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RUSKIN, Fla. — A man jumped into Little Manatee River from Interstate 75 to avoid being hit by a car after he was ejected from his own car during a multi-car crash, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said.
The crash happened Thursday night on I-75 at the Little Manatee River overpass. Three cars were involved in the crash, and one of the cars flipped, ejecting the driver.
The man then jumped over the barrier and into the river to avoid being hit by another car. Crews said the man "fortunately" landed in a deep part of the river and was able to safely swim to the riverbank.
Fire Rescue said it deployed jet skis to safely transport the man to an ambulance which took him to a local trauma center. Crews said he was in "stable" condition.
One other person was also taken to a local trauma center in "stable" condition.
During the rescue operation, southbound lanes of I-75 were shut down. It has since reopened. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/man-jumps-little-manatee-river-i75-overpass-crash/67-442985d4-3c3b-4b55-99e1-a37757029d2e | 2022-08-26T09:33:00 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/man-jumps-little-manatee-river-i75-overpass-crash/67-442985d4-3c3b-4b55-99e1-a37757029d2e |
RIVERVIEW, Fla — One person is dead and another is in critical condition following a head-on crash late Thursday night between an SUV and pick-up truck, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said.
Crews said when they arrived at the crash on County Road 672 in Hillsborough County, they found a full-sized pick-up truck and SUV had collided head-on. A passenger inside the truck was "immediately" taken to the hospital but was in "stable" condition, fire rescue said.
The driver of the truck had to be extricated from the vehicle and was airlifted to a local trauma center in critical condition, crews said.
The driver of the SUV died from the injuries sustained in the crash. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/riverview-hillsborough-county-road-672-deadly-head-on-crash/67-20002457-eca4-4f64-adf6-4fc11788f444 | 2022-08-26T09:33:06 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/riverview-hillsborough-county-road-672-deadly-head-on-crash/67-20002457-eca4-4f64-adf6-4fc11788f444 |
TUPELO • Representatives with the Mississippi Home Corporation met with local homeless advocates on Thursday in Tupelo to discuss uses for more than $38 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding meant to go to homeless individuals or those at risk of homelessness.
The meeting was held as part of the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME program), in which MHC officials have held a slew of public hearings across the state. Their purpose, according to Kimberly Stamps, assistant vice president of grant management for MHC’s HOME Rental program, is to gather feedback from advocates statewide about the allocation plan.
“The Mississippi Home Corp is responsible for overseeing the activities that will fall under the HOME-ARP program,” she said.
Assistant Vice President of Grant Management Tamara Stewart said the department broke its priorities down, starting with homeless individuals and those at-risk of becoming homeless. Others targeted include individuals include those reentering society from prison, those fleeing domestic violence and other at-risk populations.
The MHC will allocate funds through competitive grant processes.
“We allow these funds to anyone who needs it,” Stewart said. “We don’t discriminate. We try to make sure all of our programs are low-barrier and acceptable in the community.”
Executive Director of the Tennessee Valley Regional Housing Authority Jason Spencer said that in his coverage area, and specifically in Tupelo, the biggest issue facing individuals at risk of becoming homeless is a lack of housing. There aren’t enough rental houses to keep up with the need, which drives up prices and pushes individuals into the streets.
Lee Caldwell, who serves on the board of the local Salvation Army, said the shelter could have 20 individuals prepared to move into permanent housing for every one housing opportunity in the city.
“We don’t have a place for them,” he said. “It is a sad situation. There is nowhere today to put them.”
Stamps noted the allocation plan includes $11.4 million specifically for affordable rental housing development.
“We are aware, and we hear the concern for decent, affordable houses throughout the state of Mississippi,” she said.
When asked if applying developers could pair grants from the HOME program with other MHC programs, Stewart said it would be both allowed and encouraged.
Another topic brought up was how the corporation planned to allocate the money. As of Thursday, the plan would not allocate money by regions but would be a lump sum for all nonprofits and partnered developers to apply. Stewart noted that it was possible to split the allocation by congressional districts, but the funds would be further separated by need, which could result in less funding in areas.
“If we decided we go by region, … we can only go by the data we have,” she said.
Mississippi Balance of State Continuum of Care Director Hannah Maherrey called the meeting productive and said she was proud to see the community get involved with the process.
“I think it went well,” she said of the hearing. “I am always optimistic when people attend meetings like this, especially those focused on housing those most vulnerable.”
Both Stewart and Stamp noted that those who wish to get involved with the process must either submit their suggestions, comments or concerns in writing through a survey at www.mshomecorp.com/federal-programs/home. Individuals can also email their written questions to tamara.stewart@mshc.com or kimberly.stamps@mshc.com. Individuals can send a physical letter to Stamps at 735 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS, 39202.
The deadline to produce input is Sept. 14, Stewart noted. After the deadline, MHC will finalize its allocation plan.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/mississippi-home-corp-officials-visit-tupelo-seek-input-for-arpa-funds/article_79d9309e-8c7c-5fee-b3e6-9e83f1d33e03.html | 2022-08-26T09:38:40 | 0 | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/mississippi-home-corp-officials-visit-tupelo-seek-input-for-arpa-funds/article_79d9309e-8c7c-5fee-b3e6-9e83f1d33e03.html |
A man is dead after a bump between two people in Hell's Kitchen lead to a fatal argument early Friday morning.
Police responded just before 1 a.m. Friday to reports of a stabbing at 44th Street and Eighth Avenue and found a man, 49, with stab wounds to the neck and groin. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 28-year-old man is in custody as a person of interest.
Cops say one man bumped into the other and words were exchanged, which lead to a physical brawl and ultimately the stabbing. Police also recovered a pair of brass knuckles on the scene.
Copyright NBC New York | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/hells-kitchen-bump-leads-to-stabbing-murder/3840088/ | 2022-08-26T10:07:50 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/hells-kitchen-bump-leads-to-stabbing-murder/3840088/ |
Rodman Public Library seeks tax renewal on Nov. 8
ALLIANCE − Rodman Public Library is asking voters to renew a 10-year, 1.5-mill tax levy in November.
Issue 3 will be the Nov. 8 ballot.
Eric Taggart, director of Rodman Public Library, said revenue from this tax funds 35% of current expenses. The issue was first approved by voters in 2010 and renewed in 2015. It generates $944,474 annually.
The property tax costs homeowners $31.63 per year per $100,000 in home valuation, or $2.64 a month.
"It doesn't cost anybody any more money. It's the same amount that we've been getting," Taggart said.
The library covers parts of Stark, Columbiana and Mahoning counties. It also operates a branch on West State Street and a bookmobile service.
Here are the proposed election issues on the November ballot in Stark County
But he said the revenue generated from this tax "is important" because how of they use the funds on programs, services and other operational expenses.
Taggart is hopeful voters will continue to support the library and approve the tax issue. He said the loss of this revenue would put many of the library services at long-term risk.
Taggart said voter approval would allow current services and programs to continue, while also enhancing other aspects of the library.
For example, he said the revenue would help convert the computer room into a craft center that would include 3D printers, cutting machines and other craft essentials.
"When you are thinking about other services, they might impact a specific group of people," Taggart said. "Everybody can use the library. It does not matter what your demographic is."
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerREP.
Follow on Twitter @bduerREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2022/08/26/alliance-rodman-library-tax-renewal-november-2022/65418593007/ | 2022-08-26T10:35:29 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2022/08/26/alliance-rodman-library-tax-renewal-november-2022/65418593007/ |
Local baseball: Stark County Terriers, North Canton 10U, Canton Reds win championships
The Stark County Terriers wooden-bat college summer baseball team won the NABF World Series Championship with a 9-5 win against the Grand Rapids Brewers at Sandusky's Sports Force Park Complex. The Terriers went 3-1 in pool play, then defeated the T3 Warhawks 4-3 in 11 innings in the semifinal to advance to the championship. The Terriers represented the Western Reserve Collegiate League. This is the Terriers' first NABF World Series title.
North Canton Little League's Williamsport team won the 2022 10U state championship. North Canton won the District 4 championship, then beat Canfield and Hamilton in the opening rounds of the double-elimination state tournament in Ironton. It lost to Cuyahoga Falls and had to beat Hamilton again to get to the championship round, where it then beat Cuyahoga Falls twice to win the tournament.
The Canton Reds of the J. Babe Stearn Community Center won the Sandlot Stark Summit Baseball League. They were the National League champs and the tournament champs, winning the championship game 20-1. The Reds' overall record was 13-6. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/local/2022/08/26/baseball-stark-county-terriers-north-canton-little-league-10u-canton-reds-nabf-world-series-state/65398085007/ | 2022-08-26T10:35:59 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/local/2022/08/26/baseball-stark-county-terriers-north-canton-little-league-10u-canton-reds-nabf-world-series-state/65398085007/ |
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
Aug. 26, 1922: Cecil Miller, past 9 years of age, confined in the McLean County Jail pending an investigation of a charge of larceny, made an attempt to dig his way out. He found the blades of an old razor around the upper section of the jail and with that was digging at the brick holding the iron bars when discovered by Deputy Sheriff Earl Whitmore. Read the story.
75 years ago
Aug. 26, 1947: A ton of eggs was scrambled on Route 47 between Strawn and Sibley, and Dale Meitzinger, 24, of near Fairbury, narrowly escaped death when the Honegger & Co. truck he was driving smashed into a bridge abutment. Meitzinger was thrown from the truck cab to the pavement. An estimated 50 to 60 cases of eggs, each weighing 50 pounds, were strewn on the concrete. Read the story.
50 years ago
Aug. 26, 1972: Ground will be broken next month for a $2 million Brandtville Shopping Center at the southwest corner of U.S. 66 and U.S. 150. Included in the 1000,000-square-foot enclosed mall complex will be a new Bob Johnson's Brandtville restaurant with about twice the space the restaurant now occupies. It is also expected to include a grocery store, men's and women's fashions, jewelry, an optical center, barber and beauty shop and other retail stores. Read the story.
25 years ago
Aug. 26, 1997: Motorists driving through Lexington on Sept. 11 will see 25 brand new shiny red 1998 Corvette convertibles parked along Main Street. They will be part of a caravan of cars traveling from Chicago to California along Old Route 66. Mayor Frank Feigl will lead the caravan as it rolls into town along "Memory Lane." There may be up to 150 other cars in the caravan. Read the story.
Want more local history? Check out our searchable archives at pantagraph.newspapers.com.
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/50-years-ago-2-million-shopping-center-planned-at-u-s-66-150/article_bd1495fc-24a1-11ed-8e9e-7318822c9758.html | 2022-08-26T10:56:02 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/50-years-ago-2-million-shopping-center-planned-at-u-s-66-150/article_bd1495fc-24a1-11ed-8e9e-7318822c9758.html |
MAYS LANDING — With the new school year fast approaching and communities disquieted by another mass school shooting in May, officials are searching for new ways to protect their classrooms— and some districts in South Jersey are turning to dogs.
The Atlantic County Criminal Justice Advisory Board hosted a presentation Thursday on the use of dogs in schools. The dogs would be accompanied by an armed security office and would be trained to respond to school shootings as well as to attack school shooters. They would be trained and provided by Joe Nick, the director of the Atlantic County K-9 Academy.
Criminal Justice Advisory Board Chair Mark Sandson, a retired New Jersey Superior Court judge, opened the meeting. He said he had received mixed feedback about security guards and dogs, with some critical and some, including officials from the Atlantic County Institute of Technology, supportive. He wanted to create a forum where school communities could learn about using dogs.
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“When we send our kids to school we expect them to come home, safe, sound and hopefully educated,” Sandson said. “We try to take a look at all alternatives.”
Representatives from a multitude of local and regional school districts, primarily in Atlantic County, gathered at the Atlantic County Criminal Court Complex for the presentation. They were joined by several law-enforcement officers, Atlantic County commissioners, people from social-work agencies and the state Office of School Preparedness & Emergency Planning.
Cumberland County Technical Education Center Superintendent Dina Rossi discussed experiences in her district, which has already implemented a dog as part of its school-shooter response protocol. She said the program had been well-received and had won near universal support from staff, parents and students. She said she worked extensively with the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office and cooperated with the Millville and Vineland police departments to bring the dogs to the school.
Rossi spoke at length about the Cumberland County TEC dog, Meadow. A Dutch shepard, Meadow stands guard with her handler, Officer Steve Manera, and works at Cumberland County TEC as well as the nearby Rowan College of South Jersey and Upper Deerfield Township School. Her namesake is the late Meadow Jade Pollack, who was killed in a school shooting in 2018.
A critical component of the program’s success, she added, was securing the support of the local community and having them familiarized and comfortable around school officers as well as the dog they used. She was effusive for praise for Meadow and how she was beloved by the school community and was “part of us now.”
“How do you debate something that is just another layer of security?” Rossi said. “If it just saves one person, that’s one person who wouldn’t have been saved otherwise.”
Nick, the K-9 academy director, explained how he trains the dogs and how they could be used at a district. Having studied hundreds of school shootings that have happened since Columbine, he was visibly emotional talking about the project.
Retired Police Capt. Andre Lopez, who serves as the director of campus security for Cumberland County TEC and Rowan College, also discussed the use of the dogs. Meadow herself made an appearance.
The presentation appeared to win over much of the audience, with several district officials voicing support for the use of dogs.
There was, however, skepticism. Christine Ruth, a teacher at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School in Atlantic City, questioned presenters about what evidence they had that the use of dogs actually prevents shootings and reduces deaths. With some districts facing tight budget constraints, she added that the expense of dogs and school-resource officers could divert funds from mental-health professionals and school counselors who could help reduce the risk of violence. Rather than help, dogs and accompanying officers would make schools a more punitive environment, especially for students of color, she argued.
Charles Oglesby, a security supervisor for Atlantic Cape Community College and a former Pleasantville law-enforcement officer himself, said he was ambivalent to the idea. While his career demonstrated the efficacy of having canines on scene, he was concerned about the historical relationship between dogs and their use to attack Black students and communities.
Rossi highlighted the diversity of her district and how the dogs have been met with success by a diverse student body. She also noted that the dogs were only one part of what she said was the district’s holistic response to school-shooting threats. Nick and Lopez noted that the dogs were not meant to be in competition with mental-health services. That view was endorsed by Christine Egizi, from Jewish Family Services, which provides social work and mental health care.
Oglesby, of Atlantic Cape, stressed the importance of having a prompt response to violence. He recalled the fatal 2019 shooting of 10-year-old Micah Tennant at a Pleasantville High School football game against visiting Camden High School. A dog on the scene might have been able to save lives that day.
Pleasantville Board of Education President Jerome Page endorsed the use of dogs. He said he was impressed by the presentation and believed a dog could have a critical deterrence effect.
Atlantic County Commissioner Frank Balles, also in attendance, said he and his colleagues would be willing to support any district in the county interested in acquiring a dog for school safety.
Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson, speaking before the meeting, said the county had an obligation to prepare for crises such as school shootings. He said children and parents were frightened and county and district officials needed ways to better ensure that Atlantic County schools remain safe.
“Children, parents and teachers deserve safe schools without the fear of violence,” Levinson said in an Aug. 4 invite to the presentation sent to Atlantic County superintendents.
The discussion follows the May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two adults. The 376 police officers at the scene waited 72 minutes before confronting and killing the shooter, prompting national outcry. Proponents of the canine program at the meeting said that dogs could help make for a quicker response. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/south-jersey-school-officials-discuss-using-dogs-to-respond-to-school-shootings/article_89b087ba-24c0-11ed-b5dd-e32b45046b92.html | 2022-08-26T10:59:26 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/south-jersey-school-officials-discuss-using-dogs-to-respond-to-school-shootings/article_89b087ba-24c0-11ed-b5dd-e32b45046b92.html |
The success can be repeated.
With only three seniors last season, the Middle Township High School football team captured its first outright division title since 1959, finishing 8-2, its first eight-win season since 1956. The Panthers won their first five games for the first time since 1960.
They also won the Anchor Bowl over rival Lower Cape May Regional.
“It has been a long, long time since there was championship (caliber) football in our district,” said Frank Riggitano, who will coach his 21st season with Middle. “We have been close in my early years and finished second (in the division) three years in a row. But we could never get over that hump until last year.”
Most of that successful team returns. The offensive and defensive lines will be strengths of the team, Riggitano said.
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“We are very, very large up front,” Riggitano added.
Maurice Matthews, a 6-foot, 230-pound sophomore, and Marco Salgado, a 6-foot, 255-pound junior, will play both guard and defensive lineman. Kani Perry, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound junior, will play offensive tackle and defensive end. Then there are juniors Mike Camp (6-foot-2, 325 pounds) and Nikolas Cruz (5-foot-11, 315 pounds), both of whom will play on the two lines. The Panthers also return junior tight end Brian Juzaitis.
Along with depth on the lines, “We are pretty solid up front with not only the physically ability, because some of them have been working very hard in the weight room, but also the mental approach,” Riggitano said.
The biggest tests come right away.
“Two of our toughest games will be Oakcrest (Sept. 2) and Glassboro (Sept. 9),” Riggitano said. “Not that anyone else won’t be tough. It’s just they both have been very physical teams for us in the past. How quickly our (new) quarterback develops and how quickly we replace (graduated David Giulian) at inside linebacker will determine how successful we can be.
“That Oakcrest game will set the tone for the rest of the season.”
Middle will have about 45 players on its roster, including just five seniors, Riggitano said. Most of the young returning players gained valuable playoff experience. The Panthers lost to eventual Central Jersey Group II champion Haddonfield in the quarterfinals but were able to keep the game close in the first half “before (the Bulldawgs) just wore us down.”
It was the first time the Panthers made the playoffs since 2016.
Sophomore running back Remi Rodriquez and junior wide receiver Michael Zarfati are expected to make an impact this season.
“There is no question we are going to be able to compete with the number of people we have returning,” Riggitano said. “I think there is no question we can compete for a title if everything goes the way it did last year.”
“We are still going to be very, very young,” Riggitano added.
Middle finally won a division championship last season. Now the goal is to repeat that and win a playoff game. The mindset has been great, Riggitano said.
“The kids are excited,” Riggitano said. “They are excited about the community being excited for them. I think they realize we snuck up on people last year. That is not going to happen this year. Teams will respect us and prepare for us as they would for another competitor.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/after-historic-season-middle-aims-to-contend-once-again/article_ef6ed288-0200-11ed-90a9-1ff72b0d820d.html | 2022-08-26T10:59:50 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/after-historic-season-middle-aims-to-contend-once-again/article_ef6ed288-0200-11ed-90a9-1ff72b0d820d.html |
The Barnegat High School football team entered last season having lost 16 players to graduation, but the Bengals still finished with a winning record and advanced to the playoffs under first-year head coach Paul Covine.
That is the expectation again this season, along with a division title.
“I think we are going to be pretty good,” said Covine. “We are definitely going to compete. We are going to play hard week in and week out.”
Barnegat will have a strong defense, Covine said.
The Bengals, who operate in a 3-4 defense, return four linebackers: seniors Max Giaccone, Connor Armstrong, Seth Freiwald and sophomore Cole Toddings, who got significant playing time as a freshman. Armstrong missed almost the entire season due to an injury but is now healthy. Freiwald started about half the season for the Bengals.
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Last season, Giaccone had 31 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while Freiwald had 32 sacks and two sacks. Toddings will be a two-way player.
Barnegat returns three starters in the secondary: senior cornerback Shikeith Gordon, senior free safety Kyle Eslinger and sophomore Myquan Rush, a strong safety who also played a lot as a freshman.
“We put a big emphasis on the weight room,” Covine said. ”I think you will see that on the field. I think we will be a much faster, more athletic team than last year and still keep our strength up. Our kids worked really hard in the offseason, and I’m excited to see it transition to the field.”
There are some question marks entering the season, however. The Bengals will return just one starter on the offensive line — junior Nick Porcelli. Nine players were competing for the four other spots. Also, Jake Harrashinski and Mattheu Worthy, both juniors, were battling for the starting quarterback job.
Despite some unknowns until the season starts, there are just as many positives.
Gordon also is a standout wide receiver. He will be joined by Esinger and Alan Nelson as the leading receivers. JoJo Bivins, who rushed for 1,300 yards with 21 touchdowns last season, Rush and Johnnel Johnson are expected to be threats at running back.
Gordon recently received a scholarship offer from Marist College.
“If everything pans out up front with the big bodies we are counting on, then we will be pretty solid offensively,” Covine said. “We play tough defense. We try to establish the run. That’s my philosophy as a head coach — control the game.”
The Bengals will compete in the Shore Conference’s Liberty Division with Toms River East, Matawan, Pinelands Regional, Manchester Township and Jackson Liberty.
Barnegat is a Group II school, but most of its schedule is against larger enrollment groups. The team opens its season Sept. 2 against Freehold Township, a Group V school.
“I think our schedule got tougher this year,” Covine said. “Based on the state playoff format, it’s all about who you play. You have to play a tough schedule to get a good seed in the state playoffs.
“They are ready to show everybody what they are made of. Our kids are ready to go. They are excited … I am ready to go. My passion is football. We’ve been crushing weights all winter and spring and now summer, so we’re ready to put the pads on.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/barnegat-looks-to-compete-with-strong-defense-offense/article_b8247e9e-0e9f-11ed-8728-976186654691.html | 2022-08-26T10:59:56 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/barnegat-looks-to-compete-with-strong-defense-offense/article_b8247e9e-0e9f-11ed-8728-976186654691.html |
Bridgeton High School football coach Steve Lane and his staff must rebuild following the graduations of several leaders from the 2021 team.
The Bulldogs were 6-5 last year. They went 5-2 after losing three of their first four games.
This year, Bridgeton moves into the West Jersey Football League United Division and will go against familiar old Cape-Atlantic League rivals Egg Harbor Township, Oakcrest, Mainland Regional, Absegami and Atlantic City.
“We have a ton of young guys, and we need them to be consistent and be leaders,” Lane said. “The majority of our starters from last year are gone. Our goal is to progress every game and consistently get better.”
Bridgeton has a strong line and some talented skill players who should keep the Bulldogs competitive. Lane was an outstanding two-way lineman for Bridgeton (2004-2007).
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“I look to our line to absolutely lead us,” Lane said. “We’ll go as far as they take us.”
The linemen, all of whom can play both ways, include Neaveh Morris, Alejandro Vega, Jonathan Harris, Markqwon Mosley, Keni Walker and Antonio Acevedo. Harris and Walker are sophomores.
“Neaveh is a two-time returning conference first-team player,” Lane said. “Alejandro is a small edge rusher who puts it out every game. Jonathan is a defensive tackle who also wants to run the ball for us. He was a jayvee running back last year, and he’s durable.
“Markqwon is a leader. He broke his leg in the last game in the second quarter last year. It was fractured, and I didn’t know it. He continued to play strong on the line, and we won the game (20-0 over Vineland).
“Keni is absolutely the strongest student in the school. He squatted 480 (pounds), but we have to translate that into football. He’s a great student, and he’ll be a Division I athlete. Antonio is working real hard. It’s only his third year even playing football, and he’s one of our strongest and quickest players.”
Another plus for Bridgeton is the return of Angelo Marrero, a senior linebacker/running back who started as a sophomore but was injured last year.
The quarterback likely will be junior Rolando Henry, who was the junior varsity quarterback last year. Lane said Henry is a capable passer and runner. Rian Pritchett is a running back-linebacker. Harris and Pritchett were going for the kicking duties. Wide receiver Michael Brantley is another player moving up from the JV team.
“We want to make it to the playoffs,” Lane said. “We’ll put forth our best effort. We have a good group of seniors who will give it their all.
“Our opponents all have consistent programs, with the same coaching staffs for several years now, and they’ll be prepared. I don’t think we’re playing anyone we haven’t played before.
“We have to be ready to go.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/bridgeton-looking-to-maintain-momentum-after-winning-5-of-final-7-games-in-2021/article_e3850e46-177d-11ed-8d2c-c386b3a6d234.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:02 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/bridgeton-looking-to-maintain-momentum-after-winning-5-of-final-7-games-in-2021/article_e3850e46-177d-11ed-8d2c-c386b3a6d234.html |
The Egg Harbor Township High School football team graduated a high-profile senior class.
That doesn’t mean the Eagles are starting from scratch this season. Egg Harbor Township expects to contend for the West Jersey Football League United Division title and a South Jersey Group V playoff spot.
“We’re right in between,” coach Kevin Stetser said. “We have a lot of guys coming back, but we felt last year’s senior class was a real special group. But we feel like we should continue to move in the direction we’ve been going.”
The Eagles return six starters on defense and four on offense from a team that finished 7-4 and qualified for the postseason last year. The strength of the team is at the skill positions.
Senior quarterback Christian Rando has played since he was a freshman. Last season, Rando threw for 617 yards and seven touchdowns and ran for five scores.
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“I feel like as last year went on (Rando) really began to develop and started to take care of things the way we were hoping he would,” Stetser said. “We’re really looking for him to take that next step and be a major factor for us.”
Xavier Bullock will be one of Rando’s top targets. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound senior wide receiver averaged 19.6 yards per catch in 2021.
“Physically, he has it all,” Stetser said. “He’s tall. He has great hands. He’s good on 50-50 balls. We’re looking for him and Christian to be the strength of our team.”
Evan Mensh and Kenum Council saw time at running back last season. The interior of the offensive line is young but big. Dorell Cesar and Noah Holliday both got experience at tackle last season. Aidan Kaiser, a 6-6, 315-pound transfer from Holy Spirit, should be a factor once he becomes eligible.
Junior defensive lineman Mike Simeon was one of South Jersey’s top defenders last season. Simeon made 53 tackles, 17.5 of them for losses.
“Size, strength and speed — he has them all,” Stetser said of Simeon. “He has a high motor and is a great kid. He checks all the boxes.”
Eugene Allen also returns on the defensive line. The senior made 45 tackles, 11.5 for losses.
“Eugene will also play guard (on offense) for us,” Stetser said. “We’re expecting him to be a really, really good two-way player for us.”
Dylan Camp returns at linebacker. The senior made 42 tackles with two sacks and had an interception last season.
“He has a high motor and loves football,” Stetser said. “He has a nose for the ball.”
Mensh (34 tackles) also returns at linebacker. Leon Ellis (38 tackles) started at safety last season and will lead the secondary.
EHT hopes to build on last season’s success. The Eagles made the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
“Our offensive and defensive fronts have to continue to improve and learn to play with an edge at the varsity level,” Stetser said. “If those two spots develop for us, we feel like we can contend for a division title, hopefully be a Group V qualifier and go from there.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/eht-hopes-to-build-on-last-seasons-success/article_6d4cb56c-19a3-11ed-bc17-eb02bb041438.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:08 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/eht-hopes-to-build-on-last-seasons-success/article_6d4cb56c-19a3-11ed-bc17-eb02bb041438.html |
Hammonton High School football coach Jim Raso remembers last Dec. 5 well.
That’s the day the Blue Devils began to prepare for the 2022 season with informal weightlifting sessions.
Hammonton played several freshmen and sophomores in prominent roles last season. The Blue Devils finished 5-6, having won three of their last four games and making the postseason. That created plenty of momentum for the offseason.
“Young group last year,” Raso said. “They got some experience, seeing things for the first time. They were very motivated. They’re a hungry group. They definitely put the work in this offseason. We’re looking forward to seeing what’s going to end up happening. The goal is to get back into the postseason and hopefully be playing in December.”
The best thing for the Blue Devils is those freshmen and sophomores are now sophomores and juniors. Hammonton should contend in the West Jersey Football League’s Memorial Division title and a South Jersey Group IV playoff spot.
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Sophomore running back and defensive back Kenny Smith is one of S.J.’s top young players. He rushed for 418 yards and averaged 13.6 yards per catch last season.
“He looks so much stronger this year,” Raso said, “and the game is starting to slow down for him. He understands what’s going on now.”
Billy Way returns at quarterback. He averaged 13.7 yards per completion and was 3-2 as a starter last season.
“He understands how we want things done,” Raso said. “He’s still learning, but at the same time has a really strong arm. He had some success with 7-on-7s this summer.”
Hammonton also features several other talented players at the skill positions. Junior running back Lucas Goehringer rushed for 367 yards and four touchdowns last season. Sophomore running back Deandre Clemmons has plenty of potential. Nakeem Powell, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound freshman, should contribute at running back and wide receiver.
“He had a really good summer of 7-on-7s,” Raso said of Powell. “He was making catches you would not expect a freshman to make.”
Christian Medina started on the offensive and defensive lines as a freshman. Senior Elijah Church is in excellent physical condition and should have an impact on the offensive and defensive lines, according to Raso.
Hammonton also will get a boost from senior Kye Pressley, a transfer from Camden Catholic. Duke is among the schools that has offered the 6-2, 224-pound defensive end a scholarship.
“The kid has an unbelievable motor,” Raso said. “He gets off the ball really quick. The kids have all gravitated toward him. He’ll anchor down the defensive line.”
Joe Gillen, another football newcomer who impressed on the basketball court for Hammonton last winter, should make an impact at linebacker.
Andrew Wehner and Dylan Testa return at middle linebacker and safety, respectively.
Hammonton will feature very few seniors. How successful the Blue Devils will be will depend in large part on how quickly their young players mature.
“We’re optimistic,” Raso said. “Are these guys going to be able to take that next step? That’s probably the biggest question these freshmen turning into sophomores and these sophomores turning into juniors face. If they can do it and we can stay healthy, we’re hoping it could be a successful year.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/hammonton-hopes-to-build-off-last-seasons-success/article_b951689a-12a0-11ed-b9b4-ff45df75c8d7.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:15 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/hammonton-hopes-to-build-off-last-seasons-success/article_b951689a-12a0-11ed-b9b4-ff45df75c8d7.html |
Dozens of members of the Lower Cape May Regional High School football team have been heading to the weight room almost every day since they returned from winter break last school year.
This offseason, 40 or more athletes were showing up to 7 a.m. practices, which has not always happened in the past, third-year coach Lance Bailey said. Each player is eager to work and get better, he added.
“I think that just shows the culture the kids have created and the coaches have created,” Bailey said. “The kids have been great. It is hard for a kid to get out of bed at 7 a.m., four days a week. But they are doing it.”
Bailey says the Caper Tigers could compete this fall and will be exciting to watch, especially because the team returns many players.
The coach has worked with most of these players for some time now. Not only do they understand his system, but they are more experienced, including junior quarterback Hunter Ray.
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“I can’t be happier where he’s at right now,” Bailey said. “Last year for him was pretty difficult.”
Last July, Ray broke his wrist and missed the first game of the season. He was able to come back but was not at 100% for most of his sophomore season, said Bailey, who noted Ray is looking a lot better after having a full offseason to recover.
“The sky’s the limit for Hunter,” Bailey said.
Along with Ray’s experience, senior wide receiver and linebacker Archie Lawler, sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Braswell Thomas, who was named an all-West Jersey Football League player as a freshman, and two-way linemen Jacob Bey, Quinten Hagan and Ronald Neenhold are expected to make impacts as they all played in the past.
Oguer Nunez, a versatile junior, can play linebacker, quarterback, running back and free safety. Dennis Serra, a sophomore, can play multiple positions, including linebacker, cornerback, wide receiver and running back.
“We have a lot of multidimensional players I can put really anywhere and they can be successful,” said Bailey, noting the team’s core and experience will be Lower’s strengths this season.
“Our numbers are up, the kids are into it,” Bailey said. “The kids look good. I’m happy with where we are at. I’m happy with the kids’ effort and the coaches’ efforts in preparing for the season.”
The Caper Tigers, who finished 5-5 last year, are now in the WJFL Royal Division. Pennsville, Cumberland Regional, Pitman and Gateway Regional are division rivals.
A great work ethic and not taking anything for granted are goals the program strives to reach every day. Bailey said the Caper Tigers want to fight each play, never give up and play solid football. He said he just wants to take one game at a time, “but I think we are in a good spot to be competitive every Friday night.”
“It is going to be a good division,” Bailey said. “It is going to be a competitive division. We are going to have to show up every Friday night. … Look for us to compete. We are going to compete. I wouldn’t want to coach another group of kids. They show up every day and do everything I ask them to do.
“I can’t wait to get started.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/lower-cape-may-expects-to-contend-this-season/article_2623933c-0390-11ed-97d3-e7de71a12efd.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:21 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/lower-cape-may-expects-to-contend-this-season/article_2623933c-0390-11ed-97d3-e7de71a12efd.html |
This is the season the Mainland Regional High School football team has waited for.
The Mustangs return eight starters on offense and 10 on defense from last season’s team that finished 4-6. Mainland should contend for the West Jersey Football League’s United Division and South Jersey Group IV titles.
“We’re very optimistic about this season,” coach Chuck Smith said. “We’re very excited for this season, to tell you the truth. We played a lot of young kids (the past few seasons) before they really should have been on the field. We really penciled in this year as that year we can flip the script so to say.”
Mainland features one of South Jersey’s top players in senior running back/defensive back Ja’Briel Mace, who has started since he was a freshman and has committed to Villanova University.
Mace carried 131 times for 937 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
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“He’s worked hard this offseason,” Smith said. “He’s the leader of the team. We’re looking for him to be a true two-way player this season.”
Freshman John Franchini taks over at quarterback after senior Marlon Leslie transferred late in the preseason to Pleasantville..
“He has tremendous upside,” Smith said. “He’s very coachable, has a very live arm and is smart. Very quarterback-savvy. You tell him how to do something, the next time he’s doing it.”
Mainland also will benefit from the return of several talented players, most notably Cohen Cook (WR/LB), Nick Wagner (WR/LB) and Hunter Watson (TE/LB), who missed most of last season with injuries. Cook is one of the Cape-Atlantic League’s top athletes. He led the Mustangs to the CAL basketball title last winter.
“He’s Mr. Everything for us,” Smith said. “He’s our punter, our kicker. He’s the best athlete on the team by far. He has great hands, great vision. He looks like he’s out there toying with people sometimes. He hasn’t seen the top end yet of what he’s capable of doing.”
Defensive end Paul Lombardo and middle linebacker JJ Sinclair lead the defense.
“JJ is a three-year starter, and he really got better as the season went on last year,” Smith said. “He truly understands the position.”
One of Mainland’s biggest additions is on the coaching staff. Former West Deptford head coach Clyde Folsom is now a Mustangs assistant overseeing the offensive line and inside linebackers. Folsom, a Mainland graduate who lives in Northfield, coached at Bishop Eustace and West Deptford before retiring after the 2017 season with 261 career wins and 10 South Jersey titles.
“He’s been a tremendous resource for us, obviously,” Smith said. “He’s a really good teacher on the football field. He’s a grinder. He’s teaching our coaching staff along the way also. I don’t want to say we’re in awe of having him on staff, but you can bounce stuff off of him, and he can give you an answer with all the experience he’s had.”
Mainland opens the season Aug. 26 against Egg Harbor Township at the Battle by the Beach in Ocean City. The Mustangs then play at rival Ocean City on Sept. 1.
“We really think we can make a serious run in the playoffs,” Smith said. “Winning our division is our goal. Our goal is to get to the championship game for South Jersey. That’s our mindset. I think it’s a matter of getting off to a great start. If we get off to a good start, like anything, you start to believe in it and that train gets going.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/mainland-regional-optimistic-for-2022-season/article_c4fe4002-1271-11ed-8395-efb8364af108.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:27 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/mainland-regional-optimistic-for-2022-season/article_c4fe4002-1271-11ed-8395-efb8364af108.html |
So far, Malachi Timberlake is having fun as the Pleasantville High School football coach.
“It’s definitely been a transition for myself,” he said. “But I get a chance to teach. There’s been ups and downs with the (players), but they’re starting to buy into what we’re trying to build and create here.”
Timberlake, 24, is one of the state’s youngest head coaches. He excelled at wide receiver/defensive back for Cedar Creek (class of 2016) and then played defensive back at Florida Tech. Timberlake was an assistant at Pleasantville in 2020 and at Cedar Creek last season.
He thought about giving up coaching after last season, having landed a 9-to-5 office job at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township.
“I hated it,” he said with a laugh. “I tried to get myself away from football because football has been my life since I was 4 years old. But I keep finding myself coming back to football.”
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Timberlake applied for the Pleasantville position last winter and was hired.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said. “I’m from Pleasantville originally. My mom is an alumni. My grandmother is an alumni. It’s a great feeling to be back where my family started.”
Timberlake has built an impressive staff. Kamal Johnson, who played defensive line at Temple and in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, is the defensive coordinator.
The Greyhounds finished 0-10 last season.
“Last year was a rough year for them,” Timberlake said. “But we’re going to bounce back. We’re going to be a good football team. We’re going to be fast. We’re going to be physical, and we’re definitely going to be disciplined.”
Senior quarterback Samir Miller has plenty of potential. He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.99 seconds last spring. In the 2021 season, Miller ran for 670 yards and five touchdowns and threw six TD passes.
“I think he’s one of the best athletes in the state of New Jersey,” Timberlake said. “He’s very dynamic. Is he a true quarterback? No, but he’s been stepping up into that role. We’re going to lean on him.”
The Greyhounds have depth at running back with Kwalil Shepperson, Ah’shod Hill and Qasim Asadullah.
Senior wide receiver/defensive back Xander Roberts-Bogin was the Atlantic County 400 dash champion in the spring. He caught 20 passes for 291 yards last season.
“Xander has been leading us on both sides of the ball,” Timberlake said. “I think he’s going to have that breakout season.”
Ibn Burton, a 6-foot-2, 265-pound senior transfer from Winslow Township, leads the offensive line. Jalen Ford, a 6-3, 260-pound junior, is also an offensive lineman with plenty of potential. Timberlake called junior center Dominic Rodriguez the quarterback of the offensive line.
Senior defensive lineman Chris Wright should be a force. Timberlake said Wright will benefit from Johnson’s experience and coaching.
“Chris is very explosive and strong,” Timberlake said. “Last year, he had 90 tackles and 30 tackles for loss, but he did it without being technical. You’re going to see him make a lot more plays easier than what he did in previous years.
Semaj Williams and Dwayne Carter return in the secondary. Shepperson also plays linebacker. He had two interceptions and two blocked punts in 2021.
Pleasantville has struggled since finishing 8-3 and reaching the South Jersey Group II semifinals in 2019. Timberlake is the Greyhounds’ fourth coach in the last four seasons.
One of the biggest things Timberlake can do is bring stability to the program.
“I think our kids are great. They deserve more,” he said. “We’re there for them. Everyone is counting us out. No one sees us coming, and that’s the beauty of it. We’re taking it one day at a time. I tell them if we handle our business, we’re going to be just fine.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/malachi-timberlake-takes-over-as-pleasantville-coach/article_8cc6b272-19c0-11ed-b541-c3ca951bf76a.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:33 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/malachi-timberlake-takes-over-as-pleasantville-coach/article_8cc6b272-19c0-11ed-b541-c3ca951bf76a.html |
John Tierney was waiting for this opportunity.
Tierney was an assistant coach for nine seasons (six as offensive coordinator) for the Pinelands Regional High School football team. After that stint, he became an assistant for six years at Lacey Township. He then coached middle school football and later the freshman team at Pinelands.
On Jan. 24, Tierney was named the head coach of the Wildcats. He takes over for Matt Fuller, who coached the program the previous five seasons.
“I absolutely love it,” Tierney said. “Honestly, it has been a lifelong goal of mine to become a head coach. It has been a process. I have been coaching now for 21 years, so I feel like everything is finally lined up, and it’s a perfect time for me to be a head football coach. It is a pretty cool feeling.”
This could be an exciting season.
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About 60 players were expected to be on the varsity roster, Tierney said. That’s twice as many as Pinelands had in 2021. Only four players graduated from last season’s team, so there are some experienced players, too.
For the past three or four seasons, players did not always have to compete for positions and playing time because there was not as much depth. This summer’s practices featured competition every day. A lot of younger players will start, but the team has a strong mix of freshmen through seniors, Tierney said.
“Competition, when it is good, brings success,” Tierney added.
As with any new coach, there will be changes to the system and from the way the team did things in the past, Tierney said. For instance, the Wildcats will have a new look on offense, a system the players were starting to pick up.
“The kids are putting a lot of work in,” Tierney said.
For Pinelands, the goal is to put out the best team possible each week, but that is not always about winning or losing, Tierney said. The first-year coach wants his player to work on not making mental mistakes and to eliminate bad penalties.
“Our biggest thing is to not beat yourself mentally,” the coach said. “If we keep grinding that in their minds, hopefully that will pay off.”
Some key players include quarterback Ray Allen, who is a leader and dangerous when running and passing the ball, fullback and middle linebacker Jack O’Brien, wide receiver and cornerback Anthony Rucci, wide receiver and safety Stephen Borden, twins Michael and Mekhi Hall, Connor Bonicky, Liam Villinger, Michael Frawley, Jaimin Parkinson, Anthony Aguanno and many others.
Michael Hall, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end, has been receiving offers from college programs, including NCAA Division I teams. Mehki plays tight end and middle linebacker. Most of the top Wildcats will play on both sides of the ball.
The entire school and community is behind the football team, Tierney said.
“We are looking pretty good,” Tierney added. “I really like the confidence level of the team. There is a new confidence with the team. The attitude is phenomenal. The process has been great getting to where we are now. We just have to keep building, building and building.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/new-coach-john-tierney-to-lead-pinelands-in-2022/article_755c628c-0217-11ed-bcd9-e37efb1c2afc.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:39 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/new-coach-john-tierney-to-lead-pinelands-in-2022/article_755c628c-0217-11ed-bcd9-e37efb1c2afc.html |
There is an uncertainty around the Ocean City High School football team.
That doesn’t mean the Red Raiders aren’t optimistic about the upcoming season.
Ocean City graduated multiple standouts from last season’s team, which finished 12-1 and lost to Millville in the South Jersey Group IV final.
“It’s one of those years where we don’t know what we have,” Ocean City coach Kevin Smith said. “The last couple of years we felt pretty confident about the roster and where we were. I think we know this year we have some really good players back, but there’s a lot of young guys who have to step up. Until pads go on and we see how kids respond to adversity, we don’t really know.”
One thing Ocean City can feel certain about is senior quarterback Riley Gunnels. The 6-foot-4, 216-pound Gunnels threw for 1,395 yards and 17 touchdowns and ran for 183 yards and 11 scores last season.
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“Riley’s come back, and he looks like a totally different kid,” Smith said. “He’s just faster with everything. He sees things better. He reads things faster. He knows what he wants to do with the ball. He’s progressed tremendously.”
The Red Raiders also have experience at the skill positions. Senior wide receiver/running back Jake Hoag averaged 23.8 yards per catch last season.
“He’s dynamic,” Smith said. “We’re going to try to get him the ball in space as much as we can. He showed last year he’s a really good route runner, and his quickness makes him difficult to cover.”
Justin Gooden, a 6-foot, 235-pound junior, leads the offensive and defensive lines.
The Red Raiders will also rely on other veterans. Jon Moyer, who started on defense at cornerback as a sophomore last season, also will play wide receiver and running back. Senior lineman Brock Cook will have an expanded role.
“There’s some good kids there,” Smith said, “but they haven’t had a chance to be featured yet.”
Several newcomers are expected to contribute. Roy Salugta, who played mostly junior varsity last season, will see time at running back. Duke Guenther, a junior transfer from Minnesota, should also contribute at running back and defensive back. Duke’s father, Paul, has worked as the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals and the Las Vegas Raiders. He was an assistant with the Minnesota Vikings last season.
Ocean City graduated eight starters on defense. Andrew Karayiannis and Nick Layton will play key roles at inside linebacker. Layton started at safety last season.
“Those guys will have to have real good seasons for us,” Smith said. “Teams will want to run the ball, and we have to stop the run.”
Ocean City was a combined 27-6 the past three seasons. What do the Red Raiders need to do to sustain that success?
“The biggest thing for us is we need the inexperienced players to mature in a hurry,” Smith said. “There’s not a lot of time for these guys to grow up on the job. It has to click fast. It will be a big year for the senior class. Last year’s senior class, we had a lot of questions about, but they were ready. Hopefully, the same will be true of this group.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/oc-hopes-young-players-mature-quickly/article_89f68c2e-144e-11ed-9feb-cbe677599d64.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:46 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/oc-hopes-young-players-mature-quickly/article_89f68c2e-144e-11ed-9feb-cbe677599d64.html |
The Wildwood High School football team is excited for many reasons.
The Warriors have about 40 players on their roster this season. When summer workouts began, about 25 came each day, and more participated as the summer started to wind down. The numbers have been higher than past years, Wildwood coach Ken Loomis said.
“That part has been absolutely awesome,” Loomis said.
Wildwood, which finished 1-7 last fall, will compete in a new division this year, the Horizon, with Lindenwold (1-8), Riverside (0-10), Gloucester Catholic (0-11), Schalick (4-6) and Bishop Eustace (2-8).
Last season, the Warriors competed against top teams such as Gloucester City (9-1), Bordentown (10-1) and other larger programs. Wildwood’s only win was against Riverside.
“We are just looking to make sure we can compete,” Loomis said. “I think it’s a very competitive and fair division. We should all be in close games this season.”
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Wildwood only graduated three starters, so most will return with a lot of playing experience, Loomis said. The only downside: Wildwood lost its starting quarterback, Ernie Troiano IV, to graduation. Junior Hans will transition from wide receiver to QB this season, Loomis said.
Wide receivers and defensive backs Ryan Troiano and Joey Mormile, two-way linemen Angelo Bromley, Francisco Cruz, Niko Kalogeris and Lance Lillo and Harley Buscham (linebacker), Gabe Rossett (defensive back) and Nate Wolf (offensive lineman) are some of the other returning starters.
“There shouldn’t be much of a learning curve from last year,” Loomis said. “We will have a new quarterback under center this year, so we have to make sure we are getting everyone coached up, fill those open positions, learn and understand the playbook, and then I think we will be ready to rock and roll come game time. I have no doubt about that.”
In the offseason, Hans impressed at practice and did everything the coach asked of the junior signal-caller. Over the course of the summer, Hans, who also is a standout basketball player, was given more responsibilities to lead and command the team, Loomis said.
“He leads not only with vocals, but by example,” Loomis said of Hans. “He has a presence around the field with the other kids. Everyone looks up to him and is around him. He is our guy. We will go as he goes throughout this year.”
Along with a new division, loads of returning talent and increased numbers, the Warriors also have some new assistant and volunteer coaches, Loomis said. So, the atmosphere is also different. And with a fair and competitive schedule, the optimism is there for Wildwood.
“We are definitely excited,” Loomis said. “Everyone is excited. Coaches, players, administration, parents and everyone around town here. We are hoping for a nice, good season this year.
“We are just looking to have some fun, move the ball up and down the field and enjoy our Friday nights.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/plenty-of-reasons-for-wildwoods-optimistic-outlook/article_74477e04-01f4-11ed-addb-f76de3044967.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:52 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/plenty-of-reasons-for-wildwoods-optimistic-outlook/article_74477e04-01f4-11ed-addb-f76de3044967.html |
On a sunny, humid July day, a woman spotted Nasir Turner standing on the Ocean City Boardwalk in his full Atlantic City High School football uniform for a photo shoot.
“Football in this heat,” the woman said. “Ugh.”
Exactly.
When it comes to New Jersey high school football, the “frozen tundra” has been replaced by the three H’s — hazy, hot and humid.
The season starts Friday. Many South Jersey teams will play two games before school even starts. Some teams will play six games before Oct. 1.
“The game has changed,” said Turner, a senior running back and wide receiver. “It takes a lot of dedication. Sometimes you wake up (in the summer) and you might not want to work out, but you have to have that drive. I just want to be the best I can.”
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These days teams hold workouts and practices in the heat of July. Teams travel to 7-on-7 competitions on summer weekends. Practice officially began Aug. 10.
Players and coaches try to circumvent the heat with morning or evening practices. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association has a heat acclimation policy that doesn’t permit full pads or 100% live contact drills until the sixth day of official practices.
All that football leaves little time for the beach.
“In the past two years,” Ocean City quarterback Riley Gunnels said, “I’ve had a total of five beach days. If we’re not practicing for high school, I’ll be at a camp or throwing with my friends at the field.”
This is in stark contrast to the way things once were. The New Jersey high school football season was once synonymous with the changing leaves of fall. The 1996 Ocean City team that won the South Jersey Group IV title played its first game on Sept. 27. Back then, the end of the season was centered around Thanksgiving Day rivalries. Teams had four or even five preseason scrimmages. Nowadays, many teams have just two.
“Before, you could ease into your season,” Mainland Regional coach Chuck Smith said. “The kids had summer. You still lifted in the summer, but we didn’t have the summer practices. Now, summer goes by the wayside for football. As soon as school is over, you’re right in the weight room. You’re practicing in July. You’re in the weight room in July. August hits and you just continue to do it.”
Over time, the season’s starting date crept earlier and earlier as some Thanksgiving rivalries fell away and the playoffs expanded and grew in importance.
This will be the first season New Jersey will crown state champions in each of the five public school enrollment groups. That means two extra weekends of games compared to the 1990s and much of the 2000s. In 1996, only four teams qualified in each section. Now, eight teams qualify.
This season, the public school playoffs will begin Oct. 28/29. The season will end with state title games the first weekend of December. But most teams will see their seasons end in the first week of November.
“I don’t mind it,” Smith said of the early start. “I like the way the playoffs are formatted now. I think it’s more competitive, and you have a chance to play for a true title.”
Busy summers
Coaches and administrators do what they can to allow players to experience a bit of summer vacation.
Mainland has two blackout weeks when no practices in any sport can be held and coaches are not allowed to contact athletes. The first is the week after graduation in June. The second was in August before practices began.
Families know these are the weeks to plan vacations. Coaches try to avoid conflicts by handing parents and players the practice/game schedule well in advance. Smith shares the entire Mainland schedule at the team’s May signup meeting.
“Everything is spelled out,” he said.
Players must not only juggle vacation plans with workouts but also summer jobs. Holy Spirit senior lineman Robert McDevitt lives in Ventnor, three blocks from the beach. This summer, he often got home at 1 a.m. from his job as a bar back at Robert’s Place in Margate. Spirit began its summer workouts at 6:30 a.m.
“I’m quite tired sometimes,” McDevitt said, “but when it comes to practice, I’m always 100% making sure the team is ready to go.”
With the advent of public school state championship games, the early season starts aren’t going away anytime soon.
For the foreseeable future, high school football players are more likely to deal with sweltering heat than freezing temperatures.
Players say they’re fine with sacrificing the summer for the football field. There will be plenty of time for beach days when their playing careers are over.
“Football,” McDevitt said, “is the only thing that matters.”
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“Now, summer goes by the wayside for football. As soon as school is over, you’re right in the weight room. You’re practicing in July. You’re in the weight room in July. August hits and you just continue to do it.” Mainland coach Chuck Smith | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/the-three-hs-hazy-hot-humid-meet-the-xs-and-os/article_5f9b9348-18c2-11ed-8310-7360be779050.html | 2022-08-26T11:00:58 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/the-three-hs-hazy-hot-humid-meet-the-xs-and-os/article_5f9b9348-18c2-11ed-8310-7360be779050.html |
The Vineland High School football team is ready.
Last season, the Fighting Clan suffered some injuries and finished 2-10. Vineland also featured some younger players who gained varsity experience as the year unfolded. With additions to the coaching staff and more experience this fall, the team is ready to compete.
“We are just hoping to hit the reset button and get back to our winning ways,” Vineland coach Dan Russo said. “We had a tough season last year. We are just looking to bounce back.”
Russo, entering his 10th season as the Vineland coach, said the team committed to the offseason program.
Vineland will also be balanced this year, he said said.
Daniel Russo, the coach’s son, is a sophomore quarterback with one year under his belt. As a freshman, he threw for 729 yards with six touchdowns and rushed for 499 yards and seven touchdowns. Russo plays basketball and track and field, too, and is one of the strongest athletes on the team, Dan Russo said.
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Senior wide receiver James Hitchens Jr. also is expected to make an impact and be the top receiver. Senior defensive end Emmanuel Doivilus, who earned a few NCAA Division I scholarship offers, is a 6-foot-5, 255-pound threat.
The College of William & Mary is one program that has recruited Doivilus, who will also play on the offensive line. The line will be one of the team’s strengths, Russo said. The linemen are each over 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, the coach added.
“I feel like our strength and what will help make us very successful is being pretty strong across the board at every position,” Russo said. “I feel like this group has what it takes to win.”
Vineland will be in an entirely new division this fall, like many programs across the West Jersey Football League. The Fighting Clan will be in the Continental Division with Holy Spirit (5-6), Washington Township (6-3), Kingsway Regional (8-5) and Clearview Regional (6-5). Kingsway won the South Jersey Group V title, and Holy Spirit reached the state Non-Public B semifinals.
The competition will be tough. “They are all very good teams,” Russo said.
But Vineland is no stranger to tough competition.
The previous two seasons, the Fighting Clan competed in the American Division with St. Augustine Prep (9-2), one of the top programs in the state, Millville (10-1), which won the S.J. Group IV and Group IV Regional titles, and Shawnee (8-4).
Playing those tough programs was beneficial, and new offensive coordinator Kevin Tucker and new defensive coordinator Dwayne Hendricks also will help Vineland succeed, Russo said.
“We are going to go out there and compete,” said Russo, noting the American Division is the toughest in the WJFL while the Continental is the third toughest. “We are always in a hard division.”
The expectation is a lot of wins and a playoff run.
“This is a really fun group of guys to coach,” Russo said. “It’s a new year. It’s a new start. Our focus right now is our first game, which is Oakcrest (Aug. 26). They want to get us back on track. We are ready to go.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/vineland-hopes-to-rebound-after-2-10-finish-in-2021/article_c1a122e4-03a3-11ed-a303-6faa5283ce53.html | 2022-08-26T11:01:04 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/vineland-hopes-to-rebound-after-2-10-finish-in-2021/article_c1a122e4-03a3-11ed-a303-6faa5283ce53.html |
The Absegami High School football team already had to adjust its season plans.
Chris Sacco, who was about to begin his third season as the Braves’ coach, stepped down in July to become the athletic director at Hammonton, his alma mater.
Absegami acted quickly and named longtime assistant Jim Harritopulos as Sacco’s successor.
“It was a shock at first,” Harritopulos said of Sacco’s departure. “But I think we’re very fortunate that the administration stepped in right away and made the smooth, seamless transition of keeping the staff together and allowing the kids to keep their comfort zone.”
Harritopulos graduated from Holy Spirit in 2002 and played at Western Connecticut State University. He began his coaching career as a Holy Spirit assistant in 2007. Harritopulos joined the Braves’ staff in 2009. Harritopulos credited his staff and the school administration for helping him make the transition to being a head coach.
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“It’s been exciting,” Harritopulos said. “We’re kind of just rolling with the punches. We’re very fortunate. The kids are young. They’re hard working and doing everything right. We’re trending in the right direction. ”
Absegami will compete in South Jersey Group IV and the West Jersey Football League United Division this season. The Braves will play primarily juniors and sophomores this year.
‘They show up every day and compete,” Harritopulos said of the Braves. “To be honest with you, we’re so young right now we’re still trying to find an identity.”
The Braves must replace quarterback Ray Weed, who graduated after throwing for 1,423 yards and rushing for 950 yards last season.
Kendall Armstrong, a sophomore, and junior Emir Chambers are the top candidates to replace Weed. Chambers played wide receiver last season.
While the Braves are young, they will feature several players who made their mark last season.
Gabriel Wilkins, a 6-foot-2, 265-pound junior, will lead the offensive and defensive lines. He made 52 tackles and had six sacks in 2021. Wilkins played every position on the offensive line in his first two seasons.
Junior running back/linebacker Andrew Whyee made 60 tackles.
“He competes every rep,” Harritopulos said of Whyee. “He pushes people. He gets everybody lined up. He’s a quiet leader. He does everything right. He shows up early and stays late.”
On offense, junior Rashad Floys showed potential at running back, while junior wide receiver Nyjere Robinson caught 17 passes for 415 yards and five TDs last season.
“Nyjere Robinson is a great kid,” Harritopulos said. “He’s one of our leaders.”
Absegami opens the season Sept. 2 at home against rival Cedar Creek, the defending South/Central Group III champion. Both schools are members of the Greater Egg Harbor School District.
“We have to be ready for Week 1,” Harritopulos said. “We’re arguably one of the best (programs) in South Jersey. I think if we’re ready for Week 1, we’ll be ready for the season.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/young-absegami-seeks-identity/article_aedf5faa-1504-11ed-b7da-5fafb2280f99.html | 2022-08-26T11:01:10 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/young-absegami-seeks-identity/article_aedf5faa-1504-11ed-b7da-5fafb2280f99.html |
Through TikTok videos, JMatt showcases what makes Milwaukee so special for his 181,100 followers
Before TikTok was the powerhouse of an app that is today, Jeffrey "JMatt" Matthias was on it.
Over the years, he's created all sorts of short-form videos on the platform, from ones of him attempting to solve puzzles on a dry-erase board to him doing popular TikTok trends.
In the summer of 2020, he found his space on the app. That's when his content started focusing on something that he's very passionate about.
His beloved home, Milwaukee.
Now, he creates TikToks that highlight what the city has to offer, from local restaurants to events, and shares them with @JMattMKE's more than 181,100 followers.
From random videos to finding his Milwaukee niche
JMatt joined the app in 2019.
"Any time there's a new platform out there that is getting conversations started, I'm there," said JMatt, a senior content strategist.
He initially posted random videos, then found some success in puzzle and riddle content.
He had noticed that the creators of those videos were typically only showing the puzzles and their hands — not their faces.
Knowing that putting a face to your online content tends to attract more viewers and engagement, that's exactly what he started doing.
"People like to identify with other people," he said.
From consistently posting these and a variety of other videos — from trying out viral trends to him in the KISS FM studios where he was formerly a DJ — he garnered about 25,000 followers.
During the pandemic, JMatt turned to TikTok as his creative outlet and discovered his niche.
JMatt had heard that the "pirate barge" off of the Milwaukee River was for sale during the summer of 2020. When he was on a pontoon boat with a group, they went to check it out and filmed the experience.
The water levels were significantly higher than usual, JMatt said, and they barely cleared a bridge they needed to go under to access the barge.
"That part really drew people in," he said.
The TikTok ends as they reach the barge. JMatt told his followers that if the video blew up, he would post a Part 2 with what it's like on the barge.
He was expecting the first post to get between 50,000 to 100,000 views.
"In under 24 hours, it had a million views," JMatt said. "And that week, I gained 50,000 followers."
That video currently has 5.3 million views and over 760,300 likes.
The TikTok was the perfect storm: An element of risk, some Milwaukeeans not knowing the barge existed, and other locals who had their own connections to the barge, JMatt said.
"You had a large variety of people sharing experiences from being a local," he said. "I was like, 'Man, I think Milwaukee is the angle here."
And with his time in local media and his love for the city, it was the perfect pair.
Promoting Milwaukee and what it has to offer
That summer, JMatt honed in on creating Milwaukee-centric content that would still work during a pandemic.
"For me, it was about supporting local," he said. "It was like, 'How do you promote these restaurants that are still active?"
He made videos on must-visit beer gardens, rooftop patio bars, pizza joints, parks and more.
"When it finally started getting traction, I had a good rhythm behind me and it just continued to grow from there," he said.
At this point, JMatt typically posts between one and three videos a week. Some of his recent content has included five speakeasies in Milwaukee; him participating in the Wisconsin State Fair's cream puff eating competition; and a continuation of his series checking out new or lesser-known restaurants.
"I want to show, in different categories, what's available as options," JMatt said. "I'm very adamant not reviewing anything. I don't rate anything. I don't rank anything. I don't even really recommend anything. I'm simply showing fellow locals what options are available in Milwaukee that they can go and support."
Brands now reach out to JMatt for collaborations.
Red Bull approached him to be one of the celebrity judges for its 2022 Flugtag, which is named after the German word for "flying day."
During the event, teams launched homemade, human-powered airships off of a 27-foot-tall flight deck and glided over — and then into — Lake Michigan. For some, it was more of a crash into the water. It was the first time Wisconsin hosted the event, which has been around for more than three decades.
"When I was up there judging that next to Donald Driver, I was like, 'How did I get here?' " JMatt said. "Literally, I'm next to a Hall of Fam Packer player who needs no introduction. And then I'm a TikToker."
JMatt has also worked with Culver's, Pepsi Dig In, local restaurants and more.
"I don't take it for granted by any means," he said. "I just want to continue to keep doing what I've been doing that people seem to enjoy."
During the past year, JMatt has started hosting meetups for the local TikTok community. He also runs HastagMKE, a social media networking community he founded in 2017. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/08/26/tiktok-jmattmke-videos-highlight-milwaukee-businesses-events/7897482001/ | 2022-08-26T11:20:10 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/08/26/tiktok-jmattmke-videos-highlight-milwaukee-businesses-events/7897482001/ |
Millions spent to keep invasive fish out of the Great Lakes, but who is protecting the Mississippi River?
Federal and state agencies spend millions of dollars every year to keep destructive invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, at least 25 destructive species — like water fleas and bloody red shrimp — are inching closer to the Mississippi River Basin.
Invasive silver carp have invaded nearly every part of the Mississippi River already, devouring plankton and leaving native fish like walleye, perch and whitefish to go hungry.
That’s what brings scientist Jim Lamer and his crew out on an electrofishing boat on the Illinois River on a warm summer day. There are more silver carp here than just about anywhere in the world. Lamer runs the Illinois River Biological Station in Havana, Ill., which is about 200 miles south of Chicago, just north of where the river meets the Mississippi near St. Louis.
“They're voracious eaters,” said Lamer, “and they're eating the base of the food web.”
That’s bad for fishers and bad for the ecosystem.
Invasive carp were introduced in the U.S. in the 1970s to control algae in aquaculture ponds. The fish began turning up in Illinois rivers in the '90s, but populations really took off in the mid-2000s. Now there are more carp than any other fish in the Illinois River and officials are trying to keep them out of the Great Lakes.
When Lamer’s team turned on the electrofishing boat, electric shocks shot out into the water and stunned carp flew several feet into the air, slapping the boat and water as they landed. A couple of them even landed in the boat.
These days, Lamer said, the carp are just part of everyday life. It’s the next big invader that he is worried about. “You hear reports of things starting to make their way from down south or up north,” said Lamer, “that could be the next one that could alter the food web or the abundance and diversity of the fish that we have here.”
'Many other species'
Robert Hirschfeld has spent more than a decade studying the impact of aquatic invasive species in Illinois waters for the Prairie Rivers Network, a nonprofit advocacy group. He said silver carp are just one of many unwanted pests that could cause problems for the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
“Carp have gotten most of the attention and most of the money in terms of invasive species,” said Hirschfeld. “But there are many other species that are threatening to come into Illinois waters.”
Species like the fishhook water flea and the bloody red shrimp — which could be even worse than invasive carp. Many of them hitch rides in the ballast water of ships that come through the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is studying the problem. It issued the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study in 2014, which explored options for keeping invasive species from spreading between the two waterways. It found that 25 species could threaten the river ecosystems, which are some of the most biodiverse in the world.
Reuben Keller leads an aquatic invasive ecology lab out of Loyola University in Chicago, where he’s been researching the existing fail-safes preventing invasives from going back and forth between the Illinois River and the Great Lakes.
“We know that fishhook water flea, we know that bloody red shrimp, get to very high densities in Lake Michigan,” said Keller. “That gives us every reason to be concerned and to try and be proactive, keeping them out of other freshwater ecosystems.”
Invertebrates can pass through barrier
The Army Corps has built massive shock barriers that cost millions of dollars a year to operate, in order to stun Asian carp and keep invasive fish out of the lakes. But fish aren’t the only threat.
Keller is investigating how well the barriers work against invertebrates — those little, sometimes microscopic, spineless organisms like quagga mussels, scud, water fleas and bloody red shrimp.
What he found is that the expensive barriers at the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal may keep carp out but invertebrates can still drift through. The electric zap doesn’t fully stun them.
“We know that invertebrates have moved through before,” said Keller, “and caused some really big problems … like the zebra and quagga mussels.”
Those species have killed off native mussels, a serious problem in Illinois where 25 of the state’s 62 native mussels are currently listed as threatened or endangered. Moreover, the zebra mussel has added up to costly problems by blocking up water intake pipes for power plants.
“We ought to be out there doing the science to try and figure out what the risks are,” said Keller.
He said the risk such species pose to the Illinois and Mississippi rivers is unknown because there is not enough research being done, and not enough money is being spent to prevent potential catastrophes.
Risk to Mississippi unknown
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has developed a risk assessment program for aquatic invasive species across the Great Lakes, which has translated into a watch list of top priority invasive pests to combat. Presently, there is no parallel watch list for the Mississippi River basin.
Meantime, the Army Corps has launched another expensive project to keep invasives out of Lake Michigan: a nearly $900 million plan to upgrade a complicated series of locks and electric and acoustic barriers in Joliet, Ill.
The Army Corps has been authorized to address the interbasin transfer of aquatic species. But Congress has yet to direct funding to begin that study.
Hirschfeld said this leaves the basin with just another one-way solution. Projects like the one in Illinois might keep carp out of the lakes, but water fleas and other invertebrates will still pose a threat to the rivers.
“If we can spend billions, hundreds of millions on the Great Lakes,” Hirschfeld said, “where is the vision for our rivers, our inland rivers?”
The Great Lakes have a compact. They have a multi-state environmental initiative. That’s how advocates get millions of federal dollars to keep invasive species out. But the Mississippi River basin lacks an overarching management system. Environmental groups lobby to protect the basin and its natural resources, but it lacks a shared governance. Advocates say, without more resources, the Mississippi and its tributaries remain in uneasy waters.
This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an editorially independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri School of Journalism in partnership with Report For America and funded by the Walton Family Foundation. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/08/26/who-protecting-mississippi-river-invasive-species-carp/7887729001/ | 2022-08-26T11:20:16 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/08/26/who-protecting-mississippi-river-invasive-species-carp/7887729001/ |
WATERLOO — One of the city’s newest organizations is here, queer and ready to take action in the LGBTQ+ community.
The Cedar Valley LGBTQ+ Coalition, started in early 2022, is working on giving opportunities to all people – kids and adults – for a safe space.
Sam Blatt, the coalition’s treasurer, noted that nowadays many safe spaces are online and not in real life. The organization seeks to cultivate those real-life spaces where people feel affirmed in their identity and supported in their growth, according to its mission statement.
“We want to promote that we want to include people who don’t feel included,” Blatt said.
She has some concerns about that in the Cedar Valley, based on 2021 data about LGBTQ+ equality in city government from the Human Rights Campaign and The Equality Federation. The HRC Municipal Equality Index says the data demonstrates the ways cities support their LGBTQ+ community even when states and federal governments don’t.
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Waterloo scored the lowest of nine Iowa cities included on the scorecard – 71 out of 100. Iowa’s average was 93 points and the U.S. average is 67.
Dubuque, Iowa City and West Des Moines each received 100. Davenport scored 98, Cedar Rapids got 97, Des Moines got 96, Ames had 94 and Sioux City got 79. Cedar Falls was not rated.
Waterloo scored well in non-discrimination laws and law enforcement, which includes having an LGBTQ+ police liaison or task force and reporting hate crime statistics to the FBI.
It didn’t do so well in the areas of transgender-inclusive health care benefits or an inclusive workspace in municipal work places. Waterloo also didn’t score well in efforts to ensure LGBTQ+ residents are included in city services and programs.
“We’re good but could do so much better,” said Blatt. “I don’t feel like I’ll get hate crimed but I don’t put a pride flag outside of my house.”
Blatt said that she found the queer community as an adult and believes things could have been different if there was more of an LGBTQ+ presence in her life at a younger age.
That’s why the group is focused on creating shared spaces for kids as well as adults. She noted a lot of the community mostly gathers at gay bars.
In May, though, the organization hosted an event at the local Boys & Girls Club for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults to meet.
During the event, young people said they would like to see more LGBTQ+ oriented activities – such as a dance, and connections to other schools’ Gay-Straight Alliances, according to organizers.
The coalition currently does not have an office space. However, it is working on creating more events and will be present at Cedar Valley Pridefest being held downtown Friday and Saturday. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/cedar-valley-organization-includes-lgbtq-people-of-all-ages/article_ed4e2734-0cb0-5602-be39-019bb18c227b.html | 2022-08-26T11:28:09 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/cedar-valley-organization-includes-lgbtq-people-of-all-ages/article_ed4e2734-0cb0-5602-be39-019bb18c227b.html |
CEDAR FALLS — An Illinois woman has been charged with neglect in connection with three dogs found at a Cedar Falls motel where she had been staying earlier this month.
Billie Charlene Wentzel, 55, currently of Savanna, formerly of Hampton, was arrested Aug. 19 on three counts of animal neglect causing injury. She is also awaiting trial for a weapons charge in connection with a handgun found at the motel.
According to police, officers were sent to Americinn Lodge and Suites on Nordic Drive on Aug. 12 and found malnourished dogs at her room. Animal Control officials seized the dogs – a Maltese, a Pitbull and a Rottweiler – and police found a .40-caliber Glock pistol in her belongings.
A Humane Society evaluation found the Maltese had was limping and had dental issues. The Pitbull was underweight and had bacterial and yeast infections. The Rottweiler was severely malnourished, had conjunctivitis in both eyes, an ear infection, bacterial and yeast infection covering most of the body, and dental issues, according to court records.
A Cedar Falls man accused of allowing hundreds of pigs to starve to death in December has pleaded to one count of bank fraud in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.
Dozens of animals were rescued and several were found dead during an investigation of a report of animal neglect at a rural Alta Vista property this week. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/woman-charged-with-animal-neglect-after-malnourished-dogs-found/article_aff3836b-41c7-55f2-8206-844d5a90faea.html | 2022-08-26T11:28:15 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/woman-charged-with-animal-neglect-after-malnourished-dogs-found/article_aff3836b-41c7-55f2-8206-844d5a90faea.html |
DENVER — As the finishing touches are put on the new $18.5 million Denver High School/Middle School, Superintendent Brad Laures regularly checks in on the progress.
Classes will start Monday in the building at 800 Longview St. But, even as of Thursday, Laures was finding something new since his last walk-through of the halls and classrooms. Often it’s furniture that is still being delivered, largely because of supply chain issues.
“Larson Construction has been phenomenal at working through some of those supply chain issues and coming up with solutions or alternate products, or alternative sources for some of that stuff,” Laures said.
The first day of classes for middle and high school students was moved back a week to allow for additional work to wrap up. Students in elementary school and transitional kindergarten typically start on the same day as secondary grades, but their first day was held Thursday.
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Fifty-two middle and high school employees are getting ready to welcome 255 sixth- through 12th-grade students into their new educational home.
Student orientation was held this week. Seniors were the first to officially check out the new school Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
“It’s very rewarding to see all the smiles, the jaws drop, and gasps when people first see it,” said Laures. “A lot of people put a lot of work into this, and it makes the end product all the more worthwhile.
“The goal was to have facilities match the quality of our education. And we feel we’ve done that. People can be prouder than ever to be a Denver Cyclone.”
The building has been under construction since April 2021 and is attached to the Cyclone Center, the 5-year-old arts and athletics building considered the first phase of expansion to address increased enrollment.
Voters approved a $7.75 million bond issue for the new secondary facility, the second phase, in 2020.
The school morning had him revving up to be one of the first faces Lincoln Elementary School students saw before walking along a red carpet.
“Larson Construction has been phenomenal working through some of the challenges,” Laures said.
Grace Swales, Maddy Northey and Emma Giesler were among a group of 10th graders handing out new Cyclone apparel during the seniors’ orientation.
They were among the students who will transition from the former high school and middle school, less than a mile away, in between East Eagle and Lincoln streets.
Some of their initial reaction was on how the building “looks a lot nicer than the old building” and is “more open” in terms of collaborative space. But – similar to what Laures described – at least one of the students said her “jaw dropped” when she saw the new surroundings.
Among the constant work, Laures noted how more lunch room tables were delivered and carpet was put down Thursday. The student lockers will be one feature noticeably missing. They’re expected for early September, and a walk-in fridge and freezer in the kitchen is a month or two months out.
A circular drop-off area and wrestling room are among the list of things not quite having to come to fruition. But they are in the works to eventually be added. Fundraising continues for the “3 Mats Wide” campaign for a facility likely ready before the wrestling season while the driveway is a year or two away.
“The new building offers the opportunity for more innovative learning, and will prepare our students for life beyond high school,” said High School Principal Taylor Anderson. “There’s been a lot of planning and prepping with a lot of stakeholders, including our Board of Education. We’ve had the growth to warrant the new building and the community has backed us along the way.
“We’re super excited to welcome them back. It’s going to be a fresh start, literally and figuratively,” he added.
The new middle and high school school addition is two stories totaling some 70,000 square feet.
New technologies and smaller break-out spaces will play a role in teaching those 21st century skills targeted by Denver Community Schools’ educators. Additionally, variations of furniture and windows allowing for additional lighting are creating a more inviting atmosphere than in the old building.
“The environment matches what you’d see in a lot of businesses,” said math teacher Joshua Lehman. “You’re no longer just sitting in a cubicle all day, you’re getting up and able to act collaboratively.”
The two sports gymnasiums and indoor track are to the east of the new addition. At the center of the new building is now a large common area for lunch and study hall.
Besides plenty of seating, there’s a larger-than-life Denver Cyclones banner wall up high, a catwalk overlooking it to the north, and a structural beam with signatures from families.
The auditorium, bands and choir rooms are among the spaces to the south. The choir room also is the place to convene in case of an emergency disaster.
The entry to the academic wing to the west leads to a bottom floor of mostly high school classrooms as well as a top floor of middle school classrooms and the library. An electric fireplace is one of the cool features noticed by those sitting in the new open space on the second floor.
Available are collaborative rooms with televisions to hook up to laptops, seen on many college campuses, and seating for groups to discuss or work on a project in the open.
The budget was kept in mind, but there’s great pride in the new STEM, family consumer science, and agriculture spaces as well as the highly anticipated industrial technology room, with metal and woodworking shops – which won’t be fully ready for a week or two.
Particularly enhanced is the learning space where eight students with special needs will have access to a small kitchen and laundry appliances. The space will allow them to adequately learn life and job skills.
“This room is like a small apartment,” said Bobbi Metcalf, a special education teacher who will share the space with five paraeducators. “It’s pretty surreal and brought tears to my eyes thinking about all the cool things we’ll have going on, and how we’ll be doing what’s best for kids.”
One stairwell has a special mural of words and phrases put together with lots of student input and assembled in the shape of a cyclone, the school’s mascot.
“They make you think of Denver,” said Laures.
And Laures emphasized how the new building will allow for “enhanced security,” because of a capability to lock all the doors, and a set-up that allows for visitors to funnel through the main office. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/denver-schools-readies-new-high-school-middle-school-building-for-classes/article_16c123d2-609e-56e6-8389-acb61cb91b45.html | 2022-08-26T11:28:21 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/denver-schools-readies-new-high-school-middle-school-building-for-classes/article_16c123d2-609e-56e6-8389-acb61cb91b45.html |
WATERLOO — The cities of Janesville and Jesup were among the latest recipients of funds from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association.
From a $300,000 pool money available to out-of-county agencies, $75,000 will help fund a new community space at the Janesville Public Library, 227 Main St.
Additionally, $50,000 will help cover the cost of a new splash pad at Liberty Volunteer Park, 100 Ann St., Jesup.
The ball is in Waterloo’s court at this point in time, according to officials involved with the effort.
The association awards up to 10% of annual revenue to eligible projects in Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Grundy and Tama counties.
“Outstanding efforts are taking place across Northeast Iowa to make communities better and stronger,” Executive Director Emily Hanson said in a news release. “It is a privilege to get to work with organizations outside of Black Hawk County to extend funds to some of our neighboring communities, too.”
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Revenue comes from the contracted fees received from the Isle Casino Hotel. Since its inception in 2007, the association has gifted more than $70 million to 657 different projects in seven counties and 51 cities in Northeast Iowa.
The city still expects a private fundraising group to raise $500,000 for the total estimated $5.25 million in improvements and enhancements.
Beginning Sept. 1, the association will begin accepting letters of intent for the next Black Hawk County grant cycle. Visit bhcga.org for further details on funding guidelines or contact staff at (319) 433-1153 to discuss potential project alignment.
Among the other recipients for projects this year was $15,000 to Tama County for a “natural playscape” at Otter Creek; $20,000 to Buchanan County Conservation for Lakeside-Prairie Campgrounds; $25,000 to Butler County Conservation for a fishing handicap ramp; $20,000 to New Hampton Parks and Recreation for an inclusive park; $10,000 to Chickasaw Township Fire Department for air packs replacement; $10,000 to Dysart Community Betterment Corporation for a Main Street pocket park; and $75,000 to the city of Reinbeck for an aquatic center bathouse. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/janesville-library-jesup-splash-pad-among-latest-to-receive-gaming-association-grants/article_2bbe68a5-62bd-5963-a041-c63924a00ca5.html | 2022-08-26T11:28:27 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/janesville-library-jesup-splash-pad-among-latest-to-receive-gaming-association-grants/article_2bbe68a5-62bd-5963-a041-c63924a00ca5.html |
Cops are looking for an alleged sex fiend who purportedly groped a teenage girl in a Queens elevator, and then offered to her money to spit on him.
The bizarre incident happened Aug. 8, though the NYPD just released details on Friday. According to police, on that afternoon a 14-year-old girl got into an elevator in a residential building in Flushing. A man who had followed her inside then began asking if she was a model.
He allegedly started taking her picture, before groping her and taking photos up her skirt, cops said.
Then, police say, he allegedly offered the girl $20 to "spit on him." She began screaming, and he left the building.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can submit tips on the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/teen-groped-in-queens-then-offered-money-to-spit-on-her-attacker/3840099/ | 2022-08-26T11:41:47 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/teen-groped-in-queens-then-offered-money-to-spit-on-her-attacker/3840099/ |
Police are looking for a man who allegedly asked a teenager for diaper money at a subway station - and then robbed him when the boy said no.
The NYPD released surveillance photos Friday of the suspect in the Aug. 17 robbery. The incident happened just after 6 p.m. on a Wednesday at the Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street subway station.
According to cops, a 17-year-old had just exited a downtown 6 train and was going through the station's turnstiles when he was approached by the suspect.
The man allegedly then asked the teen, "Can I have some money for diapers?" When the boy said no, the man physically threatened him. The boy handed over $20, and the alleged attacker fled.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can submit tips on the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/teen-robbed-in-midtown-for-diaper-money-cops-say/3840118/ | 2022-08-26T11:41:53 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/teen-robbed-in-midtown-for-diaper-money-cops-say/3840118/ |
As we approach the beginning of a new school year, let me share a special story with you.
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw someone moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself thinking of one who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer, he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" Came the reply, "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?"
"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
"But young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. "I made a difference for that one!"
What that young man’s actions represent is the something that is special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. We have to be aware of our gift and be willing to use it. And that’s our challenge. Emerging from the COVID pandemic adversity, it’s our time once again to continue that journey of success, folks! And if we throw our “stars” wisely and well, I have no doubt that our Oregon Coast, will have an outstanding future.
Remember our business is helping your business. And like us on Facebook. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/the-chamber-minute-making-a-difference/article_4b9b95e4-23f5-11ed-a890-f377b372f138.html | 2022-08-26T11:48:58 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/the-chamber-minute-making-a-difference/article_4b9b95e4-23f5-11ed-a890-f377b372f138.html |
IU Health Bloomington has lost a stroke certification. What that means for patients.
Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital has lost a prestigious stroke certification, which tracks, among other things, the time it takes between a stroke patient’s arrival and treatment.
An IU Health spokeswoman said via email the certification is voluntary, the hospital has other stroke certifications and it “continues to be a leading edge provider of stroke care.”
Accessibility problems at hospitalBloomington resident questions whether new $557M hospital violates accessibility laws
However, Dr. Ronnie Goswami, a Bloomington neurologist who formerly served as the hospital’s medical director for the stroke neurology team, said the loss of the certification means some regional patients may have to be transferred to more advanced hospitals in Indianapolis.
Goswami, who left the health system about 18 months ago, said under his leadership, the local hospital retained the certification uninterrupted for more than a decade.
Goswami and his wife, Nancy Goswami, a nurse by training, also said they worry about what the loss of the certification may mean for the speed with which patients receive care, which is especially important for stroke patients, where minutes can mean the difference between life, disability and death.
Stroke is among the leading causes of death
A stroke occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Stroke is among the leading causes of death, killing about 800,000 people in the U.S. every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke, and every 3.5 minutes, someone dies of stroke.
Stroke is also a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Stroke reduces mobility in more than half of survivors aged 65 and older.
The certification the local hospital lost is given by The Joint Commission, a nonprofit that, according to its website, is the nation’s “oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.” The organization is governed by a 21-member board that includes educators, nurses and physicians.
The commission’s associate director of communications, Katy Bronk, said health care organizations apply and have to pay a fee to get certified with “The Gold Seal of Approval.”
The certification loss at IU Health Bloomington leaves local residents without proximity to an “advanced primary stroke center.” The nearest hospitals with that certification are in Indianapolis. Twenty-three Indiana hospitals are certified as advanced primary stroke centers, according to the commission. Some are in communities with much smaller populations than Bloomington, including Valparaiso, La Porte and Warsaw, which has about 16,000 residents.
Doctor: Stroke patients may have to be taken elsewhere
Goswami said beyond speed of care, the lack of certification may mean some patients will have to be transferred, which brings its own set of problems, such as when transport vehicles are not available. Transfers by helicopter can be delayed by storms.
Goswami said the certification loss constitutes a blow to the facility’s reputation because it can no longer market itself as having the commission’s seal of approval for stroke care.
Samantha Kirby, senior public relations associate for IU Health, said via email the certification lapsed because the health system decided “to focus on the urgent needs of our patients and resources during the pandemic.”
The Bloomington facility for 2022 did retain its Joint Commission certification for "Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement."
IU Health spokeswoman: Hospital 'committed to excellent stroke care'
Kirby said despite loss of the stroke certification, IU Health Bloomington remains "committed to excellent stroke care with or without this voluntary certification and continues to have the same high standards for our care.”
She said the new Bloomington hospital holds other recognitions, including a Gold Plus Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite status with the American Heart Association and being rated “high performing” for strokes by U.S. News & World Report.
Patients hit with higher feesIU Health promised to freeze prices, then added fees to Bloomington patients' bills
The Joint Commission says on its website hospitals should pursue its certification for reasons including it creates a loyal, cohesive clinical team, provides a framework to improve patient outcomes and reduces the risk of error.
Goswami said during his time at the hospital, his team had to track and comply with measures such as the speed with which care was provided and follow up to make sure patients performed their physical therapy and took their medications to prevent recurrences and readmissions.
“These are very critical to the patient,” he said.
Goswami said at the height of the local stroke care program, it had three full-time neurologists at the hospital and three who were contracted.
Kirby said in the email the hospital now has a team of five neurologists, compared to three neurologists and two physicians in 2017.
IU Health Bloomington has a job opening on its website for a general outpatient neurologist. The posting reads that procedures to be performed include diagnostics and Botox injections.
The commission says on its website certifications enhance a facility’s ability “to attract top-level talent.”
IU Health Bloomington moved into a new $557 million facility in December. Its parent organization, also a nonprofit, generated more than $1 billion in profit last year, excluding a $16 million gift the organization made to the School of Nursing at IUPUI and a $400 million gift to Indiana University's School of Medicine. IRS tax records show IU Health Bloomington hospital between 2018 and 2020 generated profit exceeding $300 million.
Kirby said IU Health “is evaluating the re-certification with the Joint Commission as we continually evaluate the benefit of any certification to our patients.”
Stroke prevention
The CDC says you can help prevent stroke by making healthy choices:
- Choose healthy foods and drinks, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Get regular physical activity. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as a brisk walk, each week. Children and teens should get one hour of physical activity every day.
- Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking greatly increases your chances of having a stroke. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for stroke.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women should have no more than one per day.
- Control your medical conditions. If you have heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you can take steps to lower your risk for stroke.
- Have a doctor check your cholesterol at least once every five years.
- Have a doctor check your blood pressure.
- Have a doctor check you for diabetes.
- Treat your heart conditions. Taking care of heart problems can help prevent stroke.
- If you take medicine to treat heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.
- Work with your health care team. You and your health care team can work together to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to stroke. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/iu-health-bloomington-hospital-loses-joint-commission-stroke-certification/65417515007/ | 2022-08-26T11:49:28 | 0 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/iu-health-bloomington-hospital-loses-joint-commission-stroke-certification/65417515007/ |
It's elementary: 221B Baker Street is inside IU's Lilly Library through December
So, what does 221B have to do with Bloomington?
For the sleuths out there, the title provides the answer.
Social media users may have already found the evidence, answer and the exhibit, now at the Lilly Library on the Indiana University Bloomington campus.
Sherlock Holmes in 221 Objects provides graphics, books and the history of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's elementary, Dear Watson.
For those who want to learn more, the Lilly Library is the repository of the archives of the Baker Street Irregulars, the first literary society to study and honor Holmes.
So, grab your magnifying glass and head over for your own investigation of the items loaned by Glen S. Miranker. Public galleries are open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Drop-in public tours are at 2 p.m. Friday.
If you'd like to see more of the collection in photos, go to heraldtimesonline.com. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/sherlock-holmes-sir-arthur-conan-doyle-indiana-university-lilly-library/65418717007/ | 2022-08-26T11:49:34 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/sherlock-holmes-sir-arthur-conan-doyle-indiana-university-lilly-library/65418717007/ |
DERBY, Kan. (KSNW) — What started out as a Massachusetts woman demanding answers became a Kansas man’s quest to shed light on the dangers of PFAS in firefighting protective gear.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PFAS is short for polyfluoroalkyl substances, which is a group of chemicals used to make heat, oil, stain, grease, and water-resistant products. This substance can be used on clothing, furniture, adhesives, food packaging, non-stick cooking surfaces, and even the insulation of electrical wire.
“Late in 2016, I got an email from Diane Cotter…to be honest, at first, I thought she was crazy,” Derby volunteer firefighter Jonathan Marr said.
In his spare time, Marr acts as the editor-in-chief for the website station-pride.com. He says after reading over Cotter’s evidence of a potential PFAS exposure hazard, he knew she was onto something.
“It became pretty clear to me that something was fishy, and, you know, we needed to tell this story,” Marr said.
It was then Marr and Cotter created a committee with a small group of firefighters from across the country. After securing $20,000 in funding from the Last Call Foundation, the committee commissioned a formal study to test the amount of PFAS in protective gear.
“1.2 million firefighters are wearing this,” Dr. Graham Peaslee, a Notre Dame professor who conducted the study, said.
Dr. Peaslee says initial tests showed the highest amount of the chemical fluorine present in a textile he had ever seen.
“We were able to get it off on our gloves when we handled the gear,” Dr. Peaslee said. “I was a little worried because I looked at all the literature, and I didn’t see anybody else who had said this, and I wondered how it could have been missed.”
“The amount of PFAS chemicals in turnout gear was about 14,000 times what’s allowed in drinking water,” Marr said.
Dr. Peaslee’s study was officially the first to document PFAS in firefighting protective equipment—creating a domino effect of other studies nationwide. That push ultimately led to a study conducted by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF): the largest firefighters’ union in the country.
“In some instances, that study not only validated our results, but they got worse results,” Marr said.
The IAFF officially warned of PFAS concerns Tuesday, a step Marr hopes will save thousands of firefighters in the future.
“What most of the fire service has been exposed to up until this point is a done deal, and you know, all we can do is try to make this better for the next generation of firefighters,” Marr said.
When fire departments across Kansas could receive PFAS-free gear is unclear. Marr says the current national standard requires protective gear to be made with PFAS. That standard would have to be changed before new equipment is manufactured.
Marr expects that could take several years. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/kansas-firefighter-among-early-whistleblowers-of-pfas-in-protective-gear/ | 2022-08-26T12:00:41 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/kansas-firefighter-among-early-whistleblowers-of-pfas-in-protective-gear/ |
Something good is happening in several school districts across North Texas to help increase childhood literacy.
Teachers are utilizing the app called “Novel Effect”. The app responds with interactive music and sound effects during story time, creating different dimensions for your child as they learn.
Quyen Hudspeth, a Kindergarten teacher at Lance Thompson Elementary School in the Northwest ISD said that the app has been a game changer for her early learning students.
“They get so excited about it. They actually ask me when we are going to do it,” Hudspeth said.
She said it’s not just for the younger kids, but chapter books are also on the app.
“It’s a way to continue to enforce the importance of reading and keep kids’ attention. With so many things fighting for their attention, it’s getting harder and harder to make sure they can learn. This app is really helping,” Hudspeth said.
A representative with the Novel Effect said that students in Dallas, Arlington, Granbury and Frisco ISD’s are just a few North Texas district using the app to enhance story time. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/local-schools-using-app-to-enhance-storytime-childhood-literacy/3057633/ | 2022-08-26T12:13:21 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/local-schools-using-app-to-enhance-storytime-childhood-literacy/3057633/ |
BUTLER COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — A crash in Butler County has left one man critically injured.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), just before 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, a 25-year-old man was driving a 2007 Chevy Malibu eastbound on Kansas Highway 254, near SW Adams Road, at a high rate of speed and weaving between lanes.
The KHP says the driver left the road to the left into the grass median, lost control and then crossed both shoulders and lanes of travel. He then stuck a tree and a fence in the south ditch of K-254, coming to a rest facing slightly northeast.
The driver was taken to an area hospital for the treatment of his injuries, according to the KHP. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/crash-in-butler-county-leaves-man-critically-injured/ | 2022-08-26T12:13:44 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/crash-in-butler-county-leaves-man-critically-injured/ |
The Air Force Research Laboratory may be headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, but it increasingly finds its work in outer space.
The AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate, with Georgia Tech Research Institute, NASA and DuPont de Nemours, Inc., has placed an experiment on the International Space Station (ISS) to test how certain materials fare in “space weather,” the lab said Thursday.
A SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft delivered the experiment named “16 Materials International Space Station Experiment,” or MISSE-16, to the ISS last month, AFRL said.
It consists of materials never before tested in space. It was installed on an ISS platform during a recent extravehicular activity, where it will collect data for the next six months before returning to earth in early 2023 for analysis.
AFRL and Georgia Tech “will then study the effects of space weather exposure on the collection of heritage and novel spacecraft materials,” said Ryan Hoffmann, the AFRL mission manager.
The project was conceived by AFRL, Georgia Tech and NASA researchers.
Also this week, AFRL released results from another orbital experiment.
This AFRL experiment tested the most recent version of the Oscillating Heat Pipes, or OHPs, and the results of the more than 6,600 hours of on-orbit testing are being made available to the public.
“We now have a treasure trove of data,” said Jon Allison, thermal thrust lead for the Spacecraft Component Technology Branch of the AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate. “Our results include 2.2 million data points that will increase confidence in the use of OHPs, and facilitate the continuing advancement of the technology.”
OHPs are part of a spacecraft thermal control system.
“Quality spacecraft thermal control is important to ensure the functionality, reliability, and cost-achievability of space systems,” Allison said.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/afrl-partners-with-nasa-to-test-materials-in-space/NKTJ3D5IAVA2HE5CTA3YE66JM4/ | 2022-08-26T12:13:56 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/afrl-partners-with-nasa-to-test-materials-in-space/NKTJ3D5IAVA2HE5CTA3YE66JM4/ |
Can Do Kids International has been working with local partners in Ukraine for years and has continued to provide assistance to refugees and residents during the war.
The invasion began Feb. 24, hitting its six-month mark earlier this week. It has caused a refugee crisis of more than 5.6 million people who have left Ukraine and 7.1 million people displaced within the country, according to the United Nations.
Speaker Vadym Kulynchenko is one of Can Do Kids International's partners in Ukraine. He was one of the organization's original contacts in Ukraine and is a pastor at a church in Kamyanka, in central Ukraine. His church has been hosting around 20 refugees a night during the war, the event's website said.
The event is scheduled for noon Sunday at the South Pointe Park Community Building in El Paso, 523 S. Sycamore St. Lunch begins at noon, with Kolynchenko scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m. The event is free, but donations to the relief efforts in Ukraine are appreciated.
Photos: 6 months of war in Ukraine
FILE - Ukrainian emergency employees and volunteers carry an injured pregnant woman from the maternity hospital that was damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. A Russian attack has severely damaged the maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials say. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - The body of a serviceman is coated in snow next to a destroyed Russian military multiple rocket launcher vehicle on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Russian troops bore down on Ukraine's capital Friday, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter, in an invasion of a democratic country that has fueled fears of wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to make Russia stop. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Vadim Ghirda
FILE - Natali Sevriukova reacts next to her house following a rocket attack the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
Emilio Morenatti
FILE - Oleksandr Konovalov, an ambulance paramedic, performs CPR on a girl injured by the shelling in a residential area as her father sits, left, after arriving at the city hospital of Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. The girl did not survive. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - An armored personnel carrier burns amid damaged and abandoned Russian light utility vehicles after fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. The city authorities said that Ukrainian forces engaged in fighting with Russian troops that entered the country's second-largest city on Sunday. (AP Photo/Marienko Andrew, File)
Marienko Andrew
FILE - Ukrainian volunteers tear cloth into strips to make camouflage nets in Lviv, western Ukraine, Feb. 28, 2022. Volunteerism has seized the city. Until the missiles struck within walking distance of the cathedrals and cafes downtown on Friday, March 18, Ukraine's cultural capital was a city that could feel distant from the war. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
Bernat Armangue
FILE - A man carries a baby as people struggle on stairways after a last minute change of the departure platform for a Lviv bound train in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Explosions and gunfire that have disrupted life since the invasion began last week appeared to subside around Kyiv overnight, as Ukrainian and Russian delegations met Monday on Ukraine's border with Belarus. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Vadim Ghirda
FILE - A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Service looks at the City Hall building in the central square following shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Russian strikes pounded the central square in Ukraine's second-largest city and other civilian sites Tuesday in what the country's president condemned as blatant campaign of terror by Moscow. (AP Photo/Pavel Dorogoy, File)
Pavel Dorogoy
FILE - The children of medical workers warm themselves in a blanket as they wait for their relatives in a hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - Aleksander, 41, presses his palms against the window as he says goodbye to his daughter Anna, 5, on a train to Lviv at the Kyiv station, Ukraine, Friday, March 4. 2022. Aleksander has to stay behind to fight in the war while his family leaves the country to seek refuge in a neighbouring country. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
Emilio Morenatti
FILE - Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
Emilio Morenatti
FILE - An elderly lady sit in a wheelchair after being evacuated from Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Demands for ways to safety evacuate civilians have surged along with intensifying shelling by Russian forces, who have made significant advances in southern Ukraine but stalled in some other regions. Efforts to put in place cease-fires along humanitarian corridors have repeatedly failed amid Russian shelling.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Vadim Ghirda
FILE - Dead bodies are placed into a mass grave on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022 as people cannot bury their dead because of the heavy shelling by Russian forces. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - An explosion is seen in an apartment building after Russian's army tank fires in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - A picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin hangs at a target practice range in Lviv in western Ukraine, Thursday, March 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
Bernat Armangue
FILE - Irina Zubchenko walks with her dog Max amid the destruction caused after a bombing in a shopping in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. (AP Photo/ (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
Rodrigo Abd
FILE - An injured dog is seen at the ADA foundation centre in Przemysl, southeastern Poland, Monday, March 28, 2022. Amid the exodus of more than 2.2 million Ukrainian refugees to Poland who fled the Russian invasion are the pet lovers who could not leave their animals behind. The evacuation of the animals was dangerous but was made possible due to the efforts and cooperation of several animal rights groups and Ukrainian refugees. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)
Sergei Grits
FILE - A neighbour walks on the debris of a burning house, destroyed after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Felipe Dana
FILE - A man rides his bike past flames and smoke rising from a fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Felipe Dana
FILE - The hand of a corpse buried along with other bodies is seen in a mass grave in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
Rodrigo Abd
FILE - Women stand in their robes outside after leaving their building to get a better look at smoke rising after Russian attacks in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)
Petros Giannakouris
FILE - A lifeless body of a man with his hands tied behind his back lies on the pavement in Bucha, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. Associated Press journalists in Bucha, a small city northwest of Kyiv, saw the bodies of at least nine people in civilian clothes who appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Vadim Ghirda
FILE - Four bodies lie in a mass grave, including the village mayor and her family, in Motyzhyn close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 4, 2022, after Russian army were pushed out from the area by Ukrainian forces. The bodies appeared to have been shot at close range, with the mayor's husband with hands behind his back, with a piece of rope nearby, and a piece of plastic wrapped around his eyes like a blindfold. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
Efrem Lukatsky
FILE - Ira Gavriluk holds her cat as she walks next to the bodies of her husband, brother, and another man, who were killed outside her home in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 4, 2022. Russia is facing a fresh wave of condemnation after evidence emerged of what appeared to be deliberate killings of civilians in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Felipe Dana
FILE - A resident looks for belongings in the ruins of an apartment building destroyed during fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in Borodyanka, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Vadim Ghirda
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - The remains of victoms and the fragments of a Russian military helicopter can be seen near Makariv close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Efrem Lukatsky
FILE - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's committed to pressing for peace despite Russian attacks on civilians that have stunned the world. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - Volunteers load on a truck corpses of civilians killed in Bucha to be taken to a morgue for investigation, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
Rodrigo Abd
FILE - A woman reacts next to the body of a 15-year-old boy killed during a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Felipe Dana
FILE - Nadiya Trubchaninova, 70, cries while holding the coffin of her son Vadym, 48, who was killed by Russian soldiers last March 30 in Bucha, during his funeral in the cemetery of Mykulychi, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 16, 2022. After nine days since the discovery of Vadym's corpse, finally Nadiya could have a proper funeral for him. This is not where Nadiya Trubchaninova thought she would find herself at 70 years of age, hitchhiking daily from her village to the shattered town of Bucha trying to bring her son's body home for burial. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
Rodrigo Abd
FILE - An injured man smokes following a Russian bombing of a factory in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, killing at least one person and injuring three others. Russian forces attacked along a broad front in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday as part of a full-scale ground offensive to take control of the country's eastern industrial heartland in what Ukrainian officials called a "new phase of the war." (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)
Petros Giannakouris
FILE - A car is parked under a tree in partially abandoned Chernobyl town, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
Francisco Seco
FILE - The body of an unidentified man in seen on a road barrier near a village recently retaken by Ukrainian forces in the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Felipe Dana
FILE - Anna Shevchenko, 35, waters the few flowers that survived in the garden of her home in Irpin, near Kyiv, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The house, built by Shevchenko's grandparents, was nearly completely destroyed by bombing in late March during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In her beloved flowerbed, some roses, lilies, peonies and daffodils survived. "It is new life. So I tried to save my flowers," she said. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
Emilio Morenatti
FILE - Oksana Balandina, 23, receives medical assistance by a doctor who cleans her wounds at a public hospital in Lviv, Ukraine Saturday, May 14, 2022. Oksana lost both legs and 4 fingers on her left arm when a shell sticking in the ground near her house exploded on March 27. "There was explosion. Just after that I felt my legs like falling into emptiness. I was trying to look around and saw that there were no legs anymore - only bones, flesh and blood". (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
Emilio Morenatti
FILE - Iuliia Loseva cries over the coffin of her husband Volodymyr Losev, 38, during his funeral at a cemetery in Zorya Truda, Odesa region, Ukraine, Monday, May 16, 2022. Volodymyr Losev, a Ukrainian volunteer soldier, was killed on May 7 when the military vehicle he was driving ran over a mine in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
Francisco Seco
FILE - Ukrainian servicemen sit in a bus after they were evacuated from the besieged Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant, near a remand prison in Olyonivka, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov, File)
Alexei Alexandrov
FILE - Nila Zelinska holds a doll belonging to her granddaughter, she was able to find in her destroyed house in Potashnya outskirts Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Zelinska just returned to her home town after escaping war to find out she is homeless. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Natacha Pisarenko
FILE - Two national guard soldiers drink a shot to honor the memory of two late soldiers in Kharkiv cemetery, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
Bernat Armangue
FILE - Elena Holovko sits among debris outside her house damaged after a missile strike in Druzhkivka, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
Bernat Armangue
FILE - A woman brandishes the Ukrainian flag on top of a destroyed Russian tank in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, June 10, 2022. With war raging on fronts to the east and south, the summer of 2022 is proving bitter for the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. The sun shines but sadness and grim determination reign.(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Natacha Pisarenko
FILE A Russian soldier inspects a labyrinth of the Metallurgical Combine Azovstal, in Mariupol, on the territory which is under the Government of the Donetsk People's Republic control, eastern Ukraine, Monday, June 13, 2022. The plant was almost completely destroyed during the siege of Mariupol. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File)
STF
FILE - Sixty-six-year-old Volodymyr, injured from a Russian bombardment, sits on a chair in his damaged apartment, in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Nariman El-Mofty
FILE - Relatives and friends attend the funeral ceremony for Liza, 4-year-old girl killed by Russian attack, in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Sunday, July 17, 2022. Wearing a blue denim jacket with flowers, Liza was among 23 people killed, including two boys aged 7 and 8, in Thursday's missile strike in Vinnytsia. Her mother, Iryna Dmytrieva, was among the scores injured. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
Efrem Lukatsky
Medic volunteer Nataliia Voronkova, top right, gives a medical tactical training session to soldiers in a bomb shelter as air raid sirens go off, in Dobropillia, eastern Ukraine, Friday, July 22, 2022. Voronkova has dedicated her life to aid distribution and tactical medical training for soldiers and paramedics, working on front line of the Donetsk region since the war began in 2014. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Nariman El-Mofty
FILE - The lights of a police vehicle illuminate the side of a road, as servicemen arrive to check damages in the aftermath of a car accident between a civilian and soldier, after curfew hours in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Saturday, July 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File)
Nariman El-Mofty
FILE - EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - A burned out body of Ukrainian military prisoner is seen in destroyed barrack at a prison in Olenivka, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces, eastern Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022. Russia and Ukraine accused each other Friday of shelling the prison in Olenivka in a separatist region of eastern Ukraine, an attack that reportedly killed dozens of Ukrainian military prisoners who were captured after the fall of a southern port city of Mariupol in May. (AP Photo, File)
STR
FILE - Maria and Oleh Berest embrace while posing for their photographer by a fountain on their wedding day as sandbags fortify the opera house in Odesa, Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
David Goldman
FILE - A wheat field burns after Russian shelling a few kilometers from the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Evgeniy Maloletka
FILE - Nelia Fedorova, left, is embraced by her daughter, Yelyzaveta Gavenko, 11, the day after they were wounded in a rocket attack which also killed Fedorova's husband, Oleksii, in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. The family had previously evacuated to central Ukraine but returned to their home at the end of June after Nelia and Oleksii had trouble finding work. The strike killed three people and wounded 13 others, according to the mayor. The attack came less than a day after 11 other rockets were fired at the city as Russia's invasion continues. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
David Goldman
Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood
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Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/el-paso-nonprofit-plans-sunday-event-visit-from-ukrainian-pastor/article_3ea36cbc-2496-11ed-bc16-7be168e1617c.html | 2022-08-26T12:44:28 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/el-paso-nonprofit-plans-sunday-event-visit-from-ukrainian-pastor/article_3ea36cbc-2496-11ed-bc16-7be168e1617c.html |
KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — It was standing room only at Thursday's town hall meeting with Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, where he and his deputies discussed a wide range of issues they say the community wants answers to.
Those issues include how law enforcement an active shooter like the one in Uvalde, Texas.
"I would just like to assure you that your Sheriff's office is equipped and trained and prepared if that day ever comes here," said Patrol Lt. Zach Stifford. "We pray that it does not."
Families in Uvalde, Texas were outraged to learn that law enforcement waited more than an hour to confront the gunman. Kootenai County deputies say that wouldn't have been the case in North Idaho.
"Our primary focus and job as law enforcement responding is to stop the killing before we stop the dying. We are a direct to threat response meaning that we will step past any including our own to get to whoever is hurting our children and we will stop them from being able to hurt anyone else."
Another topic the sheriff wanted to discuss was the national media's coverage of the June 11 Pride event. Those reports mainly surrounded the arrest of 31 members of a hate group found in the back of a U-Haul.
But, Norris focused on an article in the Huffington Post, which covered the arrest and a Republican event Norris attended back in April, which featured some white nationalists.
"What they forgot to say at this supposed meeting of white nationalists and a far right bike gang was that the entertainer for that night was a black rapper," Norris said.
Norris faced scrutiny for his appearance last April. He said speakers were not publicized in advance.
"I do not support the speech that was used that evening on April the 16th, but I also do not support scantily clad individuals performing in a sexually suggestive manner to children," Norris said.
That comment outraged some LGBT members at the town hall, who called Norris transphobic. He asked one woman to leave.
Norris claims he wasn't singling out drag queens during his comments.
"I wouldn't want a prostitute to do that, a female prostitute," Norris said. "And so you made the assumption that I said drag queens. I never said drag queens. I said individual, adult individual."
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
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HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com. | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho/kootenai-county-bob-norris-town-hall/293-23d41db1-7c5e-4fd4-9b13-e653afae374f | 2022-08-26T12:48:52 | 1 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho/kootenai-county-bob-norris-town-hall/293-23d41db1-7c5e-4fd4-9b13-e653afae374f |
AUSTIN, Texas — There's a new rideshare option now serving Austin.
"Wridz" was founded in Central Texas and is currently active in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Lubbock, as well as Cincinnati and Chicago.
The company said the biggest difference between itself and other rideshare options is that Wridz doesn't have surge pricing. Instead, riders can add a "perk," or an optional upfront enticement to the driver to accept the trip. Drivers keep 100% of the "perk" rather than a fraction of the surge amount, Wridz said.
Wridz drivers do have to pay a $100 monthly subscription to drive with the company. But unlike with other rideshares, Wridz said the driver gets to keep the fare charge on top of any perks or tips they make.
Wridz said all drivers are fully vetted with a local, county, state and federal background checks with continuous monitoring. Drivers must also attend an in-person meeting with Wridz to confirm their identity, insurance and vehicle information. During that meeting, drivers are given an in-person drug test.
Wridz will begin service near the Texas-Mexico border soon, and driver sign-up is underway in the Waco area.
Britny Eubank on social media: Twitter
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/rideshare-wridz-serving-austin/269-f9c58837-9d56-46ec-a34f-54b0d08026c3 | 2022-08-26T12:56:51 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/rideshare-wridz-serving-austin/269-f9c58837-9d56-46ec-a34f-54b0d08026c3 |
SAN MARCOS, Texas — The San Marcos High School football team has been placed on a two-year playoff ban.
According to a report by KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Stateman, the decision was handed down by a district executive committee for players allegedly transferring to the school for athletic reasons.
The ban would not be lifted until the 2023 season ends and begins immediately.
In a letter to parents explaining the situation, the school district said the committee also recommended that multiple athletes be ruled ineligible for the season along with a second recommendation to ban the ineligible athletes for an additional two years due to allegations of recruiting.
The school maintains that no coach or staff member recruited any of the student-athletes that were ruled ineligible. The school district also said it would appeal the recommendations.
San Marcos Athletic Director and Head Football Coach John Walsh told the Statesman that the decision would not impact how the team approaches the season.
Here's the full letter:
San Marcos CISD Families,
This message is on behalf of the SMCISD Athletics Department. Yesterday, August 24, the 27-6A District Executive Committee (DEC) made a recommendation to issue a two-year postseason ban on our SMHS football program. The DEC also recommended that multiple student-athletes be ruled ineligible for the 2022-2023 season with a second recommendation to ban the ineligible student-athletes for an additional two years due to allegations of recruiting. At no point did any SMCISD coach or staff member recruit any of the student-athletes that were ruled ineligible.
SMCISD will appeal the DEC recommendations to the State Executive Committee on a date to be determined.
Dr. Michael A. Cardona
Superintendent of Schools
Read the full report by the Austin American-Statesman here.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/san-marcos-hs-football-team-2-year-playoff-ban/269-0373fabf-d66f-49ab-920d-c82bc854a879 | 2022-08-26T12:57:08 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/san-marcos-hs-football-team-2-year-playoff-ban/269-0373fabf-d66f-49ab-920d-c82bc854a879 |
TEXAS, USA — A federal court in Fort Worth on Thursday struck down a Texas prohibition that limited adults under 21 from carrying handguns.
Texas law bars most 18- to 20-year-olds in the state from obtaining a license to carry a handgun or carrying a handgun for self-defense outside their homes. Two plaintiffs, who fall within that age range, and the Firearms Policy Coalition Inc., filed a lawsuit against the state to challenge the statute. The suit says the Texas law prevented the plaintiffs from traveling with a handgun between Parker, Fannin and Grayson counties, where they lived, worked and went to school.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman wrote that the Second Amendment does not specify an age limit and protects adults under 21 years old.
“Based on the Second Amendment’s text, as informed by Founding-Era history and tradition, the Court concludes that the Second Amendment protects against this prohibition,” Pittman wrote in the ruling.
The order will not go into immediate effect. Pittman stayed the ruling for 30 days pending appeal.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released the following statement:
“The State of Texas has not changed a single law since Uvalde. Now, just as young students are returning to school, high school seniors who are just turning 18 can openly carry a handgun? Making gun access – with no background checks or training - is making it harder to keep our city safe. Unlicensed carry was a mistake, and now 18-year-olds openly carrying handguns . . . our children deserve better.”
The decision comes just three months after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in the deadliest school shooting in Texas.
The Firearms Policy Coalition filed the lawsuit in November 2021. It came months after a legislative session in which lawmakers passed a law that allows Texans to carry handguns without a license or training, despite previous promises from Republican leaders to address gun safety following the 2019 El Paso and Midland-Odessa mass shootings.
In the last 13 years, as firearms have become more accessible in the state, Texas has had eight mass shootings.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday’s ruling.
This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/texans-teens-handguns/285-cef9dcf2-509c-4d99-b15e-e4f289c1b742 | 2022-08-26T12:57:14 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/texans-teens-handguns/285-cef9dcf2-509c-4d99-b15e-e4f289c1b742 |
Listen: This weeks Wrap Up podcast for August 20-26, 2022
Listen to the Wrap Up, a local news and sports podcasts from The Gainesville Sun. Brad McClenny, senior staff photographer, and Javon Harris, breaking news and social justice reporter, take you through the highlights in news and sports from August 20, to August 26, 2022.
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For news tips or event coverage please email jlharris@gannett.com , for photo tips please email bmcclenny@gannett.com
Florida Basketball:Florida basketball had no choice when it came to Keyontae Johnson
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UF Fall Begins:As UF students return, president and police work to prevent pedestrian deaths
Fall Football:Standouts in Florida fall football camp? Billy Napier highlights a few top performers
Music Festival:The BASH music festival bringing 38 acts, an expected 12,000 people to Depot Park
Historical Election:First all-women school board to lead education policy in Alachua County | https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/listen-weeks-wrap-up-news-and-sports-gainesville/7894791001/ | 2022-08-26T13:01:53 | 0 | https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/listen-weeks-wrap-up-news-and-sports-gainesville/7894791001/ |
Ellsworth officially dedicates Community Square
ELLSWORTH — Members of the Village of Ellsworth Council, Ellsworth Downtown Development Board and Banks Township along with several donors who helped contribute to the 2015 Crowdfund with the Michigan Economic Campaign to purchase the property now known as the “Community Square,” were part of the Aug. 10 ribbon cutting ceremony, donor recognition and social gathering.
The event included a presentation from village president Hugh Campbell, recognition of donors, music by the Drawbridge Ukulele Band, refreshments and hors de oerves.
The Community Square is now the location of the Downtown Development Authority’s Concerts on the Square and many other gatherings.
If you were a donor above $100 and were unable to attend, contact the Village Office at (231) 588-7411 or stop by to pick up your donor appreciation gift. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/ellsworth-officially-dedicates-community-square/65417508007/ | 2022-08-26T13:09:12 | 1 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/ellsworth-officially-dedicates-community-square/65417508007/ |
Charlevoix council member's business sued by city for delinquent taxes
CHARLEVOIX — Charlevoix City Council member Aaron Hagen’s business, Round Lake Group LLC, is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the city over unpaid taxes.
Hagen, along with business partner Rich Bergmann and LC Brewers LLC, who operated Lake Charlevoix Brewery out of a property owned by the city at 109 Bridge Park Dr., have allegedly neglected to pay taxes on the property for a portion of the time they inhabited the space, according to court documents obtained by the Charlevoix Courier.
After initially occupying the location in 2015, Lake Charlevoix Brewery began to fall behind on their tax and rent payments to the city, which ultimately led to their lease not being renewed in 2020. The space is next to the Beaver Island Boat Company office and was subsequently leased to Long Road Distillers during the pandemic, with the current tenant being J. Bird Provisions.
In 2021, the city was forced to bring a lawsuit against Hagen and Bergmann as the debt — which is now over $25,000 — had yet to be reconciled after considerable effort, according to city officials.
In a 2021 delinquent tax notice from the City of Charlevoix, it was stated that taxes had been in arrears since 2017 — with $5,907.13 owed from 2017; $1,016.46 unpaid in 2018; $5,976.78 unpaid in 2019 and $5,980.46 unpaid taxes in 2020. Including interest on the unpaid amounts, the statement said “if not paid by Oct. 29, 2021 the total amount due would be $24,531.50.” A default judgement was made against the defendants on Nov. 12, 2021, claiming they owed over $25,000 to the city.
Charlevoix DDA Director Lindsey Dotson said she “didn’t know much about the lawsuit itself” but added “we tried to work with them so we didn’t lose them as a tenant ... for some reason we found ourselves unable to reach an agreement with them.”
Charlevoix City Manager Mark Heydlauff echoed that sentiment, saying they tried to work with Bergmann and his partners towards a reconciliation but ultimately their hands were tied when no agreement was able to be reached.
In an email to the Courier, Heydlauff said, “This is an active legal matter and the city attorney will continue to pursue proper payment, penalties and interest in accord with leases and the state tax statute. Regardless of parties involved, we have an obligation to ensure all taxpayers are treated equally and past debts are paid.”
Hagen and Bergmann currently operate Charlevoix’s Bridge Street Tap Room and the Boyne City Taproom.
Hagen, 33, was reelected in the city’s north side district, Ward 1, last year. He has held office in city council since 2015 and also serves as deputy mayor.
Bergmann has been a local entrepreneur for almost a decade and formed a partnership with Hagen that has spawned their current culinary establishments in the area. Bergmann has also been closely involved with the Downtown Development Authority and served on the Main Street economic development committee. Current council member Phil Parr, Ward 3, was also a former business partner of Hagen and Bergmann’s and signed the initial lease for the Lake Charlevoix Brewing Company.
Included in the court documents were letters from the city treasurer, Kelly McGinn, attempting to collect the unpaid taxes over the years.
In an interview with the Courier, when asked why a resolution had not been met, Hagen stated, “there are serious discrepancies in the space being assigned to the entities and the time period of taxation that is in place.”
When asked to elaborate on that statement, Hagen referred the paper to his attorney.
Neither Bergmann or the defendant’s current legal counsel returned the paper’s request for comment by press time. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/charlevoix/2022/08/26/charlevoix-council-members-business-sued-by-city-for-delinquent-taxes/65418540007/ | 2022-08-26T13:09:18 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/charlevoix/2022/08/26/charlevoix-council-members-business-sued-by-city-for-delinquent-taxes/65418540007/ |
Vote on charity registration postponed, advocates call it 'ridiculous' and 'criminalizing'
A proposal that would require people to register with the city to hand out donations on public streets was called “ridiculous,” “an attack,” and “criminalizing,” on Wednesday by critics who say it hinders people from helping Indianapolis’ poor.
Proposal 256 mandates a person or group intending to deliver food, clothing or other donations to at least 10 people on public property or a right-of-way undergoes a free registration process first with the city with at least 48 hours’ notice. Those found in violation will be given a written warning, and could face a civil penalty of $250 or more for subsequent offenses.
The proposal, introduced in July by three Democrats, has drawn pushback from advocates and aid workers in recent weeks who say it creates barriers in helping people. It was slated to undergo a vote by the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, but Chairman Leroy Robinson postponed any action on the proposal to give more time for community input.
The committee allowed people Wednesday night to weigh in on the proposed measure during public comment, which drew dozens of people who delivered sharp critiques.
Stephen Lane, of Indy Hope Packages, said during the meeting the proposal is a way to “criminalize neighbors helping neighbors.”
The proposal mirrors a similar one sponsored by a Republican in 2020 that was voted down in committee. The new proposal is sponsored by Council President Vop Osili, Council Vice President Zach Adamson and Councillor Kristen Jones.
Council members argue the registration process is a way to better collaborate with organizations and keep track of where the city can provide resources. The proposal further cites excessive litter as a reason for people to register. If the Office of Public Health and Safety receives three reports of littering after a distribution, a person’s registration status can be revoked.
The City-County Council also said the process would be a way to encourage people to make use of existing distribution sites at Old City Hall and Babe Denny Park. Earlier in the meeting, the committee voted in support of another proposal about the sites, which would approve $76,000 in funding for a restroom at each location, to be heard in the full council for another vote.
Abby Vesga, whose organization provides free laundry services and food in Lawrence, said finding a way to get to these sites is a hardship for many of the people they serve because they don’t have transportation.
“The homeless situation is not just here in Indianapolis,” she said.
Recent cases of violence also was cited by council members in the proposal as a reason behind the measure.
In May, Taylor George was fatally stabbed while she was downtown handing out food to unhoused people. Court records indicate George died after an argument broke out between her boyfriend and the accused stabber, who was alleged to have been taking pictures of George near the Indiana World War Memorial.
Some members of the public argued targeting charitable organizations after George’s killing is misguided.
“I don’t think (she) would want her legacy to be used to crush mutual aid workers and the homeless,” Keith "Wildstyle" Paschall said.
Jill White, president of the Cole-Noble Neighborhood Association that's east of the City-County Council building, said she came to the meeting expecting to endorse the proposal but later rescinded that support after hearing from members in the community.
“I’d like to see better thought put into the measure,” she said. “I do want to stress that trash is a real issue and something needs to be done about it. But not this measure.”
Contact Sarah Nelson at 317-503-7514 or sarah.nelson@indystar.com. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/council-committee-postpones-vote-on-charitable-giving-proposal/65418280007/ | 2022-08-26T13:09:21 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/council-committee-postpones-vote-on-charitable-giving-proposal/65418280007/ |
Gaylord City Council tells MDOT to maintain five lanes on South Otsego Avenue
GAYLORD — When the Michigan Department of Transportation proposed reducing the traffic lanes on South Otsego Avenue from Grandview Boulevard/Wisconsin Avenue to the I-75 interchange (Exit 279) in Gaylord from five to three, residents and business owners objected.
MDOT created new options for upgrading South Otsego and the city council Monday night approved a motion urging MDOT to maintain five lanes and create 10-foot non-motorized paths on each side to allow for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
When MDOT suggested reducing the traffic lanes, residents and business owners complained that the reduction would lead to road congestion and discourage potential customers from reaching businesses along the commercial thoroughfare.
"From every indication MDOT is fine with leaving it at five lanes," said Kim Awrey, Gaylord city manager.
"I believe the people's voices have been heard. They wanted to stay with five lanes. I think five lanes will keep everyone at peace, including those who want to bike or walk up and down (South Otsego Avenue)," said Ward 2 Councilman Bob Wilson.
Awrey said she will inform MDOT of the council's preferences and added it is MDOT's responsibility to hold a public hearing on the new plan.
More:Gaylord council urges MDOT to present new options for South Otsego project
She said MDOT has a grant program to fund benches, lighting and plants along the non-motorized paths.
"It is the city's intention to go after a grant to put in some benches, lighting and plants," Awrey said.
Even though the paths are intended for "non-motorized" uses, Awrey believes snowmobiles will be able to access at least part of the paths in the winter.
"Technically it's a non-motorized pathway but there was no pushback from MDOT to leave one side of the pathway unplowed and allow snowmobilers access (to businesses like) the Pine Squirrel," said Awrey. The Pine Squirrel is a restaurant/tavern at 1600 S. Otsego Ave.
MDOT wants to invest about $12 million to rebuild 2.2 miles of South Otsego between Wisconsin Avenue/Grandview Boulevard and the south I-75 exit in 2024. The plan also calls for a roundabout at McCoy Road and South Otsego/Old 27. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/gaylord/2022/08/26/gaylord-council-tells-mdot-to-maintain-five-lanes-on-south-otsego-avenue/65414773007/ | 2022-08-26T13:09:24 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/gaylord/2022/08/26/gaylord-council-tells-mdot-to-maintain-five-lanes-on-south-otsego-avenue/65414773007/ |
Otsego County Library to present program on herbal tea Sept. 7
GAYLORD — The Otsego County Library will present a program from Bevin Cohen who will share his knowledge of the history and folklore of various herbal tea ingredients at 6 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the main library, 700 S. Otsego Ave. in Gaylord.
The event is is hosted by the Edelweiss Garden Club and attendees will be able to create their own custom herbal tea to enjoy at home.
Cohen is an award-winning author, herbalist, seed saver and educator. He is the owner of the Small House Farm and the founder of the Michigan Seed Library Network, a community seed sharing initiative that has helped establish more than 100 seed library programs.
Cohen offers workshops across the country on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs and locally grown food. He is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Mother Earth News, Modern Farmer Magazine and the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company catalog. Cohen is the author of four books, including "Saving Our Seeds, The Artesian Herbalist," and his latest book, "The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils." Learn more about Bevin’s work at smallhousefarm.com.
For more information, contact Mariah Hoover at (989) 732-5841 or by emailing reference@otsego.org. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/gaylord/2022/08/26/otsego-county-library-to-present-program-on-herbal-tea-sept-7/65418213007/ | 2022-08-26T13:09:30 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/gaylord/2022/08/26/otsego-county-library-to-present-program-on-herbal-tea-sept-7/65418213007/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/highway-183-in-hurst-shut-down-after-motorcycle-crash/3057683/ | 2022-08-26T13:22:52 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/highway-183-in-hurst-shut-down-after-motorcycle-crash/3057683/ |
Highway 183 in Hurst has been shut down after a motorcycle crash off Highway 121 and Precinct Line Road on Friday morning.
According to officials, the crash involved a motorcycle and another vehicle.
Information about possible injuries resulting from the crash is not available at this time.
The crash caused the eastbound lanes of 183 to be shutdown at Norwood since shortly after 3 a.m.
The highway remains shutdown as of 7 a.m. on Friday morning. The backup is approximately two miles long and is causing delays lasting 30 to 40 minutes for drivers.
This story is developing and the elements may change. Check back and refresh the page for the latest information. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/motorcycle-crash-shuts-down-highway-183-in-hurst/3057679/ | 2022-08-26T13:22:59 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/motorcycle-crash-shuts-down-highway-183-in-hurst/3057679/ |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/local/clear-the-shelters-billy-the-people-pleaser-looking-for-a-home/3346020/ | 2022-08-26T13:26:42 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/local/clear-the-shelters-billy-the-people-pleaser-looking-for-a-home/3346020/ |
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Crumley House’s 12th Annual Polynesian Beach Party will be back in person after going virtual for two years due to Covid-19.
The event includes food, music, auctions and raffles. There will be both a live and super-silent auction. Raffle and auction items include trips to the Dominican Republic, Belize, an autographed guitar from Kenny Chesney, among other items.
Participants are encouraged to celebrate in theme by wearing Hawaiian shirts, flowered dresses and flip-flops.
The party benefits The Crumley House Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center. According to the Crumley House, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults in the U.S., with an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustaining a TBI each year.
The gala is at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 at Bristol Motor Speedway’s South Building. WJHL will be at the event.
For additional information, click here. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/crumley-house-polynesian-beach-party-back-in-person-after-2-years/ | 2022-08-26T13:28:23 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/crumley-house-polynesian-beach-party-back-in-person-after-2-years/ |
A Fort Wayne man was found guilty Thursday of murder in the shooting death of a woman whom witnesses said begged for her life before she was killed.
An Allen Superior Court jury deliberated about 90 minutes before finding Ronald Williams III, 33, guilty in the death of 19-year-old Emoni M. Martin in a Serenity Drive apartment Oct. 4, 2020.
Williams was also found guilty of a sentencing enhancement for using a gun to commit the crime and battery by means of a deadly weapon for shooting a man. He faces up to 85 years in prison for the murder and gun enhancement charges when he is sentenced Sept. 30.
Two women told police they hid under a bed inside the Serenity Drive apartment while Williams confronted Martin.
“Emoni (said) ‘Royal, don’t do this,’” a probable cause affidavit says, quoting one of the women who hid under the bed. “(The witness) stated that she briefly looked out and observed Emoni (Martin) pleading for her life while a man later identified as Ronald Williams was standing there, pointing a gun at her while not saying a word. (The witness) stated that she hid again and heard the gunshots.”
The other woman also told investigators Martin pleaded with Williams and “that she heard three gunshots and saw Emoni hit the floor next to the bed,” according to the probable cause affidavit.
Martin died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Allen County coroner’s office. Williams was arrested at Diplomat Apartments.
Officers first were called to a separate shooting n the 7900 block of Decatur Road. A man with injuries to his left wrist and right arm reportedly told police a man named “Royal” – Williams – had aimed a gun at him before he heard “a pop.” The injured man jumped through a window to escape and later identified Williams from a photo lineup.
The man who was shot suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
Martin’s slaying was one of 43 homicides in Allen County in 2020. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/courts/fort-wayne-man-guilty-in-2020-shooting-death/article_b74e8e2c-24c7-11ed-9876-fbede6cf8449.html | 2022-08-26T13:33:28 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/courts/fort-wayne-man-guilty-in-2020-shooting-death/article_b74e8e2c-24c7-11ed-9876-fbede6cf8449.html |
GADSDEN, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Department of Transportation is collecting feedback on a proposed plan to better connect both sides of Gadsden. It’s a project both city and state leaders have had in the works for decades to relieve congestion and make it easier to drive through town.
The Gadsden Eastern Connector will be an extension of I-759 to bridge directly to U.S. 431 in East Gadsden.
“You could have a corridor that passes directly through connecting these major corridors here in Gadsden and I think that’s something that the city and many residents have looked forward to for years,” ALDOT North Region Public Information Officer Seth Burkett said.
The plan would extend the end of I-759 about two miles to the east side of the city.
“I’m all for the highway, but not at the expense of my quality of life,” Gadsden resident Valerie Borden said.
Borden and her husband Virgil live on Richardson St. and said they will lose part of their backyard if the plan moves forward.
“That’s something you have to live with,” Borden said. “It’s not something that you go on a vacation, and you come back. That’s a lifestyle they’re asking us to endure with these six lanes in our backyard.”
The plan adds six lanes of a highway – but eliminates properties along Taylor St. and others in the process.
“It’s impossible to create a new corridor through an area like this where you have businesses and residences without impacting some of those,” Burkett said.
That’s why ALDOT wants to hear from you if this will impact your property.
“Consider for those on Richardson Street,” Virgil Borden said. “If this project is going to go forward, we’ll be forced to move.”
This project is entirely funded by the Rebuild Alabama gas tax with a price tag of around $65 million. ALDOT said it will take all public feedback and use that toward figuring out the next steps, hopeful to have a roadway functioning in five years.
You have until September 14th to have your voice heard. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/aldot-seeks-public-input-on-i-759-eastern-extension-project/ | 2022-08-26T13:35:55 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/aldot-seeks-public-input-on-i-759-eastern-extension-project/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Students at Wichita State University (WSU) were welcomed back to campus Thursday night with a Beach Party hosted by the Student Activities Council (SAC).
It took place at the Rhatigan Student Center’s east patio/courtyard from 6-8 p.m.
There was music from DJ Magnum, a mechanical surfboard, a slip-n-slide, Sno-Kones and more.
Two students from outside of Wichita were grateful for the opportunity to get out and about.
“Being from different areas, but still going to a school different from where we live and having these events, it helps us to bond, get those new friendships and just better connection,” said Alex Troth, a freshman at Wichita State.
Lex Fox, another freshman at WSU said, “It makes being away from home really nice.”
For a schedule of other events being put on by the SAC, click here. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wsu-students-welcomed-back-to-campus-with-beach-party/ | 2022-08-26T13:37:50 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wsu-students-welcomed-back-to-campus-with-beach-party/ |
Well, that was fast.
Wasn’t it just yesterday we were digging out flip flops and shorts and gearing up for a busy summer?
And now here we are, about to start the last weekend of August.
I don’t know if we’re officially in those fabled “dog days of summer,” but I can definitely hear them barking.
That means we have precious few days left to enjoy summer before autumn rears its back-to-school head.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before — perhaps coming out of your own mouth:
“I’m going to pack a picnic lunch and spend a sunny afternoon at the beach.”
“The hammock is up. Now I just have to grab a book and a pitcher of iced tea and escape for an afternoon.”
People are also reading…
“That Biergarten in Petrifying Springs Park sounds fun. We’ll go there this week.”
“I’m finally going to head out to Twin Lakes and watch the Aquanuts perform.”
The good news is, there’s still time to do all those activities.
In fact, I’d argue that late August/early September is the perfect time to go to the beach (smaller crowds, cooler sand on your feet), curl up with a novel in your backyard (less humidity, fewer bugs) and visit the outdoor Biergarten (it’s almost Oktoberfest season!).
Maybe you didn’t cross off everything on your 2022 Summer To-Do List, but you still have time.
This weekend, there are two local and FREE festivals to get you outside.
On Saturday, “Picnic in the Park” (canceled last Saturday due to the threat of storms) starts at 4 p.m. in Petrifying Springs Park, on the south end, next to the Biergarten. There are two bands playing — the Brothers Quinn from 4 to 6 p.m. and the Ethan Keller Group from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — plus food trucks, “bounce” houses and children’s games. Stick around for the big bang finale when fireworks start at dusk.
The new “BBQ in the Park” event is 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday in Pleasant Prairie’s Prairie Springs Park (Lake Andrea). The festival features live music, food (of course!), bingo, a “bags” tournament (or corn hole, if you prefer) and vendors booths.
As for the Aquanuts, the award-winning water-ski team has just three more free shows this summer: 6 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 27 and Sept. 3, and Wednesday. Aug. 31.
And your backyard reading plans? That’s always available. Head to one of our libraries to borrow something or visit one of our local Downtown bookstores: Studio Moonfall (celebrating its Kenosha Book Festival today through Sunday) or Blue House Books.
To keep up with area events each week, read our Get Out & About entertainment section every Thursday in the Kenosha News.
And then get out there. Because before you know it, I’ll be writing about haunted houses and Christmas lights … and you’ll be wondering if you ever put that hammock away.
Those summertime blues ...
One of the surest signs of summer each year is our own Lake Michigan, when it turns a mystical blue color that signals “the height of summer is here.”
Considering our local Great Lake spends most of its time looking rather gray, when it does its Caribbean Sea impression, it’s worth noting.
“This is what we wait for all year,” said a woman standing near me recently while we both looked out over the lakefront.
While the lake’s summertime hue is a sight not to be missed, I was surprised to see more bright blue water Downtown this week.
The water in the HarborPark fountain just west of the Kenosha Public Museum is a beautiful shade of turquoise.
I thought perhaps the fountain was being cleaned — I associate that blue with toilet bowl cleanser — but instead I was told the color was added to discourage folks from wading in the fountain. Another explanation? To discourage algae growth.
Whatever the reason for the Easter egg color, it’s a reminder to a) clean my bathroom and b) pick up some Blue Moon ice cream on the way home.
Mea culpa
Readers may have noticed we had a story in our Sunday paper written by a Kenoshan who was visiting Ukraine.
The writer is Ronald Paul Larson, who has worked in documentary filming for television and has been to several conflict zones — including Iraq in 2003, Libya in 2011, Syria in 2013 and now Ukraine in 2022 — as a writer and photographer.
We also have another Kenoshan — Adam Larson — who wrote an article in April from Poland, where he was teaching English, about the “war next door.”
I mixed up my Larsons and attributed the Aug. 21 Ukraine feature to Adam, not Ron.
I have apologized to both writers and look forward to more dispatches. Until then, stay safe, guys.
Have a comment? Email Liz at esnyder@kenoshanews.com, or call her at 262-656-6271.
The ultimate garage & estate sale guide for this weekend
Don't miss the great deals at these yard and estate sales around Kenosha.
Rummage Sale, Memorial United Methodist Church, 2935 Sheridan Road, Zion, Thurs, 8/25 5- 8 PM, Fri 8/26 9 am - 6 pm, Sat 8/27 9 - 1 pm. $5 Bag
Multi Family Sale 5802 1st Place S.W. of KR and Hwy 31 Fri 8/26 & Sat 8/27 8-3pm nice home decor, Harley parts, fall & xmas stuff, go …
Rummage Sale 6818 - 53rd St. Indian Trails Fri. & Sat. 8/26 & 8/27 - 9am - 3pm MANY puzzles, MANY books, vinyl records, Owl Collection… | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/grabbing-those-last-bits-of-summer-fun/article_7a3fcb0c-2488-11ed-891e-e3e93327f044.html | 2022-08-26T13:38:34 | 1 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/grabbing-those-last-bits-of-summer-fun/article_7a3fcb0c-2488-11ed-891e-e3e93327f044.html |
It’s National Dog Day, celebrating man’s (and woman’s) best friend. If you have a canine pal, enjoy some puppy love, today and every day. Now, who’s a good boy?
Donovan Scherer’s Studio Moonfall celebrates its three-year anniversary with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. at the store, 5031 Seventh Ave. The shop is also celebrating Free Book Friday as it kicks off the Kenosha Book Festival weekend, running through Sunday. Studio Moonfall is an independent publishing company and bookstore focusing on local authors and artists.
The Kenosha History Center, 220 51st Place (on Simmons Island along the harbor), is hosting a Cruise-In Night from 4 to 8 p.m. today. Car enthusiasts will be showing off their classic vehicles in the museum’s parking lot. Also, the History Center and Southport Light Station Museum will be open until 7 p.m. The Cruise-In nights continue on the last Friday of each month, through Sept. 30. The events are free and open to all classic vehicles.
People are also reading…
The Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave., is hosting the Acrylic International Biennial Juried Exhibition 2022, with 45 paintings on display through Nov. 6. This is the debut of this new exhibit, which will continue at the museum, every other year. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday (closed holidays). Admission is free. For more information, go to KenoshaPublicMuseum.org.
The Fleeing Artists production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” continues this weekend at the Rhode Center for the Arts, 514 56th St. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15 general admission or $13 for senior citizens, students, educators and members of the military. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at fleeingartists.org.
Looking for live music tonight? Low-reen & the Lazy Dogs, featuring PeeWee Hayes, are performing 6 to 9 p.m. at Union Park Tavern, 4520 Eighth Ave. No cover charge. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-events-for-friday-aug-26/article_2a2f723a-23f1-11ed-8e15-a78e94bc5632.html | 2022-08-26T13:38:40 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-events-for-friday-aug-26/article_2a2f723a-23f1-11ed-8e15-a78e94bc5632.html |
Three Miami Valley counties dropped to a “medium” COVID-19 community level as Ohio continues to report a decline in cases.
Miami, Preble and Warren counties are at a “medium” level following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest update. It’s the first time in at least a month Preble and Warren counties are at the “medium” level. Miami County moved from “medium” to “high” last week, according to the CDC.
Butler, Darke Greene and Montgomery counties remained at a “high” coronavirus community level, while Clark and Champaign counties moved from “medium” to “high,” according to the CDC.
Thirty-two counties in Ohio are at a “medium” community level and 56 are at a “high” level. There are no counties in Ohio at a “low” COVID community level. Throughout the country, there are 952 “high” counties, 1,383 “medium” counties and 887 “low” counties, according to the CDC.
The CDC recommends the following for people in a “high” community level county:
- Wear a mask indoors in public regardless of vaccination status;
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines;
- Get tested if you have symptoms.
People who are immunocompromised or at risk for severe illness should talk to their doctor about additional preventative measures they can take, as well as possible treatment options available to them in case they are infected with COVID.
The CDC uses the number of new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the past week, new COVID hospital admissions and the percent of staffed inpatient hospital beds occupied by coronavirus patients to determine COVID community levels.
The Ohio Department of Health reported weekly cases dropped for the fourth week in a row on Thursday. The state added 23,436 cases in the last week compared to 24,067 cases reported the previous week. Coronavirus cases have continued to decline since July 28, when ODH recorded 29,876 weekly cases.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/3-miami-valley-counties-drop-to-medium-covid-community-level-as-cases-decline-in-ohio/OQ2QJPUZPZBANOXVP7GXZIYJD4/ | 2022-08-26T13:41:12 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/3-miami-valley-counties-drop-to-medium-covid-community-level-as-cases-decline-in-ohio/OQ2QJPUZPZBANOXVP7GXZIYJD4/ |
HOLIDAY, Fla. — A man was hit and killed by a truck early Friday morning while walking across US-19, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
It happened around 4:17 a.m. at US-19 and Mile Stretch Drive in Holiday.
Troopers say a Ford 150 was driving southbound on US-19 when a 71-year-old man started walking across the Mile Stretch Drive intersection under a green traffic signal.
The truck crashed into the man who died at the scene. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pascocounty/man-pedestrian-killed-us19-holiday-pasco/67-f2edbf69-267f-4780-8653-dfa4af1e87c7 | 2022-08-26T13:41:46 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pascocounty/man-pedestrian-killed-us19-holiday-pasco/67-f2edbf69-267f-4780-8653-dfa4af1e87c7 |
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Largo High School student was hit and killed by a car while walking across the road on Friday morning, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers say the 15-year-old boy was walking northbound across Belleair Road near South Haven Drive around 6:45 a .m. when he was hit by a car driving westbound on the two-lane unlighted roadway.
The 60-year-old woman driving the car came to a controlled stop along the shoulder of the road, FHP says. The boy died at the scene. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/largo-high-school-student-killed-pedestrian-crash/67-82ef1387-930a-447f-99e7-9815a89654ba | 2022-08-26T13:41:52 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/largo-high-school-student-killed-pedestrian-crash/67-82ef1387-930a-447f-99e7-9815a89654ba |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Heise 9,663 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 2,238 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 9,441 cfs
Snake River at Milner 0 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 211 cfs
Jackson Lake is 34% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 36% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 10% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 28% of capacity.
As of August 25. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_2d06a25a-2499-11ed-99a6-7f8a9ad45695.html | 2022-08-26T13:50:07 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_2d06a25a-2499-11ed-99a6-7f8a9ad45695.html |
The Well & Good restaurant inside the new Scarlet Hotel is doing … very well.
The new eatery is part of the six-story, 154-room boutique hotel that is part of the Marriott Tribute portfolio. It opened in April on Nebraska Innovation Campus, with then-executive chef Alex Garden implementing the restaurant’s menu of “upscale rustic farm fresh fare.”
The Scarlet is currently advertising to hire a new executive chef to replace Garden, who left in June.
In addition to the first-floor restaurant and bar, the hotel also has a rooftop bar, The Barred Owl, where food service also is available.
Much of Well & Good’s food is sourced locally, with 12 vendors recognized on the dinner menu: Jisa’s Farmstead Cheese, The Mill Coffee & Tea, UNL Dairy Store, Twin Spring Pecans, Lone Tree Foods, Dutch Girl Creamery, Rotella’s Bakery, It’s All About Bees, ELTEE Mangalitsa’s, George Paul Vinegar, Simply Sunflower Oil and Cornhusker Kitchen.
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Well & Good started with a dinner-only menu, but has since expanded to breakfast (7 to 11 a.m.) and lunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.). The dinner menu, charmingly called the “supper menu” (which is what I called dinner growing up; dinner, to me, was lunch!), is small, with five entrees, three sandwiches and two salads.
Entrees include grilled ribeye, chicken, pork and salmon, with prices ranging from $24 to $32. Sandwiches are a chicken schnitzel club and burgers, costing $14 to $16.
Food
My wife and I visited Well & Good on a Tuesday evening, beginning the night with two of the restaurant’s signature cocktails: strawberry gin fizz ($11) and blackberry mule ($11). I was tempted by the Millionaire’s Manhattan but couldn’t bring myself to pay for a drink ($16) that was the same price as my entree. The drinks were a tad pricey.
For entrees, I ordered the ancho bison burger ($16) with a side of crispy potatoes. I added a side of Dorothy Lynch slaw ($3) because I was curious about using the famed Nebraska salad dressing in a side. The Dorothy Lynch taste was subtle in it. The burger was topped with a roasted poblano pepper, pepper jack cheese, an avocado mash and an ancho mayo. The pepper is what put the lean burger, served on a brioche bun, over the top for me, a tasty addition that was more interesting than red onion or tomato.
My wife immensely enjoyed her ricotta mushroom gnudi ($21), featuring gnudi (like gnocchi, but made with ricotta instead of potato), local mushrooms, sage, George Paul balsamic, shallots and Parmesan-Reggiano. The dish was rich and extremely tasty.
We finished our meal with a flourless chocolate torte ($8) topped with whipped cream, brown butter walnuts, candied ginger and citrus cinnamon. Being flourless, the torte’s texture proved to be more pudding-like rather than cakey. It, too, was extremely rich (and delicious).
Well & Good features a solid, accessible menu, with some novel takes on favorite homestyle entrees. Grade: A
Atmosphere
The restaurant and bar are located to the left of the reservation desk past the elevators as you enter the hotel’s front door off Transformation Drive. The restaurant and bar are separate rooms, with the bar featuring large windows looking out onto Innovation Campus.
The restaurant is modern-looking with six giant booths spread along two walls with seating for six people each, and a main floor filled with contemporary wood-and-marble tables and padded chairs. The color scheme is brown and avocado, with curtains topping the booths offering the only hints of “scarlet” in the room. The kitchen is open and at the back of the room. The dining area feels small, but there’s actually close to 100 seats in it. Diners will find tableware and gray cloth napkins at each seat upon arrival. Grade: A
Service
Our server, Emily, introduced herself and then, before my wife could ask, said she could offer drink and food recommendations, if needed. Nice. My wife always likes to ask a server what his or her favorites are on the menu.
Overall, our service was pretty good. Emily was great. The kitchen was so-so, with food taking longer to arrive than I expected — especially our dessert order — on a not-so-busy Tuesday evening (we were one of three tables at the time). The turn-around time wasn’t horrendous — about 15 to 20 minutes for the entrees, but 10-plus for the dessert. Of course, by the time we ordered dessert, the restaurant had become a tad busier. Grade: B
Specialty diets
The ricotta mushroom gnudi is the only vegetarian entree on the dinner menu. However, the menu includes five “Gifts of the Garden” (side items): succotash ($7), grilled asparagus ($9), crispy tallow potatoes ($7), roasted acorn squash ($8) and caramelized Brussels sprouts ($9). There also are two salads ($11 and $12) without meat and two appetizers (relish tray, $8, and crispy cheese curds, $12). The menu doesn’t note gluten-free options, so check with servers about ingredients and preparation. Grade: C+ | https://journalstar.com/news/local/dining-out-innovation-campus-adds-dining-option-with-restaurant-at-new-scarlet-hotel/article_40fd11b9-8c38-5895-ac04-1fccbd768e1b.html | 2022-08-26T13:51:32 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/dining-out-innovation-campus-adds-dining-option-with-restaurant-at-new-scarlet-hotel/article_40fd11b9-8c38-5895-ac04-1fccbd768e1b.html |
When you’re an adult and look back on the places that you spent time in as a kid, chances are, they feel remarkably smaller than you remember. But 12 years later, that’s not the case with the San Francisco Art Institute, the gray monolith that now sits alone and empty in Russian Hill.
The school, once famous for its maximalist Halloween parties and illustrious faculty, which included the likes of Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange and Mark Rothko, recently made headlines after it graduated its final class — marking the end of a 151-year saga as one of the oldest art institutions on the West Coast. In a somber July 15 press release, it announced that it couldn’t survive amid ongoing financial troubles, low enrollment and a failed UCSF acquisition that left the school gasping for air.
Like many former students and alumni, I have strong, mixed emotions about its closure and even stronger feelings about the complicated legacy it left behind. In many ways, it feels like I’m grieving the loss of a troubled relative or partner, one that I have had to push away but still share lifelong memories with.
Most of these memories are “firsts” that I got to experience in SFAI’s pre-college program: A monthlong summer program where teenagers got to live in a dorm in downtown San Francisco and simulate college life. When my parents dropped me off on the corner of Sutter and Taylor, I was just 15 years old.
I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that this program changed me: At the height of the indie sleaze era, it was where I first fell in love and had my first real kiss (unfortunately, it was actually at the AMC theater on Van Ness, but I usually spare that detail). It was where, for the first time, I felt a deep sense of community among my peers, some of whom I still stay in touch with well over a decade later. These experiences were invaluable, and my friend Jeremy Cain — whom I still exchange postcards with — says he met people “worth staying connected to for life.”
A year later, it only seemed natural to graduate high school early and enroll in SFAI’s bachelor degree program. I didn’t really know who I was yet, but I knew that I loved taking pictures, so I decided to pursue photography. But once I settled in, students around me started dropping out or transferring after just two semesters, sometimes less. That’s when I began to notice that many of us, including myself, were falling into a black hole of student loan debt — and without academic credits that transferred to public universities.
As of 2020, SFAI had just a 39.2% graduation rate, and it’s clear why: Previously, KQED’s Sarah Hotchkiss reported that a four-year degree from the “nonprofit” school cost nearly $280,000. The median tuition cost $45,664, a staggering $31,264 more than the average cost of special focus institutions, according to Data USA.
By the time I left as a sophomore, I had taken out enough student loans to buy a small 7-acre island in Nova Scotia.
So when I arrived at San Francisco City College’s administrative office and discovered that hardly any of my credits transferred to local state schools — meaning that I had to start all over — my mental health spiraled. So did my life’s course.
After years of “taking breaks” from school, working minimum wage jobs and navigating San Francisco State University’s strict matriculation standards, it made me question whether I even had the strength to get a degree at all. That’s when the panic attacks started. And the racing thoughts. And the dissociative episodes that nearly landed me in a hospital. Regardless, I maintained this emotional and financial balancing act for nearly a decade. Looking back, it nearly broke me.
Right now, my family is appealing to wipe out my student loans, but it’s not yet clear whether that burden will ever be lifted, or if my wounds will ever truly heal from this experience.
That’s why when I see poor, idiotic grassroots campaigns to save SFAI — an institution that was so cruelly expensive it forced 90% of domestic students to take out loans they will likely spend their whole lives paying back — I want to shake organizers by their shoulders and scream, “STOP.” There are so many ways to support artists, and the best way to do that is to give them money directly as opposed to letting some incompetent middleman fumble the bag.
Aside from the financial and emotional turmoil SFAI caused me, it also nearly prevented me from becoming the journalist I am today. Some of my instructors’ critiques were so unnecessarily harsh and personal, I actually quit taking photos for a while. I couldn’t stand getting torn down in front of my classmates for my shoddy darkroom work, even though I was trying the best I could. Years later, when I picked up my digital camera and started publishing photo essays for small news outlets, I finally became the photographer I always wanted to be. But I’m not the only student who took issue with the way we were sometimes critiqued by the teachers who were meant to help us.
“If I or another student didn’t make work in the exact way that they felt that we should, we were criticized pretty heavily for it,” said my friend Cat Beckstrand, a San Francisco photographer and SFAI alum who uses they/them pronouns. “I was kind of shocked to experience that in a fine art setting.”
Beckstrand, who transferred from community college and graduated from SFAI’s urban studies department, said the school was “classist” and inhospitable to low-income students. At the time, they say photography instructors told them to use entire rolls of film for just one project. These days, a roll of 35 mm black-and-white film costs anywhere from about $8.50 to $13. “And I remember telling my instructors I literally cannot afford to work that way and spend that much money on rolls,” they said. In response, instructors allegedly told them that “they didn’t care” and that they just had to “make it work.”
My own experience was quite similar. To this day, I’m still furious that one of my photography instructors derided me and my ideas in critique, only to use the same ones for their own editorial projects in The California Sunday Magazine and National Geographic years later.
When asked whether SFAI had programs to support low-income students, if a degree from SFAI still retained its academic value or if student loans would still have to be repaid, press representative Margot Frey tersely responded, “We don’t have any employees anymore, so we do not have anyone to answer these questions.”
“My entire art degree just feels like a receipt,” said Oskar Malone Peyak, who graduated in 2016. While he agrees that he had an incredible community of artists and professors, he concedes that the administration let down many students. He also said they dropped out or transferred because they couldn’t afford to keep paying the tuition. It’s a story that hits close to home. “It’s worked for some people, but like the majority, not really,” he continued. “... From an institutional standpoint, mostly everything I taught myself.”
Underneath SFAI’s Instagram post about its closure, one alum, Jerry Gogosian, commented that he paid $175,000 for a “useless” degree. “This school had a history of financial misappropriation, poor leadership, and NEGLIGENT education practices for its students,” he wrote. “It deserves to close.”
But on the contrary, some students say the SFAI experience was about more than just the classroom.
Anthony Russell, who graduated in 2012, cherished getting to learn from cult filmmaker George Kuchar and look up to legendary Bay Area artists Carlos Villa and Richard Berger. For Russell, SFAI was his “anchor” that brought him to the city and helped him build an artistic community. But he, too, noticed that few students graduated from the school.
He said he couldn’t afford to walk away from the “brutally expensive” institution since he had already sunk so much money into it. “I’m definitely mad. It was so expensive,” he said, “but I knew it would be, and I knew that it was not something that necessarily guaranteed me income to pay off the debt that I was accruing, but I don’t regret it.”
Russell, who works at the Lab, an arts nonprofit and performance space in San Francisco, gets by on art handling and voice acting gigs for adult films. He said that while college life at SFAI taught him how to socialize and establish friendships in the creative world, the school didn’t guide him on how to find a job and build a career. “I do wish that there was more instruction on how to navigate that professionally,” he said. I did, too.
A long time ago, while looking through school marketing materials and picking out classes for the fall semester, I read that SFAI made some of its students who they are today. But in my case, I’m relieved it didn’t. | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/closed-SFAI-left-students-struggling-17398121.php | 2022-08-26T14:06:15 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/closed-SFAI-left-students-struggling-17398121.php |
Will Illinois lawmakers allow Peoria to install red-light cameras? Depends on who you ask
PEORIA – One state lawmaker says he's opposed to the idea of an amendment to state law that would allow Peoria County and, specifically, the city of Peoria to install "red-light" cameras at certain intersections.
Two other members of the Illinois General Assembly said they'd take a wait and see approach.
On Tuesday, the Peoria City Council approved a resolution asking state lawmakers to amend the law governing the cameras, which are placed at intersections and take pictures of vehicles that continue through a red light.
Currently, only eight counties – Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Madison, St. Clair and Will – are allowed to have such cameras. But Peoria's city attorney Chrissy Kapustka told the council that her staff believes it's because those were the only counties to ask. She believes it's legally sound to ask for an amendment to the law.
Related:Where are new police surveillance cameras in Peoria? We have the list
At least one state lawmaker isn't wild about the idea of expanding the law.
"Red-light cameras have been a flashpoint of negative public sentiment in communities which have them as government revenue-generators. I cannot imagine why it would be a good idea to reward an industry with such a record of crass corruption and bribery in our state," said State Rep. Ryan Spain, a Peoria Republican. "I am not supportive of expanding red-light cameras in Illinois."
Both State Sen. David Koehler and State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, both Democrats, are taking a wait-and-see approach. Koehler said he'd listen to what Peoria council members had to say, but didn't think it would get done in the upcoming veto session this November. Rather, he said, such a move would require action during the spring session.
Gordon-Booth said it would require working with her colleagues in the House to get it done. But she's willing to listen as well.
"Certainly, we work as partners with our local council colleagues and, if they are in unison saying they want this, we will look introducing a bill and working through the issues," she said.
2nd District City Councilman Chuck Grayeb has long pushed for red-light cameras, saying his district's residents have asked for it as a way to cut down on speeding and traffic infractions within the city. At previous council meetings, he's laid out how he has asked in the past, but was told it couldn't happen because that's how the law was written. That prompted him to ask city attorneys to check into it, which led to the resolution earlier this week. | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/traffic-cameras-wanted-by-peoria-council-but-lawmakers-must-approve/65412598007/ | 2022-08-26T14:12:38 | 1 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/traffic-cameras-wanted-by-peoria-council-but-lawmakers-must-approve/65412598007/ |
'Community of peace' opens to farmworker and low-income families
Lebanon housing advocates and community members this week celebrated 24 new apartment units built specifically for farmworkers.
Colonia Paz I, a new housing development by the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation (FHDC), officially opened to residents in June, but COVID-19 delayed any official celebration. It is now one of 11 FHDC units in the Willamette Valley offering housing specifically to farmworkers.
The goal of each FHDC development is to provide more than roofs over heads, FHDC development consultant Jamie Melton said. It is also to instill a sense of belonging and community in each resident.
“We’re thinking about a holistic life,” Melton said. “On-farm [housing] works for some families, but the quality is different. We’re not just focused on working.”
A sense of community is built into the community room on the ground floor where FHDC plans to host classes and parties, and into the courtyard outside, complete with a playground for kids. It is painted into the mural, still a work in progress, that decorates the outside of the building, a vibrant display of flowers and butterflies.
The flowers are a tribute to those who work tirelessly to put food on people’s tables, artist Hector Hernandez said.
“Their work brings peace; it is translated into peace,” Hernandez said.
Colonia Paz translates to “community of peace.”
Thirteen farmworkers and families have moved into the 24-unit apartment complex so far.
Jose Larios and his family are among them. He said living in Colonia Paz was the first time he felt heard and taken seriously as a resident.
“More than anything, they pay attention to us,” Larios said to a crowd gathered in the courtyard of the apartment complex.
Colonia Paz I contains two and three-bedroom apartments. Residents must prove they work in agriculture. Because FHDC received federal funds to construct it, residents also must prove U.S. residency or citizenship.
Rent for a two-bedroom unit is capped at $722 per month, property manager Mario Carbajal said. It cannot exceed 30% of the household’s income.
Interest in Colonia Paz I has been slow to build, Melton said. The citizenship requirement is a barrier. This is also FHDC’s first development in Linn County.
“It takes time to build trust,” Melton said.
Just next door, Colonia Paz II is under construction.
Unlike the first phase, Colonia Paz II will be open to any low-income individuals or families. Residents will not need to work in agriculture or demonstrate proof of residency. Interest is already higher, Felton said — 70-80 households have applied for 116 units.
Colonia Paz II is expected to open in the fall.
Andrea Bell, director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, said each phase of Colonia Paz is a "manifestation of hope and what is possible."
"We don't have to accept the status quo," Bell said to a crowd in front of Colonia Paz I. "We don't have to accept unfair, inhumane housing conditions. Our people deserve better than that."
Shannon Sollitt covers agricultural workers in the Mid-Willamette Valley as a corps member for Report for America, a program that aims to support local journalism and democracy by reporting on under-covered issues and communities. Send comments, questions and tips to ssollitt@statesmanjournal.com. | https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/lebanon-oregon-farmworker-housing-colonia-paz/65457096007/ | 2022-08-26T14:12:40 | 0 | https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/lebanon-oregon-farmworker-housing-colonia-paz/65457096007/ |
Canton railroad crossings to close
The Repository
CANTON − Four Norfolk/Southern railroad crossings will be closed for repairs from Monday through Friday, according to the Canton Engineering Department.
Detours will be posted, and drivers should avoid the area.
The crossings are:
- 1000 block of Third Street SE
- 900 block of Cleveland Avenue SW
- 1000 block of McKinley Avenue SW
- 1200 block of Prospect Avenue SW | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/canton-railroad-crossings-to-close-for-repairs/65420241007/ | 2022-08-26T14:12:40 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/canton-railroad-crossings-to-close-for-repairs/65420241007/ |
Goldsmith Foundation accepting grant applications
CANTON – The William and Minnette Goldsmith Foundation, a supporting foundation of Stark Community Foundation, is accepting grant proposals until Sept. 2.
Eligible applicants must be a tax-exempt private agency, 501(c)(3) organization (that is recognized as a public charity) or government entity within Stark County, Ohio, or directly benefiting Stark County. Proposals for full or partial funding for personnel positions within established organizations will be considered.
Grant proposals must be submitted through an online application by 4:30 p.m. Sept. 2. To apply and learn more about the Goldsmith Foundation, visit www.starkcf.org/goldsmith. Funding decisions will be made in November.
For more information, contact Grants Administrator Dana S. Johnson at 234-458-2915 or grantsadministration@starkcf.org. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/goldsmith-foundation-accepting-grant-applications/65419934007/ | 2022-08-26T14:12:41 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/goldsmith-foundation-accepting-grant-applications/65419934007/ |
Canton police investigating fatal crash on Market Avenue
CANTON – One person is dead and another in critical condition after a Hummer H3 drove off Market Avenue NW and crashed into a tree.
Police Chief John Gabbard said the crash happened around 12:55 a.m. Friday in the 5200 block of Market Ave N.
The names of the individuals involved have not been released pending the notification of family.
Officers arrived on scene and located a 2007 Hummer H3 overturned on the east side of the road. The Hummer is believed to have been traveling southbound when it went left of center, off the roadway and struck a tree.
Both people inside the Hummer were trapped inside the vehicle. The Canton Fire Department responded and extracted the occupants.
One was transported to the Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital and is in critical condition.
The other individual was pronounced deceased at the scene, Gabbard said.
The Canton Metro Crash Team responded and continues to investigate.
Reach Cassandra cnist@gannett.com; Follow on Twitter @Cassienist | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/one-dead-one-critically-injured-in-hummer-crash-in-canton/65457975007/ | 2022-08-26T14:12:42 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/one-dead-one-critically-injured-in-hummer-crash-in-canton/65457975007/ |
Johnnie's Pastry Shop of Massillon announces closure
Johnnie's Pastry Shop of Massillon is closing.
In a Facebook post this week, the owners said they don't have an official closing date yet, but "it will be in the coming weeks."
North Canton bakery:Sprinkle City Bakery expands in North Canton with goldmine of treats
"With inflation at an all time high, many health and family concerns, this decision did not come easily. I have spent nearly 24 years working inside these walls. While I had hoped for a better outcome for the future of Johnnie’s in Massillon, I have determined my children, family and health will always come first. I thank the many customers for their support these last years, and I will miss all of you," the post said.
The pastry shop is located at 232 Federal Ave. NW in Massillon.
Plain Township bakery:Stark Bites: Hazel & Rye, Bruster's Real Ice Cream open; Pizza+ Buffet to open this summer
Restaurant review:Delicious sandwiches and calzones, affordable prices at Michael D's | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/massillon/2022/08/26/johnnies-pastry-shop-of-massillon-announces-closure/65457884007/ | 2022-08-26T14:12:42 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/massillon/2022/08/26/johnnies-pastry-shop-of-massillon-announces-closure/65457884007/ |
After more than two years of legal wrangling, hearings on a wide-ranging federal labor complaint against longtime Tucson-area copper producer Asarco LLC have finally kicked off — even as the company and its unions have returned to the bargaining table to work out a new labor contract.
The National Labor Relations Board launched hearings last week on a fifth amended complaint brought by regulators, based on charges leveled at Asarco by the United Steelworkers and six other unions representing about 1,800 workers in Arizona and Texas.
In multiple charges filed with the NLRB since 2020, the unions alleged that the company had engaged in “unfair labor practices,” including bad-faith bargaining, unilaterally changing work terms, disciplining and discharging employees for union activities and refusing to reinstate workers after a nine-month strike that ended in July 2020.
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The NLRB agreed, and in June 2020 issued a formal complaint against Asarco, seeking a judgment that actions by Asarco constituted “unfair labor practices” that led to the 2019 strike.
Among other things, such a finding would entitle striking workers to get their jobs back, require Asarco to negotiate a new basic labor agreement and prompt the company to retract any changes deemed unlawfully implemented by the company.
Asarco, owned by Mexican mining giant Grupo Mexico, operates the Mission Mine in Sahuarita; the Silver Bell Mine near Marana, the Ray Mine and Hayden smelter in central Arizona; and a copper refinery in Amarillo, Texas.
Grupo Mexico has a long history of labor strife including violent strikebreaking at Mexican mines, as well as a record of environmental violations.
Asarco in filings with the NLRB has denied any wrongdoing and contends the strike was based on economic issues, which would limit strikers’ rights. The company has ignored repeated requests by the Star to comment on the case.
NLRB attorneys began arguing their case in hearings before NLRB administrative law Judge Sharon Steckler, who after hearings scheduled to last into next year will issue a ruling subject to review by the full NLRB.
Bad-faith dealings
At an initial, online hearing on Aug. 19, NLRB attorney Chris Doyle accused Asarco of “having no intention of bargaining in good faith” for a new collective bargaining agreement to succeed a prior labor contract extension that expired in November 2018.
Doyle also said Asarco unilaterally implemented its “last, best and final” contract offer in 2019 and acted in violation of the National Labor Relations Act before and after that move, including limiting payment of a worker bonus paid based on the price of copper.
The copper price bonus itself became a major issue when Asarco sued to overturn a ruling by a federal labor mediator that it owed hundreds of workers back bonuses because they were improperly excluded from the bonus program.
After two federal district court rulings and an appellate ruling in favor of the unions, and denial of review by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019, Asarco paid more than $10 million in price bonuses to current and former workers.
Negotiations for a new contract started around August 2018, Doyle said in the NLRB’s opening statement.
“But respondent’s (Asarco’s) actions made it clear it had no intention of reaching a successor basic labor agreement with the unions,” he said.
For example, Doyle said, Asarco representatives showed up late for meetings, canceled agreed-upon meetings at the last minute, unreasonably delayed providing information the unions needed to bargain, and insisted on proposals it knew the unions would reject.
When Asarco declared an “impasse” in negotiations and implemented its final offer in December 2019, the company hadn’t provided the unions with the information they requested, he said.
“There was no impasse — the unions were still willing to negotiate,” Doyle said, citing a recent NLRB ruling that if either negotiating party is willing to move forward, no impasse can exist.
Away from the bargaining table, Asarco also violated federal labor law in its treatment of striking workers, Doyle said.
At the outset of the strike in October 2019, he said, the company sent letters to union members with instructions on how to resign from their unions and rescind their union dues payroll checkoffs.
Asarco also hired a private security firm to conduct surveillance on strikers, Doyle said.
After the Steelworkers and other unions ended their strike and offered to return to work unconditionally, he said, Asarco refused to reinstate some 800 strikers or displace the replacement workers they hired shortly after the strike began.
Asarco did hire back some strikers, but only if they agreed to work under the company’s final offer, and many who returned were not offered their former positions, Doyle said.
Many strikers remain on Asarco’s preferential hiring list but have not been rehired, he added.
Asarco also cut union positions at its Amarillo refinery in September 2020 to discourage union activities and shifted workers to jobs they were not trained for and assigned supervisory workers to union jobs, in violation of prior labor agreements, Doyle said.
Union members who returned to work at Asarco often were subject to “harsh discipline,” Doyle said, citing the dismissal of a haul-truck driver at the Mission Mine after a minor traffic violation, while non-union members were not fired for similar infractions.
At the Ray Mine Complex, two union members were fired after raising safety concerns about a new requirement that workers walk from a parking lot to the mill site, he added.
Asarco declined to make an opening statement at the initial hearing but will make one later as it makes its case, company attorney Richard Russo told the judge.
Testimony begins
In-person testimony in the Asarco case began Monday, Aug. 22, in central Phoenix.
The first witness was Asarco’s director of human resources, Stacy Sinele, who was quizzed by NLRB attorney Nicholas Gordon about the company’s operations and various documents, including correspondence between the company and the unions at the outset of negotiations in August 2018.
Asarco has about 1,400 total employees, down from about 2,300 in 2018, she said.
About 1,270 Asarco workers are represented by unions that besides the Steelworkers include the Teamsters and unions representing operating engineers, machinists, boilermakers, pipefitters and electrical workers, Sinele said.
The number of union-represented workers is down from around 1,700 in 2018, she said.
At its Tucson-area mines, Sinele said, the Mission Mine and milling complex employs about 500 workers, down from 600 in 2018, with about 480 represented by unions.
The Silver Bell Mine employs about 175 people, down from about 200 in 2018, when about 150 were union-represented, she said.
Silver Bell was the subject of the most recent charges leveled by the unions against Asarco. In June, the Steelworkers filed NLRB charges that Asarco had illegally withdrawn recognition of the union at Silver Bell, contending it had no objective evidence the union had lost majority support.
Elsewhere, Sinele said Asarco has about 500 workers at its Ray Mine near Kearny in Pinal County, down from about 600 in 2008, and another 400 at its nearby Hayden copper smelter and concentrator operation.
Sinele, who said she joined Asarco in 2014 as a community relations manager, figures prominently in the case as an Asarco lead spokesperson in the negotiations and for her part in correspondence over document requests and communications with employees.
The unions and NLRB have charged that Sinele sent letters to Asarco employees in October 2019, soliciting the revocation of employees’ checkoff authorizations for union dues and resignation of their union membership, in violation of federal labor law.
In its answer to the NLRB complaint, Asarco said the union “was provided with copies of the letters in advance and did not object to the transmittal of the letters to employees.”
The unions and NLRB also charge that Asarco managers denied some employees requests to be represented by unions, disrupted union activities and threatened union members with staffing cuts and “unspecified reprisals” for engaging in protected union activities.
Asarco, in its filed answer, specifically denied those charges.
The NLRB hearings are scheduled to continue weekly until mid-November, restart in January and run until early March.
Talks resume
Meanwhile, the Steelworkers union in late July announced that it was back at the bargaining table with Asarco and the sides had already traded initial proposals and reached a tentative agreement on four issues.
“Significant changes have occurred in the industry since the unions and the company last met for (basic labor agreement) negotiations in late 2019,” the Steelworkers said at the time.
Copper prices have soared since early 2020, with spot prices rising from just over $2 in March 2020 to top $4 a year later. Prices averaged nearly $4.25 per pound during 2021 and nearly hit $5 in February, and after dropping to around $3.25 in July has recently been trading above $3.50.
And though the NLRB testimony indicates its workforce is down from 2018, Asarco is hiring now, with 78 open positions listed on its online jobs site last week, including many traditional union trades.
Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/tucson-area-copper-miner-asarco-unions-face-off-in-labor-court/article_cbcd0210-22fc-11ed-bcd5-9386b645cf57.html | 2022-08-26T14:22:33 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/tucson-area-copper-miner-asarco-unions-face-off-in-labor-court/article_cbcd0210-22fc-11ed-bcd5-9386b645cf57.html |
Next week, we will continue our interviews with political candidates.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m., we will host Kirsten Engel, the Democratic candidate in Congressional District 6. Juan Ciscomani, the Republican candidate in CD 6, has not responded to our invitation. At 2 p.m., we will host Democrat Raúl Grijalva and Republican Luis Pozzolo. They are running in CD 7.
We invite readers to attend the interviews, which will be conducted via Zoom. Email sbrown@tucson.com if you need the Zoom information emailed to you. Here is the invitation to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85030559366?pwd=MGtKTGZiMUhEancrejYrZXdKVWU2dz09
Meeting ID: 850 3055 9366
Passcode: 193869 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/join-us-next-week-for-more-candidate-interviews/article_80708d88-23e6-11ed-b67a-7fc481c1cf38.html | 2022-08-26T14:22:46 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/join-us-next-week-for-more-candidate-interviews/article_80708d88-23e6-11ed-b67a-7fc481c1cf38.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Once again, Arizona is bearing the brunt of a national, indeed a global, crisis. The Colorado River, lifeblood of 40 million Americans, is in peril. Long known to be over-allocated, unprecedented climate change-driven drought is today finally forcing a reckoning that drastic cuts will be required to preserve the once mighty river.
Climate change makes this everyone’s problem. But inaction by President Biden’s Department of the Interior has made it Arizona’s problem.
The good news is that the Biden administration can require cuts be taken equitably from all Lower Basin states, and importantly, from the river’s biggest water user, California. The bad news is that it has failed to follow through on its promise to do so. The even worse news is that, as a result, Arizona will be forced to continue to sacrifice more, while California and other states continue to use water in a crisis. This unfair distinction will carry far reaching and harmful consequences for farmers, municipalities and future generations.
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According to the Supreme Court, the federal government has sweeping powers over Colorado River management, especially the Lower Basin, with Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation acting as “water master.” Back in June, with water levels in the river’s major reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, plummeting, Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, appointed by Biden in 2021, announced that the Basin states had 60 days to cut 2-4 million acre-feet from their river allocations (roughly 15 percent of the river’s flow). If they didn’t, the Bureau said it would do it for them.
It seems this was just talk. Despite the states’ failure to come up with such a plan by the deadline last week, the Biden administration has done just about nothing.
Time is not on our side. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are barely above one-quarter of their capacity. If they fall much lower, they will be unable to generate hydroelectric power for millions in the West. The most effective and least disruptive steps — building more storage capacity, switching to less water-intensive farming practices, adopting water reuse and recycling programs, retrofitting homes and businesses with water-efficient appliances — all need time to develop, fund and implement.
Luckily we now have $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act and over $8 billion from the Infrastructure Act to help us do so. But further delay will shrink our options to the most short-term reduction measures available — measures such as paying farmers to fallow their fields year by year — rather than those that permanently transition our economy to a less water-intensive future.
Arizona is paying the price of the delay in increasingly bigger water cuts. Under the 2019 Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP), in 2023 Arizona must cut a fifth of its entire allocation. And California? Zero. Granted, California must shoulder future cuts should Lake Mead continue to drop, but this will occur only after Arizona has reduced nearly 800,000 acre-feet of water in mandatory cuts together with voluntary cuts negotiated with Tribal governments and others.
The DCP (which I supported as a member of the Arizona Legislature) was critical to keeping Lake Mead water levels up while we waited for a 2026 renegotiation of the River’s management guidelines. But recent events have made clear that the situation is much more dire than then understood and the DCP-mandated cuts are plainly insufficient to get us to 2023, much less 2026. Bigger cuts are required and they will need to come from other Basin states, most importantly, California.
Nature, economics and fairness all argue in favor of the Biden administration acting quickly to provide at least the framework of an equitable plan requiring the states and Mexico collectively reduce 2-4 million acre-feet from their Colorado River diversions. The river can’t wait, and nor can we in Arizona.
Kirsten Engel is a former state senator, an environmental attorney, and a candidate for Arizona’s 6th Congressional District. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-feds-failure-on-colorado-river-cuts-hurts-arizona/article_9fdf3a38-247d-11ed-884e-c71ebda1266e.html | 2022-08-26T14:22:52 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-feds-failure-on-colorado-river-cuts-hurts-arizona/article_9fdf3a38-247d-11ed-884e-c71ebda1266e.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
It seems as if many in the non-conservative universe have been shocked beyond Pluto by Liz Cheney’s Donald Trump impeachment vote, her Jan. 6 committee participation, and her stand for decency over membership in the Big Orange safe.
This decidedly moderate Democrat believes there is much more in Cheney’s actions (and, to be completely fair, many of those of her colleague, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.) than might meet cynical eyes. Despite the anguish that has colored much of this nation’s discourse since at least 2016, there just might be more decency and fairness beyond the worlds of Cheney and Kinzinger than many of us (myself very much included) might want to admit.
When I moved from St. Paul, Minn. to Tucson in May 2020 to enlist my brother’s help in caring for our mother, I was scared as hell about what I would find here. Besides heat. I worried that coming from a state nearly as Blue as Paul Bunyan’s blue ox Babe that I would find Arizona a highly unforgiving place for people from my part of the world. I feared I’d need to don air-conditioned titanium every time I ventured out.
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Well, my anxieties were mostly foolish inventions of a Northern mind. Did I receive a blazing glare from a firearm-bearing person when they saw my car was bought in St. Paul and asked if I really was from Minnesota? Yes. But I’ve also heard and taken part in more than a few fairly amped yet measured political conversations while waiting in line at places like Safeway. One that occurred shortly after the January 6 committee hearings began is one I’ll not soon forget.
A man asked a woman in front of me what she thought of the “destruction of the Capitol and all the crap that has happened since then,” prefacing his comments by proclaiming himself as Republican as Barry Goldwater. She said she was and the rest of us felt free to agree. He then said “(several expletives deleted), you Democrats mostly want to spend money and march in Pride parades but (more expletives deleted), what happened then wasn’t right, Liz Cheney is right and I’m sorry as hell that I voted for that piece of (a few more expletives deleted) Trump. Will all of you (you get the picture) Democrats forgive me?” I said I would and that I’d even overlook the French and possibly even Socialist champagne in his cart. Everyone laughed.
A few weeks ago, a Republican friend from years ago sent an email that was part apology and part plea, with numerous Liz Cheney mentions. This person and I have been friends for years, though we had not spoken since Trump became president.
Anyway, this friend said he felt bad we had fallen out of touch. He guessed I had lost contact with many Trump-supporting friends after Jan. 6, 2021, based on a piece I published about such shortly after the attack. He said he still considers himself conservative and that his 2016 vote was about saving taxes. He added that he could not vote for Trump in 2020, no matter the tax cuts, but that “it’s taken me all this time to realize that those who voted differently were not and are not bad people. Can we find our individual ways to patch this country up?” When I wrote back, I told him I also admired Cheney’s actions and that I fervently hoped we could not only repair our friendship but indeed do our individual patching bits.
Whatever destiny awaits Cheney is yet to be seen. Whatever is in store for the rest of us depends on how much we want to find any common ground.
And whether our efforts are Pluto shocking-beneficial or not also … remains to be seen.
Mary Stanik is a published opinions writer and full-time parental caregiver who moved to Tucson from Minnesota in 2020. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-liz-cheney-may-have-shown-there-is-more-decency-than-we-think/article_b9a0d492-23c2-11ed-bd7f-b793fd69f1c2.html | 2022-08-26T14:22:58 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-liz-cheney-may-have-shown-there-is-more-decency-than-we-think/article_b9a0d492-23c2-11ed-bd7f-b793fd69f1c2.html |
How a popular Milwaukee TikToker has created in-person community for social media content creators, influencers and enthusiasts
Snapping photos, filming videos, editing footage.
Social media content creators and influencers tend to spend a good chunk of time behind screens.
A popular Milwaukee TikToker has created a local community for them — to meet, network, troubleshoot, share ideas and collab — offline and in person.
And there's a pretty good chance you've already "met" the group's founder, Jeffrey "JMatt" Matthias, in some way.
Maybe you saw him judge this summer's Red Bull Flugtag in Milwaukee, used one of his GIFs (which have over 260 million views) or are one of the more than 181,100 TikTok followers who've watched him explore and highlight the restaurants, food, events and unique experiences Milwaukee offers.
JMatt initially launched the HashtagMKE community in 2017 to connect with other social media professionals. At that time, he was a digital media specialist for SaintA (now Wellpoint Care Network) and also working part-time at 103.7 KISS FM as an on-air personality.
A lot of smaller companies and brands in the area had marketing teams of one to three people, he said.
"If you were the social media person at your company, oftentimes you were the only social media person," he said. "So if you ever needed a brainstorm or ran into technical issues with one of the platforms, you didn't have anyone to ask."
And when JMatt would attend area networking events, he said, he would usually find finance industry folks ... and few individuals in his field.
So, he took it upon himself to fill those voids.
He did that — and continues to do that — by organizing free monthly social media-focused meetups across Milwaukee.
Just like JMatt's popularity on TikTok has grown, so have his socials — expanding to include influencers with followings of all sizes, social media enthusiasts, photographers, web developers and many others.
How the meetups work, have grown
Over the years, the meetups have grown from networking events to each social having its own theme.
"I basically host events that I would want to attend myself," JMatt said.
Topics have included influencer marketing, foodies, video creation, how to create better content from your phone and more. About twice a year, free professional headshots are offered.
"We invite local experts to come and be available," JMatt said. "We don't do panels or presentations. It's just simply: Show up, these people will be there, ask them your questions that you have directly, and just have a casual conversation."
Matt Curtis, a senior content strategist for Hoffman York, was one of four people who attended JMatt's inaugural event in January 2017. Relatively new to the area, he was looking for networking opportunities and had connected with JMatt on Twitter.
Since then, the community has grown about 10 times in size, and Curtis has gone to just about every social.
"Having all these people from all these different avenues, these walks of life and these professions able to give their insight and their information on these platforms that are developing and changing so rapidly in real time is really impactful and helpful," Curtis said.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meetups were drawing between 50 and 75 people, according to JMatt.
That's a testament to JMatt's "welcoming" and "hands-on" approach to running the group, Curtis said.
At each meetup — held from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Thursday of the month — JMatt greets every person at the door, whether it's their first or 20th time attending.
He then asks what they want to get out of the meetup or who he can connect them with.
Any time JMatt sees two new people connecting or exchanging contact info at one of his events, he said it's like a "pat on the back."
Milwaukee resident Tia Derflinger checked out her first HashtagMKE event in the spring of 2018 after coming across an Instagram post about the community. She was slightly apprehensive — "when you put yourself in a crowd of people, it can be a little nerve-wracking," she said.
Those nerves she had quickly disappeared.
"Everyone was really welcoming and really talkative," she said. "There's a lot of mingling. It didn't feel overwhelming when I got there."
Since no one in her circle at that time was interested in content creation, she wanted to meet people who shared that passion and to talk through some Instagram ideas. Her Instagram account, @midwestgirladventures, is a compilation of her adventures, from Milwaukee to around the world.
From being a part of the group over the years, she's been able to learn how to promote and grow her account and its following, get feedback on her content, and form many friendships.
"I think that meeting with other content creators in Milwaukee has helped grow the account," she said. "We all kind of keep tabs on each other and support each other."
JMatt himself is a success story of the community's networking at work.
In 2020, Entercom made pandemic cuts and JMatt lost his "dream job" at KISS FM, beingthe midday on-air personality and digital program director.
Curtis let him know about an opening for a senior content strategist position where he works. JMatt went on to land the gig.
TikTok meetups
Seeing how social media stans are brought together through his HashtagMKE meetups, JMatt decided to launch a similar space for the local TikTok community.
And he wanted to support Milwaukeeans in need while doing so.
JMatt tested out this idea for the first time in October 2021, then had a larger-scale TikTok meetup in February 2022 at 3rd Street Market Hall.
It drew more than 40 attendees, who brought more than 125 donations for Riverwest Food Pantry (now Kinship Community Food Center). And Palermo’s Pizza matched their donations $10 for every item up to $1,000, JMatt said.
"It's something we need to be donating to year-round and not just when the holidays are around and we're feeling in that giving mood," he said. "I really wanted to find (an organization) that serviced the community directly ... I wanted to make sure if we were bringing people together here in the city of Milwaukee — given that my TikTok content is so focused on the city of Milwaukee — I wanted to make sure that what we raised stayed here."
For these meetups, JMatt is picking family-friendly spots so that younger creators can be a part of them too.
"The interesting thing about TikTok is that it has such an age range," JMatt said. "I didn't want anyone to feel excluded."
He's also hosting the gatherings in spaces that promote content creation.
The next TikTok meetup is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 27 at Punch Bowl Social, 1122 Vel R. Phillips Avenue.
"If you want to come and create a TikTok while you're at the event, there's opportunities throughout the venue," he said.
Registration for the event can be done at bit.ly/3T4Skwn, but people are welcome to just show up, JMatt said. It's "super casual."
When people arrive, they can make a nametag so people know they're part of the group. They can just drop by or stay the whole time.
A list of TikTokers that plan to stop by can be found on the event's webpage. If someone is a follower of one of the about 15 featured TikTokers and wants to meet them, the event is for them as well, JMatt said.
Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items for the Kinship Community Food Center. Palermo’s Pizza will once again match donations $10 for every item donated up to $1,000, he said.
When asked why giving back is important to him, JMatt brought up what a friend told him a decade ago that has stuck with him ever since.
"When people have a voice, people need to use it for something impactful instead of just self promotion," JMatt said. "If you have a voice, use that voice in a positive way."
He carries that motto into how he uses his platforms, especially Instagram.
Using social media to help others
Around the time HashtagMKE got started, JMatt was challenged by a friend to do the "22 Pushup Challenge," which brings awareness to veteran suicide and prevention.
At the time, that number was representative of the number of veterans who die by suicide each day, he explained.
Participants do 22 pushups a day for 22 days.
"I wasn't even sure I could do 22 pushups on the first day," JMatt said.
He could — and hasn't stopped yet. He completed day 2,059 this week.
He shares videos of himself on Instagram doing the pushups all over the city, from on stage during a Summerfest show to outside Fiserv Forum.
This is one of his ways of regularly sharing mental health resources with his followers, he said, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) and the Crisis Text Line (Text HELLO to 741-741).
"It was a way for me to take ownership of my own mental health struggles and in the process I became more of a public-facing mental health advocate," he said.
To keep up with JMatt, follow him on TikTok, tiktok.com/@jmattmke, or Instagram, instagram.com/jmattmke. And for more information on HashtagMKE, visit hashtagmke.com.
Contact Hannah Kirby at hannah.kirby@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HannahHopeKirby. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/08/26/hashtagmke-builds-community-milwaukee-social-media-influencers-content-creators/10331126002/ | 2022-08-26T14:24:47 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/08/26/hashtagmke-builds-community-milwaukee-social-media-influencers-content-creators/10331126002/ |
Flagstaff Unified School District’s governing board was presented during a meeting Tuesday with the standardized testing results from spring 2022.
Mike Vogler, the district's director of research assessment data, began the meeting by summarizing the district’s benchmark results throughout the previous school year. FUSD administers benchmark assessments in the spring, summer and fall to measure student progress throughout the year.
Students in elementary school (grades K-5, AIMSWeb+) mostly received scores in the average to well-above average range for all subject areas. Grades sixth through eighth (Study Island) also saw benchmark scores improve throughout the previous school year, with the exception of seventh-grade ELA (English language arts), according to Vogler's presentation.
AASA
This was the first year of the Arizona Academic Standards Assessment (AASA), Arizona’s new standardized test for students in third through eighth grade. The pandemic has also made tracking scores over time more difficult -- the AZM2 was not administered in 2020, and fewer students than usual took the test in 2021.
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Scores from the previous assessment (AZM2) show a similar decline in the percent of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders receiving proficient scores in ELA from a peak in 2019. Each grade had seen rising percentages between 2017 and 2019, with fifth-graders showing the steepest rise.
AZM2 math scores for third- through fifth-graders followed a similar pattern, though the decline from 2019 to 2021 was steeper (just under 20% of fourth-graders received proficient scores in 2021, for example). Math scores had also fallen for fourth- and fifth-grade students in 2017, while third grade continued to rise.
Sixth- through eighth-graders saw a similar pattern in AZM2 ELA scores over time -- a rise of varying degree through 2018, similar scores in 2019 and a decline through 2021. Math scores were more mixed for this age, with sixth grade seeing a dip in 2017 and peaks in 2016 and 2018, seventh grade remaining steady through 2018, followed by a peak in 2019 and eighth grade falling in 2016 before rising through 2018. As with the other categories, sixth- through eighth-grade math scores fell in recent years, beginning in 2018 for sixth and eighth grade and in 2019 for seventh grade.
As a different assessment, the AASA cannot make perfect comparisons to previous years’ AZM2 results.
"The scaled scores correlate, but the breakdowns between the different categories doesn't correlate -- which I don't think is surprising," Vogler said. "When it came to grade levels, the biggest thing I can remark from this is that our pass rates declined in middle school."
The AIMSWeb+ and AASA data correlate well, he said, as well as that 2022 AASA scores for most grades have a higher pass rate than in 2021. Pass rates were highest among fourth-graders and declined in middle school.
In the AASA ELA section, over 40% of fourth-graders received proficient scores on the spring 2022 test, as did a similar percentage (slightly under 30%) of both third- and fifth-graders. In math, over 30% of third- through fifth-graders received a proficient score, with the highest percentage again being in fourth grade.
The 2022 AASA results for sixth through eighth grade show a higher percentage of ELA proficient students in seventh grade (about 30%, compared to 20% for eighth grade and slightly higher for sixth). Math results were closer between the three grades, with all having about 15% of students with proficient scores in 2022.
For both the district and state, ELA scores tended to be higher, and FUSD fourth-graders had a higher percent proficiency than in Arizona overall.
The district’s lowest-scoring areas included reading for information, writing with evidence and elaboration. When divided by grade level, the lowest scores were all in math, with third through fifth grades scoring lowest on fractions, numbers and operations, sixth through seventh on the number system and eighth grade on geometry.
ACT Suite
FUSD ninth-graders took the ACT Aspire this year, a test that compares student performance to ACT benchmarks.
FUSD scores on the Aspire were similar to those across Arizona, Vogler said. As with the younger grades, a higher percentage of FUSD ninth-graders scored proficient in English (30.58%) and reading (33.62%) than in mathematics (20.75%). The subject with the lowest percent proficiency was science, with 16.42% receiving proficient scores.
The assessment also includes predictions for composite ACT scores -- in 2024, FUSD's predicted average is between 15.5 and 19. The district’s average composite score in 2022 was 21, down from the 2021 high of 22.5.
Areas of strength Vogler identified based on the ACT Aspire scores included standard English conventions, craft and structure, statistics and probability, data interpretation, and language use and conventions. Areas of opportunity included writing production, making inferences and drawing conclusions, number and quantity, scientific investigation and providing examples, and reasoning to support arguments.
Scores for the full ACT test (taken in 11th grade) have declined or stayed similar since April 2019. As with the AZM2, the pandemic has affected testing in recent years: fewer students took the test in 2021 and the 2020 test was delayed to October.
The percentage of students meeting ACT college readiness benchmarks in the district followed a similar pattern across subjects, though at different levels. Most either stayed the same or rose from 2019 to 2020, then fell in 2021. The 2022 rates remained at a similarly low level to the previous year.
In math, scores stayed the same in 2019 and 2020 (26%), then fell to 15% in 2021 and to 13% in April 2022. Students meeting science standards rose to 28% in 2020 (from 23% in 2019) before falling to 19% in 2021 and 20% in 2022. STEM had a high of 14% in 2020 and a low of 5% in 2022.
As with 2022 results, a much larger percentage of students met ELA benchmarks for college readiness, though following a similar pattern. English scores rose from 45% to 47% in 2020 before falling to 39% in 2021 and 38% in 2022. Reading had a sharper rise in 2020, to 38% (from 29% in 2019) and fell to 26% in 2021 and 25% in 2022.
Strengths Vogler identified for the ACT test included evaluating models and making inferences, writing craft and structure, statistics and probability, language knowledge and integrating essential skills. Opportunities included scientific investigation, integration of knowledge and ideas, standard English conventions, number, quantity and geometry.
Vogler said the district will be communicating about the results with administration and teachers, including training and workshops on classroom implementation.
The district will continue to complete benchmark assessments in the fall, winter and spring of the current school year. The next round of standardized testing is scheduled to take place in March and April of 2023.
The full board meeting, including the presentation, can be found here. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/fusd-receives-results-of-new-standardized-testing/article_53170b2a-24bb-11ed-9264-1fff140d10d8.html | 2022-08-26T14:26:18 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/fusd-receives-results-of-new-standardized-testing/article_53170b2a-24bb-11ed-9264-1fff140d10d8.html |
Marijuana retailers in Flagstaff are concerned that a proposed amendment to a city zoning code would drive out local “mom and pop” dispensaries by forcing them to compete with an influx of larger businesses based outside of Flagstaff.
The proposed amendment came before Flagstaff City Council during Tuesday’s work session, and after hearing the concerns of local business owners, it decided to postpone a decision on the amendment to research the issue further.
The amendment in question would change city code to re-define what kind of marijuana establishments are legally permitted to operate within city limits. As it stands, the city only permits “dual-license” establishments -- those that serve both medical and recreational marijuana users -- to operate.
With the new amendment, Flagstaff would also open its doors to marijuana establishments that hold social equity licenses.
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Social equity licenses were distributed by lottery in April under Proposition 207 and are intended to “promote the ownership and operation of establishments by individuals from communities disproportionately impacted by enforcement of previous marijuana laws,” according to the Arizona Department of Health Services website. There are currently 26 social equity license holders in the state, none of which are held by Flagstaff residents, and by law they have 18 months to establish businesses before the licenses expire.
The trouble is that these license holders frequently “don’t have the funding” to get their business up and running, said David Stilley, owner of local marijuana dispensary High Mountain Health.
As a result, social equity license holders commonly “sidle up with larger companies, then get bought out and pushed out,” Stilley said. “Social equity was supposed to take our licensees and have them to be a direct reflection of the community. What we’re getting here is really quite the opposite.”
According to Steve Thompson, also of High Mountain Health, 18 of the social equity licenses “somehow wound up in the hands of big, multistate operators with large cultivation sites in the desert.”
If large operations are permitted to set up shop in Flagstaff, “They’re going to split up the business that is here, and that’s it,” Thompson said.
“You’ll be creating a situation that will severely hurt local businesses, won’t generate another nickel in local taxes and will probably cost local jobs,” he said.
Thompson also painted a picture what he considered Flagstaff’s likely future as another “California or Colorado” should the amendment pass.
“The advertising alone would be staggering. Everywhere you go, you’re going to see pot,” he said. “We’re talking big box versus mom and pop. We’re mom and pop. We want protection. We are worthy of protection.”
Thompson noted that High Mountain Health has donated roughly $130,000 to local charities, and that together with Noble Herb -- one of Flagstaff’s other local marijuana establishments -- they employ about 200 people in the city.
“Many of these people made life changes and relocated to Flagstaff for this job,” Thompson said.
For Noble Herbs co-founder Ryan Hermansky, a key issue is timing. Because social equity license holders have a limited time to establish businesses and aren’t permitted in most major municipalities across the state, he doesn’t want to see Flagstaff invite “an onslaught of attention” by being one of the first to open up to social equity license holders.
“They’re already four months in and got about 14 months to go [before social equity licenses expire],” he said. “They're going to start feeling a time crunch on when they can open. So if Flagstaff is the first city to say it will allow adult-use-only licenses, there's going to be a mass rush to find locations in Flagstaff.”
Based on Hermansky’s research, there are roughly 10 locations in Flagstaff that meet the zoning and separation requirements to make them viable for marijuana stores.
“There's basically three already,” he said, referring to High Mountain Health, Noble Herb and GreenPharms, which is just outside city limits. “If we have 10 to 13 dispensaries in Flagstaff, I don't think that's good for anybody. I don't think that's what the citizens of Flagstaff would openly embrace.”
Research conducted by city staff, however, tells a different story. According to Kevin Fincel, the deputy city attorney, it’s estimated that current zoning and separation requirements would only allow the establishment of “two to five” new pot shops within city limits.
During the city council meeting, Fincel also confirmed that Flagstaff would not be the first to accept social equity licensees, and that “Avondale, Glendale, Maricopa County, Payson, Santa Cruz County, Tempe and Pima County” also permit social equity establishments -- though it’s important to note county permission does not equal city permission.
Larger cities such as Phoenix and Tucson are still holding out.
Fincel also stated that, despite other cities' decisions, “no one is aware” of any social equity marijuana establishments having opened in Arizona since the licenses were distributed.
According to Tiffany Antol, city planning director, “not more than a handful” of businesses have inquired as to whether Flagstaff will allow rec-only and social equity establishments in the city, suggesting that the interest may not be as great as local business leaders fear.
Council as a whole seemed somewhat split on how to proceed with the information at hand. Mayor Paul Deasy offered the alternative of requiring “conditional-use permits” to make sure that new marijuana establishments had to go through a public process before opening up shop -- a system currently utilized by Pima County -- but Antol warned that this route “may not achieve what you’re looking to achieve.”
“It’s an additional step and a $3,000 fee, but it’s not a ‘yes or no’ decision,” Antol said, noting that if requirements are met, the city can’t necessarily deny a conditional-use permit applicant.
“Sometimes it gives the public a false sense of security,” she said. “It’s not as discretionary as a rezoning case is.”
Despite murmurs of support for the amendment toward the meeting’s end, most councilmembers seemed unconvinced either way, with the exception of Councilmember Austin Aslan, who expressed explicit opposition.
“I’m a no vote,” Aslan said. “I don’t want to see social equity licenses become available.”
Ultimately, all members of Council supported a motion to postpone the amendment for further consideration, with Deasy noting that “we need to not pump the brakes too long.”
Delaying was the right move, said Hermansky.
The pause, in his opinion, will give Flagstaff time to see how the social equity situation settles out across the rest of the state as well as give the public some more time to learn about the amendment and weigh in on the process.
“A slight delay is beneficial for everybody,” he said.
It is unclear when the amendment will return to Council for reconsideration. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/we-want-protection-flagstaff-marijuana-retailers-ask-city-council-to-limit-influx-of-big-box/article_126dd01c-24c6-11ed-a67d-cfb508b23405.html | 2022-08-26T14:26:24 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/we-want-protection-flagstaff-marijuana-retailers-ask-city-council-to-limit-influx-of-big-box/article_126dd01c-24c6-11ed-a67d-cfb508b23405.html |
School zone speed cameras turn back on Aug. 31. Here's how many tickets they gave out last school year.
Tickets are $50 per infraction
Speed cameras in school zones of four Rhode Island cities are turning back on next week with the start of the new school year.
The automated cameras issue tickets to speeders on school days between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Under state law, the speed cameras can only be placed in school zones and can only operate 180 days a year, tied to when school is in session.
In Providence, cameras were removed from the trashcan-like housings over the summer and have since been put back in. They will start issuing tickets on Monday, Aug. 29.
Providence has moved around at least six of its 20 cameras to new locations.
In Central Falls, Pawtucket and East Providence, the cameras will start issuing tickets on Wednesday, Aug. 31, the first day of school. None of the cameras have been moved and none have been added.
Big ticket revenue
Speed cameras also mean big business for a few cities, generating millions in revenue.
Last school year, Pawtucket's speed cameras generated 95,654 speeding tickets worth $4.78 million. Pawtucket and East Providence both use the company Sensys Gatso USA, which takes a $7.30 cut of each ticket and charges $2,500 per camera for every month they're in operation, per contracts with the cities.
By the numbers:Here's how many tickets school-zone speed cameras gave out the 2021-2022 school year
In East Providence, between January and May 20, cameras issued 62,464 tickets at $50 apiece, a total of $3.1 million in fines, not accounting for any that may have been contested.
In Central Falls, the cameras started issuing tickets on Jan. 28 and continued through June 15. In all the city issued 2,685 tickets worth $134,250.
A request to Providence for its speed camera ticketing data has been pending since June.
Providence Speed camera locations
In all, Providence has at least 20 speed cameras. Providence Police Spokeswoman Linday Lague wrote in an email that cameras have been moved to six new locations.
• 100-200 block of Douglas Avenue in front of Times Squared Academy, targeting westbound traffic
• 182 Thurbers Ave. at the Juanita Sanchez High School, targeting eastbound traffic
• 100 block of Blackstone Boulevard in front of the Lincoln School, targeting southbound traffic
• 400-500 block of of Plainfield Street at the Laurel Hill Annex Elementary, also known as the Frank Spaziano Elementary School, targeting westbound traffic
• 300-400 block of Hope Street at the Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, targeting northbound traffic
• 100 block of Bridgham Street at Central High School targeting northbound traffic.
According to the last update provided by the city in 2019, there were also cameras at:
• 520 Hope St. at Providence Center School
• 93 Cranston St. at Providence Career and Technical Academy
• Dexter Street at Waldo Street at the Alfred Lima Elementary School
• 387 Branch Ave. at A-Venture Academy
• 187 Douglas Ave. at the Times 2 Academy
• 593 Academy Ave. at La Salle Academy
• 50 Laurel Hill Ave. at the Achievement First Mayoral Academy
• 773 Chalkstone Ave. at the Nathanael Greene Middle School
• 114 Olney St. at Hope High School
• 179 Thurbers Ave. at Roger Williams Middle School
• 417 Charles St. at Esek Hopkins Middle School
• 301 Butler Ave. at Lincoln School
• 812 Douglas Ave. at Veazie Street School
• 156 Reservoir Ave. at Reservoir Avenue Elementary School
Central Falls speed camera locations
• Lonsdale Avenue at Blackstone Valley Prep
• 500 block of Hunt Street at Ella Risk Elementary School
• 100 block of Hunt Street at Raices Dual Language Academy
• Broad Street at The Learning Community
• Illinois Street at Central Falls High School
• Pine Street at Captain Hunt School
• Washington Street at Calcutt Middle School
East Providence speed camera locations
• 3070 Pawtucket Ave. at St. Mary Academy Bay View
• 2680 Pawtucket Ave. at Kent Heights School
• 179 Forbes St. at Riverside Middle School
• 42 Bishop Ave. at St. Margaret School
• 2000 Pawtucket Ave. at East Providence High School
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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/cities-turn-speed-cameras-back-on-as-the-school-year-starts/7883197001/ | 2022-08-26T14:42:40 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/cities-turn-speed-cameras-back-on-as-the-school-year-starts/7883197001/ |
Democrats James Diossa and Stefan Pryor are vying to be the state's treasurer. Here's what they'll do on the job.
It's a match-up worthy of a Hollywood political thriller:
The man who rebuilt Central Falls against the man who rebuilt Manhattan.
James A. Diossa, who served as mayor of Central Falls from 2013 to 2021 as the city emerged from bankruptcy, is squaring off in the Sept. 13 Democratic primary for state general treasurer against Stefan I. Pryor, who was president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which oversaw reconstruction of the World Trade Center and Wall Street areas in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
While neither man acted alone in either rebuilding effort, they each played a key role at a critical time. Now, they are seeking a statewide office whose primary job is managing the state's finances, including the more than $10 billion state and municipal employee pension fund.
What does the state treasurer do?
The state general treasurer is responsible for managing the state's financial accounts and, perhaps most prominently, oversees the state employee retirement system, which includes some municipal employees, and manages the $10 billion investment fund that pays those pensions.
The treasurer runs the Crime Victim Compensation Program, which reimburses people for certain expenses in coping with a crime, and in returning millions in "unclaimed property," such as money in dormant bank and business accounts.
The treasurer also can influence policy in areas such as school construction, housing, student loans and infrastructure improvements as a member of several state boards dealing with those areas.
Diossa stepped up when things were down in Central Falls
Central Falls couldn't get much lower than where Diossa found it when he first joined the City Council before becoming mayor more than a decade ago.
Budget cuts threatened the city's public library and post office.
Charles D. Moreau, the mayor before Diossa, resigned under a cloud and agreed to plead guilty to federal corruption charges.
The city declared bankruptcy and its finances were under a strict five-year plan that left local officials little room to negotiate.
"Central Falls hit rock bottom, went insolvent, bankrupt," Diossa said this month. "There were hundreds of boarded up homes. Our roads were in disarray. The city looked messy. Our parks were in disrepair. The pride in the city was at a very low, and faith in government was even worse."
Diossa said he put together plan to clean up the city, to make parks welcoming places and to make the city's two main streets attractive.
"Things like this allow people to see change, see improvements," he said.
Perhaps less visible, he said, were "sustainable, predictable" budgets, changes to diversify the police force, bringing a higher-education presence to the city — Rhode Island College's Workforce Development Center — and moving the city's ailing pension plan into the state system.
"Not only did we take a city that had a junk-bond status, we were able to move our bond rating up to invest grade," said Diossa.
Diossa grew up in Rhode Island, worked with all 39 cities and towns
Diossa, 37, was born in Central Falls. His father had fled Medellín, the Colombian city run by drug lord Pablo Escobar. Diossa now lives in Pawtucket, where he has a daughter with fiancée Sandra Cano, a state senator.
Diossa graduated from Central Falls High School in 2003 before attended the Community College of Rhode Island and earning a bachelor's degree from Becker College in Massachusetts.
Before becoming mayor, he worked as a parent engagement coordinator at College Crusade of Rhode Island. Since leaving office, he has been a senior policy adviser at Brown University's Policy Lab.
Diossa said that his time as mayor, managing services, budgets, pensions and personnel, as well as working with the other 38 cities and towns, will serve him well as treasurer. He said he will use a "bottom-up" leadership style.
His top priority as treasurer would be to manage the pension investments in a way that would minimize risk while still bringing good returns.
"I will stay on course with the current treasure's strategy of back to the basics," Diossa said, dubbing his strategy "maintain the basics."
"People are hurting, people are feeling the squeeze. Some folks who are retired are on food stamps. That breaks my heart," Diossa said, adding that he would avoid gimmicky investment strategies that promise high returns, but come with high risk. "I don't want to play games with the pension."
Other issues he would work on:
- Helping cities and towns improve infrastructure and build new schools.
- Using his seat on the board of Rhode Island Housing to improve home affordability.
- Increasing funding for the Crime Victim Compensation Program.
- Providing expert financial assistance for cities and towns through experts working for the treasurer's office.
"I'm going to be very focused on the municipal level up," he said.
In the early summer, Diossa picked up the endorsement of the state Democratic Party at its convention, He beat Pryor 84 votes to 73, the tightest margin of any of the statewide endorsement contests this year. He also has the endorsement of several public employee unions, including both statewide teachers unions and the firefighters union, plus more than half a dozen mayors.
Pryor rose from the ashes of the World Trade Center
Pryor was at his Manhattan apartment on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, an executive at the Partnership for New York, overseeing the organization's educational programs.
From in front of his apartment, Pryor saw the first plane that terrorists flew into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Back inside, he watched the second plane hit through his windows. When the towers collapsed, Pryor and thousands of his neighbors fled lower Manhattan through a cloud of ash and soot toward the Manhattan Bridge, avoiding the nearer Brooklyn Bridge, worried the iconic span could be a target of the still unfolding attack.
Within weeks, Pryor and his boss at the Partnership were invited to meet with New York banker John C. Whitehead, who summered in Little Compton, Rhode Island, and who was the newly appointed chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
"He informed us that there was not yet a budget, not yet an office, and a very big mandate," Pryor told The Journal this month. "By the end of that meeting, he asked me whether I would come on board and set up the agency."
Pryor rose through the ranks, eventually becoming president of the corporation.
The corporation had two very visible mandates: oversee the rebuilding of the World Trade Center and establish a memorial to those who had lost their lives.
It had equally important, though less visible, tasks as well: reconnecting subway and commuter rail lines that had run underneath the trade center, shoring up the technical infrastructure that runs the nearby New York Stock Exchange and coordinating the flow of billions of dollars of federal, state, city and private money being spent on the effort.
Pryor grew up in New York, hopes he never moves from RI
Pryor, 50, was born in New York. He has undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University, where he befriended Gina Raimondo, who would go on to become Rhode Island's governor and bring him to the state in 2015 as commerce secretary, the head of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, the state's economic development agency.
Pryor has never been married and has no children.
After his time in New York City, Pryor served as deputy mayor for economic development in Newark, New Jersey, and then state education commissioner in Connecticut.
Though not nearly as dramatic as what brought him to prominence in New York, his time in Rhode Island follows a similar plot line.
Instead of a meeting with banker Whitehead, this time it was a call from college chum Raimondo.
"She expressed that Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate in the United States," Pryor said.
"We needed to put a plan together and take action to repair and revitalize Rhode Island's economy. That was the pitch."
And Pryor delivered, to the extent that he was one of many working to boost the state's employment. Around the time he stepped down as commerce secretary to run for treasurer, the state reached the lowest unemployment rate ever recorded using current methods of calculating the statistic.
Like Diossa, Pryor lists stewarding the state's money as his top priority if elected.
"First and foremost the treasurer needs to manage the state's finances ably and manage the state's pensions fund responsibly. I will focus with intensity on those two objectives," he said. "Having managed billions of dollars in the course of my previous jobs I believe I am well positioned to do that work."
Other tasks we wants to accomplish:
- Using the treasurer's office to boost the state's economy. "I believe that the treasurer's office can be a catalyst for our economy."
- Promoting financial literacy and better access to the banking system. He would seek to remove barriers, such as minimum balances, that block people from entering the banking system.
- Promoting financing opportunities for small businesses.
- Help victims of domestic violence to leave abusive situations by providing anonymous "bridge financing" so they can get on a firm financial footing without being financially tied to the person they are leaving.
- Weighing in on state tax policy, including advocating using budget surpluses to reduce the state's sales tax, especially during periods of high inflation. "If there is a surplus it would be a good thing to offer Rhode Islanders some relief at the checkout counter."
While Pryor has held jobs in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, he said that Rhode Island is the last stop in his professional journey.
"This is where I now have roots and I'm planting more roots," he said. "Our qualify of life is unparalleled. I love the people of this state. It's a marvelous place in which to live and work. I do not expect ever to leave."
Pryor has been endorsed by the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, whose members benefited from several programs the commerce corporation created during his tenure, as well as Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council, a coalition of construction unions; the correctional officers union; and the mayor of Newport.
The winner of the Democratic primary faces Republican James Lathrop in the November general election. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/how-stefan-pryor-and-james-diossa-would-approach-ri-treasurer-job/10290230002/ | 2022-08-26T14:42:46 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/how-stefan-pryor-and-james-diossa-would-approach-ri-treasurer-job/10290230002/ |
1,000 free trees available to RI residents via energy-saving program
PROVIDENCE – One thousand free trees are again available to Rhode Island residents as part of an energy conservation program.
The Energy-Saving Trees program "helps Rhode Islanders save energy and lower their utility bills by strategically planting trees on their property," says the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
Registration opens today. Sign up at www.arborday.org/RIDEM.
"From an environmental perspective, planting a tree in the right place can improve air quality, capture and store carbon, and help manage stormwater runoff,” DEM Director Terry Gray said in a press release. “It’s a terrific way for Rhode Islanders to reduce their energy costs today and in the years to come, and a tangible way to stand up to climate change. Fall is an ideal time to plant a tree because the cooler temperatures help encourage new root growth.”
How hot is it? Providence's treeless neighborhoods magnify summer heat
A variety of species will be available, trees that grow up to 30 feet, 50 feet and taller than 50 feet.
Trees will be available for pickup at several locations in September and October. The trees will be about four to six feet tall each and will be in three-gallon containers.
For online registration help, contact the Arbor Day Foundation at 1-855-234-3801.
The program, in its 13th year, gives away trees twice a year. It's sponsored by the DEM, the Rhode Island Tree Council, the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association and the Arbor Day Foundation,
Funding for the program is provided by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
jperry@providencejournal.com
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On Twitter: @jgregoryperry
Be the first to know. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/rhode-island-tree-giveaway-free-arbor-day-foundation/7902357001/ | 2022-08-26T14:42:52 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/26/rhode-island-tree-giveaway-free-arbor-day-foundation/7902357001/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Clark County family escaped a house fire just in the nick of time after the children woke to the growing blaze early Friday morning, according to fire officials.
Shortly after 1:20 a.m., Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue and Cowlitz County Fire District #1 responded to the blaze near NW Hayes Road and NW 24th Avenue, east of Woodland, Wash. By the time firefighters arrived, they say the house was fully engulfed in flames.
The children in the home reportedly woke up to the fire burning in the living room and alerted the rest of the family. Fire officials said the family of five escaped with “no time to spare.”
The family is receiving help from the Red Cross.
This happened during a power outage caused from a crash nearby.
CCFR said the house is a total loss. The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is working to determine what caused the fire but say the family had candles lit because of the outage.
Crews are still on scene monitoring hotspots. | https://www.koin.com/local/clark-county/family-escape-devastating-blaze-after-children-wake-to-flames/ | 2022-08-26T14:43:36 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/clark-county/family-escape-devastating-blaze-after-children-wake-to-flames/ |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California plans to require all new cars, trucks and SUVs to run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035 under a policy approved Thursday by regulators that seeks a dramatic cut in carbon emissions and an eventual end to gasoline-powered vehicles.
The decision by the California Air Resources Board came two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom first directed regulators to consider such a policy. If the goal is reached, California would cut emissions from cars in half by 2040.
The move gives the most populous U.S. state the world’s most stringent regulations for transitioning to electric vehicles. It is expected to prompt other states to follow California’s lead and to accelerate the production of zero-emission vehicles by automakers.
The policy still needs federal approval but that’s considered very likely under Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.
“This is a historic moment for California, for our partner states, and for the world as we set forth this path toward a zero- emission future,” Liane Randolph, chair of the air board, said during a public hearing before the vote.
The policy allows Californians to keep driving gas-powered vehicles and buying used ones after 2035, but no new models would be sold in the state.
One-fifth of automakers’ sales after 2035 could be plug-in hybrids, which run on batteries and gas, but the rest must be powered solely by electricity or hydrogen.
The European Parliament in June backed a plan to effectively prohibit the sale of gas and diesel cars in the 27-nation European Union by 2035, and Canada has mandated the sale of zero-emission cars by the same year.
California climate officials say the state’s new policy is the world’s most ambitious because it sets benchmarks for ramping up electric vehicle sales over the next 13 years.
The first mandated threshold comes in 2026, when one-third of all vehicles sold in the state must be zero-emission. Automakers could be fined $20,000 per vehicle sold short of that goal.
About 16% of cars sold in California in the first three months of this year were electric.
Washington state and Massachusetts already have said they will follow California’s lead and many more are likely to — New York and Pennsylvania are among 17 states that have adopted some or all of California’s tailpipe emission standards that are stricter than federal rules.
Kia Corp.’s Laurie Holmes said the company plans to spend $25 billion by 2025 on electric vehicles and hopes to offer seven models by 2027.
But she and several other representatives for auto companies expressed concern about the state’s timeline given factors such as supply chain challenges and the high cost of materials to build electric cars.
“Automakers could have significant difficulties meeting this target given elements outside of the control of the industry,” she said.
The switch from gas to electric cars will drastically reduce emissions and air pollutants but the transition will be painful for the state’s oil industry. California remains the seventh-largest oil-producing U.S. state, though its output is falling as it pushes forward with climate goals.
California shouldn’t wrap its entire transportation strategy around a vehicle market powered by electricity, said Tanya DeRivi, vice president for climate policy with the Western States Petroleum Association, an oil industry group.
“Californians should be able to choose a vehicle technology, including electric vehicles, that best fits their needs based on availability, affordability, and personal necessity,” she said.
California is the nation’s most populous state , with about about 39 million people. They account for 10%. of the U.S. car market but have 43% of the nation’s 2.6 million registered plug-in vehicles, according to the air board.
Reaching the 100% goal by 2035 will mean overcoming very practical hurdles, notably enough reliable power and charging stations.
California now has about 80,000 stations in public places, far short of the 250,000 it wants by 2025. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents many major car makers, warned about the lack of infrastructure, access to materials needed to make batteries, and supply chain issues as being among the challenges to meeting the state’s timeline.
The new commitment came as California works to maintain reliable electricity while it moves away from gas-fired power plants in favor of solar, wind and other cleaner sources of energy. Earlier this year, top California energy officials warned the state could run out of power during the hottest days of summer, which happened briefly in August 2020.
That hasn't happened yet this year. But Newsom is pushing to keep open the state's last-remaining nuclear plant beyond its planned closer in 2025, and the state may turn to diesel generators or natural gas plants as a backup when the grid is strained.
Adding more car chargers will put a higher demand on the energy grid.
Ensuring access to charging stations is also key to ramping up electric vehicle sales. The infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year provides $5 billion for states to build charges every 50 miles (80 kilometers) along interstate highways.
Newsom, meanwhile, has pledged to spend billions to boost zero-emission vehicle sales, including by adding chargers in low-income neighborhoods. The rules say the vehicles need to be able to travel 150 miles on one charge.
Driving an electric vehicle long distances today, even in California, requires careful planning about where to stop and charge, said Mary Nichols, former chair of the California Air Resources Board. The money from the state and federal government will go along way to boosting that infrastructure and making electric cars a more convenient option, she said.
“This is going to be a transformative process and the mandate for vehicle sales is only one piece of it," she said.
Though hydrogen is a fuel option under the new regulations, cars that run on fuel-cells have made up less than 1% of car sales in recent years.
Both the state and federal governments have rebates for thousands of dollars to offset the cost of buying electric cars, and the rules include incentives for car makers to make used electric vehicles available to low- and middle-income people.
Over the past 12 years, California has provided more than $1 billion in rebates for the sale of 478,000 electric, plug-in or hybrid vehicles, according to the air board.
Watch Related: Side-by-side comparison | Gasoline vs electric vehicle costs using San Diego fuel prices (Feb 14, 2022) | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/california-set-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars/509-91d4f721-b323-4fcb-8d7b-afacf9afc4c9 | 2022-08-26T14:50:07 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/california-set-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars/509-91d4f721-b323-4fcb-8d7b-afacf9afc4c9 |
SAN ANTONIO — Even with gas prices going down, drivers are still feeling the pain at the pump. That's why free fuel cards are being given out by Catholic Charities as part of their "Fuel From the Heart" program.
The $50 fuel cards will be given out at the Guadalupe Community Center at 1801 West Cesar E Chavez Boulevard. The event takes place on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Catholic Charities is teaming up with Valero to provide the gas cards. One card per household will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. The community is asked to line up along Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard. Staff and volunteers will be on site to direct traffic, help people fill out forms and give out the fuel cards.
“We are thrilled to partner with our friends at Valero who share in our mission of supporting the community and helping to provide fuel to families across San Antonio,” Catholic Charities’ President/CEO, J. Antonio Fernandez said.
According to AAA. the national average this week was $3.92 which is about 50 cents lower than last month's average.
Dr. Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy said there are a lot of factors that contribute to prices, like weather and the economy.
"It's a possibility especially if there's an economic recession of significant size, the reason that is during a recession there's less energy things like gas and diesel, having said that we're still in the midst of hurricane season and all it can take is one major hurricane to completely take that possibility off the table," De Haan said. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/free-gas-cards-being-given-out-by-catholic-charities-fuel-from-the-heart-san-antonio/273-732a44c7-35df-4d1a-ae21-156fc95f2022 | 2022-08-26T14:50:22 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/free-gas-cards-being-given-out-by-catholic-charities-fuel-from-the-heart-san-antonio/273-732a44c7-35df-4d1a-ae21-156fc95f2022 |
TEXAS, USA — The battle to limit access to firearms continues. A federal judge says the state can’t ban 18 to 20-year-olds from carrying handguns.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pitman struck down the law on Thursday. He said the restriction violates the second amendment; the second amendment doesn’t have an age limit, and protects adults younger than 21.
The law states Texans must be at least 21-years-old to get a license to carry a handgun. It also bars most 18 to 20-year-olds in the state from carrying a handgun for self-defense outside of their homes.
Two adults under the age of 21 and the firearms policy coalition filed a lawsuit against the state in November of last year. They argued the second amendment protects people between the age of 18 to 20.
This comes as access to guns in Texas has only gotten easier.
Many people in the community have asked for gun reform since the Uvalde school shooting. One Texas mayor has already responded to the ruling.
“Making gun access – with no background checks or training – is making it harder to keep our city safe. Unlicensed carry was a mistake, and now 18-year-olds are openly carrying handguns...our children deserve better," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
This order won’t be going into effect right away. Pitman issued a stay for 30 days, pending an appeal. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-handgun-carry-teens-uvalde-school-shooting/273-9cfe5483-4dae-4f73-bfa1-3cec2fefc475 | 2022-08-26T14:50:28 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-handgun-carry-teens-uvalde-school-shooting/273-9cfe5483-4dae-4f73-bfa1-3cec2fefc475 |
A Pennsylvania teacher who attended Donald Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington has sued his former school district, saying it destroyed his reputation and career by falsely linking him to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
Jason Moorehead claims that Allentown School District officials were motivated by “ideological hatred” for his conservative politics when the district announced one day after the riot that one of its teachers “was involved in the electoral college protest that took place at the United States Capitol Building."
Moorehead said he was nowhere near the Capitol that day. He has never been charged with a crime.
The district suspended Moorehead for six months, then ordered him to return to work. Moorehead refused, saying a return to the classroom was impossible after district officials deliberately turned the community against him in a bid to force his resignation. The district never retracted its statement or cleared his name, he said, and individual school board members whipped up a public frenzy against him even though his teaching record was spotless.
Last month, the school board fired him over his refusal to return to work.
Now Moorehead, 45, is seeking monetary damages and a retraction, saying his 18-year education career is finished. Moorehead said he has been subjected to harassment and death threats, and the ordeal has placed a severe financial burden on his family. His wife has filed for divorce.
He sued in Lehigh County Court on Tuesday, alleging violations of his constitutional rights.
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“It is impossible for me to return to any kind of educational environment working with children because it's been so poisoned,” the middle school social studies teacher said in a phone interview.
The district's lawyer, John Freund III, said Moorehead’s rights were “scrupulously protected” while district officials probed his activities on Jan. 6. “At the conclusion of the investigation Mr. Moorehead was reinstated, but he failed to return to work,” Freund said.
The district had previously found fault with Moorehead’s social media posts about the events of Jan. 6, and not just his presence in Washington that day. At one point, Moorehead posted a selfie of himself on Facebook in a “Make America Great Again” hat and carrying a Revolutionary War-era flag, captioning it: “Doing my civic duty!” Moorehead also shared a post that said: “Don’t worry everyone the capitol is insured,” appending his own one-word comment: “This.”
In its July 2021 reinstatement letter, the district told Moorehead that his posts were “distasteful, insensitive, inconsiderate, thoughtless, uncaring.” Moorehead's lawsuit said the posts were protected by the First Amendment.
“To be accused of horrible things has destroyed my life,” Moorehead said. “It’s one of those things where I’m struggling each day to figure out my new purpose, because everything I had has been taken from me.”
Moorehead's lawyer, Francis Malofiy, is also asking a judge to strike down part of the state's public school code, which says a teacher can be fired for advocating “un-American or subversive doctrines.” The district's lawyer had cited that section of the code in a newspaper interview about the district's investigation of Moorehead. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/allentown-teacher-says-district-defamed-him-over-jan-6-trump-rally/3345179/ | 2022-08-26T14:58:07 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/allentown-teacher-says-district-defamed-him-over-jan-6-trump-rally/3345179/ |
YORK, Pa. — Police are searching for a missing teen from York.
Jean Baptiste, 17, was last seen by his family on Thursday. He is a member of CASA and part of CASA's student program, Mi Espacio.
Baptiste is a Black male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 250 pounds. He has reddish hair, brown eyes, and wears glasses.
He was last seen wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt and gray shorts.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call or text (717) 706-7236. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/missing-teen-jean-baptiste-york/521-51133e1b-c2a8-432d-8ab9-3337a409f84a | 2022-08-26T14:58:50 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/missing-teen-jean-baptiste-york/521-51133e1b-c2a8-432d-8ab9-3337a409f84a |
NEW HOLLAND, Pa. — All the barbecue you can possibly eat is coming to Lancaster County this weekend at New Holland Summer Fest.
The annual event highlights barbecue pit masters from across the Northeast. This year, 51 teams are serving up their best ribs, sausage, chicken, beef brisket, and more.
In addition to being a community event, Summer Fest is also the state championship competition for barbecue.
“The competition is across the country, you can compare it to the NFL or NHL, so there are rules that we have to follow," Event Organizer Nate Martin told FOX43. "The judges also have to take a class, so it's not just anybody coming off the street."
The winning team will take home $8,700 and qualify for the Kansas City Barbeque Society World Invitational in Gadsden, Ala. in November. They’ll also be entered to compete in the Jack Daniel’s World Invitation Championship Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tenn. in October.
Proceeds benefit Garden Spot Fire Rescue.
Summer Fest is held in Community Memorial Park in New Holland. It runs Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Aug. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/new-holland-summer-fest-barbecue-events/521-f1edd835-0306-491a-9011-208f0068fd5b | 2022-08-26T14:58:56 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/new-holland-summer-fest-barbecue-events/521-f1edd835-0306-491a-9011-208f0068fd5b |
CAMP HILL, Pa. — Police in Cumberland County are investigating a pair of smash-and-grab vehicle break-ins that occurred earlier this summer.
One of the victims' stolen driver's license was later used in an attempt to cash a fraudulent check, police say.
The break-ins occurred on the evening of June 8 on the 3300 block of Hartzdale Drive in Lower Allen Township, according to police.
A suspect or suspects smashed out the windows of two separate vehicles and entered them, Lower Allen Township police say. A purse, containing the victim's driver's license and credit cards, was taken from one of the vehicles, according to police.
On June 9, police found the victim's purse, and purses belonging to victims from other jurisdictions, in a grassy area near a local motel.
On July 8, a female suspect attempted to cash a fraudulent check at two Members 1st FCU locations in the York area, according to police. The suspect presented the victim's driver's license as identification, police say.
The suspect was operating a silver Toyota sedan bearing a stolen Michigan license plate, according to police. The plate was stolen from a vehicle parked at a Home Depot store in Glen Burnie, Md. on July 7, police say.
Anyone who recognizes the female suspect or has information in reference to this case is asked to contact the Lower Allen Township Police Department at (717) 238-9676. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/police-crime-lower-allen-twp-smash-grab-break-in/521-2168c1c0-1167-42f8-9ba0-4365532c7d43 | 2022-08-26T14:59:02 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/police-crime-lower-allen-twp-smash-grab-break-in/521-2168c1c0-1167-42f8-9ba0-4365532c7d43 |
PLANO, Texas — Rani Banerjee said she and three of her friends had just finished dinner at Sixty Vines in Plano when a woman confronted them in the parking lot, as seen in a now-viral video.
"Suddenly, we heard this woman yelling at us and started coming toward us. We were shocked by the racial slurs that she used and combative attitude," said Banerjee.
Banerjee started recording the incident with her phone. The woman, who was identified by Plano police as Esmeralda Upton, shouted racial slurs and began hitting Banerjee.
"Go back to India, we don't want you here," Upton could be heard saying on the video.
"What was so very scary is she came very close and not only verbally assaulted us but started physically assaulting us. She started hitting me," said Banerjee.
Upton, who identified herself as Mexican-American, told the group in the video that she "hated Indians."
Warning: The video has some graphic and racist language.
The group feared for their safety and called 911. Plano officers responded within minutes.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the incident and called on police to charge the woman.
“The level of vitriol and alleged physical assault against four Indian-American women in Plano is truly appalling,” said Faizan Syed, executive director of CAIR-DFW. “This type of hate has no place in North Texas, and we call on law enforcement to investigate this incident as a hate crime.”
“As a Mexican-American, I’m appalled that someone would dare use my people’s name to spread hate,” said Nahela Morales, a Mexican-American and Board Member of CAIR-DFW. “As people of color, we need to stand together in solidarity to build bridges of love and understanding, not to bring each other down. To the women in the video, I want to say you don’t speak for our community or me; shame on you. I encourage you to learn about the shared culture between South Asians and Mexicans.”
Upton was charged with assault bodily injury and terroristic threats. She has a $10,000 bond.
The incident is still being investigated by the Plano Police Department's Crime Against Persons Unit as a hate crime and more charges may be forthcoming, Plano Police said. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/woman-arrested-charged-after-viral-confrontation-plano-parking-lot/287-e221067a-18f6-424b-bc60-0849ac58caa4 | 2022-08-26T15:01:50 | 0 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/woman-arrested-charged-after-viral-confrontation-plano-parking-lot/287-e221067a-18f6-424b-bc60-0849ac58caa4 |
GRIFFIN, Ga. — An in-home day care owner in Spalding County was arrested Thursday after the Griffin Police Department said she injured multiple kids under her watch.
Connie B. Pound, 61, was taken into custody by police following reports of abuse to children attending her state-certified, in-home day care in the city of Griffin. Pound, was taken to the Spalding County Jail, and police said no other suspects are being investigated at the time.
The report says that the appropriate state agencies have been notified and are conducting a full investigation.
Due to the ages of the victims involved, authorities said that limited information would be available to the public until the conclusion of the case.
If anyone has information that is helpful to the investigation, contact Investigator Spears with Griffin Police at jspears@cityofgriffin.com. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/day-care-worker-arrested-injuring-kids-griffin/85-e2644baa-db20-4c18-bbe3-1f5617d85beb | 2022-08-26T15:09:16 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/day-care-worker-arrested-injuring-kids-griffin/85-e2644baa-db20-4c18-bbe3-1f5617d85beb |
MONROE, Wash. — “Grandma Elsie” can’t stop bragging about the firefighter who changed her life.
She’s in her 90’s and said a dramatic life twist came after accidentally setting off her Life Alert pendant. She wears it in case of emergency and one press will alert and dispatch help.
The Monroe resident admits she didn’t realize she had activated her pendant when she was attempting to mow her lawn. Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue showed up and learned that it was a false alarm, but firefighter Brandon Huber felt compelled to help with the yard work.
“I have four sons so I told her we would come and take care of her lawn,” Huber said.
That’s when Huber started to ask Elsie about the condition of her aging home.
“It was in rough shape," Huber said. "Mostly wood and almost no paint to it needed some love.” s
He said the Fire 7 Foundation supported his idea to paint her home and donated the supplies. Fire 7 foundation is a nonprofit that provides support for the community through financial, education and emotional means.
Huber said he and his sons provided the elbow grease and completed the project in about four days. The pristine white house with royal blue trim is a far cry from the original condition 1939 house that looked tattered for decades.
Elsie marveled at his old-fashioned attitude for helping a neighbor in need. “Nobody asking him to do this," she said. "He has four kids and works 24-hours shifts but he did this on the side and it’s amazing. It changed my life!”
Huber admits the attention he’s receiving makes him uncomfortable, but was willing to share the story in the hopes that it will inspire more people to reach across the fence and help someone in need just because.
Elsie said she wishes more people were like Brandon and not just because she finds him “very cute with his handlebar mustache!” | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/snohomish-county-firefighter-fixes-home/281-19980b9c-4e83-4946-a078-a287277062e6 | 2022-08-26T15:09:17 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/snohomish-county-firefighter-fixes-home/281-19980b9c-4e83-4946-a078-a287277062e6 |
A Hopewell man died early Wednesday when his car ran veered off an interstate ramp leading from northbound Interstate 295 to eastbound Interstate 64 in Henrico County and overturned, state police said.
Killed was Robert William Scott, 23.
Police said Scott, driving a 2019 Honda Civic, took the exit ramp about 1:20 a.m., ran off the left side of the road and lost control. His vehicle overturned before striking some trees, police said.
Scott was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene, police said.
The crash remains under investigation.
Top 5 weekend events: Chesterfield County Fair, BBQ Fest, Crabs & Beer by the James | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/hopewell-man-killed-after-car-veers-off-interstate-ramp-overturns-in-henrico/article_8e68a6aa-5db8-54ff-9ae6-9f3e294a2537.html | 2022-08-26T15:12:25 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/hopewell-man-killed-after-car-veers-off-interstate-ramp-overturns-in-henrico/article_8e68a6aa-5db8-54ff-9ae6-9f3e294a2537.html |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help to find a woman who was last seen about two years ago.
The sheriff’s office says 38-year-old Sarah Marie Pettit was living in the Wichita area when she was last seen in the fall of 2020.
Pettit, who also went by Sarah Marie Hart, frequently traveled between Wichita and Denver.
Pettit is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds.
Pettit’s family and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office want to hear from anyone with any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Anyone with information can call Detective Broussard at 316-660-5308 or Detective Guthrie at 316-660-5338. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. You can also submit an online tip to Crime Stoppers by clicking on this link. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/have-you-seen-this-woman-missing-for-2-years/ | 2022-08-26T15:16:37 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/have-you-seen-this-woman-missing-for-2-years/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A Wichita woman battling cancer for the past three years receiving a donation to continue her fight.
Over the weekend, friends drove up on motorcycles to deliver donations to Karri Wingett.
“The support, it’s amazing. All the people that care that take their time out to donate anything, it’s overwhelming,” Wingett said.
Organizers have chosen to keep the donation amount anonymous.
All funds will got help Wingett fight cancer. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/woman-battling-cancer-receives-fundraiser-proceeds/ | 2022-08-26T15:16:43 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/woman-battling-cancer-receives-fundraiser-proceeds/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/high-school-football-teams-focus-on-safety-security-after-recent-lancaster-shooting/3057680/ | 2022-08-26T15:20:25 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/high-school-football-teams-focus-on-safety-security-after-recent-lancaster-shooting/3057680/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-schools-are-using-an-app-to-promote-childhood-literacy/3057678/ | 2022-08-26T15:20:31 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-schools-are-using-an-app-to-promote-childhood-literacy/3057678/ |
WILDWOOD — A project led by Preserving the Wildwoods: A Community Alliance recently made a quiet portion of downtown Wildwood into a street side museum for people walking Pacific Avenue's sidewalks.
A vacant building was given 10 panels for its windows to showcase the city's historical landmarks and sites. The Alliance had help from the city's Neighborhood Preservation Program, the New Jersey Historical Commission, and Cape May County’s Division of Cultural & Heritage.
More panels are on the way, including one at the Wildwood Historical Society’s George F. Boyer Museum, the Alliance said in a news release on Thursday.
The panels include photos from the city's most recent history and its yesteryear, stretching from Taylor to Oak avenues and from New Jersey to Pacific avenues, the Alliance said.
The panels are visible both day and night, so even anyone out for an evening stroll can be given historical insights about one of the Jersey Shore's most population vacation destinations.
People are also reading…
“Sidewalks are conduits for pedestrian movement and access,” said Alliance Secretary Gail Hayman-Cohen in the news release. “They enhance connectivity and promote walking, activating streets socially and economically.”
Hayman-Cohen said fitting the buildings is important because doing so improves public perception of the business section's liveliness.
“Activating vacant storefronts with historic preservation window displays softens a negative response, celebrates Wildwood’s history, and makes vacant spaces a destination," she said.
Taylor Henry, president of the Wildwood's Historical Society, supplied the history for the panels.
Henry gave the Alliance permission to use excerpts from her 2018 book, "Wildwoods Houses Through Time," blowing up several pages onto metal 30-by-40 posters. A generous property owner then gave permission to use vacant windows for the display, transforming the building's visual effect.
“There are hundreds of still-standing historic buildings in the Wildwoods from as far back as the 1890s-1900s, but people don’t realize it because that history hasn’t been widely shared,” Henry, who is also the Alliance's vice president, said in a statement. “This project helps to fill the gap. It’s promising to see people standing on the sidewalk reading about the historic buildings downtown.”
The Alliance hopes to grow its display past its current plans, so anyone with a property or a business in the city interested in having a panel decorate their their building can email preservingthewildwoods@gmail.com. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/panels-detailing-wildwood-history-decorate-windows-on-pacific-avenue/article_ee5556a4-2543-11ed-9b4a-932e674ccfaa.html | 2022-08-26T15:21:59 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/panels-detailing-wildwood-history-decorate-windows-on-pacific-avenue/article_ee5556a4-2543-11ed-9b4a-932e674ccfaa.html |
DALLAS — Historic flooding came to North Texas on Monday, bringing down rain that came fast and with force, flooding homes, cars, businesses, roads and freeways.
The area saw nearly 10 inches of rain in just a 24-hour span, with Dallas and Fort Worth getting over nine inches of rain.
Roadways flooded on Monday, creating dangerous conditions for drivers.
Dramatic video captured the moments a Dallas Independent School District transportation team came across two children clinging to a tree amid high water conditions.
Tekendria Valentine shot the video and said the location was not a part of the driver's normal route.
Members of the Dallas ISD transportation team aboard the bus used seatbelts from the bus to pull the children to safety.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration for several counties, including Dallas, Tarrant, Kaufman and Ellis counties.
“What happened yesterday is the second worst rainstorm and flooding in Dallas since 1932,” Abbott said during a press conference on Tuesday.
Details about the bus rescue were limited. Check back for updates. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/video-captures-dramatic-rescue-in-high-water-involving-dallas-isd-team/287-6e860faa-085c-4349-aadc-3ed0e1c5f478 | 2022-08-26T15:22:04 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/video-captures-dramatic-rescue-in-high-water-involving-dallas-isd-team/287-6e860faa-085c-4349-aadc-3ed0e1c5f478 |
OLD FORGE, N.Y. -- The Old Forge Fire Department is pretty excited about their new Fire Boat. Before now Chief Chris Stanley says they’ve been using a converted 1963 house boat that’s seen better days.
"Over the years things saw wear and tear, and you know things started to rot out, and we started to have a lot of mechanical issues and everything, and it just started to become a money pit," Stanley said.
Firefighters are now getting trained on how the new equipment operates. One of the major benefits of this new boat is that it comes with a built in pump that allows for an endless supply of water. Old Forge Fire Department Lt. Richard Mathy explains the additional benefits of being able to boat right up to a structure and pump water right from the lake.
"There are a lot of camps on the water that driveways are very difficult to get a large truck down. Now we can just get a boat there immediately and start getting water on the fire right away," he said.
The new boat is three times faster than the old boat shortening response times considerably.
"And it’s a lot easier to get people into this than it was the old boat," Mathy added.
That’s because the front of the boat opens up allowing for easy access in and out of the water. It comes in especially handy for the Dive Team, something many fire departments don’t have.
"We are a very unique area. We have a lot of diverse needs."
Old Forge Fire Department Chief Chris Stanley says the need for these services increased in Old Forge when social distancing requirements went on the rise.
"Water activities are definitely picking up. I mean COVID things were crazy up here. I mean there was more boats than we’ve ever seen on the water."
The dive team generally has about a one hour window where they can resuscitate a drowning victim, but Lt. Mathy says finding them is their biggest challenge.
"You can get to areas where you don’t see anything until you’re about 2 feet above the surface of the bottom of the lake, and if you hit the bottom of the lake you’re immediately covered in dust and debris," he said.
With response times dramatically cut the Chief says the community isn’t questioning the return on this $150 thousand investment, "I can’t ever remember the town being this excited for the fire department to have a piece of equipment." | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/old-forge-updates-its-fire-boat-to-increase-public-safety/article_99b46372-24af-11ed-be59-4fa8d33cb6f4.html | 2022-08-26T15:23:27 | 0 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/old-forge-updates-its-fire-boat-to-increase-public-safety/article_99b46372-24af-11ed-be59-4fa8d33cb6f4.html |
The mission of fighting hunger in North Texas is getting a big boost this month thanks to a grassroots movement in the Indian American community.
"So we basically said just as August 15th is freedom day for India we've declared the whole month of August as freedom from hunger month," said Raj Asava, co-founder of HungerMitao.
Raj Asava and his wife of Anna of Plano founded HungerMitao, which translates to "wipe out hunger," five years ago when they learned of the need for food in their community through conversations with the North Texas Food Bank. It was a surprising revelation in part because of cultural differences.
"We live in the suburbs, and we don't see homelessness," Anna Asava said. "We don't see hunger around us. And people who have come from Asian countries, there is a disconnect because there, we see hunger all around us. And in India for instance, where we come from, homelessness equaled hunger. It's very different here. Most of the people who come to food banks or food pantries have a permanent roof over their heads, so hunger in some ways is hidden."
Once the need was exposed, the Asavas took action. They donated their own money and brainstormed ideas to make a bigger impact. The search led back to their own community and HungerMitao was born.
The Asavas rallied others in North Texas, around the country, and in India. Five years later, it's added up to 13 million meals in North Texas through a partnership with Feeding America and food banks in Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta, New York City, and Seattle, HungerMitao has now enabled 50 million meals.
The tally went up again a few days ago. Fort Worth-raised entrepreneur and philanthropist Niraj Bhatia was in town from California. The Asavas and Bhatia's parents were family friends and had talked with him about supporting HungerMitao. They'd convinced him to take the Million Meal pledge, so the visit home was to make a $100,000 donation and tour the North Texas Food Bank.
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The tour and the people he met got Bhatia thinking he wanted to do more.
"It's inspired me to give more. So, I think I'm gonna double my donation," he told NBC DFW right before the check presentation.
The NTFB staff had the big ceremonial check for $100,000 ready to go for a photo op, then Bhatia dropped his surprise.
"Here on the spot, I'm going to double it," Bhatia told the crowd. His announcement was met with a roar of applause. Bhatia then changed the ceremonial check to reflect his $200,000 donation. An amount that will enable NTFB to provide two million meals.
"Love helping the community," Bhatia said. "That's also something that was extremely important for my dad to teach me growing up. Focus on your local community as much as you live. That's where you live. You can be active financially. You can be active just with your time. A lot of people I talk to who are young don't have financial stuff to give and they say, what can I do? Just volunteer or do some other things that can contribute in a positive way."
"He's a young person who decided not just to dabble," Anna said. "He decided to make a substantial commitment."
Anna Asava has also increased her own commitment to the mission by joining the NTFB board of directors.
"I believe the board should reflect the community it serves," Anna said. "So, if there's diversity in the community that is being supported, it also needs to be represented at a board level. With HungerMitao, the movement has just been so phenomenal and the people in the Indian American community have really embraced the cause and the model. And in a way, it's really gratifying to see that now we have a seat at the table. So, we feel more invested. It's not an issue of other people around us. It's our issue. It's something that we can and we are engaged to solve."
The HungerMitao model that has inspired the Indian American community is catching on. Nihao Food Bank Initiative is a Chinese American grassroots effort to raise awareness about hunger in North Texas and increase engagement among the Chinese American diaspora. Asava says a similar campaign will launch in October in the Latinx community.
"People are not aware of the magnitude of the hunger issue that exists right in our backyard, our front yard," Bhatia said. "So when a community member is out there communicating it, it has a much bigger impact than the food bank's staff telling them about the hunger issue."
Now, the issue of hunger is once again in the forefront as North Texans grapple with higher food costs and gas prices.
"For people whose budgets were already stretched, this is doing a number on them. and so the food lines are just increasing," Anna Asava said. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/grassroots-movement-to-fight-hunger-enables-13m-meals-in-north-texas/3057752/ | 2022-08-26T15:24:31 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/grassroots-movement-to-fight-hunger-enables-13m-meals-in-north-texas/3057752/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/plano-couple-starts-movement-to-fight-hunger-enables-13-million-meals/3057833/ | 2022-08-26T15:24:32 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/plano-couple-starts-movement-to-fight-hunger-enables-13-million-meals/3057833/ |
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