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Dec. 11, 1954—June 22, 2022
JEROME—Lou Ann Oneida of Jerome, Idaho, died June 22, 2022 at the age of 67 in Twin Falls, Idaho. Lou
Ann was born December 11, 1954, to Lewis Gabriel Oneida and Barbara Enna Whismore at the U.S Naval Hospital in Corona, California where Lewis was enlisted in the U.S Navy. Shortly after the Oneida family moved back to Jerome. Growing up on the Oneida farm Lou Ann participated in 4-H and loved her appaloosa horse Cavelier.
After graduating from Jerome High School with honors, Lou Ann began working as a Paralegal for many years, but her true passion was collecting antiques.
Lou Ann was a kind, caring, and giving person who always put the needs of others before her own. Lou Ann was blessed with two daughters, Kim Fairchild born on January 19, 1981, in Sun Valley, Idaho to Roger Fairchild, and Rachael (Gonzalez) Aslett born August 23, 1991, in Jerome, Idaho to Saul Gonzalez.
As the years went by her knowledge of antiques and collectibles expanded Lou Ann started her own business in Jerome, named Antiques & Things. After many years Lou Ann began to travel around the state and beyond to participate in vendor shows, which she continued to enjoy throughout her life. She was invited to become the superintendent of antiques at the Twin Falls County Fair for many years and also judged the Gooding County Fair Antiques up until her passing.
Lou Ann was known by her friends as the Encyclopedia Britannica of Antiques, if you ever needed to ask a question about antiques, Lou Ann would know the answer.
Lou Ann was preceded in death by her daughter Kim Fairchild of Jerome, her parents Lewis Oneida and Barbara Oneida of Jerome, and other family members. She is survived by her daughter Rachael (Gonzalez) Aslett of Jerome, her grandchildren Denis Gabriel Strain of Twin Falls, Colby Kincheloe, and Jaxon Carter of Jerome, her sisters Patty Oneida of Jerome, and Debbie Oneida of Bellevue, her brother David and his wife Teresa Oneida of Jerome.
Funeral/Memorial services will be held Saturday, July 9, 2022 at Demaray Jerome Memorial Chapel at 10 am. Graveside internment at Shoshone Cemetery to follow. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Lou Ann Oneida Memorial Fund at any First Federal Savings Bank, to help the family with funeral expenses. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/lou-ann-oneida/article_68366da4-5c53-5ca5-adda-0068da4abeca.html | 2022-07-06T08:18:29 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/lou-ann-oneida/article_68366da4-5c53-5ca5-adda-0068da4abeca.html |
March 5, 1963—June 27, 2022
MERIDIAN—Marj Montanus passed away June 27, 2022, in Meridian, ID.
A memorial service is planned for July 9, 2022 at 4 PM at Lighthouse Church in Twin Falls, ID. Live streaming of the service will be available at lighthousetwin.com.
Marj was born March 5, 1963, in West Chester, PA, to Vernon and Thelma Martin. She moved around a bit as a child, eventually ending up in Freeport, Illinois. She attended the University of Illinois (at Champaign-Urbana) as a pre-med student where she charmed her future husband, James Montanus. She graduated from Illinois State University as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. Later she earned her Specialty in Blood Banking, and achieved her Master’s degree in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois (at Chicago).
During her career, Marj worked as a Med Tech at hospitals in Illinois, Washington, DC, and Idaho. In addition, she taught Medical Laboratory Science curricula to students at Northern Virginia Community College and Idaho State University. She also taught 2nd and 5th grade curricula to students at Lighthouse Christian School.
Marj was a loving mother, devoted wife, talented seamstress, avid scrapbooker, impressive card maker, and inspiring educator. Marj was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2021. Shortly before her death, a scholarship fund for Medical Lab students was created in her honor. Those wishing to contribute should contact: ISU Foundation, Attn: Montanus-Spiegel Fund, 921 S. 8th Ave., Stop 8050, Pocatello ID, 83209-8050—208-282-3470.
Marj is survived by her husband, James Montanus, her two children, Michael and Michelle Montanus, her mother Thelma Martin, and her sister and brother in law, Kate and Jeff Eberlein. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/marj-montanus/article_09216585-f146-5ca3-ba12-9477a7e9f371.html | 2022-07-06T08:18:35 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/marj-montanus/article_09216585-f146-5ca3-ba12-9477a7e9f371.html |
The City of Kenosha's Public Works director has been tapped to lead Kenosha County's public works department.
County Executive Samantha Kerkman late Tuesday afternoon announced she is appointing Shelly Billingsley to fill the now-vacant position of county Public Works director.
Billingsley is expected to succeed Ray Arbet, who retired July 1. She will begin serving in the position in August on an acting basis, with her appointment pending a confirmation vote by the County Board.
Billingsley is currently the city's Public Works Director, a position she has held since 2013. She began employment with the city nearly 20 years ago as an engineer, working her way up through a variety of positions in the Public Works Department.
“I am very excited to bring Shelly’s knowledge and experience to the county’s Public Works Department,” Kerkman said. “Her history with the city and her knowledge of the community will allow her to truly hit the ground running.”
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Recently, Billingsley was elected vice president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Public Works Association.
Under her watch as city’s public works director, Kenosha recently received two Project of the Year awards from the APWA, in recognition of the construction of Kenosha Fire Station No. 1 on the site of the former Bain Elementary School and various stormwater improvements.
Billingsley holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and a Master of Business Administration from UW-Parkside. She lives in the Town of Paris with her husband and children.
As the county’s Public Works Director, Billingsley will oversee the divisions of Facilities, Highways, Planning and Development, Parks, and Golf.
“I’m excited for the new opportunities here,” Billingsley said. “My background has given me hands-on experience in all facets of municipal government, and I’m looking forward to putting my skills to work for Kenosha County.”
The position was posted publicly following Arbet’s retirement announcement in May, and a series of candidates were interviewed prior to Kerkman’s selection of Billingsley, according to county officials.
WATCH NOW IN PHOTOS AND VIDEO: Paddock Lake celebrates with annual bike and golf cart parade ahead of July 4 holiday
PADDOCK LAKE - Dozens of bike riders young and old, along with golf cart motorists took the streets in procession that lasted just over half an hour Sunday morning in one of many celebrations taking place in Kenosha County over the Fourth of July weekend.
The parade, which began at at McAlonan Park at 248th Avenue between 72nd and 73rd streets, included candy of all kinds tossed from golf carts to younger spectators, who scooped them up by the bag full. The family friendly event has become a community tradition and one which culminated with a free lunch of hot dogs, chips and lemonade at Village Hall, 6969 236th Ave.
BIKE PARADE
Bike riders young and old take off from McAlonan Park, at 248th Avenue between 72nd and 73rd streets, on Sunday for Paddock Lake’s annual bike…
BIKE PARADE
Bike riders young and old take off from McAlonan Park on Sunday for Paddock Lake’s annual bike parade, which includes golf carts.
BIKE PARADE
Paddock Lake’s annual bike parade also included a procession of golf carts whose riders tossed candy to eager onlookers at the event held Sunday.
BIKE PARADE
Paddock Lake’s annual bike parade also included a procession of golf carts whose riders tossed candy to eager onlookers at the event held Sunday.
BIKE PARADE
Jacob Sanchez, 12, of Chicago, carried the American flag with him as he rode in the bike parade in Paddock Lake held Sunday ahead of the Indep…
BIKE PARADE
Bicycle parade participants and spectators gathered at Paddock Lake’s Village Hall following the half-hour procession where they were treated …
BIKE PARADE
An inflatable bald eagle and Uncle Sam atop a golf cart arrives at the Paddock Lake Village Hall following the annual bike parade held in the …
BIKE PARADE
Golf cart participants in Paddock Lake’s annual bike parade take off from the event, which ended at the Village Hall, 6969 236th Ave., on Sunday. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/citys-director-tapped-to-head-kenosha-countys-public-works-department-shelly-billingsley-to-start-as/article_79ff2f30-fcaf-11ec-a88e-830a8693697e.html | 2022-07-06T08:24:10 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/citys-director-tapped-to-head-kenosha-countys-public-works-department-shelly-billingsley-to-start-as/article_79ff2f30-fcaf-11ec-a88e-830a8693697e.html |
INDIANAPOLIS — For them, jump rope isn't about getting some exercise. The Indy Air Bears are perfecting their craft.
“These boys and girls have incredible endurance. I will put them up against any high school athlete," said Indy Air Bears founder and coach Niki Glover. "They love it, it gets in their blood.”
Glover founded the Indy Air Bears in 1986.
“We had VHS tapes at the time," she said. "I remember wearing out quite a few machines, you know back and forth slow motion, learning how to do this, the different tricks.”
The days of figuring things out are long gone.
Glover has coached Air Bears that have become national and even world champions.
Including a second-place finish in SR (Single Rope) Pairs and a third-place finish in team freestyle at nationals last month.
“I mean, this has been my life for 35 years. And to think of how we started as just a little elementary group back in 1986 and how far we've come, it's very fulfilling," Glover said.
The Indy Air Bears have performed at Indiana Pacers halftime shows and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but it's still a sport that not many know about.
“It's so different, it's crazy," said Blake Long with the Indy Airs Bears. "You grew up with the same sports, you have basketball or soccer. You don't really think about jump rope."
The Air Bears will hold a tryout this August and the team is open to all ages.
For more information, click here. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indy-air-bears-jump-rope-team-continues-tradition-of-success-indianapolis-tryouts-competition/531-ec47df06-8bee-45e6-923e-ea2e63fa0c19 | 2022-07-06T09:06:21 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indy-air-bears-jump-rope-team-continues-tradition-of-success-indianapolis-tryouts-competition/531-ec47df06-8bee-45e6-923e-ea2e63fa0c19 |
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A man was rushed to the hospital early Wednesday morning with possible life-threatening injuries after a reported shooting at a Clearwater apartment complex, Clearwater Public Safety said.
Just after 2 a.m., Clearwater Police and Clearwater Fire & Rescue responded to a call reporting a shooting at Bay Cove Apartments on U.S. 19 N.
A man was taken to Morton Plant Hospital with possible life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
No other details have been released but authorities said their investigation is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/clearwater-apartment-shooting-investigation/67-3d2b37a7-9029-4d31-8e63-e7916e42a3a4 | 2022-07-06T09:35:41 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/clearwater-apartment-shooting-investigation/67-3d2b37a7-9029-4d31-8e63-e7916e42a3a4 |
Mural artist Chaveevah Ferguson with her artwork depicting the notable figures and milestones in Waterloo's African-American community. The mural anchors the permanent exhibit, "Black Stories Collective," at the Grout Museum.
COURTESY PHOTO
Mayor Quentin Hart and mural artist Chaveevah Ferguson with his image in the mural she painted for the Grout's new permanent exhibit, "Black Stories Collective."
COURTESY PHOTO
Visitors at the Grout Museum's new permanent exhibit, "Black Stories Collective," which is now open to the public.
COURTESY PHOTO
Visitors at the Grout Museum's new permanent exhibit, "Black Stories Collective," which is now open to the public.
WATERLOO — A colorful mural spans one wall in the Black Stories Collective Project, a new permanent exhibition at the Grout Museum.
Painted by local artist/illustrator and author Chaveevah Banks Ferguson, the mural depicts notable figures and milestones in Waterloo’s African-American community. It is one of the main elements – a kind of timeline – in the exhibit, which also features memorabilia from social justice protests in 2020, including signs, buttons and Black Lives Matter items.
“After the death of George Floyd and protests in the community that followed in 2020, we explored our archives and ‘Voices of Iowa’ oral history collection and realized we actually have very little Black history in the museum’s collection,” said Jenny Bowser, Grout exhibit coordinator.
“Then it became our priority to actively reach out to the community and encourage residents and veterans to tell their stories, to share their memories and experiences and let us record their oral histories. It’s important to do this now before those memories are lost,” she explained.
The Grout Museum District, in partnership with the NAACP and Experience Waterloo, established the community-based Black Stories Collective committee to collect and preserve Black oral histories. Between 25 and 30 oral histories already have been collected and preserved, including veterans’ remembrances. They will be shared through the permanent exhibition, now open, and later the histories will be published online.
“That became our priority – to actively reach out to the community and encourage residents to tell their story, to share their memories and let us record their oral history before they’re gone. So much history hasn’t been saved or recorded. We’re also encouraging people to donate items and memorabilia to the museum to build our collection,” Bowser said.
Experience Waterloo Executive Director Tavis Hall is co-chair with LaTanya Graves of the Black Stories Collective committee.
“We worked to make sure the exhibit was really reflective of the Black experience here in Waterloo. It’s great to see it institutionalized at the Grout,” Hall said, noting that the committee valued the Grout partnership and their expertise in collecting, curating and preserve histories and artifacts.
“There certainly are Cedar Valley residents who are Black and veterans whose stories have been preserved and Black farmers, but there hasn’t been a focus on Black life up until this point. The mural depicts black life in Waterloo and the Cedar Valley,” he explained. “You can’t tell the story of the Cedar Valley without talking about Black folk. It’s important and exciting to have this permanent exhibit.”
Ferguson’s mural features local civil rights icon Anna Mae Weems, KBBG radio founder Jimmie Porter, Willie Mae Wright, Bev Smith and Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke in Waterloo in 1959. Also incorporated are Club Les Dames, an organization that promotes personal growth, education and better community relations among young women of color, and the Illinois Central railroad, symbolic of African Americans from Mississippi who settled in Waterloo after being brought here to break a railroad strike in the 1910s. Quentin Hart and Joel Fitzgerald, the city’s first Black mayor and police chief, respectively, are also depicted, along with musicians, athletes, business leaders, politicians, educators and others.
Opposite the mural, the wall is filled with newspaper articles on subjects ranging from desegregation in Waterloo schools to the UNI 7, a group of student activists at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls who engaged in civil rights activism and advocated establishing a campus cultural center in the 1960s and 1970s.
Around the corner, oral histories of community luminaries and veterans play on a loop on a TV screen. Flanking either side are display cases filled with memorabilia from social justice protests that took place in Waterloo in 2020.
This will be a permanent collection that will change periodically with new exhibits. The current display will be up until June 2023, Bowser said.
Project sponsors are: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, Veridian Credit Union, Iowa Arts Council/Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Humanities, the McCausland Family and Dave and Mary Dutton.
PHOTOS Treasure Chest of wonderful, weird objects at Cedar Valley museums, galleries
What treasures are hidden in storage at local museums and galleries? Objects we found may be surprising as we begin a Monday series, Treasure Trove, a peek inside permanent collections.
Mural artist Chaveevah Ferguson with her artwork depicting the notable figures and milestones in Waterloo's African-American community. The mural anchors the permanent exhibit, "Black Stories Collective," at the Grout Museum.
Mayor Quentin Hart and mural artist Chaveevah Ferguson with his image in the mural she painted for the Grout's new permanent exhibit, "Black Stories Collective." | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/watch-now-black-stories-collective-at-grout-curates-local-history-experience-and-life-for-african/article_9a90507d-488d-543c-bb15-2bc6268df787.html | 2022-07-06T09:57:25 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/watch-now-black-stories-collective-at-grout-curates-local-history-experience-and-life-for-african/article_9a90507d-488d-543c-bb15-2bc6268df787.html |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/local/en-video-reportan-balazos-cerca-del-festival-en-el-parkway/3290108/ | 2022-07-06T10:02:05 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/local/en-video-reportan-balazos-cerca-del-festival-en-el-parkway/3290108/ |
LINCOLN — Extremely hot weather is expected to continue Wednesday, along with a chance for storms
The National Weather Service at Lincoln predicted heat indices from 100 to 110 degrees for portions of Central Illinois. A heat advisory was issued Tuesday, and some parts of the region were still expected to remain under the advisory until 11 p.m. Wednesday.
Central Illinois also could experience strong to severe storms on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the weather service. While the timing was uncertain, the weather service said large hail and damaging winds could be possible.
During a heat wave, the American Red Cross recommends staying indoors as much as possible, dressing lightly, staying hydrated and avoiding drinks that are caffeinated, high in sugar or alcoholic.
Symptoms of heat stroke include: a body temperature above 104°F, hot skin, fast pulse, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion or passing out. The Red Cross recommends seeking immediate medical attention if the person experiences heat stroke or begins to vomit.
Another serious problem caused by heat is dehydration, said Marianne Manko, public affairs coordinator at the McLean County Health Department. And it's an issue that can escalate throughout a hot day.
"When our body temperature rises, just a little bit … you might sweat just a little bit more," Manko said. "That little bit of extra sweat can add up at the end of the day."
Anyone suspected of suffering from a heat-related illness should immediately begin cooling down and drinking water. It's crucial to get the person indoors or in the shade and apply ice or wet towels to either the neck or the inner elbow. If the person wants to lie down, she said to elevate their feet to help with blood flow.
Signs of dehydration include: not using the bathroom despite drinking water; darker urine; muscle cramps, especially in the legs and toes; dry mouth; and bad breath.
McLean County has several cooling stations across the county where residents can visit and get out of the heat. Visit bit.ly/mcleancooling for a map.
While the health department itself is not a cooling station, Manko said transit riders sometimes use the first floor to get out of the heat.
"They can just cool off," she said, "And they're all really great. They wear their masks because they know we're the health department." | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/central-illinois-sees-heat-wave-storm-possibility/article_6cdbab72-fc81-11ec-bc97-775ee51026c2.html | 2022-07-06T10:02:17 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/central-illinois-sees-heat-wave-storm-possibility/article_6cdbab72-fc81-11ec-bc97-775ee51026c2.html |
Take a peek inside newly renovated Martin Library before its grand opening
A $6 million renovation of Martin Library, in downtown York, highlights services for teens and opens new areas to the public.
The renovation that began in the fall of 2021 will conclude with a Grand Reopening celebration beginning Monday, culminating in a block party finale on Sunday, July 17.
See earlier look:Photos: Check out Martin Library during renovation in May 2022
Martin Library, which opened at its current location in 1935, has expanded several times over the past 87 years.
The most recent interior design reconfiguration helps to better serve adolescent users, updates security and restrooms, and adds new public spaces while moving office and desk areas.
While the interior spaces are complete, new windows that will look like the old ones, but with modern efficiency, are scheduled to be installed right after the celebration week, according to Susan Davidson, vice president of finance and development.
The project came in at budget, with unexpected delays due to supply shortages, Davidson said.
A centerpiece of the renovation is the new Teens space that sprawls over the second floor. It includes a table game area, casual lounge, ample laptop plug-in spaces and a computer lab. A recording, audio-visual and DJ lab have separate glass-walled areas that will offer equipment and training. A “Solver Space” takes learning a step further from just making things to solving problems while creating.
Also of interest:Central York's ban brings community the 'silver lining' of thousands of books
Martin Library Historical Timeline
- 1916 Martin Library Association is incorporated
- 1920 The Association buys land at Market and Queen streets. Local architect Federick Dempwolf designs the Colonial-style building
- 1935 On Halloween Eve, Martin Library officially opens its doors
- 1955 Groundbreaking for Children’s Library addition and second floor non-fiction
- 1985 Groundbreaking for a three-level expansion on the north side of the library
- 2005 Library announces an $8 million renovation and expansion including a coffee shop, 55-foot atrium, children’s garden and new technology
York County Libraries will officially celebrate the reopening of Martin Library with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the renovated library at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 11.
On Sunday July 17, the library will host a block party from 12:30 until 3 p.m. with family-friendly games, musical entertainment and food trucks between East Market Street and East Clarke Avenue.
“We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the library. We are hosting weeklong activities, but the block party is really special because our York city youth performers are helping us to celebrate the reopening of the library,” Martin Library Director Mina Edmondson said.
For more information visit the York County Libraries website. | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/martin-library-6-million-renovation-completed-in-downtown-york/65367399007/ | 2022-07-06T10:03:00 | 1 | https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/martin-library-6-million-renovation-completed-in-downtown-york/65367399007/ |
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Eisenhower Park — the beautiful, rugged recreational oasis visited by hundreds of people daily — almost didn’t happen.
A group of determined men and women passionate about serving youth came together in the 1980s to help secure the hilly, rocky 317-acre park’s future and save it.
This week, the city is installing signs at the park’s lookout tower, grassland restoration area and main park trailhead highlighting the park’s history and the work the Harmony Hills Optimist Club did to save it from possible development.
“The history of this park will forever be interwoven with the Harmony Hills Optimist Club and its stewards who continue to care for it,” reads a statement from the San Antonio parks department.
In 1972, the federal government deeded the city land adjacent to the Camp Bullis training reservation. But initial plans for a partnership with the San Antonio Zoo to develop an exotic animal refuge never came to life.
Then, in the early 1980s, President Ronald Reagan ordered an audit of public lands that could be sold to help defray the federal debt. Some worried that unless the planned Eisenhower Park could be demonstrated as being in active use, the government might reclaim the land.
The city secured a grant for the Youth Adult Conservation Corps, a jobs program for people ages 16-23, to begin clearing trails.
“So they started doing a little trail system at Eisenhower. They worked their way into the middle of the park, made nice rocks around the trails and all that. Then, when the money ran out, it just stopped,” recalled Ron Keller, 89.
The Optimist Club, which had raised funds and built amenities in McAllister Park, stepped up. Keller, co-chairman of the club’s parks building committee, got the group involved. It held non-competitive Volksmarch events to raise funds and make people aware of the fledgling North Side park, then considered out in the boonies.
City officials often encountered the club’s park advocates: the duo of “Don and Ron” — Keller and his Optimist co-chair, Don Harris, who had served as a Navy Seabee in World War II.
“They were a yin and a yang,” said Bill Chapman, a longtime friend of Keller’s. “Don was aggressive with the city, the politicians, the powers that be. Ron was mister meek and humble.”
The Optimist Club, whose 35-40 members were mostly educators from the Northeast Independent School District, saw park projects as true to the Optimist International motto, “Friend of Youth.”
Chapman, who was not a member, said Boy Scouts helped build trail bridges. But it often was just Don and Ron working at the park on Saturdays.
The club installed a playground and cleared more trails. But a 16-foot lookout tower they placed atop a hill might have been the most iconic feature. Harris, the gung-ho former Seabee, had engaged the wood shop class at Churchill High School to build it.
When they installed the wooden tower in 1984, as an afterthought, Harris asked Keller to call the city to make sure they had permission.
“I called down, and they said, ‘Well, we forgot to tell you no, we turned that down,’” Keller recalls. “I said, ‘Well, it’s already up.’”
Despite the mixup, the park officially opened in 1985. The city put in playground equipment and parking areas intermingled with pavilions, green spaces and picnic benches.
The lookout tower remained standing for 35 years. It was closed out of safety concerns in late 2019 and replaced in 2020 with a steel-frame tower.
The park, named after President Dwight Eisenhower, who received his first general’s star while stationed here at Fort Sam Houston in 1941, now has about six miles of paved and natural hiking trails. A new extension of the Leon Creek Greenway on adjacent land to the immediate south connects with the Salado Creek Greenway as part of a long-planned vision of creekside parks encircling the city.
The City Parks and Recreation Department plans to install natural-surface mountain bike trails along that greenway strip and possibly add new hiking trails to the existing park.
But the work the Optimists did decades ago will not be forgotten.
The new signage will feature archival images provided by Keller. A restored wooden Optimist Club sign originally placed in the park in 1985 will be reinstalled near the playground.
The club disbanded in 2008. Keller, one of the few members still living who helped with the park, has kept scrapbooks filled with memories — letters, photos and newspaper articles.
“I’m very proud of the work they did,” he said. “I can see all of them, their faces. Unfortunately, they can’t speak for themselves anymore because they’ve run out of time.
“I’m very fortunate.”
shuddleston@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/San-Antonio-Eisenhower-Park-creation-17286067.php | 2022-07-06T10:17:37 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/San-Antonio-Eisenhower-Park-creation-17286067.php |
Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery announced that its 2019 Estate Sangiovese was awarded the high-rated double-gold medal at the 2022 prestigious Sunset International Wine Competition held in Sonoma County, Calif. In addition, its non-vintage Port received a silver medal; and its 2019 Tannat received a bronze medal.
Ramona Ranch is owned and operated by Teri Kerns, a former Coos Bay resident who started the rah with her husband, Micole Moore.
This year’s Sunset competition included a record number of more than 2,900 entries. Judges included winemakers, sommeliers, retail buyers, wine educators, and journalists who reviewed all the entries June 7 to 9.
Ramona Ranch 2019 Estate Sangiovese scored 95 points, and all the judges on its panel unanimously deemed it Gold-worthy stating that the wine had “inviting nose with notes of baked plums and blackberries, strawberries and fig, hint of herbal, roasted pepper.” The Sangiovese grapes used for the wine were planted and grown sustainably at Ramona Ranch vineyards. The wine is currently available for tasting at Ramona Ranch, Friday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We are proud to add this award to the number of award-winning wines from the Ramona Valley—a growing fine-wine producing region in the San Diego area,” said Micole Moore, winemaker for Ramona Ranch.
Winning producers will be featured in the October release of a Sunset Magazine Wine Special non-print, digital edition with a supporting microsite. Promotions for the Wine Award Special Issue will be placed in sunset.com, Sunset eNewsletters and Sunset social sites. The edition will be promoted and available for 12 months or until the 2023 Wine Competition Awards winners are announced. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/ramona-ranch-winery-s-sangiovese-wine-awarded-double-gold-medal-at-prestigious-sunset-international-wine/article_ddf49e32-fc94-11ec-ad98-a3740444de8f.html | 2022-07-06T10:17:59 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/ramona-ranch-winery-s-sangiovese-wine-awarded-double-gold-medal-at-prestigious-sunset-international-wine/article_ddf49e32-fc94-11ec-ad98-a3740444de8f.html |
MANHEIM, Pa. — Local law enforcement in Manheim Township is joining the Pennsylvania State Police and over 300 municipal agencies to conduct targeted aggressive-driving enforcement starting today through Aug. 21.
According to police, the goal of targeted enforcement is to reduce the number of aggressive driving-related crashes, injuries, and deaths on roadways throughout the state. Any aggressive driver stopped by police will receive a ticket.
Motorists exhibiting other unsafe behaviors such as driving too fast for conditions, following too closely, or other aggressive actions will also be cited, officials say.
Officers are hoping the initiative will spread awareness about aggressive driving and, in turn, lower the number of related crashes.
"This particular wave of aggressive driving enforcement is targeting heavy trucks, commercial vehicles, pedestrians, pedestrian safety points, red light infractions, and tailgating infractions," Officer Donald Everetts from the Manheim Township Police Department said.
Last year, Manheim Township had the highest reported crashes per capita in the state, 6,200 of which were a result of aggressive driving.
This is the third wave of this year's aggressive driving enforcement.
This initiative is a part of Pennsylvania’s Highway Safety Program and is funded by part of PennDOT’s investment of federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
For more information on aggressive driving, visit PennDOT's website here. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/aggressive-driving-enforcement-initiative-manheim-township/521-99efdb38-e7ed-456a-803a-188defb82d3d | 2022-07-06T10:41:56 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/aggressive-driving-enforcement-initiative-manheim-township/521-99efdb38-e7ed-456a-803a-188defb82d3d |
Bird scooters now require ID, are off-limits in some Canton areas
CANTON – The introduction of Bird scooters in late April was met with a mix of excitement and pessimism in Canton.
People expressed concerns about everything from scooters being vandalized to young riders ignoring traffic laws. There also were residents eager to try them after seeing electric scooters elsewhere who denounced the "negative Nancies."
So how is the city faring more than two months later?
"The program has been doing really well in the city of Canton since it began on April 27th," neighborhood planner Cassie Pearson said in an email. "We’ve had over of 15,000 rides. We’ve also seen a large number of commuters using the scooters which has been really great!"
Riders initially could go anywhere within city limits. But several areas — Centennial Plaza, Aultman Hospital, portions of Stadium and Monument parks, the 9th St. DIY skate park, and Vienna Woods Rental Homes — now are off-limits for riding or parking.
More Canton news:Nonprofit leaders discuss southeast Canton market plans
Pearson said certain areas have been "geofenced," within which the GPS-equipped scooters will slow and stop, upon request.
"Each reason is different," she said. "For example, we restricted use on two of the park trails because there are rules in place that do not allow for the use of scooters and electric bikes."
Bird scooters in Canton now require IDs to ride
Bird also added a requirement for riders to scan a form of identification, such as a driver's license or state ID "to reduce the number of underage riders," Pearson said.
The Bird app asks riders to attest that they are at least 18, but a city ordinance prohibits people under the age of 16 from renting a low-speed mobility device.
Initially, 75 scooters were placed throughout the city. Bird spokeswoman Lily Gordon said in an email that riders have traveled more than 80,000 miles and the company "more than doubled" the number of scooters to accommodate demand.
"We’ve been pleased to see how quickly residents have adopted the new mode of transportation, with many riders taking multiple Bird trips already," she said. "The longest ride to date was an impressive 33 miles."
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Bird became a member of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and heard "how the addition of scooters has increased foot traffic around town resulting in economic impact to local businesses," Gordon said.
The company also has had several Canton residents register for the Community Pricing Program, which offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell Grant recipients, certain community organizations, veterans and senior citizens.
In May, city Planning Director Donn Angus met with City Council to answer questions and provide an update on the Bird scooters. He discussed scooter features and "nests," which are designated areas where fleet managers return the scooters after recharging them.
Fleet managers are local logistics companies or small businesses hired by Bird to maintain the scooters. Angus said the city went from having one fleet manager to three within the first few weeks.
While the scooters are difficult to police, he said, the benefit is a novel way for visitors to potentially travel between the Hall of Fame Village and downtown Canton and patronize local businesses.
"This is not the first city in the world that has done this," Angus said.
Bird is a California-based company that operates the scooters without city funding. City administrators entered a memorandum of understanding beforehand with Bird, which would be the responsible party in any crash and has liability insurance.
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Have there been traffic accidents involving scooters?
In response to The Canton Repository's public records request for reports related to Bird scooters, the Police Department provided five accident reports, three criminal damaging reports, a simple assault report and an informational report.
Two 17th Street NE residents reported vehicle damage, one report didn't specify how the damage was caused and the other stated that a scooter was thrown onto a vehicle's back window. A resident of St. Elmo Avenue NE also reported damage from a scooter thrown onto the rear of a vehicle.
A northwest resident told police that juveniles on scooters were trespassing on private property, and the reported assault of a girl in southwest Canton did not specifically mention a scooter or the nature of her injuries.
There were three crashes in May and two in June. Two scooters were struck by vehicles after the riders failed to yield at an intersection, an SUV was struck by a scooter that failed to yield at a stop sign, and what's listed as an unknown unit rear-ended a parked SUV.
One late June accident report was not complete nor available by July 5, according to police. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/07/06/bird-scooters-now-require-id-off-limits-some-canton-areas/7766457001/ | 2022-07-06T10:53:27 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/07/06/bird-scooters-now-require-id-off-limits-some-canton-areas/7766457001/ |
'We are really their safe haven.' Stark sponsors needed to help refugees
CANTON – An interfaith gathering of people from the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities are working together to learn how they can help refugees who are fleeing violence and war.
Lee Columber II, a Canton native and community relations manager for the Cleveland office of US Together, recently met with them at Temple Israel to share how people in Stark County can help those who are restarting their lives in Northeast Ohio.
The goal is to form local support teams to assist the nonprofit agency.
More:US Together refugee assistance effort gets help from local Jewish, Mennonite communities
Columber said the Cleveland office of US Together is poised to welcome more newcomers, primarily from Afghanistan and Ukraine, but also from the Republic of Congo, Syria, El Salvador, Iraq and Egypt.
Though the U.S. has averaged accepting about 90,000 refugees a year, that number was severely reduced by the previous administration, to less than 15,000. The current administration has raised the number to 225,000.
The region for refugee resettlement also has been expanded 100 miles from Cleveland, which includes Canton, he said.
US Together, which receives some government funding, has three offices in the state, which operate under the auspices of HIAS, the Hebrew Immigration Aid Society, the oldest refugee settlement agency in the nation, and one of nine authorized by the federal government to process refugees.
"We were founded back in 2003 by two women from the former Soviet Union who fled over religious persecution," Columber said. "They saw the growing need to help refugees and immigrants here in Ohio, and started helping out people who fled Eastern Europe and much of the former Soviet Union countries."
More:'I needed to help.' Jackson Township man visits Poland to help fleeing Ukrainian refugees
Temple Israel spearheading effort to help refugees
Rita Schaner, a member of Temple Israel, has been spearheading efforts to get people involved since November. Schaner led a small group of volunteers who have collected hundreds items from furniture to clothing, which is transported to Cleveland.
"The focus of this is what we think we might actually want to do," she said. "I think it's a wonderful bridge. It was a really exciting beginning. We were able to build trust with (US Together). Now, we can take it to the next level."
Columber said those wishing to help must be willing to make a serious commitment to help refugees reach self-sufficiency.
"We really want people that are going to be passionate, and really buying into this program because it is someone's life that we're dealing with," he said. "When they come to the United States, they are supposed to move directly into their home. So if we don't have the keys beforehand, it's really hard to do that."
Columber said the agency is seeking groups to provide sponsorships, adding that helping refugee resettle requires a team approach and creating "sponsor circles" to underwrite three to six months' worth of expenses, including rent, food, clothing, health care, transportation, financial literacy and employment training, if necessary.
How you can help refugees
"We are at a critical point right now with the Afghan and Ukraine crises," he said. "It is concerned citizens that can come together to form a support system for these Afghan refugees who are coming in and trying to find a new home, very rapidly."
Columber said refugees are more likely to succeed when they have support from a co-sponsorship group.
Typically, the resettlement process is one to three years.
"So, what's that mean?" he asked. "It means finding a home for them, finding essential household items, finding them a school nearby so that the kids can enroll, having accessible transportation and taking them to health screenings. There's a lot of different things that it takes to be a functioning person."
Columber said refugees, including a sizable population of Congolese, are finding their niche in Cleveland.
"We're building these little communities from all the refugees coming," he said, adding Parma and Lviv, Ukraine, are sister cities. "So we have connections to these international communities already and that's why they're coming over here. We have a lot of those communities in Akron and Canton, as well. That's why we want to create these co-sponsorship groups so that you can continue building these groups in your communities."
Columber said there are many options for those wishing to help.
"So, your group could either work for a full co-sponsorship with the Raise Ukraine program, or you could work with us in helping one of the clients who is already in our pipeline who's supposed to come in August or September," Columber said.
Another way to help, he said, is fostering an emotional support system for newcomers, through outings, dinners and other activities.
Temple Israel Rabbi David Komerofsky said helping vulnerable people is a moral imperative.
"The Torah commands us at least 36 times to 'welcome the stranger,'" he sad. "HIAS helped my own family get to the United States. There's so much pain and difficulty in the world, it can be overwhelming. Anytime you have the opportunity to, we're commanded to do it."
Komerofsky said he is heartened by the local response.
"It's an excellent start," he said. "It's a common cause that can enrich our lives."
Mohammed Ragheb, who attends a local mosque, said the outreach has his support.
"It's a great cause," he said. "It doesn't matter who you are. It's great to be a part of it."
Karyn Talbot-Russ said the project is a way to learn about different cultures, and to build relationships with people one ordinarily wouldn't meet.
'Where people are in need, we have an obligation to help them.'
Columber said there are different levels of sponsorship — from forming a team to raise funds and underwriting the complete support of a refugee to donating to the Cleveland office in support of a family.
"I believe our congregation has the heart for this ministry," said the Rev. Mark Williams, senior pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. "Where people are in need, we have an obligation to help them."
Williams was accompanied by members Joanne K. Murray and Linda Allende, who noted that Holy Trinity already assists a Lebanese immigrant family.
The Rev. Michael Wallace, associate pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church, said many, if not most, Americans are descendants of immigrants who suffered hardships. Assisting refugees, he said, would be a way of honoring them.
"We have to help wherever we can," he said.
Komerofsky said a Canton group might inspire people in smaller communities to get involved.
"It really does take village," Columber said. "That means a community coming together to make sure that someone in the community can thrive. There's a lot of ways that co-sponsorship groups can alleviate some of those services, and allow us to have more capacity to help clients."
Columber said that unlike immigrants who leave their countries willingly, most refugees never return because it's simply too dangerous. The exceptions are Ukrainians and Afghans, who have been classified as "humanitarian parolees" with the expectation that they can return in two years — but Columber said that's unlikely.
"A refugee is not expecting to go back to their home country," he said. "I mean, if you're from Mairupol, what are you going back home to? So we should anticipate that this will be home for as long as they want it to.
"We are really are their safe haven. We really want them to feel like this is home."
To learn more about US Together, visit https://www.ustogether.us/cleveland-office or contact Columber at 216-456-9630, or Schaner at 330-327-3890.
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/07/06/us-together-helps-refugees-resettle-northeast-ohio/7710046001/ | 2022-07-06T10:53:33 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/07/06/us-together-helps-refugees-resettle-northeast-ohio/7710046001/ |
SAN ANTONIO — A deadly holiday weekend on Texas waters is leaving two San Antonio families grieving. On Tuesday, a father's body was recovered days after Robbie Berlingeri saved his daughter at Canyon Lake.
There is also a possible second death from our area. The family of Roger Mendoza tells KENS 5 his body has not been found at Lake Travis. Crews have turned his search into a recovery effort. His mother Anel Cox said this is a bad dream. She is hoping search crews will recover his body so she can give him a proper burial.
"At this point, I don't know that to think," she said.
Meanwhile, this July 4th weekend the Texas Game Wardens reported ten drowning across the state.
Over the holiday weekend, the 33-year-old from San Antonio went to Lake Travis with friends. The mother said her son was competing against another person.
"Took a dive," she said. "They were swimming, and Roger never came back up. The guy did, but Roger didn't."
Cox said her son was in good-shape and was a swimmer. Meanwhile, rescue swimmers along with Austin-Travis county EMS have been searching for Mendoza. Now, it is a recovery operation.
"They searched the area they thought he might be at, but they came out with nothing," Cox said.
Mendoza who was known as 'Baby Love' was the owner of Studio AVI. Mendoza created what he called a safe space for any level of dancer.
"He liked to teach, “she said. "He liked to workout. He liked to help and motivate people. He was always dancing. He did the River Parade. He danced downtown at La Villita."
In the meantime, Cox who lives in Kansas is just waiting on the call.
"I am not leaving until I find my son, she said. "I am going to keep fighting for my son until I find him."
Cox said crews will pick back up on Wednesday. She said they are only going to look for half the day.
On Thursday, family and friends will have a vigil for Mendoza.
Thursday July 7th at 7 p.m.
Studio AVI
15002 Tradesman Drive | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/i-am-not-leaving-until-i-find-my-son-mother-of-man-missing-at-lake-travis-speaks-about-recovery-efforts/273-060b13dc-aefb-4518-9d77-c9520d3e4b7d | 2022-07-06T10:59:43 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/i-am-not-leaving-until-i-find-my-son-mother-of-man-missing-at-lake-travis-speaks-about-recovery-efforts/273-060b13dc-aefb-4518-9d77-c9520d3e4b7d |
ATLANTA — A teenage girl is in the hospital after Atlanta Police said she was hurt following a shooting and a chase.
Officers add that the incident was between an ex-boyfriend and girlfriend, and unfolded near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Police said two teenage girls, including the 16-year-old victim, were in a car when they were shot at. Officers add that the victim was driving the car but it was the 19-year-old passenger whose ex-boyfriend fired at them.
According to officers, the teen struck was an unintended target.
Both girls were able to get away and flag down police at Magnolia Street and Northside Drive.
As of now, the girl shot is alert and talking with police at the hospital.
Officers said, at this time, the suspect is not in custody; however, Atlanta Police know who he is and are working on the case.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
Also download the 11Alive News app and sign up to receive alerts for the latest on this story and other breaking news in Atlanta and north Georgia. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/teenage-girl-shot-downtown-atlanta/85-0f916e51-a01e-4a7a-94bd-635137fb26c8 | 2022-07-06T11:01:32 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/teenage-girl-shot-downtown-atlanta/85-0f916e51-a01e-4a7a-94bd-635137fb26c8 |
ATLANTA — A 28-year-old woman is in critical condition after an overnight shooting in northwest Atlanta.
Officers said the victim is in critical condition after a fight at her ex-boyfriend's house.
Police add that the incident took place on Proctor Street just before 11 p.m.
Right now, detectives are trying to find and arrest the suspect or suspects.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
Also download the 11Alive News app and sign up to receive alerts for the latest on this story and other breaking news in Atlanta and north Georgia. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/woman-critical-condition-shooting-northwest-atlanta/85-d07e2bac-fd7b-41a6-a71d-6e51dd3c9930 | 2022-07-06T11:01:38 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/woman-critical-condition-shooting-northwest-atlanta/85-d07e2bac-fd7b-41a6-a71d-6e51dd3c9930 |
A Fort Wayne quarry is seeking to expand its operation by obtaining several favorable rulings from the Allen County Plan Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Hanson Aggregates Midwest wants to downzone 18.75 acres adjacent to the existing quarry from single-family residential to agriculture to allow quarry operations to expand to the north.
The company also wants to add a maintenance building on what was the parking lot of Fort Wayne Community Schools’ former Elmhurst High School. The company also wants to vacate about three acres of the right-of-way of Sandpoint Road.
The company uses 3829 Sandpoint Road and 5999 Smith Road, both in Wayne Township, as local addresses. Hanson Aggregates is based in Irving, Texas.
The company’s representative, Fort Wayne attorney James Federoff, argues in applications that the changes would have little impact on their surroundings. The new zoning would allow uses that have been in place for decades, the applications say.
The applications state the rezoning is necessary because the county’s zoning ordinance no longer allows quarrying in single-family residential districts.
The ordinance allows quarries in agricultural zones through the granting of a special-use exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Hanson Aggregates quarries limestone used in building, bridge and road projects. The company says it owns land on both sides of the portion of Sandpoint Road to be vacated, and traffic will not be adversely affected.
Quarry traffic will solely be for internal uses, and the only users of the road portion now are residents of two homes to the north and to access Fort Wayne Community Schools athletic fields. Elmhurst High School has been torn down.
“There are limited limestone resources in Allen County, and the utilization of the existing quarry infrastructure and operations will provide access to these resources,” the application says, adding that the property “is not suitable for any other use.”
The proposed maintenance building will occupy 30,000 square feet and will house equipment. No new infrastructure is proposed, except a possible extension of a natural gas line.
The Allen County Plan Commission is scheduled to have a public hearing on the rezoning and street vacation at 1 p.m. July 14 in Room 35 of Citizens Square. A business meeting to act on all of that day’s public hearing items is scheduled immediately following the hearing.
The Board of Zoning Appeals’ public hearing will meet at 1 p.m. July 20 in Room 35, which will include decisions on the proposals. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/allen-county-quarry-asks-to-expand-operations/article_1fa549bc-fc8b-11ec-8a53-8762136b285c.html | 2022-07-06T11:01:50 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/allen-county-quarry-asks-to-expand-operations/article_1fa549bc-fc8b-11ec-8a53-8762136b285c.html |
Less than a month after a derecho hit northeast Indiana, another storm hit the area early Tuesday, this time bringing floods.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday’s storm mostly affected northwest Allen County and parts of Whitley County. Most places reported three to five inches of rain, which the weather service said is considered flooding.
The highest rain level of 6.23 inches was reported eight miles northeast of Fort Wayne, the weather service said.
Most of the flooding reported in Allen County was in Huntertown and Leo-Cedarville, and there were some reports in Whitley County near Churubusco. The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo also reported flooding in its main parking lot.
Bonnie Kemp, the zoo’s director of communication, said the zoo has been directing visitors into the parking lot by its education center and one near Franke Park.
“Even with the weather this morning, our attendance appears to be about the same and everything is going well,” Kemp said.
Michael Bianski of Indiana Michigan Power said 6,700 residents in I&M’s two-state service area were without power at 7 a.m. Tuesday, but less than 200 of those were in the Fort Wayne area. Most of those outages were caused by tree limbs falling on power lines.
“There were no issues due to flooding,” Bianski said. “We usually don’t have any, unless the flooding is severe.”
Heavy storms Tuesday brought more damage and power outages to the area. Nearly 14,000 Fort Wayne I&M customers were without power as of 7 a.m. today, according to the utility's online outage map.
About 40,000 I&M customers lost power after the June 13 derecho. Thousands of Fort Wayne area residents were without power for three days, enduring high temperatures that were close to breaking records.
Crews were still picking up debris from the derecho this week. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/community-floods-loses-power-after-thunderstorm-tuesday/article_b5fd1b44-fc98-11ec-a2b1-bfc7f791af11.html | 2022-07-06T11:01:57 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/community-floods-loses-power-after-thunderstorm-tuesday/article_b5fd1b44-fc98-11ec-a2b1-bfc7f791af11.html |
A firefighter was hurt during one of two house fires in Fort Wayne late Monday, the city fire department said Tuesday.
Firefighters were called to the 1000 block of Blue Stone Court shortly before 11 p.m. and found fire on the back exterior of a two-story home, extending into its attic spaces and roof, the fire department said in a statement.
Crews used multiple hose lines, cut open the roof and pulled down ceilings to gain access to the fire, which was extinguished in about 40 minutes, the statement said. It said a firefighter was injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment.
At about the same time, firefighters said they were called to a home in the 6200 block of Cordova Court, where an attached garage was on fire, and the fire was spreading to the house next door.
Firefighters protected the neighbors’ house while attacking the fire in the garage, the statement said. The fire was brought under control in about 35 minutes; no one was injured.
The causes of both fires are under investigation. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-firefighter-hurt-in-monday-night-house-fires/article_31e47a18-fcb2-11ec-81d0-0b71fbd5819c.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:03 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-firefighter-hurt-in-monday-night-house-fires/article_31e47a18-fcb2-11ec-81d0-0b71fbd5819c.html |
High water swim Jul 6, 2022 6 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email A family of ducks enjoy a flooded field by a parking lot at Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo after Tuesday morning’s storms. The impromptu pond was about a foot deep. Lilly Fitch | For The Journal Gazette Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save New place to swim Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Most Popular City asks independent agency to investigate alleged corruption Saint Francis' NAIA basketball team to face IU at Assembly Hall Northwest Allen asks private clubs, teams to get their own branding Fireworks calendar for the Fort Wayne area Veterans museum reveals new building's benefactor Stocks Market Data by TradingView | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/high-water-swim/article_e737a1a8-fca6-11ec-8ef9-077ea6e25149.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:09 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/high-water-swim/article_e737a1a8-fca6-11ec-8ef9-077ea6e25149.html |
The telephone installer who brought new life to Fort Wayne’s iconic Santa Claus display died Tuesday at his home in southern Indiana.
Jim Green was 71.
Green, a General Telephone employee, discovered the somewhat-deteriorated Santa Claus display in storage at L.S. Ayers in 1979 – 21 years after it last lit up the side of Wolf & Dessauer, the department store that preceded L.S. Ayers, according to The Journal Gazette archives.
He immediately thought it would be nice if future generations could enjoy it, his obituary said.
“His supervisor made a deal that if they pulled a light bulb out and it worked, they would find a way to start the restoration,” the obituary said. “As luck would have it, the light worked, and the display was saved.”
After restoration, the holiday tradition was restarted on Nov. 27, 1980, according to newspaper archives, and thousands of people still gather downtown to watch it turn on for the season on the night before Thanksgiving.
The obituary said Green was thrilled in 2009 to be honored onstage and given a plaque for his involvement in renewing the tradition.
“Jim loved telling this story and loved how much joy this continues to bring so many people,” the obituary said. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/man-who-renewed-fort-waynes-iconic-santa-claus-display-tradition-dies-at-71/article_1a6ae300-fcac-11ec-8712-37a55b5e8645.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:15 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/man-who-renewed-fort-waynes-iconic-santa-claus-display-tradition-dies-at-71/article_1a6ae300-fcac-11ec-8712-37a55b5e8645.html |
A local man’s death is related to a weekend fireworks explosion, the Allen County coroner’s office said Tuesday.
Noe Diaz, 43, was injured when fireworks exploded near his face about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, said Michael Burris, chief investigator for the coroner’s office.
Diaz was setting off fireworks at his Strathdon Drive home, near Wayne Trace and Tillman Road, Burris said.
The cause and manner of his death were still pending Tuesday, but Diaz suffered burns and was rushed to a hospital, where he died, Burris said. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/mans-death-related-to-fireworks-explosion/article_4cb98624-fcaf-11ec-95bf-730761d6c4cb.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:21 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/mans-death-related-to-fireworks-explosion/article_4cb98624-fcaf-11ec-95bf-730761d6c4cb.html |
No arrests had been made in the Monday night shootings of four people, one of whom died, police said Tuesday afternoon.
Fort Wayne police were called to shootings at two locations.
At 8:46 p.m., officers found two men with multiple gun wounds behind a home in the 4700 block of Calhoun Street, north of Pettit Avenue. One man died at the scene, and the other was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The man who died has not been identified, and the Allen County coroner’s office has not determined the cause or manner of his death. If his death is ruled a homicide, it would be the county’s 13th homicide this year. The condition of the other man taken to a hospital was not available.
At 7:39 p.m., police were called to Hanna and Colerick streets. Officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound and a juvenile boy who was shot while attending a block party.
The boy was taken to a hospital privately. The hospital called police when the boy arrived.
Both victims had non-life threatening injuries, police said.
It was unclear Tuesday night whether the shootings were related.
Anyone with information is asked to call Fort Wayne police at 427-1201 or Crime Stoppers at 436-7867 or to use the P3 tip app.
The shootings remain under investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department, Allen County prosecutor’s office and coroner’s office. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/no-arrests-in-local-july-4th-shootings/article_c07d1d3e-fca8-11ec-88f2-9362673966dd.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:28 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/no-arrests-in-local-july-4th-shootings/article_c07d1d3e-fca8-11ec-88f2-9362673966dd.html |
Fort Wayne police found surveillance video tying a 58-year-old man to a weekend stabbing that sent another man to the hospital fighting for his life, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
Michael Martin faces an attempted murder charge in connection with the Sunday morning incident on the outskirts of downtown.
Detective Ben MacDonald said police officers responded to the area of Clay Street and East Washington Boulevard shortly before 9 a.m. to find Shantrell Moore suffering from a stab wound to his chest. An emergency room doctor at Lutheran Hospital described the injuries as life-threatening.
Police obtained video from a commercial building in the 500 block of East Washington Boulevard that revealed the stabbing happened in a fenced-in garbage area in the alley behind the business, documents said.
Martin and a woman were lying underneath the cover of two dumpster lids and were approached by Moore, MacDonald wrote. The detective said the video then showed Martin suddenly coming out from under the dumpster lid and stabbing Moore “numerous times” in the chest.
Moore fell back, grabbed his chest and bled onto the ground as he retreated westbound down the alley, documents said.
Meanwhile, Martin returned to the fenced-in area, knife in hand, and left eastbound by bicycle with the woman and their belongings.
A police officer went to the nearby Rescue Mission, where the staff identified Martin in a photo taken from the surveillance video, MacDonald said, and Moore on Monday identified Martin from a photo array.
Police found Martin riding a bicycle in downtown Fort Wayne, documents said, noting the bike matched the bike in the video.
Martin was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to online court records Tuesday. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/surveillance-video-leads-to-attempted-murder-charge-in-fort-wayne-stabbing/article_75b596ba-fc9d-11ec-8c97-bb5c3c9cba2a.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:34 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/surveillance-video-leads-to-attempted-murder-charge-in-fort-wayne-stabbing/article_75b596ba-fc9d-11ec-8c97-bb5c3c9cba2a.html |
Hoosier renters will have more legal help after Indiana’s housing agency partnered with the Indiana Bar Foundation.
Through the partnership, low-income renters facing eviction will have access to a network of organizations providing free legal services.
The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority “is pleased to participate in this first-of-a-kind partnership with (the Indiana Bar Foundation) to enable renters to access navigation and legal services in courts across Indiana,” said Jacob Sipe, executive director of the state housing authority, in a statement Tuesday.
“(The state housing authority) sees this as a natural extension of our partner network to assist Hoosier renters in understanding and exercising their rights and responsibilities as tenants.”
In March, the Indiana Bar Foundation agreed to a $13.1 million contract with the housing authority to help provide legal services for renters. Funding for the grant comes from the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 program, part of the Emergency Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden last year.
Fort Wayne closed its rental assistance program – created by a similar federal program, Emergency Rental Assistance 1 – in late May. Through that effort, the city provided more than $17.7 million in rental assistance, as well as $2.1 million in utility assistance.
With the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 funding, the state housing authority awarded a total of more than $28 million, divided between the Indiana Bar Foundation and the Indiana Community Action Association for housing stability services including eviction prevention, housing counseling and landlord/tenant mediation.
According to a release from the state housing authority and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Bar Foundation created a network of organizations to help renters. The list of participating groups includes the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Indiana Legal Services, Pro Bono Indiana and Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic.
In addition to representing renters in court during eviction hearings, lawyers with the network will host legal clinics around the state.
“This partnership furthers (the state housing authority’s) mission of preventing homelessness and promoting housing stability,” Crouch said in the release. “I’m proud of the collaboration happening between (the state housing authority) and (the Indiana Bar Foundation), and I hope the partnership will better the lives of Hoosiers.”
Indiana Bar Foundation President & CEO Charles Dunlap said that many of those services are already available, although network members are still hiring more attorneys.
The grant will also fund the installation of housing kiosks around the state. They will include computers and printers and will help renters access online resources and chat with remote “legal navigators” – non-lawyers who can help give advice.
“These are folks that are non-attorneys, but they’re helping people,” Dunlap said. “A lot of times people don’t need an attorney, but they need information. That’s what this piece is trying to address.”
Dunlap said the kiosks, which will be managed by the Indiana Bar Foundation, are scheduled to be installed in courts, libraries and other public locations around the state this fall.
“The goal, again, is to keep people housed,” Dunlap said. “Because that’s such a fundamental aspect of stable homes, stable families and ultimately stable cities and states.” | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/state-housing-agency-bar-foundation-to-provide-eviction-help/article_d5c4ed5a-fc87-11ec-ab0a-07920f69f791.html | 2022-07-06T11:02:40 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/state-housing-agency-bar-foundation-to-provide-eviction-help/article_d5c4ed5a-fc87-11ec-ab0a-07920f69f791.html |
New Jersey roads, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, have become increasingly deadly despite fewer cars venturing the state’s roads.
But it’s not just the Garden State.
Since the pandemic began, American roads have seen more fatalities, even while there’s been mostly less traffic activity, according to a newly publicized report.
The data comes as many Americans resume pre-pandemic travel behaviors, especially in summer, when more Americans are predicted to return to the road for vacations and other types of trips.
AAA predicted nearly 47.9 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more from their homes for Independence Day weekend, a 3.7% increase over 2021. However, travel volumes were expected to be shy of 2019 levels.
Egg Harbor Township police Capt. Fred Spano said the trend is likely caused by police policy changes throughout the pandemic.
Many departments, like Egg Harbor Township’s, instructed their officers to limit contact with the public, a means of social distancing intended to help slow the coronavirus’ spread. Drivers likely found it enticing to take risks behind the wheel because they’d be less likely to receive a citation, Spano said.
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“They haven’t been enforcing traffic laws, and it kind of rolled over even as the pandemic lifted,” Spano said.
ATLANTIC CITY — Police say a pedestrian was struck and killed near the intersection of Kentu…
The new data published by the TRIP, A National Transportation Research Nonprofit examines alarming traffic fatality trends throughout the nation since 2020, a year in which vehicular travel plummeted due to the pandemic’s restrictions.
New Jersey’s numbers reflected the national trend, with a 27% increase in fatal car accidents from 2019-21. The state’s fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled rose even higher, with a 36% increase.
Within the past few weeks, Egg Harbor Township police have responded to at least three fatal accidents, Spano said.
Spano also reported “a huge drop” in traffic tickets being issued from 2019 to 2021, adding the department is striving to return law enforcement to where it was pre-pandemic. But even efforts to do so may be coming too late, he said.
“I think we’re dealing with the consequences now because the public knew that most police officers weren’t stopping cars,” Spano said.
Nationally, by April 2020, when daily activities stopped or were altered to curtail the coronavirus’ spread, U.S. vehicular travel was 40% lower than in April 2019. By October, travel rebounded quickly, coming within 9% of October 2019 levels, according to the report.
While the number of cars on the road dropped, fatal traffic accidents rose by 8%, from about 36,000 to 38,900. The traffic fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased by 21%, from 1.11 to 1.34, the report said.
That trend, according to the report, unfortunately, grew worse.
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP — A Vineland man was struck and killed early Friday morning on Bridgeton …
Last year, when most COVID-related restrictions continued to ease, vehicle travel increased significantly to about 3.2 trillion miles, a 10% increase over 2020 and 3% lower than 2019’s figures, according to the report. But from 2020 to 2021, traffic fatalities increased again, this time by 11% (from 38,824 to 42,915), roughly on pace with the 10% increase in vehicle travel during the same time and the highest number recorded since 2005.
The traffic fatality rate in 2021 rose to 1.35 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to the report.
One poll found that daredevil-ish behavior might factor into the trend.
“It is possible that many of the individuals who were willing to travel — and even increase their travel — despite the health risks associated with the pandemic were already more willing than average to take other risks,” a report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety said.
In February, the foundation surveyed motorists on their driving habits. Motorists who maintained or increased their pre-COVID travel levels indicated they were more willing to perform risky driving behavior, including speeding, not wearing a seat belt, being impaired and driving aggressively, the foundation said.
Spano said the rules of the road are starting to be enforced more midway through 2022, all while calls for action are made by the federal government.
The U.S. Department of Transportation this year developed its “National Roadway Safety Strategy,” in which the department takes aim at several suspected contributors to the increase in roadway fatalities. It includes promoting safe driving and improved infrastructure to help reduce fatal crashes.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — A Mays Landing man died Wednesday when his motorcycle crashed into ano…
“AAA urges state, local and tribal leaders to fully leverage the programs within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to implement the Safe System Approach when developing their transportation programs,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy and research. “We cannot fail to act at this juncture. AAA calls on government leaders to move beyond claims that ‘safety is priority number one’ to real-world actions that prove it.”
Local police departments have been concerned about unsafe driving, as well.
In Absecon, police Chief JR Laughlin has, on multiple occasions, notified City Council that the department is getting speeder complaints from those in town. Signage has been posted to encourage safe driving habits, and officers are keeping an eye out, ready to enforce speed limits.
Car-on-car crashes aren’t the only types of accidents on the rise.
Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities increased significantly over pre-pandemic levels. From 2019 to 2021, the number of U.S. pedestrians killed increased by 18% (from 6,205 to 7,342), and the number of bicyclists killed increased by 16% (from 846 to 985). | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/alarming-rate-of-fatal-car-crashes-continues-throughout-pandemic-report-says/article_00f4905a-f870-11ec-b366-cb90f8deebba.html | 2022-07-06T11:03:09 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/alarming-rate-of-fatal-car-crashes-continues-throughout-pandemic-report-says/article_00f4905a-f870-11ec-b366-cb90f8deebba.html |
'Forever chemicals' are in Peoria drinking water. What is being done about them?
PEORIA — A recent health advisory issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has broad implications about the safety of drinking water in municipalities all over the country.
Issued June 15, the advisory acknowledged what scientists have suspected for some time, that the only safe level of what the EPA calls “forever chemicals” in drinking water is zero. These chemicals have been found in the drinking water of many communities, including Peoria.
Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in some industrial processes and in a variety of products, according to the EPA. Because of their slippery properties, PFAS have been used in non-stick coatings on cookware, in packaging, and to make textiles stain-resistant. They are also used in personal care products like shampoos, dental floss and cosmetics. Ultimately, they also can be found in food when fish and livestock are exposed to PFAS in the environment.
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They are called forever chemicals because they do not break down, and when they are ingested they accumulate in the human body. Though the science is still evolving, there is recent evidence these chemicals are harmful even in small amounts. They've been linked to a variety of health ailments, including prostate, kidney and testicular cancers; reproductive harm and high blood pressure in pregnant women; reduction in immune system’s ability to fight infection; and increased levels of cholesterol and obesity, according to the EPA.
What is in Peoria’s water?
According to Illinois American Water’s 2021 water quality report, samples in the Peoria area had between 0 to 9 parts per thousand of six different per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances during water tests run early in 2021.
Though neither the Illinois EPA nor the U.S. EPA has developed enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS, the Illinois EPA requires utilities to notify customers when these chemicals are found to exceed guidance levels. For this reason, Illinois American Water sent notice to central Illinois customers last fall about PFAS in their drinking water.
The notice provided a table detailing each chemical and the amounts found in drinking water during two testing periods early in 2021.
Forget swabs up the nose:Peoria's sewage might help track down the next COVID outbreak
Karen Cotton, senior manager or external communications for Illinois American Water, said the science and regulations surrounding PFAS is evolving.
"This is one of the most rapidly changing landscapes in drinking water contamination," she said.
Illinois American will continue working with experts in the field to better understand PFAS in the environment, she said.
“We are also actively assessing treatment technologies that can effectively remove PFAS from drinking water because we believe that investment in research is critical for addressing this issue,” she said.
What is the plan for removing PFAS from our drinking water?
A total of $5 billion in grant funding has been allocated in a bipartisan infrastructure plan passed by the federal government last year to help communities facing disproportionate impacts from PFAS contamination, according to the EPA. The funds can be used by small or disadvantaged communities for technical assistance, water quality testing, contractor training and installation of centralized treatment systems.
While promises of federal funding are helpful, it’s only a drop in the bucket for what’s needed across the country, when a filter on a single well can cost $500,000, according to USA TODAY.
Emily Remmel, director of regulatory affairs for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, which represents wastewater, water, and sewer utilities across the country, wants the EPA to take more action to get rid of PFAS at the source since they often come from everyday consumer products people use and wash down the drain.
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“Washing your clothes, washing your face, washing your dishes,” Remmel said.
She also wants the EPA to do a better job at the local level assisting with the public health and financial burdens PFAS create.
“This should not be on the backs of municipalities, of ratepayers,” Remmel said.
Leslie Renken can be reached at (309) 370-5087 or lrenken@pjstar.com. Follow her on Facebook.com/leslie.renken. | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/epa-takes-first-steps-eliminate-pfas-municipal-drinking-water/7762494001/ | 2022-07-06T11:11:56 | 1 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/epa-takes-first-steps-eliminate-pfas-municipal-drinking-water/7762494001/ |
Fire safety upgrades coming to the Twin Towers high rise in Peoria
PEORIA — Fire safety renovations have begun on the second of the two Twin Towers high rises in Downtown Peoria.
Work on the west tower follows more than $500,000 in extensive fire safety renovations to the east tower, which are nearing completion according to the city fire department.
In March, a fire on the 26th floor damaged the east tower. Firefighters quickly located and extinguished the fire. Multiple units sustained smoke and water damage and all residents of the east tower were temporarily displaced. One resident was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The incident ultimately was ruled an accident.
Peoria's tallest:Some buildings in Peoria skyline reach hundreds of feet into the air
The fire "brought a lot of things to light," regarding safety measures at the 308-foot towers, said Peoria Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger. The fire department identified problems that needed addressed to bring the buildings into compliance with safety codes.
Sollberger said the total cost of repairs and safety renovations following the fire was "well over $500,000." Three months later, Sollberger said the east tower is now "basically up to par," but the west tower still has "major" issues with its safety measures.
He explained that many of the building's fire-rated doors — designed to halt the spread of a fire long enough to allow residents to escape — had been replaced with insufficiently fire-resistant ones over the years. In some units, the building's sprinkler system is missing spray heads or is otherwise nonfunctional.
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The building will also need renovations to create areas of refuge that will allow elderly, disabled or otherwise less mobile residents to safely wait for rescue when elevators are not working.
The biggest impediment to getting the work done faster has been supply chain issues that delayed the acquisition of fire-rated doors and sprinkler fittings, Sollberger said.
Work on the west tower began July 1, Sollberger said, and shouldn't require the relocation of any residents.
S & S property management, which manages the Twin Towers, did not return a request for comment.
Twin Towers:Amid modest revival, ownership uncertainty changes mood at Peoria mall | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/twin-towers-peoria-fire-safety-upgrade-begins-second-tower/7767424001/ | 2022-07-06T11:11:59 | 0 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/twin-towers-peoria-fire-safety-upgrade-begins-second-tower/7767424001/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — For many, the food is the best part of the Indiana State Fair.
On Wednesday, fair officials revealed a list - and pictures - of 22 new items you'll want to try when you visit later this month.
(NOTE: The above video is from a previous report on the Indiana State Fair's theme for 2022.)
Since one person surely can't visit all of the more than 140 different food stands - or can they? - maybe you'll want to get a group together, so that everyone can sample from each other!
Here are some of the unique offerings making their debut this year:
Deep Fried Cheese Stick
It looks like a corn dog, but it's actually mozzarella cheese dipped in corn dog batter, then deep fried.
Iced Mocha Coffee Float
Chocolate flavored iced coffee with ice cream on top, finished with whipped cream and a cherry.
State Fair Charcuterie Board
Instead of meats and cheeses, this treat delivers state fair favorites: mini corn dogs, salt water taffy, cotton candy, caramel corn and lots more.
Sun King's Caramel Corn
If you know anything about Indiana, you know corn is king. And Indiana's own Sun King Brewery presents Caramel Corn, a unique ale that uses 100 pounds of Just Pop In Caramel Popcorn in each batch!
We've included photos of all 22 new items in the gallery below.
2022 Indiana State Fair food
The Indiana State Fair is 18 days of entertainment for the entire family. You'll enjoy all the usual agriculture education programs and youth events, as well as a wide array of fun attractions, food and much more.
The fair begins July 29 and continues through Aug. 21, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. You'll find everything you need to know here.
What other people are reading: | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/22-unique-food-items-debut-at-this-years-indiana-state-fair-treats-stick-fun/531-2b8dc5de-4a45-4ff0-a1b0-185e2c2bd57f | 2022-07-06T11:14:24 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/22-unique-food-items-debut-at-this-years-indiana-state-fair-treats-stick-fun/531-2b8dc5de-4a45-4ff0-a1b0-185e2c2bd57f |
INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana group advocating for abortion rights has a peaceful protest planned for Wednesday, July 6.
Indiana Action for Abortion Rights is hosting the event from noon to 8 p.m. outside the Indiana Statehouse.
Jessica Fox of Terre Haute is one of the organizers. She said the event is designed to be a peaceful protest of the state's potential ban on abortions.
"Our basic plan is to just be there," Fox said. "Do some chanting, and then have the comradery and togetherness and just show them that we are showing up, and we are going to be heard."
Close to 800 people say they plan on attending, according to the Facebook page.
The protest initially coincided with a special session called by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to address a statewide abortion ban. That session, though, has been delayed until July 25.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Holcomb released a statement saying, in part, "I have been clear in stating I am pro-life. We have an opportunity to make progress in protecting the sanctity of life, and that's exactly what we will do."
Fox said the session's delay won't stop advocates from showing up on Wednesday.
"We are not going to back down," Fox said. "The dates can be moved, but we are going to be there the day of and before."
Organizers encourage people to bring signs or supplies to make signs. Fox said this event will go on rain or shine, so umbrellas and ponchos are also encouraged.
She said the protest is "open house style," so people can come and go as they please.
"If it passes anyway, our next goal is probably going to be trying to find resources for women in the state of Indiana and ways that they can still access safe abortions, however that may have to happen," Fox said.
The special session is now set to start Monday, July 25. Fox said Indiana Action for Abortion Rights is working on another event for that day. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/abortion-rights-protest-set-for-wednesday-july-6-indiana-statehouse/531-903513ce-77d3-4d26-9110-61d9025a2c08 | 2022-07-06T11:14:30 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/abortion-rights-protest-set-for-wednesday-july-6-indiana-statehouse/531-903513ce-77d3-4d26-9110-61d9025a2c08 |
100 years ago
July 6, 1922: Having brought to a close its 14th successive year of work, the Day Nursery at 1320 W. Mulberry St. is now in the midst of its summer lull. The center, for which fundraising efforts are underway, has been the site of a kindergarten program, sewing lessons for young girls, a substation of the Bloomington Public Library and the neighborhood's Woman's Club.
75 years ago
July 6, 1947: Wendell Holmes of Bloomington filed suit in circuit court to recover $600 he claims he lost in a dice game to Robert Brickey, also of Bloomington. Holmes said he lost the money on two occasions in January while gambling at Brickey's business. Brickey is now under an 18-month sentence from county court for operating a gambling house. He is free on bond while his case is being appealed.
50 years ago
July 6, 1972: A four-ounce egg-sized piece of a 26-ounce moon rock brought back on the Apollo 11 flight is being displayed in the Hall of Geology at the Illinois State Museum through July 10. The sample is much larger than the particles the museum has on permanent display. A NASA report says geologists believe the lunar rock to be a part of the moon, rather than a meteorite that fell into it.
25 years ago
July 6, 1997: Look out Beanie Babies, here comes Tamagotchi. The "pet rock for the digital generation" is the latest fad to sweep the country. "They're out as soon as they get in the store," said Carla Miller, manager of the Normal Target. "I haven't even seen one." The small, egg-sized toy has a video animal featured on a mini-computer screen. It sells for about $15.
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/25-years-ago-tamagotchi-craze-strikes-central-illinois/article_9b92582c-fc4e-11ec-9700-a705e619378e.html | 2022-07-06T11:16:12 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/25-years-ago-tamagotchi-craze-strikes-central-illinois/article_9b92582c-fc4e-11ec-9700-a705e619378e.html |
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A teacher, Uber driver and pizza delivery driver. Deputy Pedro Gonzalez Horstmann's journey to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office isn't typical, the agency recently shared.
He joined HCSO at 51 in November 2020. He graduated from the academy in June 2021. But he's no stranger to law enforcement.
Gonzalez Horstmann was born and raised in Havana, Cuba and served in the Cuban Army and was a lawyer and police officer. However, he "often felt conflicted by the politics of the Communist Party," the HCSO said.
Because of this, when he was 37, he and his family left Cuba to seek political asylum. They emigrated to Ukraine and Mexico before finally crossing the U.S. border in 2012 into Texas.
Now living in America, he learned English and worked as a teacher, Uber driver and pizza delivery driver.
Then Gonzalez Horstmann made his way to the Tampa Bay area and met Deputy Marilyn Alvarez, "who gave him hope that he could return to a career in law enforcement," the agency said.
After becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019, he applied to HCSO and ultimately joined the agency as a deputy.
"Any goal you have in this country, the United States, you can get it," Gonzalez Horstmann said. "I started this career at 51 years old. Now I'm 52. My first years in patrol. I don't regret any decision I have taken in my life."
"Deputy Gonzalez Horstmann's journey to HCSO was filled with trials and triumphs, but he never let it deter him from reaching his end goal, which was to ultimately return to a career in law enforcement," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. "Our Hillsborough County community will benefit from the many places he's been and all of the experiences he's had along the way."
Gonzalez Horstmann's story is part of the sheriff's office's series "Before the Badge." You can watch the full video below or by clicking here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-county-deputy-pedro-gonzalez-horstmann/67-8ed15de6-e731-4c30-a219-86e286437c0b | 2022-07-06T11:19:52 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-county-deputy-pedro-gonzalez-horstmann/67-8ed15de6-e731-4c30-a219-86e286437c0b |
Mauldin taps interim administrator, names new economic development director
Mauldin filled two large vacancies in its employee roster, offering a contract to an interim administrator and hiring a new economic development director in the same night Tuesday.
Rebecca Vance, who has served as administrator in Clinton and Summerville, has yet to sign her interim contract, Human Resources Director Mark Putnam said. Her proposed contract is for four months and begins July 18.
Let's get personal:Download The Greenville News app to get real local news your way
JR Charles, who comes to the Upstate with economic development experience in Georgia, was in chambers Tuesday night to be welcomed aboard by council. He was named the development director of The Salvation Army of Greenville last month.
Charles joins the Mauldin team Monday, filling the department head role that has been vacant since Van Broad retired in March.
"Our goal has been to not miss a beat and I think with the hiring of Mr. Charles we're achieving that goal," councilman Taft Matney said. "The experience that he brings will fit well not only with the city's current culture but what we're trying to develop."
The hires come on Madden's last week as Mauldin City Administrator. His last day with the city is Friday before heading to the City of Greenville to take a deputy administrator role.
Hiring time crunch:Key Mauldin jobs still open as timeframe for finding interim Mauldin administrator shrinks
Mauldin's department heads will handle the potential gap week between Madden's exit and Vance's start date.
Madden announced his plans to leave the city in April after holding the Mauldin administrator position for four-and-a-half years. He was hired in October 2018 and started the role in December 2018.
Council is still actively searching and interviewing for a permanent administrator, Mayor Terry Merritt previously told The News. Vance's proposed contract would place her with the city through October.
Stories like this are possible because of our subscribers. Please support journalism in Greenville and subscribe by visiting greenvillenews.com/subscribe.
– Caitlin Herrington, local reporter and lover of alliteration, covers government and growth in the Golden Strip. Get in touch with her at cherrington@greenvillenews.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @GVLnewsCat. | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/golden-strip/2022/07/06/mauldin-taps-interim-administrator-new-economic-development-director/7812005001/ | 2022-07-06T11:28:07 | 0 | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/golden-strip/2022/07/06/mauldin-taps-interim-administrator-new-economic-development-director/7812005001/ |
SCRANTON, Pa. — A school in Scranton dedicated to helping students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities is shutting its doors.
The dePaul School, operated by Allied Services, officially closed last week.
Officials say the school along the Morgan Highway in Scranton dealt with several problems during the pandemic, like enrollment and space limitations.
Allied Services operated the school for the past 30 years here in Lackawanna County.
See more news stories on WNEP's Youtube page. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/allied-services-depaul-school-closes-scranton-lackawanna-county-dyslexia-learning-disabilities/523-c9b5f29b-21a6-41f2-beb8-90ec8052e5e8 | 2022-07-06T11:37:51 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/allied-services-depaul-school-closes-scranton-lackawanna-county-dyslexia-learning-disabilities/523-c9b5f29b-21a6-41f2-beb8-90ec8052e5e8 |
SCRANTON, Pa. — Police are investigating the death of an 18-year-old in Lackawanna County.
According to the coroner, Sarai Jean-Louis was found on the 600 block of North Main Avenue in Scranton early Friday morning.
Dozens of police officers responded to the area.
Jean-Louis was taken to the hospital, where he died.
The coroner says the 18-year-old was not hurt and is waiting for toxicology results to figure out how the teen died.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/investigation-underway-teen-found-dead-scranton-north-main-avenue-lackawanna-county-coroner/523-127171cc-482f-4dec-bb56-9e7773055cb8 | 2022-07-06T11:37:57 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/investigation-underway-teen-found-dead-scranton-north-main-avenue-lackawanna-county-coroner/523-127171cc-482f-4dec-bb56-9e7773055cb8 |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Thousands of people in Wichita are unable to get fresh healthy food on the table with many not having quick access to a supermarket. On Tuesday, the city council approved $1 million in American Rescue Act funds to help get healthy food to those in need, but what are they doing now?
“This is a critical moment and we can talk about this we can talk, but in the interim, we need to be doing something,” said CEO of Common Ground Producers and Growers, Donna McClish.
McClish has helped to get food on people’s tables since 2014 with Common Ground’s mobile markets.
“Food is just as important to me in my opinion to the infrastructure as roads bridges and broadband,” said McClish.
The city council approved a master food plan back in January, but they are still taking the steps to reach the goals of the plan, such as identifying the need and providing the food, which McClish says Common Ground is already doing.
“We need the resources to ramp up, I need like 3 or 4 more delivery trucks and vans,” said McClish.
“If it weren’t for the efforts of Donna or the Salvation Army or some of our churches that have food pantries and tried to expand those services people would be even hungrier than they are now and we have to find a way to help. I do believe that common ground growers and producers is that solution,” said Wichita District One City Council Member, Brandon Johnson.
Now that funds are approved, there are still steps needed to be done for the Healthy Corner Store Initiative Program, such as appointing a committee and finding who will invest in adding a store.
Even though funds are approved, the program won’t be ready until 2023.
“The hard answer is well nothing right now it just means we are going to keep doing this work and I think people want to see when are you going to find somebody that can bring me my produce today and that is what we are working towards,” said Johnson.
Common Ground recently got a new cooler to help feed more people.
Johnson said he will continue to support Common Ground and other partners helping to feed as change slowly comes for the Healthy Corner Store Initiative Program. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-city-council-approves-1m-for-healthy-food-access/ | 2022-07-06T12:05:10 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-city-council-approves-1m-for-healthy-food-access/ |
John Luzaich entertains trick or treaters as the Phantom of the Opera from atop the Oster Regent marquee during Trick or Treat Downtown Oct. 31, 2017, in Cedar Falls.
BRANDON POLLOCK, COURIER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
In a scene from the Cedar Falls Community Theatre's 2020 staged reading of 'Driving Miss Daisy,' from left, Boolie (John Luzaich), Miss Daisy (Liane Nichols) and Hoke (J'Kalein Madison).
CEDAR FALLS — John Luzaich is bringing down the curtain on a 24-year career as general manager for the Cedar Falls Community Theatre and Oster Regent Theater.
His last day is Jan. 31, 2023.
“I feel good about leaving now because the theater is in solid financial shape,” said Luzaich. “I thought it was a good time to retire while my wife, Michelle, and I are healthy and can still travel and spend time with grandkids and family. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome,” he noted, laughing.
Michelle retired last year from Schumacher Elevator Co. in Denver.
In recent years and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Luzaich has worked hard to put the theater on firm financial footing, successfully applying for grants and other funding. CFCT/Oster Regent received several COVID-related Shuttered Venue Operators Grants, for example, Luzaich said.
Each season the resident community theater presents multiple shows, including comedies and musicals. A veteran actor, Luzaich has appeared in numerous roles and also was an investor/producer for the Broadway revival of “Godspell.” Through his efforts, the theater has become a popular venue for concerts, touring companies and special events.
The historic 112-year-old Oster Regent building has seen numerous improvements during his tenure. A successful $1.2 million capital campaign raised funds to replace the building’s main façade, including marquee, windows and doors. Funds were spent on mechanical improvements, backstage areas, curtains, sound system, carpeting and a new aerial lift.
“Individuals, businesses and companies contributed to the campaign, for now and long-term, which has been really helpful in planning,” Luzaich said.
While Luzaich is preparing his curtain call, the Cedar Falls Community Theatre board of directors has formed a nine-member search committee and launched a nationwide search for a new general manager.
“John is a delight to work with, and we will miss his wit, his commitment, his knowledge and the incredible way he has of involving people in this organization he loves,” said board president Meghan McEleney.
“John has given us plenty of time to find a quality candidate and the national search is underway. We appreciate this lead time so we can conduct a methodical hiring search. It might even allow time where the new person learns from John directly for an even smoother transition,” McEleney explained.
The Luzaichs plan to remain in the Cedar Valley. An old-fashioned roast of Luzaich is planned in January.
John Luzaich entertains trick or treaters as the Phantom of the Opera from atop the Oster Regent marquee during Trick or Treat Downtown Oct. 31, 2017, in Cedar Falls.
In a scene from the Cedar Falls Community Theatre's 2020 staged reading of 'Driving Miss Daisy,' from left, Boolie (John Luzaich), Miss Daisy (Liane Nichols) and Hoke (J'Kalein Madison). | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/curtain-call-john-luzaich-announces-2023-retirement-as-general-manager-at-oster-regent-theatre/article_bc8b928e-0f8a-59e8-b9cc-02698ca773b3.html | 2022-07-06T12:08:49 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/curtain-call-john-luzaich-announces-2023-retirement-as-general-manager-at-oster-regent-theatre/article_bc8b928e-0f8a-59e8-b9cc-02698ca773b3.html |
CEDAR FALLS – Plans to remove a bridge on Olive Street and expand the adjacent Pettersen Plaza were unanimously approved by the City Council on Tuesday night.
Construction could begin as early as this summer at an estimated cost of $2.2 million.
The bridge was built in 1955 on Olive Street between West 20th and West 21st streets but has become structurally deficient, City Engineer Matt Tolan said after the meeting.
As part of the project, a box culvert will be extended eastward to Olive Street over Dry Run Creek.
Pettersen Plaza, next to Jimmy John’s in the 2000 block of College Street, will be spruced up and expanded over the new culvert.
On Oct. 1, 2010, the College Hill plaza was dedicated to C. Hugh Pettersen, “The Mayor of College Hill."
He was the founder of the College Hill Arts Festival, a founding board member of the Hearst Center for the Arts and the owner of the Henry W. Myrtle Art Gallery. He died in 2014.
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The goal would be to identify College Hill as a "historic location and significant entertainment district" for the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, and the greater region.
Before the project moves forward, the City Council must award the construction contract. Bids will be accepted until July 22.
Work could begin in August, but could start in fall or winter, Tolan said. The start date will depend on weather, because work involves the creek, and the contractor needs to wait until it’s at low flow.
The project is slated to take a year to complete and will depend on material availability, Tolan said.
Renderings were revealed about two years ago, but nothing significant has changed, said City Engineer David Wicke.
The bridge has been deemed deficient because of concrete deterioration and corrosion of the reinforcing steel and hand railing. It is used by vehicles and has a pedestrian walkway.
Sanitary sewer and other street-related work will be completed to improve water quality and address “existing stream channel stability issues” caused by stream bank erosion.
The Rooted Carrot Cooperative Market is a community-owned grocery store that seeks to enhance the health and well-being of the greater Cedar Valley, according to its mission statement.
A majority of the cost will be covered by tax increment financing and general obligation bonds. The cost was estimated at $1.6 million when the council approved its capital improvement plan in the winter.
The project also required that the city acquire easements from three properties on Olive Street.
During Tuesday's meeting, officials asked Wicke if alternatives were considered.
Councilor Dustin Ganfield asked about the proposed $235,800 in landscaping pavers. Wicke said they were selected to be consistent with the existing plaza and were the “most efficient way” in moving forward.
No one spoke during the public hearing before the vote.
Councilor Kelly Dunn and Mayor Rob Green were absent. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/plans-to-remove-olive-street-bridge-expand-pettersen-plaza-get-green-light-in-cedar-falls/article_28e3770d-40c2-5c6e-a36d-6989e59b7792.html | 2022-07-06T12:08:55 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/plans-to-remove-olive-street-bridge-expand-pettersen-plaza-get-green-light-in-cedar-falls/article_28e3770d-40c2-5c6e-a36d-6989e59b7792.html |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Fourth of July weekend may be gone, but the cookout continues.
The 407 Food Fair for July will bring “backyard favorites” to Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company on Saturday.
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The monthly food and craft festival is held by MAM Events in partnership with Stuff to do in Orlando on the second Saturday of every month.
There will be 8-12 vendors at the event, all with the “cookout” theme.
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below:
From savory to sweet, here are the businesses serving it up this weekend: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/407-food-fair-brings-cookout-flavors-to-orlando-brewery-heres-what-will-be-served/ | 2022-07-06T12:16:33 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/407-food-fair-brings-cookout-flavors-to-orlando-brewery-heres-what-will-be-served/ |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A teenage girl accused of engaging in a shootout with Volusia County sheriff’s deputies is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
The girl, now 15, and a younger boy, broke into an Enterprise home last year and used the homeowner’s guns, including an AK-47, to fire at deputies, according to sheriff’s officials.
[RELATED: Body-cam video shows shootout | TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
No deputies were injured in the shooting, but the girl, then 14, was struck in the chest when deputies returned fire, according to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. She was critically wounded but has since recovered, officials said. The then 12-year-old boy was not injured.
Deputies said the boy and girl ran away from Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, a foster home, and broke into the house.
The girl was charged with attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, which could result in a life sentence.
Last month, she rejected a plea deal that would have sent her to prison for 20 years.
Wednesday’s court hearing is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.
Check back for updates. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/court-hearing-set-for-girl-accused-in-shootout-with-volusia-deputies/ | 2022-07-06T12:16:39 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/court-hearing-set-for-girl-accused-in-shootout-with-volusia-deputies/ |
The State Fair of Texas has announced the 36 semi-finalists who will move forward in the Big Tex Choice Awards competition.
According to fair officials, after much deliberation in the first round of judging, 19 savory and 17 sweet entries will go on to compete for one of three winning titles: “Best Taste – Savory,” “Best Taste – Sweet,” and “Most Creative.”
In the savory category, finalists include:
- The Bayou Bowl
- Cajun Lobster Bisque Croquettes
- Chicharron Explosion Nachos
- Crispy Dilly Dog
- Deep Fried BLT
- Deep Fried Brisket Cheese Sticks
- Deep Fried Lasagna Roll
- Deep Fried Texas Country Cookout
- Dim Sum Loco Burritos
- Fried Charcuterie Board
- Fried Soul Food Eggroll
- Holy Biscuit
- Shaking Beef Salad
- Southern Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffle Sliders
- Texas Hot Bull Ride
- Texas Ranch Hot Wings
- Texas Slide
- Texas Twosome
- Turkey Leg Taquito
In the sweet category, finalists include:
- Cha-Cha Chata
- Crunchberry Shortcake
- Deep Fried Buc-ee's
- Deep Fried Honey
- Deep Fried Praline Cheesecake Eggroll
- Deep Fried Rocky Road with Blue Bell Ice Cream
- Deep Fried Southern Dessert Dumplings
- Deep Fried Strawberry Shortcake Crunch Roll
- Doh-Muff
- Fat Elvis
- Fried Texas Fruit Salad
- La Bluebonnet
- Peanut Butter Paradise
- Raspberry Chipotle Sopapilla Cheesecake
- Smoked Bacon Wrapped Cookie Dough Balls
- The Ultimate Brookie Monster
- Triple Lemon Bliss
The contest kicked off in June with an 51 entries represented by 36 concessionaires.
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The latest news from around North Texas.
The State Fair said all competitors must have at least one year of experience as a concessionaire at the State Fair of Texas to enter the competition.
The selection process involves "blind judging" to ensure that the scoring is entirely based on the food, fair officials said.
In the coming weeks, the second round of preliminary judging will begin, and a panel of judges will evaluate the uniqueness, presentation, creativity, and
taste of all of the entries.
According to State Fair officials, the judges must also consider how likely a fairgoer is to buy the item?
The top 10 entries will compete in the final round at this year’s Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony, officials said.
The State Fair opens on Friday, September 30, and runs through Sunday, October 23, 2022. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/state-fair-of-texas-announces-2022-2022-big-tex-choice-awards-food-semi-finalists/3007826/ | 2022-07-06T12:17:57 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/state-fair-of-texas-announces-2022-2022-big-tex-choice-awards-food-semi-finalists/3007826/ |
Kenosha police continue to investigate a shooting that sent a man to the hospital after he suffered multiple wounds in gunfire that erupted in the 6000 block of 24th Avenue Tuesday night.
The man was transported to a local hospital following the shooting that was reported just before 8 p.m., according to Lt. Josh Hecker of the Kenosha Police Department.
Hecker said a police officer heard what sounded like gunshots being fired in the Uptown neighborhood.
"When they began to respond to a particular area, citizens were telling them about a possible shooting victim in the 6000 block of 24th Avenue," he said. Officers located the man, who was rushed by Kenosha Fire Department paramedics to the hospital where he continued to received treatment for his injuries early Wednesday, Hecker said. His condition was not immediately known
Initial police radio traffic indicated that the man had wounds in multiple places on his body, including his arm, stomach and leg. Hecker said, however, that authorities do not believe his injuries were life threatening.
No suspects were in custody and the investigation was ongoing.
Family identifies homicide victim
The shooting incident is the second in as many nights in the city's Uptown neighborhood, which has been plagued by gun violence. Late Monday night, five people were victims of a mass shooting that killed a 20-year-old man and injured four adults in the 6300 block of 25th Avenue.
While police continue to investigate the homicide and had yet to name the victim, family members identified him as Anderail Armstrong, who was known also known as "Lil Cash," and have established a GoFundMe page help pay for Armstrong's funeral. He was described as a "funny, kind-hearted, talented, smart, loving young man."
"He was loved by everyone who came into contact with him. He will be greatly missed," said Ashley Lemay, who organized the fundraiser, in her post.
It was not known whether suspects were in custody in connection with Armstrong's homicide, according to Hecker. He said it was also "too soon to tell" whether Tuesday's incident was related to Monday's mass shooting.
The state of Wisconsin has revoked the wholesale dealer license for Elkhorn car dealer, Car Rangers LLC, after the dealership was found rolling back odometers and altering titles to reflect lower mileage, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Between April and May, a confidential informant reported purchasing 0.7 grams of crack cocaine, 4.5 grams of cocaine and fentanyl, and 0.8 grams of MDMA and fentanyl.
UNION GROVE — Three mobile homes were to have suffered damage, and may have been completely destroyed, in a fire that was extinguished after firefighters from more than a dozen agencies responded to the Hickory Haven mobile home park on Schoen Road Saturday afternoon.
DEVELOPING: A critical incident in Waterford forced a business district west of Highway 36 (Milwaukee Avenue) to be locked down for several hours Tuesday afternoon. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-suffers-multiple-injuries-in-second-night-of-gun-violence-in-uptown-tuesday-family-identifies/article_92ff94a0-fcf2-11ec-9f03-0ff7e4798ea6.html | 2022-07-06T12:27:25 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-suffers-multiple-injuries-in-second-night-of-gun-violence-in-uptown-tuesday-family-identifies/article_92ff94a0-fcf2-11ec-9f03-0ff7e4798ea6.html |
It’s Fried Chicken Day, so enjoy this all-American favorite. Chicken and waffles for breakfast, anyone?
Start your morning with the Kenosha Library System. An all-ages story time starts at 9:30 a.m. in Schulte Park, 4400 87th Place. Story time is 9:30 to 10 a.m., followed by bubbles and music until 10:45 a.m. Admission is free. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair.
The Kenosha Pops Concert Band will try again tonight — after Monday’s concert was rained out — to perform a patriotic program on the band shell in Pennoyer Park, at 35th Street and Seventh Avenue at the lakefront. Admission is free. Note: Bench seating is provided. Audience members may also bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.
The Waco Brothers — a Chicago-based group whose music has been described, variously, as “hellfire country” and “mournful punk” — are performing 9 to 11 tonight (July 6) at Public Craft Brewing Co., 628 58th St. Tickets are $20 at eventbrite.com (search “Waco Brothers”). This show is part of the “Kenosha Concerts collection” by Kmack Productions.
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All aboard! Kenosha’s Downtown electric streetcars are running seven days a week, offering wonderful lakefront views. The streetcars run 11:05 a.m. to 6:35 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:35 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The fare is $1 for ages 13 and older and 50 cents for kids ages 5-12 (free for kids age 4 and younger). An all-day pass is $3.50. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-events-for-wednesday-july-6/article_3956e26a-fc6f-11ec-ac40-cbaf26ea4c5b.html | 2022-07-06T12:27:31 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-events-for-wednesday-july-6/article_3956e26a-fc6f-11ec-ac40-cbaf26ea4c5b.html |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-dies-after-shooting-in-la-fitness-parking-lot/3291388/ | 2022-07-06T12:30:00 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-dies-after-shooting-in-la-fitness-parking-lot/3291388/ |
A man was shot and killed in the parking lot behind an LA Fitness in Northeast Philadelphia early Wednesday morning, police said.
Philadelphia police said they received several 911 calls reporting a shooting behind the gym on the 2500 block of Grant Avenue.
Around 2:30 a.m. responding officers found an unresponsive man bleeding from the lower back. Police said they rushed him to a nearby hospital where he later died.
Feet away from the man, investigators found a bullet casing and a light meant for a gun, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
Small said when police found the victim, there was a man who appeared like he was trying to help him. That person is being questioned to see if he knows anything about what happened.
It’s unclear why the two were behind the LA Fitness, Small said.
As of Monday morning, there were at least 268 homicides in Philadelphia this year, down 6% from the same time last year which was ultimately the deadliest in the city on record.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-shot-killed-behind-la-fitness-in-northeast-philly/3291405/ | 2022-07-06T12:30:07 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-shot-killed-behind-la-fitness-in-northeast-philly/3291405/ |
An off-duty NYPD civilian employee who works in the department's intelligence division was randomly attacked by a stranger at a Manhattan subway station on Independence Day, according to two senior law enforcement sources with knowledge of the case.
The 53-year-old NYPD employee told authorities she had boarded a southbound No. 4 train at the Fulton Street station just before 11 p.m. when a man she didn't know who was wearing ripped sweatpants and white sneakers somehow shoved her into a pole on the train, according to the sources.
The woman said she wasn't sure if he hit her or if he pushed her into the pole, but she says she suffered eye swelling and other pain, the law enforcement sources said.
The attacker ran off, while the NYPD employee was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, the sources said. She is expected to be OK. No other details were available.
It's just the latest in a series of random attacks that have plagued the subway system in recent months. One of the more recent cases in June involved a man who allegedly attacked people twice on separate 7 trains over the same weekend. Those victims needed 36 stitches and two life-saving surgeries to heal their wounds, officials said. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nypd-intel-analyst-hurt-in-random-manhattan-subway-attack-sources/3762982/ | 2022-07-06T12:31:21 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nypd-intel-analyst-hurt-in-random-manhattan-subway-attack-sources/3762982/ |
A 43-year-old mother has been arrested on a charge of assaulting a police officer for allegedly attacking a New York City school safety agent, throwing her to the ground and leaving her with a forearm laceration, authorities say.
Allena Abrams, of Corsen Place, was arrested just before noon Tuesday in the attack on the agent at I.S. 49 on Warren Street in Staten Island. Police say Abrams allegedly approached the agent on school property, bear-hugged her and threw her down.
It's not clear what provoked the alleged slam, nor was it known if Abrams had an attorney who could comment on the allegation against her.
Authorities say she has no prior arrests.
New York City public schools had their last class day of the 2021-2022 academic year on Monday, June 27, but the summer program started for young kids on Tuesday. Learn more about Summer Rising here. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/staten-island-school-safety-agent-attack/3763032/ | 2022-07-06T12:31:22 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/staten-island-school-safety-agent-attack/3763032/ |
WILDWOOD CREST — At the end of the 19th century, the area that is now Wildwood Crest was an “untouched wilderness of sand dunes and thicket,” according to a history posted to the website cresthistory.org.
The first house was built in 1906, and the Crest grew and expanded after that, naming Philip Pontius Baker the first mayor in 1910, in a vote of 28 of the 103 residents of the time.
Current Mayor Don Cabrera wants to make sure that the history of that tiny borough is preserved and passed along to future residents and visitors. On Tuesday, he said every community has its own history, and it is important to find ways of preserving that.
Cabrera has suggested the creation of a position of an official Wildwood Crest historian, whose duties would include maintaining a collection of artifacts to be put in place at the Wildwood Crest Arts Pavilion, a repurposing of the former library that is expected to be completed this summer.
The items will be on display throughout the renovated building, Cabrera said, with historic details and explanations placed next to each display. The collection would not be in a single room, he said, but instead intermingled with art displays and other uses of the building.
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The Wildwood Crest Historical Society used to have single room in the Crest Pier Recreation Center, but that closed in an expansion of that center. According to Cabrera, the display was staffed by volunteers on fewer days each year. He said the borough should not rely on volunteers for the new project.
“It’s something that we need full time attention to,” he said.
According to Cabrera, the Wildwood Crest Historical Society has all but disbanded.
“There haven’t been meetings in quite some time,” he said.
That’s news to the president of the society. Kirk Hastings has led the Wildwood Crest Historical Society since 1995, he wrote in an email on Tuesday, and he said the organization remains active. He pointed to the society’s web page, presence on social media and work underway with Crest Memorial School to produce a booklet on local history for students. That could include presenting programs in the coming school year.
The information cited above is from the society’s webpage, which delves into the history of the community and of landmarks such as a 30-foot arch that once stood at Cresse Avenue and the Crest Pier.
Hastings said he has heard nothing about finding a local historian before being contacted Tuesday.
“If this is true about the Crest Commissioners now considering appointing a ‘local historian’ without our participation, then this is an example of local politics at its worst,” Hastings wrote.
He described the room at the Crest Pier as a museum, and said the borough suddenly closed it in 2016. Formerly, he said, the society was told there would be a museum in the new building. Now, the borough is only willing to hang some historical pictures here and there, Hastings wrote.
For now, he has records, books and documents from the Historical Society stored in his home, and said the local government has not been supportive of the organization.
“For the Crest Commissioners to suddenly come up with the idea now of appointing such a ‘historian’ without me or the Historical Society being involved is still another totally unwarranted slap in the face to our organization,” Hasting wrote. “But this seems to be the way our politicians today (both local and national), have chosen to operate – ignore the people and (once they get into power) just do what they want.”
Cabrera said he sent an email to the organization in March asking about its status, and to set up a meeting. He said he got no response. He said he is still willing to talk to the Historical Society about plans for a historian, but said he was not making any promises.
Cabrera had mentioned the possibility of a local historian at previous Crest Borough Commission meetings, either as a volunteer or paid position, or additional duties for someone already working for the borough.
Crest staff members reached out to other communities to see how the handled history, but at least at a recent meeting, there did not seem to be a surplus of candidates.
“I know we kind of put some feelers out into the community. I don’t see a lot of people lining up at the door for the job,” Cabrera said.
On Tuesday, Cabrera said the job could mean an additional stipend of $5,000 to $7,500 a year, but it would definitely not be a full time position. He said the ideal candidate would already be well versed in Crest history and be dedicated to the community.
“It would have to be a labor of love,” he said.
But there are other complications. He said Tuesday that he has heard there is a state law that prevents towns from hiring a historian, at least under that name. The duties could be assigned to someone employed in another capacity, he said.
That could not immediately be independently confirmed. State law does appear to define a position of local historian, including outlining duties such as making an annual report to the governing body.
The new Wildwood Crest Arts Pavilion was set to open by July 1, but Crest officials say supply chain problems have delayed its completion. Cabrera said it will likely open by the end of the month or in August.
The building once housed the Wildwood Crest branch of the Cape May County Library, until a new, much larger, $5.3 million library was completed nearby almost a decade ago. That building stands on Atlantic, across a line of tennis courts from the old library building.
The renovations to the former library building at 6301 Ocean Ave. is expected to cost about $1.3 million, Cabrera said, with a little help from some grant funds.
Plans call for a senior center, a café, retail space, room for meetings and a common area, with a garden, terrace and other amenities outside. It sits just across the bike path that runs along the beach and dunes.
Crest officials discussed plans for the property for years, with occasional calls to demolish it for parking eventually outweighed by voiced for preservation.
According to Cabrera, the completed Arts Pavilion, once open, will be an important center for the community, including the historic elements. He said it was originally built in the early 1970s, and served as a local library before being turned over to the borough and eventually becoming part of the county library system.
“That old library is a major part of our history in the Crest,” Cabrera said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/wildwood-crest-eyes-appointing-a-local-historian/article_8d23a598-fc9e-11ec-b298-b3b64da45462.html | 2022-07-06T12:34:26 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/wildwood-crest-eyes-appointing-a-local-historian/article_8d23a598-fc9e-11ec-b298-b3b64da45462.html |
Roanoke, Va – Imagine having doctors, first responders, and paramedics go through real life training before they ever enter the field, without the real life consequences. That’s what students from Roanoke County Fire and Rescue experienced as part of a research study to see how these simulations affect a student’s critical thinking.
Ryan Lanning with Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department says he wanted to be more hands on in the community. That is why he decided to start training to be a paramedic.
Lanning says, “I just enjoy the whole medical side of things. At the end of the day, we are here to serve the public and that is how we are going to do so the most.”
Lanning started training last winter. His class did a lot of in classroom exercises but recently they were part of only 200 students across the nation to try out a new hands-on virtual reality program.
“You get to watch the patient, watch them improve or get worse, depending on what treatment you chose,” says Lanning.
The program from VRpatients takes you through a number of real-life scenarios you would encounter as a paramedic. You get to put on the headset and actually interact with your patients. Zach cooper who is was also a part of the VR training says completely different what he experienced before.
Cooper says, “From imagining a patient and talking through a scenario to actually seeing your patient and your patient responding to your treatments and responding to your assessments, it takes a lot of getting used to.”
Wayne King who is a Master Paramedic Firefighter FTO who has been in the field for years, says this is a unique training and can be a very helpful tool.
“I think the cool thing is that by creating the scenario or by creating the space around them, it is something that they may see in the field when they start to do their internships or their field clinical times,” says King.
Ryan says he hopes that this virtual reality training becomes more common to help future generations
“If they have something like covid again, where we can’t have patient contact and hands on, then that will probably be our best bet, is virtual.”
The results on how virtual reality impacts this sort of training will be published in the fall. Ryan and Zach are expected to complete training in December. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/06/roanoke-county-fire-and-rescue-paramedic-students-participated-in-a-first-of-its-kind-virtual-reality-training/ | 2022-07-06T12:47:50 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/06/roanoke-county-fire-and-rescue-paramedic-students-participated-in-a-first-of-its-kind-virtual-reality-training/ |
Hartford City woman killed in crash in northeastern Delaware County
MUNCIE, Ind. — A 31-year-old Hartford City woman was killed Tuesday afternoon in a crash in northeastern Delaware County.
Alyssa Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene along Ind. 167 north of Delaware County Road 900-N, according to County Corner Rick Howell. The crash was reported to emergency dispatchers shortly before 3 p.m.
Three passengers in Stephens' car, all reportedly children, were injured.
One was flown from the scene by medical helicopter to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. The other two victims were taken by ambulance to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.
More: Man killed in Jay County traffic accident
Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner said Stephens was driving northbound on Ind. 167 when her car left the east side of the state highway and rolled.
She was ejected from the vehicle, the sheriff said.
Howell said an autopsy would be conducted Wednesday at the Muncie hospital.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/delaware-county-indiana-accident-one-dead-single-vehicle-crash/7814983001/ | 2022-07-06T12:48:02 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/delaware-county-indiana-accident-one-dead-single-vehicle-crash/7814983001/ |
Heat index up to 110 degrees expected in East Central Indiana late Tuesday
Robin Gibson
Muncie Star Press
MUNCIE, Ind. — A combination of high heat and humidity could prove dangerous in East Central Indiana late Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory until 9 p.m. Tuesday for counties including Delaware, Henry, Madison and Randolph.
With temperatures already in the 90s plus high humidity, heat index values up to 110 degrees were expected, according to the NWS website.
More:Ask the Expert: Hot car deaths for children can happen in minutes. What you should know
Blackford and Jay counties are included in a separate heat advisory until 10 p.m. Tuesday with heat index values of 100 degrees or greater.
Recommended precautions during the heat advisory include:
- Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
- Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible.
- 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 cooler times in early morning or evening, and schedule frequent rest breaks in shade or air conditioning.
- Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency; call 911. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/heat-index-up-110-degrees-expected-eci-tuesday/7815575001/ | 2022-07-06T12:48:02 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/heat-index-up-110-degrees-expected-eci-tuesday/7815575001/ |
July's First Thursday art events have something for everyone (including dogs)
MUNCIE, Ind. — July's First Thursday gallery walk will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday, July 7, in downtown Muncie.
Fur in Focus Pet Portraits, 111 E. Adams St., will present "The Treat Catching Series" of original pet photography by Amy Shears featuring the unbridled joy and hilarious expressions of pets catching treats. Well-behaved leashed pets are welcomed to sample a "barcuterie board" by Diamond Organics. Refreshments for humans will be offered, too.
Muncie Map Co., also at 111 E. Adams St., will be releasing the “Muncie: Weird and Wonderful” map, which features "a collection of Muncie oddities and locally unique places in a goofy, cheerful aesthetic," according to a release. The store also will offer specials on its locally famous apparel and double points on all purchases for Free Stuff Club members.
Visitors to MadJax Muncie, 515 E. Main St., can meet the MadJax tenant artists and community arts advocate Tom Stader, Angel Gillette, Phoenix Bullseye and Debra Gindhart Dragoo. Several community popup artists and makers will be there as well. Live music will be provided by singer/songwriter Katie Jo Robinson on the first floor and Larry Gindhart with native flutes and rav drums on the second floor. Parking is available in the MadJax lot at the corner of Jackson and Monroe, and at the corner of Main and Monroe.
The work of Sheila Piazza, the Muncie Artists Guild's Artist of the Month for July, will be displayed throughout the month at Northwest Bank, Old National Bank, Parlour Salon, Rosebud Coffee House and Vera Mae's Bistro. As a longtime local teacher, Piazza has won awards including Indiana Middle School Art Teacher of the Year, plus numerous local, state and national grants. Primarily a still life artist, she works in colored pencil and oil paint, according to a release. Her work has been shown in the Indiana State Museum, Cinergy three-state Traveling Exhibit, Anderson Museum of Art, Minnetrista and other venues.
The Shoppe by Pink Leaf, 108 S. Walnut St.. will offer 20% off seasonings and BOGO clearance deals. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/julys-first-thursday-has-something-everyone-including-dogs/7775876001/ | 2022-07-06T12:48:19 | 0 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/julys-first-thursday-has-something-everyone-including-dogs/7775876001/ |
Local abortion-rights advocates plan Saturday rally in Muncie, caravan to Indy event
MUNCIE, Ind. – Muncie-area advocates for women’s reproductive health plan to meet Saturday morning, July 10, for a brief rally at Muncie City Hall followed by a caravan to an Indianapolis abortion rights event.
The group, which includes members of Women’s March Muncie, ACLU Indiana and Planned Parenthood, will meet at city hall at 10 a.m. Saturday, according to a release. The event is co-hosted by State Rep. Sue Errington and Aimee Robertson-West, Women’s March.
After remarks, the group will caravan to Military Park in Indianapolis for a 1 p.m. event, the Bans Off Our Bodies Block Party.
For subscribers: 'It's your problem not mine.' Hoosiers share why they had abortions
The “What’s Your Plan, Post-Roe” caravan and event in Indianapolis follow the June 24 Supreme Court ruling that overturned the landmark Roe V. Wade decision and sent decisions about women’s reproductive health and abortion back to states. The Indiana Legislature will go back into session on July 25 to consider new restrictions on abortion.
Special session: Indiana General Assembly session on abortion, tax refund pushed back to end of July
Henry Lee Summer to perform in New Castle
NEW CASTLE — Henry Lee Summer will be the headliner for the next Henry County Concert Series “Live @ the Arts Park” performance, at 6:30 p.m. July 15 at the Arts Park Pavilion. Lydia Ferguson will be the opening act.
A Brazil, Indiana native, Summer is a self-taught guitar, piano and drums player who has opened for Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Money, Chicago and Richard Marx, according to a release.
There is no admission fee, but donations will be accepted. All ages are welcome to attend. Lawn chairs are recommended and coolers are allowed. Local nonprofits will have concessions available for sale during the concert to assist the community.
The next concert, on Aug. 19, will feature Gene Deer and opener Trish Crowe.
Information: New Castle Henry County Concert Series Facebook page.
Send news items to The Star Press at news@muncie.gannett.com. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/pro-choice-advocates-plan-saturday-rally-caravan-indy-event/7811450001/ | 2022-07-06T12:48:25 | 0 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/pro-choice-advocates-plan-saturday-rally-caravan-indy-event/7811450001/ |
FORT WORTH, Texas — A man accused of raping a woman at gunpoint near a Fort Worth bar last month has been arrested, police announced on Tuesday.
Caylon Washington, 24, faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault, according to a police news release. He was in custody at the Tarrant County jail on Wednesday with his bond set at $75,000, according to online records.
The alleged incident happened on June 27 near the 900 block of Foch Street in Fort Worth's popular West 7th entertainment district, west of downtown.
A woman reported that a man threatened her with a gun and raped her, police said. The woman did not know her attacker.
Detectives reviewed nearby camera footage, conducted surveillance and "utilized every available resource to take this violent offender off the streets and prevent the possibility of any further attacks," the news release said.
Washington was arrested Thursday, three days after the alleged assault happened.
Police said detectives do not believe there are any other cases related to the incident, though they have uploaded the case information to national databases "as a precaution in case there are other related offenses."
More details about the case were not being released by police. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-arrested-sexual-assault-rape-fort-worth-texas-west-7th-bar-june-july-2022/287-8741ef60-f202-4b4d-8ec0-c219d7ed7b9c | 2022-07-06T12:52:26 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-arrested-sexual-assault-rape-fort-worth-texas-west-7th-bar-june-july-2022/287-8741ef60-f202-4b4d-8ec0-c219d7ed7b9c |
TEXAS, USA — Texas businesses in the travel industry can now apply for funding to recover from the COVID pandemic.
Gov. Greg Abbott and the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism announced the opening of applications for the Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program (TIIR).The program will distribute $180 million of funds from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.
A one-time payment of up to $20,000 can go to eligible businesses in the following categories: Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, Accommodation and Meetings, and Food Services and Drinking Places.
The grants are meant to help improve safety, customer service, and hospitality.= for businesses that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.
Applications are open until July 31 for businesses with the following NAICS codes:
Businesses under Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (NAICS code 71) can apply Aug. 1 - Aug. 21. Companies in Travel Accommodation (7211) can apply Aug. 22 - Sept. 11, then Food Services and Drinking (722) on Sept. 12 - Oct. 2.
Any leftover funds will awarded to unfunded applications.
Businesses that apply for the program will need the following documents:
- 2019-2021 Texas Sales and Use Tax Returns 01-117 or 01-114
- Most Recent Quarterly Tax Form 941
- Invoices/Payroll Records for Reimbursement
- Veterans Service or Benefits Letter
Companies with questions can attend a webinar to get answers from the Economic Development and Tourism Office. Registrations for the webinar are open now for businesses that have to apply between now and August 21.
If your business falls under Phase 1 applications (July 6 - July 31), click here to register for the webinar. Companies under Phase 2 (Aug 1 - Aug. 21) can click here to register.
Webinar registrations for other businesses will open on August 2.
Other local news: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-travel-businesses-grand-funding/287-1cdde77d-e9f6-4fb7-bd9a-4890c8a1b437 | 2022-07-06T12:52:32 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-travel-businesses-grand-funding/287-1cdde77d-e9f6-4fb7-bd9a-4890c8a1b437 |
A Fourth of July flash flood flowed through the streets of the tiny town of Conconully in remote Okanogan County, sending a foot of water and mud into 30 to 40 homes and businesses.
"The creek was coming over the bridge," said resident Angie Eberhart. "The whole thing was clogged up with trees and debris, and water was just gushing all the way through."
Eberhart owns Kozy Kabins, a cabin rental and RV site. Several of her cabins were damaged. Read more
William Thompson will spend the next 45 years in prison for causing a crash on I-5 that killed Washington State Patrol Trooper Justin Schaffer in 2020.
Lewis County Judge Andrew Toynbee gave Thompson the maximum sentence following an emotional hearing Tuesday afternoon.
On March 24, 2020, Thurston County deputies were chasing Thompson down I-5 following a robbery at a convenience store. Thompson was accused of trying to run over a store clerk.
When the chase reached Chehalis, Trooper Schaffer attempted to stop Thompson by using spike strips. Investigators said Thompson, 41, swerved around the strips and then intentionally drove at Schaffer, running him over. Read more
During summer, more people are going out on trials, and with that, an increasing number of cars are getting broken into.
To combat this, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn is introducing legislation to place security measures such as security cameras and signages at high-risk parks and trailheads in the county.
The legislation also seeks that the county identifies which trailheads are at higher risk of car break-ins. Dunn is looking for a volunteer-based group to look after the parked cars and report any violations or suspicious activity. Lastly, the legislation wants to reduce the number of cars in parking lots by expanding the Trailhead Connect at the previously identified trailheads. Read more
In Washington state, where abortion remains legal, more people are seeking help, according to Jennifer Allen, the chief executive officer at Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.
"We are seeing patients from all over the country already,” said Allen.
Allen said that began right after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and a number of states started banning or blocking abortions. The Washington State Medical Association is concerned it will eventually overwhelm clinics here. Read more
Southern Resident killer whales have not had enough food for several years, which could affect their already small numbers, according to a study by the University of British Columbia.
Researchers looked at the requirements and availability of prey for Northeastern Pacific Southern Resident killer whales. The study found a fluctuating level of salmon from spawning areas on rivers had a detrimental effect on killer whale health, threatening a small and fragile group of whales.
"It really appears like they cannot take [many] more rough years," said Fanny Couture, lead researcher for the study. Read more
RELATED: Western Washington Forecast
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Download KING 5's Roku and Amazon Fire apps for live newscasts and video on demand. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/5-things-to-know-wednesday-july-2022/281-2003c670-6575-473d-b271-b55b3b2b8342 | 2022-07-06T13:00:59 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/5-things-to-know-wednesday-july-2022/281-2003c670-6575-473d-b271-b55b3b2b8342 |
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana State Fair is hosting a job fair Wednesday, July 7. Hundreds of jobs need filled around the fairgrounds ahead of the 165th Indiana State Fair later in July.
Positions include parking, gates, security, operations, tractor shuttles, information booths and education exhibits. Applicants are encouraged to bring a resume. Organizers said many positions are ideal for college students, retirees or those who already have full-time jobs and want to earn extra money.
Right now, Indiana is at a 2.2% unemployment rate. Experts said the Hoosier state hasn't seen an unemployment rate this low in several decades.
"The fall in the unemployment rate was quite dramatic after the height of the pandemic. The economy effectively closed down. We've seen a very accelerated decline of the unemployment rate, and we are a bit lower than we were last year," said Andrew Butters, assistant professor in business, economics and public policy at the IU Kelley School of Business.
Butters said inflation, demand outpacing supply and the labor shortage go hand in hand.
The significant rise in gas prices is affecting households.
"But it is also important to keep in mind the more broader perspective that while these gasoline prices are high in real terms, they're still not as high as what we experienced coming out of the recession before the pandemic recession or 2008," Butters said.
While the financial crisis was the heart of the recession in 2008, he said the economy is currently stable.
Butters said he'd like to see the labor force participation increase, which would go a long way in helping the economy.
According to Butters, now is the time to explore career opportunities because applicants have the upper hand.
"While the tightness of the labor market has made it very advantageous for suppliers of labor, you have a lot of bargaining power right now, and that has led to basically increases in wages and salaries. It hasn't typically been enough to overcome the wave of inflation that we've seen over the last 18 months," Butters said.
Wednesday's job fair is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the State Fairgrounds and Event Center in the agriculture/horticulture building.
The Indiana State Fair runs from July 29 through Aug. 21. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indiana-state-fair-hosts-job-fair-july-6-to-fill-hundreds-of-positions/531-e3837aac-74e4-4b81-9cf9-ab0e067d3c63 | 2022-07-06T13:15:59 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indiana-state-fair-hosts-job-fair-july-6-to-fill-hundreds-of-positions/531-e3837aac-74e4-4b81-9cf9-ab0e067d3c63 |
Gaston County boy seriously injured by fireworks
Seven-year-old Lyrik Chastain was standing in his yard when a rocket came hurtling toward him.
"I saw it like coming to my face. That's when I raised my arm up," Lyrik said. The firework exploded, flaying his arm open and causing second-degree burns on his belly and back — "the baddest pain I ever felt," Lyrik said.
Lyrik's father, Jeff Eubanks, had purchased fireworks for the July 4th holiday, and he, Lyrik's mother, Tanya Chastain, and Lyrik had gathered in their yard outside their home in the Dallas area at around 8:45 p.m. Sunday to set them off.
The rocket that hit Lyrik was a Black Cat rocket that was supposed to shoot up in the air, Eubanks said.
It didn't. Instead, it shot to the side, catching Lyrik's shirt on fire and exploding, splitting open the inside part of his arm.
"Thank the good Lord he had the reflexes to to raise his arm up to block his face," Eubanks said. "I guess those karate lessons are paying off a little bit."
Lyrik rode in an ambulance to CaroMont Regional Medical Center, and from there to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he was treated in the hospital's burn unit.
Lyrik said that he was scared.
"I really didn't want to go to sleep or anything and let them work on me," he said.
Eubanks also was scared.
"The things that popped in my mind was, are they gonna be able to fix it?" he said.
The doctors were able to help. On Monday, Lyrik's arm and mid-section were bandaged, but he was able to walk outside to visit with firefighters from the Agriculture Center Fire Department, who brought Lyrik two $500 gift cards, part of the Firefighters Burned Children's Fund, a state program that distributes funds to children who have been burned, along with their families. He said, grinning, that he will use the gift cards to buy "a lot of stuff."
Eubanks said that he has no desire to buy fireworks next year to shoot off at home. His family instead will be seeing a professional show.
"It doesn't matter how far back you are," he said. "Things that you don't think can happen can happen."
As for Lyrik, Eubanks said, "he's a champ. He showed me how much strength he had."
Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing here. | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/gaston-county-7-year-old-boy-seriously-injured-black-cat-firework/7810569001/ | 2022-07-06T13:32:32 | 1 | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/gaston-county-7-year-old-boy-seriously-injured-black-cat-firework/7810569001/ |
Mount Holly neighborhood fights plans for funeral home
On a quiet, residential road near Mount Holly, a mortician wants to open up a funeral home. Many in the neighborhood are mobilizing against it.
Amy Crocker, who is from Gaston County but now lives in Clover, South Carolina, asked Gaston County officials to rezone property at 211 Smith Road to allow for commercial use. Crocker, who has been a licensed mortician since 1989, said in an interview that she wants to open her own funeral home in the building that houses Day Star Baptist Church, a small church that has only a handful of members left.
"This is something that I've dreamed about doing for about 10 years. I've talked about this with numerous people," she said.
The county held a public hearing regarding the rezoning request June 28 because the Board of Commissioners would have to approve the rezoning request before a funeral home could open. At the public hearing Crocker didn't speak, but many from the neighborhood near the church did.
Gail McDonald, who lives on Smith Road directly across from the church, was one of many who said she didn't want the zoning changed. She said she used to live on South Point Road in Belmont, where more than 100 residents had their well water contaminated with coal ash from Duke Energy's Allen power plant. Although Duke insisted the water wasn't tainted, the company provided residents with bottled water. She worries her well water will be contaminated on Smith Road by chemicals from the funeral home, which would also house a crematorium.
"I have been a victim already of water contamination," she said. "I lived off South Point Road and suffered through Duke Power. That's why I moved to Smith Road. So I do not want to have to go through something like that again, because I don't see this funeral home providing me with water for several years if something happened."
She added that her 2-year-old grandson lives with her, and she also worries about the traffic the funeral home could create.
Another Smith Road neighbor who spoke, David Fraley, said that his wife for the last 16 years has run a home daycare out of their house. He worries how the presence of a funeral home would affect her ability to attract future business.
"We see this place from our front door, and in addition to everything else they've mentioned, we're worried how it would adversely affect her ability to attract future business. Not sure people are gonna want to leave their kids at a daycare next to a crematorium or funeral home," he said.
Crystal Watkins, also of Smith Road, said that she is opposed to rezoning the property for commercial use, regardless of whether a funeral home opens up in the church.
"My biggest concern I think would be the traffic causing us to be basically trapped down there whenever there's a funeral procession. … And really, … even if the funeral home were to fail or she would decide to go in a different direction, (commercial zoning) can allow a lot of different intrusive businesses to basically set up shop there," she said. "Smith Road just wasn't built for a lot of traffic like that."
Jennie Legendy, who lives on Greendale Drive, which runs parallel to Smith Road, also spoke, telling the Board of Commissioners that her rear driveway faces the church.
"I ask that when you consider the applicant's request, that you ask yourself if you're hearing facts or diluted truths or misrepresentations," she said.
Legendy said that rezoning the road for any commercial business would likely affect those who live in the area.
She said that funeral homes and crematoriums are "notorious" for polluting the area and creating unpleasant smells, and she and others are concerned that the presence of the funeral home in a residential area could negatively impact their property values, the quality of their water, the feel of the neighborhood, the traffic patterns, "and ultimately, the sanctity of our quiet little area," bringing nonresidents and funeral traffic to a dead-end street.
"The reputation our neighborhood now enjoys will be destroyed," she said.
Legendy said in an interview on Wednesday that she has lived on Greendale since 2015, and before that she also lived on South Point Road and had to drink bottled water.
She said that she and other neighbors are organizing to fight the rezoning request, and that they might try to buy the property.
"It's a doable thing for us to buy it," she said. "If we can't win, we're going to buy it from her. … But we do plan on winning."
Crocker said that she wants the residents of the neighborhood to know that she was listening to their concerns. She said that she is willing to attempt to try to obtain a kind of rezoning permit that would allow the county to set specific conditions for her use of the property in hopes of easing the neighborhood's fears.
"I'm a native of Gaston County. I'm a product of Gaston County Schools, I taught in Gaston County 15 years, so I am a Gaston County native. I'm not an outsider. They don't know that," she said. "Everything that they said was legit, and I wanted to hear what they had to say."
Crocker said that her father, Jim High, was a deacon at the church and helped build the building.
"I bought the property from the church to try to protect the church from being sold. Only six to eight members attend right now. A lot of their members were older and have passed away," she said.
She said that the funeral home would be a small family business.
"It's just me. I'm the only one," she said.
She said that she asked for commercial zoning because it allows for a crematorium and a cemetery on the property, and that she would not be able to discharge waste into the septic system. She would be required to have a holding tank, "and a local environmental company would come and pump that just like they would do any of their septic tanks in the neighborhood."
As for selling the property?
"That is a decision that would have to be made with lots of prayer," she said. Because her father helped build the church, the building has sentimental value to her.
"It would be very, very difficult to do for me emotionally," she said.
Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing here. | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/mount-holly-neighborhood-says-no-crematorium-and-funeral-home/7769030001/ | 2022-07-06T13:32:38 | 1 | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2022/07/05/mount-holly-neighborhood-says-no-crematorium-and-funeral-home/7769030001/ |
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. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/broadcast-hall-of-famer-eric-nadel-hosts-10th-annual-birthday-benefit/3007858/ | 2022-07-06T13:49:21 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/broadcast-hall-of-famer-eric-nadel-hosts-10th-annual-birthday-benefit/3007858/ |
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – An Amber Alert has been issued for a 15-year-old girl who was last seen in Jupiter.
The alert was issued Tuesday evening for Ashley Reyes-Hernandez, who was last seen in the area of the 100 block of 4th Street in Jupiter. According to the Jupiter Police Department, she was possibly abducted on Saturday around 12 p.m.
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According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, she may be with Oliver Ramos, 20, who was last seen wearing a white long-sleeved Hollister shirt with blue sleeves, light blue jeans with rips, black socks and black-and-gold sandals. He is described as being 5 feet, 7 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes.
Reyes-Hernandez was last seen wearing a black hooded sweater, a black-and-yellow T-shirt, light blue jeans with rips, and black high top Adidas shoes. She is described as being 5 feet, 4 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes.
The two may be traveling in a dark-colored minivan with tinted windows, according to FDLE. Police said Ramos left with Reyes-Hernandez in a van driven by a woman and a man in the passenger seat, both of whom are unknown.
Police said Ramos has a history of being verbally abusive.
Jupiter police said they may be in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the Jupiter Police Department at 561-799-4445.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/amber-alert-issued-for-15-year-old-girl-possibly-abducted-from-home-in-florida/ | 2022-07-06T13:49:46 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/amber-alert-issued-for-15-year-old-girl-possibly-abducted-from-home-in-florida/ |
EPHRATA, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from July 5.
A Lancaster County borough has been named Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, honoring its commitment to effective urban forest management.
Ephrata achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program's four requirements: forming a tree board or department, creating a tree-care ordinance, having an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, the Arbor Day Foundation said in a press release.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees.
"Tree City USA communities benefit from the positive effects that an urban tree canopy has year after year," said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The trees being planted and cared for by Ephrata ensure that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program helps cultivate a sense of stewardship and pride for the trees the community plants and cares for."
Planting trees in an urban space comes with a myriad of benefits past the recognition of this program. Urban tree plantings help reduce energy consumption by up to 25%, which will reduce general energy costs and help with the overall cooling of the city as well, the Arbor Day Foundation said.
In addition, members of the community benefit from properly placed trees as they increase property values from 7-20%.
Trees also positively affect the local ecosystem by helping to clean water and create animal habitats to encourage biodiversity.
More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/arbor-day-foundation-ephrata-tree-city-usa/521-e81316c4-00dd-4e89-bd04-77572b22613f | 2022-07-06T13:49:51 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/arbor-day-foundation-ephrata-tree-city-usa/521-e81316c4-00dd-4e89-bd04-77572b22613f |
APOPKA, Fla. – An Apopka restaurant is bringing together its community to help a fireman who suffered a significant work-related injury last week.
Porkie’s Original BBQ announced on its Facebook page it will hold a fundraiser on Thursday, July 7, for Austin Duran, the Apopka firefighter who has been fighting to recover from a tragic injury he sustained while working on June 30.
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The Apopka restaurant pledged that 10% of its sales all day July 7 would go to Duran to help fund the “hard road ahead of him.”
Apopka Fire Chief Sean Wylam said Duran was working near a secondary garage and trying to move a sand trailer when he was hurt. The trailer is used for hazards like gas spills and liquid spills.
A GoFundMe was started for Duran by his family and has since raised more than $50,000.
Porkies will be having a fundraiser next Thursday July 7th for the Apopka Fireman who was injured seriously this week and has a hard road ahead of him. We will donate 10per cent of our sales for the day.
Posted by Porkie's Original BBQ on Sunday, July 3, 2022
An update to the GoFundMe on Tuesday said, “Austin came out of his 4th surgery yesterday. This surgery repaired 5 very damaged, crushed ribs using titanium strips. The rib fixation surgery went well but a chest tube was added in the process. Austin had a rough night but is stable now. It was determined that there was some underlying lung damage as a result of the broken ribs. He is not out of the woods yet; Last night proved that. He has a long way to go but is fighting through it. We, as a family, thank everyone for their donations, love, and support. Please keep him in your thought and prayers. Any help is greatly appreciated.”
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/apopka-restaurant-to-hold-fundraiser-for-injured-firefighter/ | 2022-07-06T13:49:52 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/apopka-restaurant-to-hold-fundraiser-for-injured-firefighter/ |
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — An unidentified woman has died following a single vehicle crash at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Lower Chanceford Township, according to the York County Coroner's Office.
The coroner's office was dispatched to 123 Paper Mill Road at 5:58 p.m. after a report of a crash fatality, according to York County Coroner Pamela Gay.
In a release on social media, Gay said the "victim had reportedly been an occupant in a vehicle when the driver of the vehicle reportedly failed to negotiate a turn." The driver then struck a tree and went down an embankment.
The release also states that there were reportedly other occupants in the vehicle, but the office did not release information on survivors. There is no word on if these occupants sustained any injuries.
The identity of the victim has not been released, and is pending notification of her family.
Gay says a routine toxicology will be performed, but there will be no autopsy.
Pennsylvania State Police, York Barracks, is investigating the crash. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/coroner-responds-to-fatal-crash-york-county/521-36749b5d-c734-4354-bf9d-10550c59d4aa | 2022-07-06T13:49:52 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/coroner-responds-to-fatal-crash-york-county/521-36749b5d-c734-4354-bf9d-10550c59d4aa |
This file photo taken on Dec. 2020 shows Cole Frederick, an employee with Tupelo Water & Light, installs a new led street light near the intersection of Main Street and Coley Road.
TUPELO • Customers who get their power from Tupelo Water and Light will see the base charge rise by $3 per month this fall as city leaders cite increased software costs and inflation for the change.
The board voted to increase the customer charge of any resident and business on Tupelo’s grid from $7.50 to $10.50 a month effective Oct. 1 during a Tuesday night City Council meeting.
Tupelo Water and Light Director Johnny Timmons said the increase was a long-time coming.
“We’ve been checking the rates since the last two years when we went to the automated system,” he said. “With software (price) increases and inflation, we are going to need an increase to offset that.”
One of the new software improvements to the city-owned utility company was the addition of an online billing system.
The power portion of the Tupelo Water and Light utility bill can be broken down into two parts; the customer charge and kilowatts used by the hour, which comes from actual usage. The residential customer charge rose from $7.50 to $10.50.
Usage rates for Tupelo residents will stay at $0.074 kilowatts per hour during the summer months, $0.071 kilowatts per hour during the winter months and $0.069 kilowatts per hour during the "transitional" spring and fall months.
Tupelo’s city-owned power utility buys electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority wholesale and rates for local customers depend on costs from TVA’s rates. Timmons said the city’s rates last rose by 1.5% in 2018 when TVA increased their rates. When usage rates rose, he said the city also approved an increase to the customer charge. Timmons said he doesn’t foresee a kilowatt per hour rate increased in the near future.
“TVA has committed to not increase their charges for the next 10 years,” he said.
TVA Spokesperson David Spark said the company’s board votes yearly whether to increase its rates and confirmed the board voted to “keep rates flat” for the next decade.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/tupelo-city-council-increases-customer-cost-by-3-doesnt-plan-to-raise-rates/article_20b41fa3-7680-5cc1-94fc-a64926aa31f3.html | 2022-07-06T13:49:52 | 0 | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/tupelo-city-council-increases-customer-cost-by-3-doesnt-plan-to-raise-rates/article_20b41fa3-7680-5cc1-94fc-a64926aa31f3.html |
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The United States Postal Service will be holding a series of job fairs throughout South Central Pa. as part of their 10-year plan called, "Delivering for America."
There will be seven job fairs taking place across our area, with the first one being held today in Spring Grove, York County.
USPS is looking to immediately fill the positions of rural carrier associates and city carriers assistants. These positions pay $19.50 per hour and $18.92 per hour respectively.
The postal service says they offer competitive wages and benefits, and career advancement opportunities.
Applicants must apply through the USPS website, must be 18-years-old, and will have to pass a drug screening and criminal background check.
Through the "Delivering for America," plan, USPS says they'll be able to focus on building a more stable and empowered workforce amid a nationwide working shortage.
"So, we're just looking to get a game plan moving forward, to pretty much become more viable and sustainable for the future, and the first part of the plan is to invest in our workforce and to strengthen our transportation routes," Mark Lawrence with USPS said. "The plan is going very well, but you know, like any industry, we want to make sure that we stay afloat, and remain viable for the future."
USPS will also be having job fairs in Shippensburg, Harrisburg, and Lebanon.
Here are all the places where the job fair will be taking place:
July 6 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Spring Grove Post Office on 55 West Jackson Street in Spring Grove
July 7 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Shippensburg Post Office on 46 West King Street in Shippensburg
July 8 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Harrisburg Swatara Post Office on 5120 Derry Street in Harrisburg
July 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Sunbury Post Office on 135 North 3rd Street in Sunbury
July 13 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Lebanon Post Office on 101 South 8th Street in Lebanon
July 14 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the York PeoplesBank Park on 5 Brooks Robinson Way in York
July 15 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Harrisburg Main Post Office, Retail Lobby on 1424 Crooked Hill Road in Harrisburg | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/usps-job-fairs-central-pennsylvania-july/521-a6f9f919-0d0d-4036-8510-b61d819656c4 | 2022-07-06T13:49:52 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/usps-job-fairs-central-pennsylvania-july/521-a6f9f919-0d0d-4036-8510-b61d819656c4 |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida gas prices have dropped 10 cents over the last week, continuing their fall from a record high set in June.
According to AAA, the average price per gallon is $4.54 as of Tuesday.
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“Gas prices are being dragged lower by falling crude oil prices, which suffered steep losses Tuesday, on worries of a global economic slowdown,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a release. “If these futures price drops hold, drivers could see Florida gas prices drift back below $4.10 per gallon. However, this is still an extremely volatile fuel market, and we’ve seen oil prices rebound so many times in the past several months.”
AAA said the price per barrel for U.S. crude oil dropped below $100 for the first time in eight weeks.
Ways to save on gasoline
- Combine errands to limit driving time.
- Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
- Consider paying cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
- Remove excess weight in your vehicle.
- Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/florida-gas-prices-continue-falling-dropping-10-cents-in-1-week/ | 2022-07-06T13:49:58 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/06/florida-gas-prices-continue-falling-dropping-10-cents-in-1-week/ |
Four years ago, it was sold as inappropriate. Now, a former Milwaukee Press Club painting is proudly on display, with a big price jump.
A banished, century-old painting of a naked woman that once belonged to the Milwaukee Press Club is now in a northern Wisconsin art gallery with a price tag more than 22 times higher than when the club sold it.
For more than 60 years, the painting hung in the Press Club’s various headquarters. Its most recent home was the Newsroom Pub on E. Wells St., where it hung until 2018 when the club's board voted unanimously to remove it in the wake of the "me too" movement.
The club, which has a huge collection of newsmaker signatures on plaques, had removed ones of alleged sexual harassers. But that felt like a "hollow gesture" considering the nude painting still hung over the bar, said Lori Richards, former Press Club secretary and CEO of Mueller Communications.
The painting of a nude woman had nothing to do with journalism. "It's not that she's not a beautiful piece of art, but the Milwaukee Press Club just wasn't the right venue for her," Richards said.
It was entrusted to Landmark Galleries and sold for $1,200, according to David Niles, treasurer of the MPC Endowment and past Press Club president. The proceeds of the painting’s sale were matched by the club and donated to the MPC Endowment “to support journalism scholarships and other initiatives" for Milwaukee-area journalism, said Niles.
The painting now hangs inside Robert Ray Gallery in Algoma.
“I feel very fortunate to be the current caretaker of the painting now,” said Chris Baugniet, co-owner of the gallery.
Baugniet said he acquired the painting from now-closed Landmark Galleries in Wauwatosa at a silent auction in May 2018.
The painting is currently on display at the gallery with an asking price of $27,000. His reason behind the markup was to keep the painting in the gallery.
“Well, it really has not been an issue, there hasn't really been controversy,” Baugniet said, referring to the reason behind the painting's removal from the Press Club. Next to the painting hangs a Journal Sentinel column by Jim Stingl about the Milwaukee Press Club's decision to remove the artwork.
He considers this to be a “museum quality” painting when considering the artist’s training and the painting’s history.
Emma was painted in 1920 by Frank Enders, a Milwaukee painter and etcher who studied at the Munich Academy in Germany. Enders returned to Milwaukee where he worked as a sign painter for many years, according to the Gallery of Wisconsin Art.
The painting is said to be named after the painting's subject, Emma Becker, a local Milwaukee woman. Enders died in 1921, the year after he finished the painting.
The painting arrived at the Milwaukee Press Club from the Milwaukee Athletic Club after two club members paid $75 for it and agreed it would be publicly displayed.
In the Newsroom Pub, the painting has been replaced with a photograph of photojournalist Georgette “Dickey” Chapelle, one of America’s first female war correspondents. Born in Shorewood, she was killed in 1965 by a land mine while documenting the Vietnam War, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Milwaukee Press Club President Corrinne Hess said Chapelle’s photo is a better representation of what the Press Club stands for.
“While Emma is a piece of Wisconsin art, Dickey Chapelle was one of our state’s great journalists,” Hess said. “Her fearlessness is an inspiration to all of us." | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/former-milwaukee-press-club-nude-painting-now-showcased-steep-price/7751680001/ | 2022-07-06T13:58:49 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/06/former-milwaukee-press-club-nude-painting-now-showcased-steep-price/7751680001/ |
New York City has reached a deal to raise starting wages for lifeguards to $19.46 an hour and develop a training program to fully staff the five boroughs' 17 mini pools, most of which sat empty of people but full of water over the holiday weekend.
Mayor Eric Adams announced the deal with the lifeguard union represented by District Council 37 on Tuesday. Under the terms of the agreement, the city will create a class of lifeguards who will be restricted to mini pools, which are the smaller pools that usually are relegated to playground areas, sometimes near schools, across the five boroughs.
The Democrat says the influx of dedicated mini pool lifeguards will allow the city to "very quickly open" all of them, which he said will provide some essential cooling relief for New Yorkers over the summer. Adams also said that for this summer only, the starting lifeguard hourly pay would be raised to $19.46. And lifeguards who work every week through the end of the summer season will get a retention bonus in September.
The city will also collaborate on public safety to keep swimmers off closed sections of beaches and develop complementary measures to keep New Yorkers safe.
"Every New Yorker deserves to safely enjoy our city’s public pools and beaches this summer and my team has taken extraordinary measures to make that happen," Adams said in a statement Tuesday. "Today we reached a deal with the lifeguard union to address the immediate needs of our pools."
"While these changes are a step in the right direction, our ability to safely open beaches and pools has been impacted by a national lifeguard shortage and has also been held back by inefficient practices that are in dire need of further reform," he added. "We will continue to work closely to correct course on policies that don’t serve New Yorkers and pool resources from all agencies to ensure a fun and safe summer."
Most New York City mini pools languished empty over the holiday weekend. Others opened but for fewer hours. As of last week, the city had about 720 lifeguards staffed, up from about 500 a month ago. But that was half the number needed to fully staff all of its public pools and beaches.
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The hope is that raising hourly wages for those workers will bring in recruits. In the meantime, most of the 51 outdoor pools are open, but some have limitations. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-reaches-deal-to-raise-lifeguard-starting-pay-hopes-to-end-pool-staff-shortage/3763152/ | 2022-07-06T14:02:00 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-reaches-deal-to-raise-lifeguard-starting-pay-hopes-to-end-pool-staff-shortage/3763152/ |
BESSEMER, Ala. (WIAT) — An inmate being held at the William Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer was found dead inside his cell on Saturday.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, 36-year-old Kenneth Bernard James Jr. was found lying unresponsive on the floor of his cell by his cellmate.
James was serving a life sentence at Donaldson for a 2010 murder conviction out of Jefferson County.
A cause of death has yet to be determined, according to JCCMEO. An autopsy performed on July 3, however, found no evidence of trauma or foul play.
No other information has been released at this time as an investigation by the Alabama Department of Corrections is underway. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/inmate-found-dead-in-cell-at-donaldson-correctional-facility-2/ | 2022-07-06T14:05:24 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/inmate-found-dead-in-cell-at-donaldson-correctional-facility-2/ |
BRIDGETON — A city man was arrested for robbing a woman along the city's raceway June 22 before pushing her to the ground, police said Wednesday.
Jesus Ascencio, 21, of Institute Place, was taken to the Cumberland County jail and is charged with robbery and theft.
Police were called to the raceway around 11:15 a.m. June 22 after the robbery was reported.
The woman, a 53-year-old city resident, told police that while she was running near the raceway and she was approached by Ascencio on a mountain bike, police said.
Ascencio approached her from behind, wrapped a T-shirt around her head, and grabbed her handbag carrying numerous items valued at $40, police said.
BRIDGETON — Police are investigating an attack of a woman near the city’s raceway Wednesday.
Ascencio then pushed the woman to the ground before fleeing on his bike eastbound on Washington Street.
The woman declined medical treatment, police said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bridgeton-man-charged-following-june-robbery/article_e1ed393c-fd29-11ec-87bf-9f2d33787240.html | 2022-07-06T14:05:44 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bridgeton-man-charged-following-june-robbery/article_e1ed393c-fd29-11ec-87bf-9f2d33787240.html |
Governor Roy Cooper has ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff immediately until sunset Saturday in memory of the victims of Monday's shooting during an Independence Day celebration in Highland Park, Ill.
“The July 4th holiday should be a day of celebration, not fear. Our prayers are with everyone affected by the tragic shootings over the weekend," Cooper said in a written statement. "It’s past time for more legislative and congressional action to help stop gun violence as more common sense changes are needed now.”
Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are also encouraged to fly flags at half-staff for the duration of time indicated. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/nc-governor-orders-flags-lowered-to-half-staff-in-memory-of-highland-park-ill-shooting/article_2d91996c-fd2c-11ec-bb36-e7a569008008.html | 2022-07-06T14:06:46 | 1 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/nc-governor-orders-flags-lowered-to-half-staff-in-memory-of-highland-park-ill-shooting/article_2d91996c-fd2c-11ec-bb36-e7a569008008.html |
LITTLETON — Nyle McMartin went from shagging foul balls for a nickel as a kid to planting trees for posterity.
It was all because of Jesup car dealer Mickey Fox, who loved trees as much as he loved baseball.
“He had the Ford dealership with my uncle and he promoted the baseball team,” said McMartin, who is now 80. “We had a Sunday baseball team, and he was the manager of it. I used to be the little guy that would chase the foul balls at the baseball game,” along with his buddies. “We’d have a race to get to the foul ball because we’d get a nickel for it if we turned it in. That turned into a scrum!” he said with a laugh.
“But I used to see him out planting trees. Every place he could figure out a place to plant a tree, he would.”
“We have some Mickey Fox wildlife areas around the county. Very, very good man Mickey was,” McMartin said. “You can still see some of Mickey’s work around the countryside. He’d find a little three or four acres, and he’d plant trees.”
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That’s partly what inspired McMartin. The widowed retired 29-year Deere skilled tradesman and U.S. Air Force Vietnam veteran has grown into one of Buchanan County’s leading conservationists. His avocation sprouted out of what he did with 40 acres of land he bought in 1983 near an old hangout of his youth along the Wapsipinicon River.
“It was run down. I tried to farm it. I just kind of got interested in planting trees – oak trees, conifers. Close to the river you have different soil types and it’s important you get the right trees in the right ground.”
“I’ve planted 25 this spring already,” he said. “And I’ve got another 50 coming in. It’s 40 acres full of trees and prairie grass.
“The old saying goes, ‘You never plant a tree for yourself,’” he said. “... Everybody, I encourage to plant trees. We’ve always said in conservation that we want the poor ground (to plant trees on); farmer can have the good ground.” In his woods, he has a wide variety of birds and wildlife.
“Then I got appointed to the (Buchanan County) Conservation Board. I was on the Conservation Board for 10 years,” serving when the Fontana Park Interpretive Nature Center was established at Fontana Park near Hazleton. It was the dream of former longtime director Harry Graves.
“Kind of new and radical projects for a while during my time,” he quipped.
He and many others also implemented a roadside vegetation management program.
He planted white pines during a drought in 1988 and had to buy large sections of hose to water them. “People said, ‘That’s crazy you’re doing that.’ I said “I’m not gonna have trees if I don’t water trees.’”
He’s also a master gardener and previously worked with Iowa State University Extension after retiring from Deere 27 years ago.
In addition, he served several years on the Buchanan County Board of Health and worked with individuals in the county’s Amish community on health issues like vaccinations.
“They’re interesting people, really good people,”McMartin said. “I wish everyone had their values. They’re all friends of mine.”
He was a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force – serving in the early 1960s, including a stint in Vietnam – working with helicopters in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam.
McMartin considers himself lucky, noting he can walk a cemetery and find graves of school friends who also served in Vietnam and died later from exposure to the toxic defoliant Agent Orange. It has motivated him to champion water and stream quality.
He noted the state’s removal of the 1930s vintage concrete dam that served an old mill on the Wapsi in Littleton was a controversial move, but one he supported as necessary for boating safety and flood relief.
“That’s been a great asset for our area, just for the simple fact that our flood waters are going to be down about three foot from what they were,” McMartin said. “Once they took that out, it’s been a godsend” and actually has helped fishing.
Those who nominated McMartin for Eight Over 80 recognition noted that he is still a Perry Township trustee; is very involved in the protection and cleanup of pioneer cemeteries and was instrumental in bringing a rural water system to Littleton. He also regularly attends regional and state meetings on conservation issues.
“I would say Nyle is one of the wisest people I have ever met,” said Scott Kinseth, a retired state conservation officer. “He isn’t just intelligent with his knowledge of conservation, but always sees the big picture.”
And he’s still planting.
“I’ve got some trees to plant yet this spring,” McMartin said. “I’ve got some holes to fill in. I have to do it by hand. It gets a little tougher. I can’t do it all day like I used to.” | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/watch-now-nyle-mcmartin-former-jesup-ball-boy-hits-homer-with-conservation/article_e71880f1-f031-5883-83ee-d0d7bfcbb31f.html | 2022-07-06T14:10:32 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/watch-now-nyle-mcmartin-former-jesup-ball-boy-hits-homer-with-conservation/article_e71880f1-f031-5883-83ee-d0d7bfcbb31f.html |
WATERLOO --- A Waterloo family escaped unharmed after their home caught fire early Wednesday.
Residents said they noticed smoke shortly after 4 a.m. and were able to evacuate the house at 631 Wallgate Ave. with their pets.
Firefighters rescued one cat from the home.
The house has extensive fire damage to the upstairs and water and smoke damage to the rest of the home, said Battalion Chief Troy Luck with Waterloo Fire Rescue.
The city fire marshal will investigate the cause of the fire.
The shooting at a children’s lemonade stand late Monday in Waterloo is one of the two latest gun violence incidents in a string of shootings during the Memorial Day weekend.
Court records show he was scheduled for a July trial in Black Hawk County on a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse after an incident at Derringer’s nightclub.
Shay Yancey with his cat, Tiberius. Waterloo firefighters rescued Tiberius after the family home at 631 Wallgate Ave. caught fire early Wednesday, July 6, 2022. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/watch-now-waterloo-family-flees-burning-home/article_3dc5308f-f619-5d1a-8e65-51ad135bf075.html | 2022-07-06T14:10:38 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/watch-now-waterloo-family-flees-burning-home/article_3dc5308f-f619-5d1a-8e65-51ad135bf075.html |
WAVERLY — Most people have heard of chronic illnesses like heart disease, strokes and diabetes.
That being said, Waverly Health Center’s Community Health Needs Assessment indicates work still needs to be done the next three years to manage and prevent them.
“We’re not hitting the mark as a country, and not taking care of the diseases that people are dying from,” said WHC Chief Operating Officer Heidi Solheim.
Solheim said making a difference boils down to changing behavior.
The vote comes amidst a lawsuit, filed by the club’s former manager, alleging the board did not address employees’ sexual harassment complaints, and tried to defame the ex-manager after firing him.
Part of the center’s action plan includes continuing to lead the Waverly Area Partnership for Healthy Living. According to its website, the partnership was formed in January 2010 by a group of concerned citizens who wanted to address the issue of obesity.
Solheim said it’s time to encourage patients to “get back on track” when it comes to getting their physicals and screenings, and re-engaging them in healthy eating and exercising initiatives.
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“We got out of the habit of doing what’s right for us,” she said.
Waverly Health Center completed its first needs assessment in June 2013 and has completed one every three years in compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and federal tax-exemption rules.
The hope is by drafting the report and implementing action steps, the hospital will be able to keep providing high-quality, person-centered health care.
Internally, Solheim said, the assessment also prioritized finding ways to increase mental health services by identifying more providers and building new partnerships.
Right now, patients face wait times to access mental health services and can’t immediately get in touch with “providers who can prescribe the necessary medication,” she said, as one example.
The new CEO held the same title with MercyOne Centerville Medical Center and Cherokee Regional Medical Center.
That makes new programs, like Unite Iowa — a coordinated care network of health and social service providers — even more important, she noted.
After a person’s health and social needs are identified, a shared technology platform can refer a patient electronically to multiple partners and “seamlessly” communicate with providers “in real time.”
Specific to Bremer, Butler and Chickasaw counties, Solheim said the report reaffirmed stark disparities between Butler and Bremer counties.
She pointed to a page in the report referencing the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. In terms of overall health, Butler is ranked 62nd lowest out of Iowa’s 99 counties, and Bremer is fourth.
Butler County residents find themselves 80th for “length of life.” Bremer County ranks seventh.
The health center’s report was completed in collaboration with Community Memorial Hospital, Bremer County Health Department and the Waverly-Shell Rock Area United Way.
Research came mainly through an online survey, with a series of rank-order, multiple choice and open-ended questions.
It was completed by 272 individuals.
Of those, 23.22% were aged 50 to 59 years old. A total of 84.27% were female. Nearly all — 98.52% — were white or Caucasian. And the overwhelming majority live and work in Bremer County.
Compared with past years, Solheim said, there are new questions regarding combating misinformation and disinformation.
“Where do people get their information from?” she said. “Is it from the CDC or World Health Organization, or through social media? These are not questions we would have had to ask before.”
Besides chronic disease management and access to mental health services, the health center identified its other priorities as wellness and aging services — obesity reduction, preventive exams/screenings and vaccinations — and unintentional injuries like falls and motor vehicle accidents.
“The priority areas for this period’s CHNA action plan did not change significantly from previous assessments. These issues are pervasive and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated chronic conditions and mental health needs in our service area and across the state,” said the report’s executive summary.
The full assessment and action plan can be found online at waverlyhealthcenter.org/about-us/community-needs-assessment. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waverly-health-center-assessment-prioritizes-chronic-disease-management-mental-health-services/article_df82e764-b22f-5923-88aa-0b149a341fed.html | 2022-07-06T14:10:44 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waverly-health-center-assessment-prioritizes-chronic-disease-management-mental-health-services/article_df82e764-b22f-5923-88aa-0b149a341fed.html |
AUSTIN, Texas — For weeks, Central Texas lake levels have dropped because of increased temperatures and low rainfall. As water levels at Lake Travis get lower, zebra mussels will die out near the shore but have access to new areas of the lake.
"Lower lake levels caused by the drought provide both good and bad news for zebra mussels. As lake levels decline, many zebra mussels die as they become stranded in dry areas. At the same time, the remaining population is able to colonize new areas that become available to them as lake levels drop," the Lower Colorado River Authority said in a statement.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the invasive species first took hold in Lake Travis back in 2017. Since then, they have been impossible to get rid of.
"It's all triage, it's mitigation," Monica McGarrity, a senior scientist with TPWD studying invasive species, said. "It's trying to prevent their impacts on the water infrastructure, on people's private water intakes, on your boats that you've got in the lake. And so, unfortunately, there really is nothing that can be done to eradicate them."
While there may be nothing officials can do to kill off all the zebra mussels, McGarrity advised neighbors at Lake Travis can still help slow their spread.
"One unfortunate side effect may be that there will be an unpleasant smell and unpleasant odor from the mussels," McGarrity said. "People who do live along the shorelines are allowed to scrape off and remove those mussels at that, like as long as they black bag them for transport for disposal."
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/drought-zebra-mussels-lake-travis/269-872a9fee-0c99-4806-be53-8d6d862dec57 | 2022-07-06T14:16:00 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/drought-zebra-mussels-lake-travis/269-872a9fee-0c99-4806-be53-8d6d862dec57 |
SAN ANTONIO — Fire crews worked to extinguish flames coming from a two-story home in west Bexar County.
Our KENS 5 crews arrived to the house on Stable Glen Drive around 6 a.m., south of Potranco Road.
Our crews could see flames coming through the windows of the house, as well as the roof. Authorities said the fire started outside in the back of the home on the deck. It appears to have started from a grill that wasn't extinguished properly.
The Bexar County Fire Department worked to extinguish the flames coming from the roof of the home. It took about an hour for crews to put the fire out.
Authorities later told KENS 5 that three people were inside the home. Fortunately, they all made it out safely. However, some pets may still be inside.
Neighbors also said the fire woke them up around 5 a.m. on Wednesday. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/fire-inside-two-story-home-in-west-bexar-county-stable-glen-drive/273-722f67d2-b6da-40c2-a1ed-e6b6c269cc6f | 2022-07-06T14:16:07 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/fire-inside-two-story-home-in-west-bexar-county-stable-glen-drive/273-722f67d2-b6da-40c2-a1ed-e6b6c269cc6f |
MADISON COUNTY, Arkansas — Dave Randall, a middle school teacher in Berryville was on his way back home.
When he and his wife saw an 18-wheeler tanker drift off Highway 23, near the Madison/Carroll county line.
"We were just coming back from Crystal bridges," Randall said.
Randall says he and his wife immediately jumped into action after they saw the tanker rollover.
"You just react, your prayers. I just did something that needed to done," Randall said
While walking toward the 18-wheeler, it caught on fire. However, Randall's determination to rescue the driver persisted.
"There's no thought process. You just react to it," Randall said.
After minutes of trying to save the driver. The sweltering heat from the flames and the sun got to Randall.
“It had gotten to the point where I needed to make the decision, do I try one more time or do I get to safety," Randall said. "I asked GOD for the strength to get him out and that's when his arm came through the window."
Randall says, with the help of two other men the driver was pulled out from the flames.
"If they wouldn't have helped me at that point, this story would've had a whole different ending," Randall said.
Adding that the rescue took about 15 minutes but felt a lot longer.
“Time kind of slows down a bit and it seemed like I had more time than what I guess I actually had."
However, time was running out. Moments after the rescue, the 10-thousand-gallon tanker truck became fully engulfed in flames. He says he only had a few blisters.
"This is a boring story, I know," Randall said while laughing.
5NEWS has reached out to the departments that responded to the call to check on the driver’s condition. However, haven't heard back.
Randall says a coworker reached out to him a few days ago saying the driver is still in the hospital.
RELATED: Entergy Arkansas requests proposals for 1,000 megawatts of solar and wind generation resources
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/berryville-teacher-rescues-person-burning-18-wheeler/527-ad0d79d7-bcbd-4827-9adc-e0d80c876a60 | 2022-07-06T14:18:38 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/berryville-teacher-rescues-person-burning-18-wheeler/527-ad0d79d7-bcbd-4827-9adc-e0d80c876a60 |
YORKTOWN, Va. — A Facebook community effort helped connect a message in a bottle back to the Poquoson boy who threw it in the water, 44 years later.
Megan Daliege posted about the mysterious bottle on Independence Day, and it's been shared on Facebook almost 500 times in 24 hours.
"Today we found a message in a bottle off the York River not far from York River State Park1," she wrote. "It was in what I believe to be a late 70’s early 80’s Pepsi bottle and said it was from Poquoson VA. We called the number but it was out of service… we would love to find Kendra or Don Kendra and tell them we found it… do your thing Facebook. (Maybe: Don Kendrick)."
Spoiler alert: Facebook did.
The story started when Brian Daliege and his son were walking along the York River between York River State Park and Camp Peary. They spotted what looked like an antique bottle resting on one of the cliff-like ledges above the water.
"The river comes up and there's a 4-foot drop, and it was on top of that, like a big wave had pushed it up there," Daliege said.
He said his son likes to collect bottles, so they grabbed it, and could tell right away that it was old. They didn't know how old, though.
"I dunked it in the water and cleaned it a little, the threads, and the top finally came off," he said. "Those caps have a little round rubber disk. That was still stuck to the top of the bottle."
There was a message inside, written in large pencil strokes.
"If you find this bottle call 868-7694 Poquoson Va. United Sates [sic] ask for Don Kendrick."
The number didn't lead to a Don, but Megan Daliege's Facebook post took off, with people searching for the author.
"It kind of went from just local people that we're friends with on Facebook to people we've never even heard of before," Brian said.
Soon, they got a comment from a person named Tracy Kendrick, who said this could be from her husband, Don.
Daliege said they're pretty sure he's the boy who tossed this bottle, and three others, into the Poquoson River 44 years ago. He was 12 when he wrote the message.
Daliege said the mystery is solved, and for now, they've got the bottle at their house.
"We've offered it back to Don Kendrick, we haven't heard back yet whether he wants it or not," he said. "It's just a cool story." | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/message-in-a-bottle-york-county-pepsi-bottle/291-fd18117c-bc26-4785-9135-1f81e1b93448 | 2022-07-06T14:18:44 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/message-in-a-bottle-york-county-pepsi-bottle/291-fd18117c-bc26-4785-9135-1f81e1b93448 |
ROANOKE, Va. – Join us at 9 a.m. for an update on what’s happening right now and what you need to know today.
Not free at 9? Don’t worry, we’ll post the complete show when it’s finished so you can watch whenever you’d like!
Watch here:
ROANOKE, Va. – Join us at 9 a.m. for an update on what’s happening right now and what you need to know today.
Not free at 9? Don’t worry, we’ll post the complete show when it’s finished so you can watch whenever you’d like!
Watch here:
Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/06/watch-live-the-morning-sprint-july-6-2022/ | 2022-07-06T14:19:20 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/06/watch-live-the-morning-sprint-july-6-2022/ |
In an opinion delivered Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled in favor of Chrystul Kizer, the now-22-year-old accused of killing the Kenosha man who had been sex trafficking her and other girls.
Kizer's defense team has aimed to build a defense around the allegations that Volar had abused and trafficked Kizer, a defense the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office has aimed to disallow by appealing a Court of Appeals decision to the Supreme Court. The defense had initially been disallowed by Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge David Wilk, but the Court of Appeals overturned that decision.
But now, in the 4-3 decision delivered Wednesday morning, the state's high court has ruled in favor of Kizer. As such, she will be able to use "an affirmative defense for any offense committed as a direct result" of having been trafficked at her upcoming trial.
In an atypical vote for the state's high court, three liberal-backed justices were joined by conservative-backed Justice Rebecca Bradley in the majority opinion. Dissenting were three conservative-backed justices, including Justice Brian Hagedorn, the most common swing vote of the seven justices.
This story will be updated.
IN PHOTOS: Chrystul Kizer makes court appearance in June 2021
The state of Wisconsin has revoked the wholesale dealer license for Elkhorn car dealer, Car Rangers LLC, after the dealership was found rolling back odometers and altering titles to reflect lower mileage, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Between April and May, a confidential informant reported purchasing 0.7 grams of crack cocaine, 4.5 grams of cocaine and fentanyl, and 0.8 grams of MDMA and fentanyl.
UNION GROVE — Three mobile homes were to have suffered damage, and may have been completely destroyed, in a fire that was extinguished after firefighters from more than a dozen agencies responded to the Hickory Haven mobile home park on Schoen Road Saturday afternoon.
DEVELOPING: A critical incident in Waterford forced a business district west of Highway 36 (Milwaukee Avenue) to be locked down for several hours Tuesday afternoon. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/wisconsin-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-chrystul-kizer/article_d51b33ce-fd30-11ec-b9f2-43fb7efa5236.html | 2022-07-06T14:20:18 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/wisconsin-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-chrystul-kizer/article_d51b33ce-fd30-11ec-b9f2-43fb7efa5236.html |
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Authorities are currently conducting a death investigation in Fort Myers.
According to the Fort Myers Police Department, a body was found behind the Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Six Mile Cypress and Dani Drive.
The cause of death is unknown. Authorities are working to determine the individual’s identity and any suspects.
Police tape is up and surrounding the entire parking lot.
No further details were immediately available.
Count on NBC2 to bring you the latest information as this story develops. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2022/07/06/death-investigation-underway-in-fort-myers-2/ | 2022-07-06T14:23:46 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2022/07/06/death-investigation-underway-in-fort-myers-2/ |
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Brittney Griner's appeal to President Joe Biden in a handwritten letter continued to garner reaction Tuesday after the WNBA All-Star acknowledged she feared never returning home and asked Biden not “ forget about me and the other American Detainees.”
Griner's letter was delivered through her representatives to the White House on Monday and officials say the president has read it. However Griner's wife, Cherelle, said Tuesday on a morning talk show that she hadn't heard from Biden.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked repeatedly about Griner on Tuesday during the regular briefing. She said Biden read the letter, but she did not detail his reaction.
“This is very personal to him.”
Jean-Pierre did not say whether there were plans for Biden to speak with Griner’s family, but did say that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken both spoke to Griner’s wife recently.
Jean-Pierre said Biden wanted to get Griner and other Americans home.
“We are going to use every tool we possibly can to make that happen,” Jean-Pierre said.
Griner is in the midst of a trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on Feb. 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The trial will resume Thursday.
Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in U.S. courts, acquittals can be overturned.
Griner’s representatives Monday shared a few excerpts from her letter to the president.
″…As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote.
“On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran,” the Phoenix Mercury center added. “It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”
Cherelle Griner was disappointed not to have any direct communication with the White House since the letter was delivered.
“I still have not heard from him and honestly, it’s very disheartening,” Cherelle Griner said on CBS Mornings.
Cherelle Griner said for Brittney to reach out directly to Biden is an indication of just how afraid her wife is about what's next.
“BG is probably the strongest person that I know. So she doesn’t say words like that lightly," Cherelle said. “That means she truly is terrified that she may never see us again. And you know I share those same sentiments. ... I’m sure she was like, ‘I’m gonna write him now because ... my family has tried and to no avail. So I’m going do it myself.'"
Griner pleaded with Biden in the letter to use his powers to ensure her return.
“Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore,” Griner said "I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home.”
Griner has been able to have sporadic communications with family, friends and WNBA players through an email account her agent set up. The emails are printed out and delivered in bunches to Griner by her lawyer after they are vetted by Russian officials. Once the lawyers get back to their office, they’ll scan any responses from Griner and pass them back to the U.S. to send along.
She was supposed to have a phone call with her wife on their anniversary but it failed because of an “unfortunate mistake,” Biden administration officials.
Griner’s supporters have encouraged a prisoner swap like the one in April that brought home Marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian pilot convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy. The State Department in May designated her as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator.
Griner isn't the only American being wrongfully detained in Russia. Paul Whelan, a former Marine and security director is serving a 16-year sentence on an espionage conviction. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/white-house-biden-has-read-brittney-griners-letter/75-527fe1cc-a1a6-4765-b85b-c9d77ccf7b59 | 2022-07-06T14:25:41 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/white-house-biden-has-read-brittney-griners-letter/75-527fe1cc-a1a6-4765-b85b-c9d77ccf7b59 |
Even before it was built, the house at 2636 Woodscrest Ave. had a solid foundation.
Consider the design titans in the early 1900s who contributed to the future home of the son and daughter-in-law of the founder of the Miller and Paine department store dynasty.
First, its acre-plus lot was drawn by Jens Jensen — the Frank Lloyd Wright of American landscape architecture — who sketched out and subdivided the parklike boulevard near 27th Street and Sheridan Boulevard for the Woods brothers, and who also designed the grounds of Henry Ford’s Fair Lane Estate near Detroit.
Then one of Lincoln’s leading architectural firms, Davis and Wilson, assembled the blueprints for the 5,500-square-foot Norman Revival house, bookending it with a pair of two-story towers.
The stone house would sit more than 150 feet from the curb — the length of a half a football field — and its deep yard was landscaped by Ernst Herminghaus, whose resume included Pioneers Park and the Capitol grounds.
When it was finished, Donald and Katharine Miller’s home stood out, said Ed Zimmer, who wrote the application that landed it, and hundreds of others in the area, on the National Register of Historic Places.
And it still does.
“It’s a premier example of a leading Lincoln architectural firm, in an unusual style, on a beautiful site in a premier overall development,” Zimmer said.
It’s also held up. In 1955, a reporter wrote: “It sounds as though the home of French-type architecture would be a solemn sort of museum place. But it is far from that. Built for livability and convenience — for beauty and charm, the house has a friendly atmosphere that welcomes the visitor and invites him to enjoy himself.”
Two decades later, a new owner showed off its leaded windows, cathedral ceiling and marble floors. This place is solid, she told a reporter. “They don’t build houses like this anymore.”
Its last owner invested $250,000 for an addition and remodeling 20 years ago.
And its newest owners paid $1.4 million for it in late September.
But they don’t plan to live in the old house. Later this summer, 2636 Woodscrest will fall to a demolition crew, a new home will take its place, and a neighborhood will mourn.
‘Just broke my heart’
The contractor applied for the demolition permit Friday, but that just confirmed what the Country Club neighborhood had been hearing, mostly second-hand, since just before Christmas.
That the new owners of 2636 Woodscrest, Ella and John Wirtz, planned to put a new house on the 1.1-acre lot.
The neighbors rallied, contacting the city and the newspaper, searching for a way to protect what some of them called The Castle.
“It’s a really old, beautiful home. The neighbors on the street are passionate about this house,” said Mary Monahan, president of the neighborhood association. “I don’t understand why it’s being taken down.”
The association’s board of directors took a stand against the demolition, according to notes from its February meeting provided by Monahan:
“The board, as a group, wishes to maintain the historic integrity of the neighborhood and is very concerned with setting a precedent for this type of activity. ... The board does not endorse purchase of property for tear down that is not in a condemned state or a state of complete disrepair.”
Photographer Joel Sartore, who lives nearby on Sheridan, compared the Miller house to fine art, and one of the most preserved vintage homes in Lincoln.
“Nobody would ever dream of destroying paintings or sculptures. But historic homes are even more important creative works because we live our lives in them. In this house, form and function are both on display at the highest levels.”
And a few doors down on Woodscrest, Cynthia Woods, a self-described history lover, was floored when she heard the plan.
“It just broke my heart. The Miller and Paine family that originally built the house has a ton of history here in Lincoln.”
Zimmer has memorized much of that history. Donald Miller would eventually settle down and work for his father as vice president of the department store, but not before crossing the ocean as a young man. A year before the United States entered World War I, Miller was already in France, collecting the wounded as an ambulance driver.
“He put himself in harm’s way for three years,” Zimmer said. “He said that many times, if the engine hadn’t started, the Germans would have taken him.”
And he wasn’t the same man when he returned from the front lines, the local newspaper reported.
“The war left its imprint upon his health, for he never quite regained his strength.”
Still, after landing back in Lincoln, he married Katharine Cline in 1921, and the house they had built on Woodscrest was patterned after 16th century French estates.
The couple traveled the world, filling their home with tangible memories — the hide of an African zebra Katharine Miller shot, Mexican masks, dolls from Japan, South America and Australia.
Miller also enjoyed simply staying home. He was fond of his garden and home; 2636 Woodscrest served him, and from there, he served Lincoln.
He was known for his quiet generosity, contributing “to nearly every worthwhile project and philanthropy in the city,” the newspaper reported. He gave heavily to the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and was elected its president in 1929.
A decade later, the couple traveled to New York on a business trip and from there boarded a Pan-American seaplane, bound for a two-week vacation in Bermuda. The plane iced up and went down 100 miles off the Maryland coast, sending its passengers into the sea.
Katharine Miller was among 10 people rescued from the water after clinging to the wreckage for 10 hours; her 47-year-old husband and two others were never found.
No way to stop demolition
Stacey Hageman’s phone started ringing, and her email inbox started filling, earlier this year.
“People in the neighborhood, people on that street specifically, people on the Historic Preservation Commission,” the city’s historic preservation planner said. “It’s been quite a few people contacting me, and they’re all asking the same thing.”
How can we stop this? Short answer: You can’t.
Unless the owner of a listing on the National Register of Historic Places is receiving federal funds, the designation does nothing to protect the property, and places no restrictions on what the owner can do to it.
Hageman shared that with the Country Club Neighborhood Association in late January. She also told the group it could try to designate Woodscrest as a local landmark district.
That would give the Historic Preservation Commission some level of say in the future of the property — though only enough to slow, not stop, the demolition.
A demolition permit application in a landmark district would trigger an automatic review by the preservation commission. If it opposed the permit, the clock would start on a three-month period for both sides to try to reach a compromise. That could be extended another three months.
But after that, if the two sides still hadn’t worked anything out, the planning director must issue a certificate allowing the demolition to proceed.
The association didn’t pursue a landmark district designation, said Monahan, the group’s president. It couldn’t stop demolition, and it could add restrictions to other homeowners who wanted to renovate or add on to their homes.
Still, Hageman wasn’t done answering questions about 2636 Woodscrest. But now she’s fielding them from the new owners’ architect, about the replacement home they’re planning.
Replacement plans unclear
It’s not clear why the new owners are planning to replace the house.
Ella and John Wirtz, who live right around the corner on Lake Street, aren’t talking, at least not to the Journal Star. Ella Wirtz did not respond to emails seeking comment; John Wirtz said he wasn’t interested in talking about it.
But Mohahan spoke to Ella Wirtz earlier this year, she said, and was told the couple concluded their new house couldn’t accommodate their needs, that it wasn’t safe for children.
And it’s not clear what they’re planning to put in its place.
Hageman, the preservation planner, has been working with their architect to make sure the new home meets neighborhood design standards, she said.
Those ensure a new house doesn’t stick out among its neighbors. They include roof pitch, where the garage is placed, its orientation to the street, whether it has a porch.
“If 50% of the houses have a porch, it has to have a porch,” she said.
She described the planned replacement as large and traditional.
“In appearance, it looks like it will meet the standards. It looks like it will fit the character of the neighborhood.”
But it won’t have the 100 years of memories — of those who lived there, and those who admired it from the outside — that occupy and surround the existing house.
The stories that can add intangible value to a property.
Some old homes have historic significance for their architecture — either as outstanding examples of a style, or for the quality of their design or because of the designer’s prominence, Zimmer said.
“Others are associated with significant figures and reflect something of their lives. Yet others demonstrate the skills in landscape design or contribute to a larger historic setting of high esthetic quality. The D&K Miller house demonstrates all of those attributes.”
The Lincoln Police Department said Kevin Clements, 59, died when the chimney fell through his house in the Country Club Neighborhood after being struck by a tree branch.
The 21-year-old initially told police he was confident everyone at the rural Fillmore County party was of legal age to drink. But investigators later found at least 50 attendees were under 21, according to court filings.
Steven A. Alexander was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of first-degree assault, manslaughter and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony in connection with the fatal stabbing of 26-year-old Austin Gress on Friday.
19-year-old Alexandor Eskra was driving a Subaru east in the inside lane of O Street near 37th Street around 9:30 p.m. Saturday when a westbound Ford Focus crossed the raised median and collided with Eskra's vehicle, according to police.
Donald Miller, whose father founded Miller and Paine department store, died when a seaplane he was on crashed off the Maryland coast. His wife, Katharine, survived after clinging to the wreckage for 10 hours. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/one-of-lincolns-most-historic-homes-has-date-with-demo-crew-and-theres-nothing-neighbors/article_62762948-fe02-5563-9d8e-8d92967b9520.html | 2022-07-06T14:36:36 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/one-of-lincolns-most-historic-homes-has-date-with-demo-crew-and-theres-nothing-neighbors/article_62762948-fe02-5563-9d8e-8d92967b9520.html |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Heise 10,930 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 1,150 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 12,106 cfs
Snake River at Milner 0 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 286 cfs
Jackson Lake is 48% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 76% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 47% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 59% of capacity.
As of July 5. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_75179b9a-fc75-11ec-b75c-1711a6c3d578.html | 2022-07-06T14:39:20 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_75179b9a-fc75-11ec-b75c-1711a6c3d578.html |
Sydney Schoth poses for a portrait near one of the 256 lavender plants she owns Monday, July 4, 2022, at Lavender Goddess in Buhl. Schoth started the business in her backyard at 10-years-old. Now she grows 26 different varieties of lavender.
PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS
Dried bundles of lavender sit for sale Monday, July 4, 2022, at Lavender Goddess in Buhl.
PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS
A bee pollinates one of the lavender plants Monday, July 4, 2022, at Lavender Goddess in Buhl.
BUHL — University of Idaho junior Sydney Schoth has paid her way through college with the help of a few small fragrant purple bushes.
What started with a 10-year-old Schoth and one lavender bush in her family’s backyard has turned into Lavender Goddess, a one-acre farm with over 256 plants featuring 26 different varieties.
Being an entrepreneur has benefited her more than just financially.
“When I was 10, I was very hesitant to talk to people that came up to the table,” Schoth said. “My mom said, ‘You’ve got to talk to them.’ In a good way, she pushed me to be a lot more extroverted than I would have been.”
Schoth and her mother Jennifer said there was a large learning curve when they first started making products. First comes picking the right variety for the intended outcome and then getting measurements just right.
“Some varieties are used for culinary purposes, they just taste better. Some of them dry into nice dark purple flowers,” Schoth said. “The big thing is different varieties of lavender produce oils that smell different when you distill them.”
On the corner of the farm, a still sits ready for action. Two hours of work can result in just two ounces of oil, which is considered a “really good batch.”
The process involves stuffing dried lavender into the bronze contraption which is filled with water. A gas burner steams the plants, removing all the moisture including oil and water. What’s leftover goes through a condenser filled with ice water, finally separating the oil from the water.
“We do get some funny looks from the neighbors,” Jennifer Schoth said. “It looks just like a whiskey still.”
The duo makes everything from lavender sachets and hot packs to decorative wreaths and lip balm.
“We also like that a lot of our products, this sounds a little weird but it’s a good selling point, you can eat a lot of our products without it harming you,” Sydney Schoth said. “Our hand sanitizer, the sugar scrub, you can eat the lip balm, I mean I definitely don’t recommend it but it’s all pretty safe. We try to keep it as natural as possible.”
Lavender is fairly simple to grow. Southern Idaho’s dry sandy soil creates perfect growing conditions for many varieties of lavender, however, some of the varieties that came from Washington are not used to the climate, she said.
Mother Nature is the most unpredictable variable. Last year the early heat wave led to decreased yields and struggling plants. In the winter, excess snow also caused problems.
“The lavender came on really early last year because of it,” Jennifer Schoth said. “This year it’s actually a couple of weeks behind.”
This summer, Lavender Goddess products can be found at the Nampa Festival of the Arts and at the Thousand Springs Festival of the Arts. Products are also available on their website, lavendergoddess.com.
Sydney Schoth poses for a portrait near one of the 256 lavender plants she owns Monday, July 4, 2022, at Lavender Goddess in Buhl. Schoth started the business in her backyard at 10-years-old. Now she grows 26 different varieties of lavender.
Sydney Schoth, right, and her mother Jennifer Schoth, left, talk about the different species of lavender bushes they have. Lavender Goddess currently has 256 plants with 26 different varieties of lavender.
Sydney Schoth talks about her lavender business Monday, July 4, 2022, at Lavender Goddess in Buhl. Schoth started the business in her backyard when she was 10. Now she owns 256 plants with 26 different varieties of lavender. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/community/a-blossoming-business-buhl-local-finds-sucess-with-specialty-crop/article_d2becf3a-fc97-11ec-bfce-37b254a925c6.html | 2022-07-06T14:39:27 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/community/a-blossoming-business-buhl-local-finds-sucess-with-specialty-crop/article_d2becf3a-fc97-11ec-bfce-37b254a925c6.html |
Congressman Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, had better hope that the author F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong when he wrote, “There are no second acts in American lives.”
Because, so far, this Idaho Republican’s performance on Jan. 6, 2021, has purchased a sorry legacy. Opportunity after opportunity to redeem himself have been squandered.
On June 13, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection presented former Attorney General Bill Barr, former President Donald Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien and even first daughter Ivanka Trump, who testified that Trump knew the “big lie” was a big lie that had been debunked by credible investigators and five dozen court rulings.
But he proceeded to find sycophantic sources — such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and lawyer John Eastman — who would do his bidding.
Fulcher kept quiet.
On June 16, the House panel revealed how Trump pressured his own vice president, Mike Pence, toward an unconstitutional attempt to subvert the election during the ceremonial certification of the Electoral College results. When Pence refused, Trump issued an inflammatory tweet that put the vice president’s life at risk while a deadly mob stormed the Capitol, chanting “Hang Mike Pence.” That mob came within 40 feet of finding its intended target.
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Concluded retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig, a conservative icon: Trump and his followers pose a “clear and present danger to American democracy.”
Fulcher was mum about that, too.
On June 21, elected Republicans — Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — revealed how Trump tried to pressure them into overturning President Joe Biden’s victory in their states.
“It is a tenet of my faith that the Constitution is divinely inspired,” Bowers said. “I would not do it.”
Still, Fulcher had nothing to say.
On June 23, Trump’s acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue and Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel Steven Engel outlined how the entire Department of Justice leadership threatened to resign in the face of Trump’s plan to install a compliant Jeff Clark as the nation’s top lawyer because he was willing to help overturn the election.
At one point, Trump told Donoghue: “Just say it was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen.”
At the hearing’s end, the panel disclosed that House Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania sought a pardon from Trump for their role in the scheme.
“The only reason I know to ask for a pardon (is) because you think you’ve committed a crime,” said Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.
Nothing in any of that compelled Fulcher to issue a comment.
And then came Tuesday, when an eyewitness to Trump’s West Wing operation — Cassidy Hutchinson, former aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows — revealed an emotionally volatile former president who knew he was egging on an armed insurrection of the Capitol and only Secret Service intervention stopped him from personally leading it.
Back at the White House, Trump did nothing to stop the violence and when told that Pence was in danger, the former president said, “Mike deserves it.”
As the hearing closed, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., accused Team Trump of witness intimidation.
And what did you hear from Fulcher?
Nothing.
None of which distinguishes Fulcher from his Idaho colleagues, Rep. Mike Simpson and Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. But they were not complicit in the Jan. 6 attempted coup. Simpson, Crapo and Risch stood by the Constitution that day and voted to certify Biden as the next president of the United States.
Only Fulcher was among the 147 Republicans who did Trump’s bidding that day.
Fulcher began his morning with an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” outlining his intentions.
Later, Fulcher posted on social media a picture of himself signing his objection to Biden’s electors.
Nothing deterred him — not even the desecration of the Capitol and the five lives it took.
As soon as order was restored, Fulcher went right back into the House and voted to overturn Biden’s victories in Arizona and Pennsylvania.
A string of Republican witnesses courageous enough to speak truth to the American people has brought us to this question:
Was the Idaho congressman one of Trump’s useful idiots who was gullible enough to fall for the former president’s deception?
Or did he knowingly play his role in a plot that came within 40 feet of destroying America’s fragile democracy?
At the very least, Fulcher owes the people who sent him to Washington, D.C., an explanation.
We have come to a moment of conscience. Does Fulcher have one? | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/idaho-view-does-russ-fulcher-have-a-second-act/article_d777bc24-fca3-11ec-bf38-27fd458371aa.html | 2022-07-06T14:39:33 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/idaho-view-does-russ-fulcher-have-a-second-act/article_d777bc24-fca3-11ec-bf38-27fd458371aa.html |
Bold moves or more of the same? Sarasota-area governments mobilize on affordable housing
Amid a major housing crisis that is crippling businesses, upending households, and pricing longtime residents out of the area, some local governments are mobilizing.
In recent months, municipalities throughout Sarasota County have considered unprecedented ways to confront the massive shortage in affordable and workforce housing.
North Port and the City of Sarasota are pursuing a broad menu of options. Sarasota County just allotted $25 million in federal dollars to affordable housing, while Venice is conducting a review of its land-use regulations.
Affordable Housing:Great demand for Sarasota workforce housing at Lofts on Lemon as applications open
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But after decades of warnings that went largely unheeded as the crisis built to the current emergency, skeptics and housing advocates are watching closely to see if promises translate into action and results.
Citing studies showing that half of all renting households in the region are now considered "rent-burdened," paying more than 30% of income in rent, they argue that major action is needed.
Bold moves or more of the same?
Government officials insist that they’re rising to meet the challenge.
“It is really time to make some headway and bold moves,” Sarasota City Commissioner Hagen Brody told residents during a recent packed town hall meeting where Brody and City Planner Steve Cover outlined new city proposals that Brody called “visionary.”
They include: “inclusionary zoning” that would require developers to set aside portions of construction projects for affordable units in exchange for incentives; mixed-use residential zoning in commercial corridors with incentives to encourage affordable units; and a new zoning district for duplexes and triplexes in downtown’s Park East neighborhood.
Brody stressed that he thought this crisis could not be solved only through local governments and the Sarasota Housing Authority.
“The realization I’ve come to is that there has to be a private sector connection to this,” Brody said.
Affordable Housing:Rise in Sarasota's annual median income means complications for affordable housing
But to some residents, that sounded like more of the same. Several noted that incentives like density bonuses for developers have been on the books for years – yielding little to nothing in the way of affordable housing as luxury developments boomed.
“At what point do we as a city require them to do what’s right?” one woman said, addressing Brody.
Ruth Beltran, a Sarasota resident and community organizer, told Brody that in the short term there were many more steps local governments could be taking to protect tenants’ rights, as other communities are doing.
She also said that affordable units built by the private sector through public incentives aren't a long-term solution because they too quickly revert to market rental rates.
“It’s a handout to developers,” Beltran said.
The necessity of mandatory inclusionary zoning
Jon Thaxton – a former county commissioner who has spent decades sounding the alarm bells about a ballooning affordable housing crisis while serving on housing advisory committees – sees a difference this time.
“Affordable housing has never been this highly ranked as a community priority in all the jurisdictions over the last three decades as it has now,” Thaxton, the senior vice president for community leadership at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
“I can’t think of a single entity out there not thinking about affordable housing and looking for leadership to provide solutions,” Thaxton said.
Now is the time to act, he added, not only to address the desperate need, but also to seize upon broad community support.
Rental Crisis:United Way Suncoast's new data shows half of all local renters now rent-burdened
But the groundswell of local government and community interest could easily be squandered unless change is done right, he warned. And it all comes down to three magic words: mandatory inclusionary zoning.
The cities of Sarasota and North Port are both looking into inclusionary zoning, along with other initiatives to increase the area’s affordable housing stock.
But the mandatory part is especially important, said Thaxton, for two key reasons.
Unlike density bonuses – which for decades on their own failed to create sustainable affordable housing as developers opted for bigger, profitable luxury homes and condos – mandatory inclusionary zoning would require that a percentage of all units built in designated areas be affordable.
While Thaxton lauded other affordable housing tools – such as recent ordinances for accessory dwelling units in the city and county of Sarasota, the county’s expedited permitting measures and conversion of county surplus land for affordable housing – they are only half of the equation.
They address the supply of affordable housing, while mandatory inclusionary zoning addresses the creation of demand.
Why? Because new housing units being built by the thousands create that much more demand for affordable and workforce housing.
Someone, he said, needs to cut those lawns, clean those pools, wait tables, teach children from those homes, fight their fires and nurse their wounded at hospitals. And those people need an affordable place to live.
Mandatory inclusionary zoning would help keep pace with demand for affordable housing that is created by new growth. The other tools, meanwhile, address supply for existing needs.
“My point is, and has been, a single option will not bridge this oceanic housing needs gap, and I can’t see getting there without mandatory inclusionary zoning,” Thaxton said. “If we don’t have it, all the gains we make from all the other policies are going to be wiped out.”
A chilling effect
Yet while some jurisdictions like Miami cite great success with inclusionary zoning in spurring the building of affordable housing, for others, a 2019 state law has had a “chilling effect,” according to the Florida Housing Coalition.
That includes Sarasota County, which, in the wake of the law, took steps to back off plans for requirements for affordable housing in favor of the “voluntary” density bonus system.
The state law dictates that local governments offset costs to developers when mandating affordable housing as part of their developments. Some claim that the law makes it too costly for municipalities to use mandatory inclusionary zoning.
“Hogwash,” says Jaimie Ross, president and CEO of the Florida Housing Coalition. “It’s not based in fact.”
Read More:More help for emergency rental assistance in Sarasota-Manatee amid affordable housing crisis
Instead, mandatory inclusionary zoning is “absolutely” appropriate when a developer is seeking to rezone agricultural or commercial property to residential, she said. That mere change exponentially increases the value of the property, offsetting the developer’s cost to include the required affordable housing units as part of their proposed projects – and satisfying the law.
“If they make that land use change and don’t include this requirement simultaneously, then they have worsened the housing crisis,” she said. “You’re not going to be able to come back later and require it. You have to do it at the time you are increasing the value of the property.”
Other tools
While mandatory inclusionary zoning might be one of the most effective long-term affordable housing tools for local governments, there are others.
Earlier this year, the Sarasota County commission committed $25 million to affordable housing out of its $84.2 million share from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. Combined with an additional $137 million from area nonprofits and other groups, the monies will contribute to the building of almost 700 new units of affordable housing through several public and nonprofit regional partners with an expertise in the area.
County Commissioner Nancy Detert, who sits on the Sarasota Consortium Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, said that is the type of contribution she favors the county undertake toward affordable housing.
Workforce Crisis:The affordable housing crisis hits Sarasota-Manatee's biggest employers
Not a fan of inclusionary zoning, she prefers working with nonprofits with a track record in affordable housing – like those receiving the ARPA funds, building the 700 units – not for-profit developers.
“I think we have to work with the nonprofits and not count on the regular residential developers to solve our problem for us,” she said. “They are not going to do it.”
While other measures are under discussion on the commission – such as possibly reducing impact fees for developers building affordable housing – she points to the ARPA allotment as a major success.
“We’ve already taken a giant bite out of this problem,” she said.
Still, while praising the move, residents and advocates say 700 units is a drop in the bucket, when the need is so great.
Different paths for Venice and North Port
While the Venice City Council is currently rewriting its land development regulations, Mayor Ron Feinsod is not optimistic about its commitment to affordable housing.
In the 600-pages or so of regulations he’s found only a “vague” reference to density bonuses that developers would get if providing a number of affordable units in its projects for a maximum of 10 years. Feinsod pushed for that time-frame to be longer but was out-numbered by his colleagues.
“There are things that can be done, but the reality of it is that I don’t think there is going to be any serious attempt to address this issue,” Feinsod said regarding the council’s approach to the city’s workforce housing needs. “I don’t believe it is a priority for the Venice City Council, and I think that is unfortunate.”
More than 16 miles to the southeast, in North Port, it’s a different story.
In early June, at a workshop on affordable housing, North Port city commissioners agreed to explore a broad range of possible solutions – from inclusionary zoning and incentives to tiny homes, shipping container houses and accessory dwelling units.
Related:Affordable housing development in North Sarasota given boost by Barancik grant
North Port had a bit of a head start on affordable housing, Vice Mayor Barbara Langdon noted afterward. It started well before the price of land skyrocketed in the current boom, with developers having built about 10 communities with state low-income tax credits that allowed them to offer affordable units to families at 80 % AMI or lower for decades.
Another will open this summer and two more are in the queue, she said.
Still, even in North Port – formerly one of the most affordable places in the county – the pain of skyrocketing rents and home prices has reached a tipping point, prompting city leaders to take action.
“It’s hurting our businesses that are here,” Langdon said.
Just as important are its families.
“There is an unacceptable human toll, because so many workers are housed here,” she said. “So we feel an obligation to do something.”
Thaxton, the housing advocate at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, praised North Port for “setting a great example” for the region.
While heartened and hopeful that the area’s jurisdictions appear finally to be taking the affordable housing crisis to heart – floating proposals that could at last chart a new course – Thaxton warned that troubled waters remain ahead.
The area has yet to see the full impact of past inaction now compounded by a booming market, rising energy prices and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The housing crisis may deepen before it gets better, he forecasted.
“The worst is yet to come."
Herald-Tribune staff writer Earle Kimel contributed to this report.
This story comes from a partnership between the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Saundra Amrhein covers the Season of Sharing campaign, along with issues surrounding housing, utilities, child care and transportation in the area. She can be reached at samrhein@gannett.com. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2022/07/06/sarasota-venice-north-port-affordable-workforce-housing-crisis/10003381002/ | 2022-07-06T14:53:39 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2022/07/06/sarasota-venice-north-port-affordable-workforce-housing-crisis/10003381002/ |
TEMPLE, Texas — The families of two girls, 8 and 9, are filing wrongful death lawsuits against the social media giant "TikTok" after they both died from trying to participate in a challenge, according to the lawsuit.
One of the girls, Lalani Erika Walton, 8, was from Temple and the other girl, Arriani Jaileen Arroyo, 9, was from Milwaukee.
The lawsuits, which were filed in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, both allege that both girls died from self-strangulation after they tried to partake in the TikTok challenge, "Blackout Challenge," which reportedly encourages its users to choke themselves with items like belts, ropes and purse strings until they pass out.
The lawsuit highlights TikTok's algorithm saying it "intentionally and repeatedly" displayed the "Blackout Challenge" onto both girls' "For You Page... incentivizing them to participate in the challenge that ultimately took their lives."
“TikTok needs to be held accountable for pushing deadly content to these two young girls,” said attorney Matthew P. Bergman in a news release. “TikTok has invested billions of dollars to intentionally design products that push dangerous content that it knows are dangerous and can result in the deaths of its users.”
6 News attempted to contact Bergman but did not get a response.
Walton died on July 15, 2021, according to the lawsuit. Prior to her death, Walton returned home from a roadtrip with her stepmother and was told to clean her room before they went to the pool. Her stepmother woke up from an hour nap and found Walton's door closed. When she opened it, she found Walton's body, got help from a neighbor to get her down and called police.
Authorities determined she died from self-asphyxiation "as a direct result of attempting TikTok's 'Blackout Challenge,' the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit also says her death wasn't intentional because the girl "had laid out her bathing suit in anticipation of going swimming."
Arroyo died in a similar fashion on Feb. 26, just a few months before Walton, the lawsuit says.
Also on KCENTV.com: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-temple-family-sues-tiktok-after-8-year-old-girl-dies-blackout-challenge/500-4cd684f5-fea6-4a30-8cd2-9d9b9f2eb28b | 2022-07-06T14:53:40 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-temple-family-sues-tiktok-after-8-year-old-girl-dies-blackout-challenge/500-4cd684f5-fea6-4a30-8cd2-9d9b9f2eb28b |
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Brittney Griner's appeal to President Joe Biden in a handwritten letter continued to garner reaction Tuesday after the WNBA All-Star acknowledged she feared never returning home and asked Biden not “ forget about me and the other American Detainees.”
Griner's letter was delivered through her representatives to the White House on Monday and officials say the president has read it. However Griner's wife, Cherelle, said Tuesday on a morning talk show that she hadn't heard from Biden.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked repeatedly about Griner on Tuesday during the regular briefing. She said Biden read the letter, but she did not detail his reaction.
“This is very personal to him.”
Jean-Pierre did not say whether there were plans for Biden to speak with Griner’s family, but did say that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken both spoke to Griner’s wife recently.
Jean-Pierre said Biden wanted to get Griner and other Americans home.
“We are going to use every tool we possibly can to make that happen,” Jean-Pierre said.
Griner is in the midst of a trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on Feb. 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The trial will resume Thursday.
Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in U.S. courts, acquittals can be overturned.
Griner’s representatives Monday shared a few excerpts from her letter to the president.
″…As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote.
“On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran,” the Phoenix Mercury center added. “It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”
Cherelle Griner was disappointed not to have any direct communication with the White House since the letter was delivered.
“I still have not heard from him and honestly, it’s very disheartening,” Cherelle Griner said on CBS Mornings.
Cherelle Griner said for Brittney to reach out directly to Biden is an indication of just how afraid her wife is about what's next.
“BG is probably the strongest person that I know. So she doesn’t say words like that lightly," Cherelle said. “That means she truly is terrified that she may never see us again. And you know I share those same sentiments. ... I’m sure she was like, ‘I’m gonna write him now because ... my family has tried and to no avail. So I’m going do it myself.'"
Griner pleaded with Biden in the letter to use his powers to ensure her return.
“Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore,” Griner said "I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home.”
Griner has been able to have sporadic communications with family, friends and WNBA players through an email account her agent set up. The emails are printed out and delivered in bunches to Griner by her lawyer after they are vetted by Russian officials. Once the lawyers get back to their office, they’ll scan any responses from Griner and pass them back to the U.S. to send along.
She was supposed to have a phone call with her wife on their anniversary but it failed because of an “unfortunate mistake,” Biden administration officials.
Griner’s supporters have encouraged a prisoner swap like the one in April that brought home Marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian pilot convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy. The State Department in May designated her as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator.
Griner isn't the only American being wrongfully detained in Russia. Paul Whelan, a former Marine and security director is serving a 16-year sentence on an espionage conviction. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/white-house-biden-has-read-brittney-griners-letter/75-527fe1cc-a1a6-4765-b85b-c9d77ccf7b59 | 2022-07-06T14:53:47 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/white-house-biden-has-read-brittney-griners-letter/75-527fe1cc-a1a6-4765-b85b-c9d77ccf7b59 |
Extended drought and fire risk throughout the Southwest motivated the City of Flagstaff to say goodbye to a popular tradition this Fourth of July.
In what seems likely to be a permanent alternative to fireworks, the city organized a laser light show that took place at Continental Country Club, and it has been estimated that more than 5,000 people attended the event, marking the end of a three-day celebration for the holiday. Other American cities also rejected firework displays this year, citing concerns over fire danger, pollution, the supply chain and more.
Fireworks have been used to celebrate the Fourth of July in the United States since 1777, but nixing the tradition was the sensible thing to do, said Flagstaff City Manager Greg Clifton via a press release.
“The shift from traditional fireworks to a laser light show was the responsible action to take due to extreme fire risk with the dry and hot conditions in the northland,” Clifton said. “It is extremely important to have a safe celebration and be fire aware.”
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Flagstaff has weathered three large wildfires that consumed over roughly 50,000 acres, forced thousands of evacuations and destroyed over two dozen homes so far this year. Extreme fire risk has forced the City of Flagstaff to cancel fireworks displays in previous years, sometimes last minute, and it was time to find a reliable way to celebrate the holiday that valued “destination stewardship,” said Lori Pappas of Discover Flagstaff.
“I think everybody was rowing in the same direction,” Pappas said. “We had to find a solution that could deliver an experience that people wanted to come see, that locals could also enjoy, that was consistent."
Fireworks present a risk of wildfire ignition and have also been well documented to release harmful chemicals into the air, interfere with wildlife, terrorize household pets and trigger post-traumatic stress in humans. While lasers may be a good alternative, they come at a price of their own.
“A laser light show does cost more than a traditional fireworks show,” said Sarah Langley, Flagstaff public affairs director. “However, there have been price increases experienced in the pyrotechnic industry recently and fireworks also come with the possibility of delayed or canceled shipments. There is also, of course, the risk of last-minute event cancellations due to weather conditions related to fire risk. Combined, this makes the laser light show a good investment for the city.”
Feedback from attendees has been good so far, Langley said. Pappas reported the same, noting that reactions to the laser light show advertisements over social media were overwhelmingly positive.
“There was a lot of support,” Pappas said.
The laser light show was produced by vendor Laser Encore and featured laser animations projected on a big screen. While the animations played, 20 aerial lasers beamed over the audience, refracting in the fog of nine fog machines positioned across the Continental Country Club lawn. The show lasted roughly 30 minutes and was set to clips of music that sampled classic rock staples and patriotic anthems. The show ended in a “grand finale” fashion typical of fireworks shows and elicited abundant applause from the audience.
Laser Encore owner Bob Teory said each laser show is programmed by the company’s art department in a process that can take months. He got his start in the production of laser shows by producing light shows for bands in the 1980s, but he soon looked for other clients when he realized “musicians have no money.” That took him to demonstrate his production skills for a planetarium that “hired him on the spot.” From there, he built Laser Encore, which deploys three crews across the country.
The crew that provided Flagstaff’s show had driven in from Minnesota the night before and would be driving to New Jersey the next day, triangulating the country in less than a week.
According to Teory, the startup cost for a single laser show crew can be anywhere from $300,000 to $500,000.
When it comes to providing entertainment for events such as a Fourth of July celebration, he said he has “almost no competition.”
“Most people do EDM [electronic dance music] shows, thing like that,” Teory said.
Another Laser Encore crew provided a Fourth of July laser light show in Aspen, Colorado, the same night as the Flagstaff show. Other U.S cities also moved to laser light shows this year, including Oro Valley, Salt Lake City, Freeport, Maine, and others.
The reasons for these shifts echo Flagstaff’s — including fire danger, pollution and the generally disruptive nature of fireworks.
“Flagstaff is excited to join other cities in offering Fourth of July laser light shows in Arizona as well as nationally,” Langley said. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/lasers-replace-fireworks-for-fourth-of-july-celebration-in-flagstaff/article_ae1a91ac-fcb8-11ec-a1f6-5fa6f3229ec5.html | 2022-07-06T14:54:07 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/lasers-replace-fireworks-for-fourth-of-july-celebration-in-flagstaff/article_ae1a91ac-fcb8-11ec-a1f6-5fa6f3229ec5.html |
After losing just three games in the entire 2021-22 basketball season, the Flagstaff High School girls basketball team continued its success in a recent summer tournament.
The annual Lady Eagle Invitational was the team’s first set of games since late February when the varsity team went to the 4A Conference state championship game, and it was an opportunity for the girls to practice plays and exhibit their skills.
Flagstaff didn’t disappoint, taking home first place in both the varsity and sophomore team brackets.
The tournament, which took place on Thursday and Friday on the Flagstaff High School basketball courts, welcomed Coconino, Saguaro, Estrella Foothills and Payson high schools to play in a pool-style tournament. Flagstaff had both a Green team, which was composed of all incoming freshmen, and a White team, which was all returning players.
The teams rehearsed offensive specialty plays and tried out new defensive strategies while working alongside teammates.
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When asked about what the tournament meant to the team, Eagles coach Tyrone Johnson said it was an opportunity for the team to put in valuable minutes on the floor. It was the players' shot at showing the coaches their worth.
“These girls were able to compete against multiple teams and get minutes against varsity competition,” Johnson said. “So we coaches get a real good look at how we’re going to situate the team to compete at a high level.”
According to Johnson, June basketball is crucial to the success of incoming freshmen hoping to make their mark on the team.
“The girls get a taste of the game and to ask themselves, ‘Hey, what is it like to be on a team with Coach Johnson? What are his expectations?’” he said. “This tournament is allowing us coaches to get a real quality look at the players against varsity competition to see how they all hold themselves.”
Johnson said the summertime experience play is beneficial to the team as a whole because it helps grow communication skills on the court that can continue to be built upon as the varsity season approaches.
“June ball gives these players an opportunity to be in front of us coaches now as opposed to waiting until November,” he said. “Get some shots up, don't sit here and be stagnant and wait until game time and think that it's gonna happen.”
The Eagles rotated the lineup early and often during tournament games to allow as many players to be on court as possible. It wasn’t uncommon to see coaches rotating all five players on the court for a new five during a game.
The management speaks to Johnson’s trust in his players to work at a high level. He knows his players will put their best foot forward, and he wants them to be in the best position to win. But in order to do that, his players have to shoot for the stars.
“We're striving towards excellence in everything that we do, whether we're running lines, in drills, scrimmaging, or playing in a game or a tournament, it's always about striving toward excellence,” Johnson said.
The team is trying to get back to the championship game and continue the success of last year, but it’s no small task, as the team lost six players to graduation.
Johnson said the team will likely switch from man-to-man defense to zone defense while running sets early in the game to create a flow on offense. The tournament is a way to begin practicing that type of game action.
Assistant coach Jessica Herbel appreciates the tournament as a way for players to channel their offseason energy into productive work on the court.
“The tournament helps the girls get back together and see what skills they need to work on,” Herbel said. “What’s important is that the girls who are returning still have the hunger of, ‘Hey, we’ve been there once before, we want to get there again,’ so they feed off of each other and put in that effort.”
Johnson thanked Herbel for her work during the summer and for taking the lead on working with the girls during practices. The two coaches form a strong duo that is helping to get Flagstaff High School back working toward a new season of success.
Ultimately, Johnson and Herbel are proud of their players and look forward to competition in the winter.
“We're just excited to see what comes and what progress the girls have already had this summer,” Herbel said.
“If we come in and work right now, I really like our chances next season,” Johnson added. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/flagstaff-high-school-girls-basketball-team-shines-in-summer-tournament/article_3ce8becc-fcb9-11ec-873e-7bdbaacb886d.html | 2022-07-06T14:54:08 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/flagstaff-high-school-girls-basketball-team-shines-in-summer-tournament/article_3ce8becc-fcb9-11ec-873e-7bdbaacb886d.html |
What the Supreme Court ruling on emissions regulation means for Arizona's climate fight
In a decision that has had climate activists holding their breath for months, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not have the authority to regulate planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. While that Obama-era rule had not yet gone into effect, experts say the decision draws a line in the sand on the ability of federal agencies to address climate change that will hamstring efforts to avoid catastrophic impacts.
The case, West Virginia v. EPA, represents the most significant ruling on climate change in more than a decade. Brought by nearly 20 states including Wyoming and West Virginia, the nation's two largest coal producers, it questioned whether, in a provision of the Clean Air Act, Congress meant for the EPA to be able "to issue significant rules capable of reshaping the nation’s electricity grids."
In a 6-3 vote postponed until the end of its 2021-2022 term, the Supreme Court majority determined that it did not. This means that states will not be required to shift some of their coal and gas-fired operations to renewable energy sources, as the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan concluded was the best system to reduce harmful emissions. The Trump administration substituted a more lenient rule that also never went into effect. The Biden administration had not yet submitted its version and had asked the Supreme Court not to intervene.
Environmentalists worry the case will trigger other rulings that may further handcuff agencies from relying on science to make decisions on complex issues like climate change that are far beyond the expertise of Congress.
"The case is, without question, a big setback and a big disappointment for us," Andres Restrepo, senior attorney for the Sierra Club, one of the respondents, and their lead counsel in this litigation, told The Arizona Republic. "The court's decision effectively took off the table the most effective and important tool that EPA had previously had to limit greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal and gas-fired power plants."
Arizona coal: Former northern Arizona coal plant creating jobs on Navajo Nation
Although Arizona's last coal mine closed in 2019, electric utilities in the state still co-own coal plants in Colorado and New Mexico and import coal from other states to burn in Arizona generating stations. Experts worry Thursday's result may stunt Arizona's progress on taking full advantage of local opportunities to expand solar energy. In 2021, 43% of Arizona's energy came from natural gas, 13% from coal and 9% from solar.
"This decision, it's certainly not going to stop anyone from installing solar," Restrepo said. "But it's going to put less pressure on the (energy) industry to move towards solar at a time when we need as swift of a transition towards renewables as possible."
Climate concerns
The ruling comes just three months after an international team of top scientists released their latest conclusions, five years in the making, on the upcoming impacts of climate change and what must be done immediately to mitigate them. The 3,600-page report laid out a tumultuous and expensive future of worsening heat and drought, intensifying storms and flooding, more frequent wildfires and pandemics and ongoing crop and supply chain failures.
These threats will be felt most by disadvantaged and Indigenous populations who may be least able to prepare or cope, and who contribute relatively little to the emission of carbon dioxide and methane gases known to be causing climate change.
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The April report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that, with global emissions still on the rise, we are not on track to meet the panel's 2018 goal of keeping average warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). But, the authors also offered hope. Every fraction of a degree of additional warming avoided will equate to a more livable climate for future generations.
The way to accomplish this, the scientists say, is by phasing out fossil fuels, transitioning to renewable energy and electric appliances, cutting and capturing carbon emissions from other sectors like agriculture and electing leaders who will push for these changes.
Scientific consensus: Climate experts say the world 'is at a crossroads' but offer hope with concrete actions
With the U.S. cost of solar, wind and battery storage down by as much as 85% since 2010, this clear call to action further galvanized business and energy leaders to help install and incentivize renewables. To many, Thursday's ruling represents a jolting halt to that momentum and a misguided dismissal of advice from our nation's experts.
"The whole point of the constitutional delegation of power to agencies was so agencies could write their own rules," said Stefanie Lindquist, a Constitution expert and professor of law at Arizona State University. "And you make that delegation because you realize that Congress doesn’t always have the detailed expertise to understand what needs to be done. Agencies developed because we had an industrial revolution and pollution and people died."
In addition to being anti-science, some view the court's decision as running counter to the democratic intent of the Constitution. Giving rule-making authority to elected members of Congress was designed to make sure regulations reflect the will of the people rather than that of non-elected agency officials, Lindquist said.
However, a repeated survey by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that the percentage of Americans who are "alarmed" by climate change increased from 18% to 33% between 2017 and 2021, with another 25% now feeling "concerned."
"The public polling just keeps showing increased majorities that want to do something about this problem, and I think that’s a reflection of (drought at) Lake Mead and Lake Powell and people seeing the damages," said Kevin Gurney, one of the authors of the IPCC report and a professor at Northern Arizona University. "So people finally wanted to take on the problem. And this limits what we can do and really puts a dent in the psychic momentum that was building. This court ruling, it’s just like in a different universe. It’s so incoherent."
In the modern universe, there is abundant data and a strong scientific consensus that the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere is increasing, mostly from burning fossil fuels, and that these heat-retaining gases disrupt the weather systems around which we have built human civilization. When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, few could have imagined the climatic shifts documented since.
“Remember, the (Founding Fathers) were farmers or in the mercantile class," Lindquist said. "I don't think they even could have contemplated the complexity of these issues today. They were smart people, but the combustion engine was a pretty long distance in the future."
Origin of the carbon footprint: Climate change is not your fault, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook
Of course, Thursday's decision only affects domestic regulatory action on a problem that is global. But many feel the U.S. has an obligation to lead. While emissions in countries like China have been rising faster in recent years, the United States has historically topped the list of all-time emitters, especially at a per capita rate.
“Globally, everyone has been waiting on the U.S. We’re just such an important country internationally. Traditionally, we were a leader in this space and we’re not any longer," Gurney said. "This is just one more example to the world of how we’re limited in our ability to play a role and it has global repercussions. We’re in crisis mode and we don’t have the luxury of legal nuance and we need the courts to understand that."
State-led solar solutions
At the state level, progress may be less bound by legal nuance. In April, experts at Arizona State University's inaugural conference on "Democracy and Climate Change" considered the question of whether the U.S. constitutional system hinders climate change solutions. They concluded that there is often more flexibility and opportunity to act quickly via amendments to state constitutions.
Thursday's ruling does not prevent a two-thirds vote in Congress from authorizing the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. But in the current political climate, Lindquist views the chances of that happening as "slim to none." However, state constitutions, she says, "get amended all the time."
State action: Democracy can lead to climate change solutions, but it may be up to states to act first
Arizona ranks second in the nation for solar energy potential after Nevada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, but it was fifth in solar net generation in 2021. Support for solar has increased in Arizona in recent years, but fossil fuel use has also been on the rise. Between 2016 and 2020, natural gas consumption in Arizona rose by more than 30%.
"The way the sun shines in Arizona is very well tailored to solar energy," Restrepo said. "As I understand it, the state does have a decent amount of solar, but not nearly as much as it could or should have. Looking at most recent numbers, it has about seven times less installed capacity than you'd see in Texas. Texas is certainly a bigger state, but Arizona really has a more concentrated solar resource."
Arizona energy report: Solar advocates expand power on Salt River Project board following election
In response to a request for comment on the Supreme Court decision, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality highlighted the progress Arizona has already made independent of federal regulations on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which it says dropped 30% between 2011 and 2020.
ADEQ does not anticipate the ruling to have much local impact on the transition to renewable energy. Rather, the agency expressed concern that future rule-making by the EPA "might constrain or impede Arizona utilities’ progress and voluntary goals." ADEQ would prefer to let industry regulate itself and respond to market demand.
"Arizona’s policy strategies revolve around encouraging and supporting private sector innovation. We are partnering with industry and growing a strong portfolio in the two largest sources of CO2, energy and transportation," read an emailed statement from ADEQ.
In 2006, Arizona adopted a renewable energy standard requiring regulated electric utilities to source 15% of electricity for resale from renewables by 2025. And in 2020, the state's largest utility said it aims to produce 100% carbon-free energy by 2050. But in early 2022, the Arizona Corporation Commission dismissed a 100% clean energy plan.
Arizona is missing from the list of states that have adopted specific greenhouse gas emissions target amounts and dates. It is also absent from the list of states that contributed data to the EPA's recent official greenhouse gas inventory. And a 2010 law preventing state agencies from even monitoring emissions is still on the books, leaving many Arizonans feeling the state could do more.
Greenhouse gases in Arizona: The EPA released state-specific emissions reports. Arizona isn't on the list
"We really don’t have statewide plans relative to climate and climate resiliency," said Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club, in an earlier interview. “Instead, what we have is a provision in our statutes that prohibits the department of environmental quality from doing anything to limit greenhouse gas emissions unless the legislature specifically authorizes it, which they’re not doing."
The data on greenhouse gases that is not being collected or reported by Arizona would be useful to scientists like Gurney who are working to identify the best opportunities for reductions. But he's been able to rely on other data to model solutions for Arizona. He thinks there are ways for local policy to move forward too, despite Thursday's decision.
“Right now, I’m still optimistic that, at the end of the day, we’ll just work around (the court decision)," Gurney said. “States are trying to do stuff. Cities are trying to do stuff. If we can release the information they need that will allow them to independently go after this problem that, to me, is the hopeful part.”
Gurney was just drafted onto a team developing a fast-tracked climate data project with the National Academies to help facilitate solutions ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November. And he's been in weekly phone calls throughout this Supreme Court term, he said, advising a "very interested" White House on climate data and solutions.
Joan Meiners is the climate news and storytelling reporter at The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Before becoming a journalist, she completed a doctorate in ecology. Follow Joan on Twitter at @beecycles or email her at joan.meiners@arizonarepublic.com. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2022/07/06/arizona-experts-reflect-on-what-supreme-court-climate-ruling-means/7789474001/ | 2022-07-06T15:05:42 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2022/07/06/arizona-experts-reflect-on-what-supreme-court-climate-ruling-means/7789474001/ |
Memorial service to be held for slain Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rick Lopez
The Prescott community will gather today for a memorial service for Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rick Lopez, also known as "R-Lo," who was shot and killed in the line of duty June 28.
Lopez was trying to detain a person suspected of theft when he was shot, Sheriff David Rhodes said in a news conference the evening of the incident. It remains unclear what exactly led to the shooting.
The memorial service will include a procession from the funeral home on Navajo Drive through town beginning around 11 a.m. and concluding at the Findlay Toyota Center on Main Street.
A public ceremony honoring Lopez's life and career will begin at the arena at 1 p.m. and will be livestreamed on the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Facebook page. To conclude the day's event, an honor guard ceremony will be held outside the arena.
The community previously held a candlelight vigil to honor Lopez and his family on Sunday.
Contact northern Arizona reporter Lacey Latch at llatch@gannett.com or on social media @laceylatch. Coverage of northern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America and a grant from the the Vitalyst Health Foundation in association with The Arizona Republic. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/07/06/memorial-service-held-yavapai-county-sheriffs-sgt-rick-lopez/7817285001/ | 2022-07-06T15:05:46 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/07/06/memorial-service-held-yavapai-county-sheriffs-sgt-rick-lopez/7817285001/ |
Carefree has 13 candidates vying for mayor and Town Council seats. Here's where they stand on key issues
Voters in Carefree will begin casting their ballots for a new mayor and six Town Council positions July 6, when early voting begins for the Aug. 2 primary election.
Every elected role in Carefree is up for grabs and residents who want to have their voices heard can register to vote, check their registration status or request a mail-in ballot at beballotready.vote. Residents also can call 602-506-1511 to request a ballot through the mail.
Five council incumbents are seeking reelection and will have to contend with six newcomers who hope to take their positions. Vice Mayor John Crane is vying for the mayoral position and will be up against local businessman Peter Sample in that race.
The Arizona Republic asked each of the candidates to share their views on key topics facing the town. Here are their responses.
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Ideally, what will Carefree look like in 10 years? How will you make that happen?
Mayoral candidates
John Crane: "In 10 years, residential neighborhoods will look much like they do today. Our town culture will continue to emphasize our unique small-town feel, which I have cultivated during my tenure on council.
"The northeast corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road will be commercially developed, to the stipulations agreed to with the immediate neighbors, with businesses bringing those residents value. The northwest corner of Tom Darlington Road and Carefree Highway will showcase a boutique hotel similar to the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, including a first-class restaurant our residents will enjoy. The property will have been developed in accordance with the stipulations agreed to with the immediate neighbors. The walkable Town Core will be vibrant and include a diversity of restaurants, art galleries and merchants enhancing the Carefree experience. This will come to pass by working closely with residents and businesses and having a sound economic development plan."
Peter Sample: "Most of Carefree's residents moved here because of the open spaces, beautiful desert, dark and quiet night skies, and quaint town center. My commitment to residents is to maintain the uniqueness of our town and protect Carefree from the overdevelopment that has been embraced by our current Town Council and mayor. The outcome of this election will determine whether the Carefree 10 years from now remains the hidden gem at the base of Black Mountain that it currently is, or if it is destined to turn into a cheap imitation of Old Town Scottsdale.
"As mayor, I will protect Carefree by holding a higher standard of quality to new development projects and ensuring that new developments conform to the expectation of the residents of our community. Additionally, I will make Carefree a safer place to live by ensuring that our Fire Department is a member of the Regional Automatic Aid system."
Council candidates
Sheila Amoroso: "Carefree is primarily a residential community and about 80% built out. It is a charming, peaceful, beautiful area of Arizona and we want it to stay that way. There are four major development projects in the beginning stages and the town’s general plan is up for review in the next few years.
"We need to increase community engagement earlier in our development planning process and it will be an area of focus for me. We have a lot of decisions coming up over the next few years and a high degree of community input will be required.
"In general, the most notable change that will be impacting most town residents will be the redevelopment of the town center. We have started the process of the redevelopment and I feel supporting and increasing community engagement, public meetings and workshops are vital to reach a consensus on our shared visions and values."
Vince D’Aliesio, incumbent: "The town has grown slowly and the growth has been sustained. We are at 80% resident build-out, with most of the remaining 20% being uninhabitable property. We are continually evolving as a town, we are no longer a tour bus destination from Old Town Scottsdale where you can travel to buy trinkets and see the desert.
"We need to continue revitalizing our downtown core: draw new businesses that are unique to the desert foothills blended with other businesses that will continue to draw sustained tax revenue for our town. I will continue to facilitate programming to benefit our town core and support the activities of our economic development team in promoting that growth."
Tony Geiger, incumbent: "In 10 years, I believe Carefree will have reached build-out. The town will have sustainable infrastructure including water, sewer and well-maintained roads as well as sustainable finances. The town will be a place that retains its original character and will draw visitors due to its natural beauty, available amenities and will be a small but top destination for wellness tourism.
"I will help make this happen by completing the town’s water consolidation project and water management initiatives, implementing the established economic development plan, continue with the program of pay-as-you-go road maintenance and manage the evaluation and potential evolution of the town’s fire service from mutual aid to the automatic aid system. This will require identifying additional costs and find matching revenues to make sure there is sustainable funding for fire protection into the future."
Glenn Grossman: "Carefree will have a revitalized downtown shopping district which is aesthetically pleasing and consistent with our charming small-town look and feel. Our now-undeveloped parcels will be built out with developments which pay for themselves and enhance the small-town charm of Carefree. I will work to implement the Village Center Master Plan for revitalization of our downtown and provide a thoughtful, common-sense review of proposed developments in the town."
Stephen Hatcher, incumbent: "Carefree will look very much like it does today. We only have a few parcels of land that can be developed. We hope to see further revitalization of our business district. Also, there (are) plans to develop more parking, safer crosswalks, and enhancements to our town website. We are in the middle of completing a major renovation project to our water supply and distribution network. Furthermore, we are evaluating our fire station to see how we can modernize and integrate it with our neighboring towns to provide first-class fire protection."
Michael Johnson, incumbent: "My vision is that Carefree continues to be a safe, quiet desert town where people can come relax, explore and shop. Currently, there are two parcels of land planned for commercial development on the east and west corners of Carefree Highway, with lots available for infill housing. Carefree is approaching build-out so commercial development must enhance and keep with the character of our town while providing sources of revenue. Sixty percent of our funding comes from sales taxes; there are no property taxes.
"I will work for smart development, work to complete the Carefree Water Consolidation Project, and the move from mutual-aid to automatic-aid for fire service. I support the SRP (proposal) to raise Bartlett Lake that will increase water storage and supply and the re-charging of our unused CAP water. Water is our most precious resource and we must thoroughly study our options before making a decision for fire service."
Cheryl Kroyer, incumbent: "If we have done our job right, in 10 years Carefree will still be the quality, residential community for which we are known. But we will have found complementary parts to generate revenues to support our sales tax-centric financial model. We will have focused on areas which have non-residential uses to generate revenue while minimizing disruption to any nearby residential areas."
Kathalina Lai: "In 2032, Carefree is going to be the jewel in Arizona’s crown, just as our founders had envisioned it.
"Our once proud motto, the Sunshine Government, is restored because trust and transparency are the way we do business in this town. Our residents will be proud to call this pristine dark sky and open space community home and visitors will flock to Carefree to spend money at our unique selections of ethnic restaurants from around the world, cool coffee shops with fresh-baked pastries for breakfast and attractive shops on Easy Street. Carefree is 'where the sun marks time and growth is done responsibly.
"I will represent and respect your wishes, preserve the unique characteristics of our town and restore trust and transparency to our council. … I will insist that the council does not conduct business behind closed doors. Cronyism, favoritism and underhanded tactics have no place in Carefree."
Sven Maric: "The next two years will be defining for Carefree. The current administration is working off a decade-old voter-approved General Plan. This plan calls for turning the commercial part of Carefree into an entertainment district similar to Old Town Scottsdale. … This plan (must) be voted on by Carefree voters every 10 years. … I will make it a priority to bring this to the Carefree voters ASAP.
"We … have to ask ourselves if we still want to be like Old Town Scottsdale. Do we want to be the entertainment and hospitality hub of north Scottsdale? Arizona is facing an unprecedented drought and potential water restrictions. … I find it irresponsible to attract more hotels and water-intensive industries. With your vote, together we can protect the natural beauty for future generations and stop irresponsible growth in Carefree.
"Let’s keep Carefree as an oasis of peace and quiet."
Gene Orrico: "Ideally, I would hope that Carefree continues to be the unique, local and guest-friendly town that visitors would desire to come and visit. One of the ways to help make this happen is to have eclectic mom-and-pop stores that have and cater to the things that people want and (not) necessarily just what they need. Diversity in restaurants i.e. Italian, Greek, Asian, Mexican and American."
Duke Vukotic: "Carefree was conceived in the mid-1950s as an upscale residential area. Ideally, Carefree will preserve its unique residential setting, exceptional safety, beautiful and clean open spaces, dark skies, Western heritage and family-friendly atmosphere.
"If elected to council, I will ensure that town ordinances and code enforcement are fair and equitable for all residents and businesses with no exceptions. I will ensure that decision-making within the town chambers closely aligns with the goal of Keeping Carefree - Carefree, an upscale residential area. No more excuses for four-story motels, lack of transparency and accountability."
What skills or qualifications do you have that would benefit residents?
Mayoral candidates
Crane: "Having served as a Carefree Council member and vice mayor, my intimate knowledge of the town’s ongoing water integration and public safety challenges will be crucial to resolving these and other issues. As a 33-year Carefree resident, I have immersed myself in the community not only on the Carefree Council, but as a planning & zoning commissioner, Desert Foothills Land Trust vice chair, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation commissioner, an HOA president, and a hands-on supporter of virtually every town initiated community event in the past 10 years.
"I know Carefree. As a successful small business owner of 28 years and a fiscal conservative, I know how to manage a budget. I respectfully listen and speak with residents and business owners. I bring an analytical thought process. This is the style of leadership needed at this critical juncture."
Sample: "First and foremost, I love the Town of Carefree, and am dedicated to protecting it and its citizens. As an owner of an investment advisory firm and successful production company, I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility and the value of transparent communication for business and community to thrive.
"I am a proven and effective leader, strong negotiator, and skillful problem solver. With these skills, I will be able to effectively communicate town policy and vision, promote community unity and manage the future growth of Carefree. It will be my pleasure to serve and represent the residents of Carefree."
Council candidates
Amoroso: "I retired as the director of the Municipal Bond Department at Franklin Templeton Investments in July of 2020 and moved to Carefree. I have 34 years of experience investing in public infrastructure and was the leader of over 30 investment professionals providing investment opportunities for individual and institutional investors.
"Our investment decisions required deep analysis of all aspects of government budgets, services, tax policy and public policy. I’ve seen the best, the mediocre and the worst government practices. I know what works, what does not and know practices to avoid.
"I was a member of the Carefree Public Safety Advisory Committee. Our public safety contracts were coming up for renewal in 2022 and we were charged with evaluating current services, potential options for renewal or new contracts and revenue sources to cover the increased costs. Our report is available for review on the Carefree website."
D’Aliesio: "I have worked well within our council, I ask questions and do my homework before voting. I listen and I get along with others, I value teamwork. I have followed through on promises to ensure quality water service to all residents, continue to bring commerce to our downtown core with our new anchor tenant, the Hampton Inn, and still value our past with voting to restrict the type of commercial development that can be installed, such as the restrictions placed on developing the northeast corner of Cave Creek/Carefree Highway. We are growing and evolving as a town, so I have been flexible in that evolution, I’m raising a family here and will retire here."
Geiger: "My business career prepared me with a deep background in finance, engineering, law and marketing. A 21-year resident, since 2013 I have volunteered my time working on town initiatives including five years as the Carefree representative to the Cave Creek Water Advisory Committee, including two years as chair, a member of the mayor's task force to close the Boulders Sewer plant and am completing my first two-year term on the Town Council.
"I bring a skill set that combines extensive business experience, tempered with the realities of working to get things done in local government. Learning to understand the differences between the two has enabled me to become effective in my role. I have a solid understanding of the history of our town and the town’s character while possessing the experience to understand the challenges we face and the realities of solving problems and governing."
Grossman: "I’m a CPA by trade with over a 30-years' experience in financial administration and corporate management. I am also a small business owner for over 13 years in our community."
Hatcher: "I hold a degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA in finance and work in the investment field. In addition, I spent five years on the board of a 22-story condominium in Phoenix. During this time I was very much involved in securing a $2.5 million loan for a series of renovation projects. These renovations included; new elevators, interior renovations, electrical system and sewer system upgrades. My formal education and experience provide me with a unique understanding of the engineering projects facing the town and how those projects are financed."
Johnson: "I'm a retired chief financial officer/CPA with 35 years of working in startup, public and fortune 500 companies. Experience includes telecom startups that created jobs and helped build the internet infrastructure; print news and railroad industries. I managed high growth, mergers and acquisitions, forecasting, spending and fundraising. Companies included Ascend Communications, Oakland Tribune and Itel Rail.
"I've been on the council for 8 months and seek to retain my seat. I've volunteered since 2015 working on issues that affect Carefree and my HOA as a board president. We led the effort to ensure the rezoning of Carefree Highway's northeast corner to commercial which backs up to us, worked for us and the town. We ensured it would not have fast-food drive-thrus, tall dense buildings and a 24-hour emergency hospital. I worked with Scottsdale to install turning lanes at my community and 60th street on Carefree Highway making it safer."
Kroyer: "Experience. I have five-plus years on the Council to date. During that time, I have brought 30 years of marketing and communications expertise to support the town’s marketing and communications projects. I have studied the issues that have impacted our town the most: how to get and keep a safe, reliable source of water for all of our residents; how to generate revenues (without imposing a property tax) to provide state-of-the-art fire and police services; and keep our roads safe for motorists and pedestrians. I believe that I am uniquely qualified to continue my roles in these and other projects that we urgently face now and in the future."
Lai: "Critical thinking, high standards, and asking hard questions are my trademarks of leadership.
"I am capable, ready and willing to go the extra mile to serve as your councilwoman. I am going to fight hard to preserve our way of life because Carefree is also my home. Having been a successful corporate leader in strategy and technology for Fortune 100 companies, I know what it takes to turn an organization around. These are all transferable skills I can leverage to elevate our town."
Maric: "As a business owner, I understand the need to operate successfully within a certain budget and to set priorities on where the financial impact will be the greatest.
"I have spent 20-plus years building large technology systems in the marketing and business automation areas for Fortune 100 companies. These implementations consist of multi-million dollar budgets and the management of cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects.
"As a Carefree resident, I feel strongly about serving Carefree residents to ensure Carefree remains the pristine place that our founders had envisioned. I don’t have any financial interest in Carefree and can therefore stay objective on all business-related issues. Also, I didn't take any campaign donations and cannot be bought by anyone."
Orrico: "I served as a Carefree councilman for five years. Presently treasurer of Carefree Shadows HOA, vice president of the Carefree/ Cave Creek Italian Club, past president of the Kiwanis Club of Carefree. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Kiwanis Foundation and Club of Carefree. I have a master's in business, also past broker-owner of insurance and real estate offices. Last career position was as a general building contractor."
Vukotic: "I would bring unique qualities such as passion for Carefree and utilize critical thinking, interdependency and transparency to ensure the residents have a say in each and every decision council is making. The Town of Carefree deserves sustainable growth with resident buy-in."
What are the two biggest challenges you believe Carefree faces? What will you do to address them?
Mayoral candidates
Crane: "Reliable and safe water for all Carefree residents: Complete the integration of all of our residents into the Carefree Water Company, improve the Town Drought Preparedness Plan, take steps to encourage water conservation awareness and behavior, begin to explore water charging opportunities, and support the town’s participation in raising the height of Bartlett Dam and gaining access to additional water rights.
"Manage a town discussion to arrive at a consensus for a fire protection system that will be financially sound and ensure public safety through public engagement where questions will be answered and ideas and solutions heard."
Sample: "The two biggest challenges faced by Carefree today are navigating the continued development of our town center and open spaces, and the need for our fire department to become a member of the Regional Automatic Aid system.
"As mayor, I will listen to the residents with regard to the amount of development that is suitable and acceptable for our town. Four-story chain hotels are not appropriate development projects for our community, and Carefree's elected officials should understand that. I will end the out-of-touch development policies of our current Town Council and mayor, and protect Carefree from the overdevelopment that has affected our neighboring communities.
"Regarding public safety, Carefree's Fire Department currently stands alone with a small fire and emergency staff. I will ensure that Carefree joins the Regional Automatic Aid system to have guaranteed, seamless and timely response from Daisy Mountain and Scottsdale fire departments in addition to our own."
Council candidates
Amoroso: "Our two biggest challenges are fire service and consolidating all Carefree residents into the Carefree water system. I believe we are on the right track and will continue to support these projects.
"Following the recommendations of the Public Safety Advisory Commission, our town hired two independent consultants to analyze the future financial needs of the town to pay for fire service and analyze the fire service needs of our community. The next stage will be community meetings to make the final decision.
"Carefree is in the process of bringing high-quality water and service to all Carefree residents. Not all water systems are created equal. While customers of Carefree water were receiving high-quality water and service, residents subscribed to Cave Creek water were not. After many complaints regarding Cave Creek water, consolidation was determined to be the best solution, which included construction of the underground water tank."
D’Aliesio: "1. We have a small minority of residents that continually question the transparency of town government. The town is extremely transparent. We have encouraged residents to attend all public meetings and make appointments with myself or town staff to gain a greater understanding of town operations. Public meetings and agenda items are constantly posted and residents can sign up for email alerts at carefree.org. We have an amazing staff, and our council members all make themselves available to visit with residents.
"2. Our objective as a council and staff is to ensure that ALL residents have the best available service, and the same service. Our goal is to continue to represent all constituents in Carefree. We are one community, neighbors must continue to look out for neighbors."
Geiger: "The first challenge is determining the future of the town’s fire and emergency services provider. For the past 50 years, Carefree has contracted with Rural Metro for these services. Recently there has been a change in posture by the surrounding fire departments as to their willingness to enter into formal mutual aid agreements with Rural Metro. As the town evaluates its options moving forward I want to ensure there is proper due diligence conducted on costs, the options to fund any additional spending and make sure there is robust citizen input.
"The second challenge will be to find the revenue over the next 10 years to offset expected inflation and the expected decreases in construction sales taxes and state shared revenues. I will address this challenge by implementing the town’s economic development plan, adjusted as needed due to citizen preferences and market realities."
Grossman: "Fire protection/emergency services and property taxes. The Public Safety Advisory Committee has documented in their report the excellent service we have enjoyed from Rural Metro for over 50 years but concluded that we should turn Rural Metro out for a much more expensive alternative with automatic aid. This is especially puzzling since Rural Metro now has two fire companies in Carefree: 821 and 825.
"Contracting with more expensive fire protection could lead to the implementation of property taxes in Carefree. This would be a mistake on two fronts. Automatic aid will cost $1 million to $1.7 million more than Rural Metro in year one, which is a waste of money and property taxes, once adopted, never go away. They just grow every year. I will fight to maintain our conservative values and I stand against property taxes in Carefree."
Hatcher: "First big challenge is the full integration of our new auxiliary water tank and the renovation of the piping system that we acquired from Cave Creek which ensures our residents have clean safe water.
"Second big challenge is to modernize and integrate a new fire station with our neighboring towns to provide first class fire protection for years to come."
Johnson: "Complete the Carefree Water Consolidation Project and connect the 550 Carefree accounts now on Cave Creek Water to Carefree Water generating revenue. The revenue will be used to pay the bond payment due on July 1, 2023, that was not pre-funded by bond proceeds. We should finalize an agreement with SRP to participate in the study to raise Bartlett Lake to increase water supplies. We must look at a project to recharge our unused CAP water.
"Complete due diligence on the potential move from Mutual Aid to Automatic Aid fire service. The town expects the reports from the financial and fire service operations experts completed in late fall. We expect to have several public meetings to share the findings with the public and receive feedback. This will be critical in determining next steps and how we move forward.
"Superior water and fire service are critical to Carefree's long-term success."
Kroyer: "Our two biggest challenges ... are to ensure a safe, reliable source of water for all town residents and generate revenues to provide for town safety initiatives (police and fire).
"We are already in the process of building a water reservoir to get water to the 500-plus homes that are not currently served by the Carefree Water Company. Once this is completed sometime this summer, the next job is to make sure that we utilize all the tools at our disposal studying water charging opportunities, tapping into underground resources and participating in the SRP study underway to raise the height of Bartlett Dam allowing more storage of runoff water that can be directed to Carefree.
"Working with the town’s economic development manager and my fellow council members, find ways to raise revenues to support the already high and rising costs of fire and police protection without changing the makeup of our community."
Lai: "There are a number of challenges facing Carefree ... The two biggest are reckless developments planned for the remaining open spaces and the lack of trust and transparency of our current Town Council. As a result, (most) Carefree residents are … disillusioned and disengaged, wondering how Carefree got hijacked by the current Council who will do anything to stay in power - including suing our town.
"Secrecy, anonymity and underhanded maneuvers are the enemies of trust, veracity and transparency. This has been the modus operandi of the current Carefree council for years and it is unacceptable. … I will ask the hard questions to challenge the status quo, insist that the Council does not conduct its business behind closed doors, and let the voters decide the future of Carefree instead of allowing a group of megalomaniac leaders and a small vocal minority hold our beloved town hostage. Carefree belongs to all Carefree residents."
Maric: "In the next several years, Carefree has to decide what type of development it wants for those precious few open spaces. Making the wrong decision could be a burden for our town for many years to come. We need to avoid reckless development at all costs. Right now we still have the ability to course-correct with the right council members in place. With our current water shortage, developing Carefree for more hotels/resorts is not the way to go.
"Public safety is an area that needs drastic improvement. An upscale community like Carefree deserves first-rate public safety and we should make this our top priority. Many senior citizens worked their entire lives to be able to enjoy their golden years in Carefree. They deserve peace of mind knowing that when they face an emergency qualified help will be available within minutes. I will make public safety my No. 1 priority."
Orrico: "Public fire and police safety and economic development. To address these challenges, we need to promote new businesses that provide sales tax revenue. Once again, public-private partnerships promote a town that is business-friendly."
Vukotic: "Public safety and irresponsible growth are the two biggest challenges. … Lack of a coherent vision backed by the town residents and apparent incompetence on the current Town Council, resulted in the 'status quo' we have today within Carefree town government.
"As an example, dismissive and arrogant fashion of business caused our town millions of dollars in unnecessary lawsuits, expensive pet projects and disengaged residents.
“I will immediately work on revisiting the 2030 general plan in collaborative effort with the residents and the council. As … Carefree residents and the tourist numbers grew substantially in the last decade, we must increase (the) level of public safety. I will seek an upgrade for our fire protection from mutual aid to automatic aid (and) improve our contract with our law enforcement partners. I will also work to improve relationships with neighboring … Cave Creek and … Scottsdale on the issues of common interest."
Reach Sam at sam.kmack@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @KmackSam.
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Cave Creek election: Where mayoral, Town Council candidates stand on water, growth
Cave Creek voters are deciding on a new mayor and six Town Council positions in the Aug. 2 election.
Early ballots went out July 6.
Every elected post in Cave Creek's government is up for grabs this year. Voters who want a say in who will run their town can register, check their status or request a mail-in ballot at beballotready.vote. Residents can also call the office at 602-506-1511 to request a ballot through the mail.
Four council incumbents — Thomas McGuire, David Smith, Kathryn Royer and Ron Sova — are hoping to defend their seats against eight challengers including Mayor Ernie Bunch, who decided to run for a council spot this year instead of keeping his current position. The other council challengers include Tom Augherton, Susan Clancy, Paul Eelkema, Charles "C.W." Jensen, Katya Kincel, Anna Marsolo and Bryan "Dusty" Rhodes.
Councilmember Bob Morris, on the other hand, is hoping to trade his council seat for the mayoral role. He's running against former council member Eileen Wright for the top spot.
The Arizona Republic asked each of the candidates to share their views on key topics facing the town. Here's what they had to say.
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What would you do to ensure Cave Creek is using its water resources appropriately?
Mayoral candidates
Bob Morris: "Putting very high costs on very high water use. Requiring new subdivisions to bring water for their supply, conservation."
Eileen Wright: "There are two major issues facing Cave Creek relating to our water resources, Desert Hills Water Company and managing our CAP allocation.
- Desert Hills Water Company: aggressively implement a plan to spin off ownership of the Desert Hills Water Company either through a sale or setting it up as a water utility district governed by the residents of Desert Hills.
- CAP: continue to work with the Town’s Water Advisory Committee to protect our valuable CAP allocation and proactively seek out and secure alternative water resources and arrangements such as the Salt River Project Bartlett Dam expansion project to augment/supplement the CAP allocation.
- Strictly enforce our updated Water Master Plan.
- Prepare a Drought Preparedness Plan.
- Consider the absolute essential resource of water in every decision I make."
Council candidates
Augherton: "Cave Creek water — “Yes, we could have had bottled Fiji, Pellegrino or Perrier waters delivered to homes, for less."
"Provide actual historic and current costs of municipal water and sewer facilities in the Town of Cave Creek and operational upkeep, paid by town utility ratepayers; ($150 million plus?)
"Disclose the planned increase in water rates for municipal water customers before the primary election on Aug. 2.
"Provide a public analysis of why the town purchased the Desert Hills Water company, outside of town limits, a summary of expenditures, and provide a recommendation of its sale back to the private sector.
"Address the issue of the unmitigated plume of underground storage tank contaminants from the Town gas station, (now Big Earl’s restaurant), into the town-owned closed well on Black Mountain.
"What are the results of town inspections of business compliance with grease traps filtering downtown wastewater pumping to the town sewer plant?"
Bunch: "Since the greatest majority of water use is outdoors and there are hardly any grass lawns in the Town of Cave Creek, promoting xeriscape and drip irrigation is likely the best approach. Also continuing to request that Rancho Manana Golf Course reline their ponds and remove turf that is not actually in play with good shots. Incidentally, by ordinance there will be no more golf courses in the Town of Cave Creek."
Clancy: "Budgeting and planning for the future of our water supply and infrastructure. This requires setting aside a greater amount of funds to be potentially used in the coming years. Money should not be spent until an updated analysis of the water system is done by a highly qualified engineering company and agreed upon priorities are set into place.
"A water and sewer infrastructure analysis to be completed for Cave Creek and Desert Hills water companies as well as the sewer plant. This includes the physical and organizational structure.
The town's future water allotment. This is paramount now with ongoing drought conditions. My utmost concerns include the need to investigate banking water conservation programs, and restructuring water costs within the town."
Eelkema: "The primary water usage for Cave Creek water is residential. The town has a water conservation plan, and it contains suggestions for effective water use reductions. We must have greater levels of communication regarding conservation, community goal setting, and progress reporting on the water conservation efforts by our citizens.
"Water is our life and as a councilman I will create a greater sense of water awareness, insist on clearer and more frequent education and reporting on our water status. This will include conservation communication to specific interest groups such as our master gardeners, and equestrian community. I believe that our town manager’s reporting should include current water use data as measured against our conservation goals."
Jensen: "I will say what I said at the forum (on June 14). Been here 12 years. We all have water as priority one. That being said, we have a town water advisory board. A town water department. A county water department. A state water agency. Interstate water agencies. We spend millions and millions of dollars. We depend on the water experts. But we must manage our local infrastructure to supply the water. I expect Colorado water to be cut soon. My question is, shouldn’t we unilaterally start conserving water before we are forced to?"
Kincel: "Water is paramount to the life of our town. We need to sell off the Desert Hills Water Company to put a stop to the citizens of Cave Creek emptying their pockets to support them."
Marsolo: "Growth is predicated on water and can't have one without the other. … Past and … current leaders … have taken our town for a joy ride running up debt to the tune of $60 million. Rather than build on our unique, historic town center … we bought the water company and failed to comprehend the cost. With debt came the need for big boxes and large chains in a Bell Road style mess at our border and the decimation of many neighborhoods.
"… My primary goal is to lower the risk of a Cave Creek water emergency and to moderate water rates. We must reduce some costs and make the utility system accounting more reliable so that funding subsidies in the millions given to the utilities from our General Fund will stop. Our Desert Hills company has declining groundwater production. We should limit growth in that area and try to sell it."
McGuire: "Education is critical. Cave Creek is using about three-fourths of our Colorado River allotment; our major source of water. In most homes, the majority of water is used outside for irrigation and swimming pools. Cutting back on those uses can greatly increase water available for everyone.
"With only one pipe bringing us Colorado River water, we are vulnerable. The new interconnect with Phoenix will give us greater water supply security.
"The town owns about a dozen wells. Many of them have marginally unacceptable levels of arsenic, but blended with Colorado River water, these well can be activated in the future.
"Because we own the Desert Hills Water system, we must contribute to their supplies. Selling that system can save more water for Cave Creek.
"My educational, humorous and entertaining PDF/PowerPoint, Arizona’s Water, is available on the Desert Foothills Land Trust website."
Smith: "Because of my time on the town’s Water Advisory Committee and my six years on the Council, I have a good understanding about the status of water usage in Cave Creek. With what is now happening relative to potential reductions in supply, we need to develop enforceable step-down actions for coping with restrictions. Since all municipalities will similarly be affected, we will be able to use other’s efforts to aid our actions."
Rhodes: "The town has sufficient ground water to meet our present needs and maintain our rural lifestyle. To ensure we can meet future needs we must ameliorate the contaminated well(s) that are in the town entertainment district and resolve an infrastructure issue on the west side of town that we have been admiring since before the town incorporated.
"We also need to make sure that we continue to fight for the Central Arizona Project allocation to allow for planned growth of the town.
"And finally, we need to begin discussions with the State of Arizona on desalinization projects and the Salt River Project to assess feasibility of accessing a portion of their water to meet future growth needs beyond what is in our General Plan."
Royer: "Cave Creek had hundreds of acre-feet of excess Colorado River water from Central Arizona Project (CAP) water that it was not protecting for the future. We were losing money and precious water resources. I led the effort to contact CAP, which has built “recharge sites” to bank water underground. We executed agreements and have budgeted funds to finally save water for future use by banking our excess water in CAP’s underground basins.
"Additionally, we approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Phoenix to provide water services to the area south of Carefree Highway. In an emergency, Cave Creek can request 60 days of water supplies from Phoenix.
"These were two huge achievements for our water management portfolio. I will continue to prioritize water supply and infrastructure issues as we potentially head into strict water conservation measures in 2023, as CAP’s water supply continues to be impacted by drought."
Sova: "Since 100% of our water is an allocation from the CAP, we need to maintain a complete and detailed inventory of our water usage and losses. This becomes extremely important as the drought continually lowers the water level in Lake Mead, our source of water. We need to prepare for a worsening situation by looking into ways to cut back our water usage, especially the usage outside of the residence."
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Ideally, what will Cave Creek look like in 10 years? How will you make that happen?
Mayoral candidates
Morris: "Just the same as now."
Wright: "For a moment let's envision what Cave Creek will be like after I have been your Mayor — what do you see?
- We have safeguarded our valuable CAP allocation and have successfully partnered with Salt River Project to secure an alternative water source.
- Our town is abiding by the basic laws of economics — cannot have everything we want, just all we can afford — resulting in a substantial reduction in the budget.
- Bike Week is being run intelligently — abiding by all laws.
- First time ever, after 10 years — noise and sign ordinances are being strictly enforced.
- Our multifamily zoning ordinance has been revised to preclude multifamily in our commercial zone.
- Desert Hills water company has been sold and our General Fund is no longer subsidizing the town’s water and wastewater plants.
- Cave Creek’s unique western heritage, lifestyle and large parcel residential zoning and land use patterns have been preserved."
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Council candidates
Augherton: "I would hope to see a “restored,” rural-appearing Cave Creek downtown. This could include burying all overhead electric lines, removing all sodium-vapor street lights, their replacement with natural gas lamps in a Territorial style, (like a Tombstone, AZ look), and the restoration of native trees and landscaping in the asphalt stretches which tragically replaced our planted downtown medians.
"Hopefully, no ‘roundabouts’ ‘speed bumps’, ‘traffic calmers’, overhead pedestrian bridges and all of the modern paid-consultant recommendations popular in urban wastelands. Return the horse hitches, watering troughs, provide a wide tree-shaded bridle/walking path through town, to Carefree; move the bike route off the asphalt and onto a separate dedicated parallel.
"Create offsite public parking, restrooms and swinging street gates temporarily closing two lanes for large special events, restricting traffic to the opposite side. Town should reactivate the Tree City USA program. Desert shade makes time outdoors possible and includes traditional ramada structures."
Bunch: "I would expect Cave Creek to look very much like it does today with the Town Core being the heart and soul of the community and (the) Carefree Highway, Cave Creek Road area being the "Goose that lays the Golden Eggs." Historically there have been no zoning changes away from these areas, but existing zoning has been honored."
Clancy: "I have lived in Cave Creek for 42 years. The town has changed in many positive ways! It can continue to do so.
"My priorities are the health, safety and welfare of all citizens of Cave Creek. To ensure that we focus on these priorities and secure the unique character of our town, I believe we need to emphasize the following:
- Secure open space.
- Protect our zoning.
- Secure and protect trails.
- Protect our wildlife.
- Improve our road maintenance.
"Commercial development in the core is now virtually complete. I seek the highest and best use of future development along Carefree Highway in order to maximize city sales tax revenues.
"Residential development should continue to be primarily low density, in part to keep water consumption under control.
"Town Council must keep water consumption as a limiting development priority."
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Eelkema: "Defining our brand … and aligning our decisions … regarding growth is critical. The outline … is in our 2021 General Plan.
"Our town is unique because we have a commercial center at the intersection of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway, and … an equally important commercial area in our Town Core. Both … areas will benefit from increased recognition and advertising …
"Tourism is our industry and … I will work to expand the town’s understanding that our rural and Western lifestyles are why we have visitors. I began the Local Landmarks Program … to celebrate our iconic buildings and local businesses. In addition … we can look to our neighborhoods that are unique. ...
"We will be a town that has … greater communication, … (a) safe haven for quirky voices, and … our own version of what being rural means as we live next to a city of 1.6 million people."
Jensen: "In 10 years we will gain population and demands will increase. That’s life. That is manageable if we keep with our general plan (that must be constantly updated). And keep density low. Ensuring we stay a neat little Western town just north of the fifth biggest city in America."
Kincel: "Ten years you say? Unless growth is managed smartly, it will look like a ghost town. My goal is to foster better communications with the citizens and bring them back to the council meetings. They deserve it, it’s their town!"
Marsolo: "The future of our town is right now! Cave Creek is at a historical crossroads. We can assure our future will not be like Anytown, USA if we protect our rural, open space, low density and Western quality of life.
"Everywhere we look now our lifestyle is in a full retreat. Long time incumbents, along with their eagerness to please developer after developer, have pushed us almost to the point of no return. We must stop our lifestyle from being traded away in myopic and odious deals. Many citizens feel our General Plans, Codes of Ordinances and themselves have been mostly ignored for several years by these elected officials.
"I support managed growth, and will let our General Plan 2021, Codes of Ordinance and listening to citizen's desires guide my vote going forward. I will vote for maintaining our rural, eclectic, Western, historical, artists haven, and tourists 'day destination' Town."
McGuire: "We’ve made Cave Creek a desirable destination for people who value the natural desert. The citizens who incorporated Cave Creek in the 1980s set important priorities that make Cave Creek unique. They established large lot zoning and protected natural desert areas including the top of Black Mountain and the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. They initiated our 31 miles of trails.
"Our challenge is to keep our rural lifestyle. Working with property owners for limited housing development and enforcing codes for homes and businesses has protected our Western identity and draws tourists dollars. Expanding Carefree Highway businesses has yielded important income. That, and smart financial management, has enabled us to greatly enhance our fire security, even without a town property tax.
Keeping our inconvenient stream-level crossings and protecting our dark skies will help attract others who value the natural desert lifestyle over rampant development."
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Smith: "I am hoping that the actual looks of Cave Creek will not drastically change. Obviously there will be some change, but we should work to not damage what we now have. It is a tough goal, but a worthwhile one."
Rhodes: "According to our General Plan, Cave Creek is expected to roughly double in size over the next 30 years and remain rural in character. The biggest challenges will be to ensure that enough water exists to support planned development and ensure we don’t overdevelop.
"To remain rural in character, we need to review and update town ordinances to both manage growth and ensure they are consistent with the General Plan. Cave Creek is unique in that we are dependent on sales tax as our primary source of revenue. To drive sales tax revenue, we should be focused on encouraging family style Wstern events and other recreational activities. Parents and grandparents spend money on their children. Hosting those events will ensure sufficient revenues to enhance support for local artists, craftsmen, museums, and other attractions while at the same time obviating the need for a property tax."
Royer: "Based on the U.S. Census, between 2010-2020, Cave Creek added almost 1,000 new residents and is expected to continue to grow to almost 7,000 by 2040. Cave Creek has one of the older populations in Maricopa County with a median age of 57.7.
"We continue to see growth in our sales and construction taxes due to retail developments along the Carefree Highway Corridor and in new residential homes. Economic development must continue to be a priority to ensure our long-term financial security while maintaining the quality of life we value including open spaces, dark skies, and low-density housing.
"How we grow and accommodate new businesses and residents requires clear collaboration and interaction between the town and its residents. We have opportunities every year for volunteers to participate and serve on committees to help plan for the future of Cave Creek together, using our 2021 General Plan as a guide."
Sova: "Hopefully, Cave Creek will look like it does today, especially in our town core. The only noticeable changes should be to have more commercial development along our Cave Creek/Carefree Highway corridors along with maintain our large lot, rural lifestyle."
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What skill would you bring to the position that will benefit residents?
Mayoral candidates
Morris: "Chemical engineering degree and vast experience, corporate executive with expertise in management, mergers, consultant studies, finance, emergency management, marketing, real estate, etc."
Wright: "I am a leader with the integrity to tell the truth, the charisma to make people listen, and the guts to act on it.
"My substantial experience with town governance and enforcement of our Town Code and Ordinances. I have been an involved resident of Cave Creek for several years and educated myself on town matters having made it a priority to attend council meetings. I served as the vice chair of the Planning Commission and as a councilwoman from 2016-2018.
"I am not beholden to anybody and as mayor I would always keep the residents best interest at heart. I believe in this town and our residents, that is why I fight for them.
"As a former councilwoman, I authored and introduced numerous significant agenda items and earned the reputation as Cave Creek’s most effective council member. I look forward to continuing that legacy as your mayor!"
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Council candidates
Augherton: "Skills are relative to interpretation, but accumulating experience in the public sector provides a background for collaborative policy development, partnering with professional staff, and offering a roadmap for consensus-building that reminds: inclusiveness should never go out of style with government deliberation.
"Elected officials still work for the people. They have a special obligation to community residents. Town residents are not a special interest. They deserve governance that acknowledges they are the community’s prime interest.
"The special interests always find the back door to Town Hall. This is where private discussions about economic development, ordinance enforcement and zoning, out of public earshot, are most animated.
"Those who campaign say they are called to service. Then demonstrate who is our ‘first line of defense’ in the race to prevent community exploitation.
"Any fool can ruin a small town. Cave Creek knows the history of those who have tried, and those who succeeded."
Bunch: "I will continue to bring the historical knowledge of mistakes that were made in land use issues that cost the town millions of dollars in court cases that ended with "summary judgements" prior to my participation in local politics and do my best to avoid those type mistakes.
'It would behoove the voters to look at past history of the candidates' attitudes toward property rights and due process issues. Four wrong votes can be disastrous to Cave Creek's General Fund!"
Clancy: "It has been my honor to serve the citizens in Cave Creek for two terms on Town Council.
"Prior to that, I had the privilege of serving for 16 years on the Cave Creek Unified School District Governing Board, including terms as the vice president and president. I also had the honor of serving on the board of directors for the Arizona School Board Association.
"I have substantial relevant experience with codes, regulations, budgets, personnel, and intergovernmental agreements on a state and federal level. My broad experience helps me set realistic goals and expectations, and assures that goals are met for the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Cave Creek."
Eelkema: "I offer the people of Cave Creek an opportunity to have a councilman who holds preservation as progress in every situation. I have extensive experience with chairing a large cultural heritage system and developing historic neighborhoods.
"I have years of serving as a volunteer in a variety of settings, and situations. Importantly, I view differing opinions as opportunities to learn and as a challenge to finding common ground. I am a successful leader and I get things done."
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Jensen: "I am a retired Portland police captain. I would like to bring community policing to Cave Creek. MCSO still seems too Arpaio influenced. You shouldn’t have to call 9-1-1 to discuss local issues.
"I was a TV reporter and a police PIO. We don’t have a traditional newspaper. The town needs to do a better job of producing topical information and make it available to news organizations.
"I volunteer at our Tourism Bureau. We need to increase people coming to enjoy Cave Creek, and I propose an advisory board made up of merchants and citizens responsible for developing new events for the town."
Kincel: "As an engineer, I have accumulated many managerial skills, and I’d like to establish good communication between the sheriff’s deputies and the different areas of Cave Creek. We pay for police protection, so it would be nice to know our deputies!"
Marsolo: "I consider being on Town Council a position of public trust. I want a limited but effective government, a balanced budget and to have residents engaged in the decision making process. I have proven dedication and responsibility as demonstrated in careers spanning over 40-plus years as an intensive care/surgical R.N, and real estate broker with a business motto 'save the desert buy preowned.' In Phoenix, I was on the Encanto Village Planning Committee and awarded for my work on open space preservation and historic neighborhood designations.
"Since 1997, I have served ... in Cave Creek as a volunteer at the library, Foothills Food Bank, Cave Creek Museum, Tourist Bureau, Trail Committee, preserve Spur Cross and on the Design Review Committee. I participated in hundreds of hours of Cave Creek Planning and Town Council meetings and led citizens in actions that implemented the goals and visions that would hopefully keep Cave Creek, Cave Creek."
McGuire: "I have effectively worked with different councils and with our dedicated town staff. Even through difficult political times, I stayed with the Town Council to make important policies and establish a General Plan to guide managed growth. I understand, share, and can implement the goals and values of our citizens. I was amongst those who encouraged the hiring of the best town manager we have ever had.
"Do we need new blood? You bet. We have found many talented and dedicated citizens and we need to attract others to volunteer their talents to our community. I know how successful local government works, and I can help new council members achieve their own goals for the benefit of the town.
"Before long we will need to select a new town manager. I have demonstrated an ability to draw good candidates and project Cave Creek as a challenging but personally fulfilling community."
Avondale election: Where City Council candidates stand on leadership, housing affordability
Smith: "My best skill is the ability to separate short-term benefits from those that have long-term benefits. I used this skill when negotiating the interagency agreement with Daisy Mountain Fire Department to bring quality fire and emergency services to Cave Creek without the need for additional taxes."
Rhodes: "Leadership. I am a retired US Marine Corps colonel who served in both infantry and intelligence including three combat deployments leading day-to-day activities of more than 2,000 military and civilian personnel.
"I am a part owner of a specialized technical consulting services company supporting the Department of Defense and intelligence community. I was formerly a vice president of a Fortune 500 Company managing a $150 million per year profit and loss center.
"I have received numerous awards and citations for excellence throughout my career. I am a member of Dream City Church, Scottsdale and I volunteer at church on the street in downtown Phoenix working with men who are recovering from homelessness, prison, and drug abuse."
Royer: "In 2016, I retired after 20 years as associate general manager of communications and public affairs from CAP, a premier government water utility in Arizona. I’ve been a Cave Creek resident and homeowner for 26 years, was elected to Council in 2018 and have 18 years of communications expertise as a news reporter, public affairs director and community relations manager in broadcasting, corporate and non-profit organizations prior to CAP.
"My strength as a council member is rooted in my actions and values as a communications professional: observe, listen, ask questions, respond, follow up, be timely, effective and people oriented. It was a natural transition to public service: I advocate for open and transparent public meetings and ensure we’re governing in the public’s interest.
"Additionally, I am quite knowledgeable and experienced in the business of managing and protecting our water supplies which will always be vital for Cave Creek."
Sova: "I served on the Town Council in 2016, served one term on the Water Advisory Committee and served one term on the Plan Commission. I served on the Rancho Madera HOA for eight years, being its past president.
"I have owned my own development and building business and was a consultant for property owners seeking annexation, zoning, platting and development while respecting the property rights and applicable laws for all parties."
Reach Sam at sam.kmack@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @KmackSam.
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Avondale election: Where City Council candidates stand on leadership, housing affordability
Avondale's election offers no competition as three candidates are running for three open seats on the City Council, although there will be at least one new member.
Councilmember Bryan Kilgore faced term limits and could not run again. Newcomer Max White seeks Kilgore's seat and incumbents Tina Conde and Curtis Nielson are seeking reelection.
Early ballots go out July 6 for the Aug. 2 election.
Those who choose to vote by mail are advised to mail their ballot by July 26 or drop it off at a ballot drop-off location or voting location by 7 p.m. Aug. 2.
The Arizona Republic asked each candidate to answer four questions on city issues, ranging from city management to housing affordability. Nielson did not respond, but here's what the two other candidates had to say.
2022 elections:Here’s who wants to be your next city council member in metro Phoenix
Avondale City Council candidates
Avondale fired its city manager in December. Is the city well run? If not, what changes are needed and what qualities would you look for in a city manager?
Conde: "The process to find a new city manager is moving forward wonderfully and we are excited to find the perfect person that will continue to move things forward as our city develops and grows. We have provided input to a recruiting firm to create a detailed recruitment brochure highlighting the ideal candidate.
"Our city is still well-run and we look forward to interviewing candidates who are passionate about serving the community and making Avondale the best city it can be."
White: "Yes. The City of Avondale had an employment agreement. That employment agreement had to end with the former city manager for cause and this termination was sent to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for investigation by the city leadership.
"Since then, the City of Avondale has not missed a beat. Mayor Ken Weise and council have continued operations with the interim city manager and deputies. All 16 departments, their directors, and the city staff of over 700 (full-time employees) never stopped serving the city by meeting and/or exceeding the expectations of their fellow employees, local businesses, and the residents of Avondale.
"The city ... has enlisted Ralph Andersen & Associates to drive the search for a qualified city manager ...
"I am seeking the same qualities outlined in “The Ideal Candidate” section of the city manager recruitment brochure. I would also like to see a candidate that demonstrates personal financial fortitude, responsibility and stability."
Avondale is historically a farming town. Is it important for you to keep those cultural roots and is the city doing enough to protect its history? Why or why not?
Conde: "We are proud of Avondale's rich cultural roots and history. Three of our largest signature events include; Billy Moore Days, Fiesta Avondale and the Dia de Los Muertos Festival which reflect our cultural roots and history."
White: "Absolutely, Avondale’s core purpose is “Making Lives Better” which is why the city has evolved to meet the needs of the residents, business community and those who have found our beautiful city to be an ideal place work, play and stay. We welcome more urban amenities ...
"Avondale seeks to blend a broad spectrum of cultures. There must be a balance in our environment for family and business. Farmers have the support from the federal, state, and local governments to be sustainable in the agricultural industry. ...
"A robust set of advisory boards, commissions and committees with the residents of Avondale (provide) input to have influence in shaping the future of our city. Check out the annual events to celebrate the rich heritage of our beautiful Southwest community. Please visit: https://www.avondaleaz.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/events to learn more about some of the annual events open to the public to celebrate and honor Avondale’s history."
Avondale has long been a city where young families could find affordable housing, but that increasingly has changed in today’s market. What would you do as a city leader to press for affordable housing options in your city?
Conde: "I am proud to say our city has taken great strides to support affordable housing options. One in particular, is supporting the expansion and completion of Norton Circle — a 46 unit housing community that will be replaced with 100 quality affordable housing units."
White: "I have gotten out in the community, spoken to renters, homeowners and those who need housing in Avondale. As a commissioner on the Neighborhood and Family Services Commission we are engaged in the discussion of the city’s annual action plan for funding activities required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"Housing affordability is a national concern. I will be an advocate in Avondale to explore ways to keep workforce housing accessible. I have shared my ideas related to workforce housing with Mayor Weise and Vice Mayor (Veronica) Malone. I want our city’s first responders (and, in the future, all employees) to receive a substantial incentive to work and live in Avondale."
Q: What do you see as the city’s two most critical challenges and how would you help solve them?
Conde: "Engaging with constituents is the best way to understand the needs and challenges our residents have. The top two I’ve heard from our residents is a need for grocery stores — in response to which staff is working to bring additional grocery stores to our city.
"The second is traffic concerns. We work with staff and our residents to find solutions as well as communicating and educating them on the process."
White: "Environmental sustainability — Avondale has an award-winning Public Works. I will be engaged and involved in the process to diversity the city’s water portfolio to accommodate the growing demand for water. We can explore alternative energy options like wind, solar and hydro power. I look forward to being apart of an innovative body that will be able to support programs for clean energy, land, and water conservation to ensure a beautiful city for our next generation.
"Community engagement — Avondale has almost 90,000 residents and only 42,556 are registered voters. I want to help get our community aware and involved in the political process in Avondale. I will have information ... to direct people on how to register to vote and how to get involved in the civic process in our city. We need everyone help to ensure Avondale is aspiring, achieving, accelerating."
Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers the southwest Valley can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on Twitter @maritzacdom.
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Buckeye election: City Council candidate talks water to rampant growth
Voters in Buckeye, a fast-growing city that recently topped 100,000 residents, won't see any change on its City Council as no one challenged the three incumbents in the Aug. 2 election.
Early ballots go out July 6.
Those who choose to vote by mail are advised to mail their ballot by July 26 or drop it off at a ballot drop-off location or voting location by 7 p.m. Aug. 2.
District 4 Councilmember Patrick HagEstad seeks a second term and District 5 Councilmember Craig Heustis seeks his fourth term. District 6 Councilmember Clay Goodman was first appointed to the council in 2020.
Goodman was the only candidate to answer questions from The Arizona Republic on key issues facing the city from water policy to growth.
2022 elections:Here’s who wants to be your next city council member in metro Phoenix
Q&A with Goodman
Fast-growing Buckeye recently surpassed 100,000 residents. What must the city do better to keep pace with growth?
Goodman: "I do not believe it is a matter of simply keeping pace with growth but making every effort to stay ahead of what we know is coming. We are guided by an award-winning General Plan but growth in Buckeye has been checkerboard like. Master-planned communities such as Verrado, Sundance, Sun City Festival and Tartesso are rapidly growing but not contiguous. The lack of physical continuity makes it challenging on multiple levels.
"We need to look at how we can create infill projects that would link these areas. We can improve by revisiting our Growth Pays for Growth philosophy. This approach makes sense at some level, but it is a retroactive response to growth. We know where the growth will be and can carefully evaluate and invest in the needed infrastructure before a project starts. Starting early will help mitigate issues that may result from rapid growth."
The city does not have a certificate for a 100-year assured water supply and the Colorado River and Lake Mead are reaching critical water levels. What specifically must Buckeye do to ensure sustainable growth?
Goodman: "Let me start by stating Buckeye is not in a water crisis. We have sufficient supplies to support growth for the next few decades. We must be good stewards of the sources we have available. Currently, groundwater is Buckeye's primary water supply and does not rely heavily on the Colorado or Lake Mead.
"Through use of recharge facilities such as the plant in Tartesso we can artificially replenish groundwater supplies that can be tapped at a future date. Additional recharge facilities are in Buckeye’s future. Buckeye is pursuing multiple options that can significantly enhance water supply sustainability. Examples include:
Use reclaimed water for both direct and indirect potable needs.
Continue to pursue the City's Non-Indian Agricultural (NIA) water allocation.
Import groundwater from the Harquahala groundwater basin.
Implement brackish groundwater desalination through innovative technologies.
Strengthen water conservation program through education. We do live in a very large desert."
Major developments are slated to bring retail shops and two hospitals along Verrado Way and Interstate 10. What will you do to ensure these developments get off the ground?
Goodman: "Let staff do their work. The city’s engineering and development services departments are among the best in Arizona and have terrific relationships with the development community but process improvements were needed. About a year ago, at the urging of council the city engaged the services of a Lean Six Sigma consultant. The study looked at the current state of planning and permitting processes with a goal of improving both. Processes have been streamlined and decisions more timely. As a council member, it is my responsibility to help set policy, to ask questions and ensure all stakeholders are well represented. As staff puts it, this is their Super Bowl, and they are ready for kickoff.
"Answers to the first two questions apply here. We need to ensure our infrastructure is ahead of the growth and we have the resources such as water to support one of the fastest growing city’s in the nation."
Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers the southwest Valley can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on Twitter @maritzacdom. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2022/07/06/buckeye-election-city-council-candidate-issues-clay-goodman/7750395001/ | 2022-07-06T15:06:16 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2022/07/06/buckeye-election-city-council-candidate-issues-clay-goodman/7750395001/ |
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