently started as a domestic dispute over how the man was disciplining a child, records say.
The deputy made contact with Van Wetter, who then got into a pickup and backed up — nearly striking the deputy — then pulled forward, nearly ramming other law enforcement vehicles that had responded to the scene. His actions caused the deputies to pull out their service weapons, court records say.
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Van Wetter then drove his pickup truck into a farmer's field and got stuck in an irrigation ditch.
In addition to aggravated assault, Van Wetter was also charged with domestic violence, malicious injury to property, injury to a child, resisting arrest, and attempting to elude a police officer, records say.
Van Wetter is being held on a $75,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for July 28.
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/crime-courts/police-twin-falls-man-charged-with-assault-in-domestic-dispute/article_24e90a6a-25bd-11ee-a350-ef5cc0345d03.html
| 2023-07-19T10:55:29
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https://magicvalley.com/news/local/crime-courts/police-twin-falls-man-charged-with-assault-in-domestic-dispute/article_24e90a6a-25bd-11ee-a350-ef5cc0345d03.html
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A trial date has been set for the civil case former Britt Police Chief Mark Anderson has brought against the city of Britt for alleged employment discrimination.
The trial is set for Oct. 25, 2024, according to Anderson's attorney Madison Fiedler-Carlson.
Anderson filed complaints with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Dec. 2, 2021. The ICRC issued a right to sue letter Feb. 21, and Anderson filed suit May 12.
Anderson was fired by the City Council in June.
The lawsuit claims after Anderson was hired in September 2017, he was added to a group chat that included Mayor Ryan Arndorfer and former Councilman Chad Luecht, who according to council minutes resigned in April. The petition states all involved are homosexual, and Anderson was using the group as support because he was going through a divorce.
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The petition states that in late 2017 and early 2018, Luecht and Andorfer began treating Anderson differently, sending him inappropriate and sexually graphic messages via the text group and Snapchat. Anderson allegedly told them he was not comfortable with the messages, but they did not stop.
Anderson married his husband, Austin, in September 2020. The suit alleges Arndorfer pressured Anderson to send him nude photos of the couple and told him, "We'd take Austin's nudes, but we'd rather have yours."
Anderson allegedly received another explicit message July 1, 2021. He did not respond to Arndorfer's message. Later in July, Anderson received a 1.5% pay raise, while other members of the department received 6% raises.
The petition states at the Jan. 3, 2023, council meeting, Luecht chastised the police department and said he had no confidence in Anderson's ability as chief — a position Anderson had served in since October 2018.
The petition alleges two violations of the Iowa Civil Rights Act for discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation and one violation of the Iowa Civil Rights Act for retaliation.
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lawsuit-britt-anderson-city-trial/article_b15a5254-24bb-11ee-86bb-eb9665c94d01.html
| 2023-07-19T11:00:29
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lawsuit-britt-anderson-city-trial/article_b15a5254-24bb-11ee-86bb-eb9665c94d01.html
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Arnold "Arnie" and Elizabeth "Liz" Frerichs
January 14, 2023; October 20, 2022
BRITT-There will be a Memorial Service for Arnold "Arnie" and Elizabeth "Liz" Frerichs, formerly of Britt, on Saturday, July 22, at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 15 Third Avenue N.E., Buffalo Center, Iowa. Liz passed away in October 2022 and Arnie in January 2023 in Indianapolis, IN, where they had lived for the past ten years.
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/arnold-arnie-and-elizabeth-liz-frerichs/article_260610b6-2248-5ae5-8420-c6e7bac31c93.html
| 2023-07-19T11:00:35
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/arnold-arnie-and-elizabeth-liz-frerichs/article_260610b6-2248-5ae5-8420-c6e7bac31c93.html
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Bruce David Nauman
December 14, 1963-July 5, 2023
MASON CITY-Bruce David Nauman, 59, died Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at his home.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, July 30, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Clear Lake VFW, 219 Main Street, Clear Lake, Iowa 50428.
Bruce David Nauman was born December 14, 1963, in Charles City, Iowa, the son of David and Janet (Mausehund) Nauman. Bruce grew up in rural Floyd County and graduated from Charles City (Class of 1982). He was united in marriage to Pamela Nauman (Baker) on March 14, 2000.
Bruce was employed with Curries Manufacturing for 33 years. After receiving his CDL, he drove 3 years for North Iowa Cooperative, and retired early from driving for Pan O' Gold (Village Hearth Bread).
In his free time, he enjoyed riding his Harley Davidson Trike, fishing, deer hunting, golfing, camping, listening to music, and traveling the US. He was known to be able to fix almost anything! He had a special relationship with his nieces Rachel and Kayla, and nephew Kyle.
Bruce is survived by his wife Pamela Nauman, Mason City; mother Janet Nauman, Nora Springs, mother-in-law Gladys Baker, Sheffield; siblings Marilyn Nauman, Nora Springs, Virginia (Bill) English, Mason City, Cindy (John) Angelicola, Conway, SC, Sandra Nauman, Mason City, Curtis Nauman, Nora Springs; sister-in-law Brenda (Scott) Brumm, Cedar Rapids; brothers-in-law, Arthur Myers (Kathy Kringlie), Maple Grove, MN, Randall (Nickie) Baker, Chapin; along with other nieces, nephews, and relatives.
Bruce was preceded in death by his father David Nauman and father-in-law Gilbert Baker.
Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel 310 1st Ave. North, Clear Lake, Iowa 50428. 641-357-2193. View Bruce's online memorial at www.colonialchapels.com
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/bruce-david-nauman/article_24030a24-c1d7-57d1-b15e-c42a64167034.html
| 2023-07-19T11:00:42
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/bruce-david-nauman/article_24030a24-c1d7-57d1-b15e-c42a64167034.html
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Leon D. Betts, 84, of Clarion passed away Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Clarion. Arrangements: Ewing Funeral Home.
Leon D. Betts, 84, of Clarion passed away Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Clarion. Arrangements: Ewing Funeral Home.
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/death-notices/globe-death-notices/article_454a4ffd-1673-50c7-a880-11ddd4537975.html
| 2023-07-19T11:00:48
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/death-notices/globe-death-notices/article_454a4ffd-1673-50c7-a880-11ddd4537975.html
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Elizabeth ‘Bettie' Babinski Huntley
July 15, 2023
Elizabeth ‘Bettie' Babinski Huntley passed away on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Westview Care Center, Britt, Iowa; surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body Dementia.
A memorial mass will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 21, 2023, at St Patrick Catholic Church, 1001 Ninth Ave. South, Clear Lake, Iowa, with Reverend Josh Link officiating. Inurnment will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Salvation Army in Bettie's memory.
Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel 310 1st Ave. North Clear Lake, Iowa 50428
641-357-2193
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/elizabeth-bettie-babinski-huntley/article_ee37af6a-c7ff-5b6f-8fe0-8d0626afa369.html
| 2023-07-19T11:01:11
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/elizabeth-bettie-babinski-huntley/article_ee37af6a-c7ff-5b6f-8fe0-8d0626afa369.html
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'Something that has been planned': Bartow Police Chief Bryan Dorman to retire in September
Chief Bryan S. Dorman with the Bartow Police Department has decided to retire after 25 years on the force.
Among his top achievements personally and professionally was becoming chief, he said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
“I always had a dream to be the chief, and I have done that for the last three years. I had a lot of goals, and I met those goals and I’m looking forward to some new challenges.”
For the department, he touted the department’s dual accreditations with the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation Inc. and the Florida Telecommunications Accreditation Commission as a high achievement made possible by the professionals within the ranks.
“One of my goals when I became chief was to help facilitate accreditation for our department,” he said.
The department had gone through nearly two decades without accreditation before Dorman, 45, of Lakeland took over as chief of police three years ago. He said COVID and the perception of police following the George Floyd killing by police officers in Minneapolis were national issues in the background and presented challenges to the agency while undergoing accreditation.
Since June, the CFLEA has been visiting the Bartow police department to examine its policies and procedures, management, operations and support services as part of a periodic recertification of the agency, a press release said. While the police department is already accredited, it must be recertified periodically. Members of the department and public have the opportunity to provide comments to CFLEA during the assessment period.
Another goal he accomplished was the addition of a police officer downtown within the Community Redevelopment Agency district who is there to help manage quality-of-life issues, homelessness and street level crime.
Dorman said that, during the past 12 months, Bartow has experienced the lowest level of crime in 150 years.
From traffic officer to chief
Dorman joined the force at age 20 on Aug. 17, 1998, and worked his way up through the ranks. Dorman’s last day is set for Sept. 1.
A news release distributed Tuesday said he first worked in the patrol section as a traffic officer, and then was promoted to corporal in 2006. In 2012, he led the department’s newly created community services team. He was promoted to sergeant in 2014.
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In 2017, Dorman was promoted to deputy chief and then served as the interim chief after the retirement of former police chief Joe Hall in May 2020, the release said. In November 2021, Dorman was selected as the department’s chief of police.
“This is something that has been planned,” he said of his upcoming retirement. He said job opportunities inside and outside of law enforcement will be part of the next chapter in his career. He also has college-age kids and wants to spend more time with his wife.
A replacement has not been named, and Dorman said there are many talented professionals among the ranks from which the city can chose. The Bartow police chief’s salary is $105,000.
'Climate review'
Dorman said he was not force out nor did the current “climate review” that is underway have anything to do with his retiring.
In addition to the process for accreditation renewal, the agency is reviewed by an independent outside consultant following complaints from within the department.
City Manager Mike Herr sent a letter to Dorman earlier this year saying he had received enough feedback from department personnel to justify a “climate review” of the police department.
“Just months into my role as City Manager, I became aware that some members of our police department had concerns regarding department operations,” Herr wrote as the consultant was to begin the review. It was also addressed to city leaders.
“Because your input is important to me, over the last few weeks I met with many of you to seek insight into these concerns and possible issues," Herr wrote. "I concluded that an organizational climate review is necessary to assess, identify and prioritize any immediate challenges and needs that currently exist within the police department.”
The consultant named in the letter is Dr. Jim Sewell who will review the department’s operations and provide recommendations on strategies to address the challenges the department is facing. The consultant's report is due by Aug. 4.
Herr said in June that some within the police department had come to him with “concerns about the leadership at the department and expressing their views about Chief Dorman, expressing some things that are positive and some things that should be addressed,” Herr said.
While Herr said Dorman’s leadership and community policing skills were excellent, there were some members of the police department who wanted to see more tools and efforts put toward law enforcement.
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'We thought it was a great idea'
Regarding the department review, Dorman said, “It’s one of those things where in any organization that you have. You are going to have folks that are questioning benefits, or questioning salaries, or questioning operations and things like that.
“And we have a new city manager who is very progressive and he’s wanting to make sure he’s hitting all the operational areas just like he has done in other areas, other than just the police department,” he said.
Dorman said he and other city department heads agreed to the review in conversations with Herr.
“We thought it was a great idea. Bring them in and let’s see what is going on and let’s get a pulse of the department,” he said.
“But that had nothing to do with my retirement,” he said. “That was decided even before then. This has always been the plan.“
Dorman submitted a letter to Herr on Friday stating his intent to retire. Herr sent an email on Monday in response to a reporter's request for comment.
“Fortunately for our City, Chief Dorman will be with us until September 1, 2023 so we will have time to name an interim Police Chief to work with Chief Dorman during this interim period.”
Regarding a new chief, Herr said, “I will provide a name in the very near future.”
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/bartow-police-chief-submits-retirement-letter-to-city-manager/70422012007/
| 2023-07-19T11:04:47
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/bartow-police-chief-submits-retirement-letter-to-city-manager/70422012007/
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Developer seeks to convert Winter Haven warehouses into apartments and commercial space
WINTER HAVEN — A Winter Haven property owner is seeking the city's approval to gradually convert three industrial warehouses into a mixed-use complex.
Haven Realty Cos. has proposed a rezoning of 22.57 acres from light industrial into a planned unit development to redevelop the site into a combination of multi-family housing and commercial uses. The property runs from Motor Pool Road south to Martin Luther King Boulevard, and from Chain of Lakes Trail east to 2nd and 3rd streets NW.
The site at 2200 Third Street NW is home to three industrial warehouses totaling 181,000 square feet. One of the businesses is Florida Caribbean Distillers.
Tim Campbell, an attorney representing Haven Realty Cos., said the project started as an initiative through the Winter Haven Community Redevelopment Agency identifying the site for redevelopment in its Florence Villa CRA plan.
"The idea was to start this transition over time on the north end by providing multifamily and workforce type housing," Campbell told the city's Planning Commission.
Under the proposed plans, city staff found that up to 903 residential apartments and 688,204 square feet of commercial use would be allowed. The apartments would be ideally workforce housing, Campbell said, not Class A luxury apartments but also not built to be classified as "affordable" apartments.
There was doubt as to whether 903 apartments could fit on the site.
"If every bit of density was used on this site, it’s not really possible," Campbell said.
The overall number of multifamily apartments permitted on the site would be impacted by requirements for open space, minimum number of parking spaces and stormwater management, he said.
The three warehouses on the property are occupied by businesses that lease the space, Campbell said, and these non-conforming uses would be allowed to continue for now.
Haven Realty's goal is to redevelop the property in stages, Campbell said, with the first phase of multi-family housing being built on the north end by Motor Pool Road. He indicated the developer would like to like to get started as soon as possible as long as multi-family housing is still warranted based on market conditions.
City staff is seeking to place some limitations on the length of time the property can be used for industrial purposes. It was originally proposed that if one of these warehouses went vacant for more than 18 months or the building was damaged beyond 50% of its fair market value, then it would have to be converted to the mixed-use apartments and commercial.
Campbell said the property owner has leases with some of the existing businesses that requires them to rebuild after a storm's damage. He argued it's to the city and property owner's benefit to keep the warehouses occupied if that is what the market demands, rather than having the structures sit empty.
The city's Planning Commission chose to modify the restrictions so if one of the industrial structures is vacant for more than 36 months it must be converted to the mixed-use apartments and commercial. If a building sustains more than 50% damage from a storm or other event, it must be converted to the new plan unless the property owner can show there's a lease predating the lease or its been renewed.
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Two residents spoke briefly at the Planning Commission's hearing with concerns about traffic from the proposed development and what it will look like.
Preliminary traffic data provided by the Polk Transportation Planning Organization show Martin Luther King Boulevard would not have sufficient capacity for all vehicles if the site were built to maximum capacity. However, city staff said the plans to create three entry points into the development should help distribute traffic, and the adjacent Chain of Lakes Trail will provide a safe route for pedestrians and bicyclists.
A traffic study would have to be conducted prior to development to identify any potential traffic mitigation measures.
The PUD request will have to go before Winter Haven City Commission at a future meeting for its approval. Once it's approved, the developer's detailed site plans would be reviewed by city staff for technical approvals but not necessarily require a public hearing.
This concerned residents who worried about possible access into side streets and traffic volume on those streets frequently walked by children. Those interested would be able to request the detailed site plans from the city under a public records request, once they're submitted.
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/developer-aims-to-turn-winter-haven-warehouses-into-mixed-use-complex/70397231007/
| 2023-07-19T11:04:53
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/developer-aims-to-turn-winter-haven-warehouses-into-mixed-use-complex/70397231007/
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Lakeland Regional Health plans to expand its Morrell building for its new residents
LAKELAND — Lakeland Regional Health is seeking the city's approval to expand to better accommodate its new graduate medical education program.
Lakeland Regional got approval from the city's Planning and Zoning Board on Tuesday morning to change zoning on land off East Lane from RA-4, designated for single-family homes, to O-1, for low-impact office uses. The land is just north of the hospital's main campus. The request will need to go before the City Commission for final approval.
The medical provider is looking to use a piece of property adjacent to its Morrell building to build a 3,000-square-foot expansion for its newly launched graduate medical education program. The 0.88-acre site currently serves as a parking lot for Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center employees.
By expanding its current facilities, Lakeland Regional Health will be able to add 18 medical stations that will be used primarily by new residents in the graduate medical education program, according to attorney Bart Allen.
Audrey McGuire, the city's senior planner, said the land falls within the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency's designated Midtown medical district, indicating a desire to see properties developed for medical and health care purposes.
Lakeland ElectricCity-owned utility looks for larger base-rate increase as customers conserve, reduce energy
Lakeland Regional Health welcomed 70 residents into the first class of its graduate medical education program earlier this month. Of these, 20 individuals were accepted into its internal medicine program — one of its largest cohorts. The program takes three years to complete, and Lakeland Regional expects to accept about 20 first-year students each year, building gradually to around 60 resident physicians in internal medicine.
If the expansion is approved, it will become one of the latest in a string of expansion projects for Lakeland Regional Health. It is in the final stages of construction on its new northwest medical facilities at Kathleen Road and Interstate 4. This site will have a freestanding hybrid emergency care center, urgent care center and more than 70,000 square feet of medical office building.
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/lakeland-regional-health-plans-expansion-for-its-residency-program/70424074007/
| 2023-07-19T11:04:59
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/lakeland-regional-health-plans-expansion-for-its-residency-program/70424074007/
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Junior League of Great Lakeland announces date, theme of 2023 Christmas parade
LAKELAND — Junior League of Greater Lakeland announced the date and theme of the city's 42nd annual Christmas parade on social media Tuesday morning.
This year will be "Christmas in Candy Land" with the parade scheduled to start 7 p.m. Dec. 7. The theme was inspired by "how sweet Lakeland truly is," according to a letter from parade co-chairs Kira Perkins and Vicki Russell.
Applications are available for those interested in participating online at www.cognitoforms.com/CityOfLakeland1/TheLakelandChristmasParadeParticipantApplication. The deadline for applications is Sept. 30.
The cost to participate is $37 for floats and any other units. Elected officials in vehicles and marching bands are welcome to participate at no charge, but must file an application. A maximum of 10 walkers may be with all units, which includes all people and animals except for horses.
Lakeland ElectricCity-owned utility looks for larger base-rate increase as customers conserve, reduce energy
Junior League has posted some updated rules for 2023 in its application. Participant payments will be processed online prior to application submission. All units must have a banner that clearly displays their organization's name, carried by two walkers at the front of the unit, but do not count toward the limit on number of walkers.
Anyone who submits an application will know by Oct. 17 whether they've been accepted. For more information, contact christmasparade@jlgl.org.
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/lakelands-2023-holiday-parade-christmas-in-candy-land-set-for-dec-7/70424131007/
| 2023-07-19T11:05:05
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/lakelands-2023-holiday-parade-christmas-in-candy-land-set-for-dec-7/70424131007/
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ROANOKE, Va. – Happy Wednesday! Grab your morning coffee and check out the Morning Sprint to find out what’s trending.
The digital-only series is filled with laughter, smiles and stories you won’t want to miss. You can catch it Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
Don’t be shy! Be sure to join the conversation as we chat about the news of the day.
Here are some of the stories we will discuss:
- An incredible story of survival and the miracle rescue at sea
- How one local non-profit is stepping up to make sure kids in the New River Valley have what they need for the school year
- Roanoke City’s historic Gainsboro neighborhood will soon be getting a facelift
- Plus, we’ll be showing off YOUR photos on Pin It. Be sure to sprint your pins to us here for a chance to be featured
Here’s where you can watch us:
The Sprint can be watched on our website, YouTube account and wherever you stream WSLS 10 weekdays at 8 a.m.
You can also watch it on our 10 News app. Click here to download if you’re an IOS user and here to download if you have an Android.
Be sure to leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for watching!
Want to know more about the Morning Sprint? Leave us a question using the form below:
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https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/19/coming-up-how-a-sailor-survived-months-at-sea-the-morning-sprint/
| 2023-07-19T11:23:06
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https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/07/19/coming-up-how-a-sailor-survived-months-at-sea-the-morning-sprint/
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A notable, yet obsolete, piece of the Richmond skyline is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a riverfront development.
Local developer Hourigan Group plans to raze the Southern States silos and build in their place a mixed-use development.
Vacant for years, the industrial site is one of the most eye-catching elements of the Manchester skyline and has been called a forgotten landmark. On Monday, Richmond’s planning commission approved a special use permit for its removal and replacement, which still needs the approval of city council.
It was the latest development in what has been a drawn out process. Hourigan first submitted plans to rezone the property in 2020, and rezoning occurred in 2021.
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“It has such an incredible view, with its panorama of the river and the downtown skyline,” Preston Lloyd, a lawyer for Hourigan, said in 2021. “It’s always been suited for high density.”
The city certainly sees value there. This year, officials assessed the 2-acre parcel for $3.7 million, almost double its value in 2018. It is unclear when the buildings would open, but Lloyd said in 2021 that construction would take at least two years.
The plot, at 2 Manchester Road on the southern bank of the James River, is between Hull and Maury streets. Its owner is Riverfront Silos LLC, a company tied to H. Pettus LeCompte of Henrico County-based Straus, Itzkowitz & LeCompte Insurance Agency.
Last year, Hourigan said it planned to build a 20-story residential building and a 6-story office building. On Tuesday, Hourigan vice president Brian Jenkins said the company still has been figuring out what the development will look like and that it could change from that concept.
Built in the 1940s, the facility originally served as a grain elevator for Cargill Incorporated, according to ArchitectureRichmond.com. At some point, Southern States took control of the building and painted its logo in massive letters on the structure, which is about 15 stories tall and can be seen easily from Interstate 95.
The building was decommissioned around 2003 and, in 2016, became home to the RVA Street Art Festival, where its walls served as canvases to local artists. Omri Westmark, an architect who writes a travel blog, said the silos are a vestige of Manchester’s once-significant manufacturing presence.
“Amid the ever-changing townscape, the formidable Southern States Silos still stand as a testimony for Manchester’s historic role as a major manufacturing center,” Westmark wrote.
Manchester’s makeover continues. Residential buildings have popped up seemingly everywhere in the past few years. The Riviera on Semmes opened with 190 apartments and a restaurant; the Jamestown Apartment Flats features 269 units and the nearby Belle Heights town home community offers 111 town homes.
Last month, the city council approved another big residential building, a 550-unit structure by a New York-based developer, Avery Hall, in between the James River and Legend Brewing Company. Local residents say the massive building will block the picturesque view of the river and downtown for many residents and the brewery’s patrons.
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https://richmond.com/news/local/business/real-estate/iconic-obsolete-silos-along-james-river-to-be-demolished-for-development/article_a5e97f9c-256c-11ee-8651-6bc5a51ac24e.html
| 2023-07-19T11:24:44
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https://richmond.com/news/local/business/real-estate/iconic-obsolete-silos-along-james-river-to-be-demolished-for-development/article_a5e97f9c-256c-11ee-8651-6bc5a51ac24e.html
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Beginning Wednesday, and continuing through July 26, a city contractor will perform sewer line smoke testing in Glenwood.
During testing, a non-toxic smoke will be introduced into manholes, eventually flowing into sewer lines.
Any open breaks in the city’s sewer collection system as well as improper connections (like roof downspouts) will be identified by the presence of smoke.
The smoke is non-toxic, non-staining, white to gray in color and has a slight odor. It creates no fire hazard.
City water and sewer-service customers are advised to pour a gallon of water into every sink, tub, and floor drain that is not used on a daily basis before July 19. This will fill the p-traps and ultimately prevent smoke from entering into their building.
Traffic signs and cones will be in place at testing locations and motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes to avoid the areas.
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Dates and times may change due to weather or last-minute changes in the work schedule.
This job is part of the city’s ongoing Sewer Rehabilitation Program, which is funded by water and sewer rates.
Visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/RoadProjects to learn more about lane and road closures and subscribe to receive email notifications about upcoming work on City streets.
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/government-politics/city-to-perform-sewer-line-smoke-testing-in-glenwood-neighborhood/article_1f7503f8-2582-11ee-a752-9f7dcbeab037.html
| 2023-07-19T11:33:34
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/government-politics/city-to-perform-sewer-line-smoke-testing-in-glenwood-neighborhood/article_1f7503f8-2582-11ee-a752-9f7dcbeab037.html
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Readers remind I’m long overdue for recommendations across the globe, across varietals and across price points. (And those price points just keep escalating, don’t they?)
Here’s a best bang-for-buck-who’s-who, some pricey, some more wallet-friendly, all garnering critical acclaim.
Washington state is still a safe haven for very good wines at decent prices: 2021 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Chardonnay ($16); 2021 L’Ecole No. 41 Semillon ($16); Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling ($10); 2019 Castle Rock Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($10).
Likewise, look to South America for bargains: 2020 Graffigna Glorious Selection Malbec ($19); 2020 Antigal Malbec Uno ($14); 2022 Veramonte Organic Sauvignon Blanc Reserve ($13); 2020 Domaine Bousquet Gaia Cabernet Franc ($20).
You can’t go wrong with this international grab-bag: 2021 Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abbruzzo ($15) from Italy; 2020 Yalumba Shiraz-Viognier ($13) from Australia; 2020 Bodegas Ego Jumilla Goru ($14) from Spain; 2019 Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve ($13) from France; 2019 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Crianza ($23) from Spain; 2021 Laurenz Five Singing Gruner Veltliner ($15) from Austria; 2021 Cederberg Bukettraube ($16) from South Africa; 2021 Dry Creek Clarksburg Chenin Blanc ($15) from California; 2021 Chateau Souverain Sauvignon Blanc ($11) from California; 2018 Carpineto Chianti Classico Reserve ($28) from Italy; and Carpineto’s little brother, 2020 Dogajolo Toscano ($15).
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With an upcoming trip to Oregon’s Willamette Valley – home to world-class Pinot Noir – I rev my palate with elegantly lush counterpoints from California. Three I’ve enjoyed recently: 2021 Gary Farrell Russian River Pinot Noir ($45); 2020 Papapietro Perry Russian River Pinot Noir ($61); 2021 Boen Russian River Pinot Noir ($32). Like Oregon’s Willamette, California’s Russian River appellation is known worldwide for Pinot Noir and its signature dried cherry, black raspberry, strawberry, cranberry and spice notes. These carry a heavier sticker tag, but they compare favorably to French Burgundies at thrice the price.
At a recent tasting at Zeto in Greensboro, a California winemaker shared his wine journey and it was so reminiscent of mine I had to smile. Back in the early 1980s, the U.S. opened the flood-gates to French Bordeaux – really good blends that leaned on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. These were dominated by either Cabernet or Merlot with the other varietals providing an enticing spice rack.
Bordeaux had hit its stride with several blockbuster vintages and they were remarkably affordable by American standards. On a police reporter’s salary – and that was plenty paltry – I was sampling and cellaring top-flight French blends from the late 1970s to mid-1980s.
What follows are Bordeaux I bought then. Today, they command a heftier price tag but are still - factoring in the passage of time – a bargain given the skyrocketing, triple-figure ask from this iconic wine region: 2020 Chateau Siran Margaux ($35); 2020 Chateau Phelan Segur St.-Estephe ($48); Chateau Ormes de Pez St.-Estephe ($30); 2020 Chateau Meyney St.-Estephe ($33); 2020 Chateau Gloria St.-Julien ($39); 2020 Chateau Talbot St.-Julien ($52); 2020 Chateau Prieure-Lichine Margaux ($49).
Each of these fall into the excellent category. If you’re hunting a special bottle for yourself or to gift others, these make a statement.
**
It’s never too early to plan attendance at upcoming wine festivals across North Carolina. These include:
Wine & Food Festival, Sept. 30, in Charlotte. www.charlotte.uncorkthefun.com
Yadkin Valley Grape Festival, Oct. 21, in Yadkinville. www.yvgf.com
Raleigh International Wine Festival, Oct. 21, in Raleigh. www.visitraleigh.com/events
North Carolina Wine Festival, Oct. 28, in Cary. www.ncfestival.com
Highlands Food & Wine, Nov. 9-12, in Highlands. www.highlandsfoodandwine.com
Ed Williams, a retired newspaper reporter and editor, has written about the wine industry since 1990. If you have wine news, email williamsonwine@gmail.com
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/williams-on-wine/article_fdc63320-2582-11ee-b631-5bb08c6aa1a1.html
| 2023-07-19T11:33:40
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/williams-on-wine/article_fdc63320-2582-11ee-b631-5bb08c6aa1a1.html
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Ex-Detroit tax preparer pleads guilty to fraud
A former Detroit tax return preparer who allegedly filed hundreds of false tax returns for clients over a four-year period now faces up to three years in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud, federal officials said Tuesday.
Ann Reid, 68, pleaded guilty to five counts of tax fraud, U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a statement.
“Tax cheaters don’t just cheat the system, they cheat us all," Ison said. "When those tax cheats are fraudulent tax preparers, like Ann Reid, who cheat on scores of tax returns year after year, the impact of their cheating is multiplied, and the damage they cause is many times worse."
Authorities accuse Reid of preparing and filing hundreds of tax returns with false information on behalf of clients between January 2016 and April 2019. She lied on the returns about clients operating small businesses and included deductions for false expenses and inflated charitable contributions.
In each case, the information caused the IRS to miscalculate and give the businesses sizably larger tax refunds, authorities said.
Reid is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17, 2023. She faces up to three years in prison, a $100,000 fine and a year of supervised release on each of the five counts.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/07/19/ex-detroit-tax-preparer-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/70429654007/
| 2023-07-19T11:38:54
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/07/19/ex-detroit-tax-preparer-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/70429654007/
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Michigan Supreme Court orders new trial for man convicted of kidnapping, assault
The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Detroit man convicted of kidnap and sexual assault after judges ruled that the trial court judge abused his discretion by not allowing lawyers before the start of the trial to question and exclude certain jurors.
In a 4-3 opinion released Friday, Justice Richard Bernstein wrote that in not allowing peremptory challenges ― a process in which the prosecutor and defense in a trial are allowed to exclude potential jurors without providing a reason, a practice designed to allow both parties to minimize potential bias ― trial court Judge Dalton A. Roberson limited the defense team of defendant Robert Yarbrough Jr. and its ability to "strategically consider the final composition of the jury."
"The questioning of each prospective juror provides litigants with the opportunity to observe and gauge the reactions of all the other prospective jurors for any signs of bias in one direction or another," Bernstein said in the majority opinion. "As new prospective jurors are seated, new questions may arise that lead to additional information about previously seated individuals. The system imposed here cut short defendant's ability to engage in this ongoing strategic monitoring ...."
Yarbrough went to trial in 2018, accused of kidnapping a woman in Detroit, who was in his neighborhood to retrieve money he owed her. He took the battery out of her phone, choked her and hit her before dragging her to a bedroom and began to "forcibly" sexually assault her, according to court documents. He restrained her when she attempted to escape, hit her with a hammer and threatened to bury her alive.
The woman escaped after 20 hours, according to court documents referenced in the opinion. A rape kit presented "very strong support" that the DNA was Yarbrough's as well as DNA on the hammer found at the scene, according to details provided in the ruling.
Yarbrough was convicted in a jury trial of kidnapping, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, felonious assault and three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced to 7 to 15 years for the felonious assault and 40 to 60 years each for the other convictions.
The Michigan Court of Appeals agreed "that the trial court's practice was an abuse of its discretion" in a 2020 decision, but said verdict did not require automatic reversal because "the wealth of inculpatory evidence against the defendant" would likely have resulted in the same outcome.
Bernstein, however, said that considering how the verdict would have differed with a different jury "required an act of pure speculation, making it an exercise in futility."
"The questioning of each prospective juror provides litigants with the opportunity to observe and gauge the reactions of all other prospective jurors for any signs of bias in one direction or another," the ruling said. "As new prospective jurors are seated, new questions may arise that lead to additional information about previously seated individuals."
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Brian Zahra argued that Yarbrough had not shown that the error would have changed the verdict and called the majority decision "seriously misguided."
He added that the automatic reversal "an extreme remedy," arguing it was not applicable in this case because the error "involved only the violation of a court rule."
"And since the evidence presented at trial overwhelmingly supports the jury's verdict and any impartial jury would have reached the same verdict in this case, I would find the error harmless and not disturb the jury verdict that resulted in defendant's proper conviction and sentences," Zahra said.
Yarbrough's attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
In a statement, Jon Wojtala, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Appeals, said: “We are disappointed and certainly disagree with the Michigan Supreme Court majority’s decision. This elevates a purported nonconstitutional error to the same level of those few violations of fundamental constitutional rights deemed so egregious as to warrant automatic reversal."
Staff Writer Mark Hicks contributed to this report.
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/19/michigan-supreme-court-orders-new-trial-for-man-convicted-of-kidnapping-assault/70418046007/
| 2023-07-19T11:39:00
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida will continue to see an afternoon summer storm pattern this week.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Our area will have a 50% chance of seeing rain and storms Wednesday.
Most of the storm activity will come in the mid-to-late afternoon and early evening.
Read: Smoke from Canadian wildfires could drift down to Central Florida
We should not see as much rain as Tuesday, with some areas that recorded more than 3 inches of rainfall.
There is still a chance some could see 1 to 2 inches of rain Wednesday.
Read: Alexander Springs swimming area temporarily closed after snorkeler bit by alligator
The high temperature in Orlando should reach around 92 degrees Wednesday afternoon.
The same weather pattern will continue through the weekend.
Follow our Severe Weather team on Twitter for live updates:
©2023 Cox Media Group
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| 2023-07-19T11:40:22
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Horseshoe crabs get new lifeline in Ocean City with help from UMES students
For the countless horseshoe crabs that trek up Ocean City's 94th Street canal, a successful spawning period could be the difference between sustaining or losing the species entirely.
Research that started with simply trying to calculate the bacteria levels of the canal's stagnant water soon pivoted to the plight of female horseshoe crabs looking for the comfort of a muddy shore. What normally follows is a spawning period complete with a male attached to the female as she lumbers to a spot in the sand.
The problem is mankind itself, with the construction of high-walled bulkheads and development along the shore that is quickly taking away large swaths of their territory. Ironically, the answer may also be mankind with the construction of artificial beach platforms for the crustaceans that keep them from trying to climb commercial obstacles and dying in the process.
"Horseshoe crabs are looking for habitat and they're looking for a sandy or muddy beach that is getting wet daily between the high and low tide line where they lay their eggs. The eggs they spawn are an important source of nutrition for migratory shore birds," said Margaret Sexton, research assistant professor of Biological Oceanography at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and deputy center director for the NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center.
The home plate-shaped platform measures a compact 4 feet by 2 feet by 5 feet. Once it is filled with sand and soaked, it quickly becomes an ideal spot for the species. While there is only one built thus far in the canal, it has already proven to attract the crabs despite eggs not yet found on the structure.
While there are other suitable areas where they can spawn, the 94th street canal seems to draw the primal-looking crabs every year. The question is why.
"They've had over nearly 400 million years of evolution, and as they do so, they acquire characteristic traits like developing specific spawning habitats. I suspect they use these coastal lagoons as a safe place free from waves crashing onto a shore and to be in a quiet place. When the young hatch, they don't have to face the same predation," said Eric May, professor of Fish Biology & Pathology in the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
As with most biological research, the goal is data collection to surmise long-term application of these platforms elsewhere.
More on crab bleedingHorseshoe crabs help save human lives, so why do we treat them so bad?
More on the 2021 mortality eventHow 1,000-plus dead horseshoe crabs ended up in an Ocean City canal
Mortality events and new conservation efforts
For residents of Ocean City, July 2021 saw thousands of the horseshoe crabs floating in the inland canals. Reports to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program led to an investigation.
It was clear the crabs were entering the canals alive, with many of the dead being females in search of spawning locations and being met only with literal walls. Water quality in the canal, while not entirely to blame, exacerbated the mortality event.
High temperatures of the water and the suffocating nature of the low-dissolved oxygen, or dead spots, in the water at night also spelled doom for the crabs.
According to UMES, underscoring the importance of the conservation efforts will require public support. Reaching out to Ocean City residents has already created a new level of awareness of the university's efforts and establishes a prolonged future for the pilot program.
"Most of our public outreach has been word of mouth. We've spoken to several pf the neighbors and we've gotten very positive response to us being there," Sexton said "One thing we're attempting to do is having those who live on these canals let us know if and when we have mortality events of horseshoe crabs. That doesn't seem to have happened this year, so it would help of the public reported that to us to create a record of it to figure it out."
May noted while similar conditions persisted in 2022, other stressors on the population were not present, and that made it a rebounding year for the species. While there is no exact number of the species now, 60 have been tagged from the 94th Street canal.
"The Maryland Coastal Bays Program has been doing a spawning survey for nearly 20 years, but that tells us how many more or less compared to previous years, but not really the total number of these crabs," Sexton said.
Controversial medical testing?
In spite of possibly declining numbers, the practice of drawing blood from horseshoe crabs continues.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources noted "the blood of the horseshoe crab provides a valuable medical product critical to maintaining the safety of many drugs and devices used in medical care. A protein in the blood called Limulus Amebocyte Lysate is used by pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to test their products."
The goal is to detect the presence of endotoxins, bacterial substances that can cause fevers and even be fatal to humans.
A horseshoe crab's blood has a blue to blue-green color when exposed to the air. The blood is blue because it contains a copper-based respiratory pigment called hemocyanin.
More on crab migrations in the pastThere's so many horseshoe crabs invading Maryland, Delaware shores right now. Here's why
Yet despite the benefits of the research, the practice is drawing the ire of environmental groups. That even prompted the creating of a petition already signed by an estimated 35,000 people to stop "given the population decline of horseshoe crabs and no state-wide bans on the bleeding."
According to Change.org data, in February 2023, the U.S. Pharmacopeia, the organization responsible for setting standards for medicines produced in the U.S., held a meeting to set standards for a synthetic alternative that could take the pressure off of the horseshoe crab population — but five months have elapsed since the meeting, and advocates are demanding answers.
This sparked outcry from Carrie Anne, an activist and Florida resident, and her supporters, who are demanding that the USP issue standards for the synthetic alternative, which would facilitate companies moving off of live crab blood.
"The count of horseshoe crabs that bled alive has surpassed 700,000, with up to 30% of them dying in the process, pushing them closer to the brink of becoming an endangered species," the petition argued.
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https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2023/07/19/umes-research-gives-horseshoe-crabs-new-lifeline-in-ocean-city/70424450007/
| 2023-07-19T11:44:35
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'Joyful, bright eyes': Services set for 9-year-old Mackinaw boy struck by car
PEORIA — Adrian Dwayne Zehr's favorite color was green. He loved to play baseball, basketball and football. Those who knew him say he was a bright-eyed, studious boy with a contagious laugh.
But Zehr's life ended at age 9 on Friday night in a pedestrian vs. automobile accident. He was struck by a vehicle around 9 p.m. in Mackinaw near the community's festival, Mack-A-Fest.
The boy was transported to OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center unresponsive, not breathing, and with no pulse. Despite aggressive resuscitative efforts and care, he was pronounced deceased at OSF at 10:06 p.m., according to a police statement.
The coroner said the boy suffered multiple blunt-force trauma injuries inconsistent with life and not survivable.
Adrian Zehr:Mackinaw boy, 9, has been identified as victim of car accident
"We have intentionally remained silent since this tragic accident as there are really no words to describe this devastating and unbearable loss," Zehr's maternal grandfather, Brett Zehr, posted on his Facebook page, addressing his statement "To our beloved Mackinaw community."
"The amount of love and support that began immediately after the accident around 9 p.m. on Friday has only multiplied since that very moment," Zehr continued. "As impossible as it is to fathom the loss of our Adrian, there are no words describing how this community and other surrounding communities have lifted us up, held us in your arms, hugged, prayed, shown hundreds of acts of kindness.
"Your words and actions are beyond what we or anyone else could imagine. We are incredibly grateful to and blessed by our small community which has taken such great steps, put in such effort, and has taken so much time to love and support us through this tragedy. We wish that we could name names of all the people, groups, and businesses that have reached out to us, but that would be impossible. Only in Mackinaw would an entire community rally together to support one family. God bless each and every one of you!"
Zehr's visitation is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, with the funeral immediately following at the Dee-Mack High School gymnasium. Those who attend are encouraged to wear green, in acknowledgment of the boy's favorite color. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Adrian’s honor to the Adrian Zehr Memorial Fund at First Security Bank of Mackinaw.
Zehr, who was born in Pekin, was to be in fourth grade at Dee-Mack Intermediate School this fall. His family and friends said he was "smart, studious, athletic, and joyful with bright eyes, a contagious laugh, and a smile that lights up a room."
He played baseball for the Dee-Mack Warriors travel team, was part of the Mackinaw Recreation Basketball team and was a running back in Dee-Mack's Junior Football League program. He participated in Curley "Boo" Johnson's annual Skills for Life camp run by the former Harlem Globetrotters player. Johnson this week called Zehr a "wonderful hard-working boy," who won the camp's Hustle Award last year. In the future, the award will be named for Zehr.
"Prayers to the family and the Mackinaw community," Johnson wrote.
Zehr's mother and brother adored him, and he helped his grandparents with their local business. An obituary posted from the family read, in part, "we mourn the loss of Adrian, and his absence will be felt deeply for the remainder of our lives here on earth. As professing Christians, we do not mourn without hope …"
Zehr was preceded in death by his paternal great-grandparents, Byron and Patricia Zehr of Mackinaw, and maternal great-grandparents, Merlin Howard and Julia Howard. He is survived by his mother, Lydia and his brother, Carter Zehr (age 11), as well as his maternal grandparents, Brett and Christine Zehr of Mackinaw. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, and cousins.
Peoria racing:Auto racing community mourns Creve Coeur driver killed in work accident
Deer Creek-Mackinaw school district superintendent Damon Hackett posted a statement on Facebook that read, in part: "It is with deep sadness that I inform you about a tragic accident that has resulted in a significant loss in our schools and community. Last night, a Dee-Mack elementary school student lost his life in a car related accident.
"We are committed to doing everything we can to help our students, staff, and community with the grieving and healing process …"
The Mackinaw Christian Church held a prayer service Saturday night. Newcastle Bible Church in Mackinaw offered counseling, support, and a place for students and community to gather on Sunday.
The Junior Football League of Central Illinois posted a statement Monday: "The entire League mourns the loss of a fantastic young man and member of our JFL family. Our hearts and prayers are with Adrian's family and friends in their time of need."
The JFL also noted on its Facebook page Tuesday that a GoFundMe account, open less than three days, had already raised more than $32,000 for the Zehr family to assist with medical and memorial expenses.
Adrian Zehr Memorial Fund, organized by frank lockenour
In addition, the Mackinaw Fire Department is hosting the Zehr Family Pancake and Sausage Fundraiser, serving food from 7-11 a.m. Saturday at its station (104 W. Madison St., Mackinaw). Adults eat for $7, while children 12-under for any donation.
The accident remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Mackinaw Police Department at (309) 359-8914.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
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https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/adrian-zehr-obit-visitation-funeral-set-mackinaw-9-year-old-boy-struck-by-car/70422543007/
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INDIANAPOLIS — Eskenazi Health is providing fresh food to the community at the "Fresh for You Market on Wheels," a mobile grocery store and food pantry hybrid that will be parked at various locations throughout the city to help eliminate barriers in obtaining healthy food.
The mobile grocery store and food pantry serves as a self-sustaining model to address food insecurity.
The Fresh for You Market on Wheels is a former Indianapolis city bus donated by IndyGo.
The 40-foot-bus has been transformed into a small grocery store, complete with fridges, freezers, grocery shelves, a filtration system, and a kitchen, where an on-board chef will prepare hot, made-to-order food and host live cooking demonstrations, showing how to utilize items found on the bus in a variety of recipes.
Each weekday, the Fresh for You Market on Wheels will be parked at a different location in Indianapolis, providing accessibility for community residents.
Locations were selected based on the highest need among Eskenazi Health patients who identify as food insecure and for those living in areas with little to no access to traditional grocery stores, the hospital said in a statement.
The Fresh for You Market on Wheels is open weekdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the following locations:
- Monday: Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center, 3171 N. Meridian St.
- Tuesday: Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street, 5515 W. 38th St.
- Wednesday: Eskenazi Health Center Forest Manor, 3840 N. Sherman Drive
- Thursday: Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), 8902 E. 38th St.
- Friday: Edna Martin Christian Center, 2605 E. 25th St.
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https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/eskenazi-fresh-for-you-market-now-open/531-68b6d686-0418-489f-8eba-c8bfffb088b5
| 2023-07-19T11:48:42
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PORT ARANSAS, Texas — Beachgoers spotted something new crawling on another Texas beach recently.
Christine shared a video with KHOU 11 of a 'starfish' crawling along the coast in Port Aransas.
The gray sea star was using the little tubes on its feet to crawl along the sand, which is pretty common on the Texas coast. The video went viral on Facebook as people were shocked by the size of the starfish.
Sea stars only live in saltwater and usually prefer to stay about 130 feet below the water's surface on a soft sandy bottom, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. The gray sea star can grow up to 12 inches long and they also have the ability to regenerate an arm if they lose it.
READ MORE THE TEXAS COAST:
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https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/huge-starfish-sea-star-port-aransas-texas-beach/285-b8716890-92c6-4678-b905-bd2dda1fe92a
| 2023-07-19T11:49:27
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https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/huge-starfish-sea-star-port-aransas-texas-beach/285-b8716890-92c6-4678-b905-bd2dda1fe92a
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Three is a crowd, but six might be a party. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins signed noted goalie Garret Sparks to an AHL deal Tuesday.
Sparks, 30, is a journeyman goalie with high points of AHL success and 40 career NHL games, mostly with the Toronto Maple Leafs and an award-winning run with the 2017-18 Toronto Marlies that ended with the Calder Cup.
Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas was the general manager of that Marlies team. Sparks won the AHL award for best goaltender, led the league in wins (31), and save percentage (.936).
Read more from our partners at Sports Now Group Pittsburgh.
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©2023 Cox Media Group
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-add-another-nhl-experienced-goalie-ties-dubas/4JUCLH4AXBEHZH4ZT6H3C5QCRU/
| 2023-07-19T11:51:13
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-add-another-nhl-experienced-goalie-ties-dubas/4JUCLH4AXBEHZH4ZT6H3C5QCRU/
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Ever since Natrona County first adopted the 1-cent tax in 1974, the measure has gone before voters every four years for renewal.
But Casper may soon ask the county and neighboring communities to band together to change that. A proposed ordinance signaling support for extending the 1-cent tax indefinitely is expected to have its first reading before the Casper City Council tonight.
The draft legislation isn't calling for the 1-cent tax to be permanent; it just initiates a lengthy process outlined in statute that, if successful, would spare the tax from having to continually seek approval from voters.
If Casper's proposed ordinance makes it through all three readings, similar measures declaring support for extending the 1-cent tax would have to be adopted by the Natrona County Board of Commissioners, as well as a majority of other municipalities in the county, according to a July 12 memo from Casper city staff briefing councilors on the proposal.
People are also reading…
The county clerk would then have to certify to the county treasure at least 90 days ahead of the 2026 election season that Natrona County has met the requirements to take the 1-cent tax off the ballot.
Casper residents will get a chance to offer testimony on the proposed ordinance during tonight's council meeting, which begins 6 p.m. at The Lyric, located at 230 W. Yellowstone Highway.
The 1-cent tax adds another penny to Wyoming’s 4% state sales tax. But unlike the other 4%, all 1-cent money collected in Natrona County stays local.
The 1-cent tax most recently passed in fall of 2022 with more than 70% support from voters.
Over the last few years, Casper has received about $15 million annually from the tax, or about $60 million per funding cycle. The city relies on 1-cent money for things like subsidizing utilities, repairing roads and replacing police and Fire-EMS department equipment. It also uses revenue from the tax to provide grants to local nonprofits. Some smaller communities in the county even depend on the 1-cent tax to cover operational costs, the Star-Tribune reported in September.
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https://trib.com/news/local/casper/casper-council-extend-one-cent-natrona-county/article_0a5dfb5a-24f1-11ee-b17e-7b17f59d618e.html
| 2023-07-19T11:59:50
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Fort Caspar Museum will be celebrating Casper's namesake, Caspar Collins, on Saturday, July 22 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. with living history programs, hands-on demonstrations, museum exhibits, a lecture and more, according to a press release from the museum.
From 2:30-4:30, there will be a powwow, a new addition to the traditional lineup of events.
It's a free event, and in addition to the museum events, there will be food trucks and local craft vendors outside.
"In addition to the usual array of living history and hands-on demonstrations at the Fort, we will have two free special programs in the museum. One will be a presentation at 10:00 am by local historian Johanna Wickman on the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, who were stationed here during the summer of 1865 and participated in the Battles of Platte Bridge and Red Buttes," the press release states. "The second program at 1:00 pm will feature a scene and historical background from the 1890s play "The Senator” by Bill Conte and Johanna Wickman."
People are also reading…
Caspar Collins died in July 1865 in the Battle of Platte Bridge, close to where Fort Caspar Museum is now located. The city, and the mountain that hugs it in from the south, were named after him. A clerical error got the spelling wrong, and we've been calling ourselves "Casperites" ever since.
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https://trib.com/news/local/casper/fort-caspar-museum-caspar-collins-day/article_e59b4d5a-24d1-11ee-b99e-dfed9431ed26.html
| 2023-07-19T12:00:13
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The upcoming school year will mark a small boom for Natrona County School District and its employees as the district’s budget will grow by roughly $40 million even as enrollment continues to decline.
NCSD trustees adopted the district’s 2023-2024 budget Monday evening with little contest following months of work and the school board’s annual budget hearing. A process that began last October ended with approximately $395 million in funding to support the second largest school district in Wyoming, up from $355 million last year.
The district’s 2023-2024 financial plan is largely standard, but it reflects some significant changes that added to NCSD’s coffers.
The district will receive an additional $5.1 million from the state after lawmakers approved the first inflation adjustment for schools since 2019-2020 earlier this year. Since 2020, the Legislature has also shifted how the state collects mining and oil and gas taxes, altering how school districts receive that money. In practice, the changes have meant that NCSD collected roughly $14 million in mineral taxes in advance during the 2023 fiscal year. With that money in hand, the district will see its entitlement payments from the state decrease by the same amount for the upcoming year.
People are also reading…
NCSD has also received approximately $62 million in coronavirus pandemic relief funds since March 2020, money that continues to contribute to the district’s budget, but which is set to expire in September 2024.
However, the biggest development for NCSD’s finances has been a swell in local taxes driven by a jump in property values in Natrona County. During the last school year, the district forecasted it would generate just under $40 million in local revenue, largely from the state's mandatory 25 mill school district property tax levy and vehicle taxes. According to NCSD’s estimate, the district brought in nearly $61 million in local revenue padded by a roughly $21 million windfall in local property taxes.
“This last year was really an anomaly,” NCSD Superintendent Mike Jennings said in an interview with the Star-Tribune last week. “… In the past, normally it could be a half a million dollar shortfall or a million dollar tax excess, those are pretty normal occurrences. This one was unique and significant.”
The increase in tax revenue last year put NCSD’s 2023-2024 budget on solid footing with a nearly 50% increase in the beginning balance of its general fund. With its improved financial standing, NCSD will give district employees a 5.49% raise – a more than 1% boost from last year’s raises – as it aims to keep up with a tight and competitive labor market. The school district estimates it will spend an additional $13 million on salaries and $6 million in benefits next year. Trustee Thomas Myler, the treasurer of the school board, told the panel the base pay for NCSD teachers will now be $50,000 in line with other 4A districts in Wyoming.
Roughly three-quarters of NCSD’s operating budget will go to "direct classroom instruction and instructional support." The district will also save some its small windfall, putting away roughly $66 million in reserves, a $10 million increase from last year.
“We are a fiscally conservative district and we try and make sure that as much of our dollars are spent educating our students, keeping them safe, having a competitive compensation packing and helping our teachers out as best as we can," Myler said. “I feel with all the work that’s been put in we’ve accomplished just that.”
Mary Schmidt and Jenifer Hopkins were the lone trustees to vote against the budget. They argued that the school board should have spent more time explaining and working through the budget. Schmidt said she attended four budget meetings, but they lacked the depth and dialogue that she wanted.
"One of them was an audit meeting and the other three war informational things on how they were going to proceed with the budget," she said. "There was no discussion or inner action as to how we can adjust things or what the numbers are of each program that is being served."
NCSD’s growing budget comes as the district warns that it will likely face a decline in funding in the coming years amid falling enrollment. NCSD forecasts show the district will see a drop of roughly 400 students when school starts in the fall, extending a slide that began during the pandemic.
NCSD attributes the decrease, which it projects will likely continue for at least the next three school years, to the falling birth rate in Natrona County. Not long ago NCSD averaged around 1,000 new kindergarten students annually, but in the last few years that number has fallen to 850 children, Jennings previously told the Star-Tribune.
NCSD has shed staff in response, including 45 positions during the 2021-2022 school year, with plans to further reduce staff through attrition to match the enrollment declines and ensure that the school district stays within its budget.
For now, trustees and district leaders applauded the 2023-2024 budget, saying it will help the district and its students.
"This is overall a very good budget that aligns tightly to the strategic plan and the improvement and content standards that the state expects students to master,” Jennings said.
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https://trib.com/news/local/education/natrona-county-school-district-school-board-budget-23-24/article_eb7201c6-24d9-11ee-a4c6-2be1a467cbeb.html
| 2023-07-19T12:00:16
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After weeks of testimony at Lancaster County Board meetings from those convinced of rampant election fraud, commissioners invited state and local election officials to discuss election security — and offer another perspective.
“The reason I asked them to be present is I’ve gotten calls from constituents wondering why we were committing voter fraud and why we were complicit,” said County Board Chairwoman Christa Yoakum.
The board’s policy, she said, is not to comment or answer questions during the public comment period, but after weeks of people making accusations of election fraud — many of the same arguments made nationally — she wanted to respond.
“This was our way of responding to some of the concerns they wanted us to look into and to ask questions.”
During the public comment period for several weeks, people — many with the Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project — have testified about various election fraud conspiracies, everything from ballot stuffing to problems with voting machines.
Wayne Bena, deputy secretary of state for elections — who appeared with Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen — told the board he’s concerned that foreign actors have tried to sow doubt and spread information.
“What we’ve seen over the course of the last four years is that use of social media and misinformation and information not properly vetted and data not properly vetted have poisoned the well as to the integrity of our elections,” he said.
Measures the state has taken to ensure election results are accurate include expanding the manual audit of results from 2%-3% of precincts to 10% statewide, and making sure every county had at least one hand-counted audit, he said.
Of the 48,292 ballots hand-counted, just 11 ballots had discrepancies, he said.
Before each election, he said, every county does three test runs of voting machines, holds two mock elections and runs one statewide test.
None of the machines are connected to the internet and results are transferred via a military-encrypted USB drive to another computer to compile the results, which are double-checked with the results from the voter machines before being made public, he said.
Bena also took issue with reports of 4,500 additional votes being cast in the 2020 election than voter history records showed, saying the voter history reports used for the comparison were too far removed from the election and — because they change regularly as people die, move or are convicted of felonies — it wasn’t a valid comparison.
Bena said it’s unfortunate that much of the data provided to people “doesn’t pass the sixth grade math teacher test” — a comment that prompted an angry response from Commissioner Matt Schulte, who accused him of being rude to people in the audience.
“You said they can’t pass a sixth grade math test,” he said.
Bena said he wasn’t referring to those in the audience, but to those who provided them information.
“I’m sorry if the analogy seemed inappropriate,” Benas said. “I’ve asked for algorithms for two years and haven’t gotten it. What you’ve been provided is the answer, not the math.”
Commissioner Roma Amundson asked about reports of people getting multiple ballots sent to their homes, and both Wiltgen and Bena said that would be impossible and it appears ballot applications sent by third-party organizations trying to encourage people to request mail-in ballots have been mistaken for ballots.
Also, Bena said, no election commissioner has gotten ballots back from voters saying they’d gotten more than one.
Schulte asked Wiltgen if he’d consider doing an audit of city elections. Wiltgen said he’s preparing for the 2024 presidential election but would consider doing an audit in 2025, though he would have to submit a plan to the state for approval.
Several commissioners commended the election officials for the work they’ve done and said they’re satisfied elections are secure.
“We’ve heard a litany of complaints,” Commissioner Rick Vest said. “Let’s be clear. Everyone up here wants free and fair elections. There’s nobody up here that wants any fraud taking place. … The testimony I heard this morning is very factual and very driven by objective standards and very comforting to me.”
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/government-politics/election-fraud-lancaster-county-conspiracies/article_e5fc04aa-25c2-11ee-9bc2-835bbd04195f.html
| 2023-07-19T12:05:38
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/government-politics/election-fraud-lancaster-county-conspiracies/article_e5fc04aa-25c2-11ee-9bc2-835bbd04195f.html
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — People in Pratt will have another place to cool off this weekend as the Pratt Municipal Pool is set to reopen this Saturday.
The City of Pratt said in a Facebook post the grand re-opening will be on July 22 at 11 a.m.
“We thank you so much for your patience and support as we removed the very old, very leaky, but much-loved, pool and replaced it with a modern, updated pool with so much more to do,” the Facebook post said in part.
The pool will have big water slides, a small frog slide, and more.
In August 2022, the city said a family had committed to paying for the project in full. This came after voters had authorized a sales tax for the project, with just over 76% of voters voting for a 0.5% sales tax increase to bring the project to fruition.
Pratt Mayor Zach Deeds told KSN at the time the plan was to use the sales tax to pay for the pool, but after the donation, the city said no tax dollars would be used to pay for the project.
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https://www.ksn.com/news/local/pratt-municipal-pool-reopening-on-saturday-after-improvements/
| 2023-07-19T12:10:06
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https://www.ksn.com/news/local/pratt-municipal-pool-reopening-on-saturday-after-improvements/
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — On Tuesday, the City of Wichita approved a $13.7 million budget and design plans for the Carl G. Brewer Community Center at McAdams Park.
The project, expected to start in 2024, will more than double the size of the current facility, bringing opportunities for groups who use it.
“Hopefully, this will be an epicenter for this community around here,” said Corey Lyon, Brewer Community Center director. “There’s not really many places where kids can go, or they can have a safe place to go.”
The building’s meeting rooms and auditorium are the destinations of events and weekly meetings for the Golden Age Club. They say a new facility will help them expand their group.
“We’re 94 members strong, and we’re growing. We have that great fashion show. And with the building being extended, it will really help us to have more people come out and see us, and we won’t be so tightly knit,” said Golden Age Club President Kathy McClysh.
The expansion of the gymnasium will give the option of hosting large sporting events. Lyons says four basketball recreation teams currently practice there, but the limited space makes it difficult for other athletes.
“We have an elementary-sized gym. We’re moving to a high school regulation gym, so we can bring in tournaments, like basketball tournaments, AAU tournaments, volleyball…” said Lyons.
Learning opportunities are also to come. A full-sized kitchen will provide space for the culinary class. The City says other rooms will have updated technology for students to use, and the center will partner with WSU’s Innovation Campus will allow youth to connect with businesses as a networking opportunity.
That’s going to be the flagship community center for the city of Wichita, and it’s something that I think everyone’s going to love,” said District I Councilman Brandon Johnson.
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https://www.ksn.com/news/local/upgraded-carl-g-brewer-community-center-will-bring-opportunities-for-local-groups/
| 2023-07-19T12:10:08
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https://www.ksn.com/news/local/upgraded-carl-g-brewer-community-center-will-bring-opportunities-for-local-groups/
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Ground broken for new YMCA as fundraising delivers more than $29 million for facility
MUNCIE, Ind. − The new YMCA is ready for construction.
A groundbreaking ceremony was conducted Tuesday morning at the site of the new YMCA of Muncie on the Muncie Central High School campus between the school building and the Muncie Fieldhouse along Walnut Street.
"This is what can happen when we collaborate together for the good of others," said Dr. Keith O'Neal, senior pastor at Destiny Christian Center International in Muncie, one of several speakers during the ceremony conducted under a tent on the site where the YMCA is being built.
Mike Lunsford, who served as co-chair of the silent phase of the capital campaign to get the new YMCA built, said the Y's unique ability to touch everyone in the community has contributed to bringing construction of the facility to reality.
More:New YMCA construction is expected to start at Muncie Central campus within weeks
Plans call for a 73,000-square-foot facility that will include traditional YMCA amenities plus a top flight Aquatic Center, to be shared with the high school, and a clinic focused on community health and development of healthy lifestyles.
Chad Zaucha, CEO of the YMCA of Muncie has called the center a "transformational community project."
Participants in partnerships for the new YMCA include Ball State University, IU Health, Muncie Community Schools, Ivy Tech Community College and Open Door Health Services.
Tuesday, Zaucha said, was an important day for "all of you who have believed."
The projected cost of the entire project now stands at about $31 million, Lunsford told The Star Press.
According to a press release issued Tuesday, the the funding campaign has secured $29,6 million with an original $28.5 million goal. First Merchants Bank is still doubling every dollar in a dollar for dollar match up to $1 million. The community phase of the campaign, led by Tara Smalstig and Chris Cook, continues to fundraise with a remaining goal of $1.36 million.
More:City Council approves zoning for McKinley Neighborhood revitalization
The has been the community's most successful charitable campaign, not directly involving BSU, in recent memory, said Lunsford.
"It's amazing," he said.
Mayor Dan Ridenour addressed the crowd and said the YMCA project will be a springboard for a revitalization of the McKinley neighborhood. He said the zoning has already been changed to allow the creation of townhomes and new housing along Columbus Avenue that will create a refurbished corridor east of the YMCA and the high school all the way to the Cardinal Greenway near White River and trailhead at the former train depot
Construction of the new YMCA is expected to take about 18 months. When completed, it will combine the downtown YMCA and the Northwest YMCA under one roof.
The downtown YMCA located on Mulberry Street was bought by the city in September 2022 through the Muncie Redevelopment Commission. The MRC paid $500,000 for the building and has been leasing it back to the YMCA for $1. The half-million dollar purchase went toward the YMCA's capital campaign for the new facility.
The purchase was made so the city could control the future of the old YMCA site, said MCR President Jeff Howe. The Mulberry Street building is located near Canan Commons on the south end of downtown.
David Penticuff is a reporter with The Star Press. You can contact him at dpenticuff@gannett.com.
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https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/ground-broken-for-new-ymca-as-fundraising-hits-more-than-29-million/70424864007/
| 2023-07-19T12:18:25
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https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/07/19/ground-broken-for-new-ymca-as-fundraising-hits-more-than-29-million/70424864007/
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A county prosecutor in Pennsylvania said Tuesday that he has asked the state attorney general’s office to take over the investigation surrounding a homicide suspect's escape because of the possibility that jail staff might be charged with criminal negligence.
Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene said reports from the Warren city police investigation included information that “could possibly implicate” inmates and staff at the county jail as well as others in the July 6 escape of Michael Burham, 34. He was recaptured Saturday after a barking dog alerted a couple to his presence on their property.
Greene said he has seen nothing to indicate staff members participated or were complicit in the escape in which authorities say Burham climbed on exercise equipment, went through a window and scaled down a rope fashioned from jail bedding. But Green said staff could face criminal charges "if they were negligent in their duties to make sure Burham or other inmates did not escape."
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Greene said because he considers many jail staff in the small county his friends, and because he's on the prison board, he asked the attorney general's office to take over the escape case against Burham and any related case brought against anyone else.
Greene, who earlier also sought a state corrections department investigation, said he was “floored” at the idea of staff having some culpability. He also said he is “livid” about the negative attention the case had brought to the area. He added, however, that he didn't believe there would be a problem with continued operations at the jail, emphasizing that his concerns involved only “negligence issues, complacency issues."
“I can't imagine, for the life of me, that any of those jail guards that might be under investigation at this point wouldn't be straightening themselves up,” he said.
Greene acknowledged having potential suspects in mind but declined to say who or how many. He also declined to comment on whether anyone knew about Burham collecting sheets for his escape, saying it would be “an issue” in the attorney general's investigation.
District Attorney Jason Schmidt, of Chautauqua County, New York, said in June that Burham was the prime suspect in the May 11 killing of Kala Hodgkin, 34, and a related arson in Jamestown, New York. Authorities also accuse him of abducting an older couple in Pennsylvania while trying to evade capture before his arrest in South Carolina. New York officials said they opted to let Pennsylvania handle the initial prosecution as they probe the killing and arson.
Greene said he will continue to handle the Pennsylvania kidnapping and burglary case that Burham was being held on.
Greene's remarks came during the Crime Stoppers presentation of a $2,000 reward check to “Tucker the dog” and his owners, Ron and Cindy Ecklund, for their role in the recapture of Burham. Tucker, oblivious to the ceremony, barked as he tried several times to get Ron Ecklund to throw a new tennis ball for him to chase.
Cindy Ecklund said she and her husband recognized Burham as soon as they encountered him at the rear of their property. They tried to calmly but quickly withdraw in a golf cart they were using while calling 911. She said their dog not only alerted them to Burham's presence but his aggressive barking once they encountered him likely intimidated the escapee.
“I think he was a little afraid of what Tucker might do,” she said.
Burham fled but was captured less than two hours later, looking wet, dirty and “worn-out,” police said.
The hero dog was sporting a new collar Tuesday and had a bucket of tennis balls, a few new toys, some treats from a well-wisher and a coupon for a spa day. And, “there is a ribeye steak in the fridge waiting for him after all this is over," Ecklund said.
“He was protecting us, and you can't ask for a better best friend than that,” she said.
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pa-prosecutor-asks-state-to-take-over-probe-into-homicide-suspects-jail-escape/3606964/
| 2023-07-19T12:22:34
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pa-prosecutor-asks-state-to-take-over-probe-into-homicide-suspects-jail-escape/3606964/
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A pizza deliveryman fought back against a pair of would-be carjackers in the parking lot of a Chestnut Hill neighborhood apartment complex overnight, shooting one of them, Philadelphia police said.
The incident took place just off Stenton Avenue early Wednesday morning, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
Two masked young people -- possibly teens -- with guns approached the 21-year-old deliveryman as he was dropping off food, Small said.
"He was being carjacked and robbed," Small said.
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"One of them forced the 21-year-old deliveryman into the back seat and one of the perpetrators got into the backseat with him," Small said. "The other perpetrator got into the front seat. And they started asking him for money."
The robbers then wanted to know where the man worked and if he had any apps on his phone that he could use to get money to them, Small said.
The deliveryman was able to get out of the vehicle and confront one of the robbers, firing two shots, Small said. The would-be robber was struck once in the back.
Police found one of the would-be robbers about 300 feet away and got him to the hospital where he was in surgery while in custody, Small said.
The other ran off across Stenton Avenue into neighboring Springfield Township, Small said.
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It appeared that there was possibly a shootout as police found evidence that the bleeding would-be robber had evidence on him that he had fired at least one shot, Small said.
Police spent the early morning hours searching the apartment complex grounds for a gun that was possibly tossed away, investigators said.
Police said the deliveryman was on the phone with his brother -- who also works at the pizza shop -- who heard the whole thing and rushed to the scene to help with brother.
The deliveryman had a license to carry a weapon, investigators said.
Small said that shootings are "unusual" in the neighborhood.
Police continued to investigate the shooting and would-be robbery into the early morning hours of Wednesday.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pizza-delivery-driver-carjacking-shooting-chestnut-hill/3607259/
| 2023-07-19T12:22:40
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pizza-delivery-driver-carjacking-shooting-chestnut-hill/3607259/
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pizza-delivery-driver-shoots-gunman-trying-to-carjack-him-in-chestnut-hill-police-say/3607264/
| 2023-07-19T12:22:46
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pizza-delivery-driver-shoots-gunman-trying-to-carjack-him-in-chestnut-hill-police-say/3607264/
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AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG), along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is conducting Operation Stop Scam Calls.
Operation Stop Scam Calls is an effort to stop the nationwide issue of companies and scammers targeting people. According to a press release from the OAG, the effort "aims to protect the people of Texas from deceitful telemarketing companies and the nuisance of spam calls."
Under Operation Stop Spam Calls, the OAG "previously filed a multistate lawsuit against Michael D. Lansky, LLC, which does business under the name Avid Telecom, its owner Michael Lanksy, and its vice president Stacey S. Reeves for the alleged initiation and facilitation of billions of robocalls, including hundreds of millions of unlawful calls made to numbers in Texas," according to the release.
Back in March, as part of an operation, the OAG shut down a massive Texas-based illegal robocall scheme, which totaled over $244 million and affected millions of Americans.
Agencies across the nation and the District of Columbia, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission are working together to stop robocalls and scammers.
To learn more about robocalls, visit the FTC website here. You can also enroll into the federal and Texas do-not-call list by visiting the OAG's website.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/operation-stop-scam-calls-attorney-general/269-66d7af3f-ab42-4165-9eae-8c79c3d1e5ec
| 2023-07-19T12:37:20
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/operation-stop-scam-calls-attorney-general/269-66d7af3f-ab42-4165-9eae-8c79c3d1e5ec
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Former Hillsborough County Public School Superintendent Addison Davis has decided his next step in his career — and it is not with another school district.
Davis will join Stategos Group, which is a national education management consulting firm, the company said in a news release.
The company says Davis will bring his knowledge and experience gained as an educating leader.
“Addison's commitment to students, teachers, and the American education system, accelerates our mission of helping students thrive in their living and learning," Strategos Group Managing Partner Adam Giery said in a statement. "Addison's arrival fulfills a goal to be the Nation's only management consultancy with a partnership comprised of every major role in the American education ecosystem. We thank Addison, his wife, Natalie, and their daughters, Madisyn and Kaitlyn, for their trust and belief in our mission."
The former superintendent's role at his new job will be in the business transaction advisory practice where he will support district partners and education organizations, the news release mentioned.
“The mission to positively impact student performance and outcomes is an instrumental part of who I am as a practitioner," Davis said in a statement. "Over the last 25 years, I have dedicated my time, efforts, and energy to driving the most ambitious educational strategies that have led to transformational results for students both inside and outside the classroom.”
Davis officially stepped away from his superintendent duties on July 14. His departure came amid divisive talks of boundary changes that could impact thousands of students. Just a couple of years ago, Hillsborough County was in danger of its finances being taken over by the state after budget woes.
In 2021, the school district said half of its failing schools improved to a "C" or higher grade.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Davis was one of several Florida superintendents who clashed with Gov. Ron DeSantis over mask mandates in schools.
10 Tampa Bay's Claire Farrow and Aaron Parseghian contributed to this report.
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-superintendent-addison-davis-strategos-group/67-25d2d6c2-c7ae-4266-aaa5-b37d07920c64
| 2023-07-19T12:45:03
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-superintendent-addison-davis-strategos-group/67-25d2d6c2-c7ae-4266-aaa5-b37d07920c64
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IOWA, USA — Which state patrol has the best looking cruiser? It's up to voters to decide.
That's why state troopers in the Hawkeye State are asking Iowans to vote for Iowa State Patrol in the 2023 "Best Looking Cruiser Contest".
The American Association of State Troopers (AAST) is conducting the contest for its tenth year.
According to the AAST website, "The contest began as a friendly competition between the state agencies and is proving to be a fun and engaging way to allow our state's community members to support and interact with law enforcement in a positive manner."
The winner of the "Best Looking Cruiser Award" will be featured on the cover of the AAST's "America's Best Looking Cruisers 2024 Wall Calendar".
Calendars will be available for purchase on the AAST website beginning Oct. 1. All sales will benefit the American Association of State Troopers Foundation.
Last year, the Kentucky State Police cruiser took home the coveted prize.
Voting began on Monday, July 17 and will continue through Monday, July 31 at 11 a.m.
You can cast your vote by clicking here.
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https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/iowa-state-patrol-2023-best-looking-cruiser-contest-american-association-of-state-troopers-americas-best-looking-cruisers-2024-wall-calendar/524-42783a77-c77a-4799-abe1-7f9009dc8685
| 2023-07-19T12:47:18
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https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/iowa-state-patrol-2023-best-looking-cruiser-contest-american-association-of-state-troopers-americas-best-looking-cruisers-2024-wall-calendar/524-42783a77-c77a-4799-abe1-7f9009dc8685
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Women who sued Texas after saying they were denied abortions despite serious risks to their health are headed to court Wednesday as legal challenges to abortion bans across the U.S. continue a year after the fall of Roe v. Wade.
The Texas case is believed to be the first brought by women who were denied abortions since the right to an abortion in the U.S. was overturned, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing them.
The case before a Texas judge in Austin does not seek to reverse the state’s abortion ban, which is one of the strictest in the country. It instead asks the court for clarity on when exceptions are allowed in Texas, where the women say they were told they could not end their pregnancies even though their lives and health were in danger.
One woman had to carry her baby, who was missing much of her skull, for months, knowing she’d bury her daughter soon after she was born. Others had to travel out of state to receive medical care for pregnancy-related complications after doctors recommended an abortion.
Texas doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison and fines of up to $100,000, leaving many women with providers who are unwilling to even discuss terminating a pregnancy.
“Even if they provide an abortion that they believe complies with the bans’ narrow exceptions, they still risk the laws being enforced against them,” the plaintiffs argued in court filings this month.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office, which is defending the state’s ban, has argued that the women lack standing to sue and pushed back on accounts by doctors who said they were confused over the law’s wording.
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News from around the state of Texas.
Sixteen states, including Texas, do not allow abortions when a fatal fetal anomaly is detected, while six do not allow exceptions for the mother’s health, according to an analysis by KFF, a health research organization.
The lawsuit in Texas comes as abortion restrictions elsewhere in the U.S. continue to face challenges. On Monday, an Iowa judge temporarily blocked the state’s new ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/women-denied-abortions-in-texas-ask-court-for-clarity-over-states-exceptions-to-ban/3298912/
| 2023-07-19T12:53:08
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/women-denied-abortions-in-texas-ask-court-for-clarity-over-states-exceptions-to-ban/3298912/
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ATLANTIC CITY — A flood of planned new cannabis businesses may slow to a trickle, at least for now, while multiple proposals work their way through the state approval process.
The city has plans to become a cannabis capital along the East Coast, hoping the new industry can join the beaches and gaming as a draw for visitors and a source of jobs, revenue and economic development.
But at a recent meeting of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, at which multiple cannabis-related applications were up for approval, some members began to ask when enough would be enough.
At the Tuesday board meeting, CRDA President Modia Butler said the city has agreed to ease up in the short term, at least long enough for some of the already-proposed businesses to open up.
“The city’s going to put a pause to assess where they are,” Butler said. He and CRDA Director Sean Pattwell spoke with Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his team to discuss plans for the Green Zone, the overlay district where cannabis sales and cultivation are a permitted use. That zone includes a significant portion of the city.
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At the Tuesday CRDA meeting, Butler said many cannabis business applications don't manage to open their doors because of issues with financing or real estate.
“That’s bearing out in the Green Zone as well,” he said.
The CRDA has approved more than a dozen applications for cannabis-related businesses in the board’s role as the planning and zoning authority for the city’s Tourism District. In June, the board said yes to five applications, but some members began to question the exceptional volume of them.
The Township Committee voted in December to allow the municipality to receive proposals for retail sales of cannabis. Now that a business, New Frontier Solutions LLC, is interested in setting up shop in the township, some residents are not happy about it.
At that meeting, Small said the city has decided to let the market decide how much weed is enough.
“The city has taken a position to support as many companies as possible,” he said then. Small did not speak at the Tuesday meeting. City spokesperson Andrew Kramer on Tuesday confirmed Butler’s account in an email.
“That is, indeed, where things stand,” Kramer wrote. “While the city of Atlantic City is open for business when it comes to the cannabis industry, we just want to make sure we do not experience an overload in the earlygoing.”
Also on Tuesday, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission met in Atlantic City, in the Casino Control Commission building. The cannabis regulators usually meet in Trenton.
The commission has continued to approve new conditional licenses and annual licenses, as a new legal cannabis market gets off the ground. A little more than a year since the first legal sales began to those over 21 who do not have a medical marijuana card, there are now close to 50 legal cannabis businesses in operation, including three in Atlantic City and two in Egg Harbor Township.
But many have complained about the pace of the new industry’s launch. Last month, 96 businesses with conditional licenses asked for an extension to meet the requirements to move to an annual license, needed before the business can actually open.
There are three main reasons why a business requests an extension, cannabis commission Chair Dianna Houenou said at the meeting: a lack of real estate, a lack of or delay in municipal approvals and a lack of funding.
The commission has granted 561 requests for extensions so far, and nearly three-quarters of the businesses awarded conditional licenses have requested extensions in the approval process.
Work continues on a West Cape May property that’s set to become Cape May County’s first legal cannabis dispensary.
The board approved a request from Design 710 at 112 Park Place, a cannabis business that opened this year in Atlantic City, to expand its operation from medical-only sales to sales to the recreation market, making it the second business in the city approved to sell cannabis to anyone over 21.
The board also approved an Egg Harbor Township location, Brute’s Roots at 6206 Black Horse Pike, to include sales to adults. Board member Charles Barker voted no. He often votes against resolutions, without discussion at the meetings, but in the case of Design 710, he voted yes, making it unanimous.
Last year, with support from the CRDA, Atlantic City created the Green Zone development district. It originally ran from Boston Avenue to Maryland Avenue, including both sides of Atlantic and Pacific avenues. It also includes the Orange Loop district running from Pacific Avenue to close to the Boardwalk between New York and Tennessee avenues.
It was expanded this year. The city expects millions of dollars in investments in cannabis businesses in the coming years. In many instances, including Design 710, the businesses look to long-vacant properties. For MPX on New York Avenue, the first licensed cannabis business in the city on New York Avenue that opened in spring, work is underway on a new building on St. James Place behind the current location.
There are plans in the works for large-scale cultivation sites, retail locations and consumption lounges in the city, each with planning approval and working their way through the state approval process. There was another application approved Tuesday, after Butler mentioned that the pace would likely slow down after that.
The CRDA voted unanimously to approve a site plan and variances for a cannabis dispensary at 1518-20 Atlantic Ave., with 20 apartments upstairs. There are already 19 apartments at the site, CRDA Planning and Development Director Lance Landgraf told the board Tuesday.
Premium Dispensary needed variances for parking and for the size of the building. Landgraf described the nonconforming elements of the plan as part of the existing building.
The board also approved a site plan for Panaderia Mexican Bakery at 24 S. Kentucky Ave., which required minor site plan approval. The applicant needed to show that the existing dwelling units at the site predated regulations that would have prevented them, Landgraf said, and there were some conditions put on the approval that were requested from a neighbor.
ATLANTIC CITY — Christina Casile stands in the lobby of Design 710 at 112 Park Place, the la…
Landgraf said he was happy for the change, after most of the planning applications this year being weed related.
“It’s nice to get off the cannabis,” he said. “It’s nice to see a real retail operation come in.”
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-to-pause-cannabis-approvals/article_8a6306ee-25b2-11ee-9a4d-f32d62c235de.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:06
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-to-pause-cannabis-approvals/article_8a6306ee-25b2-11ee-9a4d-f32d62c235de.html
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Formal dressware retailer David's Bridal, which filed for bankruptcy in April, is staying in business after the company's sale was approved late last week.
David's Bridal, which has a store on the Black Horse Pike in Hamilton Township, is being sold to Cion Investment Corp., a New York-based investment company.
The company's bankruptcy hearings were held in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey.
David's named Cion its winning bidder July 6, according to court records. A sale hearing was held Friday, records show.
The sale comes as major retailers in New Jersey, including Bed Bath & Beyond and Christmas Tree Shops, have faced bankruptcy filings amid mounting financial challenges.
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David's Bridal first filed for bankruptcy in April. That month, the company said it would lay off more than 9,000 workers nationwide, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The company was preparing to eliminate 227 jobs in late August, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed in April with the New Jersey Department of Labor. Outside of Hamilton Township, the chain's next closest store is in Deptford, Gloucester County.
It was unclear how the sale would affect the company's local workforce.
Attempts to reach David's Bridal for comment were unsuccessful Tuesday.
Cion intends to keep stores open while shedding debt, as well as the costs of renewing and breaking lease agreements at retail locations, according to a report from Reuters.
The no-cash sale will decrease David’s Bridal's debt from $256.9 million to $50 million, Reuters said.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/business/davidsbridal-company-newjersey-court-bankrupt/article_08a1f434-25a4-11ee-bfa8-e3c0e7f84b88.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:12
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/business/davidsbridal-company-newjersey-court-bankrupt/article_08a1f434-25a4-11ee-bfa8-e3c0e7f84b88.html
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Our big story this time is the departure of the brightest planet, Venus, from the evening sky and an assortment of other lovely objects that will glimmer with it in the dusk these next two weeks.
Planet Venus has flamed as the evening star. Now, however, the planet is approaching our line of sight with the sun and therefore has been setting sooner and sooner after it. Venus will spend much of August lost in the solar glare but will then spring up into the east sky as a spectacular sight before sunrise. Of course, August and September sunrises are still quite early. The final weeks of July offer the convenience of still being able to catch Venus at an evening hour when most everyone is awake.
The biggest attraction each month during this evening showing of Venus has been the passage of the crescent moon by the planet. The last such passage occurs these next few days. Although the moon does not appear as close to Venus as in previous months, and the view is now low in mostly bright twilight, this will still be a beautiful event to behold if the sky is not too cloudy or hazy. And it will include, in a supporting role, some friends of Venus: the planets Mercury, Mars and the bright star Regulus.
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Let’s discuss the positioning of the moon, Venus and the other objects on each of these next few nights, starting with tonight.
First of all, though, let me emphasize that all of these nights we will need an unobstructed view down to very low in the west (left of where the sun went down) and even binoculars if you want to see much fainter light-specks like Mercury, Mars and Regulus. The time to start looking would be no later than 30 minutes after sunset.
Let’s hope our air stays fresh and clear these next few weeks. If it does, we can celebrate …
So what might we see tonight? The moon will be so thin and low in the bright twilight that we might detect Venus first and only then the moon, almost two fist-widths at arm’s length right of Venus and slightly lower than Venus. We also only might be able to detect the lunar crescent with binoculars. But that detection would be tantalizingly beautiful. The moon will be not much more than a day past its invisible new moon phase, about as thin as most human beings ever get to see in their lifetime. Expect a lunar crescent so slender it will be like a filament of light, thin as an eyelash.
What about Mercury, Mars and Regulus? If you find the moon, and look less than halfway along the line between it and Venus, you may see the respectably bright innermost of our solar system’s planets, Mercury. A few widths of your finger at arm’s length above Venus, look with binoculars and maybe 30 to 45 minutes after sunset for the star Regulus. Last and least in brightness, farther to the upper left of Regulus, will be Mars.
By the way, on this night and others these next few weeks, a telescope will show Venus as a thin crescent.
Wednesday night, a still very thin moon will hang not far to the upper left of Mercury. On Thursday, the thicker moon will float about one width of your fist at arm’s length above Venus and form a triangle with Regulus and Mars.
A very challenging but very tight pairing of Mercury and Regulus will occur July 28. But easy and very pretty is the pairing of the thick crescent moon with the bright star Spica after full nightfall July 24.
Let me conclude with an important heads-up about preparing for next month’s really big sky event: the most excellently placed opportunity to see the great Perseid meteor shower in many years. The peak should occur, without moonlight interference, the night of Aug. 12.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/column/lets-bid-a-fond-farewell-to-venus-sky-watch/article_82e6849e-24af-11ee-9202-87619ca5efc2.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:19
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/column/lets-bid-a-fond-farewell-to-venus-sky-watch/article_82e6849e-24af-11ee-9202-87619ca5efc2.html
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Body odor is a common problem that can affect anyone. And during the summer, as our bodies start sweating in response to the hot and humid weather, body odor problems can run rancid.
Contrary to popular belief, sweating by itself doesn’t cause body odor. Human sweat is odorless. And the amount you sweat doesn’t necessarily impact your body odor. That’s why a person who may have unpleasant body odor may not be sweaty. However, there is a correlation between sweat and body odor, as body odor is what you smell when the sweat comes in contact with bacteria on the skin.
For most intents and purposes, we sweat to cool off; it’s our body’s built-in air-conditioning system. As your sweat evaporates from the surface of your skin, heat goes with it and allows you to cool off. However, when it’s humid, the body is less efficient at decreasing its temperature. The air is saturated with water vapor and cannot take any more, and sweat cannot evaporate and take the heat with it.
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Along with other factors noted below, sweating can also be dependent on your emotional state, such as when you are nervous, scared, tense or stressed. Many attest to this when called upon to speak in public, meet with their boss or walk down the aisle.
So why does it stink? Apocrine glands, which are located in your groin and armpits, are responsible for producing body odor. These glands open up into your hair follicles (the tube-like structures that keep the hair in your skin). And it’s these glands that can produce sweat that becomes smelly when it comes in contact with bacteria on your skin. You don’t smell body odor in young children because apocrine glands don’t start working until puberty.
Some people are more susceptible to body odor than other people. Factors that can affect body odor include:
Eye health and good vision go hand in hand with general health care. And there are simple actions you can take to help care for your eyes and keep them healthy.
Exercise
Diet (foods like garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli)
Neglected personal hygiene
Stress
Humid, hot weather
Genetics
In some cases, a medical condition: diabetes, gout, menopause hot flashes or night sweats, overactive thyroid and others
Other common dietary triggers include monosodium glutamate (MSG), caffeine, spices like curry or cumin, hot sauce or other spicy food, and alcohol
While treatments for excessive sweating and body odor depend on the underlying cause, which your health care provider can determine through a physical exam and blood or urine tests, preventive steps for body odor include:
Maintain personal hygiene. Keep your skin clean by taking a bath or shower at least once a day. Using an antibacterial soap will help you wash away sweat and odor-producing bacteria present on the skin. Pay special attention to areas more prone to sweating such as the feet, armpits and groin. Dry these areas thoroughly after washing as it’s difficult for bacteria to grow on dry skin, and exfoliate. Along with super-smooth pits, regularly exfoliating your armpits can reduce body-odor causing bacteria buildup.
And shaving your underarms frequently will help prevent the accumulation of bacteria, reducing sweat and odor.
Dangerous heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. In fact, accor…
Use a topical antiperspirant. Once you have bathed, use an antiperspirant. It will help lower the intensity of body odor by inhibiting the growth and activity of odor-producing bacteria. For the record, the use of antiperspirant deodorant formulas has been subject to debates with controversy surrounding safe use due to the aluminum base and parabens (chemicals used as preservatives), as well as other substances such as solvents and some fragrances that are found in most commercial products. Aluminum compounds have been found to be easily absorbed through the skin, causing some concerns. Today, there are alternative products that are aluminum-free. Also, some natural products like baking soda have reported good results. You may need to try several before finding the best one for your needs. Don’t forget to do a patch test before using any new product and thoroughly read instructions for application.
When temperatures rise, change to fresh clothes regularly. Fresh clothes can help keep body odor at bay. Wearing breathable, loose clothing helps to reduce sweating. Steer clear of synthetic fabrics that can trap sweat and bacteria that lead to body odor.
Look at your diet. Do you regularly consume strong-smelling foods (e.g. garlic, onions)? This may be the explanation for your more pungent body odor.
Sweating is a normal body function, and body odor can be its unpleasant side effect. While usually it’s nothing to worry about and can easily be treated with the right products and a few lifestyle changes, if you feel your sweating is something unusual, talk to your doctor.
Dr. Nina Radcliff, of Galloway Township, is a physician anesthesiologist, television medical contributor and textbook author. Email questions for Dr. Nina to editor@pressofac.com with “Dr. Nina” in the subject line.
This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions and cannot substitute for advice from your medical professional.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/column/tips-for-wiping-out-body-odor-as-temperatures-rise-dr-nina-radcliff/article_549ef5f8-2257-11ee-9f03-f7c4ed1ef131.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:25
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/column/tips-for-wiping-out-body-odor-as-temperatures-rise-dr-nina-radcliff/article_549ef5f8-2257-11ee-9f03-f7c4ed1ef131.html
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A Burlington County man was sentenced to seven years in prison Tuesday for stabbing a man in Galloway Township last year, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday.
Raul Virella, 30, of Bordentown, was arrested Feb. 8, 2022, after Galloway police responded to a stabbing on Federal Court. The victim, Hisham Sarhan, 23, of Somers Point, was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for emergency surgery.
Virella pleaded guilty in March to aggravated assault.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/bordentown-man-sentenced-for-galloway-stabbing/article_d4a28c88-258b-11ee-aebc-03ae2f0f01bf.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:31
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/bordentown-man-sentenced-for-galloway-stabbing/article_d4a28c88-258b-11ee-aebc-03ae2f0f01bf.html
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LOWER TOWNSHIP — A North Cape May man was arrested Tuesday after authorities searched his home and found evidence of child pornography, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said.
Joe M. Musgrove, 44, of Town Bank Road, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child (possession of child pornography).
The investigation stemmed from a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that revealed Musgrove possessed various images of child sexual abuse material and uploaded them to his personal Dropbox account, the Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.
Armed with a court-authorized search warrant, the Cape May County Regional SWAT team, the prosecutor’s High-Tech Crimes Unit & Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and township police seized items from Musgrove's home that were found to contain suspected child sexual abuse materials, the Prosecutor's Office said.
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Musgrove was taken to the Cape May County jail. He faces three to five years in prison if convicted on his current charge, the Prosecutor's Office said.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/lower-township-man-found-with-child-porn-prosecutor-says/article_8b0c0230-25b7-11ee-9bb1-6b18bd7bfb9f.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:37
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/lower-township-man-found-with-child-porn-prosecutor-says/article_8b0c0230-25b7-11ee-9bb1-6b18bd7bfb9f.html
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BRIDGETON — A man wanted in a 16-year-old's murder late last month was arrested Monday, police said.
Nashaloni Harris, 21, was arrested at 7:30 a.m. by local detectives, police said Tuesday in a news release. He was sent to the Cumberland County jail.
Police did not say where Harris was captured.
Harris is charged with tampering with evidence, hindering and obstruction in the murder of the Millville boy June 25. Police found the teenager dead from a gunshot wound on Mount Vernon Street.
Since the boy's death, two 16-year-olds have been charged in the murder. Alavion Harris, a 20-year-old city resident, was arrested in Jefferson City, Missouri, for alleged ties to the case.
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The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information can call Bridgeton police at 856-392-9031 or the Prosecutor’s Office at 856-579-1431, or share tips at ccpo.tips.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/millville-bridgeton-newjersey-murder-arrest/article_546060a2-256a-11ee-89bf-bfb87a0a1122.html
| 2023-07-19T12:55:44
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/millville-bridgeton-newjersey-murder-arrest/article_546060a2-256a-11ee-89bf-bfb87a0a1122.html
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