text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Car traveling wrong way on Loop 303 leads to crash, leaves 2 dead and 2 hospitalized
One woman and a child have died after a wrong way crash on Loop 303 in Surprise.
On Wednesday night at 8:54 p.m. a car travelling southbound in northbound lanes collided head-on with a second car near milepost 116 on Loop 303, Arizona Department of Safety spokesperson Bart Graves said.
The driver of the car traveling in the wrong direction was identified as an elderly female and was pronounced dead on the scene, Graves said. The woman driving the other car was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Also in the second car were two small children, a 2-year-old girl and an 8-month-old boy, who were taken to a local hospital. The 2-year-old died in the hospital and the infant remains in serious condition.
At this time it is unknown whether alcohol played a role in the crash, Graves said.
Reach criminal justice reporter Gloria Rebecca Gomez at grgomez@gannett.com or on Twitter @glorihuh.
Support Local Journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise-traffic/2022/08/04/driver-wrong-way-loop-303-leaves-2-dead-2-hospitalized-suprise/10238274002/ | 2022-08-04T20:21:08 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise-traffic/2022/08/04/driver-wrong-way-loop-303-leaves-2-dead-2-hospitalized-suprise/10238274002/ |
Water problems in northeast Bismarck have been fixed once again.
The area around Legacy High School and Sunrise Elementary School experienced low water volume and low water pressure on Wednesday due to the 43rd Avenue construction project. Crews fixed the issues Wednesday evening, but they resurfaced Thursday morning.
The problems were resolved again at midday, according to the city Public Works Department. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/water-issues-impacting-northeast-bismarck-resolved/article_c0ff58b6-1347-11ed-a451-2f89da44c1ef.html | 2022-08-04T20:22:28 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/water-issues-impacting-northeast-bismarck-resolved/article_c0ff58b6-1347-11ed-a451-2f89da44c1ef.html |
UTICA, N.Y. – Utica officials continue asking people to avoid giving money to panhandlers standing on city street corners amid ongoing complaints from residents and business owners.
According to the city, panhandlers can be removed from private property, but not from public spaces as long as they’re not interfering with traffic or causing safety issues.
The city has several programs to aid people with homelessness or other forms of assistance. Drop-in centers at the Rescue Mission and Salvation Army can help those in need with mental health, drug prevention and other services.
According to a notice from the city, officials say while the donations may be well-intended, giving money to panhandlers “only enables their bad habits.” People are instead encouraged to donate money to local organizations that combat homelessness. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/utica-officials-continue-to-discourage-giving-money-to-panhandlers/article_143b004c-1420-11ed-8821-1fd596bddfb8.html | 2022-08-04T20:23:10 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/utica-officials-continue-to-discourage-giving-money-to-panhandlers/article_143b004c-1420-11ed-8821-1fd596bddfb8.html |
BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – The second day of testimonials in the trial of a Colesville man accused of shooting a state trooper last June was held at Broome County Court today.
Jason Johnson is on trial for attempted murder and his father David Johnson is accused with tampering of evidence.
The victim in the case, New York State Trooper Becky Seager, was called up to the stand today to testify.
She says that after the incident, she has been in constant pain and cannot go about her daily life the way that she always has.
On June 9th, 2021, Seager heard over a police scanner that there was a report of shots fired on East Windsor Road in Colesville.
She prepared her gear and responded to the Johnson residence located on East Windsor Road near Thorn Hill Road.
When Seager arrived at the scene, she was told via radio to stay roughly a quarter of a mile south of the residence and stop any traffic attempting to enter the area.
Seager says that soon after she was parked, a truck was approaching the scene, so she waved down the driver and had them leave the area.
After redirecting the vehicle, she was walking back to her Trooper car when she felt, what she describes, as a bite in her hip region. She says she heard the sound of a gunshot after she could already feel the pain.
Seager fell to the ground, but was able to crawl to the passenger side of her vehicle and radio to nearby officers that she had been shot.
She was transported by an ambulance to the nearest hospital.
Trooper Seager says she suffers from what is called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
She has not returned to work in the fourteen-months since the incident.
Seager now limps when she walks, and says she has to use a wheelchair whenever going out on family trips; she also says she cannot carry her son up or down stairs anymore.
Seager says that since the incident, she suffers from anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Today, Judge Cawley’s court room was filled with State Troopers in support of Becky Seager’s testimony.
The trial continues tomorrow in Judge Cawley’s room in Broome County Court. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/local/victim-in-johnson-trial-testifies/ | 2022-08-04T20:25:34 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/local/victim-in-johnson-trial-testifies/ |
Alligators don't belong on Long Island. And yet ...
A 9-year-old, 5-foot-long American alligator named Zachary was turned over to the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation and Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals this week, officials say.
According to Suffolk County SPCA Chief Ray Gross, the reptile's owner gave it up. The owner had bought the gator out of state, lacked the permit to own it in New York and could no longer care for it, according to Gross.
Zachary will be sent to a licensed wildlife sanctuary.
"Alligators do not make good pets, are a danger to the public, and are illegal to own without a permit from the NYSDEC," Gross offered by way of reminder (if anyone needed one).
He said 22 alligators that may have been kept initially as pets by various people or places were once illegally released on Long Island within a year, endangering the public. Gross would like to avoid a repeat.
Anyone who sees an abandoned reptile is asked to call the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722 or NYSDEC Police at 631-444-0250. Owners of exotic animals can surrender theirs without penalty or charges for illegal possession. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/5-foot-alligator-turns-up-in-suffolk-county-yes-we-mean-long-island/3810779/ | 2022-08-04T20:27:38 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/5-foot-alligator-turns-up-in-suffolk-county-yes-we-mean-long-island/3810779/ |
What to Know
- Authorities are ramping up the search for a white semi-truck after police in New Jersey say a bloodied woman was seen yelling from the big rig's cabin Wednesday.
- Police in South Brunswick said Thursday that detectives are being assisted by federal, state, and county law enforcement as they continue the search.
- According to South Brunswick Police, a woman was seen shouting for help and bleeding from the cab of the truck at around 2 p.m. Wednesday. It was a customer at a car dealership who police said saw the woman in distress as she tried to jump from the truck when it pulled over.
Authorities are ramping up the search for a white semi-truck after police in New Jersey say a bloodied woman was seen yelling from the big rig's cabin Wednesday.
Police in South Brunswick said Thursday that detectives are being assisted by federal, state, and county law enforcement as they continue the search.
Additional information is expected to be released by authorities Thursday afternoon.
According to South Brunswick Police, a woman was seen shouting for help and bleeding from the cab of the truck at around 2 p.m. Wednesday. It was a customer at a car dealership who police said saw the woman in distress as she tried to jump from the truck when it pulled over.
Video can be tough to make out, but a woman can be seen popping out of a passenger side window of the tractor trailer cab.
In addition to kicking and screaming for help, police said the woman appeared to be injured, possibly with a cut to her forehead. Police said that the woman was almost fully out of the cab before she was yanked in by the driver.
News
As the customer who spotted the woman in the truck got closer, the vehicle took off down the road. The tractor trailer cab was last seen on Route 130 headed towards Ridge Road, police say.
Investigators believe they are looking for a 2006-2018 Volvo or Mac Bobtail truck, possibly with New Jersey tags and with blue writing on the side. At the time of the incident, there was no trailer attached to the back of the cab.
According to authorities, the suspect is described as an older white male, bald and with a white beard. The woman seen bloodied and screaming is described by police as white or Hispanic with long brown hair and in her 20s. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/search-intensifies-for-truck-allegedly-seen-in-nj-with-bloodied-woman-yelling-for-help/3810765/ | 2022-08-04T20:27:39 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/search-intensifies-for-truck-allegedly-seen-in-nj-with-bloodied-woman-yelling-for-help/3810765/ |
Stephanie Crandall, Fort Wayne's director of intergovernmental affairs, was selected for the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
She spent three weeks on campus with 70 elected and appointed officials from around the world to consider current challenges and opportunities in public service. Crandall was the only representative from Indiana, city officials said.
According to its website, the program “provides a balance of traditional and hands-on learning experiences to help seasoned public officials better address the concerns of their constituents and communities.”
“This was an incredible opportunity to learn from and connect with leaders in government, brainstorm ways to tackle some of the common issues we face, and share Fort Wayne’s story of how we’re striving to move forward together,” Crandall said in a statement. “The potential of our City is being realized under Mayor Tom Henry’s leadership and I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Her participation was made possible through support from the city of Fort Wayne, Ambassador Enterprises–Civic Engagement Initiatives, the Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund at Foellinger Foundation, and Accelerate Indiana’s Municipalities (Aim). Crandall also received assistance with her travel expenses from City Councilwoman Sharon Tucker, among others. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/city-employee-chosen-for-harvard-government-program/article_b900deb2-1411-11ed-a927-930f97d7202a.html | 2022-08-04T20:29:30 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/city-employee-chosen-for-harvard-government-program/article_b900deb2-1411-11ed-a927-930f97d7202a.html |
A Fort Wayne woman was one of 22 selected for Hoosier Women Forward’s leadership program.
Dr. Sara Trovinger is one of 22 women who will be members of the organization’s fifth class.
Trovinger, an Auburn native, is a graduate of DeKalb High School and has a doctorate in pharmacy from Purdue University. After graduation, she returned to Fort Wayne and worked as a pharmacist. Trovinger currently works as a faculty member at Manchester University.
“HWF is proud to select this class of outstanding women leaders with personal and professional backgrounds that reflect the economic, geographical, ethnic, and cultural diversity of our state,” Hoosier Women Forward Executive Director Amy Levander said in a statement. “Our state’s leadership needs to reflect the citizens it serves. Class 5 joins a powerful network of alumnae stepping up to lead Indiana towards a brighter future.”
Hoosier Women Forward is a statewide organization that works to “empower Democratic women to become more active, confident and valuable participants in politics and community leadership.”
According to a news release, 89 women have completed its leadership program since its inception in 2018, and 18 of those have run for office with 11 winning in general elections or contested primaries. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-woman-selected-for-democratic-leadership-program/article_bc968e02-1379-11ed-b575-0796445564a0.html | 2022-08-04T20:29:37 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-woman-selected-for-democratic-leadership-program/article_bc968e02-1379-11ed-b575-0796445564a0.html |
The Indiana House voted Thursday afternoon to defeat an amendment that would have removed exceptions for rape and incest from the Republican-dominated legislature’s proposed abortion ban.
Rep. Karen Engleman, R-Georgetown, proposed the change to Senate Bill 1. It was voted down by a 61-39 vote.
Many Republicans joined the Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta and the Democratic caucus in opposition, while five local lawmaker – Reps. David Abbott, Martin Carbaugh, Christopher Judy, Bob Morris and Dave Heine – voted in favor of the amendment.
Rep. Ann Vermilion, R-Marion, was one of multiple Republicans who voted against the amendment.
“In this chamber, 73% of you will never know the aftermath of trauma of a pregnancy or the possibility of a pregnancy after a rape,” Vermilion said.
Others in her party, like Morris and outspoken anti-abortion Indianapolis Rep. John Jacob spoke in favor and suggested a “no” vote would be in support of murder, despite a reprimand from House Speaker Todd Huston.
“If you vote against this amendment,” Jacob said, “you are voting to say it is okay to murder a child.”
The House also voted against an amendment proposed by J. Michael Davisson, R-Salem, that would have eliminated the bill’s exceptions for lethal fetal anomalies. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/house-defeats-amendment-removing-rape-incest-exceptions/article_56c37d82-1429-11ed-9b73-4fdd97bdb04d.html | 2022-08-04T20:29:43 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/house-defeats-amendment-removing-rape-incest-exceptions/article_56c37d82-1429-11ed-9b73-4fdd97bdb04d.html |
A former Huntington University athlete has pledged $2 million to a project one university official called "a game changer."
The donation from Ryan Thwaits will go to an $18.7-million expansion and renovation of the university's athletic complex known as the PLEX.
Thwaits, who graduated in 2004, played basketball and was inducted into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. He now is co-owner of Bradley RV, a startup that specializes in towable recreational vehicles in Goshen.
The updated PLEX will have three large arena and gym spaces, expanded weight and cardio training areas, a large entry lobby and hospitality suites, a pro shop, hall of fame and larger classrooms.
The renovation and expansion of the PLEX is a transformative project for HU on many levels," Russ Degitz, chief operating officer, said today in a news release.
"This 90,000-plus-square-foot facility will now afford more opportunities for our students and community...and...will be a true game-changer for the university." | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/huntington-university-gets-2-million-pledge-for-athletics-building/article_e9b7f1f8-1407-11ed-bab5-cfa0e2684013.html | 2022-08-04T20:29:49 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/huntington-university-gets-2-million-pledge-for-athletics-building/article_e9b7f1f8-1407-11ed-bab5-cfa0e2684013.html |
A jury is deliberating this afternoon in the trial of Kennisha Jackson for the Jan. 14, 2020, murder of Diquan Meriwether.
Closing arguments this afternoon presented the jurors with a decision of whether Jackson, 21, acted in self-defense when she shot Meriwether inside her home. Both were 19 at the time.
Security camera video of the porch at 2827 Abbott St. in Fort Wayne — recorded from many angles — figured heavily in the closing arguments.
Defense attorney Donald Swanson said the shooting became a matter of self-defense when Meriwether tore open the screen door while the two were arguing, allegedly over money she owed for marijuana. He said she had a right to protect herself by any means necessary when he went in and battered her.
County Deputy Prosecutor Tasha Lee argued that the video and evidence don’t support that. After Meriwether pulled the screen door open, he stood there until Jackson grabbed him by the hood of his sweatshirt and pulled him into the home, while he resisted.
Meriwether left shortly after, clutching his chest and without his hoodie, and Jackson is seen in the doorway switching an automatic handgun from one hand to the other with a calm demeanor and without evidence of any bleeding from an eye injury police photographed later and she said came from Meriwether.
Lee maintained that Jackson’s injury happened later and that she and people who came over afterwards cleaned the scene and altered things to hide that the shooting wasn’t self-defense. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/jury-in-deliberation-in-murder-trial/article_09e2f9ae-142c-11ed-8a63-1f69fa53fdd6.html | 2022-08-04T20:29:55 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/jury-in-deliberation-in-murder-trial/article_09e2f9ae-142c-11ed-8a63-1f69fa53fdd6.html |
Purdue University Fort Wayne's plans to build a $22 million music technology building on campus has gotten a $6 million boost.
Chuck and Lisa Surack have contributed $3 million, and the Auer Foundation matched that gift with another $3 million, the university announced today.
Site work is expected to begin on the university's main campus in 2024 with an opening date projected three years later, a news release said. Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer said the 26,000-square-foot facility is needed.
"This spectacular new facility will serve as the launchpad for the next generation of students enrolled in our music industry, popular music, and music technology programs," Elsenbaumer said in a statement. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/purdue-fort-wayne-gets-6-million-boost-for-new-music-technology-building/article_2cc86172-1425-11ed-908d-03ab977ef4b8.html | 2022-08-04T20:30:01 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/purdue-fort-wayne-gets-6-million-boost-for-new-music-technology-building/article_2cc86172-1425-11ed-908d-03ab977ef4b8.html |
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – A church can lift up a local community — in Pomona, the community is lifting up a local church.
The Pomona Union Protestant Church was moved from its longtime home at the corner of Genoa Avenue and the White Horse Pike on Thursday and brought to a new location in Smithville.
A construction crew was at the property early Thursday morning and would take apart the church piece by piece and reconstruct it on its new foundation, which is adjacent to the Smithville Bakery.
Steve Hauck, the owner of SJ Hauck Construction, led work on the move. He reflected on the church’s long history in the town and noted how important it would be to keep it intact for posterity.
“Anyone who’s local knows of this church and it would be devastating to get torn down,” Hauck said. “So it’s phenomenal what we’re able to do, it’s phenomenal that Historic Smithville is taking it.”
People are also reading…
“Too often, we’re throwing these types of buildings away and that’s going to have to stop,” Hauck added.
After preliminary work, the first major operation was to lift the roof with a crane that towered above the property. Some parts of the church, such as the steeple, needed to be cut and reattached later so it could fit down some of the township’s narrow streets.
Pat Scamoffa, the treasurer and a trustee for Pomona Union Protestant, came down from Somers Point to witness the move. She put together a book documenting the history of the church and the role it played in so many lives in the town.
Scamoffa, 79, said she had gotten married at Pomona Union Protestant and her three children were baptized at the church.
“A lot of people that came would say 'I came here for Sunday school’ somebody else would come one week and say ‘this is where I was baptized,’ ‘this is where my mother was married,’ all those events,” said Scamoffa’s sister Kathy Falciano who was also at the Genoa Avenue site.
The Pomona Union congregation was established in 1890 as an interdenominational place of worship. Harold Booth, Scamoffa’s grandfather, owned much of the open land from Genoa to Mannheim Avenue and donated the lot where the church stood. His brother, Arthur Booth, led efforts to help build the church and gave the building its historic design that the community was eager to preserve.
Charles Bushar, a possessor of the Historic Towne of Smithville company which will take Pomona Union in, said he was glad to be able to house the church.
“There’s a great deal of pride in the church and the members who have had it for many, many years,” Bushar said.
Mayor Anthony Coppola, who is also another owner of The Historic Towne of Smithville, said that the company had a plethora of experience transplanting buildings from other parts of South Jersey, having preserved buildings such as the Grist Mill.
“We think it’s a really cool piece of Galloway history,” Coppola said of the church. “We’re honored to have it here.”
Real estate broker Drew Fishman helped organize the deal. He said there were first discussions about moving the church four years ago and that the parties involved began seriously dealing with the logistics of the transfer two years ago. Watching over the church as the construction crew prepared the transfer, Fishman said having the church nearby its original location by placing it in Smithville was an ideal option for its future. The land the church was on was sold to Nantucket at Galloway, which owns some of the surrounding land.
“Smithville was something (the church trustees) figured was a nice option, because they figured this way any of the family members would still be able to visit,” Fishman said. “And it’s being put in a prominent place, so it at least gives them a positive of what comes out of everything.”
David Booth, another of Harold Booth’s grandchildren, came over with his family from Egg Harbor Township to watch the transfer. He recalled how his father’s cousin used to teach Sunday school at Pomona Union Protestant and how his family had been involved as trustees and caretakers for the church. He said he was grateful the building would be preserved but did call the moment “bittersweet.”
“If my dad was here, he’d have a tear in his eye,” Booth said.
Passersby on Genoa Avenue on Thursday were impressed by the operation. David Sykes, a Linwood resident who regularly drives down Genoa Avenue, stopped to talk with developers and church trustees to learn about the church’s history.
Frank Mohr, who lived in Galloway, had himself converted an old church into a house, which he now rents. He said he was impressed how intact the church was since its construction in the early 20th century and wanted to come down to Genoa Avenue to watch the transfer.
“To let it go, you kind of lose where you came from and what people used to do back then,” Mohr said.
Scamoffa said that attendance had declined at the church in recent years and a longtime minister there had moved out of the area. There were only three services being held each year by 2019 and then the COVID-19 pandemic ended worship there entirely. As it had been a target of recent vandals, she wanted to find someplace where it could be kept safely preserved.
“It’s hard to find a minister sometimes,” Scamoffa said. “It’s hard to find a congregation also.”
Scamoffa said she had a longstanding business relationship with the owners of The Historic Towne of Smithville and was confident in their ability to take over her role as caretaker of the Galloway landmark. Speaking during Thursday afternoon after the caravan of church pieces had just set off for Smithville, she reflected on the day and the history of the church.
“I’m going to feel relief that everything went safely,” Scamoffa said. “At peace.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/galloway-church-transplanted-across-the-township-in-historic-preservation-effort/article_b108a15c-1427-11ed-86b4-932155a12ad8.html | 2022-08-04T20:31:05 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/galloway-church-transplanted-across-the-township-in-historic-preservation-effort/article_b108a15c-1427-11ed-86b4-932155a12ad8.html |
The 12th annual Atlantic City Triathlon will take place Sunday.
About 1,200-plus athletes are expected to compete in the event that will start at Bader Field, which features two main distances or courses — the Olympic Triathlon and the Sprint Triathlon.
The Olympic consists of a 1-mile swim, a 22-mile bike ride and a 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) run. The Sprint consists of a quarter-mile swim, an 11-mile bike ride and a 5-kilometer-run (3.1 miles). These two also include a relay option.
There are also other races — the Sprint Duathlon (2-mile run, 11-mile bike ride and 5-kilometer run), the Sprint Aquabike (quarter-mile swim and 11-mile bike ride), the Olympic Duathlon (2-mile run, 22-mile bike ride and 10-kilometer run) and the Olympic Aquabike (1-mile swim and 22-mile bike ride).
Athletes will swim in the back bay off Bader Field, bike along U.S. Route 40/322 and the Atlantic City Expressway and run over the North Albany Avenue bridge onto the Boardwalk.
"We love producing in Atlantic City," said Steve Del Monte, the founder and chief executive officer of DelMoSports, which organizes many endurance races in the area, including Escape the Cape Triathlon in Cape May, Tri the Wildwoods, Crest Best Run/Swim Fest in Wildwood Crest and Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City.
"It gives us a very unique opportunity to give people a big-city race down the shore. That's what we consider this race," added Del Monte, noting the athletes compete along the many great venues, beaches and Boardwalk in the resort.
"It's just a very unique landscape to do these types of things. We are just super grateful we are allowed to do this and bring a lot of people to Atlantic City and celebrate health and wellness."
Del Monte, who is a Wildwood Crest resident and Wildwood Catholic High School graduate, expects the event to go “perfectly." A very high heat index is expected Sunday, but the race will start at 6:30 a.m. and will end around 10. Those high temperatures will not be too much of an issue, Del Monte said.
"Before the heat really pours on, these athletes are done," Del Monte said. "The athletes are prepared for the conditions. This isn't unlike any other normal race day in the summer. It's hot, and everyone knows it."
There will be plenty of local athletes in the event, Del Monte said. Many others are from North Jersey and the Philadelphia area.
About 25% to 30% of the athletes from Sunday's event will compete in the Ironman 70.3, set for Sept. 10, Del Monte said. The Ironman course is basically the same except longer, which is the reason Sunday's event is considered great preparation.
The half Ironman is a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.
"There are a lot of similarities between this and Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City," Del Monte said.
"We are grateful to the city of Atlantic City, the (South Jersey Transportation Authority), the city of Pleasantville and the surrounding communities for giving us this opportunity," he added.
PHOTOS of the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon in Atlantic City
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account.
1 of 2
Swimmers make their way into the bay off Bader Field during the Atlantic City Triathlon on Aug. 7, 2021. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/atlantic-city-triathlon-set-for-sunday/article_a43f814a-13fd-11ed-b808-7f9391a67e87.html | 2022-08-04T20:31:17 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/atlantic-city-triathlon-set-for-sunday/article_a43f814a-13fd-11ed-b808-7f9391a67e87.html |
RICHMOND, Va. – Back-to-school shopping is back, and this year, prices for those essential school items are expected to be much higher than normal. Thankfully, Virginia’s Tax-Free Weekend is returning soon.
On Thursday, Governor Youngkin announced that select items will be free of sales tax from 12:01 a.m. on Friday to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
“During a time of high inflation and gas prices, Virginians will receive some needed tax relief this weekend as they support local businesses across the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said.
And Steve Cummings, the Secretary of Finance, said the weekend benefits everyone involved.
“The sales tax holiday benefits both businesses and consumers,” Cummings said. “And, with inflation at its highest level since 1981, Virginians need this tax relief now more than ever.”
The release said that items in the following categories will be free from taxes during the weekend:
- School supplies
- Clothing and footwear
- Hurricane and emergency preparedness products, including generators, chainsaws and accessories, and other items
- Select Energy Star™ and WaterSense™ products
You can find a full list of qualifying items and details here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/governor-youngkin-announces-details-of-virginias-tax-free-weekend/ | 2022-08-04T20:31:18 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/governor-youngkin-announces-details-of-virginias-tax-free-weekend/ |
Tim Reilly, a 2005 Holy Spirit High School graduate and former Rutgers University standout catcher, was hired by the United States Naval Academy as a pitching coach on the baseball team, the academy announced Wednesday.
Reilly will replace Mike Trapasso, who left to join the coaching staff at University of Texas-Arlington. Navy, which went 19-26 this spring, is coached by Paul Kostacopoulos.
"We could not be more excited than to have the opportunity to hire Tim," Kostacopoulos said in a news release. "As a coach, he is extremely detailed and enthusiastic. He will be an outstanding addition to our baseball staff as well as to the Naval Academy."
Reilly spent the last five years at NCAA Division I Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he was an assistant coach for three years and the head coach the last two seasons. Lafayette and Navy both play in the Patriot League.
People are also reading…
"I am excited and honored to be joining the Navy baseball program," Reilly said in a statement. "This is a special place with an incredible mission, history and tradition. I am extremely grateful to Coach Kostacopoulos, Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk and the administration for this opportunity."
Lafayette went 15-35 this spring and 14-17 in 2021. As a pitching staff, the Leopards finished 2022 with the Patriot League lead in strikeouts (188) and ERA (3.84) in conference games.
Reilly was Lafayette's recruiting coordinator and worked with hitters and catchers his first three years.
Prior to Lafayette, Reilly spent six seasons at Rutgers as a recruiting coordinator and catchers coach. He also spent 2011 working with catchers and hitters at Rider University and was a student assistant coach for Rutgers in 2010.
Reilly played from 2006-09 at Rutgers and was an Academic All-Big East selection in 2007. Rutgers won 42 games that year, won the Big East championship and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Reilly graduated from Rutgers in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science, concentrating in sports management. He played baseball at Holy Spirit under former coach Keith Gorman, now head coach at D-II Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.
Note: St. Augustine Prep graduate Brian Furey, of Ocean City, was a sophomore catcher for the Midshipmen this spring. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/holy-spirit-rutgers-alum-tim-reilly-hired-as-navy-baseball-assistant/article_3233f8fa-1408-11ed-864d-e7d3d98de439.html | 2022-08-04T20:31:23 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/holy-spirit-rutgers-alum-tim-reilly-hired-as-navy-baseball-assistant/article_3233f8fa-1408-11ed-864d-e7d3d98de439.html |
LYNCHBURG, Va. – After a company was shut down for dozens of animal welfare violations, thousands of animals were sent to shelters across the nation – over 4,000 beagles that were bred for scientific experiments at the facility were in need of forever homes.
Now, area shelters are taking action, and on Thursday, the Lynchburg Humane Society sent a team to help.
Posted by Lynchburg Humane Society on Thursday, August 4, 2022
In a Facebook post, the Lynchburg Humane Society said that their team picked up 21 beagles from the Envigo facility and transported them back to their Center for Pets.
Upon arrival, the shelter said the dogs will be evaluated and receive necessary treatments, and they expect some of them to be available for adoption soon, while others might take a bit longer due to evaluation time.
Posted by Lynchburg Humane Society on Thursday, August 4, 2022
If you’d like to donate, foster, or learn more about adopting any of these dogs, you can visit the Lynchburg Humane Society website. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/rescued-beagles-arrive-at-lynchburg-humane-society/ | 2022-08-04T20:31:25 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/rescued-beagles-arrive-at-lynchburg-humane-society/ |
ALBANY – Albany Technical College and Turner Job Corps Center will enter into a three-year agreement starting fall 2022. A formal memorandum of understanding will be signed between ATC and Turner Job Corps on Friday at 11 a.m. in the LEC Boardroom on the college's main campus.
The purpose of the MOU will be to provide coordinated services for students at Turner Job Corps Center to receive Advance Career Training courses leading to certificates, diplomas, or associate's Degrees.
“We look forward to providing an academic support program for the retention of students, including individual or group tutoring, counseling, remediation classes, or learning resources," interim Albany Tech President Emmett Griswold said in a news release. "We will also make available day, evening, and online classes whenever possible in areas specified in the agreement."
Turner Job Corps officials have outlined student enrollment, including but not limited to Culinary Arts, Criminal Justice, Health Care Office Assistant, Office Administration, Electrical, Welding, Horticulture, Masonry, Carpentry and Certified Construction Worker courses.
“This agreement provides opportunity and joint oversight of students enrolled at TJCC participating in Advance Career Training on the Turner JCC campus and any of the Albany Technical College campuses," Turner Job Corps Center Director Nathaniel Cooper said. "We are happy to be teaming up with Albany Technical College to provide educational opportunities for our students."
Registration for classes is currently in process, with fall 2022 classes starting Aug. 17. More information is available at www.albanytech.edu/apply-now.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/albany-tech-turner-job-corps-to-sign-memorandum-of-understanding/article_8b0d590e-1425-11ed-ad35-13633a829d50.html | 2022-08-04T20:33:27 | 0 | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/albany-tech-turner-job-corps-to-sign-memorandum-of-understanding/article_8b0d590e-1425-11ed-ad35-13633a829d50.html |
Country
United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/city-of-albany-to-host-harlem-district-revitalization-meeting/article_0d44b530-142a-11ed-aec6-9b60639ffa98.html | 2022-08-04T20:33:34 | 0 | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/city-of-albany-to-host-harlem-district-revitalization-meeting/article_0d44b530-142a-11ed-aec6-9b60639ffa98.html |
ATLANTA -– From icy roads on wintry mornings in the Appalachian foothills to dirt roads that wash out in heavy rains, it’s not always easy getting to and from school in Georgia.
This year, rising fuel prices are making it more expensive as well.
But help is on the way from the federal government. A new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program aims at providing school buses an alternative to gasoline or diesel fuel by funding bus electrification.
The agency will award around $1 billion annually for the next five years to school districts that want to purchase electric, propane or CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles.
The funding comes from the infrastructure spending law Congress passed last year. The awardees will be announced in October. Some of the funding also can be used for setting up electric charging infrastructure.
The EPA says that reducing or eliminating pollution from buses helps improve children’s respiratory health. The agency also says alternative-fuel buses also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance and fuel costs.
Joe Meadows, transportation director for Ware County Schools, said the county is the largest by area in the state. The district's fuel expenditures have nearly doubled, Meadows said.
He runs about 73 routes every day. About half of his buses run on diesel and the other half on gasoline, he said. Rising prices on both types of fuel are hitting the district hard, he added.
Meadows said he’s had to double up on some routes to save money. Nevertheless, three days into the school year, the buses are running smoothly.
“We’re working through this day by day,” said Meadows, who must ensure that students who live on dirt roads on the border of the Okefenokee Swamp can make it to and from school each day.
Those long distances and treacherous conditions rule out electric vehicles for his district, Meadows said. He’s considering propane and CNG-fueled bus options, however, as a way of keeping down costs.
Georgia's second-largest county by area, Burke County, has succeeded in using propane-fueled buses to rein in costs.
The district began converting its buses to run on propane fuel in 2013. It has converted about two-thirds of its fleet so far, Burke County Public Schools spokeswoman Amy Nunnally said.
She said that though diesel prices rose this summer, the district is able to purchase propane at just $1.10 per gallon after a federal rebate.
“Just this year alone, we will save almost $700,000 in fuel costs,” Nunnally said.
Nunnally said the district has started considering electric buses but -- like Meadows in Ware County -- has questions about whether they are up to the task.
“We are unsure how an electric bus will perform on the many miles of dirt roads we travel daily and how this will impact the traveling range of the vehicle,” Nunnally said. “We are also unsure how long the batteries will last before they must be replaced and the cost to replace them.”
On Wednesday, Macon-based school bus manufacturer Blue Bird announced that it may have a solution for this quandary: buy now, convert to electric later.
The new program will allow school districts to retrofit gasoline- and propane-fueled buses with electric technology.
“Blue Bird customers can future-proof their school bus fleet by purchasing gasoline- or propane-powered vehicles and converting them easily and cost-effectively to zero-emission electric buses later,” the company stated in a news release.
The retrofitting process can be completed within 30 days, the company said. Once retrofitted, the buses will be able to travel up to 150 miles on a single charge, depending on battery configurations.
According to Blue Bird, the program will allow districts that may not have electric-charging infrastructure in place yet to convert later, once charging stations are built.
Blue Bird’s had more than 500 orders for electric buses in 2021, according to the company’s latest annual report. Although that’s only a small fraction of its close-to-10,000 total order, the company aims to make electric vehicles half of its bus production by the end of this decade.
That push should get a jumpstart from the new EPA bus electrification program. School districts have until Aug. 19 to apply for the funding. | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/fuel-prices-drive-up-school-bus-costs-but-new-technology-offers-savings/article_281ad3f0-142d-11ed-aa03-0378bcc781da.html | 2022-08-04T20:33:40 | 1 | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/fuel-prices-drive-up-school-bus-costs-but-new-technology-offers-savings/article_281ad3f0-142d-11ed-aa03-0378bcc781da.html |
CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — A Capital High School student has been awarded the Ptlm. Cassie Johnson Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship named for Patrolman Cassie Johnson, who was killed in the line of duty in 2020.
The Charleston Police Department says Kaitlyn Mullins is the recipient of the scholarship.
They say Mullins graduated from Capital High School in 2022 with a 4.0 GPA. She says she will go to Loyola University Chicago to major in criminology and forensic science.
She was selected because, “like Cassie, she is a hard working Charlestonian who is strong willed and wants to make a difference in her community.”
The scholarship is for $1,000 and is awarded to a Capital High School student who is planning on going into the law enforcement or animal care field.
Ptlm. Cassie Johnson was shot in the line of duty on Dec. 1, 2020, and died from her injuries on Dec. 3, 2020.
The man charged with Ptlm. Johnson’s death, Joshua Phillips, was sentenced to 40 years and six months behind bars.
Phillips was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution to the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/student-awarded-scholarship-named-for-fallen-charleston-pd-patrolman/ | 2022-08-04T20:41:13 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/student-awarded-scholarship-named-for-fallen-charleston-pd-patrolman/ |
March 25, 1942 – July 6, 2022
Our hearts break as we said goodbye to our mom, sister, nana and great nana, Bonnie Jean Leonard who passed away surrounded by family July 6, 2022, in Nampa, Idaho. She was born to Kenneth and Hazel Waller in Park Rapids, Minnesota on March 25, 1942.
Bonnie grew up in Monroe, Washington where she attended school and graduated in the class of 1960 from Monroe High School (Go Bearcats!). She had various jobs and worked for Stone Construction for many years before moving to Coos Bay, Oregon in 1983. There she worked at a local restaurant, Benetti's, until moving to Idaho in the early 2000’s. In Idaho, she built a home in Middleton and worked for the customer service desk at the original 16th Street Albertson's. She would always joke about her drive to work--taking a left out of the subdivision, driving 30 miles on State Street and took another left into the Albertson's parking lot. She never got to work on time, she would show up an hour early and read one of her many James Patterson books. She loved her job there and retired in 2014. While residing in Middleton, Idaho, you could find her working in her yard on the weekends. She had more Hostas than anything else in her gardens, which made her the happiest.
Bonnie lived her life for her family, her Basset Hounds throughout the years, and was not one to miss out on an opportunity to visit family out of state or spend it with family here in Idaho. Bonnie will be remembered for attending every event of her grandchildren--band concerts, marching band, dance competitions and a myriad of sporting events. Over the years there were ample sleepovers with movie rentals, always the same movie without any complaints. Her grandchildren remember sitting on her lap to "drive" back home after picking up a box of DK donuts on Saturday mornings.
Bonnie is preceded in death by her mom, Hazel; dad, Kenneth; and older brother, Kenny. She is survived by her brother, Larry (Lavi) Waller; son, Scott Muse (Trish); daughter, Becky (Justin) Hadden; grandchildren, Tyler and Cody Muse, Brittney, Kendra and Jordan Hadden; and great granddaughter, Oliva; her niece, Lisa (Derek) Johnson and nephew, Kenny Waller.
Mom, I will miss you more than words could ever express. I love you always. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/bonnie-jean-leonard/article_7256b6c4-1427-11ed-9e0d-837d54c19572.html | 2022-08-04T20:51:10 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/bonnie-jean-leonard/article_7256b6c4-1427-11ed-9e0d-837d54c19572.html |
April 12, 1937 – July 30, 2022
Hershel R. Roberts went to be with his Lord on July 30, 2022. Hershel was born in Wagoner, Oklahoma on April 12, 1937, to Rasho and Rozella Roberts, he is the middle child of seven. His family moved around a lot as he was growing up, following the crops for work. They finally settled down in Yakima, Washington when Hershel was in his teens. After high school he settled in Coquille where he worked for the Coos County Road Department for 35 years as a scoop operator and foreman.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Sharon of 40 years; his parents; and four sisters. He is survived by his two sons, Mark and Scott Roberts; two daughters, Kari Hughes and Kim Payne; as well as nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Hershel loved being outdoors fishing, hunting, camping, gardening, or working in his wood shop.
There will be a memorial at Hershel’s favorite Coquille park, Sturdivant Park on Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 2:30. Come join us for light refreshments and tell us your favorite story or memory of dad. He will be greatly missed by his family.
Online remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.westrumfuneralservice.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Amling/Schroeder Funeral Service-Coquille Chapel 541-396-3846. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/hershel-r-roberts/article_390b8564-1429-11ed-9423-3353e3f36e86.html | 2022-08-04T20:51:16 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/hershel-r-roberts/article_390b8564-1429-11ed-9423-3353e3f36e86.html |
Herald-Tribune reporter takes first in statewide awards
Jesse Mendoza – Herald-Tribune's Manatee County reporter – was awarded first place in beat reporting by the Florida Society of News Editors. The annual FSNE awards recognize professional and college journalists across the state.
Stories by Mendoza that were recognized by the FSNE ranged from coverage of corruption in the Manatee County code enforcement department to a profile of county administrator Scott Hopes, from the impact of leaks from Piney Point to the very personal experience County Commissioner Carol Whitmore shared about abortion.
Other Herald-Tribune reporters lauded by the FSNE include Patricia McKnight and Derek Gilliam, who received a second-place award for breaking news reporting; Timothy Fanning, who placed second for investigative reporting; Laura Finaldi, who was second in business reporting; and Ryan McKinnon, who received third for investigative reporting in the Herald-Tribune's division.
Across the state, USA Today Network newspapers won 80 FSNE awards, including two gold medals and 27 first-place finishes. The FSNE Awards are open to newspaper, magazine, radio and television journalists across Florida. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/herald-tribune-reporter-takes-first-statewide-awardsherald-tribune-reporter-takes-first-in-statewide/10216631002/ | 2022-08-04T20:53:51 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/herald-tribune-reporter-takes-first-statewide-awardsherald-tribune-reporter-takes-first-in-statewide/10216631002/ |
WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — A man is recovering after he was injured by a black bear while on a trail in Whatcom County Wednesday morning.
The man was jogging on a trail in a forested area north of Lake Whatcom around when he was attacked, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Officers were notified about the attack around 8:30 a.m.
The man sustained “multiple injuries” to his hands and feet, the WDFW said. He was taken to a local hospital for medical care and released Wednesday afternoon.
“We are extremely thankful that the victim is recovering and receiving medical care from this unfortunate encounter,” said WDFW Police North Puget Sound Captain Jennifer Maurstad. “He did everything right during the incident and we wish him a speedy recovery. Wild animal encounters are unpredictable but, in most cases, they wish to avoid conflict as much as we do.”
Officers returned to the area Wednesday evening with a Karelian bear dog and located an adult black bear near where the attack occurred. The WDFW said officers “lethally removed” the animal.
The only fatal black bear attack recorded in Washington state happened in 1974, the WDFW said. There have been 18 other recorded human encounters with black bears in the state that resulted in an injury since 1970. The most recent documented injury from a black bear in Washington was in 2015.
Bears generally avoid people, but the WDFW said “they’re naturally curious animals.” The department said if a bear is walking towards you, you should “identify yourself as a human by standing up, waving your hands above your head, and talking in a low voice.”
The department said to avoid eye contact with the animal and back away, but do not run. Making noise, keeping your pets on a leash and carrying bear spray while hiking on trails is also recommended. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/whatcom-county-washington-black-bear-attack-lake-whatcom/281-2d76fb87-be3f-442f-8ff8-c9c79a393386 | 2022-08-04T20:54:05 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/whatcom-county-washington-black-bear-attack-lake-whatcom/281-2d76fb87-be3f-442f-8ff8-c9c79a393386 |
Pro Football Hall of Fame Fun Fest brings excitement amid rain
CANTON ― With music blaring and vendors waiting, football fans trickled into the seventh annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Fun Fest when it started at noon Thursday. A mix of sun and clouds overhead quickly changed to rain. But that didn’t stop fans from having fun.
With the Las Vegas Raiders taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Hall of Fame Game following later, many fans donned Raiders and Jaguars jerseys and gear. From the looks of it, there were a lot more Raiders' fans in attendance.
People wore jerseys and shirts representing the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants. One super fan donned a whole Green Bay Packers outfit complete with a cheese head, which he also wore last year to this event.
Families, couples, groups of friends and football fans of all kinds enjoyed everything the Fun Fest had to offer, and many who were there were getting excited for the game.
"I just want to see a good football game," said John Fountain, who donned a Dallas Cowboys jersey.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game:'Surreal is probably a good word': Josh McDaniels returns to Canton for Hall of Fame Game
Hall of Fame memories:What's your favorite Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival memory?
Fountain said he’s been coming to Canton for the Hall of Fame festivities since the 1990s with a group of friends who used to work in law enforcement in Maryland. After his retirement, he moved to West Virginia, but he makes the trek here every year to see the game with his friends.
Fountain said he has loved seeing the progress of the Hall over the years and was bummed when he had to miss out on events because of COVID.
Another fan, Dan Kelliher, who regularly attends this event, loves football and is excited for the season to start.
"We have front row tickets in four locations for the game," Kelliher said. He said preseason games don’t really matter, but he was still excited.
Hall of Fame festivities:Community Parade kicks off Hall of Fame festivities in Canton
Even the shuttle drivers, who transported buses full of fans to and from the Hall of Fame and the Stark County Fairgrounds, were thrilled.
"It's nice to get out here and see new people. Everyone is enjoying themselves," a SARTA worker, who was directing people where to go, said to the bus driver. "It's a great time."
Seven things happening every day of the Fun Fest
The Fun Fest continues from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Highlights on Friday include performances by the McKinley Senior High School Band, CheerVille Ohio, EN-RICH-MENT and Candy Apples, along with local cover band For Keeps.
Saturday’s highlights include a performance by Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Resident Rocker JamPop with Marcus Smith Music and Jul Big Green and a paid autograph session with returning Hall of Famers.
Here's a look at seven other activities happening every day:
1. Fun Fest stage: The Fun Fest Stage features live entertainment, including performances from bands, a variety of musical artists and community members.
2. Hall of Fame field turf games, vendors and giveaways: Fans are urged to show off their skills with a virtual field goal kicker, the Second Sole 40-yard dash and the Madden Gaming Truck. The Raptor Hallow Sanctuary features live animal displays. The U.S. Marines and U.S. Air Force are offering fitness challenges, while the Black College Football Hall of Fame is offering interactive games and activities.
3. Coors Light beer garden: The beer garden offers Coors Light products for purchase, including the Vizzy Villa.
4. Hall of Fame wine flights: Exclusive wines made by Pro Football Hall of Famers are available for purchase.
5. AVI food court: The AVI food court is offering tailgate-style foods for purchase.
6. Smoosh Cookies: Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce's food truck, Smoosh Cookies, offers tasty treats for purchase.
7. Hall of Fame merchandise tent: Stock up on football merchandise and gifts at the Hall’s merchandise tent. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/pro-football-hall-of-fame-fun-fest-brings-excitement-amid-rain/65391294007/ | 2022-08-04T20:55:57 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/pro-football-hall-of-fame-fun-fest-brings-excitement-amid-rain/65391294007/ |
Football fans invited to Walk of Fame
CANTON − New to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival this year is the Walk of Fame in downtown Canton.
About 10:30 a.m. Friday, Hall of Famers will walk or be taken by golf cart from the DoubleTree by Hilton at 320 Market Avenue S to Centennial Plaza for the annual group photo.
Rich Desrosiers, chief communications and content officer for the Hall, said fans are encouraged to line Market Avenue and cheer for the roughly 100 returning Hall of Famers during their trek to the plaza, but it's not intended to be an autograph or photo opportunity.
"I think our long-term goal is to have the plaza and downtown be a greater part of enshrinement weekend," he said.
The annual group photo will occur at 11 a.m. in the plaza after the Walk of Fame. In the event of inclement weather, Desrosiers said, the photo will be moved indoors at the hotel and would not be open to the public.
The list of returning enshrinees can be found at profootballhof.com. The DoubleTree is the "base hotel" for the football pros this year, and it will be the site of some meetings and the annual Ray Nitschke Luncheon in downtown Canton, according to Desrosiers.
At 3 p.m. Friday, there also will be an event in Centennial Plaza featuring Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson. The former running back will speak about his Young Warriors foundation for boys with absent fathers, Desrosiers said.
"And the first 250 guests who show up for that are going to get a free autographed Dickerson autobiography," he said.
The book, "Watch My Smoke," was published this January.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.comOn Twitter: @kbyerREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/08/04/football-fans-invited-to-walk-of-fame-in-downtown-canton/65391836007/ | 2022-08-04T20:56:03 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2022/08/04/football-fans-invited-to-walk-of-fame-in-downtown-canton/65391836007/ |
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — An 11-year-old girl was shocked when she walked up to Anna from "Frozen" at Disneyland—and the character started talking to her in sign language.
Her mother Jeanette Tapley, who is from New Braunfels and appeared on CBS This Morning Wednesday, posted the heartwarming video to on TikTok. It's since racked up more than 2 million views.
Her mother tells us that they traveled to Disneyland with 14 people, including their 11-year-old daughter Zoe, who is deaf, as well as their best friends families.
"My best friend Julianna's youngest daughter, "L" was just dying to meet Anna and Elsa and my only real request for this trip was to be there when that happened," said Tapley.
Tapley said she was in line to get a coffee when she noticed that her friend's daughter was having "the sweetest conversation with Anna that ended in a precious hug and the cutest picture. Zoe was next in line."
Zoe steps up and signs, "hello" and the Disney princess Anna noticed immediately that Zoe was deaf and looked to her parents and asked, "can I sign?" Her parents thought maybe she knew how to sign hello or nice to meet you, but much to their surprise, the Disney princess started having a full ASL (American Sign Language) conversation with Zoe.
Zoe usually has to have her parents translate, so her parents said they were 'floored' that she knew ASL.
This trip was Zoe's second trip to Disneyland. But according to her mom, this was the first time she has had an interaction with a character that knew ASL, the Uplift reported.
"I only tell you the whole story because I feel it needs to be told," said Tapley. "What if, for a second today, we saw someone and went out of our way to love on them? To smile or buy their coffee. What if a kind word about their shoes was just what they needed? Or that soft, knowing smile to a stressed-out mom at a target made her feel seen."
Tapley's message for everyone:
"Take some time today to slow down.
SEE THOSE AROUND YOU!
It is life-changing for us and others."
Take a look at the video below:
---
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
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.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
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.thv11.com/article/news/local/disney-princess-signs-deaf-texas-teen-new-braunfels-tiktok-viral/273-018ceac5-c4da-478d-a2f0-aabdc3bf0dc2 | 2022-08-04T20:59:26 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/disney-princess-signs-deaf-texas-teen-new-braunfels-tiktok-viral/273-018ceac5-c4da-478d-a2f0-aabdc3bf0dc2 |
DUBLIN, Ga. — The oldest living WWII nurse celebrated her 108th birthday right here in Central Georgia.
The Carl Vinson Medical Center threw Meta Monteleon a birthday celebration to recognize her for her service.
For nurses Tina Montford and Nicole Dent, Monteleon has plenty of nuggets of wisdom to share.
"She's just a joy to take care of. She brightens my day every time I see her," Dent said.
She was wearing a birthday crown that sparkled, and pearls she wears everyday.
"Pearl earrings and pearl necklaces, and that fits her personality. If you think about Monteleon you definitely think of a jewel," Montford said.
Her jewelry preferences, fitting, because the pearl is a symbol for wisdom.
"She has a very welcoming and warm spirit. She's genuine everything about her is just lovely," Montford said.
Monteleon served a total of 3 years in the army, with 2 of those years in Pearl Harbor taking care of German prisoners of war.
"She's always been a life long learner and insatiably curious," Duke said.
Monteleon's daughter Martha Duke enjoys seeing the recognition her mother has gotten these last 10 years of her life once she arrived at the Dublin VA.
"She tries things and does things that other people don't necessarily do at that age, and other people like knowing that," Duke said.
At 98, Meta gave a speech at the VA's memorial day service.
"I am telling you when she gave that speech she brought the house down," Duke said.
At 99, she did chair yoga, making CBS news.
"Everybody was so fascinated by the fact that a 99 year old was doing chair yoga," Duke said.
Her secret for a happy life, and longevity?
"Learn to labor and to wait and those words that have followed me throughout my whole entire time here at the VA, and those are certainly words to live by. Learn to labor and to wait," Monteleon said.
Meta's daughter says among the many things she learned from her mother is resilience, and keeping a good sense of humor.
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE READING: | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/oldest-living-wwii-nurse-celebrated-her-108th-birthday/93-14d5e5f6-990a-455c-9cdd-7939560bd3cf | 2022-08-04T20:59:32 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/oldest-living-wwii-nurse-celebrated-her-108th-birthday/93-14d5e5f6-990a-455c-9cdd-7939560bd3cf |
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.thv11.com/article/news/local/video-of-tesla-driver-asleep-behind-the-wheel-raises-safety-concerns/509-50af88af-344d-44b1-9d4b-85a9c63f6288 | 2022-08-04T20:59:38 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/video-of-tesla-driver-asleep-behind-the-wheel-raises-safety-concerns/509-50af88af-344d-44b1-9d4b-85a9c63f6288 |
TULARE, Calif — Authorities in central California were investigating why a bus went off the highway, crashed through a chain link fence, and ended up on its side in a parking lot, injuring 24 people.
California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Beal said Thursday the driver was given a DUI test that showed he was not driving under the influence when the Greyhound bus crashed at 3 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 99 near the city of Tulare.
The driver had major injuries and was hospitalized, Beale said, adding that the man did not have a medical emergency while driving the bus. The bus was carrying 34 passengers and 23 had minor to moderate injuries, including several who were taken to three different hospitals, Beale said.
Another Greyhound bus picked up the uninjured passengers and took them to their destination, he said.
The bus originated from Los Angeles and was headed to Fresno. It had stopped in Bakersfield before it crashed about 5 miles (8 kilometers) north of Tulare.
Watch more from ABC10: Road closure is no more for R Street's Al Fresco dining | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/bus-crashes-central-california/103-84772302-b4e1-4f82-b91a-00b0d18a2fdb | 2022-08-04T21:06:46 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/bus-crashes-central-california/103-84772302-b4e1-4f82-b91a-00b0d18a2fdb |
FAIRFIELD, Calif. — Crews are battling a grass fire in Fairfield that has closed Discovery Way in both directions on Thursday.
About three to four acres are affected by the fire and no structures are threatened right now. Discovery Way is closed at Hancock Drive and people should avoid the area.
There are no evacuation orders in place and Cal Fire is in the area to help put out the fire.
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, the 2021 fire season started earlier than previous years, but also ended earlier, as well. January 2021 saw just under 1,200 acres burned from nearly 300 wildfires. Fires picked up in the summer when the Dixie Fire burned in five Northern California counties — Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama. The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and wasn't contained until Oct. 25, burning nearly 1 million acres. It has since become the second-largest wildfire in state history and the largest non-complex fire.
Overall, 2.5 million acres were burned in 2021 from 8,835 wildfires. Over 3,600 structures were destroyed and 3 people were killed.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/fairfield/fairfield-fire-discovery-way/103-c695c8ee-18e6-4715-bf0f-9724452b8b32 | 2022-08-04T21:06:52 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/fairfield/fairfield-fire-discovery-way/103-c695c8ee-18e6-4715-bf0f-9724452b8b32 |
49-year-old man killed by hay bale in Hockessin Monday morning: Police
Hannah Edelman
Delaware News Journal
A 49-year-old man has died after being pinned under a hay bale near McGovern Road in Hockessin on Monday morning, the New Castle County Police Department reported.
Police said they tried to resuscitate the man, but he died from his injuries.
The incident is now under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Unit and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to police.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/hay-bale-fatally-crushes-49-year-old-man-in-hockessin-monday-morning/65392009007/ | 2022-08-04T21:06:56 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/hay-bale-fatally-crushes-49-year-old-man-in-hockessin-monday-morning/65392009007/ |
A 20-year-old Kenosha man was charged with possession of child pornography Thursday.
Ross Edward May was charged with nine felony counts of possession of child pornography in Kenosha County Circuit Court.
In December 2021, a Kenosha Police detective received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children that an individual had downloaded video clips that were suspected to be child pornography, according to the criminal complaint.
A search warrant was drafted for the IP address associated the alleged downloads and investigators found it belonged to a Kenosha resident in the 8500 block of 22nd Avenue where Edward May reportedly resided.
On Aug. 2 a search warrant for the residence was executed and officers reportedly found a phone that contained nine videos of child pornography belonging to Edward May.
People are also reading…
May made his initial appearance at Intake Court Thursday where Court Commissioner Loren Keating imposed a $20,000 cash bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 10. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/kenosha-man-charged-with-numerous-felony-counts-of-child-pornography/article_a17a5714-1425-11ed-af9f-4f35f2763443.html | 2022-08-04T21:07:00 | 1 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/kenosha-man-charged-with-numerous-felony-counts-of-child-pornography/article_a17a5714-1425-11ed-af9f-4f35f2763443.html |
Originally published Aug. 3 on KTVB.COM.
The Ada County Critical Incident Task Force is investigating a fatal crash that occurred Saturday night after a vehicle pursuit in Kuna.
Originally published Aug. 3 on KTVB.COM.
The Ada County Critical Incident Task Force is investigating a fatal crash that occurred Saturday night after a vehicle pursuit in Kuna.
The incident began shortly before midnight when Meridian Police attempted a traffic stop on 34-year-old Ruben Garcia, of Caldwell, who was seen driving erratically and without headlights near the corner of Meridian Road and East Central Drive.
According to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Garcia took off and began driving the wrong way on Main Street then south on Meridian Road toward Kuna.
Meridian Police began pursuing Garcia before notifying Kuna Police that Garcia was heading in their direction.
One Kuna Police officer was on Columbia Road when Garcia sped by and began pursuit. Soon after, another Kuna Police officer put down spike strips across Meridian Road near Deer Flat Road, but Garcia drove around them, according to the sheriff's office.
Garcia was speeding southbound when he crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a pickup truck near where Meridian Road transitions into Avalon Street.
The crash resulted in fatal injuries for Garcia, who was declared dead at the scene of the crash, and the 28-year-old pickup truck driver, Jonathan Calderon, of Boise, who was taken to a local hospital before being pronounced dead.
Garcia's and Calderon's cause or manner of death has not been released by the Ada County Coroner's Office.
According to the sheriff's office, the Critical Incident Task Force is investigating the crash due to the involvement of Kuna Police. The Boise Police Department is leading the investigation.
More from KTVB.COM:
Sign up today for one of our great newsletters and get headlines right in your inbox every morning.
Sign up now!
Search the complete digital archives for all papers in the Pioneer News Group.
Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Thank you.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/2-idaho-men-dead-after-high-speed-chase-car-crash-in-kuna/article_16118ca4-3397-5206-9537-f8a17d292f13.html | 2022-08-04T21:12:22 | 0 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/2-idaho-men-dead-after-high-speed-chase-car-crash-in-kuna/article_16118ca4-3397-5206-9537-f8a17d292f13.html |
A conservancy group has purchased more than 42 acres of privately-owned land at the falls of the Appomattox River, with plans to turn the historic site into a greenspace with trails and wildlife.
The Capital Region Land Conservancy said it paid $2.4 million for the partially wooded land, which includes 16 islands and ruins of former mills, canals and dams in Chesterfield County, Colonial Heights and Petersburg. One mill dates to 1791, when Campbell’s Bridge was built to cross the Appomattox River and open development of the northside of the falls.
Plans call for using the site to complete the 25-mile Appomattox River Trail. It also will intersect with the 42-mile Fall Line Trail from Petersburg to Ashland.
People are also reading…
The site will anchor the eastern end of the Appomattox River Park System, while Chesterfield County's 110-acre Radcliffe Conservation Area is on the western end, starting below the Lake Chesdin Dam. Virginia State University’s campus in Ettrick also is to the east and the VSU Randolph Farm is to the west.
The land will be protected under conservation easements held by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Eventually, ownership of the property located in Chesterfield County will be transferred to Chesterfield County Department of Parks & Recreation, while the land in Colonial Heights will be transferred to that locality, and the remaining property in Petersburg along the shoreline will be transferred to the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River.
“Chesterfield has had its eye on this property for a long time. The location along the Appomattox River’s fall line at Ettrick makes it ideal, and this purchase accelerates goals for the park we’ve planned there,” said Kevin Carroll, Chesterfield’s Matoaca District supervisor. “This will greatly enhance public access to the river and provides a critical element for local and regional trail networks. It also preserves the natural beauty and historic significance of an area that serves as an important gateway to our community.”
The conservancy entered into a purchase agreement in 2021 with Josh and Ingrid Greenwood, the long-time stewards and property owners.
About $1.73 million came through federal American Rescue Plan Act funding from Chesterfield County. The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation and Virginia Outdoors Foundation also contributed. | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/conservancy-buys-42-acres-at-falls-of-appomattox-river/article_73d7ceaa-cd55-5440-adf0-33237501bf79.html | 2022-08-04T21:13:39 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/conservancy-buys-42-acres-at-falls-of-appomattox-river/article_73d7ceaa-cd55-5440-adf0-33237501bf79.html |
UPDATE: 4:30 p.m.
Ahead of a community meeting where owners and supporters of a second casino referendum for Richmond are expected to talk about the project, state Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond and Del. Kim Taylor, R-Dinwiddie, sent a letter asking Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to intervene, saying state legislation adopted by the General Assembly earlier this year prohibits it.
Though Morrissey had supported the One Casino and Resort project last year, he has since advocated for allowing Petersburg, which is also in Morrissey's district, to hold its own referendum after Richmond voters narrowly rejected the ballot measure last November.
People are also reading…
"We are respectfully requesting that you direct the Attorney General's Office to utilize its legal authority to prevent Richmond from placing the above mentioned referendum on the November, 2022, ballot," the letter says.
The new state budget adopted by the General Assembly earlier this year includes a provision that explicitly says that Richmond cannot hold another casino vote until 2023, and only after a legislative study on the potential economic impact a casino would have on Petersburg is completed.
Following the adoption of the budget in June, the city and Urban One issued a statement threatening legal action to permit the referendum this fall.
Our earlier story
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.
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/update-state-lawmakers-ask-youngkin-to-block-second-richmond-casino-referendum/article_ac66101d-18a8-52d8-933b-4371cc041b6c.html | 2022-08-04T21:13:46 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/update-state-lawmakers-ask-youngkin-to-block-second-richmond-casino-referendum/article_ac66101d-18a8-52d8-933b-4371cc041b6c.html |
”Swagger,” the sports drama based on basketball star Kevin Durant’s youth, is back in Richmond filming its second season for Apple TV+ and film crews have been spotted around town.
On Thursday, film crews were setting up around Huguenot High School at 7945 Forest Hill Ave.
Earlier this week, "Swagger" film crews were spotted at Maymont.
Filming is expected to continue now through November. So get ready to see lots more "Base Camp" and "Crew Parking" signs around town.
“Swagger” filmed season one in the Richmond area from 2019 to 2021 with breaks due to the pandemic.
In season one, Gilpin Court was a major site for filming as it served as the home for Carson, the main character and up-and-coming basketball star. Other Richmond locations popped up in season one, including the Brookland Park neighborhood, the Seminary Avenue neighborhood, the Mayo Bridge and the basketball courts at the downtown YMCA.
"Casting will be ongoing throughout the season and we need lots of people. It's definitely not too late to submit. Submissions will stay open throughout filming," Cooper said via email.
Have you seen "Swagger" film crews in other places around town? Tell us where in the Comments.
Top 5 weekend events: BrewHaha, Todd Barry & Avail Over the James | https://richmond.com/news/local/swagger-film-crew-spotted-around-richmond-at-huguenot-high-school-maymont/article_b07e93b5-0aed-55c6-a86b-ae66361e9857.html | 2022-08-04T21:13:52 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/swagger-film-crew-spotted-around-richmond-at-huguenot-high-school-maymont/article_b07e93b5-0aed-55c6-a86b-ae66361e9857.html |
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The mother of a Black man shot and killed by federal task force agents in 2016 called for the termination of a Clayton County officer who has remained with the department even after being indicted for murder in the case last year.
Jamarion Robinson, 26, was killed six years ago after being shot over 50 times by U.S. Marshals and officers working with a Marshals task force, leaving him with 76 bullet wounds.
Clayton County Police Officer Kristopher Hutchens and a federal law enforcement agent were both indicted by a Fulton County grand jury in the incident last October.
It emerged this week after a popular YouTube account highlighted the case that Hutchens has remained on the Clayton County force and been involved in training other officers despite the indictment. The department said in March that Hutchens was placed on administrative duty.
On Wednesday, the department said in a statement Hutchens had been reassigned to "non-training duty."
Monteria Robinson, Jamarion's mother, said at a press conference Thursday in front of CCPD headquarters that Hutchens' presence on the force - in a training duty or otherwise - was "literally a slap in the face."
"Chief Kevin Roberts, we the people demand that Kristopher Hutchens is terminated from the Clayton County Police Department immediately," the mother said. "We don't want him reassigned. We want him terminated, we want him fired, he has to go immediately."
CCPD said in a statement Wednesday regarding the reassignment: "Recent concerns presented to the Clayton County Board of Commissioners about the administrative assignment of Sergeant K. Hutchens, to the in-service training unit have impacted the Board and the Clayton County Police Department. Chief Kevin Roberts has reconsidered the Sergeant’s assignment and moved him to a non-training duty; effective immediately."
Monteria Robinson said she learned about Hutchens' employment status when someone sent her the link to the YouTube account of Dr. Rashad Richey, who produces a popular commentary program "Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey."
A video on Hutchens published on Tuesday, "Cop Indicted For Murder Of Black Man Still Training Officers HOW TO SHOOT," had more than 100,000 views as of Thursday.
"Someone dropped me that YouTube link, I felt so disrespected I immediately contacted my attorney - I said can you believe this? I said how disrespectful is this?" she said. "It made me have an emotional breakdown. I was like, how can this be?"
The new outcry over the case came just ahead of the Robinson's family marking six years since his death - he was shot on August 5, 2016.
The case languished for several years until Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brought it to a grand jury last year, which indicted Hutchens and a U.S. Marshal, Eric Heinze.
A trial is due to begin on Sept. 12, but that could be delayed. The attorney for Hutchens already has a trial for another client starting before Robinson. And he's asked a judge to delay the start of Hutchens' trial to give him time to complete the other trial.
So far, no order on that request has been given.
Additionally, attorneys for the officers have filed requests to have the case moved to federal court, where court records show the pair would plan to seek immunity as federal officers, a move the Fulton County District Attorney's Office has objected to.
No order has been given on that, either.
Robinson was a college football player at Clark Atlanta University and Tuskegee University and had no criminal convictions.
The Marshals Regional Task Force said it was serving an arrest warrant on behalf of Gwinnett Police and Atlanta Police over incidents in which he had allegedly poured gas on the floor beneath his bed and in front of his mother’s bedroom and for allegedly pointing a gun at officers while being confronted at a friend’s apartment complex.
Robinson’s mom said she called police not to have him arrested but to get him mental health assistance. His mother said at the time he had been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia with paranoia, and that police were aware of this.
She said Thursday she wanted people to remember that he was a "dedicated, committed individual, he loved his family."
"We called him 'Daddy Daycare,' because there were a lot of young ones in our family that he would keep for us when we had things to do," she said. "When he was murdered they were having nightmares about what happened to him, crying, asking for him."
She added she's praying that the trial does not get delayed.
"I want accountability, I want justice to be served," she said.
In the meantime, she vowed to pressure the Clayton County Board of Commissioners and Chief Roberts if Hutchens remained on the force.
"I don't think they wanna feel that wrath," she said. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/jamarion-robinson-mom-firing-clayton-county-officer-2016-death/85-61ba8a58-052f-4c69-ae87-eb4e1230d4d2 | 2022-08-04T21:17:35 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/jamarion-robinson-mom-firing-clayton-county-officer-2016-death/85-61ba8a58-052f-4c69-ae87-eb4e1230d4d2 |
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Editors note: The attached video is from July 29.
A four-year-old has died from injuries he sustained in a farm tractor crash on the morning of July 29.
Jeffery Ryan Fisher was the brother of 9-year-old victim Caleb Emmanuel Fisher, who also died in the crash.
According to his autopsy, Jeffery Fisher passed away Tuesday, Aug. 2 due to multiple traumatic injuries received from the crash. His cause of death was ruled accidental.
The crash killed four people on the scene and injured nine others, many of which were children. Fisher is the fifth death from the tragic accident.
State Police say that everyone on board the trailer was thrown from the vehicle, resulting in injuries.
Fundraisers for the families of the victims have been established, including a food truck festival and raffle events. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/4-year-old-dies-from-injuries-sustained-in-york-county-farm-tractor-crash-pennsylvania/521-7108bf2c-024c-4794-9432-81ac61892898 | 2022-08-04T21:17:42 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/4-year-old-dies-from-injuries-sustained-in-york-county-farm-tractor-crash-pennsylvania/521-7108bf2c-024c-4794-9432-81ac61892898 |
MUSTANG, Texas — Editor's note: The video published above is a WFAA report from December 2021, when Cuban purchased the small Texas town of Mustang.
Ever been to Dinosaur, Texas?
No, you haven't -- because it doesn't exist. And there are no plans for it to exist, despite what you may have heard.
Allow us to explain.
Back in December 2021, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban bought a small town called Mustang, Texas, that's located about 55 miles south of Dallas. At the time of the purchase, WFAA reported that the town had a population of 23, according to census records.
A day after reporting on that purchase, we went and checked out the town for ourselves. What did we find? Not much -- just two vacant buildings, including a former adult entertainment venue.
Our reporting further bore out that Cuban bought the Navarro County town to help the family of a friend who had recently passed away from cancer. His intentions with the town beyond that, however, remained unknown at the time.
Then, during a March appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show", Cuban finally gave a hint toward his potential use for the Texas ghost town.
Enter "Dinosaur, Texas."
In that talk show appearance, Cuban told Barrymore that he hoped to turn Mustang, Texas, into Dinosaur, Texas, adding he wanted to put huge animatronic dinosaurs everywhere throughout the community.
It wasn't an entirely farfetched notion; Cuban had already invested in an entrepreneur named Dino Don on an episode of "Shark Tank", and Dino Don works in the robotic, life-sized dinosaur space.
"He makes the animatronic dinosaurs -- these huge dinosaurs -- that look and sound real," Cuban told Barrymore about Dino Don. "We haven't worked through it yet, but there's a chance we might change Mustang, Texas, to Dinosaur, Texas. But that's a longshot."
Cuban's appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" originally aired in March 2022, but his idea returned to the spotlight thanks to a re-airing of that episode last week.
So: Has Cuban made any progress on the Dinosaur, Texas, front?
Not really. In fact, Cuban flatly told WFAA on Thursday that the project is not happening.
"No," Cuban told WFAA via email. "I told Drew it was something we were looking at... but it's not going happen. That show was taped a long time ago."
Meaning? Well, those of you who were hoping to revel in a permanent (as opposed to temporary) dinosaur-themed wonderland just a short drive from Dallas are out of luck. It's not happening.
Then what is going to be happening in Mustang, Texas? That much, Cuban told WFAA, remains to be determined.
"[We're] just cleaning [the town] up right now," Cuban said. "No plans yet." | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/mark-cuban-dinosaur-texas-mustang-jurassic-park/287-dd9ab75f-0011-4670-9de3-238e4d6a3a6c | 2022-08-04T21:23:57 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/mark-cuban-dinosaur-texas-mustang-jurassic-park/287-dd9ab75f-0011-4670-9de3-238e4d6a3a6c |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Schott King, Dr. Bernice A. King along with Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson will read their children’s book It Starts with Me! and host a free book signing at Galleria Dallas On Aug. 20 at 11:30 a.m.
It Starts with Me! tells the story of a young girl, Amora, as she encourages her friends to love one another. Throughout her journey, she shows her friends how to open their hearts and minds by allowing love to drive their words, actions and thoughts.
“With so many things fighting for our children’s attention, we must inject love into the hearts of our youth in order to empower the next generation of courageous, compassionate and conscientious leaders,” Dr. King said in a news release. “My father said that ‘Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.’”
The event will be on level 3 near the Children’s Play Place. Book readings will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the book signing will begin at noon.
Leading up to the event, there will be a kiosk near the Play Place on Friday, Aug. 19, and Saturday, Aug. 20, selling the book and other merchandise. | https://cw33.com/news/local/dr-bernice-king-will-read-sign-new-childrens-book-at-galleria-dallas-on-aug-20/ | 2022-08-04T21:28:47 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/dr-bernice-king-will-read-sign-new-childrens-book-at-galleria-dallas-on-aug-20/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — It’s back-to-school season and North Texas is celebrating. Throughout the month of August, the community will be hosting tons of events to help students, teachers and the community, including North Texas Simon Shopping centers.
Simon properties in the DFW metroplex will be hosting back-to-school denim drives “Do Good with Denim” to positively impact the community and promote sustainability.
The following shopping centers are asking shoppers to donate denim clothing to be recycled and give back to different area nonprofits.
Grapevine Mills – 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX 76051
Teachers are encouraged to stop by Grapevine Mills on Friday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a teacher appreciation event. The first 100 teachers who visit and show their credentials will get a $50 American Express gift card.
Grand Prairie Premium Outlets – 2950 I-20, Grand Prairie, TX 75052
Grand Prairie Premium Outlets will be hosting its first-ever back-to-school denim drive. In collaboration with Grand Prairie ISD (GPISD), local shoppers are invited to drop off their new or gently used youth and tween denim clothing at participating retailers throughout the month of August.
Participating retailers include:
- Aeropostale
- Lucky Brand
- Levi’s
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Zumiez
All donated items will be distributed to GPISD’s Clothes Closet for students and families in need.
Firewheel Town Center – 245 Cedar Sage Dr, Garland, TX 75040
The community is invited to contribute any denim clothing items to its “Do Good with Denim” drive. Visitors are encouraged to donate denim clothing items at Old Navy, Columbia or the Mall Management Office throughout the month of August. All denim items will go to the nonprofit Friendship House of Garland to support families in need.
North East Mall – 1101 Melbourne Rd, Hurst, TX 76053
In collaboration with HEB PTA Clothes Closet, North East Mall is hosting its first-ever denim drive. Throughout the month of August, shoppers are invited to drop off new or gently used youth and tween denim clothing at Aeropostale or Forever 21. All denim items will go to HEB ISD Clothes Closets for students and families in need.
Then, on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 1 p.m to 3 p.m., North East Mall will host a back-to-school bash featuring retailer gift card giveaways, spin-wheel prizes, a selfie station, live D.J. and more for the whole family. There will be a collection site at the event for visitors to drop off their denim items. | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-north-texas-shopping-centers-are-hosting-back-to-school-denim-drives-to-help-teachers-community/ | 2022-08-04T21:28:53 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-north-texas-shopping-centers-are-hosting-back-to-school-denim-drives-to-help-teachers-community/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Who doesn’t love spending Saturday morning at a farmer’s market? There is no better place to get fresh, delicious foods locally produced.
From jams to vegetables to fruits and other homemade goods, there is always something good to find at the Dallas Farmers Market.
In celebration of farmer’s markets, Lawn Love has conducted a study looking at the nation’s best and worst cities for farmer’s markets in 2022; and it looks like North Texas is getting some love… and some heat.
Officials with Lawn Love looked at a number of key factors to measure a city’s farmer’s market friendliness, including consumer spending, public transportation, quality of goods and more
Let’s start with the good: McKinney ranked as the 10th best city in the entire nation for farmer’s markets, with officials saying that McKinney farmer’s markets have the most affordable prices in the nation. They also said that the quality of products found in McKinney markets had some of the best quality in the nation.
Here’s the heat: Arlington ranked as the third worst city in the country for farmer’s markets, citing poor quality of goods and accessibility to farmer’s markets.
Here’s how other Texas cities ranked (1 being the best and 186 being the worst):
- Austin – 16
- Plano – 20
- Houston – 27
- Frisco – 29
- Fort Worth – 47
- Midland – 80
- Killeen – 82
- San Antonio – 87
- El Paso – 122
- Garland – 131
- Dallas – 138
- Amarillo – 144
- Corpus Christi – 145
- Denton – 146
- Grand Prairie – 172
- McAllen – 176
- Irving – 178
- Brownsville – 184
For the full report, visit Lawn Love. | https://cw33.com/news/local/this-north-texas-city-named-one-of-the-best-cities-in-the-nation-for-farmers-markets/ | 2022-08-04T21:28:59 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/this-north-texas-city-named-one-of-the-best-cities-in-the-nation-for-farmers-markets/ |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Weather
Local
Sports
Entertainment
Investigators
Videos
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
LX News
Eagles Training Camp
Watch NBC10 24/7 on Roku
Decision 2022
Phillies
Clear the Shelters
Expand
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/move-bombing-victims-remains-returned-37-years-later/3326464/ | 2022-08-04T21:31:14 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/move-bombing-victims-remains-returned-37-years-later/3326464/ |
NAZ Elite has bolstered its presence on the track, adding four athletes to the roster all coming out of college careers.
The team made the official announcement early Thursday that it was bringing aboard Krissy Gear, Olin Hacker, Abby Nichols and Adriaan Wildschutt.
“They are going to give us a presence at a high level on the track that we haven't had in a while," Ben Rosario, NAZ Elite executive director, said Wednesday of the incoming squad.
NAZ Elite is working a balancing act with the new editions. With no long-term plans on moving them to the road or preparing them to be marathoners in the initial works, the athletes are expected to bring strong performances to the track for the team and stick to the surface for the most part.
That hasn't always been the case in the past, as most athletes joined the team knowing longer distances on the road were part of the plan.
People are also reading…
“This is a very different group," Rosario said. "In the past we have had these athletes come in and really the long-term focus has been eventually moving to the marathon, and with these four, that’s not the case at all. We actually think the track is the best place for them and it really rounds out our team in that way.”
Rosario said that only a few days ago, he was talking to head coach Alan Culpepper about how they nailed down such a strong group, which combined has produced, according to NAZ Elite, 19 All-American performances.
Mike Hartman can be reached at 556-2255 or at mhartman@azdailysun.com. Follow him on Twitter @AZDS_Hartman. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/naz-elite-this-week-4-incomers-to-boost-teams-presence-on-the-track/article_b56f659e-1433-11ed-829c-7bb4b2782b5d.html | 2022-08-04T21:34:04 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/naz-elite-this-week-4-incomers-to-boost-teams-presence-on-the-track/article_b56f659e-1433-11ed-829c-7bb4b2782b5d.html |
Man killed in single-vehicle crash in Lawrence Thursday
One man was killed after his vehicle crashed into two trees in Lawrence Thursday morning, according to the Lawrence Police Department.
The single-vehicle crash occurred in a mobile home park in the 12400 block of Pendleton Pike, just after 7:30 a.m., police said.
Officers found the man’s vehicle on its side with him trapped inside. He was extricated in critical condition then transported to a hospital where he later died, according to police.
More:IMPD adds cameras around city in latest efforts to curb violent crime
More:Police: Teen's fatal shooting on Tapp Drive was self-defense after attempted robbery
Witnesses stated the vehicle was traveling west on Pendleton Pike when it drifted off the road for undetermined reasons then struck two trees and landed on its side, police said.
The cause of the crash is under investigation and the man’s identity will be released by the Marion County Coroner’s Office, according to police.
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/lawrence-indiana-single-vehicle-crash-thursday-leaves-1-man-dead/65392600007/ | 2022-08-04T21:34:26 | 1 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/lawrence-indiana-single-vehicle-crash-thursday-leaves-1-man-dead/65392600007/ |
TAMPA, Fla. — State Attorney Andrew Warren alleged political impulses for his suspension by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying, "I'll briefly address the governor's presidential campaign."
The suspended Democratic official made the remark at the start of a news conference Thursday afternoon before speaking on a "major development" in a 1980s cold case murder — one that his former office was spearheading and canceled.
But Warren spoke about the case in his own capacity before turning to address reporters on his suspension.
"I've been elected twice to serve as state attorney — and I've served as state attorney and I've done it well. Crime is down, we're protecting people's rights, we have fought so hard for public safety and fairness and justice," Warren said. "If the governor thinks he can do a better job, then he should run for state attorney, not president."
The latest available data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement show that while crime in Hillsborough County dropped from 2019 to 2020, violent crime went up 85 percent. The state defines violent crimes as murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults.
Violent crime has been up nationwide, as well, according to FBI data.
DeSantis said he suspended Warren due to what he described as a "neglect of duty." An order released by the governor's office cited joint statements Warren issued on topics including transition-related health care for transgender youth, abortion rights and his instituting policies against prosecuting certain "criminal violations" as reasons for his suspension.
On the abortion issue, Warren joined prosecutors nationwide declining to go after people "who seek, provide, or support abortions" following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
DeSantis said Warren violated his oath of office and picked and chose the types of laws he enforced. Warren defended his action on abortion by swearing to protect the U.S. and Florida constitutions; a judge called Florida's 15-week abortion ban unconstitutional, but it remains in an appeal process.
"When you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty," DeSantis said.
Asked if he planned on challenging the suspension, Warren said he hadn't looked at the order yet, waking up today to do his job. He continued that he heard the order contains "conjecture and lies" — and charged it will be as unconstitutional as other DeSantis-backed initiatives, such as the abortion ban and the "anti-riot" law.
Warren's former office has received no cases DeSantis' order cited on abortion and transgender care which, in part, provided the grounds for his suspension, Warren said.
"The governor is trying to overthrow the results of a fair and free election, two of them actually," Warren said. "People need to understand: this isn't the governor trying to suspend one elected official, this is the governor trying to overthrow democracy in Hillsborough County."
DeSantis has repeatedly stated that he's not running for president and, instead, is focusing on being Florida's governor despite rumblings he may put up a challenge to Republican Party kingpin and former President Donald Trump. Numerous polls have shown Trump besting DeSantis in GOP voters' preference, though the governor has performed well or is showing signs of beating the former president.
10 Tampa Bay has reached out to the governor's office for a statement on Warren's news conference. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/andrew-warren-suspended-reaction-desantis/67-b6093a25-3b33-4eb8-86e5-d081b5c9fa52 | 2022-08-04T21:36:43 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/andrew-warren-suspended-reaction-desantis/67-b6093a25-3b33-4eb8-86e5-d081b5c9fa52 |
TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped the announcement of the suspension of State Attorney Andrew Warren during a news conference Thursday morning.
With this news making headlines, some may be wondering who exactly Warren is and the role he played in not only in Hillsborough County but also in Florida. Warren, a true Floridian born and raised in Gainesville, was elected as the Democratic state attorney of Florida's 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County back in November 2016 — just beating Republican challenger Mark Ober by just over 5,000 votes.
Warren was then reelected in 2020, surpassing the Republican by a more comfortable 46,000-vote margin.
But before he took on the title of state attorney, he worked as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the State Attorney's website explains. He spent the majority of his career with the DOJ prosecuting financial fraud across the country.
"As a prosecutor, Warren earned multiple accolades from the Justice Department and federal law enforcement agencies, including the 2013 Attorney General Award for Trial Litigation," the website said. "He has lectured and served on panels across the United States and abroad regarding criminal justice, and he was an instructor at the Justice Department’s national training center."
Warren graduated from Brandeis University with degrees in economics and political science before going on to receive his law degree from Columbia University. He continued into his career as a clerk in a federal district court in San Fransicso before practicing "complex criminal and civil litigation" with an international law firm in New York and Washington, D.C.
He eventually returned back to the Sunshine State where he now lives in Tampa with his family.
Before his suspension, Warren led an office of around 130 prosecutors and 300 total employees, the Office of the State Attorney's website explains.
According to the state attorney, the office's mission was to "build a safer community while promoting justice and fairness for everyone in the criminal justice system."
Warren was suspended Thursday after an order released by the governor's office claimed the state attorney "demonstrated his incompetence and willful defiance of his duty" starting at least in 2021. DeSantis' order cited article four, section seven of the Florida Constitution in allowing him to suspend Warren.
The order cites joint statements Warren issued on topics including transition-related health care for transgender youth, abortion rights and his instituting policies against prosecuting certain "criminal violations" as reasons for his suspension.
Speaking during a news conference 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. According to the governor's office, before she was appointed in 2021 by DeSantis as a judge, she previously served for more than 15 years as assistant state attorney for the 13th Judicial Circut and as staff attorney of the Second District Court of Appeal.
Warren issued the following statement following his suspension:
"Today’s political stunt is an illegal overreach that continues a dangerous pattern by Ron DeSantis of using his office to further his own political ambition. It spits in the face of the voters of Hillsborough County who have twice elected me to serve them, not Ron DeSantis.
"In our community, crime is low, our Constitutional rights—including the right to privacy—are being upheld, and the people have the right to elect their own leaders—not have them dictated by an aspiring presidential candidate who has shown time and again he feels accountable to no one."
"Just because the governor violates your rights, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
The latest available data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement show that while crime in Hillsborough County dropped from 2019 to 2020, violent crime went up 85 percent. The state defines violent crimes as murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults.
Violent crime has been up nationwide, however, according to FBI data.
To read more about the suspension of Warren, click here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/who-is-andrew-warren-florida-state-attorney-suspended/67-e6e3763e-8ad8-4597-a992-661d51c5bb76 | 2022-08-04T21:36:50 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/who-is-andrew-warren-florida-state-attorney-suspended/67-e6e3763e-8ad8-4597-a992-661d51c5bb76 |
BELLEAIR SHORE, Fla. — A Tampa Bay area man was brought to court on Thursday for using an umbrella on the beach.
That's right — Pedro Redero was fined $150 for violating a rather unique town ordinance.
"Never in my life I thought I'd come to criminal court over an umbrella to protect myself," Redero said following his Thursday arraignment.
The Belleair Shore ordinance, which was passed two years ago, reads that no person shall "erect, possess, or cause to be erected any tent, canopy, umbrella, temporary shade structure or recreation structure on the beach within the incorporated limits of the town."
According to Redero, it was put in place after a push from about 60 waterfront homeowners claiming umbrellas obstruct their beachfront view.
The violation happened in mid-June when Rodero was at the beach with his family. He said a Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy approached him on the beach and gave him the citation. He tells 10 Tampa Bay he had been issued verbal warnings previously.
"There's a lot of regulations, but the shade regulation really did it for us," Redero said. "That's unacceptable not to be able to have an umbrella at the beach."
According to Rodero, shade is necessary for safety and the town shouldn't be able to prevent families from enjoying their time on the sand. For Redero, it has. He said his family stopped going to the beach because of the ticket he received for violating the town's ordinance.
"I didn't go to the beach because I didn't want to go through this again, expose my kids to this," he said.
So, after filing paperwork to dismiss the violation, he appeared in court on Thursday along with his lawyer, Joseph Manzo, who is suing Belleair Shore to get rid of the ordinance altogether.
"The ideal outcome on this is... we're going to get this repealed, invalidated for being unconstitutional," Manzo said.
Rodero's hearing date will be set at the pretrial on Aug. 22. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/umbrella-ban-belleair-shore-beach-court/67-58ce1488-53c7-4204-bfa9-56cd485328cd | 2022-08-04T21:36:57 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/umbrella-ban-belleair-shore-beach-court/67-58ce1488-53c7-4204-bfa9-56cd485328cd |
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County school district officials are gearing up for the new school year with some new changes in place. Superintendent Frederick Heid says they will be adding random searches of students for weapons to their list of safety procedures.
The searches will be conducted at middle and high schools with varying times and places of each search. Superintendent Heid says the searches will be and must be completely random. For example, a certain school may pick every fifth student who enters the main entrance of the school that morning.
“Our intent is that students see this and recognize this as a precaution and not a punitive measure," Heid explained.
The searches will be conducted by school and district staff — not law enforcement. The district says the screenings will involve a metal detector wand. The student's bags and purses are also subject to screening.
“This is an additional layer of protection that should provide reassurance to our students, staff and parents that our campuses are safer than ever before," Heid said.
Once a random screening is conducted on campus, the school will send out an automated phone call message to let parents know a screening took place.
“Parents will be informed, each student will be handed a slip of paper they can take home saying they were searched today," Heid explained.
If a student tries to refuse a random screening, district officials say it can lead to disciplinary measures.
Heid says last year, there were 214 weapons and 44 firearms found on school campuses throughout Polk County. More information about back-to-school updates related to safety can be found here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/polk-county-conduct-random-student-searches-new-safety-procedure/67-e9633e46-c96b-4db4-8416-d15aa0961926 | 2022-08-04T21:37:03 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/polk-county-conduct-random-student-searches-new-safety-procedure/67-e9633e46-c96b-4db4-8416-d15aa0961926 |
A Fort Worth police officer is hospitalized after being struck by a suspected drunken driver late Wednesday night.
The Fort Worth Police Department said Thursday morning the officer was on the way to assist another officer in a foot pursuit at about 11:15 p.m. when the officer's patrol car was hit.
According to police, the officer was traveling westbound in the 3700 block of East Lancaster Avenue and was passing a vehicle on the right when the driver turned into the officer's patrol car.
The impact forced the officer's patrol car to the right and off the roadway where it hit a tree, trapping the officer inside the vehicle.
Police said additional officers were behind the patrol car when the crash occurred and called the Fort Worth Fire Department and MedStar personnel for help.
The officer was extracted from the vehicle and transported to the hospital. The officer is expected to be OK.
The driver who struck the officer didn't stop after the crash and was located by officers a short distance away.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Police said the driver, whose name has not yet been released, showed signs of intoxication and was given a field sobriety test and placed under arrest. The driver was taken to the city jail and is expected to be charged with intoxication assault and leaving the scene of an accident. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/suspected-drunken-driver-hits-fort-worth-police-officers-patrol-car-in-custody-police/3040296/ | 2022-08-04T21:40:07 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/suspected-drunken-driver-hits-fort-worth-police-officers-patrol-car-in-custody-police/3040296/ |
BISBEE, Ariz. — MJ was a tiny, black-haired girl, just 5 years old, when her father admitted to his bishop that he was sexually abusing her.
The father, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an admitted pornography addict, was in counseling with his bishop when he revealed the abuse. The bishop, who was also a family physician, followed church policy and called what church officials have dubbed the “help line” for guidance.
But the call offered little help for MJ. Lawyers for the church, widely known as the Mormon church, who staff the help line around the clock told Bishop John Herrod not to call police or child welfare officials. Instead he kept the abuse secret.
“They said, ‘You absolutely can do nothing,’” Herrod said in a recorded interview with law enforcement.
Herrod continued to counsel MJ’s father, Paul Douglas Adams, for another year, and brought in Adams’ wife, Leizza Adams, in hopes she would do something to protect the children. She didn’t. Herrod later told a second bishop, who also kept the matter secret after consulting with church officials who maintain that the bishops were excused from reporting the abuse to police under the state’s so-called clergy-penitent privilege.
Adams continued raping MJ for as many as seven more years, into her adolescence, and also abused her infant sister, who was born during that time. He frequently recorded the abuse on video and posted the video on the internet.
Adams was finally arrested by Homeland Security agents in 2017 with no help from the church, after law enforcement officials in New Zealand discovered one of the videos. He died by suicide in custody before he could stand trial.
The Associated Press has obtained nearly 12,000 pages of sealed records from an unrelated child sex abuse lawsuit against the Mormon church in West Virginia. The documents offer the most detailed and comprehensive look yet at the so-called help line Herrod called. Families of survivors who filed the lawsuit said they show it’s part of a system that can easily be misused by church leaders to divert abuse accusations away from law enforcement and instead to church attorneys who may bury the problem, leaving victims in harm’s way.
The help line has been criticized by abuse victims and their attorneys for being inadequate to quickly stop abuse and protect victims. Yet the Utah-based faith has stuck by the system despite the criticism and increasing scrutiny from attorneys and prosecutors, including those in the Adams case.
“‘I just think that the Mormon church really sucks. Seriously sucks,” said MJ, who is now 16, during an interview with the AP. “They are just the worst type of people, from what I’ve experienced and what other people have also experienced.”
MJ and her adoptive mother asked the AP to use only her initials in part because videos of her abuse posted by her father are still circulating on the internet. The AP does not publish the names of sexual abuse survivors without their consent.
William Maledon, an Arizona attorney representing the bishops and the church in a lawsuit filed by three of the Adams’ six children, told the AP last month that the bishops were not required to report the abuse.
“These bishops did nothing wrong. They didn’t violate the law, and therefore they can’t be held liable,” he said. Maledon referred to the suit as “a money grab.”
In his AP interview, Maledon also insisted Herrod did not know that Adams was continuing to sexually assault his daughter after learning of the abuse in a single counseling session.
But in the recorded interview with the agent obtained by the AP, Herrod said he asked Leizza Adams in multiple sessions if the abuse was ongoing and asked her, “What are we going to do to stop it?”
“At least for a period of time I assumed they had stopped things, but — and then I never asked if they picked up again.”
‘THE PERFECT LIFESTYLE’
The Adams family lived on a lonely dirt road about 8 miles from the center of Bisbee, an old copper-mining town in southeastern Arizona known today for its antique shops and laid-back attitude. Far from prying eyes, the Adams home — a three-bedroom, open concept affair surrounded by desert — was often littered with piles of clothing and containers of lubricant Adams used to sexually abuse his children, according to legal documents reviewed by the AP.
Paul’s wife, Leizza, assumed most of the child-rearing responsibilities, including getting their six children off to school and chauffeuring them to church and religious instruction on Sundays. Paul, who worked for the U.S. Border Patrol, spent much of his time online looking at porn, often with his children watching, or wandering the house naked or in nothing but his underwear.
He had a short fuse and would frequently throw things, yell at his wife and beat his kids. “He just had this explosive personality,” said Shaunice Warr, a Border Patrol agent and a Mormon who worked with Paul and described herself as Leizza’s best friend. “He had a horrible temper.”
Paul was more relaxed while coaxing his older daughter to hold a smartphone camera and record him while he sexually abused her. He also seemed to revel in the abuse in online chat rooms, where he once bragged that he had “the perfect lifestyle” because he could have sex with his daughters whenever he pleased, while his wife knew and “doesn’t care.”
He would later tell investigators the abuse was a compulsion he couldn’t stop. “I got into something too deep that I just couldn’t pull myself out of,” he said. “I’m not trying to say the devil made me do it.”
The Adams family was deeply involved in the Mormon community, and on Sundays they attended services in Bisbee. So Adams turned to his church, and to Bishop Herrod, when he sought help and revealed his abuse of MJ.
Herrod later told Homeland Security agent Robert Edwards he knew from the start that Leizza Adams was unlikely to stop her husband, after he called her into the counseling sessions. The bishop, who was also Leizza’s personal physician, said she seemed “pretty emotionally dead” when her husband recounted his abuse of their daughter. The bishop also recognized the harm being done to MJ. “I doubt (she) will ever do well,” he said in his recorded interview with Homeland Security agents.
Herrod also told Edwards that when he called the help line, church officials told him the state’s clergy-penitent privilege required him to keep Adams’s abuse confidential.
But the law required no such thing.
Arizona’s child sex abuse reporting law, and similar laws in more than 20 states that require clergy to report child sex abuse and neglect, says that clergy, physicians, nurses, or anyone caring for a child who “reasonably believes” a child has been abused or neglected has a legal obligation to report the information to police or the state Department of Child Safety. But it also says that clergy who receive information about child neglect or sexual abuse during spiritual confessions “may withhold” that information from authorities if the clergy determine it is “reasonable and necessary” under church doctrine.
In 2012, when Herrod rotated out of his position as bishop of the Bisbee ward — a Mormon jurisdiction similar to a Catholic parish — he told incoming Bishop Robert “Kim” Mauzy about the abuse in the Adams household. Instead of rescuing MJ by reporting the abuse to authorities, Mauzy also kept the information within the church.
In a separate recorded interview with federal agents obtained by the AP, Mauzy said church officials told him he should convene a confidential disciplinary hearing for Adams, after which Adams was ex-communicated in 2013. Mauzy and other church leaders still didn’t report Adams to the police.
Two years later, in 2015, Leizza Adams gave birth to a second daughter. It took her husband just six weeks to start sexually assaulting her, recording the abuse, and uploading the videos to the internet.
The revelation that Mormon officials may have directed an effort to conceal years of abuse in the Adams household sparked a criminal investigation of the church by Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre, and the civil lawsuit by three of the Adams children.
“Who’s really responsible for Herrod not disclosing?” McIntyre asked in an AP interview. “Is it Herrod,” who says he followed the church lawyers’ instruction not to report the abuse to authorities? “Or is it the people who gave him that advice?”
‘THE CALL COMES TO MY CELL PHONE’
When it comes to child sexual abuse, the Mormon church says “the first responsibility of the church in abuse cases is to help those who have been abused and protect those who may be vulnerable to future abuse,” according to its 2010 handbook for church leaders. The handbook also says, “Abuse cannot be tolerated in any form.”
But church officials, from the bishops in the Bisbee ward to officials in Salt Lake City, tolerated abuse in the Adams family for years.
“They just let it keep happening,” said MJ, in her AP interview. “They just said, ‘Hey, let’s excommunicate her father.’ It didn’t stop. ‘Let’s have them do therapy.’ It didn’t stop. ‘Hey, let’s forgive and forget and all this will go away.’ It didn’t go away.”
A similar dynamic played out in West Virginia, where church leaders were accused of covering up the crimes committed by a young abuser from a prominent Mormon family even after he’d been convicted on child sex abuse charges in Utah. The abuser, Michael Jensen, today is serving a 35- to 75-year prison sentence for abusing two children in West Virginia. Their family, along with others, sued the church and settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
“Child abuse festers and grows in secrecy,” said Lynne Cadigan, a lawyer for the Adams children who filed suit. “That is why the mandatory reporting came into effect. It’s the most important thing in the world to immediately report to the police.”
The lawsuit filed by the three Adams children accuses The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and several members, including Bishops Herrod and Mauzy, of negligence and conspiring to cover up child sex abuse to avoid “costly lawsuits” and protect the reputation of the church, which relies on proselytizing and tithing to attract new members and raise money. In 2020, the church claimed approximately 16 million members worldwide, most of them living outside the United States.
“The failure to prevent or report abuse was part of the policy of the defendants, which was to block public disclosure to avoid scandals, to avoid the disclosure of their tolerance of child sexual molestation and assault, to preserve a false appearance of propriety, and to avoid investigation and action by public authority, including law enforcement,” the suit alleges. “Plaintiffs are informed and believe that such actions were motivated by a desire to protect the reputation of the defendants.”
Very few of the scores of lawsuits against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mention the help line, in part because details of its operations have been a closely guarded secret. The documents in the sealed court records show how it works.
“The help line is certainly there to help — to help the church keep its secrets and to cover up abuse,” said Craig Vernon, an Idaho attorney who has filed several sex abuse lawsuits against the church.
Vernon, a former member, routinely demands that the church require bishops to report sex abuse to police or state authorities rather than the help line.
The sealed records say calls to the help line are answered by social workers or professional counselors who determine whether the information they receive is serious enough to be referred to an attorney with Kirton McConkie, a Salt Lake City firm that represents the church.
A document with the heading “Protocol for abuse help line calls,” which was among the sealed records obtained by the AP, laid out the questions social workers were to ask before determining whether the calls should be referred to the lawyers.
Mormon officials in the West Virginia case said they did not recognize the Protocol and could not authenticate it. But a ranking church official in a separate sex abuse lawsuit in Oregon confirmed that those answering the help line used a “written protocol” to guide them.
“There would be a page containing various topics to discuss and handle,” said Harold C. Brown, then director of the church’s Welfare Services Department.
The Protocol instructs those staffing the help line to tell callers they are to use first names only. “No identifying information should be given.” Under the heading “High Risk Cases,” it also instructs staffers to ask a series of questions, including whether calls concerned possible abuse by a church leader, an employee, or abuse at “a church-sponsored activity.”
The protocol advises those taking the calls to instruct a “priesthood leader,” which includes bishops and stake presidents, to encourage the perpetrator, the victim, or others who know of the abuse to report it. But it also says, in capital letters, that those taking the calls “should never advise a priesthood leader to report abuse. Counsel of this nature should come only from legal counsel.”
That counsel comes from attorneys from Kirton McConkie, which represents the church.
Joseph Osmond, one of the Kirton McConkie lawyers assigned to take help line calls, said in a sealed deposition that he’s always ready to deal with sex abuse complaints.
“Wherever I am. The call comes to my cell phone,” he said. He then acknowledged that he did not refer calls to a social worker and wouldn’t know how to do so.
Osmond declined to comment through church officials. Peter Schofield, a Kirton McConkie lawyer long associated with the help line, also declined to answer questions from the AP.
Maledon, the attorney for the church in the Adams lawsuit, said church clergy or church attorneys have made “hundreds of reports” of child abuse to civil authorities in Arizona over an unspecified number of years. But he could not say how many calls to the help line were not referred to police or child welfare officials and could not provide a referral rate.
Two church practices, identified in the sealed records, work together to ensure that the contents of all help lines calls remain confidential. First, all records of calls to the help line are routinely destroyed. “Those notes are destroyed by the end of every day,” said Roger Van Komen, the church’s director of Family Services, in an affidavit included in the sealed records.
Second, church officials say that all calls referred to Kirton McConkie lawyers are covered by attorney-client privilege and remain out of the reach of prosecutors and victims’ attorneys. “The church has always regarded those communications between its lawyers and local leaders as attorney-client privileged,” said Paul Rytting, the director of Risk Management, in a sealed affidavit.
AN OMINOUS TIME
Mormon leaders established the help line in 1995 and it operated not within its Department of Family Services, but instead in its Office of Risk Management, whose role is to protect the church and members from injury and liability in an array of circumstances, including fires, explosions, hazardous chemical spills and severe weather. The department ultimately reports to the First Presidency, the three officials at the very top of the church hierarchy, according to records in the sealed documents.
Risk management also tracks all sex abuse lawsuits against the church, according to a sealed affidavit by Dwayne Liddell, a past director of the department who helped establish the help line. He said members of the church’s First Presidency knew the details of the help line.
“I have been in those type of meetings where ... the training of ecclesiastical leaders (and) the establishment of a help line have been discussed,” Liddell said. When asked who attended the meetings, he answered, “Members of the First Presidency and the presiding bishopric,” or the top leaders of the church.
Before establishing the help line in 1995, the Mormon church simply instructed bishops to comply with local child sex abuse reporting laws.
At the time, child sex abuse lawsuits were on the rise and juries were awarding victims millions of dollars. The Mormon church is largely self-insured, leaving it especially vulnerable to costly lawsuits.
“There is nothing inconsistent between identifying cases that may pose litigation risks to the church and complying with reporting obligations,” church lawyers said in a sealed legal filing.
But one affidavit in the sealed records which repeatedly says the church condemns child sexual abuse, also suggests the church is more concerned about the spiritual well-being of perpetrators than the physical and emotional well-being of young victims, who also may be members of the faith.
“Disciplinary proceedings are subject to the highest confidentiality possible,” said Rytting. “If members had any concerns that their disciplinary files could be read by a secular judge or attorneys or be presented to a jury as evidence in a public trial, their willingness to confess and repent and for their souls to be saved would be seriously compromised.”
A GLOBAL INVESTIGATION
In 2016 police in New Zealand arrested a 47-year-old farm worker on child pornography charges and found a nine-minute video on his cell phone, downloaded from the internet, showing a man in his 30s raping a 10-year-old girl.
A global search for the rapist and his victim was on. It started with Interpol and led to the U.S. State Department, where investigators using facial recognition technology matched the rapist with a passport card photo of a U.S. Border Patrol employee living in Bisbee, Arizona, according to a Homeland Security synopsis obtained by the AP.
Agents rushed to the Naco, Arizona, Border Station and arrested Adams, then a lanky, bearded mission support specialist with the Border Patrol. After some coaxing, Adams admitted to raping MJ and to sexually assaulting her younger sister, and to posting video of the assaults on the internet. When agents raided his home, they seized phones and computers holding more than 4,000 photos and nearly 1,000 videos depicting child sex abuse, many featuring the Adams daughters.
But the nine-minute video stood out. “This video is one of the worst I’ve ever seen,” Homeland Security agent Edwards later testified, adding that haunting dialogue between Adams and his older daughter helped make the video “stand out in my mind and continue to stand out in my mind.”
That video represented nine minutes and 14 seconds in seven years of continual and unnecessary trauma for MJ — and a lifetime of abuse for her tiny sister — while Bishops Herrod and Mauzy and church representatives in Salt Lake City stood by.
After Paul Adams died by suicide, Leizza Adams pleaded no contest to child sex abuse charges and served two-and-a-half years in state prison. Three of the Adams children went to live with members of Leizza’s extended family in California. The other three were taken in by local families.
THE SURVIVORS
MJ’s little sister was only 2 when she met her adoptive mother for the first time. The toddler wrapped her arms and legs around Miranda Whitworth’s head, buried her face in her neck, and refused to look up to say good-bye to members of Leizza’s family. “It was the craziest thing,” said Whitworth who, with her husband, Matthew, welcomed the toddler into their family. “It was like when you see a baby monkey or baby gorilla cling to their mother, and they just won’t let go.”
Over the next few days and weeks, the Whitworths would see additional markers of the unfathomable abuse the toddler endured at the hands of her father — much of it recorded on video. She would howl in terror when any man attempted to touch her, whether it was Matthew or the family physician. “The nurse was fine but the minute the doctor walked in she climbed onto me and started screaming bloody murder,” Miranda said.
The 2-year-old was also terrified of the water, which made bathing an ear-splitting ordeal. She wouldn’t tolerate anything wrapped around her wrists. And at church, she would run and hide behind Miranda whenever anyone greeted her by an old family nickname.
When they took in the toddler, neither Miranda nor Matthew knew very much about what had happened to her. But while sitting in on Leizza Adams’s sentencing hearing, they learned about the repeated rapes, the videos, and the fact that church bishops knew about the abuse of the older daughter and did nothing to stop it.
The Whitworths were converts to the Mormon faith and, like many new followers of a religion, they were especially enthusiastic about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In particular, they appreciated the efforts Mormons make to help fellow church members in times of need through church organizations established to give special attention to women, teens and children.
“It’s all about family,” Miranda said. “That’s one of the things we absolutely loved.”
But after learning about what Adams did to their new daughter, and the failure of the church to stop him, the scales fell from their eyes. “We decided to remove our records from the church,” said Matthew Whitworth. “I personally couldn’t continue to provide tithing money to a church that would allow young children to be abused and not do anything to prevent it.”
Unlike the Whitworths, Nancy Salminen has never been a member of the Mormon church. But as a special needs teacher and a rape victim herself, she has a special affinity for MJ and others like her. Over the last five years, she has opened her home to 17 girls and boys who needed a safe place to stay. Her house is a modest, ranch-style structure she bought out of foreclosure.
“Everything’s a little broken here and that’s perfect because so are we,” she said.
Salminen said she met MJ after receiving an urgent call on a Friday evening to rescue a 12-year-old from another family. “She was pretty scared and pretty confused when I picked her up,” Salminen recalled. “She spent a lot of time in her closet in her room when we got home, but we got to know each other and got to like each other.”
Like the Whitworths, Salminen knew very little about what MJ had endured until Leizza Adams’s sentencing hearing.
“What I heard made me want to throw up,” she said. “And the more I learned the more I wanted to help her fight this fight that she didn’t even know about.”
Safely settled in Salminen’s household — which today includes a foster girl Salminen also plans to adopt — MJ has been transformed from a victim of unimaginable abuse to a bubbly 16-year-old who plays in the high school band and proudly dons a crisp, new uniform for her job at a fast-food restaurant.
“She had every excuse to fail and to just fold into herself and run away,” Salminen said. “But instead, she came back stronger than anyone I’ve ever known.”
So strong that she appears eager to play an active role in the battle she and her two siblings are waging against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “I just want them to do what they’re supposed to do and report to the police,” MJ said.
The adoptive parents of the third Adams child who has filed suit declined to speak to the AP about the case. Like MJ, Miranda and Matthew Whitworth said they joined the lawsuit against the church on behalf of their young daughter not in hopes of a payday, but to change church policy so that any instance of child sexual abuse is immediately reported to civil authorities. “We just don’t understand why they’re paying all these lawyers to fight this,” Matthew Whitworth said. “Just change the policy.”
THE PRIVILEGE
That policy is the key to the church’s defense. In a recent filing asking a Superior Court judge to dismiss the case, Maledon and other lawyers for the church said the case “hinges entirely on whether Arizona’s child abuse reporting statute required two church bishops ... to report to authorities confidential confessions made to them by plaintiffs’ father.”
Whatever moral or public policy arguments one could make that the church should have told authorities that Paul Adams was raping his daughters are irrelevant, the lawyers argued. “Arizona’s reporting statute broadly exempts confidential communications with clergy, as determined by the clergyman himself,” according to the church motion to dismiss the case. “Reasonable people can debate whether this is the best public policy choice. But that is not an issue for a jury or this court.”
Bishop Herrod, in his recorded interview, said church officials told him he had to keep what Adams told him confidential or he could be sued if he went to authorities.
But McIntyre, the Cochise County attorney, said that’s false, noting the Arizona reporting law says that anyone reporting a belief that child sex abuse occurred “is immune from any civil or criminal liability.”
Aside from the legal arguments over whether Bishops Herrod and Mauzy were excused from their reporting obligations under the clergy-penitent privilege, critics of the inaction by the two bishops and the broader church have raised ethical issues.
Gerard Moretz, a seasoned child sex abuse investigator for the Pima County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Department and an expert witness for the Adams children, is one of them.
“What aspect of your religious practice are you advancing if you don’t report something like this?” he asked.
___
Associated Press editor Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City and investigative researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this story.
To contact the AP's investigations team, email investigative@ap.org. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/seven-years-of-sex-abuse-mormon-officials-in-arizona-let-it-happen/75-dc604ff6-8c15-4fdd-a9af-b68c4976d175 | 2022-08-04T21:40:43 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/seven-years-of-sex-abuse-mormon-officials-in-arizona-let-it-happen/75-dc604ff6-8c15-4fdd-a9af-b68c4976d175 |
Border officials arrest 3 in alleged smuggling attempt on St. Clair River
Three foreign nationals were arrested this week in an alleged human smuggling attempt on the St. Clair River, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced Thursday.
At around 3 a.m. Tuesday, Border Patrol dispatchers monitoring a video surveillance system spotted a vessel on the waterway near Algonac cross the international border, representatives said in a statement.
The site was near what investigators call a known smuggling route.
"Dispatch officials immediately notified agents in the area of a possible smuggling incident taking place," authorities said Thursday.
Marysville agents on patrol responded and quickly found three people near the site where the vessel was last seen headed toward the United States. An agent interviewed the group, who said they had just crossed over from Canada in a boat, said the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The three were taken into custody and transported to the Border Patrol station for processing. Authorities confirmed one person was a 53-year-old man from the Dominican Republic and two women, ages 25 and 26, from Mexico.
Other details were not released Thursday.
“Intercepting this was made possible by technology, and the teamwork of our agents and support personal," said Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley. "I am proud of the vigilance and dedication to duty displayed by the men and women of Detroit Sector." | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/08/04/border-officials-arrest-3-alleged-smuggling-attempt-st-clair-river/10241380002/ | 2022-08-04T21:49:31 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/08/04/border-officials-arrest-3-alleged-smuggling-attempt-st-clair-river/10241380002/ |
Regional Health System welcomed the inaugural class of psychiatric physicians to its new accredited psychiatry residency program with the IU School of Medicine.
More than 100 people, including community leaders, elected officials and health care providers, gathered at the Merrillville location of Regional Health Systems to welcome the new doctors.
Sotirios Travlos, Dasia McClain, Manisha Byreddy and Cory Mahler started the resident training program last month month.
“It is here — and with your support and warm welcoming — that we will not only train the next generation of psychiatrists to better care for our underserved communities, but we will also work, collectively, to encourage Northwest Indiana’s newest physicians to continue their careers here and help us close the disparities in access to psychiatric care in Northwest Indiana,” Regional Care Group CEO Bill Trowbridge said.
It's the first residency program of its kind in Northern Indiana and the third run by the IU School of Medicine.
The residents learn how to provide psychiatric services while on the job, doing rotations in inpatient psychiatry, addictions, child and adolescent mental health care, primary care and other areas of psychiatry.
The hope is to prepare the next generation of psychiatric physicians to "develop integrated models of care while increasing access to psychiatric services within underserved communities."
“It’s super exciting for everybody,” said Brittany Miller, residency education coordinator at the IU School of Medicine and director of psychiatric education at Regional Health Systems. “A lot of the local hospitals and health organizations are on board — they’re excited to interact with the residents and teach a couple of didactic courses."
PHOTOS: The True Cost of Washington Tour comes to Hobart
Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military.
Steelworkers will take home bonus checks of upwards of $14,000 for the three-month period that ended on June 30, U.S. Steel Media Relations Manager Amanda Malkowski said.
Customer complaints have mounted as Old National Bank has integrated First Midwest Bank branches. Customers have complained about debit cards being declined, being locked out of their accounts online, being allowed to overdraft their accounts without warning and having to wait for hours on the phone.
The cost of gas has dipped under $4 a gallon at a few Region gas stations, including BP in Dyer, Murphy USA in Valparaiso, Speedway in Wanatah, Family Express in Hobart and Valparaiso and Sam's Club and Costco in Merrillville as of Monday, according to GasBuddy.com.
The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 filed unfair labor practice charges against California-based SOLV Energy and recruiter Aerotek charging they are recruiting workers from outside Indiana for the Mammoth Solar Farm Project and paying them "substantially lower than Indiana standards." | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/inaugural-class-of-psychiatrists-joins-regional-health-systems-residency-program-at-iu-school-of-medicine/article_e64a0ec1-1841-5c65-86a6-751f019cf770.html | 2022-08-04T21:53:49 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/inaugural-class-of-psychiatrists-joins-regional-health-systems-residency-program-at-iu-school-of-medicine/article_e64a0ec1-1841-5c65-86a6-751f019cf770.html |
BLOOMINGTON — A 32-year-old Bloomington man was sentenced to four years in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon in 2019.
McLean County Circuit Court records state Maurice S. Sutton pleaded guilty June 29 to the Class 2 felony weapons charge. Another felony charge of possession of a stolen firearm and a misdemeanor charge of violating bail bond were dropped.
The Pantagraph previously reported that in May 2019, a Bloomington woman had reported her handgun as stolen. She told police that the only person who had access to her home at the time it was taken was Sutton, her ex-boyfriend.
At his June plea hearing, Sutton was credit for 27 days served in jail. He must also serve one year of mandatory supervised release.
Photos: Scenes from the Alex Jones trial
Mark Bankston, lawyer for Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, questions Daria Karpova, InfoWars producer, during the trial against Alex Jones Wednesday, July 27, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
BRIANA SANCHEZ
"Seek truth and report it," is shown on the screen during the fourth day of trial at the Travis County Courthouse Friday, July 29, 2022. Alex Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax.(Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
Briana Sanchez
FILE - Alex Jones, left, arrives at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on July 26, 2022, with a piece of tape over his mouth that reads "Save the 1st." He shook hands with his lawyer, Andino Reynal. Although Jones portrays the lawsuit against him as an assault on the First Amendment, the parents who sued him say his statements were so malicious and obviously false that they fell well outside the bounds of speech protected by the constitutional clause. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool, File)
Briana Sanchez
FILE - Bill Ogden, partner with the firm representing Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, parents of parents of Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, reacts while watching a clip from InfoWars during the trial for Alex Jones on July 28, 2022. Although Jones portrays the lawsuit against him as an assault on the First Amendment, the parents who sued him say his statements were so malicious and obviously false that they fell well outside the bounds of speech protected by the constitutional clause. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool, File)
Briana Sanchez
Scarlett Lewis, mother of 6-year-old Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, testifies against Alex Jones Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
BRIANA SANCHEZ
Neil Heslin, father of 6-year-old Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, becomes emotional during his testimony during the trial for Alex Jones, Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
Briana Sanchez
Neil Heslin, father of 6-year-old Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, becomes emotional during his testimony during the trial for Alex Jones, Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
BRIANA SANCHEZ
Scarlett Lewis, mother of 6-year-old Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, appears in court during the trial for Alex Jones, Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
BRIANA SANCHEZ
Andino Reynal, lawyer for Alex Jones, questions Neil Heslin, father of 6-year-old Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, about his previous testimony in court Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
BRIANA SANCHEZ
Wesley Ball questions Scarlett Lewis, mother of 6-year-old Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis, about the harassment she received from InfoWars viewers during the trial for Alex Jones, Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)
BRIANA SANCHEZ/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Alex Jones arrives at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Tuesday Aug. 2, 2022. The father of a 6-year-old killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has testified that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones made his life a “living hell” by pushing claims the murders were a hoax. Neil Heslin testified Tuesday that he fears for his life because of Jones' claims. Heslin and Scarlett Lewis are the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis. (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Briana Sanchez
Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison
Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter
Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bloomington-man-sentenced-to-4-years-in-prison-for-felon-gun-possession/article_b324c570-140d-11ed-9566-1b62f7bac561.html | 2022-08-04T21:54:07 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bloomington-man-sentenced-to-4-years-in-prison-for-felon-gun-possession/article_b324c570-140d-11ed-9566-1b62f7bac561.html |
The Indiana House will vote Friday on legislation that would make it nearly impossible for pregnant women and girls to choose to terminate their pregnancies in the Hoosier State.
Senate Bill 1 bans abortion from the moment of conception, except in the case of pregnancies caused by rape or incest, when a doctor determines continuing a pregnancy would cause a serious health risk or death to the pregnant woman, or following the diagnosis of a lethal fetal anomaly.
If approved by the House's 71 Republicans and 29 Democrats, the near-total abortion ban will return to the Republican-controlled Senate for lawmakers there to either consent to the changes made by the House, or to send the legislation to a conference committee where a few representatives and senators will attempt to work out a compromise version that must again win majority support in both chambers.
The House agreed Thursday to adopt minor tweaks to the abortion exceptions, including clarifying the definition of serious health risk, which was not a part of the Senate-approved proposal, and limiting abortion because of a lethal fetal anomaly to 20 weeks post-fertilization.
The measure also requires abortion due to rape or incest be completed no later than 10 weeks post-fertilization, but no longer includes a Senate component obligating the pregnant woman to submit a non-confidential, notarized affidavit attesting to the criminal circumstances that led to her pregnancy.
"I really believe this bill is where it needs to be. It's in a good place," said state Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, a LaPorte native and sponsor of the legislation.
An attempt by a few anti-abortion lawmakers to delete the exceptions, reclassify abortion as murder and subject women who obtain abortions to prosecution for a level 1 felony, punishable by 20 to 40 years in prison, was overwhelmingly defeated 93-6 by House members, who were called in response "evil" and "wicked" by state Rep. John Jacob, R-Indianapolis.
"Abortion is always murder because it always takes the life of an innocent human being," Jacob said. "If human life begins at conception then these pre-born human beings deserve the same rights you and I have."
An effort by state Rep. Karen Engleman, R-Georgetown, to delete only the rape and incest exceptions also was rejected, 61-39, with every member of the Northwest Indiana legislative delegation, Republican and Democrat, voting to preserve the exceptions.
At the same time, some three dozen revisions proposed by Democratic representatives failed to win sufficient support to be inserted in the legislation.
They included a 20-week period to obtain an abortion following a rape or incest pregnancy, delaying the start of the measure to Nov. 1 from Sept. 15, a requirement that Indiana businesses provide accommodations for their pregnant employees, and a 68-32 decision against putting a non-binding question on the Nov. 8 general election ballot asking Hoosier voters if abortion should remain legal.
State Rep. Sue Errington, D-Muncie, said she believes Indiana, similar to Kansas, has a "silent majority" of citizens who want to preserve abortion access, even though the U.S. Supreme Court gave states the go-ahead to further restrict or ban abortion in its June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling.
"I think the people of Indiana would like that same opportunity to express their view on whether abortion should remain legal," Errington said. "You would be able to see what the people in your counties want."
In response, McNamara noted Indiana is "not a referendum state." She said the Indiana Constitution directs the representatives of the people serving in the General Assembly to make these decisions, not Hoosier voters.
A separate proposal by state Rep. John Bartlett, D-Indianapolis, to prohibit the sale of drugs in Indiana to treat erectile dysfunction and sexual impotence was defeated on an unrecorded voice vote.
"If an unwanted pregnancy is an act of God, then impotency must also be an act of God," Bartlett said. "It takes two people for a pregnancy to come about and to put all the onus on the woman, I think, is unfair."
Meet the 2022 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation
State Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, chairwoman of the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code, said the changes are "a thoughtful way forward" that "shows compassion for mothers and babies."
The House Committee on Public Health is scheduled to hear public testimony on the legislation at the Statehouse beginning at 8 a.m. Region time Tuesday.
The Republican Senate reluctantly agreed to advance a prohibition all abortions in the state, with limited exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is at stake.
It's not clear whether Senate Bill 1 will reach the 26 votes required for approval, even though Republicans, who generally oppose abortion, control 39 seats in the 50-member chamber.
State Sen. Sue Glick said the time limits ensure exceptions to her proposed abortion ban remain available, but aren't open-ended opportunities to terminate a pregnancy after viability is reached.
Thousands of people, including the vice president of the U.S., showed up at the Indiana Statehouse on Monday to make their voices heard as Hoosier lawmakers consider enacting a near-total abortion ban.
Women's access to abortion largely could be eliminated in Indiana as soon as mid-August under legislation unveiled Wednesday by Republican Senate leaders.
"Politicians are wading into an issue they are not smart enough to understand outside of their Washington talking points," said Ali Brown, a Portage native and Democratic city leader in Indianapolis.
Attorney Jim Bopp, of Terre Haute, said his proposal offers "the best opportunity to protect the unborn" following last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling rescinding the constitutional right to abortion.
The 2021 Terminated Pregnancy Report shows 8,414 women had an abortion in Indiana last year, up from 7,756 in 2020, a total of 658 more abortions, or an 8.5% increase.
"We are elected to do what you want us to do. And right now, 79% of the individuals in our country are against the ban on abortion. ... So let your voices be heard," said state Rep. Carolyn Jackson.
Following Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Indiana lawmakers are almost certain next month to enact severe restrictions on abortion access, or outright ban the procedure in the Hoosier State.
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday issued an official proclamation directing the General Assembly to convene on July 6 “in order to consider and address the current adverse economic conditions." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/indiana-house-to-vote-friday-on-approving-near-total-abortion-ban/article_3b987b09-bfb2-500c-9d2d-bdf9bf184f89.html | 2022-08-04T21:54:07 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/indiana-house-to-vote-friday-on-approving-near-total-abortion-ban/article_3b987b09-bfb2-500c-9d2d-bdf9bf184f89.html |
BLOOMINGTON — A Fox River Grove teenager was sentenced Monday in McLean County court to almost six months in jail and four years on probation for possessing child pornography.
Nick S. Buss, 19, pleaded guilty June 8 to 10 charges of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony, according to McLean County Circuit Court records. Another 18 counts of that same charge were dropped with his plea.
Buss was sentenced Monday to 180 days in jail, per the records, but was also credited for 468 days already served. He must also pay fines and court costs.
The Pantagraph previously reported that he was charged after he was found in possession of seven videos depicting child pornography.
Photos: Highland Park parade shooting suspect appears in court
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, left, closes his eyes while listening to Judge Victoria A. Rossetti during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, walks in to the courtroom during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, answers to Judge Victoria A. Rossetti during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan, Ill.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, leaves the courtroom after a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, leaves the courtroom after a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, second from right, sits while listening to Judge Victoria A. Rossetti during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, left, looks at Judge Victoria A. Rossetti while listening to Judge Victoria A. Rossetti during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, walks in to the courtroom during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Judge Victoria A. Rossetti, left, speaks during a hearing for Robert Crimo III, in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting July Fourth Parade
Judge Victoria A. Rossetti reads sentence during a hearing for Robert Crimo III, in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Judge Victoria A. Rossetti speaks during a hearing for Robert Crimo III, in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, left, sits while listening to Judge Victoria A. Rossetti during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III, walks in to the courtroom during a hearing in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III's mother Denise Pesina closes her eyes during a hearing for her son in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III's mother Denise Pesina, left, and father Robert Crimo Jr., attend to a hearing for their son in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Shooting-July Fourth Parade
Robert E. Crimo III's father Robert Crimo Jr., right, and mother Denise Pesina attend to a hearing for their son in Lake County court Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Waukegan.
NAM Y. HUH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison
Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter
Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/fox-river-grove-teen-sentenced-with-jail-time-probation-for-possessing-child-porn/article_35e0e65a-140a-11ed-8f50-4363727bd4f0.html | 2022-08-04T21:54:13 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/fox-river-grove-teen-sentenced-with-jail-time-probation-for-possessing-child-porn/article_35e0e65a-140a-11ed-8f50-4363727bd4f0.html |
BLOOMINGTON — Representatives of the U.S. Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center visited Normal West High School on Thursday to provide specialized training on identifying and preventing targeted school violence.
NATC has studied targeted school violence and educated faculties since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, which left 15 people dead. Thursday's presentation highlighted a multidisciplinary approach communities can use to identify and intervene with students exhibiting threatening behavior.
Aaron Cotkin, a social science research specialist for the U.S. Secret Service, presented three publications: a 2018 report on how threat assessment can identify students of concern and get them help, a 2019 report that examined 41 cases of targeted school violence that left at least one person injured and a 2021 report that looked at 67 instances of current or former students who plotted to attack their school.
However, NATC does not just study incidents of firearm violence. Of the 41 cases examined in the 2019 report, 25 involved firearm violence and the other 16 involved bladed weapons.
"We don't focus on the weapons that are used when we're doing these reports," Cotkin said. "Instead, we focus on the intentional infliction of violence for the sake of inflicting violence when we're looking at instances to include."
Cotkin said one thing audiences are consistently shocked by is that there is no accurate or useful demographic profile of someone going on to commit a targeted act of violence against a school or community. Individuals planning acts of violence can come in all ages, races, genders, sexual orientation and social circles.
"What's important rather than profiling is looking at the behaviors that they are engaging in and looking for students who need help and then intervening to get them the help that they need," Cotkind said.
Kristen Weikle, superintendent of McLean County Unit 5, encouraged all families or students to report any behaviors or activities that seem unusual.
"We would much rather take the time to investigate a matter (and) provide the proper resources and support for our students rather than not," Weikle said. "And so it's really important for that communication flow between our students' homes, the community and the schools to occur."
Students may also use the Safe2Help app, which allows students to find online resources if they're at risk of hurting themselves or are concerned about the well-being of a friend. Weikle said the app is not meant to be punitive in nature but rather a tool to help students find proper support.
Photos: Students carry out nationwide school walkout on 19th anniversary of Columbine shooting
School Shooting Student Protests
FILE - In this March 14, 2018 file photo, young demonstrators hold a rally in front of the White House in Washington. Another wave of school walkouts is expected as students honor victims of gun violence and push for gun control. The latest protests are planned for Friday, April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting that left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
Carolyn Kaster
School Shooting Student Protests
Marjory Stoneman Douglas student David Hogg walks to school with a large rolled banner over his shoulder on Friday, April 20, 2018 in Parkland, Fla. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Amy Beth Bennett
School Shooting Student Protests
David Hogg, left, a student activist from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School speaks to a student as they walk out of their school, Friday, April 20, 2018 in Parkland, Fla. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (AP Photo/Terry Spencer)
Terry Spencer
School Shooting Student Protests
Marjory Stoneman Douglas teachers demonstrate in front of the school on Friday, April 20, 2018 in Parkland, Fla. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Amy Beth Bennett
School Shooting Student Protests
Marjory Stoneman Douglas teachers demonstrate in front of the school on Friday, April 20, 2018 in Parkland, Fla. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Amy Beth Bennett
School Shooting Student Protests Pennsylvania
Students, from left, Nariah Marzka, 14; Morgan Orelski, 15, and Travis Burge, 15, who joined about 500 students, leave leave Keck Field after taking part in a national school walkout event to protest gun violence and honor shooting victims at Fairview High School in Fairview Township, Erie County, Pa., Friday April 20, 2018. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News via AP)
Christopher Millette
Pennsylvania National School Walkout
Fairview Middle and High School students taking part in a national school walkout event to protest gun violence and honor shooting victims at Fairview High School in Fairview Township, Erie County, Pa., Friday April 20, 2018. As part of the event, most of the students walked twice around the Keck Field running track twice. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News via AP)
Christopher Millette
School Shooting Student Protests Massachusetts
Harvard University students observe a moment of silence during a protest against school shootings and gun violence on the steps of Widener Library on campus in Cambridge, Mass., Friday, April 20, 2018. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Michael Dwyer
School Shooting Student Protests Massachusetts
Harvard University student Cecilia Nunez wears a Black Lives Matter earring during a rally against school shootings and gun violence on the steps of Widener Library on campus in Cambridge, Mass., Friday, April 20, 2018. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Michael Dwyer
School Shooting Student Protests
Students at Clarke Central High School walk out in protest of nationwide school shootings in Athens, Ga., Friday, April 20, 2018. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Joshua L Jones
School Shooting Student Protests
Students at Clarke Central High School walk out in protest of nationwide school shootings in Athens, Ga., Friday, April 20, 2018. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Joshua L Jones
School Shooting Student Protests
Students at Clarke Central High School walk out in protest of nationwide school shootings in Athens, Ga., Friday, April 20, 2018. Another wave of student walkouts is expected to disrupt classes Friday at hundreds of schools across the U.S. as young activists press for tougher gun laws. The protests were chosen to line up with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, which left 13 people dead in Littleton, Colorado. At 10 a.m., students plan to gather for moments of silence honoring the victims at Columbine and other shootings. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Joshua L Jones
School Shooting Student Protests Florida
Parkland resident and mother of four children, Kelly Jacobson, right, and Herron Heights Elementary fifth grade teacher (who teaches two of Jacobson's sons) Gloria Kos video chat with Jacobson's nice as she signs a "Parents Promise To Kids" stating she will "vote for politicians who support children's safety and practice common-sense gun laws," during a national school walkout event to protest gun violence and honor shooting victims at Pine Trails Park Friday, April 20, 2018, in in Coral Springs, Fla. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Amy Beth Bennett
School Shooting Student Protests Florida
Joana Raja, whose daughter, Lyn Raja is a Marjory Stoneman Douglas student, signs a banner during a national school walkout event to protest gun violence and honor shooting victims at North Community Park, Friday, April 20, 2018, in in Coral Springs, Fla. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Amy Beth Bennett
School Shooting Student Protests Florida
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Angela Lazo signs a banner during a national school walkout to protest gun violence and honor shooting victims at North Community Park, Friday, April 20, 2018, in in Coral Springs, Fla. Protests were planned across the country Friday, on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Amy Beth Bennett
School Shooting Student Protests Philadelphia
Jay Nasser, 15, of Germantown Friends School, holds up a sign in front of a bright orange banner that reads "#ENOUGH" during a school walkout to protest gun violence held in the City Hall courtyard on Friday, April 20, 2018, in Philadelphia. (Sydney Schaefer/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
Sydney Schaefer
School Shooting Student Protests Philadelphia
A student holds up a sign in the City Hall courtyard during a school walkout to protest gun violence on Friday, April 20, 2018. Thousands of protests were planned across the country Friday on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. (Sydney Schaefer/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
Sydney Schaefer
School Shooting Student Protests
Two rings of chairs encircle the words "NEVER AGAIN" in a silent protest on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting outside Trinity High School in Manchester, N.H., Friday, April 20, 2018. The inner ring chairs have names of the Columbine victims, the outer ring chairs have names of the Parkland High School shooting victims. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Charles Krupa
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/u-s-secret-service-offers-violence-training-at-normal-west/article_3fd6c982-1427-11ed-a41c-fb78799b11cd.html | 2022-08-04T21:54:19 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/u-s-secret-service-offers-violence-training-at-normal-west/article_3fd6c982-1427-11ed-a41c-fb78799b11cd.html |
What will be the fate of the former medium-security prison in Cranston?
The former prison sold for $6.2 million at a 2020 auction
- The prison was built in 1929
- Plans are in flux as the developer looks for a tenant
CRANSTON — Nestled into an industrial park in Cranston, the former medium-security state prison is still surrounded by barbed-wire fences and bars are still on the windows.
The parking lot is empty and there is a sign indicating change is coming: "AVAILABLE, up to 200,000 SF."
The former prison site, nearly 17 acres in the Howard Industrial Park overlooking Route 95, sold following an October 2020 auction, for $6.2 million.
The new owner, Richard Baccari II, has proposed to tear down the former prison and, in its place, put up a warehouse or manufacturing facility, although final plans will be dictated by the company that leases, or buys, the building.
More:Rhode Island's economy is hurting, but is it in a recession?
The project has already passed the first phase of development, the master plan, and earned approval from the city's Development Plan Review Committee on Wednesday morning. The project is now headed to the City Plan Commission for the preliminary planning phase.
Plans for the property
In an interview, Baccari said companies that might want to use the building, either as a warehouse or for manufacturing, want the plans to be nearly fully approved before they agree to anything.
The project would have an estimated 210,000=square-foot footprint, with space for loading bays and 295 employee parking spaces, according to project documentation.
The project would involve the demolition of all three buildings on the site, including the main prison building, built in 1929 and opened in 1931, according to the Department of Corrections website. When it was first built, it held imprisoned children. It closed in 2011.
Although the final configuration and use are contingent on the company that wants to occupy the space, Cranston planning officials wrote in a memorandum that city staff have the tools to review modified plans.
Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Providence Journal subscription. Here's our latest offer.
Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/former-ri-prison-donald-price-medium-security-cranston-to-be-torn-down/10228087002/ | 2022-08-04T22:01:27 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/04/former-ri-prison-donald-price-medium-security-cranston-to-be-torn-down/10228087002/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – Downtown Roanoke Inc.’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area is so popular, that organizers have decided to extend it through September.
The area, also known as “DORA” allows people to walk outside with alcoholic drinks from bars and restaurants.
Businesses like Olde Salem Brewing Company are calling it a success and are happy to see the zone extended.
“It’s a fun opportunity for us to continue connecting with the community and get people down to the Market Street area,” said Cameron Weeks, Olde Salem Brewing’s General Manager.
Thanks to the refreshment area, people in Roanoke can take their drinks to go and support other businesses nearby.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to come down here and see some bars and restaurants that they may have not even known existed,” said Jaime Clark, Downtown Roanoke Inc.’s Vice President of Marketing.
Zone boundaries are marked with signs on Campbell Avenue, Wall Street, Market Street, and Salem Avenue.
“We have a sign on our front door that says, ‘Come on in and take a look around, drinks are welcomed.’ I love that we are participating in DORA downtown Roanoke. It’s nice to support the other food and beverage places on Market Street and not make people choose one thing at a time. Grab a drink and come in and shop,” said Rayna Christman, Walkabout Outfitter’s Store Manager.
You can explore the refreshment area every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until September 25. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/downtown-roanoke-businesses-see-more-foot-traffic-from-designated-outdoor-refreshment-area/ | 2022-08-04T22:02:52 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/downtown-roanoke-businesses-see-more-foot-traffic-from-designated-outdoor-refreshment-area/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – A man is facing felony charges and a woman is hospitalized after a police chase that resulted in a crash in Roanoke on Thursday morning, according to authorities.
Authorities said that officers were doing a routine patrol route in the 400 block of Elm Avenue SE around 10 a.m. when they saw Tyler Jones, 32, in a parked car that they knew had active felony warrants.
Two police cars blocked the exit routes in an attempt to keep Jones from leaving the scene, but police said Jones rammed into the two cars and managed to get away.
Officers chased Jones, who they said was speeding and had little regard for traffic or other cars.
The chase continued until Riverland Road SE near Garden City Boulevard SE where police said Jones tried to illegally pass another car that was turning.
Police said Jones hit the car that was turning and lost control of his vehicle, rolling several times before coming to a stop. Jones then got out of his car and tried to run away, but was apprehended and taken into custody.
Officers found a woman in the car who they said was unresponsive. She was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Authorities also checked out the driver of the other car that was hit at the scene as a precaution, but that driver was not taken to the hospital.
Jones was also taken to the hospital for treatment of what authorities said were minor injuries. He was then taken to Roanoke City Jail and charged with two counts of assault on law enforcement officer and felony eluding. The active warrants for revocation of a suspended sentence on a previous narcotics charge and felony eluding from Roanoke County were also served.
In accordance with policy, the Virginia State Police were notified and will be investigating the crash. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/man-facing-felony-charges-after-roanoke-police-chase-crash/ | 2022-08-04T22:02:59 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/man-facing-felony-charges-after-roanoke-police-chase-crash/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – Historical churches in Roanoke are looking to preserve black history and culture through church grants.
Some churches, like Hill Street Baptist Church in Roanoke, started from humble beginnings.
“They started with six members in a little house and it had grown to what you see right now,” said Reverend Preston Tyler.
Now, the church is celebrating its 130th anniversary and Tyler said he’s hoping to expand to make room for the growing congregation.
“Maybe in the future, we could actually build and add on to this sanctuary,” said Tyler.
A grant through the National Trust for Historic Preservation could help – the Preserving Black Churches grant program is designed to preserve historic black houses of worship, with either active or non-active congregations.
Grants range from $50,000 to $200,000 and can be spent on capital improvements, staffing, and operations – Money that Tyler said could be put to good use.
“It’s information that I didn’t even know about,” said Tyler. “And I’m quite sure a lot of other churches didn’t even know about.”
The Star City is filled with historical black churches, from First Baptist Church-Gainsboro to Mount Moriah Baptist Church, which opened in 1858, originating as a Sunday School for slaves.
After urban renewal wiped out Gainsboro’s thriving African American community in the 1960s and 70s, forcing Hill Street Baptist Church to relocate, Tyler said his congregation persevered.
“As the black community, all we had was the black church,” said Tyler. “On Monday through Friday, on Monday through Saturday, we were this, we were that we were domestics, we were cooks, we were all of that. But on Sunday morning, we felt like we were somebody.”
Just as church elders worked to keep Hill Street Baptist Church alive, this grant program can help keep the history of other black churches alive for generations to come.
The deadline to apply is September 2, 2022. You can learn more about the grant program and how to apply here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/preserving-black-history-culture-through-church-grants-in-roanoke/ | 2022-08-04T22:03:05 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/preserving-black-history-culture-through-church-grants-in-roanoke/ |
ABINGDON, Va. – A Wise County husband and wife were sentenced for wire fraud while working together as a realtor team in Southwest Virginia, according to the Department of Justice.
The couple, Jessee DeLoach and Natasha DeLoach, both pleaded guilty to wire fraud in February 2022, and on Friday, the DOJ said they were both sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.
The release said their federal wire fraud charges were related to their scheme to create fake residential sales contracts to get advance sales commissions, which were not theirs.
The release said that in addition to their prison sentence, they also agreed to pay $146,273 in restitution.
Their scheme, according to court documents referenced in the release, happened while the DeLoaches owned a real estate agency out of Southwest Virginia, called Koltown Properties, Inc.
Between March 2016 and November 2019, the DOJ said the couple created at least nineteen fake home sale contracts and submitted them to advance commission companies, which assist real estate agents with cash flow, to fraudulently get money.
According to the DOJ, the DeLoaches also altered valid home sale contracts to make it seem like no other realtors were involved to claim double the commissions.
The couple also created fake title companies to validate the fake contracts so that the advance commission companies would authorize the payments, the release said.
The DOJ said the couple got over $300,000 in advance sales commissions over the entirety of their schemes.
The FBI and the Virginia State Police assisted the case with assistance from the Wise County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher is prosecuting the case according to the DOJ. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/southwest-virginia-husband-and-wife-realtor-team-sentenced-for-fraud/ | 2022-08-04T22:03:11 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/southwest-virginia-husband-and-wife-realtor-team-sentenced-for-fraud/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – Jawaan Griffin and Ramon Morrow-Finley came to Roanoke to pursue their dream of playing football in college. But that dream quickly became a nightmare as their student housing, which instead of a hotel as stated in their recruitment letter, ended up being their coach’s home. A place they say was filled with feces, roaches and filth.
“I didn’t see anything wrong with it at first, because we just went to the living room. But then when I laid my head down, that’s when I saw my first roach,” said Morrow-Finley, after he left the program.
“I wanted to give it a chance, but on the inside, it was terrible,” added his high school teammate Griffin, who also left the team.
That was just the beginning of exposing a program that the players say wasn’t what it seemed
“They shouldn’t do it all. They need to shut that down. That ain’t what was being advertised. It ain’t what he’s saying it is,” said Griffin. The players say Pope Mitchell, the athletic director and head football coach of South Forest Community Christian, misrepresented his program as a Junior College. Something Mitchell said he never did.
“We are a club program that offers athletics. We offer men’s and women’s basketball, we offer football. To play for those club programs you have to be enrolled in Community Christian College. But we ourselves are not an institute for higher learning, no ma’am,” Mitchell said.
[Dream turned nightmare: Local football program plagued with broken promises]
Their conference though, the National Post Grad Athletic Association, has them listed on their website as “SF Community Christian College.” Mitchell’s recruitment letter referred to it as a “JUCO,” or Junior College.
“When the coach first did a zoom call, he was saying that this is an online school, but you’ll be playing football. So you’ll play football for like six months, then you’ll go home, go back to your residence and do online classes,” explained Griffin’s father Walter Brown Jr. He started digging into the program after his son’s experience at Mitchell’s house.
In his recruitment letter, Mitchell claimed he had a partnership with Community Christian College, an online school in California.
10 News spoke with CCC’s Athletic Director Tracy Davis, who said he is familiar with Mitchell, but South Forest Community Christian is not affiliated with CCC. Mitchell’s statements, however, suggest that CCC is involved in the funding for his SFCC program.
Pope Mitchell: “Once they have taken classes through CCC, then those funds for that person will be released to us athletically.”
Alyssa Rae: “So CCC gives you funds if the kids enroll?”
Pope Mitchell: “Yes.”
But as we’ve reported, the Vice President of Compliance at CCC sent me this statement: “There is no partnership, athletic or otherwise, with the entity, corporation, or business located Roanoke, Virginia.”
SFCC Bobcats Athletic Twitter initially had a link to CCC’s website. The day after our conversation with Davis, that link was taken down. But when I asked Mitchell when the players will get their $500 deposits back, Mitchell blamed the college.
Alyssa Rae: “Why would you have to wait until the end of the semester to get them their money back?”
Pope Mitchell: “Because that’s when our funds are released. Our budget is determined by semesters.”
Ei’zayah Frost, who is on the team and still lives in Mitchell’s home, said the coach also told him that Community Christian College would return his deposit after the semester. CCC did not support these claims. In a statement to 10 News the college says that Pope Mitchell, “does not and has not ever received money from CCC.”
Ei’zayah Frost: “He told me the same thing he told y’all. We can’t get it back until September. And that’s what the school told us too.”
Alyssa Rae: “What school?”
Ei’zayah Frost: “CCC.”
Alyssa Rae: “They don’t have your money.”
The families said he never said Mitchell was refunding them, in fact, they can’t even get in touch with him.
“I have not spoken to him. He actually blocked everyone so we cannot get in contact with him,” said Griffin’s mother, Alegria Brown.
“I believe he was recruiting out-of-town kids to get that $500, or more, as the months go on,” added Brown Jr.
According to court documents obtained by 10 News, Mitchell was convicted of felony unlawful wounding in 2018 and was incarcerated. In a court filing, he shared with his probation officer that he would pay for his court costs and fines in full on Jan. 16, 2021, when he received $3,000 for his position of Athletic Director and Head Football Coach of SF Community Christian ‘school’.
Alyssa Rae: “Where did you plan to get that $3,000?”
Pope Mitchell: “From the money I would have been paid from my memorandum of understanding for the club program.”
We have yet to find any evidence of an official memorandum. The only money we’ve confirmed he received was through direct PayPal payments to Mitchell from the out-of-state players and their families who put their trust in him.
“My pops keeps telling me, everything is a lesson, everything that happens you got to look at it and learn from it, so from here on out, I don’t trust nothing,” Griffin said.
As they left Roanoke, they had a warning for other college football hopefuls: be careful who you put your confidence in.
“Exposure is key. And I just want them to know, don’t waste your money, don’t waste your time. Don’t let your children go through something like this. If we can avoid one child being hurt like my son is, we’ve done our job.”
Alegria Brown
Griffin and Morrow-Finley moved back to Kansas City and are pursuing other football opportunities. As for the housing deposit, as of now, it has yet to be returned.
Alyssa Rae and Patrick McKee contributed to this report. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/they-need-to-shut-that-down-former-players-blow-the-whistle-on-roanoke-football-program/ | 2022-08-04T22:03:17 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/they-need-to-shut-that-down-former-players-blow-the-whistle-on-roanoke-football-program/ |
RICHMOND, Va. – Governor Youngkin has made an order to honor Former Virginia Senator Jane Woods’ memory in Virginia.
On Thursday, Youngkin ordered that all US and Commonwealth of Virginia flags flown at state buildings, local buildings, and grounds in the Commonwealth be lowered to half-staff on Friday.
Youngkin said that the flags are to be lowered at sunrise on Friday and stay at half-staff until sunset. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/youngkin-orders-flags-to-be-flown-at-half-staff-on-friday-in-memory-of-former-senator/ | 2022-08-04T22:03:23 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/08/04/youngkin-orders-flags-to-be-flown-at-half-staff-on-friday-in-memory-of-former-senator/ |
TIFTON — With a strong bounce-back over the pandemic year, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College had an economic impact of $429,357,879 on south Georgia during the 2020-21 fiscal year.
Renata Elad, dean of the Stafford School of Business at ABAC, said the college forged ahead from an economic impact of $390,015,778 during the 2020 fiscal year.
“ABAC’s numbers show that we are edging closer to pre-pandemic levels,” Elad, who analyzed the data from the University System of Georgia (USG) report, which showed that the USG contributed a total of $19.3 billion to Georgia’s economy between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, said. “ABAC continues to be a steady engine for social and economic development in the region.
“Driven by initial student spending of $42,062,490.80 as well as spending on personnel services and capital outlay, ABAC continues to thrive.”
USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue applauded the effort of all 26 colleges and universities in the USG for the $700 million increase in economic impact to the state over the previous year.
“USG institutions and the system as a whole are key contributors to our state and are an economic engine for communities in every region of Georgia,” Perdue said. “That economic impact continues to climb, and we are grateful to Gov. Brian Kemp and the General Assembly for their support of the University System and public higher education as we focus on increasing prosperity for the state and all Georgians.”
Conducted on behalf of USG by Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, the study also showed USG over the same time period generated 152,629 full- and part-time jobs across Georgia.
Included in the initial spending by the USG institutions are rounds of funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which are federal funds allocated by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act that provided emergency grants for postsecondary education.
Elad said students make it happen for ABAC.
“Students are the reason ABAC exists, and ABAC students continue to impact the region and the state,” she said. “According to the USG, post-secondary education employment one-year, three-year, and five-year data show the average starting salary for ABAC graduates increases steadily within three and five years, respectively.”
Of the 152,629 jobs generated by USG institutions, approximately 33% of the positions are on-campus jobs and 67% are off-campus. The study found that for each job created by a USG institution on its campus, two additional jobs are created in the local community.
Counties covered by ABAC’s economic impact include Tift, Worth, Cook, Colquitt, Irwin, Ben Hill, Turner, Decatur, Seminole, Miller, Grady, Early, Thomas, Mitchell and Baker.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article. | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/abac-economic-impact-on-south-georgia-surpasses-429-million/article_2e0c37c8-1431-11ed-ad78-cb5466f5cd5b.html | 2022-08-04T22:11:14 | 1 | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/abac-economic-impact-on-south-georgia-surpasses-429-million/article_2e0c37c8-1431-11ed-ad78-cb5466f5cd5b.html |
More than 2,200 were without power in Otsego County Thursday evening after thunderstorms made their way through the region in the afternoon.
According to New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG) more than 660 outages have been reported in Cooperstown and more than 500 in both Hartwick and Laurens.
Power is expected to be restored in most areas by 9 p.m. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/more-than-2-200-without-power-in-otsego-county-following-storms/article_b86baf88-143c-11ed-8efd-d737351eaadd.html | 2022-08-04T22:11:53 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/more-than-2-200-without-power-in-otsego-county-following-storms/article_b86baf88-143c-11ed-8efd-d737351eaadd.html |
UTICA, N.Y. – The Utica Police Department is taking extra steps to help boost applications by offering mock physical agility testing and using a donation to waive the fee for the next several people who apply.
Thanks to a donation from Mastrovito Hyundai, UPD is waiving the application fee for 60 applicants.
Members of the department are also offering free mock testing to help those who passed the written exam but are worried about the portion of the test that measures physical agility. This will show applicants how they rank against state police physical fitness standards and how to improve before the test.
Those interested in taking the civil service exam must apply by Aug. 19. For more information on the application process, click here.
The exam is scheduled for Sept. 17. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/upd-offering-mock-physical-agility-testing-to-help-potential-recruits/article_b25c246c-142b-11ed-8ea5-db329ac1f299.html | 2022-08-04T22:12:00 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/upd-offering-mock-physical-agility-testing-to-help-potential-recruits/article_b25c246c-142b-11ed-8ea5-db329ac1f299.html |
BRIGANTINE — Police tracked down a Delaware man accused of stealing money from the city's ACME Markets store last month.
After investigating the July 13 incident, Logan J. Dunn, of Camden-Wyoming, was arrested and charged with fourth-degree theft of movable property. He was released on a summons, police said on Thursday.
Dunn allegedly stole cash from an outdoor register at the ACME, police said.
After the theft was reported, police issued a social media post that featured an image of a suspect SUV, asking for help to track down the vehicle.
Anyone with additional information about the theft should contact city police, at 609-266-7414. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/delaware-man-stole-money-from-brigantine-acme-police-say/article_5d50d510-142d-11ed-8a8c-afff91fb61ee.html | 2022-08-04T22:15:37 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/delaware-man-stole-money-from-brigantine-acme-police-say/article_5d50d510-142d-11ed-8a8c-afff91fb61ee.html |
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — Ricardo Valle, a former teacher at Ocean City High School who pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a student there, was sentenced to five years in State Prison on July 25.
As part of his plea deal, Valle must surrender his teaching license and cannot participate in any future public service. He also must register as a sex offender under Megan's Law once he's leaves jail, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said on Thursday.
Valle was arrested Feb. 27, 2021, while living in Seabrook, Texas. At the time of his arrest, Valle was employed as a teacher with the Clear Creek Independent School District in Houston. He left the Ocean City school district in June 2016.
Valle was investigated by Cape May County authorities for sexually assaulting a student.
People are also reading…
He pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Originally, he was additionally charged with sexual assault, official misconduct and criminal sexual contact, according to past reports. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ex-ocean-city-school-teacher-sentenced-for-sexual-contact-with-student/article_52f66ca8-1430-11ed-ab95-6b7e7f03205e.html | 2022-08-04T22:15:43 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ex-ocean-city-school-teacher-sentenced-for-sexual-contact-with-student/article_52f66ca8-1430-11ed-ab95-6b7e7f03205e.html |
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — A Middle Township man was arrested on Wednesday following an investigation into his alleged relationship with a minor.
Abdul Blackmon, 26, of the township's Whitesboro neighborhood, is charged with manufacturing child pornography, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
He's being held at the Cape May County jail, the county's Prosecutor's Office said on Thursday.
Blackmon, of West Dunbar Street, was investigated by both township police and the Prosecutor's Office.
Blackmon's charges are in first, second and third degrees, the Prosecutor's Office said.
First-degree crimes carry a 10-to 20-year prison term. Second-degree crimes carry five to 10 years, and third-degree offenses carry three to five years, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said.
People are also reading…
The investigation into Blackmon is ongoing, therefore anyone with information pertaining to the case should contact the Prosecutor's Office, at 609-465-1135, or submit an anonymous tip online through cmcpo.tips. Cape May County Crime Stoppers can also also be reached, at 609-889-3597.
Additionally, the Cape May County Sheriff's Office is available for anonymous tips, at cmcsheriff.net. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/whitesboro-man-had-sexual-relationship-with-a-minor-prosecutors-office-says/article_21d8beda-1432-11ed-8598-6f1e6b51c91f.html | 2022-08-04T22:15:49 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/whitesboro-man-had-sexual-relationship-with-a-minor-prosecutors-office-says/article_21d8beda-1432-11ed-8598-6f1e6b51c91f.html |
Here’s an update of the COVID-19 numbers in the state.
New positive cases: 2,942
New deaths: 13
Total positive cases: 2,221,405
Total number of deaths: 31,224
Total vaccine doses administered: 14,161,361
Rate of transmission: .97
CASES BY COUNTY
Atlantic: 62,592 cases, 962 deaths, 381,184 doses administered
Cape May: 12,395 cases, 266 deaths, 134,619 doses administered
Cumberland: 36,991 cases, 580 deaths, 187,058 doses administered
People are also reading…
Ocean: 151,779 cases, 2,883 deaths, 704,1253 doses administered
Figures as of 6 p.m. Aug. 4
Source: N.J. Department of Health | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/new-jersey-reports-more-than-2-900-new-covid-19-cases-13-new-deaths-rate/article_af55331c-1417-11ed-88e0-636529b74042.html | 2022-08-04T22:15:55 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/new-jersey-reports-more-than-2-900-new-covid-19-cases-13-new-deaths-rate/article_af55331c-1417-11ed-88e0-636529b74042.html |
The Margate Beach Patrol World War II Memorial Lifeguard Races, a great tradition now in its 76th year, will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Decatur Avenue beach in Margate.
The Margate event is the second of the "Big Three" in the South Jersey Lifeguard season. The races are the mile doubles row, the half-mile swim and the 1,000-foot singles row. Since it's ocean racing, those measurements are approximations.
Scoring is 5-4-3-2-1 for the first five places.
There's still plenty of uncertainty about who the top contenders may be. The Atlantic County and Cape May County patrols have met each other only once this season, at last Friday's Dutch Hoffman Memorial Lifeguard Championships.
"It's always exciting," said Margate Beach Patrol Chief Greg Smallwood. "A lot of the towns have more balanced lineups with good rowers and swimmers, so it should be interesting. The doubles row (at the Hoffman Memorials, in Wildwood) was amazingly close between the top four boats last week."
People are also reading…
Longport won the Margate Memorials last year and in 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Longport is always tough, and Avalon is really strong this year. Sea Isle City is good," Smallwood said. "There could be a lot of scenarios. The competition can be tough with the wind. But these are each city's best oarsmen and swimmers, so they'll show what they do (rescuing) on a daily basis."
Sea Isle's Pat Scannapieco and Danny Rogers won a close doubles race at the Hoffman Memorials, and Longport's Mike McGrath and Sean Duffey were second. Margate's Bob Bechtel won the singles row at the event, and he'll row doubles Friday with Hayden Smallwood (Greg's nephew).
Avalon's Dolan Grisbaum won the men's swim at the Hoffman event and is unbeaten so far this summer. Ocean City's Dylan DeWitt and Margate's Zach Vasser were second and third, respectively, in Wildwood.
The singles have the usual strong lineups. The list includes Avalon's Erich Wolf, Atlantic City's Vince Granese, Longport's McGrath, Margate's Chris Spiers, Wildwood Crest's Jake Klecko and Wildwood's Brandon Joyce. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/margate-wwii-memorials-to-hold-76th-edition-friday/article_a413b5dc-142b-11ed-b484-cf59f236f8b1.html | 2022-08-04T22:16:14 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/margate-wwii-memorials-to-hold-76th-edition-friday/article_a413b5dc-142b-11ed-b484-cf59f236f8b1.html |
The 60th Long Beach Island Lifeguard Tournament will be held at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the 22nd Street beach in Barnegat Light on LBI.
The competing teams are six-time defending champion Harvey Cedars (2015-2019, 2021), Barnegat Light, Ship Bottom, Surf City, Beach Haven and Long Beach Township.
Harvey Cedars won last year by one point over Barnegat Light, with 107 team points to BL's 106. Ship Bottom was third with 72 points.
"Every year is really tough," said Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol Chief Randy Townsend. "All the patrols have great teams and great athletes here on LBI."
Nearly all the races are out to flags 500 feet from shore and back again, and they can be easily seen by the crowd. There will be eight races on Friday and 11 more on Saturday. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/two-day-lib-tournament-starts-friday/article_7c303210-1436-11ed-b4f0-07ada7b8ab72.html | 2022-08-04T22:16:20 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/two-day-lib-tournament-starts-friday/article_7c303210-1436-11ed-b4f0-07ada7b8ab72.html |
BERWICK, Pa. — No matter where you were on Thursday, people in the WNEP viewing area had something to say about the extreme heat.
Some folks decided to beat the 90-degree heat by spending time in the pool. More than 200 people flocked to the Ber Vaughn Pool in Berwick.
"It is really hot today. So, I came to the Ber Vaughn Pool to cool off because I have been sweating all day," Michael James said.
"Usually, I just find friends, and then if they are here, I will come, or if not, then I will just come alone and cool off," Jaedyn Wickham said.
"Every time it gets hot out, we get to max capacity, and we have to close the pool to others because it is full. Every single time it's hot," said lifeguard Andrew Katsock.
Hanging out in the pool is not enough on high-temperature days. Keyonna James of Berwick says it is important to stay hydrated.
"I have been drinking water. I have been eating, just playing."
Lifeguards have an important role in keeping people safe while they swim, but lifeguards at the Ber Vaughn Pool also have to find ways to stay cool.
"We have to fill our waters and make sure we stay hydrated because it gets hot, and you sweat a lot. In between breaks, we try to hop in the pool, but it is hard when it is busy like this," Katsock said.
Check out severe weather tips on WNEP's YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/staying-cool-by-the-pool-in-columbia-county-ber-vaughn-pool-swimming-heat-hot-weather/523-ec46daea-1ecb-49e4-aab2-1ef902149225 | 2022-08-04T22:18:48 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/staying-cool-by-the-pool-in-columbia-county-ber-vaughn-pool-swimming-heat-hot-weather/523-ec46daea-1ecb-49e4-aab2-1ef902149225 |
SCRANTON, Pa. — It was certainly not the kind of day you want to be without air conditioning.
But a power outage left hundreds sweating it out in Lackawanna County.
Traffic lights along Mulberry Street in Scranton were on the fritz just before noon.
More than a thousand people in the Electric City and neighboring Moosic were affected.
Thankfully, the issue was resolved quickly, and power is back on for those folks.
Want to see what was in news in 1983? Head on over to WNEP's YouTube. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/power-knocked-out-in-lackawanna-county-scranton-moosic-mulberry-street-wnep/523-490f765d-b2ab-492f-bc23-9e3765ed16aa | 2022-08-04T22:18:48 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/power-knocked-out-in-lackawanna-county-scranton-moosic-mulberry-street-wnep/523-490f765d-b2ab-492f-bc23-9e3765ed16aa |
LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Despite it being one of the hottest days of the year in Lackawanna County. It is just another day of work for Louis LaCapra of Dunmore.
The owner-operator at LaCapra Stone and Supply in Throop was outside all day long filling orders as the sun takes its toll.
"I'm one guy and when you got five guys loading in, a lot of people get impatient sometimes in the heat," said Louis LaCapra. "They get a little frustrated...You just got to tell them I'll be right with you and do the best I could."
His family's stone yard in Throop sells construction materials, mulch, and gravel for businesses all over the area.
So, a day off because of the heat is not an option.
"They rely on us to be open whether they need topsoil or mulch we are supposed to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and we got to be here to supply them," said Louis.
It's not just Louis who is feeling the heat. Other landscapers and the occasional customer are also looking to make some home improvements, sweating it out on a hot day with temperatures in the upper 90s.
David, a Landscaper from Scranton, came to pick up a trailer full of dark brown mulch for a job he's planning to finish up today.
"The jobs got to get done. We are willing to push that extra mile to do what we got to do, but the heat takes its toll, and we have to work through it," said David.
As the day goes on and the equipment keeps running, Louis's brother Rocco LaCapra returns from a morning of deliveries in his air-conditioned truck with a few tips for beating this late summer heat.
"Stay hydrated; try to break up your day into little breaks," said Rocco. "You know, let yourself rest for five, ten minutes. It's hot and the heat takes it right out of you."
With his brother's advice in mind and his water bottle in hand, Louis hopped in his machine and continued his day, helping customers no matter the forecast.
Check out severe weather tips on WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/working-roaring-temperatures/523-f3e39d0a-784d-4663-8f42-9cfd23c1921b | 2022-08-04T22:18:49 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/working-roaring-temperatures/523-f3e39d0a-784d-4663-8f42-9cfd23c1921b |
KINGSTON, Pa. — Employees from First Hospital on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston planned to speak out against the planned closure at a news conference on Thursday, but a union representative tells Newswatch 16 they were told their jobs would be on the line if they did.
State lawmakers and a parent did the talking for them.
"Something needs to be done, and the right people need to be held accountable, and it doesn't need to be done on the head of these patients or the head of my child," said Jennifer Mickle-Symons of Larksville.
She joined nurses and some state lawmakers outside First Hospital in Kingston.
Earlier this week, Commonwealth Health announced plans to close the place by October. Mickle-Symons worries about her teenage son, who takes part in one of the hospital's treatment programs.
"For him, this could mean severe regression. It could lead to further depressions, a spiral of things like that. And as of right now, he's stated, 'Where do I go from here? Why do I bother?''
Mickle-Symons says that the next closest option for her son is an hour away in Tunkhannock. State lawmakers understand her concern.
"The closure of this hospital will send shock waves throughout, not just this community, but the greater region. Make no mistake, these shock waves and ripple effects will not just impact Luzerne County but all of northeastern Pennsylvania," said Rep. Aaron Kaufer, (R) 120th District.
First Hospital has provided psychiatric treatment for people of all ages since 1983. The lawmakers plan to pressure state agencies and Commonwealth Health to make sure that the hospital's staff, along with patients and their families, are taken care of.
"All we want are the facts and the truth. How can you close a facility with 5,000 patients without some sort of backup plan? So we are going to work together to make sure these 5,000 patients and their 300-plus nurses continue to serve these people," said Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, (D) 121st District.
We reached out to Commonwealth Health, but no one got back to us. Earlier in the week, Commonwealth Health said in a statement that it is open to having someone else take over First Hospital and the behavioral health services it offers.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/fighting-to-keep-first-hospital-open-kingston-commonwealth-health/523-aeadab7b-bc0e-4efe-8319-d00579cd2447 | 2022-08-04T22:18:51 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/fighting-to-keep-first-hospital-open-kingston-commonwealth-health/523-aeadab7b-bc0e-4efe-8319-d00579cd2447 |
LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Dreams are coming true at the region's first Junior Game Warden Camp.
"I always wanted to be a game warden. It's been like my dream!"
The Pennsylvania Game Commission organized the camp at Frances Slocum State Park in Luzerne County to give kids an up-close look at what a game warden does.
"Our main job is to protect and manage all wildlife and habitat in Pennsylvania. So, we are law enforcement officers, but we deal with large animal complaints like deer and bears and other animal complaints like skunks and woodchucks, injured animals, things like that," said Gerald Kapral, information and education supervisor for the northeast region of the Game Commission.
All geared up, the campers made their way into the wooded areas to learn how to track a missing person, something game wardens are often called on to do.
"It seems really fun to actually be one because you get to be outside all day and track people, and that could be helping them," said Gianna Johnson from Pittston.
There's a lot to pack into the one-day camp. Wardens showed how they are able to safely trap animals.
The campers say they didn't know game wardens do so many different things.
"Forensics mostly, I was interested in that, so it's been a good day so far," said camper Joseph Chickson.
"Tracking, finding, and rescuing injured animals," added camper Ryleigh Landau.
While some campers have their eyes on career goals, others are using the day to build skills to help them in other ways.
"If we are playing hide and seek, I can use my skills to track them," Aiden Price said.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission hopes to turn the Junior Game Warden Camp into a three-day event in the near future.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/junior-game-wardens-learn-about-the-great-outdoors-pennsylvania-game-commission-camp/523-2b84d14c-f872-42db-a844-fa8efae78b38 | 2022-08-04T22:18:57 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/junior-game-wardens-learn-about-the-great-outdoors-pennsylvania-game-commission-camp/523-2b84d14c-f872-42db-a844-fa8efae78b38 |
HAZLETON, Pa. — A man will spend at least 19 years in prison after a shooting in Hazleton.
Anthony Gambirazio and his brother pistol-whipped a man and shot him in the arm in June of last year.
Gambirazio was found guilty of aggravated assault, robbery, and related offenses back in April.
Want to see what was in news in 1983? Head on over to WNEP's YouTube. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/man-sentenced-for-shooting-in-hazleton-anthony-gambirazio-2021-wnep-luzerne-county/523-38b53365-5f44-47be-b9fb-ca828ec2f261 | 2022-08-04T22:19:08 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/man-sentenced-for-shooting-in-hazleton-anthony-gambirazio-2021-wnep-luzerne-county/523-38b53365-5f44-47be-b9fb-ca828ec2f261 |
STROUD TOWNSHIP, PA — Most days during the work week, Yetter Park in Stroud Township is pretty quiet. But ask neighbors what it's like on the weekend, and you get a much different story.
"You can't get in here on the weekends. Out-of-towners come, and it's just so packed, and it's just a mess. So you can't really enjoy your time," Brandy Martinez of East Stroudsburg said.
Stroud Township Manager Daryl Eppley said visitors have been violating the park's rules, leaving trash behind, and overcrowding the park. Eppley said these park violations are what lead township officials to close two parks.
"They have no regard for our rules and regulations and our environmentally sensitive parks," Eppley said.
Hickory Valley Park will close on weekends and holidays. Yetter Park will now close at noon on the weekends, but the trails will be open.
Eppley said other townships are dealing with similar problems.
"I think other communities are going to have stronger measures in place to deal with this because we can't tolerate this. Enough's enough," he said.
People who live next to Yetter Park said once this parking lot gets filled, people then start to park on their lawns, making it difficult for them to sometimes pull in and out of their driveways.
"I believe that the park is there for the enjoyment of the community. People who live around here, we don't mind having people coming over, but when it starts becoming overcrowded, it becomes a problem," Andre Lavache said.
"My suggestion was the Township instead of having a guard here and paying them to have somebody standing up here giving them a plastic bag to put the trash in. Just a friendly reminder, please put your trash in and bring it out here," Diane Wenger said.
Township officials said if the new restrictions work, they may implement them next summer.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/garbage-problems-prompt-shorter-hours-for-stroud-township-parks-poconos-yetter-hickory-valley/523-8829e2c5-59a6-431d-b8b8-f564c2179d6b | 2022-08-04T22:19:14 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/garbage-problems-prompt-shorter-hours-for-stroud-township-parks-poconos-yetter-hickory-valley/523-8829e2c5-59a6-431d-b8b8-f564c2179d6b |
BLAKESLEE, Pa. — The heat can be especially harsh on plants and gardens. That's why employees at the Selig Center near Blakeslee say they have to use lots of water on their plants.
"We have to water a lot deeply, so they'll just give a sprinkle. It's best to water in the morning or late afternoon, evening if you can, but here we have to do it during the day," Barb Kohv, a Selig Center employee, said.
Kohv says other than watering, there are other things you should consider.
"Fertilizer is not a good thing in the hot weather. And then as far as your insecticides and fungicides, in the morning or early evening, so not during the sunny parts of the day. And if you have hanging baskets, if they're in the sun, you can move them to a shady spot, so that'll help too," Kohv said.
While some plants like the heat, others may not. And employees here at the garden center said it's important to research your plants.
"Certain ones flower, like the Dahlias, will flower more in the heat and the hydrangeas. They like the heat," Selig Center employee Melissa Loureiro said.
Employees said watering depends on what type of plants you have and their location.
"The soil should be dark, but you just want to stick your finger in like an inch and a half down and make sure it wet down there too, not just on top. And you can put mulch on top to keep some of the moisture in the soil," Loureiro said.
The garden center employees said the more mature a plant is, the better off it will be to withstand the heat.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/saving-your-plants-from-the-summer-heat-garden-gardener-flower-blakeslee-hot-weather/523-20266343-7935-49a2-9ddc-2a2bb74eeaa8 | 2022-08-04T22:19:20 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/saving-your-plants-from-the-summer-heat-garden-gardener-flower-blakeslee-hot-weather/523-20266343-7935-49a2-9ddc-2a2bb74eeaa8 |
TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Many churches and nonprofits with a mission to help the less fortunate struggle to pay for those services.
But one Brevard County ministry has found a unique way to fundraise.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
When LifePointe Ministries decided to build a community, they started with those most in need.
Some would say that was a gamble, but so is how they help pay for it.
Every Monday night, the church hosts bingo at the Titusville Civic Center, a building the church purchased in 2017 with the intent of keeping it a multi-purpose venue.
Pastor Royce “Scooter” Morrison said community service was always part of the plan.
“We decided that we wanted to be a church that if the door’s closed, we would be missed,” Morrison said. “We decided that having a building that the community could use was far more important than having a church building.”
Every Thursday night, church volunteers host a pot luck dinner and the community is invited. They call it the Thursday Table. Many of those in attendance are homeless, others are just getting by.
“We have folks living in cars, vans and campers,” Morrison said. “We have at least five families, that come here weekly, they have a home but can’t keep the power or water on.”
A meal is provided, a charging station is set up for phones, nonprofit partners are on hand to help with job placement and there are even portable showers for those who need them.
“I get to be out front but it’s the amazing people in the green shirts that do it all,” said Morrison, looking over his shoulder at the team of volunteers serving food. “The people who come and support and those who send in donations.”
Connie Morales sat and enjoyed some French toast as part of the evening’s breakfast-themed dinner.
Morales moved down from Pennsylvania a year ago to be closer to family. She said there was a falling out and now she’s on her own and struggling to make ends meet. She added she often sleeps nearby in a tent.
“I get hungry,” Morales said. “Sometimes this is the only meal in my day.”
Morales said she also enjoys meeting new people at the Thursday gatherings.
A few tables away, Lynne Gordon listened to the worship leader sing and play guitar. Gordon, 79, lives in a home nearby.
She said her retirement savings didn’t last as long as she hoped.
“I come here and it helps me a lot,” Gordon said. “Inflation has hit, your friends die and now my car has gone away too. I had a game plan. Plan A,B,C and Z. I’m running out of miracles now.”
Gordon praised “Scooter” and all the volunteers.
“These people work with their hearts and hands,” she said. “They serve and they do it joyfully and gratefully.”
What Gordon didn’t know is that Monday night bingo games help make all this possible. Sure, volunteers provide most of the food, but Morrison said 30% to 40% of the operating cost comes from revenue raised by their weekly games.
“We couldn’t do this at the level we do without that Monday night piece,” Morrison said.
And it almost didn’t happen.
The civic center used to host bingo games regularly but that ended years ago. All the equipment, however, was left in the building when it was sold. It sat in a back room for years.
“We would get calls every week from people asking when we were going to start bingo back,” Morrison recalled. “Then we were sitting in a meeting talking about how to raise funds for what we do and literally the two ideas just jumped in the boat together. We have bingo supplies and we can do fundraisers and the community wants it. That’s how it happened.”
Morrison dusted off the equipment and placed signs by the road welcoming people to the revived bingo games.
Morrison said this new version is low-key. And if he’s calling the numbers, he tries to joke around.
“They say we’re the funnest group in town,” he added. “We don’t get too wrapped up in the seriousness of it.”
Annette Brown is a regular. Like so many playing, she has a few lucky charms on the table in front of her and a crossword puzzle to chip away at if the game gets slow.
“It’s kind of like a fun night out,” said Brown, adding that she’s glad the money goes toward a good cause. “Scooter has been doing so much for so long. I wanted somebody to spotlight him because I wanted people to see that average people can make a big difference.”
Morrison and the Thursday Table are getting results. The ministry feeds 80 to 90 people a week.
Morrison said the bingo equipment is from the ‘80s, and it’s showing its age, but as long as there’s a need, the games will go on.
“Every time one of these folks takes a dauber and uses their hand to cover a bingo number, they have no idea the hand that they’re allowing us to reach out in our community,” he said. “I get motivated when I look around this room. I see lives that are absolutely different than they were when they first came here. I get motivated by people being changed and transformed by love.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/bingo-this-titusville-ministry-took-a-gamble-on-community-and-everyones-a-winner/ | 2022-08-04T22:21:56 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/bingo-this-titusville-ministry-took-a-gamble-on-community-and-everyones-a-winner/ |
WESTON, Fla. – It was a long road to recovery for 22-year-old Sebastian Deleon, who lost most of his motor skills six years ago after suffering a brain-eating amoeba.
“For the first couple of years, it was kind of hard. The part that I most remember is the part that I was in rehab,” Deleon recalled. “It was tough. I had to, like, learn how to walk, how to write again, how to do all the basic stuff again.”
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
In 2016, Deleon — who was 16 years old at the time — remembered experiencing an unbearable headache while on vacation with his family in Orlando.
“This headache was different. It felt more like — the description that I kept saying at the hospital was that it felt there was a smooth rock on top of my head, and someone was pushing it down,” he said.
Those were the initial symptoms of the deadly brain-eating amoeba.
“I couldn’t get up, and I couldn’t move and stuff like that, so my parents were like, ‘OK, there’s something wrong with this boy. We need to take him somewhere,’” he said. “We got in the car. It felt like I was in one of those roller coasters spinning around and around and around, and I had to wear sunglasses, and the sun wasn’t even out.”
From his home in Weston, Florida, Deleon said he contracted the amoeba after swimming in a pond near his home.
“It was more of a pond, but we used to call it the lake because it was a huge pond, but the only thing was that it was still-water,” the college student recalled.
At the time, Deleon said he had never heard about the condition or the risk of swimming in freshwater.
“I went in, I believe, like, three times or twice,” he said.
Doctors told him it was one of those times the amoeba made its way up his nose and into his brain.
“That’s probably when I got it — that I did jump in there, and I did not cover my nose, and I just cannon-balled in a way,” he said.
The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that from 1962 to 2021, there have been 154 known cases of people contracting brain-eating amoebas, and only four people have survived.
Three of the survivors, including Sebastian, were treated with the drug commercially known as Impavido.
“We felt optimistic at the very beginning because we knew that this was the first time a patient ever had received the drug while still conscious,” Todd McLaughlan, the CEO of Orlando-based Profounda, Inc. — which is the sole distributor of Impavido in the U.S. — said.
The drug was brought from Germany by the CDC after it showed promise in treating the brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater.
“The most important thing is a proper diagnosis, and the second thing is speed: making sure you get that drug to them as quickly as possible,” McLaughlan said. “Think of the treatment for a severe car accident or severe brain trauma. This is to prevent the brain from swelling.”
According to Profounda, only 26 hospitals carry the drug nationwide. Seven of those hospitals are in Florida.
“It’s not anywhere near where it needs to be,” McLaughlan said.
For Sebastian, he hopes sharing his story will shed light on a condition that’s left so many families in heartbreak.
“We should probably have more research into this because there’s no reason why a kid should go into a pond and be scared that could get something that we barely know what to do with,” Sebastian said. “I really do think that we should spread more awareness about this because it’s something that no one, almost nobody, knows about it, and yet it’s so fatal.”
Sebastian has made a full recovery and is now a pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/surviving-a-brain-eating-amoeba-florida-college-student-talks-about-recovery/ | 2022-08-04T22:22:02 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/04/surviving-a-brain-eating-amoeba-florida-college-student-talks-about-recovery/ |
PORTLAND, Maine — Editor's note: The video attached to this story was published Aug. 3.
The motorcyclist who died following a collision with a car Wednesday on Route 114 in Scarborough has been identified.
Steven Lemieux, 67, died as a result of the crash that took place shortly after 9 a.m., according to a news release issued Wednesday by the Scarborough Police Department.
Lemieux was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, the release states.
According to an earlier report, the motorcyclist was struck when a vehicle was turning left into Nonesuch River Golf Club.
Alcohol and speed are not believed to have been contributing factors in the crash, police say.
The crash remains under investigation.
A call to the police department to inquire about where Lemieux is from was not returned by the time of publication. NEWS CENTER Maine will update the story as information becomes available. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/police-identify-motorcyclist-who-died-in-crash-scarborough-maine/97-0a6b78a8-24c5-484b-98f6-1d53776a90cb | 2022-08-04T22:24:37 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/police-identify-motorcyclist-who-died-in-crash-scarborough-maine/97-0a6b78a8-24c5-484b-98f6-1d53776a90cb |
BLOOMINGTON, Minn — The Mall of America in Bloomington is currently on lockdown following reports of a possible shooting inside the building.
A post from the Mall of America Twitter account said people inside the mall should remain where they are until the lockdown is lifted.
The tweet was a reply to a person who said they were safe and hiding in a backroom after hearing reports of a shooting.
Bloomington Police confirmed just before 5 p.m. that the department has "numerous officers" on scene "working an active incident" inside the mall.
Ava Malloy, an employee at Air Traffic Toys in the Mall of America, spoke to KARE 11 over the phone while in lockdown. "I turned off the lights and everyone's huddled behind something," Ava said.
"We were working with customers and then all of a sudden there were people running in the store. There was probably about 25 to 30 people and we looked and thought they were kids just goofing around," Macy's employee Brenda Wachello said via phone while taking cover inside the store. "And then people were saying 'There's a shooter."
This is a developing story. KARE 11 will provide more details as new information becomes available. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/reports-mall-of-america-on-lockdown/89-a727b712-90e1-4c6b-bb7e-5d76a254e507 | 2022-08-04T22:24:43 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/reports-mall-of-america-on-lockdown/89-a727b712-90e1-4c6b-bb7e-5d76a254e507 |
DES MOINES, Iowa — Caring for our furry friends isn't a walk in the park — and that's why one local veterinarian says they need more veterinarians fast.
Dr. Michelle Heyer, a veterinarian at Animal Care Clinic West says the journey of becoming a veterinarian is complex.
"It's a very competitive field, and you get into it, and it is not as lucrative as some of the other fields for that kind of debt intake," Heyer said.
According to Dr. Randy Wheeler, the Executive Director of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, 44 states across the nation are experiencing veterinarian shortages, with rural states and cities facing the worst of it.
Within rural states, emergency clinics are having trouble finding vets and vet techs to meet their demand.
Wheeler emphasizes the struggle rural areas are facing.
"As far as why we're seeing shortages, again, salaries, the number of years it takes to get through vet school and then in the rural areas, it's the rural lifestyle versus urban or suburban areas," Wheeler said.
Wheeler says that after looking at the states veterinarian college applicants, he thinks help may be on the way.
"Luckily, in Iowa we are seeing a good participation at the college of veterinary medicine, there were over 2000 applicants for 160 seats," Wheeler said.
In the meantime, Heyer says you can expect your visits to be pricier as the industry works to overcome the shortage.
"Just like everything else, you've probably noticed your veterinary bills going up. And that's a trend that you're going to continue to see because it's, it's a way for the profession to try to balance out that for the quality of life in veterinary medicine," Heyer said.
If you need to book an appointment for your pet, make sure you don't wait around as many clinics are full. | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/iowa-veterinarian-shortage-price-increase-pet-care-cost/524-efd2a3cf-c62b-4e66-a9b6-a59a780b722b | 2022-08-04T22:27:02 | 1 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/iowa-veterinarian-shortage-price-increase-pet-care-cost/524-efd2a3cf-c62b-4e66-a9b6-a59a780b722b |
BLOOMINGTON, Minn — The Mall of America in Bloomington is currently on lockdown following reports of a possible shooting inside the building.
A post from the Mall of America Twitter account said people inside the mall should remain where they are until the lockdown is lifted.
The tweet was a reply to a person who said they were safe and hiding in a backroom after hearing reports of a shooting.
Bloomington Police confirmed just before 5 p.m. that the department has "numerous officers" on scene "working an active incident" inside the mall.
Ava Malloy, an employee at Air Traffic Toys in the Mall of America, spoke to KARE 11 over the phone while in lockdown. "I turned off the lights and everyone's huddled behind something," Ava said.
"We were working with customers and then all of a sudden there were people running in the store. There was probably about 25 to 30 people and we looked and thought they were kids just goofing around," Macy's employee Brenda Wachello said via phone while taking cover inside the store. "And then people were saying 'There's a shooter."
This is a developing story. KARE 11 will provide more details as new information becomes available. | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/reports-mall-of-america-on-lockdown/89-a727b712-90e1-4c6b-bb7e-5d76a254e507 | 2022-08-04T22:27:08 | 0 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/reports-mall-of-america-on-lockdown/89-a727b712-90e1-4c6b-bb7e-5d76a254e507 |
BURLEY —The Cassia County Historical Museum will soon have some added square footage and more security for the irreplaceable items housed there.
A 30-by-54 building is being added that will connect the museum’s main building and the World War II building behind it.
“It will give us more floor and wall space and increase the security with one way in and one way out of all the buildings,” Cassia County Museum Curator Janet Gorringe said.
Right now, she said, only the front part of the museum is open to the public, although they have security cameras in place throughout the buildings.
About four years ago a WWII flight jacket worth about $15,000 disappeared from the back building.
"The pants that went with it were left behind," she said.
People are also reading…
The WWII building includes Vietnam and Korean war displays and the South Idaho Press newspaper archive, and on the west side, it houses the museum's larger pieces such as a stagecoach and farm equipment. The WWII building has a separate entrance, which will be eliminated with the addition.
Cassia County Historical Society President Rob Hutchison said the county is paying the estimated costs for the new addition of $140,000.
“It’s a county-owned building and will be considered a county building upgrade,” Hutchison said.
For the last 20 years the building had become run down and many repairs have been made in the past few years, he said.
“We are trying to improve on what we have and make people want to come in here,” he said.
The new building will add 1,520 square feet of display space and it will have open areas to host museum events and the board’s yearly membership dinner.
Hutchison, who owns a construction company, is volunteering his time to construct the steel building, which has already been purchased.
“That makes it affordable to do it right now,” Hutchison said.
Contractors will perform the work on the foundation and electrical and heating systems.
The space will eventually be climate controlled but about $20,000 is still needed to install the furnace and air conditioning systems.
“That will come later,” he said.
The Cassia County Historical Society and Museum is planning a community action this spring to raise money to join two buildings together.
Some 400 students made rope, churned butter, visited an old Idaho school house, learned about ghost towns and apple agriculture and toured the Cassia County Historical Society Museum.
The board has been working toward the addition for about eight years.
“I’m really excited,” Gorringe said.
There are a lot of stored items that the museum will now put on display, she said.
The museum would also like to eventually digitize the South Idaho Press newspapers and the photos at the museum, she said, but it is a very costly process.
The museum is a nonprofit organization. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/cassia-museum-adds-room-to-connect-buildings-add-space-and-increase-security/article_82939d4e-1432-11ed-af02-b3314fc6ff08.html | 2022-08-04T22:27:32 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/cassia-museum-adds-room-to-connect-buildings-add-space-and-increase-security/article_82939d4e-1432-11ed-af02-b3314fc6ff08.html |
SAN ANTONIO — Army veteran Rick Stover feared he would end up living on the streets once again after learning apartment ownership was no longer accepting Housing Choice Vouchers. But then came a phone call and a sign of hope.
“I am so lucky, so grateful,” Stover said. “This gentleman Mr. Fuentes, he’s awesome, his organization is awesome.”
Stover experienced a rollercoaster of a life following his service in the military.
“I went down that dark path of drinking, drugs, homelessness,” Stover said.
His on and off bouts of homelessness collided with his relationships with family members. Stover eventually conquered his demons and has been sober for the past several years.
Related story: Veteran fears being homeless after new apartment owner refuses federal housing vouchers
The thought of having no place to live but the streets of San Antonio flooded Stover’s mind when he heard about the apartment situation, which he said affected at least a dozen veterans.
An Austin-based property management company took over the Cue at Medical Center apartments and refused to further accept Housing Choice Vouchers, according to Opportunity Home San Antonio ( formerly the San Antonio Housing Authority).
Texas state law does not require private landlords to accept Housing Choice Vouchers.
“It’s a sad situation all away around. Unfortunately us vets, we gotta pay for it.”
Then he heard from Tony Fuentes, a Vietnam veteran who serves as executive director of the San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families.
“As a combat medic in Vietnam, when somebody got injured, the medic was the first guy that they called,” Fuentes said.
The San Antonio native volunteered to join the military where he tended to injured and dying comrades in the battlefields of Vietnam.
There was a period when Fuentes dealt with the struggles of alcohol and drug addiction. He was able to overcome those barriers and shine a light on the veteran community in San Antonio through his extensive work with the non-profit coalition.
The San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families assists military service members by providing shelter, food, clothing and mental health resources.
Fuentes said the organization has helped more than a hundred families over the past year.
Stover is among the most recent veterans to receive immediate assistance.
Fuentes is working with Vietnam veteran and real estate businessman Michael Lynd on arranging a home for Stover to move into that accepts Housing Choice Vouchers. Lynd owns the Auburn Creek apartments at 4411 Gardendale Road.
“What the coalition is doing, we’re paying for his initial deposit through our funds to be able to get him in here and Mr. Lynd is working out a deal where we can get him in here without any issues,” Fuentes said.
Lynd, who’s not directly affiliated with the coalition, has opened his doors to people from all walks of life, including families from Bosnia, Afghanistan. His main focus now is on helping struggling veterans.
“This program is like a year old that we’re really working on and I bet we’ve helped 10-12 vets, somewhere in that range. We’d like to help as many as we can,” Lynd said.
The Auburn Creek apartments on the northwest side will be Rick Stover’s fresh home come next week.
On Aug. 19, the San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families is hosting a fundraiser event featuring live music, catered dinner and a silent auction.
The event will be held at the Lynd Living corporate headquarters at 4499 Pond Hill Road.
To learn more about ticket prices and the coalition, go here. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/non-profit-steps-up-to-help-displaced-san-antonio-veteran-find-new-home/273-abe6bbaa-c3fc-4102-8839-a4f7cde1cbc8 | 2022-08-04T22:28:59 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/non-profit-steps-up-to-help-displaced-san-antonio-veteran-find-new-home/273-abe6bbaa-c3fc-4102-8839-a4f7cde1cbc8 |
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas jury on Thursday ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay more than $4 million in compensatory damages to the parents of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, marking the first time the Infowars host has been held financially liable for repeatedly claiming the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.
The Austin jury must still decide how much the Infowars host must pay in punitive damages to Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse Lewis was among the 20 children and six educators who were killed in the 2012 attack in Newtown, Connecticut.
The parents had sought at least $150 million in compensation for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Jones’ attorney asked the jury to limit damages to $8 — one dollar for each of the compensation charges they are considering — and Jones himself said any award over $2 million “would sink us.”
It likely won't be the last judgment against Jones over his claims that the attack was staged in the interests of increasing gun controls. A Connecticut judge has ruled against him in a similar lawsuit brought by other victims' families and an FBI agent who worked on the case.
The Texas award could set a marker for other cases against Jones and underlines the financial threat he's facing. It also raises new questions about the ability of Infowars — which has been banned from YouTube, Spotify and Twitter for hate speech — to continue operating, although the company's finances remain unclear.
Jones conceded during the trial that the attack was real and that he was wrong to have lied about it. But Heslin and Lewis told jurors that an apology wouldn't suffice and called on them to make Jones pay for the years of suffering he has put them and other Sandy Hook families through.
Jones' media company Free Speech Systems, which is Infowars' parent company, filed for bankruptcy during the two-week trial. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/alex-jones-defamation-case/285-9a074cbd-45a5-4556-b2d2-cf3244c7ac68 | 2022-08-04T22:29:05 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/alex-jones-defamation-case/285-9a074cbd-45a5-4556-b2d2-cf3244c7ac68 |
SALADO, Texas — First Cedar Valley Baptist Church says a trailer was taken off its property that belonged to construction crews helping with renovations at the church.
Security footage now found on the church's Facebook, shows a vehicle entering the church lot around 2:05 a.m. on July 28. The video shows a truck backing into the lot where the trailer is parked, grabbing a pair of bolt cutters and taking off with the property, according to the post. The church believes the thieves removed their license plates before attempting the theft.
The church says they've experienced a lot since the devastation of the tornado that rocked Salado back in April and have an important message for those that took the trailer:
"To the individual who decided they needed this trailer more than the owner:
If you needed to borrow a trailer, you could've just come and asked us, and we'd have had no problem finding one for you to use. If you took it to sell it because you needed the money, a simple phone call or message to us would have been all it took for us to do everything we could to help you. We understand times are tough, but stealing is not the answer and we will pray that God works on your heart and carries you away from this path. If you wish to return the trailer, please contact us so we can arrange it."
If you recognize this person, or of the whereabouts of the trailer, please do not approach or confront the person. Contact the Bell County Sheriff's Department at 254-933-5400, or contact Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-TIPS (8477) where you can leave a message anonymously.
More on KCENtv.com: | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/if-you-needed-to-borrow-a-trailer-you-couldve-just-come-and-asked-us-trailer-stolen-off-local-salado-church-property/500-e0197b56-1020-436f-a3dd-1bf18b3218dd | 2022-08-04T22:31:16 | 0 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/if-you-needed-to-borrow-a-trailer-you-couldve-just-come-and-asked-us-trailer-stolen-off-local-salado-church-property/500-e0197b56-1020-436f-a3dd-1bf18b3218dd |
BLOOMINGTON, Minn — The Mall of America in Bloomington is currently on lockdown following reports of a possible shooting inside the building.
A post from the Mall of America Twitter account said people inside the mall should remain where they are until the lockdown is lifted.
The tweet was a reply to a person who said they were safe and hiding in a backroom after hearing reports of a shooting.
Bloomington Police confirmed just before 5 p.m. that the department has "numerous officers" on scene "working an active incident" inside the mall.
Ava Malloy, an employee at Air Traffic Toys in the Mall of America, spoke to KARE 11 over the phone while in lockdown. "I turned off the lights and everyone's huddled behind something," Ava said.
"We were working with customers and then all of a sudden there were people running in the store. There was probably about 25 to 30 people and we looked and thought they were kids just goofing around," Macy's employee Brenda Wachello said via phone while taking cover inside the store. "And then people were saying 'There's a shooter."
This is a developing story. KARE 11 will provide more details as new information becomes available. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/reports-mall-of-america-on-lockdown/89-a727b712-90e1-4c6b-bb7e-5d76a254e507 | 2022-08-04T22:31:21 | 1 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/reports-mall-of-america-on-lockdown/89-a727b712-90e1-4c6b-bb7e-5d76a254e507 |
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas jury on Thursday ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay more than $4 million in compensatory damages to the parents of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, marking the first time the Infowars host has been held financially liable for repeatedly claiming the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.
The Austin jury must still decide how much the Infowars host must pay in punitive damages to Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse Lewis was among the 20 children and six educators who were killed in the 2012 attack in Newtown, Connecticut.
The parents had sought at least $150 million in compensation for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Jones’ attorney asked the jury to limit damages to $8 — one dollar for each of the compensation charges they are considering — and Jones himself said any award over $2 million “would sink us.”
It likely won't be the last judgment against Jones over his claims that the attack was staged in the interests of increasing gun controls. A Connecticut judge has ruled against him in a similar lawsuit brought by other victims' families and an FBI agent who worked on the case.
The Texas award could set a marker for other cases against Jones and underlines the financial threat he's facing. It also raises new questions about the ability of Infowars — which has been banned from YouTube, Spotify and Twitter for hate speech — to continue operating, although the company's finances remain unclear.
Jones conceded during the trial that the attack was real and that he was wrong to have lied about it. But Heslin and Lewis told jurors that an apology wouldn't suffice and called on them to make Jones pay for the years of suffering he has put them and other Sandy Hook families through.
Jones' media company Free Speech Systems, which is Infowars' parent company, filed for bankruptcy during the two-week trial. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/texas/alex-jones-defamation-case/285-9a074cbd-45a5-4556-b2d2-cf3244c7ac68 | 2022-08-04T22:31:24 | 1 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/texas/alex-jones-defamation-case/285-9a074cbd-45a5-4556-b2d2-cf3244c7ac68 |
Gov. Abbott praises state's business success at West Texas Legislative Summit
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lauded the success of Texas when he spoke at the 18th annual West Texas Legislative Summit on Thursday morning at Angelo State University.
Abbott said Texas has been leading the way in business for years, and the state is again creating jobs and increasing oil production to help lower gas prices.
"The fact of the matter is there is no state in the United States of America that is doing as well on the issue of jobs as the great state of Texas," Abbott said to a standing-room-only crowd at ASU's C.J. Davidson Center.
"And the point here is that the West Texas businesses, they are an essential component of the incredible Texas economic juggernaut. Let me give you some facts and figures to back up what I said. The CEOs who run businesses have named Texas the No. 1 state for doing business for 18 years in a row. Businesses in our state have contributed to make Texas the No. 1 exporting state in America for 20 years in a row."
Abbott went on to say that Texas has won the Governors Cup (awarded to the state with the most qualified capital investment projects) every year that he's been in office.
The governor said that for the first time in Texas, the state is now home to more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other state in the country.
"Now, it would be easy to say, 'That's great, but what does that have to do with San Angelo?' " Abbott said. "Because as far as I know, there are no Fortune 500 companies that are headquartered in San Angelo.
"The fact of the matter is, most of the businesses in San Angelo and most of the businesses in West Texas would be categorized as small businesses. The fact is, about 90% of all businesses in the state are small businesses and they employ about half or more of all the employees in our great state. So, with that context in mind, I'm also proud to tell you that Texas ranks as the No. 1 state in America to start a small business."
Abbott noted that Allen's Transport recently announced it is moving its headquarters to San Angelo.
The governor says Texas "is doing its part" to increase oil production and decrease the need to export natural energy from other countries.
Abbott also addressed the border crisis, saying that, 'Every town in Texas and America is a border town."
He said that two years ago, Texas had the lowest number of border crossings among border states, and now it's the highest, with immigrants coming from some 150 countries. The governor noted that 50 criminals on the terrorist watchlist have been apprehended in Texas.
Abbott says the Biden administration does not know how many more criminals on the terrorist watchlist have come into the country.
"No state in the history of the United States has done more than what Texas is doing to secure the border," Abbott said.
One of his closing comments was that Texas is in his blood.
Abbott's father was from the tiny town of Rule, about 60 miles north of Abilene, and the governor was born in Wichita Falls.
"West Texas is just as important as any part of the state," Abbott said.
Other speakers Thursday included Congressman August Pfluger from San Angelo. He moderated a discussion titled 'Building a Foundation for the Future: Internet, Interstates, and Infrastructure.'
Senator Charles Perry moderated a discussion on 'Growing Future Water Supply: Pipes, Produced Water, and Drought,' while Representative Drew Darby moderated 'Achieving Energy Independence: A West Texas Energy Goldmine.' | https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/local/texas/2022/08/04/gov-greg-abbott-san-angelo-west-texas-legislative-summit/65392351007/ | 2022-08-04T22:33:50 | 0 | https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/local/texas/2022/08/04/gov-greg-abbott-san-angelo-west-texas-legislative-summit/65392351007/ |
BOISE, Idaho — The work of more than 100 Idaho artists will be on display this September when the Boise Art Museum's 68th Art in the Park returns to the City of Trees.
This year's festival features 242 artists total, including 49 new artists from the event in previous years. The three-day event at Julia Davis Park offers a variety of contemporary arts, including glass, metalwork, pottery, textiles, jewelry and toys.
In addition to the outdoor shopping, the Boise Art Museum will also host hands-on activities for children. Craft projects will be set up inside the Children's Art Tent.
Art in the Park also brings a variety of food and beverages from more than 30 vendors to Julia Davis Park. Drinks can be purchased in the Sculpture Garden Pub and local musicians will perform at the Gene Harris Bandshell.
Dates and times for BAM's 68th Art in the Park are listed below:
- Friday, Sept. 9: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 10: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 11: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The Children's Art tent will open at 11 a.m. each day, with closing time set for 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The Boise Art Museum is looking for volunteers for this year's event. Positions are available Thursday, Sept. 8 through Monday, Sept. 12. Volunteer opportunities include assisting with Welcome Centers, the Children's Art Tent, Booth Sitting, Recycling and Event Set-Up and Take-Down.
Volunteer registration is available by clicking here. Art in the Park welcomes volunteers 14 years old and up.
The Boise Art Museum plans to reveal its Art in the Park Guide and information on enhanced accessibility resources in the coming weeks.
For more information is available on BAM's Art in the Park website.
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/art-in-the-park-at-julia-davis-park-in-september/277-493df17c-43b6-4614-b8a8-910f93b40ad8 | 2022-08-04T22:34:46 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/art-in-the-park-at-julia-davis-park-in-september/277-493df17c-43b6-4614-b8a8-910f93b40ad8 |
A Bismarck man was injured when the all-terrain vehicle he was driving collided with a BNSF Railway train 10 miles northwest of Mandan.
The 32-year-old man was eastbound on a gravel road along a private field at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. He crossed the railroad tracks at a marked crossing and was struck by the locomotive. He was taken by ambulance to Sanford Health hospital in Bismarck for treatment of serious injuries, the Patrol said.
The 61-year-old engineer and 55-year-old conductor of the train were not injured. The Patrol did not immediately release the names of anyone involved in the crash, which is still under investigation.
The locomotive was pulling 70 cars of mixed freight and some empty cars, the Patrol said. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/bismarck-man-injured-in-atv-train-crash/article_30e1f440-142e-11ed-8242-475bb4017bc0.html | 2022-08-04T22:35:33 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/bismarck-man-injured-in-atv-train-crash/article_30e1f440-142e-11ed-8242-475bb4017bc0.html |
A race to save fish as Rio Grande dries
ALBUQUERQUE — On a recent, scorching afternoon in Albuquerque, off-road vehicles cruised up and down a stretch of dry riverbed where normally the Rio Grande flows. The drivers weren't thrill-seekers, but biologists hoping to save as many endangered fish as they could before the sun turned shrinking pools of water into dust.
For the first time in four decades, America's fifth-longest river went dry in Albuquerque last week. Habitat for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow — a shimmery, pinky-sized native fish — went with it. Although summer storms have made the river wet again, experts warn the drying this far north is a sign of an increasingly fragile water supply, and that current conservation measures may not be enough to save the minnow and still provide water to nearby farms, backyards and parks.
The minnow inhabits only about 7% of its historic range and has withstood a century of habitat loss as the nearly 1,900 mile-long river was dammed, diverted and channeled from Colorado to New Mexico, Texas and northern Mexico. In 1994, the U.S. government listed it as endangered. Scientists, water managers and environmental groups have worked to keep the fish alive — as required by the Endangered Species Act — but the efforts haven't kept pace with demand for water and climate change.
Years of drought, scorching temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon season are zapping what's left of its habitat, leaving officials with little recourse but to hope for rain.
More:Will Yvette Herrell's defense of oil and gas in climate change debate mean reelection?
“They're adapted for a lot of conditions but not to figure this out,” said Thomas Archdeacon, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist in charge of a program to rescue the fish. “When you have flow one day and no flow the next for miles, they don’t know how to get out of that.”
When parts of the river dry out, officials use hand nets and seines to pull fish from warm puddles and relocate them to still-flowing sections of the river. The minnow's survival rate after being rescued is slim — just over 5% — due to the stress of warm, stagnant water and being forcibly relocated.
Still, leaving the fish in the pools is a certain death sentence, said Archdeacon. He and the other biologists drove over miles of dried riverbed to where the water picked up again — at the outflow of a sewage treatment plant. Only a handful of the 400 rescued fish would survive, with their best chance swimming through treated sewage.
Over the years, the government has bred and released large numbers of silvery minnows, but for the species to recover, it always comes down to habitat, officials say.
And few options remain to get significantly more water into the river.
“Climate change is coming at us so fast right now that it’s outstripping those tools that we developed over the last few decades,” said John Fleck, a water policy researcher at the University of New Mexico.
Historically, one way to send more water into the river has been to release it from upstream reservoirs. But this year, New Mexico has been unable to store extra water because of a downstream debt it owes Texas as part of a compact. Deep into the driest period the West has seen in 1,200 years, the river wasn't replenished by rainstorms that came in June.
“The timing and the placement of the storms weren't in the right place to keep the river flowing,” said Dave Dubois, New Mexico's state climatologist.
To keep more water in the Rio Grande, the state and irrigation districts are offering to pay farmers to leave fields unplanted, but so far, few have opted in. In New Mexico, small-scale farming is the norm and many farmers water their fields with centuries-old earthen canals that run through their backyards, maintaining the land for cultural reasons, too.
By fallowing their fields, farmers would help save water for the minnow and alleviate the debt to Texas. But officials say that in one key district on the river, only 5% of land was left fallow this year.
“We need more people to do it,” said Jason Casuga, chief engineer for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. But the program is just in its second year, and farmers want to grow crops, Casuga said.
For the past four years, Ron Moya has farmed about 50 acres of hay and produce near Albuquerque. A retired engineer, Moya said he answered a calling to work the same land that generations of his family had cultivated before him. Last year, Moya left 10 acres of his plot unplanted in exchange for several thousand dollars, but said he wouldn’t do it this year — even though he was offered more money — because he wanted the moisture to keep the soil on his farm alive. Moya is skeptical that fallowing alone will achieve much.
“There’s people whose livelihood depends on growing their hay. That’s what they know. Can you imagine the whole valley being fallowed? That just seems silly,” he said.
Nor is there much water to squeeze out of New Mexico's biggest city, Albuquerque. Like other Western metropoles, the city of roughly 563,000 has dramatically cut its per-capita water use, from about 250 gallons per day in 1994 to to 119 gallons in 2019, according to data provided by the city's water utility. Albuquerque also uses groundwater and water from the Colorado River.
According to Mike Hamman, New Mexico's state water engineer, “the low hanging fruit has already been picked in Albuquerque, so now it gets a little harder."
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2022/08/04/a-race-to-save-fish-as-rio-grande-dries/65391994007/ | 2022-08-04T22:36:41 | 0 | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2022/08/04/a-race-to-save-fish-as-rio-grande-dries/65391994007/ |
New Mexico has 10 cases of monkeypox; known COVID-19 daily cases flatten
New Mexico health officials said Thursday that COVID-19 case averages continued to hold at a plateau over the summer and that approximately 250 doses of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine had been administered in an effort to slow community transmission of that virus.
Both public health emergencies were addressed in a video news conference with acting state Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase and interim state epidemiologist Dr. Laura Parajón.
Epidemiological data presented Thursday showed that while overall COVID-19 infection based on seven-day case averages remained high across the state, the average has held at a plateau across the summer months. The data is based on lab-confirmed PCR tests, however, and does not account for positive results from home tests.
Scrase said there were no indicators that the trend would move downward soon, and national health experts have predicted rises in transmission during the fall and winter months, currently driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2's omicron strain.
Repeating a message from recent monthly news conferences, Scrase said that the state health department is monitoring strain on the state's healthcare system as a higher priority than daily case data. The rate of hospitalizations for COVID-19 has also remained at a plateau while the percentage of patients placed on ventilators has decreased with improved treatment options and vaccinations, which he said are "the most effective way to reduce your risk of getting serious complications, like hospitalization or death or even long COVID."
"Long COVID" refers to patients, as many as 1 in 5 by some estimates, who experience long-term complications following a bout with the disease.
Scrase acknowledged a recent uptick in deaths attributed by physicians to COVID-19, but maintained odds of a fatal case have decreased under the current subvariants compared to 2021 deadly tides by the delta variant and initial iteration of omicron.
As more children begin school, Scrase recommended this as a good time for them and family members to get updated on vaccines or boosters, as eligible. He said that those who have held out because of concerns with the mRNA technology used in the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines now have an alternative available to them: Novavax, a protein-based vaccine that does not use mRNA technology, is available through 13 providers in New Mexico.
Scrase said that while a new vaccine targeting omicron strains might be authorized for use as soon as September, he did not recommend waiting for it to get a booster.
Vaccinations for COVID-19 are offered free of charge. Information on locations and appointments is available online at https://VaccineNM.org.
Again stating there were no discussions of resorting to public health restrictions to curb transmission, he recommended New Mexicans be aware of COVID-19 community levels in their area as measured by the CDC and follow its guidance accordingly, to stay up-to-date on vaccination, and wear an N95 or KN95 mask in appropriate situations.
The CDC website publishes a "community level" map, which assesses county-level COVID-19 vulnerability based on case data as well as hospital admissions and available beds.
On Thursday, the map showed most of southern New Mexico at a medium level, while 11 of 33 counties, including the northwestern corner and highly populous Bernalillo County, at high. At that level, the CDC recommends well-fitting mask use for indoor public settings regardless of vaccine status.
The CDC's map of community transmission, meanwhile, showed New Mexico almost entirely red: 31 of 33 counties, with the exception of Harding and De Baca counties, measured high rates of transmission based on daily case data and test positivity rates.
"What we're trying to do is encourage everyone in New Mexico to do their part, to wear their masks in a time that's red or yellow, to do all those things and to get on board to help us all come together to minimize all those numbers," Scrase said.
New Mexico monkeypox update, symptoms
Parajón said New Mexico has now confirmed 10 cases of monkeypox out of 6,617 nationwide. All 10 cases were reportedly acquired out of state, with no known transmission within New Mexico, but Scrase said presumably there would eventually be community transmission.
To slow the spread while conserving tight supplies of the Jynneos vaccine, Parajón said priority was being given to higher-risk individuals, such as those with known recent contact with others who had monkeypox.
Also Thursday, the Biden administration declared the monkeybox outbreak a public health emergency, a move that could make it easier to tap funding to combat the once-rare disease, USA TODAY reported.
While the highest proportion of early cases was found among men engaging in sexual contact with other men and had multiple partners, Parajón emphasized that anyone can contract monkeypox regardless of sexual orientation.
"We don't want to stigmatize people," she said. "It just happened to get in to one group in particular first, but anybody who comes into contact with monkeypox is at risk of getting monkeypox."
While hospitalization or death were rare, the illness can mimic symptoms of flu in early stages and is characterized by painful lesions or blisters.
It may be spread through skin-to-skin contact, especially direct contact with the monkeypox rash or scabs. It can also be transmitted through surfaces or fabrics such as linens and clothing. Intimate contact such as sexual interaction, kissing and massage can also spread the illness but not, she said, casual conversation or walking past someone who has an active case.
The health department advised any individual who thinks they may have been exposed to contact a health provider or public health clinic. If symptoms, develop, the guidance is to avoid close contact with other people. A provider will use a skin test to check for monkeypox, with results coming in one or two days.
Jynneos is an FDA-approved vaccine that Parajón said is safe and effective. While it is most effective in the first four days of transmission, she said vaccination is worthwhile up to 21 days, given that it can take two weeks to fully overcome infection. Vaccines are administered by appointment only.
The health department's website has additional and updated monkeypox information at https://www.nmhealth.org/about/phd/idb/mpv/.
Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonWrites on Twitter. | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2022/08/04/new-mexico-monkeypox-outbreak-covid-19-daily-cases-update/65392078007/ | 2022-08-04T22:36:47 | 0 | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2022/08/04/new-mexico-monkeypox-outbreak-covid-19-daily-cases-update/65392078007/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.