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VALPARAISO — Citing a study that identified 2,041 school bus stop-arm violations in a single day across the state, Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann warned drivers to obey the law as area students prepare to return to the classroom.
"With another school year starting I wanted to take a quick moment to remind everyone to slow down and be extra cautious around school buses and school bus stops," he said.
"The law requires we stop when the school bus stop-arm is extended and the red lights are flashing," Germann said. "Unfortunately, school bus stop-arm violations are all too common in Indiana and in Porter County."
The study that found widespread violations of school bus safety by motorists, "could have resulted in the unspeakable tragedy of a child losing their life."
Disregarding a school bus stop-arm is a Class A infraction that could result in a substantial fine, a license suspension and the potential for the increased costs of insurance for the violator," Germann said.
"If an offender is charged with recklessly disregarding a stop-arm violation, the offense is elevated to a Class A misdemeanor to which stiffer penalties apply," he said. "Additional and much harsher sentences apply if an injury or death occurs as the result of the reckless disregard of the stop-arm."
"Thus, as you might imagine we take these violations very seriously here in the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office given the risk the violations present to our children," Germann said.
PHOTOS: Night Out celebrates partnership with law enforcement
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National Night Out in Portage
Night Out celebrates partnership with law enforcement
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.
Gary police did not immediately respond to requests for more information about the circumstances of each homicide, or whether anyone is in custody in connection with the slayings.
At one point, the woman realized the defendant had stabbed her in the abdomen and head, and that a knife blade had broken off and was sticking out of her temple, according to court records.
The U.S. attorney Friday charged Teddia “Teddy” Caldwell and Paronica Bonds, both of Gary, with conspiracy to provide contraband into the Porter County Jail in Valparaiso.
Citing a study that identified 2,041 school bus stop-arm violations in a single day across the state, Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann warned drivers to obey the law as area students prepare to return to the classroom. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/school-bus-violations-too-common-but-not-going-to-be-tolerated-region-prosecutor-says/article_7ec3dda3-113b-5c8c-8786-6ef3303e1d81.html | 2022-08-04T13:30:28 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/school-bus-violations-too-common-but-not-going-to-be-tolerated-region-prosecutor-says/article_7ec3dda3-113b-5c8c-8786-6ef3303e1d81.html |
CROWN POINT — The city of Crown Point is offering the following safety and road construction guidelines for those who will be attending the Lake County Fair from Friday through Aug. 14.
Crown Point Fire Rescue will be on-site providing first aid and emergency medical services.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department will be on-site providing traffic control and law enforcement services.
Roads
The intersection of Lake Street and Greenwood was slated to reopen Aug. 2. The signs and equipment will be moved. The roads will be swept and clear of debris.
There will not be any signage on Greenwood Avenue directing traffic this year.
There will be three digital traffic signs:
- Greenwood Avenue, near main entrance: A sign will welcome visitors to the Lake County Fair and say additional parking is available at Crown Point High School
- Main Street, south of Greenwood Avenue: A sign will direct visitors to additional parking at the high school
- South of Walgreens: A sign tells drivers to turn right for additional parking at the high school
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Parking
Overflow parking will be at Crown Point High School except for Aug. 10 through 12. Overflow parking will be at St. Matthias Church until 5 p.m. At 5 p.m., overflow parking will revert back to the high school.
Closures/restrictions
121st Avenue will be closed between Lake and Court streets to westbound traffic. No eastbound traffic is allowed on 121st Avenue. Traffic exiting the fair will go westbound on 121st.
No eastbound traffic will be permitted on Greenwood Avenue to keep traffic flowing and avoid backups in the square.
To eliminate bottlenecks and backup on the square, motorists will only be allowed to head south on Court Street.
Traffic control measures
Traffic will be allowed to enter the fairgrounds through gate No. 6.
Gate No. 3, directly south of the 4-H building, will only be open from 7 to 9 a.m. to let vendors into the fairgrounds. It will close after that.
Gate No. 5 near Ellendale will still be used for bus loading/unloading.
Lake County Sheriff’s Department officers will help direct school traffic between 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 10 through Aug. 12.
Safety
Firearms and weapons are not permitted during the Lake County Fair.
Stay hydrated: The terrain of the Lake County Fair varies from other local fairs. There is a lot of uphill and downhill walking and not many buildings with air conditioning. Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your visit to the fair.
Stay together: There is minimal phone service at the fairgrounds. Stay with your group or have a meeting plan in place in case you get separated from your group.
Take photos: Before coming to the fair, take a photo of your child in case he gets lost. With a current photo, public safety officials will be able to find your child quickly because they will know what your child was wearing before you got separated.
Stay vigilant: Be aware of your surroundings. Before attending the Lake County Fair, familiarize yourself with emergency shelters and exits and the layout of the fairgrounds. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/how-to-make-the-most-of-the-lake-county-fair/article_eaa30d83-b6d1-5060-9917-d19cbe9e4b2e.html | 2022-08-04T13:30:35 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/how-to-make-the-most-of-the-lake-county-fair/article_eaa30d83-b6d1-5060-9917-d19cbe9e4b2e.html |
CROWN POINT — From carnival rides to rodeos, hot air balloons to elephant ears, the Lake County Fair promises "something for everyone," as its theme proclaims.
The 170th fair kicks off Thursday with a Preview Night and gets into full swing Friday through Aug. 14 at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St.
Fair offerings include daily horse shows, a $2 Frugal Food Friday, motorsports events, All Star Monster Truck events and free entertainment in the Showcase Tent, publicity director Arlene Marcinek said.
The fair has been a long-standing tradition in Lake County for 170 years. It was sidelined in 2020 because of COVID-19.
"It is with great pleasure that the Lake County Agricultural Society welcomes you to the 170th Lake County Fair. Whether you are a returning fairgoer, or are coming for the first time, we know you will enjoy all that the fair has to offer," said E.J. Hein, president of the Lake County Fair Board.
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"Our goal is to make the fair enjoyable for the entire family. So whether you are here to see the many exhibits, shows, judging or just to sample the great food, we know you will leave the Lake County Fair with some great memories."
The free events include Smokin Gunz, which will perform country music at its best Friday. Small Town, a John Mellencamp experience band, takes the stage Saturday.
John Derado and Anne McIntyre entertain Aug. 12 with Americana and contemporary music, and Mr. Funnyman winds the shows up with a performance Aug. 13. All shows start at 7 p.m.
Due to their popularity, the All Star Monster Trucks will be expanded to three days this year.
"It's so popular we couldn't fit everyone in during the two days we have had it in previous years," Marcinek said.
This year the All Star Monster Trucks will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday featuring Wild Side, Terminal Velocity, Sinister, Get 'Er Done 2nd Generation and Miss Get 'Er Done.
Shows start at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Lake County Fair will be underway when Crown Point schools start Aug. 10 this year, but students who need to attend 4-H events that require their participation at the fair will be excused from classes.
Parking for the fair will still be available at the Crown Point High School parking lot, 1500 S. Main St., after school on the days that school is in session and on the weekends.
The times that the high school parking lot is not available, the nearby St. Matthias Catholic Church, 101 W. Burrell Drive, has agreed to let fairgoers use its parking lot for the shuttle bus, Marcinek said.
"Everyone is working together," Marcinek said.
Some of the special days at the fair include Senior Citizens day Aug. 8, sponsored by Franciscan Health.
Those 62 years of age and older pay no admission on that day, and there is no $5 parking fee charged until after 3 p.m. for seniors and the general public.
Activities for seniors are held from 9 a.m. to noon in the Showcase Tent and include health-related screenings and nutritional information provided by Franciscan Health.
Another special day is Aug. 9, called Pepsi Family Value Day, which offers free admission before 3 p.m.
Families on that day can receive a free wristband for rides by bringing in 150 empty Pepsi or Crush product 12 ounce cans.
The limit is one per person.
Other free-before-3 p.m. days are Aug. 10 and Aug. 11.
Free activities for youngsters at the fair include the Show-Me Safari Petting Zoo on the Midway, the Harvest Tyme Farm Kids activities in Pavilion No. 1 and Crop Creations in the Agricultural Building.
Busing is free to and from Crown Point High School/Matthias Church; admission is $5 for adults and children 11 and up while children 10 and under are free.
Parking on the fairgrounds, on non-free days, is $5.
Fair gates open at 9 a.m. with buildings open at 10 a.m. and most closing at 10 p.m.
For information on the Lake County Fair go to lake-county-fair.com. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-county-fair-promises-something-for-everyone/article_f45b2863-8f2d-5410-91be-2636d2cfa2a4.html | 2022-08-04T13:30:37 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-county-fair-promises-something-for-everyone/article_f45b2863-8f2d-5410-91be-2636d2cfa2a4.html |
Nearly 4,600 NIPSCO customers were still without power early Thursday in the wake of powerful thunderstorms that tore through the Region Wednesday afternoon.
Utility company crews have worked through the night to bring that number down from the high of 23,000 outages.
"All available NIPSCO crews and contractor resources are engaged and working around the clock to assess damage, make necessary repairs and restore power after severe thunderstorms bringing heavy winds and rain this afternoon caused widespread outages," the company had said. "Storm damage includes downed trees, poles and power lines."
Portage had the most outages Thursday morning at 1,221, followed by Merrillville at 938, Hobart at 874, Gary at 448, Chesterton at 392 and Michigan City at 335, NIPSCO reported.
"It can be frustrating to see power restored in other parts of your town or city or even across the street from home," NIPSCO said. "You may be on a different circuit than your neighbor. Rest assured, even if you don’t see our trucks, our crews are focused on finding and fixing your outage as quickly and safely as possible."
The company has been unable to estimate when power will be restored to remaining customers left in the dark.
"If you see a truck driving by your house or neighborhood, please note that the assessment process requires our crews to move around to find the source of the outage," NIPSCO said. "An outage affecting your home may call for a repair needed down the street or in another part of your neighborhood. Rest assured, even if you don’t see our trucks, our crews are focused on finding and fixing your outage as quickly and safely as possible."
The company warns the public to avoid downed power lines, damaged poles or other hazardous situations.
"Every downed wire should be treated as though it is a live wire," NIPSCO said.
"Following an assessment of the damage, NIPSCO’s restoration process begins with repairing large transmission and distribution lines that supply electricity to large numbers of customers in large geographic areas - including critical customers such as hospitals and emergency response," according to the company.
"Repairs to other lines that serve smaller groups of customers can’t be made until the larger lines feeding electricity to those areas are repaired."
NIPSCO customers experiencing a power outage should report it by texting "out" to 444111, visiting nipsco.com/outages or by using the NIPSCO app, available on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
PHOTOS: Night Out celebrates partnership with law enforcement
0080322-nightout_5
0080322-nightout_7
National Night Out in Portage
Night Out celebrates partnership with law enforcement
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.
Hobart police officers rescued a woman and began CPR after responding about 8:10 p.m. to a report of multiple people struggling in the water, Cmdr. Simon Gresser said.
The True Cost of Washington Tour sponsored by Americans for Prosperity came to Luke Convenience Store & Gas Station on Tuesday afternoon rolling back regular gasoline from $3.99 per gallon to $2.38 per gallon.
Merrillville Assistant Police Chief Kosta Nuses said the department has “an insane amount of calls” to local hotels and motels, and it’s been putting a strain on the force.
If you’re into normal, better stay out of Whiting this weekend. Inspired by a popular Slavic dumpling, Pierogi Fest for more than two decades has been anything but normal.
The scholarship will allow her to pursue a major in chemical and biomolecular engineering as she works toward a career she has had dreams about since she was a child.
Nearly 4,600 NIPSCO customers were still without power early Thursday in the wake of powerful thunderstorms that tore through the Region Wednesday afternoon. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/update-nearly-4-600-nipsco-customers-remain-in-the-dark-in-the-wake-of-fierce/article_529f40ff-f11a-5710-bff0-92ce63d6db7f.html | 2022-08-04T13:30:38 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/update-nearly-4-600-nipsco-customers-remain-in-the-dark-in-the-wake-of-fierce/article_529f40ff-f11a-5710-bff0-92ce63d6db7f.html |
Here’s a sampling of things we love this week:
Bobblehead alert!
As the Kenosha Kingfish get ready to wrap up the baseball season at historic Simmons Field, the team is hosting its FINAL Bobblehead Game of 2022! "Nurse Elvis" -- featuring the team's mascot, King Elvis, dressed in scrubs -- is the giveaway at the team's Saturday, Aug. 6 game. The game starts at 6:05 p.m. and is Nurse Appreciation Night. There will also be an on-field celebration worth getting all shook up about when King Elvis officiates at a Las Vegas-style 50th anniversary vow renewal ceremony on the field. We're getting choked up already! Stick around for post-game fireworks, too. Coming up on Wednesday, Aug. 10 is the team's final "Bark in the Park" night. Dogs are welcome, as long as they don't steal our bratwurst. For tickets, call 262-653-0900 or go to kingfishbaseball.com.
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Cream puff alert!
You gotta love a state that can build a statewide celebration around a cream puff. The Wisconsin State Fair opens its 2022 season today and, at the center of all the action are those iconic State fair Cream Puffs. Even though they're supersized, we bet you can't eat just one. For details about the fair, see our story on Pages 10-11.
Artwork ... at a reasonable price
We love adding original artwork to our home, and we really love it when we can find something that doesn't cost as much as our mortgage payment. That brings us to the Starving Artist Fair, on Sunday at the DeKovern Center in Racine. The goal of this fair is to offer high-quality art pieces in various mediums, with everything priced under $300. That leaves us plenty of cash for other frills, like filling our car's gas tank. For more on the fair, see Page 14.
Celebrating books, glorious books!
Our motto is "Live every day like it's Book Lovers Day," but the ACTUAL Book Lovers Day is coming up on Tuesday, Aug. 9. To celebrate, curl up with a good book (a new one, like Emily Henry's novel "Book Lovers," or an old favorite), visit an area library or head to Kenosha’s Blue House Books. The independent bookstore is located at 5915 Sixth Ave. A. For more information about the shop and events like its Sunday storytimes, go to blue-house-books.com
The crazy foods continue ...
Last week, we brought you the Velveeta mac-and-cheese martini. Not to be outdone by that mashup, the folks at French's Mustard have created limited-edition mustard doughnuts. Here's the "recipe: It's a classic glazed doughnut with a sweet and savory yellow mustard coating that's topped with a mustard cake crumble. (Excuse us while we throw up a bit in our mouth.) The company released this treat to celebrate National Mustard Day, coming up on Aug. 6. The doughnuts were developed with artisanal doughnut maker Dough Doughnuts and are available at Dough’s retail locations in New York City. You can also order them online, while supplies last. Feeling creative? Make your own. The recipe is at Frenchs.com/MustardDonuts. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/hot-takes-what-we-love-this-week-aug-4-11-2022/article_b52fb6e4-129c-11ed-a91b-d3de2ad35f8a.html | 2022-08-04T13:42:49 | 1 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/hot-takes-what-we-love-this-week-aug-4-11-2022/article_b52fb6e4-129c-11ed-a91b-d3de2ad35f8a.html |
What: Racine Concert Band’s 1,509th performance
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7
Where: Racine Zoo, 2131 N. Main St.
Admission: Free
Note: The zoo's gates at Walton Avenue and Augusta Street open at 6:30 p.m. for free admission to the concert site, the Kiwanis Amphitheater on the east side of the zoo grounds. A courtesy cart, for audience members who need assistance in getting to the concert site, is available before and after the concert. The weekly concerts run through Sunday, Aug. 14.
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RACINE — As the Racine Concert Band continues to celebrate its landmark 100th season, the band welcomes guest vocalist Melissa Cardamone and French horn soloist Bob Kenehan during its Sunday night program.
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Cardamone is making her ninth appearance as a guest artist with the Racine Concert Band.
A graduate of Lawrence University and the Eastman School of Music, the Carthage College coach and accompanist is a frequent performer on professional stages including the Skylight Opera Theater and Milwaukee Opera Theater.
Sunday night, she will sing "Open Your Heart" by French composer Georges Bizet and a waltz by John Philip Sousa, “I’ve Made My Plans for the Summer.” In the song, a woman rejects an admirer, telling him she's already "made her plans for the summer" -- but she tells him to ask again in the fall.
She returns to the stage later in the program to sing "I Dreamed a Dreamed" from Broadway's "Les Miserables." The song was a huge hit on its own and has since become a jazz standard. Cardamone is also singing "They Can't Take That Away From Me" by George and Ira Gershwin. That tune was first performed by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film “Shall We Dance?”
French horn solo
Kenehan is in his second season as a member of the band's French horn section. This is his first solo performance with the group.
Sunday night, he's performing "Cape Horn" by Otto Schwartz.
The piece takes its title from Cape Horn, located on the southern tip of South America, where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. It is known to be particularly hazardous for ships, owing to strong winds, large waves, strong currents and icebergs.
"This piece is hazardous, too," Kenehan said with a laugh.
Though Kenehan is only in his second season with this group, he's been playing the French horn since the 1970s. As a teen, the Addison, Ill., native earned a spot with the prestigious Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. He also performed regularly with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra and played in a traveling brass ensemble called the Aurora Borealus.
After a long break to raise a family and pursue his career, Kenehan "dusted off 35 years of cobwebs" and started playing his horn again in 2018.
He now performs regularly with the Lake County Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Forest Civic Orchestra, the Lake Geneva Symphony and Saint James Brass ensemble, along with the Racine band.
In 2021, he founded Horns for Hope, a nonprofit charity, with his instructor and mentor David Cooper, the new principal horn player with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Kenehan "encourages everyone to chase a long forgotten dream. Maybe dust off that old band instrument again and see where it takes you."
More Sousa
Sunday night's program also includes:
- Two more Sousa pieces besides the waltz: "The Fairest of the Fair" and "Washington Post." "Fairest" is a 1908 march written for the Boston Food Fair that year. Reportedly, Sousa was inspired by the memory of a pretty girl he had seen at an earlier fair. The "Washington Post" march was written in 1889 for the Washington Post newspaper's essay contest awards ceremony -- and to promote the newspaper's new ownership. The hugely popular march debuted at a ceremony on June 15, 1889, before a huge crowd on the grounds of the Smithsonian Museum.
- Gustav Holst's "Moorside March."
- "Nocturno for Winds" by Felix Mendelssohn.
- Ralph Vaughan Williams' 1923 work, "English Folk Song Suite."
- "British Eighth" by Zo Elliott. The classic British march was dedicated to the members of Britain's Eighth Army and accepted on their behalf by Gen. Bernard L. Montgomery, their celebrated World War II commander.
- The 1889 "Emperor Waltz" by Johann Strauss II.
- "Burletta" by John Barnes Chance.
Mark Eichner, celebrating his 20th season as the band’s music director, will conduct the program. Don Rosen, a professional radio broadcaster for 50 years, is the master of ceremonies. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/racine-concert-band-features-guest-vocalist-french-horn-soloist/article_7d653e56-129b-11ed-ad87-8bb4ae89e0e8.html | 2022-08-04T13:42:49 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/racine-concert-band-features-guest-vocalist-french-horn-soloist/article_7d653e56-129b-11ed-ad87-8bb4ae89e0e8.html |
KENOSHA — The summer church festival season moves this weekend to St. Peter Catholic Church, 2224 30th Ave., which hosts its first festival since 2019.
Festival hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5; 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
The festival includes games, a silent auction, a grand prize raffle, live music, an outdoor Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday and food and drink for the whole family.
The festivities start with a fish fry outside on the church grounds from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday.
The popular dessert and ice cream booth, featuring strawberry shortcake and other items, will be open all three days.
Along with the fish fry, the festival features diverse food offerings, including: Kugelis (a Lithuanian potato dish, sold Saturday and Sunday), DeRango’s pizza, Vignieri’s hot beef, hamburgers, bratwurst, Lithuanian sausage, hot dogs, French fries, cheese curds, corn-on-the-cob and pretzels.
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In addition to all the different food, festival organizers say the event “is a local celebration of faith and togetherness.”
Live music
The festival’s outdoor stage will be busy all weekend. Audience members are welcome to bring lawn chairs; there are also benches provided.
On Friday, Bourbon Country will perform from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
Outdoor music on Saturday features the popular Doo Wop Daddies, performing ’50s and ’60s “oldies” from 7:15 to 10:45 p.m. (The dance floor is usually full while the Doo Wop Daddies perform. Expect an enthusiastic crowd.)
On Sunday, the Eddie Butts Band plays from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
The Milwaukee-based group plays throughout the Midwest, delivering what the band calls “an exciting blend of R&B, pop, jazz and more.”
Raffles and games
All weekend there will be games and inflatables and children’s games.
The Grand Prize Raffle’s prizes include $5,555 cash, a 28-inch Blackstone Griddle, a $555 cash prize and gitf cards for $250 and $50.
A silent auction with 200-plus baskets features a variety of items, including sports items, collectibles and gift certificates to local restaurants. Also for sale are handmade crafts and religious items.
Happy to be back
In 2021, St. Peter’s parish held a drive-through cookout, but this is the first time in three years the festival comes back in full swing, festival coordinator Marianne Kraus said.
“We’re hoping people come back, not just to the festival but to church,” Kraus said. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/st-peters-catholic-church-hosting-festival-aug-5-7/article_c1758f38-12b4-11ed-8385-4fb0b0e97025.html | 2022-08-04T13:42:50 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/st-peters-catholic-church-hosting-festival-aug-5-7/article_c1758f38-12b4-11ed-8385-4fb0b0e97025.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Firefighters battled a large fire Thursday morning that spread to several outbuildings and vehicles in Sherwood.
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue tweeted that crews were working a blaze at around 2:45 a.m. on Dahlke Lane. There were multiple RVS and vehicles on the property that caught fire.
Fire officials said five people were inside RVs but made it out safely.
Crews have since knocked down the flames and have the fire under control. However, an official with TVF&R told KOIN 6 they’re working cautiously because of a concern there could be propane tanks on the property. They also said crews had to shuttle in water on their own since there is no fire hydrant nearby.
An investigation is underway to determine what caused the fire.
KOIN 6 News will update this story as more information is released. | https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/sheds-rvs-ignite-in-sherwood-fire/ | 2022-08-04T13:44:11 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/sheds-rvs-ignite-in-sherwood-fire/ |
New Jersey restaurants, bars and other establishments will be allowed to continue offering outdoor dining for two more years under legislation signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
The legislation, signed Wednesday, will extend permits to allow food and beverage businesses to continue using fixtures like tables, chairs, tents, canopies and umbrellas to serve people on sidewalks and other outdoor areas.
The permissions had been set to expire Nov. 30 of this year but will now expire Nov. 30 of 2024.
“Supporting the success of our small businesses ultimately means supporting the success of our communities. Continuing this successful practice will not only benefit small business owners, but also the many patrons who have come to enjoy the atmosphere and opportunities outdoor dining offers,” Murphy said in a written statement.
Outdoor dining became ubiquitous across the country after the COVID-19 pandemic forced food and beverage establishments to shutter and find alternative ways to serve people, due to the virus’ propensity to spread in crowded indoor areas.
Despite infections dropping and vaccines being available now, outdoor dining continues to remain popular among patrons. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/nj-extends-outdoor-dining-for-2-more-years/3325685/ | 2022-08-04T13:45:27 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/nj-extends-outdoor-dining-for-2-more-years/3325685/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Best Buy owner premium outdoor furniture company Yardbird is opening its first North Texas showroom in Frisco this month.
This will be the third showroom in Texas and the 14th standalone showroom in the nation. Officials say the showroom will be located at 3231 Preston Rd. Suite 3 Frisco, TX 75034, opening in mid-August.
Best Buy acquired Yardbird earlier this year. Yardbird is a socially conscious and environmentally friendly outdoor furniture brand. The brand’s wicker furniture is made with ocean-bound plastic and the brand offsets 100% of its carbon footprint.
For more information visit yardbird.com. | https://cw33.com/news/local/best-buys-outdoor-furniture-company-yardbird-is-opening-a-showroom-in-frisco/ | 2022-08-04T13:46:37 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/best-buys-outdoor-furniture-company-yardbird-is-opening-a-showroom-in-frisco/ |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Heise 11,029 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 4,465 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 11,159 cfs
Snake River at Milner 580 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 130 cfs
Jackson Lake is 40% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 52% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 24% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 39% of capacity.
As of August 3. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_5d822d3e-135d-11ed-9669-f794ab001f37.html | 2022-08-04T13:46:49 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_5d822d3e-135d-11ed-9669-f794ab001f37.html |
'My neighborhood gay bar isn't going to be there': Zonie's Closet set to close
Lori Clubs and Denice Benefiel have been preparing for the closing of their bar, Zonie’s Closet, for months.
They’ve limited their hours, collected photos from customers to display and tried to buy just the right amount of alcohol.
However, Clubs, 56, still tears up and Benefiel, 53, chokes slightly on her words when they describe what the final night means to them.
“It feels like the end of my youth,” Benefiel said.
“It’s the end of an era,” Clubs said.
Since it was established in 2008, Zonie’s Closet has been a safe gathering place on the east side of Indianapolis for LGBTQ+ community members and allies. It is a drag bar that has featured many queens and kings in their early years, as professionals or both.
On Saturday, August 6, the bar will have its final night — the final drag performance and final drinks for the 14-and-a-half-year-old gay bar.
Zonie’s recent history
When Benefiel and Clubs were growing up, one of the only spaces they could be themselves was in gay bars.
“There didn’t use to be gay churches and gay restaurants and things like that,” Benefiel said. “We met at bars.”
More:Indianapolis gay bars: 7 spaces made for the LGBTQ+ community
She and Clubs wanted to create a business like the ones where they made their friends. Clubs said she wanted to not only be a part of the scene, but also make it better.
When the two business and life partners purchased the space at 1446 E. Washington St., it was Illusions, a karaoke and drag spot that had been in business since the late 1990s. Although Benefiel had never imagined herself owning a drag bar, she and her partner decided to retain the tradition. Since then, professional drag shows and open stages, which are nights when amateur drag performers try out their acts, have remained a core part of what is now known as Zonie’s Closet.
Over the years they have worked make sure the bar was a safe space and brighten it up. They named the bar after a bartender who had worked in the location under seven different owners. They built a patio, made a new stage and took the boards off the windows. Most nights, Clubs greets the regulars with a smile and a hug.
Brandon Owen, whose stage name is Onya Knees, lives a block over and a block down from the bar. He said the location is like his “Cheers,” referencing the famously welcoming bar from the ’80s sitcom.
“I enjoy the other gay bars in the city, absolutely. I love a good dance floor,” Owen said. “But sometimes it’s nice to have that more hometown feel and still know that you’re in a safe place.”
In addition to performing, Owen has worked as a bartender, barback, server and cook at the business. It is his way of trying to pay Clubs and Benefiel back for the sense of acceptance they gave him. In 2020, he started a GoFundMe for Zonie's Closet which raised over $18,000 and helped the bar as it was struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After Zonie's closes, Owen said he is going to miss the performance space, the money from performing, the friendships and just having another safe space.
"I’m going to miss a place that really allowed me to discover my queer identity," he said. "My neighborhood gay bar isn't going to be there anymore."
'You have to compete with Grindr and Tinder'
Zonie’s is just one of multiple Indianapolis gay bars to close in the past seven years. Among those lost are drag bar Talbott Street, leather bar the 501 Eagle and Varsity Lounge, the city’s longest-running gay bar that dates back to the 1940s.
For Clubs and Benefiel, gay bars were one of the only places to meet queer people, make friends in the LGBTQ+ community and date. Now, businesses that are not queer-centered still welcome the community with flags in their windows and online dating apps and social media provide another avenue for dating, said Hunter Vale, general manager for the hospitality group Patachou Inc.
Outside of his day job, Vale examines and analyzes archives involving Indianapolis' queer history and shares his findings online.
“You have to compete with Grindr and Tinder,” Vale said. “That’s not an easy thing to compete with.”
Additionally, as acceptance of the queer community has become more widespread, gay bars themselves have changed. Many now welcome allies and some have defined themselves using different terms.
Vale said he believes gay bars will continue to exist. How they will continue, though, he can’t predict.
Keeping up
Clubs and Benefiel sold the bar to the Damien Center, an AIDS service organization in Indianapolis, in the fall of 2021.
Benefiel said selling to the center, an organization serving mainly queer populations, seemed like a good endpoint. Alan Witchey, Damien Center president and CEO, said the organization hasn’t finalized plans for the space, but some of the ideas include offering job development programming and a queer-friendly coffee shop.
“We want to acknowledge and honor how this has been a building that has been a safe haven for part of the LGBTQ community,” Witchey said.
One of the reasons why Clubs and Benefiel sold the bar is fairly simple: they are getting older.
“Three o’clock in the morning is getting rough on us,” Benefiel said. “We love the bar but it’s just not something we feel like we can keep up with.”
Not only is it hard to manage the weird hours, it’s also difficult to continuously track trends and develop ideas to attract customers. When Zonie’s Closet opened, it and Talbott Street were the main bars with drag shows. Now, drag is not only performed at every gay bar, but also at brunch spots.
“Drag is everywhere now,” Benefiel said. “It’s hard to keep up with all that and keep it fresh.”
Benefiel said it’s also been hard for her and Clubs to watch their grandkids grow up as they have spent their weekends running their bar.
“We have missed out on so much with our own families while we were giving back to our gay family,” she said. “It's time for us to live our lives.”
More:'Erased out of the conversation': Transgender, nonbinary Hoosiers frustrated by abortion bill
Importance of the open stage
Over the past few years, due in part to “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” drag has become more mainstream. However, with the “RuPaulization” of drag, as Vale calls it, certain aspects of drag are being lost or reduced. One of those is the open stage.
Open stages are mainly for practice and exposure, Owen said.
During open stage performances at Zonie's and other spots, Owen brought friends for support, shook off the nerves, learned about stage presence and, most importantly, listened to critiques. Through that process, he learned that Onya Knees is not a character queen or a dancing queen that will drop into the splits.
“I have stage presence and sex appeal,” Owen said. “That’s where my strength is and I think I learned that by just doing every opportunity that I was given.
Zonie’s Closet is one of the last gay bars in Indianapolis to offer open stage nights, which used to take place every Wednesday until a few weeks ago when Clubs and Benefiel reduced their hours.
There are some establishments that host open stage nights, such as Almost Famous which conducts a monthly open stage competition. However, losing Zonie’s means there is one less place for drag performers to develop their craft, Owen said.
Zonie’s last night
The Zonie's Closet owners don’t have an objective for their last night. They already accomplished their goal of creating a place where their friends and community are welcome ― a place where, "when you're in, you're out!," as their T-shirts advertise.
“We believe that we have done a good job and we have accomplished what we wanted to,” Clubs said.
Clubs and Benefiel don’t have anything out of the ordinary planned for Saturday, just the usual drag performances – though with a few more kings and queens – alongside good company, strong drinks and a few giveaways. But they are expecting a few hundred people to come through after they open the doors at 4 p.m. They want a big blowout party to "really rock that last night out," Clubs said.
Owen, who will perform on the last night, said he hopes that those who haven’t visited Zonie’s in the past will give it a chance, to go out once more to experience a piece of Indianapolis’ queer history.
“I know the joy that it’s brought me,” Owen said. “I hope they can experience that before it’s no longer available.”
Contact IndyStar reporter Madison Smalstig at MSmalstig@gannett.com. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/indianapolis-gay-bar-zonies-closet-to-have-final-night-saturday/65383795007/ | 2022-08-04T13:51:30 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/indianapolis-gay-bar-zonies-closet-to-have-final-night-saturday/65383795007/ |
ATLANTA — Police departments across metro Atlanta have ramped up active shooter training as students and staff head back to the classroom.
In the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, many parents have expressed concern about school safety to their local school districts and police departments.
"It is very close to home, it's heartbreaking," said Sandy Springs Police Sergeant Matt McGinnis. "But that's why we train.”
11Alive reached out to 16 police departments across metro Atlanta to ask how they train for a potential school shooting event.
Six of those gave detailed responses about how they’re training for a school shooting, including Fairburn Police, Roswell Police, Atlanta Public Schools Police, Gwinnett Police, Sandy Springs Police, Dunwoody Police, and Cobb County Police.
"We do train in many of the schools," explained Sergeant Wayne Delk with the Cobb County Police Department. "Our tactical guys will actually play bad guys and role players and we bring in civilians to play victims.”
Delk said their training is more realistic than its ever been.
"It has definitely evolved, but the understanding is that the stakes are a lot higher," he said.
In Sandy Springs, the training is similarly realistic.
"We have to be ready to respond to something that nobody wants to respond to," McGinnis said, "and the only way to do that is by putting ourselves in that type of environment as best we can."
All use guns that shoot projectiles or send shockwaves.
Gwinnett Police completed a training simulation at a local elementary school in late July, before students and staff returned to class.
Gwinnett PD Corporal Ryan Winderweedle said they even included actors playing students and teachers.
"We had role player students running through the halls screaming and yelling, students in the room," he said. "It's as realistic as it can be.”
Another significant change most of the departments who responded pointed out, is that they no longer train to wait for backup.
Rather, they train to respond.
"It is trained into them, you're going in," Winderweedle said. "Even if unfortunately you're by yourself, you're going to go into the school.”
Dunwoody Police wrapped up a Civilian Response to Active Shooter Event (CRASE) course, which was open to the public, in early August.
Department spokesperson Sergeant Michael Cheek said the department also held a tabletop session with Dekalb County School Police about active shooters at schools.
"During the exercise we discussed logistics of evacuating students, reunification of students, how Dunwoody Police can access the schools, how to get medical responders to the location, potential traffic issues, and many other response protocols," Cheek said. "Our main goal we responding to any active shooter is to stop the killing before anything else."
The Fairburn Police Department confirmed they have a two day active shooter training for all of their officers scheduled for Aug. 16 and 18.
Roswell Police Department spokesperson Officer Timothy Lupo said all of their officers go through the A.L.E.R.R.T. curriculum (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) developed by Texas State University. More information on that program can be found here.
"Specifically for 2022, every month a cohort of our officers go through a weeklong in-service training where one 10-hour day has been dedicated solely to active shooter response drills and scenario-based training at a local training facility," Lupo said. "That facility is modular in design and allows our officers to train in environments mimicking schools, office buildings, residential homes/apartments, etc." | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/police-atlanta-school-shooter-training/85-cf5794ff-d149-43cc-929e-f774b4331d7b | 2022-08-04T13:53:19 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/police-atlanta-school-shooter-training/85-cf5794ff-d149-43cc-929e-f774b4331d7b |
State transportation officials said construction at the U.S. 77 interchange with the new South Beltway has progressed to the point that the traffic signal at Saltillo Road can be removed.
Weather permitting, officials said the signal will go dark Aug. 15, at which point southbound U.S. 77 traffic will access Saltillo Road by following a designated crossover to the new permanent exit ramp.
Traffic bound for southbound U.S. 77 will follow the permanent ramp extending south from the new Saltillo Road roundabout at Shrine Way.
For now, U.S. 77 traffic through the new interchange will continue to flow in single lanes. But removal of the traffic signal and the temporary Saltillo Road intersection will allow construction to move forward on the permanent traffic lanes that will eventually connect U.S. 77 with the new expressway.
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The damaging effects of daily, lifelong exposure to the blue light emanating from phones, computers and household fixtures worsen as a person ages, new research by Oregon State University suggests.
The study, published today in Nature Partner Journals Aging, involved Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, an important model organism because of the cellular and developmental mechanisms it shares with other animals and humans.
Jaga Giebultowicz, a researcher in the OSU College of Science who studies biological clocks, led a collaboration that examined the survival rate of flies kept in darkness and then moved at progressively older ages to an environment of constant blue light from light-emitting diodes, or LEDs.
The darkness-to-light transitions occurred at the ages of two, 20, 40 and 60 days, and the study involved blue light’s effect on the mitochondria of the flies’ cells.
Mitochondria act as a cell’s power plant, generating adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, a source of chemical energy.
In earlier research, Giebultowicz showed that prolonged exposure to blue light affected flies’ longevity, regardless of whether it shined in their eyes.
“The novel aspect of this new study is showing that chronic exposure to blue light can impair energy-producing pathways even in cells that are not specialized in sensing light,” Giebultowicz said. “We determined that specific reactions in mitochondria were dramatically reduced by blue light, while other reactions were decreased by age independent of blue light. You can think of it as blue light exposure adding insult to injury in aging flies.”
Collaborating with Giebultowicz on the work, partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, were Yujuan Song, Jun Yang and David Hendrix of the OSU College of Science, Matthew Robinson of the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, and Alexander Law and Doris Kretzschmar of Oregon Health & Science University.
The scientists note that natural light is crucial for a person’s circadian rhythm – the 24-hour cycle of physiological processes such as brain wave activity, hormone production and cell regeneration that are important factors in eating and sleeping patterns.
But there is evidence suggesting that increased exposure to artificial light is a risk factor for sleep and circadian disorders, Giebultowicz said. And with the prevalent use of LED lighting and device displays, humans are subjected to increasing amounts of light in the blue spectrum since commonly used LEDs emit a high fraction of blue light.
“This technology, LED lighting, even in most developed countries, has not been used long enough to know its effects across the human lifespan,” she said. “There are increasing concerns that extended exposure to artificial light, especially blue-enriched LED light, may be detrimental to human health. While the full effects of blue light exposure across the lifespan are not yet known in humans, accelerated aging observed in short-lived model organism should alert us to the potential of cellular damage by this stressor.”
In the meantime, there are a few things people can do to help themselves that don’t involve sitting for hours in darkness, the researchers say. Eyeglasses with amber lenses will filter out the blue light and protect your retinas. And phones, laptops and other devices can be set to block blue emissions.
“Our previous work demonstrated that daily lifelong exposure to blue light, but not other visible wavelengths, has damaging effects on the brain, motor abilities and lifespan of the model organism,” Giebultowicz said. “Now we’re reporting that the damaging effects of blue light on the flies are strongly age dependent – the same length of exposure to the same intensity of light decreases lifespan and increases neurodegeneration more significantly in old flies than in young ones.”
In the earlier research, flies subjected to daily cycles of 12 hours in light and 12 hours in darkness had shorter lives compared to flies kept in total darkness or those kept in light with the blue wavelengths filtered out.
The flies exposed to blue light showed damage to their retinal cells and brain neurons and had impaired locomotion – the flies’ ability to climb the walls of their enclosures, a common behavior, was diminished.
Some of the flies in the experiment were mutants that didn’t develop eyes, and even those eyeless flies displayed impairment, suggesting flies didn’t have to see the light to be harmed by it. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/harm-from-blue-light-exposure-increases-with-age-oregon-state-university-research-suggests/article_8c0cf7b6-11c7-11ed-9246-4b57087fbece.html | 2022-08-04T14:02:00 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/harm-from-blue-light-exposure-increases-with-age-oregon-state-university-research-suggests/article_8c0cf7b6-11c7-11ed-9246-4b57087fbece.html |
Augusta Street restaurant closing after three years due to staffing shortages
After opening six months before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an Augusta Street restaurant will be closing due to staffing shortages.
The Burrow at Augusta, located at 2017 Augusta St., in Greenville will close its doors after three years.
The news was shared on Facebook Wednesday evening. The staff employed at The Burrow will move to two downtown restaurants from the same owners, Barley's and The Trappe Door, both predecessors of The Burrow.
"With the insanity of the national staff shortage currently taking place and the pressure that is putting on all restaurants it makes more sense to cut our losses and try to focus on our two original restaurants and try to keep what staff we have employed in our company," the post read.
The space on Augusta Street will be going to "good hands" according to the post and more information on who the new owners of the space will be announced at a later date.
Tamia Boyd is a Michigan native who covers breaking news in Greenville. Email her at tboyd@gannett.com, and follow her on Twitter @tamiamb. | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/2022/08/04/the-burrow-augusta-closing-after-3-years-staffing-shortages/10233717002/ | 2022-08-04T14:11:41 | 0 | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/2022/08/04/the-burrow-augusta-closing-after-3-years-staffing-shortages/10233717002/ |
Final testimony day: Expert witnesses debate pain, consciousness in SC execution protocols
Attorneys debating the constitutionality of South Carolina’s new death penalty statute wrapped up all remaining testimony on Wednesday. Closing arguments are set to begin Thursday morning before Judge Jocelyn Newman starts deliberations, just in time to make the Aug. 4th deadline imposed by the state Supreme Court.
The final expert witness for the plaintiffs, Dr. Jonathan Arden, a forensic pathologist, took the stand as well as three expert witnesses for the South Carolina Department for Corrections and Gov. Henry McMaster. Two of SCDC’s witnesses, Dr. Jorge Alvarez, a cardiologist in San Antonio, and Dr. Ronald Keith Wright, a retired medical examiner, testified virtually. The state’s final witness, Dr. D’Michelle DuPre, a former police officer and medical examiner, testified in court.
The witnesses gave varying opinions on how electricity affects the brain, heart and skin of someone who is executed in an electric chair and debated how quickly someone may lose consciousness when shot directly in the heart by a firing squad.
Day 1:After a day of pretrial motions, attorneys in death penalty trial start witness testimony Tuesday
For subscribers:The death penalty has a racist past. In SC, evidence shows that hasn't changed.
Here are some key takeaways from the last day of witness testimony:
- According to his affidavit filed with the complaint for the lawsuit, Dr. Arden reviewed 80 autopsy reports of electric chair executions from other states in preparation for his testimony Wednesday, as well as the autopsy reports from SCDC that were released to the plaintiffs after Monday’s pre-trial agreements.
- Arden said, in his opinion, many of the images reviewed indicated marks that were electrical burns, either on the head or knee, where straps are typically located on electric chairs. Lindsey Vann, attorney for Justice 360, asked Dr. Arden if judicial electrocution be painful.
- “As long as the person is still conscious when that person would be perceiving the high voltage of electricity through his or her body,” Arden said. “That in and of itself would be painful and excruciating.”
- When someone may become unconscious during an execution by electrocution was debated by SCDC attorney Daniel Plyler on cross-examination. Arden said it’s clear electricity could make someone unconscious and kill them, but he wasn’t “certain how rapidly that occurs.”
- SCDC’s first witness, Dr. Alvarez, gave his opinion on how a firing squad execution would stop the heart.
- “The way it’s been outlined in the protocol, it would account for a relatively immediate cessation of blood flow to the individual hence stopping the heart from functioning in its appropriate manner and leading to a rapid decline in consciousness and awareness and ultimately death,” Alvarez said.
- On cross examination, the attorney for the death row inmates, Joshua Kendrick, asked about Dr. Alvarez’s experience with gunshot wounds. Alvarez mentioned his only experience working with gunshot wounds outside of his medical training was after the bombing at the Boston Marathon in 2013, where his wife was running, as a first responder.
- SCDC’s witness, Dr. Ronald Wright, is not a stranger to court testimony. According to his website, he’s testified or submitted depositions in hundreds of criminal and civil trials. Dr. Wright testified on his opinion of how fatal an execution by electrocution is, claiming that lower voltages are more dangerous.
- As discussed in Tuesday's testimony, SC’s protocol for an electric chair execution starts its shock sequence at 2,000 volts for four-and-a-half seconds, 1,000 volts for eight seconds and 120 volts for 120 seconds. For comparison, Tennessee’s protocol starts at 1,750 volts of electricity for 20 seconds, stops for 15 seconds and releases a second sequence at 1,750 volts for another 15 seconds.
- However, on cross examination, Justice 360 attorney, Hannah Freedman, asked Dr. Wright his opinion on the firing squad. “It hurts,” he said.
- The state’s final witness, a former police officer in Columbia and medical examiner, Dr. D’Michele DuPre, gave her opinion on the effectiveness of SC’s firing squad protocols.
- “According to the protocols that I've reviewed for South Carolina, the firing squad would be very rapid, it would be very disruptive to the heart and the surrounding tissue. I believe that the person would become immediately unconscious and would not feel pain and that would not be cruel and unusual punishment,” she said.
- However, when questioned by Kendrick during cross examination, she agreed it would only be quick and painless if done properly and that required a level of marksmanship from the shooters participating in the execution.
- “You have not seen anything related to the level of marksmanship in any of the shooters that South Carolina will have when they do, in fact, shoot someone?” Kendrick asked. “That’s correct,” DuPre said.
After closing arguments Thursday, Judge Newman will have 30 days to deliberate and reach a decision, according to the state Supreme Court order on the case. However, after a decision is reached, the case is expected to move into an appeal regardless of the outcome.
Kathryn Casteel is an investigative reporter with The Greenville News and can be reached at KCasteel@gannett.com or on Twitter @kathryncasteel. | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2022/08/04/expert-witnesses-debate-pain-consciousness-sc-execution-protocols/10227234002/ | 2022-08-04T14:11:47 | 0 | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2022/08/04/expert-witnesses-debate-pain-consciousness-sc-execution-protocols/10227234002/ |
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Updated
On the first day of his long ascent to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Dr. Kevin Foster was surrounded by a tangle of green.
He had swapped his scrubs for hiking gear and exchanged a busy hospital ward for the lush tropical rain forest blanketing the base of Africa's highest peak.
He had been walking uphill through the dense, humid foliage for hours.
As he hiked, an unsettling sentiment flickered across his mind.
This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.
Foster, who is 61, is no stranger to tough journeys. But he is usually helping others through them.
As director of the Arizona Burn Center, a position he has held since 2002, Foster has cared for people with injuries near inconceivable to those who haven’t lived them.
Recovering from a bad burn, he says, is “almost like a siege.” And Foster has led thousands of them within the hospital’s beige and pale pink corridors.
Still, he says: “I can’t imagine what it’s like.”
With him on the trail ascending Kilimanjaro that day were eight people who can.
The survivors were different ages, from different walks of life. They had suffered their life-changing injuries in different ways: a plane crash, a structure fire, an infection of rare flesh-eating bacteria, a fire pit, a propane tank, a natural gas leak, a vape explosion.
But they had in common a long, tough recovery at the Arizona Burn Center in downtown Phoenix. There, they had lain in medically-induced comas. Endured unrelenting pain. Learned to walk again. Confronted their adjusted futures.
And eventually, bearing scars they would manage for life, they had been discharged.
Now they sought to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
The imposing mountain reaches 19,341 feet into the skies above northern Tanzania, east of the Serengeti plain. It is an aggregate of three volcanoes, two of them extinct and the tallest, Kibo, dormant, with the potential to erupt again. On the rim of Kibo's crater is the summit peak, Uhuru, the Swahili word for freedom.
The survivors would journey there along the Machame Route, a 37-mile walk that winds through the rain forest before emerging onto a plateau, guiding hikers through a rocky landscape dotted with otherworldly, hydra-headed trees, and onward up to the summit.
On June 17, when the survivors set off, Kilimanjaro's snow-capped peak was hidden from view.
That first day, they had to walk seven miles. Foster knew that in Phoenix, that distance would take him two and a half hours, max.
But eight hours after stepping out on the Machame Route, the doctor and his former patients were still going.
Foster wasn't worried they would get hurt. As mountains go, Kilimanjaro is not a dangerous climb for people who come prepared, who hike with a guide and keep a careful watch for altitude sickness.
He was worried the survivors might not be able to do it.
As he toiled through the jungle, another thought flashed by.
I may have made a really terrible error.
The survivors
Christian and Stephanie Nielson met in 2000 in her hometown of Provo, Utah, where he was attending Brigham Young University. Four months after their second date, they were married.
"We just fell in love," Stephanie says. "And that was that."
By 2008, when the accident happened, they had moved to Mesa and were parents to four children: a first grader, a kindergartener, a three-year-old and an 18-month-old.
On August 16, 2008, the Nielsons were aboard a light Cessna aircraft piloted by Christian when trouble struck after take-off and they plummeted to the ground.
Badly burned, the Nielsons were rushed to the burn center and remained there until November, when Christian was discharged to a rehab center and Stephanie, burned over 83% of her body, was transferred to a different burn center in Utah.
It was a long — very long — road to recovery. But slowly, the Nielsons returned to life. They were able to take care of their children again, and even added another to their family. They now live in North Carolina, and say their faith in God was an integral part of their healing.
In January 2020, just before the pandemic turned everything upside down, Christian got a call.
On the other end of the line was Nate Lowrie, CEO of the Valleywise Health Foundation. Together with Dr. Foster, he had been dialing burn survivors to ask a pretty big question.
Want to go to Tanzania and hike Mount Kilimanjaro?
'Absolutely yes to everything'
“He gave a really nice pitch,” Christian remembers.
The hike would involve community service in Tanzania, visiting a hospital and orphanage and bringing toys and sports equipment to a school. It would demonstrate what people can achieve after burn trauma.
And it would be a fundraiser for the brand new burn center, which is currently under construction and set to open in October 2023. The Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center will bring all facets of burn care together on one floor of the new Valleywise Health hospital.
In the current hospital, built in 1971, the center is geographically scattered. The new unit will boast a pediatric wing and an area dedicated to outpatient therapy, physical and psychological.
“I said ‘Nate, absolutely yes to everything,’” Christian says.
“Yes to everything you just said, yes to Tanzania, yes to the new hospital, yes to anything we can do for the burn center and Dr. Foster and Valleywise, it's a yes."
The Nielsons were all in.
Six other survivors got the same call, and one by one, they said yes.
'I thought I'd never walk again, let alone hike'
Jason Nelson spent six months in the burn center after a natural gas explosion in Gilbert in 2014. He had been an avid hiker before the accident, climbing the Grand Canyon a couple of times.
But when he was in the center, recovering from burns to 80% of his body, it all seemed so far away.
"I thought I'd never walk again, let alone hike," he says.
When Foster rang in early 2020 with the Kilimanjaro plan, Jason felt motivated to return to his old hobby.
"It kind of gave me a new purpose," he says.
Christin Lipinski, a Peoria teacher and mom of three, spent two and a half months in the center after contracting necrotizing fasciitis in January 2018. The rare bacterial infection, which rapidly kills tissue and can be fatal, is among the severe skin diseases also treated at the center.
After being discharged, she returned as a volunteer, supporting others with necrotizing fasciitis.
When Foster called with the "crazy idea" of climbing Kilimanjaro, Christin was thrilled to be asked, doubly so when she discovered it was a fundraiser for the new center.
"What they were able to do in the little facilities that they have had all these years is amazing, so what they could do with bigger and better facilities?" she says. "It's just beyond words."
There was also Isla Cook, the youngest climber at 11, who would hike alongside her mother. The talented gymnast was burned in June last year when a propane tank went up in flames at a family gathering.
Hailey Boyce, who was 17 when her vape exploded in 2016, burning her badly, would go.
So would Susie Fawcett, a Phoenix fire captain and high school swim coach burned during a structure fire in 1998.
And Isabella McCune, 12, who set a record with her stay at the burn center. She was in the hospital for 276 days, just over nine months, recovering from burns to 65% of her body from a fire pit accident on St. Patrick's Day 2018.
She got the invitation to Tanzania via voicemail, after missing Dr. Foster's call.
"My initial reaction was like, what, of course, yes! This is crazy, are you kidding? Of course I want to go," she says. "So I was immediately like, yes yes yes.”
The eight survivors would be joined by Valleywise Health Foundation and hospital staff, as well as community supporters. All told, 47 people would tackle the mountain, led by Scottsdale company K2 Adventure Travel and accompanied by dozens of porters to carry gear — though, more on that later.
The tight-knit group was known as Team Courage Rising.
It was a company Stephanie and Christian Nielson could not have imagined in the immediate wake of their accident.
At first, once they were able to take in their injuries, they did not want to be part of the burn survivor community.
"We were scared of other burn survivors," Christian says.
"I think for a long time that we were in denial," Stephanie adds. "I was. I was like, 'I'm not a burn survivor. I'm going to get over this and I'm going to be fine.'"
It took a while. But once they came around, they never looked back.
"All we want to do is help other burn survivors who are in the ICU, and show them that there's a good life to be lived after the trauma," Christian says.
Climbing Kilimanjaro would be a pretty great way to do that.
Isabella's story: Badly burned girl hopes to meet Taylor Swift after taking strength in her music
Getting ready to go
Isabella McCune had been on a plane just once before, a short hop from Phoenix to Sacramento.
The trip to Tanzania introduced a dizzying number of firsts for the middle-schooler. "First time overseas, first time out of the country, first time away from my parents," she recites, with a huge smile.
Not to mention this confession: "I didn't really even like hiking before."
The trip was meant to happen in September 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic. In the meantime, Team Courage Rising practiced on local peaks.
They conquered the metropolitan mainstays of Camelback and Piestewa. Cast their eyes over Sedona's red rocks from the top of Bear Mountain. Trekked to the top of Humphreys Peak near Flagstaff, the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet.
All that hiking was a new thing for Isabella. But, she says, it was all worth it.
"If I didn't do this training and I wasn't motivated to keep going with it I don't think I would have made it very far in Kili, so..."
The long delay had another benefit.
"It was kind of like a blessing that we got postponed so much because we got to be together so much more and all watch each other grow from where we started," Isabella says.
"It was really nice to be able to get so close for Africa."
It wasn't just the other survivors Isabella felt close to. When she was rushed into the hospital, a physical therapist named Danika Hines had just returned from maternity leave.
She heard a badly burned girl, just 8 years old, had been admitted and went in to see her.
"I just remember seeing her face and her looking at me and mouthing 'help me' over her tube," Danika says.
"And I was like, 'yeah, of course we're going to help you, sweetie.'"
It was an instant attachment, Danika says, “especially after having a daughter myself."
She became Isabella's primary therapist during her nine-month hospital stay. Danika was constantly by her side, guiding her through dressing changes and gently bending and stretching Isabella's legs as she slept under anesthesia for her numerous skin graft surgeries.
Eventually, Danika helped Isabella get out of bed, sit on a wheelchair and walk. After Isabella was finally discharged, Danika did her outpatient therapy for six months.
Isabella's burns were so extensive and so painful that physical therapy was very difficult. But she has nothing but gratitude for Danika.
“She obviously wouldn't want to hurt me,” Isabella says. “But she was trying to do it to help me. And afterwards she would tell me, I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was going to help you.”
“So even though it would be painful and sometimes would be kind of hard for me to keep pushing, she would always be there and give me that extra little push, little nudge, be like, you can do it.”
When Isabella needed a guardian by her side all the way up to Uhuru Peak, her mom knew who to ask.
Recovery: Months ago, this Taylor Swift superfan could barely stand. Now, she wants to dance
Ascending the summit
On the first day of the hike, traveling through an abundant rain forest flush with damp moss and ferns, Christin Lipinski was filled with wonder.
"You know, we're desert rats here (in Arizona)," she says. "So to be able to see as much green as we saw, that was one of my most favorite parts."
The next day, the terrain was tough, all up — and at least partly reminiscent of home.
"Imagine going up Camelback Mountain or Piestewa Peak, and multiply times three," she says.
“We just kept climbing and climbing and climbing.”
There were long, tough days on the mountain. But Christin had a not-so-secret weapon.
Her necrotizing fasciitis infection was the most painful thing, in body and mind, the special education teacher had ever endured.
"You know, my family almost lost me. I was in a coma for 24 days," she says. "I was going into septic shock and they were in the middle of trying to save me in the emergency surgery. My arm could have been amputated.
"There's so many things that if it went one way, it would have been catastrophic."
Recovery was still horrifying: donor sites that felt like they were on fire, the frustration of waiting to see if grafts would take, and the loneliness of feeling like she was the only person going through it all.
When Christin emerged from her medically-induced coma, she suffered from brain fog and her muscles had deteriorated. She had to build the strength to walk again.
"Taking that first step, I felt like I weighed 500 pounds and just having to lift my leg was just such an ordeal," she says.
But all of that became fuel as she pushed herself towards the summit.
"Going up in the elevation and you're feeling that gravity pushing you down and you're having to walk like a sloth, you think, okay, yeah, this is awful," she says.
"But then you go back to, well, I remember taking that first step and that was even worse.
"So OK, you got this. And this is a prettier view. So get over it and just keep on moving.”
The survivors sometimes reminisced about their hardest days as they climbed. Many of the conversations were about dressing changes, Christin says, the invasiveness and extreme pain of having bandages that had adhered to your wounds stripped off of you.
Sometimes, tears would flow as they remembered what they had been through.
"I just kept kind of reliving it and definitely had some emotional moments, especially with my fellow survivors, just being really grateful that we were all there to experience this," Christin says.
"You know, all of our situations were different, but they all could have gone that different direction and we wouldn't be there. And so that definitely would choke me up at moments."
So, yes, there were some hard days on the mountain, but it was nothing the survivors couldn't handle.
On the second day, as Christin felt like she was endlessly scaling a greener version of Camelback Mountain, the group was suddenly shrouded in fog.
"Wow, we're getting some weather here," Christin said.
For Isabella, the mist was lovely, cool refreshing droplets spraying onto her face like the ubiquitous misters on Phoenix restaurant patios.
"And then all of a sudden you're at the top, you turn around and you realize," Christin says. "Oh, my gosh."
They had just walked through the clouds.
Christin's son had asked her to bring home a cloud for him, so she filmed videos trying to grab onto the elusive fog.
Their camp was just above the clouds, a fluffy white sea stretching to the horizon and beyond.
In front of them, Kilimanjaro's snowy peak was visible for the first time.
Reaching Uhuru Peak
Team Courage Rising was 45 minutes from the summit, taking a break at Stella Point, when Isabella had a moment.
She knew how close they were. She had passed a pulse oximeter test, making sure it was safe to keep going up. But still, the altitude was getting to her. She felt drained.
She knew she could get up to the summit and then back to Stella Point. But after that loomed the rest of the day: walking back to camp, packing up gear, and descending another 7,000 feet.
Isabella felt like she couldn't do all that. She started to cry, panicking. "I don't know if I can do it, I'm scared," she told Danika.
And — not for the first time — Danika knew she had to push Isabella to keep going.
"I'm like, 'No, you're absolutely going to make it back down,'" Danika recalls.
She reminded Isabella she didn't have to do it on her own. Danika was there to help, and so were two porters. The man assigned to Isabella had young kids, and had taken a shine to her.
"Between the four of us, we're all going to get down just fine, sweetie," Danika told Isabella.
And they kept going up the mountain.
Finally, a sign came into view.
It was made of wooden posts with planks bolted to them, welcome words carved into the wood. "Congratulations," it read. "You are now at Uhuru Peak, Tanzania, 5895m/19341ft."
As Isabella approached, she met eyes with Christin. Their stays in the burn center had briefly overlapped.
"I went to visit her a couple of times," Christin says. "I had been discharged from the hospital that year while she was still there, and I just really fell in love with her and her mom. And I was really excited to hear that they were part of the team.
"And we had been in it from the very beginning, the two of us, along with Jason Nelson. And so we had gotten really close. All those training hikes."
They had come out of the burn center. Conquered peaks across Arizona. And now they were standing on top of Kilimanjaro.
"Don't look at me like that, you're going to make me cry," Isabella told Christin.
Christin said the same thing back.
And then they embraced, tears rolling down their cheeks.
"We were both crying because we were happy and we were so proud of each other," Isabella says.
It was a profound moment for her.
"I wanted to do this to show that even after something so horrible happening to me, and even after I had to go through that for all those nine months, I still came back, and I'm still doing everything I can to get better, " she says.
Isabella knows she will wear her scars for the rest of her life. She manages them with lotion, massage, and stretching. She has had laser procedures and one release surgery to loosen the tissue, and will have to undergo more.
The scars will never disappear, but they won't stop her from getting on with life. She hopes people who have recently sustained burn injuries will hear about the Kilimanjaro trip and find hope in their own journey.
"Because I know there are times in the hospital when you feel like you won't even make it through," Isabella says.
"You're feeling so put down and you feel so, almost like, I know there were some points for me where I felt almost alone. Even though I knew I had my mom and my dad and such an amazing support system I didn't have anyone I could relate to with the accident."
That's why she wants to be a burn nurse.
To show her scars to people who have been burned, and tell them, this happened to me when I was 8 years old, and I got through it, and you can too.
The lessons of the summit
Standing on the summit, Stephanie Nielson felt full of possibility.
I did this. Now I can do anything.
There were some moments of self-doubt during the hike. A day of discomfort when the scars around her ankles — a band where the unburned skin on her feet meets her burned legs — felt tighter at every step.
But mostly, she felt good.
She had thought a lot about her kids as she walked. When the trip was first proposed she had worried about leaving them behind.
She and Christian get "a little weird" about going away together on big trips, she says.
"I think we might have just a little PTSD or something," she says. "Going on these adventures together, you know, we did that once and we didn't come back for a long, long time."
She worried her kids might be scared by the journey.
But they were elated, listening in on their mom and dad in planning Zoom calls and asking "Is there any room for us to go?"
As she looked out from atop Kilimanjaro, Stephanie hoped her kids would see the hike as an example of life's possibilities, what could be achieved with hard work and perseverance and help from others.
There was another thing, too.
Dr. Foster had been adamant from the start that the burn survivors would not carry their own packs. That duty would be handed to the dozens of porters who also made the trek, swelling Team Courage Rising's count of 47 to a party of more than 200.
It didn't sit right with Stephanie.
"I kept thinking, I had a baby after the accident," she says. "If I could carry a child for nine months, I'm pretty sure I can carry a pack on my back."
At a pre-hike physical, when Foster reminded her about the pack rule, she told him, "OK, sure." But on the first day, when a porter came to ask for her pack, she declined to hand it over.
"I wanted to carry my own load up the mountain," she says. It was symbolic for her, something she needed to prove. Just for herself.
Christian carried his own pack, too. "I knew Christian could, because he's so strong and able," Stephanie says. "But I wanted to do that."
And she did.
The hike had been freeing for Stephanie, who has burn scars on her face.
"Daily for me, I go and live my life and I go to the store and I go to church and I meet people," she says. "And it's always in the back of my head that I'm burned, that I look different."
She knows other people aren't necessarily thinking anything mean. But still, they notice. And she notices.
"I'm burned and they're staring at me and it's okay, right? I've moved on."
But on the mountain, Stephanie was among her people. She never felt embarrassed.
"It was very freeing for me because I felt very included and I didn't have to worry at all about feeling ugly or, you know, any of those little insecurities that may creep up from time to time," she says.
"I didn't feel that at all."
A long way home
Danika was right.
After reaching the summit, Isabella made it all the way back down.
"It was hard, I'll be honest," Isabella says. "Really hard."
After embracing her fellow survivors at Uhuru Peak, Isabella walked — or slid — the steep, rocky descent back to the previous night's camp, and took a break for lunch, the 7,000-foot descent still waiting.
"At that point I was like, what if we just stay at this camp? Deal with it tomorrow?" she says. "But we had to keep going. It was just taking it one step at a time."
At the final camp, she and Danika set their bags down in their tent and collapsed.
"We didn't even take anything out," Isabella says. "We just lay down."
All she could think about was tomorrow, the day she would walk off the mountain to a celebration, a hotel, a bed, and — most importantly — a shower.
The next day, she emerged from the rainforest between Danika and Dr. Foster. The three had found themselves walking together during the last part of the hike, along a road leading out of the greenery. It was, Isabella says, "the longest 20 minutes ever."
The moment was serendipitous, as unplanned as it was fitting, Isabella walking off the mountain with two of the most crucial people in her recovery.
'I'm embarrassed to admit it'
About two weeks later, Foster is sitting in his office at the Arizona Burn Center. He's wearing turquoise scrubs, a face mask dangling around his neck.
"I'm embarrassed to admit it," he says.
"I underestimated the burn survivors, which is something I'm not prone to do."
Hiking Kilimanjaro was extraordinarily hard, he says, the most difficult physical feat he has ever attempted.
"I didn't think it was going to be this hard," he says. "Or that it would consume this much time. I was actually looking forward to spending my afternoons sitting in the sun doing crossword puzzles and socializing with these people."
Instead, every day was spent hiking, each night collapsing with exhaustion in his tent.
Back in Phoenix, outside his office door, it's another busy day on the ward. Nurses and therapists in identical scrubs walk back and forth, tending to bandaged individuals who recently had their lives altered in an instant.
"We know what a bad day is really like," Foster says. "So it's kind of hard to complain about anything."
Foster was going to be a heart surgeon, but thanks to a mentor and a chance training opportunity, fell into the burn world. "The universe or God or karma was watching out for me because I definitely found my niche," he says.
People often say to him, "you must have a horrible job. It must be terrible working at the burn center."
"I'm like, what are you talking about?" he says. "I get to see the triumph of the human spirit on a daily basis."
How much harder is it for someone who has been through significant burn trauma to climb a mountain?
"Well, I'm not sure…" Foster begins. "I don't know that it is more difficult."
Receiving and recovering from a serious burn is "just shy of torture," he says. Just look at his patients.
Isabella spent close to a year of her childhood in a hospital, enduring agonizing skin grafts and stoically coping when an infection set back her recovery.
Stephanie and Christian's long road back to their kids involved months in the hospital and then in rehab, with multiple reconstructive surgeries after that.
Christin wavered on the brink of death, as close as a person can get without actually dying.
"These people have all been through really, really huge stress tests. And what they have been through is something that an ordinary person really can't even conceive of, let alone go through," Foster says.
"So I think that they sort of self-selected themselves as being survivors and pretty tough people."
They have some physical limitations, the doctor allows. But the survivors have adapted to their scars, proved their strength and resilience.
"So, I think they might have been actually a little bit further ahead than the rest of us."
On Kilimanjaro, all eight survivors made it to the summit.
"It's a perfect metaphor for this place," Foster says. He got up from his office chair, fixed his mask and headed back out into the corridor.
He has patients to see. Survivors.
To date, Team Courage Rising has raised more than $350,000 for The Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center, due to open October 2023. The money will go towards family support programs, burn research, equipment and programs for the pediatric wing, and more.
Reach the reporter at lane.sainty@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter @lanesainty. | https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona/2022/08/04/arizona-burn-survivors-hike-mount-kilimanjaro-tanzania/10093044002/ | 2022-08-04T14:15:04 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona/2022/08/04/arizona-burn-survivors-hike-mount-kilimanjaro-tanzania/10093044002/ |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The 10,000 Scoop Challenge is making philanthropy a little more delicious.
Moose Tracks is a well-known ice cream flavor, consisting of vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and layers of chocolate fudge. The flavor is licensed to the Moose Track brand, which works with dairy partners to make and distribute the ice cream.
The Moose Tracks brand is running the 10,000 Scoop Challenge to benefit six community organizations along the east coast, with Harrisburg as its last stop.
The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region will be the beneficiary of $10,000--$1 for every scoop of ice cream. Salvation Army leaders said the money would go toward a back-to-school supply program for schoolchildren, as well as toward their food pantry, which is experiencing a rise in demand.
A team of about 50 volunteers will be on hand to scoop the ice cream. To reach the 10,000-scoop goal, each will have to get one scoop every 6 seconds.
The ice cream will be available to the public between 3 and 7 p.m. at the plaza outside the Walnut Street walking bridge. Flavors will include classic Moose Tracks and Peanut butter and Banana Moose Tracks. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/10000-scoop-challenge-harrisburg-salvation-army/521-870b4d15-80b7-4d16-b019-cdeae556926b | 2022-08-04T14:18:05 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/10000-scoop-challenge-harrisburg-salvation-army/521-870b4d15-80b7-4d16-b019-cdeae556926b |
With a second casino referendum in Richmond looming, the would-be owners of the One Casino and Resort are scheduled to appear at city councilwoman's community meeting meeting Thursday.
The Richmond City Circuit Court earlier this year granted the city's request to hold a do-over referendum after the ballot measure failed to pass in November with 51% of voters opposed to the nearly $600 million casino resort planned for South Richmond along Interstate 95.
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A provision of the state's next budget, which the General Assembly adopted after the court order was entered, says that the state will not permit another casino vote in Richmond until 2023, but city leaders have insisted they can still hold the referendum with the court's blessing.
With the referendum tentatively on the Nov. 8 ballot, Urban One CEO Alfred Liggins and founder Cathy Hughes are slated to speak as guests in Councilwoman Reva Trammell's 8th District community meeting at the Satellite Restaurant & Lounge on Thursday night.
"As you all know, nearly every city in our nation is experiencing a rise in gun violence. And Richmond is no exception," said Mayor Levar Stoney on Tuesday.
Both Urban One and its partner in the casino project, Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, spent more than $2.6 million campaigning for the casino last year. The event Thursday could come before the launch of another significant campaign with mailers, television and radio ads, billboard ads and celebrity endorsements ahead of this fall's elections.
Other special guests and speakers listed in a notice for the meeting Thursday include Keith Balmer, the city director of elections; Chip Decker, CEO of the Richmond Ambulance Authority; and John Gregory of Lynx Ventures.
The Satellite Restaurant & Lounge is at 4000 Richmond Highway. The event is scheduled for Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/richmond-casino-developers-to-speak-at-town-hall-today/article_ac66101d-18a8-52d8-933b-4371cc041b6c.html | 2022-08-04T14:18:10 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/richmond-casino-developers-to-speak-at-town-hall-today/article_ac66101d-18a8-52d8-933b-4371cc041b6c.html |
“Thrilled” might be an understatement to describe Dan T. Schmitt’s mood when he called from the side of the road in Massachusetts.
He used words such as “amazing” and “magical” and said he kept getting “stronger and stronger” which is noteworthy when you’re 62 and nearing the end of a 4,800-mile cross-country bike ride about two weeks ahead of schedule. Something else buoyed his spirits: he surpassed his goal to raise $100,000 for Sportable, a Richmond nonprofit that provides sporting opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments.
“It feels so great to be riding in, knowing that we’ve accomplished that big goal for Sportable,” he said. “That just feels so incredible.”
As of Wednesday, the fundraising total for his ride had reached $116,000. (He’s well-familiar with the good work of Sportable as he’s volunteered with the organization over the years and his wife, Cindy, works for Sportable as development director.)
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Schmitt, who lives in Glen Allen and recently retired as president of HHHunt Corp., a real estate developer, left Anacortes, Wash., north of Seattle, on May 21, as noted in my original story.
He pedaled into Bar Harbor, Maine, on July 26, completing the coast-to-coast portion of the trip, though he always planned to ride an additional 300 miles into Boston.
We chatted by phone Monday morning, as he was closing in on Boston. That afternoon, he arrived at Seven Cycles, the company that manufactured his bike and is headquartered just outside Boston, where Schmitt was celebrated with champagne and ice cream.
Sportable executive director Hunter Leemon, who has said Sportable is “blown away by the generous support of our community who rallied together to help us reach an unbelievable fundraising goal,” met Schmitt outside Boston and pedaled with him the final day.
Schmitt had riding partners occasionally throughout the trip. His brother Paul pedaled with him through Montana, and other cyclists joined him at times, and he was befriended by countless others along the way.
“People rescued me all the time,” he said. “They invited me into their houses when it was pouring down rain. I sat around large dinner tables with total strangers and just had great conversations.
“[The trip] was super hard, difficult and challenging, and I ran into a lot of mechanical issues, some weather issues and navigational issues. But that’s part of it: just kind of figuring out how to keep going, solve your problems and move forward. But the far bigger part of it was just meeting these people and just seeing the good in humanity.”
Later, he added, “It has been quite a ride through America and literally through the heart of humanity. Very lucky to see how good they both are.”
Schmitt noted that he believes he “stopped at every lemonade stand in America that I passed” and chatted with the kids who were operating them. No stop was more meaningful than the one on his ride between Bar Harbor and Boston where he found two little girls, under the watchful eyes of their mother and grandfather, selling lemonade. Fifty cents a cup (“+ free cookie,” the sign read).
“I bought several cups of lemonade, and they asked if I was riding for a cause, and I told them about Sportable,” he said. “They reached into their shoebox and gave me all the cash, and said, ‘You take this. We’d be honored to help you.’ I said, ‘No, no, that’s yours.’ They said, ‘We insist. Take this and help people. We’re inspired by what you’re doing.’”
Schmitt said his ride was filled with “magic moments like that every single day.”
“Every day it was just great adventures and great people and great stories.” | https://richmond.com/news/local/lohmann-magical-ride-comes-to-end-for-glen-allen-man-who-raises-more-than-100/article_dc5a621a-076c-5f17-b129-4fd058a2f700.html | 2022-08-04T14:18:12 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/lohmann-magical-ride-comes-to-end-for-glen-allen-man-who-raises-more-than-100/article_dc5a621a-076c-5f17-b129-4fd058a2f700.html |
WAVERLY — Aug. 14 is the last day the municipal outdoor swimming pool will be open this season.
A lack of available staffing after that date is driving the decision, said Leisure Services Director Garret Riordan.
That final day, the pool at 601 Fifth Ave S.W. will be open for the regular hours from 1 to 7 p.m.
“As we finish up another great season at the Waverly Pool, we would like to thank all of the patrons that came out to enjoy the water with us this summer,” the city said in a statement.
With seasonal employees departing for school activities and already limited staff, The Falls will not be able to remain open until the previously stated date of Aug. 21.
The pool is closing around the same time as past years, and is not expected to open for any special exceptions or events beyond Aug. 14.
Last year, the final day was Aug. 5, according to a Facebook post. Riordan said the latest the pool has been open the last 10 years is Aug. 18 or 19.
Developer Nick Graham had considered deviating from the familiar name, but decided against it for brand recognition.
But Riordan said “the reality is they’d rather do other things than work,” and he doesn’t blame them because they’re typically taking off to go to a sports or band camp, or a family vacation one of the final weeks of the summer.
Fester’s Pub, owned by Daniel Corbett – one of the owners of Hungry Charlie’s food truck and restaurant – is taking over what was formerly known as Anton’s Volks Haus.
A couple of hundred people attended an hour-long celebration of life ceremony for Tyler and Sarah Schmidt and their six-year-old daughter, Lula. The Cedar Falls family members were found shot to death July 22 in their tent at Maquoketa Caves State Park. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waverly-swimming-pool-announces-final-day-of-season-will-be-aug-14/article_21992ddc-cbe8-5e25-b89d-f524a968ac43.html | 2022-08-04T14:18:20 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waverly-swimming-pool-announces-final-day-of-season-will-be-aug-14/article_21992ddc-cbe8-5e25-b89d-f524a968ac43.html |
Former President Donald Trump's children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, have testified before investigators with the New York attorney general's office looking into the Trump Organization’s finances and whether the firm inflated or deflated real estate valuations to suit its interests, two sources close to the investigation confirmed to NBC News Thursday.
Donald Trump Jr. testified last week, the sources said. Ivanka Trump testified Wednesday, they said. According to a source, neither of them ever invoked their constitutional fifth amendment right. It wasn't clear if the meetings were held in person.
The depositions had been expected to be completed last month but were delayed by the death of their mother, Ivana Trump. A spokesperson for New York Attorney General Letitia James' office offered condolences at the time in announcing the delay.
Donald Trump Jr. and his brother, Eric, lead the Trump Organization. Eric Trump pleaded the Fifth when he was deposed by video in October 2020. He did so more than 500 times, according to a January court filing from James' office. Ivanka Trump was once a top Trump Organization executive and later served as senior White House adviser while her father was in office.
Her mother, Ivana Trump, died July 14 at her East 64th Street townhouse. Her death was ruled accidental. The medical examiner ruled her death an accident and said she died of blunt impact injuries to her torso. The office declined further comment, but a senior official with direct knowledge of the matter said the circumstances were consistent with a fall down the stairs and there was no indication of foul play.
Ivana Trump was remembered at a funeral at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church earlier this month. Her burial, though, has now become a story of its own. Learn more here.
Wednesday's early afternoon service is invitation-only and being held at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church on Lexington Avenue, between 65th and 66th streets, on the Upper East Side, a source in the Trump family told NBC News.
Donald and Ivana Trump’s three children — Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric — and their families followed Ivana’s gold-colored coffin into St. Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The patriarch himself reportedly arrived 10 minutes later.
“A very sad day, but at the same time a celebration of a wonderful and beautiful life," the ex-president wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, before heading to the Mass with his current wife, former first lady Melania Trump.
Tiffany Trump, the daughter of the former president and his second wife, Marla Maples, also attended the service, as did family friends including Jeanine Pirro, co-host of Fox News' “The Five,” and Charles Kushner, a real estate developer and the father of Ivanka Trump's husband, Jared Kushner. Fashion designer Dennis Basso, a longtime friend of Ivana Trump's, was also among the mourners.
The Mass was “an elegant, wonderful send-off for Ivana Trump,” longtime friend R. Couri Hay said as he emerged.
Ivana Trump: An Icon in Her Own Right
A Czech-born ski racer and sometime model, Ivana Trump married the future president in 1977, and became a businesswoman. She and Trump formed a publicity power couple in the 1980s, and she was the mother of his oldest children.
“I am very saddened to inform all of those that loved her, of which there are many, that Ivana Trump has passed away at her home in New York City,” Trump posted on his social media app, Truth Social. “She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life. Her pride and joy were her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest In Peace, Ivana!”
Their children also released a statement, calling her "an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty and caring mother and friend. Ivana Trump was a survivor.
“She fled from communism and embraced this country,” the statement continued. “She taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination. She will be dearly missed by her mother, her three children and 10 grandchildren.”
She became an icon in her own right, dripping with ’80s style and elegance, complete with her signature beehive hairdo. She influenced the look of the over-the-top Patsy Stone in the classic British sitcom “Absolutely Fabulous,” with the character extolling Ivana as “tremendous” in one episode.
Trump herself would eventually appear in the 1996 hit film “The First Wives Club” with the now-famous line, “Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember, don’t get mad, get everything.”
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The Trumps became partners in love and business, with Ivana playing roles such as manager of one of his Atlantic City casinos. She worked tirelessly there and also had a hand in making Trump Tower an image of ’80s success, helping the decorator and taking a strong interest in such details as the doormen’s uniforms, said Barbara Res, a former Trump Organization executive who was in charge of the skyscraper’s construction.
“She did all that to impress Donald, to win his approval. She was traveling back and forth all the time, and leaving her kids. She had a tremendous work ethic.”
The two were fixtures of New York's see-and-be-seen scene before their equally public, and messy, 1992 divorce. Donald Trump had met his next wife, Marla Maples.
During the split, Ivana Trump accused him of rape in a sworn statement in the early 1990s. She later said that she didn’t mean it literally, but rather that she felt violated.
Donald Trump would say at times that he regretted having Ivana join him in business and blamed it for the unraveling of his marriage.
“I think that putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing,” he told ABC News in the early ’90s. “If you’re in business for yourself, I really think it’s a bad idea to put your wife working for you,” he said, complaining that when she turned into a businessperson, “a softness disappeared.”
Nevertheless, Ivana ultimately remained friendly with her ex-husband, whom she famously called “The Donald.” She enthusiastically backed his 2016 White House run, saying he would “make big changes” in the United States, and told the New York Post that she was giving him suggestions on his campaign.
“We speak before and after the appearances and he asks me what I thought,” she said. She said she advised him to “be more calm.”
“But Donald cannot be calm,” she added. “He’s very outspoken. He just says it as it is.”
However supportive, she occasionally ruffled feathers.
In 2017, while promoting a book, she told “Good Morning America” that she spoke with the then-president about every two weeks and had his direct White House number, but didn’t want to call to frequently “because Melania is there and I don’t want to cause any kind of jealousy or something like that because I’m basically first Trump wife, OK?” she said with a laugh. “I’m first lady, OK?”
Melania Trump’s spokesperson at the time responded, saying there was “clearly no substance to this statement from an ex, this is unfortunately only attention-seeking and self-serving noise.”
Ivana Trump had continued her business ventures in recent years, promoting an Italian weight-loss diet in 2018.
“Health is the most important thing we have. Let’s keep it that way,” she said at the time.
Ivana Trump's death came during a fraught week for the Trump family. Two of her children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, and the former president are due to appear in coming days for questioning in the New York attorney general's civil investigation into the family’s business practices.
Ivana Trump was born Ivana Zelnickova in 1949 in the Czechoslovak city of Gottwaldov, formerly Zlin, which had just been renamed by the Communists who took over the country in 1948.
She was married four times, most recently to Italian actor Rossano Rubicondi. The two divorced in 2009 after a year of marriage but continued to see each other off and on until 2019, when she told the New York Post the relationship had run its course. He died last year of cancer at 49. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/sources-donald-trump-jr-ivana-testify-before-ny-ags-office-in-finance-probe-neither-pleads-the-5th/3809985/ | 2022-08-04T14:22:32 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/sources-donald-trump-jr-ivana-testify-before-ny-ags-office-in-finance-probe-neither-pleads-the-5th/3809985/ |
HENRY COUNTY, Va. – A Martinsville man who police say was involved in a hit-and-run incident that injured an 8-year-old boy has learned his fate.
The crash happened back in Sept. 2021 and according to our previous reporting, 57-year-old David Paul Walker, of Martinsville, hit an 8-year-old boy while he was getting off his school bus in Henry County and kept on going.
The 8-year-old victim was flown to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries sustained in the crash, according to state police.
On Wednesday, Walker was sentenced to 18 years with 15 years and 4 months suspended, meaning he will spend two years and 8 months behind bars.
Walker was faced with several charges, which include:
- Hit and run- Personal injury
- Fail to stop for the school bus
- Reckless driving
- Conceal evidence of a felony
- Drive suspended
Of those charges, he pleaded guilty to hit and run - personal injury, failing to stop for a school bus, driving on a suspended license and concealing evidence of a felony. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/martinsville-man-sentenced-for-hit-and-run-that-hospitalized-8-year-old-school-boy/ | 2022-08-04T14:26:02 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/martinsville-man-sentenced-for-hit-and-run-that-hospitalized-8-year-old-school-boy/ |
SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Sheriff's Office needs your help identifying these two suspects who stole an ATM.
BCSO responded Friday, July 29, just after 5 a.m. to the 20000 block of Mathis Road for a burglary at a closed business.
BCSO was able to gather surveillance footage that showed two suspects break into the business, steal the ATM machine, load it into the suspect vehicle, and drive off. The vehicle involved in this crime was a white 2015-2022 Dodge Durango.
The BCSO is now asking for your help in identifying these two suspects. If you have any information about this crime, you are urged to contact the BCSO at (210) 335-6000 or email bcsotips@bexar.org, you can remain anonymous.
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Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
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Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/bcso-searching-for-two-suspects-who-stole-an-atm-san-antonio-texas-robbery-bexar/273-878b57b9-248d-440e-98d5-fd7e319c7b87 | 2022-08-04T14:27:17 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/bcso-searching-for-two-suspects-who-stole-an-atm-san-antonio-texas-robbery-bexar/273-878b57b9-248d-440e-98d5-fd7e319c7b87 |
AUSTIN, Texas — Senator Gutierrez is suing because he filed an open records request on May 31 asking for information about police presence and ballistics surrounding the Uvalde school shooting.
Thursday's hearing is set for 9 a.m. in Travis County.
Senator Roland Gutierrez continues to seek answers about the DPS response or lack thereof during the Uvalde massacre. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/hearing-to-be-held-thursday-over-law-enforcement-response-in-uvalde-shooting-robb-elementary-texas-dps/273-0ddad6b8-ec1f-4784-9df0-79316613bf5c | 2022-08-04T14:27:23 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/hearing-to-be-held-thursday-over-law-enforcement-response-in-uvalde-shooting-robb-elementary-texas-dps/273-0ddad6b8-ec1f-4784-9df0-79316613bf5c |
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind — Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski was killed Wednesday in a car crash in her northern Indiana district along with two members of her congressional staff and another person, police said.
The crash happened in Elkhart County at around 12:30 p.m., when a car crossed the center line on SR 19 and collided head-on with the SUV Walorski was riding in, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said.
Walorski, 58, two of her staff members and the driver of the other vehicle, identified as 56-year-old Edith Schmucker of Nappanee, died in the crash.
The staff members were identified as 28-year-old Emma Thomson, the representative's communications director, and 27-year-old Zachery Potts, her district director and the Republican chairman for northern Indiana’s St. Joseph County.
"Janet and I are devastated by the tragic loss of our friend Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and her two staffers - Emma Thomson and Zach Potts - earlier today. Our broken hearts go out to her husband Dean and the entire family during this time of unimaginable mourning," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in one of a series of tweets Wednesday.
In the wake of the tragic crash, former South Bend mayor and current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the death of Walorski, who was born and raised in South Bend.
Buttigieg, a Democrat, and Walorski, a Republican, both found their way from South Bend to Washington, D.C.
While in the nation's capital, Buttigieg said he worked with Walorski and, although they came from different places politically, she was "always prepared to work together where there was common ground, always decent and straightforward, and she cared deeply about her work and her constituents."
Walorski served as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 2nd Congressional District since 2012. She previously served six years in the state's Legislature.
Walorski was elected to serve as a congresswoman around the same time former Vice President Mike Pence was elected to serve as Indiana's governor.
Pence tweeted after the crash saying that he and his wife, Karen, are "heartbroken by the tragic passing of our dear friend Rep. Jackie Walorski."
He went on to say:
"She served Indiana in the Statehouse and the Congress with integrity and principle for nearly two decades and will be deeply missed.
Our prayers are with her husband Dean, her family, and the families of Zachery Potts and Emma Thomson who also perished in the crash. We're praying God’s comfort over their families and to all who loved and admired this truly inspiring Indiana leader. God Bless Jackie Walorski."
Walorski and her husband were previously Christian missionaries in Romania, where they established a foundation that provided food and medical supplies to impoverished children. She worked as a television news reporter in South Bend before turning to politics.
Walorski spent her political career focused on growing the economy and bringing good jobs to northern Indiana. She also sought to strengthen national security and help veterans in need of care.
"At every level of public service, Jackie was known to be a positive force of nature, a patriot, and a relentless policymaker with an unwavering loyalty to her constituents," Holcomb said. "Jackie’s record of achievement is impossible to quantify."
GALLERY: Life and legacy of Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorksi
She served on the House Ways and Means Committee, giving her the opportunity to play a crucial role in how leaders use the nation's funding.
She also was a ranking member of the subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, where she focused on helping small businesses and manufacturers grow and expanding opportunities for workers across the country, according to her biography on the U.S. House of Representatives' website.
She was also a ranking member of the House Ethics Committee.
Holcomb said Walorski will be remembered as, "a fighter with a huge heart that always went the extra mile and I’ll treasure the times we walked a few of those together."
Walorski won the Republican primary in May after running unopposed and was heavily favorited to retain her seat for a sixth term in November.
Republicans will have to choose another candidate to run in the general election, but state GOP leaders say she'll be hard to replace.
"Yeah, haven't even given that any thought. I mean, they won't be able to fill her shoes, they just won't. She was one of a kind," said Indiana Republican Party chairman Kyle Hupfer. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/indiana-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-killed-alongside-3-others-in-elkhart-county-crash/531-44f621fb-a258-4b3a-90fe-f80b286bf2f3 | 2022-08-04T14:27:29 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/indiana-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-killed-alongside-3-others-in-elkhart-county-crash/531-44f621fb-a258-4b3a-90fe-f80b286bf2f3 |
SAN DIEGO — According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is no vehicle currently available for sale that is fully automated or "self-driving," yet a video of someone sleeping behind the wheel locally is catching thousands of views.
"It was insane," said Sean Thompson who was driving on the 5-South freeway when he saw a driver asleep at the wheel while his Tesla was driving presumably in autopilot mode around 6:30 Monday morning.
"The guy was completely passed out sleeping. We were stunned. My immediate reaction was to get a video," said Thompson.
Many videos similar to this have circulated online since electric cars have become more popular.
"Just absolutely stunned. I've never seen anything like this. It felt surreal. This can't be real," said Thompson.
Before enabling autopilot mode, Tesla says drivers must pay attention and keep their hands on the wheel.
If drivers take their hands off the wheel, the car responds with visual and audio warnings. However, drivers have found ways to get around these warnings through a device called Autopilot Buddy.
A video from Amazon shows the small weighted device that provides enough torque on the steering wheel to reduce the number of warnings from the vehicle regarding hands-off operation when autopilot is activated. It's formed to blend in with multiple Tesla models and it clips to the side of the wheel with magnets. It's not just limited to Teslas, this device can be used on other vehicles with similar features.
In 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a cease and desist order to the manufacturer of the aftermarket device in the U.S., however, CBS 8 reporter Ariana Cohen still found Tesla steering wheel accessories on Amazon for around $60 to $70.
"It's a really dangerous and unfortunate world we live in," said Thompson.
The California Highway Patrol says sleeping while behind the wheel is not only unsafe but is also illegal under current California law.
CBS 8 also wants to point out there are many times when autopilot can be an important safety feature for drivers.
CHP wants to remind everyone if you ever see someone sleeping while driving to immediately call 911.
WATCH RELATED: 'Don't drive intexticated' | Woman impacted twice by distracted driving shares her message | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/video-of-tesla-driver-asleep-behind-the-wheel-raises-safety-concerns/509-50af88af-344d-44b1-9d4b-85a9c63f6288 | 2022-08-04T14:27:36 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/video-of-tesla-driver-asleep-behind-the-wheel-raises-safety-concerns/509-50af88af-344d-44b1-9d4b-85a9c63f6288 |
ROME, N.Y. (UPDATED) – Two people were hospitalized following a crash on Route 49 in Rome Wednesday morning.
According to New York State Police, 86-year-old Kenneth Ingerham, of Clinton, was driving eastbound on Route 49 in the right lane when he tried to pass 31-year-old Ismael Velez, who was driving in the passing lane.
Police say the two collided when Ingerham changed lanes without using a signal and swerved into Velez’s path.
Both drivers were trapped and Rome Fire Department had to extricate them from their vehicles.
After they were pulled out of the vehicles, Ingerham and Velez were taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center for treatment.
Police did not say if any tickets were issued following the crash. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/2-hospitalized-following-crash-on-route-49-in-rome/article_54f251b0-134b-11ed-a9d0-d3361d31eecb.html | 2022-08-04T14:30:41 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/2-hospitalized-following-crash-on-route-49-in-rome/article_54f251b0-134b-11ed-a9d0-d3361d31eecb.html |
There are 6 Democrats and 2 Republicans running in the August Primary. Sarah Klee Hood, Chol Majok, Sam Roberts, and Francis Conole are running on the Democratic line, with Brandon Williams and Steve Wells running on the Republican line.
The Genesis Group held a meet and greet via Zoom, so Central New Yorkers can get a feel for what they stand for. Democratic Candidate Francis Conole was unable to participate in the meet and greet, but the rest were able to address their top priorities.
(D) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Sarah Klee Hood: "Jobs. I do it daily. The environment, healthcare, cost of aging in place, and childcare."
(D) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Chol Majok: "Housing, poverty, Healthcare, public safety."
(D) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Sam Roberts: "Economy, healthcare, education, public safety, and homeless."
(R) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Steve Wells: "Inflation and the economy, crime, and the out-of-control southern border."
(R) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Brandon Williams: "Inflation, as if that’s nothing new, military preparedness, we need economic opportunity."
The candidates were able to elaborate on some of their concerns.
(D) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Sarah Klee Hood: "I want to return the focus back to our community here in Central New York. I want to use my experience in Workforce Development building local jobs, creating green technology to help drive our local economy forward."
(D) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Chol Majok: "The earth is heating up very quickly. Very hot than it has ever been, and for us it’s important we recognize that, and incentivize, invest. Use some sort of (inaudible) funds to help people transition to a space where they are climate conscious."
(D) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Sam Roberts: "Student loan forgiveness is important. You know it’s tough, and it’s a tough thing you know. The President just signed the thing to put so much money in, but then we have to wonder is that enough…does that go far enough."
(R) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Steve Wells: "What we’ve seen here in New York sadly is bad policy. Bad economic policy, and bad policy with respect to crime. Directly related to the results that we’re now experiencing living here."
(R) NY 22nd Congressional Candidate Brandon Williams: "Our southern border is open. Citizenship and immigration, they’ve lost their meaning under the Biden Administration. America is in trouble."
Early voting for this year’s 22 Congressional District Primary starts on Aug. 13, and Primary Day is Aug. 23. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/22nd-congressional-district-primary-candidates-speak-out/article_7eb950a8-1372-11ed-8470-63bdc65f9286.html | 2022-08-04T14:30:48 | 0 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/22nd-congressional-district-primary-candidates-speak-out/article_7eb950a8-1372-11ed-8470-63bdc65f9286.html |
BANGOR, Maine — Since 1849, thousands of Mainers and folks from away have come to enjoy the food and rides at the Bangor State Fair.
The fair is back in the Queen City and opens to the public on Thursday. It runs through Sunday at Bass Park behind the Cross Insurance Center.
There are more than 25 rides set up, including Pharoah's Fury, Tempest, and a Merry-Go-Round.
The Demolition Derby, a fan favorite, will be returning and is included with admission. Live music and performances are also scheduled.
Chris Chagros is the general manager of Fiesta Shows. He said they have a new ticket system at this year's fair.
"Each ride has a number of credits required to go on it, and you can buy a smart card and the smart card can be loaded up with points," Chagros explained. "Ride operators have a scanner. All you do is take your card and wave it over the scanner; it beeps; he gives you the thumbs up; enjoy.”
He added that the credits you buy last forever. If you don’t use all of them during one fair visit, you can come back anytime to hop on more rides.
This year, event organizers wanted to focus on keeping things local by hosting 15 local vendors. Special events coordinator Abigail Michaud said bringing them to the fair just made sense.
"It's a huge part. I mean, Bangor is great. Everyone loves it here; everyone loves the fair. Including those businesses and organizations, it's great," Michaud said.
For a complete list of Bangor State Fair events, click here. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/bangor/bangor-state-fair-opens-thursday-with-new-ticket-system-maine-cross-insurance-center-bangor-state-fair-schedule/97-7689b4f2-badc-4004-bcd4-e557ad927e9e | 2022-08-04T14:31:07 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/bangor/bangor-state-fair-opens-thursday-with-new-ticket-system-maine-cross-insurance-center-bangor-state-fair-schedule/97-7689b4f2-badc-4004-bcd4-e557ad927e9e |
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind — Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski was killed Wednesday in a car crash in her northern Indiana district along with two members of her congressional staff and another person, police said.
The crash happened in Elkhart County at around 12:30 p.m., when a car crossed the center line on SR 19 and collided head-on with the SUV Walorski was riding in, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said.
Walorski, 58, two of her staff members and the driver of the other vehicle, identified as 56-year-old Edith Schmucker of Nappanee, died in the crash.
The staff members were identified as 28-year-old Emma Thomson, the representative's communications director, and 27-year-old Zachery Potts, her district director and the Republican chairman for northern Indiana’s St. Joseph County.
"Janet and I are devastated by the tragic loss of our friend Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and her two staffers - Emma Thomson and Zach Potts - earlier today. Our broken hearts go out to her husband Dean and the entire family during this time of unimaginable mourning," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in one of a series of tweets Wednesday.
In the wake of the tragic crash, former South Bend mayor and current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the death of Walorski, who was born and raised in South Bend.
Buttigieg, a Democrat, and Walorski, a Republican, both found their way from South Bend to Washington, D.C.
While in the nation's capital, Buttigieg said he worked with Walorski and, although they came from different places politically, she was "always prepared to work together where there was common ground, always decent and straightforward, and she cared deeply about her work and her constituents."
Walorski served as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 2nd Congressional District since 2012. She previously served six years in the state's Legislature.
Walorski was elected to serve as a congresswoman around the same time former Vice President Mike Pence was elected to serve as Indiana's governor.
Pence tweeted after the crash saying that he and his wife, Karen, are "heartbroken by the tragic passing of our dear friend Rep. Jackie Walorski."
He went on to say:
"She served Indiana in the Statehouse and the Congress with integrity and principle for nearly two decades and will be deeply missed.
Our prayers are with her husband Dean, her family, and the families of Zachery Potts and Emma Thomson who also perished in the crash. We're praying God’s comfort over their families and to all who loved and admired this truly inspiring Indiana leader. God Bless Jackie Walorski."
Walorski and her husband were previously Christian missionaries in Romania, where they established a foundation that provided food and medical supplies to impoverished children. She worked as a television news reporter in South Bend before turning to politics.
Walorski spent her political career focused on growing the economy and bringing good jobs to northern Indiana. She also sought to strengthen national security and help veterans in need of care.
"At every level of public service, Jackie was known to be a positive force of nature, a patriot, and a relentless policymaker with an unwavering loyalty to her constituents," Holcomb said. "Jackie’s record of achievement is impossible to quantify."
GALLERY: Life and legacy of Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorksi
She served on the House Ways and Means Committee, giving her the opportunity to play a crucial role in how leaders use the nation's funding.
She also was a ranking member of the subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, where she focused on helping small businesses and manufacturers grow and expanding opportunities for workers across the country, according to her biography on the U.S. House of Representatives' website.
She was also a ranking member of the House Ethics Committee.
Holcomb said Walorski will be remembered as, "a fighter with a huge heart that always went the extra mile and I’ll treasure the times we walked a few of those together."
Walorski won the Republican primary in May after running unopposed and was heavily favorited to retain her seat for a sixth term in November.
Republicans will have to choose another candidate to run in the general election, but state GOP leaders say she'll be hard to replace.
"Yeah, haven't even given that any thought. I mean, they won't be able to fill her shoes, they just won't. She was one of a kind," said Indiana Republican Party chairman Kyle Hupfer. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/indiana-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-killed-alongside-3-others-in-elkhart-county-crash/531-44f621fb-a258-4b3a-90fe-f80b286bf2f3 | 2022-08-04T14:31:13 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/indiana-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-killed-alongside-3-others-in-elkhart-county-crash/531-44f621fb-a258-4b3a-90fe-f80b286bf2f3 |
AUGUSTA, Maine — According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Maine's uninsured rate dropped by almost 5% for those eligible for the Medicaid expansion from 2018 to 2020.
This change is the third largest uninsured rate decline in the nation, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the office of Governor Janet Mills.
Among adults ages 19-64 with incomes of 138% under the poverty line, Maine's uninsured rate dropped 4.9 points from 21.3% in 2018 to 16.5% in 2020, the release states.
Maine reportedly came after larger declines in Virginia and Idaho, while more than half of the states experienced increases.
Maine's Medicaid expansion was approved in 2017 and currently covers 97,821 residents, the release says. Approximately 90% of the cost of this coverage is reportedly covered by the federal government.
“Maine people voted overwhelmingly to expand Medicaid, which is why I moved to implement expansion on day one of my administration after months of needless delay,” said Governor Janet Mills in the release.
“And now, this report shows that expansion is working, proving once again that Maine people were right. Expanding health care was the right thing to do for our people and for our economy. Nearly 98,000 people across Maine can see a doctor, afford medications, and receive preventive care to keep them healthy — which is critically important as we recover from the pandemic. My Administration will continue to fight for more accessible and affordable health care for all Maine people.” | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-sees-third-largest-uninsured-rate-decline-in-the-nation-medicaid-expansion-health/97-d860e77d-4a47-4362-855b-92a697c6fe47 | 2022-08-04T14:31:19 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-sees-third-largest-uninsured-rate-decline-in-the-nation-medicaid-expansion-health/97-d860e77d-4a47-4362-855b-92a697c6fe47 |
DACULA, Ga. — After his 12th surgery, a Georgia 2-year-old is bouncing back with new life.
Carter Bish is all smiles a few months after his kidney transplant. His mom said she's taking the surgery a bit harder, especially since she was his donor.
"We're doing well," Pamela Bish said. "My recovery was brutal to be honest - just was surprised because I wasn't expecting that level of pain but all is good now. Carter is happy and full of it!"
11Alive's Hope Ford first spoke with the Bish family in May, when Carter was faced with another health hurdle.
Pamela said Carter started defying the odds early in his life. Doctors said Carter wasn't supposed to be born alive and then told his parents to not hold out hope.
Now Carter is edging toward his third year of life and one wouldn't know about the dozen of surgeries he's had since birth.
“To put in catheters, to take out catheters, to clean up infections," Pamela said, describing life after his hip surgery. “He was in this full-body cast, which was awful.”
RELATED: 'It’s just unbelievable' | Georgia boy born with kidney failure found the perfect donor: his mom
PHOTOS: Georgia boy born with kidney failure found the perfect donor: his mom
Carter's kidneys were in bad shape since birth, meaning care didn't stop after his surgeries. There was a lot of maintenance to help keep Carter going like dialysis three times a week. Each session lasts about four hours.
Then Pamela learned she was a match -- and just as she gave him life, she was ready to give him a kidney, too.
"I wanted to be the one," she previously said.
The Dacula family went through this milestone for Carter and have been monitoring his recovery.
"Everything went as planned and we're almost the four-month mark," Pamela said. "Still lots of monitoring and lands and medicines to keep the kidney working."
Because Carter is so young, he may need another kidney transplant in 10 to 20 years. With mom one kidney down, the family jokes his brothers will have to take it from there.
For now, Carter roams the hospital wings as a happy toddler, ready to play at home too. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pamela-carter-bish-kidney-transplant/85-8294eb2a-56f5-42fe-a65c-088aa59b19bc | 2022-08-04T14:31:25 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pamela-carter-bish-kidney-transplant/85-8294eb2a-56f5-42fe-a65c-088aa59b19bc |
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A 21-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash Wednesday night in Palm Harbor, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
It happened around 8:45 p.m. on US-19 and Pine Ridge Way West.
Troopers say the 21-year-old Hudson man was riding his motorcycle northbound on US-19 "at a high rate of speed" when he crashed into the car in front of him.
The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.
The 22-year-old man driving the car suffered minor injuries.
A recent study from QuoteWizard by Lendingtree shows Florida ranks no. 4 in the highest motorcycle deaths in the U.S.
Florida recorded 600 motorcycle deaths in 2020, according to the research, with 70 percent of motorcycle riders saying they wear a helmet while riding. That's higher than the nation's average of 68 percent of motorcyclists who say they use helmets. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/21-year-old-dies-motorcycle-crash-palm-harbor/67-03b7870b-4a2d-4c28-8198-42a226547fc5 | 2022-08-04T14:31:31 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/21-year-old-dies-motorcycle-crash-palm-harbor/67-03b7870b-4a2d-4c28-8198-42a226547fc5 |
SAGINAW TOWNSHIP (WJRT) - She was shot in the head, but a Saginaw County woman and her family are still trying to find out how she was shot.
We have some new details in the mysterious case of Mary Volz, who had been walking around with a bullet in her head for a few days and didn't know it.
We do have some new details, as the family believes it can narrow down a time when Mary was shot, but where she was shot and why and by whom is still difficult to determine.
58-year-old Mary Volz was back in the hospital this week as she continues to recover from a gunshot wound to her head.
The mystery of this shooting case begin on June 28th as her brother Matt Volz says Mary was taken to Covenant Healthcare that day because she complained of chest pains and trouble breathing.
Medical tests were done and she was released from the hospital at around two that afternoon.
Mary returned to her Saginaw Township home around 6:00 that evening.
Her boyfriend noticed a mark on her head. Mary told him it was from a fall.
She says she remembered being in the area of Kroger and Rite Aid on State Street in Saginaw Township earlier in the day.
The next morning, on June 29th, she apparently drove herself back to the hospital because she was having abdominal pain.
More lab work was done, but according to a medical document released to the family, a doctor noticed an area of swelling on the forehead and suspected a possible abscess.
She returned home that day, but three days later, on July 2nd, her boyfriend found her on the floor and she was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors then found a bullet or bullet fragment in her head and it was causing an infection and putting pressure on her brain.
On July 4th, she underwent surgery to relieve the pressure, but the bullet remains in her head because doctors believe it would be too risky to remove.
Matt Volz now believes his sister was somehow shot after she left the hospital in Saginaw on June 28th, between the hours of 2:30 and 6:00 p.m.
He says she took a bus back to Saginaw Township, but he admits Mary is foggy on some of the details. She believes a police officer or someone in a security vehicle saw her walking in a neighborhood and eventually drove her home that day.
So was it a stray bullet, or did someone accidentally intentionally shoot her? Michigan State Police are investigating.
Mary is now home from the hospital.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with Mary's medical costs.
Learn more here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-mary-recover-from-stray-bullet-wound?qid=c4c9e1b0f7915df36224fb95bd01df8a | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/new-details-on-mysterious-shooting-of-a-saginaw-county-woman-who-didnt-realize-she-was/article_561c27ae-136f-11ed-bd06-9721b4b2ff18.html | 2022-08-04T14:33:02 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/new-details-on-mysterious-shooting-of-a-saginaw-county-woman-who-didnt-realize-she-was/article_561c27ae-136f-11ed-bd06-9721b4b2ff18.html |
I first learned the fascinating history of the historic Beale Wagon Road when I started working as an archaeologist for the Kaibab National Forest in Williams in June 1990. As I would learn years later, the Kaibab’s longtime recreation program leader Dennis Lund, (who sadly passed away in May), had an immense passion for history and sharing it with the public.
Shortly before I arrived, Kaibab recreation staff and its band of archaeologists, John Hanson, Teri Cleeland and Larry Lesko, began developing interpretive trails so the public could learn about the forest’s rich cultural history. Out of those efforts came the Keyhole Sink petroglyph trail that discusses the long history of Native Americans and their ancestral lands; the historic Dow Springs site that interprets homesteading, mining and the railroad logging history near Garland Prairie; historic Route 66 mountain biking, hiking and driving tours; and today’s subject, the historic Beale Wagon Road’s 23 miles within the Kaibab.
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In the 1970s, Northern Arizona University student Jack “Beale” Smith was working on his master’s thesis about the history of the Beale Wagon Road. In 1857, Congress allocated $210,000 to retired Navy Lt. Edward Beale to survey and build a wagon road across the Southwest from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the Colorado River.
The effort became known as the “Great Camel Experiment” because Beale obtained 22 Middle Eastern camels to carry supplies and tools for his crew of about 50 men. The lieutenant found these “ships of the desert” surprisingly effective at packing heavy loads across the dry, rocky landscape, but his experiment failed in the eyes of muleskinners who considered the animals foul smelling, evil-tempered and ugly.
At every opportunity in his journals, clearly trying to prove a point, Beale praised the camels. On Oct. 6, 1857, he wrote, “ ... it is so universally acknowledged in camp, even by those who were most opposed to them at first, that they are the salt of the party and the noblest brute alive ... they have been used on every reconnaissance whilst the mules were resting, and having gone down the precipitous sides of rough volcanic mesas, which mules would not descend until the camels were first taken down as an example. With all this work they are perfectly content to eat anything, from the driest greasewood bush to a thorny prickly pear, and, what is better, keep fat on it.”
Beale’s road-building efforts proved successful and thousands of emigrants followed his road westward. Across northern Arizona it was the transportation harbinger of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, the Old Trails Highway, Route 66 and today’s Interstate 40.
As part of his research, Smith meticulously pored over Beale’s journals and mapped the entire route from Fort Smith across Arizona. When he approached Kaibab officials about marking the trail across the national forest in the late 1980s, thanks to Lund and his staff’s foresight, they contracted with Smith and his professor, Eldon Bowman, to mark the 23 miles with wooden posts, rock cairns, survey markers and tree blazes.
The Forest Service then produced an interpretive brochure so the public could follow the route via foot and in some places on forest roads. However, over the years, juniper encroachment in the historic grassland made the markers difficult to follow.
In fall 2013, fellow Kaibab archaeologist Liz Lane and I created a Geographic Position Systems (GPS) record of these markers so visitors could follow the overland hiking sections without getting offtrack. We often laughed about how fun it would be to ride camels across the overland sections, just like Beale did.
Fast forward to June 28, when my fellow Willow Bend Environmental Center board pal Eric Souders, after years of my nagging him, agreed to take me out on the Kaibab with his two camels Rakuda (two-humped Bactrian) and Gamal (one-humped Dromedary). Beale had both types on his trips. Eric and I met at his ranch in Doney Park and loaded up the camels for the short drive to the western edge of Government Prairie.
However, I have reached my word limit, so you will have to wait until my next Ask a Ranger column.
Neil Weintraub served as an archaeologist on the Kaibab National Forest for 30 years before he retired in 2020. He oversees 50 volunteer Williams, Grand Canyon and Flagstaff Site Stewards who monitor fragile archaeological sites, including Laws Spring along the Beale Wagon Road.
The NPS/USFS Roving Rangers volunteer through a unique agreement between the Flagstaff Area National Monuments and the Coconino National Forest to provide Interpretive Ranger walks and talks in the Flagstaff area each summer.
Submit questions for the ‘Ask a Ranger’ weekly column to askaranger@gmail.com | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ask-a-ranger-the-great-camel-experiment-revisited-part-1/article_d367d3da-1387-11ed-a25a-13d52c46622f.html | 2022-08-04T14:40:40 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ask-a-ranger-the-great-camel-experiment-revisited-part-1/article_d367d3da-1387-11ed-a25a-13d52c46622f.html |
Unsurprisingly, spirits are high as the Northern Arizona football team began its preseason camp this week ahead of the start of the fall season.
The Lumberjacks have their players back in Flagstaff, gearing up for the Sept. 1 opener against the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe. With warm weather allowing the team to use its outdoor facilities -- and full utilization of the new Student-Athlete High Performance Center as well -- there is plenty of spirit as the team is nearing the season.
Northern Arizona is coming off 2021 campaign that finished on a record of 5-6 (4-4 Big Sky) but ended the year on a high note with a 45-21 road win at Cal Poly.
Quarterback RJ Martinez -- the presumed starter entering his second season -- said the 2021 finish, along with a solid spring period, has the team looking in favorable form.
“The preparation since last season has given us confidence coming into this season, and there’s just a new energy with this team,” Martinez said.
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Martinez is one of nine presumed starters returning to the lineup for the Lumberjacks offense. There are also six defensive starters from last season’s team still on the roster. Many of those are underclassmen with years of eligibility remaining, but have gained plenty of playing experience due to two seasons -- a five-game spring campaign and a full fall slate -- in just one calendar year.
“We know what we have coming back, after playing a season, and some of them two, together,” Martinez said. “We’re still relatively young, so I think it’s really good, because we have an identity already.”
Defensively, the Lumberjacks have to fill some holes after the departure of many longtime starters despite there still being some of the foundational members from years past there to produce.
One of them is defensive back Anthony Sweeney, who was a multiyear starter before an injury cut his 2021 fall season short before it began. Sweeney says he has seen improvement from the defense. With new players slated to start for the first time, and a real belief in the unit, there is potential.
“I hate that word, though: potential,” Sweeney said. “It just means we haven’t done it yet. We’ve got a long way to go.”
Still, in coach Chris Ball’s fourth season leading the Lumberjacks, even the oldest players -- such as Sweeney, who predates Ball in Flagstaff -- believe this is the most well-assembled unit in recent memory.
“When Coach Ball first came in it was kind of a culture shock. He was trying to bring in his style, his group, his way of doing things, and I think now it’s the most complete year in terms of offense, defense and special teams,” Sweeney said. “We’re working for each other. Not to say we haven’t in the past, but it’s even more this year. I feel like this is the year we put it together.”
The Lumberjacks, who have not beaten ASU since Oct. 15, 1938, want to improve plenty more before taking on the Sun Devils.
Still, the players have seen flashes of what might get the team over that hump -- considering they already beat an in-state FBS rival in a 21-19 victory over the Arizona Wildcats last fall.
“We’ve had sparks here and there, even in the spring, of what we can really do at a high level. I think we need to be consistent so that we can be trending upward to get to that level more,” Martinez said.
Kickoff between the Lumberjacks and Sun Devils is set for Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m in Tempe. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/lumberjacks-begin-football-camp-ahead-of-in-state-opener/article_19c31a92-136a-11ed-8dd2-fbb5ab9582ff.html | 2022-08-04T14:40:46 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/lumberjacks-begin-football-camp-ahead-of-in-state-opener/article_19c31a92-136a-11ed-8dd2-fbb5ab9582ff.html |
ORLANDO, Fla. – One man was found dead in a carport and another was injured Thursday morning in a shooting in Orlando, police said.
The fatal shooting was reported around 9 a.m. on East San Luis Drive.
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Orlando police said a man in his late 20s was found dead in the carport. Another man was shot and wounded but is expected to survive, police said.
The suspected shooter was taken into custody, police said.
An investigation is ongoing.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/man-found-dead-in-carport-2nd-wounded-in-orlando-shooting-police-say/ | 2022-08-04T14:47:57 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/man-found-dead-in-carport-2nd-wounded-in-orlando-shooting-police-say/ |
Community mourns loss of Booker High coach and community leader Rickey Thomas
SARASOTA — Residents in Newtown and throughout the Sarasota community are mourning the loss of former community leader and Booker High School basketball coach Rickey Thomas following his passing on Aug. 1 at the age of 69.
Thomas' work in the community gained him many lifelong friends, support from his family, and respect from peers around Sarasota’s historically Black neighborhood of Newtown. His legacy and contributions reached far beyond his neighborhood, according to the many who knew the former Sarasota-Manatee NAACP president.
For decades, Thomas worked as an educator, community leader, and public servant in both Newtown and Sarasota.
Other news:What you need to know about COVID-19 guidelines ahead of the Sarasota-Manatee school year
And:Sarasota area high school football heats up with first day of practice
In the late 1980s, during his time serving as the NAACP president, he worked to increase opportunities for residents by spearheading enhancements and amenities at the Robert Taylor Complex — known then as the Newtown Community Center.
As the facilities director, Thomas became the first Black man to serve in a city administration position, according to historical news documents.
Most, however, remember the Sarasota native and graduate of Sarasota High School’s Class of 1972 as a standout student-athlete. Following his graduation, Thomas left Sarasota to attend the University of Florida, where he earned his degree in recreation. He later attended the University of Tampa to earn his teaching certification.
Thomas returned to Sarasota to educate and coach students in his hometown.
In just two years, Thomas had earned the head coaching position at Booker High School. In 1985, he led the Booker High Tornadoes boys basketball team to a state championship. Following his team's title, Thomas was named Florida Coach of the Year.
A lifelong friend from childhood, James Ward, met Thomas at Emma E. Booker Elementary School. The two shared classrooms through junior high before parting ways for Riverview High and Sarasota High, respectively.
Ward, among many others, recalled that his friend's athletic capabilities always stood out among his teammates.
"He was a very good athlete and people just liked him," Ward recalled.
Their friendship lived on through their friendly and competitive school rivalry when they coached their basketball teams twice a season, Ward leading the team at Riverview and Thomas at Booker High. But Ward said the competition only deepened their friendship.
"We just started so long ago being friends and we kept that friendship for years. We never had an argument; we always understood each other,” he said. "We are definitely going to miss him."
The legacy and impact left by Thomas are apparent in his former players and students. Derrick Kirce met Thomas in the hallway of Booker Middle School when he was 13. Kirce says Thomas asked if he would be joining the basketball meeting after school, and at that moment became a dominant figure in Kirce’s life.
“My father is first and then close behind him is Coach Thomas. He is the second most important man in the history of my life,” Kirce said.
Kirce played under Thomas and was part of the championship-winning team in 1985. With Thomas’ mentorship, Kirce and numerous others got to further their education beyond high school. He cites Thomas as the reason several of his classmates and peers pursued a college education.
“He was far more than a coach,” Kirce said. “We called him coach because we met him as a coach, but he became a father, big brother, an uncle. He took young boys and turned them into young men.”
A viewing will be held on Friday, Aug. 5 from 5 - 7 pm at Jones Funeral Home, 4005 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota.
A Celebration of Life for Thomas will be held Saturday, Aug. 6 at Bethlehem Bible Church, 1680 18th St., in Sarasota at 11:30 am. Thomas' memorial ceremony will be held following the celebration on Aug. 6 at 2 pm at Palms Memorial, 170 Honore Ave.
Samantha Gholar covers social justice news for the Herald-Tribune and USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at sgholar@gannett.com or on Twitter: @samanthagholar | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/family-students-remember-rickey-thomas-standout-athlete-educator/10212798002/ | 2022-08-04T14:57:14 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/family-students-remember-rickey-thomas-standout-athlete-educator/10212798002/ |
New 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched as Sarasota faces mental health crisis
The new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – a nationwide program launched in mid-July to help make mental health care more accessible – arrives just in time to assist countless residents experiencing the ongoing effects of the pandemic as well as rising housing crisis, experts say.
Anyone undergoing mental health-related distress can call or text the 988 Lifeline, 24/7, and be connected to trained mental health crisis counselors and, if needed, be directed to a local mobile response team or additional resources.
Experts hope the three-digit number will be easier to remember than the National Suicide Hotline, 800-273-8255, which will remain active, with calls routed to 988.
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Bold moves or more of the same? Sarasota-area governments mobilize on affordable housing
The 988 Lifeline is a network of more than 200 state and local call centers supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
“The idea with 988 is that it’s a behavioral health response for a behavioral health crisis, and that ultimately it would take away from some of the calls that now go to 911,” said Colleen Thayer, executive director of the Sarasota-Manatee county affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI.
“This has been a long time coming,” Thayer said.
To support the 988 system, the Biden administration has invested more than $430 million in expanding crisis center capacities and related services.
Thayer praised the Sarasota area’s local efforts to coordinate mental health care for youth and young adults.
But she added that her organization’s affiliates, along with many other agencies, continue to push for more resources for local mobile response teams.
“In addition to just having the number, you have to have the services to back up the number,” she added.
The launching of the new 988 Lifeline comes amid surging mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic and the ongoing housing crisis, she said.
Even before those crises spawned mental and emotional hardships, a 2019 study by the University of South Florida, commissioned by the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation, found that the cost of untreated mental illness for children and young adults in Sarasota County was more than $86 million a year.
Barancik also reported last year that Child Protection Center staff had treated more children with suicidal ideation in the prior 12 months “than during the previous 10 years.”
The solitude brought on by the pandemic often exacerbates the isolation felt by many people with mental health issues, Thayer said.
Affordable Housing:Great demand for Sarasota workforce housing at Lofts on Lemon as applications open
Not only have those effects persisted, she added, but now the trauma and toxic stress brought on by housing instability is compounding other mental health issues for residents, as rents have soared and people are priced out of their homes.
Local NAMI staff members at their drop-in sites are constantly hearing of the housing problems and trying to refer people to resources.
Staff members tell Thayer that they can’t even begin to work with an individual or family on a larger wellness plan until they address that primary necessity of housing security – which, along with food and air, makes up the foundational level of what is known as Maslow’s human Hierarchy of Needs.
“You have to deal with that before you can deal with the rest,” Thayer said.
Need Assistance?
NAMI of Sarasota and Manatee Counties has two mental health drop-in locations known as YANA, You Are Not Alone, sites.
The one at 240 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, open Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The other is at 1680 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice. It is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In addition to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, people can also text NAMI 24/7 for free crisis counseling at 741741.
This story comes from a partnership between the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Saundra Amrhein covers the Season of Sharing campaign, along with issues surrounding housing, utilities, child care and transportation in the area. She can be reached at samrhein@gannett.com. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2022/08/04/pandemic-housing-raise-mental-health-issues-sarasota-988-lifeline-may-help/10213691002/ | 2022-08-04T14:57:20 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2022/08/04/pandemic-housing-raise-mental-health-issues-sarasota-988-lifeline-may-help/10213691002/ |
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the U.S. Navy failed to consider the impacts of expanding its Growler jet program and violated the National Environmental Policy Act by adding additional fleets along Whidbey Island.
Growlers are aircraft that conduct electronic warfare and fly low in order to jam enemy communications.
A release from the Attorney General's Office said the federal court ruled in favor of the state’s claims that the Navy failed to consider the impacts of the noisy jets on local classrooms, and on various bird species, including tufted puffins, which the state lists as endangered. Read more
Andrew Carlson, the father of missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, was released from Grays Harbor County jail early Wednesday morning. He has been behind bars since December 2021 on charges unrelated to his daughter’s disappearance.
Oakley Carlson was last seen alive in February 2021, according to Grays Harbor detectives.
Andrew Carlson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of endangerment with a controlled substance for exposing children to methamphetamine and was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He had no previous criminal history, which made him eligible for early release. Read more
A body found on the University of Washington's campus near the Burke-Gilman Trail was that of a 56-year-old missing Indigenous woman, her family told KING 5.
Mavis Nelson's body was found in the Kincaid Ravine near Ravenna Avenue Northeast and Northeast 45th Street in June. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Ernestine Morning Owl, Nelson's sister, said she spoke to Nelson in April. She did not know Nelson was missing until she found out her sister was dead. Read more
President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order that lays the groundwork for Medicaid to help women seeking abortions to travel between states to obtain access to the procedure.
The details are still being worked out, and the administration faces a challenging legal landscape because it's illegal to use federal funding to pay for abortions unless the woman’s life is in danger or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Read more
Track Aug. 2 primary election results across Washington state, including races for U.S. Senator, and Congressional District 1, 7, 8, and 9. Find out more
RELATED: Western Washington Forecast
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Download KING 5's Roku and Amazon Fire apps for live newscasts and video on demand. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/5-things-to-know-thursday-august-2022/281-5e9d8674-85c1-4b47-9f80-4f8fe2268c7e | 2022-08-04T14:57:28 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/5-things-to-know-thursday-august-2022/281-5e9d8674-85c1-4b47-9f80-4f8fe2268c7e |
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — A 62-year-old motorcyclist died in a multi-vehicle crash on eastbound State Route 2 in Snohomish County Tuesday night.
The crash happened around 6:20 p.m. near milepost 19 and closed the roadway between Monroe and Sultan for several hours.
According to the Washington State Patrol (WSP), the 62-year-old motorcyclist and two other vehicles, a 2016 Chevy Spark and a 2016 Nissan NV, traveled eastbound and slowed for traffic. The WSP said the driver of a 2005 Lexus RX hit the motorcyclist and the Chevy Spark. The force of the crash pushed the Chevy into the Nissan NV.
The motorcyclist, identified as Mark Camp of Snohomish, was ejected from his Honda NC700X. The WSP said Camp was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing a helmet.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. However, the WSP said drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash.
Download our free KING 5 app to stay up-to-date on news stories from across western Washington. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/state-route-2-closed-motorcyclist-killed-multi-vehicle-crash/281-dab68ca9-6685-4967-b9ea-a32e21bd0b03 | 2022-08-04T14:57:34 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/state-route-2-closed-motorcyclist-killed-multi-vehicle-crash/281-dab68ca9-6685-4967-b9ea-a32e21bd0b03 |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The City of Wichita announced on Wednesday that Douglas has reopened through Delano after completing phase one of resurfacing work.
The first phase was completed two days earlier than expected, as initially, it was thought it would be completed on Friday, Aug. 5.
The second phase of construction is set to begin on Monday, Aug. 22 and is expected to last four days.
During this time, through traffic on Douglas Ave. will be shut down between Seneca and McLean in order to replace the asphalt on Douglas Ave., including street parking in front of businesses.
North and southbound cross-street traffic will remain open during the replacement work. Sidewalk access will also remain open.
The City notes that impacted businesses were contacted in preparation for this work. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/douglas-ave-reopens-through-delano-second-phase-to-start-soon/ | 2022-08-04T15:01:42 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/douglas-ave-reopens-through-delano-second-phase-to-start-soon/ |
The following is the analysis and opinion of the writers.
Reports of numerous mass shootings in our country tend to focus on how many victims died. Those “injured” seem to be reported as an afterthought, as if these people and their injuries are but minor details that do not really count. Events where there are multiple injuries but no fatalities may not be considered newsworthy. The public thus has no insight as to the consequences of their injuries.
While loss of life is unquestionably the most immediate tragedy, it is important for the public to understand that today’s gunshot injuries, especially from a high-caliber military style round, are not like a sprained ankle or broken wrist. These gunshot wounds are much more serious, devastating and complex, carving out a path of destruction involving essential organs and tissues. The result is immediate pain, suffering and oftentimes a threat to life, followed by lifelong disability for victims lucky to survive. For example, when one of these bullets strikes bone, there is no such thing as a clean break. Instead, the path of destruction leaves shattered fragments of bone, clothing and other debris. These complex wounds are difficult to treat, have poor healing and often become infected. Treatment might involve multiple life saving surgeries followed by a prolonged recovery course.
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Of particular importance are injuries to the neurologic systems. Spinal cord and brain injuries are devastating and permanent if not fatal. Independent living is typically not possible after such injury.
For those unmoved by the picture of suffering depicted here, we should also point out that the cost of these injuries to our economy in general and families in particular is both enormous and typically borne by the rest of us through increased taxes and insurance premiums.
So this begs the question, how much longer should society be willing to shoulder/tolerate the burdens of rampant firearms injuries?
Most any individual seems to have easy access to firearms, especially military-style ones, unlike any other country in the world. It is only recent interpretation of the Second Amendment that allows this. The muskets and militia of our forefathers are not the same as today’s deranged individual with an assault rifle loaded with high-capacity clips and tumbling bullets, and an agenda, not to defend our nation but to wantonly kill.
It is time for courageous journalists, doctors and gun violence victims to loudly speak out so our legislators and the public get a more complete in-depth picture of the human and economic costs resulting from this type of violent injury. Only politicians with courage can change this horrid trajectory and preserve the right to life of and for the vast majority.
Dr. John Twomey is a retired trauma and general surgeon in Tucson. Dr. Todd Grant is a retired doctor of emergency medicine in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-fatalities-are-but-one-tragedy-of-shootings/article_a3bb85c0-11c3-11ed-be28-8365624d1282.html | 2022-08-04T15:03:03 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-fatalities-are-but-one-tragedy-of-shootings/article_a3bb85c0-11c3-11ed-be28-8365624d1282.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million inhabitants in the American Southwest. Larger municipalities relying on the river’s water are Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Tijuana.
But about 70% of the water from the Colorado River is used for agricultural irrigation. This is the water buffalo in the room.
Today, a regional water supply crisis is occurring because of two things: (1) decreased precipitation caused by warming climates (we are now in year 22 of a drought in the Southwest), and (2) legal and water management policies that allow systematic overuse.
By the end of 2022, combined storage in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs in the United States, will have declined from 95% full in 2000 to about 25% full. The only way to reverse this trend and stabilize reservoir levels is to reduce water use to match diminished runoff.
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The cornerstone for river water use is the 1922 Colorado River Compact; an agreement among seven states that divides the watershed into two parts, a Lower Basin that includes portions of Arizona, Nevada, and California, and an Upper Basin that includes portions of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and a small area in northern Arizona.
Here’s where the water goes:
The Compact apportions 7.5 million acre-feet per year to each basin and specifies the division between them as Lees Ferry in northern Arizona. Also, 1.5 MAF/year is guaranteed to Mexico. This is a total of 16.5 MAF/year of river water allocation. (One acre-foot of water is the amount of water that would cover an acre of land 1 foot deep.) The region is also home to 30 recognized Native American Tribes that hold senior legal rights to divert substantially more water than they currently use.
However, the allotments are now greater than the water actually in the river.
The 20th century natural flows at Lees Ferry averaged only 15.2 MAF/year, and since 2000 the average natural flow dropped to just 12.3 MAF/year.
In recent years, the Upper Basin has used only ~3.7 MAF/year, while the Lower Basin and Mexico have used their full allotment of 9 MAF/year. Add to this an estimated loss of 2.4 MAF/year in evaporation, and you get a total of 15.1 MAF/year — a whopping 2.8 MAF/year more than the river has.
It’s no wonder the levels of Lake Mead and Lake Powell have plummeted. It is clear that a great deal more water is legally allocated than exists, or is likely to exist in the near (and possibly long-term) future.
This year, laws and agreements triggered for the first time require a reduction in water allotment to the Lower Basin of 13.5% (1.213 MAF/year). And if Lake Mead storage declines to 6.0 MAF (23% of capacity), which is likely, then the reductions would reach 21.9% (1.975 MAF/ year). A loss of 22% of our already over-committed Colorado River allotment will have large impacts on urban and agricultural water use in Arizona, Nevada, and California.
While we can always do more in the area of urban water conservation (e.g., banning grass lawns, requiring all golf courses to use only recycled water, more efficient capture of rainwater to recharge our water tables), it is clear that we must reduce the amount of water that we put on our crops.
Cash receipts from Arizona’s crops are around $2.3 billion, or less than one percent (0.6%) of the state’s overall GDP. The state often computes the value of its agriculture at 10 times this, or $23.3 billion, by adding in various associated employment and revenues, around $14 billion of which would come from crops. But even using this exaggerated number, crops would provide only 3.4% of the state’s overall GDP. And yet, Arizona agriculture uses 72% of the state’s water.
It is time Arizona began switching away from water-binging crops like cotton (~560,000 bales annually) and alfalfa (over 300,000 acres), and to less water-intensive agriculture. However, it will likely take more political courage than exists in Arizona to push this issue. Agricultural sales in the Lower Basin (think Arizona) are more than three times that of the Upper Basin.
Richard C. Brusca is a research scientist at the University of Arizona, former executive director of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and author of over 200 research articles and 20 books. His website is www.rickbrusca.com | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-water-buffalo-in-the-room/article_37fe1b78-11c2-11ed-b667-4b07e3b070b0.html | 2022-08-04T15:03:09 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-water-buffalo-in-the-room/article_37fe1b78-11c2-11ed-b667-4b07e3b070b0.html |
KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK)—The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a missing woman.
25-year-old Alyssa Smith is homeless, but KCSO says that she is known to frequent Belle, Witcher Creek, Chelyan, Marmet, and Crown Hill.
She is 5’4″ and thin. She has brown hair.
Anyone who has any information about Alyssa’s whereabouts should call KCSO at 304-357-0169. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/kanawha-deputies-search-for-missing-woman-2/ | 2022-08-04T15:06:01 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/kanawha-deputies-search-for-missing-woman-2/ |
What to Know
- Yaser Abdel Said, 65, is accused of killing his teenage daughters in 2008 in what prosecutors have called an "honor killing."
- Said spent six years on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List before he was arrested in Justin in August 2020.
- The death penalty is not an option in this case. If convicted of capital murder, Said would automatically be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The capital murder trial of Yaser Abdel Said, a 65-year-old cab driver from Lewisville accused of murdering his two teenage daughters in a purported "honor killing" continues Thursday in Dallas with the girls' mother taking the stand.
The girls' bodies were found in their father's taxi cab outside the Omni hotel in Irving, both of them had been shot multiple times. Said disappeared and had not been seen for 12 years until his arrest in Justin by the FBI in August 2020.
Said entered a not guilty plea Tuesday and faces an automatic life sentence if convicted.
911 CALL TAKES CENTER STAGE DURING DAY 2 OF YASER SAID TRIAL
Silence filled Dallas County District Court 7 as prosecutors prepared to present the chilling 911 call made by a dying Sarah Said on New Year 2008.
“My dad shot me! I’m dying! I’m dying,” yelled a frantic woman identified as Sarah.
Yaser Said, 65, sat emotionless, holding a finger to his ear to listen to the disturbing audio.
The potential key piece of evidence was admitted on Day Two of testimony, despite objections by the defense who previously cautioned jurors their expert will later testify that the 17-year-old victim may have been ‘hallucinating’ after being shot nine times when she named her father as her shooter.
Jurors also saw the orange taxi cab where she and her sister, Amina, 18, were found shot to death.
Hotel employee Nathan Watson testified about the moment a taxi-cab driver reported seeing two injured people in the cab lane of the hotel.
YASER SAID TRIAL DAY 2
“I could see a young lady who had her eyes fixed open and there was stuff coming out of her nose,” said Watson.
Police allege these were "honor killings" committed by an abusive, controlling and possessive father who was angry his daughters dated outside their culture and had left home recently.
Said’s three public defenders argue this was a botched police investigation fixated on a Muslim man in a post-9/11 world full of Islamophobia.
Day Two of testimony ended with a former crime scene investigator who wheeled in a cart full of evidence including the bullet-riddled cab seats, shell casings and projectiles found throughout the car and photographs showing a shell casing found on Amina’s shoulder.
Former Irving police officer Steven Hazard testified he believes the girls were not shot at the location they were found.
He also told evidence on Sarah’s body proves she was shot at very close range.
OPENING STATEMENTS ON DAY 1 OF YASER SAID CAPITAL MURDER TRIAL
During opening statements Tuesday morning, prosecutor Lauren Black said Said was "obsessed with possession and control."
About a week before the sisters were killed, they and their mother fled their home in Lewisville to Oklahoma to get away from their dad, who worked as a taxi driver, Black said. The sisters had become "very scared for their lives," and the decision to leave was made after Said "put a gun to Amina's head and threatened to kill her," the prosecutor said.
But, Black said, in another act of "control" and "manipulation" by Said, he told them he had changed and convinced them to return home. The evening the sisters were shot, their father wanted to take just the two of them to a restaurant, she said.
The girls' aunt, Connie Moggio, broke down on the stand as she identified autopsy photos of her nieces. She told jurors about a conversation she had with a frantic Amina the day of the murders. "She didn't want to go back home, she would rather be dead than ever go back there," Moggio testified.
In a letter written to the judge overseeing the case, Said said he was not happy with his kids' "dating activity" but denied killing his daughters. Defense attorney Joseph Patton said in opening statements that the evidence would not support a conviction, that police were too quick to focus on Said, who was born in Egypt, and suggested that anti-Muslim sentiment played into that focus.
"It is wrong for the government to generalize an entire culture, criminalize an entire culture, to fit their narrative, and to fit their objective. The state wants to convict Yaser for being Muslim in 2008," said Patton.
His defense said no one will testify they saw Said at the crime scene, adding police should have investigated the girls' mother or Amina's boyfriend. "They were the last people to see Amina and Sarah alive," he said.
Amina's boyfriend testified he and his father indeed saw Said and both girls in his cab shortly before the shooting and that they briefly followed them out of concern. "Her look was in fear, she didn't look like she wanted to be there," said Amina's boyfriend Edgar Ruiz.
YASER SAID TRIAL DAY 1
The girls, who were both students at Lewisville High School, were reportedly shot multiple times by their father. Their bodies were later discovered inside his cab, parked outside of an Omni hotel.
Before she died, Sarah was able to call 911 and told the operator, "Help, my dad shot me! I'm dying, I'm dying!"
Black said Sarah Said was shot nine times and Amina Said was shot twice.
In moments of extreme trauma, like being shot multiple times, people can have hallucinations, Patton said.
Black said the sisters, both high school students in Lewisville, dreamed of becoming doctors, and that Yaser Said grew "angrier" as they grew up and became more educated and independent.
"When they had more independence, that was less control for him," Black said.
Sarah's boyfriend testified about why she kept their relationship a secret. "Something would happen to me or something would happen to her," Erik Panameno told jurors.
Prosecutors presented an email Amina reportedly sent her Lewisville teacher days before her death, confiding that her father was arraigning her marriage so she and her sister were going to run away. "He will kill us," Amina wrote.
More than 58 people are expected to be called to testify, including the girls' mother as well as local and federal investigators and experts on Muslim culture.
The judge is also allowing prosecutors to tell jurors about allegations that Said sexually abused his own daughters, who later recanted.
YASER SAID TRIAL
A film made about the murders, "The Price of Honor," alleged the girls were killed by their father as an "honor killing," a cultural practice where someone is killed after bringing shame on their family. The film furthers speculation the girls' father objected to his daughters living an "American lifestyle."
Yaser Said, who had been sought on a capital murder warrant since the slayings, was placed on the FBI's most-wanted list. In August 2020 Said was arrested in Justin and two relatives were arrested in Euless. The relatives were identified by the Dallas FBI as Said's brother Yassein and his son Islam.
Both men were charged with harboring a known fugitive and are now serving time in federal prison.
The death penalty is not an option in Yaser Said's case. If convicted of capital murder, he would automatically be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/mother-takes-the-stand-in-trial-of-father-accused-of-killing-teen-daughters/3040172/ | 2022-08-04T15:12:15 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/mother-takes-the-stand-in-trial-of-father-accused-of-killing-teen-daughters/3040172/ |
KILLEEN, Texas — The newly built Chaparral High School won't be on display until Thursday night, but Principal Gina Brown wanted to give everyone a preview.
Brown said the High School is pretty but functional.
Both the classrooms and common areas between will feature soft seating, much like a college campus. Brown added that she feels the campus as a whole resembles that of a College.
The new school can fit three-thousand students, but as of right now only around 17-hundred are enrolled. Brown says this leaves room for growth.
"The school is definitely looking towards the future," she added.
That's why they've decided not to include lockers, leaving more room in the halls for students to get to and from class.
Inside the classrooms, students will find desks tailored to their learning styles. Some desks will be shorter for students to sit at, while others will be tall so they can stand.
A few desks will also give high schoolers the ability to write on them with dry erase markers.
"It's an environment where first of all, students are going to feel safe, so they're going to be more likely to collaborate with others," Brown said.
Every hallway will have a space for collaboration, where students can sit and eat, do homework, socialize or study.
This collaborative environment is also open to the teachers.
"We've hired 93 teachers, so a lot of them are spread out, but we've made sure to group them by content areas," she said.
This will allow students to find teachers they need for a certain subject easily, and for teachers to be able to work together.
Brown said when students walk into the new school they're going to want to be there, adding that they're always looking for more feedback, just like they did when this project was being built.
"We're anxious to get feedback from students – my big thing is you're only as great as the students you serve," she said.
A dedication ceremony will be held at the High School Thursday night at 6 p.m. Community members and administration will have the chance to see the inside of the building for the first time.
Brown said she is most excited for people to see the cafeteria, which she said looks like a five star Café.
"What I am hoping is that when students walk in the building there is just this sense of pride - rather than I have to go to school," she added. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/new-chaparral-high-school-before-anyone-sees-it/500-1ace3bf8-5d40-4ae4-8bf1-7cc805f04ac0 | 2022-08-04T15:17:43 | 0 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/new-chaparral-high-school-before-anyone-sees-it/500-1ace3bf8-5d40-4ae4-8bf1-7cc805f04ac0 |
SAN DIEGO — How does monkeypox spread?
Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert, says monkeypox most commonly spreads through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has rashes or lesions.
Does monkeypox spread easily at a festival?
"What started this was more likely raves like these were gay and bisexual men being together really close with lots of sexual contact in Spain and Belgium," Dr. Gandhi said.
Concerts, festivals and events where people are fully clothed are much safer, according to the CDC.
"General festivals, I'm not worried about," Dr. Gandhi said.
This weekend a music festival, DAY.MVS XL, will be happening at Waterfront Park in San Diego.
Dr. Gandhi says the chance of getting monkeypox at the festival is low.
Does monkeypox spread through trying on clothing or changing sheets of someone infected?
Health officials say the virus can spread by trying on clothing or changing sheets of someone who was infected, but Dr. Gandhi says the chances are much less likely.
"Sharing clothes, or a towel, or sharing surfaces we're all doing day-to-day, we would've had massive spread if it was spreading like this," Dr. Gandhi said.
California health officials have reported 98.3% of monkeypox cases are in men and the majority identify in the LGBTQ community.
"It's part of a public health that if it starts in a network it seems to be staying in that network," Dr. Gandhi said.
It's a theme seen with past outbreaks.
"The analogy I would use is just before COVID we had a mumps outbreak in San Diego among college students. That's the group it was circulating in. That was the subpopulation that socialized together," said Dr. Eric McDonald with San Diego County Health and Human Services.
The county is focusing its first vaccine doses on people at the highest risk.
"It's good public health to say it's in this population, gay men, let's get the resources to that population," Dr. Gandhi said.
San Diego County has received nearly 4,000 vaccines and given out nearly 2,500. They are hoping more vaccines will be arriving soon.
WATCH RELATED: Monkeypox declared public health emergency in San Diego County (August 2022) | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/monkeypox-spread-festivals-trying-on-clothes/509-4a0f33bc-3149-4939-9107-d9bdea6e23f1 | 2022-08-04T15:19:02 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/monkeypox-spread-festivals-trying-on-clothes/509-4a0f33bc-3149-4939-9107-d9bdea6e23f1 |
Parts of northeast Bismarck are again experiencing low water volume and low water pressure due to the 43rd Avenue construction project.
The issues that plagued the area Wednesday were fixed by evening, but they resurfaced Thursday morning, according to the city Public Works Department.
The impacted area is around Legacy High School and Sunrise Elementary School. Crews are working to resolve the issue. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/water-issues-impacting-northeast-bismarck-again/article_c0ff58b6-1347-11ed-a451-2f89da44c1ef.html | 2022-08-04T15:24:48 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/water-issues-impacting-northeast-bismarck-again/article_c0ff58b6-1347-11ed-a451-2f89da44c1ef.html |
WHIDBEY ISLAND STATION, Wash. — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the U.S. Navy failed to consider the impacts of expanding its Growler jet program and violated the National Environmental Policy Act by adding additional fleets along Whidbey Island.
Growlers are aircraft that conduct electronic warfare and fly low in order to jam enemy communications.
A release from the Attorney General's Office said the federal court ruled in favor of the state’s claims that the Navy failed to consider the impacts of the noisy jets on local classrooms, and on various bird species, including tufted puffins, which the state lists as endangered.
The court also ruled in favor of two claims in a related lawsuit filed by Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve. The claims indicated the Navy did not properly consider other locations for the Growler expansion, nor did it properly consider the greenhouse gas impacts of Growler fuel use.
In 2019, the Navy added 36 of its electronic warfare aircraft to a Naval Air Station in Whidbey Island air station, bringing the total to 118.
State Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued the Navy in July 2019 over its plans to expand in Whidbey Island, which brought flight operations to more than 110,000 per year.
“The Navy has an important job,” Ferguson said. “But that does not relieve the federal government of its obligation to follow the law and take a hard look at the public health and environmental impacts of its programs. Today the judge ruled that the Navy fell short of its obligation.”
That growth, compounded by the lower, distinctive rumble from the more powerful jet that replaced the aging Prowler, led to complaints from some living nearby, and other lawsuits from residents and the state of Washington.
A study published in 2020 found that 88% of noise on Whidbey Island came from military flights, and the majority of those flights were identified as Growlers. Some flights were captured at 82 decibels, near the threshold for hearing protection.
Another study published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering found a hydrophone placed near a runway captured noise at levels known to alter the behavior of wildlife at 100 feet deep. That raises concerns for fish and marine mammals, the study author said, including the endangered Southern Resident orcas. Researchers called for further study of the impacts on wildlife.
The Navy said it does not dispute the data gathered but takes issue with some of the conclusions. They believe noise data from so close to a runway doesn’t reflect the majority of Growler operations and want more evidence that aircraft noise can impact wildlife as suggested.
In 2020, Captain Matt Arny, former commanding officer of NAS Whidbey Island, said the Navy was hoping to mitigate some of the acoustic impacts. He pointed to a recent change to the “canned” default flight plan for Growlers, which was imposed because of Federal Aviation Administration needs, but could be potentially helpful on the noise issue.
After the latest court ruling, the Attorney General's Office said the state and other parties now have 30 days to either agree on a remedy or a briefing schedule on a remedy.
The latest ruling adopted the recommendation of a U.S. federal magistrate, who issued a report and recommendation in December 2021 in favor of Ferguson’s lawsuit.
“Here, despite a gargantuan administrative record, covering nearly 200,000 pages of studies, reports, comments, and the like, the Navy selected methods of evaluating the data that supported its goal of increasing Growler operations,” Chief Magistrate Judge J. Richard Creatura wrote in his 38-page recommendation. “The Navy did this at the expense of the public and the environment, turning a blind eye to data that would not support this intended result." | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/federal-court-says-navy-did-not-consider-impacts-growler-jet-program-whidbey-island/281-6b184838-079d-420a-afa6-83229d70dccf | 2022-08-04T15:35:35 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/federal-court-says-navy-did-not-consider-impacts-growler-jet-program-whidbey-island/281-6b184838-079d-420a-afa6-83229d70dccf |
OREGON, USA — Taking magic mushrooms in Oregon will be a legal possibility next year, once Oregon Psilocybin Services finalizes that rules for its administration and production. Those rules must be in place by Dec. 31, 2022, so the state can begin taking license applications on Jan. 2, 2023.
Until then, the OHA-housed Oregon Psilocybin Services Section is in a development period, working to build a first-of-its kind-regulatory framework. There are many components health experts are addressing — everything from developing facilitator training programs to creating a product tracking system — with the help of the Psilocybin Advisory Board.
"Ballot Measure 109, otherwise known as the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act, was passed by Oregon voters in November of 2020," said Angie Allbee, the Section Manager for Oregon Psilocybin Services. "What it did was create a licensing and regulatory framework for the production of psilocybin products and the provision of psilocybin services in Oregon. This is available to individuals 21 years of age or older, that would like to access psilocybin services. It does not need a prescription or a referral from a provider."
While you won't be able to purchase it and take it home, Allbee said clients will have an opportunity to take psilocybin in a controlled, licensed service center overseen by licensed facilitators.
"Psilocybin products will be sold to the clients, and that's where the psilocybin services, the actually journey takes place," Albee said.
"Most of the action is internal and that can be different for different folks because we come to this experience with our own stuff," said Tom Eckert, a longtime psilocybin advocate and psychotherapist, "So that's kind of the neat thing about psilocybin and the experience of psilocybin as a therapeutic agent, it kind of goes where it needs to go."
Eckert and his late wife, Sheri, campaigned for psilocybin services in Oregon since 2015. He previously served on the Psilocybin Advisory Board, and is opening a facilitator training program called InnerTrek.
"I've always thought that the beating heart of this whole program is the practitioners, the facilitators," he said, "We need competent, trained practitioners really understand this specific modality."
As many seek out more information on how to become a practitioner or how to access services in 2023, some local communities are pushing back. Clackamas County Commissioners unanimously voted late last month to put a temporary local ban on psilocybin services and manufacturing on the November ballot.
Meantime, Washington County Commissioners went in the other direction this week, voting 3 to 2 against posing the question of a psilocybin ban to voters.
Learn more about the rollout and timeline by heading to OHA's Oregon Psilocybin Services website. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/oregon-psilocybin-services-finalize-rules-in-december-2022/283-5fb47d31-3e7e-4d23-bcbe-ba2bcc653da8 | 2022-08-04T15:35:41 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/oregon-psilocybin-services-finalize-rules-in-december-2022/283-5fb47d31-3e7e-4d23-bcbe-ba2bcc653da8 |
CHENEY, Wash. — Update: As of Thursday at 8:30 a.m., the Williams Lake Fire is 10% contained, according to Spokane County Fire District 3.
The district also said that due to smoke obscuring visibility over the fire, the original report of 3,200 acres was an overestimate. At this time, the current estimate is at 1,000+ acres.
Officials said the fire is rural and moving into more broken, rocky terrain, bluffs and cliffs. Level 3 and Level 2 evacuations remain in place for the area. Air support will be coming in today to help further contain the blaze.
The fire district also reported that no primary residences have been lost. However, three other structures were lost in the fire.
Regarding the shelter at Cheney High School, pets are allowed in the building. The American Red Cross is trying to figure out the best way to provide shelter for livestock.
Original: A rapidly-growing wildfire broke out near Williams Lake in Cheney on Wednesday afternoon. As a result, two structures were destroyed, a fire engine was burned and is now a total loss and 39 homes are under Level 3 evacuations.
The fire started at approximately 2:34 p.m. on Wednesday. When fire crews arrived, the fire was already well established and spread quickly due to the high winds in the area.
As of Wednesday night, the fire has grown over 3,200 acres and is 0% contained, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
39 residences are under Level 3 evacuations as of Wednesday night. Additionally, nearly 100 residences and approximately 400 structures are threatened.
Lake Williams Fire Evacuations | Map
According to Spokane County Fire District 3 Fire Chief, Cody Rohrbach, two structures are confirmed to be total losses from the fire. A fire engine also caught fire but all firefighters inside were able to escape safely.
DNR sent multiple resources to aid in fighting the fire, including two tankers. Fire boss planes and agencies from Spokane, Whitman and Lincoln counties also aided in the fire, according to Fire District 3. State fire assistance was mobilized at approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
At this time, no injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
The American Red Cross will open a shelter at Cheney High School (460 N 6th St., Cheney, WA 99004) in response to the Williams Lake Fire. The shelter will open at 10:00 p.m. Assistance available at the shelter will include food, cots and other urgent needs, according to the Red Cross. All individuals in the area are requested to get to safety immediately.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/williams-lake-fire-eastern-washington-wildfire-cheney-high-school-red-cross/293-8b7173a8-0b06-4712-b157-d30da553a9c2 | 2022-08-04T15:35:48 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/williams-lake-fire-eastern-washington-wildfire-cheney-high-school-red-cross/293-8b7173a8-0b06-4712-b157-d30da553a9c2 |
CHICAGO — A 33-year-old man has been charged in the wake of a shooting Tuesday on a southbound bus on Interstate 94 at 130th Street, according to Illinois State Police.
Anthony Bland, of Chicago, was arrested and faces felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and reckless discharge of a firearm, and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, police said.
State police said they responded at 3:42 p.m. Tuesday to the report of the shooting.
"A physical altercation aboard the bus resulted in a firearm being discharged and Bland was identified and arrested as the suspect in the shooting," ISP said. "There were no reports of any persons struck by gunfire and the bus was safely relocated off the expressway for further investigation."
Bland was charged Wednesday and is being held at the Cook County Jail with no bond.
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Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail
Jenell Echols
Age : 36
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206430
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Elijah Joshua
Age : 32
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206376
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Ruben Ogden
Age : 23
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206429
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Taylor Ecsy
Age : 25
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206457
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
DeAndre Tillotson
Age : 23
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206423
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Tyronn Jones Jr.
Age : 24
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206393
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: INTIMIDATION
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jamel Kennedy
Age : 22
Residence: Calumet City, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206474
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kenyon Phelps
Age : 41
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206449
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Yesenia Calderon
Age : 42
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206505
Arrest Date: July 27, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
John Petrassi
Age : 45
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206428
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Alexandra Rojo
Age : 19
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206489
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kenneth McCammon
Age : 42
Residence: Schneider, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206362
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kurt Van Nugtren
Age : 51
Residence: Winfield, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206433
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Daniel Ferguson
Age : 42
Residence: Schererville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206418
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Bobbie Fields
Age : 44
Residence: Whitesburg, KY
Booking Number(s): 2206444
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESS HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Monique Randolph
Age : 23
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206441
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Shane Camp
Age : 32
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206499
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: CHILD MOLESTATION - STATUTORY RAPE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Keith Lasenby
Age : 58
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206493
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION - OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Ayanna Williams
Age : 31
Residence: Oak Lawn, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206422
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Logan Atkins
Age : 23
Residence: Bloomington, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206372
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Brian Mathison
Age : 42
Residence: Lowell, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206409
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Richard Green Jr.
Age : 68
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206455
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Kristy Gibson-Miller
Age : 32
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206424
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - ORGANIZED THEFT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Tony Clark
Age : 21
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206487
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: CONFINEMENT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kristin Mobus
Age : 32
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206385
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Adan Reyes
Age : 19
Residence: Dyer, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206453
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Juan Losano
Age : 26
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206472
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: ROBBERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Robert Zlatanovski
Age : 27
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206419
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Michael Brooks
Age : 40
Residence: Elkhart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206395
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT; DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
Markale Bolden
Age : 43
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206380
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Ky Pryor
Age : 35
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206397
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - FIREARM - BY A SERIOUS VIOLENT FELON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Shavesz Johnson
Age : 25
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206421
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: HOMICIDE - MURDER
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Mayra Reyes
Age : 30
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206458
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Johnnie Cobb Jr.
Age : 50
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206486
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jeffrey Meeks
Age : 42
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206466
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Darren Stocky Jr.
Age : 26
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206504
Arrest Date: July 27, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Ernest Howard III
Age : 31
Residence: Indianapolis, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206459
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: DEALING - MARIJUANA
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Edwin Cabrera
Age : 48
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206361
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Erin Baldwin
Age : 38
Residence: Saline, MI
Booking Number(s): 2206442
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: HEALTH - LEGEND DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jonathan Jimenez
Age : 26
Residence: Whiting, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206476
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Antonio Brown Jr.
Age : 19
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206470
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/DEADLY WEAPON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Robert Shaw Jr.
Age : 42
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206448
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Frank Pfeifer
Age : 37
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206482
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: INTIMIDATION
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Terrence Thomas Jr.
Age : 27
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206500
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Cardia Combs
Age : 28
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206375
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: HOMICIDE - MURDER
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Andrew Hudson
Age : 28
Residence: Hebron, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206460
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Hexadore Randall
Age : 28
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206477
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: HOMICIDE - MURDER (ATTEMPTED); BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
Kimus Williams Jr.
Age : 29
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206440
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL; RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT - FORCIBLY RESISTING; NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Scorcese Steveson
Age : 30
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206398
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Anh Tuan Phung
Age : 30
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206484
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: DEALING - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kolin Burgess
Age : 23
Residence: Kouts, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206439
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: - DEALING - METHAMPHETAMINE; NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Tabitha Kirk
Age : 37
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206432
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Camron Gill
Age : 19
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2206394
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Patrick Hanas
Age : 40
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206373
Arrest Date: July 22, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Joseph Sitarski
Age : 32
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206426
Arrest Date: July 24, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE - PRESENCE OF CHILD < 16 YEARS OLD
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kristy Meyers
Age : 41
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206447
Arrest Date: July 25, 2022
Offense Description: NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Lawrence Tobel
Age : 40
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206401
Arrest Date: July 23, 2022
Offense Description: FRAUD - FORGERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
David Brown Jr.
Age : 34
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2206485
Arrest Date: July 26, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING - ESCAPE; OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
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Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-area-expressway-shooting/article_28f6e8fb-613f-5558-b054-2ad154077283.html | 2022-08-04T15:48:51 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-area-expressway-shooting/article_28f6e8fb-613f-5558-b054-2ad154077283.html |
CROWN POINT — Over the next two years, the vacant field that sits near I-65 and 109th Avenue in Crown Point will be transformed into UChicago Medicine's largest off-site facility.
First announced almost a year ago, the micro-hospital will be UChicago's first freestanding medical facility in Indiana. On Wednesday morning city leaders and representatives from UChicago gathered to break ground on the $121 million project.
"Our citizens, who now may travel away from Crown Point for their needed specialized medical treatments, will be able to stay local while receiving the same top-level patient care," Mayor Pete Land told the crowd.
Analyses conducted by UChicago found about 15% of Northwest Indiana residents leave the area for health care, and 20% of those are for cancer.
The two-story facility, located at 10855 Virginia St., will feature an emergency department, a short-stay inpatient unit, a comprehensive cancer center, an imaging center, an outpatient surgery center and lab services.
Patients will also have access to medical specialists with expertise in cancer care, cardiology, digestive diseases, orthopedics, neurosciences, pediatrics, primary care, surgical specialties, transplant care and women's health.
UChicago already works with multiple local healthcare providers to offer services in Northwest Indiana, explained Audre Bagnall, chief strategy officer and executive vice president of business for UChicago Medicine.
The goal is to "establish even stronger and mutually beneficial relationships with other health care providers," Bagnall said. "Instead of driving long distances for advanced care, patients will benefit by having convenient access to clinical trials and to the latest diagnostic and treatment options."
When the project went before the Crown Point City Council in November 2021, the micro-hospital was 115,000 square feet. After input from the council, a second floor was added, expanding the facility to 130,000 square feet.
UChicago received a special use variance from the council in the fall, allowing the operation of a hospital in a B-3 business district.
Slated to be completed in spring 2024, the micro-hospital will create over 150 news jobs. About 110,000 patients are expected to visit every year.
The micro-hospital will have a positive economic impact on Crown Point as local businesses will be able to serve employees and visitors, Land said.
"As mayor, it is exciting for me to know that our citizens will have close access to top-level physician care."
PHOTOS: The interactive play area at the Crown Point Library reopens
Despite questions and concerns, the City Council approved Monday the action of the Board of Zoning Appeals in supporting a special use variance for a proposed micro-hospital and cancer center at 10855 Virginia St.
The University of Chicago Medicine got a key approval to start designing a new $633 million facility that would be the city's first freestanding cancer center on the South Side.
Mayor Pete Land, right, welcomed Tom Jackiewicz, president of the University of Chicago Medical Center, to the podium during the Wednesday morning groundbreaking. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/crown-point/watch-now-uchicago-breaks-ground-on-micro-hospital-in-crown-point/article_8fbf7564-e893-56ca-b616-36636d033bd9.html | 2022-08-04T15:48:57 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/crown-point/watch-now-uchicago-breaks-ground-on-micro-hospital-in-crown-point/article_8fbf7564-e893-56ca-b616-36636d033bd9.html |
Shreveport Fire Department fights two-alarm fire Thursday morning
Mansfield Road was blocked off Thursday morning after a commercial building went up in flames forcing the Shreveport Fire Department to enact a two-alarm fire.
Just after 7:30 a.m. Shreveport Fire Department was called to the 2100 block of Greenwood Road. Upon arrival, firefighters found Leadbelly's Grille engulfed in flames.
Due to the magnitude of flames and the summer temperatures, the fire department enacted a two-alarm fire. 32 units responded to the scene and the fire was placed under control in 30 minutes.
No one was injured in this fire and fire units are still on the scene monitoring its condition.
This fire is under investigation at this time.
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/shreveport-fire-department-fights-two-alarm-fire-thursday-morning/10233806002/ | 2022-08-04T15:53:44 | 0 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/shreveport-fire-department-fights-two-alarm-fire-thursday-morning/10233806002/ |
What to Know
- NYC Mayor Eric Adams issued an executive order earlier this week declaring a local state of emergency in response to the monkeypox outbreak, as the five boroughs have become the epicenter of another health crisis
- With at least 1,630 cases and likely many more, NYC accounts for 25% of America's largest-ever monkeypox outbreak. Nearly half of the cases are in Manhattan and in the last weekly demographics update, the number of infected people who identify themselves as heterosexual doubled
- The number of cases among women tripled, NYC data shows, while cases involving Black and Latino people soared 71%, far outpacing the growth of cases among white people
New York City is set to open another 23,000 monkeypox vaccine appointments later Thursday, and while all-too-familiar technical glitches that impaired the rollout early on appear resolved, the outbreak continues to expand. (Here's where to check for appointments when they open at 6 p.m. ET.)
As of the latest report, the five boroughs have reported 1,630 monkeypox cases, a widely believed well-underreported number that accounts for 25% of the CDC's also likely underreported 6,617 -- and rapidly growing -- national case count.
Mayor Eric Adams declared a local state of emergency in response to the ballooning New York City outbreak earlier this week, which expands his emergency powers should additional executive measures be needed to control the viral spread.
"We are continuing to see the numbers rise," the Democrat said in Monday's announcement. "This order will bolster our existing efforts to educate, vaccinate, test, and treat as many New Yorkers as possible and ensure a whole-of-government response to this outbreak. In partnership with federal, state, and local officials we will continue to respond with the urgency required to keep people safe and this order is another tool to help us do so."
The city updated its weekly demographic data on Thursday, showing the number of infected women tripled from last week, while the number of infected people who identify themselves as heterosexual doubled. The number of Black and Latino people infected grew 71%, far outpacing the growth of cases among white people. That said, men still make up 98.1% of the cases where gender is known, and among those who disclosed their sexuality, 96% identified as LGBTQ+.
Manhattan is reporting more than double the cases (759) of the next closest borough (Brooklyn, 374), and accounts for 47% of New York City's monkeypox outbreak.
A citywide public health emergency over the still-spreading disease took effect Saturday, a day after Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration issued both state and public health emergency orders for monkeypox.
If that feels redundant, it's not.
By federal regulation, public health emergencies may be warranted when a) a disease or disorder presents a critical public health threat or b) that a public health emergency, including significant outbreaks of infectious diseases or bioterrorist attacks, otherwise exists. They can be issued at local, state and federal levels. States of emergency can, too.
State-issued emergency orders supersede local ones, and federal ones supersede state, but in the event of viable legal challenges or no superseding protections, local emergency orders empower municipalities like New York City to adapt to the threat more aggressively and in a more all-encompassing manner.
States of emergency essentially drastically expand access to aid for a crisis -- in this case, allowing New York to get more monkeypox vaccine doses faster and seek additional state and federal assistance via funding, personnel or other means. They also allow governments to suspend local laws and enact rules as needed to curb the threat, monkeypox in this case.
Public health emergency orders are issued by departments of health and allow governments to amend health code provisions to implement measures like the still-in-effect COVID mandates to curb viral spread. The source of the order, the health department versus the governor's office, is critically important from a legal perspective.
That's the reason former Mayor Bill de Blasio was adamant his citywide worker vaccine mandate would hold up when federal ones did not. There is a "legal right of the health commissioner to keep the people of this city safe," de Blasio and his counsel said in December when he announced that mandate.
The declarations last through the emergency or for 90 days unless they are extended.
At the state level, Hochul's emergency declaration also allows more healthcare professionals to administer monkeypox vaccines. Groups like EMS, pharmacists and midwives who aren't typically permitted to administer vaccinations can do so to expedite access as was done with COVID earlier in the pandemic. It facilitates re-supply efforts as well.
Only two U.S. states -- Wyoming and Montana -- have yet to report a monkeypox case to the CDC, with Vermont reporting its first case this week. That doesn't mean the disease isn't spreading, though.
Last week, Dr. Anthony Fauci called the outbreak a "serious problem." He said the White House was considering creating a monkeypox coordinator role similar to its COVID one to streamline response, distribution and other outreach efforts.
MONKEYPOX IN NYC
How to Prevent Monkeypox
The New York State Department of Health listed steps people should take in order to help prevent the spread of monkeypox:
• Ask sexual partners whether they have a rash or other symptoms consistent with monkeypox.
• Avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a rash or other monkeypox-related symptoms.
• Contact a healthcare provider following exposure or symptoms, and check with your local county health department about vaccine eligibility.
• New Yorkers who receive the JYNNEOS vaccine should receive both doses, given four weeks apart, and stay vigilant until fully vaccinated, two weeks following the second dose.
• If you or your healthcare provider suspect you may have monkeypox, isolate at home. If you can, stay in a separate area from other family members and pets.
• Follow reputable sources of health information, including NYSDOH, CDC, and your local county health department.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/more-nyc-monkeypox-vaccine-appointments-will-open-thursday-how-to-get-yours/3809566/ | 2022-08-04T15:53:44 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/more-nyc-monkeypox-vaccine-appointments-will-open-thursday-how-to-get-yours/3809566/ |
More than a dozen people were hurt, one of them critically, when an MTA bus crashed head-on into an elevated subway track pillar in the Bronx Thursday, fire officials say.
The FDNY says it responded to Boston Road and East Tremont Avenue after getting a call about the crash around 8:30 a.m.
Footage from the scene showed the front windshield of the MTA bus completely smashed, a spiderweb of glass overtaking the front of the vehicle.
Details on the critically injured person weren't immediately made available. The other 12 people who were hurt were taken to area hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, officials said.
The investigation is ongoing.
Copyright NBC New York | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mta-bus-slams-into-elevated-nyc-subway-pillar-13-hurt-officials/3810189/ | 2022-08-04T15:53:46 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mta-bus-slams-into-elevated-nyc-subway-pillar-13-hurt-officials/3810189/ |
An inmate serving time at the Nebraska State Penitentiary died in prison Wednesday.
Daniel Holliday, 69, was 11 years into his 30- to 35-year sentence for two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.
Holliday was serving time for crimes committed in Dawson County.
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said the cause of death has not been determined, but a grand jury will investigate, as is required by law.
Jenna Thompson is a news intern who has previous writing and editing experience with her college paper and several literary journals. She is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln pursuing degrees in English and journalism.
In court records, police said two men beat, tortured and branded a 26-year-old Lincoln man in a warehouse, later tying him to a tree and threatening to kill him.
A Lincoln orthopedic surgeon was sentenced to probation in federal court Tuesday for writing fraudulent prescriptions to a patient, then buying back thousands of painkillers.
"He violated me and so many other underaged women. He did not have the right to do that," one woman, identified as Victim 4, said at Gregory Dightman Sr.'s sentencing.
"It was at that moment ... I saw him with the gun in his hand," State Patrol Trooper Adam Strode said according to a transcript. "I honestly thought I was going to be shot."
Deputies noticed Brett Balak had "bloodshot and watery eyes" as he approached his vehicle that night, and later observed "a strong odor" of alcohol, according to court filings.
The contents of the fire extinguisher are considered a skin irritant, forcing store employees to destroy the merchandise affected in the incident, which happened Sunday evening inside Gateway Mall.
Michael McNeil is accused of robbing a bank in north Lincoln earlier this month is a suspect in a bank robbery in Geneva in June and an attempted bank robbery in York in May. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/inmate-sentenced-for-sexual-assault-dies-in-nebraska-prison/article_960eb868-2b76-55de-b2ea-b3adaba81220.html | 2022-08-04T15:54:01 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/inmate-sentenced-for-sexual-assault-dies-in-nebraska-prison/article_960eb868-2b76-55de-b2ea-b3adaba81220.html |
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider giving the system’s top administrator a contract extension when it meets next week, and with it, a pay increase and chance at a lucrative bonus.
Incentivizing President Ted Carter to stay at NU through 2027, giving him a 3% increase in his base pay, and providing a healthy deferred compensation package should be seen as a vote of confidence in his leadership, Regent Bob Phares said.
“Ted Carter has been the right leader at the right time for the University of Nebraska system and our state as a whole,” said Phares, of North Platte, ahead of the Aug. 11 meeting at Varner Hall. “We want to keep him as long as we can.”
All told, Carter’s total compensation could surpass $1.5 million in 2023.
The details of Carter’s restructured contract include:
* Carter was hired by NU in 2019 and given a 5-year contract that expires Dec. 31, 2024, but regents want to extend his time leading the university system with campuses in Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney until Dec. 31, 2027.
* A 3% increase to Carter’s base pay – the same merit increase provided to all NU employees this year through an agreement with the Legislature and Gov. Pete Ricketts – would push his annual salary from $934,600 to $962,638.
The increase in pay comes from NU’s state-aided budget, which includes appropriations from the Legislature and tuition revenue.
* The board will also consider awarding Carter a performance bonus for his work during the 2021-22 academic year.
Under the terms of his contract, Carter is eligible to receive an amount equal to 15% of his salary if he hits a series of metrics determined by the board.
Last year, regents said Carter met 95% of the benchmarks set for him and voted to give him a performance bonus of $140,190.
This year, however, with first- to second-year retention numbers falling for NU students across the system, Carter met just 89% of the performance metrics set for him.
The board will consider awarding him a bonus equal to three-quarters of the full amount he is eligible to receive, or roughly $105,000.
* Under the new contract up for consideration, regents could also provide Carter a second deferred compensation package – money he is eligible to receive each year he stays at NU.
Carter already has a deferred compensation package -- funded by private donors -- equal to 11.5% of his base salary.
Regents could award him a second privately funded package that would put $340,000 into an investment account beginning in 2023 that he would be able to draw from beginning in January 2024.
Both deferred compensation packages would be managed by the University of Nebraska Foundation.
James Finkelstein, a professor emeritus of public policy at George Mason University in Virginia who researches the contracts of university presidents, said deferred compensation packages have become increasingly more common across higher education.
In the corporate world, deferred compensation packages are designed to keep high-performing executives in the company by promising them a payout after a certain number of years – something often referred to as “golden handcuffs,” according to Finkelstein.
While a deferred compensation package can be used to keep a leader in higher education at an institution – the tenure of chancellors and presidents has shortened in recent years – Finkelstein said most top administrators do not move into other leadership positions.
“What (a deferred compensation package) really accomplishes in higher education is that the public doesn’t know the true value of a president’s compensation until the compensation is received,” he said, often deferring public scrutiny until the compensation is paid years later.
Still, deferred compensation packages are becoming the norm, particularly among universities in the Big Ten Conference.
Penn State University’s board will pay its new president, Neeli Bendapudi, a base salary of $950,000 with $350,000 in supplemental retirement contributions.
And the University of Minnesota Board of Regents approved a deal with President Joan Gabel that increases her supplemental retirement contributions of $250,000 with $10,000 annual increments.
Gabel's total compensation will reach $1.2 million this year.
Fifth grader Sage Stanley was struck in a crosswalk in front of Saratoga Elementary School when a car ran a red light. The crash has prompted officials to make changes to the school zone.
Superintendent Paul Gausman on Friday unveiled the district's return-to-school plan, which spells out its pandemic procedures for the upcoming school year.
While work obviously remains, officials are clear on this point: Students will be walking the halls of Lincoln Northwest next month. What they'll find is a building defined by collaborative, open-concept spaces.
Students, faculty and staff at UNL will continue to have access to free saliva-based PCR testing Sunday through Friday outside the Nebraska Union as well as the East Union.
Some districts — like Weeping Water and Tri County — employ individual lockable pouches. At Lincoln Southwest, students this fall will have to place their phones in a designated area before class begins.
"The Mind Polluters" doesn’t interview any active public school teachers, administrators, academics or experts in public health or child psychological development. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/regents-could-boost-nu-presidents-total-compensation-to-1-5-million-next-year/article_bae0373b-ce71-5e03-8fec-0ce6ab7eedf2.html | 2022-08-04T15:54:07 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/regents-could-boost-nu-presidents-total-compensation-to-1-5-million-next-year/article_bae0373b-ce71-5e03-8fec-0ce6ab7eedf2.html |
PRESIDIO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers have arrested a male suspect with an outstanding warrant for homicide.
The 19-year-old male suspect was apprehended at the port of Presidio, Texas on August 2 where he arrived from Mexico via vehicle.
“Working closely with law enforcement agencies and apprehending fugitives from justice is a part of our daily work to keep our borders and communities safe and secure,” said Port Director Jesus Chavez.
The suspect has since been turned over to local authorities. We will continue to update this story as we receive more information. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/cbp-officers-arrest-suspect-involved-in-homicide-incident/513-32fb83e9-058d-415c-a64f-209558b2fe07 | 2022-08-04T15:57:20 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/cbp-officers-arrest-suspect-involved-in-homicide-incident/513-32fb83e9-058d-415c-a64f-209558b2fe07 |
CEDAR FALLS — University of Northern Iowa alumnus Aaron Wiese has been name Hy-Vee’s next chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1.
The Cherokee native studied political science at UNI, according to a news release from the university. He began his Hy-Vee career while still a student there in 1993.
Wiese is currently vice chairman of Hy-Vee Inc. and president of the company’s supply chain and subsidiaries. Chairman and CEO Randy Edeker recently announced his promotion. Wiese will continue to report to Edeker, who will stay on as Hy-Vee’s chairman of the board.
“Aaron is ready to help me lead the company as chief executive officer,” Edeker said in a news release. “He has a strong vision for the total breadth of our company and is extremely knowledgeable in many areas. With Aaron as CEO, Hy-Vee continues to be positioned for incredible growth and innovation.”
After leaving UNI, Wiese held various operations leadership roles before joining Hy-Vee’s executive staff as director of real estate strategic planning in 2012. Over the next decade, Wiese continued to rise through the ranks at Hy-Vee and, most notably, made a tremendous impact on Hy-Vee’s health and wellness division.
In December 2020, he was promoted to the executive vice president level and became president of digital growth and co-chief operating officer just a few months later. He has held his current position since December 2021.
Photos: RAGBRAI rolls through Mason City on Wednesday
A couple of hundred people attended an hour-long celebration of life ceremony for Tyler and Sarah Schmidt and their six-year-old daughter, Lula. The Cedar Falls family members were found shot to death July 22 in their tent at Maquoketa Caves State Park.
After saying Grow Cedar Valley would not receive county funding, supervisors amended the minutes Tuesday to approve the $25,000 voted on a week earlier. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/university-of-northern-iowa-alumus-named-new-ceo-of-hy-vee/article_ce7e9268-a8b0-5969-af27-cc66d88ff187.html | 2022-08-04T16:02:43 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/university-of-northern-iowa-alumus-named-new-ceo-of-hy-vee/article_ce7e9268-a8b0-5969-af27-cc66d88ff187.html |
Officials say house fire near downtown was started by numerous vagrants
Wichita Falls firefighters said a house fire Wednesday was started by vagrants who entered the structure by prying the wood off boarded-up windows.
According to WFFD assistant fire marshal Jody Ashlock:
Shortly after 4 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a fire on 15th Street behind the downtown McDonalds. They found fire and smoke coming from the building and worked to contain the blaze. The fire started in a window frame and got into the attic.
Ashlock said the house was vacant but said it appeared it was inhabited at times by numerous vagrants and their activities are likely to have started the fire. Ashlock added that there were no contents inside the home except rubbish and waste.
He estimated the damage to the structure at $20,000. A witness told the Times Record News they have seen people around the vacant house.
According to a previous Times Record News story, in July 2021, firefighters responded to a structure fire at the house next door where they found a similar story of vagrants possibly cooking. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/fire-officials-say-a-house-fire-was-started-by-numerous-vagrants/65391928007/ | 2022-08-04T16:02:56 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/fire-officials-say-a-house-fire-was-started-by-numerous-vagrants/65391928007/ |
Library exhibit to focus on German immigration
The Wichita Falls Public Library will present an exhibition on German immigration during August.“Lone Star and Eagle: German Immigration to Texas,” is an exhibition by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.In the 1840s, German immigrants began settling at New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, Sisterdale, and other locations, imparting a distinctive character to these communities, according to a press release from the city of Wichita Falls.
The Volga German Institute at the University of Florida said German immigrants later settled in Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, and Iowa Park, families with surnames such as Dietel, Kanzler, Kolb, Krumm, and Munsch.
“Lone Star and Eagle” features reproductions of archival photographs, newspaper headlines, maps and paintings that tell the German immigration story to Texas.
“Bringing these types of exhibit to our city fulfills part of our mission statement to act as a public information center for all citizens by addressing their educational and cultural needs,” said Jana Hausburg, Library Administrator. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/wichita-falls-public-library-exhibit-to-focus-on-german-immigration/65391768007/ | 2022-08-04T16:03:02 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/wichita-falls-public-library-exhibit-to-focus-on-german-immigration/65391768007/ |
Didn't win the mega Mega Millions jackpot? You might still be a mega-millionaire after Wednesday night's Powerball drawing.
The only ticket for the Aug. 3, 2022, Powerball draw of $206.9 million matching the winning numbers of 9, 21, 56, 57, 66 with the Powerball of 11 was sold in Pennsylvania, Powerball said.
The exact location of where the jackpot-winning ticket matching all six numbers was sold wasn't immediately revealed.
The winner can take the estimated annuity of nearly $207 million paid out over 30 years or opt for a lump sum payment of $122.3 million, Powerball said. Of course, those prizes are before taxes are taken out.
That jackpot is still impressive, despite paling in comparison to last week's $1.337B Mega Millions jackpot, where a ticket bought in Illinois matched all the numbers.
And, even if you didn't hit the jackpot, still check your tickets. A $1 million ticket in that same mega Mega Millions jackpot was sold in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Powerball is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
Get updates on what's happening in Philadelphia and the region in your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/powerball-jackp0t-winner-pennsylvania/3325701/ | 2022-08-04T16:04:29 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/powerball-jackp0t-winner-pennsylvania/3325701/ |
FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth police have arrested a man after he drunkenly hit an officer's car, which forced the patrol vehicle into a tree, the department said.
The Fort Worth Police Department said an officer was responding at approximately 11:17 p.m. Wednesday to assist another officer with an unrelated foot pursuit.
On the way to the scene, the officer was traveling westbound in the 3700 block of East Lancaster Avenue and was hit by another vehicle while passing its passenger side. The collision forced the patrol vehicle off to the right side of the road and hit a tree, trapping the officer inside the vehicle, police said.
Additional Fort Worth officers were following the patrol unit at the time of the crash and called for help from the Fort Worth Fire Department and MedStar personnel.
The officer was removed from the vehicle and sent to the hospital in an unknown condition.
The suspect in the crash fled the scene, but officers located the vehicle a short distance away, police said.
The FWPD said officers saw signs of intoxication and gave the man a field sobriety test. Police determined the man was intoxicated and placed him under arrest for "Intoxication Assault and Leaving the Scene of an Accident."
The suspect, who was not identified by police other than being an adult male, was taken to Fort Worth City Jail for further investigation, police said.
More Texas headlines: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-officer-hit-drunk-driver/287-4490c727-f2e2-410f-b744-c8d851179820 | 2022-08-04T16:06:56 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-officer-hit-drunk-driver/287-4490c727-f2e2-410f-b744-c8d851179820 |
Polk County clerk of court releases list of unclaimed checks
Stacy M. Butterfield, Polk County clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, has released the annual list of unclaimed funds. The clerk’s office provides a list each year of people who have unclaimed checks issued by the office during court-related activities.
The office has 45 unclaimed checks for $100 or more, Butterfield said in a news release. Anyone who has unclaimed funds must contact the clerk's office before Sept. 1. Funds can be claimed by contacting 863-534-4491.
According to Florida Statutes, any funds not claimed will be forfeited. To view the list, visit www.FloridaPublicNotices.com, select “The Ledger” in the newspaper field, set the date range to 07/22/2022 to 07/25/2022 and enter “notice of unclaimed funds” in the search bar. | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/polk-clerk-says-there-45-unclaimed-checks-100-more/10228488002/ | 2022-08-04T16:08:09 | 0 | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/polk-clerk-says-there-45-unclaimed-checks-100-more/10228488002/ |
Police on Thursday said an arrest has been made in a fatal shooting in Richmond.
Dylan Johnson, 22, of Richmond, was found with a gunshot wound and pronounced dead at the scene in the 4900 block of Chamberlayne Avenue. Police were dispatched there at about 5:55 p.m.
Police in a statement said Anthony Dandridge Jr., 21, of Richmond, was arrested at the scene. He's been charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call police at (804) 646-3915 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.
Top 5 weekend events: BrewHaha, Todd Barry & Avail Over the James
"As you all know, nearly every city in our nation is experiencing a rise in gun violence. And Richmond is no exception," said Mayor Levar Stoney on Tuesday. | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/arrest-made-in-fatal-chamberlayne-avenue-shooting/article_c06e896b-a14c-5e24-a9ba-88614da97c1e.html | 2022-08-04T16:08:30 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/arrest-made-in-fatal-chamberlayne-avenue-shooting/article_c06e896b-a14c-5e24-a9ba-88614da97c1e.html |
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Fairview Township Police on Thursday announced the retirement of Chief Jason Loper, who stepped down Wednesday after 28 years with the department.
Loper, who joined the department on Sept. 4, 1994, will use leave time until he reaches his official retirement date of Sept. 30, the police department said.
After spending five years as a patrol officer, Loper moved to a detective role in 1999. As a detective, he worked several high-profile cases and made hundreds of arrests, the department said. Among those included a homicide case that was featured in several true-crime TV shows, according to the department.
Loper received numerous awards and commendations both from the department and from outside organizations. More meaningful, however, were the many cards and letters of thanks from crime victims and even those he arrested over his career, the department said.
For many years, Loper served as the department’s use of force and firearms instructor, and was instrumental in adopting patrol rifles and tasers within the agency.
In March 2012, Loper was promoted to lieutenant. After a sudden departure of the police chief in November of that year, Loper found himself in the position of Acting Chief of Police. In 2014, he was appointed Chief of Police by the Fairview Township Board of Supervisors.
During the 10 years Loper has overseen the department, there have been several positive changes, including improved staff numbers and training methods, patrol schedules, and staff morale, the department also said.
Loper also acted to improve police-community relations and implemented the use of body cameras.
During his tenure, the department earned the Premier Agency status by the Pa. Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, something that only 21 of over 1,100 police departments in the Commonwealth have achieved.
Most important was the significant reduction in crime in Fairview Township during Loper's tenure, the department said.
Over the past 10 years, the department’s Part I crimes (murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft, and arson) have decreased over 50%, according to the department. At the same time, the clearance rates of those crimes that did occur were consistently higher than the average within York County and the Commonwealth, all according to the department.
Loper has also served as an executive board member and past president of the York County Children’s Advocacy Center, past president of the York County Chiefs of Police Association, and an executive board member of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.
Lt. Davis Holland will take over as Chief of Fairview Township Police on Oct. 1. Holland has been with the Fairview Township Police Department for 23 years. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/jason-loper-fairview-township-police-chief-retirement/521-f8b674a6-cb6c-4754-9ca1-64f3ade53122 | 2022-08-04T16:08:46 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/jason-loper-fairview-township-police-chief-retirement/521-f8b674a6-cb6c-4754-9ca1-64f3ade53122 |
The U.S. Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the state of Idaho — the first such lawsuit the federal government has filed against a state in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade — is based on important matters of life and death, and raises legitimate questions about how Idaho’s abortion ban would be implemented.
In essence, the DOJ lawsuit contends that Idaho’s trigger law is a violation of the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act because it “preemptively criminalizes all abortions … even where a denial of care will likely result in the death of the patient,” U.S. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said during a news conference Tuesday.
The medical community for the past several weeks has been raising these alarms over Idaho’s abortion ban.
The arguments presented by the DOJ bring up valid points that would be well-suited for debate in a court of law.
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Unfortunately, Idaho’s politicians responded to the lawsuit not with their own cogent legal arguments and reasoning, but with mumbo jumbo about state sovereignty, “federal meddling” and claims that the lawsuit is “politically motivated,” in the words of Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, who said he wished the DOJ would just sit down and talk about it first.
To the contrary, it was Idaho politicians’ response that appeared to be politically motivated, while the Department of Justice seemed to be the adult in the room, informing Idaho that it thinks it’s breaking the rules.
Idaho doesn’t exactly have a good track record when it comes to these kinds of lawsuits. The state was just ordered to pay $320,000 in legal bills for the plaintiff in a lawsuit over yet another bad law passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature, this one on transgender birth certificates.
Gov. Brad Little’s response to being sued by the federal government veered into the absurd.
“The U.S. Justice Department’s interference with Idaho’s pro-life law is another example of Biden overreaching yet again while he continues to ignore issues that really should demand his attention — like crushing inflation and the open border with Mexico,” according to Little’s press release.
By using a press release in this case to make some vapid campaign statement, it shows Little to be the one acting out of political motivation.
Meanwhile, Raul Labrador, the Republican nominee to replace Wasden as attorney general, offered his own weak response, an ominous harbinger of what we can expect if he’s elected — a lawyer who isn’t keen on making a legal argument, but will play politics as much as possible.
“In filing this lawsuit, the Biden Administration seeks to replace the will of Idaho’s citizens with President Biden’s pro-abortion priorities,” he wrote in a statement.
No, it doesn’t. First, this wasn’t a voter initiative passed by Idaho’s citizens. Second, the lawsuit seeks to protect medical providers from being thrown in jail by the state of Idaho for providing necessary medical care to their patients.
If this is the best defense that Idaho’s got in response to valid legal claims about Idaho’s extreme abortion ban, we’re in trouble.. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/idaho-view-if-this-is-idaho-s-response-to-federal-lawsuit-over-abortion-ban-we/article_466faee2-137a-11ed-9215-178caa87ad0f.html | 2022-08-04T16:11:18 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/idaho-view-if-this-is-idaho-s-response-to-federal-lawsuit-over-abortion-ban-we/article_466faee2-137a-11ed-9215-178caa87ad0f.html |
Editor’s note: This feature ran Nov. 8, 2018, in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com.
Jacob B. Van Wagener, treasurer of the Twin Falls North Side Land and Water Co., came to the Magic Valley from Pittsburgh in the early 1900s.
Van Wagener, a railroad investor, was previously affiliated with James and William Kuhn, who purchased land and water north of the Snake River from the Twin Falls Land and Water Co.
The Kuhn brothers opened the Jerome townsite in 1907, and water first flowed into the north side canal system in 1909.
Van Wagener purchased 160 acres of Carey Act land to be developed as a showcase farm, called Mountain View Ranch, just west of today’s U.S. 93, between the now-defunct towns of Barrymore and Falls City southeast of Jerome.
Still standing on the west of the highway is Van Wagener’s house and stone dairy barn, built in 1912 by Wales master mason H.T. Pugh. Van Wagener purchased American Guernsey bulls to start his dairy herd.
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The 40-by-110 barn was built on the bank of a hill which allowed the first floor to “rise” over a daylight basement on the south side from the ground level on the north side. The cows were housed in the basement.
Mychel Matthews reports on rural issues for the Times-News. The Hidden History feature runs every Thursday in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com. If you have a question about something that may have historical significance, email Matthews at mmatthews@magicvalley.com or call her at 208-735-3233. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/hidden-history-van-wageners-mountain-view-barn/article_e25a1f7a-aaac-5700-a7c9-4ad57af6fad5.html | 2022-08-04T16:11:24 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/hidden-history-van-wageners-mountain-view-barn/article_e25a1f7a-aaac-5700-a7c9-4ad57af6fad5.html |
From left, Marissa Astill, Mark Ortiz, Robert Gargano and Meagan Carper pack their parachutes before BASE jumping from the bridge Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at the I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls.
PAT SUTPHIN photos, TIMES-NEWS
Finn Astle, a 4-year-old Pit Bull mix, relaxes in the shade next to the water cooler Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at the I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls.
PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS
Meagan Carper tries on her parachute before a BASE jump Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at the I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls. Carper traveled from Salt Lake City to jump from the bridge. This is her second week BASE jumping.
“It was muddy and the worker was excavating gravel for the roads. When he lifted a load there was a skull sitting on top of the loader bucket,” Cassia County Coroner Craig Rinehart said. “He dumped it out and called 911.”
From left, Marissa Astill, Mark Ortiz, Robert Gargano and Meagan Carper pack their parachutes before BASE jumping from the bridge Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at the I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls.
Finn Astle, a 4-year-old Pit Bull mix, relaxes in the shade next to the water cooler Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at the I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls.
Meagan Carper tries on her parachute before a BASE jump Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at the I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls. Carper traveled from Salt Lake City to jump from the bridge. This is her second week BASE jumping. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/preparing-for-a-plunge/article_f5dd162e-136d-11ed-bd93-3fd60543009a.html | 2022-08-04T16:11:30 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/preparing-for-a-plunge/article_f5dd162e-136d-11ed-bd93-3fd60543009a.html |
With the Lehigh Valley under a heat advisory Thursday, the city of Allentown is offering some ways for residents to stay cool.
The city is opening two cooling stations at the following locations from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
- Andre Reed Park on the East Side near the outfield of the baseball diamond
- Roosevelt Park on the South Side near the basketball courts
Earlier, the city announced it was again offering free and reduced admission to its pools for residents for the day.
Admission to Mack and Cedar Beach pools is free for city residents under 13 and over 60. Adults and children between 14 and 59 can pay half price: $3 at Cedar Beach and $2 at Mack.
Cedar Beach Pool is open noon to 7 p.m., and Mack Pool is open noon to 6:30 p.m.
The spray parks at Bucky Boyle and the Old Allentown Fairgrounds will also be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
[ MORE: Where to cool off in the Lehigh Valley during the heat ] | https://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-nws-allentown-cooling-stations-20220804-35pyybuof5bbvp3mvwcvpvrmue-story.html | 2022-08-04T16:11:31 | 1 | https://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-nws-allentown-cooling-stations-20220804-35pyybuof5bbvp3mvwcvpvrmue-story.html |
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The popular holiday event “A Night of a Million Lights” at Give Kids the World Village will not return this holiday season.
In a post on social media, the non-profit announced its now returned to full capacity and will be discontinuing the experience.
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The nonprofit, founded in 1986, has been providing accommodations and vacations for families with critically ill children at no cost. The families are from all around the United States and other countries, and many of the children wish to experience the magic of the world’s premier tourist destination.
The concept for “A Night of A Million Lights” was born out of a response to the impact the pandemic had on the organization.
With the village closed, and families staying home in 2020 due to coronavirus lockdowns, the experience gave people the rare opportunity to see the entire village - and millions of twinkling Christmas lights. More than 92,000 guests attended “A Night of a Million Lights” in 2020, the non-profit said in a post.
Early last year, Give Kids The World Village began welcoming families back after a 10-month closure.
There are several ways you can help Give Kids the World village including a financial donation or volunteering.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/a-night-of-a-million-lights-not-returning-this-year/ | 2022-08-04T16:19:17 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/a-night-of-a-million-lights-not-returning-this-year/ |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Central Florida’s population is booming and Orange County Public Schools is keeping up with the growth by opening five new schools this year, with more expected to be built in the coming years.
The tables are set and the teachers are getting their textbooks as the final preparations at Panther Lake Elementary School are underway before the first day of school.
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“All of those fresh smelling books and new paint, it’s absolutely fantastic, so we’re excited,” Panther Lake Elementary principal Christine Szymanski said.
Symanski is the principal of the new elementary school in Horizon West. The longtime educator remembers when the site was just a pile of dirt a year ago.
“The community has been so supportive and they’ve kind of (watched) this school (grow) from the ground up,” Symanski said.
Five new schools are opening in Orange County this year: Kelly Park School in Apopka, Stonewyck Elementary in Orlando, as well as three new schools in Horizon West including Panther Lake Elementary, Hamlin Elementary, and Hamlin Middle School.
School board member Pam Gould represents Horizon West and the surrounding area.
“It’s an amazing area. It has a wonderful plan, but growth is challenging,” Gould said.
Horizon West is booming. The district calls it the fastest growing area in the county with 9,000 students enrolling here in the last five years.
Lauren Roth, the assistant director of public relations for OCPS, said this growth prompted the district to prioritize building these new relief schools.
“This school (Panther Lake), the three schools it’s relieving, were all built within the last five years,” Roth said.
Since 2003, Roth said the district has built 64 relief schools as well as renovated or replaced an additional 132 schools.
Gould said that was made possible with the voter approved half-penny sales tax, which is up for renewal in 2024.
“We wouldn’t be able to do all the things that we’ve done across the district to make sure that we have equitable schools without that half-penny sales tax,” Gould said.
The district is projecting 209,000 students will be enrolled this year, which is up 3,000 from last year. Gould said the growth isn’t slowing down.
“We’re just a very popular place to be,” she said.
The district added it is already looking forward with plans to build 15 more relief schools across the county in the next eight years. Officials use birth rates and enrollment numbers to project future growth.
“It’s not going to change for several years to come with the trajectory of the population that’s coming here and we just go as fast as we can to try to meet the need,” Gould said.
With all of the projected growth in Horizon West, the district is already making plans to build a new relief elementary school to serve the area in the next few years.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/orange-county-opens-5-new-relief-schools-with-more-planned-in-coming-years/ | 2022-08-04T16:19:23 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/orange-county-opens-5-new-relief-schools-with-more-planned-in-coming-years/ |
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla – Flagler County is asking citizens to nominate veterans for its “Colonel Gary E. DeKay” Veteran of the Year Award which will be presented on Veterans Day, according to the county.
The award will be given to a living Flagler County veteran who has not only served the U.S. with honor but has also used their leadership skills and abilities to improve the Flagler community through volunteer service, according to a news release.
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The county said they are taking nominations starting Thursday until Sept. 30. The submissions will be reviewed by the Flagler County Veterans Advisory Council.
“We have more than 13,000 veterans in Flagler County and they have done so much for all of us,” said Veterans Services Officer David Lydon. “This award gives us an opportunity to say thank you as a community.”
The award is named after Colonel Gary E. Dekay, a Flagler County veteran who served over 35 years in the army and served another 11 and a half years working as a civilian with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Southern Command in Miami, according to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Associaton.
In order to nominate an individual for the “Colonel Gary E. DeKay” Veteran of the Year, here are some criteria they must meet:
- Must be a resident of Flagler County.
- Must be a living veteran of one of the six Armed Forces of the United States, including Reserve or National Guard or the United States Merchant Marine.
- Must have demonstrated outstanding patriotism, leadership and selfless service as a veteran and as a volunteer in the community or civic service.
- May be awarded for a single act or for continuous service.
- May not be a previous recipient of the Flagler County Veteran of the Year award.
Flagler County said nominations should not exceed three typewritten pages and it must include a resume of no more than two pages with a minimum font size of 11 points that includes:
- Period(s) of military service and branch of one of the six Armed Services or USMM
- Military Awards and Decorations
- Membership in nationally recognized veterans’ organizations
- Community and/or civic organization memberships
- Community and/or civic organization awards or special recognition
- Nominees’ address, telephone number, and email if available.
The county also said it wants a one-page typewritten nomination statement of a maximum of 250 words that describes why the individual is been nominated and should be provided along with the resume.
In order for the submission to be valid, proof of military service is also required through either DD214 or verification by a nationally recognized veteran’s organization.
The submissions can be mailed or hand-delivered to Flagler County Veteran’s Service Office, Attn: Veteran of the Year, 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Building 2, Bunnell, FL 32110.
“I’m certain it will be difficult for the panel to select one recipient because our community has so many wonderful veterans,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “Given their service and dedication to our country, every one of them deserves to be nominated for this award.” | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/nominate-your-favorite-veteran-for-flagler-county-veteran-of-the-year/ | 2022-08-04T16:20:25 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/nominate-your-favorite-veteran-for-flagler-county-veteran-of-the-year/ |
Indiana Michigan Power will have an open house to offer information and answer questions about its plan to invest about $20 million to enhance the electric transmission network in Fort Wayne and Allen County.
I&M announced the Eastern Fort Wayne Transmission Line Rebuild Project in fall 2020.
The project involves replacing about 12 miles of aging lattice towers from the 1920s with modern steel poles in the existing right-of-way. The poles use the Breakthrough Overhead Line Design, which take up less space on the ground and deliver power more efficiently. They have a unique appearance, with an arch at the top of the pole, the utility said.
Construction is underway on the first half of the transmission line between Allen Substation off East Tillman Road and Hacienda Substation off Stellhorn Road in Fort Wayne.
As crews and contractors prepare for construction on the next segment of the transmission line between Hacienda Substation and Robison Park Substation off North Clinton Street, I&M representatives are hosting an in-person open house. Residents can learn more about the project and upcoming construction activities and ask questions. Area residents are invited to attend the open house on from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at Harris Elementary School’s gymnasium, 4501 Thorngate Drive.
Since there’s no formal presentation, attendees can arrive at any time to review maps and talk with project team members, the utility said. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/i-m-sets-open-house-to-discuss-20-million-network-investment/article_c5b98a7c-1403-11ed-bb82-cbed4ee23e32.html | 2022-08-04T16:21:21 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/i-m-sets-open-house-to-discuss-20-million-network-investment/article_c5b98a7c-1403-11ed-bb82-cbed4ee23e32.html |
Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne will offer two weeks of extended hours for students in preparation for fall classes, which begin Aug. 22.
Student service offices and a registration room will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday from Aug. 8 to 19, a news release said. Students should visit the Student Life Center, 3701 Dean Drive. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/ivy-tech-fort-wayne-to-offer-extended-office-hours-open-registration-room/article_b10d7f1a-1404-11ed-ac77-d71d113691f5.html | 2022-08-04T16:21:23 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/ivy-tech-fort-wayne-to-offer-extended-office-hours-open-registration-room/article_b10d7f1a-1404-11ed-ac77-d71d113691f5.html |
Huntington University issued the following today:
HUNTINGTON, Ind. – Huntington University’s athletic complex (PLEX) is gearing up for an $18.7 million expansion and redesign, and HU alum Ryan Thwaits is leading that charge. With a gift of $2 million pledged to the campaign, Thwaits believes the transformation of the PLEX will bring a spotlight to HU’s athletic programs.
“Athletics are vital in bringing a college campus and community together. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team,” said Thwaits. “As a basketball player, I may not have been the biggest, fastest or strongest on the court, but I learned that with hard work and a good attitude, you can accomplish anything.”
Thwaits graduated from HU in 2004 and went on to prove that very point. Today, Thwaits is involved with several businesses and most recently is co-owner in the new RV startup company Brinkley RV. A member of the inaugural class of HU’s entrepreneurial small business management major, he took the skills he learned during his college experience and helped create companies that are making an impact on economic development and community infrastructure.
“The renovation and expansion of the PLEX is a transformative project for HU on many levels,” said Dr. Russ Degitz, chief operating officer at Huntington University. “This 90,000+ square foot facility will now afford more opportunities for our students and the community to engage and enjoy events and activities in a first-class venue. Featuring three large arena and gym spaces, substantially expanded weight and cardio areas, a large entry lobby, hospitality suites, a pro shop, a hall of fame, and larger classrooms, this project will be a true game changer for the University.”
Reflecting on the University since his graduation, Thwaits was quick to point out the leaps and bounds his alma mater has made in the area of academic programs, faculty and spaces.
“Huntington’s academic offerings have always been top notch, and the opportunities created by an HU degree are vast, but I want these dollars to be invested in athletics and the experience that extracurricular involvement can bring to a collegiate experience,” said Thwaits, who was inducted into the Huntington University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
With a third of HU’s student population involved in athletics, Thwaits’ investment in the PLEX will make a major impact.
“When it was built, the PLEX was state-of-the-art, but time has taken its toll, and this is our chance to, once again, make this space a showstopper,” said Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University. “With so much of our student population accessing the PLEX for athletics and physical exercise and with the draw that Forester athletics have within the community, it’s time to make the most trafficked building on campus shine again.”
And shine it will. In the upcoming months, campus guests will see construction begin that will impact nearly every space within the current PLEX footprint and transformative changes to the surrounding grounds.
“People who came before me invested in Huntington so that I could have a fantastic college experience and athletics opportunities,” said Thwaits. “Now it’s my turn to do the same for the next generation of Foresters. I want them to have success at the highest level, and this is my way of making that happen.”
Thwaits believes that we are all called to “give back to make things better for the next generation. It’s our duty to invest in the future, and there is no better place to invest than Huntington University.” He would like his gift to be a challenge to others to step up and support this impactful project.
To learn more about the PLEX project or to be a part of the PLEX campaign, visit huntington.edu/PLEX. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/verbatim-huntington-university-gets-2-million-gift/article_3c991518-13f5-11ed-b4ae-834e86be2665.html | 2022-08-04T16:21:25 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/verbatim-huntington-university-gets-2-million-gift/article_3c991518-13f5-11ed-b4ae-834e86be2665.html |
TAMPA, Fla. — Surrounded by law enforcement officers at a news conference Thursday in Tampa, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the suspension of State Attorney Andrew Warren due to what he described as a "neglect of duty."
Since 2016, Warren had served the 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County and was reelected in 2020.
Speaking at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, DeSantis said Warren violated his oath of office and picked and chose the types of laws he enforced.
"When you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty," DeSantis said.
In Warren's place, DeSantis has appointed current Hillsborough County Judge Susan Lopez to serve as the acting state attorney of the 13th Judicial Circuit.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and others stood with the governor during the announcement.
Former Tampa Chief of Police Brian Dugan, who raised concerns about Warren in 2020, called Warren a "fraud" and said DeSantis having to step in "should never have happened."
"I remember when felons owned Florida…in the 70s and 80s," Judd said in part, noting that changed when the law changed.
"We have criminals running wild…and who’s responsible? The prosecutors,” he later added.
Chronister said he believed Warren's suspension wasn't a political move and was the right decision.
"We have a governor that will defend us," Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said in part, praising DeSantis for his continued support of law enforcement.
DeSantis' announcement was teased Wednesday by spokesperson Christina Pushaw when she tweeted night he would have a "major announcement" to give Thursday morning. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/desantis-suspend-andrew-warren-state-attorney-hillsborough-county/67-0e663642-c9ee-436d-9893-bbf40a2c5efc | 2022-08-04T16:22:43 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/desantis-suspend-andrew-warren-state-attorney-hillsborough-county/67-0e663642-c9ee-436d-9893-bbf40a2c5efc |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It's been just shy of a week since the FBI conducted an hours-long court-authorized warrant at the Uhuru House, the Florida-based headquarters of a Black international socialist group. Now, leaders of the organization are speaking out about the allegations against their group.
An indictment from the Department of Justice alleges that a Russian national carried out a multi-year influence campaign, using U.S. political groups to spread pro-Russian propaganda and interfere in elections.
The Uhuru movement wasn't mentioned in the indictment by name, but the FBI confirmed that its raid of the Uhuru House was connected to the alleged conspiracy.
On Thursday morning, local leaders from the group held a news conference to assert that the raid was an "attack against our movement."
Akile Anai, the director of the Department of Agitation and Propaganda for the party, said she wouldn't speak about the content of the indictment due to its "absurdity." She did, however, call the FBI raid part of an attack on the African community by the U.S. government.
Anai referenced what she called the country's history of knocking down Black people and Black political movements.
"The U.S. government...was not founded in the interests of Black people," she said.
Anai said the government "has attacked this party historically” and has always come up with some sort of justification for it — which, in this case, is the alleged ties to a Russian national.
"They say it's about this thing with Russia, but it's not about this thing with Russia," she argued. "They can create, fabricate, produce anything that helps them…to make convictions."
On July 29, the day of the FBI raid at the Uhuru House, 10 Tampa Bay asked Anai if the Uhuru Movement has relationships with any government, any party in Russia.
"We are able to have relationships with any forces who can unite with the anti-colonial struggle, so any force out there in the world that unites with the anti-colonial struggle, we pursue a relationship with unapologetically," she said at the time.
The Uhuru House is home to the Uhuru Movement, which is part of the African People's Socialist Party, according to The Associated Press. The party's website says it aims to unite "African people as one people for liberation, social justice, self-reliance and economic development." | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/uhuru-house-st-pete-fbi-raid-response-russia/67-da25d614-0905-4535-9648-eb98de89156f | 2022-08-04T16:22:44 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/uhuru-house-st-pete-fbi-raid-response-russia/67-da25d614-0905-4535-9648-eb98de89156f |
CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The results of a survey posed to the community were released Wednesday morning, shedding light on what locals think about a bike pump track coming to the Hampton Watershed Trail System.
Pump tracks let bikers and skaters reach high speeds through a series of tight turns, hills and ramps, and one has been on its way to the trail system for months. For this track, the Tri-Cities chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) is managing the development effort as well as the survey released in June.
“We want a unique course design that is approachable for all skill levels to use with opportunity for progression,” said SORBA spokesperson Wesley Bradley. “That’s why we selected VeloSolutions to be our designer for the track. They are internationally known as a legendary company in making excellent pump track courses for all that flow well.”
Out of 89 responses, 78.7% of those surveyed said they wanted a unique layout for the area, rather than a mirrored track that would allow two riders to compete with each other.
SORBA floated the idea of several potential track features in the survey:
- Bridges/Tunnels
- Curved and Flat Wallride Sections – Turns where high-speed riders can use their momentum to roll along a wall.
- Table Top Jumps – Steep ramps leading up to a flat platform.
- Rhythm Table Lines – A line of hills in the road that lets riders build speed.
The participants’ favorite feature was the curved wallride, with nearly 60% of respondents rating their excitement over its inclusion at a 5 out of 5, meaning they strongly agreed with its inclusion.
Out of the proposed features, the flat wallride received the coldest reception with 2.2% of participants rating the design a 1 out of 5, meaning they strongly disagreed with it. Over 34% rated their excitement at a neutral 3, with only 12.4% placing it at a 5.
Bradley said SORBA is hoping to take the feedback and set priorities for crowd-favorite features like the Rhythm Table Top Jump Line, Curved Wallride and the Bridge/Tunnel.
After the feature questions, the survey asked participants to share their thoughts on the project overall and suggest other features. Among requests for water features and landscaping in the area, one standout respondent with experience in the area added his thoughts.
“Ensure it is kid friendly… or at least a portion is,” said Tannery Knobs pump track designer Abraham McIntyre. “My hope/plan for TK was to be much more beginner friendly with more advanced options, but that got flipped and I still regret it.”
McIntyre headed the Tannery Knobs Bike Bark Task Force, which created a pump track in cooperation with Johnson City. In his feedback, McIntyre said a key part of the project will be making it appeal to the widest audience possible.
“Being that these tracks are a community asset, making it approachable, challenging, and fun to 95% of the population is more important than it being epic for 5% of the population,” McIntyre said. “I fully believe striders and pros can, and do, have fun on the same track.”
When it came to the question of skateboards and bikes on the same track, respondents were mixed on the matter.
“Being open to ALL wheels is so important for the community, there is no reason for this to be a bike-only park,” said one respondent. “Thank you for making that a point! Keep that in writing and in conversations and invite those different sports into the planning efforts and get their buy-in early.”
Other respondents weren’t so sure.
“If you make it for skateboards, you have only made a skate park with a ton of problems. They
tried to make Tannery open to boards, and it just became a program and they had to ban them,” one said. “Why wouldn’t you learn from this? Build a separate skate park!”
Bradley said mixed-use parks are doable, and with the help of their designer, there should be little issue.
“Carter County or Elizabethton does not have a skate park, so this project is a gateway to give the all-wheels crowd a place to play also,” Bradley said. “I hope our city and county leaders will side to make sure we make this track as inclusive as possible for the larger all-wheels users.”
Bradley said he sees the Bridge and Tunnel as the park’s greatest asset, especially considering the site’s history as a manganese mine. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/community-track-designer-weighs-in-on-potential-pump-track-at-hampton-watershed/ | 2022-08-04T16:27:41 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/community-track-designer-weighs-in-on-potential-pump-track-at-hampton-watershed/ |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Police arrested a Johnson City man Wednesday — more than a month after a suspect reportedly stole an SUV from two people at gunpoint.
A news release from the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) revealed that the alleged incident occurred on July 1 on Knob Creek Dock Road. After robbing two victims at gunpoint, the release stated, the suspect fled in a silver SUV.
On Aug. 3, police found the SUV and a man, identified as Jonathon Bulla, whom they arrested on unrelated charges. Police executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found one of the victim’s insurance cards inside, according to the release.
The JCPD tacked on additional charges on Bulla as he was at the Washington County Detention Center, including aggravated robbery, attempted carjacking, auto burglary and theft of property over $1,000. He remains in the Washington County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Thursday at 1:30 p.m. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/jcpd-man-reportedly-robs-2-at-gunpoint-arrested-month-later/ | 2022-08-04T16:27:45 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/jcpd-man-reportedly-robs-2-at-gunpoint-arrested-month-later/ |
Editor’s Note: The Tennessee Highway Patrol provided News Channel 11 with an updated crash report that corrected previously supplied information. This story has been updated to reflect that.
CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – One person is dead and another injured after a crash involving a motorcycle in Carter County Tuesday.
According to a crash report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), the crash occurred on Highway 19E at the intersection of 1st Avenue.
The THP reports that at 3:34 p.m., a Subaru stopped at a stop sign on 1st Avenue. The driver then tried to cross the highway. At that point, a Honda motorcycle and the Subaru collided.
The motorcyclist, identified as Gregory Maney, of Butler, was killed in the crash. Gregory was wearing a helmet at the time.
The driver of the Subaru was injured, according to the THP report. The driver had been wearing a seat belt when the crash occurred.
According to the preliminary report, citations and criminal charges are pending against the driver of the Subaru. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/thp-motorcyclist-killed-after-carter-county-crash/ | 2022-08-04T16:27:47 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/thp-motorcyclist-killed-after-carter-county-crash/ |
(WJHL) — United Way of Southwest Virginia (UWSWVA) activated new disaster relief funds geared toward recovery efforts in Dickenson and Wise county following widespread floods in July.
A news release on Thursday, Aug. 4 announced two new online portals — the Dickenson County 2022 Disaster Fund and the Wise County 2022 Disaster Fund — that are available by clicking here.
The additions bring the United Way’s effort to assist the region to four total portals, including other relief funds for Buchanan County and another to a combined effort that will be equally distributed among the three counties.
“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for folks to help the folks affected by the severe weather events this summer,” said Travis Staton, UWSWVA president and CEO. “Officials in these counties have been hard at work since the floods. And they have asked United Way of Southwest Virginia to assist in fundraising and in ensuring the efficient and effective use of all funds to help residents and business owners in long-term recovery.”
One hundred percent of the funds will flow into relief efforts; United Way does not keep any of the funds for administrative costs or fees.
The online portals include the following:
- Buchanan County 2022 Disaster Fund — or text BUCH to 276-200-2440
- Dickenson County 2022 Disaster Fund — or text DKSN to 276-200-2440
- Wise County 2022 Disaster Fund — or text WISE to 266-200-2440
- Southwest Virginia 2022 Disaster Fund — or text SWVA to 276-200-2440
Donations can also be made by emailing donations@unitedwayswva.org or calling Cristie Lester at 276-525-4071. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/how-to-help-southwest-virginia-flood-recovery-efforts/ | 2022-08-04T16:31:28 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/how-to-help-southwest-virginia-flood-recovery-efforts/ |
A Miamisburg defense contractor and its partner are poised to compete for FAA jobs.
O’Neil & Associates, with EIDOS Technologies LLC, on Thursday said their joint venture company, ONEIDOS, was awarded a seat at the table for $7.4 billion in Federal Aviation Administration projects.
The official prime award notice means aviation customers can quickly and easily work with ONEIDOS through the Electronic Federal Aviation Administration Accelerated and Simplified Tasks (eFAST), Master Order agreement, the local company said Thursday in a release.
The agreement simplifies future agreements on individual jobs and speeds up the negotiation process.
“Earning a prime award as an eFAST contractor was a one-and-a-half-year endeavor that will prove mutually beneficial for ONEIDOS and our customers,” said Hernan Olivas, O’Neil president and chief executive. “Our status as a vetted contractor means customers can reduce costs and labor associated with time-consuming vetting and sourcing processes.”
He added: “By securing this award, we support efficient project execution, and we are eager to serve the aviation industry with the specialized skills and solutions they require.”
The contract has a $7.4 billion ceiling across eight functional areas and provides a full spectrum of technical, engineering, scientific, administrative and other professional services in support of the FAA.
O’Neil & Associates, a technical writing and support solutions business, has 185 Miamisburg employees.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/local-defense-contractor-positioned-to-compete-for-74-billion-in-faa-jobs/3BEC4SCBYFA5JHEA5QVHMNMI6E/ | 2022-08-04T16:31:59 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/local-defense-contractor-positioned-to-compete-for-74-billion-in-faa-jobs/3BEC4SCBYFA5JHEA5QVHMNMI6E/ |
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State University is easing some of its COVID-19 rules heading into the fall semester.
Indoor mask-wearing will no longer be required but only recommended in counties with a high CDC COVID level.
The university will continue to recommend, but not require, COVID vaccines.
And the University Park campus will have fewer isolation and quarantine spaces for students.
Information on the university's response to COVID-19 is posted here.
Watch more stories about the coronavirus pandemic on WNEP’s YouTube page. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/centre-county/penn-state-easing-some-covid-19-requirements-university-coronavirus/523-70ad4478-1e4f-4ae4-9c19-4b99ede124ca | 2022-08-04T16:34:52 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/centre-county/penn-state-easing-some-covid-19-requirements-university-coronavirus/523-70ad4478-1e4f-4ae4-9c19-4b99ede124ca |
BERWICK, Pa. — A new report filed in federal bankruptcy court paints a picture of just how dire the situation is for the nearly 5,000 patients left without care.
Almost two weeks ago, several of the clinics affiliated with the Berwick Hospital Center shut down with no prior warning to staff or patients.
Priyam Sharma owns both the clinics and the hospital but under two separate companies. The clinic company filed for bankruptcy protection just a few days before the closure.
It's required by law for the court to appoint an ombudsman, a third-party investigator, to monitor the quality of patient care after a bankruptcy filing.
That investigator, Deborah Fisher, has filed her first report in court, and it's far from a ringing endorsement.
Fisher said she has received numerous calls from concerned patients. She lists a few examples including a patient who had a mastectomy scheduled for this month, but now her doctor doesn't have a job. Another is on life-sustaining medications and has seizures that require treatment; she can't get into another clinic until October.
Among the concerns in the report, the only remaining clinic is now getting overwhelmed with calls and requests from displaced patients. Dr. John Guerriero's clinic in Berwick is under the umbrella of Berwick Hospital, so it's still open - for now, at least.
All of the providers at the shuttered clinics were immediately locked out of the hospital's records system. That means a lot of work has now fallen on Dr. Guerriero's shoulders. On top of his regular job as a vascular surgeon, he's also filling prescriptions, sending out lab results, and ordering follow-up tests for the patients who now have no one else to turn to.
Meanwhile, he's also preparing to be shut down himself. The Department of Health confirmed last week that Sharma plans to close Berwick Hospital Center and turn it into a psychiatric facility.
Dr. Guerriero said he plans to open his own private practice in the fall with other providers who are now unemployed.
"I had a patient today that came in; she was crying, saying, 'please, are you still gonna be here, I want you to take care of me, you've taken care of my legs.' We want to be here, we plan on being here for a long time. I've been here for 15 years. I've become part of the community, I love the community. I raised my children here. And I want to stay here," Dr. Guerriero said.
The Department of Health also did not approve the hospital's initial closure plan, saying it was "lacking necessary information to provide for an orderly wind-down of acute care services."
Sharma did submit a new plan that's currently under review.
We reached out to Sharma and her attorney, but have not heard back.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/thousands-of-patients-reeling-from-clinic-closures-doctors-preparing-for-hospital-shutdown-berwick-center/523-63dad69c-0834-4682-ac88-db90bf53ff8b | 2022-08-04T16:34:53 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/thousands-of-patients-reeling-from-clinic-closures-doctors-preparing-for-hospital-shutdown-berwick-center/523-63dad69c-0834-4682-ac88-db90bf53ff8b |
MOUNT CARMEL, Pa. — A doctor from Northumberland County will spend 15 years in prison for operating a "pill mill."
On Wednesday, a federal judge turned down Dr. Raymond Kraynak's request to change his plea.
Kraynak claimed in March that he felt pressured into pleading guilty.
Last year, the doctor from Mount Carmel admitted illegally handing out prescription drugs which led to the deaths of five patients.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/northumberland-county/pill-mill-doctor-in-northumberland-county-sent-to-prison-raymond-kraynack/523-8a4f7ae9-c32e-4757-a523-49776a79381b | 2022-08-04T16:34:55 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/northumberland-county/pill-mill-doctor-in-northumberland-county-sent-to-prison-raymond-kraynack/523-8a4f7ae9-c32e-4757-a523-49776a79381b |
3-year-old in critical condition after shooting on Detroit's west side
Charles E. Ramirez
The Detroit News
Detroit — A 3-year-old is in critical condition after being shot early Thursday morning at a home on the city's west side, police said.
According to a preliminary investigation, the child was playing with another child in an upstairs bedroom of a house located in the 9500 block of Littlefield near Chicago and Meyers.
Officers were called to the home at about 12:15 a.m. Police said the injured child was taken to a hospital.
Detectives are interviewing the child's family members. They said they recovered a weapon. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/08/04/3-year-old-critical-condition-after-shooting-detroits-west-side/10234026002/ | 2022-08-04T16:35:24 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/08/04/3-year-old-critical-condition-after-shooting-detroits-west-side/10234026002/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Who doesn’t love coffee and donuts? This iconic breakfast pairing has been fueling America for years and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon.
With so many options to choose from in North Texas, we wanted to help you narrow your search down and are highlighting one Dallas shop: The Salty Donut.
The Salty Donut is located in the Bishop Arts District, (414 W Davis St, Dallas, TX 75208) and offers a multitude of tasty coffee and donut options.
Fun on the Run host Yolonda Williams ventured over to The Salty Donut and gives us the rundown of what to expect. Watch the video player for more!
For more info about The Salty Donut, visit their website by clicking here. | https://cw33.com/news/local/dallas-the-salty-donut-where-you-can-get-a-really-freakin-good-donut/ | 2022-08-04T16:36:59 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/dallas-the-salty-donut-where-you-can-get-a-really-freakin-good-donut/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Who knew the beginning of the month of August could be oh so sweet in the city of Dallas? The Dallas Mavericks alongside a popular dessert are making sure of that.
The Mavs and Tiff’s Treats are celebrating National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (Aug. 4) the right way with a special code that’s valid until Aug. 7. The two are helping your sweet tooth out with 50% off cookies when you use the code MFFL50.
Tiff’s Treats says, “Thursday, Aug. 4 is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! Celebrate the sweetest holiday with us and get one free Chocolate Chip Cookie in all of our stores! One free cookie per person, must be present to claim.”
In case you didn’t know, here’s what Tiff’s Treats offers to its customers:
- Warm cookies
- Special bundles
- Brownies
- Cookie truffles
- Ice Cream
- Frosting cups
- Drinks
- Specials & more
For more on the dessert shop, click here. | https://cw33.com/news/local/popular-dallas-dessert-shop-offering-50-off-cookies-alongside-dallas-mavericks/ | 2022-08-04T16:37:06 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/popular-dallas-dessert-shop-offering-50-off-cookies-alongside-dallas-mavericks/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — One of everyone’s favorite characters on Sesame Street is easily the Cookie Monster. This sweet, blue, furry guy just has one true love in life and it’s also a love for many others: cookies. But what’s the best cookie in all the land? The easy answer is chocolate chip cookies.
So, what’s with all this talk of cookies and the cookie monster? Well, Thursday, Aug. 4 is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! NationalToday is as excited as anyone and said, “We’ve tried Chocolate Chip Cookies warm and gooey right out of the oven or fresh and chewy from the grocery store. But no matter what form your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie takes, there’s no denying that this triple-C confection holds a very special place in our hearts.”
Keep the oven and your cookie sheets clean today friends, we checked out Yelp’s list of the best spots around the great city of Dallas to get the most delicious chocolate chip cookies:
- JD’s Chippery
- Great One Cookie Company – Design District
- Bird Bakery
- Village Baking – Lower Greenville
- Cookie Society – Frisco
- Tiff’s Treats – North Dallas
- La La Land Kind Cafe – Lower Greenville
- La Spiga Bakery
- Reverie Bakeshop – North Dallas
- Empire Baking Company
- 9 Rabbits Bakery | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-are-the-top-spots-for-chocolate-chip-cookies-in-dallas-according-to-yelp/ | 2022-08-04T16:37:12 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-are-the-top-spots-for-chocolate-chip-cookies-in-dallas-according-to-yelp/ |
LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Students have less than a week to enjoy the rest of their summer break, but in Lee County there’s a new face leading the massive district.
Dr. Christopher Bernier was sworn in back in May.
NBC2’s Lisa Spooner had the chance to sit down with him to discuss his hopes for the upcoming school year.
Although it might be his first full school year in Southwest Florida, he has more than three decades in education.
“We think it’s 37. 33 In Orlando, 3 in Las Vegas, and this makes the additional opening,” said Dr. Bernier.
Dr. Bernier knows ahead of his first year leading the Lee County School District there are going to be some challenges.
He explained, “There’s a lot of goals long-term. But immediately with the school year opening I think the most important thing is for us to realize how important and lucky we are to have the talent that we have.”
He recognizes the teacher and bus driver vacancies just one week ahead of the start of the year are significant issues.
“School districts are going to have to continue to get creative to find the people we need,” he said. But he also says there’s a new challenge when it comes to students and their parents.
“The last two years across this nation parents have found themselves on the outside of the schoolhouse door. They really need to be welcomed back into the fold,” said Dr. Bernier.
And he wants parents to hear this message: “I think the best advice for parents is get engaged with your children again the way it used to be 2 years ago. We changed the face of education in order to try and protect and create some safety for our children and for our teachers. We are now in a situation where we can be reopened. So engage. Become a part of your child’s school. Become a part of your child’s classroom.”
Dr. Bernier added that the bus driver shortage is a major issue the school district is facing next week. However, he says they just announced Tuesday night that they are bumping up the wage increase to $15/ hour ahead of the October deadline. And adds that since they did that, they’ve already had more people apply. He asks that parents be patient with them as they navigate the first few weeks. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2022/08/04/new-lee-county-superintendent-ready-for-challenges-in-first-year/ | 2022-08-04T16:50:54 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2022/08/04/new-lee-county-superintendent-ready-for-challenges-in-first-year/ |
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP — Police are working to find a motorist that struck a scooter rider on Wednesday morning.
Jose Cruz-Jaimes, 27, of Manahawkin, was riding at approximately 7:48 a.m. when he tried crossing the intersection o Route 9 and McKinley Avenue. An SUV was making a right turn onto Route 9 South from McKinley Avenue, where it hit Cruz-Jaimes before the driver fled, police said.
Cruz-Jaimes was flown to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, following the crash, police said, without providing information about his condition.
The SUV is possibly a newer-model Ford Edge that may be fitted with tinted windows. Damage may also be noticeable on its front driver fender and door, police said.
People are also reading…
Anyone who may have seen the automobile is urged to contact Officer Justin Pascale, at 609-597-1189 ext. 8436 or jpascale@staffordpolice.org. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-probing-car-crash-that-injured-stafford-township-scooter-rider/article_6bd690ba-140b-11ed-9a2c-2721892ecc83.html | 2022-08-04T16:58:05 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-probing-car-crash-that-injured-stafford-township-scooter-rider/article_6bd690ba-140b-11ed-9a2c-2721892ecc83.html |
A fast-charging station for electric vehicles is now open at the Farley Service Plaza on the Atlantic City Expressway, where drivers can access four 200 kW fast charging stalls, according to a press release issued Thursday by the company that owns and operates them.
Los Angeles based EVgo, which calls itself the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles, now runs 17 locations across New Jersey, the company said. Six are along the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.
“This new charging station at Farley Travel Plaza will provide EV drivers with convenient and reliable charging service,” said South Jersey Transportation Authority Executive Director, Stephen F. Dougherty in the press release.
The SJTA owns and operates the Expressway as well as the Atlantic City International Airport.
People are also reading…
Dougherty called the station an additional amenity for the rest stop at milepost 21.3, along with the food, ATM, gift shop, picnic areas and gas station there.
Drivers use the EVgo app, EVgo program card or a credit card to use the service.
EVgo account holders will get lower charging rates and earn rewards points after every charge, the company said, which can be redeemed for charging credit, the company said.
The station was built in conjunction with Nissan and funded in part by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's It Pay$ to Plug In program, EVgo said.
The state Board of Public Utilities in May approved nearly $1.1 million in grants for electric vehicle charging stations in multi-dwelling housing complexes.
NJBPU President Joseph Fiordaliso has said the charger program promotes equitable EV use by making chargers available in places where people live but would not otherwise have access to overnight charging.
“Encouraging the use of electric vehicles ... will bring us closer to meeting Governor Murphy’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2050,” Fiordaliso said in May.
The state also provides incentives to buy electric vehicles through the DEP's Charge Up Program, now in its third year.
In the first two years the State helped residents buy more than 13,000 vehicles, according to governor's office. This year's incentives are up to $4,000 for vehicles with MSRP’s under $45,000 and up to $2,000 for vehicles with an MSRP between $45,000 and $55,000.
In July the state launched the new Residential EV Charger Incentive Program, with a $250 rebate for a home charger. The program can be combined with the already existing utility programs, which may cover installation costs, according to the state.
For more information, visit njcleanenergy.com/ev.
Staff Writer Chris Doyle contributed to this report. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/electric-vehicle-fast-charging-station-open-on-ac-expressway/article_2b138ee0-13ff-11ed-b279-77266c78f285.html | 2022-08-04T16:58:06 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/electric-vehicle-fast-charging-station-open-on-ac-expressway/article_2b138ee0-13ff-11ed-b279-77266c78f285.html |
EAGLE, Idaho — Editor's note: The video currently attached to this story related to a moose sighting and relocation from the Hidden Springs neighborhood in July 2022. It will be updated shortly. New photos of the moose spotted Aug. 3 and 4 in Eagle have been added to this story.
A young bull moose was located Wednesday evening in Eagle -- not in the foothills, but in the middle of town. The Ada County Sheriff's Office said Thursday morning that the moose has been safely captured and moved to the mountains.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game says at around 5:30 p.m., IDFG enforcement staff located the moose in the area of Ballantyne Lane and Floating Feather Road and Highway 44/State Street. They located the moose shortly after people starting calling in with reports to Idaho Fish and Game's Southwest Region office.
Responding officers from other agencies observed the moose, looking to keep it away from the highway, until about 6 p.m. They lost sight when the moose made its way to a nearby cornfield, according to a news release from IDFG.
“At that point, the peak traffic period was over, and the animal was in as good a place as it could be under the circumstances," Regional Wildlife Manager Ryan Walrath said.
A spokesman for the Ada County Sheriff's Office said Thursday morning that the moose was tranquilized at Cobblestone and State streets, just west of downtown Eagle.
"Eagle Police kept a close eye on the beast this morning as it strolled in the Cobblestone Way/State Street neighborhood just west of downtown to try to keep him off the street and out of traffic," Eagle Police said in a Facebook post Thursday morning.
The moose, Eagle Police said, is about 6 feet tall and 600 to 700 pounds, and "pretty much kept to himself and majestically strolled through the neighborhood and munched on leaves until Fish and Game arrived."
Fish and Game officers tranquilized the moose and will move him to "a better habitat in the mountains," Eagle Police said.
Moose seen in Eagle neighborhood
IDFG says it's important for drivers and people living in the area to be aware and do their part to help avoid any conflict with wildlife.
Moose are typically rare in the Treasure Valley, but the moose spotted Wednesday in Eagle is the second moose to make its way into a populated area of Ada County within the past month. A yearling cow moose spotted in Hidden Springs was relocated on July 20.
Moose can become aggressive and unpredictable when surprised or cornered. If a moose perceives a threat, it could charge and attempt to stomp on that perceived threat.
- Keep a respectful distance from the moose of at least 50 yards or more.
- The presence of a dog can be especially alarming to a moose, so keep dogs leashed and far away from the moose.
- Drivers should use caution during the early-morning commute. Moose are most active at sunrise and sunset, particularly during the summer.
Idaho Fish and Game continues to monitor the situation with the moose in Eagle, and report sightings of the animal, including the location, to the IDFG regional office in Nampa at 208-465-8465 during normal business hours. After hours, call the non-emergency number for Ada County Dispatch at 208-377-6790.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/moose-eagle-idaho-people-report-any-more-sightings-caution/277-14849616-53c1-47bd-b4bb-5392aeccbb4e | 2022-08-04T17:03:18 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/moose-eagle-idaho-people-report-any-more-sightings-caution/277-14849616-53c1-47bd-b4bb-5392aeccbb4e |
Bloomington authors shortlisted for Indiana Authors Awards
Eight books by Bloomington-connected authors are in the running for a 2022 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award, which will be announced on Aug. 24.
Every other year since 2009, the awards have recognized the work of Indiana authors and provided honorees with the opportunity to participate in statewide speaker programs, according to a press release.
Here are the books and authors shortlisted for this year's Indiana Authors Awards:
Nonfiction
Craig Fehrman, Bloomington, for Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote, the story of America’s presidents as authors. Addressing everything from beloved tomes to volumes lost to history, Author in Chief unearths insights about the presidents through their literary works and offers a window into their public and private lives.
James H. Madison, Bloomington, for The Ku Klux Klan in the Heartland, the history of the creation and reign of the Ku Klux Klan through the lens of their operations in Indiana and the Midwest. Starting from the KKK’s roots in respectable white protestant society, the book offers a detailed account of the infamous organization and its echoes in America today.
Fiction
Angela Jackson-Brown, Bloomington, for When Stars Rain Down, the story of Opal Pruitt and the summer of 1936 in Parsons, Georgia, where the arrival of the Ku Klux Klan shakes the tight-knit community and challenges unspoken codes of conduct in their post-Reconstruction town.
D.A. Lockhart, who lived in Indianapolis, graduated from Indiana University Bloomington and now lives in Windsor, Ontario, for Breaking Right, about ordinary Hoosiers whose extraordinary moments reveal complicated correlations between their beliefs, their relationships and the land beneath their feet.
Genre
Joseph Lee, Bloomington, for Forgiveness: The Story of Eva Kor, Survivor of The Auschwitz Twin Experiments. This illustrated biography of Eva Kor tells the story of a girl who found herself fighting to survive in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp and an adult in Terre Haute who discovered that forgiveness could save her life.
Steve Schatz, Bloomington, for Seashell Virgin: A Nacho Mama’s Patio Café Novel, a humorous novel in which a band of middle-aged friends from Nacho Mama’s Patio Café fight a scheme to close the area’s only gay bar and upend their town.
Poetry
Ross Gay, Bloomington, for Be Holding, a lyrical love song to legendary basketball player Julius Erving — known as Dr. J — and how the imagination might bring us closer to each other
Children's
Kim Howard, who grew up in LaPorte and now lives in Bloomington, for Grace and Box, a picture book in which a young girl befriends a box and they go on lively adventures together. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/eight-bloomington-connected-authors-shortlisted-for-indiana-awards/65390703007/ | 2022-08-04T17:04:28 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/eight-bloomington-connected-authors-shortlisted-for-indiana-awards/65390703007/ |
SAN ANTONIO — The Justice Department is announcing a joint task force to tackle the issue of deadly human smuggling incidents.
The department will be working with the Department of Homeland Security on the operation, called Joint Task Force Alpha.
The goal is to "disrupt and dismantle" human smuggling organizations resulting in deadly migrants incidents. The operation includes the arrest of four alleged human smugglers who have been indicted in the United States. The U.S. government worked with Guatemalan law enforcement authorities on the task force.
This comes after 53 migrants died one month ago in an overheated semitruck on the southwest side.
The tragedy occurred in San Antonio on June 27, and is the deadliest human-smuggling incident in U.S. history. The victims were from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
The two suspects at the center of the semitruck tragedy were indicted by a Bexar County grand jury on June 20, formally charging them with several charges punishable by up to life in prison, and potentially even the death penalty, if they’re convicted. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/disrupt-and-dismantle-justice-dept-announces-effort-to-address-migrant-deaths-human-smuggling/273-4af10cd9-467d-417c-998d-55158e113b7c | 2022-08-04T17:25:54 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/disrupt-and-dismantle-justice-dept-announces-effort-to-address-migrant-deaths-human-smuggling/273-4af10cd9-467d-417c-998d-55158e113b7c |
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