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DALLAS (KDAF) — Downtown Dallas is about to experience all-you-can-eat BBQ with beer, wine and some live music on Saturday, May 21. ‘How is this possible is what,’ you’re probably asking yourself.
It’s a valid question and thankfully, we’ve got a valid answer. Open Palette’s second Al Fresco Dining Experience is set to take off from 2-6 p.m. It’s located inside Sheraton Dallas Hotel and tickets will cost $45 per person.
A ticket will get you in on the live music, smoked chopped brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, sides, beer and wine. Tickets for children aged 12 and under are 50% off.
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https://cw33.com/news/local/heres-how-you-can-enjoy-all-you-can-eat-bbq-beer-wine-live-music-in-downtown-dallas-may-21/
| 2022-05-18T20:59:02
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https://cw33.com/news/local/heres-how-you-can-enjoy-all-you-can-eat-bbq-beer-wine-live-music-in-downtown-dallas-may-21/
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FRISCO (KDAF) — As the Frisco RoughRiders put it, “The biggest party in North Texas is back tomorrow night!”
That’s right everybody, it’s officially lazy river season at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco! The Rangers AA affiliate is known to have the largest water feature in a professional sporting venue.
Fun fact, the RoughRider’s lazy river opened up in 2016! The team says “Tickets are $25 and include Lazy River access, $2 Blue Norther Hard Seltzers and $2 drafts.”
For tickets and more information, click here.
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https://cw33.com/news/local/its-officially-lazy-river-season-at-friscos-dr-pepper-ballpark/
| 2022-05-18T20:59:08
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https://cw33.com/news/local/its-officially-lazy-river-season-at-friscos-dr-pepper-ballpark/
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FORT WORTH (KDAF) — Here is your daily dose of cuteness! It seems like everyone in North Texas is feeling the heat, including animals at the Fort Worth Zoo.
The Fort Worth Zoo has posted an adorable video to Twitter of baby elephant Brazos taking its first swim.
Brazos is a seven-month-old baby elephant at Fort Worth Zoo. Weighing more than 700 pounds this ‘little’ guy spends his days exploring and venturing away from his mom, which is apparent in this video.
Zoo officials say he can even lie down on command for zookeepers to get a good look at his belly and the bottoms of his feet.
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https://cw33.com/news/local/watch-baby-elephant-at-fort-worth-zoo-takes-its-first-swim/
| 2022-05-18T20:59:14
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https://cw33.com/news/local/watch-baby-elephant-at-fort-worth-zoo-takes-its-first-swim/
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BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Ada County voters chose Matt Clifford to be the Republican nominee for sheriff in Tuesday night's Idaho primary.
Clifford, who was appointed Ada County Sheriff in the summer of 2021, defeated challenger Doug Traubel with 65.6% of the vote. He'll face Democrat Victor McCraw in the November election.
"I have a lot of backing with the Fraternal Order of Police, Ada County Sheriff's employee association, all the Republican mayors in Ada County," Clifford said Tuesday night. "I've been working really hard during this campaign."
Clifford raised almost $35,000 more than Traubel leading up to Tuesday's primary.
He was appointed sheriff after former sheriff Steve Bartlett resigned on Memorial Day. Traubel drew headlines last year for antisemitic comments and questioning rape victim data.
On election night, Clifford said the Idaho Republican Party's split had affected the primary.
"I think a lot of far-right extremists have attached themselves to this race and not in my favor," Clifford said.
Traubel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dayley edges Ullman in commissioner race
Tom Dayley narrowly beat Sharon Ullman in the Republican primary for Ada County's District 3 commissioner seat.
Dayley garnered 38.1% of the vote to Ullman's 36.3%. Dawn Retzlaff was third with 25.6%. Ullman told the Idaho Press on Tuesday night she ultimately conceded to Dayley.
Dayley will face Democrat Patricia Nilsson and Independent Anthony (Tony) Jones in the general election.
"I hope to be the winner, but the key is we will have a strong candidate in the fall," Dayley said Tuesday night.
The commissioner and sheriff races, in some ways, are inextricably linked. Current District 3 Commissioner Kendra Kenyon announced earlier this year she would not seek a second term. Kenyon, a Democrat, cited growing hostility, including verbal threats from supporters of Traubel’s previous bid for Ada County sheriff, according to reporting from BoiseDev.
Retzlaff, a former homicide detective, raised $23,000, slightly more than the $20,000 raised by Ullman, a former commissioner; and nearly double the $12,000 raised by Dayley, a three-time state representative. However, Retzlaff also had dozens more donors than the other two candidates.
Ullman has faced criticism from when she previously was on the board, for her role in an ill-fated contract with Eagle-based Dynamis Energy LLC. The county gave $2 million to the company to design a waste-to-energy plant, but Dynamis found itself the subject of a lawsuit, an investigation by a former FBI agent and opposition from local residents. Ullman said the project was misrepresented and got a bad reputation.
Retzlaff declined to comment.
Arnold hangs on to win assessor race
Rebecca Arnold defeated three other Republicans to win the party's nomination for Ada County assessor.
Arnold's 35.1% beat Dave Lister's 31.3%.
Longtime Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade is retiring.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/clifford-defeats-traubel-ada-county-sheriff-republican-primary-arnold-assessor-dayley-commissioner/277-e0fcb9f9-f1c6-4eb7-adcd-a534b8a3ed1f
| 2022-05-18T21:01:49
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/clifford-defeats-traubel-ada-county-sheriff-republican-primary-arnold-assessor-dayley-commissioner/277-e0fcb9f9-f1c6-4eb7-adcd-a534b8a3ed1f
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CALDWELL, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Scott Syme is planning to request a recount in the race for District 9, House Seat B against fellow incumbent Judy Boyle.
Syme and Boyle are both incumbents, but faced off in the primary because of redistricting.
Unofficial election results showed Boyle leading Syme by just six votes, having received 4,636 votes, or 50.03% of the votes to Syme’s 4,630, or 49.97% of the vote.
Because the margin is less than 0.1%, Syme can request a recount at the state's expense.
Whoever wins would not face a candidate from another party in the November election, and would therefore win the seat.
Boyle did not immediately return a request for comment.
“It’s a bummer to come that close, but who knows, maybe it will turn,” Syme said by phone Wednesday afternoon of his plans to request a recount.
“I have to give those far-right Californians credit — they got people out to vote,” Syme said. “It’s unfortunate that our state is starting to be run by people who haven’t lived here long, but if that’s what happens, it’s what happens.”
District 9 includes portions of both Canyon County and Payette County. Canyon County election results show Syme with a lead of 50.22% (1,509 votes) to Boyle’s 49.78% (1,496 votes). Payette County’s online election results do not appear up-to-date.
Syme had vowed to avoid being influenced by a “score or grade from any lobbyist,” as previously reported by the Idaho Press. He has described himself as “pro-life” and “pro-gun,” as previously reported. During Boyle’s time in the House, she focused on gun-rights legislation, and introduced a bill in the most recent legislative session to drug test substitute teachers; the bill was not ultimately successful, as previously reported.
Erin Banks Rusby is a reporter with the Idaho Press. She covers Canyon County, including agriculture, education, and government.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/syme-asking-for-a-recount-in-district-9-house-seat-b-race/277-9a37383b-8651-47c4-a233-805dee378dc5
| 2022-05-18T21:01:55
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/syme-asking-for-a-recount-in-district-9-house-seat-b-race/277-9a37383b-8651-47c4-a233-805dee378dc5
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FAIRFAX, Va. — Health officials are warning the public about possible exposures to a child with measles at two northern Virginia locations.
Unvaccinated people may be at risk of getting measles from this exposure and should contact the health department or their health care provider for advice and stay away from others if they notice symptoms, officials said.
The highly contagious illness spreads through coughing, sneezing, and droplets from an infected person’s nose, mouth, or throat. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and a rash that appears around the third to seventh day.
Vaccinated people don’t need to take action, officials said. The risk is very low to anyone who has only received one dose, but officials advise that they contact a health care provider about another dose.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-health-officials-warn-of-possible-measles-exposures/2022/05/18/94486140-d6ee-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html
| 2022-05-18T21:14:06
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-health-officials-warn-of-possible-measles-exposures/2022/05/18/94486140-d6ee-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html
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Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed proposed measures to combat the rise of domestic terrorism and violent extremism, as direct response to racist shooting attack at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store that killed 10 on Saturday.
"The horrific and despicable act of terror committed by a white supremacist this past weekend in Buffalo showed that we as a country are facing an intersection of two crises: the mainstreaming of hate speech - including white nationalism, racism and white supremacy - and the easy access to military-style weapons and magazines," Hochul said in a statement following her announcement Wednesday. "This is a wake-up call and here in New York we are taking strong steps to directly address this deadly threat."
Hochul signed two executive orders, with the first calling for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to establish a new unit, dedicated solely to the prevention of domestic terrorism.
According to Hochul's office, the creation of the new unit referenced in one of the executive orders "will focus on threat assessment management, disbursing funding to localities to create and operate their own threat assessment management teams and utilizing social media to intervene in the radicalization process. It will also educate law enforcement members, mental health professionals and school officials on the recent uptick in domestic and homegrown violent extremism and radicalization, as well as create best practices for identifying and intervening in the radicalization process."
Additionally, this executive order also calls for the state police to establish a dedicated unit within the New York State Intelligence Center to track domestic violent extremism through social media.
BUFFALO MASS SHOOTING
Meanwhile, the second executive order that Hochul signed will require the state police to file an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) under New York State's Red Flag Law whenever they have probable cause to believe that an individual is a threat to themselves or others.
Typically, red-flag laws, also known as extreme risk protection orders, are intended to temporarily remove guns from people with potentially violent behavior, usually up to a year. In many cases, family members or law enforcement must petition the court for an order, though New York is a rare state in which educators can also start the process.
Removing weapons for that long, however, requires a hearing in which prosecutors must convince a judge that the person poses a risk. Most states also block the person from buying more guns during that period.
Red-flag laws are often adopted after tragedies. Florida did so after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that killed 17 students. Law enforcement officials had received numerous complaints about the 19-year-old gunman’s threatening statements.
"Today, I issued Executive Orders to devote substantial resources and focus toward combating the troubling surge in domestic terrorism by identifying radicalized individuals and tracking their threats amplified on social media, and further empower State Police to keep guns away from dangerous people," Hochul said.
The governor also issued a referral letter to Attorney General Letitia James to probe social media's role in the Buffalo shooting.
New York Attorney General Letitia James will investigate social media companies including Amazon's Twitch in connection to the apparently racially-motivated shooting at a Buffalo supermarket that left 10 dead and three injured.
James' office will also focus on 4chan, 8chan and Discord, but is not limited to those platforms, according to a press release published Wednesday. Investigators will look at online resources the gunman "used to discuss and amplify his intentions and acts to carry out this attack."
Hochul said she will also work with legislators to pass two bills that aim to address and streamline the investigations connected to gun-related crimes, including "semiautomatic pistols manufactured or delivered to licensed dealers in the state to be microstamping-enabled" in order to mark bullets and casings and link them to potential crimes.
The second bill calls for law enforcement agencies to report the recovery of a gun connected to any crime within 24 hours of their discovery.
Hochul is also proposing new legislation to close a gun loophole by widening the definition of a firearm in order to make more guns subject to preexisting firearm laws.
The executive orders and proposed legislation come following the tragic events over the weekend in which authorities allege that an 18-year-old, white gunman committed the massacre at the Tops Friendly Market-- a massacre they say was driven by racism. Authorities have said that the suspect allegedly planned to continue his rampage down the street before he was stopped.
Authorities said he shot, in total, 11 Black people and two white people. The shooter livestreamed the attack on Twitch, prompting scrutiny of how fast social platforms react to violent videos.
Investigators pouring through the gunman's history and evidence obtained at the scene as well as house say he wanted to keep targeting Black Buffalo residents after the supermarket attack.
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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/hochul-unveils-measures-to-tackle-gun-violence-domestic-terrorism-following-buffalo-shooting/3694827/
| 2022-05-18T21:14:42
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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/hochul-unveils-measures-to-tackle-gun-violence-domestic-terrorism-following-buffalo-shooting/3694827/
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Bans Off Our Bodies rally at state Capitol in Phoenix
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https://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/local/phoenix/2022/05/18/video-fourth-alarm-fire-phoenix-pallet-yard-near-35th-avenue-and-buckeye-roadd/9825735002/
| 2022-05-18T21:15:42
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https://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/local/phoenix/2022/05/18/video-fourth-alarm-fire-phoenix-pallet-yard-near-35th-avenue-and-buckeye-roadd/9825735002/
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Weekly COVID-19 update: Ariz. cases increase by 7,204; percentage of positive tests rises
Arizona again reported a higher number of new COVID-19 cases in its latest weekly update, along with the highest percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus since February.
Health officials on Wednesday reported a higher 7,204 new COVID-19 cases and 29 new known deaths over the weeklong period ending May 14.
Cases reported from tests done during the past week were the highest since February, state data shows, though still far lower than months prior to that. Case numbers in recent months likely are not showing the full picture of infections as many more people have used at-home test kits and may not report positive results to county health departments.
Reported cases since the pandemic began are at more than 2 million. Known deaths in Arizona are nearing 30,300.
Wednesday marked the 12th of the weekly updates to the state's data dashboard, instead of daily updates that Arizonans became accustomed to following for the latest data on infections, illnesses and deaths.
The previous week's update added 5,490 cases and 41 deaths, compared with 3,911 cases and 238 deaths, 2,350 cases and 99 deaths, 2,377 cases and 29 deaths (low because of a processing error), 2,777 cases and 142 deaths, 6,840 cases and 413 deaths, 10,143 cases (high because of a reporting catch-up) and 385 deaths, 4,566 cases and 336 deaths, 5,153 cases and 457 deaths, 6,549 cases and 382 deaths, and 9,647 cases and 449 deaths the 10 weeks prior.
This week's update shows the differences between data reported for the week of May 8-14 and the week of May 1-7.
Health officials say moving to weekly updates matches how public health monitors trends and other disease reporting.
Case numbers generally were relatively lower in recent weeks, and public health experts estimate cases of the highly contagious omicron variant peaked in Arizona around mid-January.
The state data dashboard no longer shows key hospitalization information since Gov. Doug Ducey ended the COVID-19 emergency declaration on March 30. State health officials said hospitals are no longer required to report some COVID-19 surveillance data to the state, meaning certain graphs showing weekly hospitalization levels for the disease and bed usage by COVID-19 patients are no longer updated.
At the time that data reporting stopped, hospitalizations for the disease had dropped steadily since late January.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still reports state hospitalization data for Arizona and showed a 20.4% increase in the seven-day average of COVID-19 hospital admissions from May 9-15 compared with May 2-8. Hospital admissions last week were down 90.8% from the peak seven-day average in early January 2021.
The number of known deaths in the state was at 30,259 as of Wednesday, after passing 30,000 known deaths in the May 4 update, 29,000 deaths in the March 30 update, 28,000 deaths in the March 9 update, 27,000 deaths on Feb. 10 and 26,000 deaths on Jan. 28. The state surpassed 25,000 deaths on Jan. 13. Deaths are now reported with a four-week lag.
Arizona's overall pandemic death rate since early 2020 is third-highest nationwide.
State data on breakthrough infections
The state in December began publicly disclosing data on breakthrough COVID-19 infections, and state officials say the data underscores the effectiveness of the vaccine — especially for people with booster doses.
The majority of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are among people not fully vaccinated and boosted.
Data from March show that 25.7% of cases, 27.1% of hospitalizations and 22% of COVID-19 deaths were among fully vaccinated people without a booster, with most of the rest among unvaccinated people. Fully vaccinated people with a booster made up 24.6% of reported cases, 20% of hospitalizations and 25.7% of deaths in March.
The COVID-19 virus' disproportionate impact on older adults, who are also more likely to have a booster dose, could help explain why a higher percentage of people who were fully vaccinated and boosted died of COVID-19 in March than those who were fully vaccinated and not boosted. The effectiveness of boosters also appears to wane after several months. But the precise explanation for those percentages of deaths is unclear.
Health officials emphasize the best protection against severe illness from COVID-19 is to remain up to date with recommended vaccinations, including second booster doses for those 50 and older and people who are immunocompromised.
Unvaccinated adults in Arizona had a 4.3 times greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19, 13 times greater risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 and 19 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 in March compared with fully vaccinated people with a booster, according to state data.
Unvaccinated adults had a 5.2 times greater risk of testing positive, 7.4 times greater risk of hospitalization and 13 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 compared with individuals who were fully vaccinated without a booster.
As of April 20, there had been 1,867 breakthrough deaths in fully vaccinated individuals, according to state health officials’ preliminary data, which works out to a breakthrough death rate of 0.04% among fully vaccinated people.
Case rates and death reports
The omicron variant and other versions of omicron are still contributing to many of the cases in Arizona, according to results from sequencing labs.
Percent positivity, which refers to the percentage of COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are positive, varies somewhat based on how it's measured. It was high in winter months, a sign of more community spread. It's recently been much lower, but has been climbing upward the past couple weeks.
For most of December, Arizona's percent positivity for COVID-19 testing was at 11%-13%, before rising to 22% for the week of Dec. 26, 29% for the week of Jan. 2, 32% for the week of Jan. 9, 34% for the week of Jan. 16, 29% for the week of Jan. 23, 22% for the week of Jan. 30, 16% for the week of Feb. 6, 11% for the week of Feb. 13, 7% for the week of Feb. 20, 4% for the week of Feb. 27, 3% for the week of Mar. 6, 3% for the week of Mar. 13, 3% for the week of Mar. 20, 3% for the week of Mar. 27, 3% for the week of April 3, 4% for the week of April 10, 5% for the week of April 17, 6% for the week of April 24, 9% for the week of May 1 and 11% for the week of May 8. The percentages are now for all diagnostic tests conducted, rather than for unique individuals tested, following a change to the state dashboard.
A positivity rate of 5% or less is considered a good benchmark that the disease's spread is under control.
The state's overall COVID-19 death and case rates since Jan. 21, 2020 still remain among the worst in the country.
The COVID-19 death rate in Arizona since the pandemic began is 415 deaths per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC, putting it third in the country in a state ranking that separates New York City from New York state. The U.S. average is 300 deaths per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.
New York City has the highest death rate, at 479 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Mississippi at 418.
Arizona's first known death from the disease occurred in mid-March 2020.
Many of the reported deaths occurred days or weeks before because of reporting delays and death certificate matching.
A total of 2,038,129 COVID-19 cases were identified across the state through May 14.
Vaccination update
Arizonans ages 5 and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, while the Moderna vaccine is approved for those 18 and older. The FDA has approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on a more limited basis for people 18 and older. Many individuals are eligible for booster doses, too.
The state reported about 5.1 million people in Arizona — about 71.1% of the total state population — had received at least one vaccine dose through May 14, with about 4.4 million residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The state’s data dashboard now separates out doses administered to Arizona residents versus all doses administered in the state.
Arizona's rate of fully vaccinated people out of the total population is 61.8%, which is behind the national rate of 66.5%, according to the CDC as of Tuesday.
Out of the vaccine-eligible population, people ages five and older, 65.7% of those in Arizona are fully vaccinated, compared with 70.7% at the national level, CDC data shows.
Health experts strongly recommend booster shots for those eligible, especially with the omicron variant spreading. About 45.7% of fully vaccinated Arizonans over the age of 18 had received a booster shot as of Tuesday, below the national rate of 49.9% for that same age group.
What to know about latest numbers
Reported cases in Arizona: 2,038,129, as of May 14.
Cases by county: 1,288,395 in Maricopa; 256,778 in Pima; 133,108 in Pinal; 62,791 in Yuma; 57,772 in Mohave; 48,535 in Yavapai; 44,263 in Coconino; 38,506 in Navajo; 31,675 in Cochise; 22,606 in Apache; 17,451 in Gila; 16,708 in Santa Cruz; 12,072 in Graham; 5,236 in La Paz; and 2,233 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.
The rate of cases per 100,000 people since the pandemic began is highest in Navajo County, followed by Gila, Apache, Santa Cruz, Graham and Coconino counties, according to state data. The rate in Navajo County is 34,129 cases per 100,000 people. By comparison, the U.S. average rate since the pandemic began is 24,857 cases per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.
The Navajo Nation reported 53,729 cases and 1,771 confirmed deaths as of Tuesday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The Arizona Department of Corrections reported 14,931 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday, including 2,472 in Tucson, 2,278 in Eyman, 2,235 in Yuma, 1,737 in Lewis and 1,228 in Phoenix; 55,746 inmates statewide have been tested. A total of 5,031 prison staff members have self-reported testing positive, the department said. Sixty-two incarcerated people in Arizona are confirmed to have died of COVID-19, with 12 additional deaths under investigation.
The race/ethnicity breakdown of cases since the start of the pandemic in 2020 is 40% white, 29% Hispanic or Latino, 5% American Indian, 4% Black and 2% Asian/Pacific Islander. Race/ethnicity of positive cases since the onset of the pandemic is unknown in 14% of cases, and listed as other race in 6% of cases.
Of those who have tested positive in Arizona since the start of the pandemic, about 21% were younger than 20, 42% were 20-44, 13% were 45-54, 11% were 55-64 and 12% were age 65 or older.
Laboratories had completed 19,448,250 total diagnostic tests for COVID-19 as of May 14, 12% of which have come back positive. That number includes both PCR and antigen testing. Percent positivity was at 11% for the week of May 8, higher than recent weeks. The state numbers leave out data from labs that do not report electronically.
The state Health Department includes probable cases as anyone with a positive antigen test, another type of test to determine infection. Antigen tests (not related to antibody tests) use a nasal swab or another fluid sample to test for current infection. Results are typically produced within 15 minutes.
A positive antigen test result is considered very accurate, but there's an increased chance of false-negative results, Mayo Clinic officials said. They say a doctor may recommend a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test to confirm a negative antigen test result.
Arizona as of Tuesday had the 13th highest overall case rate in the country since Jan. 21, 2020. Ahead of Arizona in cases per 100,000 people since the pandemic began are Rhode Island, Alaska, North Dakota, Kentucky, Tennessee, Utah, New York City, South Carolina, Guam, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Florida, according to the CDC.
Arizona's infection rate is 27,902 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. The national average is 24,857 cases per 100,000 people, although the rates in states hard hit early in the pandemic may be an undercount because of a lack of available testing in March and April 2020.
Reported deaths in Arizona: 30,259
Deaths by county: 17,342 in Maricopa; 3,854 in Pima; 1,668 in Pinal; 1,458 in Mohave; 1,212 in Yavapai; 1,181 in Yuma; 909 in Navajo; 614 in Apache; 576 in Cochise; 478 in Coconino; 381 in Gila; 232 in Santa Cruz; 177 in Graham; 144 in La Paz; and 33 in Greenlee.
People age 65 and older make up 21,448 of the 30,259 deaths, or 71%. About 16% of deaths were among people 55-64 years old, 8% were 45-54 and 6% were 20-44 years old.
While race/ethnicity was unknown for 4% of deaths, 56% of those who died were white, 27% were Hispanic or Latino, 7% were Native American, 3% were Black and 1% were Asian/Pacific Islander, the state data shows.
The global death toll as of Wednesday was 6,282,022. The U.S. had the highest death count of any country in the world, at 1,000,317, followed by Brazil at 665,216 and India at 524,293, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Arizona's 30,259 deaths represent about 3% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States.
Republic reporter Stephanie Innes contributed to this article.
Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2022/05/18/arizona-covid-19-weekly-update-adds-7-204-cases-29-deaths/9814671002/
| 2022-05-18T21:15:48
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2022/05/18/arizona-covid-19-weekly-update-adds-7-204-cases-29-deaths/9814671002/
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A district judge Wednesday sentenced a confessed drug dealer to 90- to 140-years in prison for shooting into a carload of young people in 2019, hitting and killing a 15-year-old Lincoln boy.
That's on top of a 19- to 33-year prison term Majdal Elias, 26, already is serving on drug and gun charges, meaning he would be near 80 before he would be eligible for parole.
Outside the courtroom, Ali Al-Burkat's family, who sat through Elias' trial last month where he was found guilty of second-degree murder and three gun charges, appeared clearly relieved.
"We got justice for Ali, and we are really happy," his aunt, Dunia Al-Musa, said.
She said he was very young and kind, and loved people.
"He always had a smile on his face," Al-Musa said.
On Sept. 29, 2019, Al-Burkat was just days away from his 16th birthday when he was shot while riding in the backseat of a Chevy Malibu on the northwest edge of town.
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Police initially arrested Elias in connection to a search of his apartment at The Links a month later, where they found a quarter pound of cocaine, an AK-47-style rifle, a handgun, just less than a pound of marijuana and $25,000 in cash, and in a search of a relative's house across town found more of his drugs and guns.
He later was charged with murder.
At trial in April, prosecutors described a fateful case of bad timing and a missed turn. They said the four in the Malibu had been part of a plot to rob another drug dealer who lived in an apartment on the other side of The Links that night. But the driver, his face partially covered with a T-shirt, missed a turn and ended up circling the complex, which is when the SUV ended up behind them.
Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jeff Mathers said Elias, in his silver Ford Explorer, must have seen them and thought they were there to rob him. It led to a confrontation where Elias pulled up beside them and said: "You're busted," then started firing.
One of the shots into the Malibu's trunk struck Al-Burkat in the back, quickly killing him.
Elias -- at trial and again Wednesday -- denied he was the shooter.
Elias said he felt like the burden of proof was on him to prove his innocence.
"Yes I was a drug dealer," he said. "Do you want me to say it again? I was a drug dealer. But that does not mean I'm a killer. That's it."
Defense attorney Chad Wythers said Elias, by all accounts, was selling drugs at the time and likely was under the influence when the shooting happened.
Mathers said not only did Elias shoot and kill Al-Burkat, but he risked more deaths or injuries because there were three others in the car.
"The defendant chose to engage in those actions," he said.
Mathers said he was hoping that Elias would explain his actions in some way. But he chose not to do so.
"Drug dealing is a dirty business," he said, adding that most of the homicides in Lancaster County are linked to it in one way or another.
In the end, Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret said what was of most concern to her was exhibited Wednesday.
"There's absolutely no remorse. No acceptance of responsibility. Which leads me to believe even further that, with the exceptional investigative work and, yes, a little bit of luck, the tragedy of the death of Ali Al-Burkat allowed the defendant to be brought to justice," she said.
Maret said sentencing will bring little solace to Al-Burkat's mother, but hopefully will provide a point from which his family "can begin to live their lives without him by remembering his life and not his death."
"And for certain, the Lincoln community and the state of Nebraska will be a safer place," she said.
Tom Casady's list of the 10 most infamous crimes in Lincoln history
Crimes of the times
This is simply one man’s perspective from the early 21st century (first written in 2010). I had to make a decision about crimes that occurred at locations that are inside the city today, but were outside our corporate limits at the time they occurred. I chose the latter.
Before beginning, though, I have to deal with three crimes that stand apart: the murders of three police officers in Lincoln. I’m not quite sure how to place them in a list. They all had huge impacts on the community, and on the police department in particular. Because these are my colleagues, I deal with them separately and in chronological order.
Patrolman Marion Francis Marshall
Shot in the shadow of the new Nebraska State Capital, Gov. Charles Bryan came to his aid and summoned additional help.
Lt. Frank Soukup
Marion Marshall was technically not a Lincoln police officer, so Lt. Soukup was actually the first Lincoln police officer killed on duty. One of his colleagues who was present at the motel and involved in the gunbattle, Paul Jacobsen, went on to enjoy a long career and command rank at LPD, influencing many young charges (like me) and leaving his mark on the culture of the agency.
Lt. Paul Whitehead
In the space of a few months, three LPD officers died in the line of duty. Frank Soukup had been murdered, and George Welter had died in a motorcycle crash. Paul Whitehead's partner, Paul Merritt, went on to command rank, and like Paul Jacobsen left an indelible mark at LPD and the community.
No. 1: Starkweather
The subject of several thinly disguised movie plots and a Springsteen album, the Starkweather murders are clearly the most infamous crime in Lincoln’s history — so far. One of the first mass murderers of the mass media age, six of Charles Starkweather’s 11 victims were killed inside the city of Lincoln, and the first was just on the outskirts of town. I didn’t live in Lincoln at the time, but my wife was a first-grader at Riley Elementary School and has vivid memories of the city gripped by fear in the days between the discovery of the Bartlett murders and Starkweather’s capture in Wyoming.
The case caused quite an uproar. There was intense criticism of the police department and sheriff’s office for not capturing Starkweather earlier in the week after the discovery of the Bartletts' bodies. Ultimately, Mayor Bennett Martin and the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners retained a retired FBI agent, Harold G. Robinson, to investigate the performance of local law enforcement. His report essentially exonerated the local law officers and made a few vanilla recommendations for improving inter-agency communication and training.
Now I know that many readers are mumbling to themselves “how obvious.” Hold your horses, though. It’s not quite as obvious as you might think. I had two experiences that drove this fact home to me. The first was a visit by a small group of journalism students. Only one member of the class had any idea, and her idea was pretty vague. You need to remember that the Starkweather murders were in 1957 and 1958 — before the parents of many college students were even born.
The second experience was a visit by a Cub Scout den. I was giving the kids a tour of the police station one evening. We were in the front lobby waiting for everyone to arrive. As I entertained the boys, I told the moms and dads that they might enjoy looking in the corner of the Sheriff’s Office display case to see the contents of Starkweather’s wallet — discovered a couple of years ago locked up in the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office safe. After a few minutes, one of the confused fathers asked me who Starkweather was, and why it was significant.
No. 2: Lincoln National Bank
On the morning of Sept. 17, 1930, a dark blue Buick carrying six men pulled up in front of the Lincoln National Bank at the northwest corner of 12th and O streets. Five of the men entered the bank, while a sixth stood outside by the Buick, cradling a machine gun. Observing the unusual events, a passerby called the police. The officer who responded, Forrest Shappaugh, was casually instructed by the machine-gun-toting lookout to just keep going, which he wisely did. Returning with reinforcements, he found that the robbers had already made good on their getaway, netting $2.7 million in cash and negotiable securities.
Ultimately, three of the six suspects were arrested. Tommy O’Connor and Howard Lee were convicted and sentenced. Jack Britt was tried twice but not convicted by a hung jury. Gus Winkeler, a member of Al Capone’s gang, winged a deal with County Attorney Max Towle to avoid prosecution in exchange for orchestrating the recovery of $600,000 in bearer bonds. The following year, Winkeler was murdered in Chicago, the victim of a gangland slaying. The final two robbers were never identified.
The Lincoln National Bank robbery stood as the largest cash bank robbery in the United States for many decades. It precipitated major changes at the Lincoln Police Department. Chief Peter Johnstone was rapidly “retired” after the robbery, the department’s fleet was upgraded to add the first official patrol cars, the full force was armed and a shotgun squad was organized. Forty-four years later when I was hired at LPD, the echo of the Lincoln National Bank robbery was still evident in daily bank opening details, and in the Thomspon submachine guns and Reising rifles that detectives grabbed whenever the robbery alarm sounded at headquarters.
No. 3: The Last Posse
My first inkling about this crime came when I was the chief deputy sheriff. One of my interns, a young man named Ron Boden (who became a veteran deputy sheriff), had been doing some research on Lancaster County’s only known lynching, in 1884. I came across a reference in the biography of the sheriff at the time, Sam Melick, to the murder of the Nebraska Penitentiary warden and subsequent prison break. Melick had been appointed interim warden after the murder and instituted several reforms.
Several years later, a colleague, Sgt. Geoff Marti, loaned me a great book, Gale Christianson’s "Last Posse," that told the story of the 1912 prison break in gory, haunting and glorious detail.
To make a long story short, convict Shorty Gray and his co-conspirators shot and killed Warden James Delahunty, a deputy warden and a guard on Wednesday, March 13, 1912. They then made their break — right into the teeth of a brutal Nebraska spring blizzard. Over the course to the next few days, a posse pursued. During the pursuit, the escapees carjacked a young farmer with his team and wagon. As the posse closed in, a gunfight broke out and the hostage was shot and killed in the exchange, along with two of the three escapees.
There was plenty of anger among the locals in the Gretna-Springfield vicinity about the death of their native son, and a controversy raged over the law enforcement tactics that brought about his demise. Lancaster County Sheriff Gus Hyers was not unsullied by the inquiry, although it appears from my prospect a century later that the fog of war led to the tragedy.
Christianson, a professor of history at Indiana State University who died earlier this year, notes the following on the flyleaf:
“For anyone living west of the Mississippi in 1912, the biggest news that fateful year was a violent escape from the Nebraska state penitentiary planned and carried out by a trio of notorious robbers and safe blowers.”
Bigger news on half the continent than the sinking of the Titanic during the same year would certainly qualify this murder-escape as one of the most infamous Lincoln crimes in history.
No. 4: Rock Island wreck
The Aug. 10, 1894, wreck of a Rock Island train on the southwest outskirts of Lincoln was almost lost in the mist of time until it was resurrected in the public consciousness by author Joel Williams, who came across the story while conducting research for his historical novel, "Barrelhouse Boys."
The wreck was determined to be the result of sabotage to the tracks, perhaps an attempt to derail the train as a prelude to robbery. Eleven people died in the crash and ensuing fire, making this a mass murder, to be sure. G.W. Davis was arrested and convicted of the crime but later received a full pardon. The story was told in greater detail earlier this year by the Lincoln Journal Star.
A historical marker is along the Rock Island Trail in Wilderness Park, accessible only by foot or bike from the nearest trail access points about a half-mile away at Old Cheney Road on the north, or 14th Street on the south.
Here’s the big question that remains unanswered: Was there really significant evidence to prove that George Washington Davis committed the crime, or was he just a convenient scapegoat? The fact that he received a gubernatorial pardon 10 years later leads me to believe that the evidence must have been unusually weak. If he was railroaded, then my second question is this: who really pried loose the tracks with the 40-pound crowbar found at the scene?
No. 5: Commonwealth
On Nov. 1, 1983, the doors to Nebraska’s largest industrial savings and loan company were closed and Commonwealth was declared insolvent. The 6,700 depositors with $65 million at stake would never be fully compensated for their loss, ultimately receiving about 59 cents on the dollar for their deposits, which they all mistakenly believed were insured up to $30,000 through the Nebraska Depository Insurance Guaranty Corporation, which was essentially an insurance pool with assets of only $3 million.
The case dominated Nebraska news for months. The investigation ultimately led to the conviction of three members of the prominent Lincoln family that owned the institution, the resignation of the director of the State Department of Banking and the impeachment of the Nebraska attorney general and the suspension of his license to practice law. State and federal litigation arising from the failure of Commonwealth drug on for years.
At the Lincoln Police Department, the Commonwealth failure led to the formation of a specialized white-collar crime detail, now known as the Technical Investigations Unit. At the time, municipal police departments in the United States had virtually no capacity for investigating financial crime and fraud of this magnitude, and we quickly became well known for our expertise in this area. The early experience served LPD very well in the ensuring years.
No. 6: Candice Harms
Candi Harms never came home from visiting her boyfriend on Sept. 22, 1992. Her parents reported her as a missing person the following morning, and her car was found abandoned in a cornfield north of Lincoln later in the day. Weeks went by before her remains were found southeast of Lincoln.
Scott Barney and Roger Bjorklund were convicted in her abduction and murder. Barney is in prison serving a life term. Bjorklund died in prison in 2001. Intense media attention surrounded the lengthy trial of Roger Bjorklund, for which a jury was brought in from Cheyenne County as an alternative to a change of venue. I have no doubt that the trial was a life-changing event for a group of good citizens from Sidney, who did their civic duty.
I was the Lancaster County sheriff at the time, involved both in the investigation and in the trial security. It was at about this time that the cellular telephone was becoming a consumer product, and I have often thought that this brutal crime probably spurred a lot of purchases. During my career, this is probably the second-most-prominent Lincoln crime in terms of the sheer volume of media coverage.
No. 7: Jon Simpson and Jacob Surber
A parent’s worst nightmare unfolded in September 1975 when these two boys, ages 12 and 13, failed to return from the Nebraska State Fair. The boys were the victims of abduction and murder. The case was similar to a string of other murders of young boys in the Midwest, and many thought that these cases were related -- the work of a serial killer. Although an arrest was made in the case here in Lincoln, the charges were eventually dismissed. William Guatney was released and has since died.
No. 8: John Sheedy
Saloon and gambling house owner John Sheedy was gunned down outside his home at 1211 P St. in January 1891. The case of Sheedy, prominent in Lincoln’s demiworld, became the talk of the town when his wife, Mary, and her alleged lover and accomplice, Monday McFarland, were arrested. Both were acquitted at trial. The Sheedy murder is chronicled in a great interactive multimedia website, Gilded Age Plains City, an online version that builds upon an article published in 2001 by Timothy Mahoney of the University of Nebraska.
No. 9: Patricia McGarry and Catherine Brooks
The bodies of these two friends were found in a Northeast Lincoln duplex in August 1977. Their murderer, Robert E. Williams, was the subject of a massive Midwest manhunt during the following week. Before his capture, he committed a third murder in Sioux Rapids, Iowa, and raped, shot and left for dead a victim who survived in Minnesota. He is the last man to be executed in Nebraska, sent to the electric chair in 1997.
No. 10: Judge William M. Morning
District Court Judge William Morning was murdered in February 1924. He was shot on the bench by an unhappy litigant in a divorce case. His court reporter, Minor Bacon, was also shot, but a notebook in his breast pocket deflected the bullet and saved his life.
Many other crimes
Choosing Lincoln's 10 most infamous crimes was a challenge. Although the top two were easy, the picture quickly became clouded. We tend, of course, to forget our history rather quickly. Many of the crimes I felt were among the most significant are barely remembered today, if not completely forgotten.
Some readers will take issue with my list. In choosing 10, here are the others I considered, in no particular order. They are all murders:
-- Mary O'Shea
-- Nancy Parker
-- Charles Mulholland
-- Victoria Lamm and Janet Mesner
-- Martina McMenamin
-- Regina Bos (presumably murdered)
-- Patty Webb
-- Marianne Mitzner
I also thought about the five murder-suicides in which a mother or father killed multiple family members before taking their own life. Though tragic, these crimes did not command the same kind of attention as the others, perhaps because there was no lengthy investigation, no tantalizing whodunit, no stranger-killer, nor any of the details that come out in the coverage of a major trial.
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/theres-absolutely-no-remorse-lincoln-judge-sends-convicted-murderer-to-prison-for-90-140-years/article_43259190-b1cd-560f-83ef-463ba8c8ad46.html
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UTICA, N.Y. – Utica police say a man was shot at an apartment complex on Gray Avenue Wednesday afternoon.
Officers were called to the Michael Walsh Apartments around 1:45 p.m. for a report of shots fired. There they found a man in the parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds.
According to Utica police, the man was shot twice in the abdomen and taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center for emergency medical treatment. Police say his condition is not known at this time.
Police are looking for a black vehicle that witnesses say left the scene after the shooting, which police believe happened outside.
"Based on the casings we found and evidence on scene, we believe the shooting took place in the parking lot and not inside the apartment complex itself. We are looking for any kind of surveillance video on both Gray Ave, City Street or any of the surrounding neighborhoods," said Sgt. Mike Curley.
Kernan Elementary School and Donovan Middle School were on lockout as of 1:45 p.m. out of an abundance of caution. The lockout order was lifted at 2:15 p.m.
Police are still investigating at the scene.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police at 315-223-3556.
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https://www.wktv.com/news/local/utica-police-investigating-shooting-at-apartment-complex-1-man-injured/article_000d6f58-d6de-11ec-9d02-93958bfd65e4.html
| 2022-05-18T21:19:44
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A controversial measure to rewrite the Ohio Constitution’s standards for setting bail was put on hold in the state House on Wednesday.
Substitute House Joint Resolution 2 and matching House Bill 607 came up for votes by the full chamber, but on a motion by state Rep. Timothy Ginter, R-Columbiana County, both were “informally passed” — not receiving a vote, but kept on the legislature’s calendar for further work.
That delays any potential vote with less than a month left in the legislative session. Both measures would still need committee and floor votes to be sent on for Senate consideration.
The resolution and bill are sponsored by state Reps. Jeff LaRe, R-Violet Twp., and D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron. Both were introduced in March and hurried through four committee hearings, and they passed the House Criminal Justice Committee last week.
The resolution seeks to place an initiative on the November 8 ballot that would write new requirements for setting bail into the Ohio Constitution.
The state constitution says anyone can be bailed by “sufficient sureties,” unless they’re charged with a capital offense or felony when “proof is evident or the presumption great,” and if their release poses a risk to the community. The proposed amendment would remove that language, instead saying only that in setting bail, courts must consider public safety, the person’s criminal record, the likelihood they would flee and seriousness of their offense.
Swearingen has amended the resolution to add “any factor that the General Assembly may describe” to those conditions.
House Bill 607 echoes the language of the proposed constitutional amendment.
“In all cases, bail must be fixed with consideration of the seriousness of the offense charged, the previous criminal record of the defendant, and the probability of the defendant appearing at the trial of the case,” says an analysis from the state Legislative Research Commission. “The bill expands these factors to require that bail must be fixed with consideration of all relevant information, including the risk to public safety.”
State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Huron, has introduced a companion to HJR 2. Senate Joint Resolution 5 had its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1.
The ACLU of Ohio urged rejection of both measures. It supports a rival bill, House Bill 315, which is still in the House Criminal Justice Committee. That bill, sponsored by state Reps. David Leland, D-Columbus, and Brett Hillyer, R-Uhrichsville, seeks to end the wealth-based disparity in treatment created by someone’s ability to pay cash bail.
Leland said in committee his bill’s most important provision is a “massive expansion” of the rules for pretrial detention, adding more than 50 crimes to the list of those for which a judge would need to determine the risk that releasing a prisoner would pose to others.
A Senate bill matching HB 315, sponsored by state Sens. Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, and Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, is in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
About the Author
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https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/bill-seeking-changes-in-bail-laws-hits-snag-in-ohio-house/NQXVALY2ONEPFIK3MYTKCCEVFQ/
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https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/bill-seeking-changes-in-bail-laws-hits-snag-in-ohio-house/NQXVALY2ONEPFIK3MYTKCCEVFQ/
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The Albany Technical College admissions department will hold a special arena day event to help students finish their financial aid process and get registered for classes Thursday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.
ALBANY – The Albany Technical College admissions department will hold a special arena day event to help students finish their financial aid process and get registered for classes Thursday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. in the Logistics Education Center on the main campus of ATC. The next entry point for summer enrollment is June 1 and fall is Aug. 17.
“Many students have started the process by filling out an application with Albany Tech but may have gotten caught up in some portion of the financial aid steps due to missing documents," Vice President of Student Affairs/Enrollment Management Barbara Brown said. "We will have financial aid specialists walk everyone through the process in person. We ask these students to please prepare by bringing any missing documents to the event."
Students may need to start the federal financial aid procedure or finish it up by bringing missing items as part of completing the financial aid application.
“We just want to help the students cross the 'finish line,' so to speak, and make sure they receive money for college to get them registered for the summer or fall semester,” Director of Financial Aid Kierra Sparks said.
Representatives from every part of admissions will be available, and even faculty members will be on hand to talk about specific programs. Assistance will be given to students who need to fill out an application, get financial aid, register for classes, take a test, or discuss a program with a faculty member. This ATC arena event will be a “fast pass” for completing the process.
For more information about the event on Thursday, contact financial aid at one of three numbers: (229) 430-6153, (229) 430-6156 or (229) 430-6158. The college's website is albanytech.edu/financial-aid.
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ADDU commander Maj. Ryan Ward said members of the drug unit executed a search warrant on the 2300 block of Sharon Drive as a result of multiple complaints of drug activity conducted in the area.
ADDU commander Maj. Ryan Ward said members of the drug unit executed a search warrant on the 2300 block of Sharon Drive as a result of multiple complaints of drug activity conducted in the area.
ALBANY – Responding to multiple complaints from citizens in the area, the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit executed a search warrant on Sharon Drive on Tuesday that resulted in the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of drug-related items.
ADDU commander Maj. Ryan Ward said members of the drug unit executed a search warrant on the 2300 block of Sharon Drive as a result of multiple complaints of drug activity conducted in the area.
During the execution of the warrant, ADDU seized the following items:
• 3.5 pounds of marijuana;
• AR 15 assault rifle;
• Smith and Wesson .380 caliber handgun;
• $1,669 in currency;
• Plastic baggies.
Arrested at the residence where the search warrant was conducted were Taljon Cromer Jr. on the charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of drug-related objects, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes (two counts) and reckless conduct; and Jazmin Cromer on the charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of drug-related objects, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes and reckless conduct.
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| 2022-05-18T21:20:36
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GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Faithful, sweet, kind. That’s how Crystal Cole remembers her mother Sherry Cole, the 59-year-old who was killed at her Limestone home alongside her 7-year-old grandchild Jessie Allen on April 24.
“She thought everyone had good in them.”
“I don’t remember ever seeing her get mad,” said Crystal. “She was so forgiving and would never even want to hurt someone’s feelings. She truly believed God made everyone with a good heart.”
The house on Old Snapps Ferry Rd. where the bodies of Cole and Allen were discovered by police on April 25 is one Crystal says she and her sisters all found themselves coming to at their lowest points.
Whether it be trying to find life again after divorce or the death of a husband, each of Sherry Cole’s three daughters knew they could make their way home.
“She has helped us all with our kids. When I was a single mother, she took care of my daughter while I worked. I couldn’t have done it without her,” said Crystal.
Sherry took care of her grandchild Jessie as if he was her own, until both of their last days, Crystal said.
Police say their lives were taken at the hands of the 16-year-old suspect now charged with two counts of first-degree murder in their deaths.
(Due to a court-issued gag order on the case, no further information can be released about the identity of the suspect or his relation to the victims.)
Court documents obtained by News Channel 11 reveal the suspect allegedly admitted to police he killed Cole and Allen with blunt force strikes to the head and that the murders were premeditated.
Crystal now lives in Bean Station, Tenn. and says she wishes she had been able to see her mom more in the past two years before her unexpected death. The COVID-19 pandemic and fear of spreading the virus to her fiancé, who has black lung, prevented trips to visit, but Crystal says she was able to call her mom about once a week.
“We didn’t travel anywhere for a long time because of COVID and our fears of him catching it,” said Crystal. “In our last phone conversation, she always said, ‘I know Crystal, life is hard and it’s long but we come together when we need to.'”
The memories are something that will never leave her. Crystal says Cole was devoted to her three daughters in a way that only a mother can comprehend.
“When push came to shove and the world kicked us down, she was always there. She would love us and support us while we licked our wounds. Knowing we would leave again when we got strong enough. She was so selfless; she didn’t mind stepping back when our lives moved ahead. Proud we were making it on our own but always there when we fell,” said Crystal.
Not the final story
Crystal says in the wake of a horrific murder, she refuses to let chaos and tragedy be her mother’s final story.
“My mom was all about peace, yet she died violently,” said Crystal.
Sherry Cole’s entire outlook on life was driven by her steadfast faith in God.
“She was the most faithful person I have ever met. She thought everyone had good in them and God could fix anything,” said Crystal. “Her family’s happiness was all she cared about, she never cared about herself.”
Cole grew up in Greene County and went to Chuckey Doak High School. Crystal says her mother did not graduate; instead, she married her lifelong partner Bill Cole and started a family.
“She had such a hard life. I always wondered how she could keep that outlook,” Crystal said. “Growing up, sometimes we didn’t even have running water, and she had to constantly work harder to do the simplest things. Like washing dishes would take hours because she had to boil water from outside. She never complained though.”
Throughout all of life’s challenges, Crystal says Sherry remained devoted to her mission: giving everything she could to those around her, including for her grandson Jessie Allen and the teenager who allegedly took their lives.
“I want to scream from the rooftops how great she was. To tell everyone how much she sacrificed for those two boys. For all her kids and grandkids she gave her life for,” said Crystal.
For several years, Crystal says Cole had custody of Allen.
“She was overjoyed having Jessie there. She always told me taking care of her kids then their kids was what God put her here for,” said Crystal.
Crystal says the entire family is struggling to cope with the unexplainable deaths, made harder by the brutal nature in which they died. No motive has been released at this time for why the teenage suspect allegedly chose to end their lives.
However, Crystal says it has been a true comfort to see the love and support from the surrounding community.
“It didn’t take long before I was blown away by all the kindness that we still receive. The condolences and donations from strangers and friends is hard to believe,” said Crystal.
At a fundraiser held on May 14 at Fall Branch School, where Allen was in the first grade, the school’s PTO says the community raised over $10,000 for Jessie’s family.
The school also raised nearly $20,000 to help pay for the May 1 funerals of Cole and Allen.
“My mom would have been overjoyed to see that good was winning in the end. Because the best thing she ever taught me was that people are mostly good,” said Crystal. “The empathy coming from everyone I encounter proves to me good is winning.”
Next in court
On May 12, the 16-year-old suspect had his first court appearance in Greene County after being charged with the murders.
The juvenile has been detained by police since the day after the crimes, when he allegedly admitted to investigators that he killed the victims with a hammer and planned it the afternoon of.
Judge Kenneth Bailey decided after hearing testimony from four witnesses for the State of Tennessee that there is probable cause to believe the suspect committed the crimes.
He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and remains housed in a juvenile detention facility pending his next court date.
District Attorney General Dan Armstrong has requested the state move the teen’s charges from juvenile court to adult criminal court.
A transfer hearing to decide the matter is set for August 23 with a status conference on July 19.
A daughter’s last message
Crystal penned a poem, a letter written to her mother, that she asked to be shared with the public in remembrance.
Mom,
I can’t breathe knowing the violent way you left this world because I knew you,
I know you had the kindest heart and your belief in humanity was true.
Growing up I always teased you because you would believe any lie,
You couldn’t tell one yourself even when it would have been better to try.
I remember clearly you giving a co-worker your last dollar and my Dad asking “why,”
You innocently looked up at him and said “Well Bill I had it so I couldn’t just lie.”
You didn’t care that meant you would do without more so than you already did,
If someone needed your help you helped never looking for the intention they hid.
I am trying to find within myself the forgiveness you always showed,
You loved the boy who took you so how do I begin to carry this load?
I know you loved him until the end and you would forgive,
But he brutally took you and Jessie yet he still gets to live.
I will never get to hug you and tell you how much you meant to me,
With you looking up at me with that smile I will never again get to see.
I wish I could tell you I know you tried your best and this wasn’t your fault,
You gave everything to others before your life was brought to a halt.
That’s what I will always remember just how much of yourself you gave,
It will never be diminished by the actions of the one you couldn’t save.
By Crystal Cole
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/daughter-remembers-greene-co-double-homicide-victim-sherry-cole/
| 2022-05-18T21:22:59
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/daughter-remembers-greene-co-double-homicide-victim-sherry-cole/
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BALTIMORE — Just about everyone knows someone — or is that someone — who has aches or pains, some forgetfulness or other age-related issue or disease.
It’s an ambitious collaboration among several Hopkins hospital and university departments called the Human Aging Project.
“We’re not aiming for people to live forever,” said physician Jeremy Walston, a professor of geriatric medicine in the Hopkins School of Medicine and the director of the project. “But if we can slow the progression of disease and decline, that 10 to 20 years people live with disability, we can give them a better quality of life.
“We’ll probably increase longevity as well.”
Walston conceived of the idea years ago while treating his senior patients with cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other common conditions that develop over time. He wanted to improve their lives now but also investigate the biological underpinning of aging so there could be better therapies or prevention strategies later.
The project launched about a year ago, bringing what Walston calls a “big umbrella” of expertise from areas that include medical care, research, artificial intelligence and technology, engineering and business. Hopkins students have a chance to participate, as do some outside businesses and universities that have aging-related innovations to develop.
Much of the research builds on decades of work at Hopkins and elsewhere. Some efforts now under the aging project banner already are in advanced stages. Devices and therapies ready to head to human trials can seek volunteers among a large pool of Hopkins geriatric patients.
There is urgency to the effort. More than 54 million Americans are age 65 or older, or about 16 percent of the population, federal statistics show. The number is expected to grow to nearly 22 percent by 2040, and the number of people 85 and older is projected to more than double.
Most older people have at least one chronic condition and many have multiple conditions, which can include physical and cognitive impairments.
Many older people desire to “age in place,” with outside and even government support to stay at home, but that becomes less possible the more debilitated people become, Walston said.
The aging project will apply for grant funding to pay for specific endeavors. Already, the Hopkins project is one of three academic institutions to be awarded $20 million from the National Institute on Aging that will go specifically for work in artificial intelligence and technology. Hopkins will dole out grants of up to $200,000 over five years, with some money going to outside universities and businesses that want to partner with Hopkins on devices and other innovations for older adults.
The National Institute on Aging sought academic centers that could generate high-tech ideas and get them developed, said Partha Bhattacharyya, a program director for the institute’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research and the official overseeing the grant program.
Bhattacharyya said the NIA was looking to the centers to develop devices and therapies that would specifically help older adults live independently at home. That means, for example, pursuing technology to help with decision-making, coordinating care among doctors, or supporting cognitive therapy.
“NIA takes a big-picture approach to research and development of new technologies, and we realize that technological solutions for use in homes and communities will require coordination across a wide range of disciplines and economic sectors,” he said.
Hopkins had won nearly $16 million in other grants from the National Institutes of Health that focused on frailty and resiliency in aging, which included money to train new researchers in these areas.
The project has named several Hopkins “scholars,” who are experts in their fields and were awarded $6 million in philanthropic grants. They are pursuing work in engineering, biology, turning basic science into actual therapies, and social justice. The program specifically called on scholars to pursue science that more deeply engages underserved older adults in Baltimore, as well as other parts of the country, and stated that any device or therapy stemming from the project should be financially and physically accessible.
One effort already underway, for example, uses imaging technology to screen for cataracts without an eye expert, who can be in short supply in rural areas and underserved urban areas. Walston said equity and diversity will be an important element of the aging project.
Another arm of the project involves engineering students, who will work with faculty to develop new devices.
Joshua Blair, a master’s student in engineering, is gearing up to test a device to promote better sleep and memory retention, a common problem among older adults, particularly those with dementia or other cognitive impairments.
The device uses sensors and stimulates part of the brain where experiences are turned into memories during deep sleep. The idea is that people wake better rested and sharper.
“We’ll be able to see instantly if it’s working,” Blair said.
Physician Peter Abadir, a Hopkins professor of medicine, had brought engineering students to patient clinics to see whether they might spark interest and ideas about ways to improve the lives of older adults. He found many jumped at the chance to develop something they could then test and turn into a real product.
The sleep device is expected to be tested this summer at a Hopkins sleep lab.
“We want things to happen today, not in 20 years,” Abadir said. “But we make sure we don’t end up with something not practical or effective.”
That’s where some of the university’s business expertise will come into play, Abadir said, assessing markets and turning ideas into products.
The aging project also includes work in labs, where researchers assess basic biological processes for clues about why age-related conditions develop and what to do about them.
On a recent day, Nick Milcik, a research specialist in the Hopkins geriatrics department, was handling some cortisol samples taken from the saliva of surgical patients over time. Researchers are hoping to see whether levels of the stress hormone eventually can help predict, for example, who will do well after surgery for knee replacement. That could tell doctors when they can go ahead and when they should delay or cancel procedures in patients unlikely to benefit.
Reyhan Westbrook, an instructor in geriatric medicine, is in the lab looking at the role of inflammation in aging and how to control when there is too much. He’s specifically focused on a sleep-regulating amino acid called tryptophan, which has anti-inflammatory effects and could contribute eventually to a therapy.
Some inflammation is needed as a defense against infection and injury, Westbrook explained, “but it’s a problem when it’s overloaded. It gets amplified in older people.”
Some of the research has moved beyond the lab. One of the project’s scholars is physician Alex Pantelyat, an assistant professor of neurology and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine. He’s not a music therapist, but uses rhythm and music as medicine, sometimes playing the violin for patients.
Pantelyat said there already is a lot of evidence about the benefits of music in promoting well-being and healing; he’s looking for novel ways of using those benefits.
Among the efforts he’s pursuing under the aging project’s banner is a wearable device that uses music to improve mobility in those with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement and is common in older people. Sufferers often have trouble walking and are at risk of falling.
Falls are a major health issue, leading to disability as well as a significant number of deaths. One in 4 older adults falls each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That leads to tens of billions in medical spending on fatal and nonfatal injuries.
Pantelyat is testing a product developed with a Maine-based company that uses rhythmic music to normalize someone’s gait. Human brains naturally respond to a beat, and the device will train people who listen to specific music and walk for 30 minutes a day. A sensor on the wearer’s shoes speeds up or slows down the rhythm with the walker’s speed.
“If we can reduce falls, that’s really the holy grail,” he said. “There are no side effects to music-based interventions that embed rhythm. It would really be an important achievement.”
Clinical trials are expected to begin this summer.
— Baltimore Sun
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/johns-hopkins-researchers-work-to-give-elderly-a-better-quality-of-life/2022/05/18/a36d7640-d65f-11ec-80e7-0fac5856f7cb_story.html
| 2022-05-18T21:39:56
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/johns-hopkins-researchers-work-to-give-elderly-a-better-quality-of-life/2022/05/18/a36d7640-d65f-11ec-80e7-0fac5856f7cb_story.html
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NORMAL — In the wake of Leah Marlene Day, including her parade and concert, the Town of Normal and McLean County Unit 5 took a breath Wednesday, still reveling in the whirlwind of welcoming the “American Idol” finalist home.
“We were all here for Leah Marlene, we were here for our community, and that was fantastic to see people respond appropriately,” said Beth Whisman, cultural arts director for the town.
Organizers from the town, the school district and the police department had a head start in planning for Marlene’s hometown visit because the show’s producers began reaching out after she secured a spot in the top-five contestants.
But the real plans weren’t set until the 45 hours between the end of Sunday’s show, when she was named a top-three finalist, and Tuesday evening, when uptown Normal was packed with people cheering on her parade and concert.
“It definitely felt compressed,” said Adam Fox, civic arts manager for Normal. “Putting on events in uptown is something that we do. … It’s just normally we would be working on events a month, three months, six months, even a year out to try to make sure we can build and grow on ideas."
“This was a chance for us to say, ‘Here’s what we’ve learned. Let’s go with what we know is going to work as quickly and directly as possible and put it all into play.’”
Town officials estimated every department had a hand on planning her hometown parade and concert that brought between 10,000 and 15,000 people out in support.
“The producers have said to us in a few different ways that Normal came out for Leah in a way that they haven’t seen communities support a contestant in a long time, that it was really pretty impressive the way that this community has been rallying throughout the whole process,” Fox said. “They knew this was going to be a big turnout, and then their faces when they actually saw, rounding the corner of the parade route, there was some genuine awe, like, ‘OK, you guys weren’t kidding around.’ It was pretty impressive.”
But Marlene also spent much of her day stopping by her former schools.
Dayna Brown, communications director for Unit 5, said volunteers, parents, teachers, staff and students were happy to help pull the day together, too.
“People were really excited to be a part of this, so getting volunteers was not an issue at all,” she said. “And it wasn’t just our schools that stepped up. Several local businesses did that.”
Yellow signs and T-shirts were produced in the same short turnaround time as the events, along with the posters, hats and decorations made by students who “basically painted the whole district yellow,” Brown said.
“All of the students at Normal West — some who knew Leah and some who didn't — really went above and beyond to make the school look so amazing for the watch party on Sunday and for her hometown visit,” she said.
The entire community taking on a team mindset and keeping plans fluid helped the day go smoothly, Whisman said.
“Sometimes ‘American Idol’ didn’t know the answer or they don’t know our community, so really they kind of left it up to us,” she said, noting Marlene and the "Idol" producers selected uptown as the venue because of her history of performing at the circle. “For us to be able to rely on our team members emphatically was fantastic because it saved us time, it saved us resources.”
Steve Petrilli, chief of police for Normal, said his officers spent the day with Marlene making sure her safety was the No. 1 priority, as well as the safety and security of those who attended her events.
“You can lay out the best plans and very rarely do they ever actually pan out, so they’re always fluid, and you’ve got to be ready for contingencies, but yesterday went just about as well scripted as I think we could have possibly done,” he said. “So we were very happy with how the event was pulled off.”
Through mutual aid agreements, officers from the Bloomington Police Department and one officer from the Peoria Police Department worked with the Normal officers for the parade and concert.
The Peoria officer brought an explosive detection K9 police dog and did a sweep of the concert area after the stage and other external components were brought in and before the crowd was allowed in.
“It may seem like overkill, but in this day and age, anything and everything that we can do to ensure the security of our concertgoers or our community, we’re going to do those. That’s why those mutual aid agreements become so vitally important,” Petrilli said.
The McLean County Emergency Management Agency and Normal Fire Department also assisted.
Petrilli said the department was primarily able to use officers who were on-shift, but some were hired back to cover the later events, though he did not have an exact number Wednesday.
The town spent “less on this event than typical” because of the support from the community, said Normal Communication Director Cathy Oloffson. The community support included volunteers and even the use of a yellow convertible that Unit 5 administrators found for Marlene to ride in the parade.
This fiscal year, the town budgeted about $20,000 to market uptown as a destination for events and other attractions and experiences.
“While we don’t have an exact figure, we know we spent less to host the event than we had budgeted to market uptown Normal,” Oloffson said, noting “Idol” financed Marlene’s transportation and security team. “The return on that investment is priceless. The town of Normal could never buy the kind of awareness, exposure and coverage we received by showcasing our community and showing support and caring for not just Leah Marlene, but for all those who support her.”
Brown said it was exciting to see so many people supporting the Normal West alumna and cheering on all the students who took part in the parade.
“And now we just have to remind everyone to vote on Sunday,” Brown said.
Watch now: Relive the Leah Marlene concert in uptown Normal 🎵
Watch now: Leah Marlene performs 'Wisher to the Well'
Watch now: Leah Marlene performs 'Make You Feel My Love'
Watch now: Leah Marlene performs 'Happy Together'
Watch now: Leah Marlene talks about the meaning behind 'Flowers'
Watch now: Leah Marlene performs 'Flowers' live in uptown Normal
Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/watch-now-what-did-it-take-to-pull-off-leah-marlene-day-in-normal/article_31af6de8-d6db-11ec-81b9-8b4f88cfe881.html
| 2022-05-18T21:40:50
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/watch-now-what-did-it-take-to-pull-off-leah-marlene-day-in-normal/article_31af6de8-d6db-11ec-81b9-8b4f88cfe881.html
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FORT WORTH, Texas — Attorneys for Aaron Dean, the former Fort Worth police officer charged in the shooting death of Atatiana Jefferson, are asking for another delay in the trial, which was recently rescheduled to June.
Dean attorneys Robert K. Gill and D. Miles Brissette filed a motion to resolve scheduling conflicts between the Dean case and "older, statutory priority cases," according to court records.
The lawyers cited several cases on their schedule for late May and into June, including one with a bench trial scheduled for June 23, the same day the newly-scheduled Dean trial is set to begin.
Dean is charged with murder in Jefferson's death. He fatally shot her while responding to a welfare check at her home in October 2019, police said.
Gill "cannot be ready for the trial of all cases," the attorneys wrote in a motion. "Each case will require substantial preparation. In addition to required preparation time and trial time, all cases will require substantial time to cover pretrial issues."
In those other cases, some of the defendants have been in custody going back several years. Dean has been out of jail on bond as he awaits trial.
His attorneys argued that their other cases on the schedule should take priority.
Judge David Hagerman has not yet made a ruling on the motion.
In April, Hagerman granted a continuance in the case, rescheduling Dean's trial due to concerns over lead defense attorney Jim Lane's health and late-submitted evidence by the prosecution.
In December, when he pushed the trial to May, Hagerman said "no further continuances will be granted.”
Cases and trials can be delayed frequently for a number of reasons.
When scheduling cases, judges typically give priority to cases that involve defendants who have remained in jail, said Judge Michael Snipes, a retired Dallas County judge.
Judges will then typically take into account the oldest cases and then the seriousness of the offense involved in cases.
There is no state law that requires judges to prioritize case scheduling a certain way, but Snipes said most judges will follow that order when prioritizing scheduling.
The state Code of Criminal Procedure does have a speedy trial law for cases that are significantly delayed. The state law outlines trial priorities, giving preference to criminal cases over civil trials; cases in which the victim is under 14; and cases in which a defendant has been restored to competency.
It was unknown Wednesday how any of those factors would impact the scheduling of the Dean case.
How Atatiana Jefferson died
On the night Jefferson was killed, a neighbor had called the police requesting a welfare check after he saw the door open at Jefferson’s Fort Worth home.
Jefferson was playing video games with her then-8-year-old nephew when Dean walked into the backyard. She grabbed her gun and had gotten up to look out the window when she was shot, police records show. Jefferson died at the scene.
An arrest warrant stated three times that Dean did not announce he was a police officer when he walked around the house.
Dean declined to give a statement to Fort Worth investigators.
Dean resigned before he could be fired, Fort Worth Police Department officials have said.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/fort-worth-police-officer-aaron-dean-attorneys-ask-for-another-delay-in-trial-over-death-of-atatiana-jefferson/287-c12dba42-1a84-41ef-bb2d-09c9adfe81c0
| 2022-05-18T21:46:14
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/fort-worth-police-officer-aaron-dean-attorneys-ask-for-another-delay-in-trial-over-death-of-atatiana-jefferson/287-c12dba42-1a84-41ef-bb2d-09c9adfe81c0
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pearl Jam fans of Sacramento, just breathe.
The rock band best known for popular songs like "Jeremy" and "Even Flow" announced Wednesday afternoon it has canceled two concerts, including one at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center scheduled for later the same evening.
In a statement posted to the band's social media pages, bassist Jeff Ament announced he has been diagnosed with COVID-19. This comes on the heels of Pearl Jam using a guest drummer in Oakland following drummer Matt Cameron also recently tested positive for COVID-19.
"Regretfully, the Sacramento and Las Vegas shows are canceled. Ticket refunds will be automatically processed to ticket holders’ method of purchase. We are so very sorry. Be safe out there," the band's statement says. "This is horrible for everybody involved and we are especially sorry to those out there who have made plans to attend these shows."
Refunds will be automatically processed for all ticket holders.
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How Dance Gavin Dance and his mother are picking up after Tim Feerick's fentanyl overdose and death
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/pearl-jam-cancels-sacramento-concert/103-50b6768b-4cc0-4d00-8177-f1ca5d10d2d9
| 2022-05-18T22:02:31
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/pearl-jam-cancels-sacramento-concert/103-50b6768b-4cc0-4d00-8177-f1ca5d10d2d9
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CDC investigation of mysterious hepatitis cases in children includes 1 child in RI
A child from Rhode Island is among more than 100 across the country who have been diagnosed with hepatitis without a known cause, leading to an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state Health Department announced Wednesday.
The child was asymptomatic and not hospitalized, according to Health Department spokesman Joseph Wendelken.
The CDC is investigating 180 cases of hepatitis among children younger than 10 in 36 states, including the Rhode Island case, the agency reported. Many of the cases have been unusually serious; at least five of the children have died, and 15 have required liver transplants.
In some of these cases, the children have also been found to have been infected with a type of adenovirus, which is a common family of viruses that typically cause respiratory illnesses. None has had evidence of infection with the viruses known to commonly cause hepatitis.
Hepatitis outbreak:CDC investigating mysterious outbreak of severe hepatitis in 109 children
The Rhode Island Department of Health is advising that children should be up to date on all vaccinations, and that everyone should wash their hands often, stay home when sick, avoid others who are sick, cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
Education in Rhode Island:Disability-rights groups say changes in RI discriminate against special-needs students
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https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/rhode-island-hepatitis-children-case-cdc-investigation-nationwide-outbreak/9828250002/
| 2022-05-18T22:17:43
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https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/rhode-island-hepatitis-children-case-cdc-investigation-nationwide-outbreak/9828250002/
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With legal marijuana in RI, 'tens of thousands' of past convictions may disappear
As House and Senate committees considered legislation Wednesday to legalize recreational use of marijuana, court officials were preparing to fulfill a challenging requirement if the bill becomes law: the automatic expungement of tens of thousands of past marijuana convictions.
“This is going to be a big lift but we can do it, and we will do it,” said Craig Berke, spokesman for the state court system.
Under the legislation, any prior civil violation, misdemeanor or felony conviction for possession of marijuana that would be decriminalized would be automatically erased from court record systems.
Bigger offenses, however, such as intent to deliver marijuana, or manufacturing, would be ineligible for expungement.
In researching the implications of the bill, the courts took a look at the universe of marijuana violations in their computer systems spanning decades.
More:When will recreational marijuana be legal in RI? We may have an answer
Cases dating back nearly half a century
They found about 27,000 cases eligible for expungement where possession of marijuana was the one and only charge – and “thousands more,” said Berke, where possession was one of multiple charges someone faced.
Some cases date back at least to 1977. Take for example Stephen Marriotte Matthews, now 77.
In 1977, a police department in Providence County arrested and charged him with possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor; distribution of marijuana, a felony; contributing to the delinquency of a child, a misdemeanor; and maintaining a common nuisance, a felony.
There’s still a warrant out for his arrest because he apparently fled Rhode Island. But if he’s ever caught, his marijuana possession charge would no longer be in any computer bank, if the expungement bill becomes law.
Some cases will be easier to expunge than others, said Berke: for example, cases of possession of an ounce or less of the drug.
A decade ago, Rhode Island lawmakers decriminalized those cases, making them civil violations, like a parking ticket. Since then, adjudication of those cases takes place at the Traffic Tribunal, in Cranston. Therefore, those cases are easily identifiable and accessible there, said Berke.
“Where it gets complicated,” he said, is in cases like Matthews', when a marijuana possession charge is part of a criminal case involving other charges.
“Those charges will have to be extracted, and done either by an electronic computer search, or in some cases going through the paper files [by hand] if they were before we converted [to electronic filings] in 2015. It’s going to be a big job.”
If the amount of marijuana in a court file was not stated by arresting officers, then under the legislation, it will be presumed to be under 2 ounces, which would be legal under the new law.
Berke foresaw some “recalculation” of how cases involving multiple charges would be adjudicated.
Courts seek more money to handle administrative cost
Realizing the task at end, court officials, while working with drafters of the legislation, asked for time, as well as money for overtime.
The legislation gives the courts until July 1, 2024, to provide automatic expungement to all who are eligible. It also provides an expedited process for those wishing to have their records expunged earlier.
Berke said the governor has also included in his budget proposal for the next fiscal year $255,000 for overtime for court workers and another $85,000 to hire a contract worker to handle the expungement work.
The money would come out of the “marijuana trust fund,” financed through marijuana sales.
Several advocacy groups lobbied hard for automatic expungement, noting how simple possession charges had for decades hurt members of minority communities disproportionately targeted in the War on Drugs.
“The automatic expungement of criminal records puts this bill at the forefront of nationwide efforts to ensure that cannabis legalization bills right the wrongs of the drug war,” said Miguel Martínez Youngs, organizing director of Reclaim RI.
Rep. Leonela Felix, D-Pawtucket, who took a lead in ensuring that the bill was amended to include automatic expungement, said the magnitude of the cannabis legislation, “specifically the state-initiated expungement piece, is without equal."
“Rhode Island is not only equitably granting conviction relief to many Rhode Islanders, but also rebuilding trust in the justice system with the very communities targeted by the failed War on Drugs policy, primarily people of color,” she said.
On Wednesday afternoon the legislation flew through the Senate Judiciary Committee, passing on a vote of 9-to-1. Sen. Leo Raptakis, D-Coventry, cast the only “no” vote after raising questions about how drivers impaired from marijuana would be prosecuted.
Unlike with alcohol, there is no reliable test, such as a Breathalyzer, that can offer definitive proof that someone using marijuana is impaired.
If the bill passes the House Finance Committee as expected both the full Senate and House chambers are scheduled to vote on the bill on May 24.
Email Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com
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https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/rhode-island-marijuana-legalization-bill-expunge-weed-convictions/9822039002/
| 2022-05-18T22:17:49
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https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/rhode-island-marijuana-legalization-bill-expunge-weed-convictions/9822039002/
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A former UAB football player who shot and killed a nursing student as she was selling a pair of headphones in December 2020 will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Carlos Londarrius Stephens, 24, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole during a sentencing hearing Wednesday. On April 12, he was found guilty of capital murder in the death of Destiny Washington, a 20-year-old student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Stephens, who played his freshman year for the UAB Blazers football team back in 2017, shot Washington on December 18, 2020 as she was selling a pair of $90 AirPods outside UAB’s Hill University Center, according to court records. He turned himself in the next day.
“I didn’t get to see her get married, have a child, graduate from nursing school. None of that,” said MeKaila Hill, Washington’s friend, during a vigil for her in 2020.
Stephens claimed the shooting was in self-defense after Washington’s boyfriend pulled a gun first.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/former-uab-football-player-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-death-of-nursing-student/
| 2022-05-18T22:23:36
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/former-uab-football-player-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-death-of-nursing-student/
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/gas-prices-continue-to-rise-in-our-region/3243842/
| 2022-05-18T22:23:43
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/gas-prices-continue-to-rise-in-our-region/3243842/
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A vehicle incident caused 4,000 pounds of fertilizer to spill into the Heart River southeast of Glen Ullin on Tuesday, according to state environmental officials.
The incident does not appear to pose an immediate threat to drinking water or aquatic life, as recent rainfall and snowfall mean the water level in the river is high and will dilute the 2 tons of fertilizer, said Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.
South Dakota-based Agtegra Cooperative reported the spill to the state. The incident occurred in Grant County about 18 miles southeast of Glen Ullin.
The vehicle attempted to navigate a low-water crossing, and its trailer slipped off the edge of the road and flipped over, according to County Emergency Manager Patrick Diehl. The vehicle has since been removed from the river, he said. No one was injured.
Suess said urea, the type of fertilizer that spilled, contains a lot of nitrogen, which could pose a hazard if it were to get into drinking water. But the Heart River is not a drinking water source, he said. The nearest is at Linton along the Missouri River, south of where the Heart empties into the Missouri near Mandan. By the time the water reaches the Linton intake, the concentration of fertilizer in it would be significantly diluted, Suess said.
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Fertilizer can trigger algae blooms in the summer, but Suess does not think that is likely given the high water level.
State officials are inspecting the site and taking water samples.
Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.
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https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/2-tons-of-fertilizer-spill-into-heart-river-no-major-environmental-impacts-expected/article_2ace311c-d6ea-11ec-9e13-43994bbbcfda.html
| 2022-05-18T22:26:25
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https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/2-tons-of-fertilizer-spill-into-heart-river-no-major-environmental-impacts-expected/article_2ace311c-d6ea-11ec-9e13-43994bbbcfda.html
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Income eligibility guidelines in North Dakota for the program commonly known as WIC have been adjusted based on federal poverty levels.
WIC is short for the North Dakota Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. It provides food, nutrition education and other support for low-income families.
The guideline change increases the amount of income a family can make and still qualify for services. Effective May 1, a family of four can earn up to $4,279 each month ($51,338 annually) and still qualify.
For more information, go to https://www.health.nd.gov/prevention/wic.
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https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/health/wic-program-income-eligibility-guidelines-change/article_1b397cfe-d6e8-11ec-aa3d-63f6999759e1.html
| 2022-05-18T22:26:31
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https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/health/wic-program-income-eligibility-guidelines-change/article_1b397cfe-d6e8-11ec-aa3d-63f6999759e1.html
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Florida Fish and Wildlife officer from Brevard to be inducted into officer hall of fame Saturday
Steve Wayne never dreamed that a childhood fishing trip with his uncle would lead to his induction into the Florida Law Enforcement Officers' Hall of Fame Saturday morning.
As a 15-year-old, he and his uncle were fishing in South Florida when an officer with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission checked to see Wayne's uncle had his fishing license.
"After the officer left, (my uncle) said, 'You know, Steve, that would be a great job for you,'" Wayne said.
The encouragement from his uncle sparked his interest in the field, but it wasn't an easy journey. When he was accepted into the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission's Law Enforcement Academy in 1991, he said he faced doubt from his peers and superiors.
"I was told many, many times that I was too skinny, and what am I doing getting into law enforcement, and I didn't have a (commanding) presence and that kind of thing," the 54-year-old Viera resident said.
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The opposition he faced fueled his desire to work hard and achieve great things within the organization, he said.
Now, a little less than a year after retiring from FWC, Wayne will be inducted into the Florida Law Enforcement Officers' Hall of Fame at 11 a.m. Saturday morning at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee.
"It's a huge, huge honor, huge blessing — something I didn't expect," he said. "It's not only my accomplishment, but it's my family's — the sacrifices they've made, all the years of me working nights and early mornings and holidays, and all the sacrifice and the worry from my family worrying about if I was going to make it home every day."
Wayne began his work as an officer in Okeechobee and Lake County, then in 2003 was promoted to lieutenant and served in Indian River and then Brevard counties.
In 2012, he became FWC's first full-time port investigator. His efforts, which focused on the illegal sale, import, export and commercialization of fish and wildlife resources, created "one of the most successful port investigation units in the nation," FWC said on his nomination form for the hall of fame.
Throughout his career, he served as a field training officer and instructed others in field training, man tracking, port investigations, boating under the influence and airboat operations.
During his time as an officer, FWC awarded him Officer of the Year and Investigator of the Year from FWC. He was also nominated for Investigator of the Year by the State Law Enforcement Chiefs Association and accepted the Conservation Law Enforcement Award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies on behalf of FWC.
"Arguably, Investigator Wayne’s efforts were responsible for some of the most transformative changes integrated into the FWC’s enforcement structure and philosophy in the recent past," FWC said on his hall of fame nomination form.
Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker
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https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/brevard-fwc-officer-inducted-into-officer-hall-fame-saturday/9826759002/
| 2022-05-18T22:33:01
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https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/brevard-fwc-officer-inducted-into-officer-hall-fame-saturday/9826759002/
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Firefighters work to contain 12-acre brush fire off of Heritage Parkway in Palm Bay
Firefighters battled a fast-moving brush fire that forced Palm Bay police to shut down a portion of St Johns Heritage Parkway briefly Wednesday afternoon.
The 12-acre fire was about 90 percent contained by 4:30 p.m. as a short burst of rain fell on the area.
The blaze was reported about 2:30 p.m. just south of Emerson Drive in the city's northwest section.
A small Florida Forest Service airplane circled the area as firefighters tackled the blaze as it burned through dried-out brush.
More:Palm Bay motorcyclist, 65, killed in collision with car in Scottsmoor; woman critically injured
No homes or property were immediately threatened. Firefighters were hoping to fully contain the blaze by late Wednesday.
"That can all change pretty quickly," said Cliff Frazier, wildfire mitigation specialist for the Florida Forest Service.
By 5 p.m., heavy rain fell on the area, helping to extinguish the flames.
Foresty officials did not immediately know how the brush fire started.
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
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https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/fire-crews-battle-brush-fire-palm-bay/9828902002/
| 2022-05-18T22:33:07
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https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/05/18/fire-crews-battle-brush-fire-palm-bay/9828902002/
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DAVIDSONVILLE, Md. — A flagger helping control traffic in a Maryland construction zone was hit by an SUV driven by a suspected drunken driver, police said.
The investigation found that a Jeep Grand Cherokee rear-ended a Honda Accord that had stopped at a flagger’s stop sign on Davidsonville Road and kept going, police said. When the Jeep reached the intersection with Kings Retreat Drive, the driver tried to turn and the Jeep hit a flagger there before hitting a sign, police said. The flagger, identified as Lizeth Guzman, 56, of Baltimore, was flown to a hospital, where police said she was pronounced dead.
The driver of the Jeep, who was not hurt, was determined to be under the influence of alcohol and charged with negligent manslaughter, criminally negligent manslaughter, DWI and several other offenses, police said.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-flagger-fatally-hit-driver-charged-with-dwi/2022/05/18/622de926-d6fa-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html
| 2022-05-18T22:46:12
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-flagger-fatally-hit-driver-charged-with-dwi/2022/05/18/622de926-d6fa-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html
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BOISE, Idaho — Boise Mayor Lauren McLean will give her 2022 State of the City address today at 4 p.m.
The mayor will be celebrating Boise and highlighting the ways the city is coming together to create a better environment for everyone.
A community fair will be held at the JUMP plaza from 3-6 p.m. and will be showing a stream of the address on the JUMPotron. There will also be live music and activities for all ages that will continue after the conclusion of the address.
The meeting will be held at Jack's Urban Meeting Place and online.
Over the last year, several of Mayor McLean's five strategic priority areas have seen big accomplishments.
The city of Boise has continued to invest in the community by providing better mental health support systems. More than $15 million has been provided for rental assistance to keep Boise families in their homes and accessibility services have been improved at city facilities by improving language services for everyone in Boise.
The Boise Pathways Plan was also implemented to give 112 miles of new pathways to better connect Boise's community. Under McLean's direction, thousands of trees were planted around the city as part of the City of Trees Challenge in combating climate change.
Mayor McLean has held monthly listening sessions to answer questions and take feedback from residents and says she will continue communicating with Boiseans and work to increase transparency from the mayor's office.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/mayor-mclean-to-hold-boise-state-of-the-city-address/277-d0b9b87f-e2dd-403c-9358-103acd4a1071
| 2022-05-18T22:46:38
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/mayor-mclean-to-hold-boise-state-of-the-city-address/277-d0b9b87f-e2dd-403c-9358-103acd4a1071
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KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – In an effort to curb property degradation and deter squatting, officials with the City of Kingsport said several structures have been or are set to be destroyed this year.
On average each year, the city identifies roughly 30 properties that meet the criteria for destruction, but so far in 2022, nearly 60 such properties have been pinpointed.
“We have empty buildings, vacant structures, abandoned buildings. You invite all kinds of not just, you know rats, rodents. We get a lot of vagrants. They get in the wintertime if they try to stay warm, then there’s a big danger of house fire and that endangers all the structures around it as well,” Kingsport Building Official Keith Bruner said.
Bruner said his office is working on 60 active dilapidation cases, nine of which have already been condemned with bids going out for those properties to be demolished.
Three other cases have been appealed. The decision to demolish has been appealed to the Sullivan County Chancery Court, Bruner explained.
Once a complaint has been filed with the building office, Bruner said that he dispatches a building inspector to the property to file a report to him.
“They will gather evidence and they create a report,” he said. “Then there is an initial letter sent to the homeowners giving them 30 days to respond, to either fix or demolish the building. If that doesn’t happen, then it goes into the hearing process.”
Bruner is the building hearing officer, as he is the city’s building official. He evaluates all the inspectors’ reports and sends out letters to each homeowner to have a hearing and listen to all parties involved.
“Based on the evidence, I make a decision whether the building can be repaired or needs to be demolished and then issue that order giving the owner 60 days to respond to either tear the building down or appeal my decision,” he said. “And at the end of that 60 days in, if they’ve not appealed and it goes on the list to be bid out.”
Property owners are responsible for demolishing their structures, but if they do not, the city steps in. Some taxpayer money is spent on these projects, but Bruner explained that the money is made back by means of a lien placed against the properties that the city is responsible for demolishing.
“We take the lowest bid, award those, the construction companies tear them down, and once all the demolition is completed, we’ll place a lien on the property,” Bruner said. “We don’t actually take possession of the property; we just place a lien on it, on the property.”
It takes roughly six months to identify the problematic property, contact the owners, arrange and hold hearings and see the repair or demolition to the finish. But it’s not always that easy.
“Most of these properties are vacant, abandoned. The owners are deceased,” Bruner said.
He said in some cases, notices have had to be mailed as far as California in search of heirs to a deceased homeowner that left a vacant property deemed unfit for human habitation.
“Like maybe two or three heirs there might be. I think we’ve had as many as 17 on one. So it takes some time, and if we schedule a hearing and we can’t get all the heirs or lienholders notified then we’ll have that here and for the ones we do and then we had scheduled another hearing for the others, and try to locate them.”
Bruner said state law and city ordinance allow the city, once they’ve exhausted all means by trying to find the owners, to run an ad in the paper for two weeks to alert the owners.
Bruner has made this project a priority as the city’s building official.
“I believe that the Property Maintenance code is one of the most important codes that we do enforce,” Bruner said. “It ensures the neighbors around these properties, if we act and hold all the neighbors to the codes then it helps maintain the property value and ensures their enjoyment of their property.”
In one case, the building in question was near a church that was vandalized and ultimately torn down in 2021.
William Sheppard lives across the street from an abandoned home recently demolished by the city on Ashwood Avenue.
“I was glad to see it done because the homeless people,” Sheppard said. “I don’t begrudge homeless people nothing. But they [were] leaving syringes and stuff. I’d walked my dog and I was threatened by a couple of them really, but I was glad to see them tear [it] down. Especially that one house and the church was both graffiti. It was awful.”
But just because he was happy to hear the buildings are being demolished when they become dangerous, he said the city could still do more.
“The grass, I’m six foot two, it’s up to my chest,” Sheppard said. “If I let my property get like that, the city would be on top of me with fines and everything else. They just let this property just go.”
He said he has reported multiple homes on the road where he lives that have fallen into disrepair. Some have been demolished, others haven’t.
“I just wish they’d come out and take care of the property. You know, when they do tear these houses down. Once they tear them down, they just walk away from them,” he said.
If there is a dilapidated property, perhaps abandoned or simply too dangerous to house human inhabitants, Bruner suggests residents report the code violations to the building department via the Connect Kingsport App.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-on-property-maintenance-code-enforcement-kick/
| 2022-05-18T22:47:29
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-on-property-maintenance-code-enforcement-kick/
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SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – A multi-vehicle crash in Sullivan County closed both southbound lanes on Interstate 81 Wednesday.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation SmartWay Traffic Map, the crash was reported near the 55 mile marker at 5:06 p.m. Wednesday.
The traffic map says both lanes and the left shoulder were closed as of 5:18 p.m. By 6 p.m., traffic was moving slowly through the area with crews still on the scene.
Traffic cameras depict multiple agencies on the scene of the crash. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has responded to the crash and is expected to provide more details when they are available.
News Channel 11 has a crew on the way to the scene.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/tdot-i-81-south-blocked-in-sullivan-co-due-to-crash/
| 2022-05-18T22:47:35
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/tdot-i-81-south-blocked-in-sullivan-co-due-to-crash/
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TRI-CITIES, Tenn. (WJHL) – A new initiative attempting to boost the nursing workforce in the Tri-Cities region is underway.
Ballad Health and East Tennessee State University have teamed up to create the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement, which will be ready to launch in October.
The move comes after labor shortages nationwide have left hospitals struggling.
On Wednesday, nearly a dozen regional colleges and universities came together to develop strategies to get more people interested in the nursing profession.
“When you don’t have enough nurses, everybody feels that,” said Ballad Health President and CEO Alan Levine. “When you go to the hospital or try to get in to a doctor, when you see wait times as long as they have been, it breaks your heart because that is not what we set out to do.”
“It is going to take all of the institutions rowing in that same direction to address the workforce challenges that we have in the nursing profession,” said East Tennessee State University President Brian Noland.
Levine said that the initiative has also received state funding and is being implemented statewide.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/ballad-etsu-team-up-to-unveil-appalachian-highlands-center-for-nursing-advancement/
| 2022-05-18T22:52:10
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/ballad-etsu-team-up-to-unveil-appalachian-highlands-center-for-nursing-advancement/
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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – A project sponsored by the City of Johnson City aimed at bringing vibrant art to the I-26 underpass at North Roan Street is continuing to progress.
News Channel 11 captured images of the ongoing work on the four murals, representing the region’s natural beauty.
The murals are the work of Boston-based artist Felipe Ortiz, who was contracted by Johnson City leaders to spearhead the project. Ortiz previously told News Channel 11 that while the project consists of four separate walls, he sees it as one large piece.
The project, which kicked off at the start of May is expected to take three weeks in total to complete.
Cheyenne Kumbhare of the Johnson City Public Works Department said the city is also working to bring murals to Kiwanis Park, Founder’s Park and the Legion Street Pool in the future.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/gallery-work-continues-on-n-roan-st-mural-project/
| 2022-05-18T22:52:16
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/gallery-work-continues-on-n-roan-st-mural-project/
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They clone themselves, they thrash violently like a rattlesnake when handled, they can jump a foot in the air, and now they're in California.
Beyond the Asian jumping worm's gnarly appearance (the species is also referred to as Alabama jumpers, Jersey wrigglers and crazy snake worms), scientists are now concerned about the "significant threat" the invasive species may have on the state.
Amynthas agrestis is native to Japan and the Korean Peninsula, but made its way to North America through landscape plants imported from those regions. They were first spotted writhing through American soil in Wisconsin in 2013 and have since been found across the East Coast, but now they've reportedly headed west.
The worm was first seen in California last July, when one was positively identified in Napa County by a California Department of Food and Agriculture entomologist. The identification of that critter was confirmed through DNA sequencing.
Scientists are worried about the jumping worm entering the Golden State for several reasons. "These earthworms are extremely active, aggressive, and have voracious appetites," a recent CDFA report warns. They're able to eat through thick layers of leaf debris, home to a vast array of smaller animals, leaving behind only nutrient-free, dry worm casings that look like taco meat. They can even rid the forest floor of birds that nest there.
As a US Forest Service blog post shared last month states, "Asian jumping worms can eat all of it. They are never satiated." The CDFA says this poses a huge threat to forest life and could also hurt biodiversity in nurseries, parks and residential gardens. The report warns that the jumping worms will likely be able to "establish a widespread distribution through California's forest habitat and ornamental production sites, particularly in residential and commercial environments."
“Soil is the foundation of life, and Asian jumping worms change it,” Mac Callaham, a Forest Service researcher who specializes in soils, said in the US Forest Service post. “In fact, earthworms can have such huge impacts that they’re able to actually reengineer the ecosystems around them.”
"You're left with bare soil ... you get a lot of erosion," Brad Herrick, an ecologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, told Inside Edition, "They really changes the ecosystem, and it's the native species that are supposed to be here that are harmed the most. They fundamentally change what the forest looks like."
The jumping worm is not like other worms. The CDFA report states that, true to their name, they have been known to jump a foot in the air or out of a bait can, and "thrash immediately when handled behaving more like a threatened snake than a worm, sometimes even breaking and shedding their tail when caught." That mechanism can be seen here in a battle between a grackle and jumping worm:
There is also a real concern that the thrashing annelids will edge native earthworms out of their habitats and threaten endangered species. Beyond eating everything in their path, like other worms, the jumping worm is a hermaphrodite, able reproduce without mating, by laying eggs that look like soil. And once established, jumping worms are impossible to eradicate.
The potential problem doesn't yet have a solution. The worms are extremely hard to control, and scientists admit they only have a limited understanding of how the recent infestation may play out.
California may want to look to the East Coast as a harbinger of what may be slithering into the state. “It seems like once they make it onto a street, it’s pretty quickly that all the gardens on that street have them,” Tim McCay, a biology professor at Colgate University told New York Upstate, adding that the worm's thrashing motion when disturbed is “kind of serpentine.”
For those worried they may be harboring the invasive species in their backyards, outside of the unique thrashing motion, jumping worms are identifiable by distinct a white ring around their body, close the the head.
Whether Amynthas agrestis successfully proliferates in the Golden State remains to be seen, but Cornell University's Master Gardener Sandy Vanno has some blunt advice for what to do if you find them — "Bag them up and throw them in the trash, or place them in a bag and leave them out in the sun." In short, "handpick and destroy them."
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https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/jumping-worms-have-made-their-way-to-california-17182377.php
| 2022-05-18T22:55:08
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https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/jumping-worms-have-made-their-way-to-california-17182377.php
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AMERICUS — The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at Georgia Southwestern State University has been named among the best in the nation when it comes to ensuring future elementary teachers have the essential content and skills they need to teach mathematics.
The National Council on Teacher Quality, a national research and policy organization that regularly evaluates the core requirements and practices of more than 1,100 programs that prepare future elementary teachers, released a new report recently in which the undergraduate program at GSW earned an A+ designation for its requirements in elementary mathematics. Georgia Southwestern is among only 79 programs in the nation to earn this distinction as an “exemplar” in the new report.
NCTQ evaluated programs for their coverage of both the key mathematics content that elementary teachers need: Numbers and Operations, Algebraic Thinking, Geometry and Measurement, and Data Analysis and Probability, as well as how to teach those concepts. The recommended minimum instructional time that future elementary teachers need in these essential math topics was set based on guidance NCTQ received from teacher preparation programs, mathematicians and math educators as part of an Expert Panel. Georgia Southwestern stands apart by meeting 100% of the instructional goals across each of the elementary mathematics topic areas.
“I am proud of the work the College of Education elementary education faculty have completed over the past few years to update the math methods coursework,” Rachel Abbott, dean of GSW’s College of Education, said in a news release. “We are pleased to see the College of Education recognized for its commitment to preparing future elementary education teachers.”
Research studies have found that elementary math skills are a strong predictor of whether or not a student will graduate from high school. Recent data have found that students in many states have lost more learning in math than in reading over the past two years and pre-existing gaps in math achievement have worsened since 2020 between low-poverty and high-poverty schools and between majority-white and majority-black schools, so the need for elementary teachers to be well-prepared to teach mathematics has never been more urgent.
“We know how much math matters in setting a foundation for students,” NCTQ President Heather Peske said. “The biggest in-school difference we can make for students’ math learning is to make sure their elementary teachers understand key math content and know how to teach math effectively. Georgia Southwestern State University should be proud to be among the top teacher preparation programs in the country working towards this goal.”
See the full NCTQ report to learn more about how Georgia Southwestern State University earned this top score, all scores for elementary teacher preparation programs in Georgia, and the full national findings at www.nctq.org/review/Elementary-Mathematics-2022.
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https://www.albanyherald.com/local/georgia-southwestern-gets-a-in-elementary-math-prep/article_314ac834-d6ef-11ec-98d6-b3522ffa41a3.html
| 2022-05-18T22:56:24
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https://www.albanyherald.com/local/georgia-southwestern-gets-a-in-elementary-math-prep/article_314ac834-d6ef-11ec-98d6-b3522ffa41a3.html
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I’m convinced the world is falling apart, and it may be too late to turn the thing around. We have nearly a world war in Ukraine, and the United States economy is near a free-fall collapse. Madonna still insists on getting naked at 60 years of age, and somehow Keith Richards is still alive and seemingly doing pretty well.
So much for all those warnings about taking care of yourself when you are young. To top it off Tom Cruise is making a second “Top Gun” movie. Maybe Madonna will be naked in that, too.
But with all that happening, none of that is why I think the end is near. Nope, social media has me believing we are all doomed. Since the advent of social media, the self- absorption rate of the average person has now increased 800 percent. I make this statement without any scientific data to back up the claim, much like why we are still being told to wear a mask to stop COVID.
I’m reminded of a statement I read several years ago which I did not create but I like: When I was in my 20s, I worried about what everybody thought about me. In my 30s, I quit caring about what everybody thought about me. In my 40s, I realized nobody was thinking about me to begin with.
People, quit planning every single move you make based upon what you think everybody else thinks about what you are doing. Don’t make some social media post about how you don’t care what folks think about you because you do what you want and don’t care. If so, why are you posting something to social media?
I grew up where your personal life was, well, your personal life. I might discuss things with a good buddy, but not the whole world. Now, likely he would then tell everybody, get the facts all wrong and create an unfounded rumor, but that is acceptable. Posting “I’m having trouble with bowel movements this morning” is not.
Every time you have an argument with your lover is not the time to reveal to the world what a sorry SOB they are. Next week, you will be at a baby shower with the same SOB as all your friends whisper, “Well, she said on Facebook he is a sorry SOB who can’t keep his pants on.”
Listen, your Mother may be a cold-hearted witch and your father a drunken fool. Let that remain in the family, where your relatives can whisper about all that next Thanksgiving as daddy is passed out in the chair and mama has cussed out everybody, including the FedEx man. Let grandma tell you how Uncle John stole his Aunt Martha’s estate and cousin Cindy is a kleptomaniac. That is why we have family.
Let’s face it. Most people really aren’t all that interesting. Oversharing life won’t make you more interesting. If the Most Interesting Man in the World began to share what he ate for dinner last night and the fact this morning he woke up with the gout, pretty soon I imagine he would not be so interesting anymore.
Pretend if you are a female that you are following the old advice about playing hard to get. People like a challenge. I don’t want to see a casual friend and already know what they ate for lunch yesterday, what medicine they take for constipation, and the name of all five animals in their house. If you are a man, women like the mysterious type. They don’t want to know you cried when Bambi’s mother died. They claim that makes you sensitive, but really they’d rather not know such things.
I know we all share something on social media and this can be a good thing. But wouldn’t we all be a bit better off if we didn’t know where our neighbor stood on every political issue? Or that he likes to wear a speedo to the children’s water park? Well, maybe we do need to know that information but you get the point.
I could go on and on, but I’ve got to post some graduation pictures of my daughter and a picture of a strange bug I saw on my porch.
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https://www.albanyherald.com/local/t-gamble-dont-yall-think-this-oversharing-stuff-has-done-got-out-of-hand/article_9d6bea0c-d6c2-11ec-857c-fbb10399a813.html
| 2022-05-18T22:56:30
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https://www.albanyherald.com/local/t-gamble-dont-yall-think-this-oversharing-stuff-has-done-got-out-of-hand/article_9d6bea0c-d6c2-11ec-857c-fbb10399a813.html
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NORMAL — A group of activists touring the Midwest made a stop in Bloomington-Normal on Wednesday to speak out against male circumcision.
"This work that we are doing, we wish someone had done it for us," said Brother K, founder of the Bloodstained Men. "We're doing this for future men."
Four members of the group, which has members across the country, gathered at the intersection of Veterans Parkway and East College Avenue to protest circumcision, and call for letting individuals make that decision for themselves.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, male circumcision is a common procedure — generally performed on newborns — where the foreskin covering the end of the penis is removed through surgery. Circumcision also is done for religious reasons.
The AAP released a statement in 2012 that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks, and that the procedure helps prevent urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and transmission of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Bloodstained Men started in 2012 with a demonstration of seven people dressed in white overalls marked with red crotches outside the AAP convention in New Orleans, the founder said.
Now, the nonprofit organization tours the country, having been in Lafayette, Indiana, just a few days ago, and with plans to be in Peoria on Wednesday afternoon, he said.
David Atkinson, CEO of the Bloodstained Men, said circumcision is an act of violence and a form of genital mutilation, tampering with the natural autonomy of men at an early age. It should be up to individuals to change the appearance and function of their genitals, he said.
"When people see us standing here with our bloodstains, they understand that when you amputate part of a child's penis, he will grow up into a man who might be upset that part of his penis is missing," said Atkinson, who is from Boston. "We like parents to educate themselves about the functions of the foreskin so that they have the confidence and resources to protect their children."
When asked about the statement released by the AAP in 2012, Atkinson said it only addresses issues that are common later in adulthood and have no benefits for infants who initially receive the procedure.
Catherine Franklin, of Medford, Oregon, was the only woman in the group present Wednesday, and said she often receives backlash from the public for this reason.
“Once you learn all the information, it’s impossible not to be outraged by it," Franklin said. “We didn’t cut our son. And our son actually thanked us when he was about 13. We’re the first, on both sides, to do that in our family.”
James Rodriguez and Gabriel Valles, from Texas, were traveling for work in the area when they came across the group protesting.
“We just wanted to take a picture with them," Rodriguez said. "I don’t know how we ended up being in it.”
As they neared the group, Rodriguez said, a Normal police officer came by to tell them they were causing a distraction in traffic, and that is when a car accident happened right in front of him.
Rodriguez said he has two young boys, and they are not circumcised.
“It was up to my wife; it was her decision. She decided not to, so I supported her," he said. "She said, ‘Because, what if they don’t want it when they’re older?’”
“Can’t really put it back on once you take it off," he said.
Photos: 'American Idol' finalist Leah Marlene returns to Normal for concert, parade
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/activists-protest-male-circumcision-in-normal/article_91c7a494-d6cb-11ec-98aa-7b5fd9b9a485.html
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BLOOMINGTON — A Bloomington man was released from custody Wednesday on burglary and retail theft charges.
Joshua V. Wilburn, 33, is accused of burglarizing Casey’s, 810 N. Beech St. in Normal, on May 11.
He also is accused of taking possession of merchandise from the store.
Wilburn is charged with burglary (Class 2 felony) and retail theft (Class 4 felony).
He was ordered to have no contact with any Casey’s in McLean County.
Wilburn was released from custody on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.
An arraignment is scheduled for June 3.
Updated mug shots from The Pantagraph
Joshua V. Wilburn
Alicia L. Rodriguez
Christina E. Dickey
David L. Hendricks
Kenneth R. McNairy
Emmitt A. Simmons
Elizabeth A. Johnson
Jonathon P. Keister
Brandon J. Black
Ricky A. Smith
Connor M. Mink
Mark A. Thrower
Kayala D.C. Huff
Rebecca Y. Choi
David W. Kallal
Javon T. Murff
Demarcus J. Heidelberg
Deon K. Moore
Cordaiz J. Jones
Christopher L. Anderson
Latele Y. Pinkston
Daniel Wilcox
Kaveior K. Thomas
Courtney A. Boyd
Jodi M. Draper
Brian D. Stewart
Lonnie L. Kimbrough
Amari S. Buchanon
Donna Osborne
Juls T. Eutsey
Megan J. Duffy
Qwonterian V. Ivy
Madison A. Knight
Dexter D. McCraney
Thomas J. Davis
Christina D. Noonan
Wesley M. Noonan
Kenyatta L. Tate
Quacy L. Webster
Jalen A. Davis
Lazaro Flores
Mohamed N. Thiam
Lorenzo Sims
Laycell D. Wright
Richard S. Bjorling
Tyler D. Vidmar
James E. Chase
Melissa J. Piercy
Charles L. Bell
Wilmer A. Marquez-Ayala
Joshway C. Boens
Seth A. Kindred
Matthew D. Nunley
Clinton A. Page
Loren M. Jepsen
Calvin E. Young
Jason R. Roof
James L. Fields
Michelle E. Mueller
Telly H. Arrington
Antonio R. Ross
Carlos L. Hogan
David W. Kallal
Kent D. Johnson
Andre D. Seals
Tyler S. Burns
Carrie Funk
Anthony R. Fairchild
Inez J. Gleghorn
Alexis S. Williams
Nayeon A. Teague
Frankie L. Hutchinson
Joseph L. McLeod
Lanee R. Rich
Corey K. Butler
Darrius D. Robinson
Jacob Z. Kemp
Jonathan A. Jamison
Jonathon K. Campbell
Geno A. Borrego
Jaylin M. Caldwell
Joshua D. Rials
Jamakio D. Chapell
Thomas E. Dolan
Jordyn H. Thornton
Ty W. Johnson
Kyle D. Kindred
Lorel M. Johnson
Kimberlee A. Burton
Kevin C. Knight
Derail T. Riley
Ade A. McDaniel
Jahni A. Lyons
Justin A. Atkinson
Destiny D. Brown
Billy J. Braswell
Mitchell A. Rogers
Matthew D. Stone
Tyler A. Guy
Gordan D. Lessen
Steven M. Abdullah
Ryan D. Triplett
Pedro A. Parra
Gregory A. Spence
Justin A. Leicht
Edward L. Holmes
Latoya M. Jackson
Shaquan D. Hosea
Jaccob L. Morris
Dontel D. Crowder
Donnell A. Taylor
Eric E. Seymon
Aikee Muhammad
William M. McCuen
Meontay D. Wheeler
Fenwrick M. Bartholomew
Javares L. Hudson
Tommy L. Jumper
David S. Fry
Logan T. Kendricks
Davis W. Hopkins
Tony Robinson
Rochelle A. McCray
Dontae D. Gilbert
Stefan A. Mangina
Michael J. Owen
Cedric J. Haynes
Jonathan Wiley
Jason S. Russell
Aaron J. Zielinski
Albert F. Matheny
Hunter C. Kellenberger
Samuel Harris
Jordan P. Gillespie
William R. Carter
Kentre A. Jackson
Andrew L. Stanley
Jerail M. Myrick
Amari M. McNabb
Aaron Parlier
Rebecca L. Gormley
Penny S. Self
Nathaniel A. Butler
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| 2022-05-18T22:57:50
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Gov. Kathy Hochul has introduced a package of legislation to combat domestic terrorism in the wake of the mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store over the weekend.
This included two new executive orders signed by Hochul on Wednesday.
The first order aims to address social media’s role in domestic terrorism and violence. Hochul is calling on the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to establish a new unit dedicated to fighting domestic terrorism. This would include threat assessment, funding local-level assessment teams and using social media to intervene when necessary.
“The fact that an individual can post detailed plans to commit such an act of hate without consequence and then stream it for the world to see is bone chilling and unfathomable. As we continue to mourn and honor the lives that were stolen, we are taking serious action to investigate these companies for their roles in this attack,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Time and time again, we have seen the real-world devastation that is borne of these dangerous and hateful platforms, and we are doing everything in our power to shine a spotlight on this dangerous behavior and take action to ensure it never happens again."
Also under the order, New York State Police would create a dedicated unit to identify possible threats through social media analysis.
Domestic terrorism is the most significant threat we face as a State, and we are fighting back — doing whatever it takes to save lives.
I hope that what happened in Buffalo is a wake-up call for this country. In New York, we’re saying, “No more.”
Counties would also be required to review their current policies regarding domestic terrorism.
The second executive order calls on the state police to file an Extreme Risk Protection Order when authorities have probable cause to believe someone is a threat to themselves or others. This would be applicable under the state’s Red Flag Law.
Hochul has also issued a referral to the attorney general’s office to investigate the social media platforms used by Buffalo shooting suspect, Payton Gendron, who allegedly plotted the attack for months.
Part of Hochul’s package also includes two bills that would streamline the investigation of gun-related crimes and revise the definition of a firearm to cover more guns.
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https://www.wktv.com/news/local/hochul-signs-executive-orders-to-combat-domestic-terrorism-in-wake-of-mass-murder-in-buffalo/article_8d7c8462-d6f4-11ec-a1a4-930ddd032722.html
| 2022-05-18T22:59:23
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Former Republican congressional candidate, Steve Wells, says he will run for the 22nd District seat a second time -- but this time, the district looks a little different.
Wells lost the Republican primary to Congresswoman Claudia Tenney in 2016.
Earlier this week, a court-appointed expert released drafts of the new congressional district maps, putting only Madison, Oneida and Onondaga counties in the 22nd District.
Tenney has not announced if she intends to run for reelection in this newly drawn district. If she does, there will be a primary between the two, as well as any other Republicans who join the race.
Wells, who is from Madison County, is a former prosecutor and founding partner of American Food and Vending Corporation based in Syracuse.
“As a criminal prosecutor I learned firsthand that, in order to have safe and prosperous communities, we must empower law enforcement - not defund and demonize them like out-of-touch liberal Democrats have done. We cannot have safe, thriving communities without law and order,” read a statement from Wells, in part, released when he announced his campaign on Wednesday. “As a family business owner, I have worked hard to create over a thousand good jobs here at home in Central New York, and understand the problems caused by too much government and too much taxation. I know the way Biden’s out-of-control inflation has crushed families and seniors in our communities, and it pains me to the point I must take action.”
Because the state’s legislative maps were declared unconstitutional and had to be redrawn, the primaries for congress and the senate were moved from June to August.
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https://www.wktv.com/news/local/madison-county-businessman-will-run-for-22nd-congressional-district-seat/article_e381a502-d6f1-11ec-ae3c-bb447b71d434.html
| 2022-05-18T22:59:23
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https://www.wktv.com/news/local/madison-county-businessman-will-run-for-22nd-congressional-district-seat/article_e381a502-d6f1-11ec-ae3c-bb447b71d434.html
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Gas was only $3.50 a gallon in June of last year. Now that people are paying over a dollar more per gallon, they’re looking for someone to blame. The first place they look to is our very own government. Rome Resident Rich Theall remembers what gas used to cost.
"I’m not a Trump supporter, but when Trump was in office at this time last year it was like what not $1.98 or whatever? And now look at the prices."
President Biden blames the rising costs on Putin’s war, but the majority of the price increases came before the War in Ukraine, and American’s like Utica Resident Darrell Watkins knows it.
"It’s definitely Joe Biden. I think it’s Joe Biden because when Donald Trump was here it wasn’t like this."
Prices go up based on supply and demand, and the demand did go down when less people were on the road during the pandemic. It does take time to ramp up oil production, but prices will only go down -when- there’s production. The President recently cancelled the production of off-shore oil rights, and before that he stopped drilling in the Arctic, and shut down the Keystone pipeline. With less change in their pockets, consumers are now considering where -change- needs to be. Utica Resident Kareemah Brown is ready for change.
"I think it should change the way we all vote, we are in America, and it’s supposed to be the land of the free, and we’re not free. We’re living in bondage over gas prices."
Utica Resident Bobby Ross is ready too.
"Oh of course I’m going to change the way I vote. Absolutely…because we need it. We all need to get out and vote against this. Every last one of America need to get out and vote against this."
Utica Resident Sharon Eddings believes people like her have had it with inflation.
"You elect the President to do what? Save us money not cost us more. Oh gas…oh we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that, ok but right now we’re spending more money than we intended to spend. So it’s like, I think it’s going to change a lot of people…the way that a lot of people vote honestly."
When it really comes down to the blame game, Utica Resident Chef Walker says it's who -you- vote for that counts.
"It’s who you put in that chair. That’s why you are to blame. So remember who you vote for. Don’t just vote for a name you know."
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https://www.wktv.com/news/local/who-s-to-blame-for-the-price-at-the-pump/article_84138ff6-d6ef-11ec-8d74-c79984aa1495.html
| 2022-05-18T22:59:29
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Reception and Treatment Center warden Taggart Boyd talks about new maximum-security prison beds during a tour of the facility Wednesday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The Reception and Treatment Center has a mental health wing.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new Reception and Treatment Center includes 32 behavioral and mental health beds.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new kitchen is seen at the Reception and Treatment Center on Wednesday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new structure includes an intake center where nearly every man admitted into the state's prison system will be processed before assigned to a long-term location.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
An on-site dental office is part of the new Reception and Treatment Center.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Construction is ongoing at the Reception and Treatment Center in southwest Lincoln.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new Reception and Treatment Center includes a "blind feed" food line.
After more than a half-decade of planning and months of construction, state officials Wednesday unveiled the reimagined Reception and Treatment Center, which combines two state prisons into one massive complex.
Gov. Pete Ricketts and a host of officials with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services toured the new portion of the facility in southwest Lincoln at a private event Wednesday morning ahead of the center's official opening Monday.
The structure, built atop a former parking lot that used to separate the Lincoln Correctional Center and the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center on West Van Dorn Street, is outfitted with state-of-the-art facilities that will be shared by the populations, said Scott Frakes, who has led the department of corrections since 2015.
"This is a big day for this department," Frakes told a crowd of about two dozen prison officials, construction and design representatives and reporters before leading a tour of the new facility.
Frakes said the complex "is the perfect example of when you can take, in this case, two old prisons, rehab them, remodel them, add new space, make adjustments and turn it into one modern, highly functional prison. And there's no question that's what we've accomplished."
The new structure includes an intake center where nearly every man admitted into the state's prison system will be processed before being assigned to a long-term location, be it the State Penitentiary, the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution or a wing of the Reception and Treatment Center itself, Frakes said.
Also included in the new structure is a 32-bed skilled-nursing facility, 32 behavioral and mental health beds, an on-site dentist's office and expanded medical center, a new kitchen, three inmate food halls, a spacious visiting center and expanded facilities for prison staff, including a fitness center and a workout room.
And the crown jewel of the $125 million project, Frakes said, is a 384-bed maximum-security wing, which will begin to house inmates later this summer, a development that should help ease overcrowding at the state's other prisons, particularly at the former Diagnostic and Evaluation Center.
"This is gonna give us the ability to finally get back down to operational level, operational capacity — perhaps even below," Frakes said, before pausing to knock on the wooden lectern he stood behind. "It's been years. But it's time."
When finished, Warden Taggart Boyd said, the new wing will be the highest-security prison in the state.
Ricketts, who heralded the work of Frakes and Boyd, said the project's completion aligned with his administration's main priority: to grow Nebraska. The governor said the project has brought more than 200 out-of-state employees from 36 different states to work at the new prison.
Frakes credited Ricketts with recognizing the importance of the project's initial phases — as well as a looming third phase that will come in the form of an additional 96-bed facility at the same complex, which will include 32 geriatric beds and 64 beds for cognitively impaired or developmentally disabled inmates.
When the 384-bed wing opens later this summer, Frakes said the Reception and Treatment Center's operational capacity will expand to about 1,350 — a figure that will not be as malleable as population totals at the State Penitentiary because of American Correctional Association standards.
As of now, the southwest Lincoln facilities house approximately 1,105 inmates.
Frakes said the still-in-progress maximum-security facilities could serve as a model of sorts for a new prison that the director and governor both hope will replace the aging penitentiary.
But he was adamant the addition of beds at the Reception and Treatment Center would not eliminate the need for further investment in the department, whether it comes in the form of a substantial remodel at the penitentiary or a new prison altogether. Frakes would prefer the latter.
"The NSP replacement speaks for itself," he said. "One way or another, we have to do something."
A Kansas City, Missouri, native, Andrew Wegley joined the Journal Star as breaking news reporter after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University in May 2021.
The girl told police she met the 19-year-old through social media and invited the man to her house after he posted and said he wanted to play video games with someone, police said in court filings.
Courtney Hubbell had nearly finished crossing the road at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday when she was struck by a 2007 Pontiac G6 traveling east through the intersection, according to the state crash report.
Isaac A. Sanchez was charged with third-degree sexual assault of a child and felony child abuse for his alleged role in the incident, which occurred at a central Lincoln apartment April 29, police said.
"Despite legal protections, Nieveen, who suffers from mental illness, will lose her home of nearly 50 years based on today's ruling," Sandra Nieveen's attorney said.
Jury Commissioner Troy Hawk said they've always had people here or there not show up. But in the past three to six months more people have been ignoring the summons they're required by law to fill out.
The woman was smoking near 41st Street and Baldwin Avenue around 1 a.m. Monday when she told the man she didn't have any cigarettes left to spare, according to police.
"I want to be clear — there is no active threat at Southwest High School today," Principal John Matzen said in an email to parents after Lincoln Police investigated "disturbing comments and photos mentioning violence at Southwest."
Officers responded to the area of 56th and Fremont streets at around 8:45 p.m. Friday and found the victims, a 29-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, according to police.
Banks, a Lincoln High School and UNL graduate, officially took his seat in the captain's office on Monday, 15 years after first joining Lincoln's police department.
The new structure includes an intake center where nearly every man admitted into the state's prison system will be processed before assigned to a long-term location.
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nebraska-unveils-reimagined-reception-and-treatment-center-in-southwest-lincoln/article_0d62321d-d6d2-5e8d-bc27-24446d8370df.html
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A district judge Wednesday sentenced a confessed drug dealer to 90- to 140-years in prison for shooting into a carload of young people in 2019, hitting and killing a 15-year-old Lincoln boy.
That's on top of a 19- to 33-year prison term Majdal Elias, 26, already is serving on drug and gun charges, meaning he would be near 80 before he would be eligible for parole.
Outside the courtroom, Ali Al-Burkat's family, who sat through Elias' trial last month where he was found guilty of second-degree murder and three gun charges, appeared clearly relieved.
"We got justice for Ali, and we are really happy," his aunt, Dunia Al-Musa, said.
She said he was very young and kind, and loved people.
"He always had a smile on his face," Al-Musa said.
Later in the day, family and friends would gather at his gravesite and release balloons in celebration.
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On Sept. 29, 2019, Al-Burkat was just days away from his 16th birthday when he was shot while riding in the backseat of a Chevy Malibu on the northwest edge of town.
Police initially arrested Elias in connection to a search of his apartment at The Links a month later, where they found a quarter pound of cocaine, an AK-47-style rifle, a handgun, just less than a pound of marijuana and $25,000 in cash, and in a search of a relative's house across town found more of his drugs and guns.
He later was charged with murder.
At trial in April, prosecutors described a fateful case of bad timing and a missed turn. They said the four in the Malibu had been part of a plot to rob another drug dealer who lived in an apartment on the other side of The Links that night. But the driver, his face partially covered with a T-shirt, missed a turn and ended up circling the complex, which is when the SUV ended up behind them.
Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jeff Mathers said Elias, in his silver Ford Explorer, must have seen them and thought they were there to rob him. It led to a confrontation where Elias pulled up beside them and said: "You're busted," then started firing.
One of the shots into the Malibu's trunk struck Al-Burkat in the back, quickly killing him.
Elias -- at trial and again Wednesday -- denied he was the shooter.
Elias said he felt like the burden of proof was on him to prove his innocence.
"Yes I was a drug dealer," he said. "Do you want me to say it again? I was a drug dealer. But that does not mean I'm a killer. That's it."
Defense attorney Chad Wythers said Elias, by all accounts, was selling drugs at the time and likely was under the influence when the shooting happened.
Mathers said not only did Elias shoot and kill Al-Burkat, but he risked more deaths or injuries because there were three others in the car.
"The defendant chose to engage in those actions," he said.
Mathers said he was hoping that Elias would explain his actions in some way. But he chose not to do so.
"Drug dealing is a dirty business," he said, adding that most of the homicides in Lancaster County are linked to it in one way or another.
In the end, Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret said what was of most concern to her was exhibited Wednesday.
"There's absolutely no remorse. No acceptance of responsibility. Which leads me to believe even further that, with the exceptional investigative work and, yes, a little bit of luck, the tragedy of the death of Ali Al-Burkat allowed the defendant to be brought to justice," she said.
Maret said sentencing will bring little solace to Al-Burkat's mother, but hopefully will provide a point from which his family "can begin to live their lives without him by remembering his life and not his death."
"And for certain, the Lincoln community and the state of Nebraska will be a safer place," she said.
Tom Casady's list of the 10 most infamous crimes in Lincoln history
Crimes of the times
This is simply one man’s perspective from the early 21st century (first written in 2010). I had to make a decision about crimes that occurred at locations that are inside the city today, but were outside our corporate limits at the time they occurred. I chose the latter.
Before beginning, though, I have to deal with three crimes that stand apart: the murders of three police officers in Lincoln. I’m not quite sure how to place them in a list. They all had huge impacts on the community, and on the police department in particular. Because these are my colleagues, I deal with them separately and in chronological order.
Patrolman Marion Francis Marshall
Shot in the shadow of the new Nebraska State Capital, Gov. Charles Bryan came to his aid and summoned additional help.
Lt. Frank Soukup
Marion Marshall was technically not a Lincoln police officer, so Lt. Soukup was actually the first Lincoln police officer killed on duty. One of his colleagues who was present at the motel and involved in the gunbattle, Paul Jacobsen, went on to enjoy a long career and command rank at LPD, influencing many young charges (like me) and leaving his mark on the culture of the agency.
Lt. Paul Whitehead
In the space of a few months, three LPD officers died in the line of duty. Frank Soukup had been murdered, and George Welter had died in a motorcycle crash. Paul Whitehead's partner, Paul Merritt, went on to command rank, and like Paul Jacobsen left an indelible mark at LPD and the community.
No. 1: Starkweather
The subject of several thinly disguised movie plots and a Springsteen album, the Starkweather murders are clearly the most infamous crime in Lincoln’s history — so far. One of the first mass murderers of the mass media age, six of Charles Starkweather’s 11 victims were killed inside the city of Lincoln, and the first was just on the outskirts of town. I didn’t live in Lincoln at the time, but my wife was a first-grader at Riley Elementary School and has vivid memories of the city gripped by fear in the days between the discovery of the Bartlett murders and Starkweather’s capture in Wyoming.
The case caused quite an uproar. There was intense criticism of the police department and sheriff’s office for not capturing Starkweather earlier in the week after the discovery of the Bartletts' bodies. Ultimately, Mayor Bennett Martin and the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners retained a retired FBI agent, Harold G. Robinson, to investigate the performance of local law enforcement. His report essentially exonerated the local law officers and made a few vanilla recommendations for improving inter-agency communication and training.
Now I know that many readers are mumbling to themselves “how obvious.” Hold your horses, though. It’s not quite as obvious as you might think. I had two experiences that drove this fact home to me. The first was a visit by a small group of journalism students. Only one member of the class had any idea, and her idea was pretty vague. You need to remember that the Starkweather murders were in 1957 and 1958 — before the parents of many college students were even born.
The second experience was a visit by a Cub Scout den. I was giving the kids a tour of the police station one evening. We were in the front lobby waiting for everyone to arrive. As I entertained the boys, I told the moms and dads that they might enjoy looking in the corner of the Sheriff’s Office display case to see the contents of Starkweather’s wallet — discovered a couple of years ago locked up in the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office safe. After a few minutes, one of the confused fathers asked me who Starkweather was, and why it was significant.
No. 2: Lincoln National Bank
On the morning of Sept. 17, 1930, a dark blue Buick carrying six men pulled up in front of the Lincoln National Bank at the northwest corner of 12th and O streets. Five of the men entered the bank, while a sixth stood outside by the Buick, cradling a machine gun. Observing the unusual events, a passerby called the police. The officer who responded, Forrest Shappaugh, was casually instructed by the machine-gun-toting lookout to just keep going, which he wisely did. Returning with reinforcements, he found that the robbers had already made good on their getaway, netting $2.7 million in cash and negotiable securities.
Ultimately, three of the six suspects were arrested. Tommy O’Connor and Howard Lee were convicted and sentenced. Jack Britt was tried twice but not convicted by a hung jury. Gus Winkeler, a member of Al Capone’s gang, winged a deal with County Attorney Max Towle to avoid prosecution in exchange for orchestrating the recovery of $600,000 in bearer bonds. The following year, Winkeler was murdered in Chicago, the victim of a gangland slaying. The final two robbers were never identified.
The Lincoln National Bank robbery stood as the largest cash bank robbery in the United States for many decades. It precipitated major changes at the Lincoln Police Department. Chief Peter Johnstone was rapidly “retired” after the robbery, the department’s fleet was upgraded to add the first official patrol cars, the full force was armed and a shotgun squad was organized. Forty-four years later when I was hired at LPD, the echo of the Lincoln National Bank robbery was still evident in daily bank opening details, and in the Thomspon submachine guns and Reising rifles that detectives grabbed whenever the robbery alarm sounded at headquarters.
No. 3: The Last Posse
My first inkling about this crime came when I was the chief deputy sheriff. One of my interns, a young man named Ron Boden (who became a veteran deputy sheriff), had been doing some research on Lancaster County’s only known lynching, in 1884. I came across a reference in the biography of the sheriff at the time, Sam Melick, to the murder of the Nebraska Penitentiary warden and subsequent prison break. Melick had been appointed interim warden after the murder and instituted several reforms.
Several years later, a colleague, Sgt. Geoff Marti, loaned me a great book, Gale Christianson’s "Last Posse," that told the story of the 1912 prison break in gory, haunting and glorious detail.
To make a long story short, convict Shorty Gray and his co-conspirators shot and killed Warden James Delahunty, a deputy warden and a guard on Wednesday, March 13, 1912. They then made their break — right into the teeth of a brutal Nebraska spring blizzard. Over the course to the next few days, a posse pursued. During the pursuit, the escapees carjacked a young farmer with his team and wagon. As the posse closed in, a gunfight broke out and the hostage was shot and killed in the exchange, along with two of the three escapees.
There was plenty of anger among the locals in the Gretna-Springfield vicinity about the death of their native son, and a controversy raged over the law enforcement tactics that brought about his demise. Lancaster County Sheriff Gus Hyers was not unsullied by the inquiry, although it appears from my prospect a century later that the fog of war led to the tragedy.
Christianson, a professor of history at Indiana State University who died earlier this year, notes the following on the flyleaf:
“For anyone living west of the Mississippi in 1912, the biggest news that fateful year was a violent escape from the Nebraska state penitentiary planned and carried out by a trio of notorious robbers and safe blowers.”
Bigger news on half the continent than the sinking of the Titanic during the same year would certainly qualify this murder-escape as one of the most infamous Lincoln crimes in history.
No. 4: Rock Island wreck
The Aug. 10, 1894, wreck of a Rock Island train on the southwest outskirts of Lincoln was almost lost in the mist of time until it was resurrected in the public consciousness by author Joel Williams, who came across the story while conducting research for his historical novel, "Barrelhouse Boys."
The wreck was determined to be the result of sabotage to the tracks, perhaps an attempt to derail the train as a prelude to robbery. Eleven people died in the crash and ensuing fire, making this a mass murder, to be sure. G.W. Davis was arrested and convicted of the crime but later received a full pardon. The story was told in greater detail earlier this year by the Lincoln Journal Star.
A historical marker is along the Rock Island Trail in Wilderness Park, accessible only by foot or bike from the nearest trail access points about a half-mile away at Old Cheney Road on the north, or 14th Street on the south.
Here’s the big question that remains unanswered: Was there really significant evidence to prove that George Washington Davis committed the crime, or was he just a convenient scapegoat? The fact that he received a gubernatorial pardon 10 years later leads me to believe that the evidence must have been unusually weak. If he was railroaded, then my second question is this: who really pried loose the tracks with the 40-pound crowbar found at the scene?
No. 5: Commonwealth
On Nov. 1, 1983, the doors to Nebraska’s largest industrial savings and loan company were closed and Commonwealth was declared insolvent. The 6,700 depositors with $65 million at stake would never be fully compensated for their loss, ultimately receiving about 59 cents on the dollar for their deposits, which they all mistakenly believed were insured up to $30,000 through the Nebraska Depository Insurance Guaranty Corporation, which was essentially an insurance pool with assets of only $3 million.
The case dominated Nebraska news for months. The investigation ultimately led to the conviction of three members of the prominent Lincoln family that owned the institution, the resignation of the director of the State Department of Banking and the impeachment of the Nebraska attorney general and the suspension of his license to practice law. State and federal litigation arising from the failure of Commonwealth drug on for years.
At the Lincoln Police Department, the Commonwealth failure led to the formation of a specialized white-collar crime detail, now known as the Technical Investigations Unit. At the time, municipal police departments in the United States had virtually no capacity for investigating financial crime and fraud of this magnitude, and we quickly became well known for our expertise in this area. The early experience served LPD very well in the ensuring years.
No. 6: Candice Harms
Candi Harms never came home from visiting her boyfriend on Sept. 22, 1992. Her parents reported her as a missing person the following morning, and her car was found abandoned in a cornfield north of Lincoln later in the day. Weeks went by before her remains were found southeast of Lincoln.
Scott Barney and Roger Bjorklund were convicted in her abduction and murder. Barney is in prison serving a life term. Bjorklund died in prison in 2001. Intense media attention surrounded the lengthy trial of Roger Bjorklund, for which a jury was brought in from Cheyenne County as an alternative to a change of venue. I have no doubt that the trial was a life-changing event for a group of good citizens from Sidney, who did their civic duty.
I was the Lancaster County sheriff at the time, involved both in the investigation and in the trial security. It was at about this time that the cellular telephone was becoming a consumer product, and I have often thought that this brutal crime probably spurred a lot of purchases. During my career, this is probably the second-most-prominent Lincoln crime in terms of the sheer volume of media coverage.
No. 7: Jon Simpson and Jacob Surber
A parent’s worst nightmare unfolded in September 1975 when these two boys, ages 12 and 13, failed to return from the Nebraska State Fair. The boys were the victims of abduction and murder. The case was similar to a string of other murders of young boys in the Midwest, and many thought that these cases were related -- the work of a serial killer. Although an arrest was made in the case here in Lincoln, the charges were eventually dismissed. William Guatney was released and has since died.
No. 8: John Sheedy
Saloon and gambling house owner John Sheedy was gunned down outside his home at 1211 P St. in January 1891. The case of Sheedy, prominent in Lincoln’s demiworld, became the talk of the town when his wife, Mary, and her alleged lover and accomplice, Monday McFarland, were arrested. Both were acquitted at trial. The Sheedy murder is chronicled in a great interactive multimedia website, Gilded Age Plains City, an online version that builds upon an article published in 2001 by Timothy Mahoney of the University of Nebraska.
No. 9: Patricia McGarry and Catherine Brooks
The bodies of these two friends were found in a Northeast Lincoln duplex in August 1977. Their murderer, Robert E. Williams, was the subject of a massive Midwest manhunt during the following week. Before his capture, he committed a third murder in Sioux Rapids, Iowa, and raped, shot and left for dead a victim who survived in Minnesota. He is the last man to be executed in Nebraska, sent to the electric chair in 1997.
No. 10: Judge William M. Morning
District Court Judge William Morning was murdered in February 1924. He was shot on the bench by an unhappy litigant in a divorce case. His court reporter, Minor Bacon, was also shot, but a notebook in his breast pocket deflected the bullet and saved his life.
Many other crimes
Choosing Lincoln's 10 most infamous crimes was a challenge. Although the top two were easy, the picture quickly became clouded. We tend, of course, to forget our history rather quickly. Many of the crimes I felt were among the most significant are barely remembered today, if not completely forgotten.
Some readers will take issue with my list. In choosing 10, here are the others I considered, in no particular order. They are all murders:
-- Mary O'Shea
-- Nancy Parker
-- Charles Mulholland
-- Victoria Lamm and Janet Mesner
-- Martina McMenamin
-- Regina Bos (presumably murdered)
-- Patty Webb
-- Marianne Mitzner
I also thought about the five murder-suicides in which a mother or father killed multiple family members before taking their own life. Though tragic, these crimes did not command the same kind of attention as the others, perhaps because there was no lengthy investigation, no tantalizing whodunit, no stranger-killer, nor any of the details that come out in the coverage of a major trial.
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-now-theres-absolutely-no-remorse-lincoln-judge-sends-convicted-murderer-to-prison-for-90/article_43259190-b1cd-560f-83ef-463ba8c8ad46.html
| 2022-05-18T23:00:47
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-now-theres-absolutely-no-remorse-lincoln-judge-sends-convicted-murderer-to-prison-for-90/article_43259190-b1cd-560f-83ef-463ba8c8ad46.html
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MILFORD -- The Southeast Community College Board of Governors on Tuesday tapped Dick LeBlanc to complete the remainder of James Garver's term.
LeBlanc, 78, was selected over three other people who interviewed for the position -- Kristi Chambers, J.P. Caruso and Penny McCord -- at a special meeting on SCC's Milford campus.
Garver, who served on the SCC Board of Governors for 13 years after sitting on the Lincoln Board of Education for two decades, died March 30 at the age of 71.
He represented District 4, which stretches across central Lincoln, and includes a portion of western Lancaster County.
LeBlanc, a native of Crook, Colorado, was the former executive director of the Nebraska Board of Educational Lands and Funds -- better known as the State Land Office -- for 14 years.
"I'm currently retired," LeBlanc said in a statement, "and I'm tired of being retired. I'm looking forward to being a part of a professional and progressive board."
LeBlanc, who holds a master's from Colorado State University and has also worked for the Lincoln Berean Church and North Pointe Community Church, said he's excited to work with the board as it pursues its strategic plan.
He will serve until Jan. 5, 2023, when a new board member will be sworn in to a four-year term. Anyone wanting to appear on the November general election ballot must file petition signatures with the Secretary of State's office.
Petitioners will be required to collect a number of signatures equal to 10% of voters who cast ballots in District 4 during the 2020 presidential election before Sept. 1.
Kristi Chambers, Richard LeBlanc, J.P. Caruso, and Penny McCord will interview with the Southeast Community College Board of Governors on May 17 to finish the term vacated by Jim Garver.
With the board's approval, SCC will secure financing later this year as it aims to build the first 250-bed dormitory in Lincoln, long a commuter campus.
If approved by the SCC Board of Governors later this month, construction could begin on a residence hall at the 8800 O St. campus later this year and be completed in 2023.
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/scc-board-chooses-replacement-to-finish-former-members-term/article_1ccda4ac-7023-5ad6-a424-1a38d2448e38.html
| 2022-05-18T23:00:53
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/scc-board-chooses-replacement-to-finish-former-members-term/article_1ccda4ac-7023-5ad6-a424-1a38d2448e38.html
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Police have identified and are searching for an “armed and dangerous” suspect in a botched drug deal that led to a robbery and deadly shooting outside a Northampton County Target store last year.
On August 8, 2021, 20-year-old Elijah Johnson and 22-year-old Jayzell Sanders were inside a car in the parking lot of the Target store on 3835 Dryland Way in Lower Nazareth Township.
Jakiye Taylor, 18, and Kevin Littles, 22, of Harrisburg, later arrived and got in the backseat of Johnson’s car for a marijuana deal, investigators said.
Sanders retrieved a black bag from the trunk and gave it to Taylor and Littles, according to investigators. Taylor and Littles then allegedly pulled out handguns and tried to rob Sanders and Johnson. Johnson wrestled with the two gunmen while Sanders got out of the car and ran toward the Target, police said.
As Sanders fled, one of the gunmen fired at him. Sanders pulled out his own weapon and fired back at the car, according to investigators.
Sanders was shot once in the shoulder. Taylor and Littles then fled the scene with four pounds of marijuana, police said.
Colonial Regional Police and Palmer Township Police then arrived in the Target parking lot and found both Sanders and Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds. Both men were taken to the hospital where Johnson was pronounced dead. Sanders survived his injuries. He was charged with firearms not to be carried without a license and recklessly endangering another person in connection to the incident.
After collecting evidence and interviewing Sanders, police identified Taylor and Littles as suspects in Johnson’s murder. Taylor and Littles were both charged with criminal homicide, robbery, theft by unlawful taking and other related offenses. Taylor is currently incarcerated in Monroe County Prison without bail. Littles remains on the run however and is considered armed and dangerous.
If you have any information on Littles’ whereabouts, please call Colonial Regional Police at 610-861-4820. Callers may remain anonymous.
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-id-suspect-in-deadly-shooting-outside-pa-target/3243958/
| 2022-05-18T23:07:05
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-id-suspect-in-deadly-shooting-outside-pa-target/3243958/
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-warn-vacationers-amid-spike-in-home-burglaries-in-pennsylvania-suburbs/3243853/
| 2022-05-18T23:07:11
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-warn-vacationers-amid-spike-in-home-burglaries-in-pennsylvania-suburbs/3243853/
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ARLINGTON, Texas — Three Arlington ISD elementary schools were placed on lockdown at around 3 p.m. Wednesday as police engaged in a search for a suspect nearby.
According to Arlington Police, the call to put Wimbish Elementary, Speer Elementary and Pope Elementary in lockdown was made "out of an abundance of caution" as officers and a Department of Public Safety helicopter searched for a suspect near West Randol Mill Road's intersections with Oakwood Lane and North Fielder Road.
Shortly after the lockdowns were put in place, Arlington ISD said it was in communication with parents to relay information about an eventual school release for students. The lockdowns, Arlington ISD said, involved "all exterior doors [being] locked so no one can enter the building from the outside."
A statement from Arlington ISD said students and staff remained safe throughout the lockouts, and lessons continued as usual.
At around 5:30 p.m., Arlington Police confirmed that all three of the schools had engaged in a "controlled release" of students. Students who ride the bus or are picked up by a parent were released at the expected times, and those who walk who were held on campus and released a later time.
The search came, police say, after officers received a tip that an individual they were looking for was in the area. Arlington Police would not immediately confirm the identity of the suspect they were looking for or why they were being sought.
Police said the search did not present any "active threats" and said the decision to close the nearby elementary schools "was based solely on their proximity to the area."
This is a developing story...
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-arlington-isd-elementary-schools-placed-on-lockdown-police-search-suspect-nearby-wimbish-pope-speer/287-3ed38644-5a1a-41ef-9054-8365c24a6c42
| 2022-05-18T23:29:43
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-arlington-isd-elementary-schools-placed-on-lockdown-police-search-suspect-nearby-wimbish-pope-speer/287-3ed38644-5a1a-41ef-9054-8365c24a6c42
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DALLAS — When the shooting happened last Wednesday at Hair World Salon in Koreatown, Dallas, many people wondered if it was motivated by hate.
"My first instinct was 'were they targeted because they were in Koreatown,'" said Stephanie Drenka, Co-Founder of the Dallas Asian American Historical Society.
That afternoon, three Korean women were shot and injured in the salon. Within a week, police arrested Jeremy Smith for the shooting and charged him with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
On the day of the shooting and the day following, police said there was no indication of the incident being a hate crime. But by Friday, Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia announced it may be motivated by hate.
To Drenka, the change in tone of the investigation is a relief in the sense that people are understanding this was a crime possibly targeted at people of Asian descent. She said it needs to be investigated and prosecuted through the proper channels.
The Koreatown shooting in Dallas is one of three possible hate crimes being investigated across the country in the span of one week.
On Saturday in Buffalo, New York, there was a mass shooting at a supermarket where 10 people were killed and three others wounded. Police say the suspect, Payton Gendron, was targeting the Black community.
On Sunday in Laguna Woods, California, a mass shooting occurred at a Taiwanese Presbyterian Church during services. One person was killed and five others were shot. Law enforcement said the suspect, David Chou, was motivated by political hate. A federal hate crime investigation into the incident was ongoing.
Drenka said, "It's a lot in a week. It's a lot over the past several years. But what we know as historians and as people of color is that it's not new, and that hate crimes against people of color have been happening in this country since the country was founded." She said this is an echo of history repeating itself.
Hate crimes happen when people see certain communities as less than or as a threat, according to Drenka. She said, "We have to find ways to heal and rehumanize and connect with people and build relationships." She said it's important that people don't get lost in the narrative of "us versus them."
The immediate conversations after a shooting are to increase policing and reporting of crimes, but Drenka calls that a "bandage fix." It's only temporary.
To address the root of racism, "We have to look at the systemic issues if we're going to find a systemic solution," said Drenka.
She said change will happen if people build relationships between communities of color, truly understand each other's rich histories, and see what different cultures are contributing to their neighborhoods and cities. Drenka said, "Bias and racism don't belong here."
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-possible-hate-crimes-across-us-in-1-week-what-needs-to-be-done-to-move-forward/287-07965724-7cfd-4b42-8a68-9a07131bd8b4
| 2022-05-18T23:29:49
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-possible-hate-crimes-across-us-in-1-week-what-needs-to-be-done-to-move-forward/287-07965724-7cfd-4b42-8a68-9a07131bd8b4
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DALLAS — For the second time in this year's playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks have been fined for activity from the team's bench.
The NBA released an announcement Wednesday, saying the Dallas organization had been fined $50,000 for "violating league rules regarding team bench decorum" during the Mavs 123-90 victory against the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of the conference semifinals playoff series.
Since this is the second time the team's bench has been fined, league officials doubled the fine amount from the previous infraction.
In terms of what the Mavs bench did to receive this fine, the NBA said, "on multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood for an extended period in the Mavericks' team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during game action."
After the team's Game 2 loss to the Suns on May 6, the Mavs were fined by the NBA for similar reasoning connected to the bench's behavior during the game.
In that news release, the league announced that the Mavericks were fined $25,000 for violating rules on "team bench decorum."
According to the NBA, some players and a member of the coaching staff stepped away from the Mavs bench and onto or near the court during play "on multiple occasions" during the game.
Dallas lost that game to the Suns 129-109 in Phoenix.
The Mavs play the first game of the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-mavericks-bench-50-thousand-dollar-fine/287-3b49ba1d-543b-4fb8-9a86-6828e78f9da1
| 2022-05-18T23:29:56
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-mavericks-bench-50-thousand-dollar-fine/287-3b49ba1d-543b-4fb8-9a86-6828e78f9da1
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DALLAS — The need for baby formula is only growing across the country, and right here in North Texas.
On Tuesday morning, a local organization is going above and beyond trying to help moms.
“it’s a struggle, you know,” said Katherine Gamez, an expecting mother.
Despite the heat, Gamez and her three children lined up for hours, hoping to get baby formula and the necessities for her children.
“Pampers, formula, especially formula,” said Gamez.
Financially, it’s been tough for Gamez since her husband's death.
“Of eight years, passed away from COVID,” said Gamez.
As the sole provider of the household, Gamez, along with 400 mothers, lined up at Molina High School in west Dallas to pick up baby products, for free.
“Pampers, thank you so much,” said Gamez.
It’s thanks to Viola’s House, a maternity home for homeless teenagers. The organization understands the struggle moms are facing these days.
“Diapers, wipes, socks, bottles, essentials mothers need for their baby,” said Thana Hickman Simmons, the CEO of Viola’s House.
As the moms stood in line, Viola's House handed out a card that included information on its app. If a mom downloads it and takes a class, they'll receive $10 to redeem at the Viola's House warehouse.
Moms can redeem the vouchers for baby formula, but they have to earn it.
“Getting educated on parenting, pregnancy, an array of subjects. It’s voucher-based shopping with dignity,” said Simmons.
And many of the moms participated in the classes, and then went straight to the Viola’s House baby benefit boutique in South Dallas.
“It is by request only, because of the shortage,” said Simmons.
With the shortage in mind, and a baby due, Gamez is thankful that there is help out there.
“I’m nervous about that. Everything will be OK. Pray to God you will get through it,” said Gamez.
Viola’s House has started a wish list. If you would like to contribute, click here.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-nonprofit-violas-house-provides-baby-products-formula/287-0af509dd-8fa9-4fea-b2ec-76013e2de48c
| 2022-05-18T23:30:02
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-nonprofit-violas-house-provides-baby-products-formula/287-0af509dd-8fa9-4fea-b2ec-76013e2de48c
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KINGSLAND, Ark. — Kingsland, Arkansas has a real "Cash flow" problem this week.
Someone shot the water tower of Johnny Cash's birthplace in a sensitive area last week and it's turning out to be a pretty expensive prank.
Some residents are even calling the leak, "the biggest news in Kingsland."
The shot sprung a relatively small leak, but it's causing big problems.
Kingsland Mayor Luke Neal said the town is "losing about 30,000 gallons of water per day."
Now it's costing the town about $200 each day-- totaling about $1,200 so far.
"You kind of run on a tighter budget in small towns like this, because really all you've got to work with... things like this can set you back a little bit," Neal said.
And while Mayor Neal is frustrated, he's also, a little impressed.
"Just the placement of where it was at I mean it was, you could tell someone was trying to be funny," Neal said.
It appears this shooter set their sights on something a little more specific than just the tower, but right at the crotch of the Johnny Cash silhouette painted on it.
One resident exclaiming, "It looks like Johnny Cash is peeing on the grass."
But it certainly *walks the line* between comedy and vandalism. Some residents saying it's "ridiculous" and "sad" and that it's wasteful.
But it's not the first time this water tower has been shot. Mayor Neal saying it happened in 1993 as well.
And even though the town spent $300,000 in repairs less than a year ago, they'll have to go through the process again.
"We'll have to drain 50,000 gallons of water out of the tank, we'll have to run the city off of line pressure straight from the well," Neal added.
And despite some discoloration, the Mayor said the water still is and will continue to be safe to drink.
As the sheriffs office works to find out— who shot Johnny Cash.
"At the end of the day, you still gotta pay for things that you've done when you cause damage,' Neal said.
Mayor Neal said the last time this happened, it was a $10,000 fine and a felony charge.
Town officials expect to repair the water tower later this week.
As for who shot the water tower? Police announced that they have arrested Timothy Sled, who is now facing charges for criminal mischief and impairing a public utility.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/johnny-cash-water-tower-shot-in-the-groin/91-46b5983e-6255-44e7-b260-d1840c4801c0
| 2022-05-18T23:30:03
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/johnny-cash-water-tower-shot-in-the-groin/91-46b5983e-6255-44e7-b260-d1840c4801c0
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MESQUITE, Texas — We hope you remember Sebastian's face, his name and his story.
Sebastian is 15 and has been in foster care since he was 5 years old.
But that's only the beginning of this child's hardships. Yet, he is so sweet and special.
Sebastian is today's Wednesday's Child.
Sometimes in life, everyone needs help being lifted from their circumstances.
Today, it is Sebastian's turn.
"I'm excited and happy," he said, about attending the Dallas College Law Enforcement Academy-Eastfield Campus in Mesquite.
Before we talk about Sebastian now, you need to understand where he's been.
Sebastian has spent 10 years in foster care. Child Protective Services showed WFAA pictures of him when he was 5 years old. In one picture, he held his infant sister in his arms proudly with a big smile on his face.
Sebastian has grown up watching everyone one around him get adopted, including that sister he was separated from in foster care.
If you need proof of what a decade in foster care does to a child, listen to what he told WFAA when he was asked what he wants more than anything in his life.
"I don't have a purpose," he said, sadly.
When asked if he believed a family would help him find a purpose, Sebastian answered 'yes' without hesitation.
In the law enforcement training class, Sebastian was treated like family.
It's probably why he opened-up about so much, including about getting left behind in yet another way.
"I'm nobody, because I don't know how to read," he said. "Everybody at my school makes fun of me, because I don't know how to read."
Sebastian is in special education classes at school and is just three years away from aging out of foster care. He has no current placement and is living in a hotel room supervised by CPS caseworkers.
Yet, he still smiles.
Sebastian even has a message of kindness for the children who bully him for not being able to read: "I hope you all have a good life."
Sebastian wants to learn how to read, but he wants a forever family even more.
"A nice and kind family," he said.
He wants a family to know him -- because knowing Sebastian, is knowing love.
Sebastian was made an honorary cadet and decided he does have a purpose.
"To be a police officer," he said.
Sebastian said officers have shown him kindness in his life, and he wants to do the same for others.
We assured Sebastian that our purpose is to make sure he gets adopted, because that little boy who held his baby sister so proudly in the picture... that little boy's life matters, then and now.
For more information on how to adopt Sebastian, please send all approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov. Remember to include Sebastian's names within the subject line.
If you're not licensed, visit adoptchildren.org to find out more information on how to become licensed to foster and/or adopt or contact LaQueena Warren at 817-304-1272.
For more Wednesday's Child stories, click here.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/outreach/wednesdays-child/wednesdays-child-15-year-old-sebastian-needs-forever-family/287-fe96845f-b8c1-4e79-8985-adf023e3ba0c
| 2022-05-18T23:30:10
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/outreach/wednesdays-child/wednesdays-child-15-year-old-sebastian-needs-forever-family/287-fe96845f-b8c1-4e79-8985-adf023e3ba0c
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Man arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting girlfriend in Prescott
A man was arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting his girlfriend in Prescott on Monday night.
Prescott police responded to reports of a woman with a gunshot wound at Yavapai Regional Medical Center at around 10:30 p.m., according to a news release by the Prescott Police Department.
Jason Warnock, 36, and Skylar Hughes, 31, had been living together in a trailer near Williamson Valley and Iron Springs roads, where the shooting occurred, the news release stated.
Warnock told police he shot Hughes and later took her to the hospital. She later died as a result of the injury, the news release stated.
Warnock was booked into Yavapai County Jail and charged with first-degree murder and weapon misconduct, the release stated.
The shooting was still under investigation.
Police asked anyone with information to contact Det. Brazell at (928)-777-1925.
Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at amaris.encinas@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @amarisencinas.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2022/05/18/man-arrested-suspicion-fatally-shooting-girlfriend-prescott/9827693002/
| 2022-05-18T23:30:38
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2022/05/18/man-arrested-suspicion-fatally-shooting-girlfriend-prescott/9827693002/
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Fire crews battle 2-alarm fire at apartment complex in west Phoenix
Six people and two pets were displaced after a fire destroyed a west Phoenix apartment complex Monday afternoon, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.
The two-alarm fire was reported at an apartment complex near 27th and Myrtle avenues, department spokesperson Cpt. Evan Gammage.
Phoenix fire crews received reports just before 2 p.m. that there were people trapped on the balcony of the second floor of the complex.
All residents were able to safely evacuate before the first crew arrived on scene, Gammage said.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze that had run along the length of the attic.
No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at amaris.encinas@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @amarisencinas.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2022/05/18/fire-crews-battle-2-alarm-fire-apartment-complex-west-phoenix/9829863002/
| 2022-05-18T23:30:44
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2022/05/18/fire-crews-battle-2-alarm-fire-apartment-complex-west-phoenix/9829863002/
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2 men dead after wrong-way crash near Surprise
Two men died after a wrong-way crash Tuesday night in the area of Sun Valley Parkway and milepost 131, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to the area near Surprise around 8:30 p.m. and found the crash involved three vehicles. The wrong-way driver was taken to a hospital where he died, according to the Sheriff's Office.
A man who was a passenger in one of the other vehicles also died in the hospital due to his injuries.
Two drivers, a man and a woman, were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Deputies determined that wrong-way driving caused the accident and impairment was not a factor, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The names of the victims would be released Thursday, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise-traffic/2022/05/18/surprise-area-wrong-way-crash-leaves-2-dead/9830078002/
| 2022-05-18T23:30:50
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise-traffic/2022/05/18/surprise-area-wrong-way-crash-leaves-2-dead/9830078002/
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US 60 repairs continue after water main break flood in Tempe; westbound lanes to reopen 'very soon'
Concrete placement on the westbound lanes of U.S. 60 is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday night as roadway reparations continue after a water main broke on May 7.
The process of pouring about 1,500 cubic yards of concrete in a few sections of the westbound lanes could possibly last through Friday, according to a Wednesday update from Chris Kabala, principal civil engineer of the City of Tempe. In a news release, the city said about 34,000 square feet of the old roadway has been removed.
Westbound U.S. 60 remained closed between the Loop 101 and McClintock Drive and Kabala said those lanes will be opening "very soon." During the update, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said they haven't set a timeline for the reopening because they want to set reasonable expectations.
Eastbound lanes reopened on Sunday because there was less pavement to be replaced on that side of the road, according to Kabala.
Besides working on the road, Kabala said the city is simultaneously inspecting the water line that broke so that it's good for use. The break in the 24-inch steel water transmission line is behind a retaining wall near the top of the McClintock Drive westbound off-ramp.
Kabala said that after inspection they determined the water didn't affect the McClintock Drive overpass.
Woods thanked all the workers in the project for working on this "huge endeavor" around the clock. He also said he appreciated the response of residents and business owners who have been affected by the closure of the roadway.
"We clearly know that this is a very big challenge if you're commuting back and forth ... We know this is absolutely an inconvenience. But at the end of the day, I think people have been very understanding of the fact that unfortunately, sometimes things like this happen," Woods said.
City will repurpose old roadway materials
Old roadway materials will be used as fill material in the Arizona Department of Transportation Broadway Curve Improvement Project along the I-10, which includes widening the freeway and adding pedestrian bridges, officials said.
"Sustainability is very important to the city of Tempe," Kabala said in a video update Tuesday. "We are glad that this material is being used over here and not being shipped somewhere to a landfill."
TaiAnna Yee, Tempe public information officer, said the repurposing will save taxpayers money by recycling the material instead of getting new materials.
Costs for the reconstruction work were not available. As of Wednesday afternoon, there wasn't a confirmed cause for the break.
Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe-traffic/2022/05/18/concrete-placement-begin-us-60-westbound-lanes-after-water-main-break/9823490002/
| 2022-05-18T23:30:56
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe-traffic/2022/05/18/concrete-placement-begin-us-60-westbound-lanes-after-water-main-break/9823490002/
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There have been 11 earthquakes around the region since May 11, according to information from the US Geological Survey.
The information collected on the website earthquaketrack.com shows quakes near Stanton, Big Spring and Gardendale. Those quakes included one at 4:39 a.m. Wednesday – a magnitude 2.1 quake, 11.8 miles northwest of Stanton. The website also showed three other quakes northwest of Stanton, three quakes near Big Spring and four quakes near Gardendale or north of Odessa since May 11.
The magnitude of the quakes has ranged from 1.9 to 2.7, according to earthquaketrack.com.
The website shows that quakes around Midland and farther west around the Loving County city of Mentone are still happening, even if at a lesser rate than in January.
Around Midland, there have been 10 quakes in the last seven days, 22 quakes in the last 30 days and 229 quakes in the previous 365 days, according to information posted Wednesday. In January, the website showed 249 quakes in the previous 365 days.
The area around Mentone remains one of the most active regions for earthquakes in the nation. Earthquaketrack.com reported 37 quakes in the past seven days, 165 in the previous 30 days and 2,147 in the previous 365 days. In January, the website showed 2,448 quakes in the past 365 days.
By contrast, Earthquaketrack.com showed Wednesday that there had been 365 quakes in the last 365 days around Los Angeles, 341 around San Francisco and 336 around Hennessey, Oklahoma.
Earthquaketrack.com reported nine earthquakes in far West Texas with magnitudes of 3.0 or higher in the last two weeks.
A quake with a magnitude of 2.5 to 5.4 is “often felt, but only causes minor damage, according to Upseis, an educational site for seismologists.
The Reporter-Telegram has previously reported that Permian Basin producers and the Railroad Commission have worked together to put together a response plan to address seismic activity in seismicity response areas around Stanton, Gardendale and northern Culberson and Reeves counties.
Recent seismic activity around Midland
Wednesday, 2.1 magnitude, 11.8 miles northwest of Stanton (depth 7.4 miles)
Monday, 2.0 magnitude, 11.8 miles from Big Spring (depth 4.9 miles)
Sunday, 2.3 magnitude, 13 miles northwest of Stanton (depth 4.3 miles)
Saturday, 2.1 magnitude, 6.1 miles east of Gardendale (depth 3.7 miles)
Saturday, 2.7 magnitude, 4.3 miles from Gardendale (depth 4.3 miles)
Saturday, 1.9 magnitude, 4.9 miles southeast of Gardendale (depth 3.7 miles)
Friday, 2.1 magnitude, 5.5 miles north of Odessa (depth 3.1 miles)
May 12, 2.8 magnitude, 11.1 miles northwest of Big Spring (depth 1.2 miles)
May 12, 2.6 magnitude, 13 miles northwest of Stanton (depth 3.1 miles)
May 11, 2.2 magnitude, 12.4 miles from Big Spring (depth 1,000 meters)
May 11, 2.3 magnitude, 13 miles northwest of Stanton (depth 3.1 miles)
Source: Earthquaketrack.com
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https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/USGS-11-quakes-since-May-11-around-Midland-17182219.php
| 2022-05-18T23:31:37
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https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/USGS-11-quakes-since-May-11-around-Midland-17182219.php
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — When Amendment 100 was passed a couple years ago, Arkansas was allowed to have casino's in the Natural State. A part of the amendment was dedicated to finding funds to help those suffering from gambling addiction.
Unfortunately, that never happened.
Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Racing Commission, said this conversation wouldn't be a problem had those resources actually happened.
"We have to find $200,000 and build that into the state budget every year going forward," Hardin said. "It's not frustrating on our part, because we're working day to day just to get this complete."
A couple of months ago, a lawsuit was brought against the commission to figure out where the money and treatment resources were.
That's where Joe Denton comes in.
"This seems to be the only portion of Amendment 100 that hasn't been fully implemented," Denton said.
He is the attorney for that lawsuit. It alleges that the Racing Commission acted 'contrary to the clear and unambiguous language of Amendment 100 of the Arkansas Constitution.'
"When you consider the overall cost of implementing this portion of the amendment, compared to the revenues that would be generated by casino gambling," Denton said. "It seems like it's rather silly that we haven't already moved funding for this project."
It's a thought shared by those working to help those suffering from gambling addiction. Vena Schexnayder is the chairman for the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council.
She said Arkansans need this help – and they need it soon.
"The silent addiction is not silent anymore," Schexnayder said. "Problem gambling and responsible gambling is here in the state and we want to be able to fund that need."
It's a thought that's shared by Hardin. He said they're close to accepting proposals for companies to come in and help.
If all goes well, Hardin said they'll have something up and running soon.
"I understand why someone would say 'why is this not in place,'" he said. "But our position is we're almost there."
Denton said they're exploring all options going forward, including pulling the lawsuit if needed.
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https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/arkansas-suing-lack-gambling-addiction-resources/91-baba7075-35dd-4d0a-a35e-1036d3837d55
| 2022-05-18T23:34:46
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https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/arkansas-suing-lack-gambling-addiction-resources/91-baba7075-35dd-4d0a-a35e-1036d3837d55
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A Searcy man with a history of sexually abusing young boys has been sentenced to prison Tuesday afternoon for the production of child pornography.
John Ronald Ord, 51, was sentenced to 30 years in a federal prison, which is the maximum sentence that is legally allowed. He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release upon the completion of his prison time.
The Searcy Police Department began their investigation into Ord after a teen boy reported that Ord had been sexually abusing him for several years, dating back to 2012.Their investigation revealed that he had been preying on young boys for well over a decade going as far back as 1999.
Ord reportedly would provide the boys with drugs and alcohol before the sexual abuse.
Officials were able to obtain a search warrant for Ord's phone where he used a dating app to have a conversation with a 14-year-old boy and asked for a picture of his penis.
This led to him being charged with production child pornography in December of 2019.
He finally plead guilty two years later in December 2021.
At least 19 of Ord's victims have now been identified and five of them were present at his sentencing where they testified about the abuse that they experienced at the hands of Ord.
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https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/searcy-man-30-years-prison-producing-child-porn/91-3b8bffb1-9a83-4e55-afc0-f88b6d40aacf
| 2022-05-18T23:34:52
| 0
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https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/searcy-man-30-years-prison-producing-child-porn/91-3b8bffb1-9a83-4e55-afc0-f88b6d40aacf
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VANCOUVER, Wash. — The current assistant chief of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), Jeffrey Mori, will be promoted to police chief at the end of June, the city announced on Wednesday.
Current chief James McElvain announced in January that he would retire on June 30 after 36 years in policing and eight years as chief of the VPD, and the city announced that it would conduct a national search for a replacement.
"Assistant Chief Mori’s experience and background, teamed with his proven ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships in the community, has prepared him well for this role," Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes said in a statement. "His clear vision for the future of community safety in Vancouver helped him emerge as the top candidate in a very competitive pool. I am confident in his ability to lead our Police Department in its next chapter."
Mori will step into the role immediately after McElvain departs at 5 p.m. on June 30, according to a press release from the city.
Mori has served as assistant chief for the past three years, and previously served for nine years as undersheriff for Washington County in Oregon. He has a total of 29 years of experience in law enforcement, the city said.
"I am tremendously honored and excited to be able to serve the Vancouver Police Department as its next Chief," Mori said in a statement. "The Vancouver Police Department is a premier agency in Washington thanks to the professionalism and service of the men and women who show up each day to do the work to keep our community safe. I look forward to leading the Vancouver Police Department in our continued efforts to expand community partnerships and relationships, grow the agency and increase transparency and trust."
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/vancouver/vancouver-new-police-chief/283-51c85526-4d0f-4b81-900b-f0c7610e2777
| 2022-05-18T23:46:52
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https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/vancouver/vancouver-new-police-chief/283-51c85526-4d0f-4b81-900b-f0c7610e2777
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A Delaware County school bus driver is accused of taking upskirt photos of at least three teen students.
On Tuesday, Upper Providence Township police responded to the St. Mary Magdalen School in Media, Pennsylvania, and interviewed a teen girl who reported improper conduct from her bus driver.
Investigators determined the driver was using his cellphone to take upskirt photos of female students. An Upper Providence Township Police detective spoke with the Special Victims Unit and a search warrant was obtained for the bus driver’s phone. Police later identified two other teen victims and detectives contacted their parents.
A forensic evaluation of the driver’s phone is underway and police said they will contact the parents of any additional victims.
The driver was assigned to bus #302 in the Marple Newtown School District, according to a school district spokesperson. The spokesperson said the driver was fired and is not allowed to enter school grounds. The school district is also cooperating with police in the ongoing investigation.
Police have not yet released the driver’s identity nor have they confirmed whether or not the driver has been officially charged. NBC10 reached out to investigators for more details but we have not yet heard back from them.
Anyone with additional information on the investigation should call Upper Providence Police Detective Sergeant George Moore at 610-566-8445.
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/school-bus-driver-accused-of-taking-upskirt-photos-of-students/3244050/
| 2022-05-18T23:55:26
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/school-bus-driver-accused-of-taking-upskirt-photos-of-students/3244050/
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The results are in for Idaho's primary election as all of the state's 44 counties reported vote tallies to the Idaho Elections Department by Wednesday, with one of the closest races of Tuesday night happening in Madison County.
Just like their last race in 2020, incumbent Rep. Ron Nate and Britt Raybould had one of the closest races of the primary. Raybould narrowly defeated Nate by 36 votes, collecting just over 50% of the vote.
The results are unofficial until they have been reviewed by a board of canvassers, which typically convenes seven days after a primary election.
Raybould will get a second term representing the district. Raybould was first elected to represent District 34 in 2018 and Nate ended her reelection bid in 2020.
Raybould will represent District 34 with Sen. Doug Ricks, who ran unopposed, and Rep. Jon Weber, who defeated Jason "JD" Drollinger in the primary. Neither of the three will face a challenger in November.
Brad Little
In key statewide races, Gov. Brad Little won the Republican nomination for the governor's race convincingly. His closest challenger was Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who secured 32% of the vote but lost by 57,000 votes.
Simpson
Rep. Mike Simpson defeated his main challenger Bryan Smith for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Representative District 2 race by nearly 27,000 votes. The race was a rematch of the 2014 primary in which Simpson beat Smith by just over 18,000 votes. In terms of vote percentage Smith fared worse this year than he did in 2014, dropping 6 percentage points from his previous showing, 38.4% to 32.7%. Simpson also saw his percentage fall from 61.6% in 2014 to 54.6% in the five-person race. The 2014 Republican Primary featured just Simpson and Smith.
Here are the results of other key legislative races in eastern Idaho:
District 33
State Representative, Position A
Incumbent Rep. Barbara Ehardt defeated Jeff Thompson on Tuesday night to secure the Republican nomination.
Ehardt collected more than 56% of the vote, outgaining Thompson by nearly 800 votes.
"I'm just grateful and humbled to receive this support of our community," Ehardt wrote in a text message to the Post Register. "I worked hard to focus on issues and the many areas where I have labored on behalf of our community and our state. I recognize that every vote I cast affects us in Idaho Falls as well as the great state of Idaho. I take this responsibility very seriously."
Ehardt is seeking to serve her third term in office after she was appointed in 2017. Prior to Ehardt's service in the state Legislature, she also was an Idaho Falls city councilwoman.
Ehardt will move on to face Idaho Falls Democrat Miranda Marquit, who ran unopposed in the primary, during the November general election. The winner of that election will represent Idaho Falls with Rep. Marco Erickson, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary and is running unopposed in November, and Sen. Dave Lent, who defeated Bryan Scholz in the primary.
District 35
State Representative, Position B
Ammon City Councilman Josh Wheeler defeated incumbent Rep. Chad Christensen.
Wheeler collected nearly 52% of the vote, beating Christensen by more than 300 votes.
"This has been an incredible experience," Wheeler said. "Through this experience, my wife and I have found even greater purpose and feel even more committed to being community builders."
Wheeler will face independent candidate Hyrum Johnson from Driggs in November.
Wheeler is seeking his first term in the House representing District 35, which encompasses eastern Bonneville County, Teton County, Caribou County, Bear Lake County and eastern Bannock County.
Wheeler won Bonneville, Teton and Caribou counties and Christensen won Bear Lake County and Bannock County.
Christensen wrote on Facebook he thought it was odd his race had about 500 more votes than the other two legislative races in District 35 and felt the election was "won dishonestly."
"Why would 500 'Republicans' come out to just vote against me? Who are these 500 people … I feel no relief about a dishonest win. There were all shorts of lies that were put our there about my votes, my opponent lied about who he is politically, and I know there were cross-over votes. I recognized them on my mailing lists. They were recently registered as Democrats! I have no problem being beat fair and square, this was not," Christensen wrote.
The Idaho Press reported Wednesday that Chad Houck, chief deputy secretary of state, rejected claims by some losing GOP candidates such as Christensen that the strong Republican turnout was due to Democrats voting in the GOP primary. Only 3,400 registered Democrats switched their affiliation to Republican during the past three months, he said. Houck said the trend appeared to show more unaffiliated voters choosing to affiliate with the GOP and vote in its primary.
Either Wheeler or Johnson will represent District 35 with Rep. Kevin Andrus and Sen. Mark Harris, both incumbents who defeated Doug Toomer and Jon Goode, respectively, in their races.
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https://www.postregister.com/news/local/raybould-unseats-nate-in-district-34-race-as-primary-results-tallied-statewide/article_e7103d91-9592-5474-9b4d-8cd202c474fb.html
| 2022-05-18T23:59:02
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https://www.postregister.com/news/local/raybould-unseats-nate-in-district-34-race-as-primary-results-tallied-statewide/article_e7103d91-9592-5474-9b4d-8cd202c474fb.html
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HARRISBURG, Pa. — A judge has ordered a temporary halt to Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to toll as many as nine major bridges on interstates in Pennsylvania, siding Wednesday with Cumberland County and a handful of municipalities that are challenging the process as both illegal and unconstitutional.
Commonwealth Court Judge Ellen Ceisler ordered the halt, saying the state Department of Transportation must stop all studies, right-of-way acquisitions, construction or work under any contracts, and put off any planned hearings, meetings or spending.
Wolf’s push for tolling comes as states increasingly look to user fees to make up for declining gas tax revenue that is not keeping up with the demands of fixing highways and bridges. However, it has spurred opposition from some communities and Republican lawmakers, who say it will be costly to locals and businesses and create congestion.
It also comes amid rising gas prices. Wolf himself only has eight months left in office, and neither of his potential successors in November's election support it.
Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who won the GOP's nomination in Tuesday's primary contest to run for governor, has backed legislation to effectively put a stop to the plan.
Democratic nominee Josh Shapiro also opposes it, his campaign said, pointing to his comments last week to the Courier-Express newspaper that he would look to other state and federal dollars to put toward the bridges.
The lawsuit was filed in March by Cumberland County and seven municipalities.
PennDOT could appeal the preliminary injunction to the state Supreme Court. A PennDOT spokesperson would only say Wednesday that the agency was reviewing the decision, giving no response to questions about what work was ongoing that must stop and how the decision will affect the timeline in carrying out the tolling projects.
PennDOT last year named nine bridges on six interstates that it said needed upgrades and that it will consider for tolling to help generate the cash. The concept was approved in 2020 by the Public-Private Transportation Partnership board, the first time it had approved a plan involving user fees, and requires no legislative approval.
In the lawsuit, lawyers for Cumberland County and the seven municipalities argued both that the process followed by PennDOT and the Public-Private Transportation Partnership Board violated the 2012 law that created the board.
In part, they said that residents of the county and municipalities had not had a legitimate opportunity to express their views on one of the bridges that might be tolled — I-83′s South Bridge across the Susquehanna River between Cumberland and Dauphin counties — before the board gave PennDOT permission to pursue it.
The lawyers also argued that the law itself violated constitutional prohibitions against the Legislature delegating its taxation authority, in this case to the board.
In her decision, Ceisler wrote that the 2012 law contained no limits that courts usually look for in cases where the Legislature has delegated its authority.
In addition, the scale of the plan and how the board approved it “greatly heightens the court’s delegation concerns,” Ceisler wrote. “The board essentially approved a massive multi-billion dollar infrastructure initiative on an admittedly meager record, consisting of a 4-page recommendation from DOT, a presentation, and minimal discussion, and without understanding which, or how many, pieces of public infrastructure the initiative would affect.”
The other bridges under consideration for tolling are I-78′s Lenhartsville Bridge in Berks County; I-79′s bridges over State Route 50 in Allegheny County; I-80′s bridges across Canoe Creek in Clarion County, Nescopeck Creek in Luzerne County, North Fork in Jefferson County and the Lehigh River, near Wilkes-Barre; I-81 over the Susquehanna River in northern Pennsylvania; and Girard Point Bridge in Philadelphia.
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https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/bridge-tolls-tolling-pennsylvania-judge-halts-plan/521-69e17220-88b7-44ea-9daf-1c1d3283c7e3
| 2022-05-19T00:04:06
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https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/bridge-tolls-tolling-pennsylvania-judge-halts-plan/521-69e17220-88b7-44ea-9daf-1c1d3283c7e3
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gusty winds, low humidity and drying vegetation will bring fire danger to a large swath of the Northern California interior this week, forecasters said Wednesday.
A fire weather watch will be in effect from Thursday morning through Friday evening, the National Weather Service's Sacramento office said.
Forecasters said gusty north and east winds will be caused by a weather system passing to the east. The winds will begin increasing Thursday morning and peak from Thursday night into Friday afternoon.
The strongest winds were forecast for the west side of the Sacramento Valley and the coastal range foothills.
California has already experienced damaging wildfires this year, including a 200-acre (81-hectare) blaze that destroyed 20 homes and damaged 11 others in Laguna Niguel last week. It was declared fully contained on Tuesday.
In Los Angeles, a fire that erupted on brushy slopes below Griffith Observatory was stopped after scorching 6 acres (2.4 hectares) Tuesday afternoon.
"California continues to experience longer wildfire seasons as a direct result of climate change," Cal Fire's 2022 outlook said, citing dryness that extended from January into spring.
"These continued dry conditions with above normal temperatures through spring will leave fuel moisture levels lower than normal increasing the potential for wildland fire activity," it said.
WATCH ALSO:
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/winds-dryness-raise-fire-concerns-northern-california/103-9f987b61-bc86-4490-b047-e379e13b0660
| 2022-05-19T00:04:11
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/winds-dryness-raise-fire-concerns-northern-california/103-9f987b61-bc86-4490-b047-e379e13b0660
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POCOLA, Okla. — After nine months, charges are being brought against the driver in a deadly crash that killed a Fort Smith man.
Bobby Northern was killed in a crash after a vehicle crossed the center line of Highway 112 and hit his vehicle head-on.
The crash claimed Northern's life in the early morning hours of August 7, 2021. Pocola Police say the crash happened on Highway 112 North in Pocola, Okla.
The State of Oklahoma has filed first-degree manslaughter charges against Amber Rae Walker of Shady Point, whose vehicle crossed the center line, killing Northern.
The lawsuit claims Walker was driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher which made her incapable of driving a vehicle.
An arrest warrant was issued for Walker on May 4, 2022. It's unclear at this time if she has been taken into custody.
If convicted, Walker could face at least four years in prison.
Stay with 5NEWS for updates on this developing story.
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/manslaughter-charges-filed-against-impaired-driver-after-man-killed-in-oklahoma-crash/527-bae297c4-e5a3-4c79-a3d5-c2a31bb338c9
| 2022-05-19T00:08:26
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/manslaughter-charges-filed-against-impaired-driver-after-man-killed-in-oklahoma-crash/527-bae297c4-e5a3-4c79-a3d5-c2a31bb338c9
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A Searcy man with a history of sexually abusing young boys has been sentenced to prison Tuesday afternoon for the production of child pornography.
John Ronald Ord, 51, was sentenced to 30 years in a federal prison, which is the maximum sentence that is legally allowed. He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release upon the completion of his prison time.
The Searcy Police Department began their investigation into Ord after a teen boy reported that Ord had been sexually abusing him for several years, dating back to 2012.Their investigation revealed that he had been preying on young boys for well over a decade going as far back as 1999.
Ord reportedly would provide the boys with drugs and alcohol before the sexual abuse.
Officials were able to obtain a search warrant for Ord's phone where he used a dating app to have a conversation with a 14-year-old boy and asked for a picture of his penis.
This led to him being charged with production child pornography in December of 2019.
He finally plead guilty two years later in December 2021.
At least 19 of Ord's victims have now been identified and five of them were present at his sentencing where they testified about the abuse that they experienced at the hands of Ord.
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/searcy-man-30-years-prison-producing-child-porn/91-3b8bffb1-9a83-4e55-afc0-f88b6d40aacf
| 2022-05-19T00:08:33
| 0
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/searcy-man-30-years-prison-producing-child-porn/91-3b8bffb1-9a83-4e55-afc0-f88b6d40aacf
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WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Family Dollar will be closing its nearly 30-year-old West Memphis warehouse in 60 days, a company spokesperson said Wednesday.
On February 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that more than 1,000 rats were found inside the distribution facility. The chain then issued a voluntary recall that impacted over 400 stores in the South.
According to West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon, around 230 employees at the facility will lose their jobs.
"We've been scrambling and working at City Hall," McClendon said at a press conference Wednesday. "We've reached out to the state, and they have offered all available resources to help us help those affected. We've reached out to the director of workforce services and they have set some things up to help those people immediately."
McClendon said the company notified the city of their decision after determining that the nearly 30-year-old facility no longer suited their needs.
"I was surprised," McClendon said. "I would have preferred talking to someone first about this issue. The city has been industrial friendly. We always call and meet with different industries to ask what we can do to help."
Inspection reports showed the building had violations related to rat infestations going back to January 2021, over a year before the infestation was announced and several stores closed.
A spokesperson with Family Dollar shared the following statement:
"Like most companies, we regularly assess our operational footprint to ensure we are running our business in the most effective and responsible way. As a result of that process, we determined the nearly 30-year-old facility in West Memphis would not be adequate to allow us to continue serving the needs and requirements of our stores and customers served by the distribution center.
This was a difficult decision we did not take lightly, especially because of our outstanding team in West Memphis, our relationship with the community, and the partnership we have had with the State of Arkansas since 1994. We are committed to treating impacted associates fairly and respectfully, and we are doing everything we can to support them with their transitions, including providing severance plans to those who are eligible, as well as offering outplacement services and employee assistance programs."
Randy Guiler, vice president of investor relations for Dollar Tree, Family Dollar's parent company, told the Associated Press the company is offering severance to eligible employees, as well as outplacement and employee assistance programs. The building will discontinue shipping to stores before the end of June, and a transfer of inventory to other distribution centers will be completed in August.
The announcement of the warehouse’s closure comes weeks after the state filed a lawsuit against Family Dollar and Dollar Tree. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, accuses the companies of deceiving consumers, negligence and engaging in a conspiracy that allowed the infestation to occur.
“Family Dollar is punishing hundreds of hardworking Arkansas families instead of cleaning up the company's own, illegal business practices that put their employees and consumers at risk," Rutledge said in a statement Wednesday. “Family Dollar should eliminate deceptive and dangerous conduct."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/west-memphis-arkansas-family-dollar-warehouse-rat-infestation/522-342ee73e-804a-4030-a7c9-b04315074a53
| 2022-05-19T00:08:39
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/west-memphis-arkansas-family-dollar-warehouse-rat-infestation/522-342ee73e-804a-4030-a7c9-b04315074a53
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Police said they arrested and charged Nathaniel Freeman with murder after a shooting where a stray bullet went flying through an apartment building in Southeast Portland — killing a man inside.
The bullet struck 30-year-old Morgan “Max” Victor who was in his apartment near Southeast 28th and Division.
“I heard gunshots and we popped up out of bed, and I saw him lying on the floor and people were yelling at me to get down and I will go over to him and I’m holding him screaming like, ‘Please don’t leave me. Just stay with me and just hold on,’ I tried everything I possibly could have, but I guess they were too late,” Victor’s fiancé Saubrana Hedenberg said.
Hedenberg told KOIN 6 News they both are from Hawaii. When they met, it was love at first sight.
“He was the most amazing human I’ve ever met and I’m not just saying that because he was my fiancé,” Hedenberg said
Born on the Big Island of Hawaii, Victor leaves behind a huge family with siblings who adored him.
Victor’s older sister, Keala Kahawai said “there’s 10 of us together, siblings, and those are blood siblings, but my brother was very close to a lot of people, and he has friends that are mourning just like us. They cry every day. I’m so happy that he had all those friends because they have so many stories that we didn’t necessarily get to live, but we get to hear about them now.”
His sisters say stories of him is all they have left after the senseless shooting.
“He was a big protector in my life. Especially with him moving closer to me, I felt better and better every day, knowing that if something happened, I could call him,” Victor’s younger sister Gabrielle Kosoff said.
Victor’s mother says he was her middle child who was born with natural talents. She feels like her future has been stolen because there was so much more she could have seen her son do.
“He was the guy that his neighbors felt safer because they were living near him. He was the guy who buys the kid next door his first pair of cool tennis shoes. That was the kind of guy Portland lost. And that’s a shame,” Tamara Charles, Victor’s mother, said.
As an entrepreneur, he just started his own homebuilding business, and his fiancé was going to be his real estate agent.
“So many things that we wanted to do together that now we won’t be able to,” Hedenberg said.
His family says his contagious laugh, infectious smile and warm embrace will be missed.
“I feel like I’m in another dimension. I can’t even accept that this is happening. So, just make sure to hug your loved ones and tell them that you love them every day,” Hedenberg noted.
Victor’s Hawaiian name, Kahoaokekai, means friend of the sea, exactly where his ashes will be. Hedenberg will be spreading his remains at the beach in Hawaii where they first met before returning back to Portland.
There is Gofundme for Victor’s family as they are holding a celebration of his life soon.
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https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/family-mourns-most-amazing-human-killed-in-se-portland-shooting/
| 2022-05-19T00:09:49
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https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/family-mourns-most-amazing-human-killed-in-se-portland-shooting/
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RANDOLPH, Ala. (WIAT) — Some Bibb County residents are providing for anyone who needs a good meal. The group of volunteers built a “blessing box” full of nonperishable food items.
Beth Merchant, the project’s co-founder says her volunteer group prayed about this outreach mission weeks ago to help her neighbors who might be struggling to put food on the table. Plus grocery prices have been really high and many cannot afford to buy food for their families.
“We want this to be for the people who have a need and if you need it don’t hesitate to pull up and get what you need,” Merchant said. “And when there’s time you can give please do give back because that’s the way that we can give back to the community.”
There are all sorts of tasty food items inside the blessing box for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“We have cereals, rice, potatoes and onions and feminine products. This past weekend there was a donation of toilet paper and soaps. Anything that will not melt we have non-perishables and canned goods yes,” she said.
On Wednesday, many Bibb County residents, like Patricia Scott, stopped by to donate food items to the blessing box. Scott says God led her here to help her community get a good meal.
“It’s just my blessing to do it, and I think everyone living in Randolph should do the same if they have the food to bring,” Scott said. “Because there’s people here that don’t have food and I know a few that need food here.”
Merchant is encouraging everyone to continue to drop of donations to make sure the box stays full of food.
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/bibb-county-residents-come-together-to-help-those-in-need-with-blessing-box/
| 2022-05-19T00:25:38
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/bibb-county-residents-come-together-to-help-those-in-need-with-blessing-box/
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – When Kim Richardson made her presentation to the Birmingham City Council, she didn’t come empty-handed. Richardson, chair of the public library board’s long-term planning committee, had come prepared.
She brought with her to city hall documents outlining the financial needs of the library system, which she said has suffered for nearly a decade from “a continuous decline and decrease in the resources.” In a full-throated pitch to the city council’s education committee, Richardson said the amount of funding outlined in the documents provided to councilors is necessary to keep all of Birmingham’s library branches open and fully staffed.
That amount? Just over $18 million.
On Tuesday, Mayor Randall Woodfin proposed the largest budget in the city’s history. The budget does not provide the libraries with the $18 million outlined by Richardson and contained in the library’s projected budget documents. Instead, Woodfin allocated only $14.5 million to the 18-branch library system, an amount that, after inflation, is 12.5% lower than when the mayor took office and 34.4% lower than in 2009, the earliest year online records are available.
Still, in his presentation to the city council introducing his budget, Woodfin claimed that the $14.5 million reflects full funding for libraries.
“Our libraries are fully funded,” he told members of the council. “They’re fully staffed.”
Alice Speake said the mayor’s claim is untrue. She’s the founder of Save Birmingham Public Libraries, an organization aimed at lifting up and advocating for libraries in the Magic City.
“But we will fight to get libraries funded to the level that they requested,” she said.
After the release of the mayor’s budget, CBS 42 reached out to members of the library board and to library administration officials. While no individuals responded to CBS 42’s requests for comment, the library board released a statement on Wednesday afternoon saying that the system “anticipates being able to maintain its current level of service.”
“We look forward to working with the Mayor’s Office and the City Council throughout the current operating budget proposal process,” the statement said. “Based on the current budget proposal before the council, the library anticipates being able to maintain its current level of service. Any suggestion that the current proposed level of funding would not support that level of service is incorrect, speculative and does not represent the intent of the board and library leadership. Our board and the Mayor’s Office are aligned in our goals for continued excellence in our library services for the Birmingham community.”
For Alice Speake, the statement is the latest “spin” from local officials. She said it’s important to understand that the library’s current level of service is not the “fully staffed” world Woodfin has portrayed.
In her presentation to the city council, Kim Richardson said that for nearly a decade, the library has been “limping” along, unable to make necessary repairs and forced to rotate staff from branch to branch to keep doors open, often with limited hours.
“It really is a position or situation where we have been sort of propping our library system up, patching things together, placing Band-Aids on things, rotating staff from one branch to another, just not having adequate levels of staffing,” the library board member said.
If that’s the “current level of service” that the library system can maintain with the amount of funding Woodfin has proposed, it’s a shame, Speake said.
So how much would it cost to fully fund Birmingham Public Libraries? Below are the figures
The documents provided to city councilors by Richardson and other library officials and obtained by CBS 42 detail the operational costs of the libraries, location by location. The 18 branches of the Birmingham public library system fall into three categories. In addition to the library’s central location, there are four regional locations, which are the largest; six community locations, which are smaller; and seven neighborhood locations, which are the smallest in the system.
Each of the regional locations – Avondale, Five Points West, North Birmingham, and Springville Road – costs about $925,000 to operate annually, according to the documents. Each of the community locations – East Lake, Pratt City, Smithfield, Southside, Titusville, and West End – costs about $320,000 a year to operate. Each of the neighborhood locations – East Ensley, Ensley, Inglenook, North Avondale, Powderly, Woodlawn, and Wylam – costs about $256,000 to operate each year.
Using these numbers, a funding gap of $3.5 million could place multiple branches at risk of closure – possibly even more than the four which were singled out for closure by the library board’s previous president. Any closures, though, would reflect a reduction in services, something the board has now said that it “anticipates” avoiding.
Final decisions on how to deal with limited funding will be made by library board members and library administration officials, but Kim Richardson has said there’s only so far the system can be stretched without library closures.
“If we can keep all our libraries open, I think that’s a wonderful thing,” she told city councilors. “But I think we also have to deal with the realities of where we’ve seen our budget cuts come from. Just as you would in your household or any other endeavor that you would have – if your budget has been cut by a third, something has to go. And again, we don’t want to see these closures. We want to make our position crystal clear. But we’d like to work collaboratively with you to determine how we can keep our library system, not just open and operating, but also operating at a standard and at a level that’s reflective of what we want our libraries to represent in this city.”
Woodfin’s budget is not final. The proposal will be considered by Birmingham’s city council, which will hear from the public at hearings scheduled for June 6 and June 16 at 5:30 p.m.
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/how-much-would-it-cost-to-keep-every-birmingham-library-open-and-fully-staffed-heres-what-we-know/
| 2022-05-19T00:25:44
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https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/how-much-would-it-cost-to-keep-every-birmingham-library-open-and-fully-staffed-heres-what-we-know/
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BOISE, Idaho — The 20th Annual Boise Bike Week is underway. The Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance and other organizations put together many bicycle-themed events to encourage people to get out of the car and on the bike.
In fact, the official kick-off event is happening Wednesday and the week culminates Friday, with Bike to Work Day.
Bike to Work became more than just a 'one-day thing,' for one Boise man. It was a decades-long dedication that put him into a different stratosphere when it comes to dialing up the distance.
Steve Hulme has been bouncing around Boise on his bike … for a bit. Not just today, but going back to when he was a boy.
"I probably rode my bike to school two, three days a week and then around the neighborhood a lot and so on," Hulme said.
'So on' took on a whole other meaning when Hulme and his wife had kids of their own.
"Well, it was 1985 and I took a new job downtown at city hall, as a matter of fact," Hulme said. "All of a sudden we were a one-car family and we were kind of competing for who got to use the car that day."
To avoid the daily dispute, Hulme decided to downsize, to two wheels.
"I told my wife I was maybe going to buy a bicycle and she thought it was just another toy out of our limited family budget," Hulme said. "I bought the bike and she got over not speaking to me within about a week. From then on, I've kind of been a bicycle commuter."
Hulme's commute was only about 3 miles.
"But, I would take the scenic route quite often on the way home, when I wasn't pressed for time," Hulme said.
The route meant those miles started multiplying.
"In the beginning of 1986, I just thought it would be fun to keep track of how far I rode," Hulme said. "That year I rode a little over 2,000 miles."
So, he kept riding, almost every day, through rain, snow and shine.
"I kind of became a slave to that odometer, I will confess," Hulme said. "It was fun to see those nice round number roll over, like 4,000 or 5,000. Half a dozen times I made it over 6,000 miles in a year."
Hulme knows the numbers because he kept track, month by month, beginning in 1986. By 1997, he stopped using a car completely.
Seven years later, in September 2004 -- just before he turned 51 -- Hulme broke the 100,000 mile barrier.
Despite the milestone over 18 years, Hulme kept on riding.
One summer, he even challenged his 4-year-old granddaughter to peddle around to as many playgrounds as possible.
"Over three months, we rode our bicycle to 91 playgrounds, I think it was," Hulme said. "By the end of that summer, she was riding on her own bicycle."
An accomplishment only overshadowed by Hulme's next 100,000 milestone, another 18 years after his first.
"It seems better all the time, the older I get, so that's kind of a cool thing. When I think about the time I spent riding a bike, you know, averaging 15 miles an hour for 200,000 miles, that's a lot of hours," Hulme said. "Then I think about all the hours that I have not been sitting in traffic and just riding past gas stations. That's been nice."
200,000 miles in 36 years.
"I haven't aged a day though, I tell ya," Hulme said laughingly.
The distance is enough to ride around the globe eight times, or about 39,000 shy of making it to the moon.
"I don't think I'll make it to 300,000, but maybe I could make it to the moon," Hulme joked.
In case you were wondering, 200,000 is not even close to a record for miles covered on a bike in a lifetime. That honor belongs to a man from England, who hit 1,000,000 miles back in 2019 at the age of 82.
2019 was also the same year Hulme retired, but that hasn't kept him off the bike, obviously. He's on his sixth bike used over the 36 years.
Back when this quest started, Hulme said there were not nearly as many bike lanes in Boise and the Greenbelt didn't go as far in either direction. He said things have gotten better for bike riders and there are more and more like him.
Hulme told KTVB on the very worst winter days, when he heads out on his bike, there are already bike tracks, so he knows he's not alone.
If he plans to keep his pace and hit 300,000, Hulme will be 86, 18 years from now.
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/boise-cyclist-rides-200000-miles/277-4154f911-7110-48ab-95bf-de212b7c170c
| 2022-05-19T00:26:20
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/boise-cyclist-rides-200000-miles/277-4154f911-7110-48ab-95bf-de212b7c170c
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BOISE, Idaho — In honor of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center hosted an appreciation lunch Wednesday for Treasure Valley EMS crews.
To show their appreciation, Saint Alphonsus' trauma and hospital leaders welcomed local EMS professionals, including first responders and paramedics, to the Boise facility's ambulance bay for lunch.
Trauma Medical Director at the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Dr. Parker Fillmore, said the lunch was a, "special time" to say thank you amid the national celebration.
"It's important that our EMS providers our emergency medical providers are recognized for their hard work," Dr. Fillmore said. "You know, they get thanks, but not often enough. So, this is just a special time for us to, you know, tell them directly how much we appreciate them and how much we value their contributions."
RELATED: Cascade Medical Center bond fails
Dr. Fillmore said the relationship between Saint Alphonsus and EMS providers is critical to serving the Treasure Valley community with dependable trauma care, from ambulance to hospital bed.
National Emergency Medical Services Week began in 1974, after U.S. President Gerald Ford authorized the celebration to thank EMS providers. 2022 marks the 47th annual National EMS Week. The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) leads the week through a partnership with the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
The Saint Alphonsus Health System serves southwest Idaho, eastern Oregon and northern Nevada.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/saint-alphonsus-hosts-ems-crews-for-lunch/277-d155bc7b-bd0e-42e0-aeb6-b6180c3b116c
| 2022-05-19T00:26:26
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https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/saint-alphonsus-hosts-ems-crews-for-lunch/277-d155bc7b-bd0e-42e0-aeb6-b6180c3b116c
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BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — The region’s largest district is seeing a decline in enrollment and in attendance.
“We’re still coming out of COVID,” said Sullivan County Director of Schools Evelyn Rafalowski. “We still have students and their families who are choosing alternative methods of learning.”
Sullivan County’s Weighted Full-Time Equivalent Average Daily Attendance (WFTE-ADA) dropped by 540 students.
“That WFTE is the weighted full-time equivalent. That is an average daily attendance number, not a membership number,” explained Rafalowski. “Different students are weighted at different levels in the school district. If you have students who are receiving special service, they’re weighted at a higher percentage than a student who isn’t.”
That number determines how the county money from sales and property taxes is split between the school districts it serves: Sullivan County, Bristol, Tennessee City Schools, and Kingsport City Schools along with a portion of Johnson City Schools.
“With our county budget, we have a number and we just divide it up based on the percentages that each system has. So it’s taking a finite number and dividing it up. We don’t have more or less but with the state, we have less if you lose those students countywide,” said Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable. “These numbers are extremely important to the school system in preparing their budget but they’re less important to the county commission as we review that budget.”
To compare WFTE-ADA numbers, Kingsport dropped by eight but Bristol increased by 47 and Johnson City by 12. This means Sullivan County Schools would see a 1.42 % decrease in funding from the county share than the year before.
For Washington County, the county school district WFTE-ADA had a decrease of 535 and Johnson City Schools had a decrease of 80.
That shakes out to 1.13% less funding for Washington County Schools from the county budget than the year before and 1.13% more for Johnson City Schools.
Enrollment for the system is also down.
“If you look at our current [Basic Education Program], our average daily membership, we’ve lost 281, and that BEP actually looks at four reporting periods during the year and does an average from there,” Rafalowski said.
The BEP determines state funding per student. Enrollment increased for the three other districts Sullivan County Schools shares funding with.
“The revenue numbers from the state are the important ones because it’s $8,000-plus per student so a 200-300 loss could be a loss to the county overall, not just the Sullivan County system of significant money coming into the county,” said Venable. “Because you lose 281 students you don’t necessarily need fewer teachers because it may be two kids a classroom so these are all decisions that have to be discussed in the budget process.”
A Kingsport City Schools spokesperson says the district is up more than 100 students.
Rafalowski says the pandemic played a part in the drops.
“When you start looking at COVID and the restrictions there are to the number of days you have to stay out before you can return to school, in our school district it increased the number of days a student might be absent,” she said.
Rafalowski is working on her budget to be presented to the Board of Education before it goes to the county budget committee and commission.
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/sullivan-co-schools-budget-could-be-impacted-by-enrollment-and-attendance-drop/
| 2022-05-19T00:26:41
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https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/sullivan-co-schools-budget-could-be-impacted-by-enrollment-and-attendance-drop/
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After two weeks of contemplation, a technology agreement has been reached.
The Mason City Council approved an agreement with Sector LLC, for SMARTcity and SAFEcity solutions at its Tuesday night meeting. The technology agreement was tabled at the May 3 meeting to allow the council members more time to study it.
SMARTcity, the Wi-Fi addition, is an amenity to the downtown area and will produce more than $500,000 a year in estimated revenue, according to a memorandum from City Administrator Aaron Burnett.
The more people that interact with the Wi-Fi service and receive advertisements, the more funds the city receives. Burnett wrote that this will be a great source of revenue for downtown events and improvements.
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SAFEcity uses technology to provide leads for officers doing investigations. The technology will notify the Mason City Police Department of criminal activity and serve as an investigative reference. The technology would help with the lower staff numbers and the recent uptick in crime.
Some of the features with SAFEcity include gunshot detection, license plate reader, wireless guardian that sends communications, and video cameras. Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley said the technology does not collect personal user information. MCPD officers would be trained to use the technology.
The initial 10% of equipment and installation costs for both items will be covered by the general projects fund. Burnett said at the previous meeting it would have an upfront cost of $1 million, then an annual cost of $100,000.
An addition to the agreement includes having a liaison provide oversight to the police department for the technology. The position would be a council member assignment appointed by the mayor for a one year term and would report back no less than once a year.
"What the chief refers to as force multipliers, the ability for the department to be more effective with the staff that they have, technology plays an important role in that," said Burnett. "Obviously as the council talked about in consideration two weeks ago, we need to make sure that there's that oversight role. This kind of combines those two and making sure that communication can flow freely back and forth."
Third Ward Council Member Joshua Masson and Second Ward Council Member Will Symonds said they were in support of the addition of the oversight role to the technology agreement.
"(It's) not that we don't trust our police department, but I am just worried about in the future. They might get someone in with some bad motives, and I think this helps protect all of us," said Symonds.
Council members who wished for more time voiced their appreciation for the additional information given to them the past two weeks and community members who reached out.
"I became more and more adamant that this is something we need. Obviously the last two weeks, we've had some issues arise and we all kind of know about those, and this reiterates what we're looking for and what we're looking to do," First Ward Council Member John Lee said.
"I've been thinking and doing a little bit of talking with folks over the last two weeks, and everyone I've talked to seems to think it's a good idea," said Fourth Ward Council Member John Jaszewski. "There are some concerns of course, but overall I think this will be a good thing for our law enforcement folks and for visitors to Mason City."
Masson, who had concerns at the previous meeting but approved the agreement Tuesday, has doubts about the amount of advertising revenue that will be generated.
"I think the calculations for the ad revenue are very overgenerous. Even if it does end up costing us, I still think it is worth it with all the protections in place. But, for the record, I'm a little skeptical of the ad revenue generation," said Masson.
Brinkley said after the meeting police would need to recalculate the timeline details for installing the technology since it was delayed by two weeks.
Abby covers education and entertainment for the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter at @MkayAbby. Email her at Abby.Koch@GlobeGazette.com
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/mason-city-council-approves-downtown-technology-agreement/article_9d594098-2ca6-52de-a217-0f600fa7edba.html
| 2022-05-19T00:27:13
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https://globegazette.com/news/local/mason-city-council-approves-downtown-technology-agreement/article_9d594098-2ca6-52de-a217-0f600fa7edba.html
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Phoenix police search for driver thought to be connected to April deadly shooting
Police are seeking the public's help as they continue to investigate an April shooting that left a man dead near Indian School Road and 27th Avenue.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, Kent Ellsworth, 57, was found injured on April 26 after officers responded to the area about "unknown trouble."
Ellsworth was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Phoenix police said they are now seeking help locating the driver of a vehicle who could have knowledge about the shooting.
The vehicle is an older model BMW with a temporary plate and missing hood and passenger side headlights. The driver was described as a white man.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Phoenix Police Department or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish speakers to remain anonymous.
Reach communities editor Joanna Jacobo Rivera at joanna.jacobo@gannett.com or on Twitter @joajacobo
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2022/05/18/phoenix-police-search-driver-connection-april-deadly-shooting/9831176002/
| 2022-05-19T00:27:22
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2022/05/18/phoenix-police-search-driver-connection-april-deadly-shooting/9831176002/
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BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington woman is charged with aggravated battery against a police officer.
Alicia L. Rodriguez, 19, is accused of kicking and spitting on a Bloomington police sergeant Monday during an arrest for domestic battery against a household or family member.
Rodriguez is charged with aggravated battery (Class 2 felony) and domestic battery (Class A misdemeanor).
She was released from custody Wednesday on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. Rodriguez was ordered as a condition of bond to have no contact with the domestic battery accuser, who is a minor.
An arraignment is scheduled for June 3.
Updated mug shots from The Pantagraph
Joshua V. Wilburn
Joshua V. Wilburn, 33, of Bloomington, is charged with burglary and retail theft.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Alicia L. Rodriguez
Alicia L. Rodriguez, 19, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated battery and domestic battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Christina E. Dickey
Christina E. Dickey, 37, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (Class 2 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
David L. Hendricks
David L. Hendricks, 44, of Clearwater, Florida, is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (Class X felony), unlawful possession of a controlled substance (Class 1 felony) and unlawful possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kenneth R. McNairy
Kenneth R. McNairy, 32, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (Class X and Class 1 felonies), and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (Class 1 and Class 4 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Emmitt A. Simmons
Emmitt A. Simmons, 21, of LeRoy, is charged with indecent solicitation of a child (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Elizabeth A. Johnson
Elizabeth A. Johnson, 40, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony), unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of meth (Class 2 felony), and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of meth (Class 3 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jonathon P. Keister
Jonathon P. Keister, 38, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony), unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of meth (Class 2 felony), and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of meth (Class 3 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Brandon J. Black
Brandon J. Black, 33, of Decatur, is charged with child pornography (Class X felony), attempt to produce child pornography (Class 3 felony), sexual exploitation of a child and grooming (Class 4 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Ricky A. Smith
Ricky A. Smith , 30, 0f Urbana, is charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (Class X felonies), unlawful possession of meth and possession of a controlled substance (Class 1 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Connor M. Mink
Connor M. Mink, 18, of Bloomington is charged with unlawful:
Possession of 5-15 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) Possession of less than 5 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class 2 felony) Possession of 5-15 grams of meth (Class 2 felony) Possession of less than 5 grams of meth (Class 3 felony) Possession of 1-15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) Possession of less than 1 gram of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class 2 felony) Possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine (Class 4 felony) Possession of less than 15 grams of alprazolam (Class 4 felony) Possession of 30-500 grams of cannabis with the intent to deliver (Class 3 felony) Possession of 10-30 grams of cannabis with the intent to deliver (Class 4 felony)
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Mark A. Thrower
Mark A. Thrower, 40, of Vinton, Louisiana, is charged with:
Eight counts child pornography (Class X felonies) Two counts aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor (Class 2 felonies) Two counts grooming (Class 4 felonies) Indecent solicitation of a child (Class 3 felony) Traveling to meet a minor (Class 3 felony)
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kayala D.C. Huff
Kayala D.C. Huff, 23, of Normal, is charged with aggravated battery, domestic battery and resisting a peace officer.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Rebecca Y. Choi
Rebecca Y. Choi, 32, of Wheaton, is charged with unlawful possession of 1-15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony), possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine (Class 4 felony), possession of less than 15 grams of amphetamine (Class 4 felony), and possession of drug paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
David W. Kallal
David W. Kallal, 36, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of 15-100 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class X felony), 5-15 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony), possession of 15-100 grams of meth (Class 1 felony), and possession of 5-15 grams of meth (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Javon T. Murff
Javon T. Murff, 19, of Normal, is charged with two counts aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class 1 felony), robbery (Class 2 felony), possession of a stolen firearm (Class 2 felony), two counts aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (Class 4 felony), two counts reckless discharge of a firearm (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Demarcus J. Heidelberg
Demarcus J. Heidelberg, 24, of Belleville, is charged with unlawful possession of 1-15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) and unlawful possession of a controlled substance (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Deon K. Moore
Deon K. Moore, 26, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (Class 2 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Cordaiz J. Jones
Cordaiz J. Jones, 35, is charged with two counts of aggravated battery (Class 2 felonies), stalking (Class 4 felony) and two counts of misdemeanor resisting a peace officer.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Christopher L. Anderson
Christopher L. Anderson, 40, of Downs, is charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, unlawful possession of meth, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and aggravated assault.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Latele Y. Pinkston
Latele Y. Pinkston , 29, was sentenced to five years in prison. Pinkston pleaded guilty to unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Daniel Wilcox
Daniel Wilcox, 22, of New Concord, Kentucky, is charged with five counts each of criminal sexual assault (Class 1 felonies) and criminal sexual abuse, which are charged as Class A misdemeanors.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kaveior K. Thomas
Kaveior K. Thomas, 32, of Normal, is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (Class X felony), unlawful possession of a controlled substance (Class 1 felony), two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and violation of the Illinois FOID Card Act (Class 3 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Courtney A. Boyd
Courtney A. Boyd, 27, of Normal, is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jodi M. Draper
Jodi M. Draper, 55, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of 1-15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Brian D. Stewart
Brian D. Stewart, 48, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of 1-15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Lonnie L. Kimbrough
Lonnie L. Kimbrough , 36, of Peoria, was sentenced to 24 months on conditional discharge and four days in jail. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful cannabis possession.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Amari S. Buchanon
Amari S. Buchanon, 25, of Normal, was sentenced to 16 days in jail. She earned credit for eight days served in jail. She pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm without a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card. All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Donna Osborne
Donna Osborne, 52, of Decatur, is charged with two counts of burglary (Class 2 felonies) and one count each of retail theft (Class 3 felony) and theft (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Juls T. Eutsey
Julian T. Eutsey, 21, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 24 months on probation. She pleaded guilty to one count of criminal sexual abuse.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Megan J. Duffy
Megan J. Duffy, 27, of Bloomington, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony) and two counts each of unlawful possession of 5-15 grams (Class 2 felony) and less than 5 grams of meth (Class 3 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Qwonterian V. Ivy
Qwonterian V. Ivy, 24, of Bloomington, was sentenced to four years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied building.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Madison A. Knight
Madison A. Knight , 20, of Rutland, was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 30 months' probation for unlawful possession of 15-100 grams of methamphetamine.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Dexter D. McCraney
Dexter D. McCraney , 38, of Normal, is charged with one count each of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Thomas J. Davis
Thomas J. Davis , 27, of Bloomington, was sentenced to six years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of 1-15 grams of cocaine. All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Christina D. Noonan
Christina D. Noonan , 42, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of controlled substance trafficking (Class X felonies), two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver charged as Class X felonies and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver as a Class 3 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Wesley M. Noonan
Wesley M. Noonan , 48, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of controlled substance trafficking (Class X felonies), two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver charged as Class X felonies and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver as a Class 3 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kenyatta L. Tate
Kenyatta L. Tate , 46, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts each of unlawful possession of between 15-100 grams and 1-15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver (Class X and Class 1 felonies) and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (Class 2 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Quacy L. Webster
Quacy L. Webster , 43, of Bloomington, is charged with one count each of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (Class 2 felony) and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine (Class 4 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jalen A. Davis
Jalen A. Davis , 21, of Bloomington, is charged with six counts of child pornography possession (Class X felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Lazaro Flores
Lazaro Flores , 34, of Streator, was sentenced to seven years in prison for aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol causing death.
Mohamed N. Thiam
Mohamed N. Thiam , 19, of Bloomington, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Lorenzo Sims
Lorenzo Sims, 30, of Chicago, is charged with five counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance (Class 2 felonies).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Laycell D. Wright
Laycell D. Wright , 32, of Rantoul, is charged with unlawful possession of 15-100 grams of methamphetamine (Class 1 felony). He also is charged with unlawful possession of 100-500 grams of cannabis (Class 4 felony) and 30-100 grams of cannabis (Class A misdemeanor).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Richard S. Bjorling
Richard S. Bjorling , 54, of Peoria Heights, was sentenced to seven years in prison for unlawful possession of 15-100 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tyler D. Vidmar
Tyler D. Vidmar , 23, of Clinton, is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
James E. Chase
James E. Chase , 52, of Bloomington, is charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Melissa J. Piercy
Melissa J. Piercy , 38, of Normal, is charged with unlawful delivery of meth (Class 2 felony), unlawful possession of 15-100 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class X felony) and unlawful possession of 5-15 grams of meth with the intent to deliver (Class 1 felony).
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Charles L. Bell
Charles L. Bell , 33, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated battery (Class X felony), two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class 1 felonies), aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (Class 2 felony), unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon (Class 2 felony), and violation of the Illinois Firearm Identification Card Act (Class 3 felony).
BLOOMINGTON POLICE
Wilmer A. Marquez-Ayala
Wilmer A. Marquez-Ayala , 35, of Bloomington, is charged with six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor family member (Class 2 felonies) and three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13 years old (Class X felonies).
BLOOMINGTON POLICE
Joshway C. Boens
Joshway C. Boens , 41, of Chicago, is charged in McLean County with aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery as a subsequent offense.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Seth A. Kindred
Seth A. Kindred , 31, of Ellsworth, was sentenced March 30 to six years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Matthew D. Nunley
Matthew D. Nunley , 33, of Eureka, was sentenced to four years in prison for one count of unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine. All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Clinton A. Page
Clinton A. Page , 29, of Normal, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 24 months on probation. He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery of a peace officer.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Loren M. Jepsen
Loren M. Jepsen , 34, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of home invasion causing injury (Class X felony). All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Calvin E. Young
Calvin E. Young , 30, of Bloomington, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of cocaine.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jason R. Roof
Jason R. Roof , 46, of Heyworth, was sentenced March 28 to five and a half years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
James L. Fields
James L. Fields , 24, of Bloomington, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Michelle E. Mueller
Michelle E. Mueller , 32, of Normal, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 30 months on probation. She pleaded guilty to one count of burglary. All other charges were dismissed.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Telly H. Arrington
Telly H. Arrington , 24, of Normal, is charged with four counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Antonio R. Ross
Antonio R. Ross , 28, of Springfield, was sentenced March 24 to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of retail theft. All other charges were dismissed. He also was ordered to pay $7,305 in restitution. Ross earned credit for previously serving 239 days in jail.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Carlos L. Hogan
Carlos L. Hogan , 33, of Decatur, was sentenced to four years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of 30-500 grams of cannabis. All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
David W. Kallal
David W. Kallal , 36, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of methamphetamine.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kent D. Johnson
Kent D. Johnson , 34, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated domestic battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Andre D. Seals
Andre D. Seals , 37, of Champaign, is charged with aggravated battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tyler S. Burns
Tyler S. Burns, 31, of Chenoa, was sentenced to 170 days in jail and 30 months probation. He earned credit for the 170 days previously served in jail. Burns pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Carrie Funk
Carrie Funk , 54, of Bloomington, is charged with one count of criminal neglect of an elderly person.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Anthony R. Fairchild
Anthony R. Fairchild , 51, of Bloomington, is charged with one count each of burglary and theft.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Inez J. Gleghorn
Inez J. Gleghorn, 39, of Bloomington, was sentenced to seven years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in connection to an April 2021 stabbing in Bloomington. Other battery charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Alexis S. Williams
Alexis S. Williams, 24, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 30 months on probation. She pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine. All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Nayeon A. Teague
Nayeon A. Teague , 21, of Normal, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 30 months on probation. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Frankie L. Hutchinson
Frankie L. Hutchinson , 21, of Chicago, is charged with one count of aggravated unlawful possession of stolen vehicle parts, two counts of unlawful possession of stolen vehicle parts, two counts of aggravated fleeing a peace officer and two counts of criminal damage to property.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Joseph L. McLeod
Joseph L. McLeod , 40, of Peoria, is charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft, and one count each of forgery and deceptive practices.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Lanee R. Rich
Lanee R. Rich , 18, of Heyworth, is charged with two counts each of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Corey K. Butler
Corey K. Butler , 19, of Champaign, is charged with possession of a stolen firearm and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Darrius D. Robinson
Darrius D. Robinson , 29, of Normal, is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jacob Z. Kemp
Jacob Z. Kemp , 32, is charged with three counts of aggravated battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jonathan A. Jamison
Jonathan A. Jamison , 44, of Normal, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jonathon K. Campbell
Jonathan K. Campbell , 43, Jonathan K. Campbell, 43, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 48 months on probation. He pleaded guilty to one count of domestic battery causing bodily harm.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Geno A. Borrego
Geno A. Borrego , 23, of Pontiac, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jaylin M. Caldwell
Jaylin M. Caldwell , 21, of Bloomington, was sentenced to seven years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of 1-15 grams of cocaine. All other charges were dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Joshua D. Rials
Joshua D. Rials , 28, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of armed violence, Class X felonies, four counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and firearm ammunition by a convicted felon, Class 2 felonies. He was charged March 1 with two counts each of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and of firearm ammunition by a felon.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jamakio D. Chapell
Jamakio D. Chapell , 28, of Montgomery, Alabama, is charged with four counts of Class 2 felony aggravated battery, misdemeanor resisting a peace officer and 11 traffic charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Thomas E. Dolan
Thomas E. Dolan , 22, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful possession of between 500 and 2,000 grams of cannabis with the intent to deliver, unlawful cannabis possession, battery and unlawful restraint.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jordyn H. Thornton
Jordyn H. Thornton , 22, of Bloomington, was convicted of first-degree murder in the Oct. 30, 2018, shooting death of Trevonte Kirkwood, 27, of Bloomington, in the 1300 block of North Oak Street in Bloomington.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Ty W. Johnson
Ty W. Johnson , 36, of Bloomington, is charged with criminal sexual assault, robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kyle D. Kindred
Kyle D. Kindred , 23, of Shirley, is charged with cannabis trafficking, two counts of unlawful possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver and two counts of unlawful possession of cannabis.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Lorel M. Johnson
Lorel M. Johnson , 41, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated domestic battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kimberlee A. Burton
Kimberlee A. Burton , 29, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of child endangerment, Class A misdemeanors.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kevin C. Knight
Kevin C. Knight , 40, of Bloomington, is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Derail T. Riley
Derail T. Riley , 35, of Normal, is charged with one count of aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony, and five counts of Class 4 felony domestic battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Ade A. McDaniel
Ade A. McDaniel , 40, of North Miami Beach, Florida, is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a Class 1 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jahni A. Lyons
Jahni A. Lyons , 19, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
BLOOMINGTON POLICE
Justin A. Atkinson
Justin A. Atkinson , 39, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated domestic battery-strangulation, a Class 2 felony, and domestic battery as a subsequent offense, a Class 4 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Destiny D. Brown
Destiny D. Brown , 39, of Bloomington, is charged with three counts of unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, three counts of methamphetamine possession and one count of methamphetamine delivery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Billy J. Braswell
Billy J. Braswell , 39, of Wapella, is charged with three counts of unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver and four counts of methamphetamine possession.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Mitchell A. Rogers
Mitchell A. Rogers , 37, of Peoria, is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver and two counts of unlawful possession of methamphetamine.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Matthew D. Stone
Matthew D. Stone , 22, of Normal, is charged with one count of aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tyler A. Guy
Tyler A. Guy , 25, of Towanda, is charged with one count of Class 2 felony aggravated battery.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Gordan D. Lessen
Gordan D. Lessen , 36, of Bloomington, is charged with one count of domestic battery as a subsequent offense, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Steven M. Abdullah
Steven M. Abdullah , 31, of Heyworth, is charged with two counts of harassment of jurors, Class 2 felonies, 11 counts of communication with jurors, Class 4 felonies, and one count of attempted communication with a juror, a Class A misdemeanor.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Ryan D. Triplett
Ryan D. Triplett , 27, of Decatur, is charged with aggravated domestic battery-strangulation, a Class 2 felony, and domestic battery as a subsequent offense felony, a Class 4 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Pedro A. Parra
Pedro A. Parra , 40, is charged with two counts of burglary, Class 2 and Class 3 felonies, and misdemeanor theft.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Gregory A. Spence
Gregory A. Spence , 39, of Bartonville, is charged with three counts of burglary, Class 2 felonies.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Justin A. Leicht
Justin A. Leicht , 41, of Downs, is charged with three counts of burglary, Class 2 felonies.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Edward L. Holmes
Edward L. Holmes , 50, of Bloomington, is charged with the following:
Controlled substance trafficking of between 400 and 900 grams of cocaine Unlawful possession of between 400 and 900 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver Controlled substance trafficking of between 100 and 400 grams of cocaine Unlawful possession of between 100 and 400 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver Methamphetamine trafficking of between 100 and 400 grams of a substance containing meth Unlawful possession of between 100 and 400 grams of meth with the intent to deliver Methamphetamine trafficking of between 15 and 100 grams of meth Unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of meth with the intent to deliver
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Latoya M. Jackson
Latoya M. Jackson , 31, of Bloomington, is charged with one count of possession of a stolen or converted motor vehicle, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Shaquan D. Hosea
Shaquan D. Hosea , 26, of Bloomington, is charged with residential burglary, a Class 1 felony, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jaccob L. Morris
Jaccob L. Morris , 20, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 30 months on probation after pleading guilty to burglary.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Dontel D. Crowder
Dontel D. Crowder , 35, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, Class 2 felonies, and harboring a runaway, Class A misdemeanor.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Donnell A. Taylor
Donnell A. Taylor , 29, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Eric E. Seymon
Eric E. Seymon , 19, of Bloomington, is charged with eight counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Aikee Muhammad
Aikee Muhammad , 19, is charged with two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and resisting a peace officer.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
William M. McCuen
William M. McCuen , 33, of Atlanta, is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Meontay D. Wheeler
Meontay D. Wheeler , 23, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and torture, a Class 1 felony, aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony, and aggravated domestic battery involving strangulation, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Fenwrick M. Bartholomew
Fenwrick M. Bartholomew , 51, of Normal, was sentenced to three years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Javares L. Hudson
Javares L. Hudson , 21, of Bloomington, is charged in federal court with possession of a machine gun. He was initially charged in McLean County court with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon-machine gun parts. One charge is a Class X felony and the other is a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tommy L. Jumper
Tommy L. Jumper , 59, of Bloomington, is charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, each a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
David S. Fry
David S. Fry , 70, of Normal, is charged with 45 counts of child pornography. Sixteen of the charges are a Class 2 felony and 29 charges are a Class 3 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Logan T. Kendricks
Logan T. Kendricks , 35, is charged with two counts of aggravated domestic battery, Class 2 felonies.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Davis W. Hopkins
Davis W. Hopkins , 25, of Chenoa, is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of between 15 and 100 grams of methamphetamine, a Class X felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson , 38, of Chicago, is charged with unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver, a Class X felony; unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of cocaine, a Class 1 felony; unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, a Class 2 felony; unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a convicted felon, a Class 2 felony; unlawful possession of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Rochelle A. McCray
Rochelle A. McCray , 37, of Chicago, is charged with unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver, a Class X felony; unlawful possession of between 1 and 15 grams of cocaine with the intent to deliver, a Class 1 felony; unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of cocaine, a Class 1 felony; unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine, a Class 4 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Dontae D. Gilbert
Dontae D. Gilbert , 30, of Bloomington, is charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony, and domestic battery, charged as a Class 3 felony for a subsequent offense.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Stefan A. Mangina
Stefan A. Mangina , 32, is charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of meth with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Michael J. Owen
Michael J. Owen , 30, of Stanford, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of between 1 and 15 grams of cocaine. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 30 months on probation.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Cedric J. Haynes
Cedric J. Haynes , 21, of Bloomington, is charged with nine counts of unlawful delivery of less than 1 gram of cocaine, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jonathan Wiley
Jonathan Wiley , 30, of Chicago, is charged with attempted possession or sale of stolen car parts, a Class 2 felony, and resisting a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor.
Provided by Bloomington Police
Jason S. Russell
Jason S. Russell , 22, of Chicago, is charged with attempted possession or sale of stolen car parts, a Class 2 felony, and resisting a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor.
Provided by Bloomington Police
Aaron J. Zielinski
Aaron J. Zielinski, 28, of Plainfield, was sentenced to four years on probation for unlawful possession of between 15 and 100 grams of methamphetamine. A charge of unlawful possession of meth with the intent to deliver was dismissed.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Albert F. Matheny
Albert F. Matheny , 35, of Bloomington, was sentenced Jan. 10 to six years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of less than five grams of methamphetamine.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Hunter C. Kellenberger
Hunter C. Kellenberger , 24, of Pekin, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine. A meth possession charge was dismissed.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Samuel Harris
Samuel Harris , 21, of Chicago, was sentenced to 22 days in jail and 30 months on probation after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jordan P. Gillespie
Jordan P. Gillespie , 27, of LeRoy, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for residential burglary and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
PROVIDED BY MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
William R. Carter
William R. Carter , 23, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for sexual assault, attempted residential arson and unlawful restraint.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Kentre A. Jackson
Kentre A. Jackson, 26, of Ypsilanti, Mich., was sentenced to 30 months of conditional discharge. He was charged as of June 9, 2020, with unlawful possession of 500 to 2,000 grams of cannabis and unlawful possession of 500 to 2,000 grams of cannabis with the intent to deliver. The latter charge was dismissed.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Andrew L. Stanley
Andrew L. Stanley , 39, of Bloomington, was sentenced to four years on probation for one count of arson. He pleaded guilty to setting his home on fire while a woman and a teenage girl were inside. One count of aggravated arson was dismissed in a plea agreement.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Jerail M. Myrick
Jerail M. Myrick , 26, of Springfield, is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of less than 1 gram of cocaine, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Amari M. McNabb
Amari M. McNabb , 23, of Country Club Hills , was sentenced to 28 years in prison for murder and mob action for his involvement in the 2019 fatal shooting of Juan Nash, 25, in Bloomington. He was found guilty in a jury trial of those charges, but the jury found him not guilty of discharge of a firearm.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Aaron Parlier
Aaron M. Parlier , 40, was sentenced Jan. 14 to 450 years in prison after he was found guilty in a bench trial of 10 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a minor and 10 counts of child pornography production.
Rebecca L. Gormley
Rebecca L. Gormley , 35, of Bloomington, is charged with unlawful delivery of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Penny S. Self
Penny S. Self , 59, of Ashland, is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, a Class 2 felony.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
Nathaniel A. Butler
Nathaniel A. Butler , 20, of Bloomington was sentenced Jan. 4, 2022, to seven years in prison. He pleaded guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm into an occupied building and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm without a valid firearm owners identification card.
MCLEAN COUNTY JAIL
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https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bloomington-woman-kicked-spit-on-police-sergeant-police-say/article_10d7526a-d6e1-11ec-a6c7-b3c89dd8c4c7.html
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Shortly before he opened fire, the white gunman accused of killing 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket allowed a small group of people to see his detailed plans for the attack, which he had been chronicling for months in a private, online diary.
Discord, the chat platform where 18-year-old Payton Gendron kept the diary, confirmed Wednesday that an invitation to access his private writings was sent to the group about a half-hour before Saturday’s attack at Tops Friendly Market, which he live-streamed on another online service. Some of them accepted.
Gendron’s diary and its racist, anti-Semitic entries dated to last November included step-by-step descriptions of his assault plans, a detailed account of a reconnaissance trip he made to Buffalo in March, and maps of the store that he drew by hand.
"What we know at this time is that a private, invite-only server was created by the suspect to serve as a personal diary chat log," a Discord spokesperson said in a written statement. "Approximately 30 minutes prior to the attack, however, a small group of people were invited to and joined the server. Before that, our records indicate no other people saw the diary chat log in this private server.”
It wasn’t clear if any of the people who accessed Gendron’s diary or saw his livestream did anything to alert the authorities or attempt to stop the attack. Discord said it removed Gendron’s diary as soon as the platform became aware of it, in accordance with the company's policies against violent extremism.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Monday that investigators were working to obtain, verify and review Gendron’s online postings.
Local
Copies of his Discord diary — essentially a transcript of his postings to his private chat log — briefly surfaced elsewhere online after the shooting, along with a 180-page screed attributed to him. Both were laced with white supremacist beliefs echoing a baseless extremist conspiracy theory about a plot to diminish the influence of white people.
President Joe Biden, visiting Buffalo on Tuesday, repudiated such beliefs, saying: “Now’s the time for people of all races, from every background, to speak up as a majority ... and reject white supremacy.”
Gendron was arraigned over the weekend on a murder charge; a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf and he remains jailed under a suicide watch. He is scheduled to appear in court in Buffalo again Thursday.
Tech companies like Discord and Twitch, which authorities say Gendron used to livestream the supermarket attack, are under scrutiny for their role as vectors of hate speech.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday authorized the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, to investigate social media platforms used by Gendron to determine if they have “civil or criminal liability for their role in promoting, facilitating, or providing a platform to plan and promote violence."
Discord said it planned to cooperate with James' probe and is continuing to assist law enforcement in the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
“Our deepest sympathies are with the victims and their families," the company said. "Hate has no place on Discord and we are committed to combating violence and extremism.”
Messages seeking comment were left with Twitch. Twitch CEO Emmett Shear told the Harvard Business Review in an interview earlier on Wednesday that the Amazon-owned platform would continue to “invest heavily in ensuring the safety of everyone on Twitch.”
“I think this is an example of one of those places where we’ve done a lot of work, but there is obviously still work to be done,” Shear said.
Attempts to reach representatives of two other tech platforms James is investigating, 8kun and 4chan, were unsuccessful. Gendron wrote in his diary that those boards were where he started reading up on the racist ideologies that set him on a path to killing nonwhite, non-Christian people.
When reached for comment, Ron Watkins, the longtime administrator of 8kun and its predecessor, 8chan, said he resigned from the organization last year and has “no idea what’s going on with that.”
Gendron wrote in his Discord diary that he started reading 4chan a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and that he was heavily influenced by Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 people in a shooting rampage at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019. Gendron wrote that he originally planned his attack for March 15, the three-year anniversary of Tarrant’s attack.
Copies of Gendron’s diary postings were shared with The Associated Press by Marc-André Argentino, a research fellow at the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence. He said it was possible but unlikely the diary could have been altered by someone other than the author.
Gendron, in the diary, said he specifically targeted a store with a predominantly Black clientele, researching spots in Rochester, Syracuse and on Long Island before settling on Buffalo. Prosecutors say he showed up Saturday wearing body armor and armed with an AR-15-style rifle as a helmet-mounted camera streamed to the internet.
Problems with his gun and then a bout with COVID-19 — which he theorized he contracted from a fast-food chicken sandwich poisoned by government agents — prevented him from attacking earlier, he wrote in the diary.
Gendron wrote that he started thinking about “a personal attack against the replacers” a few weeks prior to an episode in a high school class about a year ago. That episode led to him being taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
A few weeks before the attack, Gendron wrote that neither his parents nor his brothers were aware of his plans, but that he feared they would find out.
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Sisak reported from New York. Associated Press reporters Haleluya Hadero in New York, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington, D.C., and Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this report.
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Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak
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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/buffalo-shooter-let-some-people-see-plans-just-before-attack/3695092/
| 2022-05-19T00:35:25
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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/buffalo-shooter-let-some-people-see-plans-just-before-attack/3695092/
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| 2022-05-19T00:38:41
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/teen-skateboarder-struck-and-killed-by-dirt-bike-rider-in-hit-and-run-2/3243927/
| 2022-05-19T00:38:47
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/teen-skateboarder-struck-and-killed-by-dirt-bike-rider-in-hit-and-run-2/3243927/
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Russell Woods, the creator of FlagCoco, has celebrated some of the top performers in the rivalry between Flagstaff and Coconino high school athletics since the inception of the FlagCoco website, magazine and social media pages.
On Tuesday, Woods presented Coconino senior volleyball and basketball player Elyce Palmer, Coconino senior football player Xavier Nakai, Flagstaff senior volleyball and basketball player Gracelyn Nez and Flagstaff senior football and baseball player Spencer Smith with the FlagCoco Spirit Awards for their production on the field and representation of their schools and community off of it. He also gave out annual awards to Flagstaff senior Marcus Salcido and Coconino senior Andy Ruiz for their play in the yearly rivalry football game between the two schools in 2021.
"It's always an honor for me to give these out. Each of the athletes has done great things during their high school careers," Woods said.
The awards were given out during a ceremony at Grand Canyon Brewing and Distillery in Flagstaff, with family and friends surrounding the athletes to celebrate the end of their careers as high school athletes and show appreciation for their efforts before they graduate.
People are also reading…
"Flagstaff versus Coconino is the best rivalry in the state of Arizona, and all of the players here represented that with a lot of passion," Woods said.
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https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/flagcoco-spirit-awards-celebrates-local-senior-athletes/article_ff4812e6-d6c7-11ec-84cd-3b675c252b30.html
| 2022-05-19T00:40:34
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https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/flagcoco-spirit-awards-celebrates-local-senior-athletes/article_ff4812e6-d6c7-11ec-84cd-3b675c252b30.html
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Another potential downtown redevelopment property is about to hit the market.
The city is seeking to have the Aging Partners building at 1005 O St. declared surplus property. That designation will allow the building to be sold.
Aging Partners is planning to shutter both of its downtown locations — the other is at Ninth and J streets — when it moves to the Victory Park development on the Veterans Administration campus near 70th and O streets.
Randall Jones, director of Aging Partners, said the projected move-in date is Oct. 1.
He said moving to Victory Park "brings together all of our services on one site."
It also provides Aging Partners a presence in east Lincoln, which it doesn't currently have, as well as a location that's more convenient and easier to access than the downtown sites, Jones said.
As for the O Street building, he said he believes it will be an attractive site for redevelopment because of its location. Within a one-block radius, there are three projects under development: A condo project at the former Lincoln Electric System headquarters; a mixed-use project including condos, offices and retail at the Terminal Building; and a hotel and retail space in the Golds Building.
"It's an exciting time for downtown Lincoln, and the environment is changing," Jones said.
The Aging Partners building is three stories and has about 35,000 square feet of space. The top two floors are mostly office space, Jones said, while the first floor has a kitchen and dining area, as well as office space. The building also has a basement.
It has an assessed value of just more than $1.6 million, but any potential sale price would be set based on a professional appraisal.
Urban Development Director Dan Marvin said he has fielded some "inquiries" about the building, but they have mostly been questions about how the city's surplus process works.
A Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission hearing on the plan to surplus the building is tentatively scheduled for June 8.
The regulations approved this week and set to go into effect on Monday open the window for potential casino operators to apply for licenses some 18 months after voters approved expanded gambling at the state's horse tracks.
The report included responses from 70 of the organization's 92 member hospitals. Those hospitals shouldered about $737 million in charity care and unreimbursed care provided to Medicare and Medicaid recipients.
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https://journalstar.com/business/local/city-seeking-to-sell-aging-partners-building-in-downtown-lincoln/article_b3c157d6-3dc3-5a06-89d6-a742c301f92c.html
| 2022-05-19T00:42:57
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https://journalstar.com/business/local/city-seeking-to-sell-aging-partners-building-in-downtown-lincoln/article_b3c157d6-3dc3-5a06-89d6-a742c301f92c.html
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Reception and Treatment Center warden Taggart Boyd talks about new maximum-security prison beds during a tour of the facility Wednesday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
An on-site dental office is part of the new Reception and Treatment Center.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The Reception and Treatment Center has a mental health wing.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new Reception and Treatment Center includes 32 behavioral and mental health beds.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new kitchen is seen at the Reception and Treatment Center on Wednesday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new structure includes an intake center where nearly every man admitted into the state's prison system will be processed before assigned to a long-term location.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Construction is ongoing at the Reception and Treatment Center in southwest Lincoln.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
The new Reception and Treatment Center includes a "blind feed" food line.
After more than a half-decade of planning and months of construction, state officials Wednesday unveiled the reimagined Reception and Treatment Center, which combines two state prisons into one massive complex.
Gov. Pete Ricketts and a host of officials with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services toured the new portion of the facility in southwest Lincoln at a private event Wednesday morning ahead of the center's official opening Monday.
The structure, built atop a former parking lot that used to separate the Lincoln Correctional Center and the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center on West Van Dorn Street, is outfitted with state-of-the-art facilities that will be shared by the populations, said Scott Frakes, who has led the department of corrections since 2015.
"This is a big day for this department," Frakes told a crowd of about two dozen prison officials, construction and design representatives and reporters before leading a tour of the new facility.
Frakes said the complex "is the perfect example of when you can take, in this case, two old prisons, rehab them, remodel them, add new space, make adjustments and turn it into one modern, highly functional prison. And there's no question that's what we've accomplished."
The new structure includes an intake center where nearly every man admitted into the state's prison system will be processed before being assigned to a long-term location, be it the State Penitentiary, the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution or a wing of the Reception and Treatment Center itself, Frakes said.
Also included in the new structure is a 32-bed skilled-nursing facility, 32 behavioral and mental health beds, an on-site dentist's office and expanded medical center, a new kitchen, three inmate food halls, a spacious visiting center and expanded facilities for prison staff, including a fitness center and a workout room.
And the crown jewel of the $125 million project, Frakes said, is a 384-bed maximum-security wing, which will begin to house inmates later this summer, a development that should help ease overcrowding at the state's other prisons, particularly at the former Diagnostic and Evaluation Center.
"This is gonna give us the ability to finally get back down to operational level, operational capacity — perhaps even below," Frakes said, before pausing to knock on the wooden lectern he stood behind. "It's been years. But it's time."
When finished, Warden Taggart Boyd said, the new wing will be the highest-security prison in the state.
Ricketts, who heralded the work of Frakes and Boyd, said the project's completion aligned with his administration's main priority: to grow Nebraska. The governor said the project has brought more than 200 out-of-state employees from 36 different states to work at the new prison.
Frakes credited Ricketts with recognizing the importance of the project's initial phases — as well as a looming third phase that will come in the form of an additional 96-bed facility at the same complex, which will include 32 geriatric beds and 64 beds for cognitively impaired or developmentally disabled inmates.
When the 384-bed wing opens later this summer, Frakes said the Reception and Treatment Center's operational capacity will expand to about 1,350 — a figure that will not be as malleable as population totals at the State Penitentiary because of American Correctional Association standards.
As of now, the southwest Lincoln facilities house approximately 1,105 inmates.
Frakes said the still-in-progress maximum-security facilities could serve as a model of sorts for a new prison that the director and governor both hope will replace the aging penitentiary.
But he was adamant the addition of beds at the Reception and Treatment Center would not eliminate the need for further investment in the department, whether it comes in the form of a substantial remodel at the penitentiary or a new prison altogether. Frakes would prefer the latter.
"The NSP replacement speaks for itself," he said. "One way or another, we have to do something."
A Kansas City, Missouri, native, Andrew Wegley joined the Journal Star as breaking news reporter after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University in May 2021.
The girl told police she met the 19-year-old through social media and invited the man to her house after he posted and said he wanted to play video games with someone, police said in court filings.
Courtney Hubbell had nearly finished crossing the road at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday when she was struck by a 2007 Pontiac G6 traveling east through the intersection, according to the state crash report.
Isaac A. Sanchez was charged with third-degree sexual assault of a child and felony child abuse for his alleged role in the incident, which occurred at a central Lincoln apartment April 29, police said.
"Despite legal protections, Nieveen, who suffers from mental illness, will lose her home of nearly 50 years based on today's ruling," Sandra Nieveen's attorney said.
Jury Commissioner Troy Hawk said they've always had people here or there not show up. But in the past three to six months more people have been ignoring the summons they're required by law to fill out.
"I want to be clear — there is no active threat at Southwest High School today," Principal John Matzen said in an email to parents after Lincoln Police investigated "disturbing comments and photos mentioning violence at Southwest."
The woman was smoking near 41st Street and Baldwin Avenue around 1 a.m. Monday when she told the man she didn't have any cigarettes left to spare, according to police.
Officers responded to the area of 56th and Fremont streets at around 8:45 p.m. Friday and found the victims, a 29-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, according to police.
Banks, a Lincoln High School and UNL graduate, officially took his seat in the captain's office on Monday, 15 years after first joining Lincoln's police department.
The new structure includes an intake center where nearly every man admitted into the state's prison system will be processed before assigned to a long-term location.
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-now-nebraska-unveils-reimagined-reception-and-treatment-center-in-southwest-lincoln/article_0d62321d-d6d2-5e8d-bc27-24446d8370df.html
| 2022-05-19T00:43:03
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-now-nebraska-unveils-reimagined-reception-and-treatment-center-in-southwest-lincoln/article_0d62321d-d6d2-5e8d-bc27-24446d8370df.html
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The Niskíthe Prayer Camp is gone, but the people who erected the seven tipis on land where a disputed housing development is planned are not — and they promised Wednesday they are here to stay.
“We’re here to ask you to stand with us, to continue to walk with us as we strive for a better city that is respectful of our land, respectful of our water and respectful of the indigenous stewards of this land,” said Erin Poor, as she and others who took down the last tipi early Wednesday morning gathered in front of City Hall.
The tipi — one owned by Native leader Leo Yankton, who died of cancer last year — came down at a sunrise ceremony, and the group that spent two weeks there began a trek from the development site near First Street and Pioneers Boulevard to City Hall, past the state Capitol, then on to the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln headquarters and finally, to Yankton’s home.
At City Hall, about 40 people set up the tipi they carried with them, along with flags, a prayer camp sign, sage, water and snacks.
They had invited city leaders to join them in a Chanupa ceremony with a medicine pipe — a way to signal a connection with another group, to make peace, said Kevin Abourezk, one of the group's leaders.
Not long after they arrived, Police Chief Teresa Ewins and Capt. Don Scheinost shook hands with several people in the group. Mayoral aide TJ McDowell also spoke with group members and watched the proceedings, as did city ombudsman Liz Quenzer.
City Councilwoman Sändra Washington also attended, and was the only city official who joined Native leaders in the tipi for the ceremony.
Just as the group was leaving, Councilman Tom Beckius and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird came outside and spoke to a few of the leaders.
“I wanted to say hello and renew my commitment to a continuing dialogue with Native leaders,” Gaylor Baird said.
After setting up the tipi, Poor urged city leaders to include indigenous leaders when making decisions about land.
“We ask that you include us in the conversations,” she said. “There is sacred, indigenous knowledge, ancestral ecological knowledge that is held in these bodies, in these spirits, and they deserve a voice in all parts of this city.”
The Native leaders and other supporters set up the prayer camp a week after the City Council approved ordinances that allowed the annexation and zoning changes needed for the Wilderness Crossing development to proceed.
Manzitto Construction plans to build more than 500 single-family homes, townhomes and apartments on about 75 acres of land the Catholic Diocese is selling.
The Native activists had hoped to stop the development, but the mayor signed off on the ordinances, allowing the development to move forward, and a Manzitto spokeswoman has said the company has no plans to make any further concessions.
Wilderness Crossing faced opposition from the beginning from those who fear the development will cause flooding problems, and light, noise and traffic will hurt the native habitat and wildlife in Wilderness Park.
Before the council's public hearing, another concern came to light: the effect the development would have on a nearby Native sweat lodge. Located across the street, it is one of Lincoln’s oldest and most-used sweat lodges.
Manzitto made several changes to the initial plan to try to address concerns, including moving First Street into the development, behind a 6-foot fence, though those changes didn’t satisfy opponents, especially members of the Native community, who felt their concerns hadn’t been acknowledged.
Las Voces of Nebraska, an advocacy coalition, wrote a letter this week to the mayor and City Council in support of the Niskíthe Prayer Camp and in opposition to the action by the city.
Abourezk said the group submitted a plan for a park that could be built on Snell Hill, which would save a Dakota sandstone outcropping on the development site and keep houses from being built on the northeast corner of the property. The Catholic Diocese bishop has offered to advocate on its behalf, he said.
After taking down the tipi at City Hall, the group marched down Lincoln Mall to the Capitol, came inside the rotunda, then began its march toward the Diocese headquarters.
Standing outside City Hall, Renee San Souci, a Native activist and educator, said it is important to remember that they are the nation’s first people and have been taking care of the land for years.
“You are welcome to come talk to us, communicate with us, but do so in a positive way.”
Margaret Reist is a recovering education reporter now writing about local and county government and the people who live in the city where she was born and raised.
The Lincoln City Council Monday voted to allow a Lincoln couple — both veterans who suffer from PTSD — to keep their mini-pig for emotional support despite an ordinance that prohibits it.
A group that set up a prayer camp to oppose a planned development near Wilderness Park and a Native sweat lodge says it will dismantle the camp, but will continue efforts to protect the sweat lodge.
Ronald and Dee Baddorf didn't realize city ordinance prohibits residents from keeping pigs. They're asking for a waiver so they can keep Lucy, a mini-pig that changed their lives.
Hundreds of people rallied on the north side of the Capitol for the second time since a draft Supreme Court opinion striking down Roe v. Wade was leaked.
In a crowded field of Republicans, Jim Pillen surged to the lead for the first time in results updated at 9:35 p.m., and at 10:25, the Associated Press called the race.
The Associated Press called the race at about 10:30 p.m., and Pillen spoke to supporters gathered at the Embassy Suites in downtown Lincoln at about 11 p.m.
Kristi Egger, who in January retired from the defender’s office after 33 years and filed to run against Joe Nigro, will face Trevin Preble in November's general election.
Matt Schulte unseated longtime Lancaster County Commissioner Deb Schorr for the District 3 seat in a Republican contest that, with no Democratic contenders, will be decided in the primary.
Hundreds of supporters of abortion rights gathered in Lincoln and Omaha at rallies in response to a leaked draft of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Autumn LaDeaux-Baxter (left) ties poles together while saying a prayer as leaders of the Niskíthe prayer group work to assemble a tipi during a protest outside City Hall on Wednesday. The group wants legal protections of a Native sweat lodge, which is on about 2 acres of private land surrounded by Wilderness Park and across the street from the planned Wilderness Crossing development near First Street and Pioneers Boulevard.
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/watch-now-prayer-camp-leaders-march-to-city-hall-state-capital-catholic-diocese-to-say/article_2f2e2684-ff31-5ac5-a395-eca3f91280e9.html
| 2022-05-19T00:43:10
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https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/watch-now-prayer-camp-leaders-march-to-city-hall-state-capital-catholic-diocese-to-say/article_2f2e2684-ff31-5ac5-a395-eca3f91280e9.html
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Summer is nearly upon us, and with it comes the return of one of San Francisco's most pleasant seasonal traditions: Sundown Cinema.
Presented by the SF Parks Alliance and Do the Bay, the movie series will screen eight films in different parks starting May 27 and running through Oct. 21. Each event is free, however, those who support the Parks Alliance through a membership will be entitled to reserved seating, a valuable commodity as these screenings will likely be quite crowded.
The series kicks off next Friday at Dolores Park with a sing-along showing of a San Francisco classic, "Sister Act 2," which filmed at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Noe Valley. The local ties continue on June 17 with ’90s action classic "The Rock," screened in the Presidio, just a short swim away from Alcatraz. Spock and Captain Kirk return to SF — the center of the Star Trek universe — in "Star Trek IV" at Union Square on July 8. "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," whose titular hero likely won't be welcome on Muni anytime soon, plays Sept. 30 at Crane Cove Park.
Additionally, "Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark" will play Alamo Square on Sept. 9, and there will also be a few requisite family-friendly offerings ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II," "Encanto" and "Addams Family Values").
See the full schedule and reserve members-only seating at the SF Parks Alliance website.
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https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Outdoor-movies-return-to-San-Francisco-17182679.php
| 2022-05-19T01:05:26
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https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Outdoor-movies-return-to-San-Francisco-17182679.php
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DALLAS — After months of a national search, Dallas ISD leaders have chosen someone who has a history with the district for its next leader.
During a closed-session, special-called board meeting on Wednesday night, Dallas Independent School District's Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name Dr. Stephanie Elizalde as their lone finalist to become the district's next superintendent.
There will now be a 21-day waiting period before Elizalde can officially be offered the job. Once confirmed, Elizalde will serve as the successor to Dr. Michael Hinojosa, who announced his plans to step down from the role in January.
A native Texan, Elizalde is currently the superintendent of Austin ISD. She served as Chief of School Leadership for Dallas ISD before moving onto Austin ISD.
Elizalde first joined Dallas ISD in 2011 as Director of Mathematics in the division of Teaching and Learning.
Wednesday's announcement comes as superintendents have begun leaving the education industry in droves across the U.S. North Texas is in the middle of its own transition period: Since November 2021, 10 superintendents from 10 local school districts have announced that they are leaving, resigning or retiring from their leadership positions.
Throughout her education career, Elizalde has served students as a teacher, a principal, an assistant superintendent and other roles. Along with Dallas ISD and Austin ISD, she has also worked in Southwest ISD and San Antonio ISD.
Elizalde was named one of four Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Hispanics in Education in 2014. The Dallas Morning News also named her a "Point Person" for her work in the community in 2016.
Elizalde has been awarded the UT-Austin Dr. Nolan Estes Leadership Ascension Award four times, most recently in 2017.
Elizalde is a third-generation public school educator, following in her grandmother’s and father’s footsteps.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-isd-stephanie-elizalde-lone-finalist-superintendent/287-a2d5ef3a-e1a8-4780-a793-1c7345ed6066
| 2022-05-19T01:09:56
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-isd-stephanie-elizalde-lone-finalist-superintendent/287-a2d5ef3a-e1a8-4780-a793-1c7345ed6066
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FORT WORTH, Texas — Juan Velazquez has painted around 70 murals in Fort Worth, all in the last three years.
On a windy day in late April, Velazquez stood in front of a blank, blue wall outside at Tres Coronas restaurant.
The corner of East Vickery Boulevard and Parkland Avenue isn’t a spot anyone in Fort Worth would think to come to enjoy a realism-style painting of a Mexican landscape, but, for more than one reason, that’s why Velazquez was in front of the blank, blue wall.
“I think it’s important that everyone feel represented in the artwork that we have in the city,” he said.
Velazquez’s name and Instagram handle grace nearly 70 walls across Fort Worth, mostly in underserved, poorer neighborhoods.
Velazquez didn’t begin his mural painting career until 2020, but since then, he’s painted nearly constantly, developing a reputation for hyper-realistic works across Dallas-Fort Worth and for the way his works begin.
“I can see how this looks crazy,” said Velazquez, sketching out randomly placed squiggles and shapes across the wall.
Velazquez uses what’s known as a doodle grid to plan his murals. He fills the wall with shapes and random lines, then takes a photo of the wall and uses an application on his phone to show him how the picture he wants to paint will fit on the wall relative to the shapes. It’s so distinct, other artists often know he’s going to paint a mural if they see doodles outlined on it first.
“I had a few people that were like, that looks insane. That doesn’t - I don’t think that’s going to look good,” he said. “If you saw the photo you would probably see it too.”
Prior to the last three years, Velazquez had a standard 9-5, but after the birth of his daughter, he was motivated to pursue his dream of being an artist. He also had a tattoo of a paintbrush on his arm to remind him of his goal.
“I’m going to have to explain to people why I have a paintbrush and I’m not an artist, or I just have to become an artist,” he said. “I want her to feel like she can do whatever she wants, and I can’t tell her that if I was too scared to do what I wanted to do.”
He started with a brush and oil paints but when COVID closed indoor galleries and cancelled art shows, the city’s walls became his canvass.
“It doesn’t feel like I’ve worked in three years. I’ve just been painting,” he said. “I just have a weird sense of pride with just using spray paint.”
The mural at Tres Coronas is set to replicate a picture of a bridge in Nochistlan Zacatecas in Mexico.
“I’m like, I got to put something on that wall to make it ‘boom’ you know,” said Jesus Luis Jr., the restaurant’s co-owner.
It’s a tribute to home that also includes three goats, a nod to the restaurant’s specialty, goat stew.
“It’s really important because of our family,” he said. “It makes it look nicer. I’ve looked at it for a while.”
Velazquez partly paints because when he looked at the city’s art, he only saw one color.
“I go to the Kimbell Art Museum and nobody from the paintings looks like me,” he said. “Nobody.”
Velazquez was in the same battalion as Vanessa Guillen when they did basic training, though they didn’t know each other.
“That was something that bothered me,” he said, of Guillen’s death. “It’s kind of like a brother killing you in a way.”
His tribute to her along Hemphill Street in 2020 was when his name and work began to be widely shared.
“On Instagram, I had gotten like 6,000 followers overnight,” he said. “I probably had like 4,000 friend requests on Facebook.”
Social media has replaced galleries as the showcase for work. He’s painted a mural of Emiliano Zapata with the words ‘No Se Venda’ on it on Hemphill St. to oppose rezoning and gentrification, and he’s proudest of his work bringing lost legends back to life, like his paintings of Frida Kahlo and Vicente Fernandez along West Magnolia Street.
"I feel like it’s kind of like a haircut, you know. Like, when you get a haircut, you feel different about yourself. It’s still you, but you feel better about yourself. I feel the same way with communities,” he said.
“I feel like if you go out and you don’t even have sidewalk, and you don’t even have streetlights or your roads are messed up, you feel a certain way about your community. I can’t do that. I can’t fix – I can’t add streetlights. All I can do it paint. So, what I can do is take a wall that is abandoned or doesn’t have any art and put some art in it, and hopefully the people, the people feel a little bit different about their community," he continued.
His right arm has the tattoo of a paintbrush and the left has an ‘817’ tattoo, the Fort Worth area code. Velazquez said the city and the way it looks is important to him. He’s far from the only muralist in Fort Worth and the Instagram-famous Inspiration Alley is filled with murals. He said what the city lacks, though, is a place for young students to practice there art.
“A lot of kids, they’re in middle school or high school. They just want to go paint. Fort Worth, there’s no place you can paint,” he said. “If you want to paint, your only option, your ONLY option is to do it illegally.”
He was part of a group the City of Fort Worth assembled to develop a graffiti abatement plan. He said the suggestions were mostly around education of the harmful impacts of graffiti, but his recommendation was the development of an area like Dallas’s Fabrication Yard, an abandoned warehouse where anyone can paint and practice.
“You start painting illegally, you start hanging out with other people who do illegal stuff. Now, you become friends with them. Now, it becomes a lifestyle,” he said. “They’re going to paint. It’s silly to think that they won’t.”
As much as he wants to teach, Velasquez said he’s still learning himself.
“I don’t admire my work. I don’t ever look at it and be like, ‘look what I did’,” he said. “I see all the imperfections in it. I just move on to the next one. Don’t even think about it.”
In the city he wears on his sleeve, Velazquez is leaving his mark.
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https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-muralist-juan-velazquez/287-972a5e87-2804-44ff-8c5c-0fcc6d9c252b
| 2022-05-19T01:10:02
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A woman who was shot seven times as well as two men, including one who was shot 14 times, are fighting for their lives while two other women are recovering following a quintuple shooting near Temple University Wednesday night.
Three women, ages 19, 20, and 21, as well as two men, ages 28 and 59, were on the 1500 block of North Bouvier Street at 7:25 p.m. when a gunman opened fire.
The 21-year-old woman was shot once in the left knee, the 28-year-old man was shot 14 times throughout his body, the 19-year-old woman was shot once in the right arm, the 20-year-old woman was shot seven times throughout her body and the 59-year-old man was shot once in the chest.
All five victims were taken to Temple University Hospital. The 20-year-old woman and two men are all in critical condition. The 19-year-old woman and 20-year-old woman are both in stable condition.
No arrests have been made. The area where the shooting occurred is near Temple University's campus.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
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https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/gunman-shoots-3-women-2-men-near-temple-university/3244128/
| 2022-05-19T01:26:29
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FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Amber Heard’s sister testified Wednesday that she found herself in the middle of fights — literally and figuratively — between her sister and Johnny Depp during their troubled relationship.
Whitney Heard Henriquez is the first witness to testify at the five-week civil trial to say she personally witnessed Depp hitting Heard. Depp has testified he never struck Heard.
Henriquez testified the fight occurred in March 2015 — a month after Depp and Heard’s wedding — when Heard found evidence that Depp had already had an extramarital affair.
Henriquez recounted that an inebriated Depp blamed Heard for forcing him into the extramarital encounter.
At one point, she said, she was caught between Depp and Heard as he charged up a staircase to confront Heard. Henriquez said she was struck in the back, and Heard became enraged and “landed one” on Depp, with Henriquez stuck between the two.
One of Depp’s bodyguards intervened and broke up the fight but “by that time Johnny had already grabbed Amber by the hair with one hand and was whacking her repeatedly in the face with the other,” Henriquez said.
It was the only time, Henriquez said, that she personally witnessed a physical assault. But she said she saw the aftermath of other fights, including bruises on Heard.
She said she had the nickname “marriage counselor” for her frequent efforts to mediate arguments between Heard and Depp.
“Clearly not very well,” she said of her mediation efforts.
But she acknowledged on cross-examination that she sided with Depp at times in their disputes, and said she worked to keep the couple together even after she watched her sister be physically assaulted.
“If my sister said that she still wanted to be with Johnny and if I could help with that in any way I was going to support her. I was going to be there for her,” she said.
Henriquez admitted that once, she even joked in a text message that Depp should hit Heard, but she said she didn’t really understand what her sister was going through at the time.
Henriquez also told a story about Depp’s behavior at Heard’s 30th birthday party in April 2016, one of the final fights between the couple. She said people took turns sharing favorite memories of Heard. Depp, who arrived late and intoxicated to the party, decided to tell a story about when he first met Heard as she auditioned for a movie and “she sat on the couch and her perfect (posterior) left the perfect imprint on the couch.”
“We were all kind of embarrassed,” Henriquez said.
Depp is suing Heard for libel in Virginia’s Fairfax County Circuit Court over a 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.
Also Wednesday, a friend of Heard testified she saw the bruises and cuts left in the aftermath of multiple incidents of abuse inflicted by Depp.
In a recorded deposition played for jurors, Raquel Pennington said she never personally witnessed Depp strike Heard. But she said she saw the injuries, and she took photos of Heard’s face in December 2015 after a fight in which Heard says Depp head-butted her and perhaps broke her nose.
The photo shows a swollen nose, a cut lip, and two moderately black eyes on Heard’s face.
She also took a photo of strands of hair that she said were ripped from Heard’s scalp.
Heard “often had to cover bruises and injuries on her face” with makeup, said Pennington, one of many witnesses whose testimony was previously recorded.
Pennington said she doesn’t really consider herself a current friend of Heard, and that the two grew apart in the last year.
The December 2015 fight is one of several disputed incidents. While jurors have seen the photos taken by Pennington documenting the injuries, they have also seen video of Heard’s appearance on a late-night talk show the next day in which those injuries aren’t visible.
Heard has said the injuries were just covered by makeup.
Pennington’s testimony came after Heard wrapped up her time on the witness stand Tuesday, including two grueling days of cross-examination in which Depp’s lawyers questioned Heard about the truthfulness of her allegations of physical and sexual abuse.
Pennington’s testimony provides corroborating evidence to several of the alleged assaults. In addition to the December 2015 incident, Pennington said she saw cuts on Heard’s feet when she returned from a trip to Australia in March 2015. Heard testified that Depp sexually assaulted Heard with a liquor bottle on that trip and that she cut her feet on broken glass from the attack.
And Pennington, who lived for a time in a suite of penthouses along with Depp and Heard, said she was the first person to see Heard during a final fight between the couple in May 2016 that precipitated the couple’s divorce.
Pennington said she interjected herself between the two and Depp knocked her hands away. She said she then covered Heard with her own body on the floor as Depp screamed at Heard to get up. She said she later saw Depp wielding a wine bottle to smash and knock things off the walls and counters.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/amber-heard-friend-says-she-saw-bruises-inflicted-by-depp/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:12
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A public health alert has been issued for ready-to-eat ham sold at Walmart because it might not be fully cooked.
The recalled ham is single-pound resealable plastic packages of Great Value-brand Black Forest ham with water added.
Recalled containers have a “best if used by” date of July 15, 2022, and bear establishment number “EST.26C” inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection. They were produced from April 28 through May 1.
The problem was noticed by the producer of the ham, an establishment called Plumrose USA that was doing business as Swift Prepared Foods, found ham that seemed to not be fully cooked.
After investigation, the company notified the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service that the ham wasn’t fully processed.
The recalled ham was shipped to stores in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and while the FSIS believes it is no longer available to buy, the organization said it is concerned it is still in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. If so, the FSIS said not to eat the ham, but to throw it away or return it to where you bought it.
The FSIS said there haven’t been any confirmed reports of reactions from eating the ham, but anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Anyone with questions about the alert can contact Swift Prepared Foods’ Strategic Accounts Manager Rusty Parker at 479-268-7131.
About the Author
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https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/public-health-alert-black-forest-ham-from-walmart-may-not-be-fully-cooked/E5BD57N2CVDPXLIR5OQSVWLH7A/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:13
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https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/public-health-alert-black-forest-ham-from-walmart-may-not-be-fully-cooked/E5BD57N2CVDPXLIR5OQSVWLH7A/
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SOMERSET, Mass. (AP) — Actor Sacha Baron Cohen has dropped his lawsuit against a Massachusetts cannabis dispensary that used an image of his character Borat on a billboard without his permission.
A document filed in Boston federal court on Tuesday said the two sides have agreed to dismiss the case brought last year by the “Borat” star.
The legal filing did not mention any settlement in the case. Emails seeking comment were sent Wednesday to lawyers for Baron Cohen and the dispensary, Somerset-based Solar Therapeutics Inc.
The billboard showed Baron Cohen posing as Borat with two thumbs up and the words “It’s nice!” — one of Borat’s catchphrases. The billboard along a Massachusetts interstate highway was taken down three days after Baron Cohen’s attorneys sent a cease-and-desist order to the dispensary, according to the suit.
His attorneys said in the complaint that the actor “never would participate in an advertising campaign for cannabis” and that the use of his image falsely conveyed to the public that he endorsed the company’s products.
Baron Cohen and his California-based company Please You Can Touch LLC were seeking $9 million in damages.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/baron-cohen-drops-lawsuit-over-cannabis-dispensary-billboard/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:13
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NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Wallace will host a Sunday night interview show for CNN starting this fall, the network said Wednesday in announcing a new home for the best-known personality from the since-imploded CNN+ streaming service.
“Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” which will also air on HBO Max, was the program he was doing for CNN+ before new corporate owners Warner Bros. Discovery shut the service down after only a month.
Wallace, formerly of Fox News Channel, has made some appearances on the television network, including on primary coverage Tuesday night.
Actor Eva Longoria, who had also signed up for the streaming service, will do a series for CNN where she travels in Mexico to sample the cuisine and culture. “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico” is by the same production team that makes “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” for the network.
Chris Licht, the new CNN Worldwide chairman, also told advertisers at a Manhattan presentation that CNN was “reimagining” its weekday morning show with the intent of being a “disruptor” in the space. He gave no details. Licht has some experience in that area, as the former top producer at both MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and CBS’ morning news program.
He said nothing about the prime-time hole in CNN’s lineup left by the firing of Chris Cuomo in December, after the network accused the anchor of not being forthcoming about how he was helping his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
In contrast to the “extremes” dominating cable television news, Licht said that at CNN, “we aspire to be a beacon for the kind of journalism that is essential to democracy.”
CNN has been telegraphing a renewed emphasis on news, with less commentary, since the forced departure of former chief Jeff Zucker this past winter and the corporate ownership change. The war in Ukraine has given CNN a chance to display its news chops, and war coverage has dominated the network’s prime time.
Licht’s point was driven home by his boss David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery chairman, at the same presentation. He contrasted CNN with “advocacy” news networks.
“We at CNN intend to advocate for journalism first, to advocate for news and truth,” Zaslav said.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/chris-wallace-interview-show-to-be-featured-on-cnn-sundays/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:14
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Eric Clapton, a critic of coronavirus vaccines and pandemic restrictions, has tested positive for COVID-19 and canceled two upcoming European gigs.
Clapton’s upcoming shows in Zurich on Tuesday and Milan on Wednesday will be rescheduled, he announced on his Facebook page and official online site. The 77-year-old rocker tested positive following his concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall on May 8.
“Eric is also anxious to avoid passing on any infection to any of his band, crew, promoters, their staff and of course, the fans,” the statement reads. He hopes to be able to resume the tour starting with two concerts in Bologna on May 20.
“It is very frustrating that having avoided COVID throughout lockdown and throughout the period when travel restrictions have been in place Eric should have succumbed to COVID at this point in time,” the statement reads.
Clapton has expressed skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine in the past. In 2020, he and Van Morrison released an anti-lockdown song titled “Stand and Deliver” featuring the lyrics: “Do you want to be a free man, or do you want to be a slave?” He also lashed out a year later with the song “This Has Gotta Stop.”
Clapton got both AstraZeneca vaccine shots against the virus but said he had “severe reactions” and feared he’d never play again. The CDC says clinical trials have found the vaccine is safe.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/eric-clapton-cancels-shows-after-testing-positive-for-covid/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:21
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CANNES, France (AP) — The last two times the Russian filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov had films playing at the Cannes Film Festival, he couldn’t attend. He was under a travel ban in Russia as part of a conviction for fraud in what was widely protested as unwarranted repression of the arts in Russia. Last year, Serebrennikov, one of Russia’s most celebrated directors of film and theater, appeared at a Cannes press conference by FaceTime.
But after fleeing Russia in March once the ban ended, Serebrennikov was in Cannes Wednesday to premiere his latest film, “Tchaikovsky’s Wife,” which is competing for the Palme d’Or. It’s a period film that challenges state propaganda, which has attempted to hide that the famous Russian composer was homosexual. In 2013, Russia enacted a law banning “gay propaganda.”
“Tchaikovsky’s Wife,” a fiercely political film made by one of Russia’s most prominent filmmaking dissidents, arrives in Cannes while Russia’s war rages in Ukraine and Europe has redrawn its cultural borders.
“I take filmmaking and theater-making and culture-making as a big, vast statement against war,” Serebrennikov said in an interview Wednesday on a Palais des Festivals balcony ahead of his film’s premiere. “War is about killing people. It’s about destroying everything. It’s about taking people not like persons but like crowds. They put them easily into the fog of war and don’t care about anyone, any fragility of each person.”
“Art is always against war,” he added.
His film premiered on the festival’s second day, which opened with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressing the gathering in an address that referenced films like Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” and urged filmmakers not to “stay silent.”
Serebrennikov’s very presence at Cannes has been charged. Some in Ukraine has called for a boycott of all Russians at the festival and other major artistic gatherings. Cannes organizers elected to ban Russians with ties to the government but not filmmakers.
Still, Serebrennikov is one of the only Russian filmmakers in Cannes this year — a role he doesn’t relish.
“If you asked me on the 23rd of February if war possible with Ukraine, I would have said, ‘No, never. It’s not possible.’ But it’s happened. My motherland destroyed another country,” says Serebrennikov. “It’s very painful, it’s very sad. It’s a catastrophe for all people, for Europe, for both sides. Not only for Ukrainian people but in Russia, as well. A lot of people can’t say anything. And sometimes, powerlessness and speechlessness is much more painful. Now, Ukraine is one nation fighting an enemy.”
“Tchaikovsky’s Wife” stars Alyona Mikhailova as Antonina Miliukova and Odin Biron, an American actor who has acted in Russian television, as Pyotr Tchaikovsky. It was partially financed by the sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. Cannes Artistic Director Thierry Frémaux said the festival wrestled with whether to include the film in competition, ultimately deciding to because it counters Russian state narratives and it was shot before the war and subsequent sanctions.
To Serebrennikov, his film — which doesn’t attempt to shroud Tchaikovsky’s sexuality — is about “the fragility of the human soul.” It’s made from the perspective of Miliukova, who’s shown as ardently devoted to the composer despite his complete disinterest in her. She spends much of the film in her own kind of exile from Tchaikovsky.
Serebrennikov compares the standard Russian view of Tchaikovsky to that of monuments or idols.
“I just wanted to tell something important for the nation might be a life, not like propaganda, a (expletive) monument but something real,” said Serebrennikov. “Some people are really scared of reality. It’s why they prefer to pray for their idols and their monuments are made of iron instead of love.”
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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
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For more Cannes Film Festival coverage, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival
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| 2022-05-19T01:52:29
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Selena Gomez joined first lady Jill Biden and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy at the White House on Wednesday for a conversation about youth mental health.
The singer/actor has been public about her struggles and revealed in 2020 that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Biden, Murthy and Gomez held a conversation in the East Room with several young people, including a mother and a recent Rutgers college graduate, who shared how they had improved their mental outlook.
The strategies they shared ranged from going through multiple therapists to find one who is right for you to using baking as a way to encourage conversation with others facing similar challenges.
“Mental health is very personal for me and I hope that by using my platform to share my own story … I can help others feel less alone,” Gomez said.
Biden praised the participants for sharing.
“It takes courage to, you know, be honest about the struggles that you faced and to tell your stories.,” the first lady said. “And it takes courage to understand that your voice can make a difference and to show your creativity and talents, you know, to all of the world.”
Murthy said open conversation will help change “hearts and minds” and help remove the stigma associated with mental health.
MTV Entertainment sponsored the conversation in advance of the second Mental Health Action Day on Thursday.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/jill-biden-selena-gomez-lead-talk-on-youth-mental-health/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:32
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The Oscars are getting back to normal, eligibility-wise. After two years of pandemic-related adjustments, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Wednesday that Oscar hopefuls will once again have to launch their films in movie theaters.
Qualifying films are allowed to premiere “day and date” in movie theaters and on a streaming service, but their theatrical run must go for a minimum of seven consecutive days with at least one showing a day in one of six approved major metropolitan areas. The locations are still Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The rules and changes for the 95th Academy Awards in 2023 were approved by the organization’s board of governors at their most recent meeting, where they determined the eligibility window would return to the standard calendar year. The board also said that individual films may submit no more than three songs for the best original song award.
The organization also distributed updated guidelines for award campaigns to “maintain a high degree of fairness and transparency” in how film companies and individuals promote eligible films for awards. Those guideline focus on promotions, screenings, contacting members and hospitality.
One rule says that, “no promotional materials, or anything of value, may be given to members at screenings or otherwise.” Another specifies that prior to nominations, no promotional materials, or anything of value, may be given to members at screenings or otherwise” and after nominations until polls close, “screenings may not include any receptions, entertainment, complimentary food and beverage, or other hospitality.”
It also limits the number of emails members can receive about a specific film per week and says that music branch members may not directly contact other members of the music branch to promote the nomination of any song or score. Nor should music branch members attend any screenings or events with live performances of eligible music.
The academy reiterated that members should make decisions “based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements.” Consequences for violating the guidelines include disqualification and possible suspension or expulsion from the academy.
The 95th Oscars will be held in Los Angeles on March 12.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/no-more-streaming-only-debuts-for-oscar-hopefuls/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:39
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MIAMI (AP) — “The Greatest Show on Earth” is making a comeback featuring extraordinary humans and no animal acts five years after shutting down its three-ring circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced Wednesday.
Talent teams have already conducted auditions in Argentina, Mongolia, Ethiopia, France and the United States, with more than 1,000 performers applying to join a 50-city North American tour starting in September 2023, and international dates to follow, according to the owner of the historic circus, Feld Entertainment.
“For us, Ringling is about bringing the world’s talents to people’s hometowns,” the chief operating officer, Juliette Feld Grossman, told The Associated Press in an interview. “We are entertainment for everyone and it’s important that everyone who comes to the show finds something and someone that they can really connect and relate to.”
The company heard from many fans after ending its 146-year run five years ago following intense criticism over its use of circus animals, and has considered their comments while re-imagining how to “keep the franchise fresh and alive,” she said.
In the new production, audiences will become “co-collaborators” with the performers, bringing them closer to the action and creating a different experience with every show, she said.
Ringling also wants to “tell the personal stories of the performers,” she said.
“Our performers dedicate their lives to doing oftentimes risky, very technically challenging and athletic performances, and they do it because they are passionate about it,” she said. “And we want our audience to know more about them to understand how they trained, where they came from, what inspired them to create and develop this particular skill.”
The circus took down its tents after years of declining ticket sales as customers became conflicted about its treatment of circus animals. Costly court battles led to the end of elephant acts in 2016. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals praised the “animal-free revamp” in a statement Wednesday.
Since the closure, it became clear that the circus still “holds a special place in people’s hearts,” Feld Grossman said.
“Any time I meet someone and I tell them something about what I do, they tell me their personal story about Ringling and the first time they went, or the most memorable time that they went. That’s something that confirms to us, that validates that we have something special here,” she said.
“It’s going to be really special for parents to bring their children and to bring the grandparents as well, and to have that continuity across generations of enjoying a kind of entertainment that has been around for so long but still speaks to today.”
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/ringling-bros-announces-comeback-tour-but-without-animals/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:46
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NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift has Grammys galore and now she has a new title — “doctor.”
The superstar received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from New York University on Wednesday, blowing kisses as the crowd roared when she walked toward the stage at a packed Yankee Stadium.
Sporting her signature red lipstick and newly awarded honorary robe, Swift joked to the thousands of graduates assembled: “I’m 90% sure the main reason I’m here is because I have a song called 22.
“I never got to have a normal college experience per se. I went to public high school until 10th grade and then finished my education doing home school work on the floor of airport terminals,” Swift said in her commencement speech.
The singer-songwriter, producer and director said that she began her music career at 15, touring different radio stations across the country. She went on to sell more than 100 million albums and won album of the year at the 2021 Grammys for her album “folkore,” making her the first woman to win the category three times. Her previous wins came in 2010 for “Fearless” and 2016 for “1989.”
She winked at the crowd when Jason King of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music mentioned her newly rerecorded albums, including “Fearless.”
Swift shared advice with the class of 2022 but offered the warning that, “I in no way feel qualified to tell you what to do. You’ve worked and struggled and sacrificed and studied and dreamed your way here today. I won’t tell you what to do because nobody likes that, but I will however give you life hacks for when I was starting out my dreams as a career.
“Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth,” she said.
Swift concluded her speech by telling graduates that making mistakes is inevitable but “when hard things happen to us, we will recover, we will learn from it, we will grow more resilient because of it. As long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep and breathe out. I am a doctor now so I know how breathing works.
“I hope you know how proud I am to share this day with you,” she said. “We’re doing this together so let’s just keep on dancing like we’re the class of 22.”
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/taylor-swift-gets-honorary-degree-from-new-york-university/
| 2022-05-19T01:52:54
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/taylor-swift-gets-honorary-degree-from-new-york-university/
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NEW YORK (AP) — Network TV’s fondness for reality fare and reboots combine in “The Real Love Boat,” a sea-going dating show that’s part of the CBS fall schedule announced Wednesday.
Described as a “romance adventure competition,” the series credits as its inspiration the popular and kitschy comedy-drama “The Love Boat,” which aired from 1977-86 on ABC. “The Real Love Boat” will follow returning shows “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” on Wednesday, a rare all-reality night for CBS.
With so much programming available to viewers, “flow is important, lead-ins are important, compatible programming is important,” said Kelly Kahl, CBS Entertainment president. “This looked like a real good bet to us. It also looks like a real competitive kind of counter-programming move.”
By contrast, network rivals NBC and ABC have stocked their Wednesday lineups with comedies and dramas. There’s more to guard against than just other broadcasters, given the rise of streaming services with splashy shows and on-demand convenience.
That’s prompted growing broadcast reliance on fare known to viewers, including spinoffs and reboots. But CBS, which leans on the scripted “NCIS” and “FBI” franchises, is also placing bets on a trio of unpedigreed new dramas this fall.
“East New York” stars Amanda Warren as the newly promoted head of a police precinct in the working-class neighborhood where she has roots. Jimmy Smits co-stars. “Fire Country” follows young convict (Max Thieriot, “Seal Team”) who joins a California prison-release firefighting program for a second chance.
The other scripted addition, “So Help Me Todd,” is described as a “humorous legal drama.” Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden (“Pollock”) stars as a successful attorney who hires her less-driven son, a private detective played by Skylar Astin, to work for her law firm.
The shows canceled by CBS are “Magnum P.I.”; “United States of Al”; “B Positive”; “Good Sam” and “How We Roll.”
The network and its Paramount Global siblings, including Paramount+, presented their wares to advertisers in New York on Wednesday. The streaming service announced that “Tulsa King,” starring Sylvester Stallone as a mobster exiled to Oklahoma, will debut Nov. 13.
___
Media Writer David Bauder reported from New York and Television Writer Lynn Elber reported from Los Angeles.
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/the-real-love-boat-dating-show-to-sail-on-cbs-fall-lineup/
| 2022-05-19T01:53:01
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/the-real-love-boat-dating-show-to-sail-on-cbs-fall-lineup/
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CANNES, France (AP) — Tom Cruise mania descended Wednesday in Cannes where the actor made a whirlwind appearance at the film festival, walking the red carpet, receiving a surprise Palme d’Or and watching a squadron of French fighter jets fly over the European premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Cannes pulled out all the stops to fete the 59-year-old star, paying tribute to Cruise with not just a rare interview on stage and a red-carpet premiere featuring a flyby of jets trailing colored smoke, but with the unexpected presentation of an honorary Palme d’Or. Festival president Pierre Lescure announced the award — about 15 honorary Palmes have been given before — on stage just before the screening was to begin. Cruise clutched Cannes’ top prize while the audience gave the actor a standing ovation.
Cruise brought a palpable buzz to the Croisette, where throngs gathered around the Palais des Festivals shouting “Tom!” to try to get a glimpse of the 59-year-old star. “Great Balls of Fire” blared on the carpet.
Cruise hadn’t been to the festival in three decades. But with plenty of media disruption challenging the theatrical experience, Cannes and Cruise exuded the vibe of long-last pals. “He is devoted to cinema,” declared artistic director Thierry Fremaux. Cruise’s enthusiastic welcome smacked in some ways of an action hero’s reception, here to save the day.
“I make movies for the big screen,” Cruise said to applause in an interview on stage at Cannes’ Debussy Theatre.
The European premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, brought out what’s likely to be among the most star-studded red carpets of the Cannes Film Festival, which opened Tuesday and runs through May 28. Among those in attendance were Viola Davis, Dakota Fanning, Omar Sy and Eva Longoria — along with “Top Gun: Maverick” stars Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell.
While Cruise arrived by helicopter at the film’s San Diego premiere aboard an aircraft carrier, he came to the Cannes premiere more traditionally, with the film’s cast and filmmakers in a cavalcade of cars. Cruise paused for several minutes to sign autographs and take pictures with fans lined up across the street from the red carpet.
Before that, the festival honored Cruise with a tribute that consisted of a career-spanning video montage, after which Cruise spoke about his dedication to filmmaking in an interview that stayed away from any personal questions. Instead, he responded to prodding from interviewer Didier Allouch about why, Monsieur Cruise, do you take such risks doing your own stunts?
“No one asked Gene Kelly ‘Why do you dance?’” answered Cruise.
The Cannes stopover for “Top Gun: Maverick” is part of a worldwide tour for the film ahead of its May 27th launch in theaters. It has already touched down at CinemaCon in Las Vegas and premiered in San Diego. Paramount Pictures delayed its release two years during the pandemic, a move that appears to be paying off with glowing reviews and box-office expectations that “Top Gun: Maverick” will easily mark Cruise’s biggest opening weekend ever.
Asked if he was ever tempted to steer the film to a streaming service, Cruise replied emphatically.
“No, that’s not going to happen ever,” responded Cruise to loud applause. “That was never going to happen.”
Cruise spent the majority of the conversation explaining his extreme dedication to the craft of moviemaking, how from an early age he dug into every element of film productions and analyzed how particular modes of acting worked best on the big screen. Shooting the 1981 film “Taps,” with George C. Scott, he returned to it again and again as a formative experience.
“Please,” Cruise said he thought at the time, “if I could just do this for the rest of my life, I will never take it for granted.”
___
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/top-cruise-and-top-gun-maverick-touch-down-in-cannes/
| 2022-05-19T01:53:08
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https://www.cbs42.com/local/top-cruise-and-top-gun-maverick-touch-down-in-cannes/
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DAVIS, Calif. — There is a 'moo-ve' on the UC Davis campus to change the mascot from Gunrock the Mustang to a cow — yes, really.
"We're already known as a UC cow town. There's obviously already a lot of cow merchandise here at UC Davis. A lot of students already think it's already a cow," said Mick Hashimoto, founder and chief of staff of the movement Cow4Mascot. "Other than that, it's really about creating school spirit, again, creating love for a school."
According to Digital Marketing Director for the movement Mei En Chin, a proposal to change the mascot passed a student body election by over 70%. Organizers are now planning to talk with the Cal Aggie Alumni Association to get their feedback before going to the UC Davis administration with the change.
When asked about the proposal, a UC Davis spokesperson told ABC10 that the school doesn't have a statement.
"I would say from a lot of the students that I've talked to and even professors, a lot of them are in favor of changing it to a cow," said Chin. "A large part of like UC Davis tradition, especially as a freshman is to go see the dairy cows by the dorms... so that's just like a large part of student identity and school spirit, and especially since COVID has happened, there's like a diminishing on like school spirit. So I think this (would) bring everyone together."
What is the proposed change?
Hashimoto says the main goal of this movement is to create a cohesive identity within the school.
"We're proposing that our mascot should be a cow because it's what everyone already thinks it is," Hashimoto said. "And on top of that, we're known as UC Davis Aggies, and we don't want to change that, right? Because we're an agricultural school. We want the name of the mascot to be Aggie the Cow. But that's just a proposal that we're making."
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/davis/university-of-california-davis-mascot-cow-gunrock/103-af153be5-98d4-4fa8-aa1b-565a9dd863dc
| 2022-05-19T01:57:34
| 0
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https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/davis/university-of-california-davis-mascot-cow-gunrock/103-af153be5-98d4-4fa8-aa1b-565a9dd863dc
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