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SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council is voting Tuesday on the next steps of the light rail expansions to West Seattle and Ballard.
It’s a $12 billion project that’s been years in the making and will take decades to complete.
It’s the largest infrastructure project in city history, according to the West Seattle Ballard Link Extensions City Team.
The project would add more than 12 miles of new light rail track and more than 13 new expanded stations.
In June 2022, the city council heard a presentation from the West Seattle Ballard Link Extensions City Team on the background, recommendations, alternatives and next steps for the massive project.
The council will vote on an amendment revising the goals and objectives related to station circulation, use of the public right-of-way, potential future system expansion and construction methods.
The amendment would also revise the alignment recommendations for the SODO, Chinatown/International District and Downtown segments of the light rail, as they would connect to the new West Seattle and Ballard extensions.
Seattle's City Council meeting will be Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The next step is to finalize the environmental impact study.
Transportation officials said the project is still in the planning phase, with a final decision expected by next year. Construction would not start until 2026 and won't be completed until 2037 or later.
In June, a West Seattle daycare voiced concerns over the potential project, saying it could be derailed by Sound Transit’s effort to extend light rail service to the area.
Alki Beach Academy said it plans to more than double in size to licensed capacity for 300 children, but routes listed as Alternative DEL-5 and Alternative DEL-6 create the worst outcomes, potentially requiring the daycare to be demolished.
"We couldn't function," said Kanchan Schindlauer, who relies on the West Seattle daycare for her two children. "I couldn't run a business. My husband couldn't work full time without having the support they provide for us." | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-city-council-vote-major-light-rail-expansion/281-fc9b2c31-927f-444c-97cc-cb0864cdc598 | 2022-07-12T14:55:40 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-city-council-vote-major-light-rail-expansion/281-fc9b2c31-927f-444c-97cc-cb0864cdc598 |
TACOMA, Wash. — Following several high-profile shootings including the death of a 14-year-old girl last week, Tacoma's police chief will unveil his plan to reduce crime in front of the City Council Tuesday.
Chief Avery Moore had set the date earlier this summer after the city saw a dramatic increase in crime and gun violence.
As of July 3, there have been at least 24 homicides this year. That's more than a 118% increase compared to the same time last year.
The chief first outlined his plan three months ago. The first phase will focus on extra patrols in city "hot spots." The second will focus on violent offenders through local and state partnerships. The third phase encourages community engagement.
Moore recently called on city residents to help in the effort.
"If you don't have a voice, if you don't get to share your expectations, then you can be a victim of over-policing," Moore said. "This plan is not going to do that. I don't believe in over-policing."
According to the city, Tacoma averages 18 homicides a year. Each homicide requires hundreds of hours of city resources to clear.
The latest homicide ended with two teens charged with first-degree murder. A 14-year-old girl, identified as Iyana Ussery, was inside a vehicle that was struck by gunfire in the area of South 19th Street and MLK Jr Way.
The goal is to tackle crime before it happens, Moore said.
Moore said part of his plan includes updating the Tacoma City Council every 90 days. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/tacoma/tacoma-police-chief-safety-plan-violence-plagues-city/281-a2f36570-4f41-43c2-9323-22eae8137437 | 2022-07-12T14:55:42 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/tacoma/tacoma-police-chief-safety-plan-violence-plagues-city/281-a2f36570-4f41-43c2-9323-22eae8137437 |
GREENSBORO — A pedestrian suffered minor injuries after she was struck by a Greensboro police vehicle on Thursday night, a police spokeswoman said.
The officer was driving north on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive when the 42-year-old homeless woman stepped in front of the vehicle, spokeswoman Josie Cambareri said Monday morning.
She suffered abrasions to her nose and forehead and was treated at Moses Cone Hospital and released, Cambareri said.
The officer was not responding to a call at the time of the 10:47 p.m. crash, Cambareri said. She did not know how fast the car was traveling when the mishap occurred but Cambareri said the vehicle's headlights were on at the time of the accident.
An internal investigation into the incident is being conducted and the crash report was not yet available Monday. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/woman-injured-after-being-struck-by-greensboro-police-vehicle/article_c8810cf4-0133-11ed-b197-cfbaac5b4134.html | 2022-07-12T15:12:51 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/woman-injured-after-being-struck-by-greensboro-police-vehicle/article_c8810cf4-0133-11ed-b197-cfbaac5b4134.html |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A Fayetteville woman wants to continue running what she calls a "hippie commune" in the middle of town, but she’s facing legal issues because her home is not zoned for that. Now, she’s asking the city planning commission for a conditional use permit.
“I never thought to imagine that I would end up running a hippie commune in the middle of town. That was definitely not the plan,” said Sophia Joan.
Sophia Joan's home sits on west Hatfield street in Fayetteville and it's surrounded by neighbors. It's there Joan operates the organization "OHSIIC" which stands for "opportunity housing space, intentionally inclusive community." She says residents give up privacy, but by living together they go towards something greater.
“I was supposed to just quietly rent out two rooms while I finished graduate school and then go back overseas, but then as I got here and met my community and my family, I really realized what a need there was and that’s kind of what it ended up becoming,” she said.
That was in March and since then Joan has received multiple zoning violations for overoccupancy and using the home as a cultural and recreational facility. She’s asking the Fayetteville Planning Commission for a conditional use permit, so she can continue operating and holding events.
“We’ve had flow art shows, we’ve had a clown from France come by. We’ve had the most talented individuals I’ve ever met are able to bring their unique talents to OSIC by meeting other people it’s absolutely come this incredible experience,” she said.
The land where OHSIIC is located is zoned single-family residential, which means only three people who are unrelated can live there. City of Fayetteville Senior Planner, Ryan Umberger says since Joan received the last violation, she signed an affidavit that there are now only three people living in the home. Umberger says his office is recommending the planning commission deny this conditional use permit.
“Perhaps the most appropriate thing would either to relocate to a zoning district where that would be allowed or to basically reduce the scale to a way that’s compatible with the neighboring properties,” he said.
Joan wants to find a way to continue running OHSIIC legally because she doesn’t plan on stopping. She knows her neighbors are very angry with her and that she owes them an apology.
“I have been a bad neighbor. I have caused issues and I need to recognize that and move forward because it’s not fair for their sacred home space to be interfered with my crazy stuff that’s gone on in my home. So, I need to figure out a way to respectfully move forward and be a good neighbor,” she said.
The Fayetteville Planning Commission voted to deny the conditional use permit at their meeting on Monday, July 11.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/fayetteville-woman-hippie-commune-facing-occupancy-violations/527-5a87243b-657b-47d3-940d-42fbd6edff4e | 2022-07-12T15:14:17 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/fayetteville-woman-hippie-commune-facing-occupancy-violations/527-5a87243b-657b-47d3-940d-42fbd6edff4e |
FRISCO, Texas — Former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III, who was found dead in his Frisco, Texas, apartment in June, died of a heat stroke, according to the Collin County Medical Examiner.
Frisco officers found Barber inside his apartment on June 1 after police received a call about a welfare check. There was no immediate cause of death at the time.
On Monday, the medical examiner revealed Barber died of a heat stroke and ruled his death an accident. The autopsy report revealed that the residence's thermostat was set at 91 degrees with heat set to "on" and exercise equipment was present. The autopsy findings also stated that Barber had a history of exercising during sauna-like conditions.
According to an incident report, police were contacted by an employee at Barber's apartment complex on June 1. The employee told police he was concerned for Barber's welfare because a neighbor had submitted a service request on May 11 due to water leaking into their apartment from Barber's. The employee shut off the water at the leak and scheduled a visit to fix the issue the following day, the incident report stated. The employee said he was unable to contact Barber on either May 12 or 13, and added that numerous phone calls and emails to Barber were not answered for two weeks.
A letter was also left on Barber's door that had been there for nearly a week when officers arrived on June 1, the incident report stated.
Officers found Barber's body in his bathroom shower with the water not running, but the water to the shower in another bathroom was running, according to the incident report. Medics declared Barber dead at the scene.
The Cowboys drafted Barber out of Minnesota in the fourth round of NFL Draft in 2005, and he played for the franchise from 2005 to 2011. After leaving the Cowboys in 2011, Barber signed with the Chicago Bears where he played one season before retiring in 2012.
After news of Barber's death, the Cowboys released a statement, offering their condolences.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III. Marion was an old-school, hard-nosed football player who ran with the will to win every down," the Cowboys said in the statement. "He had a passion for the game and love for his coaches and teammates."
A celebration of life was held for Barber in Minneapolis on June 22. He was a standout at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota, and at the University of Minnesota.
"Marion was one of the best to ever play at Minnesota, and he is a big reason why many people are Gopher fans today," Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck said following Barber's death.
In 2007, Barber rushed for 975 yards on 204 carries and 10 rushing touchdowns for the Cowboys. He was named to the NFL's Pro Bowl team at the end of the season.
Barber finished his career with 4,780 rushing yards, 1,330 receiving yards and 53 rushing touchdowns. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/former-dallas-cowboys-marion-barber-iii-died-of-heat-stroke/287-f7f84bdf-16a1-466b-abea-b837d6d12296 | 2022-07-12T15:14:19 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/former-dallas-cowboys-marion-barber-iii-died-of-heat-stroke/287-f7f84bdf-16a1-466b-abea-b837d6d12296 |
CROOKSTON, Minn. — A Minnesota man has turned fond memories of a childhood toy into a full-sized ride.
Now, Allan Dregseth cruises around Crookston behind the wheel of not-so-little red wagon.
“I’m kind of kid at heart,” the 83-year-old retired beet farmer says.
Allan spent three months transforming a $300 junkyard Pontiac convertible into a motorized, man-sized replica of the Radio Flyer wagon he’d played with as a boy.
“You don't see many of these,” Allan says with a laugh. “Not too many (people) stupid enough to try and build one I guess.”
It’s not the first time Allan has paid tribute to his beloved childhood wagon. Not only does he still have the wagon, he restored it and displays the wagon in the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Museum that he helped found.
Allan also keeps at the museum a black-and-white photograph of himself as a young boy, pulling the wagon he’d outfitted with wooden sides, piled high with hay.
He points to some handwriting at the bottom of the photo. “You can see my mother has written on the bottom, ‘Allan hauling hay,’” he says.
With no doors through which to enter, Allan must climb over the sides of his motorized wagon to reach the driver’s seat. Once inside, he says the wagon drives, for the most part, like the car on which it's built.
Allan fabricated the wagon’s sides out of aluminum he’d purchased, but never used, for a truck trailer. A local body shop helped Allan print the eye-catching Radio Flyer decals that grace the wagon’s sides.
“Took me about three months to get it all finished,” Allan says. “If you've got an idea, you're never too old to go ahead and do it,” he adds.
Scott Maves, owner of Crookston’s True Value Hardware store, sells Radio Flyer wagons. He gets a kick out of seeing Allan driving around town.
“Isn’t that car a classic, just like Al,” he says, as Allan pulls up to the store.
Plenty of men Allan's age have purchased convertibles to make themselves feel younger.
Allan has taken that feeling a step beyond.
“Just riding in a Radio Flyer wagon makes me feel younger,” he says.
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Watch the latest videos from the Land of 10,000 Stories in our YouTube playlist and subscribe to the Land of 10,000 Stories Complete Collection on YouTube. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/inspired-by-his-childhood-toy-minnesotan-builds-not-so-little-red-wagon-he-can-drive-crookston/89-225b40bb-388c-489e-b435-8805e9f1938c | 2022-07-12T15:14:20 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/inspired-by-his-childhood-toy-minnesotan-builds-not-so-little-red-wagon-he-can-drive-crookston/89-225b40bb-388c-489e-b435-8805e9f1938c |
HOUSTON — A sergeant with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office was removed as a Little League baseball coach due to his actions after a game in west Houston last weekend.
Kenneth Wendt's poor sportsmanship was caught on camera after his 9-and-under Scorpions Baseball team lost to Prospects Baseball on Saturday.
The game was over, but the drama was just getting started. The two teams lined up to high-five, but Wendt, who is seen in the video wearing khaki shorts, took it too far. He's seen bumping into the first kids in the line.
Parents are angry, saying he was too aggressive.
"Nothing in the world gives you the right to do that to kids," Prospects 9U baseball coach Victor Torres said.
Torres said you'd expect it from the kids, but not the coach.
"They come in and they slap you hard on the hand. And you'll be like, 'hey, don't do that.' But an adult, you wouldn't expect it," Torres said. "I was upset. I was really upset."
Scorpions Baseball sent KHOU 11 News this statement:
"His actions were unacceptable and do not align with our organization’s values. We removed him from coaching and from our club about 8:30 a.m. Sunday."
"How is that even possible," Torres said. "You hold them to a higher standard. And then you come out here and do that to kids, to 9-year-old kids."
A parent from the Scorpions, who was at the game Saturday, is defending the former coach.
“We have known the Wendt family for two years and Kenny has always been a great husband, father, and coach. He spends an extraordinary amount of time in coaching and helping kids and their families both on and off the field.,” the parent said.
Torres said it's a teachable moment for everyone.
"Just like I tell my kids" 'We don't lose, we learn,'" Torres said. "You don't do that to 9-year-olds. You don't put your hands on 9-year-olds. Especially not someone else's child."
The Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Office is aware of the incident and is investigating. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 | 2022-07-12T15:14:28 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 |
Waco, TX (FOX 44) – Workers are moving boxes in the hot weather as Little Guys Moving company owner, Michael Smith, helps a customer in their busiest season.
“We were almost completely full for a two week window, and then we have availability after that,” said Smith. “We’re running three trucks right now and we run them almost every day.”
Helping more clients from May to August, Smith says they had to slightly increase rates once gas went over $4. He also attributes the increase to supply chain problems.
“All of our supplies, blankets, straps, most of the things that we use have gone up slightly and those we’ve absorbed, the only ones we really couldn’t were boxes,” said Smith.
While there is a slight cost increase in local moves, he says rates skyrocket in long distance moves.
“Colorado, Georgia, twice…just got back to Florida,” said Smith. “We’ve done a lot of traveling this summer, so we’ve had some significant cost due to the diesel.”
Lift Moving Company in Waco says they’ve frozen their rates to help customers move.
To combat loss in profits, they’ve restructured their processes to retain income.
“We go back to basics and say, ‘ok, if we can eliminate some of those credit card processing fees, we’re going to do that,'” said Rosie Strother, Co-owner of Lift Moving. “”Customer A, customer B, is it possible for you to pay with cash or check.”
Another way they’re avoiding pain at the pump is by using different vehicles instead of trucks.
“Doing things like adding trailers versus having two trucks on a job, what would it look like if we had a box truck and then put the rest of it in a trailer,” said Strother.
Smith with Little Guys Moving company shares they’re looking at vehicle alternatives to offset the cost of diesel fuel.
Lift Moving Company also highlights helping customers pack and unpack their own trucks for a lower rate. | https://cw33.com/news/local/moving-companies-navigate-offsetting-costs-amid-high-gas-prices/ | 2022-07-12T15:16:12 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/moving-companies-navigate-offsetting-costs-amid-high-gas-prices/ |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Mixed in with a baker’s dozen of new franchises, Duck Donuts announced that three new locations would be coming to the Tri-Cities soon.
According to a press release from the Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania-based company, 13 franchise partners signed on to open their own Duck Donuts during the second quarter of 2022. Locations in 10 different states were listed, including a new signee in Johnson City and two in Bristol, Tennessee.
“We’re very excited to welcome our newest franchise partners to the Duck Donuts family and look forward to strengthening our footprint across the United States,” Eric Lavinder, Duck Donuts’ chief development officer, said in the release. “We are confident that through their enthusiasm, passion for the brand and experience, this group of franchise partners has the ability to launch and manage a very successful business.”
The chain focuses on hot, made-to-order donuts and offers a wide array of toppings for each guest to customize. The exact locations of the upcoming franchises have not yet been announced. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/duck-donuts-announces-3-new-tri-cities-locations/ | 2022-07-12T15:26:42 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/duck-donuts-announces-3-new-tri-cities-locations/ |
FLOYD COUNTY, KY (WOWK)—An arraignment date has been set for a man accused of killing three officers and a K-9 in an ambush in Floyd County, Kentucky.
On Tuesday, Lance Storz appeared virtually in Floyd County Circuit Court, and his arraignment was set for Aug. 1 at 1:00 p.m.
On Monday, a grand jury indicted Storz on the following 20 counts:
- Count 1: Capital Offense
- Count 2: Capital Offense
- Count 3: Capital Offense
- Count 4: Class B Felony
- Count 5: Class B Felony
- Count 6: Attempted Murder Class B Felony
- Count 7: Attempted Murder Class B Felony
- Count 8: Attempted Murder Class B Felony
- Count 9: Attempted Murder Class B Felony
- Count 10: Attempted Murder Class B Felony
- Count 11: Attempted Murder Class B Felony
- Count 12: Class D Felony
- Count 13: Class D Felony
- Count 14: Class D Felony
- Count 15: Class D Felony
- Count 16: Class D Felony
- Count 17: Class D Felony
- Count 18: Class D Felony
- Count 19: Class D Felony
- Count 20: Class A Misdemeanor
Capital offenses in Kentucky are punishable anywhere from 20 years in prison without parole up to the death penalty.
Storz will be held without bond until his arraignment. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/arraignment-date-set-for-man-accused-of-killing-floyd-county-officers/ | 2022-07-12T15:35:55 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/arraignment-date-set-for-man-accused-of-killing-floyd-county-officers/ |
CLENDENIN, WV (WOWK)—A man wanted for malicious wounding is now in custody.
Clendenin Police say that they arrested 22-year-old Christopher Burdette, of Spencer on Monday in connection to an incident that happened on July 6.
They say that Burdette fled and tried to hide from law enforcement when they arrived at his residence, but he is now in custody. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/man-wanted-for-clendenin-malicious-assault-arrested/ | 2022-07-12T15:35:57 | 0 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/man-wanted-for-clendenin-malicious-assault-arrested/ |
CARTER COUNTY, KY (WOWK)—One person is dead after a crash in Carter County, Kentucky.
Kentucky State Police say that the person was killed in a single-vehicle accident at US 60 and Aden Rd., which is a few miles west of Grayson.
The call came in at around 5:30 Monday morning.
Kentucky State Police are investigating, and no further information is available at this time. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/one-dead-after-crash-in-carter-county-kentucky/ | 2022-07-12T15:35:59 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/one-dead-after-crash-in-carter-county-kentucky/ |
PRESTONSBURG, KY (WOWK) – The Prestonsburg Police Department is sharing a message of thanks for the outpour of support the department and their families have received following the ambush that took the lives of three law enforcement officers and a K-9 in Floyd County.
Two of the officers killed in the June 30 ambush were Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasure and Prestonsburg Police Officer Jacob Chaffins. Frasure died that night, and Chaffins died of his injuries on Friday, July 1.
Frasure, Chaffins, Floyd County Deputy William Petry and Floyd County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Drago were all laid to rest last week. Law enforcement officers from across the state and country traveled to Floyd County for the fallen heroes’ services.
Last night, the Prestonsburg Police Department shared the following statement in a Facebook post on the continued support that has helped them through this difficult time.
“The last eleven days have been excruciating. From the first call for help to the last service eight days later – time has moved as a blur – as fast as slow could be. Words cannot describe it. The event alone, without the loss of life was enough to end a career.
We say all of that to say this: you have ALL made it a little easier. For the community, near and far, to rally around us and one another has been astounding. Thank you to all of you who cry Prestonsburg, either side of the isle, no matter what or where. I’ve seen people who I know have staunchly different social views embrace one another. People who we had never expected to be right there for us.
We received personal calls from the Commissioner of the NYPD, messages from the Superintendent of Chicago Police, the Orange County, CA Sheriff’s Office and so many more. Without request or hesitation, the City of Pikeville, The City of Coal Run, The City of Paintsville and The City of Ashland stepped up to provide complete police and assist with fire coverage at the level of professionalism you expect from us.
Tonight – and into the future, we press forward. We work to carry on the spotless legacy of these amazing men. We work to heal.
We love you, near and far.”
Prestonsburg Police Department
Last week, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office also thanked the community for the support they’ve shown for the departments and the loved ones of the fallen officers.
“The prayers and support from our community has been overwhelming. We are thankful and sincerely touched by the support from our fellow Floyd Countians, as well as the outpouring of from all across our nation….Please continue to pray for my staff, deputies and their families as we navigate the difficult days ahead,” the sheriff’s office said in part in a Facebook post.
Frasure had served the PPD since 1983, a 39-year career, and Chaffins joined the PPD in 2019. In a post announcing Chaffins’ End of Watch, the PPD says Chaffins also served as an EMT and firefighter. Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton also confirmed Chaffins was a member of the Army National Guard.
Petry had worked in law enforcement for 31 years, serving two years with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, 15 years with the KSP and 14 years with the Prestonsburg Police Department. Drago was a Belgian Malinois who specialized in drug detection who had worked for the FCSO for six years. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/prestonsburg-pd-grateful-for-support-during-officers-funerals/ | 2022-07-12T15:36:14 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/prestonsburg-pd-grateful-for-support-during-officers-funerals/ |
ATLANTIC CITY — Rappers Cardi B and Offset will visit the city for a concert, which is dubbed "The Cardi Party," at Bader Field later this month, Mayor Marty Small Sr. said on his Instagram page Tuesday.
The concert will be July 23rd from 1-8 p.m., Small said.
Small did not say when tickets will become available.
Both rappers are a married couple and have two children together.
Cardi B became popular as a rapper with her 2017 "Bodak Yellow." She's followed the chart-topper with hits including "I Like It" and "Up."
She's also won a Grammarly and several Billboard Music Awards.
Offset is a member of the hip-hop trio "Migos," known for hits including "MotorSport" and "Stir Fry."
People are also reading…
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cardi-b-offset-performing-at-atlantic-citys-bader-field/article_76e50218-01ee-11ed-b1a6-179928fee9bb.html | 2022-07-12T15:41:14 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cardi-b-offset-performing-at-atlantic-citys-bader-field/article_76e50218-01ee-11ed-b1a6-179928fee9bb.html |
Two nominations to Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission would bring civilian oversight body to nine
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson put forward two nominees to the city's Fire and Police Commission Tuesday, a move toward bringing the powerful civilian oversight body to the nine members long sought by activists and officials, including Johnson.
The commission can have up to nine members but typically has had seven.
Johnson nominated Menomonee Falls Fire Department Chief Gerard Washington, who previously served for more than two decades at the Milwaukee Fire Department, and Ruben A. Burgos, who retired from the Milwaukee Police Department after more than 30 years, according to Johnson's office.
Members of the Fire and Police Commission are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Common Council.
Their nominations are expected to come before the council in the coming weeks and mark a continued shift away from the embattled commission that drew heavy scrutiny just a couple years ago.
This story will be updated.
Contact Alison Dirr at 414-224-2383 or adirr@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlisonDirr. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/07/12/milwaukee-mayor-cavalier-johnson-nominates-two-fpc/10036988002/ | 2022-07-12T15:43:18 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/07/12/milwaukee-mayor-cavalier-johnson-nominates-two-fpc/10036988002/ |
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A 20-year-old is behind bars on a charge of aggravated child abuse after police say he injured a baby in his care, leaving him with several fractured ribs.
Anthony Mazzola was arrested Monday and booked in the Pinellas County jail, according to the Pinellas Park Police Department. Police say he was taking care of the 3-month-old child when the injuries happened earlier in the day.
Investigators say police and child protection investigators responded to a Tampa Bay-area hospital on Monday after learning a baby there had six fractured ribs. Medical personnel explained the injuries were consistent with abuse-related trauma, police said.
Authorities did not immediately detail how Mazzola allegedly caused the fractured ribs.
The baby remains at the hospital for injuries said to be non-life-threatening.
Mazzola was taken to jail on the child abuse charge without incident, police said. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/pinellas-park-baby-injured-anthony-mazzola/67-d474ea65-85f7-4936-a314-72cd46862a5b | 2022-07-12T15:45:11 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/pinellas-park-baby-injured-anthony-mazzola/67-d474ea65-85f7-4936-a314-72cd46862a5b |
SARASOTA, Fla. — Big Olaf Creamery has recalled ice cream linked to a recent Listeria outbreak, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration said.
The voluntary recall decision comes more than a week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially linked the ice cream to the Listeria outbreak. Two lawsuits have been filed, with one reportedly involving a Massachusetts woman who had a miscarriage.
As of July 12, 23 people from 10 states have become infected during this outbreak, the FDA said. The CDC said 22 of those sick had to be hospitalized. The agency was able to interview 18 of those people, and all of them said they had eaten ice cream prior to getting sick.
Of those who remembered details about the type of ice cream they ate, 10 people said they ate Big Olaf Creamery ice cream or at locations that could have served or had that brand.
Twelve people who got sick live in Florida and another nine said they traveled to the Sunshine State before getting sick.
One person, identified as Mary Billman, has died. Her family is currently suing Big Olaf Creamery, accusing the ice cream company of negligence.
The FDA said the Listeria outbreak is also responsible for a woman's miscarriage. WWSB-TV said a second lawsuit was filed on behalf of Kristen Hopkins, a Massachusetts woman who said she was at a wedding in Clearwater that served Big Olaf ice cream and became very sick.
After being admitted to the hospital, the lawsuit says she tested positive for Listeria and an ultrasound showed she had miscarried her child, according to WWSB.
The FDA said it is working with the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to continue investigating this outbreak.
In the meantime, the FDA and CDC said no one should sell or serve Big Olaf ice cream and should throw the products out. If anyone has Big Olaf ice cream in their freezer, they shouldn't eat it or serve it and should also get rid of it.
10 Tampa Bay has reached out to Big Olaf for a statement.
On July 3, the company released a statement on Facebook, saying the following:
Regarding the investigation for possible listeria contamination:
For now it is only speculation as it is an ongoing investigation, our brand has not been confirmed to be linked to these cases, I am not sure why only Big Olaf is being mentioned and targeted. The original report we got from the Florida Department of Health on Friday July 1st, was that there are 23 cases reported, the first one reported was January 2021. 6 out of the 23 patients mentioned having consumed Big Olaf ice cream, but nothing has been proven. We have been cooperating with the Florida Department of Health, FDACS and the FDA as soon as we were informed about the situation. We have been transparent and have answered all their questions and provided them with all the information requested from us, as the health and well being of the public is our first priority.
- Big Olaf Creamery | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/big-olaf-creamery-ice-cream-listeria-recall/67-c148bee5-2c11-4883-a08d-5c0e8a6a617d | 2022-07-12T15:45:17 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/big-olaf-creamery-ice-cream-listeria-recall/67-c148bee5-2c11-4883-a08d-5c0e8a6a617d |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Heise 11,870 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 1,058 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 12,265 cfs
Snake River at Milner 0 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 331 cfs
Jackson Lake is 47% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 73% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 40% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 55% of capacity.
As of July 11. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_7bdabe02-0126-11ed-8dc2-fb9c09b8ab6b.html | 2022-07-12T15:45:19 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_7bdabe02-0126-11ed-8dc2-fb9c09b8ab6b.html |
Q: There is a very impressive construction project going on at the Box Canyon Dairy on the west end of the Bob Barton Highway. Do you know what it is?
A: “I assume that it is either one of two projects,” said Trevor Misseldine, Gooding County prosecutor. “I contacted both and never heard back from one. Shell is going to build their digestor out there to collect renewable natural gas. Shell officials did respond. I was told that they have not started construction.”
“Bettencourt purchased Box Canyon Diary some time ago. I believe it is now Bettencourt #7, but most people still call it Box Canyon. Bettencourt has never responded. Bettencourt was approved to construct a crossvent dairy barn. If I had to guess, that is what I would assume is under construction,” Misseldine said.
Bettencourt Dairies did not respond to requests from the Times-News.
Box Canyon Dairy is in Wendell. Bettencourt Dairies own and operate nine dairy facilities throughout the Magic Valley, mainly in Wendell and Jerome. The family-owned business has more than three generations involved in the farm and dairy and has been running for more than 40 years.
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Have a question? Just ask and we’ll find an answer for you. Email your question to Kimberly Williams Brackett at timesnewscuriousmind@gmail.com with “Curious Mind” in the subject line.
Have a question? Just ask and we’ll find an answer for you. Email your question to Kimberly Williams Brackett at timesnewscuriousmind@gmail.com with “Curious Mind” in the subject line. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/curious-mind-wendell-dairy-expansion/article_16c30d92-013c-11ed-b020-3bbfcaeeb731.html | 2022-07-12T15:45:25 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/curious-mind-wendell-dairy-expansion/article_16c30d92-013c-11ed-b020-3bbfcaeeb731.html |
BOISE — When Treasure Valley summer temperatures start soaring into the 100s, is Idaho’s electrical grid vulnerable to blackouts?
Though hot weather can tax energy resources in the state, Idaho would not be vulnerable in the way that Texas was in February 2021 when a rare winter storm squeezed energy production there, said Benjamin Brandt, director of load serving operations for Idaho Power. Idaho has a more diverse set of energy sources than Texas, which is heavily dependent on natural gas, Brandt said.
Natural gas powers most power plants in Texas, according to reporting from the Texas Tribune. In February 2021, when a cold storm moved across the state, natural gas wells froze, hampering power generation and amounting to a loss of 34 gigawatts of power, Brandt said.
Texas is uniquely positioned in that its energy grid operates somewhat independently of the rest of the country and is managed by an entity known as the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, according to the Dallas Morning News. If the state had imported more energy when they needed it, it could have better addressed the energy shortage, Brandt said.
“Texas’s issue was that they weren’t going to get 34 gigawatts from anybody,” Brandt said.
On Sunday, ERCOT asked customers to reduce power usage due to higher-than-normal July temperatures driving up demand on the grid, and a lack of wind power generation, according to the Texas Tribune.
Idaho Power’s grid has several key differences with that of Texas’. First, hydropower is the largest energy source and provides reliability, Brandt said.
Second, Idaho Power officials have worked with public utilities commissions to build transmission lines that allow it to easily import and export energy from other areas in the northwest, he said. With the exception of last year’s heat dome event, areas such as Seattle and Portland generally experience peak energy demand in the winter, whereas Idaho’s demand peaks in the summer, Brandt said. Transmission lines allow utilities to send power where and when it’s needed, he said.
Lastly, Idaho Power’s energy resources include wind, solar, geothermal, and coal, he said.
“What got (Texas) into trouble was all the gas (generation) that they lost; all their solar and wind did not produce either because of the weather,” Brandt said. “They don’t have the hydro or the transmission diversity that we have that would give them the ability to ride through something like that a little bit better.”
That said, Idaho’s grid is not completely immune to challenges, Brandt said. Wind and solar power can be variable in the amount of energy generated and when it is generated, he said. This can be diversified by having different projects in locations from east to west that generate power at different times as the Earth rotates over the course of the day, he said.
The loss of transmission lines could affect Idaho’s ability to move energy where it is needed, and the company is working to make its system more resilient in times of extreme heat and as the area grows, he said. Oftentimes, that will require funding infrastructure such as transmission lines or storage capacity, he said.
“Investing now and being able to get those items permitted and constructed is really critical … meeting the demands and challenges of life that are coming to Idaho Power in the next 5 to 10 years, it takes a while to build stuff,” he said, adding that the company’s working relationship with the public utility commissions and other agencies helps needed projects move forward.
Idaho Power has made appeals to customers to conserve during peak hours, generally between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., Brandt said. Those efforts reflect the company’s interest in conserving energy and helping customers conserve and save money, he said.
Brad Bowlin, a communications specialist with Idaho Power, said that one of the company’s largest conservation programs is its Irrigation Peak Rewards program. Irrigation systems are powered by electricity, and it is the most significant driver of local energy demand during summer, he said.
The program pays irrigators to not irrigate during hot, late afternoons, Brandt said. Customers save money from not using energy during that time, and the company can avoid having to build infrastructure to meet that level of demand, he said.
Two projects are in the works to help the company meet future demand and to help the company reach 100% renewable energy by 2045, Bowlin said via email. One project, the Boardman to Hemingway transmission line, will bring energy from a substation in eastern Oregon to Owyhee County, Idaho, and vice versa, according to the company’s website. A separate 120-megawatt battery storage project is expected to come online in 2023, and will help the company store energy until it is needed, including wind and solar energy, Bowlin said via email. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/idahos-diverse-power-sources-protect-against-extreme-weather-company-says/article_df10757e-386b-51ee-9823-05a80cd539f5.html | 2022-07-12T15:46:18 | 0 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/idahos-diverse-power-sources-protect-against-extreme-weather-company-says/article_df10757e-386b-51ee-9823-05a80cd539f5.html |
It's been a warm July, and the best way to cool off? Ice cream, of course.
Back in 1984, President Ronald Reagan passed a law which designated July as National Ice Cream Month and officially named the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day.
Here's some sweet promotions you can get your hands on during this month.
Dairy Queen
DQ is honoring National Ice Cream Day on July 17 with a discount. Enjoy $1 off any dipped cone at participating locations when you download their app.
Dippin' Dots
Dippin' Dots is celebrating the holiday with free mini-cups for customers at participating locations on July 17. Check out the locations here.
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Whole Foods Market
When you find yourself grocery shopping at your nearest Whole Foods Market now through July 19, you can get 25% off of ice cream and frozen treats. If you happen to be an Amazon Prime member, you'll receive an extra 10% off.
Cold Stone Creamery
Join Cold Stone Creamery's My Cold Stone Club Rewards and receive a buy-one, get-one-free coupon. Cash that coupon in during July to indulge in a free treat in celebration of the holiday.
Carvel
Enjoy a buy one, get one free offer on a small cup or cone of any Carvel soft serve flavor on July 17. You can use this offer to taste their new flavor, Brookie, which combines fan-favorites of brownie batter and chocolate chip cookie dough-flavored ice cream.
Baskin-Robbins
From July 17 through July 23, head to Baskin-Robbins for $5 off your order of $15 or more. If you're ordering online, use the promo code "BECOOLER" to get the discount.
Insomnia Cookies
Enjoy a free scoop of ice cream with any purchase at Insomnia Cookies. Mention the deal in-store, or add it to your online cart for delivery with this link.
Happy eating! | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/heres-the-scoop-on-sweet-deals-for-national-ice-cream-month/3295602/ | 2022-07-12T15:50:20 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/heres-the-scoop-on-sweet-deals-for-national-ice-cream-month/3295602/ |
It's back! Bear Creek Mountain Resort is bringing some summer fun to Pennsylvania once again with Slide the Slopes -- what they call a thrilling opportunity to enjoy the ski slopes in a whole new way in the warm weather.
The exhilarating experience that began in 2021 allows guests to slide down the mountain on inner tubes through slip n' slide inflatables.
"Our guests had such a great time sliding down Bear Creek and staying cool last summer, we just had to bring it back," Erin Visco, general manager of Bear Creek Mountain Resort, said in a news release.
The fun began July 7, 2022, and runs through Sunday, August 14.
"Slide the Slopes is a fun, safe, and wet adventure where guests can cool off in a dazzling outdoor setting," Visco said. "Participants can enjoy a variety of courses of various lengths, soak up the sunshine, and spend time with friends and family this summer."
The mountain will be taken over by numerous inflatable slip n' slide tubing courses, which the resort says is one of the largest courses of its kind.
If you're local to the Lehigh Valley and Berks County area, Slip the Slopes offers a great staycation attraction for the whole family.
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Tickets for the slip n' slide-style experience are $45 for adults or $38 for children 12 and under. Tickets include four full hours of fun on the slides.
Parking is free at the Slip the Slopes designated entrance.
If you're traveling a distance to experience the fun, the resort has a 116-room hotel, two restaurants and Mountain Activity Center for guests to create an active, exciting getaway.
Grab tickets on the Bear Creek Mountain Resort website. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/slide-the-slopes-at-this-unique-slip-n-slide-at-pa-ski-resort/3292756/ | 2022-07-12T15:50:26 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/slide-the-slopes-at-this-unique-slip-n-slide-at-pa-ski-resort/3292756/ |
A leading surgeon from NYU Langone Health has recently executed two investigational transplants of a genetically engineered, non-human organ -- a feat that could serve as a major game-changer for the future of medicine.
Currently, there is an organ shortage that has not improved in over decades. Over 100,000 men, women and children are on the U.S. waitlist to accept a transplant, based on the Health and Resources and Services Administration.
The latest transplants were conducted on June 16 and July 6 using a genetically modified pig heart with 10 modifications obtained from a facility hundreds of miles from New York City.
Dr. Robert Montgomery is the chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Langone Health and director of the Transplant Institute, which provides kidney, heart, liver, lung and pancreas transplantations.
"Gaining a great understanding, learning, changing tactics -- this is a completely new frontier," said Dr. Montgomery during a press conference on Tuesday as he thanked the families who have also accepted these transplants.
He performed the first examined transplant of a genetically engineered, nonhuman kidney last year, marking a potential new way forward in supplying organs for transplantation.
The procedure included a kidney transplant into a deceased donor, utilizing a genetically engineered pig in xenotransplantation, defined as the transfer of living cells from one species to another.
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At the time, the purpose of this experiment was to study the kidney's function while the donor was maintained on a ventilator. The research team looked for signs of donor rejection.
Based on the National Institutes of Health, experiments on xenotransplantation have been analyzed for 300 years, but modern-day science can help lead these studies to generate more organs to fill the supply gap.
While considered a pioneer in this research, Dr. Montgomery grasps the personal challenges associated with the field. According to NYU Langone, this doctor experienced severe health complications where he had "died and revived," enduring several episodes over the past 30 years.
He suffered from familial dilated cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease where the organ muscle becomes weakened in at least one chamber causing issues to pump the blood.
Dr. Montgomery received a heart transplant in September 2018 and continues to perform life-saving surgeries to this day. He was just one of the thousands of Americans who were in desperate need of immediate care.
Organ Donation Statistics
17 people die each day on hold for the crucial call, while every 9 minutes someone new is added to the national transplant list.
In New York state, about 9,000 residents are searching for a new organ, and on average, one New Yorker dies per day waiting for a transplant, according to Live On NY.
The most needed organ is the kidney, while the most difficult to transplant is the lung. For pediatric donations, the procedure is even more complicated in finding the right match in a child's organ size.
Last year, over 40,000 transplants were performed with Americans ages 50 through 64 most in need of the surgery. However, people of every age, gender and ethnicity are found on the list.
If one chooses to become a donor, he or she can save up to 8 lives and enhance over 75 more through sharing organs, cornea and tissue. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-top-surgeon-performs-revolutionary-non-human-organ-transplant/3770286/ | 2022-07-12T15:53:57 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-top-surgeon-performs-revolutionary-non-human-organ-transplant/3770286/ |
HAMMOND — Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. no longer is required to seek approval from the three-member county executive before signing contracts to purchase goods and services relating to the Lake County Jail.
Lake Superior Judge Stephen Scheele rejected the Board of Commissioners' request to postpone the start of his June 30 ruling in favor of the sheriff until the Indiana Court of Appeals reviews the case — a process that could take six months or more.
Sheele's one-page order denying the commissioners' motion to stay pending appeal followed a telephonic hearing Monday afternoon.
The outcome specifically clears the way for Martinez to proceed with a disputed agreement for Correctional Health Indiana Inc. (CHI) to continue providing medical care to inmates at the Lake County Jail at a rate higher than the commissioners were willing to pay.
At the same time, Scheele said his interpretation of a state law directing the sheriff to "take care" of jail inmates in his custody gives Martinez express authority to do whatever is required to fulfill that duty.
"The Lake County sheriff, and not the Lake County Board of Commissioners, has the authority to enter into contracts to take care of the Lake County Jail and the prisoners there," the judge said.
Members of the budget-writing Lake County Council last week said they will keep tabs on the sheriff's jail contracts to ensure his spending doesn't exceed the taxpayer dollars the council has appropriated for his use.
"We still have the purse strings. So he has to come in front of us," said Lake County Councilman Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, who leads the council's jail spending subcommittee.
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. has prevailed in a legal battle with the county commissioners over the sheriff's authority to independently contract for goods and services relating to the county jail.
A Lake County judge is expected to decide by July 1 whether Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. is entitled to ink contracts for county jail services with no oversight by the Board of Commissioners.
The sheriff now is asking Lake Superior Judge Stephen Scheele to promptly rule on the underlying question of whether the sheriff possesses contracting authority independent of the county commissioners.
An April court hearing could resolve whether Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. can ink contracts relating to the county jail without having to obtain consent from the county commissioners.
Commissioner Mike Repay, D-Hammond, said Thursday in response to Martinez's request for a restraining order: "The sheriff is taking his passion for courtroom drama to a new level."
Members of the Lake County Board of Commissioners are questioning whether a lawsuit filed against them last month by Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. over a a jail health care contract can move forward.
Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. has filed suit against the Lake County Board of Commissioners seeking court approval to enter into contracts relating to the county Jail without consent from the commissioners.
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. no longer is required to seek approval from the three-member Board of Commissioners before signing contracts to purchase goods and services relating to the Lake County Jail. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/judge-oks-immediate-start-to-sheriffs-jail-contracting-authority/article_c37135d4-1ed8-51d2-94bd-986f49770cb1.html | 2022-07-12T16:07:48 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/judge-oks-immediate-start-to-sheriffs-jail-contracting-authority/article_c37135d4-1ed8-51d2-94bd-986f49770cb1.html |
A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.
Provided
A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.
Provided
A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.
PINE TOWNSHIP — A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.
The identity of the driver has not been released and his condition is unknown.
The vehicle drove off the roadway for an unknown reason, Fifield said.
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident.
The former owner of Hometown Appliances agreed to pay a total of about $35,350 in restitution, with some of the money to be paid to his 18 victims upfront and some in installments during the next year.
"The loss prevention officer also told the officer that the suspect shown in the surveillance images may have committed similar check frauds at other locations in Northwest Indiana," police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855. To remain anonymous, call 866-CRIME-GP.
On Wednesday Gary Mayor Jerome A. Prince and Dr. Willie Wilson, a Chicago-based businessman, announced they will be hosting free gas giveaways in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland.
A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.
A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.
A 30-year-old Portage resident was ejected from his vehicle early Tuesday and flown out for medical treatment following a single-vehicle crash along a local stretch of Interstate 94, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/portage-man-ejected-from-vehicle-during-i-94-crash-police-say/article_447ab719-a292-5fc2-a034-7a147af43062.html | 2022-07-12T16:07:54 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/portage-man-ejected-from-vehicle-during-i-94-crash-police-say/article_447ab719-a292-5fc2-a034-7a147af43062.html |
A 65-year-old Valparaiso man, who was airlifted to a Chicago hospital after flipping a 1950s-era roadster in rural Porter County late Saturday night, is dead, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
The deceased was identified as Jimmie Lawson and his manner of death is listed pending.
Porter County police said they responded around 11:30 p.m. Saturday to a report of the rollover crash on North Calumet Avenue, near the intersection with E. 632 North in Liberty Township.
Officers found the driver, later identified as Lawson, pinned underneath the convertible and unconscious.
It was determined Lawson had been driving south on Calumet Avenue when he ran off the west side of the roadway and struck a culvert under a residential driveway, police said. The vehicle continue south and overturned, pinning Lawson underneath.
Police said the weather was clear and roadway dry at the time of the crash.
Lawson had to be extricated from the vehicle and after receiving medical treatment on scene, was taken to a local hospital before being flown to Chicago for more intensive, specialized life-saving trauma care.
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident.
The single-vehicle crash took place at 11 p.m. Saturday on Calumet Avenue just north of Johnson Drive in Liberty Township, according to the Liberty Township Fire Department.
A 65-year-old Valparaiso man, who was airlifted to a Chicago hospital after flipping a 1950s-era roadster in rural Porter County late Saturday night, is dead, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/valpo-man-dies-after-rolling-convertible-officials-say/article_b61c8578-6d28-57ba-b528-802f7d40aad1.html | 2022-07-12T16:08:01 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/valpo-man-dies-after-rolling-convertible-officials-say/article_b61c8578-6d28-57ba-b528-802f7d40aad1.html |
VALPARAISO — If the Porter County Council gets its way, construction would begin next year on a Memorial Opera House renovation and addition.
Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, however, wants to wait on the proposed $6.5 million project.
Council President Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, should have brought up the idea at the Porter County Community Foundation board meeting prior to a recent council meeting, Biggs said.
The council voted unanimously to ask the Board of Commissioners, county attorney Scott McClure and council attorney Harold Harper to look at a revenue bond and other potential means for financing the project.
Councilman Erik Wagner, D-1st, was absent.
Scott Cherry, senior vice president for Skillman Corp., said the Memorial Opera House was originally included in the $30 million project that included renovations at the Expo Center, the administration building, 157 Franklin and North Porter County Government Complex in Portage. The opera house was dropped, however, with the understanding that it would be addressed later.
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Brad Brutout, project manager with Schmidt Associates, said the goals of the proposed opera house renovation and addition are to preserve and restore the Memorial Opera House, built in 1893, and the 1860 sheriff’s residence next door.
A glass structure would connect the two buildings, taking care to preserve important historical elements of both buildings, he said. The addition would improve interior circulation for the buildings and add an accessible entrance.
The new lobby would be much more open than the existing, cramped entrance to the opera house.
“We get this kind of crazy human knot” as people don’t know where to go during intermissions, with the restrooms, bar and box office all squeezed into a small space, Memorial Opera House Executive Director Scot MacDonald said.
The project would move offices to the sheriff’s residence next door, allowing the existing upstairs lounge to be enlarged. The 60-year-old seats in the auditorium would be replaced, too.
Crumbling masonry and leaky windows would be addressed, and the mechanical systems would be replaced. MacDonald said few of the six HVAC condensers work, making staff wonder if they will hold up during each performance.
The project was listed at $5.5 million when it was originally considered for American Rescue Plan Act funding. Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, removed the project from consideration for the federal funding amid public outcry. She said then that the project would be funded through other means.
Now its cost is estimated at $6.5 million. Supply chain issues and inflation have increased material and labor costs.
“Contractors are telling us to bid projects now and start later,” Cherry said, to make sure materials are onsite when needed. He recommended seeking bids in late October and starting construction in March.
“Prices keep going up,” Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, D-at large, said. “We’ve got to really move on this because it’s not going to be cheaper ever.”
Councilman Mike Jessen, R-4th, urged the council to push forward on the project. “I’m more excited about it than I was, if that’s possible,” he said. “When you see crumbling bricks and windows that aren’t watertight, in my mind, that’s shameful.”
The presentation on the opera house project came after Highway Superintendent Jim Polarek and Planning Director Robert Thompson told the council that the county is losing ground on maintaining roads. Spending about $3 million more a year would allow the county to pave enough roads each year to maintain the 5.1 average rating on roads, on a 10-point scale.
Roads and bridges should take priority over the opera house, Biggs said. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/porter-county-council-backs-opera-house-work/article_cdeb6d22-d9a6-5bae-8563-35ea3e6f291c.html | 2022-07-12T16:08:07 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/porter-county-council-backs-opera-house-work/article_cdeb6d22-d9a6-5bae-8563-35ea3e6f291c.html |
BUCKINGHAM, Va. — The body of an autistic 6-year-old Virginia boy with Down’s Syndrome has been found in a pond at his home, authorities said.
A statement from the Buckingham County Department of Emergency Services said Landon’s body was found at around 5:30 a.m. Monday in a small pond on the property from which he was reported missing.
No additional details were provided. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/autistic-virginia-boy-reported-missing-found-dead/2022/07/12/c9e36c12-01f7-11ed-8beb-2b4e481b1500_story.html | 2022-07-12T16:13:09 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/autistic-virginia-boy-reported-missing-found-dead/2022/07/12/c9e36c12-01f7-11ed-8beb-2b4e481b1500_story.html |
Roanoke City – Roanoke Fire-EMS is on scene of a tractor trailer accident in Roanoke City. A tractor trailer flipped over on Orange Avenue at 13th Street in Roanoke City, blocking traffic.
It happened before 11 a.m. Tuesday. The cab is upright, but the trailer is overturned. The contents of the trailer spilled into nearby Tinker Creek.
Officials say first responders are trying to stop the spill from moving down the creek.
A Roanoke Fire-EMS spokesperson said west-bound traffic is blocked. Drivers should expect delays or find a different route.
No injuries have been reported.
It’s not clear what caused the accident. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/12/tractor-trailer-overturns-spills-contents-into-tinker-creek/ | 2022-07-12T16:19:12 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/12/tractor-trailer-overturns-spills-contents-into-tinker-creek/ |
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. (KSNW) – McConnell’s 22nd Air Refueling Wing will conduct a base-wide active shooter exercise this Wednesday.
The exercise is designed to test the capability, response and readiness of McConnell Airmen in the event of an active shooter on base.
Visitors may experience brief delays due to increased security measures. Some of the following impacts of the exercises could include:
- Gate traffic could be backed up or rerouted to other entry control points if a gate is closed
- Emergency response vehicles will be moving around the base
- Travel may be congested
- Some roadways may be temporarily blocked
- Security measures will be increased
- Base may potentially be locked down
- “Giant Voice” loudspeakers might be activated
- Telephonic and electronic notification methods will be utilized
- Alert sirens may be sounded
McConnell officials want to assure the public that this activity is planned and controlled.
Additionally, base officials remind individuals to not call 911 during the exercise. Emergency response agencies and dispatch centers from nearby communities, who would also respond during a real-world active shooter, have been notified about the active-shooter exercise. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/mcconnell-air-force-base-to-hold-active-shooter-training-wednesday/ | 2022-07-12T16:21:32 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/mcconnell-air-force-base-to-hold-active-shooter-training-wednesday/ |
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The father of an 18-year-old man who shot at law enforcement after a chase ended in Mount Dora is missing, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said Johnny Santiago drove from authorities in several counties after deputies were called to his parents’ home in Deltona on Sunday.
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According to the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to the home on E. Lehigh Drive around 11 p.m. after receiving a call from a woman who said she was on the phone with her husband, Juan Santiago, during an argument he was having with their son.
During the argument, deputies said she told them there was a loud noise and the call disconnected. Deputies said when they arrived, there was no one in the home and there were no vehicles found at the property.
Deputies said the man drove off in his father’s white pickup truck, which the sheriff’s office posted about Monday morning to have people keep an eye out for.
CALL 911 IF SEEN: Deputies are looking for this vehicle (white 2021 Ford F-150, FL tag IY0 0TW) in an investigation in Deltona.
— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) July 11, 2022
The driver fled from law enforcement in Volusia & Seminole.
Subject(s) may be armed. If spotted, please do not approach - call us on 911. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/Pc2beSHUTm
The truck was seen in DeBary, Sanford and Mount Dora before law enforcement was able to take Johnny Santiago into custody, according to the sheriff’s office.
In Mount Dora, Johnny Santiago led authorities on a chase before crashing into a synagogue and shooting at police, deputies said. Officers shot back at Johnny Santiago, injuring him, according to the sheriff’s office.
He was taken to the hospital, where he is stable, and there were no injuries reported among law enforcement officers.
According to the sheriff’s office, the man’s father has not been found as of Tuesday morning.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating this shooting.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/father-of-18-year-old-man-who-shot-at-law-enforcement-in-mount-dora-is-missing-deputies-say/ | 2022-07-12T16:24:12 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/father-of-18-year-old-man-who-shot-at-law-enforcement-in-mount-dora-is-missing-deputies-say/ |
ORLANDO, Fla – Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band announced their U.S. 2023 tour dates Tuesday making Orlando their third stop, according to their website.
Performances will start on Feb 1 in Tampa, coming to Orlando on Feb. 5 at the Amway Center and continuing until April 14 in Newark, New Jersey before they head on their international tour to Europe.
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This tour will mark Springsteen and the E Street Band’s first tour dates since 2017 and their first in North America since September 2016.
The tickets for the 2023 U.S arena shows will go on sale starting Wednesday, July 20 at 10 a.m.
Check out every episode of Riff On This in the media player below:
Tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform and fans can register for it starting now through July 17 for the chance to buy tickets and receive a unique code that would allow them to purchase the tickets. However, registration does not guarantee that fans will receive a code or have the ability to purchase tickets, according to their website.
For shows utilizing Verified Fan, the sale will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If tickets remain, there will be a general sale the same day at 3 p.m. with no code required.
To register for the Ticketmaster Verified Fan On-sale, click here.
For more information, click here.
2023 US Tour Dates Announced! For complete on-sale details and information on how to register for @ticketmaster Verified Fan, visit https://t.co/YahXTKffvV. pic.twitter.com/CgUpOUftho
— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) July 12, 2022 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/springsteen-e-street-band-announces-2023-tour-date-in-orlando/ | 2022-07-12T16:24:18 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/springsteen-e-street-band-announces-2023-tour-date-in-orlando/ |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The UCF Police Department hosted an event Tuesday to help combat catalytic converter thefts.
Officers joined with a company called ProTechDNA and State Farm insurance to provide free engraving for catalytic converters on vehicles belonging to UCF students.
“A trend across the country right now is people are stealing the catalytic converters for the precious metals and it’s just getting worse and worse,” ProTechDNA President Shawn Andreas said.
ProTechDNA uses high-tech labels with microscopic dots, each etched with a PIN number unique to the vehicle owner. This makes it easier for law enforcement to return the property to the owner if it’s lost or stolen.
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“We get the serial number from those dots and then we run it through the ProTechDNA system and it pops up a whole profile for those serial number dots,” Detective Alex DeLuca said.
Earlier this year, two men were arrested by UCF police after a rash of catalytic converter thefts on campus. The case mirrored a larger trend of thefts across Central Florida and the country.
Police said catalytic converters are hard to trace back to the rightful owner, but with the etching, the stolen property can easily be returned after being recovered.
“We located 25 catalytic converters. We were only able to find the victims for 11 or 12 of those converters,” DeLuca said. “If the rest of the 13 or 14 converters had this gel on it, we would have been able to identify the victims in a couple of seconds.”
A free ProTechDNA package and installation were provided to the first 100 students on Tuesday.
The event was held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Parking Garage A on the main campus.
Vehicle owners can request a free ProTechDNA kit here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/ucf-police-helping-protect-students-from-catalytic-converter-thefts/ | 2022-07-12T16:24:25 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/ucf-police-helping-protect-students-from-catalytic-converter-thefts/ |
HOUSTON — A sergeant with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office was removed as a Little League baseball coach due to his actions after a game in west Houston last weekend.
Kenneth Wendt's poor sportsmanship was caught on camera after his 9-and-under Scorpions Baseball team lost to Prospects Baseball on Saturday.
The game was over, but the drama was just getting started. The two teams lined up to high-five, but Wendt, who is seen in the video wearing khaki shorts, took it too far. He's seen bumping into the first kids in the line.
Parents are angry, saying he was too aggressive.
"Nothing in the world gives you the right to do that to kids," Prospects 9U baseball coach Victor Torres said.
Torres said you'd expect it from the kids, but not the coach.
"They come in and they slap you hard on the hand. And you'll be like, 'hey, don't do that.' But an adult, you wouldn't expect it," Torres said. "I was upset. I was really upset."
Scorpions Baseball sent KHOU 11 News this statement:
"His actions were unacceptable and do not align with our organization’s values. We removed him from coaching and from our club about 8:30 a.m. Sunday."
"How is that even possible," Torres said. "You hold them to a higher standard. And then you come out here and do that to kids, to 9-year-old kids."
A parent from the Scorpions, who was at the game Saturday, is defending the former coach.
“We have known the Wendt family for two years and Kenny has always been a great husband, father, and coach. He spends an extraordinary amount of time in coaching and helping kids and their families both on and off the field.,” the parent said.
Torres said it's a teachable moment for everyone.
"Just like I tell my kids" 'We don't lose, we learn,'" Torres said. "You don't do that to 9-year-olds. You don't put your hands on 9-year-olds. Especially not someone else's child."
The Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Office is aware of the incident and is investigating. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 | 2022-07-12T16:26:44 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 |
SAN ANTONIO — First lady Jill Biden faced criticism for a comment she made in San Antonio on Monday.
Dr. Biden was the featured speaker at the UnidosUS 2022 Annual Conference, called Siempre Adelante: Our Quest for Equity. She said, "The diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio."
The event is the largest gathering of Latino advocates, community members and businesses. They talk about the issues that are affecting the more than 62 million Latinos across the country.
Michael LaRosa, the press secretary to the first lady and special assistant to President Biden, took to Twitter to say, " The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community."
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists said it encourages the first lady and her team to better understand the complexities of the community. "We are not tacos. Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions. Do not reduce us to stereotypes."
But on Twitter, others were defending the first lady. Education advocate Rodrigo Bravo said, "Because breakfast tacos are a community identifier for San Antonio. We're literally known for that, like NYC and bodegas, and Miami and blossoms. It makes sense actually. I initially thought it was corny but it's fitting." | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/breakfast-tacos-dr-jill-biden-criticism-comment-made-in-san-antonio-unidos-us-2022-annual-conference/273-47db42c7-4430-40bd-b1b3-e4df7c689ae7 | 2022-07-12T16:26:46 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/breakfast-tacos-dr-jill-biden-criticism-comment-made-in-san-antonio-unidos-us-2022-annual-conference/273-47db42c7-4430-40bd-b1b3-e4df7c689ae7 |
HOUSTON — A sergeant with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office was removed as a Little League baseball coach due to his actions after a game in west Houston last weekend.
Kenneth Wendt's poor sportsmanship was caught on camera after his 9-and-under Scorpions Baseball team lost to Prospects Baseball on Saturday.
The game was over, but the drama was just getting started. The two teams lined up to high-five, but Wendt, who is seen in the video wearing khaki shorts, took it too far. He's seen bumping into the first kids in the line.
Parents are angry, saying he was too aggressive.
"Nothing in the world gives you the right to do that to kids," Prospects 9U baseball coach Victor Torres said.
Torres said you'd expect it from the kids, but not the coach.
"They come in and they slap you hard on the hand. And you'll be like, 'hey, don't do that.' But an adult, you wouldn't expect it," Torres said. "I was upset. I was really upset."
Scorpions Baseball sent KHOU 11 News this statement:
"His actions were unacceptable and do not align with our organization’s values. We removed him from coaching and from our club about 8:30 a.m. Sunday."
"How is that even possible," Torres said. "You hold them to a higher standard. And then you come out here and do that to kids, to 9-year-old kids."
A parent from the Scorpions, who was at the game Saturday, is defending the former coach.
“We have known the Wendt family for two years and Kenny has always been a great husband, father, and coach. He spends an extraordinary amount of time in coaching and helping kids and their families both on and off the field.,” the parent said.
Torres said it's a teachable moment for everyone.
"Just like I tell my kids" 'We don't lose, we learn,'" Torres said. "You don't do that to 9-year-olds. You don't put your hands on 9-year-olds. Especially not someone else's child."
The Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Office is aware of the incident and is investigating. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 | 2022-07-12T16:26:52 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 |
SAN ANTONIO — A tractor was seen hanging over a San Antonio bridge on Tuesday.
Our KENS 5 crew was at the scene on the Interstate 10 and 410 interchange around 9 a.m.
They captured this photo of the tractor hanging over the bridge.
It's unclear what led up to the incident and if anyone was injured. Crews were able to remove the tractor before 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
Watch that livestream here: | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/tractor-seen-hanging-off-san-antonio-bridge/273-fe3358e9-756b-4370-866c-b2b5c8b5e40c | 2022-07-12T16:26:58 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/tractor-seen-hanging-off-san-antonio-bridge/273-fe3358e9-756b-4370-866c-b2b5c8b5e40c |
ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) – Residents of the Town of Abingdon will soon have a chance to clean out their houses while earning some extra cash with the return of the town-wide yard sale.
The yard sale is set to take place on Saturday, August 20 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and spans 8.2 miles.
Those who wish to participate and be included in marketing for the event must be located inside the Town limits as well as complete and return a permit to the Town Municipal Building by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 5, or by emailing kgarrett@abingdon-va.gov, according to the release.
You can follow the ‘Abingdon Town Wide Yard Sale’ Facebook page for more information on the event.
The Town adds that they do expect an increase in pedestrian traffic for the event.
No commercial vendors are allowed, and yard sales must be set up on private property only. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/abingdon-gearing-up-to-host-town-wide-yard-sale-in-august/ | 2022-07-12T16:30:03 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/abingdon-gearing-up-to-host-town-wide-yard-sale-in-august/ |
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) – In an apparent printer mix-up, the students of David Crockett High School received diplomas with the wrong city listed on them this spring, school officials say.
When last year’s seniors crossed the stage and took the piece of paper that they worked four years for, there was one small problem — the diplomas were wrong.
According to Washington County Schools public information officer Jarrod Adams, the vendor that provided the system’s printing had listed Gray, Tennessee on the document as the school’s location instead of Jonesborough. While the misprint posed no threat to graduation status, Adams said the school wanted to correct the mistake as quickly as possible.
While students held on to the incorrect document, the system had a new batch reprinted and announced that they would soon be available.
On July 28, David Crockett High School’s class of ’22 can visit their alma mater from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. to pick up their new diploma. As of the school’s last update, each student can find the document with their old homeroom teacher. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/david-crockett-hs-students-received-diplomas-with-a-typo-school-says/ | 2022-07-12T16:30:09 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/david-crockett-hs-students-received-diplomas-with-a-typo-school-says/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-heat-turns-deadly-the-connection/3012030/ | 2022-07-12T16:35:34 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-heat-turns-deadly-the-connection/3012030/ |
First lady Jill Biden apologized Tuesday for saying Latinos are “as unique” as San Antonio breakfast tacos during a speech to the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization.
“The first lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community,” tweeted Jill Biden’s spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.
The first lady flew to San Antonio on Monday to address the annual conference of UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights and advocacy group formerly known as the National Council of La Raza.
Her attempt to compliment Latino diversity didn’t go over very well when she said that the community is “as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.”
She also badly mispronounced “bodegas,” small stores in urban areas typically specializing in Hispanic groceries.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists and others registered their offense on social media, with the journalists’ organization tweeting, “We are not tacos.”
“Using breakfast tacos to try to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region,” NAHJ said.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The association said the first lady and her speechwriters should “take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities.”
Last week, President Joe Biden awarded the former longtime leader of UnidosUS, Raul Yzaguirre, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor for a civilian. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/jill-biden-apologizes-for-saying-latinos-unique-as-tacos/3011972/ | 2022-07-12T16:35:41 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/jill-biden-apologizes-for-saying-latinos-unique-as-tacos/3011972/ |
The man who escaped a North Texas state hospital and prompted a 2-week manhunt has been captured, police say.
Alexander Ervin, 29, was taken into custody shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday by Austin police, said police in Vernon, near Wichita Falls.
Ervin had been committed to the North Texas State Hospital after being acquitted by reason of insanity in the 2013 stabbing death of his father in Austin.
The hospital's security video showed Ervin had left his dormitory room late last month and scaled the hospital’s 8-foot security fence before disappearing. Law enforcement officials had warned that he was to be considered armed and dangerous.
A Travis County jury in 2014 found Ervin, who is autistic, not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in Ray Scott Ervin’s death. Police and emergency medical personnel dispatched to the Ervins’ home in west Austin found the suspect calm and quiet but scratched, beaten and covered in blood, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
His brother, Maxwell Ervin, testified that his brother attacked their father with a pipe wrench and a folding knife, alleging that Ray Ervin was an imposter. Alexander Ervin claimed to be a trained member of the CIA on a mission to kill his father, Maxwell Ervin testified.
Jurors deliberated for about 10 hours before acquitting the defendant. As recently as this April, a magistrate ordered Alexander Ervin’s commitment to continue at a state mental hospital.
Texas News
News from around the state of Texas.
His mother, Leslie Ervin, previously said she was "terrified for the community," after learning of his escape.
“I love him, but he committed murder. And now, because of some incompetence at North Texas State Hospital, he’s now on the street,” she said before his capture. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/texas-man-who-escaped-state-hospital-captured-sunday/3011921/ | 2022-07-12T16:35:47 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/texas-man-who-escaped-state-hospital-captured-sunday/3011921/ |
Surveillance video from the Robb Elementary School hallway where police waited as a gunman opened fire in a fourth-grade classroom will be shown this weekend to residents of Uvalde, a Texas lawmaker leading an investigation into the massacre of 21 people said Tuesday.
The 77-minute video, which officials say ends before law enforcement finally breached the classroom on May 24, does not contain images of children. It has received renewed attention over the past week as anger mounts in Uvalde over an incomplete account of the slow police response and calls for accountability seven weeks after the worst school shooting in Texas history.
Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Republican leading an investigation into the shooting, tweeted that the video and findings from a preliminary report will be shown Sunday in Uvalde to residents and distributed publicly soon after.
“We feel strongly that members of the Uvalde community should have the opportunity to see the video and hear from us before they are made public,” Burrows tweeted.
Nineteen children were among the 21 people killed. Police waited more than an hour after the shooting began before confronting the gunman, who died.
Burrows said his committee has interviewed more than 40 people behind closed doors over the last several weeks, including law enforcement who were at the scene. He has defended the committee talking with witnesses in private to elicit more candor about what happened.
State police said last week that Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Busbee had objected to releasing the video. Busbee has not publicly addressed those claims and has not returned messages seeking comment. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/uvalde-hallway-surveillance-video-showing-police-response-to-be-released/3012009/ | 2022-07-12T16:35:53 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/uvalde-hallway-surveillance-video-showing-police-response-to-be-released/3012009/ |
With the ongoing heatwave, cooling stations are opening up around the Metroplex to provide North Texans with a place to cool off and get out of the dangerous summer heat.
North Texas is under an extended heat advisory that has regularly seen temperatures climb above 100 degrees. NBC 5's team of Weather Experts said we should expect heat index values from 103 to 107 through the middle of this week. Areas to the west are under an Excessive Heat Warning.
SALVATION ARMY COOLING STATIONS
The Salvation Army also provides cooling stations in area facilities to help reach as many in need of relief as possible. These facilities offer individuals with normal services, air conditioning, and water while on site.
For a list of Salvation Army cooling locations across all of DFW, visit their website.
DALLAS COUNTY COOLING STATIONS
Dallas County announced Monday they were opening a number of cooling stations in each county district to help residents cool off this summer. Find the list of Dallas County cooling stations here.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
For those without regular access to heat relief, Dallas County recommends visiting the nearest cooling station immediately. Find more information on the City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management Twitter and Facebook pages.
TARRANT COUNTY COOLING STATIONS
Tarrant County and Tarrant Cares have a large network of community centers, libraries and other facilities that are currently functioning as cooling stations. Find the nearest one on the Tarrant Cares website.
DENTON COUNTY COOLING STATIONS
Denton County has several cooling stations available during the extreme heat. Select locations provide bottled water, food and overnight shelter. Find a full list on the City of Denton website.
PLANO COOLING STATIONS
The City of Plano is making all libraries, except Harrington, available to serve as cooling centers, the city said Monday.
Other locations in Plano include Carpenter Recreation Center, Oak Point Recreation Center, Tom Muhlehbeck Recreation Center, Liberty Recreation Center and the Sam Johnson Recreation Center which is a good option for seniors, the city said.
The City of Plano encourages residents to take some steps to conserve energy including turning off unnecessary lights, turning up the thermostat two to three degrees and limiting the use of large appliances. Visit plano.gov for more information. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/where-are-cooling-stations-opening-up-in-north-texas/3011153/ | 2022-07-12T16:35:59 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/where-are-cooling-stations-opening-up-in-north-texas/3011153/ |
Three relatives of a Lincoln family are out a combined $700,000 in a cryptocurrency scam, according to Lincoln Police.
Police Sgt. Todd Vollmer said the victims — 39, 43 and 77 years old — reported the internet fraud Monday.
He said they told police they had been investing online in cryptocurrency and started having problems in early March. When their accounts got locked, they were told to invest more to get them unlocked.
They ultimately decided to report the fraud when they couldn't regain access to their funds.
Vollmer said the 43-year-old reported being out $335,000, the 39-year-old out $220,000 and the 77-year-old $145,000.
The investigation is ongoing. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-say-members-of-lincoln-family-reported-losing-700k-to-cryptocurrency-fraud/article_bbe4a526-c617-5137-88ca-8668dc80577e.html | 2022-07-12T16:37:40 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-say-members-of-lincoln-family-reported-losing-700k-to-cryptocurrency-fraud/article_bbe4a526-c617-5137-88ca-8668dc80577e.html |
CEDAR FALLS — Plans to construct Cedar Falls Community Schools new aquatics center are moving forward despite the estimated total cost now being at least $4 million more than previously anticipated.
A couple Board of Education members publicly expressed some concerns Monday night about the new estimate of $20-$22 million, versus the previous $16.5 million.
But all ultimately voted in favor of the plans and specifications before them, setting a public hearing in August in advance of putting the project out to bid.
Board Vice President Jenny Leeper abstained. Her husband, Brad, works for Invision Architecture, which designed the center.
However, before voting, Superintendent Andy Pattee told board members the plans before them only include the "shell" of the building, which is expected to be at the $16.5 million mark.
The "actual pools" and certain interior features like the pool deck would be another $4 million. Those would be awarded at a later date to a specialty subcontractor.
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When planning first began a few years, project estimates were in the $12 to $14 million dollar range.
While the aquatics center is being constructed on the same land on West 27th Street as the new high school, athletic stadium, and other infrastructure, it is not being financed as part of the bond referendum approved by voters in 2019.
The city still expects a private fundraising group to raise $500,000 for the total estimated $5.25 million in improvements and enhancements.
The district has earmarked $8 million be spent from its own coffers over two fiscal years using funds generated by its physical plant and equipment levy.
The city will contribute $5.1 million, according to its capital improvement program.
And $3.3 million is the amount a volunteer group, Jump In, is targeting with its fundraising efforts.
Even though material and labor costs are significantly higher than when planning first began, Pattee recommended the district not put the project on pause, because construction costs may be even higher down the road.
Meanwhile, he urged conversations to continue with stakeholders about other possible funding sources. The difference could be made up through naming rights and grants, Pattee said as examples.
He also noted wanting to get the construction underway while the district is able to take advantage of the contractors already on site for the other building projects.
“We think there’s potentially some economies of scale,” he said.
Part of the pool facility's design is incorporated into the adjacent stadium, meaning "efficiencies" could be achieved by avoiding the duplication of bathrooms and other amenities.
Bravo opened Los Bravos Boxing Club in Waterloo in 2018, and recently founded the Gloves Up Movement nonprofit.
The administration’s recommendation not to delay the project also has to do with the view that the new facility will be an “economic driver” once fully built out because of the types of swimming competitions it will be able to host there.
“But, also, we want to ensure that we are looking at the inflationary value from where we are at today to where we could be every month, every quarter, and every year that goes by, if we continue to wait for this project to unfold,” Pattee said.
The shell would be constructed by the summer of 2024.
And Pattee pointed out the specialty contractor for the pools “would more than likely be able to mobilize fairly quickly.” The hope is that the complete facility could be finished not too long after that.
The new pools will replace those at Peet and Holmes junior high schools, which were built about four decades ago and are in their final years of useful life.
They will be repurposed into classroom space.
“I think there is going to be some sense of urgency to finish the project due to the fact that we’d be a community with no community-based rec pools and competition pools because those pools won’t last much longer,” Pattee said. “That’s not something that I think our community would stand for.”
Additionally, he said during discussions that because of the way the junior high pools are “set up” and come with “egress access security concerns” if used by the community during school hours, that the new facility will allow for even more access by other individuals and groups. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/aquatics-facility-could-cost-4m-more-but-cedar-falls-schools-would-bid-out-building-shell/article_baa0cdb9-ca8a-5d90-a330-605140c01e48.html | 2022-07-12T16:37:40 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/aquatics-facility-could-cost-4m-more-but-cedar-falls-schools-would-bid-out-building-shell/article_baa0cdb9-ca8a-5d90-a330-605140c01e48.html |
The Lincoln man whose death Monday morning is being investigated as suspicious was 78-year-old Gene Oltman.
Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said Oltman lived at the home in the 1600 block of Southwest 40th Street where they were called shortly after 8 a.m. on a medical emergency.
Deputies arrived to find Oltman inside dead with evidence of physical trauma to his body.
He said Oltman's 68-year-old wife, the only other person at the home at the time, was hospitalized with an unrelated medical condition. He didn't elaborate.
Wagner said they got a warrant to search the home, and investigators worked there much of the day processing the scene.
An autopsy was set for Tuesday morning to determine the cause and manner of his death. But, Wagner added, they don't believe that there is an ongoing threat to public safety.
"We don't know that a crime occurred," he said. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sheriff-identifies-78-year-old-lincoln-man-whose-death-is-being-investigated/article_b82201ca-a92e-5a25-8b85-8eac33b13b1b.html | 2022-07-12T16:37:46 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sheriff-identifies-78-year-old-lincoln-man-whose-death-is-being-investigated/article_b82201ca-a92e-5a25-8b85-8eac33b13b1b.html |
The city is planning to bring city code in line with state law when it comes to selling or giving away young pets.
Animal Control has proposed a change to city code to make it clear that it is unlawful to sell or give away a puppy or kitten younger than 8 weeks old.
Steve Beal, the city's Animal Control manager, said the change, "brings our local codes in line with state statute," which does not allow those animals to be sold or given away before they reach that age.
Beal said that there currently is not a problem locally with animals being sold too young, with his office only encountering one or two incidents each year.
"Most people that have dogs and are breeding and selling puppies or kittens -- they follow the law," he said.
Beal's office also is proposing several other updates to city code, including defining the difference between animal "bites" and "attacks."
According to the amended language, a bite is a "wound, puncture, or laceration caused by the animal's teeth breaking the skin," while an attack is defined as "an animal that causes any injury by physical contact; including, but not limited to, a bite that doesn't result in a breakage or puncture of the skin."
He said city code has not previously specifically defined what constitutes a bite or an attack.
"We wanted to be clear that this is what a bite means and this is what an attack means," Beal said.
The council will vote on the proposed changes at next week's meeting.
In other business Monday, the council:
* Voted in favor of an ordinance declaring the city's Aging Partners building at 1005 O St. as surplus property.
Aging Partners is planning to shutter both of its downtown locations — the other is at Ninth and J streets — when it moves to the Victory Park development on the Veterans Administration campus near 70th and O streets, and declaring the building surplus will allow it to be sold.
The three-story O Street building has about 35,000 square feet of space and its assessed value is just more than $1.6 million. Aging Partners Director Randall Jones previously told the Journal Star he believes the building is an attractive prospect for redevelopment because of its location.
* Approved naming the Nature Camp Building in Pioneers Park the Lynn Johnson Education Center.
Johnson, who retired earlier this year after 25 years at the Parks and Recreation Department, including 22 as its director, said it was "a great honor to have this building recognize me."
The building on the west end of the park opened in 2020 — three years after a blaze destroyed its predecessor.
“We literally do have duct tape holding parts of our pool together this year,” City Administrator Stephanie Fisher told the Lancaster County Board last week.
The improvements play into the city’s downtown “principal corridors project,” an ambitious project to revitalize key entryways and streetscapes in the downtown area.
City leaders officially launched a project to find a second water source for Lincoln, naming an advisory council and contracting with Olsson to analyze the two options identified by the city.
Salary increases for sheriff's deputies and correctional officers — the "domino effect" of the state's pay hikes for its corrections staff — will have a major impact on Lancaster County's budget.
After nearly two years in the position, Soulinnee Phan has been able to make significant changes in the city clerk office, including making it one of the most diverse city government offices.
A group of longtime Lincoln advocates disappointed in the City Council's decision to rescind the so-called fairness ordinance plans to launch an initiative to get the question on the November ballot. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/lincoln-updates-code-to-prohibit-selling-of-young-puppies-kitties/article_ad51591d-f81f-5ca1-a020-b9fa8a8887dd.html | 2022-07-12T16:37:52 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/lincoln-updates-code-to-prohibit-selling-of-young-puppies-kitties/article_ad51591d-f81f-5ca1-a020-b9fa8a8887dd.html |
A person died as South Tucson police attempted to take them into custody Monday evening.
The incident occurred near Sixth Avenue and 36th Street, a news release said. Details about the suspect or what led to the incident were not released.
The Pima Regional Critical Incident Team is investigating the case.
Jamie Donnelly covers breaking news for the Arizona Daily Star. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/person-dies-in-custody-of-south-tucson-police/article_258b03ec-01f6-11ed-b786-a78455c7dbcf.html | 2022-07-12T16:38:09 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/person-dies-in-custody-of-south-tucson-police/article_258b03ec-01f6-11ed-b786-a78455c7dbcf.html |
A federal judge has blocked Arizona from using a year-old law requiring state laws to be interpreted to grant "personhood'' rights to an unborn child, at least as it applies to abortion.
In a 17-page order, Judge Douglas Rayes said the statute is so vague that even he cannot tell exactly what it means — or how prosecutors might interpret it to bring charges against doctors who perform otherwise legal abortions.
And at least some forms of abortion remain legal in Arizona — and possibly most forms in Pima County, at least for the time being — despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
"The interpretation policy either does absolutely nothing, or it does something,'' Rayes wrote in the ruling released late Monday.
"What that something might be is a mystery, or as (attorneys for the state) put it, 'anyone's guess,' '' he said. "And that is the problem.''
He said the abortion doctors who brought the lawsuit as well as the Arizona Medical Association "should not have to guess'' whether their actions will end up putting them in legal trouble.
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Rayes specifically lashed out at a suggestion that Assistant Attorney General Kate Sawyer made during a court hearing Friday, that if doctors are unsure what the law means they should just hire a lawyer and seek a ruling by a state court judge.
"A law which requires such extraordinary effort to decipher fails to give ordinary people fair notice of the conduct it permits and proscribes,'' Rayes said.
Jennifer Sklarsky, an attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights, who argued the case for the doctors, praised Rayes in a statement for "blocking this law from being used to create an unthinkably extreme abortion ban.''
But the Arizona Attorney General's Office does not agree with the judge's interpretation, said Brittni Thomason, press aide to Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
"We are carefully considering our next steps,'' she said in a prepared statement. "Our focus remains on bringing clarity to the law for Arizonans.''
It is that lack of "clarity'' in the provision that resulted in the ruling.
Approved last year as part of a larger abortion restriction, the law says that state laws "shall be interpreted and construed'' to acknowledge that an unborn child "at every stage of development'' has the same rights, privileges and immunities available to other citizens and residents of Arizona.
What makes that relevant is that Brnovich contends the U.S. Supreme Court ruling means the state can now enforce the law first passed in 1901 — before Arizona became a state — outlawing all abortions except to save the life of the mother. At the very least, that exception permits doctors to terminate a pregnancy in those situations.
Rayes said state laws "make it crystal clear'' that someone performing an abortion is not committing murder.
The problem, he said, is that there is no such exception for other laws, such as assault, child endangerment and child abuse, "leaving abortion providers left to guess whether their conduct could be criminalized under a maximalist application of the interpretation policy.''
As a result, Rayes said, two abortion providers named in the lawsuit said they have stopped performing the procedure altogether — including to save a patient's life — because they can't tell if they would be punished.
"In turn, this harms their patients, who are denied time-sensitive medical treatment,'' the judge continued.
Moreover, Rayes pointed out that state law defines "unborn child'' as the offspring of human beings from conception until birth, and then defines "conception'' as the fusion of human sperm and egg.
He said standard medical texts equate conception with the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus, something that occurs about six days after fertilization. But he said the state's definition of "conception'' doesn't mention implantation and therefore includes fertilized eggs that have not implanted — and may never implant — in the uterus.
"An 'unborn child,' it seems, can exist as a legal entity in Arizona even before a woman is considered pregnant from a medical standpoint,'' Rayes wrote.
That definition also could have implications for legally acceptable forms of birth control.
The issue of abortion to save the life of the mother aside, there's also the fact that the state Court of Appeals issued an injunction in 1973 blocking the attorney general and the Pima County Attorney's Office from prosecuting anyone under the 1901 law. Brnovich has yet to ask for that injunction be dissolved.
The judge was unmoved by claims by Sawyer that the state is somehow harmed by his order.
"Defendants stand only to lose the ability to enforce an intolerably vague rule of statutory construction,'' he said.
More to the point, Rayes said his injunction does not stop Arizona lawmakers from expanding the protection of the law to those not yet born.
"If Arizona wants to extend legal protections to the unborn — including, it seems, before medically recognized conception — nothing in this order precludes it from doing so clearly and explicitly,'' he wrote.
That means amending existing laws of who is a "person'' into each statute where lawmakers want that to be used "and by clearly and explicitly stating whether those applications exempt otherwise lawful abortion care.''
During oral arguments on Friday, Sawyer said the "interpretation clause'' might even be applied to probate law, which governs things like who is entitled to a share of an estate. | https://tucson.com/news/local/judge-rejects-arizonas-personhood-abortion-law/article_c1d62520-01a0-11ed-b630-9772bd64a33d.html | 2022-07-12T16:38:15 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/judge-rejects-arizonas-personhood-abortion-law/article_c1d62520-01a0-11ed-b630-9772bd64a33d.html |
LITHONIA, Ga. — Police and fire crews are on the scene of a DeKalb County Little Caesars where a suspected burglar was pulled from an exhaust vent after getting trapped Tuesday morning.
DeKalb County police told 11Alive that crews responded around 9:20 a.m. at the pizza restaurant off Covington Highway. The fire chief said the suspect had been in there for hours.
Authorities say the man was discovered by Army recruiters working next door as they came into wok for the day. By 10:30 a.m., 11Alive crews on scene saw the man being removed.
"I'm not sure what time the restaurant closes at night but the oven still gives off heat after they close I imagine," DeKalb Fire Cpt. Jason Daniels said. "For him to get down into the pipe and escape with no injuries, again he had to do it in a certain window of time when the oven was cool enough and obviously nobody was there."
The man walked into an ambulance shortly after being removed and was taken to the hospital. We were told he was thirsty and hungry.
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/possible-burglar-trapped-grease-duct/85-e270ee76-3c49-4291-b7b4-93896405b66f | 2022-07-12T16:42:44 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/possible-burglar-trapped-grease-duct/85-e270ee76-3c49-4291-b7b4-93896405b66f |
Man who dated Glendale kindergarten teacher to be sentenced in her 2017 murder
FLAGSTAFF — A man who killed an Arizona elementary school teacher after she bailed him out of jail is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Charlie Malzahn, 32, pleaded guilty in June to first-degree murder, abandonment of a body and other charges in the death of Cathryn Gorospe. His sentencing hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Coconino County Superior Court in Flagstaff.
Prosecutors agreed to drop capital punishment as a sentencing option for Malzahn in exchange for his pleas.
Gorospe, 44, went missing in October 2017 after posting bond for Malzahn, who was jailed in Coconino County and had at least three prior felony convictions for crimes that spanned the state. She put up her house as collateral and had hoped to help Malzahn curb drug addictions and straighten out his life.
Instead, he stabbed her multiple times near Williams where the two met. He was the stepson of a police chief and working at a restaurant, and Gorospe was working a summer job as a tour guide in the town that's about an hour from the Grand Canyon.
Malzahn later was seen driving Gorospe's blood-stained SUV in Phoenix and was arrested after fleeing from law enforcement. He gave authorities details and directions that narrowed the search for Gorospe's body.
Gorospe's remains were found on private property in Mayer, about 85 miles south of Williams. Along with multiple stab wounds, she had broken ribs and defensive wounds. The remains were identified using dental records.
Gorospe and Malzahn had dated for about a month, according to records. She taught schoolchildren in the Phoenix area, and her family has said she was a special person who loved children and animals and always saw the best in everyone.
Malzahn has spent the last few years jailed in Maricopa County on separate charges and at the state psychiatric hospital to ensure he was competent to proceed with the murder case in Coconino County. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2022/07/12/charlie-malzahn-2017-murder-glendale-teacher-cathryn-gorospe/10037683002/ | 2022-07-12T16:42:46 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2022/07/12/charlie-malzahn-2017-murder-glendale-teacher-cathryn-gorospe/10037683002/ |
AUSTIN, Texas — Like many fathers, Praneeth Mudiganti's weakness is his daughter.
"I love her more than anything," he said.
So it's only natural that what Ria wants, she gets.
This year, Wordle, a web-based word game, became viral. It's an app that challenges people to find a five-letter word in six guesses, with a new puzzle being published every day.
However, the words can sometimes be a little hard to guess. And for kids like Mudiganti's daughter, it was frustrating at times.
After a quick Google search, he discovered there was no app similar to Wordle that catered to kids. He decided to get to work.
"Maybe I should just build," he said. "It doesn't, you know, it doesn't look like it's going to take too long."
Two days later, he launched Wordle Junior. It's been up and running since February. A couple of months went by and his creation attracted 85,000 unique users in over 150 countries.
"I just never expected this," he said.
His daughter's teacher loved the game so much that she embedded it into her curriculum.
"They played that game for a few days," he said.
In light of this, his daughter was the new "class celebrity."
Mudiganti is an average dad with a normal job. He created this game to prove to his daughter that anything she sets her mind to, she can do. And, in addition to that, it's easy to create a game.
"My main intention of building this for my daughter more than anything is to encourage her to do something like this," he said.
He wants her to understand this isn't rocket science.
"You can start building, like, amazing things," he said.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/austin-dad-creates-wordle-jr-word-game-kids/269-1bf5823e-19de-4d95-8a41-3fe2f85c60f2 | 2022-07-12T16:44:06 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/austin-dad-creates-wordle-jr-word-game-kids/269-1bf5823e-19de-4d95-8a41-3fe2f85c60f2 |
BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor International Airport has a plan for how to use the $14.2 million in federal funding it received last week through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed by Congress last fall.
Bangor International Airport Director Tony Caruso told NEWS CENTER Maine the airport will use the new funding to relocate and expand its security screening area, replace a connector between its domestic and international terminals, and upgrade its aging HVAC system.
"It's needed," Caruso said when asked about the importance of the $14.2 million award. "Bangor over the last several years has had some significant growth, which is great to see, but we need to increase some capacity here.”
The airport does not yet have an exact timeline of when the work will start. Caruso said the airport would schedule the construction in a way that would minimize the impact on passengers and airport operations.
“The airport really is an economic engine for the entire region,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who announced the award last Thursday, said. "It’s really important for the airport to keep modernizing and growing as it continues to serve an expanding passenger base.”
Caruso said the changes coming to the airport's security screening area would make going through TSA more efficient and allow the airport to add a third or even fourth lane.
“Another key part of this project is building and installing a connector allowing the air carriers to utilize a few of our international gates for domestic operations. And [that] immediately will increase the flexibility and the efficiency of our terminal operations,” Caruso explained.
Bangor International Airport is also expected to repave its entire 11,000-foot runway next summer.
For the latest breaking news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/bangor/its-needed-bangor-international-airport-director-has-big-plans-for-142m-award-bangor-maine/97-38d7d9eb-d1fb-424a-b701-31d3a6935479 | 2022-07-12T16:44:12 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/bangor/its-needed-bangor-international-airport-director-has-big-plans-for-142m-award-bangor-maine/97-38d7d9eb-d1fb-424a-b701-31d3a6935479 |
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif — Sacramento County health officials have identified a total of 10 possible cases of moneybox in the county since May, according to the county's tracker.
Two more cases were reported in the county Tuesday.
The 8th possible case of monkeypox in the county was reported on June 21, and the first possible case of monkeypox was identified on May 24.
"Overall 100 cases have been reported in California, including in Sacramento County," according to the Sacramento County Department of Public Health.
Health officials said in a previous press release that despite the new cases, transmission rates and risk to the general public remain low.
According to Sacramento County Public Health, monkeypox, a flu-like virus in the same family as smallpox, is rarely found in the U.S.
Symptoms of monkeypox include high fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a widespread rash across the face and body. Infections typically last between two and four weeks and only one in every 100 cases are fatal, generally only seriously affecting those that are immunocompromised.
According to the CDC, the first human case of monkeypox was discovered in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus has since been tracked on several continents and transmission rates are continuously being investigated by the CDC.
More information about monkeypox can be found on the CDC website.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-county-monkeypox-case-10/103-5bfedf28-f118-49ac-9901-f99e92deb915 | 2022-07-12T16:50:30 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-county-monkeypox-case-10/103-5bfedf28-f118-49ac-9901-f99e92deb915 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — There is a backup on westbound Highway 50 just east of Stockton Boulevard after an accident Tuesday morning.
All lanes are open as of 8:30 a.m. but traffic is moving slowly, according to Caltrans.
Click here for a traffic map.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/traffic-westbound-highway-50-stockton-boulevard/103-9527c627-0f30-43b4-9554-eae5097c86d9 | 2022-07-12T16:50:36 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/traffic-westbound-highway-50-stockton-boulevard/103-9527c627-0f30-43b4-9554-eae5097c86d9 |
PITTSTON, Pa. — An event last weekend in Luzerne County combined sunshine and nature with some cute puppies.
The puppy yoga on Saturday was hosted by The Salt Barre off Kennedy Boulevard.
Sea Dog Kennel in Harding brought Portuguese water dog puppies to participate. The pups all have Italian noodle names, like rigatoni and fettucini. Their parents have names of a different theme – Bandit and Indiana Jones.
Despite that, the breeder says these puppies are very well behaved
"Their love for yoga, their love for people and everybody else, too. They do downward dog and tails wagging. I say we come back next Wednesday, anytime everybody wants to do a class and just doing things like that. Keep up the positivity and keep up yoga and keep up tails. Let's go," said Pauli Caykowski from Sea Dog Kennels.
"I honestly feel like having the dogs added to the yoga just increases the happiness that comes with it. So you're not only relaxed but you also get like a joy of being with an animal that needs love," said Stephanie Lombardo from Pittston.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/puppy-yoga-in-pittston-salt-barre-sea-dog-kennel-harding/523-1fce1c0c-00b8-4830-94da-32322c6290e0 | 2022-07-12T16:51:08 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/puppy-yoga-in-pittston-salt-barre-sea-dog-kennel-harding/523-1fce1c0c-00b8-4830-94da-32322c6290e0 |
GREENTOWN, Pa. — If you only saw her smile, not the hospital bed or the medical equipment, you'd have no idea Madeleine Morgan from Greentown is sick.
"She's a happy girl!" says her mom, Samantha Morgan.
8-month old Madeleine has spent about half of her life in the hospital. She's been on dialysis basically since day one. She'll eventually need a kidney transplant. The doctors are waiting until she gets a bit bigger, hopefully around the age of two.
"I think the hardest part is we are here down in Philadelphia [at the hospital], and we're from up in Greentown. So, it's not close. We also have a 3-year-old son at home, which makes things a little difficult sometimes," explained Samantha.
Her parents – Bruce and Samantha – post updates on her progress on a Facebook page called Madeleine's Journey. And beneath almost every caption describing their baby's health struggles, there's a photo of Madeleine smiling.
That smile has stolen a lot of hearts, including Eddie Vetrano's, also from Greentown.
"The first time I met them, I had breakfast with them here at the Greentown Grill, and looking at this baby smile and laugh – never have I seen her cry. And to know so much of what she's been through."
Vetrano does know what she's been through. He's been through it himself.
He was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2008. His daughter ended up donating one of hers.
Since then, he's dedicated his life to encouraging others to "give life." Those words are tattooed on his fingers.
This is Vetrano's 13th year of hosting a fundraising festival to benefit the National Kidney Foundation and Gift of Life Marrow Registry. He also now raises money for local families.
This year, he chose baby Madeleine.
"We never thought we'd be on the receiving end of something like that. We typically like to give. We are also hopeful with this experience, and once we are in a stable position, we can find a way to give back just as much as people have given to us," Samantha said.
Tickets for Vetrano's fundraiser this weekend sold out within 22 days. But you can keep up with Madeleine's journey on her Facebook page. Her parents tell us the surgery she had on Monday went well, and they hope she can come home this weekend.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/pike-county/raising-money-for-the-gift-of-life-madeleine-morgan-kidney-transplant-dialysis/523-227a84c5-a170-4f72-bd0e-66e417eedbfa | 2022-07-12T16:51:10 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/pike-county/raising-money-for-the-gift-of-life-madeleine-morgan-kidney-transplant-dialysis/523-227a84c5-a170-4f72-bd0e-66e417eedbfa |
HOUSTON — A sergeant with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office was removed as a Little League baseball coach due to his actions after a game in west Houston last weekend.
Kenneth Wendt's poor sportsmanship was caught on camera after his 9-and-under Scorpions Baseball team lost to Prospects Baseball on Saturday.
The game was over, but the drama was just getting started. The two teams lined up to high-five, but Wendt, who is seen in the video wearing khaki shorts, took it too far. He's seen bumping into the first kids in the line.
Parents are angry, saying he was too aggressive.
"Nothing in the world gives you the right to do that to kids," Prospects 9U baseball coach Victor Torres said.
Torres said you'd expect it from the kids, but not the coach.
"They come in and they slap you hard on the hand. And you'll be like, 'hey, don't do that.' But an adult, you wouldn't expect it," Torres said. "I was upset. I was really upset."
Scorpions Baseball sent KHOU 11 News this statement:
"His actions were unacceptable and do not align with our organization’s values. We removed him from coaching and from our club about 8:30 a.m. Sunday."
"How is that even possible," Torres said. "You hold them to a higher standard. And then you come out here and do that to kids, to 9-year-old kids."
A parent from the Scorpions, who was at the game Saturday, is defending the former coach.
“We have known the Wendt family for two years and Kenny has always been a great husband, father, and coach. He spends an extraordinary amount of time in coaching and helping kids and their families both on and off the field.,” the parent said.
Torres said it's a teachable moment for everyone.
"Just like I tell my kids" 'We don't lose, we learn,'" Torres said. "You don't do that to 9-year-olds. You don't put your hands on 9-year-olds. Especially not someone else's child."
The Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Office is aware of the incident and is investigating. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 | 2022-07-12T16:53:47 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 |
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — One of two suspects accused of killing two people and setting their Cumberland County home on fire in February will face the death penalty if convicted, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
Larry Burns was formally arraigned on charges of criminal homicide, arson, criminal conspiracy, and other offenses related to a Feb. 23 incident where two people were found dead inside a burning home in Southampton Township, according to the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors in the case filed a Notice of Aggravating Circumstances, stating their intention to seek the death penalty if Burns is convicted of first-degree murder.
Burns and his alleged co-conspirator, Cordaryl Burns, are accused of shooting and killing Frankie Dean Thomas, 37, of Fayetteville, and Eddie Lee Shaw, 54, of Chambersburg, inside a home on the 100 block of Neil Road, then setting the home on fire.
Additional details in the case have not been released.
Both suspects fled the state after the incident and were apprehended in March by members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
Larry Burns was captured in Lumberton, North Carolina, while Cordaryl Burns was apprehended in Detroit.
Cordaryl Burns will have an extradition hearing Thursday in Detroit. All other decisions concerning his case will be made after that hearing, the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office said.
Larry Burns is currently scheduled for a pre-trial Conference in September, according to Cumberland County prosecutors. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/cumberland-county/homicide-arson-death-penalty-shippensburg-cumberland-county/521-b3f4913a-f819-4ee0-829a-9c3991ea8270 | 2022-07-12T17:01:01 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/cumberland-county/homicide-arson-death-penalty-shippensburg-cumberland-county/521-b3f4913a-f819-4ee0-829a-9c3991ea8270 |
RED LION, Pa. — A York County business announced Tuesday it has completed installation of a 55,000-gallon underground rainwater harvesting system that will collect an estimated 1.3 million gallons of water every year.
Tate Inc., which manufacturers raised access floors and data center management solutions, will use the water -- collected from roof runoff and groundwater -- in the manufacturing process at its Red Lion facility, the company said.
The filtered rainwater will be mixed with cement and other ingredients to create a cementitious mixture that fills the company’s steel ConCore raised access floor panels.
“This rainwater harvesting system will have a major impact on our company sustainability goals," said Tate general manager Daniel Kennedy. "Not only are we reducing our demand on municipal water supplies and storm water drainage systems, but we’re also reducing rainwater runoff which can carry harmful pollutants to our local waterways.
“Our concrete fill line is one of the most water-intensive parts of our manufacturing process, so we’re excited to make the transition to 100% rainwater for that process.”
As a division of Kingspan, Tate is part of the company’s ambitious ten-year global sustainability program, Planet Passionate.
All Kingspan companies throughout the world participate in the initiative, which aims to impact three major global issues: climate change, circularity and protection of our natural world, the company said.
The rainwater harvesting system was installed as part of the Planet Passionate program and the water collected at the Red Lion facility will make up about 20% of the company’s total water usage and nearly 25% of the total water usage at that facility, Tate said.
The system will also contribute 5% of Kingspan’s 2030 goal of collection 100 million liters annually across all its divisions.
Other Planet Passionate initiatives that Tate is implementing include the elimination of all company waste being sent to landfill, which was achieved in 2020, installing rooftop solar PV systems on its owned manufacturing facilities and making the conversion to all electric company cars, according to the company.
The Eco-Rain system that was chosen for this rainwater harvesting project is made up of 100% recycled crates that were assembled on-site and wrapped with a protective liner to collect the rainwater, according to the company.
Tate partnered with local company Hydroscapes for the design and installation of the system.
For more information about the Planet Passionate program or the rainwater harvesting system, visit https://www.tateinc.com/en-us/learning-center/sustainability. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/tate-inc-groundwater-collection-system-red-lion-pa/521-6c5a2320-6c53-49e3-8068-3d6eb3142582 | 2022-07-12T17:01:07 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/tate-inc-groundwater-collection-system-red-lion-pa/521-6c5a2320-6c53-49e3-8068-3d6eb3142582 |
PHOENIX — A federal judge in Phoenix on Monday blocked a 2021 state “personhood” law that gives all legal rights to unborn children and that abortion rights groups said put providers at risk of prosecution for a variety of crimes.
U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes said in his written ruling that the groups that sued to block the law are right — it is “anyone’s guess,” as the state acknowledged, what criminal laws abortion providers may be breaking if they perform otherwise-legal abortions.
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“And that is the problem,” Rayes wrote. “When the punitive and regulatory weight of the entire Arizona code is involved, Plaintiffs should not have to guess at whether their conduct is on the right or the wrong side of the law.”
Rayes agreed with the challengers that the law appears to be unconstitutionally vague.
At least four other states have similar “personhood” laws in effect, including Missouri, Kansas, Georgia and Alabama.
It is unclear if abortions that have been halted in Arizona since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that women do not have a constitutional right to abortion would restart. Abortion providers stopped virtually all procedures because a pre-1901 banning all abortions that may be in effect and other laws created too much risk.
At least in Pima County, where the 1901 law remains blocked, they could be legal, although Attorney General Mark Brnovich plans to ask a court to lift that order and allow enforcement.
Rayes had refused to block the personhood law last year, but abortion rights groups renew their request after Roe v. Wade was struck down.
They argued that providers fear they could be charged with child abuse, assault or a litany of other crimes, and that the law was too vague. There is also concern of civil and regulatory action.
The attorney general’s office told the judge that the personhood law created no new criminal laws, but admitted in their court filings that prosecutors and courts could have a different view.
Abortion rights groups hailed the ruling.
“The court made the right decision today by blocking this law from being used to create an unthinkably extreme abortion ban,” said Jessica Sklarsky, a lawyer at the Center for Reproductive Rights who argued the case. “The Supreme Court’s catastrophic decision overturning Roe v. Wade has unleashed chaos on the ground, leaving Arizona residents scrambling to figure out if they can get the abortion care they need.”
An Arizona attorney general’s office spokesperson said they are focused on “bringing clarity to the law for Arizonans.”
“Today’s ruling was based on an interpretation of Arizona law that our office did not agree with, and we are carefully considering our next steps,” spokesperson Brittni Thomason said in an email.
An attorney general’s office lawyer told Rayes during a July 8 hearing that the law creates no new crimes that could lead to charges. The “personhood” law says all other state laws should be interpreted to bestow all rights to an unborn child.
The attorney general’s office said in court filing that Rayes got it right last September when he refused to block the law. Rayes had cited a U.S. Supreme Court ruling from 1989 where the court declined to block Missouri’s nearly identical law.
Rayes said he has now changed his mind about the relevance of that case.
“The Court is now persuaded it was wrong to rely on Webster the first go around,” he wrote.
Sklarsky had argued the personhood law is unconstitutionally vague on several fronts and told Rayes that the attorney general said in its court papers that it’s “anyone’s guess” how state judges or prosecutors might apply the law.
Rayes’ ruling blocks enforcement of the law while the challenges precede though the court, including a possible trial.
“Medical providers should not have to guess about whether the otherwise lawful performance of their jobs could lead to criminal, civil, or professional liability solely based on how literally or maximalist state licensing, law enforcement, and judicial officials might construe the Interpretation Policy’s command,” Rayes said.
States now have wide-ranging rights to limit abortion, and many laws limiting or blocking all abortions that were previously blocked can now be enforced. That has led to battles in many states over which laws are now enforceable.
Arizona is in that position, with Republican Gov. Doug Ducey saying a ban on abortions after 15 weeks that he signed in March takes precedence over the pre-1901 law Brnovich said is in effect.
There were just over 13,000 abortions in Arizona in 2020, according to the most recent report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Of those, fewer than 650 were performed after 15 weeks of gestation.
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Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12 News YouTube playlist here. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/federal-judge-blocks-arizonas-personhood-abortion-law-july/75-aa192929-639f-44f1-9fa1-3bf6057f5330 | 2022-07-12T17:06:43 | 0 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/federal-judge-blocks-arizonas-personhood-abortion-law-july/75-aa192929-639f-44f1-9fa1-3bf6057f5330 |
DALLAS, Tx. – A Dunbar High School student has just become the school’s first two-time Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Champion.
Andrew Chuang Saladin took the top prize in the Microsoft Excel (Office 2016) competition.
The Microsoft Office Specialist National Online Championship is a competition that tests students skills on Microsoft Office Word, Excel and Powerpoint. This year, 44,000 students, ages 13 to 22, competed in one of six competition tracks.
Saladin was one of 85 finalists that competed in the National Championship in Dallas, Texas.
Finalists were given a printed copy of a document, spreadsheet or presentation to recreate along with printed instructions and digital assets. They were scored based on the accuracy of the recreation compared to the original.
“I am grateful that I was given this opportunity to travel, have fun, and compete for something I am passionate about,” said Saladin. “Of course, the prizes are appealing but above all, being chosen to represent my school and build on its legacy is something really special for me.
This is the second national championship for Saladin. In 2021, he was the state, national and world champion in Powerpoint (2019).
PREVIOUS STORY: Dunbar High School student wins Microsoft World Championship
He will now get the opportunity to compete in the 2022 MOS World Championship happening in Anaheim, California later this month. There he will compete with dozens of other finalists from around the world.
Since 2011, Dunbar High School has developed 29 state champions, seven national champions and three Microsoft World Champions. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2022/07/12/dunbar-high-school-student-wins-microsoft-office-national-championship/ | 2022-07-12T17:08:12 | 1 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2022/07/12/dunbar-high-school-student-wins-microsoft-office-national-championship/ |
Macomb Prosecutor Lucido made 'brutal,' 'rude' remarks to employees, probe finds
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido made inappropriate sexual comments to women, used race as a factor in assignment decisions and used county personnel for "campaign-type activities," according to a report by an outside law firm looking into allegations about his behavior.
In a memorandum prepared by Butzel Long and shared by the Macomb County government, investigators recommended Lucido be referred to the Michigan Secretary of State's Office for alleged campaign finance violations and that he undergo multiple county-level trainings on civil rights and union rights.
Deputy County Executive Andy McKinnon told The Detroit News on Tuesday that the investigation was launched by the county's human resources department after "numerous" employees filed a complaint. The complaints were filed toward the end of February, and the investigation began shortly after and lasted until the report was shared Friday.
The report came from interviews with 16 current and former employees of the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. Lucido, though his lawyer, declined to be interviewed, the report notes. An attorney for Lucido could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday, and voicemails left for Lucido were not immediately returned.
Most of the names included in the report, along with specific details on some instances, are redacted in the version released by Macomb County Corporation Counsel John Schapka's office.
Lucido, a Shelby Township Republican, was elected prosecutor in November 2020 after serving for six years in the state House and state Senate — where a state Senate committee looked into allegations of sexual harassment and found he engaged in “inappropriate workplace behavior” that “demonstrates an unfortunate pattern of behavior.” Republican Senate leaders removed Lucido as chair of one of his committees and required him to take a class in workplace behavior and sexual harassment.
The new report specifically details comments Lucido allegedly made about women and Black individuals after taking office in 2021. Lucido announced on an unspecified Valentine's Day that he would "like some kisses from the ladies," made comments about women's body parts and treated female staff members "in an offensive manner," described as "brutal" and "rude," the report says.
MORE: Women say Macomb prosecutor Lucido should quit over 'inappropriate' behavior
Nine people said he treated female staff offensively, with one person noting that he could be "'boisterous' when speaking to male employees, but that he treats female administrative staff much worse."
Complaints include accusations that he said during a meeting that he wanted to assign a Black assistant prosecutor to the warrant division after the "Shelby Five" incident, in which five protesters were charged with felonies following a demonstration against police brutality in Shelby Township.
Lucido wanted a Black assistant prosecuting attorney in the role so "'those people' could not complain that Prosecutor Lucido was not being fair if a Black APA was making the decisions," according to the report. A Black assistant prosecuting attorney who has requested to be assigned to the warrant division was passed over for another Black assistant prosecutor, the report notes.
Although the cost of the investigation through Butzel Long was not yet clear, Schapka said it was necessary for an outside firm to do the investigation to make clear that no officials were being shielded from responsibility.
Michigan law requires employers to investigate allegations of illegal behavior by employees when they are reported.
Schapka, the corporation counsel, said the county was considering referring Lucido to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's office as "a possible course of action" but noted officials had just received the report, which is dated Friday.
The recommended training sessions already exist and are required for Macomb County employees, McKinnon said.
"One of the things we're doing right now is reviewing the document, crafting what our recommendations for the prosecutor are going to be and whom exactly we think should be providing that additional training," he said. "If someone is stepped out of line, instead of just chatting with that individual employee, you might give them more thorough or intense training on the exact issues that you're dealing with."
McKinnon, who was the county's human resources director before becoming deputy county executive, said the county has an employee assistance program that offers help for employees who need it "for any reason." The county has continued to share that with staff and has directed employees with additional questions to the appropriate department, he said.
As an elected official, a prosecutor like Lucido cannot just be fired but instead must be voted out, Schapka said.
"I can say with great confidence that if this was an investigation into my conduct, and the investigation reached the findings that were reached, I would have been fired long ago," he said.
Lucido ran for prosecutor after former Prosecutor Eric Smith, a Democrat, was charged with several felonies and resigned.
After the death of Detroit Police Officer Loren Courts, who police said was killed by Ehmani Davis last week, it came to light that Macomb County officials had been pursuing charges against Davis for a different, nonfatal shooting in Eastpointe in June.
Lucido, in defending his office, blamed Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel for not allowing him to make temporary hires to work through a backlog of cases.
"My Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys are good people, overworked and now devastated in their belief that had they had more hands, this Warrant Request might have been processed sooner and the perpetrator may have not been on the street," he wrote in a Facebook post laying out the timeline on Davis's case from his office.
Hackel, a Democrat and former county sheriff, accused Lucido of playing politics and argued the Prosecutor's Office received the largest staffing budget increase of any county department.
Previously, when accusations of sexual harassment have been raised against Lucido as a lawmaker, he defended himself last year by noting he has never been criminally charged with any offenses after the harassment accusations were made. They included:
- In 2020, a female reporter said Lucido made lewd and suggestive remarks in front of male students.
- A female senator claimed Lucido groped and degraded her during an orientation of new legislators, and a Lansing lobbyist said Lucido inappropriately touched her during a meeting.
- In March 2021, Lisa McCormick — now an Ingham County circuit judge — said Lucido inappropriately touched her in 2019 during a meeting with lawmakers regarding her appointment as director of the Michigan Office of Children’s Ombudsman.
After the Senate committee disciplined Lucido in March 2020, he released a statement saying "Throughout this process, I have maintained that I did not sexually harass anyone. The Senate Business Office and its outside counsel were charged with investigating whether I did. After their comprehensive and impartial investigation, they determined that the allegations made against me could not be unequivocally substantiated.
“Given that I have not sexually harassed anyone nor were there any citations of a violation of Senate rules determined by the investigation, I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the people I represent."
Lucido then ran for prosecutor and defeated Democrat Mary Chrzanowski 53% to 47%.
Twitter: @Hayley__Harding | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2022/07/12/pete-lucido-macomb-county-prosecutor-investigation-rude-comments-findings/10036737002/ | 2022-07-12T17:09:19 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2022/07/12/pete-lucido-macomb-county-prosecutor-investigation-rude-comments-findings/10036737002/ |
Firefighters are responding to a wildfire in the Wharton State Forest, the second in the forest within the past month.
The fire is currently burning in an area off Maple Branch Road near Tylertown and Batsto Village, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Tuesday.
The scene was being accessed Tuesday morning. Batsto Village and its surrounding hiking trails were closed Tuesday morning, state Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson Caryn Shinske said.
Updates will be provided when they're available, the Fire Service said.
The forest is still recovering from a wildfire that burned nearly 15,000 acres of its land in the Pine Barrens last month. Officials declared the wildfire New Jersey's largest since 2007.
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That fire threatened areas near Batsto Village, as well.
Firefighters believe that blaze was set accidentally due to illegal campfire activity.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/batsto-village-closed-as-fire-crews-battle-forest-fire/article_8565d9ea-01fb-11ed-8306-4b6a7c7e75f0.html | 2022-07-12T17:12:19 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/batsto-village-closed-as-fire-crews-battle-forest-fire/article_8565d9ea-01fb-11ed-8306-4b6a7c7e75f0.html |
ATLANTIC CITY – Without fanfare or much discussion, the Planning Board on Tuesday memorialized a vote approving a waterfront maintenance and operations facility for a wind project in the Bungalow Park neighborhood.
The work is part of a much larger effort to build wind turbines off the coats, which Ørsted North America indicates will mean hundreds of jobs for New Jersey.
The board had discussed the plans in much greater detail at a June meeting. This is the first of two phases, to include the construction of bulkheads at the site and docks to accommodate six boats.
A second phase will include the construction of a building at the site, which is currently a vacant area at the end of Delaware Avenue, adjacent to Delta Basin.
While the plans for offshore wind turbines has proven controversial in the area, this proposal also has detractors.
According to Planning Board member Anthony Vraim, Ørsted plans to host a meet-and-greet to discuss the plans at the Community Baptist Church on New Jersey Avenue at 6 p.m. Thursday. He said this is the second such event to reach out to the neighborhood, with a chance for neighbors to speak with Ørsted representatives.
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“It was pretty interesting the last time.” Vraim said at the meeting. “Of course, it’s a heated debate in the neighborhood.”
Ørsted representatives say the plan is to inform neighbors about the proposal in an informal setting.
One of the conditions imposed by the board was for the applicant to install four-way stop signs with solar-powered lights along New Jersey Avenue from Route 30 to the site. Some neighbors have expressed concerns about increased traffic through the area.
Boats launched from the docks will take engineers and technicians out to build two offshore wind farms, and then maintain and operate the completed turbines.
About 50 to 70 workers will use New Jersey Avenue each day at about 6 a.m. as they arrive to start their 12-hour shift and catch a boat to the worksite, according to information presented to the board in June. The same number of workers will finish their shift about 6 p.m. and will exit by the same route, according to Ørsted.
The site had been an oil depot. Ørsted was named the redeveloper of the site in 2020.
City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, who is also a member of the Planning Board, attended the Tuesday meeting but did not vote on the resolution. He said he was not eligible to vote because he did not attend the June Planning Board meeting where the site plan was discussed and approved.
The second phase will also require Planning Board approval.
Energy company Ørsted has state approval to build two large wind farms off the Atlantic City coast, and promises to provide hundreds of jobs for local and state residents.
The first is expected to power half a million homes, but has encountered resistance from some shore communities over the impact on ocean views. Critics also cite environmental concerns, including the potential impact on marine mammals and other sea life. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/bungalow-park-neighborhood-meeting-thursday-on-wind-project/article_e5768df4-01fe-11ed-a49b-73716b6ed5ac.html | 2022-07-12T17:12:25 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/bungalow-park-neighborhood-meeting-thursday-on-wind-project/article_e5768df4-01fe-11ed-a49b-73716b6ed5ac.html |
ATLANTIC CITY — Workers at five Atlantic City casinos have ratified new contracts giving them significant raises, and are now turning their attention to the two that have yet to settle, their union said Tuesday.
Officials with Local 54 of the Unite Here union said 99% of workers who voted in ratification elections Monday approved the new pacts, under which housekeeping employees will immediately see their hourly salary increased to $18, up from varying levels at different casinos.
Their pay will increase to $22 per hour at the end of the four-year contract.
“It's hard to sell a housekeeping job at $16 an hour,” said union president Bob McDevitt. “It's a lot easier to sell one at $20 or $22 an hour.”
“Casino workers have needed raises for a long time,” added Dave Dorfman, cook at Harrah’s and member of the worker negotiating committee. “Now there is an easier way forward for us, and the money will go a long way towards affording my daily expenses. Next, we need to make sure that Resorts and Golden Nugget workers don’t get left behind.”
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The union plans to vote July 19 on whether to authorize a strike at those two casinos if new deals are not reached by then.
McDevitt said the union has not yet negotiated with Resorts or Golden Nugget. Executives at both those casinos declined comment Tuesday.
McDevitt said the strike authorization vote is a way to prepare for the possibility that a work stoppage may be needed.
“We don't want to be in the last weeks of summer and staring at Labor Day weekend without a new contract,” he said.
In addition to raises, the agreements maintain fully-funded family health care and pension benefits, language that protects jobs and increases work opportunities, and new technology protections, the union said.
The union reached agreements on new contracts shortly before early July strike deadlines with the Borgata, Caesars, Harrah's, Tropicana and Hard Rock. Two other casinos, Bally's and the Ocean Casino Resort, agreed to so-called “me-too” deals, committing themselves to adopt the terms of contracts reached by some of the larger properties in the city. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/casinos/workers-ok-deals-at-5-atlantic-city-casinos-2-more-remain/article_5de48a94-01f9-11ed-b8db-c7be69f96c3f.html | 2022-07-12T17:12:31 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/casinos/workers-ok-deals-at-5-atlantic-city-casinos-2-more-remain/article_5de48a94-01f9-11ed-b8db-c7be69f96c3f.html |
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — Police are searching for a man whom they say shot at his girlfriend's car after she left work on Saturday afternoon.
Police were called to Pennsylvania Avenue, in the township's Whitesboro section, around 4:04 p.m.
Police approached the woman, who said her boyfriend, 22-year-old Malik Brogden, of Maryland, fired one shot toward her car, police said.
The woman was unharmed by the shooting, and her vehicle was not damaged.
The woman said Brogden first approached her at her job. Brogden followed the woman, where he fired the gun at her car on Pennsylvania Avenue, police said.
A warrant has been issued for Brogden's arrest. He's charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a handgun without a permit and stalking, police said.
Brogden was last seen driving by the woman in his vehicle, which is a black, two-door 2013 Mercedes-Benz 350, with a Maryland Temporary Registration.
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Anyone who knows about Brogden's whereabouts or has possibly seen his car is urged to contact the township police Major Crimes Unit, at 609-465-8700, or the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, at 609-465-1135. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/info-sought-to-arrest-man-accused-of-shooting-at-girlfriend-in-middle-township/article_5b73db46-01ec-11ed-b04f-af575a571756.html | 2022-07-12T17:12:37 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/info-sought-to-arrest-man-accused-of-shooting-at-girlfriend-in-middle-township/article_5b73db46-01ec-11ed-b04f-af575a571756.html |
HOUSTON — A sergeant with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office was removed as a Little League baseball coach due to his actions after a game in west Houston last weekend.
Kenneth Wendt's poor sportsmanship was caught on camera after his 9-and-under Scorpions Baseball team lost to Prospects Baseball on Saturday.
The game was over, but the drama was just getting started. The two teams lined up to high-five, but Wendt, who is seen in the video wearing khaki shorts, took it too far. He's seen bumping into the first kids in the line.
Parents are angry, saying he was too aggressive.
"Nothing in the world gives you the right to do that to kids," Prospects 9U baseball coach Victor Torres said.
Torres said you'd expect it from the kids, but not the coach.
"They come in and they slap you hard on the hand. And you'll be like, 'hey, don't do that.' But an adult, you wouldn't expect it," Torres said. "I was upset. I was really upset."
Scorpions Baseball sent KHOU 11 News this statement:
"His actions were unacceptable and do not align with our organization’s values. We removed him from coaching and from our club about 8:30 a.m. Sunday."
"How is that even possible," Torres said. "You hold them to a higher standard. And then you come out here and do that to kids, to 9-year-old kids."
A parent from the Scorpions, who was at the game Saturday, is defending the former coach.
“We have known the Wendt family for two years and Kenny has always been a great husband, father, and coach. He spends an extraordinary amount of time in coaching and helping kids and their families both on and off the field.,” the parent said.
Torres said it's a teachable moment for everyone.
"Just like I tell my kids" 'We don't lose, we learn,'" Torres said. "You don't do that to 9-year-olds. You don't put your hands on 9-year-olds. Especially not someone else's child."
The Harris County Constable Precinct 5 Office is aware of the incident and is investigating. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 | 2022-07-12T17:13:51 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/little-league-baseball-coach-removed-rough-encounter-opposing-players-after-loss/285-d9898a7e-7b3d-46bc-a058-6c38bf4999a6 |
INDIANAPOLIS — Two Indianapolis firefighters were slightly injured Sunday morning when a ceiling collapsed while they were working to put out a house fire on the southeast side.
The fire was dispatched at 8:25 a.m. near the intersection of East Minnesota and Draper streets.
The house was vacant and there were no other injuries.
Crews were able to put out fire in 20 minutes.
The cause is under investigation.
Neighbors said squatters may be to blame for starting the fire, according to a Twitter post by IFD.
IFD also responded overnight to another vacant house fire at 48 North Bradley Avenue on the east side. There, the original fire spread north and south to damage neighboring homes that were also vacant.
There were no injuries and neighbors said they saw squatters using those houses. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/ifd-firefighters-injured-by-ceiling-collapse-in-vacant-house-squatters/531-1e073527-41c2-4e87-8d9b-bf0eef32b39d | 2022-07-12T17:16:10 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/ifd-firefighters-injured-by-ceiling-collapse-in-vacant-house-squatters/531-1e073527-41c2-4e87-8d9b-bf0eef32b39d |
Funeral Wednesday for firefighter who fought to keep memory of 9/11 alive
It was Bloomington firefighter Robert Loviscek Jr. who hauled an 1,800-pound steel I-beam salvaged from the World Trade Center to Bloomington as a monument and forever reminder of what happened Sept. 11, 2001.
The U.S. Marine Corps veteran, who died July 5 while visiting his family's Monticello lake house, worked two years to acquire the 12-foot-long beam. It was among nearly 2 million tons of rubble workers cleared from the site where terrorists flew planes into the twin towers.
Loviscek solemnly ushered the relic, covered with an American flag, about 800 miles from New York City to Bloomington on a flatbed trailer in 2011.
More:Read Robert Loviscek Jr.'s obituary
He became the caretaker of the beam, promising it would become part of a public 9/11 memorial so people could see and touch an artifact Loviscek called "a tangible reminder of the tragedy and the bravery that took place on that fateful day.”
For a year, he hauled it to fairs, festivals and parades around southern Indiana for people to see, to remind them of a tragedy he worried would fade into history.
Loviscek was 53 when he died, and was the logistics officer for the Bloomington Fire Department. He worked there 20 years and had been president of the firefighters' union.
“When someone earns the title of firefighter, they do so making a life-long commitment of self-sacrifice and putting service over self," Bloomington Fire Department Chief Jason Moore said in a written statement.
"Bob Loviscek spent his life honoring that commitment and served our community well, We sincerely appreciate the community support for Bob’s family and our department members as we try to navigate the world without Bob.”
Loviscek organized dinners for people who retired and fundraisers for those in need. He helped plan funerals and served as a member of the honor guard at public events and burials.
In 2016, the 9/11 beam he brought to Bloomington was installed in a permanent 9/11 memorial on the grounds of Ivy Tech Community College. That's where Loviscek's funeral is being held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 13, in Shreve Auditorium.
Everyone who attends can visit the 9/11 memorial, a battered and rusted piece of steel filled with concrete and studded with rebar. Loviscek would have liked that.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Hit’n It Hard from the Yard firefighting training program or the Monroe County Veteran’s Honor Guard in care of The Funeral Chapel in Bloomington.
Contact reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com, 812-331-4362 or 812-318-5967. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/robert-loviscek-obituary-funeral-memorial-services-bloomington-firefighter/10032377002/ | 2022-07-12T17:17:40 | 0 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/robert-loviscek-obituary-funeral-memorial-services-bloomington-firefighter/10032377002/ |
Many struggle to find a doctor to tie their tubes. Roe's overturn may make it harder
Katie Rose Stempf lives in a small, religious Indiana town where people are "very antiquated with their beliefs." It's the place where her mother was denied birth control years prior because she was considered too young, despite already having kids.
When Stempf first wanted to get her "tubes tied," a colloquial term for tubal ligation, the Catholic hospital she went to talked her into an IUD instead. Within four years, she developed precancerous lesions from the implanted contraceptive.
"That made me want to just be done with birth control," she said.
The scare reignited her desire to end her chances of an unplanned pregnancy for good.
She already had two kids. She was going back to college. She was married once before but is now a single mom. She was 36. She couldn't afford another child. Other forms of birth control messed with her hormones. Still, she had to be stubborn and persistent to receive the procedure.
Stempf eventually was given a referral to a Bloomington specialist to treat the lesions and ultimately tie her fallopian tubes. Four years ago, she made the 50-minute drive from Loogootee — the same trek others make to receive reproductive healthcare.
Others are reading: Threats, vandalism and the First Amendment: Indiana town divided by LGBTQ Pride display
Amid the expected loss of abortion rights for many people in the U.S., and possibly access to contraceptives, the conversation regarding the barriers to a procedure permanently curbing the risk of pregnancy has intensified. Some doctors have turned away people with uteruses, saying they are too young, need their husband's consent or may change their mind later.
What is tubal ligation?
When a person says they want to get their "tubes tied," they want to receive a tubal ligation, which is a form of sterilization. Many receive this procedure after childbirth, but it can be done at anytime.
During this procedure, the fallopian tubes, which are the avenues that the egg travels from the ovaries to the uterus, are cut, tied or blocked. This permanently prevents natural pregnancy, but IVF can still be possible. While the procedure is generally very safe, there are some rare risks, including infection or ectopic pregnancy. Reversals have been performed before, but it is not always available, possible or successful.
Since the procedure is permanent, a few safeguards have been put in place by local governments and doctor's offices. In Indiana, a person needs to be 21 or older, give consent and be mentally competent to be sterilized. Some places require a waiting period. Consent forms are also common.
Hit or miss healthcare
Some doctors don't trust women to understand the permanence of this procedure or anticipate the effect on later reproductive decisions, said Jennifer Drobac, an Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis law professor. When doctors consider the impact of a woman's decision on husbands or male partners, Drobac said it assumes that woman does not have full autonomy of her body.
"This type of thinking that you can't legally function without your husband is a notion that was active in 1868," Drobac said, "the period in time that the Dobbs majority would like to take us back to."
A 2010 study found providers were significantly more likely to dissuade a person with a uterus from tubal ligation if that person was young, had fewer children or was not on the same page as her husband. If a patient is persistent, the study said most doctors eventually helped them receive the procedure.
Denying a person something that isn't necessarily a right but other people can access opens the door to discrimination. In the case of tubal ligation, Drobac said denying a younger, unmarried woman could be seen as age and marital discrimination.
The American Medical Association code of ethics says physicians are "free to choose whom to serve" but also have "an ethical responsibility to place patients’ welfare above the physician’s own self-interest." During the Trump presidency, the AMA said it would protect those who refuse to perform certain services that violate their religious views.
Regardless, Drobac said she would not return to a doctor who would question her medical decisions based on her gender or for religious reasons. That action would show the doctor does not view the patient as a person capable of making decisions about their body, she said.
Legal considerations
People who regret the decision, later on, may blame the doctor, she said, but legal risks can be mitigated through a consent form with clear language that it is non-reversible.
Doctors are risk-averse to lawsuits, which will only be emphasized by the recent Supreme Court ruling, said Lucía Guerra-Reyes, an Indiana University School of Public Health professor.
"All of this sort of is a patriarchal notion that men, men in power, in this case, know best about what women's needs are," Guerra-Reyes said.
Medical professionals already have significant power, she said, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade only gives doctors more agency to decide what rights a person can access. It gives them an opportunity to impose their own morals onto their patients, she said.
"There's no other thing that I know of that has this much pushback, that impedes on men's bodies," she said.
There are a few other surgeries similar to tubal ligation. One is a hysterectomy or the removal of the uterus, which is often sought by those with endometriosis. Another is a vasectomy, which is when the tubes in the scrotum are cut or blocked. The procedure is less expensive, more accessible and a largely accepted practice.
Deteriorating access
Just as limiting abortion access disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities, so does the availability of tubal ligation.
Low-income minority women were less likely to be sterilized due to doctoral dissuasion, a study published in 2014 reported. Also, low-income and minority groups have lower rates of health literacy, and a tubal ligation typically requires a consent form.
Restricting access most affects the people who don't have the knowledge, resources or money to navigate a restricted system, Guerra-Reyes said. In rural areas, people may only go where their insurance is accepted or to the only hospital in their town.
"Not everybody can go elsewhere. Not everybody knows there's an elsewhere. Not everybody has the money to go elsewhere," Guerra-Reyes said. "They don't have any way of circumventing this."
Legal questions: Monroe County prosecutor will use discretion in abortion cases when state law passes
Some can drive 12 minutes across Bloomington to Planned Parenthood, but that's the amount of time it takes Stempf to get to her nearest gas station. A roundtrip to Bloomington takes her just under 2 hours.
About one in seven patients in the U.S. receives care from a religiously-affiliated institution. These hospitals may have restrictive policies, like what Stempf experienced in Jasper, and can lead to increased repeat pregnancy rates.
"Bloomington has been the friend of women in this area, I believe, for the last 20 years," she said.
Bloomington is a haven for women in surrounding counties to receive reproductive healthcare, Stempf said. In addition to her experience, she has helped women in similar situations in her community find religiously controversial care. She is worried what will happen when these resources are further constricted.
Many across the county are flocking to social media to find gynecologists said to perform tubal ligations. A spreadsheet passed around online lists doctors who may possibly perform the procedure without age or martial bias. This list is not exhaustive, but about 30 Indiana doctors are included — none in Bloomington. The closest providers listed are an hour away in and around Indianapolis.
There are providers in Bloomington who do perform tubal ligation, including IU Health. Spokesperson Samantha Kirby did not comment specifically on IU Health's protocol for the procedure and said the hospital system cannot speculate on possible state Legislature actions.
Stempf said she likely would not have gotten the procedure done if her insurance wasn't as good as it was.
Issues arise for people regarding how much of the procedure is covered and whether it is private insurance or Medicaid that pays. About a decade ago, fewer than 25% of publicly funded clinics offered tubal sterilization, which affects low-income people reliant on those services.
Where is the line?
There is currently no legal prohibition on tubal ligation, but Drobac said some states' legislation is edging toward it. If the law defines any interference of a mature egg as illegal, tubal ligation could be outlawed.
Drobac said the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24 is like a Jenga tower of other rights tumbling over. Roe stems from the Ninth Amendment, which expresses that not all rights held are listed in the Constitution. Multiple other rights are determined on the same basis, including much of family law, including the right to marry. However, she said the U.S. Supreme Court ignored this clause and instead focused on what was not included in the 14th Amendment to invalid the 1973 ruling.
"When you pull out abortion, you risk the integrity of the interpretation of liberty," she said. "I think it raises just a ton of questions."
An unclear future: What’s next? The implications of a post-Roe v. Wade world remain murky
Guerra-Reyes said she is concerned contraceptive access will be more strictly regulated. She recalls it was not too long ago that a medical reason was necessary to receive birth control.
"All of the things that allow us to actually decide if we want to have children and when we want to have children are in danger," she said. "In essence, it negates our humanity."
When she was going through the process, Stempf felt her providers thought she wasn't educated enough to make her own decision, that she hadn't done her research.
She felt a weight off her shoulders when she finally received her tubal ligation. She no longer had to worry about her IUD putting her at risk, birth control messing with her hormones or finding out she's pregnant.
"It could have been a long time ago."
Cate Charron is an intern at The Herald-Times. You can reach her over email at ccharron@heraldt.com or on Twitter at @CateCharron. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/roes-overturn-may-make-harder-those-who-want-get-tubes-tied/7765626001/ | 2022-07-12T17:17:41 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/roes-overturn-may-make-harder-those-who-want-get-tubes-tied/7765626001/ |
Navajo residents seek 'just and equitable' help after closure of power plant, coal mine
Roberto Nutlouis says residents of Navajo Nation communities directly hurt by the closure of a huge coal-fired power plant near Page deserve a just and equitable transition from the coal industry, which adversely affected the area's land, water and people while benefitting cities like Phoenix and Tucson.
Nutlouis, who lives in Pinon, made his case last week to Sandra Kennedy, a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission, who visited the Hardrock Chapter House on the Navajo Nation to hear about what's happened in the region since the November 2019 closure of the Navajo Generating Station and the coal mining operations that supplied it.
Similar meetings were held in Tuba City, Kayenta and on the Hopi reservation.
“There’s a lot of lack of basic infrastructure here in the Black Mesa region,” Nutlouis told Kennedy. “A lot of these infrastructures should've been developed but unfortunately through these unjust policies created, and contracts that were negotiated, we lost billions of dollars that could’ve been invested in our communities for social development."
Navajo Generating System, along with the Kayenta Mine, had employed about 700 workers and brought in between $30 million to $50 million in revenue for the Navajo Nation. For much of its 40-year lifespan, the power plant helped move water from the Colorado River through the Central Arizona Project Canal to Phoenix and Tucson, allowing those cities to grow.
"We basically subsidized those dollars again, for the development of Phoenix and the way we see it today, for Tucson, and other cities that have benefited,” Nutlouis said. “Arizona the state has reaped billions in revenues from taxes that were paid from all of this. Just and equitable transition is what we are owed.”
Upgrades for the Navajo Nation:$1B in recovery funds to update infrastructure and create new jobs
The hearings gave the commission a chance to hear from the region's citizens about the effects of coal mine closures, and gave the communities a chance to explain why the commission should support a $100 million Just Transition agreement.
The Navajo Nation and Arizona Public Service established the Just Transition agreement to provide money for the Navajo Nation over 10 years to help address the effects of the closure of power plants. Key aspects of the agreement are now subject to approval by the corporation commission.
The agreement includes $100 million for general economic recovery, an additional $10 million specifically for electrification efforts on the Navajo Nation, a commitment to conduct or fund an assessment of the nation’s unelectrified homes and businesses. It also includes an assurance that APS will purchase 600 megawatts of renewable electricity generation from the nation or nearby communities.
Plant's closure meant lost revenue
During the Kayenta hearing, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez told Kennedy why the commission should support the agreement. He said while growing up in Kayenta, many of the community members worked at Peabody Coal Mine and Navajo Generating Station. Now those jobs have been lost, along with the revenue the Navajo Nation was receiving from these companies.
“When the decision was made to close the Navajo Generating Station there was no heads up on this closure,” said Nez. “There was really no preparation.”
Nez applauded the commission for holding town halls to gather information about the affected communities. He said communities on and around the nation are different from those in Phoenix. It’s important for the commissioners to gather information and better understand Navajo communities and the effects of the coal plants' shutdown.
“It’s important to reiterate that the nation’s coal community transition funds should be approved immediately,” said Nez. “Ongoing delays hurt the community and our ability to properly plan for an economic transition beyond coal. NGS is already retired. Cholla will be soon. This timeline should not be forgotten.”
The coal-fired Cholla power plant operates near Joseph City, south of the Navajo Nation in Navajo County. It is expected to close by 2025.
At another hearing at the Hopi Junior-Senior High School, the tribe’s vice chairman, Craig Andrews, described a blackout the Hopi community had recently experienced. He said such incidents impact the tribe, and because a large amount of the tribe's budget came from NGS the tribal government is not working adequately enough.
“Everyone knows the revenue source for the Hopi tribe has dwindled with the closure of NGS,” said Andrews. “NGS was 85% revenue to the Hopi tribe. It's a great impact and we are feeling it. We’re crippled. I’m pleading to the commission to help us here on the Hopi tribe with our power post-upgrading.”
Little information in the beginning
The Navajo Generating Station was built to supply power for the Central Arizona Project, authorized in 1968 by Congress to move water from the Colorado River to Phoenix and Tucson.
Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall proposed the construction of a large coal-fired power plant in lieu of a hydroelectric dam in the Grand Canyon for CAP. Udall worked to build the power plant on tribal land to provide the Navajo Nation with revenues and jobs.
The plant was approved along with the passage of mining leases between the Navajo Nation and Peabody Western Coal Company to supply coal from Black Mesa to the plant. The Kayenta Mine supplied NGS with coal, writes Andrew Curley, University of Arizona assistant professor of geography, in his “T’áá hwo ají t’eego and the Moral Economy of Navajo Coal Workers" article.
“When I first came out of college in the early 70’s my mother said to me ‘there’s a meeting down the road,” recalled Percy Deal at the Hardrock Chapter town hall. “We went over there. The people there were mostly elderly people. They were having a hard time communicating with the visitors. The visitors were representing the Peabody industry, the federal government and the Navajo Nation.”
He said at the time, people were unaware of a lease that had been approved. The people who were being told of this lease weren’t educated in the western education system, Deal said, and few had gone to school.
“The issue here was that the people were told an industry was going to come in and mine coal,” said Deal. “They were not told that in addition to mining coal, they were going to mine water for a period of 50 years. I don't know if anyone can imagine 50 years from now? But that’s what they were told.”
At the same town hall, and speaking in Navajo, Lorraine Herder told Kennedy of the natural springs that no longer exist because of the mining. She said she has to haul water for the livestock and for herself as there is no running water, which is the case for many of the people in her community and many areas of the Navajo Nation.
When the coal company came, she said they had depleted the water, which affected livestock and medicinal plants.
Other community members described decades of watching the power plant and coal mine take precious water sources, pollute the air, extract materials from the earth, all while Navajo community members' health suffered and communities lacked electricity and running water.
Help needed for local infrastructure
To add insult to injury, Curley wrote, the power plant's operators did not fulfill an agreement to stay in operation until 2044, a tactic that he said “follows a long pattern of settlers buying time with tribal nations in unequal negotiations only to unilaterally abandon them in the end when circumstances shift more in the colonizer’s favor.”
“The Navajo Nation went into these negotiations to continue operation to the end of the original contract, which was 2019,” said Nicole Horseherder, founder of Tó Nizhóní Ání, a grassroots organization. “It was only through that agreement that operations continued. We never planned for transition. Industry never helped us plan for transition. APS, SRP, TEP, L.A., Nevada, the Bureau of Reclamation never helped us plan.”
She said the Navajo Nation itself never planned for transition, but the local communities knew that it would all shut down and that transition would have to happen.
Horseherder, a well known water rights activist and member of the Hardrock chapter, said the community has the most disconnected roads as it goes from some paved roads to a majority of unpaved roads. Coal mines and the power plant may have provided revenue to the central Navajo Nation government, but that wasn’t the case for the directly affected communities, which had no choice but to host the coal mine and power plant.
Horseherder said the reduced money in the Just Transition agreement is not enough, and that she hopes the commissioners will consider restoring it to the original amount of about $127 million for the Navajo Nation in a span of 10 years. She said she knows some of the other four commissioners, who did not attend the hearings, have their doubts that the funds are actually needed or that it can be managed.
“I want the commission to approve the Just Transition packet before you,” said Horseherder. “So that communities like Hardrock, and all the communities on Black Mesa, who share the same water source that industry used for the last nearly 50 years, can get some support. So that they can move forward to diversify the economy, build basic infrastructure, and help the local community. For almost 50 years our basic resources were dedicated to industry.”
The Arizona Republic reached out to Kennedy, but the commission's communication director said because of legal concerns, commissioners were unable to provide comment.
Arlyssa D. Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter @ABecenti.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/07/12/navajo-generating-station-closure-hurt-communities-residents-say/10027935002/ | 2022-07-12T17:21:52 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/07/12/navajo-generating-station-closure-hurt-communities-residents-say/10027935002/ |
What to Know
- A 72-year-old is recovering after he was attacked and robbed inside a Manhattan subway station Monday, police said.
- The attack took place around 1:40 a.m. Monday at the 7th Avenue and West 42nd Street subway station in Times Square.
A 72-year-old is recovering after he was attacked and robbed inside a Manhattan subway station Monday, and authorities are searching for the man responsible for the brutal assault, police said.
At around 1:40 a.m. Monday the 72-year-old man was walking down the staircase at the 7th Avenue and West 42nd Street subway station' s 1 line in Times Square, when an unidentified man began a verbal dispute with him, and unprovoked, then struck him with a closed fist multiple times to the left eye, according to the NYPD.
The suspect, according to police, then stole personal items, including the 72-year-old man's wallet, which contained about $350 before fleeing.
The 72-year-old man was left with cuts to upper lip and left cheek and was taken to Mt. Sinai West Hospital in stable condition.
Police are now searching for the man responsible, describing him as being around 20 to 30 years of age and last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants, white and black sneakers, black hat, headphones and seen carrying a black book bag and a red book bag.
Police shared photos and video of the suspect obtained by the MTA.
News
Authorities urge anyone with information to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/72-year-old-man-randomly-attacked-robbed-in-times-square-subway-station-nypd/3770764/ | 2022-07-12T17:25:23 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/72-year-old-man-randomly-attacked-robbed-in-times-square-subway-station-nypd/3770764/ |
UTICA, N.Y. – Fire officials say no one was injured in a house fire on Ridge Road in Utica early Tuesday morning.
Fire crews were called to the home around 2:40 a.m. to find heavy fire coming from the roof and thick smoke billowing out of the house.
The residents were able to safely leave the house before fire crews arrived at the scene.
Upon arrival, firefighters used two hose lines to extinguish the fire in the roof area above three rooms on the first floor.
Officials say the fire started outside in the back of the home and was confined to the three rooms and the roof of the area above the garage.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/utica-family-able-to-get-out-of-burning-home-safely-cause-under-investigation/article_42138b14-01f2-11ed-9da3-c7aac5aaa8ab.html | 2022-07-12T17:26:30 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/utica-family-able-to-get-out-of-burning-home-safely-cause-under-investigation/article_42138b14-01f2-11ed-9da3-c7aac5aaa8ab.html |
Greg Conley, McKinney Police Chief since 2015, will be retiring effective Sept. 30 and transitioning to a new Director of Public Safety role, the City of McKinney announced Monday.
Conley will begin his new role on Oct. 1, pending City Council approval in the next budget, the city said.
Assistant Chief Joe Ellenburg will serve as interim Police Chief beginning Oct. 1. The city will conduct a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.
As Director of Public Safety, Conley will oversee McKinney's Police and Fire Departments, the Office of Emergency Management and help strengthen the city's policies concerning public safety.
"As the city continues to experience rapid growth, we need someone who can invest more time and thought in collaborating with our community's institutions, such as schools, faith-based organizations, and retail and commercial partners, to better protect those who live and work in McKinney," said Mayor George Fuller.
The city said the new role will include developing robust public safety policies relating to schools, gun violence response and emergency management functions to better respond to airport emergencies and public safety concerns in unincorporated areas.
"It has been my distinct honor to serve as Chief of Police for the City of McKinney since April 2015," said Conley. "I look forward to the new challenges this position will bring and am pleased I will still be closely involved with our excellent Police and Fire Departments." | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/mckinney-police-chief-retiring-moving-to-new-position/3012022/ | 2022-07-12T17:28:05 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/mckinney-police-chief-retiring-moving-to-new-position/3012022/ |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The first community conversation on the redevelopment of St. Pete's Historic Gas Plant District is set for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
These conversations come after St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch announced a request for proposals for the Tropicana Field site redevelopment, located in the historic district, at the end of June.
The initial RFP, or request for proposal, was canceled due to a change in the environment, leaders said. The economic downturn from COVID-19, the affordable housing crisis and a study that revealed deep-rooted structural racism impacting the lives of Black people in St. Pete prompted the push for a new proposal.
The 86-acre district was once home to a thriving Black neighborhood that was destroyed for new development, including Tropicana Field in the 1980s.
After years of promises from officials about jobs and community involvement, Welch wants to allow the public to give input on the new RFP.
“Equitable redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District must respond to current economic conditions, challenges and questions facing our St. Petersburg community. Public engagement is a key component in ensuring we are responding to residents’ needs,” Welch said in a press release.
What can be expected at these meetings?
Community members are welcome to participate in conversations surrounding redevelopment priorities "including but not limited to equitable economic opportunities, affordable and workforce housing, economic impact, jobs, sustainability, equity and community impact," the release read.
The input from the public will be used to inform the city administration's decisions as the new RFP for site redevelopment is created to be released in August, according to the release.
All meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Here are the dates and locations for the upcoming meetings:
- July 12 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete located in the Lakeview Shopping Center at 2333 34th St. S.
- July 19 at the St. Petersburg College-Gibbs campus at 6605 5th Ave. N.
- July 28 at USF St Pete at 140 7th Ave. S.
Community members should RSVP to the meetings here.
Those who are unable to attend the community conversations in person can provide input virtually here.
More information on the RFP announcement can be found here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/historic-gas-plant-district-st-pete-tropicana-field-community-meeting-involvement/67-a29a0da8-b7d3-447e-a8df-d21b032d65d2 | 2022-07-12T17:38:40 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/historic-gas-plant-district-st-pete-tropicana-field-community-meeting-involvement/67-a29a0da8-b7d3-447e-a8df-d21b032d65d2 |
LITHONIA, Ga. — Police and fire crews are on the scene of a DeKalb County Little Caesars where a suspected burglar was pulled from an exhaust vent after getting trapped Tuesday morning.
DeKalb County police told 11Alive that crews responded around 9:20 a.m. at the pizza restaurant off Covington Highway. The fire chief said the suspect had been in there for hours.
Authorities say the man was discovered by Army recruiters working next door as they came into wok for the day. By 10:30 a.m., 11Alive crews on scene saw the man being removed.
"I'm not sure what time the restaurant closes at night but the oven still gives off heat after they close I imagine," DeKalb Fire Cpt. Jason Daniels said. "For him to get down into the pipe and escape with no injuries, again he had to do it in a certain window of time when the oven was cool enough and obviously nobody was there."
The man walked into an ambulance shortly after being removed and was taken to the hospital. We were told he was thirsty and hungry.
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.wtsp.com/article/news/local/possible-burglar-trapped-grease-duct/85-e270ee76-3c49-4291-b7b4-93896405b66f | 2022-07-12T17:38:46 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/possible-burglar-trapped-grease-duct/85-e270ee76-3c49-4291-b7b4-93896405b66f |
CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — The Cato Park Swimming Pool on Charleston’s West Side hill opens again on Tuesday at noon after being closed since June 26.
On June 26, Charleston, WV Parks and Recreation posted on Facebook that the pool was closed due to maintenance issues out of their control and that they were working diligently to fix the issue.
From June 26 to July 6, Parks and Recreation continued to post that the pool was closed due to maintenance issues while apologizing to Charleston residents for the inconvenience. Then, nothing was posted about the pool from July 6 to July 11.
On Tuesday, July 12, Parks and Recreation made a Facebook post saying Cato Pool would open that day at noon.
For more information about Cato Park and its swimming pool, click here. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/charlestons-cato-pool-opens-again-tuesday-at-noon/ | 2022-07-12T17:38:53 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/charlestons-cato-pool-opens-again-tuesday-at-noon/ |
KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – The Kanawha County Commission has filed a formal complaint against Frontier Communications.
The complaint, sent to the West Virginia Public Service Commission, states that the commission was alerted on Friday, July 8 that customers in the Laurel Fork and Ben’s Fork areas near Quick in Kanawha County had allegedly been without service for more than 30 days.
“This is a complete failure on behalf of Frontier to provide services to these residents,” the commission says in the complaint. “Moreover, Frontier’s delays in making the necessary repairs have created a serious public health and public safety situation. Therefore, we are now asking the PSC to accept this letter as a formal complaint against Frontier. No one deserves to be treated in such a disrespectful manner.”
The commissioners say they reached out to the company to lodge an informal complaint and to find out why the issue was happening. They say they filed the formal complaint because as of Monday, July 11, the issue had not been resolved.
According to the complaint, the commissioners are requesting the PSC to require Frontier to complete necessary repairs and credit customers for the days they were without service. They are also asking the PSC for an audit on the number of outages and complaints Frontier receives as well as the company’s response and the reasons for any delays. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/complaint-alleges-frontier-customers-have-been-without-service-for-over-1-month/ | 2022-07-12T17:38:59 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/complaint-alleges-frontier-customers-have-been-without-service-for-over-1-month/ |
CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) will receive federal reimbursements for purchases of protective gear and disinfecting supplies used for patient care during COVID-19.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will give CAMC $1,868,053, as announced on Tuesday by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).
“Our medical professionals at CAMC sprang into action at the beginning of the pandemic to treat those who were infected and help stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” Capito said. “There is no doubt that their actions helped save the lives of so many West Virginians.”
The funding comes after the $3,504,837 that Senators Capito and Manchin announced for CAMC in December 2021.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has tested every West Virginian, especially our healthcare workers and first responders who have gone above and beyond throughout the crisis to keep our fellow West Virginians safe,” Senator Manchin said. “I am pleased CAMC is receiving $1.8 million in reimbursements from FEMA for personal protective equipment and disinfecting supplies used during the pandemic.” | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/fema-to-give-1-8b-to-camc-for-covid-19-supplies-costs/ | 2022-07-12T17:39:05 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/fema-to-give-1-8b-to-camc-for-covid-19-supplies-costs/ |
FRANKFORT, KY (WOWK) – Kentucky has reached a new milestone in economic growth. According to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, the state’s General Fund receipts for the 2022 fiscal year grew at its highest rate in 31 years.
The Office of the State Budget Director says the fund receipts totaled approximately $14.7 billion, which is a 14.6% growth over last year. The office also says the total exceeded the state’s estimate by approximately $945.5 million. Beshear’s office says officials expect the surplus to be “even higher” after the books close on spending later in July.
The governor’s office says this year’s total is the second-highest revenue surplus the state has ever seen, following the record high from the 2021 fiscal year. Beshear also says Kentucky’s Rainy Day fund is expected to reach $2.7 billion once the books close later this month.
“One of my most important jobs as Governor is to ensure the financial strength and solvency of our great commonwealth – essentially to make sure our financial house is in order,” Beshear said. “These receipts show that personal income, sales and business income are all going up significantly, and even our road fund is up. My administration has now delivered the highest and second-highest revenue surpluses in the history of Kentucky, thanks to strong fiscal management and a hot, record-breaking economy.”
The full report from the Office of the State Budget Director is available on the office’s website. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/kentucky-reports-highest-economic-growth-over-30-years/ | 2022-07-12T17:39:11 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/kentucky-reports-highest-economic-growth-over-30-years/ |
CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – The Mountain State has received approval for benefits from its Summer Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer program to go to eligible school-aged children and eligible children who are not yet enrolled in school, the West Virginia Department of Education says.
According to the WVDE, the program will provide a one-one time summer feeding benefit of $391 for each eligible child that will be deposited onto their WV-PEBT card. The WVDE says the state will not be utilizing the Mountain State EBT cards for this round of benefit distributions.
Officials say those eligible will receive the benefit in August, but an exact date has not been announced at this time.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the WVDE and the West Virginia Department for Health and Human Resources. According to the organizations, to be eligible to receive the funds, children must meet certain requirements:
- For school-aged children, the student must have been enrolled in a school for the 2021-2022 school year that participates in the National School Lunch Program as of May 31, 2022, and must qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
- For children not yet enrolled in school, the child must be under 6 years old and live in a household that receives SNAP benefits.
The WVDE says children under 6-years-old who become eligible for SNAP or students who become eligible for free or reduced price meals will be considered eligible for the Sumer P-EBT benefits and will be issued the full amount in “an exception process” at the end of the summer period.
According to the WVDE, any students from schools participating in the National School Lunch Program who were not eligible, but have since experienced a financial change that could make them eligible will need to contact their county or school’s child nutrition contact for an application to receive free or reduced-priced meals before July 31.
For more information on the state’s P-EBT programs, visit the WVDE website. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/summer-p-ebt-benefits-available-for-eligible-west-virginia-children/ | 2022-07-12T17:39:17 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/summer-p-ebt-benefits-available-for-eligible-west-virginia-children/ |
CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — The West Virginia Homeowners Rescue Program continues to financially aid residents with late mortgages, past-due utilities, property taxes, homeowners insurance and other housing costs.
Who qualifies?
Homeowners could receive program assistance if they have been financially affected by COVID-19 and meet other qualifications. Applicants without a mortgage may also qualify for aid with other housing costs.
Further qualifications to be eligible for the Homeowner Rescue Program include:
- Applicants must currently own and occupy a property as their primary residence.
- The property must be in West Virginia.
- Household income cannot be higher than 150% of the Area Median Income or 100% of the U.S. median income, whichever is greater. To view AMI limits for each county, click here.
- Homeowners must have experienced financial hardship after Jan. 21, 2020, including difficulties before that date but continued beyond it due to COVID-19. These hardships include job loss, reduction in household income, healthcare costs, or other financial problems related to COVID-19.
Since the launch of the West Virginia Homeowners Rescue Program in March 2020, about $3 million in federal emergency funds have gone to nearly 800 eligible residents affected by COVID-19. While much of that money went to late mortgages, over $1.4 million paid for past-due utilities, taxes and insurance bills.
The county assessor and many insurance providers and utility providers do not provide assistance for housing costs. This leaves some West Virginia homeowners behind in those payments, struggling to catch up, says Jessica Greathouse, Special Programs Manager for the West Virginia Housing Development Fund, overseeing the Homeowners Rescue Program.
“This program is designed to help people stay in and keep their homes,” Greathouse says. ” … This program can help homeowners catch up on their power and other important utilities like water, gas, and sewer, as well as other eligible housing costs.”
Beyond financial assistance, the program provides free, professional housing counseling that can help people solve money problems connected to homeownership.
For information, visit the website for the West Virginia Homeowners Rescue Program or call 1-844-542-0035.
Information about application status, documents required to apply, and frequently asked questions can be found on the program’s website. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/west-virginians-impacted-by-covid-19-can-get-utility-help-via-homeowners-rescue-program/ | 2022-07-12T17:39:23 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/west-virginians-impacted-by-covid-19-can-get-utility-help-via-homeowners-rescue-program/ |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/behind-the-scenes-of-nj-amazon-facility-on-prime-day/3296912/ | 2022-07-12T17:43:38 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/behind-the-scenes-of-nj-amazon-facility-on-prime-day/3296912/ |
GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. (WJRT) - Anyone without an appointment to drop off hard to dispose items at Genesee County's next Recycle Day will have to wait longer.
Appointments are fully booked for the Recycle Day scheduled for July 19 at Carman-Ainsworth Middle School. That means anyone who doesn't have an appointment will have to try again for the Aug. 23 Recycle Day.
Anyone who shows up at the July 19 Recycle Day without an appointment will be turned away.
Appointments for the Aug. 23 event will open two weeks ahead of time on Aug. 9. Recycle Day hours have been extended from 1 to 6 p.m. to allow for more appointment slots.
Recycle Day events allow Genesee County residents to dispose of items and materials that occasionally aren't accepted in regular residential trash pickups.
The July 19 Recycle Day is the first to require advance appointments. The Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission, which manages the Recycle Days, launched the new format to alleviate long waits and traffic problems.
The Recycle Day in May collected 192,500 pounds of hazardous waste from 1,250 Genesee County residents. Residents complained of massive traffic congestion and long waits at the Recycle Day in June.
Click here for more information about Recycle Days in Genesee County, including lists of what types of waste are and are not accepted. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/appointments-fully-booked-for-genesee-countys-next-recycle-day/article_948cb100-01e2-11ed-b74d-ab235e4c861f.html | 2022-07-12T17:44:14 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/appointments-fully-booked-for-genesee-countys-next-recycle-day/article_948cb100-01e2-11ed-b74d-ab235e4c861f.html |
FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) - Summer school classes are canceled Tuesday after fire crews responded to flames at Carman-Ainsworth High School.
Flint Township Assistant Fire Chief Mark Rowley said the building's fire suppression system contained the flames before fire crews arrived around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
Firefighters found small fires in several parts of the school. An additional fire was located outside the school in a grassy area.
The Flint Township Fire Department received assistance from Swartz Creek and Flushing fire crews. No injuries were reported from the fire and crews on the scene could not say how badly the school was damaged.
Firefighters went through each classroom to make sure the fire was out. An investigation into what caused the fire will continue. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/several-fires-in-carman-ainsworth-high-school-cancel-summer-classes/article_71ff92a0-01de-11ed-a1e2-3f0d440b34e7.html | 2022-07-12T17:44:20 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/several-fires-in-carman-ainsworth-high-school-cancel-summer-classes/article_71ff92a0-01de-11ed-a1e2-3f0d440b34e7.html |
Orlando man thrown from motorcycle, killed in Melbourne Beach crash day after 4th of July
An Orlando man was killed July 5 in Melbourne Beach after being thrown from his motorcycle into oncoming traffic, police said.
Christian Richardson, 31, was stopped near Oak Street and Avenue B in Melbourne Beach at about 8:46 p.m. on July 5 for traffic when a Nissan Altima ran into his motorcycle, Melbourne Beach police said.
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Richardson and his bike were pushed into the path of oncoming traffic, and Richardson was thrown from his motorcycle.
He was wearing a helmet but sustained life-threatening injuries, police said. He was transported to an unspecified local hospital, where he died that night.
Police did not say if the Nissan Altima driver, Lawrence Antonucci Jr., 49, of Melbourne, was injured during the crash. They said drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash.
Anyone with information about the crash is being asked to call Melbourne Beach police at 321-723-4343.
Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/orlando-motorcyclist-killed-melbourne-beach-crash/10037560002/ | 2022-07-12T17:46:49 | 1 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/orlando-motorcyclist-killed-melbourne-beach-crash/10037560002/ |
Brevard County Sheriff's Office investigating death of 6-month-old infant in Sharpes
A 6-month-old infant was found unresponsive Saturday night at a residence in Sharpes and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, the Sheriff's Office said.
Brevard County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to the residence on Yarber Avenue after a call came in from the infant's mother saying the infant wasn't breathing, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The 6-month-old was transported to an unspecified hospital and was pronounced dead.
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The Brevard County Medical Examiner's Office is conducting an autopsy. BCSO is investigating the situation and waiting for the medical examiner's results to determine what led to the infant's death.
No other information was available Tueasday.
Anyone with information about the investigation is being asked to call the sheriff's office at 321-633-8413 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Crimeline calls are anonymous, and callers are eligible for a reward.
Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/sheriffs-office-investigating-death-6-month-old-infant-sharpes/10037196002/ | 2022-07-12T17:46:55 | 1 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/07/12/sheriffs-office-investigating-death-6-month-old-infant-sharpes/10037196002/ |
North Canton voters to see three potential charter amendments on November ballots
NORTH CANTON – With just under four months until the November election, North Canton City Council is moving toward adding three potential charter amendments to voters’ ballots, which could change the way that citizens experience council moving forward.
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The proposals came out of a charter advisory board convened in January and headed up by Ward 4 council member John Orr, who was appointed to the position.
North Canton usually convenes an official Charter Review Commission every 10 years, with the most recent taking place in 2017. City council opted to call a charter advisory board this year, comprising citizens and members of the city, to come up with proposals to suggest to City Council to put on the ballot.
"I tried to get someone from every ward, all age groups, 23 to 74, and we kept one person who was on before and she just knew a ton of stuff, and it was a good committee," Orr said.
Proposed amendment would increase terms to four years, stagger elections
The first proposal that will be put forth to voters, if passed, would change elected officials' terms from two to four years and split the officials into two sets to be elected on alternating four-year cycles.
"I'm not sure, at the end of the day, that we get the full 24 months out of our council, because everybody's getting geared up for campaign," At-Large Council Member Daryl Revoldt said in favor of the proposal to change the terms.
Revoldt also said that staggering the election cycles will allow for some level of institutional continuity. Currently, with all the seats up for election each cycle, the entire council could potentially be replaced each election.
Should voters approve the amendment, the next election would still see all elected officials up for election, but the mayor and at-large council seats would be running for four-year terms, while the remaining ward council seats would run for two year terms, so as to set the staggered cycle in motion.
Charter amendments aimed largely at council proceedings
The second proposed amendment that voters will see on their ballots would end the charter requirement that City Council legislation be published in the newspaper, and replace it with requirements legislation be posted on the city's website within two days of final action and physically posted in City Hall and the Council Chambers.
Council Clerk Ben Young said the council has a $10,000 budget they use annually to advertise legislation in the Canton Repository, and eliminating this requirement could save the city money.
A survey of North Canton residents found that 56.4% of respondents did not have a newspaper subscription.
Orr said part of why he ran for council was improved communication, and he believes council is doing better. On the city's website, which was overhauled earlier this year, council bulletins are posted weekly following session weeks, and all agendas and minutes are also posted.
The final proposal voters will see would, if passed, eliminate the budget deadlines of May 15 for revenues and June 15 for expenses. Director of Finance Jina Alaback said those dates are part of a budget process no longer used and are no longer relevant dates.
The proposal stipulates that a budget must be adopted on or before Dec. 31 for the next calendar year, which is in line with the city's current budget process.
Other proposed amendments pushed off for later years
The charter advisory board originally proposed several more potential amendments that council could have chosen to place in front of voters. One proposal, which would have changed the attendance policies for City Council members, failed due to a lack of motion in early June.
Three other proposals from the charter advisory board came up Monday night, only to die on the floor due to a lack of motion.
One of the amendments could have changed the way the clerk of council notifies council members of special meetings, another potentially would have established distinct differences between ordinances and resolutions and the final proposal would allow council to call the Charter Review Commission more frequently than every 10 years.
Ultimately, council opted not to move forward with the three proposals so as to avoid voter fatigue in the upcoming election, though it left the option to take up these same proposals again for future ballots.
"I think the best part of this is the fact that all of these are going to be submitted to the voters of North Canton to make their ultimate decision," Ward 2 council member David Metheney said.
City Council broke for summer recess this week and will return on Aug. 15.
Sam Zern can be reached at szern@cantonrep.com or 330-580-8322. You can also find her on Twitter at @sam_zern. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/north-canton/2022/07/12/north-canton-voters-could-change-city-charter-come-november/10029125002/ | 2022-07-12T17:47:58 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/north-canton/2022/07/12/north-canton-voters-could-change-city-charter-come-november/10029125002/ |
Amazon Prime Day is a great day to find deals on some of those hot summer items you’ve been wanting to get, but according to the Better Business Bureau, in 2021 Amazon was the most impersonated organization and the riskiest for scams.
With that in mind, there are some things that every Prime Day shopper should look out for.
Beware of phishing emails. They can look a lot like a message from Amazon or another retailer, but clicking on unfamiliar links can place you at risk of malware or identity theft. These kinds of scams ramp up on days like Amazon Prime Day.
Also, be aware of fake look-alike websites. You want to always check the URL, watch for bad grammar, and research the domain. A popular way for scammers to get you to click on these bad sites is by using social media ads.
“Ads that pop up in your social, that are typically based on searches that you have made for something that you are looking for, be very very careful about clicking on those. A huge number of those are fraudulent sites that are just trying to take advantage of you and your search history,” said Julie Wheeler, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Southwest Virginia.
Wheeler said these types of scams are popular with clothing, leather goods, and electronics.
She also wants shoppers to know that professional photos do not mean a legit offer. Scammers can often steal photos off of other websites, so don’t believe everything you see.
Wheeler said a great way to protect yourself from a scam is by always shopping with a credit card. In case of a fraudulent transaction, a credit card provides additional protection.
“You can dispute that charge and it will come off of your credit card statement while they investigate it. Versus your bank account where if you use a debit card, where it has come out of your account, you may eventually get it back, but you won’t have access to that money while the investigation is taking place,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler also recommends keeping documentation of your order. Save a copy of the confirmation page or email confirmation until you receive the item and are satisfied. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/12/better-business-bureau-warns-to-look-out-for-scams-on-amazon-prime-day/ | 2022-07-12T17:50:30 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/12/better-business-bureau-warns-to-look-out-for-scams-on-amazon-prime-day/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – A man was shot after a fight led to a shooting in Southwest Roanoke early Tuesday morning, according to police.
Officers said they were notified by dispatchers of a man with a gunshot wound in the 2100 block of Crystal Spring Avenue SW around 2:25 a.m.
When officers arrived, they were told that the victim was taken to the hospital by personal transportation.
Additional units went to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital to talk with the victim, who had non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, according to police.
Officers at the scene said they found evidence of a shooting outside of a business in the area, but no suspects or other victims were found.
While officers were on the scene, authorities said the suspect in this incident drove to the Roanoke Police Department to talk with detectives.
After preliminary investigations, authorities said they believe that the two men were in an argument that became physical and then escalated to a shooting.
Police said that all people involved have been identified and there is no ongoing threat to the community.
After consulting the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, authorities said no charges have been filed.
This is an ongoing investigation. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/12/man-hurt-after-fight-leads-to-shooting-in-southwest-roanoke-police-say/ | 2022-07-12T17:50:37 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/07/12/man-hurt-after-fight-leads-to-shooting-in-southwest-roanoke-police-say/ |
Budget carrier Spirit Airlines is returning to San Antonio International Airport with nonstop service to Las Vegas and Orlando.
The daily flights to Harry Reid International Airport and Orlando International Airport are scheduled to begin Nov. 17.
“Spirit coming to San Antonio International Airport gives our community more family friendly travel options,” said Jesus Saenz, San Antonio’s airport director. “It’s a win-win because it’s making traveling to far destinations more accessible.”
Allegiant Air, Sun Country Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines offer nonstop service to Las Vegas, and Frontier and Southwest offer nonstop service to Orlando.
Spirit previously flew from San Antonio to Fort Lauderdale in 2008 but canceled the flight the next year.
It’s offering introductory fares starting at $89 one way for trips from Nov. 30 through Dec. 14, excluding Fridays and Sundays.
Its new flights are a boon for the airport, which has long had difficulty attracting nonstop service.
Another budget carrier, JetBlue Airways, announced last year it would offer service from San Antonio to New York and Boston. Airline analysts have said the absence of JetBlue and Spirit previously has contributed to higher fares at the local airport, particularly in comparison to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Spirit will be the 13th carrier at San Antonio International.
In a bid to draw more nonstop flights to Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Bay Area and other destinations, economic development organization Greater:SATX announced last week it is launching a fund with $3 million from the private sector.
The fund will primarily be used to guarantee airlines that a minimum number of seats will be paid for on flights. It was not used to attract Spirit’s new flights.
San Antonio International also continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, during which airlines cut routes and passenger volume plummeted.
About 814,300 passengers flew through San Antonio International in May, an 18.8 percent increase compared with the same month in 2021.
That volume was about 90.9 percent of levels during the same month in 2019, the busiest May in the airport’s history.
madison.iszler@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Spirit-returns-to-San-Antonio-airport-with-17299435.php | 2022-07-12T17:50:56 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Spirit-returns-to-San-Antonio-airport-with-17299435.php |
Although the cowboy is synonymous with the Lone Star State, wrangling down the hometown of an integral part of Texas culture is the subject of much debate.
A post in the Texas Hill Country Facebook group with over 700 comments Tuesday morning spurred the argument. Bandera appeared to be the frontrunner for most commenters, the town northwest of San Antonio claiming to be the “Cowboy Capital of the World.”
“Bandera,” commenter Christina Cypert wrote. “Says so on their signage, so it must be true!”
Bandera’s officially boasted the title since The Texas Historical Commission approved an official Texas historical marker recognizing the town on Aug. 31, 2013. The first printed reference to the moniker appeared in an issue of the San Antonio Express on May 21, 1948. The town received the same recognition from both chambers of the Texas Legislature as well.
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Stephenville, home of Tarleton State University about 70 miles southwest of Fort Worth, proved a popular alternative for some commenters due to a storied and ongoing rodeo tradition.
“Stephenville is (the) rodeo cowboy (capital) and Bandera is ranching cowboy (capital),” Wilbert Hazelett replied to the post.
The front page of the Stephenville tourism bureau’s website proclaims the town as “Cowboy Capital of the World and The Other Live Music Capital of the World,” and the “Cowboy Capital of the World Pro-Rodeo.” The Cowboy Capital Pro Rodeo Association is based in Stephenville and hosts its eponymous rodeo in the city during Stephenville’s annual Rodeo Heritage Week.
Not all commenters fell on either side of the Bandera-Stephenville split. Some bucked the trend and suggested Pleasanton, which lies 30 miles south of San Antonio and claims to be the “Birthplace of the Cowboy.”
Some suggested the state was in fact, big enough for the two towns.
“I live in Bandera and have been around here my entire life,” commenter Audra Rose Kight wrote. “There are not as many true cowboy's/cowgirls around Bandera as there used to be. (Stephenville) does have a lot more rodeo cowboys than Bandera. I agree, Texas is big enough for more than one cowboy town!”
Ricardo.Delgado@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Texas-Cowboy-Capital-of-World-17299771.php | 2022-07-12T17:51:21 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Texas-Cowboy-Capital-of-World-17299771.php |
Scientists recently found a tree species in Big Ben National Park that was believed to have gone extinct in 2011.
The tree, known as Quercus Tardifilia, was found by researchers on May 25, standing about 30 feet tall but in poor condition. In a news release, scientists said the tree's trunk was "scarred by fire" and showing signs of "severe fungal infection."
A coalition of more than 10 institutions led by the Morton Arboretum and the United States Botanic Garden in the park are studying the tree.
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"If we ignore the decline of Q. tardifolia and other rare, endangered trees, we could see countless domino effects with the loss of other living entities in the ecosystems supported by those trees," Murphy Westwood, vice president of science and conservation at the Morton Arboretum, said in a statement.
The tree is considered the rarest oak in the world. A drought or a fire has the potential to end the life of the tree, scientists wrote, with climate change making this outcome more likely every year. Conservationists will return to search for acorns and attempt propagation, a process of breeding specimens from a parent plant.
Molecular analysis is underway to determine whether the DNA of the discovered tree matches previous samples of Q. tardifolia, as oaks tend to crossbreed, allowing them to adapt more quickly to changing climate conditions such as extreme heat and new diseases.
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Researchers who found the tree are concerned that it is not producing acorns, and oaks are exceptional among tree species in that acorns cannot be traditionally seed banked for conservation purposes, needing to be preserved in the wild or in living collections like those at botanical gardens. Other methods of propagation like grafting are being pursued to ensure the oak's survival, the news release said.
"Across the planet, oaks serve as an ecological anchor, cleaning air, filtering water, sequestering carbon dioxide and supporting countless fungi, insects, birds and mammals," Westwood said in the news release. "When one is lost, we don’t know what else we might permanently lose in its wake."
shepard.price@express-news.net | @shepardgprice | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/rare-oak-tree-big-bend-17299636.php | 2022-07-12T17:51:27 | 0 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/rare-oak-tree-big-bend-17299636.php |
When looking at the makeup of American families today, it’s rare to see a home where a pet isn’t part of the family. According to the most recent data from the APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 67% of households—or around 85 million homes—own a pet. Of these households, dogs and cats top the list of most popular pets, with 63.4 million and 42.7 million households owning dogs and cats, respectively.
In exploring the history of animal shelters and rescue organizations in the country, nothing proves as problematic as the lack of a centralized reporting system to collect data on these organizations. Most of the shelter statistics that are available and accepted today are estimates based on several period surveys, including the aforementioned APPA National Pet Owners Survey along with the AVMA U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook. Without a nationally codified and streamlined process for collecting, organizing, and reporting on shelter data, there has been a grave lack of transparency around the country’s shelters. That makes it difficult not only to pinpoint accurate statistics regarding sheltered animals in America but also to understand the true state of animal welfare in the country, which is the first step to improving that welfare.
If you’ve been considering bringing home a furry companion, be sure to keep reading. Stacker compiled a list of dogs available for adoption in Dallas, Texas on Petfinder, ranging in age, breed composition, temperament, and needs. It’s important to note that pet adoption is a huge responsibility and requires available savings for emergency and routine veterinary care, a day-to-day routine and game plan for coverage if the pup needs to be left at home during the day (i.e. hiring a dog walker), and time and attention devoted to training your newest family member. Be sure to do due diligence on breed research to see what kind of dog will be the best fit for your lifestyle.
Without further ado, here are adoptable dogs in your home city.
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Flynn
– Gender: Male
– Age: Baby
– Breed: Weimaraner (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
NEGRA
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Labrador Retriever, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
JAZZ
– Gender: Female
– Age: Young
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier
– Read more on Petfinder
DENNY
– Gender: Male
– Age: Young
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier
– Read more on Petfinder
DOMINO
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Labrador Retriever, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
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KNIGHT
– Gender: Male
– Age: Young
– Breed: Husky
– Read more on Petfinder
Henna
– Gender: Female
– Age: Baby
– Breed: Chihuahua, Terrier (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
Heidi
– Gender: Female
– Age: Baby
– Breed: Chihuahua, Terrier (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
ABEL
– Gender: Male
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Terrier (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
CHICKY
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier
– Read more on Petfinder
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RAMBO
– Gender: Male
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier
– Read more on Petfinder
ROXY
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
MAVERICK
– Gender: Male
– Age: Young
– Breed: German Shepherd Dog
– Read more on Petfinder
PINTO
– Gender: Male
– Age: Baby
– Breed: German Shepherd Dog, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
DAISY
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: German Shepherd Dog, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
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Champ
– Gender: Male
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier
– Read more on Petfinder
Serena
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: German Shepherd Dog, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
Raleigh
– Gender: Female
– Age: Baby
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier, Border Collie (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
Princess
– Gender: Female
– Age: Young
– Breed: Golden Retriever, Great Pyrenees (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
Denver
– Gender: Male
– Age: Baby
– Breed: Pit Bull Terrier, Husky (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder
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ELLY
– Gender: Female
– Age: Adult
– Breed: Labrador Retriever, Mixed Breed (mixed)
– Read more on Petfinder | https://cw33.com/news/local/dogs-available-for-adoption-in-dallas-9/ | 2022-07-12T17:52:39 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/dogs-available-for-adoption-in-dallas-9/ |
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A baby found unresponsive in a home in the Sharpes area over the weekend drowned, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
The 6-month-old infant was found at a home on Yarber Avenue Saturday and later was pronounced dead at an area hospital.
[TRENDING: Orange County deputies suspended after Miya Marcano case, reports show | VIDEO: Sanford man catches large bear raiding garage fridge | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
The sheriff’s office said a preliminary autopsy showed the infant drowned and had been left unattended in a bathtub.
Deputies are still conducting interviews to find out what happened exactly.
Since the baby’s death, another neighbor said the mother and father haven’t come back home.
No one has been arrested.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call 321-633-8413 or CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-8477. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/6-month-old-baby-found-unresponsive-at-brevard-county-home-had-drowned-deputies-say/ | 2022-07-12T17:54:37 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/6-month-old-baby-found-unresponsive-at-brevard-county-home-had-drowned-deputies-say/ |
ORLANDO, Fla – The Daytona Beach area was ranked number one and Metro Orlando number eight in the top 20 most dangerous metro areas for pedestrian deaths in 2022, according to Smart Growth America.
The Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro area was ranked number 12.
[TRENDING: Orange County deputies suspended after Miya Marcano case, reports show | VIDEO: Sanford man catches large bear raiding garage fridge | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Smart Growth America said the number of people struck and killed while walking has been steadily increasing since 2009, reaching another new high in 2020 and likely a historic one in 2021.
The organization highlights in their study that U.S. roads are dangerous by design because they are designed primarily to move cars quickly at the expense of keeping everyone safe.
They said that even though there was less traffic during the pandemic, the number of pedestrian deaths increased.
The number of deaths increased because since there was less traffic congestion, drivers were going faster, overlooking pedestrians, getting them struck or killed, according to the study.
Smart Growth America said they expect the increase for 2021 to be between 11% and 13% higher than the 6,529 deaths recorded in 2020, a historic jump, researchers said.
The Governors Highway Safety Association released in May that 7,845 people walking were struck and killed in 2021, which would be the highest number in 40 years and one of the biggest single-year jumps in decades, according to the study.
The study also said, Black, Native American, older adults and people walking in low-income neighborhoods were struck and killed at much higher rates than other populations in 2020.
The chart below shows the 20 most dangerous metropolitan areas in the United States, according to the study. Seven are in Florida.
Researchers also said that every single one of the 20 most deadly metro areas has grown more deadly over the last decade.
Smart Growth America proposed some ways to address the issue of pedestrian safety:
- By obtaining better traffic and pedestrian data
- Federal agencies must use every tool at their disposal to improve safety
- The USDOT should steer more funding toward improving safety
- Congress should fully fund all programs intended for combating the rising rates of pedestrian fatalities
- States must make safety the top priority governing all street design decision
- States must use the enormous freedom and flexibility of federal funds to prioritize safety
- Cities and towns can lead the way on prioritizing safety, and they should pressure their states to follow suit
Researchers said safer design is the most effective enforcement solution to pedestrian fatalities because traffic enforcement cannot do the job of better roadway design.
They said enforcing financial penalties is not the solution because it’s a trap for working families in a vicious cycle of poverty, but design is an upstream solution.
Researchers said, when streets are designed with safety in mind, people intuitively drive more slowly, noticing signals and preventing them from dangerous behavior.
For more information, click here. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/daytona-ranks-no-1-and-orlando-no-8-in-pedestrian-deaths-study-says/ | 2022-07-12T17:54:43 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/daytona-ranks-no-1-and-orlando-no-8-in-pedestrian-deaths-study-says/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – In less than a month, most Central Florida students will be back in class for the 2022-23 school year which means many will be back in the cafeteria eating breakfast and lunch.
Due to the pandemic, all students in Orange County were able to get free meals at school, though that will be changing starting in August.
[TRENDING: Orange County deputies suspended after Miya Marcano case, reports show | VIDEO: Sanford man catches large bear raiding garage fridge | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
“During the last couple of years, due to the waivers, they allowed us to feed the students at no charge,” Javier Vasquez said.
Vasquez is a senior administrator with food services at Orange County Public Schools.
“What we are doing is collecting free and reduced applications again and we will make that determination once applications are submitted, so we are encouraging all families to just submit an application,” Vasquez said.
Even though students will now have to apply for the free or reduced meal program, Orange County Public Schools said it does not plan to increase meal prices this year.
On Tuesday, hundreds of food vendors attended this year’s School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference at the Orange County Convention Center.
Lori Adkins, with the School Nutrition Association, explained the last two years have been a challenge for most school districts in the country considering supply chain shortages and inflation.
“The supply chain challenges have been incredible. School districts have done everything they can just to make sure they have the foods that they need to serve students,” Adkins said.
A big eye-opener this fall will be the changes in federal waivers and the elimination of free meals for all students.
Adkins said students who are eligible for the free meal program will have to apply ahead of the new school year.
“Students that qualify for the program will have to fill out a paper application and that’s the only way we can qualify kids to receive a meal at no cost,” she said.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/heres-how-families-can-get-free-school-lunches-as-pandemic-waivers-expire/ | 2022-07-12T17:54:49 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/heres-how-families-can-get-free-school-lunches-as-pandemic-waivers-expire/ |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla – Orange County residents are being alerted of scam calls regarding family members or loved ones being kidnapped or in an accident.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says these extortion scams are not new, but they are going around again.
[TRENDING: Orange County deputies suspended after Miya Marcano case, reports show | VIDEO: Sanford man catches large bear raiding garage fridge | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
The callers are asking people to pay them to have their loved ones’ released.
Deputies said to not engage the callers or send them money since these calls are not real.
If anybody receives extortion calls, please contact law enforcement. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/orange-county-alerts-residents-of-scamming-calls-regarding-family-and-loved-ones-deputies-say/ | 2022-07-12T17:54:56 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/07/12/orange-county-alerts-residents-of-scamming-calls-regarding-family-and-loved-ones-deputies-say/ |
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