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CANOSIA TOWNSHIP — A 31-year-old Canadian man died while diving in Pike Lake on Friday.
According to a news release from the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, emergency personnel were dispatched to the Pike Lake Public Access in Canosia Township at approximately 10:23 a.m. for a report of a man who had gone under water.
The man, who was scuba diving with another person near the dock area, was observed requesting assistance to the dock before slipping under the water. He was taken out of the water within minutes by his partner and a nearby witness, and lifesaving efforts were applied but unsuccessful.
The victim, who was listed as being from Alberta, Canada, was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has been withheld pending notification of family. The cause of death is still under investigation.
Emergency personnel from the Canosia Township Volunteer Fire Department, St. Louis County Rescue Squad and Mayo Ambulance joined the sheriff's office in assisting at the scene.
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https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/canadian-diver-dies-in-pike-lake
| 2023-07-21T22:03:13
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https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/canadian-diver-dies-in-pike-lake
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Homicide charges filed in death of 2-year-old Wynter Cole Smith
Attorney General Dana Nessel filed homicide charges Friday against a 26-year-old man accused of kidnapping and strangling 2-year-old Wynter Cole Smith.
Rashad Maleek Trice will face one count of first-degree premeditated murder and one count of felony murder along with 18 other charges stemming from three different counties and consolidated in one case in Ingham County.
"We have alleged today, and our many charges reflect, a horrific and brutal crime spree from Lansing to Detroit to St. Clair Shores," Nessel said in a statement Friday.
The charges authorized Friday mark the first state murder charges leveled against Trice, who is also facing federal charges of kidnapping and kidnapping causing death.
The criminal charges against Trice stem from an alleged July 2-3 crime spree, in which Trice is accused of stabbing and sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend in Lansing; driving away with her 2-year-old daughter Wynter; strangling Wynter with a phone cord and leaving her in a Detroit alley; and then attempting to flee police in St. Clair Shores.
More:'He’s going to kill my babies,' Wynter's mom tells dispatcher
Trice, who is being housed at the Newaygo County jail, initially faced charges in multiple different counties before Nessel reached an agreement with county prosecutors last week to consolidate the cases in Lansing. The single prosecution will streamline the process and make it easier for family, law enforcement and witnesses to participate in the proceedings.
Besides the homicide charges, Nessel also filed 18 additional charges against Trice, including assault with intent to murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, home invasion, disarming a police officer, second-degree fleeing and eluding, receiving and concealing stolen property, unlawfully driving away an automobile, assault with a dangerous weapon, resisting and obstructing, second-degree domestic violence and stalking.
More:Wynter's alleged killer sent chilling text to dad as cops closed in
Trice is charged as a 4th offense habitual offender.
Charges formerly filed by Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane and Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido will be withdrawn in lieu of the prosecution being led by the attorney general's office.
eleblanc@detroitnews.com
More:Nessel to consolidate cases against Rashad Trice in state-led prosecution
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/21/homicide-charges-filed-in-death-of-2-year-old-wynter-cole-smith/70448113007/
| 2023-07-21T22:08:09
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/21/homicide-charges-filed-in-death-of-2-year-old-wynter-cole-smith/70448113007/
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach’s iconic pier is officially open after being closed for more than 300 days.
The storm surge during hurricanes Ian and Nicole wiped away the back part of the Main Street Pier.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
It’s taken the better part of a year to replace decks, handrails, and dozens of pilings before the pier could reopen.
The total cost for repairs was around $1.6 million, which is partially reimbursable by FEMA.
Read: Hurricane Ian: Video shows rough seas washing away part of Daytona Beach Sunglow Pier
The pier has been a popular fishing spot for locals and visitors for decades, and people wasted no time getting back to that on Friday.
The pier will now officially be open for people to enjoy seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Read: Sister of man accused of shooting 3 people in Daytona Beach speaks out
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
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| 2023-07-21T22:08:20
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/daytona-beachs-iconic-pier-reopens-after-300-day-closure-due-hurricane-damage/YETKZNMCHNAF3BTHPHTY2ASI6Y/
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‘Help Me’: Kidnapped girl from Texas rescued in California after writing note to passerbyTriple-digit heat indexes reported across Central FloridaProject Kuiper: Amazon to build $120M satellite processing facility at Kennedy Space CenterLow-pressure system has 40% chance of formation as it moves into the Caribbean next week5 areas where Brightline’s arrival here will be a ‘game changer’
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/excessive-heat-advisory-issued-flagler-county/5NZQIKXR7RG3PHG2ZLBCQSB73Q/
| 2023-07-21T22:08:26
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/excessive-heat-advisory-issued-flagler-county/5NZQIKXR7RG3PHG2ZLBCQSB73Q/
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Librarians who feared fines for hosting drag queen story hours and Pride parade organizers who worried about citations for including drag performers can breathe easier now that a judge has ruled that his injunction blocking Florida’s anti-drag law extends to all Florida venues, an attorney who is helping challenge the law said Thursday.
A pair of orders that U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell issued in the past month makes clear that drag performances in themselves are not lewd or lascivious behavior, said Gary Israel, one of the attorneys for an Orlando restaurant that filed a lawsuit challenging the new Florida law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as unconstitutional.
“The state has a very weak hand in this litigation,” Israel said.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
In his first order last month, the Orlando judge granted a preliminary injunction temporarily halting enforcement of the law until a trial is held to determine its constitutionality. He also denied a Florida licensing and regulatory agency’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. The agency appealed the decision and asked that during the appeal the injunction only be applied to the restaurant that brought the lawsuit.
Presnell rejected that argument on Wednesday, saying any harm to the state of Florida is minimal if the preliminary injunction remains in place, and that all Floridians are potentially parties since free speech is at stake. He reiterated that the law is likely unconstitutional.
“Protecting the right to freedom of speech is the epitome of acting in the public interest,” Presnell wrote. “It is no accident that this freedom is enshrined in the First Amendment.”
The state agency charged with enforcing the law, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment on Thursday.
The new law punished venues for allowing children into “adult live performances.” Though it did not specify drag shows, the sponsor of the legislation said it was aimed at those performances. Venues that violated the law faced fines and the possibility of their liquor licenses being suspended or revoked. Individuals could be charged with a misdemeanor crime.
Before announcing his candidacy for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, DeSantis made anti-LGBTQ+ legislation a large part of his agenda as governor. Other bills he signed would ban gender-affirming care for minors and restrict discussion of personal pronouns in schools.
The lawsuit challenging the new law was brought by the owner of a Hamburger Mary’s restaurant and bar in Orlando, which regularly hosts drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that children were invited to attend. The restaurant owner said the law was overbroad, was written vaguely and violated First Amendment rights by chilling speech.
The new law crimped some Pride celebrations in Florida in June, which is Pride month.
Read: Fireflies in Florida? Here’s where you can find them
In St. Cloud, Florida, located south of Orlando, organizers canceled their annual Pride celebration, saying hosting the celebration in the current political environment “would put our community at risk.”
Organizers of Pride festivities in Naples, in southwest Florida, moved the drag show portion of their celebration indoors. And on the other side of the state, in Port St. Lucie, the Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast restricted its Pride festivities to people aged 21 and up and canceled its parade.
“We hope that everyone understands that this is definitely not what we wanted at all and are working with the city to assure our safety as well as produce a positive event,” the alliance said in a Facebook post.
Read: DeSantis is threatening to sue Bud Light’s parent company; here’s why
Before the law passed this spring, DeSantis’ administration had moved to revoke the liquor license of a Miami hotel that hosted a Christmas drag show under a law already on the books and took similar action against a performing arts venue in Orlando.
The federal judge’s rulings may indirectly help at least one of those cases since the state “will have a hard time proving that drag queens are lewd on their own,” Israel said.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/federal-judges-rules-injunction-blocking-floridas-anti-drag-law-extends-all-state-venues/5YYHGT2UOFGXNJXMNFE5MDVLAE/
| 2023-07-21T22:08:33
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/federal-judges-rules-injunction-blocking-floridas-anti-drag-law-extends-all-state-venues/5YYHGT2UOFGXNJXMNFE5MDVLAE/
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Many Americans say they have financial regrets, including not saving for the future or having too much debt.
This survey was done by Bankrate, the company says it provides information and tools to help people make financial decisions like planning for retirement.
Its latest data reveals not saving early enough, especially for older adults, is the most common regret.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
“Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, they were anywhere from two to as many as five times more likely than Gen Z and millennial counterparts, that that’s their biggest financial regret,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com.
About 74 percent of adults have one disappointment about their personal finances, according to the new research. That’s almost three out of four people.
McBride said taking on too much debt and not saving enough for emergencies are some major concerns for younger generations.
The survey also shows almost half of those with financial regret say they’re also experiencing more stress over it.
Read: Federal judges rules injunction blocking Florida’s anti-drag law extends to all state venues
Bankrate recommends some money-saving habits to boost your 401-K and savings.
“Successful saving is all about the habit, you have to automate it and contribute to your 401-K through payroll deduction. If you didn’t start early enough, maybe you need to increase the amount you’re putting away,” said McBride. “Set up a direct deposit from your paycheck into a dedicated savings account to boost your emergency savings. That way you’re saving for both emergencies and retirement before you can roll out of bed on payday morning.”
This summer, the Federal Reserve paused its interest rate hikes but officials warn there could be more increases later this year.
Read: DeSantis is threatening to sue Bud Light’s parent company; here’s why
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/new-survey-shows-most-americans-regret-not-saving-enough-retirement-among-other-concerns/MFZKFO5INBB3BL54KXCLXJV5ZE/
| 2023-07-21T22:08:39
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/new-survey-shows-most-americans-regret-not-saving-enough-retirement-among-other-concerns/MFZKFO5INBB3BL54KXCLXJV5ZE/
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‘Help Me’: Kidnapped girl from Texas rescued in California after writing note to passerbyTriple-digit heat indexes reported across Central FloridaProject Kuiper: Amazon to build $120M satellite processing facility at Kennedy Space CenterLow-pressure system has 40% chance of formation as it moves into the Caribbean next week5 areas where Brightline’s arrival here will be a ‘game changer’
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/timeline-fentanyl-cases-this-month-inside-orange-county-jail/6WHOA2MQ3RDA7NVSZKQQAAWLMA/
| 2023-07-21T22:08:45
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/timeline-fentanyl-cases-this-month-inside-orange-county-jail/6WHOA2MQ3RDA7NVSZKQQAAWLMA/
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‘Help Me’: Kidnapped girl from Texas rescued in California after writing note to passerbyTriple-digit heat indexes reported across Central FloridaProject Kuiper: Amazon to build $120M satellite processing facility at Kennedy Space CenterLow-pressure system has 40% chance of formation as it moves into the Caribbean next week5 areas where Brightline’s arrival here will be a ‘game changer’
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/tranq-drug-used-horses-cattle-turning-deadly-humans-central-florida/4IW6UTAX6BCLZPARAANK6ZGIFA/
| 2023-07-21T22:08:52
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/tranq-drug-used-horses-cattle-turning-deadly-humans-central-florida/4IW6UTAX6BCLZPARAANK6ZGIFA/
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Berkley has a new town administrator. Again. Who is he?
BERKLEY — Berkley's new town administrator is no stranger to town government.
He's town resident and current Finance Committee Chair Matt Chabot. His first day in the position will be Aug. 7.
His appointment on Wednesday, July 19 by Selectmen will likely put a hopeful finale to a year that included the exit of a previous town administrator after only six weeks on the job and the resignation of two veteran selectmen.
Chabot said he had no comment about the recent history in the town hall's selectmen/town administrator's office.
"I want to serve my community," he said.
"The lights will be on late at town hall. I will work hard. I love a challenge."
Which Berkley employees made the most?Here are the top 10 highest earners in 2022
Who is the town town administrator?
Chabot has been a Berkley resident for nine years and a member of the Finance Committee for three years. He became fin com chair when the previous chair, Joseph Freitas, won a selectmen seat in the spring election . Now Chabot too will have to leave the fin com for his new position.
His day job? He works as a Federal Express coordinator, a position he will leave to assume the town administrator position. Off-duty, he said, he's a father of three who volunteers for the Berkley Athletic Association.
What is the salary of the new town administrator?
Selectman Wendy Cochrane reported his starting salary will be $72,000 with a 32-hour work week.
As the selectmen appointed him on July 19, board Chair Joseph Freitas said, "I want to thank you for your volunteer service on the Finance Committee. I am keenly aware of your skill set. You check every box with your qualifications for this job."
But will his skill set fill the void?
Dramatic exodus from Town Hall2 Berkley selectmen resign. Here's what we know
Berkley has seen slew of resignations
The job has been a revolving door.
Heather Martin-Sterling, the town administrator since 2020, resigned abruptly in June of 2022.
Retired Easton Fire Chief and former Berkley Fire Chief Kevin Partridge was hired as Berkley's interim town administrator later that year.
His successor Mark Stankiewicz announced his resignation as town administrator in April of 2023 six weeks after starting on the job and mere weeks after two selectmen tendered their resignations as of the May town election. Chabot will be replacing Partridge who returned as interim town administrator when Stankiewicz resigned.
The good news is Chabot said he is ready work hard and he is doing this for his community.
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https://www.tauntongazette.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/berkley-ma-new-town-administrator-matt-chabot-finance-committee-kevin-partridge/70440020007/
| 2023-07-21T22:11:44
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https://www.tauntongazette.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/berkley-ma-new-town-administrator-matt-chabot-finance-committee-kevin-partridge/70440020007/
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MITCHELL — A patch of land situated along Firesteel Creek will soon transform into a wetland that city leaders hope improves the long history of algae issues Lake Mitchell has grappled with.
After the Mitchell City Council awarded a Nebraska-based construction company’s $583,997 bid on Monday to lead the wetland project, it marked a sign of progress for the city’s goal of corralling the phosphorus and sediment that flows into Lake Mitchell via Firesteel Creek.
“We’ll be getting a good foothold on the water that’s coming into the lake. We’ll have three sediment traps in there. It’s nice to see it progress and finally move forward,” Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson said of the wetland design. “Crews will dig into the ground and create an area for the creek to spread out and flood, and that’s where the cattails will grow. Once they start growing, that’s going to help us remove the nitrogen and phosphorus coming into the lake.”
Ducks Unlimited completed the design of the roughly 35-acre wetland, which includes cattails and three sediment trap ponds.
Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said the project is set to begin in the summer of 2024 and wrap up in November 2024.
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The wetland project attracted strong interest from construction companies that perform wetland work. Ten bids were submitted for the project, which Schroeder said is a lot for any city project. Bids ranged in prices from as high as $1 million, while the lowest bids were around half a million dollars.
The $583,997 bid – the lowest bid – that was awarded to Whiskeyboard Construction was met with strong support from the Mitchell City Council. After all, it came in about 60% less than the budgeted amount.
Council member Mike Bathke reacted to Whiskeyboard Construction’s bid during Monday’s meeting by saying, “Wow, what a good bid.” Bathke pointed to the low bid as a potential sign of inflationary relief in the construction industry, which he anticipates could result in lower than expected bids for a future lake dredging project pending the outcome of the June 2024 public vote on the $25 million lake dredging loan application.
“That’s 35% under the engineer’s estimate. I think waiting on the lake may pay off, I hope,” Bathke said.
While the proposed $25 million Lake Mitchell dredging project that’s headed to a public vote in June 2024 has dominated lake discussions over the past several months, city officials haven’t put the wetland by the wayside.
Engineers who have studied the lake to pinpoint its long history of algae woes have concluded the high phosphorus loads in the 350,000-acre Firesteel watershed – which drains into Lake Mitchell – are a key contributor to the harmful algal blooms. Previous studies on the lake indicated roughly 53 percent of the phosphorus and sediment entering the lake is coming in from Firesteel Creek, while 47 percent of it is in the lake itself.
The past studies and engineer recommendations guided city leaders’ decision to make a $4.1 million purchase of 371 acres of land, located roughly 2 miles west of Lake Mitchell, for the purpose of building phosphorus-reducing wetlands. Although the first wetland to be built in the city’s land represents a small fraction of the massive watershed that stretches northwest from Mitchell to the Wessington Springs area, it will mark one of the biggest projects the city has ever embarked upon in the watershed.
For some council members like Dan Sabers and John Doescher, fulfilling the wetland project is more important than dredging the lake itself at this time. The two council members – who recently voted against the loan application to dredge the lake – both say the wetland should be completed before the city begins any dredging in the lake.
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“I think we should be getting more upstream work done first. I also don’t like the idea of dredging about half the sediment knowing phosphorus is still coming in through the creek,” Sabers said.
Everson, who is a strong advocate for mechanically dredging the lake sediment contributing to harmful algae blooms, emphasized the timeline of the wetland project is still ahead of the proposed lake dredging project that he estimates would begin around 2026, if approved.
“If the loan application gets approved and bids can be open in June, we’re probably two to three years out to begin dredging,” Everson said, noting the wetland will be complete by then.
Taking on the challenge of working upstream
As the city began planning for the wetland a few years ago, several key partnerships formed with agencies that have boosted the project. A $1.1 million grant from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) paired with Ducks Unlimited’s $1 million grant provided funding for the city to build its first wetland while also giving producers landowners in the watershed financial incentive to reduce grazing and production in targeted areas.
Over the past several years, Steve Donovan, a former biologist who was tabbed to be the NAWCA grant administrator for the city, has been tasked with making deals with landowners in the watershed.
According to Schroeder, three projects from the NAWCA grant have been completed in the Firesteel watershed, resulting in the protection of 480 acres of existing wetlands in the 350,000-acre watershed. Schroeder said 29 new acres of wetlands will be created as part of the $174,000 the city has spent from its $1.1 million NAWCA grant.
“There’s currently 34 property owners considering developing projects with him (Donovan) at this time,” Schroeder said.
Although the city has made progress on working with landowners to reduce runoff in the large watershed, a little under $1 million is still available in the city’s NAWCA grant. The city is looking to Donovan to continue dedicating more land along the watershed for future wetland projects and additional CRP grasslands, but Everson said it’s a challenging process that will be ongoing for years well beyond his time.
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“Unfortunately, once we were awarded the NAWCA grant, crop prices increased considerably. It’s becoming more difficult to find producers who are willing to put land out of production with the money they are making, which is completely understandable,” Everson said. “We’re still out there looking for producers who are willing to work with us. There are a lot of things we want to do in the watershed, but we have to have landowner cooperation. It’s never going to be easy to work upstream.”
Mitchell resident asks for transparency over lake dredging, proposes aeration
During the citizens’ input portion at Monday’s council meeting, Jordan Hanson, a Mitchell native who believes using an aeration method to tackle Lake Mitchell’s algae woes is the best route, criticized city leaders for not providing more information on an informal 2021 bid the city received from a company that recommended an $11 million aeration and enzyme algae-eating bacteria for the lake.
Everson explained to the Mitchell Republic in late June that city leaders previously explored an aeration and algae-eating bacteria plan to improve the lake’s water quality through a company called EverBlue Lakes. Everson clarified EverBlue Lakes’ $11 million recommendation in 2021 was an informal bid proposal and was costlier than the estimated dredging price tags at that time, which was prior to Barr Engineering’s latest $25 million dredging cost estimate presented in May.
“That’s $11 million to fix it over 10 years. We’re not locked into that huge number. I’m just wondering, if none of you guys saw this, why this was never brought to the city’s attention?” Hanson asked the council that was met with no response since it was asked during citizens input, which city officials have previously stated is not intended for question and answer format discussions. “I think this is the best route.”
Lake aeration systems pump oxygen into the water with the goal of preventing phosphorus from releasing into the water column.
Hanson characterized the city’s decision to pursue an estimated $25 million mechanical dredging project over the $11 million aeration plan from EverBlue Lakes as a move that honors the highest bid. The proposed mechanical dredging project has yet to go to the bidding stages.
“I hope someday someone takes this into consideration before we spend $50 million on something we can do for 20% of the cost,” Hanson said. “The ongoing costs of this is only $500,000 a year, so less than half of what the ongoing costs of dredging would be, not counting the alum.”
Barr Engineering designed the mechanical dredging project, but construction of the project would be done by a separate contractor through a bidding process that’s yet to happen since the public vote for the dredging loan is slated for June 2024.
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Everson previously said both Barr Engineering and Fyra Engineering, two separate firms that studied the lake’s algae problems, did not recommend aeration as an effective strategy for the lake’s algae blooms.
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https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/citys-wetland-project-headed-for-construction-in-2024-bringing-hope-to-reduce-lake-mitchells-algae-woes
| 2023-07-21T22:11:55
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https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/citys-wetland-project-headed-for-construction-in-2024-bringing-hope-to-reduce-lake-mitchells-algae-woes
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SMITH COUNTY, Texas — Not all heroes wear capes. Some are covered in fur.
That's the case with Ivy at the Smith County Animal Shelter.
According to Saving Animals from Euthanasia in Texas volunteer Pearl Wittholt, Ivy is a hero dog that has donated blood to save other pups. She's now in the Smith County Animal Shelter and in danger of being euthanized.
Ivy is an 18-month-old terrier mix who was brought to the shelter on June 2.
"She is a universal blood donor as well as an adorable, very adoptable dog," Wittholt said.
Wittholt reached out CBS19 to bring attention to Ivy after we helped save Stanford -- another hero dog -- back in March.
"The last time you advertised a hero dog for us, he was saved," Wittholt said.
To meet Ivy, visit the Smith County Animal Shelter, located at 322 E. Ferguson St. in Tyler, Monday Friday from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas-hero-dog-who-donated-blood-to-save-other-dogs-in-desperate-need-of-adopter/501-31066147-b990-45db-a8b9-d9df1fe652c6
| 2023-07-21T22:15:59
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas-hero-dog-who-donated-blood-to-save-other-dogs-in-desperate-need-of-adopter/501-31066147-b990-45db-a8b9-d9df1fe652c6
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AUSTIN, Texas — Lawyers for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton are pushing to disqualify three Democratic state senators as jurors in his upcoming impeachment trial.
Paxton’s lawyers filed a motion Friday that asks Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to disqualify Sens. Nathan Johnson of Dallas, Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio and José Menéndez of San Antonio, arguing they have a proven bias against Paxton.
“Like numerous courts around the country, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has held for almost a century that potential jurors with a bias or prejudice against the accused are disqualified from serving on his jury as a matter of law,” the motion said. “Jurors José Menendez, Roland Gutierrez, and Nathan Johnson have such a bias and have proclaimed it loudly, time and again.”
The motion cites a number of critical public statements that the senators have made about Paxton over the years, including some in recent weeks. For example, it points to an MSNBC interview last month in which Gutierrez, who is also a candidate for U.S. Senate next year, said the evidence the House gathered “could not be refuted.”
“No one who has publicly declared the charges against a defendant irrefutable can even play at impartiality, let alone serve in an impartial manner,” Paxton’s lawyers argued.
The motion also cites a Tuesday tweet from Johnson reacting to news that a pro-Paxton political action committee had recently given $3 million to Patrick, who is presiding over the trial. Johnson called the donation “obscene.”
The tweet not only proved Johnson’s bias but also violated a gag order Patrick had issued the day before, according to Paxton’s lawyers.
The House voted to impeach Paxton in May, accusing him of a yearslong pattern of misconduct and lawbreaking. Most of the articles center on claims from Paxton’s former deputies that he abused his position to help a wealthy Austin businessman and campaign donor, Nate Paul.
Paxton is preparing for trial to begin Sept. 5 in the Senate on whether he should be permanently removed from office.
The Senate already disqualified Republican Sen. Angela Paxton — Ken Paxton’s wife — from voting in the trial when it approved rules for the proceeding last month. The chamber did so with a rule that said the “spouse of a party to the court of impeachment” has a conflict of interest.
“If Senator Paxton may be required to step aside, Senators that have demonstrated a bias or prejudice against the Attorney General must be required to do so as well,” Paxton’s lawyers said.
The impartiality of senators has long been a source of debate given that Paxton is a former senator himself, his wife currently serves in the chamber and they have their own relationships with senators. Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, is even referenced in the articles of impeachment as an unwitting “straw requestor” for an attorney general’s office legal opinion that helped Paul. Hughes has not been disqualified.
Angela Paxton’s disqualification was the subject of a new lawsuit from Houston conservative activist Steve Hotze, a staunch Paxton supporter. Filed in Travis County district court Friday, the lawsuit argues that the trial rules unfairly singled out Angela Paxton because impeachment is an inherently political process, rife with potential conflicts of interest.
“Despite the fact that every senator and the Lieutenant Governor arguably have a conflict ‘personal or private’ interest in the impeachment proceeding and/or biases for or against General Paxton, Rule 31 targets one individual, Senator Angela Paxton, and the voters who live in Senate District 8,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit also challenges the sweeping gag order that Patrick issued Monday, saying it violates free-speech rights.
This story comes from The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans - and engages with them - about public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues.
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-ag-ken-paxton-impeachment-update/285-2529bc96-7366-4ce3-b166-a5d8cc2f3127
| 2023-07-21T22:16:05
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-ag-ken-paxton-impeachment-update/285-2529bc96-7366-4ce3-b166-a5d8cc2f3127
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/city-of-dallas-changes-plans-to-ban-gas-powered-lawn-equipment/3300764/
| 2023-07-21T22:16:39
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/city-of-dallas-changes-plans-to-ban-gas-powered-lawn-equipment/3300764/
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A 13-year-old girl kidnapped in San Antonio and repeatedly sexually assaulted was rescued in Southern California when passersby saw her hold up a "help me" sign in a parked car, police and federal authorities said.
The rescue occurred July 9 in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles, when officers responded to a trouble call and found the "visibly emotional and distressed girl," police said in a press release Thursday.
"Through their investigation, officers learned the Good Samaritans were in a parking lot when they saw the victim in a parked vehicle holding up a piece of paper with ‘help me' written on it. They acknowledged the note and immediately called 9-1-1," police said.
Steven Robert Sablan, 61, of Cleburne, was arrested and on Thursday was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles.
Sablan was being held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown LA. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney.
The girl was walking down a street in San Antonio, Texas, on July 6 when Sablan drove up, raised a black handgun and told her, "If you don't get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you," an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint.
According to the account, the girl had left home without telling her parents because she was attempting to visit a school friend who had moved to Australia a year earlier but kept in touch through an internet chatroom.
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At some point after getting in Sablan's car, the girl told him about her friend and Sablan said he could take her to a cruise ship to go to Australia, but that she would have to do something for him, the affidavit said.
The suspect stopped the car and sexually assaulted the girl, who told him to stop but was scared that she would be hurt if she did not comply, the agent wrote.
Sablan sexually assaulted the girl several more times on the drive from San Antonio through New Mexico and Arizona and into California, the affidavit said. Meanwhile, the girl's mother reported her missing to San Antonio authorities on July 7.
In Long Beach, the suspect parked at a laundromat and told the girl to change her clothes, then took her clothes and his inside, creating the opportunity for the girl to write "help me" on a piece of note paper, according to the document.
When Long Beach police officers arrived, Sablan was standing outside the car and they observed the girl mouth the word "help," the agent wrote.
During the arrest, officers found a pair of silver handcuffs in Sablan's back pocket and that he was wanted for burglary in Fort Worth. A search of the vehicle turned up a black plastic BB gun, the "help me" sign, a switchblade knife, and black handcuffs in packaging labeled "Fetish Fantasy Series Designer Cuffs," the document said.
The affidavit said Sablan was convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon in 1979, robbery with a deadly weapon and burglary in 1985, and possession of a controlled substance in 2016.
The girl was placed in the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/kidnapped-texas-girls-help-me-note-leads-to-rescue-in-california-cleburne-man-arrested/3300836/
| 2023-07-21T22:16:45
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-veteran-helps-afghan-interpreter-after-two-years-in-hiding-the-connection/3300882/
| 2023-07-21T22:16:51
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/sentencing-begins-in-timberview-shooting-trial/3300669/
| 2023-07-21T22:16:57
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/sentencing-hearing-underway-in-timberview-school-shooting-trial/3300763/
| 2023-07-21T22:17:04
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/sentencing-hearing-underway-in-timberview-school-shooting-trial/3300763/
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An investigation is continuing into the deaths of a well-known Tucson couple, a linguist and an artists' community leader, after their bodies were found in the Rio Grande in Sierra County, New Mexico.
Muriel Macaskill Fisher, 73, was found by jet ski-riders on June 18 in the Rio Grande near Williamsburg, N.M. Her husband Paul Fisher, 70, was found the same day near Truth or Consequences, N.M.
No cause of death has been established as the investigation continues, the Sierra County Medical Examiner's Office and the University of New Mexico Office of the Custodian of Public Records told the Star Thursday.
Sierra County sheriff's officials haven't returned multiple emails and phone calls from the Star seeking information about the case.
Sierra County Sheriff Joshua Baker told the Sierra County Sentinel that no suspects were being sought and there was not believed to be any danger to the public, according to a June 29 article by reporter Frances Luna.
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Authorities found the couple's rental car on Riverside Drive in Truth or Consequences, the article said.
“I don’t know what happened, but I’m glad they had each other,” said Adrienne Halpert, owner of Global Arts Gallery in Patagonia and a long-time friend of both Paul and Muriel. “The ripples of their essence go deep and wide. … I’ve never known people like them. They magnified each other’s creativity.”
The Fishers were Tucson residents for more than 40 years. Muriel, a Gaelic linguist and retired senior research scientist at the University of Arizona’s Department of Linguistics and Gaelic language, won the Excellence in Community Linguistics award from the National Science Foundation in 2014.
She taught her native Gaelic for many years, privately in her Tucson Gaelic Institute, at Pima Community College and at the UA.
Paul was a longtime leader in Tucson’s arts community, having been director of arts education for the Tucson Pima Arts Council from 1990-1996. He did a stint as Tucson Water’s conservation mascot “Pete the Beak” in the late 1970s.
“(Paul) and I were both a part of the Arizona Commission on the Arts artisan resident program,” said Thom Lewis, who knew the Fishers for decades. “Later he was involved as the executive director of Arts Integrative Solutions, an offshoot of a program I worked for."
"Paul and Muriel always had that great charm that people from the British Isles always have," Lewis said. Muriel was a native of the Isle of Skye in Scotland and Paul was from Britain.
"They were always a very enduring, funny people," Lewis said.
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https://tucson.com/news/local/artists-dead-new-mexico/article_b3d5687a-2803-11ee-a079-97ec5111f907.html
| 2023-07-21T22:17:09
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https://tucson.com/news/local/artists-dead-new-mexico/article_b3d5687a-2803-11ee-a079-97ec5111f907.html
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Every morning, NBC 5 Today is dedicated to delivering you positive local stories of people doing good, giving back and making a real change in our community.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/tcu-students-paint-mural-for-north-texas-students/3300665/
| 2023-07-21T22:17:10
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/tcu-students-paint-mural-for-north-texas-students/3300665/
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Prominent immigration lawyer and local advocate Margo Cowan has been suspended from practicing law for two years by the Board of Immigration Appeals due to violating the rules of professional conduct, court records say.
The Board of Immigration Appeals ordered this month that Cowan be suspended for two years from practice before the Immigration Courts, the board and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Cowan’s suspension was supposed to go into effect on July 22, but her attorney, William Walker, said they have asked for a delay while it goes to federal court.
“Hopefully, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona will see through this and will seek to give people back their representation,” Walker said. “If this happens, and she is suspended from practice, there will be over 1,000 people that will lose representation in court.”
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Walker said Cowan’s organization is the only one in Tucson that helps immigration clients pro bono, or at no charge.
Cowan has been an immigration attorney since 1986 and a defense attorney at the Pima County Public Defender’s Office since 2004. She is also listed as the project supervisor for Keep Tucson Together, a grassroots organization that works to stop deportations in immigration courts.
She was a co-founder of the Sanctuary Movement, an underground railroad that helped asylum seekers fleeing Central American civil wars in the 1980s. Cowan was mentored by farmworkers' civil rights leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in the late 1960s to early 1970s, the American Immigration Lawyers Association said in a 2021 news release announcing an award it gave Cowan.
24 counts of rules violations
Her suspension stems from a Notice of Intent to Discipline the Disciplinary Counsel for the Executive Office for Immigration Review filed against her in 2019. The notice charged her with 24 separate counts of “violating various sections of the federal regulations governing the practice before the Immigration Courts and the Board,” court records say.
A five-day disciplinary hearing was held in 2020 where the counts were discussed in front of an adjudicating official.
In the first 11 counts, the government claimed Cowan failed to provide specific grounds for an appeal and failed to file an appeal after stating an intent to do so in the Notice of Appeal. The counts also alleged she did not timely notify the board that she didn’t intend to file an appeal in any of the cases listed in the Notice of Intent, court records say.
Cowan said she didn’t file the briefs because her clients chose not to do so, engaged in criminal activity which would make an appeal unlikely, or she failed to discover any appealable issues after her review of the records, court records say.
“The respondent’s (Cowan) actions constitute frivolous behavior,” court records say. “She failed to take reasonable efforts to determine if there were any appealable issues before filing a Notice of Appeal in 10 out of the 11 cases.”
In counts 12 through 16 and 19, the government alleged Cowan failed to file court-ordered briefs by court-imposed deadlines. Cowan did not oppose the allegations, but said she was unable to file briefs because the pro bono clinic was not equipped to do so or that the briefs were unnecessary because the judge had all of the information he needed to decide the cases, court records say.
Cowan also said that normally, immigration judges do not require briefs to be filed and said that one specific judge is “the only judge in the courts clinic lawyers practice who requests a 42b brief,” court records say.
Lastly, in counts 17, 18 and 20 through 24, the government said Cowan failed to file applications for relief or ensure that her clients completed biometrics requirements by court-imposed deadlines.
In one case, Cowan did not request additional time to prepare her client’s application before the hearing. She then appeared at the hearing and asked for additional time, stating that her client failed to provide the necessary documents to timely file her application for relief, court records say.
However, the judge involved in that particular case testified that Cowan’s client, who was a lawful permanent resident and was seeking to maintain her status, was ordered to be removed since Cowan didn’t file the application, court records say.
After the removal order was issued, the client hired new counsel and filed a motion to reopen the case, claiming ineffective assistance of counsel by Cowan. In the end, the judge granted the client’s relief from removal, court records say.
“Despite the dire consequences, the respondent failed to abide by her obligations to timely file the alien’s application for relief, which initially resulted in her removal,” court records say. “While the respondent claims that her client did not cooperate with her to file her relief application, the record demonstrates that she was indeed ineffective and it was her failure to act in accordance with the rules of professional conduct that resulted in her client’s removal order.”
Court records also say Cowan did not seek a waiver of filing fees for cases where the client could not afford the application fee or the biometrics fee. Cowan said that she was not aware that biometrics fees could be waived.
Cowan says she benefits public interest
The adjudicating official ultimately decided disciplinary sanctions were appropriate because Cowan violated her ethical duties, failed to follow proper procedures and repeatedly failed to follow court imposed, court records say.
“The respondent’s misconduct injured her clients, the legal system and the legal profession as a whole,” court records say.
The adjudicating official, in December 2020, ordered an indefinite suspension of no less than five years with conditions for reinstatement.
Cowan later appealed the decision, saying any sanction that would involve a suspension would be unwarranted because the pro bono service she provides is a significant benefit to public interest and her practice has greatly improved since receiving more funding and staffing, court records say.
On July 5, the board dismissed Cowan’s appeal and ordered the two-year suspension.
The board's decision said Cowan's refusal to expressly acknowledge or accept her errors before the adjudicating official appears to show a lack of remorse. However, the record also showed evidence she had taken steps to attempt to rectify the failings in the management of her pro bono clinic, including her saying she has not failed to file a brief since being informed by the Disciplinary Counsel.
The judge who initially filed complaints to the counsel about Cowan's "problematic conduct" testified that he does not know of any instances since the complaints were filed where the she engaged in inappropriate conduct, the decision said.
"The respondent's efforts in this regard reveal an acknowledgement of the errors or mistakes in her previous process and practice, even if she has not expressly done so in words, and even if the AO questioned the lasting success of the respondent's newly implemented case management system and other efforts," the decision said.
When asked about the suspension, Walker said the decision came from "Trump-appointed" immigration court.
“This woman for her entire career, has devoted herself to helping migrants and undocumented people to have representation in court and what the Trump immigration department has done is everything they can to keep people from having any legal representation at all,” Walker said. “They don't want these people treated equally; they don't want them to be heard.”
“This isn't about Margo Cowan,” Walker said. “This is about an administration that has wanted undocumented people thrown out of this country and heard without proper representation. It's horrible.”
Jamie Donnelly covers courts for the Arizona Daily Star. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com
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https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-courts/tucson-immigration-attorney-suspended/article_d9e87696-265b-11ee-9732-ebd8dc238248.html
| 2023-07-21T22:17:16
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The Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $720 million for Friday night’s drawing, the fifth highest in the game's history. So what would you win if you actually won?
If a sole player picks all five numbers plus the Mega Ball, they have the option of taking the $720 million prize in yearly increments or a $369.6 million one-time lump sum payment.
A sole winner in Texas who took the cash option would take home $280,896,000 after paying $88,704,000 in federal taxes -- or 24%. There is no additional state tax on lottery winnings in Texas.
If the player took the annuity, they would receive 30 payments over 29 years with the disbursement increasing at a rate of 5% per year. With a $720 million prize, the first payment would be about $8 million, of which approximately $2.5 would go toward taxes. Because Mega Millions annuity payments increase every year, the final payment would be about $44 million with about $11 million owed in taxes.
Over the term, the player who took the annuity would receive about $547 million after taxes -- or about $266 million more than the player who took the cash option.
“This week has been nothing short of exhilarating, as Texas Lottery players have been caught up in the frenzy of jackpot fever,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “While the staggering $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot was hit in another jurisdiction on Wednesday night, hope remains for Texas Lottery players looking for a chance to win a huge jackpot prize, as tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot ranks as the fifth largest in game history. When jackpot prizes reach exciting levels, we see an increase in sales, which creates much-needed revenue for public education in Texas. We realize playing for a jackpot like this is a great thrill for our players, so we want to remind everyone to play responsibly. It only takes one ticket to win.”
Texas has had 13 Mega Millions jackpot prize winners since it joined the game in 2003. Its most recent winner came in September 2019 when a Leander resident won an estimated annuitized $227 million prize. The claimant chose the cash value option and received $157,091,592 before taxes; the largest prize ever paid out to a single Texas Lottery player.
Since the start of 2023, six Texas Lottery players have won second-tier Mega Millions prizes of $1 million or larger, including three during the current jackpot run. Most recently, a Dallas resident claimed a $1 million second-tier prize for the June 30 drawing; the ticket was sold in Austin. Prior to that, a Houston resident claimed a $3 million prize for the June 16 drawing and a Corpus Christi resident claimed a $1 million prize for the drawing held on May 9.
Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grows. Tickets are sold in Texas until 9 p.m. on the day of the drawing, about 1 hour and 12 minutes before the draw takes place.
The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/mega-millions-jackpot-hits-720m-annuity-vs-cash-what-would-you-have-in-texas-after-taxes/3300813/
| 2023-07-21T22:17:16
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Arizona overpaid recipients of a federally-funded unemployment program $307 million more than they were entitled.
And two-thirds of that was the fault of the state.
Data provided to Capitol Media Services shows that about 68,000 people who got Pandemic Unemployment Assistance received more than they were entitled. That includes those who should have received less based on income and those who were not eligible at all.
But it turns out that it was mistakes made by the state Department of Economic Security that resulted in overpayments to about 62,000 of those, and the state will not be seeking recovery of the approximately $215 million they received.
What's behind that, according to DES spokesman Brett Bezio, is the unique nature of the temporary program — and an admission that the agency, overwhelmed with applications, just made some mistakes.
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The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program was created by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to help those who were otherwise ineligible for standard state benefits.
Generally speaking, that includes the self-employed, independent contractors and those in the "gig economy," like drivers for rideshare programs. But it also covered those who had exhausted their regular state jobless benefits, which run out after 26 weeks.
Benefits of $600 a week were originally available for 39 weeks. Subsequent congressional action eventually extended that out to 79 weeks, with the last day for benefits July 10, 2021.
All totaled, about 336,000 Arizonans got the benefits.
But the emergency nature of the program got it off to a rocky start — and was directly related to the overpayments.
Some of that, Bezio said, was due to the short time states like Arizona, which were administering the federal dollars, had to implement it.
"Our goal was to ensure individuals in need received assistance so they could keep food on their tables and stay within their own homes," he said. "The situation at the start of the pandemic was chaotic for all, with many becoming hospitalized and even losing their lives to COVID-19."
And the pandemic and the resultant layoffs resulted in a surge in not just applications for PUA but for state unemployment benefits.
Complicating matters is that the state's system, which handles regular unemployment claims, would not work for those in the PUA program.
And then there's the fact that Congress, anxious to get PUA payments out, required only a name, social security number, date of birth and address. Applicants had to "self-certify" that they are otherwise able to work and available but for the fact that they are unemployed, partially unemployed, or are unable to work because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
"The programs created were vulnerable to fraud," Bezio said.
That crush of requests for all types of jobless benefits resulted in problems on the state's end, too — the problems that led to overpayments.
Bezio said his agency responded by rapidly hiring adjudicators to review the requests.
"At one point, DES was hiring one individual every 80 minutes to keep up with the demand," he said. "With the new programs and systems, and with new employees going through training, inaccuracies in adjudicating cases were unavoidable, as other states also experienced."
And Bezio said it took some time for the agency to improve its operations and institute fraud prevention and detection systems.
All that, he said, goes to the question of what DES calls "administrative overpayments."
"This may happen if DES miscalculates the claimant's wages or fails to deduct income from other sources," Bezio explained.
"In these cases, the claimants are not at fault for the overpayment and are typically eligible for their overpayment to be waived," he said. And that, said Bezio, happens automatically, without the need for the person who pocketed the money to pay it back.
And even though the extra payments were the fault of the state, he said there is no obligation for the state to reimburse the federal government.
Others, however, are not so lucky.
"When an individual receives benefits for which they are not entitled and a waiver is not issued, federal and state rule requires the repayment of the benefits," Bezio said. "If the claimant has committed fraud, they will need to repay the benefits and may face legal consequences."
There were no immediate figures available about how much DES has collected in repayments.
On Twitter: @azcapmedia
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https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/arizona-pandemic-unemployment-funds-overpayment/article_7108df76-27dc-11ee-9bda-33673946585c.html
| 2023-07-21T22:17:22
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The Justice Department has warned Gov. Greg Abbott that Texas’ use of razor wire and floating barriers to deter illegal migration across the Rio Grande is illegal. And Democrats in Congress pressed President Joe Biden on Friday to halt the state’s efforts, after reports of drownings and of young migrants being sliced.
Federal authorities told Abbott they may seek a court order “requiring the removal of obstructions or other structures in the Rio Grande River.”
In their letter, the congressional Democrats expressed “profound alarm” at the injuries, including at least one pregnant woman who became entangled in the 60 miles of concertina wire installed by Texas forces in recent months.
A Department of Public Safety trooper recently raised an alarm about migrants being pushed back into the river and denied water despite scorching heat.
“We urge you to assert your authority over federal immigration policy and foreign relations and investigate and pursue legal action, as appropriate, related to stop Governor [Greg] Abbott’s dangerous and cruel actions,” says the letter to Biden, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio and signed by nearly 90 other Democrats in the House, including all 13 Texans. “As Governor Abbott continues to escalate his efforts on the border, we urge you to …stop this horrific abuse of power,” they wrote.
Click here to read more from our partners at The Dallas Morning News.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/razor-wire-at-texas-border-is-illegal-and-must-be-removed-justice-dept-tells-abbott/3300786/
| 2023-07-21T22:17:22
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Texas A&M University announced Friday that its president has resigned after a Black journalist’s celebrated hiring at one of the nation’s largest campuses unraveled pushback over her diversity and inclusion work.
President Katherine Banks said in a resignation letter that she would retire immediately, because “negative press has become a distraction” at the nearly 70,000-student campus in College Station.
Her exit comes as Republican lawmakers across the U.S. are targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses. That includes Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in June that dismantles program offices at public colleges.
The A&M System said in a statement that Banks told faculty leaders this week that she took responsibility for the “flawed hiring process” of Kathleen McElroy, a former New York Times editor who had been selected to revive the school’s journalism department.
The statement said “a wave of national publicity” suggested that McElroy “was a victim of ‘anti-woke’ hysteria and outside interference in the faculty hiring process.”
Banks has told The Texas Tribune this month that pushback had surfaced over her hiring at A&M because of her work on race and diversity in newsrooms.
In the report, McElroy noted that details of the job offer changed from initially agreeing to teach as a tenured professor to a five-year contract position without tenure. The offer was altered again, the report said, to a one-year contract at will, meaning she could be terminated at any time. McElroy rejected the offer and shared the communications with the Texas Tribune.
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News from around the state of Texas.
Texas A&M said Friday that Banks denied knowing about the changes to McElroy's job offer.
Sharp on Friday, named Dean Mark A. Welsh III as acting president of Texas A&M University. Welsh, a retired Air Force general, is the Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service.
PRESIDENT KATHY BANKS' RESIGNATION LETTER
Chancellor,
First, thank you for the opportunity to serve at this wonderful university. It has been an honor of a lifetime.
The recent challenges regarding Dr. McElroy have made it clear to me that I must retire immediately. The negative press is a distraction from the wonderful work being done here.
I wish Texas A&M nothing but the best. It has been a privilege to serve under you.
Kathy
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| 2023-07-21T22:17:28
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The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a woman whose remains were found last week along the Trinity River.
According to the medical examiner, the body of 31-year-old De’brenese Henry was recovered near Brazos Street and E. Jefferson Boulevard at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday.
Henry's cause of death was listed as a homicide, though the medical examiner did not give any further details about how she was killed.
When Henry's remains were found, Dallas Police said her case was the third in a string of murders that may have been committed by the same man, 25-year-old Oscar Sanchez Garcia.
Sanchez Garcia was arrested Wednesday and charged with the murders of 60-year-old Kimberly Robinson and 25-year-old Cherish Gibson. A third charge was expected to be filed in Henry's case.
In a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of her funeral, Henry's brother said she was a "fun, loving, funny, hardworking sister and mom." The family is currently planning her memorial service.
The location where police said Henry's body was found is in the same general area where police said they found Gibson's missing mobile phone and other physical evidence related to Gibson's murder.
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The latest news from around North Texas.
Sanchez Garcia is being held in the Dallas County Jail on two murder charges with bonds set at $2 million each. A bond amount for the third murder charge has not yet been set. It's not clear if Sanchez Garcia has obtained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/third-possible-victim-identified-in-a-string-of-dallas-murders/3300980/
| 2023-07-21T22:17:35
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/third-possible-victim-identified-in-a-string-of-dallas-murders/3300980/
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Sentencing is underway for Timothy George Simpkins, a man found guilty of attempted capital murder on Thursday after he shot three people at Mansfield ISD's Timberview High School in October 2021.
Opening statements began just before 9 a.m. with testimony following. When testimony ends, closing remarks will be made by the prosecution and defense. The jury will then be given the possible sentences so they can begin deliberations.
Video recorded by a student on the day of the shooting showed Simpkins being beaten up in a classroom by then-15-year-old Zac Selby. After the fight, Simpkins pulled a gun from his waistband and started shooting, critically injuring Selby, a teacher and a student.
The same jury that decided the criminal verdict, finding Simpkins guilty of attempted capital murder, will consider his punishment in the case. According to his charges, the jury can sentence Simpkins to between five years to life in prison.
Throughout the day Friday, the defense attorneys and the prosecution have called up more witnesses, trying to paint a picture of the defendant's character to the jury that could impact how much time they decide he will spend behind bars.
Prosecutors showed a slew of evidence to the jury including a graphic school security video of Selby bleeding on the ground in the stairwell after the school shooting and text messages that police said Simpkins sent in the days before the shooting threatening to kill people he was fighting with.
They also showed loaded magazines found in his room during the investigation. The witnesses were also questioned about the weapons found in his room and in photographs posted on social media showing him in possession of a gun.
The prosecution claims all of it revolves around Simpkins' alleged work as a drug dealer and a confrontation he had just a week before the school shooting.
"He's a drug dealer. And about a week before, he was robbed at a Race Trac. Somebody pistol-whipped him. He then gets out of his car and shoots at them eight times," said prosecutor Lloyd Whelchel.
More witnesses were also called up to testify and be cross-examined on Friday, including Simpkins' ex-girlfriend, Arlington police detectives, Simpkin's godfather, a family pastor who is Simpkins' mentor, and the student who recorded the fight.
"Have you seen a change in Tim since the shooting?" Wakefield asked Christopher Taylor, Simpkin's godfather. "Yes...[he is] remorseful."
Simpkin's defense attorneys continued to argue that his actions stemmed from being bullied and attacked by Zac Selby, a student he had been fighting with who was shot.
They told jurors that Simpkins deserves a second chance.
"My client is not some murderer. My client is not El Chapo. My client is not the mass murderer that the state of Texas wants you to believe that he is. This is about a kid who got in over his head, that got pistol whipped and was bullied. He is a fighter and didn't know what to do," said defense attorney Sheena Winkfield.
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/watch-live-sentencing-phase-begins-in-timberview-school-shooting-trial/3300656/
| 2023-07-21T22:17:41
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https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/watch-live-sentencing-phase-begins-in-timberview-school-shooting-trial/3300656/
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Sarasota Babe Ruth 14s eliminated from Southeast Regional in 3-0 loss to Tallahassee
SARASOTA - The run of the Sarasota Babe Ruth 14s to the Babe Ruth World Series ended on Friday because head coach Scooter Gennett’s team couldn’t score a run.
Score a run, or even collect a hit, as Tallahassee right-hander Colten Corder threw a complete-game, no-hitter in Tallahassee’s 3-0 victory over Sarasota on the third day of the Southeast Regional in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
With only the first-place team advancing to the BRWR, the loss eliminated Sarasota (1-2), which plays its final game of the tourney on Saturday against Greenville.
While Sarasota starter JD James was good, allowing one run on three hits in four innings, Corder was better. Relying on a good fastball, the right-hander allowed no hits in seven innings, striking out three. At one point in the game, Sarasota put runners on first and second with one out. But Corder induced a double-play grounder to escape trouble.
“They just had a good arm on the mound,” Gennett said. “That kid just threw really well. He was mixing it up pretty decently, but he was pretty fastball heavy. Inside with it, outside. He kept coming after (us). He stayed focused and in control. He was able to keep his composure. I was really impressed.”
Tallahassee, which finished with just five hits, scored a run in the second off James on a hit batter, sacrifice, and RBI single by Tyler Borges. Tallahassee added two insurance runs in the seventh off Sarasota reliever Braden MacKay.
“They definitely deserve to go on after playing a clean game like that, playing good defense,” Gennett said. “They didn’t give us any breathing room. We hit the ball hard a few times . . . but they knew exactly where to play their guys (in the field). You got to give them credit where credit is due.”
Next week, the Sarasota Babe Ruth 13s and 15s begin their Southeast Regional in, respectively, Clemmons, N.C., and Greenville, N.C.
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https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/sports/local/2023/07/21/sarasota-babe-ruth-14s-eliminated-from-southeast-regional-in-3-0-loss-to-undefeated-tallahassee/70447737007/
| 2023-07-21T22:20:17
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WASHINGTON, Pa. — Friends and family of a missing Washington County man rallied outside of the courthouse today, in front of the District Attorney’s office demanding investigators look further into his disappearance.
Matthew McDonald hasn’t been seen in four months, after he was last seen in California Boro on March 9th.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Police looking for missing Washington County man
Beth Engle Roth, Matthew’s mother, says her son would have reached out by now and never let their family fear the worst. “He wouldn’t do this to us. He would never ever do this to us. Something has happened to him and there are people who know.”
“He’s a human being. He’s missing and he deserves to be found, give us some closure one way or another, this isn’t fair to his mother or his son. I just want my grandson found,” said his grandmother, Debbie Baker.
The family argues the district attorney’s office and California Boro Police have not done enough to help find McDonald.
District Attorney Jason Walsh tells Channel 11 they have followed every lead, filed multiple search warrants, searched homes and cars, including the home and car of the woman last seen with McDonald.
Walsh said they’ve uncovered no evidence of a crime.
McDonald’s mother disagrees, saying more leads have come in and they want to see more active searching.
“We are the ones looking for my son. I’m traipsing through abandoned houses, I’m traipsing through the woods and across railroad tracks and riverbanks. I haven’t seen one police officer doing that. Not one!”
Investigators say McDonald did have a warrant out for his arrest, which the family acknowledges. But they do not feel it played a factor in his disappearance.
“Matthew has the biggest heart, he might have went down a wrong path, but I’m telling you that kid his heart is gold and he wouldn’t do this to his son,” Roth said.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/family-friends-missing-washington-county-man-demand-action-investigators/D5O5WNIK4VEGJHZL2ZYGW2YBE4/
| 2023-07-21T22:23:41
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/family-friends-missing-washington-county-man-demand-action-investigators/D5O5WNIK4VEGJHZL2ZYGW2YBE4/
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MCCANDLESS, Pa. — Police said an 81-year-old woman crashed her car into the front of the Longhorn Steakhouse in McCandless Crossing. Just before that, the woman hit a parked truck.
At the time, 17-year-old Jadyn, a hostess at the restaurant, was washing windows and got pinned underneath the car.
CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE SCENE
The victim’s mom told Channel 11 exclusively that one of the cooks helped Jadyn by singing to her.
“Was there for her until paramedics and volunteer fire companies arrived, not even thinking of herself. A team member, coworker, friend kept her in high spirits,” said Christine Maher, the victim’s mom.
Paramedics, firefighters and police officers all rushed to the scene. Jadyn and the elderly driver were both trapped and had to be rescued. They were both stable and taken to the hospital. Jadyn’s Mom is thankful for their quick response.
“Responded quickly to save my daughters. It could have been extremely worse. I’m thankful they got her out alive,” said Maher.
Maher said her teenage daughter wasn’t even supposed to be at work that day. She picked up a shift for a coworker.
Jadyn is going to be a Senior at North Allegheny this year. Her mom said Jadyn is back at home but has serious injuries and will have a long road to recovery. Channel 11 asked how she is doing.
“As good as expected. We are dealing with a lot the next several months, but she’s a strong person,” said Maher.
Police said they are investigating how the crash occurred. Since then, the family has been receiving donations.
“Restaurants, family, friends, strangers just pulling together as a community,” said Maher.
Jadyn’s family appreciates all the support they’ve received. The inside of the Longhorn Steakhouse remains closed, but they are open for take-out.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/mother-teen-pinned-by-car-that-crashed-into-restaurant-talks-about-daughters-recovery/BSVFNC2XTJHB3IGDA5DBFVYAWA/
| 2023-07-21T22:23:47
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/mother-teen-pinned-by-car-that-crashed-into-restaurant-talks-about-daughters-recovery/BSVFNC2XTJHB3IGDA5DBFVYAWA/
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LOCAL
Road closure: City of Salina to begin repairs on Neal Avenue Monday
Kendrick Calfee
Salina Journal
The city of Salina will begin a repair project July 24 that will close through traffic on Neal Avenue.
Salina's Public Works Department will be replacing sections of the road from a prior utility repair at the corner of Neal Avenue and Ohio Street.
Neal Avenue will be closed to traffic during work hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the city) and be detoured to Scott Avenue for the duration of the project.
Weather permitting, the city said repairs are expected to be complete within four to five days.
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https://www.salina.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/salina-public-works-will-replace-parts-of-neal-avenue-beginning-monday/70446786007/
| 2023-07-21T22:28:43
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https://www.salina.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/salina-public-works-will-replace-parts-of-neal-avenue-beginning-monday/70446786007/
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MERIDIAN, Idaho — A Meridian boy is working to win a national mullet contest sponsored by the Homes for Wounded Warriors.
Easton Klinker with the "Ida-flow" has a mullet that is a symbol of "247 years of American fan favorites" according to the Mullet Champ website. "He wears it loud, he wears it proud so make him a true American champion."
Ida-flow
People can cast their votes for their favorite contestant. As of Friday, Klinker has 1,459 votes.
Mullet Champ has raised $98,047.60 in 2023 -- all these donations go to Jared Allen's Homes for Wounded Warriors to help U.S military veterans.
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/the-ida-flow-meridian-boy-in-the-running-to-win-a-national-mullet-contest-idaho/277-a2512e04-f861-4547-af72-eb4e0f091c6f
| 2023-07-21T22:28:49
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/the-ida-flow-meridian-boy-in-the-running-to-win-a-national-mullet-contest-idaho/277-a2512e04-f861-4547-af72-eb4e0f091c6f
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Former University of Tennessee trustee and Knoxville developer Robert Talbott has died
Real estate developer and former University of Tennessee Board of Trustees member Robert Talbott has died, Knox News has confirmed.
Talbott was born Aug. 21, 1953, and died July 21.
Talbott was the founder and president of Holrob Investments, a development firm that oversaw projects such as Homberg Place in Bearden and Maryville Commons.
Talbott joined the UT Board of Trustees in 2007, and resigned in 2012 after moving to Nashville for business reasons. While on the board, he chaired the finance and administration committee.
Sharon Miller Pryse, CEO of The Trust Company, described Talbott as a "very close friend" and said he will be missed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Talbott moved to Kiawah Island, South Carolina, she said.
"He really always wanted what was best for whatever interest it was. Whether it was United Way, or economic development for the community, it wasn't just so he could sell more property or have more business; he wanted what was best for Knoxville and wanted what was best for the University of Tennessee," Pryse said. "He really was a great man and will be sorely missed."
Silas Sloan is the growth and development reporter. Emailsilas.sloan@knoxnews.com. Twitter@silasloan. Instagram@knox.growth.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/university-of-tennessee-trustee-knoxville-developer-robert-talbott-dies/70446787007/
| 2023-07-21T22:29:04
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A 42-year-old man died and a 20-year-old was listed in critical condition after a shooting that also injured two other people in Greensboro Thursday evening. Hours later, two more people were shot in a separate incident at a hotel off Gate City Boulevard.
Greensboro Police identified the man who died as Ronald David Green. His death marked Greensboro's 42nd homicide of 2023 — exceeding last year's total of 41 with more than five months still to come.
The shooting occurred shortly before 7:45 p.m. in the 1900 block of Brice Street.
Police said in a news release that they're not looking for suspects because the people involved "were known to each other and their violence is believed to be drug-related."
A spokeswoman did not respond by the time of publication to a question about whether police have a suspect in custody related to the investigation.
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Two of the gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to a local hospital, and two more victims arrived by private vehicle, the news release said. In addition to the 20-year-old man who was in critical condition, a 15-year-old male was released from the hospital while the fourth victim, a 16 year-old-male, was in stable condition.
Several neighbors living near the apartment complex said they knew nothing about the incident and didn't know any of the victims involved.
Brice Street has seen gun violence in the past. Just last year, two young men, one of whom was a student at N.C. A&T and the other a former student, were killed in a shooting at the intersection of Brice Street and Warren Street.
Police are also investigating a shooting later Thursday at the Red Carpet Inn at 3303 Isler St. in Greensboro. Two people were taken to the hospital after that incident, which happened just before 11 p.m. No information was available about their conditions Friday.
A recent survey of 30 American cities from the nonpartisan group Council on Criminal Justice has found that violent crime is still considerably higher than just before the pandemic. Greensboro has seen a decline in homicide numbers from a record high 62 in 2020. In 2021, the total dropped to 53, and then 41 last year.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000. Residents can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to P3tips.com to submit a web tip. All tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-courts/man-injured-in-thursday-night-shooting-dies-as-greensboro-homicides-exceed-total-for-all-of/article_caf0ea38-27d2-11ee-8169-b3831df55f15.html
| 2023-07-21T22:32:17
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-courts/man-injured-in-thursday-night-shooting-dies-as-greensboro-homicides-exceed-total-for-all-of/article_caf0ea38-27d2-11ee-8169-b3831df55f15.html
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The News & Record would like to hear about your experience with the Guilford County Department of Social Services. Please email reporter Kenwyn Caranna at kenwyn.caranna@greensboro.com with a summary of your experience and a phone number where she can contact you.
336-373-7082
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/government-politics/have-you-interacted-with-guilford-county-dss/article_8cf16ea4-27f2-11ee-a208-a30fd96a672e.html
| 2023-07-21T22:32:23
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https://greensboro.com/news/local/government-politics/have-you-interacted-with-guilford-county-dss/article_8cf16ea4-27f2-11ee-a208-a30fd96a672e.html
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Fayetteville woman recognized as CNN Hero for her service to homeless veterans
A Fayetteville woman was highlighted this week as a CNN Hero for her dedication to serving veterans in the community.
Stacey Buckner is the creator of Off-Road Outreach, a nonprofit that serves homeless veterans in Fayetteville. The city borders Fort Liberty, which employs almost 30,000 members of the military. Buckner and her modified Jeep are equipped to provide mobile showers, laundry services and other supplies to veterans in need. Her program helps 50 to 75 veterans a week and has assisted more than 1,000 veterans in North Carolina, she told CNN.
Fifteen years ago, Buckner was in a hospital bed fighting for her life after suffering a stroke and traumatic brain injury. Today, she has her boots on the ground fighting for a cause that is dear to her heart.
“Coming out of the hospital with a traumatic brain injury, you don’t know your purpose anymore, you’re a completely different person," Buckner told CNN. "This is a lifetime process of recovery. I’m just thankful that I’m walking, and talking, and being able to inspire people, and give them hope, too.”
More:Cumberland County woman recognized by NC for helping veterans. Here's how she does it.
After Buckner’s lengthy recovery to regain her speech and motor skills, she began working at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center. There she learned firsthand about the issues that veterans face daily.
Every week since 2015, Buckner has searched the region in her Jeep for homeless veterans to provide services like showers, food and clothing.
In February 2020, she launched a fresh food initiative called Veggies for Vets, teaming up with ServiceSource, a nonprofit that supports people with disabilities, to start a community garden. One month later, with the help of volunteers, the garden was producing 10 to 12 pounds of vegetables a day, the Fayetteville Observer reported in 2022. Buckner told CNN the garden serves about 50 veterans a week.
Through partnerships with local businesses, Buckner has been able to provide haircuts and items such as socks, mattresses and shoes to veterans in need, while also bringing in local nonprofits to assist with services like medical care, employment, housing and suicide prevention programs.
Later this fall, CNN will announce the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2023. Viewers will be able to select from the 10 who will win the Hero of the Year. Each hero in the top 10 will receive $10,000 and the Hero of the Year will receive an additional $100,000.
If you would like to support Buckner's efforts, go to the Off-Road Outreach's GoFundMe
Reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com
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https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/cnn-heroes-segment-highlights-fayettevilles-stacey-buckner/70446206007/
| 2023-07-21T22:34:26
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https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/cnn-heroes-segment-highlights-fayettevilles-stacey-buckner/70446206007/
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CARTER CO., Tenn. (WJHL) — Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley says it has been a slow process, but the sheriff’s office will have school resource officers (SROs) in all Carter County Schools this coming school year.
Fraley has been working since he came into office last year to meet his goal of fully staffing each school with SROs. Last school year, the sheriff’s office had a total of four SROs to cover all 14 schools in the Carter County Schools district. Those four officers were reserved for the county’s four high schools.
“When we first came in, I had my chief deputy working in the schools,” said Fraley. “A year ago, I would’ve told you it would’ve been tough, but we have done that.”
Fraley said the Carter County Sheriff’s Office now has a team of 15 SROs, along with a supervisor.
“And we will also be having other officers checking the schools and making sure we have as much security as we can,” said Fraley.
As a former SRO and supervisor himself, Fraley said he understands the importance of having those officers in schools. He has even developed a backup plan to ensure an officer is present at every school every day of the school year.
“We only have to have one mistake and something catastrophic can happen, and that’s why we’re trying everything we can do to make sure that that day doesn’t happen,” said Fraley.
Carter County Schools students return to school on Aug. 4.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/carter-county-sheriffs-office-fully-staffs-sros-for-every-school/
| 2023-07-21T22:38:19
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KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Kingsport officials say plans to expand the city’s Greenbelt may be years off but they’re still working on improvements for the city’s hiking and biking infrastructure.
Design is underway to expand the trail system from its current endpoint, along Netherland Inn Road towards the Weigel’s across from Allandale Mansion, says Parks and Recreation Manager Kitty Frazier.
“We’re always looking ahead,” she told News Channel 11. “It took us many years to get the Greenbelt we have and we’re willing to wait for those extensions just to make it better as the opportunities arise.”
In the meantime, Frazier says the city is working on an effort to make the 10-mile trail safer and easier to use by assigning addresses to each trailhead.
“That way, if someone has an issue, they can report it quickly on where they’re located, and then also the emergency services can locate the individual,” said Frazier.
An added bonus? The addresses, now available online, also make finding the trail easier for those less familiar with the city.
For local cycling enthusiasts, any future improvements to the trail are exciting news.
“I think this is going to get more people out more active, and just make the community more put together and in the bicycle communities always going to be around and available for it,” said Brian Edwards, owner of Just Ride Bikes bike shop.
The city is also currently at work on another bike-related project. Construction is underway at the city’s new Pump Track, near Scott Adams Memorial Skate Park.
Frazier said it is scheduled to open in September.
Edwards said additions to existing trails and new parks create ways to connect.
“I think this is going to bring people from out of town in, that’s the really neat part to see what we have here. The other part is everybody in town, it brings them together more,” Edwards said.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-greenbelt-expansion-in-the-works/
| 2023-07-21T22:38:25
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-greenbelt-expansion-in-the-works/
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GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Leaders of the Sunnyside Volunteer Fire Department say their first priority is regaining the public’s trust after a state investigation found that a former treasurer had embezzled thousands of dollars from the department.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office announced Wednesday that Misty Taylor, a former treasurer for the Sunnyside VFD and wife of the department’s former chief, had been indicted for theft. Taylor is accused of misappropriating more than $20,000 from the VFD’s account through transfers to her and her husband’s joint account. Those transfers reportedly took place between November 2019 and August 2022.
Both Taylor and her husband resigned from their roles with the Sunnyside VFD in September 2022. The Comptroller’s Office reported that while Taylor had transferred some funds back, more than $6,000 was still due to the department.
On Friday, News Channel 11 spoke with the new chief and treasurer of the Sunnyside VFD. Chief Michael Huff recalled the shock of being told the department was in financial distress and equipment would have to be sold.
“We’ve got enough money to keep the doors open,” Huff said. “But a major incident would put a strain on us as far as fuel and resources and stuff like that.”
Douglas Temple was the department’s treasurer for ten years before retiring from the role and turning it over to Taylor in 2017. Since Taylor’s alleged embezzlement was exposed, he has returned to the role.
“I was astounded to hear that there was consideration that the department was going to shut down,” Temple said. “It made no sense to me, and you just don’t pull the plug and abandon the community. So I made sure that I was at the meeting where it was going to be discussed.”
Temple said while he was treasurer, an annual audit was always conducted.
“In fact, I set up and established the audit procedures for this department, and they had been working just fine until I left the position and Misty took over,” Temple said. “And we haven’t done an audit since. Despite the fact that numerous members of the department had asked for audits to be done.”
Temple told News Channel 11 that when finances stopped lining up, the department began looking into their account transfers.
“We started digging into the bank statements that were provided and found that money was being transferred out of our account, and that’s when we became aware of the fact that embezzlement was occurring,” Temple said.
Members of the fire department notified the mayor and county attorney as soon as they discovered Taylor’s transfers, according to Temple.
“They encouraged us to immediately let the comptroller’s office know that we had suspicious activity in our finances,” Temple said. “We notified them and they immediately acted upon our information and started investigating as to what was going on.”
The department was at a financial point in the final months of 2022 when Temple said some firefighters were considering paying for fuel out of their own pockets.
“We were left with under $3,000 in the department, and we’ve always maintained a balance of at least $25,000 – $30,000 to be able to cover any major problem that we would have with our equipment,” Temple said.
According to Temple, the impact of Taylor’s alleged embezzlement extends beyond the department.
“She took $22,000 from the community because of the community money that we have.”
Both Huff and Temple said they are optimistic the Sunnyside VFD can financially recover, but they hope the community will not lose faith in them.
“We’re still here. We’re trying. We’ve got measures in place to take care of any situation like this,” Huff said. “And we’re trying our best to be a good steward of your money and really, really need your continued support.”
“We see light at the end of the tunnel,” Temple said. “Our big concern is trying to regain confidence in the community, and it’s important that the community know that we had safeguards in place that if they had been followed, this never would have happened. We’re taking all the corrective action that we can to make sure it never happens again.”
The Sunnyside VFD has fundraisers planned for the near future, which Huff and Temple hope will help in getting their account balance back up to a sustainable number.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/sunnyside-vfd-hopes-to-regain-public-trust-after-former-treasurers-alleged-embezzlement/
| 2023-07-21T22:38:31
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/sunnyside-vfd-hopes-to-regain-public-trust-after-former-treasurers-alleged-embezzlement/
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Last suspect in Baum murder sentenced Friday
The final suspect in the murder of Jason Baum was sentenced to prison Friday.
Sammy David Worthy IV pleaded guilty in 78th District Court to murder in connection with the shooting on June 11, 2020 in an alley in southwest Wichita Falls.
Prosecutors contend Worthy was one of four people who went to the location to commit robbery under the pretense of buying marijuana. Baum arrived at the scene and was shot three times.
Worthy was not suspected of firing any shots and testified for the prosecution at the trial of another suspect, Martez Vrana.
Judge Meredith Kennedy sentenced Worthy to 25 years in prison for the murder and to 10 years for a separate aggravated robbery plea. The sentences will run concurrently, and Worthy will get credit for the three years he has been in jail since his arrest.
Baum’s mother, Andria Held, delivered a victim’s impact statement after the sentence was handed down — the third time she has done so. She said while Worthy got 25 years, her son got “a life sentence.”
“What happened that night was the devil’s doing,” she said.
First Assistant District Attorney Dobie Kosub, who has handled prosecution of all the suspects, said Baum’s family members were satisfied with the outcomes.
He said the crime was senseless and ruined lives in all the families.
In March, Dimonique McKinney pleaded guilty to his role in the murder and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Prosecutors said McKinney was the triggerman.
Vrana went to trial in June 2022 rather than take a plea and testified in his own defense. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kosub contended Vrana, a former Hirschi High School football quarterback, was the ringleader of the crew that attacked Baum and had engaged in several other robberies.
Because evidence was found of two guns being fired at the scene of Baum’s murder, Kosub believes Vrana also engaged in the gunfire.
The fourth person who accompanied the suspects to the murder scene was a juvenile who has not been charged with any adult offenses.
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https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/last-suspect-in-baum-murder-sentenced-friday/70446905007/
| 2023-07-21T22:41:09
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https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/last-suspect-in-baum-murder-sentenced-friday/70446905007/
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PORTLAND, Ore. — Debris and ash from the fire that gutted a former Kmart building in Northeast Portland on Wednesday could pose health risks to the surrounding neighborhood due to the presence of asbestos and other contaminants, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced Thursday evening.
Charred pieces and heavy dust from the fire were found in nearby yards, on Parkrose School District property and in Luuwit View Park, the agency said, and the debris from the park has already been tested and confirmed to contain asbestos. DEQ said it would conduct an assessment of the area Friday to get a better sense of the spread of the contamination and develop a cleanup plan.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler tweeted out a message Thursday evening warning that city activities planned for Friday at the park had been canceled, and DEQ said the school district had been warned to keep all activities indoors. The city has contracted Professional Minority Group to clean up the park, DEQ added, with work set to begin Thursday afternoon.
"Right now the park is closed, and we're asking people not to go into the park so that they can do a complete job of cleaning all the debris and ash out of it," DEQ spokeswoman Susan Mills told KGW Friday morning, adding that DEQ also has people assessing the area, starting out at the Kmart building and moving outward to look for debris.
Risks of asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely used in building materials throughout the last century. Its use was discontinued after it was found that long-term exposure could cause cancer and lung problems, but it remains present in many older structures.
What residents should do
Residents in the area around the Kmart building are urged to avoid places with ash or debris, and especially to avoid contact with any debris that contains asbestos, which will look like ash, paper or chunks. Such debris can easily crumble into hazardous fibers that can be inhaled, and should not be touched, swept, picked up, moved or vacuumed.
"I know your first instinct is to 'get this off my driveway, get this off my yard,'" Mills said, "but really the worst thing you could do would be to sweep it out of your yard, because that's just going to bring up airborne ash and dust that could potentially have asbestos, but at this point that has yet to be determined."
Children and pets should also be kept away from any ash or debris, and residents should avoid mowing grass or working in garden areas that were potentially exposed, DEQ said. Ash and debris can be gently soaked with water to keep it from becoming airborne, but should not be power washed.
"We don't know for sure everything has asbestos, and so we want to be clear about that," Mills said. "But for now, we want people to be cautious and, in case it might be asbestos, you don't want to move it because asbestos is microfibers. Even if they're chunks, when they break, there are microfibers and those microfibers could be inhaled and could cause respiratory problems."
DEQ's website will have a link on the homepage with more information about the incident, she said, which should be in place by the end of the day on Friday.
Fire destroyed building
The fire broke out Wednesday morning and drew a quick response from Portland Fire & Rescue after an officer leaving a training yard across the street noticed the blaze. However, Portland Fire & Rescue also said limited hydrants in the area created challenges for crews trying to pump in water, and they were also hampered by fencing that the property owner had installed to discourage use of the parking lot.
The blaze completely consumed the building interior before firefighters got it under control shortly after 8 a.m., and it produced a massive plume of smoke that could be seen from around the neighborhood.
DEQ is part of a joint incident command structure for the fire that also includes the Oregon Health Authority, the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, the Multnomah County Health Department, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services and the Parkrose School District, the agency said.
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/neighbors-warned-asbestos-fire-at-portland-kmart/283-d456b69a-c218-4e5d-84f4-2d96cd883d2e
| 2023-07-21T22:42:24
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/neighbors-warned-asbestos-fire-at-portland-kmart/283-d456b69a-c218-4e5d-84f4-2d96cd883d2e
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VANCOUVER, Wash. — A street in the heart of downtown Vancouver is getting set for a big makeover. Ten blocks of Main Street will be transformed, starting next year, to be more user-friendly and inviting for everyone, no matter how they get around.
There's been a lot of talk about redoing the downtown section of Main Street, but not much action until recently. Then the city decided to put most of a $10-million allocation from the federal American Rescue Plan toward a better Main Street.
So now the street is about to get a whole new look, feel and function, according to the city’s transportation manager, Ryan Lopossa, who called it a “complete shift in the paradigm of what we would normally do with a street project.”
The downtown section from 5th Street, 10 blocks up to 15th Street, will be transformed, and Lopossa said he can't wait.
“I love this project. I've been with the city now about 12 years, lived in Vancouver most of my life and you know, Main Street is one that I always wanted to get to,” Lopossa said.
Vancouver city leaders have considered redoing this part of Main Street for about 20 years. Now, current officials have gone forward to support the creation of the Main Street Promise Plan. It is 90% complete, and new animation shows it's about much more than just the street itself.
“It's an area where folks can obviously walk. It's also an area where we'll have furnishings, we'll have opportunities for businesses [to offer] outdoor seating. We’ll have additional places where people can secure their bikes, [where] people can sit. We’ll have art, and we've got art along the corridor, but we want to double and triple the art,” Lopossa said.
Under the surface, there will be new water and sewer lines. At street level, there will be improved intersections, making it safer for pedestrians and drivers. And nose-in parking will be no more, giving way to all parallel parking. Another key feature: no curbs. Like what was done along Esther Street, where Vancouver’s farmers market sets up, it allows for a more open feel and pedestrian-only possibilities for the future. But for the foreseeable future, the design may allow for temporary vehicle closures for community gatherings on Main Street.
"We're setting the stage; there is a desire that this be available for weekend events,” Lopossa said.
Before construction begins on this makeover, the top priority is working with Main Street businesses that will be impacted, and ensuring a workable plan for everyone, even if it takes a little longer to complete.
"We're going to be very deliberate about what the contractor can and can't do, to make sure that we're keeping pedestrians moving, that we're keeping parking available, and that we're essentially keeping those front doors open to those businesses," Lopossa said.
In part, for that reason, it will take longer, Lopossa said, estimating two construction seasons. So the work which should start early next year could wrap up in late 2025. The overall cost of the project is expected to top $20 million.
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/vancouver/vancouver-main-street-transformation-project/283-52f1245f-683b-4f76-8eb8-eb3c54c3d989
| 2023-07-21T22:42:30
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/vancouver/vancouver-main-street-transformation-project/283-52f1245f-683b-4f76-8eb8-eb3c54c3d989
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SACRAMENTO, Calif — Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg announced Thursday he will propose authorizing the city manager to put up "hundreds of new safe camping spaces" and he hopes the council will green light it on Aug. 1.
It comes after Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho told ABC10 his office is investigating whether the city broke laws regarding homeless encampments.
"We've documented 86 incidents around the courthouse and the DHS office," Ho said Tuesday. "What we do need is to have compliance with the laws and the rules."
But Steinberg wrote in a recent blog post the city is enforcing its sidewalk, critical infrastructure and private property encampment ordinance also known as Measure O.
About 52% of voters in Nov. 2022 voted to pass the measure, which was meant to authorize the removal of "unlawful" encampments.
The Department of Community Response acted on more than 13,000 calls in 2023, including 2,300 for reports of blocked sidewalks, according to Steinberg.
"Moving encampments wholesale is a different story," he said. "Moving people with no place for them to go just shuffles them from one part of the city to another."
A recent ABC10 report revealed the city is no longer required to fund additional enforcement services under Measure O until at least June 30, 2024.
"Nevertheless, submitted Notice and Demand forms will automatically generate a case number and be routed to the Department of Community Response, who will then work closely with the appropriate City enforcement departments to address pursuant to the City protocol systems," according to the city's website.
Steinberg also said critics are wrong in their assessment of City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood's interpretation of the Martin v. Boise U.S. Court of Appeals ruling.
The 2018 ruling held cities can't enforce anti-camping ordinances if they don't have enough shelter beds available for the residents affected by the ordinances.
"The City Attorney's interpretation is correct; the case clearly links moving people off public property to the greater availability of additional safe camping, shelter and housing," said Steinberg.
Sacramento city councilmembers will discuss the potential hundreds of new safe camping spaces at its Aug. 1 council meeting.
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/mayor-darrell-steinberg-defends-sacramentos-homeless-sheltering/103-b5a3d9b6-2838-4c99-b33b-f34153d1452d
| 2023-07-21T22:43:33
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/mayor-darrell-steinberg-defends-sacramentos-homeless-sheltering/103-b5a3d9b6-2838-4c99-b33b-f34153d1452d
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The FAA is investigating after a flight from Sacramento to Burbank was diverted to Los Angeles because of an emergency.
According to the FAA, Southwest Flight 1397 was diverted to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) around 11:30 a.m. after declaring an emergency due to a hydraulic problem.
A statement from Southwest says the aircraft landed safely at LAX and they’re working with travelers to get them to their destinations. The plane is now out of service and will undergo a maintenance review.
Operations at LAX were briefly impacted due to the landing.
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/southwest-flight-from-sacramento-to-burbank-makes-emergency-landing/103-28459756-b89b-4fbc-a3af-70d47bbe1d4b
| 2023-07-21T22:43:39
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/southwest-flight-from-sacramento-to-burbank-makes-emergency-landing/103-28459756-b89b-4fbc-a3af-70d47bbe1d4b
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AUGUSTA -- Disability Rights Maine celebrated its 5th annual Disability Pride day at Mill Park in Augusta.
Disability Rights Maine is a protection and advocacy organization part of a network of roughly 57 other groups across the country.
The organization works with disabled individuals when their rights have been violated in any setting.
Communications director, Julia Endicott says the event showcases more than a dozen resource organizations and is a reminder of an important milestone.
"July is disability pride month. In part because of the passage of the ADA which passed 33 years ago almost to the day. Today is really a celebration of the diversity of disability,” according to Julia Endicott, communications director for Disability Rights Maine.
"Just to have f-u-n, for fun!,” said band member Paul Sandberg.
Sandberg notes that he has overcome numerous barriers while living as a disabled person but is glad events like Disability Pride exist because it gives him a sense of community.
Anyone interested in donating to disability rights Maine or just learning more about the organization's work can visit d-r-m-e-dot-org.
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/disability-rights-maine-host-annual-disability-pride/article_7ae3918c-2811-11ee-8dfd-6b608083ac3c.html
| 2023-07-21T22:51:38
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/disability-rights-maine-host-annual-disability-pride/article_7ae3918c-2811-11ee-8dfd-6b608083ac3c.html
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AUGUSTA -- Legislators and women's rights activists gathered outside the state house in Augusta to recognize a century old proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
"We are here today because misogyny and paternalism is still embedded in our society, which prevents women from enjoying full equality of rights,” said Women’s Rights organizer, Barbara Cray.
July 21, 2023 marks 100 years since the federal Equal Rights Amendment was introduced, yet there is still no official language in the U.S. or Maine constitution ensuring equal rights regardless of gender.
The still proposed amendment to the U.S constitution would do just that.
According to Representative Lois Reckitt she has been fighting for women's rights for the past 50 years.
"I've introduced it four times in my four terms and it's never passed,” said Reckitt.
"We have to make it official because not all people have those protections under the law,” said Representative Holly Stover. “If you have this since that you do it's because you haven't been challenged in a certain area to know that you don't have those same protections"
Stover urges people to support legislation that supports equality especially after The Supreme Court repealed abortion rights and affirmative action policies within the college admission system.
"This is more relevant than ever because if we are looking at possibly rolling back certain rights and these could be among them. It's important that we amend our state constitution and protect the people of Maine,” said Stover.
Earlier this year Reckitt introduced a bill that would amend Maine's constitution to enshrine equal rights among all Mainers under the law; however, the bill did not receive required votes to pass through the legislature.
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/equal-rights-amendment-centennial/article_45e3b8e6-2810-11ee-acf7-c79049d68d87.html
| 2023-07-21T22:51:41
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/equal-rights-amendment-centennial/article_45e3b8e6-2810-11ee-acf7-c79049d68d87.html
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FAIRFIELD -- Four years ago, Governor Mills announced as part of the State's Climate Action Plan an initiative of installing 100,000 new heat pumps by 2025
Four years later, she came back to where it all started sharing the news of its completion.
"Today, I'm pleased to say we have reached our goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps in Maine a full two years ahead of schedule," said Governor Mills.
But it didn't stop there. Addressing the crowd, Governor Mills now has her eyes on a new milestone.
"I'm also pleased to announce that we're setting a new goal, my administration, of installing another 175,000 heat pumps in Maine by 2027," said Governor Mills.
This would increase the total amount of heat pump installations to 275,000, something the Governor says will likely happen given the surge in energy costs.
"Maine uses more heating oil per capita than any other state in the nation and with our cold climate, that is not tolerable. That's got to stop," said Governor Mills.
Governor Mills was joined by White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, who highlighted the importance in fulfilling President Biden's vision of tackling climate change.
"This transformation that we're seeing in Maine is both an instructive and inspirational driver for what motivates us. Not only was Maine part of inspiring that transformation, now Maine is our partner in turbocharging implementation of that vision," said Zaidi.
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/governor-mills-announced-achievement-of-maines-heat-pump-goal/article_2b698202-27fc-11ee-a3f4-735476b81482.html
| 2023-07-21T22:51:47
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/governor-mills-announced-achievement-of-maines-heat-pump-goal/article_2b698202-27fc-11ee-a3f4-735476b81482.html
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TRENTON -- Each summer in the woods of Trenton, lumberjacks honor Maine's logging heritage with a unique performance -- and one group got to spend their Friday with front row seats to that show.
Downeast Horizons, a group that supports adults and children with developmental disabilities, brought nearly 200 program participants to witness Timber Tina's Great Maine Lumberjack Show -- thanks to community fundraising and donations.
The show brings together a variety of lumberjack sports, including: ax throwing, tree climbing, and log rolling.
"It's our favorite show of the year, and I mean that," said 'Timber' Tina Scheer, owner of the Great Maine Lumberjack Show.
Downeast Horizons Executive Director Tony Zambrano says that the group has been coming to the shows for more than six years, and that everyone should be able to enjoy events like these.
"We try to have experiential activities for these folks that they may not have the opportunity to experience on their own," said Zambrano. "We try to give them an opportunity to get out into their community."
Now in it's 26th year, the Great Maine Lumberjack Show combines entertainment with education.
"We want people to understand how it is that we ended up here. This was a sport that evolved from work that was done in the 1800s and early 1900s," said Scheer. "It's interactive for them. As you can see, we let everybody cross-cut saw."
Those who saw the show say they were happy they could return for another year.
"We had fun today, and Tony got splashed," said Allison Young, Downeast Horizons program participant.
To support Downeast Horizons, visit dehi.org.
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/lumberjacks-put-on-a-show-for-downeast-horizons/article_8ac63c1a-280e-11ee-b0bf-df4165b2c30e.html
| 2023-07-21T22:51:50
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https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/lumberjacks-put-on-a-show-for-downeast-horizons/article_8ac63c1a-280e-11ee-b0bf-df4165b2c30e.html
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'We'll have to drill a bit': Polk Theatre in Lakeland remains closed as repairs continue
The Polk Theatre in Lakeland continues to be closed for repair work following an underground pipe rupture.
The management first announced on July 9 that the theater was suspending planned screenings, saying that a broken pipe under the orchestra seats center section had caused flooding in the basement.
An update posted Thursday on the theater’s Facebook page said, “We have located the leak and it’s deep beneath the theater floor, so we’ll have to drill a bit, and dig a bit, but we’ll get there.”
The announcement did not give a date for reopening, and the staff could not be reached Thursday.
Second chance for 'Squeeze'?Lakeland agency may bring back lunch transit service
The notice said that these films will be rescheduled: “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter Is Dead”; “To Have and Have Not”; “Salvador Dali: In Search of Immortality”; “San Andreas”; “Driving Miss Daisy”; “My Fair Lady”; and “The Suicide Squad.”
The Polk Theatre opened in the late 1920s and is one of few atmospheric theaters still in operation as a movie venue in Florida. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/polk-theatre-in-lakeland-remains-closed-as-repairs-continue/70444219007/
| 2023-07-21T22:55:05
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/polk-theatre-in-lakeland-remains-closed-as-repairs-continue/70444219007/
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State Rep. Melony Bell to run for Polk supervisor of elections, challenging Lori Edwards
Florida Rep. Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade, says she is ready to leave Tallahassee behind and serve in her home county.
Bell has filed to run next year for Polk County supervisor of elections. That means she will challenge one of the county’s most established elected officials, Lori Edwards.
The Fort Meade native said she has long desired to hold the position responsible for managing all elections in Polk County.
“I've always wanted to do this,” Bell said. “You could ask many, many people. I've always been very interested in the election process. And so, I think this is the right time.”
Lakeland's Jennifer Canady chosen to be Florida House Speaker for 2028-2030 term
Bell, 61, is not required to resign from the Legislature in order to run. She said she intends to serve through next year’s legislative session.
Bell spent 14 years on the Fort Meade City Commission before gaining election to the Polk County Commission. She served there for seven years before successfully running for the Florida House in 2018.
After easily winning re-election in 2020, Bell faced no opponent in last year’s election to earn a third term in Tallahassee. She serves as vice chair of the Education and Employment Committee.
Bell said she first considered running for supervisor of elections in 2000 but deferred to Barbara Osthoff, a friend and a veteran of the department. Edwards, 66, a former Democratic state representative from Winter Haven, won a four-person election that year and has been re-elected five times since then.
The supervisor of elections race is nonpartisan, and the winner earns a four-year term.
Polk County legislators tout bill successes, local funding at Lakeland Chamber breakfast
“It’s going to be probably a race I've never had because she's got name recognition — and I do, too — but we'll cross that bridge when we get there,” Bell said. “But I'm up for it. I’m excited and looking for a new adventure in my life.”
The supervisor of elections oversees a staff of 27. The office administers all elections in Polk County, supports municipal elections, manages voter rolls, arranges polling places; hires and trains election workers and maintains statistics on voter registration and elections.
The office follows strict state guidelines on maintaining voter rolls and conducting and certifying elections.
Big money flows to Lakeland's Colleen Burton, some from companies and groups outside Fla.
Bell said she does not know of anyone planning to run for her state House seat next year and has not endorsed a successor. She serves in District 49, which encompasses southwest Polk County, extending north to the edges of Lakeland.
Bell said serving in the state Legislature is difficult and requires traveling to Tallahassee often outside of the two-month annual session.
“This is my county, and I just feel like we get more done on the local level,” she said. “It's been an honor to serve in Tallahassee and a privilege, but it gets old being in Tallahassee. And somebody can step in my place tomorrow and do just as good a job as I've done.”
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2023/07/21/state-rep-melony-bell-to-challenge-polk-elections-supervisor-lori-edwards/70442886007/
| 2023-07-21T22:55:08
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https://www.theledger.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2023/07/21/state-rep-melony-bell-to-challenge-polk-elections-supervisor-lori-edwards/70442886007/
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SCOTT COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — Many are cleaning up after storms in Western Kansas Thursday night. The National Weather Service Dodge City investigated the damage Friday determining it was downburst winds.
A Scott City police officer’s farm was hit by the storm Thursday.
Whitney Savolt said they are heartbroken. Her mother’s home on the property is gone and her mother’s dog is still missing as of Friday afternoon.
As cleanup efforts begin, the Scott City Police Department is helping out.
“It just takes your words away you know sitting out there,” said Scott City Police Chief, David Post.
Post said he got the call from Officer Savolt after her farm was hit. He and his team immediately headed to the farm to provide support.
“She is constantly giving back to the community and going above and beyond,” said Post.
The large shed and Savolt’s home were also damaged.
“Vehicles, their camper, farm equipment, their mowers, I mean you name it,” said Post.
Wallace, Scott, Finney, Greeley, Kearney and Wichita counties dealt with strong winds, hail, and rail.
“The corn and milo took direct hits from wind and hail really did some damage,” said Scott County Emergency Manager, Tim Stoecklein.
Savolt said they are in the early stages of cleanup.
The Scott City Police Department is helping out with meals and collecting donations at the department.
“When she is home she is still being a police officer and helping people that call her that need help and she goes above and beyond so you know it is our turn to help her out,” Post said.
Any donations for the Savolt family can be taken to the Scott City Police Department at 602 W. 5th St. There is also a meal train for the family. If you would like to, you can help out here.
The National Weather Service Dodge City said all damage had everything blown to the southeast with no signs of rotational winds and winds were estimated at 90-100 MPH.
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https://www.ksn.com/news/local/scott-city-police-officers-farm-hit-by-storm-department-helping-out/
| 2023-07-21T22:55:22
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https://www.ksn.com/news/local/scott-city-police-officers-farm-hit-by-storm-department-helping-out/
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BALTIMORE — A cannabis convention, in downtown Baltimore.
The Lucky Leaf Expo Baltimore started this morning.
It's focused on anyone who's interested in legal marijuana, with organizers saying there are plants you can buy to grow your own marijuana at home, as well as experts focused on the business side of it.
That focus includes the complexities surrounding marijuana banking laws.
"A lot of people don't realize that despite different laws and things, you can still have bank accounts when you're operating cannabis based businesses. So we have that, we have cultivation supplies, we have odor control, we have real estate, a lot of people don't know where to open the business. So really just about anything you possibly want to know there is either a booth or an expert here who is going to fill you in," Erin Womack, Director of Operations said.
The Expo is over for the day, it picks back up tomorrow at 10 in the morning.
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https://www.wmar2news.com/local/cannabis-convention-underway-in-downtown-baltimore
| 2023-07-21T22:55:30
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https://www.wmar2news.com/local/cannabis-convention-underway-in-downtown-baltimore
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BALTIMORE — During summer mornings, kids from Northeast Baltimore hit the streets, armed with grabbers and trash bags, the kids ranging from eight to 21 pick up trash.
The program is called My Father’s Plan.
“This program got started organically. There were a couple of kids in our neighborhood trying to make some money. I told them to sweep up the front of our store. Now, here we are 13 years later. We have contracts all over the city," said Dawod Thomas, the program's executive director.
Friday morning, the kids hit Federal Hill, grabbing water bottles and wrappers that fill and line the drainage grates or beer cans that never made it anywhere near a trash can.
“I don’t know, it helps me get up in the morning," said Amari Evans, who has been part of My Father’s Plan since he was eight.
The program goes beyond picking up trash on city streets.
It’s about getting these kids prepared for the world, for long-term jobs and college.
“Get out the streets, do something. You can get paid for things you want and need but your parents can’t provide it. It also helps with future job applications," said Ziy’aira Boykin who has participated in My Father’s Plan for two years.
My father’s plan is a 501c3 nonprofit that has helped numerous Northeast Baltimore kids.
They have contracts in neighborhoods and parks across the city.
“We do financial literacy, we do tutoring, we have vocational training, we’re working on a meal plan," said Thomas.
Improving themselves while cleaning up the city.
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https://www.wmar2news.com/local/it-gets-me-out-of-bed-baltimore-nonprofit-changing-lives-with-street-cleaning
| 2023-07-21T22:55:36
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https://www.wmar2news.com/local/it-gets-me-out-of-bed-baltimore-nonprofit-changing-lives-with-street-cleaning
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City data shows these neighborhoods are the hottest in Las Cruces
As extreme heat continues to oppress the residents of Las Cruces, some areas of town will be hotter than others.
Data collected by the City of Las Cruces in 2020 shows that neighborhoods in the City’s center and Las Cruces’ busiest roadways can be 10 or more degrees hotter than other, shadier parts of town. And it’s not because these areas might have the best shopping locations or the trendiest bars.
Instead, the density of impervious surfaces makes these areas the hottest in Las Cruces. Buildings, concrete, parking lots, and roadways all create urban heat islands that dot the City and lead to some areas getting hotter and staying hotter during the extreme heat.
Urban heat islands are more than just an inconvenience to residents. In addition to deterring outdoor activities and damaging infrastructure, extreme heat can lead to harmful outcomes for all. Anyone exposed to extreme heat can get heat illnesses. Those experiencing prolonged exposure or with underlying health conditions are even more at risk.
How was this data collected?
The City’s sustainability office and group of volunteers mapped the heat islands during the pandemic, according to City of Las Cruces Sustainability Officer Lisa LaRocque. A group of volunteers recorded temperatures at points across the city, then extrapolated the data to map heat in Las Cruces.
It's hot:Where is your nearest cooling station? We mapped it out for you
They use the data to determine which areas are most impacted by heat. The study was done with the National Integrated Heat Health Information System.
What’s hot in the morning?
As Las Cruces sleeps, the City cools. But not everywhere.
City data shows that two major interstate intersections retain heat overnight. Heat is retained where Interstate 25 intersects East Lohman Avenue and Highway 70. The data collected in 2020 shows that large islands around the freeway stayed above 80 degrees.
Other major intersections in Las Cruces also retain heat, the data shows.
What’s hot in the afternoon?
As the day progresses into the afternoon, the heat islands around I-25 become like small heat continents.
The neighborhoods north of New Mexico State University, south of Lohman/Amador Avenue, east of El Paseo Road, and west of I-25 become a red blob of heat. The City’s data shows the neighborhoods reached highs of 111 degrees while the communities in the Sonoma Ranch area stayed around ten degrees cooler.
The shopping areas around North Main Street and neighborhoods north of the area also get hotter than other areas.
What’s hot in the evening?
As the sunsets, the multi-block heat landmass shifts west.
The neighborhoods north of New Mexico State University remain hot but cool, while the area between I-10, El Paseo and Missouri Boulevard, and South Main Street keep and retain heat. The data shows the areas were still around 100 degrees as the sunsets between 7 and 8 p.m.
South Telshor Boulevard, north of Lohman, also heats up to the 100-degree range and stays hot in the evening.
Justin Garcia covers public safety and local government in Las Cruces. He can be reached via email at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com, via phone or text at 575-541-5449, or on Twitter @Just516Garc.
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https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/community/2023/07/21/city-data-shows-these-neighborhoods-are-the-hottest-in-las-cruces/70422559007/
| 2023-07-21T22:55:36
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BALTIMORE — Former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby and City Council President Nick Mosby have decided to end their marriage.
They issued the following joint statement:
After careful consideration and much prayer, we have decided to end our marriage. We want to emphasize our commitment as strong co-parents moving forward. Our dedication to our family and community remains unwavering.
We will not provide any further comments or interviews regarding the divorce proceedings at this time and ask for your continued respect for privacy, especially for our daughters.
Marilyn is due back in the public eye Nov. 2, when her federal perjury trial begins.
She is accused of withdrawing $90,000 from her city Deferred Compensation Plan under false pretenses and using it to buy vacation homes in Florida.
RELATED: Marilyn Mosby trial to begin Nov. 2
Leading up to the trial, the following schedule has been agreed upon:
- Meet and confer regarding expert witnesses and pre-trial motions - May 1
- The parties’ expert disclosures - June 1
- Pre-trial motions and supplemental expert disclosures - June 30
- Responses to pre-trial motions and any motion(s) to exclude - July 14
- Replies to pre-trial motions - July 21
- Response(s) to motion(s) to exclude - July 28
- Replies in support of motion(s) to exclude - August 4
- Pre-trial status conference and hearing on motion(s) to exclude and to supplement - September 28
- Motion(s) in limine; proposed voir dire; revised proposed jury instructions; and a proposed jury verdict form - September 15
- Responses to motion(s) in limine - September 29
- Replies to motion(s) in limine - October 6
- Pre-trial status conference and hearing on motion(s) in limine - October 23
- Final pre-trial status conference - October 30
- Jury selection - October 31
- Jury trial - November 2
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https://www.wmar2news.com/local/mosbys-announce-they-are-ending-their-marriage
| 2023-07-21T22:55:42
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https://www.wmar2news.com/local/mosbys-announce-they-are-ending-their-marriage
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An Ohio woman died and about 20,000 I&M customers lost power during a brief but powerful thunderstorm that swept across the region on Thursday.
Indiana Michigan Power officials said heavy winds downed trees and damaged power lines and equipment, disrupting service. Crews had restored service to most customers by mid-afternoon Friday, I&M officials said.
The storm ripped through the Fort Wayne area in the early evening, leaving about 9,000 local customers without power, according to I&M. About 10,000 customers in the Elkhart area also had outages. Another 370 in Avilla lost power, the utility said.
At one time, the storm became so severe that the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for southeast Allen County near New Haven.
In Ohio, an elderly woman died after a large tree fell on her family's Ohio City home during the storm, Van Wert County Emergency Management officials said.
First responders took the victim to a Fort Wayne hospital in critical condition, but she later died from her injuries, officials said.
Her husband, who was also inside the house during the storm, was not hurt.
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https://www.journalgazette.net/local/van-wert-county-woman-dies-thousands-lost-power-during-storm/article_bee0b10e-27b6-11ee-83c0-77d281a6a337.html
| 2023-07-21T22:56:10
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https://www.journalgazette.net/local/van-wert-county-woman-dies-thousands-lost-power-during-storm/article_bee0b10e-27b6-11ee-83c0-77d281a6a337.html
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DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — Counties in Pennsylvania are preparing to get by without payments for some of the social services they carry out as a state budget stalemate between Gov. Josh Shapiro and lawmakers drags into its fourth week.
Tens of millions of dollars for county-level services for substance abuse, child welfare, mental health and the intellectually disabled are expected to be held up in the coming days and weeks, minus some sort of breakthrough in Harrisburg to dissolve the impasse. Big payments to schools also are expected to be stalled in the coming weeks.
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach said an impasse lasting a few weeks won’t have much effect. But the Legislature is not scheduled to return to session until after Labor Day and, if there is no budget agreement before then, he said, “that’s going to create some problems.”
“No county can go very long without having some serious impact, from a financial standpoint,” Leinbach said.
Counties have experience struggling through stalemates, including a record-breaking impasse in 2015 that did not thaw until 2016.
During it, county governments and school boards waiting on billions in state aid burned through loans and emptied reserves. Social services organizations — largely non-profits that deliver state-mandated safety-net services administered by counties — shuttered programs, borrowed money and laid off hundreds of workers who care for the state’s most vulnerable populations.
County officials say that ordeal taught them to sock away reserves to survive for a couple months, at least, as many try now to figure out how much state aid this impasse will ensnare while they take stock of their cash flow.
No county may be in imminent need of a loan — but every single county budget officer likely knows the cost to borrow will be far more severe than it was in 2015, now that interest rates are higher.
The Shapiro administration has yet to say exactly what money it will withhold from counties and other social services.
That prompted nonprofit umbrella organizations including the United Way of Pennsylvania, the Arc of Pennsylvania and the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association this week to ask the administration for clarity to avoid "unnecessary contingency planning" and pushed Shapiro for a “broad use of spending authority."
In the short term, counties could see the biggest amounts of state aid held up for county-level caseworkers who investigate child-abuse complaints, such as calls to the state’s ChildLine hotline.
“We will find a way to make it work like we always do,” said Joe Kantz, a Snyder County commissioner. “But obviously there’s a breaking point. ... We’re going to be able to weather a few months, but beyond that it becomes very difficult.”
Monica Taylor, Delaware County Council’s chair, said the county’s agencies are sorting through their programs to determine what sort of shortfall to expect and how to use their cash flow to stretch services for as long as they possibly can.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney's office said the city has a relatively high cash balance that should help it avoid problems — if the stalemate is resolved in the coming months.
Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County's executive, said the county weathered the stalemate with its sizable fund balance in 2015, and he’s thought about that since, working to build up the county's reserves before another protracted state budget impasse.
The county's fund balance, about $53 million, will cover costs for several months, he said.
“We always want to have that rainy day fund so we’re prepared,” Fitzgerald said. “I guess you could say 'right now it’s raining' and we need the rainy day fund.”
Berks County crafted a contract clause with vendors that said it was not obligated to pay until the state budget was complete.
The county will be on stable footing through the summer, Leinbach said. But as it approaches September, officials there will have to apportion a dwindling pool of cash among vendors and decide which are delivering critical services — and which are not, Leinbach said.
In 2015, some services “were stretched to the breaking point,” Leinbach said.
“When you’re working with families and children in crisis, you can’t exactly say, ‘You know what, the money isn’t flowing, we can’t come out and intervene,’” he said. “We will get it done.”
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https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-counties-plan-miss-big-social-services-payment-state-budget-stalemate-drags-on/521-7fe9e5cb-4a73-4eb9-a52a-1a730a85754e
| 2023-07-21T23:18:38
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https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-counties-plan-miss-big-social-services-payment-state-budget-stalemate-drags-on/521-7fe9e5cb-4a73-4eb9-a52a-1a730a85754e
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Investigations unable to determine cause of Tunnel Fire near Flagstaff
Investigations into what caused the Tunnel Fire that burned near Flagstaff a year ago April have come back inconclusive.
Coconino National Forest officials said the fire's investigation is complete, and although they were unable to determine a specific cause of the fire they were able to locate the origin.
The Tunnel Fire was originally reported in the late afternoon on Sunday, April 17, 2022, approximately 9 miles northeast of Flagstaff, near the Timberline/Fernwood community.
How long did it take for the fire to be contained?
Firefighters responded to the fire immediately and extinguished any indications of the fire on the day it was reported, according to Coconino National Forest officials.
Coconino National Forest officials said firefighters then returned the following morning and found all control lines held.
"All visible smoke and hot spots were extinguished prior to firefighters leaving the area," officials said.
According to Coconino National Forest officials, by early morning on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, a combination of strong winds near 60 mph and warm conditions over the fire area resulted in firefighters not being able to suppress the flames.
What date was the Tunnel Fire contained?
The fire grew to 19,060 acres before it was 100% contained on June 1, 2022, Coconino National Forest officials said.
How much damage was done?
- 1,335 structures were threatened.
- 30 residences were lost to the fire.
- 24 outbuildings were lost to the fire.
- No lives were lost.
Law enforcement encourages anyone who may have information regarding who started the Tunnel Fire to contact the Coconino National Forest at 928-527-3600 or Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523, option 1.
A rough year:Here's what Sunset Crater looks like after the Tunnel Fire in Flagstaff scorched it
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-wildfires/2023/07/21/investigations-unable-to-determine-cause-of-tunnel-fire-near-flagstaff/70447359007/
| 2023-07-21T23:22:17
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-wildfires/2023/07/21/investigations-unable-to-determine-cause-of-tunnel-fire-near-flagstaff/70447359007/
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Ash Firefighter arrested in connection with multiple arsons in Yavapai, Coconino County
An Ash Fork Firefighter was arrested on Friday in connection with involvement in multiple arson events, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office.
The YCSO and the Coconino County Sheriff's Office have searched for an arsonist setting fires around the Ash Fork area over the last few months. The leads YCSO had followed eventually linked them to finding a suspect, Karson Nutter, 18, who is an Ash Fork firefighter.
Leads from a small fire that was set on Thursday connected the suspect to multiple recent fires, according to a news release. YCSO and CCSO deputies also connected eight separate arson events that have happened in Yavapai County and Coconino County since June 15, 2023.
In Yavapai County, there were two separate fires to a Yavapai County-owned cemetery and two separate fires to a Mobile Station in Ash Fork. In Coconino County, there were two abandoned houses burned down in Kaibab Estates West and two wildfires on Forest Service Road.
Deputies said during early investigative interviews that Nutter provided deceptive and misinformation, which furthered the deputies' suspicion, the YCSO said in a release.
Nutter was again interviewed on Thursday evening by the YSSO and the CCSO, where Nutter admitted to being directly involved in setting in at least seven out of the last eight arson cases, including three of four fires in Yavapai County, said the news release.
In his confession, Nutter also said that his motives in setting the fires ranged from boredom, retaliation against a former employer, chasing a thrill, and setting fires to abandoned homes for being "ugly", said the news release.
Nutter was booked into the YCSO Detention Center and was charged with three counts of arson of a structure or property, aggravated criminal damage (defacing a cemetery/burial property), five counts of false reporting to law enforcement for knowingly providing false suspect information to impede a criminal investigation.
The YCSO said that it is expected that the CCSO will be filing more charges against Nutter for the offenses made in their county, said the release.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/07/21/ash-firefighter-arrested-in-connection-with-multiple-arsons/70447032007/
| 2023-07-21T23:22:23
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/07/21/ash-firefighter-arrested-in-connection-with-multiple-arsons/70447032007/
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A Mason City man pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver methamphetamine.
According to court records, 45-year-old Dalles Benjamin Dodge was originally charged with three felony controlled substance violations and one count of possession of a controlled substance. He is facing 35 years if convicted on all four counts.
The plea agreement recommends 15 years in prison and the dismissal of one controlled substance violation and the possession charge.
Dodge was arrested at his residence the morning of June 8, 2022.
The affidavit states police found two baggies containing more than five grams of methamphetamine on Dodge’s person. A warrant for Dodge’s arrest was issued April 19. Those affidavit states Dodge sold drugs to an individual working with law enforcement.
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A plea hearing has been scheduled for July 25. The court is under no obligation to accept the recommended sentence.
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/meth-iowa-mason-city-guilty-plea/article_d36f8b8e-2731-11ee-a95d-c7870de33894.html
| 2023-07-21T23:23:07
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/meth-iowa-mason-city-guilty-plea/article_d36f8b8e-2731-11ee-a95d-c7870de33894.html
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A Hampton man arrested in December allegedly in possession of methamphetamine and other drug-related items intends to plead guilty.
According to court records, 40-year-old Matthew Joseph Koenig has been charged with a class C felony controlled substance violation and is facing up to 10 years in prison.
The affidavit states that Koenig’s residence in Hampton was searched on Dec. 8.
Authorities allegedly found several baggies containing methamphetamine, several hundred empty baggies, a scale that field tested positive for methamphetamine and ledger notes of methamphetamine sales to multiple individuals.
The terms of the plea agreement had not been disclosed as of Thursday.
The court is under no obligation to follow whatever that recommendation may be.
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/methamphetamine-guilty-hampton-iowa-koenig/article_0539e81a-2720-11ee-a7e5-af868a721035.html
| 2023-07-21T23:23:13
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/methamphetamine-guilty-hampton-iowa-koenig/article_0539e81a-2720-11ee-a7e5-af868a721035.html
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The North Iowa Fair has officially begun.
Paul Gagnon, North Iowa Events Center board president, welcomed fairgoers to the expanded fair Wednesday. "We know you may have been disappointed in years past, but welcome to the new fair," he said.
The opening ceremony was well attended, with an honor guard of veterans displaying the flags, a number of award ceremonies and the crowning of Miss North Iowa.
Hadley Shatek, 17, of Clear Lake is Miss North Iowa Fair. Shatek also was voted Miss Congeniality by her competitors. The North Iowa Fair Queen will compete at the Iowa State Fair and complete other duties as required.
"I'm so excited to start my term, and I hope everyone can come out and experience the joys of the fair," said Shatek. She steps into the shoes of 2022 North Iowa Fair Queen Liz Richardson.
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The Kinney-Lindstrom Little Farmers area is open for tykes to explore farm life. There are chickens and rabbits to see along with age-appropriate activities for the little ones.
While visiting the Little Farmers area, be sure to stop into the Owen #3 country schoolhouse. Irma Foell is a former student of the one-room schoolhouse and will be on hand to answer questions and tell stories from her time as a student.
Tonight's entertainment is country superstars Shenandoah. Tickets are $10 and there are still some available for purchase at the door.
As always, Treat Street is packed with favorite fair foods and drinks.
The North Iowa Fair begins today, Wednesday, July 19, and runs through Sunday, July 23. Parking is free Wednesday and Sunday and is just $5 per carload on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/north-iowa-fair-paul-gagnon-mason-city-shenandoah/article_548fb420-2681-11ee-ba5b-5bf648e26f2c.html
| 2023-07-21T23:23:20
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/north-iowa-fair-paul-gagnon-mason-city-shenandoah/article_548fb420-2681-11ee-ba5b-5bf648e26f2c.html
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Last year, surgeons across the United States transplanted nearly 43,000 organs into the bodies of sick patients. It was the most organs ever transplanted in one year, and the United Network for Organ Sharing, the Richmond-based nonprofit that oversees transplantation, trumpeted the number as a milestone.
“A thousand little victories” were key to the rise transplants, the organization’s then-CEO, Brian Shepard, said in 2021.
But a study by two transplant experts indicates that the number of kidneys, livers and lungs recovered for transplantation is nothing to celebrate. The real driver of increased organ donation, they said, is the opioid epidemic, which is killing young and middle-aged Americans at a staggering rate.
Between 2009 and 2018, almost all of the increases in organ donation came from drug-related deaths, Dr. Ray Lynch, one of the authors, told Congress on Thursday.
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UNOS, a nonprofit on North Fourth Street downtown, has held the federal contract to oversee organ transplantation since 1986. But in recent years, UNOS has come under scrutiny for a number of issues, including the performance of the organ procurement organizations, or OPO's, that UNOS oversees.
OPO’s aren’t recovering enough organs to help all the sick patients across the country, critics say. More than 100,000 Americans are on the waitlist for an organ. In Virginia, there were about 500 donors, just a fraction of the 1,800 people who were added to the waitlist, according to UNOS.
Each month, 24 people in Virginia die waiting for an organ.
“All UNOS is celebrating are national tragedies, not evidence of a well-run system,” Molly McCarthy, a three-time kidney transplant recipient, said to members of Congress on Thursday.
UNOS said it is committed to modernizing and reforming the organ transplant system, but it disputes the claim that almost all of the increase in donations stems from drug deaths.
"Deceased donors both provide lifesaving treatment for those with end-stage organ disease and represent tragic losses to their families and communities that we should not forget," said Anne Paschke, the UNOS spokesperson.
More people dying young
Since 2010, working-age Americans have been dying at a higher rate, according to a 2019 study from a Virginia Commonwealth University professor, Dr. Steven Woolf. Deaths of Americans ages 25 to 64 increased 6% between 2010 and 2017 thanks to drug overdoses, alcohol abuse and suicides, driving down life expectancy.
How the patient dies and how quickly he or she is taken to a hospital impact whether or not health care workers can recover the organs.
John Shinholser, president emeritus of the substance abuse recovery organization McShin Foundation, suspected for years that opioid deaths were driving increases in organ donation. But he didn’t have the data.
It’s a source of solace for the families whose relative passed in drug-related deaths that their organs can be used for good, he said.
Shinholser mentions organ donation in recovery meetings as a way to drive home the dangers of drug use. “If you (mess) with fentanyl, you can be an organ donor,” he said.
Around 2014, the number of organs recovered from dying people began to increase. But the increase in donation essentially matched the increase in drug deaths, according to the report, authored by Dr. David Goldberg of the University of Miami and Lynch, published in 2019 in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Research. Of new organ donations, 95% came from overdoses, drug-related asphyxiation and other drug-related deaths.
More deaths meant more organs. It also meant the OPO's responsible for recovering organs weren’t actually getting better at their jobs, Lynch said.
UNOS later challenged the study, saying the authors were speculating about the level to which drugs impacted deaths. UNOS researchers wrote that while opioids have played a role in donation, it wasn't the only factor. Trauma, including car wrecks, was also a component.
The research from Goldberg and Lynch lacks firm evidence that so many organ donors died from drug-related causes, said Paschke, the spokesperson for UNOS.
According to UNOS data, 17% of deceased donors died from overdoses in 2022, compared with 4% in 2009.
"By any measure, that is a substantial increase," Paschke said. "Though the actual number is likely higher, as Goldberg and Lynch speculate, it is not presently possible to determine precisely how high from (UNOS) data alone, as Goldberg and Lynch attempted."
'Dead patients don't talk back'
Further research from Lynch and Brianna Doby, who has studied organ procurement organizations for more than 10 years, found that more organs were coming from the Ohio area – where opioids were spiking – and that the arrival of the life-saving drug Narcan appeared to correlate with fewer donations from certain localities.
For years, there was no standard of practice from one OPO to another, Doby added. Some OPO's struggled to reach older donors, she said. Others struggled to recover organs at rural hospitals. Others failed to connect with patients who don't speak English.
Over time, health care has generally improved because patients are given surveys, and low-performing workers and hospitals are rooted out, Doby said. But for OPO's, there is no patient to take a survey or file a complaint and no pressure for the OPO to improve its performance.
"Dead patients don't talk back," Doby said.
Because each OPO has a monopoly on its geographic territory and no competition, it has little motivation to improve, said Matthew Wadsworth, CEO of Life Connection of Ohio, an OPO.
When all those shortcomings are added up, not enough organs are being recovered, Lynch said in Thursday's Congressional hearing.
If low-performing OPO’s recovered as many organs as the median-level groups, there would have been roughly 5,000 more donors between 2013 and 2019, producing an additional 12,000 organs.
Grading organ recovery
In 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began grading organ procurement organizations, using the data gathered by Goldberg and Lynch. Each one is graded as either Tier 1, 2 or 3. OPO’s in Tier 3 eventually will be decertified by the federal government.
Once the OPO's were under scrutiny, and once they had the data grading their performance, something happened - some OPO's began recovering more organs. In 2019, the increase in organs recovered exceed expectations, Lynch said. OPO's were doing better at recovering organs, especially those from older patients.
That year, about 13% of people who died and were eligible to become donors actually donated their organs, according to Doby and other researchers. Though the number sounds low, it was an improvement.
UNOS has considered metrics from OPO's since 2012, Paschke said, but uses different measures than the federal government. The network's membership and professional standards committee evaluates OPO's to determine if the number of organs recovered matches what is expected. The committee works to fix deficiencies and improve service.
But UNOS has taken the position that the job of disciplining OPO's falls to the government. At a Congressional hearing last year, Shepard, UNOS' then-CEO, said his organization is the coaching arm of the system, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is the regulatory arm.
Earlier this year, UNOS said it is committed to working with the federal government to reform the transplant process.
"As long as there is a waitlist, it is our moral obligation to ensure we are promoting progress and increasing equitable access to lifesaving transplants," UNOS CEO Maureen McBride said in a statement.
UNOS also has celebrated the number of transplants performed. But Lynch, the Penn State transplant surgeon, said celebrating the work of OPO's is like celebrating a fire department that responds to only half its calls. The fire department might be busier than ever before, but that doesn't mean it's doing its job.
Waiting nine years
LaQuayia Goldring, a Kentucky resident, was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease as a toddler. At age 17, she received her first kidney transplant. At age 25, her body went back into complete renal failure.
She was told she would wait three to five years for a transplant, she said to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. Instead, she’s waited nine. She undergoes dialysis five days a week and surgeries each month to stay alive.
“The government has failed me as well as many others sitting here today,” she said. The Senate is considering a bill that would break up UNOS’ federal contract for the first time. “My fate lies in the hands of the Senate," Goldring said.
In most of Virginia, organs are recovered by an OPO called LifeNet Health. In 2021, the federal government graded LifeNet as Tier 3, or failing, and ranked it 48th out of 56 organ procurement organizations, according to OPOdata.org, a website that compiles government statistics on OPO’s. The organization’s CEO, Rony Thomas, earns $2.6 million annually.
LifeNet expects to be in the top tier by 2026, said Douglas B. Wilson, executive vice president for the OPO. He said the organization has produced five years of record-breaking performances.
To improve the OPO's metrics, it plans to encourage more Virginia residents to register as donors, especially Black residents, where there is a critical need, Wilson said. More than half of LifeNet's recovered kidneys go to Black recipients, significantly higher than the national average.
LifeNet is one of many OPO's that received a failing score in 2021 - 40% of the country's 56 organizations failed to meet the government's standard. But others are succeeding, such as Life Connection of Ohio, which is ranked No. 1 in the country by federal data. Wadsworth, its CEO, told Congress on Thursday he’s happy to share his organization’s best practices with anyone who asks.
“But no one ever asks,” he said.
This morning's top headlines: Friday, July 21
The United States begins its journey to a record third consecutive Women’s World Cup title with the same confidence it had in winning the last two tournaments. The top-ranked Americans open play against Vietnam, which is no doubt considering the U.S. a daunting challenge in its World Cup debut. The teams meet on Saturday in Auckland at Eden Park. As opponents, the Vietnamese are similar to Thailand, which the Americans thumped 13-0 in the opener at the World Cup four years ago in France.
Temperatures have peaked at or above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) the entire month of July in Phoenix and extreme heat stretches across the American South. Experts say that the lack of cloud cover and high temperatures turn homes into “air fryers." Air conditioning can be a matter of survival. But the resource that is essential for living safely through the extreme heat can come with high electricity bills. Some people say they are rationing air conditioning to avoid bills they can't afford and cooling centers say they are seeing that as well.
When devastating rains swept through the Northeast, farmers in the region were dealt a devastating blow at the worst possible time. Plants were too early to harvest, but are now too late to replant in the abbreviated growing season. Some of the hardest hit farms were located along rivers in Vermont where farmers who'd spent months nurturing tomato, watermelon and other plants saw their efforts wiped out in a matter of hours. Storms dumped up to two months’ worth of rain in a couple of days in parts of the region, surpassing the amount that fell when Tropical Storm Irene blew through in 2011.
The House has overwhelmingly passed a bill that would give the Federal Aviation Administration more money to hire air traffic controllers. It also aims to address pilot shortages by raising the mandatory retirement age. The measure, passed Thursday, seeks to improve air travel and reauthorize FAA programs for the next five years. Lawmakers in both parties widely supported the bill as they respond to this summer’s wave of cancellations and delays. It passed by a vote of 351-69. The Senate is working on its own version of the legislation. Aviation programs are set to expire Oct. 1 unless Congress approves the measure.
Russian cruise missiles, flying low and hugging the terrain to dodge Ukrainian air defenses, have destroyed farm storage buildings in the Odesa region. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlin’s forces expanded their targets early Friday following three days of bombardment of the region’s Black Sea port infrastructure. Local officials said two missiles struck the storage facility, starting a fire, and while workers fought to put it out another missile hit, destroying farm and firefighting equipment in the southern region. The attack was small-scale in comparison with barrages in recent days that put Odesa in Russia’s crosshairs after Moscow tore up a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley has released an unclassified document that Republicans claim is significant in their investigation of Hunter Biden. Republicans say the information is significant as they probe the financial affairs of the President Joe Biden's family, reviving previously debunked claims of financial wrongdoing. House Oversight Chairman James Comer had issued a subpoena to the FBI for the document. It was made public for the first time Thursday. It involves claims a confidential informant made in 2020 about Hunter Biden’s alleged business dealings when he served on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The White House rejected the information as having been “debunked for years.”
A man who worked as a politically appointed State Department official in former President Donald Trump’s administration has been convicted of charges that he attacked police officers during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden heard testimony without a jury before he convicted the former official, Federico Guillermo Klein, and a co-defendant, Steven Cappuccio, of assault charges and other felony offenses stemming from the siege. Prosecutors say Klein and Cappuccio joined the battle in a tunnel where rioters engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police guarding a Capitol building entrance.
Idaho jury finds 5 from white nationalist group guilty of criminal conspiracy to riot at Pride event
Five members of the white nationalist hate group Patriot Front have been convicted of misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to riot at a Pride event in Idaho. The Coeur d’Alene Press reports that a Kootenai County jury found Forrest Rankin, Devin Center, Derek Smith, James Julius Johnson and Robert Whitted guilty on Thursday after about an hour of deliberation. The men were accused of planning to riot at the Coeur d’Alene LGBTQ+ Pride event in 2022. A total of 31 Patriot Front members were arrested and face charges in connection with the event. The five men are scheduled to be sentenced Friday.
Lottery dreamers are setting their sights on the growing Mega Millions jackpot now that a ticket worth more than $1 billion finally has been sold for the Powerball lottery. The new jackpot for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing has reached an estimated $720 million, making it the game’s fifth highest. It hasn’t yet broken into the top 10 highest lottery wins in U.S. history though. If someone picks all five numbers, plus the gold Mega Ball, they have the option of taking the prize in yearly increments paid over 29 years or a $369.6 million lump sum before taxes. The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.
A tiny neighborhood store in downtown Los Angeles near Skid Row has sold the winning ticket for the Powerball jackpot worth an estimated $1.08 billion. It's the sixth largest in U.S. history. The winner could take the $558.1 million lump sum before taxes, or get $1.08 billion paid out in yearly increments. The store where the winning ticket was sold will also receive a $1 million bonus from the California Lottery. Officials presented a giant symbolic check to the store's owner and family on Thursday. The winning numbers for Wednesday night’s drawing were 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and red Powerball 24.
The combined strike by Hollywood actors and screenwriters is entering its second week with no sign of a swift ending. Actor, writer and comedian Marc Maron was on the picket lines outside Netflix on Friday, saying he had gathered a bunch of his comedian buddies to come out and support their fellow strikers. Other comics on picket lines included “Saturday Night Live” alum Fred Armisen and “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder. In London on Friday, British actors held a solidarity event. They chanted “One struggle, one fight" and “The luvvies, united, will never be defeated,” using a British slang term for actors.
The R&A has made adjustments to the bunkers at Royal Liverpool for the second round of the British Open to prevent so many balls running up against the face. The tournament organizer says the bunkers have been raked “slightly differently” to ensure there is more of a slope down to the center of them. The R&A says "we routinely rake bunkers flat at most Open venues but decided this adjustment was appropriate in light of the dried conditions which arose yesterday.” Some players reportedly complained that the flatness of the bunkers meant balls were rolling too close to the face. That could potentially lead to injuries when players swing their club into bunker walls.
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https://richmond.com/news/local/business/health-care/rise-in-organ-transplants-due-to-opioids-not-unos-progress-researchers-say/article_7b98461c-273b-11ee-8f81-0f0525ee24a7.html
| 2023-07-21T23:26:40
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https://richmond.com/news/local/business/health-care/rise-in-organ-transplants-due-to-opioids-not-unos-progress-researchers-say/article_7b98461c-273b-11ee-8f81-0f0525ee24a7.html
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https://www.postregister.com/news/local/fall-from-grand-teton-trail-results-in-fatality/article_f524a8de-280a-11ee-9c96-e308217ffed8.html
| 2023-07-21T23:28:54
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https://www.postregister.com/news/local/fall-from-grand-teton-trail-results-in-fatality/article_f524a8de-280a-11ee-9c96-e308217ffed8.html
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The video above is a previous promotional video.
DALLAS (KDAF) — A well-known supplier of handmade, plant-based soaps and skincare items has made a “super squeaky clean move ” to open its 14th store in Addison.
Buff City Soaps, is a soap bar where you and a friend can go and decorate and create amazing soaps! To celebrate their opening, the first 50 people in line to visit July 21 through July 23 will receive free soap for a year with purchase.
Buff City Soaps will also be hosting raffles all day for prizes like a bath bomb party, free laundry soap for a year, and/or a $100 gift card. There will also be discounts all weekend from 20% off all soap items and 30% off purchases of $100 or more, according to their social media.
For more information on Buff City Soaps, visit them here.
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https://cw33.com/news/local/soap-bar-opens-new-location-in-addison/
| 2023-07-21T23:29:34
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https://cw33.com/news/local/soap-bar-opens-new-location-in-addison/
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Car crash kills 17-year-old Owen Valley star diver
A 17-year-old star athlete from Owen Valley High School was killed in a Thursday night car crash.
Tristan Calvin, of Spencer, died from injuries he suffered when his car, southbound on Ind. 231, left the highway near Lanes Road and struck a metal culvert head-on.
The impact caused the vehicle to flip and land on its roof, said Owen County Sheriff Ryan White.
When authorities arrived around 8 p.m. Thursday, they had to cut Calvin out of the vehicle, the sheriff said.
White said the cause of the accident is unknown and it may remain that way, as no one else was in the vehicle. The sheriff said while it had sprinkled earlier that day, it did not appear that road conditions or inclement weather contributed.
White said he also saw no evidence of “braking or skidding or anything like that.” He said it appeared the student simply ran off the road for an undetermined reason and struck the 5-foot-tall round, metal culvert that goes underneath the highway.
Also in Owen County:In tiny Gosport, Indiana, they're all Republican and they can't get along
The sheriff said Calvin had been coming from practice with the Owen Valley High School band and was headed to a friend’s house.
Calvin was a star athlete, participated in cross country and swimming and held school diving records.He would have been a senior in the school year that starts Aug. 3.
White said Calvin was “a great kid” who kept very busy with athletics, band and other activities.
White said he knew the family personally as he and they were neighbors for a few years.
“Good people,” he said.
Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
This story may be updated.
Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.
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https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/car-crash-kills-17-year-old-owen-valley-star-athlete/70445874007/
| 2023-07-21T23:30:46
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https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/21/car-crash-kills-17-year-old-owen-valley-star-athlete/70445874007/
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The pilot of a small plane that crashed, with a passenger at the controls, on Martha's Vineyard this weekend has died, authorities said Friday.
Randolph Bonnist, a 79-year-old from Norwalk, Connecticut, died at Boston Medical Center Thursday night, according to the Cape and Island District Attorney's Office. Authorities have previously said that the plane's pilot experienced a medical emergency and that the plane's passenger took over before the plane crashed at Martha's Vineyard Airport Saturday.
The passenger was identified Friday as his wife, Robin Bonnist, who was not hurt. Foul play isn't suspected in the crash, prosecutors said.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating what happened, has yet to release a detailed preliminary report on the crash.
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Officials haven't shared the nature of the medical episode Bonnist experienced. Earlier this week, a Massachusetts State Police spokesman said the pilot, who suffered a medical emergency while flying the plane, remained in serious condition.
The Federal Aviation Administration previously confirmed two people were on board when the single-engine 2006 Piper Meridian crashed while landing at the airport in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, around 3:15 p.m. Saturday. The plane landed in a grassy area near the runway.
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State and local police initially said the pilot was having a medical episode upon approach, forcing his passenger to take over the controls. The plane had departed from Westchester, New York.
The woman attempted to land the aircraft, which resulted in a hard landing outside the runway, causing the aircraft's left wing to break in half, state police said. Local police described the incident as a the plane landing on its belly with no landing gear and said the pilot had to be extricated from the plane.
Both the pilot and passenger were taken to Martha's Vineyard Hospital, before the man was flown by medical helicopter to Boston for further treatment. The woman was not injured in the crash, state police said, but she was evaluated at the hospital and released.
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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/pilot-dies-days-after-medical-emergency-crash-landing-on-marthas-vineyard/4526259/
| 2023-07-21T23:33:40
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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/pilot-dies-days-after-medical-emergency-crash-landing-on-marthas-vineyard/4526259/
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Atlantic and Cape May counties issued the following traffic advisories for next week:
A lane shift and a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on Mill Road in Absecon between Cordelia Lane and Delaware Avenue from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday.
A single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on Weymouth Road in Hamilton Township from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday for drainage improvements.
Ocean Heights Avenue will be closed to through traffic between Blackman Road in Egg Harbor Township and New Road in Somers Point from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
A single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on English Creek Avenue in Egg Harbor Township from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
A single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on Ocean Heights Avenue between Steelmanville and Blackman roads in Egg Harbor Township from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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A single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on Mill Road between Fire Road and Patcong Drive in Egg Harbor Township from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
A single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on Steelmanville Road between Ocean Heights Avenue and Blackman Road in Egg Harbor Township from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
A single-lane, alternating traffic pattern will be in effect on Zion Road between Bargaintown and Old Zion roads in Egg Harbor Township from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tyler Road in Woodbine and Dennis Township will be undergoing roadway resurfacing beginning Tuesday. Southbound traffic will be detoured. Traffic heading south on Washington Avenue will not be able to turn onto Tyler Road and will be directed east onto Route 47. The work is expected to be done between 5:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and will continue for four weeks.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-and-cape-may-counties-issue-traffic-advisories/article_dfe946ba-2804-11ee-b0dd-5b38bf203839.html
| 2023-07-21T23:34:52
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-and-cape-may-counties-issue-traffic-advisories/article_dfe946ba-2804-11ee-b0dd-5b38bf203839.html
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ATLANTIC CITY — A lucky gambler won $1.5 million by hitting the jackpot while playing table games at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa last week, American Gaming Systems said Friday.
The player, who was not named, hit the Bonus Spin Xtreme progressive jackpot last Friday, AGS said in a news release. The gambler made the $5 progressive wager to trigger the Bonus Spin Xtreme wheel and hit the Triple Diamond jackpot.
The jackpot is linked between the casino hotel's 17 Bonus Spin Xtreme tables, AGS said.
The casino did not immediately return a request for comment.
The hit was AGS' highest payout in its history and the second million-dollar payout AGS’ table games division has seen this year, the company said. The first was a $1.2 million jackpot hit earlier in 2023.
AGS provides gambling experiences to casinos around the world, according to its website.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/casinos/atlanticcity-gamer-hits-jackpot/article_05beb2d2-27e5-11ee-88b6-5397cb65e408.html
| 2023-07-21T23:34:58
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/casinos/atlanticcity-gamer-hits-jackpot/article_05beb2d2-27e5-11ee-88b6-5397cb65e408.html
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A former Ocean City police sergeant was sentenced to five years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a high school student, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.
Tyrone Rolls, 52, of Marmora in Upper Township, pleaded guilty March 2 to endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct. In addition to his five-year sentence, Rolls will join the Megan's Law sex offender registry, be barred from public employment and will be subject to parole supervision for life, the Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.
Rolls was initially charged April 7, 2021, and indicted Nov. 16, 2021, on two counts of official misconduct, one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one of aggravated assault of a domestic violence victim.
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The victim told authorities Rolls began the assaults when she was a 15-year-old Ocean City High School student. She told police the encounters occurred both in his police car and at his home, according to past reports. He also was accused of striking the victim.
Rolls had been recognized and awarded for his community work, and even received a key to the city from Mayor Jay Gillian.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/former-ocean-city-police-sergeant-sentenced-for-sexual-abuse-of-teen/article_db4a887a-2800-11ee-99b6-db492d237ae5.html
| 2023-07-21T23:35:04
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-courts/former-ocean-city-police-sergeant-sentenced-for-sexual-abuse-of-teen/article_db4a887a-2800-11ee-99b6-db492d237ae5.html
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Atlantic County is preparing to spray parts of Galloway Township and Port Republic for mosquitoes, county officials said Friday.
The spraying will take place between 6 and 8:30 p.m. Monday, weather permitting, county officials said in a news release.
The Galloway areas that are scheduled to be sprayed include Route 9 and Kings Highway; Route 9 east to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, from Smith-Bowen Road to Leeds Point Road; and Route 9 east to the Forsythe Refuge, from East Somers Landing Road to East Chanese Lane.
In Port Republic, the areas that are scheduled to be treated are between Clarks Landing Road and Chestnut Neck.
Aerial spraying will be done using Duet HD, the trade name for prallethrin and synergized sumithrin, officials said.
Questions about the pesticides can be directed to the county's Office of Mosquito Control at 609-645-5948.
People are also reading…
Because of the heat-trapping effects of fossil fuel emissions, mosquitoes are here longer. By analyzing temperature and humidity trends from a station at Atlantic City International Airport, science and news group Climate Central found the mosquito season here is 23 days longer on average than it was in 1979.
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/mosquito-spraying-planned-in-galloway-port-republic/article_e3bc0e2c-27f9-11ee-89d1-3f42c58676ca.html
| 2023-07-21T23:35:10
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https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/mosquito-spraying-planned-in-galloway-port-republic/article_e3bc0e2c-27f9-11ee-89d1-3f42c58676ca.html
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A child’s body was recovered in the Delaware River in the Port Richmond area Friday evening, according to the police.
After an e911 call at 5:04 p.m. a white girl, approximately 2-years-old, body was pulled from the river by a boat near 3900 Delaware Avenue, police said.
Medics pronounced the girl dead at 5:30 p.m.
The Upper Makefield police will have a press conference at 9 p.m. tonight with an update on the child recovered from the river.
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This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/childs-body-found-in-delaware-river-in-port-richmond-police-say/3609535/
| 2023-07-21T23:35:23
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/childs-body-found-in-delaware-river-in-port-richmond-police-say/3609535/
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FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said it’s responding to nearly double the amount of 911 misdials compared to last year, all because of a new Android update.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
They’re just one county seeing the effect of a nationwide issue.
The National Emergency Number Association reported a 30% increase in call volumes in May and Junes, most of them attributed to the Emergency SOS feature on Androids.
If you’re in an emergency, you want to be able to dial 911 fast. A new Android update provides a way to do just that.
You hit the power button on your phone five times.
Read: Excessive heat advisory issued for Flagler County
But dispatchers said the update also makes it easier for people to accidentally call for help.
“This is Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. This phone came up as calling 911,” said a dispatcher.
This was just one of roughly a dozen or so misdials Flagler County typically receives.
Christina Mortimer, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office director of communications, said many of the misdials are from this new Android update.
“It is very easy for Android users to call 911 just by placing your phone in a cup holder and accidentally hitting the side button,” Mortimer said. “It just automatically calls 911.”
Read: A timeline of fentanyl cases this month inside Orange County Jail
Mortimer said that the spike in misdials is staggering compared to last year.
In June 2022, Flagler County had 1,103 misdials. This past month, the county received 2,011 misdials — 900 more than in 2022.
The uptick is stretching the county’s emergency services thin.
“Especially if they hang up, the dispatcher now has to call that number back,” Mortimer said. “They have to find a location. They have to send a deputy.”
Read: Daytona Beach’s iconic pier reopens after 300-day closure due to hurricane damage
Mortimer said if you realize you misdialed 911, don’t hang up. Instead, stay on the line so dispatchers can confirm there’s not an emergency.
“It does save the dispatcher a lot of time,” Mortimer said.
The Sheriff’s Office urges everyone to go into their settings to disable the feature under the safety and emergency option on Android 12 or newer.
From there, you toggle off the Emergency SOS feature.
If you have an Android 11 or older, you can turn off the feature under “advanced settings.”
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/flagler-county-deputies-sees-increase-911-misdials-after-android-update/J32KYWT5V5CYBPLAQAY3OSTG54/
| 2023-07-21T23:40:29
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/flagler-county-deputies-sees-increase-911-misdials-after-android-update/J32KYWT5V5CYBPLAQAY3OSTG54/
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Woman, 62, dies in head-on Volusia County crashNo water, homes torn apart: residents around mobile home park feel abandoned‘Help Me’: Kidnapped girl from Texas rescued in California after writing note to passerbyTriple-digit heat indexes reported across Central FloridaProject Kuiper: Amazon to build $120M satellite processing facility at Kennedy Space Center
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/florida-renters-fear-sudden-rent-hikes-with-protections-stripped-away/TIPBKXY36ZAMVE7DOQ2GZ5F5SI/
| 2023-07-21T23:40:36
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/florida-renters-fear-sudden-rent-hikes-with-protections-stripped-away/TIPBKXY36ZAMVE7DOQ2GZ5F5SI/
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Woman, 62, dies in head-on Volusia County crashNo water, homes torn apart: residents around mobile home park feel abandoned‘Help Me’: Kidnapped girl from Texas rescued in California after writing note to passerbyTriple-digit heat indexes reported across Central FloridaProject Kuiper: Amazon to build $120M satellite processing facility at Kennedy Space Center
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/no-water-homes-torn-apart-residents-around-mobile-home-park-feel-abandoned/RQTD3YZ3ONFIJDR62KLGFZUL4Q/
| 2023-07-21T23:40:43
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/no-water-homes-torn-apart-residents-around-mobile-home-park-feel-abandoned/RQTD3YZ3ONFIJDR62KLGFZUL4Q/
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VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Sanford woman died after a head-on crash in Volusia County on Friday, Florida Highway Patrol troopers said.
Troopers said the woman, 62, veered into oncoming traffic on Pioneer Trail east of Tomoka Farms Road and hit a tractor-trailer head-on.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Troopers said the woman died on the scene.
The truck driver was not injured and remained on scene.
Read: Daytona Beach’s iconic pier reopens after 300-day closure due to hurricane damage
Troopers said the crash remains under investigation.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/woman-62-dies-head-on-volusia-county-crash/HKMHHGBXOFESFJVBWMPOSQTBWI/
| 2023-07-21T23:40:49
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/woman-62-dies-head-on-volusia-county-crash/HKMHHGBXOFESFJVBWMPOSQTBWI/
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BLOOMINGTON — A Chicago woman pleaded guilty Friday to one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony.
Rochelle A. McCray , 40, was sentenced to 24 months of what is known as first-time offender probation.
Under the terms of this type of probation , if an individual pleads guilty to an offense and successfully completes their probation period, the charge would be dismissed.
She was also ordered to pay a $75 discretionary fine and a $100 street value fine, to take a substance abuse evaluation, to perform 30 hours of community service and to submit to three drug screenings during probation.
McCray was arrested in January 2022 when the vehicle in which she was traveling was stopped by Bloomington police for traffic related offenses.
A police dog indicated there were drugs in the car, and a search revealed about 50 bags that each contained 50 grams of cocaine.
In addition to the possession charge she pleaded to, McCray was initially charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, but those charges were dismissed Friday.
A co-defendant, Tony Robinson, pleaded guilty in May to one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance for 15-100 grams of cocaine and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He was sentenced to four years in the Department of Corrections on each count and one year of mandatory supervised release on each count.
Updated mug shots from The Pantagraph
Bryant Lewis
Bryant Lewis, 28, of Bloomington, is charged with home invasion causing injury, a Class X felony. His next appearance is Dec. 30.
Connor Wood
Derek Roesch
Derek Roesch of Saybrook was charged Thursday, Nov. 10 in McLean County Law and Justice Center with several counts, including:
-Two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, Class 2 felonies
-One count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon while on parole, Class 2 felony
-Two counts of unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a felon, class 2 felonies
-One count of unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a felon while on parole, class 2 felony
-Unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver (greater than 2000 grams but less than 5000 grams), a class 1 felony
-Unlawful possession of cannabis (greater than 2000 grams but less than 5000 grams), a class 2 felony
-Unlawful possession of a controlled substance, psylocibin less than 15 grams, a class 4 felony
-Unlawful possession of methamphetamine, less than five grams, a class 3 felony.
-Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor
Justin M. Mata
Justin M. Mata, 28, no address given, is charged with possession of less than five grams of meth with intent to deliver, a Class 2 felony, and possession of less than five grams of meth, a Class 3 felony. He was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and his next appearance is Dec. 30.
Connor Wood
Marcus D. Wesley
Marcus D. Wesley, 36, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a vehicle (Class 4 felony), unlawful possession of cannabis (Class 3 felony) and unlawful possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Phillip Tinch
Phillip Tinch of Normal was charged Thursday, Nov. 10 at the McLean County Law and Justice Center with several felonies including:
- Five counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, more than one but less than 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine, a Class 1 felony.
-One count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, less than one gram of a substance containing cocaine, a Class 2 felony.
Trisha L. Hanke
Trisha L. Hanke, 36, is charged with theft of over $10,000 (Class 2 felony). Court documents indicate she knowingly took $14,000 belonging to a Love's Travel Stop, in LeRoy, where she was employed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
William B. Givens
William B. Givens, 49, no address given, is charged with unlawful possession of five to 15 grams of meth with intent to deliver, a Class 1 felony, possession of less than five grams of meth with intent to deliver, a Class 2 felony, possession of five to 15 grams of meth, a Class 2 felony, and possession of less than five grams of meth, a Class 3 felony. His next appearance is Dec. 30.
Connor Wood
David L. Oliver
David L. Oliver, 51, of Bloomington, is charged with predatory criminal sexual assault.
Kenneth E. Funk
Kenneth E. Funk, 27, is charged with residential burglary (Class 1 felony) involving an apartment in Lexington on Dec. 31, 2022.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jordan R. King
Charges have been filed against Jordan R. King, 34, for violation of the Illinois Violent Offender Against Youth Act.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Holly M. Isaacson
Isaacson
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kenneth L. Minton
Kenneth L. Minton, 51, is charged with aggravated home repair fraud (Class 2 felony) and theft (Class 3 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tony L. Jackson
Tony L. Jackson, 50, is charged for violation of the Illinois Violent Offender Against Youth Act (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Britley L. Hilger
Britley L. Hilger, 32, is charged with aggravated battery (Class 2 felony) after she supposedly punched a McLean County Detention Facility officer in the chest.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jasmine L. Smith
Jasmine L. Smith, 31, is charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol (Class 2 felony) and five counts of endangering the life or health of a child (Class A misdemeanors).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jackie S. Claypool
Jackie S. Claypool, 46, appeared for a Friday bond court hearing for two new cases which charged her for one count of burglary (Class 2 felony), four counts of forgery (Class 3) and one count of deceptive practices (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Noah R. Demuth
Noah R. Demuth, 22, of Evanston, is charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer, a Class 2 felony, aggravated battery in a public way, a Class 3 felony, mob action, a Class 4 felony, and obstructing a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor. His next court date is Feb. 17.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Brandon L. Parsano
Brandon L. Parsano, 39, is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, a Class 2 felony. His next appearance is Feb. 17 for an arraignment.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Alexander N. Williams
Alexander N. Williams, 24, was charged Feb. 2 with the following:
3 counts of unlawful delivery of cannabis between 30 and 500 grams - Class 3 felonies. 2 counts of armed violence - Class X felonies. 1 count of unlawful possession of cannabis between 2,000 and 5,000 grams with the intent to sell - a Class 1 felony. 1 count of unlawful possession of cannabis between 500 and 2,000 grams with the intent to sell - a Class 2 felony. 3 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon - Class 3 felonies. 1 count of unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a felon - a Class 3 felony 3 counts of violating the Illinois FOID act - Class 3 felonies.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Carlos Sanchez-Solozarzano
Carlos H. Sanchez-Solozarzano, 22, was charged with 1 count of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jaylin S. Bones
Jaylin S. Bones was charged with four counts of first-degree murder stemming from a homicide in Bloomington last year. A McLean County grand jury also returned a bill of indictment charging him with attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm (Class X felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jordan R. King
Jordan R. King, 34, was charged with violating the Illinois Violent Offender Against Youth Act (Class 2 felony) a second time in under a month.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Dominique M. Banks
Dominique M. Banks, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery involving strangulation (Class 2 felony). The incident happened in October 2022 and involved one victim.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Austin T. Daugherty
Austin T. Daugherty, 29, was charged with burglary (Class 2 felony) after he entered an Avis Car Rental, 3201 Cira Drive, in Bloomington, without permission and with the intent to commit theft.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Sandra M. Lewis
Sandra M. Lewis, 77, is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance containing MDMB-4E-PINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid, with the intent to deliver (Class X felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Samantha E. Morris
Samantha E. Morris, 40, is charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer (Class 2 felony) after supposedly spitting on a Colfax police officer.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Nolan C. Love
Nolan C. Love, 46, appeared in court Friday for a bond review hearing after being charged with aggravated domestic battery involving strangulation (Class 2 felony) on Feb. 26.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Nikkita L. Sandefur
Nikkita L. Sandefur, 36, is charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (Class 2 felony) containing cocaine.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Katlin M.B. Wilson
Katlin M.B. Wilson, 32, is charged with aggravated identity theft (Class 2 felony) after being accused of fraudulently obtaining money exceeding $300 but not exceeding $10,000 from a 60 year old man.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Eli C. Garozzo
Eli C. Garozzo, 20, is charged with two counts of home invasion, a Class X felony, two counts of attempted armed robbery, a Class 1 felony, and two counts of residential burglary, a Class 1 felony. His bond was set at $200,000 as a 10% bond, meaning he must pay $20,000 plus fees to be released. His next appearance is an arraignment on April 13.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tysean T. Townsend
Tysean T. Townsend, 35, is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle (Class 2 felony), three counts of child abduction, aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer and obstructing justice (Class 4 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Curtis J. Byrd
Curtis J. Byrd, 31, is charged with two counts of burglary (Class 2 felony), two counts of fraud and two counts of financial institution fraud (Class 3 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Noral K. Nelson
Noral K. Nelson, 31, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm (Class 4 felony) after he was arrested in connection to a shooting along the 1500 block of S. Main Street.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Charles J. Tankson
Charles J. Tankson, 23, was charged with burglary (Class 2 felony), theft and two counts of unlawful use of a debit card (Class 3 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Davis, Micah S
Davis was charged with 3 counts of arson, Class 2 felonies, and 3 counts of criminal damage to property, Class 4 felonies.
His next court date is May 5 at 9 a.m.
PROVIDED BY THE MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Livingston, Joshua D.
Livingston was charged with 2 counts of possessing stolen vehicles, Class 2 felonies, possession of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony, and criminal damage to government property, a Class 4 felony.
His next court date is May 5 at 9 a.m.
PROVIDED BY THE MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kevin L. Ewen
Kevin L. Ewen, 42, appeared in a Thursday bond court hearing and was charged with aggravated battery (Class 2 felony), obstructing a peace officer (Class 4 felony) and two counts of resisting a peace officer (Class A misdemeanor).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Emmanuel K. Mpay
Emmanuel K. Mpay, 23, appeared in a Thursday bond court hearing following a grand jury indictment for two counts of criminal sexual assault (Class 1 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Ahmad S. Manns
Ahmad S. Manns, 19, appeared in a Friday bond court hearing and was charged with cannabis trafficking (Class X felony), unlawful possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) and unlawful possession of cannabis (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Dylan R Mann
Dylan R Mann, 31, appeared Friday in bond court following four grand jury indictments for two separate cases relating to aggravated assault and battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tony L. Jackson
Tony L. Jackson, 50, was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle (Class 2 felony), domestic battery, violation of an order of protection and driving while license revoked or suspended (Class 4 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
William R. Linden
William R. Linden, 79, was released Tuesday on felony burglary charges for trying to pass a forged check at Busey Bank.
Zadek U. Moen
Zadek U. Moen, 20, is facing six felony drug charges after being arrested by the Illinois State Police on Thursday.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Zachary T. Willis
Zachary T. Willis, 27, is charged with aggravated domestic battery by strangulation (Class 2 felony) and domestic battery subsequent offense (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Cecily M. Sexton
Cecily M. Sexton, 39, was charged with two counts of burglary, a Class 2 felony; one count of forgery, a Class 3 felony; financial institution fraud, a Class 3 felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tonisha A. Jackson
Tonisha A. Jackson, 27, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, a Class 3 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
James A. McConnaughay
James A. McConnaughay, 53, appeared in a Friday bond court hearing before Judge Amy McFarland. McConnaughay is charged with unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of methamphetamine (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jessica M. Longberry
Jessica M. Longberry, 38, appeared in a Friday bond court hearing before Judge Amy McFarland. Longberry is charged with burglary (Class 2 felony) and forgery (Class 3 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Barry D. Guyton
Barry D. Guyton, 26, was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon (Class 2 felonies) two counts of unlawful possession of 15-100 of cocaine with the intent to deliver with one being a Class X felony and the other being a Class 1 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Keon E. Spiller
Keon E. Spiller, 22, appeared in a Friday bond court hearing before Judge Amy McFarland and was charged with attempted escape after his jury trial reached a verdict.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Melina Aguilar
Melina Aguilar, 32, was charged with harassment of witnesses (Class 2 felonies) after asking a witness to lie on the record.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Carlos D. Cregan
Carlos D. Cregan, 35, was charged with harassment of witnesses (Class 2 felonies) after asking a witness to lie on the record.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Wayne M. Damron
Wayne M. Damron, 52, is charged with one count of violation of the Illinois Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Terrance L. Ford
Terrance L. Ford, 25, is charged with two counts of burglary (Class 2 felony) and two counts of retail theft (Class 3 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Stanley M. Miller
Stanley M. Miller, 61, was charged Friday with aggravated driving while under the influence of alcohol (Class X felony) and driving while driver's license revoked (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Darryl R. Vinson
Darryl R. Vinson, 60, is charged with violation of the sex offender registration act (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jarvis K. Heads
Jarvis K. Heads, 46, is charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of cocaine between one and 15 grams (Class 1 felony) and three counts of unlawful delivery of cocaine less than one gram (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Wesley M. Noonan
According to police, 49-year-old Wesley Noonan of Bloomington was indicted on 59 counts of possession of child pornography (Class 2 felony) on Wednesday related to an investigation by BPD's Cyber Crimes Unit.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Brad Carter
Brad Carter was indicted on Wednesday for eight counts of dissemination of child pornography (Class X felony) and 13 counts of possession of child pornography (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Brian K. Burnett
Burnett is charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, Class 1 felonies, and one count of unlawful use of a firearm by a felon, a Class 2 felony.
The incident in question happened when a drug deal went bad in March 2022 and Burnett shot at the sellers before fleeing.
Burnett is currently in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
His next court date is 1:30 p.m. August 24.
Kenneth D. Downey
Downey is charged with one count of aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony, obstructing peace officers, a Class A misdemeanor, and carrying a concealed firearm in a prohibited area, a Class B misdemeanor.
Downey confronted Illinois State Police at the LeRoy Police Station on July 17 with said firearm in his waistband. He was restrained, and then kicked LeRoy Police Chief Jason Williamson.
His bond was set at $150,000 with 10% to apply. His next court date is 10 a.m. July 28
Kenyon J. Bones
Bones is charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, Class 1 felonies, and one count of unlawful use of a firearm by a felon, a Class 2 felony.
The incident in question happened when a drug deal went bad in March 2022 and Bones shot at the sellers before fleeing.
His bond was set at $500,000 with 10% to apply. His next court date is 9 a.m. July 28
Contact D. Jack Alkire at (309)820-3275.
Twitter: @d_jack_alkire
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-courts/chicago-woman-sentenced-to-probation-in-mclean-county-drug-case/article_7415f73a-27eb-11ee-940a-1379d7c8fd1f.html
| 2023-07-21T23:42:38
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-courts/chicago-woman-sentenced-to-probation-in-mclean-county-drug-case/article_7415f73a-27eb-11ee-940a-1379d7c8fd1f.html
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LINCOLN — Just two semesters after Lincoln College closed its doors to students, Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch told a local radio show Friday that the school would reopen.
“I don’t have a lot of details to share with you to be honest, but Lincoln College is going to open back up,” Welch said on the WHOW Morning Show in Clinton, following a discussion about bringing businesses into the community to support Lincoln’s economy.
The mayor said he’s been in meetings about the possibility of reopening.
“That’s a huge positive for our community,” he said. As a city, “yeah, we’ve lost but the economy is still moving in the right direction, and hopefully when we get Lincoln College back and some of these other new businesses off the ground, we’re going to see more economic growth and financial growth. We can put that back in the community.
“I’ve said it before: all signs are positive,” Welch said.
Lincoln College closed May 13, 2022 at the end of the spring semester. At that time, The Pantagraph reported the school cited the increased expenses from the pandemic, along with the accompanying decline in enrollment, and revenue, as part of the reason for the closure.
This story will be updated.
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/lincoln-mayor-says-lincoln-college-will-reopen/article_ed78b854-281a-11ee-b1bc-b7a2dd97754b.html
| 2023-07-21T23:42:44
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/lincoln-mayor-says-lincoln-college-will-reopen/article_ed78b854-281a-11ee-b1bc-b7a2dd97754b.html
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TWIN LAKES — As the gates opened Friday, the crowds surged on Day 2 of Wisconsin’s Country Thunder music festival near Twin Lakes.
People flooded the gates when they opened at 1 p.m.
This was Hailey Renn and Kelsi Steele’s first time at the music festival. When the gates opened at 1 p.m., they made sure to immediately go to the front row of general admission seats and claim their spots for the evening.
“We’re really excited to see the performers today and we wanted front row spots,” Renn said.
Renn and Steele said they’re most excited to see Jon Pardi, who performed at 10 p.m. They said they were going to wait all day to watch his act in the front row.
The two agreed that they enjoy outdoor concerts more than indoor ones, which prompted them to buy tickets to Country Thunder for the first time.
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“We’ve been going to a lot of concerts this year and we really liked the line-up, so we wanted to go,” Renn said.
Friday was also Nicholas and Katie Haasser’s first visit of 2023’s music festival.
“We went two years ago and we really enjoyed it,” Katie said. “Last year we couldn’t get tickets because they sold out so fast, so we just wanted to come again.”
Katie said the best part about Country Thunder is the “entire experience.” She said the two of them like getting food and “listening to the music.”
“I like hanging out and seeing the crowd,” Nicholas said. “I’m really excited to see Parmalee.”
Katie said she’s most excited to see Jon Pardi perform.
“Everything else at the festival seems really similar (compared to two years ago),” Katie said.
She won tickets
Sisters Missy Folger and Kelsey Saunders came to Country Thunder after Folger won four tickets from radio station Q98.5 in Rockford, Ill.
“I put my voice on the radio … and they picked my saying to win,” Folger said.
While it was Folger’s second time at Country Thunder, it was Saunders’ first.
“I’m just really excited for a good night. I think it’s going to be a good time,” Saunders said. “I’m surprised to see how open everything is right now and I can’t wait to see the flip tonight.”
While Folger is excited to see Bailey Zimmerman perform Sunday at 5:30 p.m., Saunders was looking forward to seeing Lainey Wilson on Friday.
“I’m hoping to just have a good time while spending time together,” Folger said.
Jennie Gibson went to her first Country Thunder performance in 1997 and went for about 10 years in a row after that before taking a break.
“Then I decided I’m single, no more boyfriend, and I wanted to come enjoy it (the festival) anyways,” Gibson said.
She said despite not knowing many of the country artists these days, she enjoys attending the music festival to see what’s new in the country music world.
“I hope the festival keeps doing well. I just hope that they keep having it and people enjoy themselves,” Gibson said.
Minor fire
On Thursday there was a “minor” fire behind the main stage. Matt Gronke with the fire department said “there were some cardboard boxes burning underneath a generator.”
Gronke said the fire was extinguished before they got there.
“Other than that it was really uneventful,” Gronke said. “No news is good news in our department.”
As a reminder, Matt Gall with the fire department hopes everyone in attendance at Country Thunder uses their “common sense” and “stays safe” on the grounds.
Tony Ibarra, a medic at Country Thunder, tells guests to “drink more water, have fun and stay safe.” He said their ultimate goal of the weekend is to ensure they’re keeping everyone safe.
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https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/crowds-surge-friday-at-county-thunder-wisconsin-musical-festival/article_1c6db2ee-27fe-11ee-a9f9-63388bdf7663.html
| 2023-07-21T23:48:46
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https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/crowds-surge-friday-at-county-thunder-wisconsin-musical-festival/article_1c6db2ee-27fe-11ee-a9f9-63388bdf7663.html
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CONWAY, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Public Safety (DPS) released a statement Friday regarding the in-custody death of 26-year-old Deitric Williams in Conway on July 17.
According to DPS, an Arkansas State Crime Laboratory autopsy on Williams showed "no evidence of life-threatening inflicted injury or internal injury." The full autopsy report has not been released at this time.
Williams died due to "medical distress" after a domestic disturbance call turned into an on-foot pursuit with Conway police.
Authorities said Williams was allegedly "fighting inside a vehicle" with a woman around 11:44 a.m. on Monday in the parking lot of the McDonald's on Oak Street when authorities were called to the scene.
Conway police asked Williams for identification, prompting the man to search his car. When Williams allegedly did not comply with exiting the vehicle, he was pulled out and started running.
According to Conway Police Department, Williams led officers on a foot chase until he was taken into custody behind a residence on Gum Street.
Once in custody, police said he "began to exhibit signs of medical distress."
Williams died at a local area hospital around 4:18 p.m.
The Conway Police Department also said that family members of Williams will be able to view the body camera footage of his death to "dispel further misinformation from circulating."
We've looked into the use of force and duty to intervene policies for Conway police, and we have them linked both here and here.
THV11 has requested any information on either incident, including body cam video. We've been told that information cannot be released pending the conclusion of the ASP investigation.
We also reached out to the City of Conway but were told they won't comment during ASP's investigation.
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/conway-in-custody-death-autopsy/91-b3908fb6-e9df-4e56-b08c-263586e04060
| 2023-07-21T23:50:07
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/conway-in-custody-death-autopsy/91-b3908fb6-e9df-4e56-b08c-263586e04060
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ArcelorMittal released its sell-side analysts’ consensus figures forecasting a $1.44 billion profit in the second quarter.
The Luxembourg-based steelmaker, whose North American operations are headquartered in Schererville, is projected to bring in $2.49 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, in the second quarter.
Analysts from Bank of America, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Exane, Group Santander, ING, Keybanc, Morgan Stanley, Oddo and UBS projected ArcelorMittal would make $1.69 per share in the second quarter, up from $1.28 in earnings per share in the first quarter.
The steelmaker, which also operates the ArcelorMittal Global R&D research center on Columbus Drive in East Chicago, turned a $1.1 billion profit in the first quarter, when it pulled in $1.1 billion in EBITDA.
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ArcelorMittal has $11.5 billion in gross debt and $6.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents. It debt jumped by $2.2 billion as the result of the acquisition of ArcelorMittal Pecém in Brazil and ArcelorMittal Texas HBI.
The steelmaker bought back 19.1 million shares in the first quarter and plans to buy an additional 85 million shares through May.
ArcelorMittal was long one of Northwest Indiana's largest steelmakers and the largest steelmaker in the world, but sold off most of its assets in the United States to Cleveland-Cliffs in late 2020 as it looked to lower its carbon impact by unloaded older vertically integrated steel mills like those along the Lake Michigan lakeshore in Northwest Indiana.
Its North American operations now include facilities in Canada, Mexico, Alabama and Texas.
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/analysts-forecast-1-4-billion-second-quarter-profit-for-arcelormittal/article_18c355f8-271e-11ee-9434-077b3cfcd271.html
| 2023-07-21T23:52:00
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/analysts-forecast-1-4-billion-second-quarter-profit-for-arcelormittal/article_18c355f8-271e-11ee-9434-077b3cfcd271.html
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HAMMOND — Inside a classroom in the bioscience building at Purdue University Northwest, a group of medical students are huddled around two hexagon tables. At one of the tables is the instructor of this learning session, Ernest Talarico, wearing lavender gray medical scrubs.
Talarico is leading the group in a case scenario where a couple is dealing with infertility issues. He’s asking the students questions based on the information provided, the students shuffle through their notes and scroll through their PowerPoints to look for the answers. They answer the questions, with Talarico filling in any information they may have missed. If they're struggling with a question or topic, he asks a student to write it down on the whiteboard with a list of "learning issues" the students will have to research after this session.
Talarico is a professor of anatomy and physiology at PNW. He is leading the group of students in a problem-based learning session, where medical students are gradually presented with information in a clinical case. The process is meant to simulate the way an actual doctor gets information and data from a patient in real life. According to Talarico, it allows the students to use their basic science and clinical knowledge to apply it in a real-life clinical scenario.
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The class is a cohort of international medical students and graduated physicians that arrived in early July. Nearly all of them are from Vietnam, up until last week, they were also joined by students from the Czech Republic. The medical students are either in their fourth or fifth year of school. In Vietnam, medical school is a six-year-long process. The students are either from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City or Tan Tao University, where Talarico serves as a faculty advisor.
The graduated physicians are recent international medical students that are residing in the U.S. as they are seeking to be accepted in a residency program. Luke Lawrence John is one of those graduated physicians. He's originally from Malaysia and currently resides in Minnesota as he's looking to be accepted in a residency program in either internal or family medicine. Lawrence John describes PBL learning as kind of a maze.
"It's a very active form of learning where we're not reading from a textbook and about particular diseases, rather we are looking at a problem that we're trying to solve," Lawrence John said.
Typically, PBL cases last around three sessions, with each session lasting two hours. However, Talarico says he makes these sessions three hours long so the students have an opportunity to practice their English.
In addition, the students are conducting clinical rotations at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. In these rotations, they are moving between different medical disciplines and seeing patients under the supervision of an attending physician. This is the first year PNW has hosted a summer program for international medical students. However, Talarico has had prior experience, when he taught a summer cadaver program when he was previously at Indiana University Northwest.
On Friday, the students presented in-depth research they did outside of the sessions on a medical condition or topic of their choosing. Some of them will be returning home at the end of the month, while the rest will be staying a few more weeks to continue their medical rotations.
Talarico hopes these students take what they've learned in the past weeks to help improve the care of patients and improve the education of future doctors in their home countries.
"Exposure, experiences and educating is where it's at and that's how people are going to have better treatment and better medical outcomes," Talarico said.
Mai Hoang, one of the students who will be returning to Vietnam, says she will take back all that Talraico has taught them. "And I hope that I can be a better student, and I can graduate and become a great doctor," Hoang said.
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/pnw-host-international-med-students/article_56bf5b68-27e6-11ee-87d9-e7e77d405cbb.html
| 2023-07-21T23:52:02
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/pnw-host-international-med-students/article_56bf5b68-27e6-11ee-87d9-e7e77d405cbb.html
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HAMMOND — Some Hammond Common Councilmembers say they need more information before voting on an ordinance that would force gas stations to close overnight.
The legislation was introduced two weeks ago, just a few weeks after a 33-year-old man from Chicago died after being shot around 2 a.m. at the Luke gas station at 5105 State Line Ave.
Under the proposed ordinance, all of Hammond's 37 gas stations would be forced to close from midnight to 5 a.m. However, owners would be able to petition the Hammond Board of Public Works and Safety for an exception to the mandatory closure. Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. has said stations that are near the highway and are used by trucks and people driving cross-country could have strong cases for staying open 24/7.
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The ordinance has generated strong emotions on both sides: supporters says it will curb violence, while opponents say it will push crime elsewhere and cost people their jobs.
The council heard from gas station owners, employees, residents, city officials and police officers during a Thursday committee meeting. The ordinance will be reviewed again during a Monday committee meeting, which will take place at 4 p.m., before the regular 6 p.m. council meeting.
Jim Witham, who operates Witham Sales and Services and previously owned four gas stations in Hammond, said he feels the ordinance is being "rushed."
“We can talk about health and safety all you want, but you shut down businesses... you’re putting 20, 30 people out of a job" Witham said many overnight employees have to work the late shift because they are parents or have other jobs. "Is that fair?”
He also said forced overnight closures would leave gas stations vulnerable to break-ins.
Councilwoman Janet Venecz, D-at-large, cosponsored the ordinance alongside Councilman Dan Spitale, D-at large.
Venecz said she has spoken to the mother of Ronnie Martin, the 33-year-old man who was killed at the Luke gas station.
"Our primary function as city officials is to keep our city safe and all I’m hearing about is money, money, money," Venecz said. "What price do we put on a human life?”
Hammond Police Chief William Short said violence at gas stations has been on the rise.
During a July 10 Common Council meeting, McDermott presented a number of public safety statistics. He said that since 2019, 195 violent crimes have occurred at Hammond gas stations between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. Additionally, Hammond Police and Fire have received 657 calls for service from gas stations between midnight and 5 a.m., since 2019.
Lieutenant Karl Eidam said gas stations draw valuable police resources away from the rest of the city. Police regularly patrol the stations at night, especially those that are known narcotic and gun transfer locations.
“I understand that some see it as an inconvenience, but it is a small sacrifice for the greater good of our community safety," Short said.
Councilwoman Alexander, D-at-large, asked the police department to provide more specific data, outlining where exactly the crimes occurred, what stations seem to have the most crime and how these numbers compare to other businesses that are open 24/7.
Laura Ebeling is a manager at a gas station located at 175th St. and Indianapolis Blvd. She said her station doesn't have "any more issues from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. than during the day." She also said closing gas stations will just push crime to other businesses and other communities.
"We have people that come into our station as a safe haven, Uber drivers or people that are facing domestic violence, they come into our station because they are lit up like the sun," Ebeling said. "If we close at midnight, all of those overhead lights are completely dark and that spot on Indianapolis Boulevard is a dark spot."
McDermott has said that if the ordinance passes, the city could consider a phased implementation, giving employees time to adjust their schedules and owners time to petition the BOW.
Hammond City Planner Brian Poland said the city has limited gas station hours in the past. Provisions established in 2003 state that gas stations that abut residential properties must be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. However, most of the gas stations in the city predate the rule; it can only be enforced if a new gas stations comes to the city or if any existing station applies for a structural modification.
Gary elected officials have also sought to curb violence at gas stations. Over the past few years, Gary Mayor Jerome Prince and the Common Council have considered legislation that would require gas stations to have armed security guards overnight, but the ordinance has never moved forward.
Multiple councilmembers suggested the city explore alternative crime reduction tactics such as bulletproof glass, security cameras and guards.
Councilman Dave Woerpel, D-5, asked Hammond gas station owners to "admit there's a problem, work with us, tell us what you're willing to do."
"Just to say 'sorry there's nothing we can do,' I can't accept that," Woerpel told the owners.
The Monday committee meeting will end at 5:15 p.m. and the official Common Council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Both meetings will be held in the Hammond City Hall, which is located at 5925 Calumet Ave.
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/hammond-gastation-ordinance-commoncouncil-violence-police/article_30d5b8ca-27dc-11ee-b292-5736668665a7.html
| 2023-07-21T23:52:03
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/hammond-gastation-ordinance-commoncouncil-violence-police/article_30d5b8ca-27dc-11ee-b292-5736668665a7.html
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PORTAGE — An update to the 534-page document guiding regional transportation planning through the first half of the 21st century neared its official publication last week as the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission approved a final draft that incorporates new federal legislation and recent local developments.
"NWI 2050+" is the federally mandated four-year update of 2019's "NWI 2050" plan. It details principles in six planning areas to guide NIRPC's administration of federal transportation funding and its role as a council of local governments.
"This is really the foundational document for our work in the region," NIRPC transportation director Tom Vander Woude said in presenting the final draft to the commission Thursday.
Updates from 2019 include setting new goals for bicycle and pedestrian trails, of which more than 200 miles have been built in recent decades, particularly the major trails crossing the Region.
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"This plan actually drills down a little more closely into some of the connections that provide access onto those 'interstate highways' of the bike trails," Vander Woude said, including dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks.
The plan also emphasizes climate and environment, with increased focus on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase climate resiliency. Supporting electric vehicle charging station expansion, access to public transportation and promoting development of compact, walkable communities are elements of those goals.
The accommodation of the Region's critical position in the nation's freight network has its own chapter, with emphasis on supporting the economic contribution but mitigating some of the negative impacts of a sector that's expected to increase by 13% in tonnage hauled and 42% in value by 2025.
The plan also addresses land use in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, as well as public transit within the Region and its road network.
Maintaining and enhancing the transportation network over the next five years is detailed in depth in another federally mandated document, the regional Transportation Improvement Program, a draft of which was also approved at Thursday's meeting.
The TIP includes all projects seeking federal funding and those that are deemed "regionally significant." With local matches, the TIP approved last week includes nearly $391 million in potential expenditures through 2028.
Both "NWI 2050+" and the TIP are available at nirpc.org in the Mobility menu.
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/regions-long-range-transportation-plan-gets-update/article_9e70aff4-27f3-11ee-8b16-53590e1e2e3f.html
| 2023-07-21T23:52:05
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https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/regions-long-range-transportation-plan-gets-update/article_9e70aff4-27f3-11ee-8b16-53590e1e2e3f.html
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GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Triple digits in the dog days of summer has most looking for a place to cool off. Hundreds came out Friday to Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark to enjoy a little pool time, and splash along some holiday cheer.
“It’s one of the most magical weekends of the year, Christmas in July, it doesn’t get any better than that,” said Epic Waters Representative Michael Wampler.
It’s jingle all the way, even in July at the Grand Prairie indoor water park. The poolside winter wonderland lasts through Sunday, and plenty are getting into the holiday spirit
“It’s like the Fourth of July and Christmas, it’s so fun,” said 10-year-old Jeanette Gallargo.
Carmen Palmiero brought his family to the park and said he was surprised to see Santa’s chair at the entrance.
“I was just telling my wife about it you know, you get excited for Christmas when you hear it, like Christmas music…in the pool,” said Palmiero.
Those keeping it cool in the pool can enjoy everything from a holiday-themed acrobatic circus, to dance performances, letters to Santa, and frozen hot chocolate.
It’s also a jolly break from the heat under the pool’s UV protected dome, where the atmosphere looks especially merry and bright.
Tickets to Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark can be purchased online or at the door.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/grand-prairie-indoor-waterpark-christmas-in-july-weekend/287-0a172d7e-b20f-42d3-af7c-d0aadc485746
| 2023-07-21T23:56:44
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/grand-prairie-indoor-waterpark-christmas-in-july-weekend/287-0a172d7e-b20f-42d3-af7c-d0aadc485746
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...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT /11 PM PDT/
SUNDAY NIGHT...
* WHAT...Temperatures up to 109 Saturday and up to 105 on Sunday.
* WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest and west central
Idaho and southeast Oregon.
* WHEN...Until midnight MDT /11 PM PDT/ Sunday night.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
&&
Police tape surrounds the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho in Nampa on Thursday. The city announced its plans to assume control of the building last week through a press release, saying that leadership of the center was not in compliance with its lease.
A statewide leader in the Hispanic community would like to see a supportive and productive transition of power regarding the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho being turned over to the city of Nampa.
In an emailed statement on Friday morning, the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs Board Chair Juan Alvarez said, “All of us should support this leadership transition and do everything we can to ensure that the Cultural Center continues to provide valuable service and support to our community.”
Alvarez also emphasized unity, all members of the local community having a voice, and various entities coming together to best help chart the center’s path moving forward.
A complaint filed by the city stated that leadership of the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho was not in compliance with its lease. Terms of the lease included that the organization provide economic opportunities such as job training, community programs for families and people of all ages, and a detailed maintenance budget and records of maintenance activities to the city.
The complaint also stated that the center’s CEO Humberto Fuentes refused to repair the building, work with community leaders and show proper revenue and expense budgets for the center.
In his statement, Alvarez said that the cultural center exists to serve the community and “For 21 years, it has done just that.”
Alvarez pointed to the center being a driver for good, from holding citizenship classes, ‘know your rights’ sessions, holiday celebrations, performances, and more.
He said the goal when the facility opened was to improve the lives of Hispanics through culture, education and economic opportunity.
“We cannot allow differences in opinion to disrupt our community or stifle the gains it has made,” Alvarez said.
He said that people must first think of the community the center serves and “work with city leadership in a transparent and inclusive process to find new management and an operating model that delivers positive results for everyone involved.”
Alvarez said those things are accomplished with an “engaged and vocal community,” and when everyone knows the facts, works together, respects each other’s views and ensures that all voices are heard.
“The best advice I can offer is to engage in the process, united with conviction, compassion, and empathy,” he said. “We must work to overcome differences and proceed with mutual respect instead of allowing disagreements to drive us apart.”
Alvarez pointed to the diversity of the local community, highlighted by various nationalities, races, and ethnic and religious backgrounds.
“And yet, there can be no question that we have much more in common than what separates us,” he said.
At the end of his statement, Alvarez said the top priority should be ensuring that the facility continues to improve the lives of those it serves.
“The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs is prepared to help create a bright and sustainable future for the Hispanic Cultural Center,” he said. “We want to work with everyone – the city, citizens, the business community, non-profits, patrons, and community leaders – to help achieve an effective transition.”
The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs works toward “educational, economic, and social equality for Hispanics in Idaho" according to the website icha.idaho.gov. The commission is composed of nine board members, two of which are appointed by the President Pro Tem and two by the Speaker of the House. Five are public members from the Hispanic community and appointed by the Governor.
Alvarez has served on the commission since 2006. He is currently a Deputy Laboratory Director for Management at the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls.
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https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/icha-board-chair-everyone-must-come-together-to-chart-future-of-hispanic-cultural-center-of/article_6ebbeee0-27f8-11ee-8335-e3ce4c2f32cf.html
| 2023-07-21T23:56:46
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https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/icha-board-chair-everyone-must-come-together-to-chart-future-of-hispanic-cultural-center-of/article_6ebbeee0-27f8-11ee-8335-e3ce4c2f32cf.html
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TEXAS, USA — Before a packed courtroom in Austin this week, a group of women relived their pregnancy losses.
The Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit in March on behalf of 15 Texas women who said the law put their lives in danger.
During the two-day hearing, attorneys called two out-of-state physicians as witnesses, who both said they found the language about exceptions in Texas’ abortion law to be confusing.
“There’s a grey zone. There’s a lack of clarity,” said Dr. Ali Shahbaz Raja, a physician from Boston. “[Doctors] are going to err on the side of caution of not treatment.”
One doctor argued against other physicians’ claims that the law is unclear, saying doctors who do not provide abortions when a patient has severe pregnancy complications are misunderstanding the law.
Dr. Ingrid Skop, a Texas OB-GYN, argued that “the law is clear." She suggested physicians who are fearful of making a wrong decision “haven’t read the law carefully.”
“They should have known they could offer intervention in that situation,” Dr. Skop said. “They did not need to wait until women were on the verge of dying and going to the ICU before they intervened.”
During testimony, the women shared stories of how they were unable to get a medical abortion during their pregnancies, despite the pregnancy putting their lives at risk. Some women were, at times, too emotional to speak. One of them became physically ill while on the witness stand as she recounted her experience of having to carry her baby to term, despite doctors telling her halfway through her pregnancy that her daughter had no chance of survival.
Texas is one of 13 states where abortion bans were automatically instated when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer. Texas’ trigger law prohibits all abortions except under limited circumstances, such as a “life-threatening condition to the mother caused by the pregnancy.”
Physicians who perform an abortion outside of these circumstances could be subject to a sentence of up to life in prison and at least a $100,000 fine.
Authors of the legislation said the state’s trigger law works in concert with Texas’ 2021 law, known as Senate Bill 8 — which allows private citizens to sue providers or anyone who aids and abets abortions that occur after six weeks.
The lawsuit does not seek to overturn the laws. Instead, plaintiffs are asking the court to clarify when physicians can make exceptions to the law.
SMU Professor Seema Mohapatra studies abortion law. She says the consequences of violating this law are severe.
In this case, Mohapatra said it may leave some doctors hesitant to provide a standard of care that is otherwise normal and expected when there’s a pregnancy complication.
“It’s this very, you know, odd and unhealthy kind of relationship for a physician to have with their patient that, no, you’re not sick enough right now and I could risk, you know, having a felony conviction. I could risk my license," Mohapatra explained from the viewpoint of a physician.
The judge overseeing the case says it will take weeks before a decision is made. Mohapatra said, regardless of the decision, anyone pregnant in the state of Texas, as well as physicians, "will be potentially impacted by this."
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas-judge-could-take-weeks-make-decision-exceptions-state-abortion-laws-woman-suing-state/287-91905edf-2e86-44cc-8d29-fa2974096e51
| 2023-07-21T23:56:50
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas-judge-could-take-weeks-make-decision-exceptions-state-abortion-laws-woman-suing-state/287-91905edf-2e86-44cc-8d29-fa2974096e51
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...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT /11 PM PDT/
SUNDAY NIGHT...
* WHAT...Temperatures up to 109 Saturday and up to 105 on Sunday.
* WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest and west central
Idaho and southeast Oregon.
* WHEN...Until midnight MDT /11 PM PDT/ Sunday night.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
&&
Edible psilocybin mushrooms were among the illegal drugs confiscated in Thursday's drug bust by the Meridian police.
Meridian police arrested five people Thursday and found “trafficking quantities” of drugs including cocaine, marijuana and edibles, according to a news release.
Police served a search warrant near the 3000 block of East Copper Point Drive, the release said. The officers found 909 grams of cocaine, 2,759 units of edible psilocybin mushrooms and 6,641 units of THC edibles. They also found 2,473 grams of marijuana BHO wax, 70 grams of raw marijuana and 77 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms.
“The edibles were packaged as popular candies and cereal brands with colorful and brand consistent packaging,” the release said.
The people arrested ranged in age from 17 to 24. A sixth suspect, the owner of the residence, was arrested by Nampa police earlier on Thursday as part of the investigation, the release said.
All suspects were charged with multiple crimes. Some were charged with felonies.
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https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/meridian-police-make-several-arrests-in-significant-drug-bust/article_2f7a28ce-280b-11ee-8638-3727161a7856.html
| 2023-07-21T23:57:02
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https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/meridian-police-make-several-arrests-in-significant-drug-bust/article_2f7a28ce-280b-11ee-8638-3727161a7856.html
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Federal appeals court grants Nessel request to review Line 5 case
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has granted Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s request to review a lower court’s decision in her lawsuit against Enbridge Energy seeking to shut down its Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, Nessel’s office announced Friday.
The court will hear arguments to determine if the case belongs in state court or federal court.
In a statement Friday, Nessel said she looks forward to presenting arguments that the case should be sent back to a Michigan state court.
“As Michigan’s top law enforcement official, I brought this case forward on behalf of the People of Michigan to protect Michigan’s Great Lakes,” Nessel said in the statement. “It is a Michigan case that belongs in a Michigan court. Enbridge voluntarily litigated this case in state court for over a year before deciding it would prefer a different forum. Today the Sixth Circuit granted my request to review this important matter, and I am hopeful that they will send this case back to state court where it belongs.”
An Enbridge representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Nessel first sued Enbridge in state court in 2019, where it was litigated for more than a year. Enbridge later moved the case to federal court, launching a fight over jurisdiction.
In February, Grand Rapids Federal District Judge Janet Neff agreed to certify her August order that denied Nessel's request to keep the case in state court. That allowed Nessel's office to appeal the case.
Neff's order was the second time the judge had ordered Line 5 cases be kept in federal court. The judge made a similar ruling in November 2021 in a case brought by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
According to Nessel's office, the parties will file briefs and argue before a panel of judges.
cwilliams@detroitnews.com
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/21/federal-appeals-court-grants-nessel-request-to-review-line-5-case/70448470007/
| 2023-07-21T23:57:18
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/21/federal-appeals-court-grants-nessel-request-to-review-line-5-case/70448470007/
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HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man is thanking people on social media for helping identify the men who he said brutally attacked him inside during a concert.
Matt Garland says he was attacked by a group of men on the lawn at the Snoop Dog and Wiz Khalifa concert at the Pavillion at Star Lake.
Garland said he left in an ambulance, beaten unconscious. His tooth had come through his cheek. he said the attack was completely unprovoked after the man standing behind him asked him to sit down.
“We went into the lawn we got our seats and the gentleman behind me asked me to sit down, I said ‘Look around everyone here is standing including you,’” Garland said.
Garland said his teenage son and his son’s girlfriend has just walked to the other side, luckily missing what happened next.
“Next thing you know he taps me on the shoulder, I turn around and he punched me in the face,” Garland said. “Before I knew it there were 4-5 of them I was getting hit from all angles, security was nowhere to be found. Basically, people in the ground good Samaritans they finally got me out of there the last guy who came up stomped me in the face and head and that’s when I became unconscious.”
Matt took to social media hoping someone could identify the men who he says ran away. The post had more than 300 shares, plus hundreds of comments and private messages all with the same names.
“Strangers saw it thought it was wrong and reached out, I got the names and I was able to go to the police,” Garland said.
Matt took the names and photos to Hanover Township Police. He is hopeful assault charges are coming and thankful for an outpouring of support.
“I do hope that justice finds them. Karma too,” Garland said. “And I want to thank everyone on Facebook.
Hanover Township Police said the attack was not reported the night of so now they are using the information provided, in part, by everyone on social media they have begun.
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| 2023-07-21T23:57:29
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/man-uses-social-media-identify-people-who-attacked-him-during-concert/RRMYMETJHVC43KNVFHLZPL6S7Q/
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins have earned recognition for social impact and growth.
The team is the recipient of the NHL’s ‘Stanley Award.’ A Penguins spokesperson said it earned the honor for its efforts in advancing equity in youth hockey, the Highmark Hunt Armory, the Braddock Carnegie Library Reading Champions built by U. S. Steel and PPS All-Stars mentoring program with Pittsburgh Public Schools.
“We are proud of our Penguins staff and partners for their commitment to positively impacting our Pittsburgh community and bringing greater diversity and inclusion to the game of hockey,” said Penguins President of Business Operations Kevin Acklin.
This is the third time the Penguins have earned the ‘Stanley Award,’ but the first time its been recognized in the social impact and growth category. The two previous awards were for sponsorship activation.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-earns-stanley-award-third-time/CE4TD4BSAZHEVOTNH723GW3ADE/
| 2023-07-21T23:57:35
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/penguins-earns-stanley-award-third-time/CE4TD4BSAZHEVOTNH723GW3ADE/
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates signed right-hander Noah Takacs of Cal State Sacramento University as an undrafted free agent Friday.
Takacs made three starts this spring and went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 15 innings.
He is a native of Victoria, British Columbia.
Click here for more from PittsburghBaseballNOW.com.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pirates-sign-non-drafted-free-agent-pitcher/C7ZP2D53RRCBNKQDOCDEV2UOBU/
| 2023-07-21T23:57:42
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pirates-sign-non-drafted-free-agent-pitcher/C7ZP2D53RRCBNKQDOCDEV2UOBU/
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SAN ANTONIO — IMAX 70mm screenings of the highly anticipated summer blockbuster "Oppenheimer" arrived with a dud Thursday night at downtown's AMC Rivercenter, where the first public screening was cut short due to audio issues and a later showing was canceled outright.
Moviegoers who were anticipating watching the latest movie from "Inception" and "Tenet" director Christopher Nolan in what he calls "the best-possible format" instead shared their disappointment on social media, pointing out that while AMC was offering refunds, all remaining IMAX 70mm screenings of the film were sold out for opening weekend.
Many of those fans were coming from elsewhere in Texas. The AMC Rivercenter is one of 19 U.S. theaters – and just two in Texas, the other being in Dallas – equipped to project "Oppenheimer" in the IMAX 70mm format.
An AMC spokesperson told KENS 5 on Friday afternoon that repairs to the IMAX 70mm system were ongoing, and that the theater expected the screenings to resume "beginning with Saturday morning showtimes."
In the meantime, audiences who expected to catch the film in the rare IMAX 70mm format are instead watching it in the more common, less vivid IMAX digital scan—an experience they wouldn't have had to hit the road for. And it's unknown if AMC Rivercenter employees are being directed to tell arriving moviegoers that the film will instead be shown in the digital laser scan instead of 70mm.
"We understand there is huge consumer demand for these 70mm IMAX showtimes," said Ryan Noonan, vice president of corporate communications at AMC. "Once the 70mm IMAX system resumes operations, we are committed to programming these showtimes in a way that accommodates that demand."
As of 5 p.m. Friday, Monday's 12:15 p.m. matinee showing is the earliest tickets can be secured for "Oppenheimer" in IMAX 70mm at the Rivercenter, but seats remained available for the regular-format digital version as well as some for IMAX digital.
>TRENDING ON KENS 5 YOUTUBE:
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/oppenheimer-san-antonio-amc-rivercenter-imax-70mm-screenings-times-canceled-glitch/273-9337f25c-c87f-4e7e-933a-bf2e29ab202c
| 2023-07-21T23:57:49
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/oppenheimer-san-antonio-amc-rivercenter-imax-70mm-screenings-times-canceled-glitch/273-9337f25c-c87f-4e7e-933a-bf2e29ab202c
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TRAFFORD, Pa. — Dina Boyanowski was asleep when the storms rolled through late Thursday night.
She was jolted awake by a loud bang just after 11 p.m.
“It was something I’ve never experienced before,” Boyanowski said. “It was crazy.”
The noise was from a massive tree being uprooted from the ground and crashing into her home.
“I just jumped out of bed, it just felt like your house was being...just gonna explode basically,” Boyanowski recalled. “Like the walls just all moved, the windows cracked.”
She ran outside and saw what happened -- and was in complete shock.
“Oh boy!” she recalled thinking. “Huh. Maybe I should just go back to sleep!”
She didn’t go back to sleep. Firefighters from Level Green Volunteer Fire Department got to the house and immediately started working to clear the tree off the roof.
Boyanowski is extremely thankful for them.
“Level Green went above and beyond and all local fire departments should be praised as much as they possibly can because they’re the ones who are out there helping people like myself in the neighborhoods and those are the most important people to get recognition,” she said.
Boyanowshi has contractors working to clear the tree from the yard. They already fixed the part of the damaged roof early Friday, but there’s a lot of work to be done.
She’s glad no one was hurt.
“That’s the most important thing,” Boyanowski said. “This stuff can all get rebuilt and stuff like that.”
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| 2023-07-21T23:57:49
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/tree-crashes-onto-home-during-severe-thunderstorms-trafford/7IM4XL6PNVCV5DLYG2T53CJGDU/
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BEARDEN, Ark. — The Ouachita County Sheriff's Office has requested the activation of a Silver Alert for 60-year-old Johnny Ray Strong.
Strong, of Bearden, was reported missing on July 19 in the area of 1335 Ouachita 95. He was wearing jeans, a gray shirt and a dark hat.
He's six feet tall and about 160 pounds, with a bald head and brown eyes.
The Strong family is offering a cash reward for information that leads to his whereabouts.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact the Ouachita County Sheriff's Office at (870) 231-5300.
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https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/missing-persons-reports/ouachita-county-missing-bearden-man/91-2f716409-4b8a-4c7e-b9e1-f0cbfd30397c
| 2023-07-22T00:01:35
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https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/missing-persons-reports/ouachita-county-missing-bearden-man/91-2f716409-4b8a-4c7e-b9e1-f0cbfd30397c
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DAVISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) - The cleanup is underway in Davison Township as families begin to assess the damage from Thursday's storm.
The hail put holes in siding and windows, and left many with cracked windshields on their cars.
At Timber Heights Manufactured Home Community, the damage is pretty extensive. There are holes in the siding that look like a baseball was thrown through the side of the house.
For residents that were home during the storm, it was a particularly harrowing experience.
"It was the longest 10 to 15 minutes of my life because I didn't know what was going to happen," said Roxanne Lindsay.
Lindsay was at home when the hail came down Thursday. She did her best to say safe, even as the hail broke through her roof and her skylight.
"Me and the dogs covered up in the bed, trying to put a pillow over my head to try and stay safe," Lindsay said.
Almost every resident in Timber Heights is facing some form of damage, either to their car, their home, or even the ground itself.
Many in this area haven't even begun to think about cleanup yet either. They have to wait for insurance adjustors to come out an take a look at things first. With so much damage, it may take a while for them to reach every home.
"I called the insurance company yesterday afternoon right after I got home," said Wayne Noel. "I got home maybe 40 minutes after it stopped and I called the insurance company. The adjustor was supposed to call me this morning but they haven't called me yet."
Lindsay is facing a similar issue.
"The contractor says they have an emergency thing just to cover the holes where the insulation is coming out and fix the sunroof or the skylight, but I haven't got anything from them," said Lindsay.
The hope is that the insurance process moves quickly. The last thing residents want is for rain to come while there are still large craters in their roof and in their siding.
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https://www.abc12.com/news/local/it-was-the-longest-10-to-15-minutes-of-my-life-davison-residents-clean-up/article_9f6caff0-2818-11ee-8ff9-bf6e9b37b3e4.html
| 2023-07-22T00:01:41
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https://www.abc12.com/news/local/it-was-the-longest-10-to-15-minutes-of-my-life-davison-residents-clean-up/article_9f6caff0-2818-11ee-8ff9-bf6e9b37b3e4.html
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MID-MICHIGAN (WJRT) - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow have announced more than 11 million dollars in federal grants for two Mid-Michigan airports.
Both Flint Bishop Airport and MBS International Airport will receive money.
Flint Bishop will receive roughly $5.8 million to rebuild an aircraft rescue and firefighting building.
MBS International will also receive $5.6 million to rehabilitate a runway and install a runway visual guidance safety system.
Both Michigan senators are voicing their support for both facilities, saying the airports are crucial for local economic development and they deserve the infrastructure to operate safely.
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https://www.abc12.com/news/local/mbs-international-and-flint-bishop-to-receive-11-million-in-grants/article_e19ecdde-2810-11ee-aded-3b1ee80d3337.html
| 2023-07-22T00:01:47
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https://www.abc12.com/news/local/mbs-international-and-flint-bishop-to-receive-11-million-in-grants/article_e19ecdde-2810-11ee-aded-3b1ee80d3337.html
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PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – 487 dogs are up for adoption Saturday at a special adoption event in Charlotte County.
The Animal Welfare League (AWL) is hosting an adoption event with food trucks, Caffe Cow and Grumpy’s Hot Dogs. Cats, dogs, and bunnies are all available for good homes. AWL is running special pricing for the event.
“It’s sad for these animals because they’re so great and they’re so loving…they don’t understand they’ve lived in homes for 7 years and all of a sudden they’re here,” said Kris Steffens, executive director of AWL.
Steffens said this is a national crisis. Shelters are hitting capacity for animals because of the increasing cost of living throughout the nation.
“With the economy being so bad, people can’t afford their pets and to feed their children at the same time,” said Steffens. “So if they can’t, they’re making really difficult decisions.”
The event will be held on Saturday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Animal Welfare League located at 3519 Drance Street in Port Charlotte.
AWL is also in need of volunteers. More information about the event and volunteer opportunities can be found on their website.
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https://nbc-2.com/news/local/charlotte-county/2023/07/21/hundreds-of-animals-seek-homes-at-adoption-event-in-port-charlotte/
| 2023-07-22T00:04:22
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https://nbc-2.com/news/local/charlotte-county/2023/07/21/hundreds-of-animals-seek-homes-at-adoption-event-in-port-charlotte/
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CLOQUET — The Minnesota Attorney General's office announced that it has charged former Cloquet police officer Laci Marie Silgjord for allegedly trying to financially exploit a now-deceased 78-year-old woman who had been incapacitated by a stroke.
Silgjord, 35, left the Cloquet force in June 2022 after a complaint was filed by the estranged husband of the alleged victim in the wake of her death. Silgjord served more than seven years in uniform.
According to the complaint, Silgjord first met Joan Arney on May 5, 2020, when the elderly Cloquet woman called police to report a missing purse.
The officer returned to Arney's residence on Aug. 5, 2020, after her half-brother had requested a welfare check. The police report indicated he was trying to reach Arney to discuss "inheritance paperwork" but had been unable to contact her.
On Aug. 25, 2020, Silgjord paid a third visit to return mail Arney had mistakenly sent to the local police station.
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Silgjord and her partner found Arney on the floor. Medical authorities believe she may have suffered a stroke four days earlier. Arney was transported to the Cloquet Community Hospital and was later transferred to St. Luke's hospital, where she would later die Oct. 28, 2020.
Medical reports indicate Arney suffered significant memory and cognitive difficulties in the wake of her stroke, including hallucinations. St. Luke's petitioned the St. Louis County Court to appoint a guardian to oversee Arney and help direct her medical care.
Meanwhile, Silgjord visited Arney in the hospital and kept tabs on the welfare of her Cloquet home. During this time, she recorded conversations with Arney on her phone. During these visits, Silgjord appears to have gained Arney's trust.
In a Sept. 23, 2020 recording, Silgjord called Arney her "new grandma" and told her that she loved her. Arney responded that she loved Silgjord, as well and wanted to take care of her.
At the time, the complaint says Arney did not know the year, could not recognize a photo of herself, did not know her maiden name and could not recall when her only son had died.
In another recorded conversation, believed to have also been made Sept. 30, 2020 Arney again said she loved Silgjord and wanted to take care of her family.
Silgjord would later use the recordings to lay claim to Arney's estate, in the absence of a will.
On Sept. 11, 2020, Silgjord was appointed Arney's legal guardian after she told the court that a social worker at St. Luke's had asked her to serve in that capacity.
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Silgjord was not appointed Arney's conservator and should not have had access to her financial accounts but managed to gain entry to them nevertheless by allegedly misrepresenting her status to a local credit union.
When Arney died, Silgjord used money from the deceased woman's accounts to pay for her cremation. She did not notify any of her family members, including Arney's estranged husband, Roger Arney of Wrenshall.
Roger Arney said he learned of his spouse's death by way of a newspaper obituary. Upon contacting the funeral home, he first learned that Silgjord had handled all the arrangements.
The Arneys had separated in 2013 but were never divorced.
Roger Arney arranged to meet Silgjord at a Perkins restaurant in November. In a conversation that Silgjord recorded, she told Arney she was "in charge" of making sure that the wishes of the woman who had been placed in her charge were carried out. She also declined to give the keys to the deceased woman's residence to Arney when he requested them.
The complaint says Arney remains the legal heir to Arney's inheritance by law, in the absence of a will.
On Nov. 24, Roger Arney visited the residence and encountered Silgjord there. She again refused to hand over the key to the house to him and threatened to call police. She again recorded the conversation and said she would not surrender the key "until the courts make me sign it over."
Silgjord also said, "I have guardianship and conservatorship," and "until the courts release me, I am still on the guardianship and conservatorship paperwork."
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In actuality, Silgjord's role as guardian ended when Arney died and her role had never been that of a conservator.
Silgjord petitioned the court to award Arney's estate to her own family, first laying claim to about $71,000 and then about an additional $86,000, when an inheritance from the deceased woman's stepmother came to light.
In a letter to the court, Silgjord said she believed it was "in Joan's best interest to donate the proceeds of her estate to build a dog park or community garden in her honor."
The court declined those requests.
When Roger Arney registered his concerns about Silgjord with the Cloquet Police Department, it prompted an internal investigation, but the case was referred to the Minnesota Attorney General's office to avoid any potential local conflict of interest.
Silgjord now faces charges of felony and gross-misdemeanor financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and one count of felony attempted theft by swindle.
Silgjord declined to be interviewed by the investigator who filed the criminal complaint.
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https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/former-cloquet-police-officer-charged-with-swindle-elder-fraud
| 2023-07-22T00:05:14
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https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/former-cloquet-police-officer-charged-with-swindle-elder-fraud
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A 49-year-old man was sentenced to 17 years in prison for a crime spree that included a car theft, police chase and run-over manslaughter of a woman in 2021.
Sean K. Beck of Olympia was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter, five counts of unlawful use of a weapon with a firearm, three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and DUI – with no opportunity to shorten his sentence.
On July 28, 2021, Keizer police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle behind a business at the corner of River Road and Dearborn Road just after 8:30 p.m. When officers arrived, they confronted Beck near a 2014 silver Nissan X-terra, which had been reported stolen by its owner and had three weapons inside. These weapons included a Glock pistol, an A-R 15 and a Savage (.338 Lapua Magnum) rifle
Once officers approached, they say Beck exchanged shots with multiple officers and fled the scene in the stolen car – heading southbound on River Road. As Beck sped through the intersection of River Road and Cummings Lane, he ran over a woman named 64-year-old Becky Dietzel while she was crossing the street.
Beck continued to elude police and did not stop until officers stopped him by force. After a 20-minute standoff, he was taken into custody and brought to a Saolem hospital for treatment of his gunshot wounds. A blood test revealed that Beck had a .35 BAC at the time of the chase.
Lucinda Cates, a friend of Dietzel, previously told KOIN 6 that she hoped Beck would spend the rest of his life in prison.
“I honestly, in my heart, I wish he’d get the death sentence. He shot at the police, you know? And he killed my best friend,” she said. “He should be the one laying in the morgue, not her.”
Dietzel’s death occurred just weeks before her 65th birthday.
“The best way to describe Becky is she was an angel on Earth before she ever was an angel in heaven,” said Cates. “She would open her doors for anybody or feed them, anything they needed whether she liked them or not, she would still be there to help them.”
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https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/he-killed-my-best-friend-man-gets-prison-for-crime-spree-that-led-to-womans-death/
| 2023-07-22T00:05:25
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https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/he-killed-my-best-friend-man-gets-prison-for-crime-spree-that-led-to-womans-death/
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A new report from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries on Friday has found that Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt forced out a former employee.
This finding goes against the results of a recent investigation by the county that cleared Schmidt of all accusations of discrimination and retaliation leveled by former county prosecutor Amber Kinney, who resigned in 2022.
Kinney, who was a prosecutor focusing on child abuse cases, accused the DA of not promoting her and retaliating for speaking up about gender discrimination in the office.
“In the last year-and-a-half not only has the forward progress women made in our office ceased, but under your (Schmidt) leadership women have been set back decades,” Kinney wrote in her resignation letter at that time.
In response to the BOLI report, Kinney told KOIN 6 News she was “pleased that BOLI took the time to thoroughly investigate this matter,” conveying that she felt validated they found there to be “compelling evidence the office discriminated against her” because of her gender.
Results of the initial investigation conducted by Barran Liebman LLP were released in March after an independent counsel interviewed Kinney and 32 other current and former prosecutors, plus the office operations manager.
Despite concerns about a reform-minded district attorney, witnesses “generally agreed” there was no impact on daily functions and there was not a culture of fear in the office.
However, the BOLI report shows that state investigators found “substantial evidence of unlawful employment practices” on the basis of sex, and Kinney’s retaliation claims have sufficient evidence.
Investigators say the policies in place at the DA’s office have negative impacts on women and that there was a pattern of hiring men based on subjective judgments.
At a union meeting in September 2021, Kinney raised concerns about gender discrimination.
She said she noticed it was hard for the office to retain female prosecutors. That same month, three white men had been promoted to positions similar to the one she had wanted.
In March, the Multnomah County DA’s Office confirmed to KOIN 6 that the investigation had cost $200,933.
Communications Director Liz Merah said “DA Schmidt asked the County to engage an outside entity for this investigation. Upon the DA turning this matter over to the County, the County selected the consultant and oversaw their work. The only role of the DA’s office in the administration of the investigation was to pay the invoices from the consultant.”
When reached for comment following the BOLI report’s release, the Multnomah County DA’s office issued the following statement from Schmidt:
“While I disagree with BOLI’s findings, which are contrary to the findings of an independent investigation already completed into these matters, I believe there are always areas for improvement in furthering equity in my office, and I am deeply committed to that work. One of those areas is improving promotional processes so they are more transparent, which my executive team and I are actively working on. I look forward to our progress and will continue to uphold and deepen equity and diversity moving forward.”
Read the full report here:
Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.
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https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/new-report-unravels-investigation-that-cleared-multco-das-office-of-discrimination/
| 2023-07-22T00:05:31
| 1
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https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/new-report-unravels-investigation-that-cleared-multco-das-office-of-discrimination/
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