text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
What is going on with Bloomington's water quality?
If you’ve gone anywhere near tap water in Bloomington recently you’ve probably noticed a foul earthy or musty smell and taste. The perennial issue is related to algae growth in Lake Monroe, the county’s primary water source.
On social media, some Bloomington residents have for days complained about the water tasting or smelling “like dirt or mildew” or even being “vaguely reminiscent of a fishtank.”
Last year:Bloomington tap water safe to drink; lake algae responsible for foul taste
Yes, but is it safe to drink Bloomington's tap water?
City of Bloomington Utilities officials could not be reached, but according to the utility’s website, the stench is a result of the presence of organic compounds methylisoborneol and geosmin, which are not harmful to human health but “negatively affect the drink water’s aesthetics.”
While the utility says it uses powdered activated carbon and other materials for treatment, the foul taste and odor may persist especially during warm and dry periods.
Maggie Sullivan, watershed coordinator for the nonprofit Friends of Lake Monroe, said adding lemons and chilling the water can help mask the stench.
“It’s a challenging issue and there’s not an easy, short-term solution, unfortunately,” she said.
Environmental conditions affecting water quality
Algae blooms in Lake Monroe often occur in late summer and early fall when the water is stagnant and warm, Sullivan said.
Unfortunately, she said, there’s not much that can be done about the temperatures and the lack of movement to improve the water's taste in the short term.
Longer-term, the nonprofit is trying to work with nearby landowners to reduce runoff into the lake. Phosphorus and nitrogen from nearby farms and malfunctioning septic systems contribute to the algae bloom.
Friends of Lake Monroe is waiting on final word about a federal grant that would allow the nonprofit and nearby landowners to share some costs related to conservation practices, Sullivan said. The nonprofit also plans to use some of the dollars to educate people on steps they can take to preserve the county’s drinking water source.
Looking for water without the stench?
Some local grocery stores are capitalizing on the stinky water: Bloomingfoods, for example, sells water treated with processes including reverse-osmosis super-oxygenation. Jacob Wittman, manager of the eastside store, said those processes remove the foul stench of the local water. The store sells the water for 49 cents per gallon. People can bring their own containers or buy three- or five-gallon jugs at the store.
Wittman said he has perhaps seen a slight uptick in bottled water sales recently, but the store generally gets a lot of customers who buy water, some of whom buy it in bulk, even up to 25 gallons at a time.
“We consistently move a lot of water,” he said.
The utility says on its website people who have more questions can contact the CBU water quality team around the clock at 812-339-1444 or send an alert through the city’s UReport system at bloomington.in.gov/ureport.
Reach Boris Ladwig at bladwig@heraldt.com. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/why-bloomington-water-smells-tastes-bad-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/65465838007/ | 2022-09-01T11:37:21 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/why-bloomington-water-smells-tastes-bad-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/65465838007/ |
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The cost to fuel homes this winter is expected to rise.
This comes after analysts warn about heating oil stocks being dangerously low. In a recent survey by the Energy Information Administration, diesel and heating oil supplies are dangerously low in the Northeast.
According to the data, supplies in the region are 50% below the recent average.
In Pennsylvania, the number of barrels in stock is at 12.9 million a week as of Aug. 26, that's down from 39 million barrels in July of 2020.
The decrease in supply is forcing local suppliers to increase their home heating prices, that includes home heating oil and natural gas.
"We understand the impact that these kinds of price increases have on households," said UGI spokesperson Joe Swope.
Swope says the company is increasing its cost of natural gas by 7.6% starting Thursday. He added that the cost of natural gas has been driven up by multiple factors.
"One is increased demand domestically, as the economy continues to remain strong. Second is the increased global demand, especially with the political instability in Europe," Swope said.
UGI's decision to increase heating prices wasn't easy, according to Swope. He says that the company understands the burden that's being passed on to customers ahead of fall and winter.
"We recognize that it creates additional burdens for our customers in terms of their ability to pay," he said.
There are numerous programs available to help residents struggling to pay for home heating. Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services announced supplemental payments to households in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to cover existing utility and fuel bills.
Swope said that UGI and other local providers are willing to help customers in need.
"No one wants anyone to go without heat this winter," he said. "We will do everything in our power to work with customers to make their bills manageable and find if they're eligible for any assistance." | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/rising-oil-rates-affect-wallets-homeowners-winter-pennsylvania-ugi/521-5cc7b569-e6cc-407d-821f-b801e744e334 | 2022-09-01T11:38:11 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/rising-oil-rates-affect-wallets-homeowners-winter-pennsylvania-ugi/521-5cc7b569-e6cc-407d-821f-b801e744e334 |
North Iowa is a growing destination for a certain outdoor activity: geocaching.
In geocaching, participants use a GPS receiver or mobile phone and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers — called "geocaches" — at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world.
More than 200 participants will come to North Iowa Sept. 9 for a three-day event. Terry and Mary Balek, both avid geocachers, are organizing the gathering for the Iowa Geocachers Organization.
"Terry would tell you that he always thought that geocaching was for the young people. We have met people all the way into their 70s and 80s," said Mary. "There are all ages with this and family groups."
The annual event — called Hike-n-Seek — is held in a different Iowa location each year. Each event is unique, hosted by geocachers who want to showcase their part of the state, according to the IGO website. This year's theme — "Let There Be Music!" — reflects Cerro Gordo County's rich musical history, according to Terry.
People are also reading…
"Mason City has always been big with music and with the band festival, plus Mason City schools has always been big on music. Clear Lake, with the Surf Ballroom, it's music-oriented," said Terry.
Geocaching started in 2000 when the use of GPS and satellite systems was opened up for public use. The first geocache was in Oregon, a container that held a piece of paper and additional items in it, according to Mary. She said that first cache had a can of baked beans inside it, but placing food items in the container is now a "no-no."
There are now millions of geocaches around the world, including one on the International Space Station. There are several popular geocache spots in North Iowa, one in the Baleks' yard.
"We had a couple there from Canada. We had a couple there from the Netherlands," said Mary.
There are a variety of geocache types and levels of difficulty. Some require an individual to complete a certain task or traverse through woodland areas. There is a cache for every type of person, Mary says.
Caches can be as small as the tip of someone's little finger or as large as a small room. Each one has a slip that people can sign to show they found it. People also can take items from a cache and move them to other locations.
"A lot of people call this a game or a treasure hunt. I've always called it an adventure, because every time we go out it's an adventure," said Terry.
Items you need to geocache include a smartphone with the "Geocaching" app or a GPS receiver. Certain geocaches, depending on terrain and difficulty, might require gear like hiking boots or climbing tools.
The Baleks have made close friends and are well-known in the geocaching community. The couple is responsible for setting up more than 200 caches that plotted on a map form the shape of Mr. Toot, Mason City's mascot. The will reveal a new music-related cache artwork Sept. 10 north of Clear Lake.
One of the unique caches that will be featured during this year's event is at the Buddy Holly crash site, which has been dubbed "Flash to the Crash." Terry said a large group will meet to pay their respects and take a group photo. The flash mob will gather at 3:15 p.m. Sept. 9.
A big part of geocaching is cleaning up the environment as a person searches for a cache. Hike-n-Seek has dedicated a gathering, known as a "CITO" event, at McIntosh Woods State Park at 9:45 a.m. Sept. 11.
The full Hike-n-Seek itinerary can be found on geocaching.com. Sept. 10 will be a full day of caching. Mary said parts of the event require purchasing a meal ticket, with a deadline of Sept. 3.
The Baleks said beginners can be a part of the fun and recommended checking out the "Last Song" community celebration event, at 1 p.m. Sept. 11 at Georgia Hanford Park, as a good opportunity to learn about geocaching.
"Our reason for doing this is because we want to bring people to Mason City and into the North Iowa area. (We want) them to be able to see the neat things and see all that we have to offer," said Mary.
WATCH NOW: Binge every episode of online-exclusive series: Lisa Shows You Nature
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 1: "Teen geese"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 2: "Mini donkey"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 3: "Bright Lights, Frog City"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 4: "Irritating a silk...worm?"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 5: "Marvin the Giant Moth"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 6: "A quick chat with a deer"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 7: "Plant doctor"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 8: "Sledding Hill Blues"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 9: "Absentee amphibians and Steve"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 10: "The Great Goatsby"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 11: "Gross, dude"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 12: "Russell the Mussel goes home"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature; Episode 13: 'Don't Worry, Bee Happy - Get it? Bee?'
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature; Episode 14: 'Trail Blazers (kind of)'
WATCH NOW: Lisa's adventures at Lime Creek Nature Center
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 15: "It's a mule, mule summer"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature - Episode 16: "Pop, flock & drop it"
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Nature; Episode 17: 'Adults of the Corn'
WATCH NOW: Lisa Shows You Christmas
Abby covers education and entertainment for the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter at @MkayAbby. Email her at Abby.Koch@GlobeGazette.com | https://globegazette.com/news/local/geocaching-event-draws-people-to-north-iowa/article_9a52551d-c2c8-5538-9e6f-c419fbc87976.html | 2022-09-01T11:48:51 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/geocaching-event-draws-people-to-north-iowa/article_9a52551d-c2c8-5538-9e6f-c419fbc87976.html |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The blue and gold are back and looking to win back-to-back Southern Conference Titles. Besides the action on the field for tonight’s ETSU home opener, there will be plenty of fun activities off the field before and after kickoff.
The Thursday night home opener is a return to tradition for the ETSU Buccaneers. Jay Sandos, Voice of the Bucs, said in the 1990s, the home opener was on a Thursday night every season. The last time the blue and gold home opener was on a Thursday was back in 2015 when the team was still playing at Kermit Tipton Stadium on Science Hill’s campus.
A news release revealed there have only been four Sept. 1 football games since 1990.
“To be able to do this on a Thursday night, kind of going back to tradition,” said Sandos. “I think it’s a big deal; I think it’d be a great deal for the students.”
Tailgaters will be welcomed into the parking lots starting at 3 p.m. A later opening than the typical 8 a.m. seen for Saturday games. Fans can enjoy music from a DJ starting at 3 p.m. along with inflatables for kids set up in lot 21, sponsored by Food City.
The Food City Fan Zone will be located between Lots 21 and 22 near the main roundabout entering campus from State of Franklin Road.
Parking is pay-to-park and costs $10. If tailgaters don’t already have parking passes they can choose between lots 21 and 22 depending on the space available.
People can drink at their tailgates, but ETSU asks it be kept in a cup and that everyone behave responsibly. There will not be beer sales at tonight’s game. The rest of the season is still up in the air.
The Buc Walk will begin at 5:30 p.m. and gates will open at the same time. Kickoff is set for 7:32 p.m.
Following the game, there will be late-night fireworks presented by Pepsi.
Thursday night is Teacher Appreciation Night. Educators get in for free with a valid ID. There will be various other promotions throughout the season.
For more on the promotional schedule and to purchase tickets, click here. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/returning-to-tradition-bucs-kicking-off-football-season-thursday-night/ | 2022-09-01T12:00:45 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/returning-to-tradition-bucs-kicking-off-football-season-thursday-night/ |
City of Petoskey seeks public opinion on possible change to commercial height requirements
PETOSKEY — In a continued effort to increase density, the city is looking to its residents to provide feedback on a possible ordinance amendment that would loosen height restrictions for the commercial zone on Spring Street, allowing for four-story buildings instead of two.
The zone consists of 11 lots along Spring Street and intersects with Lawrence Street, Hillcrest Avenue and Morgan Street. Current restrictions limit building height to two-stories, or 25 feet. If the amendment is approved, all other zoning requirements like setbacks and parking will remain the same.
More:Future of burned-out Petoskey hotel site unclear
Subscribe:Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you
The B-3a district is intended to be for commercial use, primarily lodging as it is just outside of downtown Petoskey. The district is near the amenities most tourists look for when booking hotels, without being in the downtown area.
The primary goal of this change would be to allow for more freedom for future development of hotels. Included in this zone is the former site of the America's Best Value Inn at 1300 Spring St., which burned down in 2019 and has not yet been slated for redevelopment. Also in this district is the Apple Tree Inn, which already has four floors, which it likely had before the current zoning went into effect.
By allowing additional height, businesses like hotels can offer more rooms and increase the short term density for the city. Lodging in the city tends to fill up quickly, especially during high-traffic periods like July 4.
“If we want hotels here, and I think we do, we are a vacation community, we need to offer (more) height. It gives the options and it just encourages, ‘Alright, well, we do want hotels, but we want them over here,’” city planner Zach Sompels said.
Building height is often restricted in Petoskey in order to preserve the view of the lake. When traveling south towards Lake Michigan through the B-3a District along Spring Street (U.S. 31), the road slopes downward, offering a view of the lake from the road.
“Having the height wouldn't block anyone's view of the lake because there's still a 50-foot setback. So even coming down the road, you're gonna see the lake,” Sompels said.
An agenda memo for the June 16 planning commission meeting describes the change as, “a relatively non-intrusive way to help increase density while still keeping small town character without the allowance of high rises. The changes in elevation from the road in many of the locations are enough that a three-story building would appear similar to a two-story one.”
Sompels said he encourages anyone with questions, concerns or comments of support to reach out to him directly or come to the next planning commission meeting on Sept. 15 to offer public comment on the issue, which will be on the agenda.
Sompels can be reached by email at zsompels@petoskey.us or by phone at (231) 347-2500 ext. 1118. The planning commission will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15 in the city council chambers on the second floor of city hall. Planning commission meetings are not live streamed. The agenda for the meeting is not yet publicly available but will be posted on the city website closer to the meeting. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/petoskey-seeks-public-input-on-height-restrictions/65465544007/ | 2022-09-01T12:22:59 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/petoskey-seeks-public-input-on-height-restrictions/65465544007/ |
Charlevoix Area Garden Club puts up scarecrow in memory of longtime member
CHARLEVOIX — First joining the club in 1961, Nancy Fowler was a fixture in the Charlevoix Area Garden Club.
Each year, she put up a scarecrow she made in the memorial garden.
This year, following her August death, the club put up a scarecrow in her honor, alongside a sign with her name on it.
Obituary:Nancy Hatch Fowler
The garden is known as the memorial garden because any time a member of the club or one of their spouses dies, $25 from the budget is given to that garden in their honor. But for Fowler, the donation didn’t seem like enough.
Diane McMahon, a co-chair of the memorial garden, said the idea to put the scarecrow up came from one of Fowler’s close friends and a member of the club.
“It was just her nature to do something like (putting the scarecrow up),” said McMahon. "It was very like her to put up the scarecrow at our garden. She was very crafty, very talented.”
The scarecrow in the garden was made by memorial garden co-chair Susan Thurow.
Thurow made the scarecrow in 2021, but improved it before putting it up this year. The entire memorial garden team helped stuff the scarecrow and put it up Tuesday afternoon.
The scarecrow is accompanied by a sign that says “In Memory Of Nancy Fowler” along with a laminated photo of the scarecrow that once lived in the garden and was sewn by Fowler’s hands.
McMahon said some members had tears in their eyes while the scarecrow was being filled, while others were able to hear different stories about Fowler and the work she did with the organization for the first time.
“Everybody was just really excited to get it up, and to try to have it look as nice as the one Nancy's always done,” she said.
The memorial garden, the oldest garden in the city, was first formed in 1977 and was very small. Now, it is about four times as large as it was when it started after the city expanded the space for it in 2008.
Members of the club said Fowler took gardening seriously and was very precise about how things should be done.
Multiple club members said Fowler was a founding member of the club, and would tell stories of those first meetings.
In the early days of the club, membership was limited because meetings were held in people's homes, while members wore skirts, nylons, dresses or suits. Now, the club meets in larger meeting spaces to accommodate all who are interested while keeping it casual.
Subscribe:Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you
“She rolled with the modern thing and always with a smile,” said member Audrey Etienne.
Fowler’s craftiness extended beyond scarecrows. Members of the Charlevoix Area Gardening Club raved about the collection of Santa Claus figurines she created during the winter months.
Dubbed as “Dumpster Dollies,” Fowler made “European-style” Santas out of recycled materials, Rhea Dow said.
“Santa Clauses were kind of old European looking things that weren't the modern white and red Santa Claus," Dow said. “They wore elegant coats and their beards were wonderful.”
Also known as a lifelong bridge player, Fowler and her husband would host bridge parties around Christmas time.
In addition to her 61 years with the gardening club, she was an active and dedicated member at her church.
Fowler died Aug. 19 at age 88 following a battle with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
The memorial garden is located on an island at the corner of Mercer Avenue and East Dixon Avenue in Charlevoix.
Contact education reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com or on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/charlevoix/2022/09/01/nancy-fowler-honored-with-scarecrow-in-charlevoix-memorial-garden/65465599007/ | 2022-09-01T12:22:59 | 1 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/charlevoix/2022/09/01/nancy-fowler-honored-with-scarecrow-in-charlevoix-memorial-garden/65465599007/ |
There are approximately 10,800 elevators in the city of San Francisco, according to California’s Department of Industrial Relations. About 9,000 of those elevators — or 83% — have expired permits, many of which are multiple years old, according to public records reviewed by SFGATE.
Embedded in this story is a searchable database of every expired permit through June of 2022, so you can see for yourself whether the elevator in your apartment building or office or local BART station has been inspected lately.
There’s more to the story than the data itself, though. An expired permit doesn’t mean an elevator is on the verge of a major, injury-inducing malfunction, and up-to-date permits don’t guarantee a perfectly functioning elevator. Expired permits do, however, represent a totally buried government agency that relies on the private sector to pick up its slack. And there are real consequences for older or disabled people when property owners decide to skimp on elevator upkeep.
The expired elevator basics
When an elevator in California is first installed, it must undergo what’s called an “acceptance” inspection. A series of tests are performed to make sure the elevator is reacting the way it’s designed to react. Once it passes those tests, it’s issued a permit by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
From that point on, elevators in the state of California are supposed to be inspected once a year by DIR. Some elevators are eligible for every-other-year inspections, if the owner of the elevator applies for a special permit with its own list of requirements. These inspections are a snapshot in time, intended to identify any safety violations that would necessitate shutting down the elevator until the violations are resolved.
The expired elevator problem
In theory, DIR’s elevator inspections should be a useful revenue-driver for the state, since every state inspection brings in hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. Instead, DIR’s elevator unit is understaffed and overworked. A DIR spokesperson told SFGATE there are just 13 inspectors in the Bay Area elevator office, which covers both San Francisco and the East Bay. They’re hoping to add “several” more inspectors in the coming months, and have 18 vacancies in all.
“Hiring elevator inspectors takes time in part because the pool of qualified candidates is very small,” a DIR spokesperson wrote in an email. “The applicants need years of experience in the elevator industry, and once they start with [us], they need training on the state’s inspection process.”
A shaky set of solutions
The onus has fallen on private maintenance companies to monitor San Francisco’s elevators.
A longtime operations manager at a Bay Area elevator maintenance company — who requested anonymity to speak freely about the state’s backlog of expired permits and was granted it in accordance with Hearst's ethics policy — says the good news is “many” privately owned elevators in the city have a maintenance contract on the books. In his estimation, a fair amount of San Francisco elevators are examined by maintenance workers (who are certified by the state) at least quarterly. “It’s in our best interest to make sure there are no safety violations or unsafe operation of an elevator,” he told SFGATE, because the maintenance company can be sued, too.
A maintenance worker’s inspection is separate from the state inspection. In a perfect world, property owners would keep robust maintenance contracts on the books, so their elevators are regularly looked after. Then, once a year, the state would do its own inspection, essentially corroborating and supplementing the maintenance company’s work.
This is not a perfect world. As mentioned, about 9,000 of San Francisco’s elevators have expired permits, meaning the state is not upholding its end of the bargain in consistently corroborating and supplementing maintenance companies. Not every elevator in the city has a maintenance contract, either. Property owners aren’t legally required to keep a contract with maintenance companies, and some prefer only to address elevator issues after the elevator stops working.
June Bashant, a partner at the San Francisco law firm Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn, has dealt with elevator-related injury cases. She says “apartment owners have what is known as a non-delegable duty to maintain a safe premises,” a duty that “includes providing safe elevators in their buildings.”
But that “duty” does not technically mean that a property owner must employ a maintenance company to keep tabs on their elevators. Other times, property owners will follow through on entering into a contract with a maintenance company, but only pay for occasional elevator checkups.
“There are some building owners who don’t want to spend the money to have maintenance done,” the operations manager told SFGATE. “When the elevator breaks, they call all the companies to try and have someone come out and fix it. A lot of the maintenance companies are hesitant to do that, because the last one to touch it is the one that ends up in court.”
And there are other odd rules maintenance companies are supposed to keep in mind. Elevators built after October 1998 have a laundry list of testing requirements from the state. DIR will pass those requirements to the elevator owner, who in theory passes them along to the maintenance company they’ve contracted. The maintenance company will perform those tests and sign off to the state of California that the elevator passed (or didn’t pass), but these tests do not replace or usurp the annual state inspection, which is still supposed to be required.
Elevators built before 1998, meanwhile, inexplicably have a much shorter list of testing requirements for maintenance companies to pass along to the state: just earthquake preparedness and making sure the emergency light and alarm bell work, according to the operations manager who spoke to SFGATE.
“It’s weird, huh?” he concurred.
Assessing the (low) risks of riding elevators
Elevators are, generally speaking, very safe. That’s true even with elevators that have expired permits. “When an elevator malfunctions, it’s because something has failed, and the elevator recognizes that it’s not safe to run, so it stops,” said the operations manager who spoke to SFGATE.
Between 2017 and 2021, there was an annual average of 12,041 elevator injuries in the United States, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There are approximately 330 million people living in the U.S., for comparison’s sake. And the CPSC database couldn’t even produce an estimate of the number of elevator-related fatalities during that five-year span, because the number was so low.
Bashant knows well that injuries do sometimes happen. She’s represented clients who’ve gone to court against property managers and elevator maintenance companies whom she says are not as thorough as they should be.
“I see what are known as full-service maintenance agreements where maintenance is not performed per the code, and where safety upgrades are not a priority,” she said. “Corners are cut to save money under these maintenance contracts leading to injuries that would be preventable if the work was performed and necessary safety upgrades were made.”
The biggest elevator issue
Elevator injuries, even if infrequent, are certainly notable — but the far more likely consequence of a poorly maintained elevator is that it will shut itself down, which is an enormous problem for older people and people with disabilities.
“If you’re someone who can’t use stairs, and you live above the ground floor, then a working elevator is absolutely critical,” said Autumn Elliott, litigation counsel at Disability Rights California. “If the elevator goes out, you’re essentially a prisoner in your own home.”
Unsurprisingly, property owners of buildings with lower-income tenants are more inclined to disregard elevator upkeep. In San Francisco, disability rights advocates recently staged a protest at City Hall to raise awareness about how many elevators in single-room occupancy hotels (SROs) are out of service. SRO residents have complained about broken elevators for years, as chronicled by Mission Local. The operations manager who spoke to SFGATE singled out SROs as an example of a building that, in his opinion, is more likely to not have a substantive maintenance contract on the books.
It’s not just SROs, either — in 2017, the Disability Rights Advocates group sued BART, alleging passengers’ civil rights were being violated by the filthy, too often out-of-service elevators that limited accessibility.
“From what I understand, if you have a problematic elevator, it’s generally because maintenance wasn’t done over time,” Elliott said. “The routine maintenance that elevators need is absolutely a critical disability access issue.”
What to do?
If a property owner is diligently following elevator inspection rules, then they’ll often post notices and correspondence with DIR in their elevator, showing that they’ve attempted to have the elevator’s permit updated, but that DIR doesn’t have the resources to complete the state inspection.
Understandably, however, these notices raise the fears of tenants who use the elevator and aren’t sure what it means that the elevator’s permit is expired.
“It doesn’t help the public when they get into an elevator with a permit that’s multiple years old,” the Bay Area operations manager said. “We got a lot of calls, and as an elevator maintenance company, I can’t call the state and request an inspection of an elevator that’s expired. I’m not the owner of the elevator.”
If you’re worried about the status of the elevator you regularly use, Bashant suggests establishing a paper trail with your property owner: send along complaints of elevator issues as they unfold so it can’t be argued that a malfunction happened out of nowhere.
The operations manager also suggests contacting your property manager to ask whether they have a maintenance contract on file. That’s the surest way to figure out whether or not your elevator is at least sometimes being checked up on, in lieu of the state inspections that are rarely happening on time.
Longer term, DIR believes that filling all of its vacancies “will allow us to eliminate the backlog,” a spokesperson wrote.
The operations manager who spoke to SFGATE is skeptical of that outcome. “It’s not for a lack of trying — they’re just overwhelmed,” he said.
“But it’s rare to see a majority of the elevator permits that are actually current, and it’s been that way for the 30 years I’ve been doing this.” | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-elevator-expired-permit-17405899.php | 2022-09-01T12:26:28 | 0 | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-elevator-expired-permit-17405899.php |
INDIANAPOLIS — An elderly man was injured when he was hit by a bus in the Castleton area Thursday morning.
Police officers responded to the Ivy Knoll Apartments, near East 82nd Street and Interstate 465, around 6:45 a.m. for a report of a pedestrian struck.
Police found an elderly man who had been hit by a Lawrence Township school bus. The man was taken to a local hospital due to his injuries, the extent of which were not immediately known.
Police said the school bus did not have children on board at the time of the crash. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/elderly-man-hit-by-school-bus-castleton-indianapolis-indiana/531-b789b6f6-ca94-4eec-87e1-387f97d96e49 | 2022-09-01T12:26:28 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/elderly-man-hit-by-school-bus-castleton-indianapolis-indiana/531-b789b6f6-ca94-4eec-87e1-387f97d96e49 |
WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul is making New York State’s gun laws some of the strictest in the nation by implementing new statewide laws to bolster restrictions on concealed carry.
The change, which went into effect Thursday, comes after a federal judge denied a motion to block the rules from taking effect.
“The reality is that we're in the middle of a national gun violence crisis. It's claimed the lives of too many Americans, too many New Yorkers, and has inflicted trauma on communities all across our state,” Hochul said.
Starting Thursday, New Yorkers will now have to go through an extensive process to obtain a permit such as 16 hours of training, provide four character references, and disclose social media history.
The new laws also prohibit where you conceal carry with a list of sensitive locations now being off limits such as schools, restaurants, hospitals and entertainment venues.
New restrictions that some Western New Yorkers like Thomas Roma feel are too limiting.
“I want to be able to have and consume weaponry. I should be able to protect my family,” Roma said.
A notion the Supreme Court upheld in its June 23 ruling of New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen when it stated that the Second Amendment gives Americans the constitutional right to carry a gun outside of the home, voiding New York’s requirement that concealed permit applications must demonstrate proper cause.
“United States citizens have a Second Amendment right to carry weapons outside of the home for self-defense purposes. Even if they can't articulate a specific reason to want to have those weapons, just self-defense in and of itself is sufficient," said Barry Covert, who is a criminal and constitutional attorney in Buffalo.
Covert said Hochul’s news laws are contradictory.
“We have new regulations and laws coming into effect, which seemed to really undermine the Supreme Court's decision in Bruen,” Covert said.
The new regulations are already causing challenges in state and federal courts, which Covert believes could cause even more changes to occur.
“If the courts that are reviewing these challenges are following the Bruen Supreme Court decision, then most of these challenges have a very strong likelihood of success,” Covert said. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/new-york-state-gun-laws-change-pistol-permit/71-c29c3b15-e23a-48a0-8b86-7a66f0af4c63 | 2022-09-01T12:26:34 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/new-york-state-gun-laws-change-pistol-permit/71-c29c3b15-e23a-48a0-8b86-7a66f0af4c63 |
This medical student was once an English learner herself. Now she's collecting books to ease the transition for Afghan evacuee children.
Fueled by her own childhood experience as an English language learner, a Milwaukee medical school student is collecting donations of books for newly arrived Afghan children.
Maie Zagloul, a second-year student at the Medical College of Wisconsin, believes books will be key to helping Afghan evacuee kids learn English and feel settled in their new communities.
"That doesn't need to be something that holds them back," she said.
The International Institute of Wisconsin, a Milwaukee refugee resettlement agency, will distribute the books she collects to their Afghan clients.
Zagloul knows well the value of reading. She was born in Milwaukee but shortly thereafter moved to Egypt with her family. When they returned and she enrolled in second grade, she was placed in an English as a Second Language program.
The ESL instruction meant she was pulled out of her regular classes. She found it difficult at first to connect with her classmates and to feel like she belonged.
To help learn the language, Zagloul's mother read to her every night. It sparked her love of reading and gave her a boost, she said.
"It's something I carried with me this whole time," she said.
As an undergraduate, Zagloul got involved with a program that aimed to help Palestinians in refugee camps learn English, and she thought back to those nights reading with her mother.
She created the organization Books for Chance and collected over 2,000 children's books for Palestinian and Syrian refugee children abroad.
On the first trip, she dropped off the books herself at the refugee camp in Lebanon. As she collected more, she sent suitcases full of books with friends and relatives traveling to the region. In one case, she partnered with a local group that had shipped boxes of books by sea.
This year, as president of the American Muslim Medical Student Association at her school, she's been spearheading the effort to collect books for Afghan evacuees here in Wisconsin.
"I was born and raised for the most part in Milwaukee, in ESL classrooms, and I just thought it would be wonderful to give back to where I was all those years ago," Zagloul said.
When she reached out to the International Institute of Wisconsin, it told her there was a big need for children's books among Afghan families.
Improved language skills "contribute to lifelong success," especially for Afghan evacuee children, said Brian Curry, president of the agency.
"In addition, we hope that reading together builds a special bond between parents and children that have been through tough times," Curry said in a statement.
Zagloul has been contacting local libraries and mosques, distributing flyers and making social media posts to solicit donations of books. She's also placed distribution boxes around campus.
Starting school in a new country with a new language and culture was tough, Zagloul said. She hopes reading makes the process a bit easier for Afghan kids.
"I hope it shows them that they belong here, too, and that they have a place in this world, and that they can do anything they want to do, and there’s no limitations to what they can do in this life," she said.
Anyone who wants to donate children's books can email Zagloul at booksforchance@gmail.com. Books for kids of all ages are accepted. The drive runs through Friday, but Zagloul will accept books after that.
Contact reporter Sophie Carson at (414) 223-5512 or scarson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SCarson_News. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/milwaukee-medical-student-runs-book-drive-afghan-evacuee-children/7931958001/ | 2022-09-01T12:36:09 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/milwaukee-medical-student-runs-book-drive-afghan-evacuee-children/7931958001/ |
CEDAR FALLS — A wrestling icon was the Cedar Valley United Way’s choice for inspiration as it embarked on its 100th annual fundraising campaign.
Jim Miller, the former longtime Wartburg College head wrestling coach who developed a national powerhouse program, provided encouraging tales of perseverance and inspiration for the nearly 300 attendees during the “Rally for the Valley” kickoff event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls on Wednesday.
“A couple months ago I was asked at a speaking event if I just had a knack for winning,” he said. “I said, ‘No, but I had a knack for getting back up after getting knocked down, time after time after time, which led to all the winning.’ Isn’t that the truth? Sometimes, we just have to do hard things to have success.”
After raising $2.6 million last year and helping 63 programs from 39 local nonprofits, the Cedar Valley United Way continues to make a difference in the spheres of education, health, and financial stability by distributing funds to worthy programs and organizations.
People are also reading…
No official financial goal is set for this year.
But President Debbie Roth said the organization has come a long way since 1923, when it helped seven community organizations with some $63,000. It has awarded more than $125 million since the start of it all.
WATERLOO — Music thumped through downtown as the annual Pridefest returned to Waterloo this …
In honor of the anniversary, Roth said it is encouraging donors and organizations to give $100 or $1,000 more than they’ve done in previous years.
Additionally, attendees heard from leaders with the Waterloo Housing Authority, Iowa Child Advocacy Board and YWCA Black Hawk County during a video presentation to learn more about the impact of those funds.
“These stories of perseverance really resonate with nonprofits like the Northeast Iowa Food Bank,” said Jared Feigenbaum, community events manager at the food bank. “No day is the same, but there always is a chance to improve more lives.”
“What’s good for the community is good for all of us,” said Karin Rowe, executive director of House of Hope.
She heard Miller reflect on not “letting the last disappointment affect the next opportunity.” That resonates with her, because her organization helps people facing hardship all the time.
Whether its homeless single mothers with a child or children, or women who age out of foster care, they get knocked down but end up winning, Rowe said.
Drivers will be better off heading directly to Hawkeye Road (Iowa Highway 21) to get to their destination.
“We’re always supporting United Way because of all the good they’re doing to help those in need,” said Jim Schaefer, director of investor relations with Grow Cedar Valley. “At this type of event, you’re learning about different needs you didn’t realize existed before.”
Inspiration
Miller, now executive director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum, told tales of his youth with his father and the story of a young man with a disability who impacted one of his high school wrestling programs.
He talked about playing baseball as a nine-year-old and not making the Little League baseball team. The message his late father, Bob Miller, gave him at the time of “the major catastrophe” was to move past the tears, devastation and embarrassment, and to focus on getting better results.
Miller “wore out” a pitch back net in the yard as he worked to improve. He landed on the Little League all-star team the next year.
“If you don’t like the results, just get better. I can’t tell you how many times that came into play in my life as an athlete, coach, teacher, husband and father,” Miller said.
He said he didn’t qualify for the state wrestling competition before his senior year at East High School, and described what led to him envisioning himself for the first time as a participant rather than a spectator.
It was his coach’s belief and encouragement.
“When someone else cares enough to lift you up, to encourage you, to help you accomplish more than maybe you think you can,” he said.
“When taking the time to invest in other people, it will enhance their lives,” he added.
Miller also referenced attending a seminar with a sports psychologist during his first year as a college coach. The speaker had worked with basketball great Michael Jordan.
That psychologist said Jordan wouldn’t let missed shot after missed shot affect his mindset.
“For most people, they start to spiral down when the negatives start,” he said.
He spoke of Brad Peterson, a young man with muscular dystrophy who served as team manager during Miller’s first year as a coach at Charles City High School.
The boy was in a wheel chair. Miller declared him the “most inspirational young person” he came into contact with during his 37-year career.
Peterson blew the whistle and helped run the practices as the team’s manager and student coach.
“It’s cool that I’m talking about Brad Peterson 44 years later,” Miller said. “He helped me come to understand that someone you might least expect can positively affect your life, your team, your institution, your organization.”
“When everyone feels a part of the team, you have a stronger team.” | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/cedar-valley-united-way-leans-on-jim-millers-inspiration-before-embarking-on-100th-campaign/article_23ec8ebb-3c5e-57e0-a0a0-a6a6e8e5dfb4.html | 2022-09-01T12:36:33 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/cedar-valley-united-way-leans-on-jim-millers-inspiration-before-embarking-on-100th-campaign/article_23ec8ebb-3c5e-57e0-a0a0-a6a6e8e5dfb4.html |
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — JFK Elementary in West Oso ISD went into lockdown Wednesday morning around 9 a.m. after school officials were notified that a four-year-old student was in possession of a loaded handgun on campus.
The off-duty CCPD Officer immediately took possession of and secured the weapon, according to the CCPD blotter page.
"While the district does not believe that students and staff were in any kind of imminent danger, as a precaution the campus had increased police presence and maintained a higher level of security at the school until the Corpus Christi Police Department provided an 'all clear' at 10:30 am," the statement said.
A letter was sent to parents via a robotext about the incident, the release stated. Information on what type of weapon was not given.
Superintendent Conrado Garcia said he is proud of the swift response and implementation of district safety procedures by the teachers, administrators, and officers.
30-year-old Paul Torres was arrested and charged with Making Firearm Accessible to Children and was additionally charged with Abandoning or Endangering a Child., according to the blotter page.
The department said that they want to remind residents to properly secure their firearms locked away and keep their keys away from children.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- Woman with ties to Corpus Christi thought to be missing was actually evading arrest, tracked to South America
- 'Irreplaceable leader': Corpus Christi teen died of heat stroke playing football
- Trade Center navigating solutions to reopen after electrical issues
- Beto O'Rourke missed South Texas events due to bacterial infection, he says
- Why the new health district was not first to inform the public about monkeypox
- 3NEWS team rescues kitten from engine compartment of company car
Want to send us a news tip?
Put your name and contact information below so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous.
If you do not have a photo/video to submit, just click "OK" to skip that prompt. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/investigation-underway-at-jfk-elementary/503-a329569f-cce3-454c-a075-bf0913bf039b | 2022-09-01T12:58:40 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/investigation-underway-at-jfk-elementary/503-a329569f-cce3-454c-a075-bf0913bf039b |
SAN ANTONIO — A single-story abandoned building downtown was destroyed by a fire overnight.
It happened around 3:25 a.m. on the 100 block of E. Quincy St. near Navarro St.
Firefighters responded for reports of a commercial structure fire with heavy smoke coming from the windows.
Crews had to cut metal window bars, also known as burglar bars, and remove wooden sheets that covered the doorways to gain access to the building to battle the blaze.
The battalion chief said this location has been the scene of a fire multiple times and unfortunately this time the fire burned everything. The building is a total loss.
Fire officials suspect transients to be the ones that may have caused the fire, but they are not absolutely certain due to the extensive damage.
Fire investigators are on scene to look into exactly what happened.
No injuries were reported and no word on the exact amount of damages.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/fire-destroys-abandoned-commercial-downtown-building-san-antonio-texas-blaze-firefighters/273-736d2d38-b266-4d9f-8d80-1f8cf65b85ab | 2022-09-01T13:01:43 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/fire-destroys-abandoned-commercial-downtown-building-san-antonio-texas-blaze-firefighters/273-736d2d38-b266-4d9f-8d80-1f8cf65b85ab |
FOLEY, Minnesota — Stretching 110 acres, the Stoney Brook Farms corn maze in central Minnesota might be one of the largest in the world.
The third generation vegetable farm has fed Minnesotans for years, and now they’re hoping to entertain them. The Chmielewski family started the maze six years ago. It was mother nature that led them to try to grow the largest maze in the world.
“It’s all about adapting,” farmer Brad Chmielewski said. “The drought was hard on us last year. I think a lot of farmers are trying to recoup from that still.”
Brad grew up on the farm his grandmother started. His father Mark is still technically his boss.
“He’s my number one son,” Mark joked since Brad is also his only son.
If Stoney Brook Farms sounds familiar, it’s probably because they provide vegetables to local grocery stores like Cub Foods. The family also has a vegetable stand in St. Cloud that is popular with cabin goers heading to lakes.
Brad says the corn maze, located just south of Foley in Benton County, is a fun way to bring people onto the farm to see what they do for a living.
The possible largest corn maze in the world is due to draw in crowds, of course if they aren’t scared away by the Halloween characters in the maze design. Freddie Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Pennywise, Michael Meyers, and the Chucky doll are all part of the maze. KARE 11’s drones tried to capture them all at once, but were not able to fly high enough to cover the whole maze.
“Farming is always an adventure from one day to the next. You never know what you're going to be doing,” Mark said. “I guess that's why we like it."
Brad and Mark won’t take the credit for the corn maze idea itself. It was Brad’s wife who thought of it. The maze remained under 20 acres for the last six years. They decided to go big or go home after they found out who holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest corn maze.
“Why is the record in California? it should be a Midwest record,” Brad said.
He says the current record is in Dixon, California. The maze measures around 50-60 acres. He says if they can get someone to certify that they have the largest corn maze in the world, then it will be official. For now, if you want to check it out yourself click here.
Stoney Brook Farm’s fall activities open Sept. 10. Don’t worry about getting lost in the maze, they have a barcode you can scan to load a map! | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/minnesota-corn-maze-hopes-to-become-the-largest-in-the-world/89-9060e099-cfb0-40c2-b07c-46b80490335c | 2022-09-01T13:01:49 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/minnesota-corn-maze-hopes-to-become-the-largest-in-the-world/89-9060e099-cfb0-40c2-b07c-46b80490335c |
CHICAGO — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday announced the state has started sending charter buses of migrants from the Texas border to Chicago, joining Washington D.C. and New York City as drop-off points.
Since April, when Abbott announced the state's plan, there have been between 8,000 to 9,000 migrants sent out of state.
The first bus of migrants headed to Chicago arrived on Wednesday, according to the governor.
"President Biden's inaction at our southern border continues putting the lives of Texans—and Americans—at risk and is overwhelming our communities," Abbott said. "To continue providing much-needed relief to our small, overrun border towns, Chicago will join fellow sanctuary cities Washington, D.C. and New York City as an additional drop-off location. Mayor Lightfoot loves to tout the responsibility of her city to welcome all regardless of legal status, and I look forward to seeing this responsibility in action as these migrants receive resources from a sanctuary city with the capacity to serve them."
A spokesperson for Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot issued the following statement in response to Abbott's announcement:
"Today, the City of Chicago received confirmation that approximately 60 migrants were traveling to Chicago by way of Texas. Chicago is a welcoming city and as such has collaborated across various departments and agencies to ensure we greeted them with dignity and respect. We understand that many are fleeing violent, traumatic, or otherwise unstable environments. We will respond with essential services while these individuals navigate the next steps of their journey and our community partners have been working diligently to provide a safety net.
"As a city, we are doing everything we can to ensure these immigrants and their families can receive shelter, food, and most importantly protection. This is not new; Chicago welcomes hundreds of migrants every year to our city and provides much-needed assistance. Unfortunately, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is without any shame or humanity. But ever since he put these racist practices of expulsion in place, we have been working with our community partners to ready the city to receive these individuals.
"We know that racism, discrimination, and human cruelty have played a pivotal role in how immigrants are received within our borders, and we are still working to recover from the previous presidential administration, which encouraged this behavior. This is such an important moment for Chicago as a city has been a sanctuary for thousands of newcomers. We are welcoming them and we will not turn our backs on those who need our help the most."
The Texas Department of Emergency Management said the plan to bus migrants out of state has cost taxpayers more than $12 million. Abbott's office says migrants are only being sent with their written permission.
Critics of the plan, like University of Houston Law Center Associate Professor Daniel Morales, call the plan a stunt.
"The same logic occurred when he (Abbott) sent the National Guard to the border. There is no need for these exercises. They don’t help immigrants. They don't help the state. But they do get Greg Abbott some time on Fox News and that is what he wants," Morales said.
Abbott's office issued a statement saying the decision was made as part of a series of actions to secure the Texas border.
“Governor Abbott has taken unprecedented action to address this Biden-made crisis, deploying thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers and allocating over $4 billion of Texas taxpayer money to secure our border, including building our own border wall, erecting strategic barriers and providing relief for our overrun and overwhelmed border towns by busing migrants to Washington, D.C. and New York City,” the statement said. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-migrant-buses-chicago/285-e5036cb5-85f1-4492-b91d-a6e6cfa054b7 | 2022-09-01T13:01:55 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-migrant-buses-chicago/285-e5036cb5-85f1-4492-b91d-a6e6cfa054b7 |
SAN ANTONIO — Federal investigators could take over a possible human smuggling case that happened on Wednesday late afternoon.
Police responded to the 8700 block of S. Presa for reports of a shooting in progress. Officials said a group of migrants tried to escape the motel where they were being held, and were chased down by someone in a truck when they tried to leave the room.
Two people were hit, then the shooting began.
Officials said one of the migrants was able to fire a gun at the truck, in an effort to protect themselves.
Police say the people inside the truck took off.
Two of the migrants were taken to an area hospital and two of them remained at the scene.
Police say because migrants are involved, they’ve contacted Homeland Security and are waiting to see if they’ll take over the case.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-migrants-injured-when-they-tried-to-escape-motel-room-they-were-being-held-inside-san-antonio-texas-bexar/273-99726b2f-c6aa-4709-87ef-fc8bf37a6b7e | 2022-09-01T13:02:01 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-migrants-injured-when-they-tried-to-escape-motel-room-they-were-being-held-inside-san-antonio-texas-bexar/273-99726b2f-c6aa-4709-87ef-fc8bf37a6b7e |
Big D Reads is unveiling its 2022 read on Thursday, September 1 with a community event.
The event is a community-wide reading program. Think of it like a community book club that was created in 2013.
Each year, the Big D Reads program partners distribute a single title and hold roundtable discussions and panels to discuss the book. Those books are donated to schools, book clubs, libraries, hospitals, young professional and leadership organizations, nonprofits and other locations throughout the city.
The 2022 selection is, The Accommodation, by Jim Schutze, recently reissued by Deep Vellum Books and Publisher. It tells the story of mid-century Dallas, centered on the civic response to the bombing of Black people’s homes and the housing crisis that traces back to the Civil War and Jim Crow.
“It’s just like a book club,” Will Evans of Deep Vellum Books and Publisher said. “Everyone has a voice and everyone has the chance to host their own event to kind of have a discussion and interpretation. We should all be able to take that productive conversation where we want and really get serious about the history of this city.”
Big D Reads says the objective in distributing the recently reissued copy, with a new forward written by John Wiley Price, is to help with the understanding of Dallas’ history.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“We’re really hoping that while we help tell this story, we help to unite all communities around Dallas,” Evans said.
30,000 copies of the book will be distributed, for free, throughout Dallas thanks to the volunteer-led community push presented by Amazon in partnership with several North Texas businesses and partners. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-d-reads-launches-new-community-reading-event-in-dallas/3061949/ | 2022-09-01T13:07:03 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-d-reads-launches-new-community-reading-event-in-dallas/3061949/ |
North Texas Giving Day is set for Sept. 1 through 22 with the largest portion of the event set for Sept. 22.
More than 3,000 charitable organizations from 20 counties are looking for help. With inflation and housing costs rising, many North Texans have found themselves leaning on these groups.
“We have heard from non-profits that they are seeing huge increases in clients over the last six to nine months – well above the numbers they saw in the early days of the pandemic,” Monica Christopher with Communities Foundation of Texas said.
The nonprofit organizations are seeing increases in people looking for rent and utility support as rent, grocery, and gas prices remain high.
“When you pair lingering effects of the pandemic with the inflation that we’ve seen along with ongoing issues of equity and access, really it’s a perfect storm,” Christopher said. “While many of us have been able to move forward with our daily lives and feel like things are back to normal, for a lot of families – particularly those trying to stay above the poverty line – things are not back to normal.”
Find more about North Texas Giving Day by visiting: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/giving-events/ntx22 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-giving-day-2022-kicks-off-early/3061943/ | 2022-09-01T13:07:09 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-giving-day-2022-kicks-off-early/3061943/ |
Union leaders representing workers at the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor are asking the port for more communication and transparency and questioning proposed rent increases and the decision not to renew the lease of the stevedore Metro Ports.
Port spokesperson Jennifer Hanson said Ports of Indiana will assess interest for a new bulk cargo dock operator in Burns Harbor after Metro Ports' contract expires at the end of the year. She said the Indianapolis-based port system will seek a long-term business partner to provide stevedoring and distribution services to existing customers, grow and diversify cargoes, make investments in facility expansions and drive projects that create significant economic benefits for the regional economy.
"The Ports of Indiana reviews all agreements with an eye toward growth of the regions and the Indiana economy. Renewal discussions with Metro Ports had been ongoing since 2018. However, both parties could not come to a new mutual agreement due to fundamental differences," Hanson said. "At that point, POI decided to seek a new business partner to provide bulk stevedoring and distribution services at the port. Metro Ports was notified in January 2022."
Local International Longshoremen's Association leaders are calling upon the port to be more open and transparent about the process, asking why the port wouldn't stick with a stevedore that helped bring in record traffic and is the largest bulk stevedore in the United States with operations on both coasts and a longer existing client list than any possible replacement.
"As union leaders, we are doing our job in not only representing concerns of our members that could possibly be displaced, but our employers and the future of port operations as well," Local 1969 Business Agent Joseph Perez and International Longshoremen's Association leaders said in a statement. "We are a port family consisting of a multi-generation, diverse workforce where minority is majority."
The union also is raising concerns about proposed rent increases that would affect the two dozen companies operating at the deepwater port on Lake Michigan.
"Metro is not the only tenant that has had issues with the arrogance of the new port administration. Local 2038 represents the mills located within the port," Perez and union leaders said in a statement. "We have had other tenants that have been hit with 300-600% rent increases with little to no explanation other than absurd comments from port directives when questioned of the hefty increases."
Union leaders expressed concerns that rent hikes could drive out steel service centers and other tenants that employ its members. Some have operated there for 30 years.
"The (Indiana Port Commission) is supposed to provide infrastructure upgrades and try to attract new tenants, not drive them away," Perez and other union leaders said in a statement. "We have not seen many improvements in our port, yet IPC continues to strong-arm its tenants, our employers, making it a much less desirable port to operate out of."
Perez said Metro Ports has been a good employer that has brought the community employment opportunities.
Hanson said port policy is not to discuss tenant business with anyone other than tenants, including the unions who represent the workers they employ.
"The negotiations of these type of agreements are traditionally not done in an open forum as private companies are reluctant to discuss strategy, vision and their individual growth potential," Hanson said. "The current Metro Ports agreement was not negotiated in a public forum, so no change in function. Once final terms are reached with a new bulk stevedore, an agreement will then be prepared and presented to the POI Commission for approval."
Perez said it was a matter of public interest.
"If they would rather us not speak as union leaders, we will address this as the concerned taxpaying citizens that we are who are entitled to truth and transparency from a division of any government entity," Perez and ILA local leaders said. "No public agency should ignore its obligation to operate in a transparent fashion. Transparency is a fundamental obligation of a public body even if its enabling act or bylaws do not specifically address the matter."
Perez said the union is especially concerned since the port's requests for proposals from potential stevedores were previously made public but haven't been this time.
"As concerned citizens, we are just looking for truth, honesty and transparency," he said.
1 of 20
Public gets glimpse at work of emergency responders at MAAC event
Valparaiso police Sg.t Joe Cowser and a K-9 give a demonstration during the First Responder Appreciation and Demonstration Day on Saturday.
Public gets glimpse at work of emergency responders at MAAC event
Walter Bryant, 5, of Valparaiso, tries out the firefighters hose with MAAC trainee David Brasher-Harding, of Hobart, during the First Responder Appreciation and Demonstration Day on Saturday at the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative taining facility in Valparaiso.
Steel poles are supporting the Bailly Homestead house for now. Once the building is fully restored, the National Park Service plans to seek a private vendor to reuse the building for lodging or another use.
Casey Parker from the College of Business looks on as Arianna Peterson spins the wheel for some Purdue swag at the Purdue Northwest Welcome Rally on Thursday.
Doug Drummond, of Crown Point, waits for the start of the Hometown Heroes Charity Motorcycle Run near Bulldog Park in Crown Point Sunday morning. Over 70 riders participated riding from Crown Point to Hebron and Lowell supporting Crown Point EMA.
Check out the Times' picks for the best images from the past week.
1 of 20
Public gets glimpse at work of emergency responders at MAAC event
Valparaiso police Sg.t Joe Cowser and a K-9 give a demonstration during the First Responder Appreciation and Demonstration Day on Saturday.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times
Public gets glimpse at work of emergency responders at MAAC event
Walter Bryant, 5, of Valparaiso, tries out the firefighters hose with MAAC trainee David Brasher-Harding, of Hobart, during the First Responder Appreciation and Demonstration Day on Saturday at the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative taining facility in Valparaiso.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times
Historic Dunes buildings are being restored
Todd Ravesloot, chief of facilities at Indiana Dunes National Park, stands on the front porch of the house at Bailly Homestead.
Doug Ross, The Times
Historic Dunes buildings are being restored
Steel poles are supporting the Bailly Homestead house for now. Once the building is fully restored, the National Park Service plans to seek a private vendor to reuse the building for lodging or another use.
Doug Ross, The Times
082722-spt-fbh-ham-val_16
Valparaiso head coach Bill Marshall watches the Vikings defense against Hammond Central in the second quarter Friday evening.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times
082722-spt-fbh-ham-val_2
Valparaiso’s Sammy Ampeliotis (32) intercepts a pass intended for Hammond Central’s Dashawn Woods (3) in the second quarter Friday evening.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times
082722-spt-fbh-ham-val_4
Hammond Central’s Jordan Woods (1) is caught by Valparaiso’s Tyres Morris (15) in the first quarter Friday evening.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times
Crown Point at Andrean football
Crown Point's J.J. Johnson hands the ball to the referee following his touchdown.
John J. Watkins The Times
Merrillville at Hobart football
Hobart's Trey Gibson, far left, reaches forward as he's tackled on Friday in Hobart.
Kale Wilk, The Times
Merrillville at Hobart football
Hobart's Noah Ehrlich, left, aims for open teammate Jaelen Williams on Friday in Hobart.
Kale Wilk, The Times
Merrillville at Hobart football
Hobart's Nathan Queer reacts after the Brickies recovered a Merrillville fumble on Friday in Hobart.
Kale Wilk, The Times
Merrillville at Hobart football
Hobart fans rally as Merrillville prepares to receive the kickoff on Friday in Hobart.
Kale Wilk, The Times
Crown Point at Andrean football
Crown Point's Micah Jones and JJ Johnson celebrate Johnson's touchdown.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Purdue Northwest Welcome Rally
Senior Izzy Gomez poses with school mascot Leo at the Purdue Northwest Welcome Rally Thursday.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Purdue Northwest Welcome Rally
Casey Parker from the College of Business looks on as Arianna Peterson spins the wheel for some Purdue swag at the Purdue Northwest Welcome Rally on Thursday.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Groundbreaking for the Silos at Sanders Farm industrial development
Ground has been broken for The Silos at Sanders Farm industrial complex in Merrillville.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Taking advantage of the weather
With summer winding down, a couple row their kayaks on Cedar Lake Monday afternoon.
John J. Watkins, The Times
Relaxing on Cedar Lake
Tommy Westbury take a photo of his wife, Jessica, and a carp that she caught at Cedar Lake.
John J. Watkins, The Times
082222-nws-cpfop_2
Doug Drummond, of Crown Point, waits for the start of the Hometown Heroes Charity Motorcycle Run near Bulldog Park in Crown Point Sunday morning. Over 70 riders participated riding from Crown Point to Hebron and Lowell supporting Crown Point EMA.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times
082222-nws-cpfop_4
Riders head to their motorcycles for the start of the Hometown Heroes Charity Motorcycle Run at Bulldog Park in Crown Point Sunday morning.
Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military.
The United Steelworkers union said its tentative agreement with Cleveland-Cliffs will make jobs and benefits more secure, requiring $4 billion in investment in union-represented steel mills.
Lawyers for Speros Batistatos filed a lawsuit this week in U.S. District Court seeking his reinstatement as head of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.
The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker has initially offered an 11% pay increase over the next four years, less than the 14% union steelworkers agreed to during the last round of contract talks in 2018. | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/unions-ask-ports-of-indiana-for-more-transparency-question-rent-increases/article_7df062cb-51e2-5b76-b7fe-c0bba1a8abae.html | 2022-09-01T13:15:14 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/unions-ask-ports-of-indiana-for-more-transparency-question-rent-increases/article_7df062cb-51e2-5b76-b7fe-c0bba1a8abae.html |
Michigan City Fire Department Deputy Chief Frank Rebac and two of the dogs that were rescued.
Provided
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Provided
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Provided
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Provided
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Provided
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
MICHIGAN CITY — Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
The homeowner and four of the seven dogs escaped the blaze on their own.
"Driver/Operator Brian Smith was able to locate one of the (three remaining) dogs," the department said. "The dog was hiding, and Brian was forced to clear a path to be able to reach it."
"It wasn't until the neighbors ran over to alert her that she exited the structure," the department said. "The neighbors were quick to alert the homeowner and call 911."
Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the entire ridge of the building with flames showing on the rear side of the house, according to the department.
"Most of the fire was contained to the rear of the structure, the attic, and the rear staircase which had been burned through," the department reported.
It appears no one was injured in the blaze and the cause of the fire is under investigation, firefighters said.
PHOTOS: Great Lakes Grand Prix makes waves in Michigan City
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident.
"In those phone calls, Katalinic made specific references as to knowing the victim’s whereabouts, as well as other references regarding the well-being of their shared child," state police said.
"Kelsie stated she would never leave her children home alone during the daytime while they were awake, however she thought they were asleep, so she left them overnight," police said.
Hammond firefighters also arrived on scene and attempts were made to revive the child, who was taken to Franciscan Health Hammond hospital, police said.
The judge questioned whether the defendant would be able to pay $1,000 a month in restitution for two years. If she misses a payment, she could have her probation revoked and be sent to jail.
The truck driver told police he was traveling east on U.S. 20 in Gary when he stopped for a red light and two people in a red Ford Edge behind him got out and argued with him about a traffic issue.
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported.
Three dogs were rescued by firefighters late Wednesday morning from a blaze that tore through a home on Woodlawn Avenue, the Michigan City Fire Department reported. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-now-firefighters-rescue-dogs-caught-in-region-house-fire/article_5b588630-aaab-5997-b6fe-9d3d1315b62d.html | 2022-09-01T13:15:20 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-now-firefighters-rescue-dogs-caught-in-region-house-fire/article_5b588630-aaab-5997-b6fe-9d3d1315b62d.html |
A 25-year-old woman was found shot in the head, possibly by a stranger in black who was wearing a mask, in Manhattan's East Village early Thursday, police say.
She was pronounced dead at the scene following the reports of gunfire near East 14th Street and Union Place around 5 a.m. It happened near NYU, but there's no indication at this point that the victim had a connection to the university.
Cops say the killer fled the scene, which was teeming with law enforcement by the time the sun came up, Citizen app video shows.
No other details on the circumstances or the victim were immediately available.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/25-year-old-woman-found-shot-dead-on-east-village-sidewalk/3847505/ | 2022-09-01T13:20:02 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/25-year-old-woman-found-shot-dead-on-east-village-sidewalk/3847505/ |
GREENSBORO — Police say one person was seriously injured in a shooting overnight in the 2600 block of Randleman Road.
Officers responded at 12:48 a.m. to the shooting and found one male victim, who was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, according to a news release from the Greensboro Police Department.
No other details were immediately available.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000; or, download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to P3tips.com to submit a web tip. All tips to Crime Stoppers are completely anonymous. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/shooting-overnight-in-greensboro-seriously-injures-1-person-police-say/article_f1037c94-29e6-11ed-89dc-a33e3b4648a6.html | 2022-09-01T13:20:06 | 1 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/shooting-overnight-in-greensboro-seriously-injures-1-person-police-say/article_f1037c94-29e6-11ed-89dc-a33e3b4648a6.html |
DALLAS — The U.S. Department of Transportation created a new dashboard to help you understand what to expect if your flights are cancelled or delayed.
The website has things listed for controllable cancellations and controllable delays and lists what the airlines’ service plans include.
Fort Worth-based American Airlines is one of three companies with all green checks for cancellation commitments for passengers. The other two companies include Delta and JetBlue.
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines also ranks higher than average on the list, with all but two green checks.
The dashboard focuses on the ten large U.S. airlines and operating partners. These companies represent around 96% of domestic flights in the country. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/american-airlines-southwest-dallas-fort-worth-flight-cancelled-or-delayed-this-tool-tells-you-what-your-airline-will-do-for-you/287-538dd2d3-39a5-4d92-ba0e-0cde4e62e62b | 2022-09-01T13:26:07 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/american-airlines-southwest-dallas-fort-worth-flight-cancelled-or-delayed-this-tool-tells-you-what-your-airline-will-do-for-you/287-538dd2d3-39a5-4d92-ba0e-0cde4e62e62b |
KENNER, La. — 26-year-old Jermani Thompson was working as a baggage handling supervisor Tuesday night. Her team was unloading a Frontier flight shortly before 10:30 p.m., when, according to her employer, Thompson's hair got tangled in the machinery of the belt loader. She was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
It's still unclear what killed her. The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office plans to perform an autopsy in the next few days to find out exactly what happened.
Thompson worked for GAT, a company that performs ground services for airlines. Mike Hough, CEO of GAT, says the company's leaders are "heartbroken and are supporting her family and her friends as best as we are able."
The timeline of the accident is still unclear. But multiple travelers at the airport questioned how it could happen in the first place. They questioned whether company safety policies go far enough. "You wear a hairnet in a restaurant," said Patrick Zertuche, who is visiting from San Antonio, "why aren't you doing a better job of protecting people in a workplace that is potentially so dangerous?"
Traveler Blaire Bass added the policies are, "something the airport itself needs to take on." Bass said she hopes authorities, "figure it out, and this never happens again."
WWL-TV obtained a copy of GAT's employee handbook. On page 30, it reads: "Long hairstyles should be worn with hair pulled back off the face and neck to avoid interfering with job performance." It is unknown whether Thompson was following this policy at the time of the accident.
Hough insists GAT would "never prioritize on-time performance above safety," adding that he reminded employees of that policy in a company-wide email last week.
In a follow-up question, WWL-TV asked how strictly the hair policy is enforced. Hough has yet to respond.
Spokespersons for both Armstrong International and Frontier Airlines offered their condolences to Thompson's loved ones.
Kevin Dolliole, the airport's Director, said in part, "Jermani was a part of our Airport family, and we will continue to support one another in any way we can during this trying time.” | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/baggage-handler-killed-in-accident-at-airport/289-08179362-a93c-4235-994c-11985e423f24 | 2022-09-01T13:26:13 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/baggage-handler-killed-in-accident-at-airport/289-08179362-a93c-4235-994c-11985e423f24 |
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – If you have young children, now is a great time to visit the Brevard Zoo, which says it is home to more than 900 animals from around the world.
During the month of September, the Brevard Zoo says it is allowing children 11 years old or younger into the zoo for free.
[TRENDING: Crowds expected to double for next Artemis I launch attempt | ‘We don’t know what to do or where to turn:’ DeLand trailer park hikes rent 52% | Enter to win Halloween Horror Nights tickets | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Some conditions do apply to the deal.
According to the zoo’s website, the children getting in free must be accompanied by a paying adult who is a Florida resident.
[RELATED: Endangered zebra foal takes 1st steps in Brevard Zoo habitat]
There are only up to three children free per paying adult. All adults will have to show a state-issued photo ID or a utility bill with a Florida address to claim the deal.
This deal can not be combined with any other discounts, according to the zoo.
To learn more, visit the zoo’s website.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/children-under-11-get-in-free-to-brevard-zoo-in-september/ | 2022-09-01T13:36:31 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/children-under-11-get-in-free-to-brevard-zoo-in-september/ |
DELTONA, Fla. – As demand for housing across Central Florida continues to boom, one local city is pausing plans for construction of new subdivisions as leaders revamp zoning codes.
Deltona Mayor Heidi Herzberg said the city is booming.
[TRENDING: How much? Orlando International Airport raises parking prices | Win tickets to watch Artemis 1 rocket launch | Video shows large gator eating another alligator in Silver Springs | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
“We’re pretty much the largest city between Orlando and Jacksonville,” Herzberg said.
The city was incorporated nearly 30 years ago. The population has since doubled with 96,000 residents, and it’s still growing.
Herzberg said many families choose to settle down in Deltona because the city is close to Interstate 4.
“It’s a lot of opportunity for people to live in a city like Deltona, which is basically a residential community, and then go off to work somewhere else,” she said.
Like the rest of Central Florida, there is a need for housing in Deltona. The West Volusia Realtors Association told News 6 for the last five years, inventory has been low.
Despite demand, the city is pressing pause on building new subdivisions.
“Our zoning classifications haven’t changed since we were incorporated,” Herzberg said.
Effective July 1, the city commission passed a moratorium that pauses rezoning requests for single-family homes in planned subdivisions. Ron Paradise, the city’s community services director, said this temporarily freezes developers and keeps them from building higher density neighborhoods.
“The community was kind of concerned about this new growth and development and how it could and should be integrated into the existing neighborhoods and the city as a whole,” Paradise said.
Paradise said there aren’t any projects currently affected by the moratorium. He added that the moratorium doesn’t apply to any neighborhoods already approved. It also doesn’t impact multifamily requests or plans to build affordable housing.
Paradise said that during the pause, the city will host public scoping sessions to review current regulations and get input to help them modernize the city’s codes.
“These are dynamic documents, and they need to change to reflect changing attitudes and values within the community,” he said.
Herzberg said that by pausing the system, the city can rewrite new zoning codes that take into consideration property owners’ rights, as well as environmental needs and new smaller housing trends.
She added that their focus is on the future.
“We’re reimagining how we want our city to grow. We’re redeveloping by looking at the things that we want to provide for the neighborhoods that already exist and to work hand in hand with new, and we also want to have people discover Deltona in the way that it’s growing and how we’re being shaped now,” she said.
City officials plan to host the public scoping sessions in the coming months.
The moratorium is set to expire on Jan. 1, 2023. The city commission could vote to extend it an additional three months.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/deltona-moratorium-pauses-new-developments-as-leaders-update-zoning-codes/ | 2022-09-01T13:36:37 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/deltona-moratorium-pauses-new-developments-as-leaders-update-zoning-codes/ |
The Orlando City came out on top with a 3-2 finish against the Seattle Sounders Wednesday night.
Albert Rusnak managed to score a goal at the 26′ mark during the first half, bringing the Sounders into an early lead.
[TRENDING: NASA schedules next Artemis I moon rocket launch attempt for Saturday | Florida wildlife director loses arm in 2nd gator attack within span of a decade | Win tickets to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
While the rest of the match’s first half was relatively uneventful, with neither side scoring any points, the post-halftime segment of the game really amped things up.
Sounders scored another goal at the 52′ mark thanks to their No. 9 striker, Raul Ruidiaz. However, it wasn’t long afterward that City’s Facundo Torres nabbed a comeback goal one minute later at 53′.
As both teams battled for supremacy, City’s Ercan Kara received a penalty goal kick at 68′, evening the scores at 2-2.
The match eventually went into extra time, though City’s defender Kyle Smith cleaned up with an assist from Torres, bringing the match to a close at 90+1′.
City’s next game is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/orlando-city-triumphs-3-2-over-seattle-sounders/ | 2022-09-01T13:36:43 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/orlando-city-triumphs-3-2-over-seattle-sounders/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Pilots across the country, including at Orlando International Airport, plan to protest Thursday, ahead of a busy holiday travel weekend.
The protests are planned at more than a dozen airports across the United States to call for changes in working conditions.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Pilots said staffing shortages have led to strenuous schedules and fatigue, causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays over the summer. The situation has led to policy changes for some of the largest airlines, including offering vouchers to passengers affected by cancellations.
“We’ve been picking up and working record amounts of overtime,” one pilot said. “We’ve been working longer days and shorter nights.”
In April, union officials said Southwest Airlines pilots suffered through an epidemic of fatigue.
The demonstration at Orlando International Airport is planned for 11 a.m. at Terminal A arrivals. Union leaders said flights won’t be affected as all the pilots that will be part of the demonstration are protesting on their day off.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/pilots-plan-protest-at-orlando-international-airport-heres-why/ | 2022-09-01T13:36:49 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/09/01/pilots-plan-protest-at-orlando-international-airport-heres-why/ |
BRIDGETON — Police are investigating a report of a stolen car from a property on Ewing Street on Wednesday.
At 11:35 p.m., officers were called to the street after a neighbor reported the vehicle, a gray 2005 Subaru Baja, stolen, police said in a Thursday news release.
Officers visited the house and found the vehicle missing and the garage having been broken into, police said.
The vehicle was last seen northbound on Bank Street.
Anyone with information on the case should contact city police at 856-451-0033. Tips can be shared anonymously by visiting bpd.tips. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bridgeton-police-investigating-stolen-car-incident-on-ewing-street/article_05df0384-29f3-11ed-a14d-67e5acd7dae1.html | 2022-09-01T13:39:05 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bridgeton-police-investigating-stolen-car-incident-on-ewing-street/article_05df0384-29f3-11ed-a14d-67e5acd7dae1.html |
The eighth annual Jewish Family Service Card Party, held Aug. 25 at Harbor Pines Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, raised close to $20,000 for The Lynn Kramer Village by the Shore in Margate. Nearly 110 people gathered for an afternoon of games including canasta and mahjong, as well as a buffet lunch, while honoring the memory of community philanthropist Bonnie Gurwicz. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/jewish-family-service-card-party-raises-20k-for-lynn-kramer-village/article_3d5b229a-2947-11ed-b636-5fd3718889e9.html | 2022-09-01T13:39:11 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/jewish-family-service-card-party-raises-20k-for-lynn-kramer-village/article_3d5b229a-2947-11ed-b636-5fd3718889e9.html |
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. — A portion of Interstate 81 southbound in Franklin County is closed after a tractor trailer crashed on Thursday morning.
According to PennDOT, the tractor trailer crashed on Interstate 81 southbound near Exit 14 at Chambersburg around 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 1.
Currently, all southbound lanes of the roadway are closed, and all traffic is getting off the interstate at Exit 14, PennDOT officials say.
The driver of the tractor trailer was able to escape the vehicle without suffering any injuries, officials say.
There is no word on how long the road will be closed at this time.
This is a developing story. FOX43 will provide updates as they become available. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/crash-interstate-81-southbound-franklin-county/521-435639c0-36fc-425d-b1f1-7cc34d91deae | 2022-09-01T13:39:39 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/crash-interstate-81-southbound-franklin-county/521-435639c0-36fc-425d-b1f1-7cc34d91deae |
ANDOVER, Kan. (KSNW) – The great-granddaughter of the 81-year-old Andover woman killed Sunday is sharing how her family is still wrestling with her death and her brother’s suspected role in it all.
Kayla Weir said her great-grandmother Maryln Harvey was a huge part of her life and helped raise her and her brother Tristan.
She and her family are now trying to cope as Harvey would have wanted them to.
“Probably the worst drive of my life because I just wanted to be here and be with my grandma,” said Weir.
As soon as she got the call from her mom that her great-grandmother was assaulted, Weir quickly packed a bag and drove five hours from Texas to Kansas.
But she didn’t make it in time to say goodbye.
“She called me and told me she had died, and I was just screaming and sobbing on the highway,” said Weir.
Now, Kayla is in Kansas with her family, remembering the woman who helped raise her.
“When I was little, I spent all my time with her. She would take us to school, she would make us breakfast, she taught me how to sew, she would sit there and drop us off at school and blow me a kiss to keep in my pocket so that she would be with me all day. I spent all my weekends with her. I mean, I talked to her every week,” said Weir.
Kayla said on Sunday her mom and great grandma went to pick up her brother, Tristan Weir, from the Sedgwick County Jail.
She said her mom was looking for a hospital to take Tristan to because he has a history of substance abuse and mental health issues.
“He’s had his difficulties and his struggles, but we didn’t expect this to happen,” said Kayla.
Kayla said her mom and aunt went to pick up Tristan from her great grandma’s house but had to break in because she wasn’t answering.
They found Harvey in bad shape and called 911.
“Grandma loved him. She was worried about him. She cried about him when he was in jail, and she just loved him so unconditionally,” said Kayla.
Police said Tristan Weir is the suspect in this case.
“We are all at the point, I think, where we know she would have forgiven him, and I think we are just trying to figure out if we can or how to learn to forgive him,” Kayla said.
As of Wednesday, Tristan Weir is still in the hospital after police said they found him unconscious at a cemetery on Sunday.
They used Narcan to revive him.
Once released, he will be taken to the Butler County Jail. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/andover-homicide-victims-great-granddaughter-shares-relationship-between-victim-and-suspect/ | 2022-09-01T13:41:49 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/andover-homicide-victims-great-granddaughter-shares-relationship-between-victim-and-suspect/ |
ANDOVER, Kan. (KSNW) – 2024. That’s when the Andover YMCA is expected to be operational again after a tornado ravaged the city in April.
Morgan Hamlin was inside the Andover YMCA in April 2022 as cars flew into the building and halls by the entrance were destroyed. He said it was his favorite YMCA location and can’t wait to come back.
Hamlin said moments after a lifeguard got people out of the pool and into the locker room that it was a direct hit. People inside the Andover YMCA said the tornado was coming right at them.
“I kinda kneeled down plugged my ears because I knew it was going to be super loud, and I just did a silent prayer, and I knew it wasn’t my time to go, so thankful for that,” said Hamlin.
The YMCA was devastated by the tornado.
“There were people right there at the front door where all those cars got flung through like 60 secs before all the cars were flung through there, so that is how fast they were working to make sure everyone got to where they needed to be in time safely,” said Hamlin.
“To see it in life with nine cars piled up in the entryway – it was a shocker to go through that for sure,” said Ronn McMahon, the CEO and president of the Greater Wichita YMCA.
McMahon said the last few months, the team has been working out insurance, figuring out what parts of the building can be remodeled and what has to be rebuilt, and designing a newer and better Andover Y.
“It’s going to be brand new all inside. Everything is going to be brand new. It is going to be state of the art like always. All new equipment, all new things, we have some – we are going to enhance our gymnastics area, the climbing wall and that area is going to have a new look and feel,” said McMahon.
Hamlin said he looks forward to stepping back into the Andover Y.
“I was disappointed because right when it hit the waterparks were about to open, and I was ready to go,” said Hamlin.
McMahon said they hope to have the new and improved waterpark open by next summer and the entire facility open by spring of 2024. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/andover-ymca-announces-plan-to-rebuild-following-tornado/ | 2022-09-01T13:41:55 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/andover-ymca-announces-plan-to-rebuild-following-tornado/ |
Here it is, the final “official” summer weekend.
Have you eaten your quota of funnel cakes? Did you attend an outdoor festival? Enjoy a day at the beach?
Good thing there are still plenty of opportunities to grab some last-minute summer fun:
Get wet
Late summer can be the best time to venture into Lake Michigan, now that it’s had all summer to warm up a bit. There are several inland lakes, too, with warmer water. Note: Be careful out there! Currents can be very dangerous.
- Racine's North Beach, 100 Kewauee St., has a free magic show (with "Magic Rob") 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at the North Beach Oasis. Also on Saturday, the band Full Flavor performs at the Oasis, starting at 4 p.m. Sand, sun, music, magic and food and drinks? Sounds like a holiday weekend.
- If you go to Twin Lakes’ Lance Park Saturday at 6 p.m. you can catch the final performance this year of the Aquanuts Water Ski Show. Admission is free (and you can stay dry!). 2022 was a banner year for the troupe, which won state and national championships this season.
- In Burlington, the Aquaducks Water-Ski team has two more days of free shows this season — at 4:30 (junior show) and 6 p.m. (main show) today, Sept. 1, and Saturday, Sept. 3. The free shows are on Browns Lake, in Fischer County Park, 30326 Durand Ave.
- And if you’re seeking water that comes with rafts and slides and a lazy river, go to the Hurricane Harbor outdoor waterpark at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill. Hurricane Harbor is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday through Monday before closing for the season. sixflags.com.
People are also reading…
Eat your weight in cheese
Cheese-A-Palooza — a free downtown Kenosha festival — is Saturday, Sept. 3. You’ll find live music, food vendors and eating contests. Did we mention there will be CHEESE? 3 to 11 p.m. Admission is free. The festival is in Veterans Memorial Park, 5220 Sixth Ave. at the harbor.
Walk it off
- Since the Labor Day Weekend forecast calls for beautiful weather, try to enjoy some time in an area park. There are 11 miles of hiking and biking trails at Petrifying Springs Park (on highways E and 31 in Somers) and even more hiking area — 41 miles of trails — out at Richard Bong State Recreation Area (off Highway 142 in the Town of Brighton).
- Other places with hiking trails include Bristol Woods, off highways C and MB in Bristol, with wood chip forest trails, and Fox River Park. That park, located along the eastern boundary of the Fox River at 9521 304th Ave. in Kenosha County, has 150 acres of wooded parkland, accessible to boaters and canoers with a boat launch. Bonus: The park contains a 27-hole disc golf course with multiple levels, from beginner to expert.
- In northern Racine County at 7320 Michna Road, Cliffside Park in Caledonia covers 233 acres, with miles of Lake Michigan coastline to explore, Cliffside Park is the perfect summertime sanctuary to bring the whole family on a 3-day weekend excursion.
- Case Eagle Park in Rochester, located between Burlington and Waterford at 310 South Rochester St., is perfect for launching your kayak into the Fox River and enjoying a paddle through this 239-acre park. You can also break out your mountain bike and cruise along the Seven Water Bike Trail.
- On the southern border of Racine County is 80-acre Sanders Park, 4808 Wood Road, that's perfect for a walk through the woods on a nature trail through a designated Scientific Area.
Beer, brats and live music
You can find live music all weekend at the Petrifying Springs Park Biergarten and the Franksville Beer Garden.
- At the "Pets" Biergarten: Saturday’s music is The Listening Party Americana trio (6 to 9 p.m.). On Sunday, The Roundabouts start at 3 p.m. (and there’s a car show in the park). On Labor Day itself (Monday, Sept. 5), singer/songwriter Jay Matthes performs, also starting at 3 p.m. The Biergarten is located on the southern end of Petrifying Springs Park in Somers and is open 4 to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
- At the Franksville Craft Beer Garden: The holiday weekend kicks off with a Friday Fish Fry, starting at 5 p.m., and live music by Brecken Miles, from 6 to 9 p.m. On Saturday, the beer garden features Joe Wray, performing 6 to 9 p.m. The beer garden is located in Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave. (Highway K) and is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Outdoor markets
- If you’re out walking Saturday morning in Kenosha, head Downtown for the Kenosha HarborMarket and the Kenosha Public Market, which both are open 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays.
The HarborMarket is located on Second Avenue between 54th and 56th Streets, along 56th Street and at the adjacent Place de Douai. The Public Market can be found at 625 52nd St., in the parking areas between the Kenosha Municipal Building and the Kenosha Transit transfer hub on 54th Street. Both outdoor markets feature a wide variety of vendors and live entertainment each week.
- Another outdoor Saturday market can be found at Third and Main streets in Waterford. The Saturday Morning Market is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
Vroom! Vroom!
- The annual Kenosha Classic Cruise-In — which draws 8,000 to 10,000 people each Labor Day Weekend — is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Downtown Kenosha.
Several downtown streets will be closed to vehicular traffic during the car show, beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday as participants arrive to set up. Bonus: Streetcars will operate free of charge from 10:35 a.m. to 6:35 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3. Admission is free. The car show is hosted by Kenosha Classic Street Machines.
- The Car Show To Benefit Our Wounded Veterans — hosted by the Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association — is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4, in Petrifying Springs Park, 5555 Seventh St. in Somers.
There will be raffles, door prizes and food and drinks available (at the nearby Biergarten). A noon ceremony will be held honoring all who have served and those who did not come back. Show vehicle entry fee is $10; the show is free for spectators. The show is open to all makes and years of vehicles. No pre-registration required.
Fairs ... and Faire
- The Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn is in full swing this weekend. Grandstand entertainment includes All Star Monster Trucks today, Sept. 1; Josh Turner, with Phil Vassar on Friday, Sept. 2; Halestorm, with Lines of Loyalty and Shallow Side on Saturday, Sept. 3; Foreigner on Sunday, Sept. 4; and a Demolition Derby wrapping up the fair on Labor Day, Sept. 5. For more information, go to walworthcountyfair.com.
- In Racine, St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 826 State St., hosts Serb Fest from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3-4. The festival features homemade Serbian food specialties, live Serbian music and other festival mainstays like raffles.
- This weekend — including Monday — is also your last opportunity this season to don your best suit of armor and strut around the Bristol Renaissance Faire. For more details, go to renfair.com/bristol/
Go wild
If you’re looking for some thrills, tackle the Boundless Adventures Aerial Adventure Park in Bristol Woods County Park, 9800 160th Ave. in Bristol. The aerial adventure park features nine different obstacle courses of varying degrees of difficulty that are woven through the trees at Bristol Woods County Park. New this year: The park added ax throwing, allowing participants to indulge their inner lumberjack, without actually having to do any heavy lifting. For more information, call 262-924-8781 or log on at https://boundlessadventures.net/wi-park
Go wild II
The Racine Zoo is hosting a Zoorific Saturday: Reptile and Amphibian Awareness Day, with special activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 3. The activities are free with zoo admission. For more details, go to racinezoo.org.
- You can also find plenty of wild animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo, plus some mythical ones. The zoo is hosting “Dragon Kingdom” through Monday, Sept. 5. Zoo visitors will “enter an enchanting mythical world to encounter more than 15 awesome animatronic creatures found in cultures throughout the world.” The dragons include an “ice” dragon from the Arctic, a Chinese dragon who brings good fortune and a dragon from Persian mythology, with a lion’s body — and rows of sharp teeth! The cost is $3 per person in addition to regular zoo admission. milwaukeezoo.org.
Celebrate the holiday's namesake
Laborfest — a Labor Day celebration of the importance of organized labor — is back this year, after a two-year hiatus. The Kenosha festival is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5 at the picnic grounds east of St. Therese Church, 2020 91st St. There will be food — including the Firefighters' Chili Cook-Off — children's activities, raffles and live music from Betsy Ade and the Well-Known Strangers (performing 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., with some breaks). Admission is free. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/labor-day-weekend-last-call-for-summer-fun/article_4a39c042-27b8-11ed-9b89-77a894b01517.html | 2022-09-01T13:48:30 | 0 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/labor-day-weekend-last-call-for-summer-fun/article_4a39c042-27b8-11ed-9b89-77a894b01517.html |
It’s Letter Writing Day, so get out a pen and paper and start writing. Grandma hasn’t heard from you in ages!
Welcome to September: Read A New Book Month. When you open the pages of a new book, you find yourself swept up in a new world of characters and stories. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
The Petrifying Springs Park Biergarten welcomes beer and pretzel fans. The Biergarten is open 4 to 9 p.m. weekdays, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. For details, check the Biergarten’s Facebook page for the latest updates.
In Burlington, the Aquaducks Water-Ski team is performing free shows today — at 4:30 p.m. (junior show) and 6 p.m. (main show). The free shows are on Browns Lake, in Fischer County Park, 30326 Durand Ave. | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-events-for-thursday-sept-1/article_afcdff14-28cf-11ed-ba4a-d701845705b3.html | 2022-09-01T13:48:36 | 1 | https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-events-for-thursday-sept-1/article_afcdff14-28cf-11ed-ba4a-d701845705b3.html |
State police investigate possible shooting on I-96 near Wyoming in Detroit
Michigan State Police are investigating a possible shooting connected to a road rage incident Thursday morning on Interstate 96 near Wyoming in Detroit.
The shooting happened at about 7:30 a.m. on the freeway's eastbound express lanes, officials said.
According to a preliminary investigation, the victim was driving a Chrysler 200 east on the freeway and got into "a road rage incident" with the driver of a Dodge Charger.
Police said the Charger then got in front of the Chrysler 200 and slammed on the brakes. The Chrysler 200's driver was in the middle lane and the Charger ended up in the left lane, they said.
The Chrysler 200's driver told state police the driver of the Charger, a heavy-set woman in her mid-30s, then reached across from the driver's seat and fired a black handgun at the victim.
Officials said none of the shots struck the victim or the victim’s vehicle.
State police said they have closed eastbound I-96's express lanes at the Southfield Freeway to search for shell casings.
They warn motorists to expect delays.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/09/01/state-police-investigate-possible-shooting-96-near-wyoming-detroit/7958517001/ | 2022-09-01T13:51:39 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/09/01/state-police-investigate-possible-shooting-96-near-wyoming-detroit/7958517001/ |
Tips on suspect wanted in fatal east side Detroit shooting sought
Detroit — Police are asking the public for help to find a man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of another man last Friday on the city's east side.
According to a preliminary investigation, a 22-year-old man and a woman were traveling at about 10 p.m. Friday in a white Toyota in the area of Seven Mile and Sherwood when the shooting happened.
Police said a suspect identified as Demetrius Lovell Johnson, 26, allegedly followed the two in a gray Ford Mustang. Johnson allegedly fired a gun at the two people, striking the man and fatally wounding him. Johnson then fled the scene, investigators said.
The victim's female passenger was not injured, they also said.
Officials said they have recovered the suspect's vehicle.
Anyone with information about the suspect or the fatal shooting should call the Detroit Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (313) 596-2260 or Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1 (800) SPEAK-UP.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/09/01/tips-suspect-wanted-fatal-east-side-detroit-shooting-sought/7958121001/ | 2022-09-01T13:51:45 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/09/01/tips-suspect-wanted-fatal-east-side-detroit-shooting-sought/7958121001/ |
More than 111,000 still without power after Monday storms
More than 111,000 DTE Energy and Consumers Energy customers remained without power Thursday following a Monday night storm that fell trees and downed electrical lines.
DTE Energy Co. reported that 103,144 of its customers, or less than 5%, had no electricity, as of 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Consumers Energy reported that 8,621 of its customers, or .4 percent, were still without power, as of the same time.
The numbers are down from Wednesday afternoon when more than 215,000 of the two energy's customers were without service.
Also, dozens of schools across southeast Michigan canceled class for a second day due to the power outages. Many districts resumed classes Thursday.
On Tuesday, DTE said the storm knocked down more than 3,000 power lines in its service territory. The following day, company officials said more than 1,000 line workers from nearby states joined more than 1,000 DTE line workers to make repairs and restore power.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/09/01/more-than-111-000-still-without-power-after-monday-storms/7958165001/ | 2022-09-01T13:51:51 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/09/01/more-than-111-000-still-without-power-after-monday-storms/7958165001/ |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Last year, we watched as Republicans and obstructionist Dems like Joe Manchin killed Build Back Better in Congress, seemingly dooming our hopes for meaningful climate change and health care legislation. It was incredibly disappointing.
But now, the Inflation Reduction Act has been signed into law. The reason we now have all the great things contained in the IRA — our first ever real investment in climate change prevention and preparedness, health care funding and relief for seniors on Medicare, tax law changes that make sure the ultra-rich and corporations pay their fair share — is because progressive leaders in Congress never stopped fighting for the changes we desperately need, even when everyone else gave a reconciliation bill up for dead.
It’s because leaders like Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema know that Americans can’t wait any longer to start building a stronger future, and that’s what this bill does. Next time, rather than allowing corporate-funded obstructionists to set our policy, we should look to the leadership offered by the progressive Democrats in Congress who continue to prioritize what’s best for the country, not their donors. I’m thankful to them, and thankful to President Biden and the Democratic leadership for finally listening to the people and getting this legislation passed.
People are also reading…
As the child of a person on Medicare, I’ve worried over the past few years as health care costs have increased sharply. Meanwhile, common-sense solutions like empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices have been blocked over and over again by MAGA Republicans awash in drug company donations.
This bill has big benefits for Medicare recipients: caps on out-of-pocket annual prescription costs, expanded eligibility for premium subsidies, and for the first time Medicare will be able to begin negotiating pricing for some drugs. Plus, a $35 monthly cap for insulin!
Too many of our seniors still face significant financial barriers to getting the health care they need, and insulin costs have driven many into dire poverty. The steps taken in the IRA to reduce prescription drug costs will make a real difference in our lives. It’s taken decades to finally pass these crucial health care upgrades, and I’m grateful to President Biden and the Democratic leaders in Congress for continuing to fight for it.
And finally, this bill does something amazing: It provides desperately needed funding to help rural and farming communities grow, strengthen and modernize for the future.
It has almost $10 billion to improve our rural electrical grid, to make sure it’s strong and resilient for future decades and avoid the kind of blackouts we’ve seen in Texas.
Billions in climate-smart agricultural funding that supports farmers while reducing pollution and emissions. Support for rural electrical co-ops and renewable energy projects, USDA conservation programs, and debt relief for distressed farmers.
Funding for climate-related projects that are crucial to guarantee our long-term ability to survive, like wildfire prevention and protection of our water resources. Plus, it has a rebate program to help all Americans make their homes safer and greener, historic improvements to Medicare, and more.
As a working family, we’re committed to doing what we can to reduce our energy usage and fight climate change. But many of the household upgrades we’d like to make are cost-prohibitive, even if they pay rewards in the long run.
So we’re so thankful and excited to see how the rebates in the Inflation Reduction Act will allow us and others to make these investments. Energy-smart improvements like upgrading insulation and windows, solar panels, heat pumps, and replacing old fossil-fuel appliances can make a real difference, and the credits within the IRA will make it possible for us.
It is an amazing accomplishment. I’m thankful that Joe Biden is delivering on his promises. Vote Democrats up and down ballot in November to build a stronger America.
Sarah Bihms is a full-time working mom of three. She lives in Tucson. She is part of Civic Engagement Beyond Voting, a grassroots, non-partisan organization that empowers Arizona citizens to exercise their voices at the state level. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-dems-deserve-praise-for-passing-inflation-reduction-act/article_03c59c9c-294f-11ed-83d5-cf4480246873.html | 2022-09-01T14:01:03 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-dems-deserve-praise-for-passing-inflation-reduction-act/article_03c59c9c-294f-11ed-83d5-cf4480246873.html |
A bacteria eating algae is being tested in Salina's Jerry Ivey pond - a first in Kansas
Those walking in Jerry Ivey Memorial Park may notice its pond looking a little more clear in the next few weeks, as the location was chosen for a project to address the blue-green algae problem it has faced for years.
The process to get this project going began earlier this year after the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reached out to the City of Salina.
"They reached out to us a few months ago about a device that's from a company that they wanted to introduce into Kansas," said Jeff Hammond, the director of Salina Parks and Recreation. "(KDHE) was trying to find an ideal test location."
Hammond said the process uses a healthy bacteria to eat algae.
"They've used it in several locations in different states, but this is the first time it'll be used in Kansas," Hammond said.
More:What's it like to climb 110 stories? Find out on 9/11 as you walk beside the Salina Fire Department
What makes Jerry Ivey the ideal test site in Kansas?
Hammond said the pond at Jerry Ivey is perfect for this type of project for several reasons, which is why KDHE chose it.
"We don't have a lot of influx of extra water coming into the pond, and we don't have a lot of water going out of the pond," Hammond said.
KDHE also maintains a list of active public health advisories in lakes because of blue-green algae, with Jerry Ivey being listed as an active warning for well over a year.
According to KDHE, a warning status means that conditions in the water are unsafe for human and pet exposure, with toxins in the blooms leading to various health concerns, including rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat and headache.
"We knew we had an ongoing blue-green algae issue in the pond, as the state reports out," Hammond said.
As this is a trial for possible use in the rest of the state, KDHE is at the site now, monitoring conditions of the pond and the algae in it now that the bacteria has been introduced into the pond.
"They're testing several things (including) oxygen levels at the surface and in deeper parts... and for temperature readings and seeing the results of this...trial run," Hammond said.
More:Just a little nudge from a horse can help children thrive in therapeutic riding
How is the trial going at the pond?
Based on the results seen from this company in the past, Hammond said it was worthwhile to have KDHE bring it to Salina for this trial.
"We were willing to take the risk (in bringing the company) since it was free to the city, with no tax dollars being used for this," Hammond said.
Results of the testing won't be known until after the trial, which Hammond said will last up to three months, but there has already a visible improvement noticed in the pond since the bacteria was introduced on Aug. 23. One of the major signs of blue-green algae bloom is what looks like foam, scum or paint floating on the surface.
"We have seen some minor improvements on the amount of...blue-green algae-type debris floating on the surface in the past week," Hammond said.
As the project continues, Hammond said he's hoping to see more improvement at the pond, such as clearer water that is able to allow people to see the bottom of the pond.
More:Koi Ramen is now open in Salina. Here’s what to know about the new ramen restaurant
What happens next for the pond?
Hammond said this trial project is intended to be a temporary solution to the issues at the pond, and the city has still to decide on a more permanent solution moving forward.
"We have been engaging with an engineering firm...to kind of determine the overall health of the pond...to help us understand what we have and why we continue to have the problems that we do (with blue-green algae)," Hammond said.
He said the city is looking at several options to improve or change the way the area of the pond looks. According to Hammond, a survey of citizens in Salina with more than 85% of people indicated the importance of having a water feature in the park.
Hammond said the process to figure out what to do with the Jerry Ivey pond is still ongoing, with parks and recreation staff presenting to the Salina City Commission during its meeting on Sept. 19. | https://www.salina.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/salinas-jerry-ivey-pond-chosen-algae-trial-kdhe/7931302001/ | 2022-09-01T14:13:57 | 1 | https://www.salina.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/salinas-jerry-ivey-pond-chosen-algae-trial-kdhe/7931302001/ |
KENNER, La. — 26-year-old Jermani Thompson was working as a baggage handling supervisor Tuesday night. Her team was unloading a Frontier flight shortly before 10:30 p.m., when, according to her employer, Thompson's hair got tangled in the machinery of the belt loader. She was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
It's still unclear what killed her. The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office plans to perform an autopsy in the next few days to find out exactly what happened.
Thompson worked for GAT, a company that performs ground services for airlines. Mike Hough, CEO of GAT, says the company's leaders are "heartbroken and are supporting her family and her friends as best as we are able."
The timeline of the accident is still unclear. But multiple travelers at the airport questioned how it could happen in the first place. They questioned whether company safety policies go far enough. "You wear a hairnet in a restaurant," said Patrick Zertuche, who is visiting from San Antonio, "why aren't you doing a better job of protecting people in a workplace that is potentially so dangerous?"
Traveler Blaire Bass added the policies are, "something the airport itself needs to take on." Bass said she hopes authorities, "figure it out, and this never happens again."
WWL-TV obtained a copy of GAT's employee handbook. On page 30, it reads: "Long hairstyles should be worn with hair pulled back off the face and neck to avoid interfering with job performance." It is unknown whether Thompson was following this policy at the time of the accident.
Hough insists GAT would "never prioritize on-time performance above safety," adding that he reminded employees of that policy in a company-wide email last week.
In a follow-up question, WWL-TV asked how strictly the hair policy is enforced. Hough has yet to respond.
Spokespersons for both Armstrong International and Frontier Airlines offered their condolences to Thompson's loved ones.
Kevin Dolliole, the airport's Director, said in part, "Jermani was a part of our Airport family, and we will continue to support one another in any way we can during this trying time.” | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/baggage-handler-killed-in-accident-at-airport/289-08179362-a93c-4235-994c-11985e423f24 | 2022-09-01T14:16:20 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/baggage-handler-killed-in-accident-at-airport/289-08179362-a93c-4235-994c-11985e423f24 |
Coconino Nat'l Forest/Flagstaff Nat'l Monuments
Rooms with a View, Shannon Clark 2013
People are also reading…
Wildland Warriors, Corey Cooper 2013
A Home with a View, Jane Jackson 2013
Never a Dull Moment for a Volunteer-in-Parks, Bern Carey 2014
50 Years of Wilderness, Steve Hirst 2014
Rangers Vary in More than Just Outfits, Ellen Wade 2015
Tackling the 5 W's of Walnut Canyon, MacKenzie See & Robert Wallace
100 Years of America's Best Idea, Staff 2016
Sallie Brewer, the First Female NPS Ranger, Bill Wade 2016
Navigating Back into the Night, Robert Wallace 2016
100 Years of NPS Architecture and Its Evolution, Nicole Arendt 2016
Walnut Canyon Gets Mather Plaque, Kayci Cook Collins 2017
This Week, It's Ask a Rancher, Jeremy Krones 2018
Young Volcano Sunset Crater Offers Array of Activities, Jeff Goulden 2020
The Hand of the Original Builder: Wupatki Pueblo, Rose Houk 2022
Flagstaff Water, Springs & Climate
Flagstaff Springs to Life, Shannon Clark 2013
Where Does Flagstaff Water Come From?, Shannon Clark 2014
Accessing Summer Swimming Holes, Ellen Wade 2016
Coping with Temperature, Precipitation Variability, Amy Whipple 2018
Flagstaff's First Water System, John Noll 2022
Geology
Peaks Not a Blowout, Richard Holm 2013
A Meandering Tale, Richard Holm 2013
The Great Dying, Bill Wade 2014
Two Views on Red Butte's Beginnings, Stephen Hirst/Bill Wade 2015
Earth, Wind & Fire at Sunset, Bill Wade 2016
Solving the Mystery of Volcanic Corn, Bill Wade 2016
Rogers Lake: Where Did It Come From, Where Does It Go?, Bill Wade 2018
Are Flagstaff Volcanoes a Boom or a Bust?, Bill Wade 2018
The Interesting Tale of the Mogollon Rim, Wayne Ranney 2019
The Distinctive Coconino Sandstone, Stewart Aitchison 2019
Red Mountain Amphitheater—Explosion or Erosion?, Bill Wade 2019
Red Mountain Amphitheatre—A Gorgeous, if Complex, Volcanic Feature, Nancy Riggs 2019
More Than Meets the Eye on McMillan Mesa, Wayne Ranney 2020
Walnut Creek: Flagstaff's Other River, Richard Holm 2020
Mount Elden—Flagstaff's Other Volcano, Wayne Ranney 2021
Mormon Lake Is a Rarity in Arizona, Richard Holm 2022
History
The Big House, Bill Wade 2013
Name that Peak, Steve Hirst 2014
Peaks in Flagstaff Had Native Names Before San Francisco Mtn, Steve Hirst 2014
Reflections on G.A. Pearson, Susan Olberding 2015
C. Hart Merriam's 'Higher Education', Chelsea Schroeder/ Karen Malis-Clark 2015
Grazing Sheep Shaped Landscape, Susan Olberding 2016
1919: The Greatest (Re)Generation, Bill Wade 2016
Beale Road a Good Test of Camels in Military, Jerry Snow 2016
Antoine Leroux, Explorer & Guide, Jeff Cooney 2017
San Francisco Spring Kept Explorers on Their Toes, Bill Wade 2017
A Bit of the Moon Near Flagstaff, Ed Wolfe 2017
Last of a Noble Line: The Jones of Wupatki, Jeffrey Cooney 2017
Kendrick Peak, Kendrick Street. Who Was Kendrick?, Jerry Snow 2017
Long Battle to Keep Artifacts Local, Sean Golightly 2018
A Jesse Fewkes Rebuttal, Peter Pilles 2018
Training for the Moon (& Beyond), Karen Malis-Clark/Bill Wade 2019
The Rocky Ride of the Colonel's Railroad, Richard McGaugh 2019
How the Central Arizona Railroad Steamed Up, Richard McGaugh 2020
Black American History in Our Own Backyard, Margaret Hangan 2020
A Crater, a Colton, and the Museum of Northern Arizona, Melissa Lawton/Susan Olberding 2020
The 'Potato Capital': Flagstaff's Agricultural Roots, Mary Blasing 2020
A Father, the Daughters, and Walnut Canyon, Susan Olberding 2021
Looking at Western Message Petroglyphs, Leigh Marymor 2021
A.E. Douglass and Diaries of the Trees, Rose Houk 2021
Walnut Canyon and 'Song of the Lark,' Part 1, Mary Blasing 2021
Walnut Canyon and 'Song of the Lark,' Part 2, Mary Blasing 2021
AZ Tree Farmer of the Year, Ellen Wade 2021
"I Came Alive in Arizona...": Mesa Ranch School in the Early 1900s, Susan Olberding 2022
Pat Jenks and Deerwater Ranch, Dan Campbell 2022
Everett Ruess and Flagstaff, Part 1, Bill Wade 2022
Everett Ruess and Flagstaff, Part 2, Bill Wade 2022
Great Camel Experiment Revisited, Part 1, Neil Weintraub 2022
Great Camel Experiment Revisited, Part 2, Neil Weintraub 2022
Native Peoples & Archaeology
Two Views on Red Butte's Beginnings, Stephen Hirst/Bill Wade, 2015
Ask an Archaeologist, Staff 2015
Side Attractions at Wupatki Bern Carey 2015
Earth, Wind & Fire at Sunset, Bill Wade 2016
Solving the Mystery of Volcanic Corn, Bill Wade 2016
The Ball Court League, Bern Carey 2016
Walnut Canyon Ancient Life Was on the Move, Erin Gearty & Nicole Arendt 2016
Unearthing the Mystery Behind the Meteor, Ken Zoll 2017
Then and Now, Wupatki a Project of a Lifetime, Rose Houk 2018
The Story Behind the Treaty of 1868, Jeffrey Cooney 2018
Plenty of Sacred Sites in the Area, Evelyn Billo/Robert Mark 2019
The Names of the Mountain From My Youth, Richard McGaugh 2022
The Hand of the Original Builder: Wupatki Pueblo, Rose Houk 2022
Plants
Finding June Flora, Ellen Wade 2013
Juniper Zen, Kimberly Diamond 2015
Flagstaff-Area Parks & Ponderosas, Bill Wade 2015
Golden Treasures Growing on Peaks, Lois Hirst/Debra Crisp 2015
1919: The Greatest (Re)Generation, Bill Wade 2016
Mistletoe Easy on Eyes, Hard on Trees, Ellen Wade 2017
Some Sharp Tips on Yuccas & Agaves, Ellen Wade 2018
The Walnuts of Walnut Canyon, Rose Houk 2019
Milkweed: Not Just for Monarchs, Ellen Wade 2019
Sacred Datura of Southwest Part of History of Hallucinogens, Bill Wade 2020
The Dreaded Carnivorous Bladderwort, Gary Alpert/Dan Campbell 2020
The Pumphouse Area, Part One: The Meadow, Stewart Aitchison 2021
The Pumphouse Area, Part Two: The Wash, Stewart Aitchison 2021
Having the Gall to Learn About Plants, Dan Campbell 2022
Ranger Tales
Angelo's Heart Attack, John Westerlund 2013
Murder at Mount Elden, John Westerlund 2014 (revisited by later research: Elden Descendents, Historian Have New Story to Tell, Randy Wilson, 2018)
What's the Stupidest Question? This One, Sean Golightly 2017
A Great Bear of a Clock, Pat Benson 2018
Some Unintended Consequences, Diana Henry 2019
Snowbowl
Questions From the Chairlift, Karen Malis-Clark 2013
Golden Treasures Growing on Peaks, Lois Hirst/Debra Crisp 2015
Trails
Happy Trails–McDowell, Judi Irons 2013
Easy, Short and Scenic Trails, Ellen Wade 2014
Happy Trails–Sedona & Wupatki, Ellen Wade 2014
Celebrate Wilderness into Autumn, Staff 2014
Happy Trails–Tucson, George Price 2015
Joshua Tree a Mix of Landscapes, History, Hilary Clark 2016
A Map or App Will Get You on the Right Trail, Staff 2017
Celebrating the Arizona National Scenic Trail, Andrea Michaels 2017
Donkeybelles on the Arizona National Scenic Trail, Leigh-Anne Thrasher 2017
Trailing Around Woody Mountain, Bill Wade 2017
Arizona Trail Offers Hikes When Winter Hits Flagstaff, Arizona Trail Assn. Staff 2017
Happy Trails in and Around Camp Verde, Ken Zoll 2018
Happy Trails–Petrified Forest National Park, Ryan Carpenter & PEFO staff 2019
Wildfires
Living with Fire Triangles, Karen Malis-Clark & staff 2014
Protecting the Flagstaff Watershed, Karen Malis-Clark & Jessica Richardson 2-16
The Museum Fire and the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, Karen-Malis Clark 2019
The Museum Fire One Year Later, John Noll 2020
The Museum Fire One Year Later, Part 2, John Noll/Karen Malis-Clark
Wildlife
Great Snakes Alive, Charlene Stone 2013
Summertime is for the Birds, Ellen Wade 2013
Get to Know Flagstaff's Black Birds, Celia Holm 2014
Flagstaff's Porcupines, Bill Wade 2014
Where Did Flagstaff's Porcupines Go?, Bill Wade 2014
Hummingbirds Creating a Whrrr, Rick Ruess 2015
A Tale of Two Beetles, Gary Alpert 2016
Coyote: Celebrated Song Dog and Wily Trickster, Case Griffing 2017
Walnut Canyon Summer Home for Breeding Birds, Ryan Carpenter 2018
Introduction of Elk Leads to Chain Reaction, Dave Smith 2018
An Unusual Wildlife Sighting at Walnut Canyon National Monument, Ryan Carpenter 2019
Regal Steller's Jays Crowned Birds of America, Rose Houk 2020
The Squirrel with Bunny Ears, Jeff Goulden 2020
The Joy of Bird Sightings, Jeff Goulden 2021
The Colorado Plateau Gadfly, Gary Alpert 2021
Where Wildlife Get Their Water, Part 1, John Noll 2021
Where Wildlife Get Their Water, Part 2, John Noll 2021
Hummingbirds, a Familiar Buzz in the Air in Flagstaff, Ellen Wade 2022
The Mexican Spotted Owls of Walnut Canyon, Ryan Carpenter 2022 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/10-years-of-ask-a-ranger-columns/article_4cbdc622-297c-11ed-a8b6-df5ca3232e40.html | 2022-09-01T14:18:59 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/10-years-of-ask-a-ranger-columns/article_4cbdc622-297c-11ed-a8b6-df5ca3232e40.html |
Conception
Bill: At the Roving Rangers' last convocation of the 2012 summer season, the final order of business was to critique the high and low points of the season just concluded. As in prior years, there was universal agreement that the apogee was the chore of posting copies of our list of guided hikes and campground talks all over town each week.
I had been mulling an idea, so I piped up that a happier means of promoting our activities would be to have a full list published weekly in the Arizona Daily Sun, but that the newspaper would run this weekly list only if we provided something of value to them in turn. And that valuable thing could be a weekly column that I tentatively labeled "Ask a Ranger."
John Westerlund, our fearless leader for years prior, immediately stipulated that I was the Ask a Ranger editor or deal off (I gulped and agreed). John genuinely liked the idea, so the two of us agreed to meet to discuss details. A few days later we hammered out a rough proposal at my house, which we hoped would appeal to the three people whose permissions were required: Daily Sun editor Randy Wilson, the Flagstaff Area National Monuments (NPS) superintendent, and the Coconino National Forest (CNF) supervisor (from its inception, the Roving Rangers have consisted primarily of volunteer rangers representing either the CNF or the NPS).
People are also reading…
Creation
Having concluded our deliberations, I suggested that John and I stroll around the neighborhood to unwind. As we walked and talked, Randy Wilson's name popped up again, and I mentioned that Casa Wilson stood close by: "C'mon, I'll point it out to you."
As we reached the Wilson driveway, karma struck: Randy pulled up in his car, not 10 feet from us. Before he could open his car door, we piled alongside, so he rolled down his window and we pitched the idea of Ask a Ranger.
Randy liked the concept (being himself a fellow chronicler of woodsy outings), but to discourage conducting business via ambush, he set a time for us to meet the following day at his Daily Sun office. There, a deal was struck — which the CNF and NPS leadership soon signed onto — and the rest is history (and plants, wildlife, geology, archeology, etc., etc.).
Continuation
Karen: There have been changes, of course: in our third season, we began inviting subject matter experts from outside our volunteer group to contribute columns. Since then, 21 "Honorary Rangers" have contributed columns, several multiple times.
We've had continuity too: three current Roving Rangers have served during the full 10 years of Ask a Ranger: your two authors, plus Ellen Wade.
Contemplation
We’ve joined you each summer for 138 columns, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, since 2013. Topics traveled from the names of the Peaks to hiking canyons and much in between. We’ve featured archaeologists and ranchers, geologists, historians and biologists.
We've written of the places we think about most, know best and appreciate, like the Flagstaff Area National Monuments — Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon and Wupatki — and special locations within the Coconino National Forest, like the San Francisco Peaks, and the Apollo astronauts' lunar legacy training areas.
We've delved into local history: the human history of our area and the distant past as represented in the geologic record. We’ve learned about plants and wildlife across our public lands: about snakes, coyotes, porcupines and many species of birds; about wildflowers, ponderosas, junipers, yuccas and the dreaded bladderwort.
Fire behavior and ecology, life zones, forest management and outdoor etiquette have all been added to our resumés. We've explored night skies and suggested trails in warmer climes for winter outings.
Compilation
It occurs to us that some of you, our readers, might appreciate revisiting and exploring the 10 seasons of Ask a Ranger columns. We've made this easy for you: simply use the QR code attached to this column to access all 10 seasons of AAR, grouped by subject matter categories. Each title is a hyperlink to whisk you to the full column online. Enjoy!
Coconino Nat'l Forest/Flagstaff Nat'l Monuments
Bill Wade, a 14-year veteran with the Roving Rangers, has served as editor of Ask a Ranger for the past 10 years. Karen Malis-Clark is an 11-year Roving Ranger and former deputy public affairs officer who continues to assist CNF as a fire information officer when needed.
The NPS/USFS Roving Rangers volunteer through a unique agreement between the Flagstaff Area National Monuments and the Coconino National Forest to provide Interpretive Ranger walks and talks in the Flagstaff area each summer.
Submit questions for the Ask a Ranger weekly column to askaranger@gmail.com. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ask-a-ranger-ten-years-of-ask-a-ranger-columns/article_7b92dc28-297a-11ed-97ca-f3b1858a3638.html | 2022-09-01T14:19:06 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ask-a-ranger-ten-years-of-ask-a-ranger-columns/article_7b92dc28-297a-11ed-97ca-f3b1858a3638.html |
The Flagstaff Education Association (FEA) hosted a candidate forum for Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) Monday evening as members of the community gathered in Flagstaff High School’s auditorium to hear candidates for the district’s governing board speak on their vision for the district.
There are five candidates for the two four-year seats open in this election: Kristine Pavlik, Erik Sather, Holly Jones, Gretchen Slover and Mindy Thomas. All except Slover were present at Monday’s forum. Each candidate introduced themselves before answering questions, first from a moderator and then from members of the audience.
Thomas said she was running “because I saw parents locked out of a school board meeting, mandates that took away the right to choose for ourselves and our parental rights over our children.”
She has experience managing a private school office and served as a treasurer for the Scouts, managing almost $100,000 in funds.
People are also reading…
“My overall vision is to have the public understand the overarching policies and regulations that are being rewritten and implemented in our education system,” she said in her introduction. “ ... I want people to be the protectors of our liberty and then work to pass that on to our children in the schools. I would like to see transparency in every area of our district so that the public can get any information they ask for and be able to understand it so the people can make the decisions about how their money is spent and what their children are taught.”
Pavlik is the mother of two current students in the district and grew up attending FUSD schools. She described herself as "a passionate advocate for public education as well as for family and child well-being."
She has experience working in nonprofit accounting and administration, and said she'd administered millions in grant funds through work with local government. She also mentioned her background in early childhood education and past experience with foster parenting.
“Public education is the base upon which we build our democracy," she said. “I think it is more important than ever that we are electing school board members that listen, learn and make decisions that consider the needs of all students, that respect and honor educators, and that will fight for a students rights to a safe and inclusive learning environment as well as their right to an accurate education that will truly prepare them for success in their future … . I also think it's crucial to elect individuals that embrace, recognize and celebrate diversity, and understand that educational equity relies on considering the history and needs and cultures of everyone in our school community.”
Jones is a former FUSD educator who spent 15 years working for the district and as a coach and mentor at Northern Arizona University. She also said she has experience on several nonprofit boards.
“My passion is to work with students, teachers, student-teachers, and so the reason I’m running is to get involved and to support teachers, staff and the students,” she said. “ ... I’m going to use my forward-thinking, growth mindset and really focus on being a positive change for FUSD.”
She said she is trying to bring transparency to the district, involve families and teachers in decision-making and support teachers.
“As a teacher, watching my fellow educators, I know that they devote the time -- the classroom time and the time after. They’re there long before and after administrators leave, the district building is closed; you can go to any elementary school and you'll see teachers there until 8, 9 o’clock at night, so I want to make sure we’re supporting them.”
Sather has been a Flagstaff resident since 2008 and has two kids who attend district schools. He is running he believes "in the power of education for all of us.”
He works in NAU's Office of Communications and, if elected, hopes to be a community representative and steward on FUSD’s board.
“I believe that education is for the entire community,” he said. “The public schools build communities [and] strong communities support strong economies, healthy families and provide the ability to adapt to a fast-changing world. I also believe that the values of our schools mirror the values of our community and vice versa.”
Topics brought up in the question and answer portion included the bond and budget override measures also on November’s ballot, strategies to attract and retain educators, critical race theory and social emotional learning.
The positives
When asked where FUSD shines, all of the candidates mentioned the efforts of people in the district, whether administration, teachers, staff or students.
Pavlik said FUSD excels in its ability to “successfully foster a feeling of community and belonging, not only at the district level, but at each individual school” -- which she has seen as a parent in the district.
“That comes from our district leadership providing school administrators with the tools they need so they can support teachers … [who] feel empowered to meet the needs of all our students, and then parents are being invited into the school community as well.”
Jones, Thomas and Sather all mentioned the district’s extracurricular activities. Jones said the district was able to provide options for students in areas, such as robotics, automotives and culinary arts, that other schools in Flagstaff are not able to at the same level. Thomas focused on sports, which “have been an excellent means for community building, character enrichment and physical health for students that participate.”
Sather gave district math nights, the annual STEM night at the Walkup Skydome and the efforts of FUSD high school students to start a writing workshop at NAU during COVID as examples of how the district’s people shine.
“I’ve seen the dedication of faculty and staff to go above and beyond,” he said. “ ... The passion and dedication of both students and teachers is well beyond inspiring.”
Jones also mentioned the district’s special education department.
“I know many teachers in special education, and the amount of time and devotion that they have to students and that they treat these students just like they’re their own, just like other teachers," she said. "I think it says a lot about our district that we’re able to meet the needs of all those students.”
Thomas highlighted FUSD’s “organized fundamental infrastructure,” saying “We have dedicated teachers who are willing to help our students navigate their educational choices, and I’ve talked to many parents who have been very happy with their IEPs [individualized education plans]."
Building trust
Transparency and rebuilding trust in the district was the most common item candidates said they would focus on improving if elected, with Sather, Jones and Thomas specifically mentioning it in their answers.
Jones said she would work to regain the trust of families, teachers and staff, by making sure the board is engaged, involved and transparent.
“When you look at what makes a board successful, transparency typically will come up right away,” she said. “n... Even if maybe things aren’t great, they’re going to know that we’re all on the same page ... . I always teach players and students we might all be on the wrong page, but if we’re together, we’re going to achieve more.”
Sather said he would also focus on transparency and trust, explaining the issues the board is considering as well as the data it is using to make decisions.
“We also need to continue to be very flexible as school board members,” he said, giving the district’s response to this summer’s flooding off Highway 180 as an example of the board doing this well.
While Thomas also mentioned transparency and accountability, her answer focused on district finances. She said she believed FUSD’s “top challenge” is money management and that the district “has overspent millions of dollars while still asking for more money and not meeting the academic needs of the students.”
She said she would analyze the budget to find better ways of spending that focus on students and teachers, and give families and taxpayers a better idea of where district funds are being used.
“This way we can help our kids back on track in excellence in academics and be able to fund it long term.”
Pavlik said her focus as a board member would be to listen to teachers, staff, students and families.
“I think the key to creating a district that engages families and the broader community is listening and making sure people feel heard,” she said. “I really think it’s the foundation for all of the other issues that I hope to address as a school board member.”
Some of those issues were teacher retention, student mental health and student performance.
Staying engaged
One member of the audience was Rachael Jesus, a district student and one of the presidents of her school’s Conservative Club. She had come with her mother, on a teacher’s suggestion, to learn more about the election process.
She thought the event should have been better advertised to students, as she hadn’t heard about it other than from her teacher.
“I realized it was a bunch of parents and teachers who knew -- which feels counterproductive because our own students don’t know of these events, because they’re not really promoting it at the schools," she said.
Watching the forum, she said, taught her that “there are very contradicting thoughts on everything.”
She said she wanted to know more about the candidates' approaches to teaching race.
“I had a problem with how the three candidates up there who were advocating for CRT [critical race theory] simply said that they trust teachers to teach it correctly, but that doesn’t really ensure everything,” she said. “I wanted to know more about how they will take personal steps to ensure teachers won’t add their own personal opinion to teaching this history.
"I take a lot of AP classes and they're right, CRT is specifically college-level history, not available in general history, and that's because it's a lot to handle and it creates a lot of different views and opinions. ... If taught wrong, it's not going to benefit the kids well, especially when they're growing into adulthood and get to college and they don't know how to successfully have civil conversations with each other when it comes to politics."
The next FUSD board members will be selected on the November ballot. More about the candidates can be found at coconino.az.gov/2874/2022-Governing-Board-Candidates. A recording of this forum is on FEA’s Facebook page. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/fusd-school-board-candidates-speak-during-fea-forum/article_7eabc674-2946-11ed-9282-47026a3a9211.html | 2022-09-01T14:19:12 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/fusd-school-board-candidates-speak-during-fea-forum/article_7eabc674-2946-11ed-9282-47026a3a9211.html |
In coach Sean Manning’s second season at the helm, Flagstaff football underwent what the coaching staff hoped was a major shift toward the positive.
Now, as the Eagles prepare to take on the Camelback Spartans in the season opener Saturday night in the Walkup Skydome, they will test the preparation.
Manning said that since January there has been a consistent group of players who have come to nearly every weight training session, practice and offseason training activity.
After a long wait, that effort can speak for itself this weekend.
“I’m pretty psyched. I’m really ready to see what we can do as a team, and how well we’re able to move the ball and get real looks,” said Eagles junior quarterback Brock Maier at a practice on Tuesday.
Taking in Flag High football practice. The Eagles are preparing to take on Camelback Saturday night at the Skydome pic.twitter.com/rUEyyQgOnm
— Eric Newman (@enewmanwrites) August 30, 2022
People are also reading…
The Eagles finally got to see how they looked against an opponent over the weekend when they scrimmaged Lake Havasu on Saturday.
Both quarterbacks -- Maier and freshman Chase Brown -- played well at points, leading the offense with some long passes. There were a few flags and mental errors all around, but Manning said he was pleased with the offense’s production.
“I was comfortable with how we moved the ball," Manning said. "It’s just about cleaning up the penalties, but that was impressive to me. Offense sometimes comes along slower, but I think we played really well on that side."
Flagstaff’s defense will be challenged against a tough opponent with plenty of returning talented skill players. In last year’s season opener against the same 5A Conference team, the 4A Eagles prevailed, 26-7, in dominating fashion. Midway through the season, however, the Spartans unleashed quarterback Max Martin -- then a junior -- who had to sit the first five weeks after transferring.
Martin proceeded to throw for 1,098 yards and 13 touchdowns in five games, leading the Spartans to a 7-3 record and just a few spots away from a state tournament berth. Alongside him offensively, Camelback returns Amos Slokan, a running back who rushed for 928 yards and 13 scores.
To attempt to stop the opposing offense, the Eagles will rely on their depth, something Manning has been impressed with and was especially proud of in Saturday’s scrimmage.
“Watching our twos work, I was impressed with what I saw, even with a sprinkle of the threes. Some of them could earn a spot up and then maybe even get to start. I’ve seen that a couple times, and maybe we’ve got some now, so that’s good to see. It’s part of the growth of the program,” he said.
As the game approaches, Flagstaff finally has some film from the scrimmage and is working as much as possible in cleaning up any apparent weaknesses.
Maier said he has seen exponential growth from the team in its physical abilities.
Now if the Eagles can utilize those months of work, the result could be positive against Camelback.
“I think everyone needs to be mentally prepared, we need everyone to think we can come out and beat them,” he said. “A lot of the guys have made huge improvements since the offseason. We’re all physically there, so as long as the mental game is right, we’re in good shape.”
The result will not likely make or break the season for Flagstaff. A solid showing, though, would go a long way in the eyes of the team in showing that they are taking the program in the right direction.
“I think if we’re able to be victorious that day, after everything happening since January, that would have a lot of meaning,” Manning said.
Kickoff between the Eagles and Spartans is set for 7 p.m. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/eagles-football-prepares-for-season-opener-saturday-after-strong-offseason/article_91749e20-28e7-11ed-a184-97a00f48d65e.html | 2022-09-01T14:19:18 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/eagles-football-prepares-for-season-opener-saturday-after-strong-offseason/article_91749e20-28e7-11ed-a184-97a00f48d65e.html |
Repairing grave markers is like eating potato chips to Rick Brown. He can't fix just one.
Hunched over, propping himself up with one arm with his hand firmly on the earth, Rick Brown delicately digs dirt and debris from the top of an aging grave marker.
He didn't know the man, a veteran, whose marker he's restoring inside Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Greenwood, but he's delighted to do it.
He has a soft spot for veterans, after all, he is one. His shirt, drenched with sweat, reads, "Vietnam Vets: Cool Lookin' Old Dudes."
Like his father who served in World War II, Brown and all his three brothers served in the military.
Brown, a Greenfield resident, became interested in restoring veteran grave markers in 2015 when he found himself staring down at the bronze military marker at the foot of his father's grave in Richmond.
"It wasn't in terrible shape," Brown said of his father's bronze marker. "It had just gotten dull with age."
Through Facebook, Brown sought advice from Tom Pawlak, founder of Mission Restore Bronze, a non-profit with volunteers restoring military grave markers in cemeteries all across the U.S.
Pawlak gave Brown instruction and a jar of his special Mission Restore Bronze wax concoction.
"He taught me everything that I know about doing bronze markers," Brown said. "He said cleaning bronze markers is like eating potato chips. You can't do just one."
To date, Brown has restored more than 6,000 grave markers, bronze or stone, inside 600 different cemeteries across Indiana.
"In 2018, I cleaned and restored all of the medals of honor recipients that are interred in Indiana," he said. "Altogether it was a total of 50."
As Brown continues cleaning the marker in Greenwood, he switches tools. He uses a wire brush to remove dirt from the granite underneath the marker. Then a small battery-powered blower removes the loose debris.
Now he's working around the marker using a small rotary sander, his body shakes, as does the tool. Brown says he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Brown became disabled in 2002. The main contributor, a traffic accident during his first leave from Vietnam in February 1969. His leg was broken, as was his back with small fractures in multiple areas but doctors didn't see it on the X-ray. The Agent Orange hasn't helped either, he says.
He was hit broadside by a truck, putting him in the hospital for over a year. His leg had to be broken, set, and broken again until the doctors were pleased with the results. He says his left leg is now an inch and a half shorter than the other.
Once released in January 1971, Brown, refusing to go home, returned to Vietnam for a second tour. This time his mission was to remove drugs from the Vung Chua Mountain area.
More:Fred Norris raced into danger to save a downed pilot in Vietnam. Why wasn't he honored?
He says they were successful in about three months' time, bringing the drug rate down significantly. Little did Brown know that years later he would become hooked on opioids himself.
"For several years, I was trapped inside my house drooling on myself," he said. "My primary care doctor came to me and said, 'If you want to get off opioids we have a new program.'"
Brown was all in. For six months, he attended classes five days a week, eight hours a day. He learned what pain is and how it's generated and what takes the place of pain.
He learned Tai Chi and Qi Gong breathing exercises and now uses an electrotherapy device for an hour and a half each morning and night. He says he gets eight hours of pain-free operation after. No more painkillers, he says.
Back at the marker, Brown is wiping away debris with a cloth. He grabs his cane and pulls himself back up to a standing position.
Behind him are an all-terrain Trackchair and a pull cart with everything he needs to restore the marker. Both fit inside a patriotically decorated trailer he pulls with an aging green Jeep Cherokee.
In his pull cart sits a jar of that wax concoction Pawlak created.
"Here's the best part," Brown says as he lifts the container to his nose and takes a big smell. "This is the magic stuff."
He says the wax is a combination of baby oil, paraffin, linseed, wood preservative, and a special ingredient that he says he's sworn to secrecy over.
The wax will ensure no grass or dirt sticks to the marker for some time. About three to five years, Brown says.
He grabs a small paint brush with three-inch bristles and dips it in the wax which is white in color. He's not shy about the amount he slops down onto the marker.
With short brush strokes, Brown works the wax side to side, up and down and in between the intricate wording and ornate details on the marker.
This is Brown's potato chip moment.
In total, 45-minutes have passed. What was a dull, greenish-brown grave marker is now a deep, rich bronze. The wording and details shine in the summer sun.
Before Parkinson's takes away the activity he enjoys so much, Brown says he has one last mission.
He'd like to restore all 219 markers in Marion County of Vietnam veterans killed in action but most of the dead lay within cemeteries where he says he's not welcome.
According to Brown, Flanner Buchanan cemeteries and the cemeteries operated by the Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis have banned him from restoring military markers on their property.
He says he's been asked to provide a letter from next of kin, which isn't always possible.
IndyStar reached out to both Flanner Buchanan and Catholic Cemeteries Association for comment. Neither responded.
As Brown packs up his pull cart, he pauses to stake a small American flag in the ground next to the marker. He then takes a picture to send to the family.
"What you're doing is paying gratitude and homage to the people who came before," Brown said. "All it takes is a little love and care, a little kindness. It doesn't take a lot of time."
Mission Restore Bronze works off donations from the public. Families can request his services through his Facebook page. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/vietnam-veteran-rick-brown-cleaning-indiana-veterans-grave-markers-mission-restore-bronze/7821187001/ | 2022-09-01T14:19:39 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/vietnam-veteran-rick-brown-cleaning-indiana-veterans-grave-markers-mission-restore-bronze/7821187001/ |
Road work and closures to look out for in Indianapolis in September
There aren't too many surprises in September, at least so far.
Many road projects happening in Indianapolis in September are ones that have carried over from August. Some are looking even lighter: Two local streets, Central Avenue and Lewis Streets, have opened beneath the North Split, for example.
Passersby might also notice a significant traffic change on Fort Wayne Avenue downtown, which as of late August has been converted from a one-way to a two-way street. The city eventually plans to do the same to Michigan and New York streets, in an effort to slow down vehicle traffic and make the streets safer.
In the meantime, here's what to expect in September.
Downtown streets under I-65/I-70 (North Split)
Ohio Street: Through mid-October.
10th Street: Through mid-September.
Pine Street ramp to I-70 eastbound: Through late September. (Delaware/11th Street ramp is now open.)
Monon Trail
Where: At various times, closures will occur from 22nd to 25th streets, 29th Street to Sutherland Avenue and from Fall Creek to 56th Street.
When: Segments will shut down for construction in phases throughout the summer. These are the segment closures slated for the period spanning June through the fall.
Why: A $1.7 million widening project.
Detour: The pedestrian detour follows College Avenue to the Fall Creek Parkway Trail, then west on 38th Street and north on Winthrop Avenue to rejoin the Monon. The bicycle detour uses 19th Street, New Jersey Street, the Fall Creek Parkway Trail then a series of neighborhood streets to rejoin the Monon at 56th Street. Full detour maps are at indy.gov/activity/major-transportation-projects.
More: Indy begins widening its portion of the Monon Trail for first time in decades
30th Street bridge
Where: Over the White River.
When: Until fall 2024.
Why: A historic bridge rehabilitation project, which will include a reinforced concrete arch, road and sidewalk replacement, added railing between sidewalks and vehicle lanes.
Detour: Drivers will have to go up north to 38th Street to cross the river, then Kessler Boulevard or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, back south to 30th Street. Pedestrians and cyclists can use the White River Trail and Cold Springs Road to cross the river at 16th Street.
Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue
Where: Between Sutherland Avenue and 32nd Street.
When: Through the end of September.
Why: A $16.4 million stormwater infrastructure project.
Detour: Via 30th Street, Keystone Avenue and 34th Street.
East 33rd Street
Where: Along segments of road between Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue and Ralston Avenue.
When: Through the end of December.
Why: To install a new stormwater system.
Detour: Via 32nd Street.
38th Street
Where: Westbound lanes from Keystone to Emerson avenues.
When: Through approximately late November.
Why: Storm sewer construction in preparation for the Purple Line.
Detour: Westbound traffic will be detoured via Emerson Avenue, 46th Street and Keystone Avenue. An eastbound lane will remain open.
More:What to know about Purple Line construction
East 71st Street
Where: The road beneath I-465, between Avalon Trail Court and Shadeland Avenue. The multi-use trail is open, but will see intermittent closures for bridge work.
When: Through late this year.
Why: To install steel supports for an expanded I-465 bridge over 71st Street as part of the Indiana Department of Transportation's Clear Path project.
Detour: Shadeland Avenue, 75th Street and Binford Boulevard.
Binford Boulevard ramp
Where: The northbound loop ramp onto I-465 westbound.
When: Through 2025.
Why: To keep I-465 westbound traffic flowing through the work zone of INDOT's Clear Path project and to allow for the completion of temporary ramps at the I-69 and I-465 interchange.
Detour: Drivers should expect to find alternate routes for a couple years, INDOT says.
Allisonville Road ramp
Where: The on-ramp to eastbound I-465.
When: Beginning Aug. 5 and lasting through 2024.
Why: To keep traffic flowing through the work zone of INDOT's Clear Path project.
Detour: Drivers should find alternate routes for a couple years.
Shelby Street
Where: Between Prospect Street and Southeastern Avenue.
When: Through mid-November.
Why: Thoroughfare structural rehabilitation.
Detour: Southbound traffic will take Southeastern Avenue to State Avenue, English Avenue back to Shelby Street. Northbound traffic will take English Avenue to Calvary Street, Fletcher Avenue, College Avenue then Washington Street back to Shelby Street.
Southeastern Avenue
Where: Between Trowbridge Street and a railroad crossing at about 3400 E. Southeastern Ave., except for the intersection with Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive, where east-west traffic can cross Southeastern Avenue. Rural Street remains closed at English Avenue.
When: Until the end of the year.
Why: Road, sidewalk and drainage improvements near the Community Justice Campus, including a two-lane roundabout at Southeastern Avenue and Rural Street.
Detour: North to Washington Street via State Avenue and Sherman Drive. It's recommended that pedestrians use sidewalks along local roadways: Trowbridge Avenue, Graydon Street, Meredith Avenue, Gray Street and English Avenue.
Carson Avenue
Where: The bridge over I-465
When: Through the beginning of 2023.
Why: This is the fifth and final bridge demolition and replacement over I-465 as part of the I-69 Finish Line project.
Detour: Via Keystone Avenue and Thompson Road.
Beecher Street and East Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive
Where: Beecher Street between East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive and East Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive; East Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive between Beecher and Raymond streets; and the Pleasant Run Trail access in these parts.
When: Through the end of 2023.
Why: For the Pleasant Run Tunnel project, which is part of Citizen Energy Group's larger DigIndy tunnel project.
Detour: Signs will detour motorists to Iowa Street, East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive, Shelby and Raymond streets.
East Pleasant Run Parkway North and South Drive
Where: On the north side, between Churchman Avenue and St. Peter Street. On the south side, between Churchman and Keystone avenues.
When: Beginning Aug. 1 and lasting for a year.
Why: Construction related to Citizens Energy Group's DigIndy tunnel system.
Detour: Follow posted detour signage.
Mann Road
Where: The bridge over I-465.
When: Through approximately the beginning of October.
Why: Bridge replacement as part of the I-69 Finish Line project.
Detour: Take Thompson Road, High School Road and Kentucky Avenue to cross I-465. The I-465 westbound exit ramp will remain open to northbound Mann Road, and the I-465 on ramp will remain open from Thompson Road and northbound Mann Road.
Shelby Street
Where: Bridge over Bean Creek.
When: July 19 through November.
Why: Bridge rehabilitation.
Detour: Vehicles will detour via Raymond Street, Troy Avenue and Keystone Avenue. Pedestrians may use Willow Drive and Southern Avenue to the designated detour along Manker Street.
Contact IndyStar transportation reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/transportation/2022/09/01/indianapolis-traffic-road-closures-to-watch-for-in-september-2022/65459177007/ | 2022-09-01T14:19:57 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/transportation/2022/09/01/indianapolis-traffic-road-closures-to-watch-for-in-september-2022/65459177007/ |
KENNER, La. — 26-year-old Jermani Thompson was working as a baggage handling supervisor Tuesday night. Her team was unloading a Frontier flight shortly before 10:30 p.m., when, according to her employer, Thompson's hair got tangled in the machinery of the belt loader. She was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
It's still unclear what killed her. The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office plans to perform an autopsy in the next few days to find out exactly what happened.
Thompson worked for GAT, a company that performs ground services for airlines. Mike Hough, CEO of GAT, says the company's leaders are "heartbroken and are supporting her family and her friends as best as we are able."
The timeline of the accident is still unclear. But multiple travelers at the airport questioned how it could happen in the first place. They questioned whether company safety policies go far enough. "You wear a hairnet in a restaurant," said Patrick Zertuche, who is visiting from San Antonio, "why aren't you doing a better job of protecting people in a workplace that is potentially so dangerous?"
Traveler Blaire Bass added the policies are, "something the airport itself needs to take on." Bass said she hopes authorities, "figure it out, and this never happens again."
WWL-TV obtained a copy of GAT's employee handbook. On page 30, it reads: "Long hairstyles should be worn with hair pulled back off the face and neck to avoid interfering with job performance." It is unknown whether Thompson was following this policy at the time of the accident.
Hough insists GAT would "never prioritize on-time performance above safety," adding that he reminded employees of that policy in a company-wide email last week.
In a follow-up question, WWL-TV asked how strictly the hair policy is enforced. Hough has yet to respond.
Spokespersons for both Armstrong International and Frontier Airlines offered their condolences to Thompson's loved ones.
Kevin Dolliole, the airport's Director, said in part, "Jermani was a part of our Airport family, and we will continue to support one another in any way we can during this trying time.” | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/baggage-handler-killed-in-accident-at-airport/289-08179362-a93c-4235-994c-11985e423f24 | 2022-09-01T14:20:33 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/baggage-handler-killed-in-accident-at-airport/289-08179362-a93c-4235-994c-11985e423f24 |
Blue Heron sparring at Franke Park in Fort Wayne Sep 1, 2022 10 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Two great blue heron spar Wednesday afternoon in Shoaff Lake at Franke Park. Mike Durbin | The Journal Gazette Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Fowl play Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Most Popular 1 dead after Fort Wayne school crash Moped crash sends juvenile to hospital Storms cause power outages for thousands in northeast Indiana Fort Wayne City Council president considers run for mayor Demolition begins on Hall's Original in Fort Wayne Stocks Market Data by TradingView | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/blue-heron-sparring-at-franke-park-in-fort-wayne/article_23cb6bea-297f-11ed-a988-7fc313fd562a.html | 2022-09-01T14:21:26 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/blue-heron-sparring-at-franke-park-in-fort-wayne/article_23cb6bea-297f-11ed-a988-7fc313fd562a.html |
Brevard County commissioners looks set to shake up Tourist Development Council membership
Brevard County commissioners have begun what could turn into a major shake-up in membership of the Tourist Development Council.
That's the panel that advises commissioners on tourism-related matters — including how to spend the Space Coast Office of Tourism's budget.
County commissioners voted 3-1 this week in favor of Vice Chair Curt Smith's request to replace his TDC appointee, Julie Braga, general manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott in Melbourne. Smith is putting Donald DeDonatis III, chief executive officer of the U.S. Specialty Sports Association in Viera, on the nine-member panel in Braga's place, effective immediately.
One and possibly two other commissioners also may remove their TDC appointees in the coming weeks.
And — in what would be a drastic change in the makeup of the TDC — several commissioners are interested in asking the Florida Legislature to change the state's requirements for tourism boards, so that the panels do not have to have a specific number of hotel officials or other collectors of the tourist development tax as members.
Changing the membership:County Commissioners Pritchett, Smith replacing their Tourist Development Council appointees
Grant for Driftwood's hotel:Brevard County Commission OKs $30M marketing grant to Cocoa Beach Westin hotel project
Currently, Florida Statutes require that three to four members of the TDC be collectors of the tax, which in Brevard County is a 5% charge added to the price of hotel rooms and other short-term rentals like vacation rentals and recreational-vehicle park accommodations. Brevard County Code sets that requirement at three members.
The apparent shake-up of the council follows a dispute between county commissioners and TDC members over a commission decision to give Driftwood Capital a $30 million grant to help market the Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa it is building off State Road A1A.
Most TDC members opposed the grant to Driftwood of up to $1 million a year over 30 years, saying it is unfair to others in the hotel industry and would hurt the overall county tourism marketing program.
County commissioners, however, say the moves to change the TDC membership has nothing to do with the TDC members' opposition to their Driftwood decision.
While Smith said he didn't care for Braga's comments during a recent TDC meeting, in which she said there was "shock and awe" in the community in reaction to the County Commission's 3-1 vote supporting the Driftwood grant, he was quick to add that her remarks played no role in his decision to remove her from the advisory board. Braga also chaired the TDC's Beach Committee.
Smith said he wanted someone involved in a tourism-related business in his County Commission District 4 on the board. DeDonatis fit the bill, as USSSA's youth and adult baseball and softball events at the USSSA Space Coast complex bring extensive business to local hotels, restaurants and attractions.
County Commissioner Rita Pritchett also wants to replace her appointee, TDC Chairman Tom Hermansen, a hotel owner in the Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral area and current TDC chairman.
Pritchett had planned to nominate Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The Visitor Complex is in Pritchett's County Commission District 1 and is considered Brevard County's most popular paid tourist attraction.
But Pritchett's move was stymied by the county rules that require three collectors of the tourist development tax to be on the TDC, as she would be replacing one of the remaining three TDC members in that category.
The Courtyard by Marriott Titusville-Kennedy Space Center hotel is operated by Delaware North. But because Protze is not directly involved in the hotel, he would not qualify to meet the three-person quota.
So Pritchett said she plans to tap a manager of that hotel instead to replace Hermansen, who also has been critical of the County Commission vote on the Driftwood grant.
"This isn't personal," said Pritchett, who is the County Commission's representative on the TDC. "It's about getting a voice for north Brevard on the (TDC) board, and I'm going to work hard for doing that," as well as working to get more geographic diversity on the TDC and spreading the tourist aid throughout the county.
Tobia voted against Smith's proposal to remove Braga from the TDC in the middle of her term, saying Braga is "a hard-working individual who has done a good job, by all accounts, on the TDC."
He also previously voted against the marketing grant to Driftwood.
Potential conflicts
DeDonatis' company, USSSA, has contracts with Brevard County related to the lease of the stadium complex and for reimbursement out of tourist development tax revenue for stadium maintenance.
At the advice of the county attorney's office, DeDonatis signed a conflict of interest waiver statements that would allow him to serve on the TDC, even with those potential conflicts.
But interim County Attorney Christine Schverak later decided DeDonatis did not have to sign the waiver after all, unless there was a new contract or a contract modification between the county and USSSA.
Such a waiver would have required approval of all four sitting county commissioners, and Tobia said he would not have voted for it, thus blocking the appointment.
But DeDonatis' appointment to the TDC — without a vote on the waiver — required approval of three of the four commissioners.
Smith said the "TDC benefits greatly" from DeDonatis' company being in Brevard County, "so I just thought he would be a tremendous asset. And that's why I've appointed him."
More flexible membership
County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved having Commission Chair Kristine Zonka send a letter to the Brevard County delegation to the Florida Legislature, asking for greater flexibility in the composition of the TDC membership so that fewer than three collectors of the tax — typically hotel owners or managers — need to be on the advisory board.
"The board, by (current) design, is one big conflict. If you have a board full of hoteliers — nice guys or not — they're going to make decisions for their own special interests," Zonka said during the commission's discussion of the issue.
"So, I think, perhaps the Legislature loosening, bringing forward some changes in the state statute — that would allow for a more broad acceptance of members that would qualify," Zonka added.
Zonka and Pritchett have indicated that some TDC members seem too focused on the interests of the Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral tourism corridor at the expense of other parts of the county.
"We can talk about bikinis and beaches," Zonka told the other commissioners on Tuesday. "But, honestly, I didn't see anybody rushing here to come to the beach to see a bunch of girls in bikinis. They were coming here to see Artemis."
Zonka said she will keep her options open on what do do related to her TDC appointment, depending on what's needed to meet state and county requirements related to the number tourist tax collectors and non-collectors on the TDC.
Giles Malone, a partner in the Space Coast Daily media company, as well as a partner in an event and sports management business, is one of Zonka's current appointees to the TDC. His term expires at the end of this year. Malone — who chairs the TDC's Capital Facilities Committee — also is counted as a collector of the tourist tax through his sports event business.
Another Zonka appointee is Christy Galzerano, general manager of the Doubletree/Hilton Garden Inn Oceanfront Hotel in Cocoa Beach.
Tobia has said he would not change his appointee, Brevard Zoo Executive Director Keith Winsten, who chairs the TDC's Marketing Committee.
The current collectors of the tax on the TDC are Galzerano, Hermansen and Malone.
The current non-collectors of the tax who are involved in the tourism industry are DeDonatis, Winsten and Larry Jarnes, an appointee of former County Commissioner Bryan Lober, who resigned his commission seat on April 1. Jarnes is president and chief executive officer of Northboro Builders, which develops commercial properties, and chairs the TDC's Sports Committee.
The other three slots on the TDC are for a county commissioner (Pritchett), an elected official from Brevard's most populous city (Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina) and an elected official from another Brevard municipality (West Melbourne Deputy Mayor Andrea Young, who also chairs the TDC's Cultural Committee).
In addition to having Zonka write the legislature, County commissioners also unanimously agreed a request by Tobia to schedule a public hearing on making Brevard County Code coincide with Florida Statutes related to TDC membership requirements.
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.
Support local journalism and journalists like me. Subscribe today. | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/brevard-county-commissioners-plan-changes-tourist-advisory-panel/7951729001/ | 2022-09-01T14:25:53 | 0 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/brevard-county-commissioners-plan-changes-tourist-advisory-panel/7951729001/ |
PORTLAND, Oregon — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said the city cannot choose between strengthening its police bureau and holding officers accountable during a city council meeting on Wednesday.
“That does not mean there should not be accountability. There should be that too," Wheeler said. "It's a ‘both and' ... it's not an ‘either or.’”
His remarks came after Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell presented the police bureau's annual report.
“At the Portland Police Bureau, I can say the challenges have been the most significant of our careers,” said Lovell.
The police bureau's 2021 report touched on the highest volume of car thefts in city history at 9,216. It mentioned the record 90 homicides, and Lovell mentioned another number — 229. He said between retirements and resignations, that's how many sworn officers have left the Police Bureau since July 2020.
“We've lost a great deal of historical and institutional knowledge,” said Lovell. “Even though we're talking about 2021, I can say that we continue to, most days, not meet our minimum staffing on the street.”
Lovell said the city has hired 37 sworn officers so far this year, and seven Public Safety Support Specialists. But a backlog at the state academy means it could take close to a year before those officers are on the streets, and crime isn't holding its breath. Wheeler acknowledged that.
“First responders need the tools, the resources, the training [and] the personnel to do their jobs effectively and safely,” said Wheeler. "The reason that so many of our firefighters and police officers are so burned out is we're asking them to do too much with the number of people we have on the streets. We're asking way too much of them."
The approach is a departure from the Summer of 2020. That's when Portland City Council voted to approve cutting $15 million from the police bureau, eliminating 84 sworn staff positions. The cuts came amid racial justice protests calling to defund the police. At the time, some feared the move would jeopardize public safety. On Wednesday, Wheeler indicated it's about looking forward.
“We have now acknowledged we have a staffing shortage. Let's stop talking about that. Let's stop talking about our inability to respond to crime in our community. Let’s stop advertising to criminals that they're going to get away with it because I don't believe that and I don't want them to,” said Wheeler. He went on to say, “We've got to figure out better ways to address this crisis. We have to be innovative. We have to bring in different types of people.”
Portland Police Association president, Sgt. Aaron Schmautz said he appreciated the mayor’s current approach during the meeting.
“What I was hearing him say today is, because of that reality on the ground, because of the fact that we cannot provide police service the way that we really want to yet because our staffing is so low, we need to build up other options,” said Schmautz. “We need to find ways to offload some of the work the police officers in the street are doing so that they can focus on the things that are really, really pressing.”
The mayor didn't propose anything specific on Wednesday, but said the city needs to ‘Run toward the crisis and come up with concrete solutions with what they've got right now.” | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-mayor-police-support-crime-hike/283-a94173a2-b33f-4efa-a534-c3d47bd85d2d | 2022-09-01T14:26:47 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-mayor-police-support-crime-hike/283-a94173a2-b33f-4efa-a534-c3d47bd85d2d |
OLYMPIA, Wash — A DUI case out of Kitsap County is heading to the Washington State Supreme Court.
The case could have major implications for thousands of DUI cases across the state. It all hinges on the technicality of a breathalyzer machine used by agencies statewide.
More than 10,000 people are arrested by the Washington State Patrol for a DUI each year.
For a jury in a DUI case, the number on a breathalyzer is like DNA in a murder case.
“DNA with a breath test number," said George Bianchi, DUI attorney. "They assume it's very scientific so they can rely on it."
The Drager 9510 breathalyzer machine has been used in thousands of DUI cases, but a recent case in Kitsap County got those results thrown out. District court judges agreed with attorneys that the results are invalid and go against Washington administrative code.
The Drager machine determines someone's blood alcohol level by taking four samples and calculating the average. Under state law, the calculations are rounded to four decimal places, however, the machine truncates rather than rounds to four decimal points.
Bianchi found the issue and was brought in to help with the Kitsap case.
“The confidence that we need to have in the machine that it’s doing everything right for that ticket to just look at it and say, 'yes it’s admissible,'" Bianchi said. "And now we’re finding it’s not doing everything right."
The State Supreme Court will take up the 89-page opinion from all four Kitsap County district judges.
The Kitsap case is bypassing the typical appellate process and going straight to the Washington Supreme Court because of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the case.
In the decision to hear the case, the Supreme Court Commissioner said, "This decision has the potential to affect a great number of Washington prosecutions for driving under the influence and involves significant public interest questions.”
“It is significant, but there could also be different rulings in different courts so it's one of those things that needs one solid ruling for all the courts,” Bianchi said.
Currently, Drager breathalyzer findings are only inadmissible in Kitsap County.
Bianchi recently argued a similar case to try to get breathalyzer results suppressed in King County. Prosecutors are asking judges to put their ruling on hold until the State Supreme Court makes its decision.
Bianchi believes that could cause a backlog of DUI cases.
“It could be about a year before our Supreme Court would rule on this issue so that’s a long time with a lot of cases waiting,” Bianchi said.
The state toxicologist is a part of the Washington State Patrol and approves the machine and how it works.
Court documents show the toxicologist approved the machines in 2010 and knew about the calculation error and didn’t disclose the information until last year.
“It was disheartening but it wasn’t a surprise," Bianchi said. "We’ve had our concerns about this Drager machine since it came out."
Washington State Patrol said the truncation method benefits the defendant and cites that only eight have had any impacts out of more than 81,000 cases reviewed.
The department is proposing changing the language in the Washington Administrative Code to match the machine’s process.
There will be a public hearing on the proposal Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. via zoom.
No date has been set for when the State Supreme Court will hear the Kitsap ruling. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/dui-breathalyzer-case-washington-state-supreme-court/281-c7ab6c13-fd42-4721-82a9-e49082a7169b | 2022-09-01T14:28:15 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/dui-breathalyzer-case-washington-state-supreme-court/281-c7ab6c13-fd42-4721-82a9-e49082a7169b |
The Seattle Education Association will vote on a strike authorization over the weekend, according to a release from the union.
The union represents around 6,000 educators who work for Seattle Public Schools. Contracts with the district expired on Wednesday, Aug. 31 as the two sides continued bargaining over a new agreement.
"After bargaining all summer, SPS has yet to agree to proposals that would hold them accountable to meeting student and educator needs," SEA President Jennifer Matter said in a statement. Read more
Those 18 and younger will be able to catch a free transit ride in multiple Puget Sound communities beginning Sept. 1, thanks to the Free Youth Transit Pass.
Beginning Thursday, young riders can use their blue youth and student ORCA cards, show their student identification or simply board and ride free.
The transit agencies accepting the Free Youth Transit Pass beginning Thursday include King County Metro, King County Water Taxi, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Kitsap Ferries, Kitsap Transit and Skagit Transit. Read more
Two men were arrested in separate attempted kidnappings in Seattle Tuesday, according to the Seattle Police Department.
Police received a report of a man who tried to force a 10-year-old girl into the trunk of a vehicle in Seattle's View Ridge neighborhood.
A short time later, multiple witnesses called 911 and reported that a man tried to grab a child off the street in downtown Seattle.
Both suspects were expected in court Wednesday but waived their rights to a first appearance. The judge deemed both had probable cause for counts of attempted kidnapping. Read more
Among the many casualties of November's historic floods was the old Sumas Elementary School.
Floodwaters engulfed the school, closing it for months. Students were divided between three other schools in the district to finish out last school year.
Thankfully, the new Sumas Elementary was already under construction when the old one flooded, and was not damaged by the winter storms. It reopened nine months after the devastation. Read more
Funnel cakes, Ferris wheels and family-friendly fun are just days away. Here is a complete guide for what to do, what to eat and where to park at the 2022 Washington State Fair.
This year, there will be new food and beverage vendors, exhibits and concerts.
The fair opens on Sept. 2 and runs through Sept. 25. The fair is closed on all Tuesdays within that date range, it's also closed on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
RELATED: Western Washington Forecast
Have the "5 things you need to know" delivered to your inbox. Sign up for the daily morning email here.
Download KING 5's Roku and Amazon Fire apps for live newscasts and video on demand. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/5-things-to-know-thursday-september/281-673bfe00-b016-43d6-a56d-1cd2e92db369 | 2022-09-01T14:28:21 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/5-things-to-know-thursday-september/281-673bfe00-b016-43d6-a56d-1cd2e92db369 |
NORFOLK, Va. — A Virginia police officer was shot and wounded on Wednesday night, officials said.
A Norfolk officer was injured in a shooting on Vincent Avenue, police tweeted late Wednesday. The officer’s injuries aren’t considered life-threatening, police said.
Police did not release any details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-norfolk-officer-shot-injuries-not-life-threatening/2022/09/01/26f2d13c-29f7-11ed-a90a-fce4015dfc8f_story.html | 2022-09-01T14:30:46 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-norfolk-officer-shot-injuries-not-life-threatening/2022/09/01/26f2d13c-29f7-11ed-a90a-fce4015dfc8f_story.html |
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman today announced a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with select minor, non-violent marijuana criminal convictions.
“I have repeatedly called on our Republican-led General Assembly to support the legalization of adult-use marijuana, but they’ve yet to meet this call for action from myself and Pennsylvanians,” Wolf said in a news release. “Until they do, I am committed to doing everything in my power to support Pennsylvanians who have been adversely affected by a minor marijuana offense on their record.
“This pardon project has the potential to open the door for thousands of Pennsylvanians — the college grad looking to start their career, the grandparent who’s been wanting chaperone a field trip, or any Pennsylvanian who’s been told ‘no’ for much needed assistance. Now’s your chance,” said Wolf.
The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons will accept applications for the PA Marijuana Pardon Project from today, Sept. 30.
It is estimated that thousands of Pennsylvanians are eligible due to convictions over the past several decades, even pre-dating marijuana’s inclusion as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act, according to the release.
Anyone with two select marijuana offenses on their record is eligible to apply, and there is no limit for the age of the conviction.
Those eligible must have one of both of the following convictions:
- Possession of Marijuana
- Marijuana, Small Amount Personal Use
Fetterman, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Republican Pat Toomey, said the project will deliver second chances to thousands of deserving Pennsylvanians who are trying to improve their lives amidst the legislature’s refusal to “take the commonsense approach and just legalize it.”
“Nobody should be turned down for a job, housing, or volunteering at your child’s school because of some old nonviolent weed charge, especially given that most of us don’t even think this should be illegal,” Fetterman said in the release.
First Call
Applications for an accelerated pardon are being taken at pa.gov/mjpardon. Once an application is submitted, the applicant will be contacted for any followup information.
Those who are not eligible to apply for a pardon through this project because they have additional criminal convictions on their record are encouraged to apply for clemency using a standard application available at bop.pa.gov, the release said.
While a pardon constitutes complete forgiveness, those whose pardons are granted will still need to petition the court for an expungement of the conviction from their record.
Since taking office, Wolf has granted 2,098 pardons, 326 of those were part of an expedited review for nonviolent marijuana-related offenses. In the 15 years prior to Wolf’s term, only 1,805 pardons were granted in total. | https://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-nws-pa-wolf-fetterman-marijuana-pardons-20220901-n3aaui7eb5fbdmjzqeqierzjri-story.html | 2022-09-01T14:36:57 | 1 | https://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-nws-pa-wolf-fetterman-marijuana-pardons-20220901-n3aaui7eb5fbdmjzqeqierzjri-story.html |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Local
Weather
Responds
Investigations
Video
Sports
Entertainment
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Homebuyer Program
Bodycam Video
Battleship Texas
Shawn Bradley
#ClearTheShelters
Expand
Local
The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-d-reads-launches-north-texas-community-reading-event/3061980/ | 2022-09-01T14:38:25 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-d-reads-launches-north-texas-community-reading-event/3061980/ |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Local
Weather
Responds
Investigations
Video
Sports
Entertainment
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Homebuyer Program
Bodycam Video
Battleship Texas
Shawn Bradley
#ClearTheShelters
Expand
Local
The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-giving-day-kicks-off-early-this-year/3062019/ | 2022-09-01T14:38:31 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-giving-day-kicks-off-early-this-year/3062019/ |
Ford is recalling nearly 200,000 large SUVs in the U.S. because the heating and cooling fan motors can fail and catch fire.
The recall covers Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 2015 through 2017 model years.
The Dearborn, Michigan, company says in government documents that it has reports of 25 fires caused by the motors, which are behind the glove box. Thirteen fires were limited to the blower motor area, while 12 involved extensive damage to the SUVs. Three fires damaged structures and one damaged another vehicle.
One person reported injuries to their hand and fingers, and all fire reports indicated that the vehicles were running at the time of the incident, Ford said in documents posted Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The company says it's not telling people to park the SUVs outdoors. It says some customers have reported inoperative fans, burning smells or smoke coming from the vents while the vehicle is on.
Dealers will replace the front blower motor assembly at no cost to owners, who will be notified starting Sept. 12.
It’s the second recent recall for the Expedition and Navigator due to problems that can cause fires.
Recall Alert
In July, Ford expanded a May recall to 66,000 of the SUVs from the 2021 model year. The company told owners to park them outdoors due to a series of engine fires that could happen while the ignitions are off. Ford traced the cause to printed circuit boards that are susceptible to an electrical short. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/recall-alert/ford-recalls-suvs-heating-and-cooling-fans-can-catch-fire/3062125/ | 2022-09-01T14:38:38 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/recall-alert/ford-recalls-suvs-heating-and-cooling-fans-can-catch-fire/3062125/ |
Every morning, NBC 5 Today is dedicated to delivering you positive local stories of people doing good, giving back and making a real change in our community. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/dallas-isd-staff-members-do-something-good-with-pa-system-put-the-fun-in-fundamentals/3061988/ | 2022-09-01T14:38:45 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/dallas-isd-staff-members-do-something-good-with-pa-system-put-the-fun-in-fundamentals/3061988/ |
BLOOMINGTON — Home Sweet Home Ministries, Midwest Food Bank, Thrivent Financial and several local churches are seeking help from the community this September as part of their "Big Give."
The goal is to distribute 2,200 Thanksgiving meal boxes, including turkeys, to families in need.
Each box will include one box of stuffing mix, two cans of corn, two cans of green beans, two cans of cream of mushroom soup, one box of mashed potatoes, one envelope of gravy (no jars), one regular pouch of French fried onions, one can of cranberry sauce, one box of pie crust mix, one can of pumpkin pie filling, one can of evaporated milk, one box of macaroni and cheese, one box of brownie mix and one frozen turkey.
Those who wish to donate can give as many items from the list as they want, but certainly do not have to get every single item.
Hy-Vee will partner in the project by providing pallet-quantity stock of the items needed to fill the boxes during the first weekend of September. Orders can be left at Hy-Vee for Midwest Food Bank to pick up. Hy-Vee will also have options at the registers to purchase $20 turkeys and other needed items.
There will also be an online shopping option through the Hy-Vee app. Simply add "Hold for Big Give" in the order pickup notes. Hy-Vee will hold the order at the store for Midwest Food Bank to pick up.
Donations will be accepted at Midwest Food Bank, 2031 Warehouse Drive in Normal, or at Home Sweet Home Ministries' Bread for Life Food Co-op, 301 E. Oakland Ave. in Bloomington.
All items collected will be used for the Give Thanks distribution from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19. Anyone in need can come to Midwest Food Bank during that time to pick up a meal box and turkey.
Last year over 1,500 families were served during Give Thanks.
Smooth tunes are coming for free this weekend at a pop-up concert in downtown Bloomington. Hear all about this hip happening in this week's BloNo Beats column. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/bloomington-normal-groups-gathering-food-for-thanksgiving-meal-boxes/article_6079e7bc-2973-11ed-bc55-37a4a3656816.html | 2022-09-01T14:40:01 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/bloomington-normal-groups-gathering-food-for-thanksgiving-meal-boxes/article_6079e7bc-2973-11ed-bc55-37a4a3656816.html |
A former Chesterfield County police detective who admitted altering seven search warrants after mistakenly omitting required information — and didn't notify authorities of his error or tell them he had "fixed" the mistake until confronted — has been charged with a misdemeanor of malfeasance in office.
Following an investigation led by Spotsylvania Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney G. Ryan Mchaffey, who was appointed special prosecutor, former detective Robert W. Sprouse was charged with committing common law malfeasance in office "by performing an act officially for which there was no authority of law" and no power of discretion.
But Sprouse's attorneys say "malfeasance in office" is not a crime in Virginia, and is only recognized as grounds for removal from public office or as civil cause of action, and Sprouse has resigned his position.
According to the six-page complaint against Sprouse, he added language to the warrants on Feb. 18 — two days after they had been served — after discovering that he initially omitted the information, which is required by Virginia law. The information in question identifies the scope of a search being conducted, or the items authorized for seizure. The case involved a complex narcotics investigation that sought the seizure of "inherently dangerous narcotics and firearms" that required specialized teams to execute.
A Chesterfield magistrate signed each of the seven search warrants on Feb. 14 without noticing the error, and the officers who later helped serve the warrants also didn't notice the missing information, according to the complaint.
The omission was essentially a clerical error. But according to the complaint, Sprouse, upon learning of his mistake, did not notify the magistrate or police supervisors. Instead, he meticulously added the required information to the face of the search warrants that had been issued by the magistrate. But he didn't tell anyone about the alterations.
"Using the computer in the office, Det. Sprouse typed the Scope of Search [information] into the search warrant template, practiced a few drafts on scratch paper to make sure the alignment and spacing was correct when printed, and then printed the Scope of Search onto the original warrants...." Chesterfield police Sgt. Rodrick Brown wrote in the complaint for Chesterfield police.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, knows that Gov. Glenn Youngkin hadn’t taken office when an unexpectedly powerful snowstorm crippled a heavily …
The problem was discovered Feb. 21, when Chesterfield Chief Magistrate Daniel Holser noticed the omitted information on a copy of one of the warrants as part of his normal, routine review of search warrants. He then confirmed the error with the other six warrants, the complaint says.
The warrants the magistrate issued were not identical to the ones Sprouse filed with the court. Copies of the issued warrants must be filed in the locality where the warrant is executed within three business days.
After police supervisors were notified and confronted Sprouse, the detective's "demeanor changed drastically" and he "repeatedly and passionately stated that he was just trying to 'fix' a clerical error," according to the complaint. "He was visibly upset."
Sprouse added that "he did not mean to deceive anyone or maliciously do anything." His supervisors explained to him that a signed search warrant must be returned to the magistrate who issued it for the magistrate to correct and initial.
In the complaint, Brown wrote that Sprouse's reputation for honesty is "excellent," and that he was described by many as being of the highest integrity. "There is no other known conduct that would call his integrity into question," he wrote.
In April, when the Richmond Times-Dispatch published a story about the issue, Sprouse was no longer employed by Chesterfield police. His attorneys Wednesday said Spouse resigned in March and is no longer working in law enforcement.
A U.S. Navy officer charged with killing his pregnant girlfriend took her to a Virginia Beach abortion clinic to have the pregnancy terminated…
Upon learning of the altered search warrants in February, the Chesterfield prosecutor's office moved immediately to withdraw all charges against the five people who were charged in the drug and firearms investigation that partly stemmed from the warrants. The altered warrants "created evidentiary and constitutional issues for the prosecution and we elected not to proceed," the office said.
Mchaffey declined comment Wednesday.
Sprouse's attorneys, Steven Benjamin and Betty Layne DesPortes, said: "Mr. Sprouse corrected what he perceived to be a clerical error in paperwork that a magistrate had failed to complete. He copied a section of text from the attached affidavits to the face of the search warrants. Nothing he did changed the legal nature of the search warrants."
"The Commonwealth's investigation correctly concluded that Mr. Sprouse had no criminal intent and that his integrity is not in doubt," they added.
The attorneys added: "We commend the special prosecutor's professionalism and good faith in the conduct of this investigation. We never hesitate to call out police misconduct, and the scrutiny of law enforcement is never inappropriate. "
But the attorneys said they disagreed that Sprouse committed a crime. "We explained in a recent hearing that 'malfeasance in office' is not a crime in Virginia," the attorneys said. "If we even must ask and argue over whether it was a criminal offense in 18th century England, which is exactly what the Commonwealth relies on, it is inappropriate to be charging it now."
The attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the charge. Mchaffey disagrees with their view and has filed a brief in opposition to their motion. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 28.
From the archives: More than 240 photos of Richmond and Virginia in the 1970s
In January 1978, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts hosted pop artist Andy Warhol (second from left), who was exhibiting his “Athletes by Warhol” collection at the museum. The public opening featured a performance by rock band Single Bullet Theory and refreshments that could be found at sporting events, such as popcorn and cotton candy. The portraits on exhibit included tennis star Chris Evert and basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Staff photo
In August 1976, at Glendale Drive and Henrico Avenue in western Henrico County, neighborhood boys showed off their headstand and skateboarding skills. From left were Robert Rice, Bill Robertson, Rusty Hamilton and Kenny Rice. The boys spent the summer practicing headstands, wheelies and other stunts.
Staff photo
In June 1976, E.M. Andrews, a taxidermist by hobby, displayed a “swamp deer” he created – actually, a rabbit with antlers attached. Andrews had two small backyard buildings in South Richmond where he practiced freeze-drying, a newer and easier method of animal preservation than traditional taxidermy. For the previous five years, he had used freeze-drying to preserve animals for the State Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Don Long
Feb. 3, 1976: Arthur Ashe visits with father, Arthur Sr., and brother, Johnnie, at Westwood Racquet Club.
Don Rypka
In October 1976, TV chef and cookbook author Julia Child came to Richmond, where her itinerary included a book signing, a local TV appearance and a cooking demonstration at the Thalhimers department store downtown. Child traveled with array of kitchen implements and ingredients – she found that her tour stops didn’t always have the utensils she needed. Here, in her hotel room, she carved a Georgia ham while joined by her husband, Paul.
Don Long
In January 1978, Pearl Bailey, the Tony Award-winning actress and singer from Newport News, was preparing to address the Richmond Public Forum from the stage at the Mosque (now Altria Theater). She covered a range of topics – from education to welfare to the United Nations – and said that despite heart trouble, “God blew breath in my face again to I could go out and spread love.” Bailey received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1976 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1988. She died in 1990.
Staff photo
This April 1978 photo shows packages of Pop Rocks, a carbonated candy that had soared in popularity, even if availability was limited. The gravel-like treat offered the sensation of bursting inside the mouth – a reaction created from carbon dioxide trapped inside the sugar. Test-marketing in California proved successful, and the candy from General Foods soon became a national rage.
Staff photo
In March 1957, University of Virginia alumni football players lost 20-0 in the fifth alumni vs. varsity game. The annual game, which the alumni previously won three times, continued through 1979. Here, former captains join in a handshake. From left are Joe Mehalick, Bill Dudley, varsity captain Jim Bakhtiar, Joe Palumbo, Bob Weir and Bill Chisholm.
Staff
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe wife of Arthur Ashe, receives a warm welcome to Virginia's General Assembly chambers Feb. 2, 1979 from Lt. Gov. Charles S. Robb.
BOB BROWN
In August 1979, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was preparing to close the Sabot Depot station in Goochland County. The station hosted its first passenger train in 1881 and its last in 1957; it limped along until 1979 handling odd jobs. CSX dismantled the building in 1993.
David D Ryan
In May 1979, the Lost World mountain opened at the Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell. The $7 million, 17-story attraction contained three components: the Journey to Atlantis flume ride (soon renamed the Haunted River), the Land of the Dooz children’s mine train and the Time Shaft rotor. In 1998, the mountain was repurposed to accommodate Volcano, the Blast Coaster, which still operates today.
Tim Wright
In April 1979, a crowd of 10,000 gathered along Monument Avenue in Richmond for the annual Easter Festival, which included music from the Richmond Pops Band. The festival, sponsored by the Monument Avenue Preservation Society, included dancers, almost 30 art exhibits, children’s entertainment and food.
Times-Dispatch
In July 1979, two boys walked along the rocks in the James River near the Lee Bridge in Richmond.
Bob Brown
In June 1979, Terry Woo set bricks for a walkway as construction of Kanawha Plaza in downtown Richmond continued. The $4 million dollar city-financed plaza linked the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond building and the Virginia Electric and Power Co. building.
Bill Lane
In October 1979, a couple dressed as apes made their way through Shockoe Slip in Richmond during the Great Pumpkin Party. The event included live music, costume contents, an art show and a pumpkin pie bake-off.
Bill Lane
In November 1979, the Richmond Jaycees distributed lapel pins to voters after they cast ballots in city precincts.
Gary Burns
In June 1979, astrologer Roberta Massie gave a chart reading at the Festival of the Stars, held at Unity of Richmond Church at Laburnum and Seminary avenues. For $3 or $4, attendees could get tarot card and palm readings as well as personalized astrological charts. The festival was sponsored by the Richmond Metropolitan Astrological Research Society.
Clement Britt
In May 1979, Vann Barden from North Carolina came to Richmond with his mobile smoke pit to put on a pig picking with friends. Depending on the temperature and wind, Barden could use 60 to 120 pounds of charcoal scattered with hickory chips for his barbecuing. An 80-pound pig, which he marinated in homemade sauce, could take eight hours or more to cook.
Staff photo
In March 1979, a tractor-trailer jackknifed after two wheels came off on the James River Bridge in Richmond. The driver, 25-year-old Samuel Smith, was thrown from the truck and fell 100 feet. A firefighter said Smith survived because he landed about 40 feet from the water on muddy ground, which softened the impact.
Staff photo
In November 1979, an Army helicopter made a practice landing on the new helipad at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond. It was the first such helipad constructed for a central Virginia hospital. The $5,000 pad was constructed by E.G. Bowles Co. in a project assisted by the state police and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Staff photo
In January 1979, Miss America Kylene Barker signed autographs during a visit to Richmond. Barker, who was from Galax, won the Miss Virginia title in 1978 and then the national pageant in September of that year, becoming Miss America 1979.
Staff photo
In January 1979, former Washington Redskins wide receiver Roy Jefferson congratulated participants in the Winter Special Olympics at Wintergreen in Nelson County.
Staff photo
In January 1979, staff of the Women’s Resource Center conferred in their office at the University of Richmond. The center, which opened in 1976, assisted women with career preparation, education opportunities and life planning. The center’s founder and director was Jane Hopkins (holding book). With her (from left) are Carol Goff, Nancy Moore, Tina Forkin, assistant director Joanne Augspurger, Barbara Outland and Kathy Freeney.
Staff photo
In July 1979, enrollees of the local 70001 Ltd. program met in Richmond. Funded by the federal Department of Labor, the local program had started in February and aimed to give 16- to 21-year-old high school dropouts pre-employment training and GED support. The program’s roots were in Delaware, and the name stemmed from an account number associated with its establishment.
Staff photo
Safety Town Opens - This summer's installment of Safety Town opened at Azalea Mall yesterday, and among those on hand were Marcia Carr as Clyde the Clown (in car), Leigh Burke as Cupid the Clown, and Mike Martin as the owl. Children agest 4 through 8 may take one of three classes that are taught for an hour each day for one week. New classes start each Monday through August. Applications for registration should be made with the Henrico County Police. 6-17-1978
Carl Lynn
Where's the engine? The caboose traveling on the bed of a truck along West Broad Street yesterday wasn't part of a new rail line in Richmond, but part of a remodeling project at the old Clover Room restaurant. Owner John Dankos plans to open the new restaurant, Stanley Stegmeyer's Hodgepodge, on July 1. Part of the decor will include two cabooses, each of which will seat 16 persons. May 3, 1978
Wallace Clark
In May 1978, this train caboose traveled by truck along West Broad Street in Richmond was headed for the old Clover Room restaurant, which new owner John Dankos was remodeling into Stanley Stegmeyer’s Hodgepodge Restaurant. Its eclectic decor was to include two cabooses that would seat 16 diners each.
Wallace Clark
March 22, 1978: Hal Burrows serves while partner Courtney Drake looks on at CCV's platform tennis facility.
Masaaki Okada
8/3/2015: This February 1978 image shows a block of West 31st Street in Woodland Heights. The South Richmond neighborhood, which was built from 1908 to 1920, saw a surge of new residents in the 1970s, mainly young families drawn to the charming architecture and large yards.
Carl Lynn
In February 1978, some members of the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles biked through Richmond during a 1,200-mile ride to Florida to spotlight the Muscular Dystrophy Association. While there were fundraising events along the way, the ride was organized to focus attention on the continued need for research.
David D. Ryan
In September 1978, Arthur Hargrove Jr., a Times-Dispatch carrier in the Glen Allen area, delivered one of his final papers. Hargrove, who was retiring after 35 years, rode his bike on his 12-mile route - a type of route normally covered by car.
Wallace Clark
In October 1978, a group of mad hatters danced in Shockoe Slip during the Great Pumpkin Party. The Halloween-themed festival drew about 10,000 people, many of them in costume to participate in contests for cash prizes.
Masaaki Okada
In January 1978, a longtime Oregon Hill resident walked through his neighborhood. In the late 1970s, the historic Richmond enclave was undergoing noticeable change as urbanization brought new, younger residents into the tight-knit community.
Don Rypka
In November 1978, Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indians performed for Gov. John N. Dalton, continuing their centuries-old Thanksgiving tradition of delivering game, such as deer and turkey, to the governor in lieu of a tax payment. The offering commemorates the 17th-century peace treaty between the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes and the English.
Masaaki Okada
In November 1978, African-American women gathered for a beauty clinic at the Thalhimers at Eastgate Mall in Richmond. The clinic, sponsored by Fashion Fair, brought in beauty professionals including Pearl Hester (standing at right) to demonstrate makeup techniques.
Times-Dispatch
In April 1978, John Stone plowed a field on a tobacco farm in Union Level in Mecklenburg County. Owner Joe Warren of South Hill used seven mule teams to plow 60 tobacco acres among several of his farms.
Times-Dispatch
In April 1978, students from Huguenot High School in Richmond worked with director Dave Anderson on a public television series called “As We See It.” Financed by a federal grant, the series shed light on school desegregation across America, with students contributing scripts for scenes. The Huguenot segment was titled “The Riot that Never Was” and included a re-enactment of a tense moment in the cafeteria during the previous school year, which ultimately was resolved.
Bob Brown
In January 1978, Bill Heindl, a co-founder of the Heindl-Evans Inc. construction firm, oversaw progress on building a footbridge in James River Park at Texas Avenue in Richmond.
Don Pennell
In May 1978, pilot Merton A. Meade Jr. landed a 1920s-era Pitcairn Mailwing at Byrd International Airport in Henrico County. Such biplanes carried mail through the area in the 1920s and 1930s for Pitcairn Aviation Inc., a predecessor of Eastern Air Lines. Meade was flying from New York to Miami on a trip sponsored by Eastern to promote its 50th anniversary.
Bill Lane
In May 1978, Danny Shapiro of wholesaler Stanley Toys exhibited new electronic games in Richmond. At the time, products such as Simon and Electronic Battleship were so new that not all Richmond-area stores carried them yet. Thalhimers did not stock electronic games, and Miller & Rhoads had just received Blip and Comp IV, which were battery-operated games.
Staff photo
In May 1978, the Bannerman Family Cloggers and Friends performed at Heritage Day, a celebration of national and cultural traditions found among Richmond-area residents. The city festival, held at the Carillon in Byrd Park, featured more than 30 performers as well as demonstrations of folk crafts such as banjo making, fly-tying and rug-braiding.
Staff photo
In August 1978, about 100 Elvis Presley fans gathered at the Regency Inn South on Midlothian Turnpike for a memorial service to “the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” who had died a year earlier. The service – sponsored by the local Taking Care of Business Fan Club – included a meditation period that featured some of Presley’s gospel recordings, which brought an emotional response from fans.
Staff photo
In January 1978, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Miller assessed the damage done to their car by a tree that fell after a night of strong winds. The Chesterfield County couple had just purchased the car.
Staff photo
In April 1978, Capitol Square in Richmond was filled with people enjoying a pleasant spring day. The high temperature was 81 degrees, which was ideal for relaxing on the grass and benches or taking a stroll around the grounds.
Staff photo
In September 1978, plastic drain pipe was shaped into a 60-foot “serpent” in the Yeocomico River near Kinsale on Virginia’s Northern Neck. Richmonder John Tighe created it to surprise fellow members of a Richmond boating group that was gathering for its annual fish fry. The sculpture mimicked a giant serpentlike creature – later nicknamed “Chessie” – that some people claim to have spotted nearby that summer.
Staff photo
In June 1978, crowds gathered at the Busch Gardens amusement park near Williamsburg for the grand opening of the Loch Ness Monster roller coaster, which featured quick acceleration, a 13-story drop and a pair of interlocking loops. On hand for the debut were Anheuser-Busch executive August A. Busch III (center) and Gov. John N. Dalton (also wearing tie), plus a number of athletes.
Staff photo
In December 1978, J.C. Penney employee Janet McCabe modeled a timely trend – plastic jeans – at Regency Square mall in Henrico County. McCabe said the jeans were a bit stiff, but with a leotard or tights underneath, they could turn heads at the disco. Penney stores in Richmond carried the pants, which were originated by La Parisienne.
Staff photo
In February 1976, Dave Twardzik of the Squires shot over Artis Gilmore of the Kentucky Colonels en route to a Squires victory before a crowd of only 1,017 at the Coliseum. This was the last season for the ABA and the Squires.
1976, Times-Dispatch/
In September 1976, a camera crew set up by the log flume at Kings Dominion in Doswell as filming continued on “Rollercoaster.” The movie, starring George Segal (in boat) as a ride inspector, was filmed at several amusement parks and is about an extortionist who demands $1 million to end his bombing campaign at parks. Extras and crew assembled at 7 a.m., but it was 2:15 p.m. before everything was ready so this scene could be shot.
Amir Pishdad
In October 1976, visitors enjoyed an afternoon aboard the American Freedom Train, a traveling bicentennial attraction that stopped in Richmond and highlighted 200 years of American achievement. The dining car, which allowed guests to experience the 1890s, featured a working player piano, a 6-foot bar, plush chairs, ornate light fixtures and tasseled curtains.
Bill Lane
In December 1976, Jim McCrimmon (right) of the Richmond Wildcats tried to dislodge the puck from Dave Elliott of the Baltimore Clippers during a game at the Richmond Coliseum. The Wildcats were part of the Southern Hockey League, which folded the following month. The Richmond Rifles of the Eastern Hockey League brought the sport back to town in 1979.
Gary Burns
In July 1976, Richmond youths did yard work as part of a summer employment assignment administered by the Richmond Area Manpower Planning Systems. The organization hoped to beautify the city with landscaping projects in parks as well as offer lawn care assistance to senior citizens and the disabled.
Rich Crawford
In September 1976, more than 1,000 rafts, kayaks and canoes crowded into the Jordan Point Yacht Haven and Marina in Hopewell for the second annual Great James River Raft Race to benefit multiple sclerosis research and local MS projects. The race concluded across the river at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County. Rafters were awarded prizes for speed, design originality and amount of money raised through pledges.
Wallace Clark
In April 1976, men tended to the roasting planks at the 28th annual shad planking in Wakefield, an event in Sussex County that lured politicians, reporters, campaign workers and others to kick off the electoral season. Sponsored by the Wakefield Ruritan Club, the event historically was a function of the state’s Democrats, but it evolved into a bipartisan tradition.
Amir Pishdad
In June 1976, cars and other scrap metal awaited shredding at Peck Iron and Metal Co. Inc., located off Commerce Road n South Richmond. A large machine called a fragmentizer could chew up a car and spit it out as tiny chunks of metal in about 40 seconds.
Bill Lane
In October 1976, Hampden-Sydney College students stayed in motel-style units that were constructed to accommodate them while older dorms were renovated. Each of the four buildings had eight rooms, with two students to a room
John Clement
In May 1976, Owen Smith of the Richmond chapter of the National Association of Miniaturists peered through the entrance of a dollhouse replica of the Wilton House, once an 18th-century plantation and later a house museum in Richmond. The replica stood 50 inches high, and the inside included items, in miniature form, that would have been property of the wealthy Randolph family. The mini-Wilton was displayed at the museum for a special exhibit.
Bob Brown
In April 1976, famed pop artist Andy Warhol – next to one of his Golda Meir portraits – was joined by New York gallery owner Ivan Karp and art collector Frances Lewis, one of the founders of the Best Products Co., at a private party in Richmond. The event celebrated Warhol’s donation of modern art to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
P.A.Gormus Jr.
In May 1976, a line wrapped around and beyond the Richmond Coliseum as tickets went on sale for an Elvis Presley concert – about 3,000 people were waiting when ticket windows opened at 10 a.m. His sold-out show in June was his final appearance in Richmond; he died in August 1977.
Don Long
In December 1976, Freeman and Theresa Spencer sat in their Richmond home with Tillie, their prized 6-year-old German shepherd. The living room featured Tillie’s numerous trophies and memorabilia – at the time, she held titles as an American conformation champion and Canadian conformation champion, among other honors.
P.A. Gormus
In October 1975, the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville was in the final phase of initial construction, with some of the square holes in the former Main Street slated to be filled with landscaping. The $2 million pedestrian mall opened in 1976 and, as it marks 40 years in 2016, is home to more than 150 shops and restaurants.
Staff photo
In October 1976, Ronald J. Roller of Petersburg posed with his beer can collection, which totaled almost 1,300 after 18 years of collecting. He conservatively valued the trove at $5,000. Roller held two of his prized pieces: a 1934 Old Milwaukee can and a gallon can/dispenser of Gettelman.
James Ezzell
In June 1976, Mrs. Kenneth R. Higgins stood at the John Marshall House at Ninth and Marshall streets in downtown Richmond as a 12-year restoration neared its end. Higgins, past president of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, which maintained the city-owned historic house, would cut the ribbon several days later as the 1790 home reopened.
Staff photo
This May 1976 photo shows Carter’s Dry Goods and Notions store in Richmond’s Oregon Hill neighborhood. At the time, the store, which dated to 1926, was feeling the strain of competition from larger stores downtown and because longtime residents were moving away. The store closed in 1993.
P.A. Gormus, Jr.
In June 1976, butcher Homer Willis (from left) and assistants Clarence Gilliam and Joseph Scruggs prepared sausage at Willis’ Powhatan Locker Co., a small slaughterhouse and custom butcher shop off state Route 13 in Powhatan County. Willis could handle thousands of pounds of meat for customers every week, and his service was so popular at the time, it might take six months for him to squeeze a new customer into his schedule.
Don Pennell
In June 1976, 4-year-old Beth Vetrovec had a difficult time selecting a kitten for adoption at the Richmond SPCA. (An adoption advocacy poster on the wall behind her featured Morris the Cat, the popular advertising mascot for the 9Lives brand of cat food.)
Staff photo
In August 1976, what is now known as the Weisiger-Carroll House was still in rough shape at 2408 Bainbridge St. in the Manchester area of South Richmond. That year, a new claimant on the title led to the discovery of the house’s historical significance. The 1½-story frame and brick dwelling was estimated to have been built in the 1760s and served as a private home as well as a hospital during the Civil War. The home is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Staff photo
In August 1976, former child movie star Shirley Temple Black visited Colonial Williamsburg as part of her duties as the first female chief of protocol of the United States. The president of Finland was visiting the area, though onlookers were more interested in spotting Temple. She previously served as U.S. ambassador to Ghana, and she later was ambassador to Czechoslovakia.
Staff photo
In June 1976, an automobile (minus its tires and gas tank) was fed into a fragmentizer, which could crush the vehicle in less than a minute using an array of hammers weighing nearly 400 pounds each. The fragmentizer was in Richmond’s Deepwater Terminal area and was used by Peck Iron and Metal Co. Inc. to crush vehicles into fine chunks of metal. Peck Iron estimated that the fragmentizer “ate” about 100,000 autos during the previous year.
Staff photo
In September 1976, seven former Prince Edward County residents reunited on the lawn of the former R.R. Moton High School (later Prince Edward County High School), from which they were bared in the 1960s during the state’s Massive Resistance to integration. From left are Frank Early, Betty Ward, G.A. Hamilton, Hilda Thompson, LaNae Johnson, Bessie Shade and Douglas Vaughan. Hundreds of former county students from the era attended the reunion.
Staff photo
On Halloween 1976, young reveler Christopher Gibbs held a balloon while thousands wandered Shockoe Slip in Richmond at the Great Pumpkin Party. The celebration, sponsored by the Shockoe Slip Neighborhood Association, included an auction and a costume contest. About 10,000 people attended the event.
Staff photo
In August 1976, Hugh Jones (right) and David Whitlock volunteered during the summer at the Richmond Boys Club. Jones helped youths in the club’s reading program, and Whitlock ran a summer basketball league.
Staff photo
In January 1976, self-proclaimed psychic and astrologer Jeane Dixon was at the Miller & Rhoads department store in downtown Richmond to sign copies of her latest book. Dixon found fame though her syndicated astrology column and some well-publicized predictions, including about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. She died in 1997.
Staff photo
In June 1976, miniature golf was a diversion at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland County. The nine-hole course was constructed by prison maintenance workers to encourage activity by inmates. The center was founded in 1931 when female inmate populations were getting too large for local jails. It was known for its groundbreaking programs, including its self-sufficient farming program in the 1940s.
Staff photo
This February 1976 photo shows one of the three World Wide Health Spa locations in the Richmond area. The national chain offered exercise spaces for men and women, massages, facials, steam baths, weight loss programs, whirlpools and solariums.
Staff photo
In March 1976, Rose Hill (left) conferred with Kay Pope Lea, who found work as a welder on a downtown Richmond construction site. Hill was a local recruiter-counselor for the Women in Apprenticeship program, a federal initiative tied to the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act that supported women’s employment in nontraditional and male-dominated fields.
Staff photo
In April 1976, Jack McKeon, the new manager of the Richmond Braves, surveyed the baseball team’s home at Parker Field on the eve of the International League opener. McKeon managed the team for one year, leaving in 1977 to become manger of Oakland Athletics. In 2003, at age 72, he won a World Series as manager of the Florida Marlins.
Staff photo
In December 1975, James River Park visitors enjoyed the hand-operated ferry that ran to a small island. Once there, more visitors waiting back at the shore would use the pulley to return the flat-bottom barge so they could then board it and pull themselves over to the island as well.
Wallace Clark
In January 1975, shoppers passed by “the clock” at Miller & Rhoads in downtown Richmond. The distinct timepiece with four faces was installed in the department store in the mid-1920s; it can be seen today at the Valentine Richmond History Center.
Masaaki Okada
This May 1975 photo shows The Jefferson Hotel. At that time, a new investor group was studying the feasibility of renovating the property, which was built by Lewis Ginter and opened in 1895. Today it is in select company as a five-star hotel.
Bill Lane
In June 1975, Richmond chapter American Red Cross volunteers (from left) Lydia Sarvay, Mrs. C.W. Fellows, Mrs. Percy Harton and Mrs. D.U. Galbraith were honored for 35 years of canteen service. The recognition was part of the chapter’s 58th annual luncheon meeting.
Richmond Crawford
This September 1975 image shows part of the 500 block of North Second Street in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood. The National Historic Landmark District, which became the center of the city’s African-American community after the Civil War, has experienced significant revitalization in recent years.
Don Pennell
This June 1975 image shows a performance of a splashy Cole Porter “Anything Goes” number, one of 25 song excerpts in the 30-minute “Give My Regards to Broadway” show at the just-opened Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell. The park’s top show featured 16 college and high school students; it was presented in the $1.6 million Mason Dixon Music Hall.
Gary Burns
In May 1975, Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. greeted a porpoise on the opening day of the Kings Dominion in Doswell. The theme park opened with 15 attractions; its Lion Country Safari area had opened a year before. Today, the park offers more than 60 rides, shows and attractions as well as a water park.
P.A. Gormus, Jr.
In August 1975, Richmond police Capt. Joseph H. Parker sat on a motorized bike and explained new regulations. At the time, police were aiming to clear up a public misunderstanding about a new Virginia law on motorized bikes, which said any bicycle with an assisting motor could not exceed 20 mph.
Don Long
In June 1975, the band Ice Water performed in the Flintstone Follies Theater at Kings Dominion in Doswell. The theme park fully opened the previous month with 15 attractions; its Lion Country Safari area had opened in 1974. Today, the park offers more than 60 rides, shows and attractions as well as a water park.
Gary Burns
In December 1975, Mike Jackson of the Virginia Squires challenged Denver’s Ralph Simpson during an American Basketball Association game at the Richmond Coliseum. The Squires moved to Richmond in 1970 after spending a year in Washington as the Washington Caps.
1975, TIMES-DISPATCH
This January 1975 image of the Mosque auditorium in Richmond was taken through a small window from above. While the building was best known for its theater, over time it housed an array of other features, including a rooftop penthouse, swimming pool, gymnasium, ballroom and bowling alley.
Bob Brown
In September 1975, handler Bobby Barlow showed off his basset hound, Ch. Slippery Hill Hudson, who was named best in show at the Virginia Kennel Club dog show at the Arena in Richmond. At left is judge George C. Ehmig, and at right is show executive Lawrence W. Bracken Jr.
Times-Dispatch
In late April 1975, landscape workers prepared gardens in front of the Eiffel Tower replica at Kings Dominion in Doswell. The theme park opened days later on May 3.
Gary Burns
In January 1975, Henrico County police officer Jim Phillips stepped out of a plane used for the county’s sky patrol. The special force played a key role in the recent capture of three armed bank robbers.
Times-Dispatch
In September 1975, University of Richmond student Marshall Bank posed outside Boatwright Memorial Library. A year earlier, he checked out – and refused to return – some volumes that were signed by their authors, saying the works (including by Robert Frost) deserved better protection than the open shelves. But he did return them and, with funding from an anonymous donor, participated in a project to get contemporary poets to sign copies of their work for inclusion in the library’s collection.
Don Long
In October 1975, Wayne Latimer kicked a 61-yard field goal that lifted Virginia Tech to a 13-10 victory over Florida State at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.
Staff photo
In May 1975, Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. and Mrs. August Busch III rode the lead car around the Le Mans track in the French village of the new Busch Gardens: The Old Country theme park near Williamsburg. The governor and Anheuser-Busch executives took part in dedication of park, which had opened to the public the previous weekend and drew more than 30,000 visitors.
Masaaki Okada
In October 1975, the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville was in the final phase of initial construction, with some of the square holes in the former Main Street slated to be filled with landscaping. The $2 million pedestrian mall opened in 1976 and, as it marks 40 years in 2016, is home to more than 150 shops and restaurants.
Staff photo
In July 1976, a crowd filled The Pass, a restaurant and music venue at 803 W. Broad St. in Richmond. The Pass opened in 1975 and was in business for about four years. In its short time, notable artists performed there, including John Mayall, Stanley Turrentine, Lydia Pense, the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Earl Scruggs, Nicolette Larsen and Robert Palmer.
Masaaki Okada
In May 1975, Pat Benatar – before she became a world-famous rock vocalist – delivered her final performance with the band Coxon’s Army at Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond. Benatar moved to Richmond two years earlier at age 20; she met pianist Phil Coxon during a gig at the Roaring Twenties, and what started as a duo evolved into a larger band. In leaving Richmond, Benatar planned to try her vocal luck in New York.
Bill Lane
In September 1975, more than 50 women attended the opening of A Woman’s Place, Richmond’s first coffeehouse for women. Located in the basement of St. James’ Episcopal Church parish house at 1205 W. Franklin St., the cafe was open on Thursday evenings. YWCA members started it as a place where women could relax and where female entertainers could air their talents.
Staff photo
In August 1975, city workers installed a granite channel for Reedy Creek near Forest Hill Park in Richmond. About 1,700 square yards of the creek bed was being covered with stone cemented into place. The $107,000 project, which aimed to channel the creek water to reduce flooding and erosion, was part of a larger $1.5 million creek improvement project. The next phase was to build bridges over the creek at Forest Hill Avenue and at Roanoke Street.
Staff photo
In November 1975, a lunar eclipse decorated the skies of Richmond – for the second time that year (the first was in May). According to the Science Museum of Virginia, it was not uncommon to have two eclipses within six months. This composite image merged photos of the eclipse with a skyline shot from South Richmond.
Masaaki Okada
In August 1975, a cleanup crew from Norfolk worked on an oil spill in South Richmond. Fuel oil had escaped from an open valve at Little Oil Co. on Commerce Road.
Staff photo
In July 1975, an archaeological team dug near the site of a Native American village in New Kent County. The spot along the Chickahominy River was where Captain John Smith, the English explorer, once recorded a thriving Native American community, Moysonec, in 1607. The dig was funded by a state grant and a donation from the landowner.
Staff photo
In October 1975, boys and girls lined up at Town and Country Cotillion in Richmond’s West End to learn dance steps from instructor James Lowell. The program, which taught popular and traditional dances such as the waltz, tango, jitterbug and twist, was open to middle and high school students. Town and Country, which had 500 youths across four groups, was among a handful of cotillions in the Richmond area at the time.
Staff photo
This July 1975 image shows the view along Main Street in downtown Richmond from the intersection with Fifth Street.
Staff photo
In September 1975, chef Toro Chou (right) was joined by husband Hsin Chou in preparing a meal at Hugo’s Rotisserie at the Hyatt House in Richmond. Toro, nicknamed “Mama Chou,” was a standout in the kitchen, according to executive chef Tony Dawson. “Mama Chou” and Hsin mainly worked on banquet preparations, but on Wednesdays, they prepared Asian dishes for the restaurant’s international menu.
Staff photo
In August 1975, Larry Rast directed a group piano class at the University of Richmond. Rast, who was director of the music education department at Northern Illinois University, was in Richmond to share group instructional techniques with teachers from elementary to college levels. The session drew teachers from as far away as Colorado and Michigan and was sponsored by UR’s music department and the Wurlitzer Co.
Staff photo
In July 1975, children sat around the small Statue of Liberty in Chimborazo Park in Richmond. In the early 1950s, the Boy Scouts of America erected about 200 mini-versions of the Statue of Liberty around the country as part of the organization’s 40th anniversary. The 8½-foot tall, 290-pound copper statues were made in Chicago by Friedley-Voshardt Co. The Richmond statue was erected on Feb. 11, 1951, and rose nearly 17 feet, including the base. The project’s total cost was about $1,000.
Staff photo
In March 1975, Regency Square mall was under construction in western Henrico County. At left, the building closest to completion was the Thalhimers department store; other initial anchors included Miller & Rhoads, JC Penney and Sears. The 800,000-square-foot complex was to be the largest shopping center in the area; it opened in October of that year.
Staff photo
In June 1975, southbound traffic on Interstate 95 backed up past Main Street Station as smoke billowed from a fire at Little Oil Co. in South Richmond. Two tanks holding a combined 850,000 gallons of fuel exploded at the business on Commerce Road. Fire officials believed that the ignition of an employee’s car sparked the blaze, though the oil company speculated that a lightning strike was to blame. The fire took 19 hours to extinguish.
Staff photo
In September 1975, Lola Conklin, who called herself the “original bearded lady,” celebrated her 67th birthday while appearing at State Fair of Virginia in Richmond. Conklin, who lived in Fort Myers, Fla., was part of Deggeler Amusement Co.’s midway attractions. She had been in show business for 56 years, including eight with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Staff photo
In April 1974, the Lion Country Safari opened as the first part of the Kings Dominion amusement complex near Doswell. The next year, the park installed a monorail that guests used instead of driving their cars among the several hundred animals, which included lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes and other jungle dwellers. Here, the first visitors paid their admission fee. From left are driver Ken Lion, Lora Becraft and Larry and Mary Tropea.
Masaaki Okada
In April 1974, the Lion Country Safari drive-thru animal park at Kings Dominion in Doswell was ready to open, featuring several hundred animals – antelope, elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes and more. The Eiffel Tower at the amusement park, which would open the following year, is in the background.
P.A. Gormus Jr
This December 1974 image shows stationary bicycles, once part of the original equipment at the Mosque (now the Altria Theater) and still in the gymnasium that was then being used by Richmond police. The Shriners fraternal organization built the Moorish Revival theater, with its distinctive minarets, in the 1920s.
Bob Brown
8/17/2015: In September 1974, the 392nd Army Band of Fort Lee performed at the dedication of two new parks in the Fan District in Richmond. Paradise Park (pictured, between the 1700 blocks of Floyd and Grove avenues) and Scuffletown Park (between the 2300 blocks of Park and Stuart avenues) were built with money from the U.S. Interior Department.
Don Pennell
In March 1974 at the state Capitol, Virginia first lady Katherine Godwin (second front right) unveiled a painting of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. The work, by Jack Clifton of Hampton (front), was presented by the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution; it commissioned the painting in cooperation with the Virginia Independence Bicentennial Commission. Assisting Godwin with the unveiling were state Sen. Edward E. Willey Sr. of Richmond and DAR official Mrs. John S. Biscoe.
Bob Brown
In December 1974, young members of Temple B’nai Shalom lighted candles on the menorah in celebration of Hanukkah. The synagogue, which was on Three Chopt Road in Henrico County, later merged with Temple Beth-El in Richmond.
Carl Lynn
In October 1974, J.G. Adams, the Southern regional distributor manager for Litton Microwave Ranges, demonstrated microwave cooking and touted its benefits during a program at the Miller & Rhoads department store in downtown Richmond. He prepared several dishes – and assured people with shielded heart pacemakers that microwaves posed no danger.
Masaaki Okada
In April 1974, pharmacy soda fountains were continuing to disappear. Locally, the Lafayette Westwood Pharmacy on Patterson Avenue and the Sunset Hills Pharmacy on Three Chopt Road had recently removed their fountains, which was happening with greater frequency nationwide, too. Pharmacists said the fountains were expensive to operate and difficult to staff, and that they were no longer as necessary for bringing in traffic.
Staff photo
This February 1974 image shows Thieves Market, an antiques store in Alexandria whose evocative exterior – featuring ironwork, statuary and more – hinted at its wide-ranging offerings inside. At the time, the proprietors estimated that $5 million to $10 million worth of merchandise passed through the market annually. The business later moved to Northern Virginia’s McLean area.
Staff photo
In April 1974, several hundred University of Richmond students protested the school’s dorm visitation policy, which forbade visitors of the opposite sex in student rooms on weeknights. The protestors, who wanted unrestricted visitation, marched to the women’s dorms at Westhampton College during the evening, and then female participants visited the male dorms.
Staff photo
In August 1974, Foreman Field at Old Dominion University in Norfolk was packed with about 33,000 music fans for a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young concert. The popular band had split in 1970 but reunited for a summer tour in 1974 that hit large arenas and outdoor stadiums. The “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan adorns the front of the stage, and the concert opened with the Stephen Stills-penned hit “Love the One You’re With.”
Times-Dispatch
In July 1974, a boy fished at an old dam on the property of the Lakeside Country Club in Henrico County. The deteriorating dam concerned county officials; club members said the repair estimate of about $109,000 exceeded their budget.
Staff photo
In April 1974, an impromptu jam session broke out at Byrd Park in Richmond — which became a gathering spot for music fans after Cherry Blossom Music Festival at City Stadium ended early. The day before, a drug arrest in the stands touched off violence between police and festival-goers, which scuttled the festival’s second day.
Staff photo
In April 1974, burning cars and debris marked a riot that broke out during the Cherry Blossom Music Festival at City Stadium in Richmond. The two-day event ended a day early after a drug arrest in the stands led to violence between police and festival-goers. An estimated 14,000 showed up for the first day of the festival.
Staff photo
In August 1974, Richmond-area students learned computer skills at the Mathematics and Science Center in Henrico County. Teletype terminals were going to be in place in 22 area middle and high schools at the beginning of the upcoming school year, and students could dial in to a Hewlett-Packard 2000F computer to work on math activities and other subjects.
Staff photo
In September 1974, patrons at the Virginia State Fair took in the view from the sky glider ride on the midway. Attendance at the 10-day event at the fairgrounds in Henrico County approached 475,000 that year.
Staff photo
In September 1973, fireworks illuminated the sky at the Southside Virginia Fair in Petersburg, which was the state’s second-largest fair. The 65th annual fair attracted more than 162,000 visitors. But in 1977, officials announced that the fair would cease operations after experiencing drops in attendance, livestock exhibitors and revenue.
James Ezzell
In December 1973, a man and his dog walked in snow-covered Jefferson Park in the Union Hill neighborhood of Richmond near Church Hill.
Time-Dispatch
In January 1973, Regina Randal (left) and Marsha English processed wire service copy that had been marked up by editors in The Times-Dispatch newsroom.
P.A.Gormus, Jr.
In January 1973, a young customer explored the offerings at the Carter’s Dry Goods and Notions store on Oregon Hill in Richmond. An accompanying article said the store’s biggest attraction was the penny candy counter – and some of the busiest times were after school, when children streamed in the after getting off the bus.
Don Pennell
On Christmas Eve 1973, 4-year-old Greg Murphey (front) and 6-year-old brother Scott slept by the fire at their Richmond home – hoping that Santa Claus would make some noise during his visit so that they could catch him at work, filling their stockings and leaving presents under the tree.
Bill Lane
In April 1973, the annual dredging of the James River channel in Richmond was under way. The previous year’s flooding had deposited a great amount of silt, so Atkerson Dredging Co. would be busy. The project, which usually took a week, was expected to require more than a month.
Staff photo
This December 1973 photo shows the front counter in Roaring Twenties, a new restaurant and nightclub on state Route 10 in the Hopewell area. It was designed to resemble a 1920s speakeasy, with features including an antique cash register, a diving girl and even a dining table from Al Capone’s Florida home.
Bob Brown
This February 1973 photo shows the home of the Irving family near Farmville. During a roof repainting project several years earlier, the family got creative, adding floral designs that in once case reached 10 feet in diameter. One offshoot: Every year, some new Hampden-Sydney College students would come by thinking the home was a counterculture haven.
John Clement
In October 1974, employees at the Philip Morris USA manufacturing center in South Richmond took a break in the new employee lounge that overlooked the production floor. The factory opened in 1973 and could produce up to 200 million cigarettes per day at the time.
Bill Lane
In November 1951, a dachshund float towered above spectators lining the curb during the Thalhimers Toy Parade in downtown Richmond. The parade was first held in 1929 and, after a pause during World War II, resumed in 1946. Thalhimers department store employees worked for months to build floats, design routes and prepare costumes. The parade was cancelled in 1973 as in-store activities took greater prominence.
Staff photo
In April 1977, the Ezibu Muntu dancers performed at Shafer Court at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond as part of the annual Spring Fling celebration weekend. The dance group, which started in 1973 with a donation from VCU, aims to preserve African culture and history in Richmond.
Staff photo
In March 1973, a rider and her horse practiced for the Loretta Lynn Longhorn World Championship Rodeo. The competition, which brought 100 riders and 175 animals to Richmond from all over the country, was held at the Coliseum. Riders competed for about $12,000 in prize money and championship points in the International Rodeo Association.
P.A.Gormus, Jr.
In September 1973, two Richmond women modeled fashions they had created from their own recycled blue jeans.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND
In December 1973, Richmond police bicycle patrolman William W. Fuller Jr. stopped for a downtown chat with policeman Glen A. Brinson of the mounted unit.
Staff photo
In November 1973, a new park in Richmond’s Fan District featured sculpted concrete forms, a large shuffleboard area and several open play areas. A combination of city and federal dollars funded the nearly $150,000 park, as well as a second one being developed in the area. Carlton Abbott, an architect from Williamsburg, designed the parks.
Staff photo
In March 1973, Panda and her two pups posed with her work of art: a gnawed bone shaped like a dinosaur. A day after the Pekingese had given birth to five puppies, she brought the bone to her Henrico County owners, who were astounded by the “sculpture.” The owners planned to mount the work on a plaque and hang it on their wall as “Panda’s Masterpiece.”
Staff photo
In June 1973, Richmond Braves baseball player Rod Gilbreath signed an autograph for Patricia Bowen, with fellow patient Cynthia McKay nearby, at the Crippled Children’s Hospital on Brook Road in Richmond. The hospital, with roots dating to 1917, is a predecessor of today’s Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Gilbreath played for the Atlanta Braves for several seasons in the 1970s and had a long career in other roles with the organization.
Staff photo
In December 1973, Al J. Schalow Jr. showed 3-year-old son John an in-progress creation. Schalow had been saving wood from his Christmas trees for several years and carving projects that could take up to a year.
Staff photo
In July 1973, exterminator Linda Summerlin sprayed pest control in a customer’s basement. Summerlin, 24, said she chose her job with the Orkin Co. as an alternative to office work. One of few women in the field, she made about a dozen service calls daily, crawling into basements and attics to combat rats and roaches.
Staff photo
On Oct. 23, 1971, Sidney Poitier (left) and Bill Cosby entered the Loew's Theater for a benefit to raise money to rebuild Virginia Union University's Coburn Chapel, which burned in 1970. More than 1,700 people paid $20 apiece to see a Poitier movie and enjoy a Cosby comedy routine. The event coincided with VUU's homecoming, which Poitier also attended.
Staff
This December 1971 photo shows the old Memorial Guidance Clinic in Highland Park in Richmond. The youth psychiatric facility, one of 10 original child guidance clinics in the United States, was formed in 1924 to help families who could not afford care. In 1971 it suspended operations because of staffing problems, then reopened in 1972 on Church Hill with a new focus on outreach. The organization is known today as ChildSavers.
Bob Brown
In May 1971, Duke Ellington appeared at City Stadium as part of an event headlined by Bob Hope and sponsored by Nolde’s Bread. Ellington wore the cowboy hat to shade him from the sun. The event attracted a crowd of about 10,000. (Tickets cost $2 plus four blue Nolde bags, or $4 and buyers received coupons redeemable for four bags of Nolde bread.)
Amir Pishdad
In February 1971, a Times-Dispatch article highlighted the evolving fashion standards in local schools. Conrad Dandridge, metal shop teacher at Armstrong High School, showed off a sporty look, though teachers increasingly were beginning to dress less formally, with women in pantsuits and men in sweaters and slacks – attire that students themselves were wearing.
Sterling A. Clarke
This June 1971 image shows the Highland Park Public School building in Richmond. At the time, there was debate because many of Richmond’s school buildings were old, and their designs were hampering new methods of teaching. Highland Park, built in 1909, accommodated students through the end of 1977. The Mediterranean Revival building, designed by Charles Robinson, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, just as it was being converted into a senior apartment complex. It stands empty today.
Bobby Jones
In January 1971, Richmond native and tennis star Arthur Ashe conducted a clinic at the Valentine Museum in Richmond. The event was sponsored by the museum’s Junior Center and drew 675 youngsters and adults. Ashe, who had just returned from a trip to Africa, answered questions and demonstrated principles of the game.
Mike O'Neil
In August 1971, Allison Bell (left) and Pat Umlauf participated in ceremonies in Richmond unveiling the Seaboard Coast Line’s new locomotive. The Spirit of '76 was set to travel throughout the nation to remind people of America’s upcoming bicentennial celebration.
Sterling Clarke
In August 1971, a young Richmonder looked over the city’s bicycle laws. That summer, the juvenile division of the Richmond Bureau of Police held a drive at 35 city schools to promote bicycle registration, which aimed to protect owners from theft, accidents or loss.
Michael O'Neil
In April 1971, Ernest Edmund of Bremo Bluff in Fluvanna County headed home after a long day of plowing. His dog accompanied him on the journey home down state Route 15.
Staff photo
In October 1971, Brenda Faye Childress, the reigning Queen of Tobaccoland, waved from her float during the National Tobacco Festival parade in Richmond. The festival, which ran in Richmond from 1949 to 1984, was a top event in the city during its run and included an array of activities, including dinners, balls, beauty contests, football games and a parade. The queen was selected from a group of crowned tobacco princesses who arrived in Richmond from all over the East Coast.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
In September 1971, the Country Ramblers from Nelson County warmed up for their performance at the first Bluegrass Grove Festival. The three-day event was held at Roy McCraw’s Bluegrass Grove farm in Amelia County and featured bluegrass and folk bands from around the Mid-Atlantic. Other Virginia acts included the Blue Mountain Boys, the Roanoke Valley Boys and the Dixie Hillbillies.
Bob Brown
In January 1973, John and Debbie Nelson were in their junior year at the Petersburg General Hospital School of Nursing. The two decided independently to become nurses, and their paths crossed in 1971 when they were students at Norfolk General Hospital. By October 1972, they were married and transferred to Petersburg General.
P.A.Gormus, Jr.
In August 1971, members of Camp Willow Run gathered outside their dormitories, which were former train boxcars. The railroad-themed camp, on a peninsula on Lake Gaston in Littleton, N.C., is still run by Youth Camps for Christ Inc. The “depot,” or dining hall, which was modeled after an 1890 train depot and was built from plans furnished by the Southern Railway Co., was the focal point of activities.
James L. Ezzell
This November 1971 image shows a monument in eastern Henrico County that commemorated the “calamitous year 1771” flood in Richmond. On another side, the monument included an inscription from Ryland Randolph citing 1772 and memorializing his parents.
Bill Lane
This March 1971 image shows the Richmond Dairy Co. building on Marshall Street in Jackson Ward in Richmond. Equipment was being auctioned in the four-story building after the company stopped operating in 1970. Dairymen J.O. Scott, A.L. Scott and T.L. Blanton started the company in 1890, and the 1914 building was designed by the architecture firm Carneal & Johnston. Today the building contains rental apartments.
Bill Lane
In July 1971, Brown & Williamson Tobacco worker Clarence Dennis picketed outside the company’s warehouse in Petersburg. About 400 machinists were in their fourth week of picketing while wage and benefit negotiations continued at the firm’s headquarters in Louisville, KY.
Staff photo
In May 1971, Myrtle Palmer (right) taught an exercise class at the Richmond YWCA. Organized in the 1880s, the local chapter of the Y is the oldest in the South.
Carl Lynn
In April 1971, Newton Ancarrow paused during a trek through Richmond’s new James River Park to examine a blossoming wildflower. Ancarrow, a crusader for cleaning the river, had started studying and photographing wildflowers five years earlier, seeing them as a tool to tell the story of pollution’s threat to the James. Passion and hobby intersected, and he had made more than 35,000 color slides of local wildflowers.
Staff photo
In March 1971, a crowd estimated at several hundred waited outside City Council chambers at City Hall in downtown Richmond. Residents of the recently annexed Broad Rock area were protesting the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s proposal for low-rent public housing in the area.
Staff photo
In May 1971, Mrs. Henry Heatwole (left) and Agnes Crandall served the National Park Service at Big Meadows, part of Shenandoah National Park. The previous year, the service instituted a program allowing use of volunteers for interpretive and other services. Heatwole had established a library at the park; Crandall, also an experienced volunteer, had recently become a paid employee.
Times-Dispatch
In November 1971, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Peterson of Dinwiddie County welcomed quadruplets at Petersburg General Hospital. The babies, two girls and two boys, were reportedly the first quadruplets born in the state since 1966. At middle are Dr. Charles Moseley and nurse Edna Palmer.
staff photo
In May 1971, Henrico County received 130 voting machines to be used in the next election. The machines were the first ever in Henrico, and county authorities planned an extensive program to educate voters on using them. Pulling a handle would close the booth’s curtains, and voters set levers for their preferred candidates before using the handle again to record the votes and open the curtains.
Staff photo
In November 1971, Richmond precinct worker Walter E. Lewis (left) explained how to use a voting machine to Raymond L. Redd.
Bill Lane
In May 1971, Frances Peyton, a clerk at the postal station at 10th and Main streets in Richmond, demonstrated the new self-service unit for postal official Frank Saller. The machine sold stamps and envelopes, as well as made change. It was the fifth self-service unit in the metro area – smaller machines were in place at the Willow Lawn and Southside Plaza shopping centers, as well as the main post office and Saunders postal station.
Staff photo
In December 1971, “Mother” Maybelle Carter (from left) performed at the Richmond Coliseum with daughters Anita and Helen as part of a Johnny Cash concert (he was married to Carter sister June). Maybelle played autoharp, banjo and guitar, and her two-finger picking became a signature style. The famous musical family was from Southwest Virginia but lived in Richmond for several years in the 1940s.
Staff photo
In November 1971, Barbara Smith warmed up with a cup of hot coffee on her way to work on a cold day in downtown Richmond.
Staff photo
In October 1971, Marvin Cephas delivered bills to Virginia Electric and Power Co. customers in Richmond’s West End. As postal rates rose, Vepco introduced its own bill delivery service for about 90,000 local customers in densely populated areas – it said the cost was less than a nickel per bill, compared with a postal cost of 8 cents.
Staff photo
In February 1971, James Herbert Bryant (left) and Paul Jackson assessed construction on their new McDonald’s restaurant on Mechanicsville Turnpike in East Richmond. The city natives started Bryant-Jackson Corp. and invested about $300,000 to build the restaurant.
Staff photo
In May 1971, as Amtrak consolidated passenger rail service in America, E.M.C. Quincy (left) of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce presented a gift of Richmond tobacco products and a record about Virginia to Amtrak’s Teresa Cunningham at Main Street Station in downtown Richmond. A number of Virginia mayors, including Richard Farrier of Staunton (center), attended the ceremony, which welcomed Amtrak service on the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway line from Newport News to Cincinnati.
Staff photo
In March 1971, Phillip Patterson (left) and John Lane of Richmond operated the first African-American-owned franchise of Chic A Sea in Petersburg. The carry-out food service, which specialized in fried chicken and seafood, was a subsidiary of Carmine Foods Inc. of Richmond. Chic A Sea had about two dozen restaurants in Virginia and North Carolina at the time.
Staff photo
In November 1971, Noah G. Teates Sr. (left) and son Grove operated a machine outside the family’s Hanover County home. The father and son, with the help of a friend, built the machine to process leaves into compost. Grove hoped to convince localities to use their machines on a larger scale each autumn, and Montgomery County in Maryland became a client.
Staff photo
The December 1971 image shows the Virginia Commonwealth University Business building under construction. The five-story building had 146, 344 square feet of space and cost $3.8 million to construct.
Staff photo
In December 1971, truck drivers Brenda D. Howell (from left), Sue Frye and Marion Brennan stood at a highway construction site where they worked in Gloucester County. The three women had worked as waitresses, secretaries, factory workers and department store clerks, but none of those jobs, they said, was as satisfying as driving a truck. The project they were working on at the time was an expansion of U.S. Route 17.
Staff photo
In August 1971, renovation of the Dooley mansion at Maymont in Richmond included these swan beds, which once belonged to Sallie May Dooley. After her death in 1925, Maymont belonged to the city, and the estate was well-maintained for a period. But during and after World War II, a decline began, and it wasn’t until the 1970s that significant restoration occurred under the guidance of the Maymont Foundation.
Staff photo
In September 1971, Errett Callahan examined a piece of stone ahead of an experimental archaeology class that he was teaching in the Evening College of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The course challenged students to use crude implements or primitive tools to learn how to build shelter and make rope, fire, pottery and weaving like early humans. Callahan was a graduate student in VCU’s art department.
Staff photo
With the superstructure for the roof of Richmond's coliseum inb place, workmen are busy putting the roofing on the massive structure. August 4, 1970.
JOE COLOGNORI
Oct. 15, 1970 (Staff Photo) James River
This September 1970 image shows players who vied for roster spots on the Virginia Squires (from left): Larry Brown, Charlie Scott, Henry Logan, Roland “Fatty” Taylor and Mike Barrett. Brown later won an NBA title as coach of the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons.
1970, Times-Dispatch
In June 1970, this Seaboard Coast Line Railroad station at Commerce Street in Petersburg was closed. Three years earlier, the Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic Coast Line railroads merged, and passenger traffic from the Commerce Street location was being consolidated into what had been Atlantic Coast’s North Petersburg station in Ettrick. A dozen trains served the city daily at the time.
RTD Staff
This February 1970 image shows a stone house in Petersburg, located between High and Plum streets, that was believed to have been built before 1755, when the surrounding property was purchased by Edward Stabler. The resident in 1970 was Mary B. Scott, who was born in the house more than 80 years earlier. Her father, Alexander Brown, bought the property in the mid-1800s.
RTD Staff
In September 1970, children enjoyed a ride on a roller coaster at the 62nd annual Southside Virginia Fair. Attendance at the weeklong event was running ahead of 1969's record 160,000. But in 1977, officials announced that the Petersburg-based fair, Virginia’s second-largest, would cease operations after experiencing drops in attendance, livestock exhibitors and revenue.
James Ezzell
In January 1970, five straight days of below-freezing temperatures froze the lake at Byrd Park in Richmond and brought out the ice skaters.
Masaaki Okada
A black student peered out of a Richmond Public Schools bus on a rainy morning in August 1970 as cross-town busing began in the city. Amid controversy, about 13,000 RPS students were bused to different schools under a federal court order to help achieve integration.
BOB BROWN/TIMES-DISPATCH
This June 1970 image shows Bob Powell at his keyboard, high in the grandstand at Parker Field in Richmond. Powell was the organist for the Richmond Braves baseball team from 1964 to 1971. He made special efforts to get to know all the players and come up with a special melody to suit them.
Bill Lane
This May 1970 image shows the John F. Kennedy High School rifle team marching on East Grace Street in Richmond. Kennedy merged with Armstrong High in 2004, keeping the Armstrong name.
Mike O'Neil
This September 1970 image shows the midway at the 62nd annual Southside Virginia Fair. Attendance at the weeklong event was running ahead of 1969’s record 160,000. But in 1977, officials announced that the Petersburg-based fair, Virginia’s second-largest, would cease operations after experiencing drops in attendance, livestock exhibitors and revenue.
James Ezzell
In January 1970, two senior members of the state Senate – Dr. J.D. Hagood of Halifax County (left) and M.M. Long of Wise County – greeted Richmond’s L. Douglas Wilder, the chamber’s newest member. Wilder, the first African-American in the Senate, had won a special election the month before to succeed J. Sargeant Reynolds, who was soon to be sworn in as lieutenant governor. Wilder later became the nation’s first African-American elected governor.
Amir Pishdad
8/19/2015: In November 1970, the Thalhimers Toy Parade made its way through Richmond’s streets – this view is along Broad Street at Belvidere Street. The event featured floats, high school marching bands and drill teams, clowns and other entertainment.
P.A. Gormus, Jr.
In May 1970, pro golfer Arnold Palmer came to town to team with Richmonder Herb Hooper in an exhibition sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of West Richmond. Palmer shot a 2-over 74 during his two trips around the Country Club of Virginia’s new nine holes on the James River course. Richmonder Lanny Wadkins and Steve Melnyk also played.
Carl Lynn | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ex-chesterfield-detective-charged-with-malfeasance-in-office-after-altering-7-search-warrants/article_0f8f86e9-12b4-570f-a05c-9c2047310744.html | 2022-09-01T14:46:54 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ex-chesterfield-detective-charged-with-malfeasance-in-office-after-altering-7-search-warrants/article_0f8f86e9-12b4-570f-a05c-9c2047310744.html |
August ties for hottest on record in Providence
August of 2022, with an average temperature of 77 degrees, tied for the hottest August on record for Providence, according to records kept by the National Weather Service.
August of 2018 also had an average temperature of 77 degrees.
The temperature for Providence is actually recorded at the Weather Service's station at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick. The full records go back to 1905.
The temperature reached 90 degrees or higher eight days in August, including a six-day heat wave from Aug. 4 to 9. The hottest day was Aug. 9 when the temperature reached 98 degrees. The normal average for August is 73 degrees.
2022 heat wave:Finally ending, the second heat wave of 2022 has taken a toll in Rhode Island
August followed the fourth-hottest July on record, with an average temperature of 77.2 degrees. July also had eight days with a temperature of 90 or higher. It's highest temperature was also 98 degrees, on July 24. It had a six-day heat wave from July 19 to July 24. The normal average for July is 74.4.
How hot is it?: Providence's treeless neighborhoods magnify summer heat
Summer started with closer to normal temperatures. June had an average temperature of 68.4 degrees, slightly above the 68.2 normal, and the 36th-warmest.
Meteorological summer runs from June 1 to Aug. 31.
More news:ACLU raises concerns about 'vulnerable' prison population in oppressive heat waves
jperry@providencejournal.com
(401) 277-7614
On Twitter: @jgregoryperry
Be the first to know. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/providence-ri-august-2022-tied-hottest-on-record/7958151001/ | 2022-09-01T14:51:22 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/09/01/providence-ri-august-2022-tied-hottest-on-record/7958151001/ |
Police recovered another limb believed to be linked to the person whose severed leg turned up on a sewage conveyor belt at a Bronx wastewater treatment plant a day ago, though who the body parts belong to remain a mystery as of Thursday, according to authorities and law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the case.
Law enforcement sources said only that another leg was found overnight. It was found at the same Hunts Point facility where the initial discovery was made Wednesday, but further details on the nature of the second find weren't immediately shared.
The treatment plant cleans more than 200 million gallons of wastewater from more than 700,000 homes a year, according to the Department of Environmental Protection website. The process involves monitoring conveyor belts for trash, and it was during that process that a city worker found the first leg Wednesday. It had been severed below the knee.
A city worker monitoring the conveyor belt for trash found the first leg, which had been severed below the knee. Law enforcement sources say the leg looked like it could have belonged to a child, but the medical examiner's report has yet to be completed.
The investigation is ongoing. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/more-remains-found-after-possible-childs-leg-turns-up-at-nyc-sewage-plant-cops/3847668/ | 2022-09-01T14:54:09 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/more-remains-found-after-possible-childs-leg-turns-up-at-nyc-sewage-plant-cops/3847668/ |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Heise 10,726 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 2,749 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 8,798 cfs
Snake River at Milner 0 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 213 cfs
Jackson Lake is 30% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 31% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 7% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 24% of capacity.
As of August 31. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_c0fc9466-2948-11ed-8bea-871feda2aefd.html | 2022-09-01T14:55:23 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_c0fc9466-2948-11ed-8bea-871feda2aefd.html |
As he was whipping votes in anticipation of Thursday’s special legislative session, Gov. Brad Little needed Democrats to put him over the top.
According to his own count released last week, Little had all the Republican support he needed in the state Senate. But in the House, Little’s roster included 30 Republicans and seven Democrats — leaving him a bare majority and one vote to spare.
That gave Democrats leverage. Too bad they sold their votes so cheaply.
Let’s be clear: Little’s agenda is more Wall Street than Main Street. He wants to block Reclaim Idaho’s Quality Education Act with its higher taxes on wealthy wage earners and a rollback of corporate income tax breaks. His package not only repeals those higher taxes but reduces a corporate rate that earlier this year had already dropped from 6.5% to 6% to a new low of 5.8%. It further imposes a flat tax rate — that means the Simplots will pay the same rate as the Joneses.
People are also reading…
It’s worth about $161 million in ongoing tax savings.
To sweeten the pot, Little would increase school spending by $410 million. And while that’s more than the $323.5 million Reclaim Idaho sought, it’s probably about what schools could expect had the 2023 Legislature topped the initiative with a modest boost in state support.
Rounding it out is a $500 million one-time tax rebate worth at least $300 to each individual.
Democrats should have anticipated this. After all, center-right House Republicans frequently have been relying on the 12 Democrats in that chamber to overcome opposition from the far-right caucus. Democratic votes delivered passage of the college and university budget, the attorney general’s budget and the budget for the Idaho Commission on the Arts. When Democrats withheld their support, the Idaho Commission for Libraries budget faltered.
So it’s not surprising Little sought their help — at least for some breathing room. When the call came, the price, says Democratic Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking of Boise, was a more generous income tax rebate program.
But how much better off would ordinary Idahoans be today had the Democrats played hardball?
Assume the Democratic caucus agreed to support Little’s bill only after the Legislature restored the full protection homeowners enjoyed under the Homestead Exemption. The GOP stopped indexing it for inflation six years ago. As a result, a tax break meant to shield half of a modest residence’s value from taxation falls short for more than two-thirds of Idaho homeowners. The tax burden on them has risen to 71% in the last 10 years while the hit on commercial and industrial property has dropped.
Given that corporate Idaho has enjoyed one income tax break after another — and will avoid even the threat of a tax increase in the future — could it not agree to once again pay its fair share of the property taxes?
How about insisting that the state resume its Property Tax Reduction Program, otherwise known as the circuit breaker? To save money, GOP lawmakers have disqualified an estimated 1,000 low-income seniors and disabled homeowners — whose only alternative is to accept deferred taxation and a lien on their property.
A few years ago, county assessors estimated adequate coverage for everybody who qualified for the help would cost another $8 million on top of the program’s budget of about $18 million. Surely a state with a $2 billion surplus can afford to enable some of these people to remain independent in their own homes.
Don’t like that idea?
How about redeeming the pledge GOP governors and legislators made almost 16 years ago by lifting Idaho’s 6% sales tax on food?
When the price of a dozen eggs doubled to $2.94, the sales tax on that purchase doubled as well. Little ostensibly called this special session to remedy the effects of high inflation. Why not start here?
And if you want to address both the rising cost of living and how it is undermining the state’s workforce, how about passing a child care tax credit for working families?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic crushed the business model of many child care centers, Idaho had space for only 55,850 of the 74,670 children who needed it. Since then, the high cost of child care has forced many parents to remain at home.
“If we want to get the participation rate up, (day care) is something we’re going to have to address,” Little said almost a year ago.
Given their record, nobody expects Republicans to look out for homeowners, modest-income Idahoans and working families.
Maybe it’s not too late for Democrats to make their own constituents the focus of this special session — instead of an afterthought. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/idaho-view-democrats-traded-their-votes-too-cheaply/article_1373c984-297c-11ed-b602-0fc86357b820.html | 2022-09-01T14:55:29 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/idaho-view-democrats-traded-their-votes-too-cheaply/article_1373c984-297c-11ed-b602-0fc86357b820.html |
PAXTON — The Illinois State Police have apprehended a 27-year-old man involved in a two-vehicle collision in Ford County on Tuesday.
According to an ISP news release, state troopers responded to a motor vehicle crash at 4:19 p.m. on Interstate 57 at mile post 261.
An investigation determined that a silver Honda Accord was heading northbound when it changed lanes and struck the rear passenger side of a semi-trailer.
The impact cased the vehicle to go through the median and into the southbound lanes. The vehicle traveled another two miles before striking a barrier at mile post 259.
Troopers determined that the passenger of the vehicle, 27-year-old Sergio Huerta of Huntsville, Texas, ran away from the scene heading west before police arrived. Prior to the crash, Huerta allegedly struck the adult female driver during an argument, which caused her to lose control of the vehicle.
The driver and two female juvenile passengers were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with additional information on the collision should contact ISP at 815-698-2315 or Crime Stoppers at 815-932-7463.
Photos: Emergency crews train on air disaster readiness at Bloomington airport
Heartland Community College students visited Sunnyside Community Garden in west Bloomington on Wednesday to learn more about the urban local food effort. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/illinois-state-police-locate-suspect-involved-in-i-57-crash/article_ba3591f6-296a-11ed-9786-db8b3fba6e61.html | 2022-09-01T14:57:40 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/illinois-state-police-locate-suspect-involved-in-i-57-crash/article_ba3591f6-296a-11ed-9786-db8b3fba6e61.html |
MINNEAPOLIS — For four months, they've been waiting.
In one hospital room: Maddy Fleischacker, age 6, from Buffalo, Minnesota.
In another room: Rinken Braun, 21-month-old, from Brookings, South Dakota.
Separating the girls are four years and a few hundred feet. Yet, daily, Maddy and Rinken are joined by hearts.
“They're just inseparable,” Emily Johnson, Rinken’s mother says.
In April, both girls arrived at Children’s Minnesota as strangers. Rinken’s heart defect had been detected before she was born. Maddy’s was only discovered in January. To survive long-term, both need heart transplants.
So, they wait. And they play.
If Rinken is on a riding toy, Maddy will be pushing it. If Maddy is guest-hosting the hospital’s in-house TV show, Rinken will be at her side.
And if Maddy is drawing a picture, there’s never a doubt who the recipient will be.
“Rinken,” Maddy says, looking up from her crayons.
Rinken calls Maddy, "Mae Mae." She may as well call her "sister."
“I think it was at that level the day they met,” Rinken’s mother says.
Both girls require around-the-clock IVs. To leave their rooms means poles and plastic tubing comes with them.
It’s been this way for four months and will continue to be so until donor hearts can be found.
“We're waiting for a gift that is the hardest thing in the world to ask for – life,” Emily says.
Listening nearby, Miguella Fleischaker, Maddy’s mom, wipes away tears. “For another parent to have to lose their child for ours to survive is so hard,” she says. “I don't want to pray for it because I don't want someone to lose their child.”
It’s unlikely both girls will be matched with hearts at the same time.
It’s also unlikely either mom will feel a tinge of envy, should her daughter be left waiting while the other girl proceeds to a transplant.
“If they were to interrupt us right now to say Mae Mae's getting a heart, I would jump for joy,” Emily says.
Same for Miguella.
“Absolutely,” she says. “I mean, how could you not?”
The girls play in a hospital activity center. Maddy is dressed in her favorite shirt. On the front of the gray t-shirt, inside a red heart, are the words, “Rinken Strong.”
“It means I love her a lot,” Maddy says.
The girls wait, but seldom have a bad day.
Why would they, when their best friend is just an IV line away?
UPDATE: On the morning of Aug. 15, Maddy successfully underwent heart transplant surgery after a donor heart became available. Two weeks later, Rinken received her donor heart as well.
According to LifeSource, more than 3,000 people locally remain on the transplant waiting list. For more information on becoming an organ donor, click here.
Boyd Huppert is always looking for great stories to share in the Land of 10,000 Stories! Send us your suggestions by filling out this form.
Watch more from the Land of 10,000 Stories:
Watch the latest videos from the Land of 10,000 Stories in our YouTube playlist and subscribe to the Land of 10,000 Stories Complete Collection on YouTube. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/two-girls-form-sister-bond-while-waiting-months-in-hospital-for-hearts/89-2a073862-8f08-491a-83a6-f98f93ca014d | 2022-09-01T15:04:36 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/two-girls-form-sister-bond-while-waiting-months-in-hospital-for-hearts/89-2a073862-8f08-491a-83a6-f98f93ca014d |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
NEW BRAUNFELS — Fewer than 10 percent of divorces end up going to trial, but one of the splashiest cases ever to unfold in the San Antonio area appears headed down that path.
Rackspace co-founder and one-time billionaire Graham Weston, 58, and his wife of more than a quarter-century, Elizabeth Weston, 61, are slated to end their union in a New Braunfels courtroom in less than three weeks.
The oft-delayed trial had been shaping up to be quite the spectacle, a six-week affair complete with testimony from psychologists, psychiatrists, sex-addiction and domestic violence experts, as well as financial and computer forensic specialists, handwriting analysts and professionals specializing in art and collectibles.
But it all may be anticlimactic after state District Judge Dib Waldrip last month granted a request to strike the testimony of 10 of Elizabeth Weston’s expert witnesses. She failed to produce them for depositions or provide their reports to her estranged husband’s lawyers.
Graham Weston’s legal team now believes the trial will last no more than a few days.
That’s also due, in part, to Elizabeth Weston not having legal representation. A group of attorneys that had been representing her withdrew from the case en masse at the end of June. They blamed communication issues with their client and her failure to pay legal fees among their reasons for wanting out.
“I want an attorney, but I do not have an attorney, as yet,” she told the judge at a court hearing Friday. She has said she has no money to hire counsel.
She has repeatedly stated she doesn’t want to proceed without counsel and that she is not representing herself. She has addressed the judge during hearings from the courtroom gallery where the public sits rather than from one of the attorneys’ tables. It’s her way of showing she’s not acting pro se.
Multiple pretrial hearings have degenerated into odd episodes with Elizabeth Weston and Waldrip getting into testy exchanges. She’s called the judge “grossly biased to the other side” and demanded he recuse himself.
The judge has talked about acting in “an abundance of caution and fairness,” but has said he’s gone “way beyond what I should normally be doing to help any party.” He’s extended deadlines on multiple occasions so Elizabeth Weston and her witnesses could be deposed. But it’s all been for naught.
At the hearing Friday, Waldrip gave her one last chance to submit to questions from Graham Weston’s lawyers at a two-day deposition set for next week. If she doesn’t comply with certain requirements, she may not be allowed to testify at trial.
For his part, Graham Weston seems to be taking it all in stride.
“Welcome to the wild show,” he quipped as he headed into the courtroom last week. He’s represented by five attorneys.
Not a lot has gone Elizabeth Weston’s way since her lawyers dropped out.
“If you don’t have representation in a divorce case, and the other side has good representation, you’re going to get steamrolled a hundred percent of the time,” said Thomas Oldham, a University of Houston Law Center professor. He teaches family law and marital property rights.
The size of the marital estate and its assets haven’t been revealed in court documents but have been the subject of much debate.
While Elizabeth Weston said more than $1 billion in assets were amassed during the marriage, Graham Weston has valued the community estate at $10 million or less, her then-counsel told the judge during an early June hearing.
The Forbes billionaire
Graham and Elizabeth Weston wed on New Year’s Eve in 1994. There’s no prenuptial agreement.
Less than four years later, Graham Weston, a real estate entrepreneur, provided seed capital for what today is known as cloud-computing company Rackspace Technology Inc.
Six months after investing in Rackspace, he took the reins as CEO and went on to build it into the largest and most successful technology company ever launched in San Antonio.
Rackspace’s performance thrust him onto the pages of Forbes magazine, which ranked him on its annual billionaires list in 2013. It’s the only time he appeared in the ranking.
He remained with Rackspace until 2016, when New York private equity firm Apollo Global Management acquired it for $4.3 billion.
Since then, he has stepped up his involvement in real estate investment and development in downtown San Antonio through his company Weston Urban.
Combining properties it has already bought and planned acquisitions through a 2015 deal with the city and Frost Bank, the firm is set to own about 26 acres in the urban core.
Weston Urban’s portfolio includes office and retail buildings including the Frost Tower, Weston Centre and the Milam, Rand and Savoy buildings. More recently, the firm has focused on developing residential projects, with more than 600 apartments planned at two separate sites.
Graham Weston helped launch Geekdom, the for-profit co-working space in the Rand Building on East Houston Street, to foster startups and pair entrepreneurs with mentors.
He also has spearheaded various community endeavors. He co-founded nonprofit Community Labs to conduct coronavirus testing and has promoted entrepreneurship and education through his 80|20 Foundation. It says on its website it invests in “the 20% of the nonprofits driving 80% of the social impact.”
Elizabeth Weston has largely remained out of the public eye, though she has said in court she has exercised control over various family entities, including at least one that owns more than 200 acres in New Braunfels.
She’s managed a company that has owned horses and has been intimately involved in litigation with the city of New Braunfels over the years on behalf of a Weston partnership. The dispute centered on a contract awarded for drainage work.
She has “no outside employment or particular skills,” she wrote in an Aug. 23 filing with the court.
The couple have three adult sons, whom she home-schooled.
Ugly split
Graham Weston initiated divorce proceedings Oct. 19, 2020, to end their then-nearly 26-year marriage, but dropped the action less than 25 hours later.
A week later, Elizabeth Weston filed her petition for divorce. Both cases used the couple’s initials rather than names. Graham Weston filed a counterpetition that Dec. 23. They each used boilerplate language — “discord or conflict of personalities” — in seeking to end the marriage.
The split quickly turned ugly.
She accused him of sexually assaulting her and having several extramarital affairs with women in London — including one who may have tried to blackmail him. Other allegations are too salacious to publish in a family newspaper. He has denied her allegations, calling them “false and purely retaliatory.”
He alleged she recorded him and hired a private investigator to track him for a year and a half. At a hearing last month, one of his lawyers revealed the couple’s 2019 joint tax return is the subject of an IRS audit — an examination his side believes she triggered.
In an amended petition filed earlier this year, Elizabeth Weston said she wants a “disproportionate share” of the parties’ estate. Her reasons included: “fault in the breakup of the marriage,” the disparity of their “earning power,” and fraud by her husband. She has alleged that he diverted community assets without her knowledge — depriving her of her interest in them.
“G.M.W. utilized various methods, including, but not limited to, the guise of estate planning, formation of trusts, and the creation of various entities to effectuate his scheme, all with the intent to defraud E.W. and the community estate,” she alleged.
In addition, she said there were “innumerable business and financial opportunities” presented to Graham Weston that collectively were worth “hundreds of millions of dollars.” They represent “community opportunities” that benefited the marital estate, she said.
A Maze of entities?
At a June 2 hearing, an attorney for Elizabeth Weston said Graham Weston had created some 90 entities that invested in more than 100 other entities. And there are more entities they invested in, he added.
Dallas lawyer Lawrence Friedman wondered about the purpose of the maze of companies and partnerships allegedly created by Graham Weston.
“They (Graham Weston’s lawyers say), and I use approximately, the billion dollars that was acquired during the marriage is his, and the community estate is $10 million or less,” Friedman said. “If that’s the case, was all the structuring and the creation of all these entities necessary? Well, not for an estate of $10 million or less.”
Graham Weston’s lawyers have disputed her side’s take on the size of the marital estate.
“Judge, this reference to a 200-entity list is another fiction created by the Elizabeth Weston team, just like the multi-billion dollar (estate) fiction,” said San Antonio attorney William Ford, who represents Graham Weston.
Waldrip, the judge, perhaps best distilled the case to its essence at a May hearing.
“It clearly appears to me that this is like business litigation,” he said. “One side’s got a very high number” (in mind). One side’s got a very low number. And until the expenses whittle away at the very high number such that they cross, we’re not going to settle this case.”
Lawyers’ exit
Any possibility of that appears to have evaporated when Elizabeth Weston’s lawyers made their exit.
Seven attorneys withdrew from representing her within weeks of the June 2 hearing. Friedman and Ryan Lurich, Elizabeth Weston’s lead lawyers, cited her “persistence upon pursuing an objective that (they) consider repugnant or impudent or with which (they) have a fundamental disagreement” as reasons for wanting out.
Exactly what alienated them has not been publicly disclosed. The lawyers met with Judge Guadalupe Rivera in chambers, a meeting Ford wasn’t allowed to attend. The judge also rejected Ford’s request that a record of the proceedings be made and placed under seal in case it becomes part of an appeal.
Their withdrawals brought the number of lawyers that have come and gone from representing Elizabeth Weston to at least 29. She has spent more than $4 million in legal fees, she has said, and needs an order for interim attorneys’ fees and support.
Ford has countered that Elizabeth Weston has access to more than $3 million to pay attorneys, which she has disputed. Meanwhile, Waldrip said the one time he was presented with a motion for interim fees, it was later withdrawn by her counsel.
The pretrial hearings have devolved since her lawyers’ departure.
At a July 7 hearing, Elizabeth Weston read a five-minute statement to the judge in which she said she was “struggling to make ends meet and have a fair and even playing field in this divorce.” She also complained about not getting files in the case from her former counsel.
She stepped up her attacks at a hearing the next week.
“Judge Waldrip, I ask that you recuse yourself from hearing any more matters in my divorce case because of your bias and the now clear indication that your impartiality may be reasonably questioned,” she said.
At that hearing, she alleged Graham Weston has hidden assets abroad and in cryptocurrency. In addition, she said her phone was being “illegally monitored.”
Threatening contempt
The proceedings took an even odder turn Aug. 8, when Elizabeth Weston got up from her seat near the front of the gallery and moved to the back row during a hearing.
“Your honor, I am not able to proceed without an attorney,” she loudly said later.
“Do not raise your voice at me,” the judge said.
“I am speaking loudly into the microphone,” she answered. Then, in a hushed tone, she said, “Would you like me to speak like this? I can.”
“Ma’am, if you try to patronize this court one more time, you will be held in contempt,” Waldrip snapped. “And that will mean that you will likely go to jail and spend the night on a very thin mattress.”
Waldrip called her sitting in the back row “an affront to the court” and said it demonstrated a “lack of respect” for him.
It turned out to be a bad day for Elizabeth Weston.
The judge heard Graham Weston’s motions relating to four trusts, later ruling in his favor.
The judge determined property held in the trusts — created by Graham Weston’s ancestors before he married and that he and others have a beneficial interest in — are not marital property that can be divided by the court. In addition, the judge ruled any distributions from the trusts to Graham Weston during the marriage are his separate property.
Notably, the trusts provided seed capital to Rackspace, his lawyers have said.
One of the trusts originated in 1939 after his paternal grandfather inherited a Toronto baking business, Graham Weston said in a recent declaration.
The judge gave Elizabeth Weston the opportunity to oppose the motions — as long as she gave legal arguments.
“Your honor, you’re painting me into a corner by saying if I want to respond with a legal basis,” she said. “I don’t want it to be characterized that I’m now appearing pro se, so I cannot do that.”
Nevertheless, she said she wished to respond to the motions.
“There’s no oral testimony,” an exasperated Waldrip said. “If you have some legal issue, citation to authority, I’m more than happy to listen to it. But we’re not just going to comment and editorialize.”
She never challenged the motions.
Depositions
The judge had ordered Elizabeth Weston to answer questions from Graham Weston’s lawyers during two days of depositions on Aug. 1 and 3.
The first day lasted nine hours. Ford called the majority of it “unproductive” because she repeatedly answered questions by saying she’s not a lawyer and is not representing herself.
The second day of the depositions didn’t last long.
“In response to my first question, Ms. Weston said she would not answer any questions, got up and stormed out of the room and slammed the door,” Ford told the judge Aug. 8.
Waldrip ordered the deposition rescheduled for Aug. 22 and 23, provided Elizabeth Weston pay $12,400 in court sanctions by an Aug. 19 deadline. She didn’t pay and the depositions weren’t taken.
The Westons had a mediation with a special master set for Aug. 11 and 12, but Ford told the court Friday that it was unsuccessful.
When the two sides reconvened that day, the judge once again reset Elizabeth’s deposition — this time for Tuesday and Wednesday. She first must pay the $12,400 by noon Friday, however.
Just days earlier, she gave notice to the court in a two-page document that she planned to testify at trial on a few matters, including that “GW promised in writing to pay me $25 million.”
She submitted as proof a 2019 email that Graham Weston sent to their attorney. “I want to transfer $25m to Elizabeth,” he said in the email. “Please meet w Elizabeth and me to determine the best way to do this. That is in Elizabeth’s interests.”
In addition, she alleged her husband deposited more than $5.1 million into a joint account and then withdrew most of it. The money was used “almost exclusively” to pay his divorce lawyers, she said.
“I rely on the presumption that this money became community property, and I should be entitled to a reimbursement of half which I could immediately use to continue to obtain counsel or pay costs in this case,” she wrote.
Finally, she said she “must save what little she has left of my separate property for my living expenses and retirement despite knowing I own many millions of dollars in Rackspace stock and that my divorce case lawyers seem to have (inexplicably) failed to bring to this Court’s attention.”
Whether she’ll ever get to testify to that remains up in the air. The judge ruled that if she doesn’t pay the $12,400, her testimony may be stricken from the trial.
There’s also the possibility Waldrip could postpone the trial date yet again to give her more time to prepare. It’s currently set to start Sept. 21.
“I can never say never,” the judge said on changing the date. “But I’m anticipating that this is a very real, firm date.”
pdanner@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Graham-Weston-divorce-update-17411669.php | 2022-09-01T15:04:36 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Graham-Weston-divorce-update-17411669.php |
SAN ANTONIO — One of the suspects accused in the deadly human smuggling attempt on the city's southwest side appeared in court Wednesday.
Christian Martinez, 28, had a hearing on a motion for reconsideration of his bond, which the judge ended up denying.
Martinez has been charged in the deaths of 53 migrants found in the back of an abandoned tractor trailer back in June.
RELATED STORY: 'It's a tragedy': Community unites one week after bodies of migrants found in tractor-trailer
Investigators say they were led to Martinez because two other suspects were in communication with him during the smuggling attempt.
He has been in custody since he was originally charged.
His attorney has asked for Martinez to be released due to health issues.
The judge continued Martinez on detention, so he is being detained with no bond.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/suspect-in-immigrant-truck-smuggling-death-that-killed-53-denied-bond-immigrants-san-antonio-texas/273-5d8d75ce-e847-4a4b-8b53-b3ac76aba162 | 2022-09-01T15:04:42 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/suspect-in-immigrant-truck-smuggling-death-that-killed-53-denied-bond-immigrants-san-antonio-texas/273-5d8d75ce-e847-4a4b-8b53-b3ac76aba162 |
HOUSTON — A nude photograph nearly delayed a Southwest Airlines flight last week.
A passenger on the August 24th flight said someone was using Apple's AirDrop service to send the image of a naked man to other passengers.
The flight attendant and the pilot were notified.
As you are about to hear on the video, the pilot was not amused.
"So here's the deal, if this continues while we're on the ground. I'm going to have to pull back to the gate. Everybody's going to have to get off. We're going to have to get security involved and it's vacation is going to be ruined. So you folks, whatever that AirDrop thing is, quit sending naked pictures and let's get yourself to Cabo."
The flight was leaving Houston for Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
The passenger says she didn't receive any additional unsolicited photos, and the flight continued to its destination.
In a statement, Southwest says that their employees were made aware of the problem and addressed it to "support the comfort of those traveling with us."
The video of the pilot's warning got more than $2.7 million views on TikTok.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/pilot-threatens-return-gate-nude-photo-southwest-airlines-houston-hobby-airport-cab-mexico-vacation-tiktok-viral/273-f68dc2b3-e89a-4237-b09b-d1d4e1e23bfe | 2022-09-01T15:04:48 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/pilot-threatens-return-gate-nude-photo-southwest-airlines-houston-hobby-airport-cab-mexico-vacation-tiktok-viral/273-f68dc2b3-e89a-4237-b09b-d1d4e1e23bfe |
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — The City of Kingsport will host the National Fireworks Association’s annual firework meetings and exhibitions from Sept. 6-10 — marking the second time the city has hosted the event that brings in more than 700 people from around the world.
The four-day event will wrap up with a firework demonstration each night at Hunter Wright Stadium from 8-10 p.m. The demonstrations involve small-shell variety fireworks — not those typically seen during Independence Day events, the city noted.
“These are going to be wholesalers who sell to retailers, who will then sell them to the public,’ said Lara Potter, associate executive director of Visit Kingsport. “There’s not going to be large public displays like you would see at a commercial show.”
Dogwood Park, which is adjacent to Hunter Wright Stadium, will close at 7 p.m. from Sept. 6-10 as a result.
The NFA will host the public for this event on Friday and Saturday evenings, and tickets will be $5 per person per night. They can be purchased here.
For more information, contact Visit Kingsport at 423-393-8800. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-to-host-national-fireworks-association-meeting/ | 2022-09-01T15:05:19 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-to-host-national-fireworks-association-meeting/ |
Workers in Tucson have some reason to celebrate this Labor Day: The Old Pueblo has recovered nearly all of the jobs it lost during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
By the end of July, Tucson had recovered 98.2% of the non-farm jobs it lost from February through April of 2020, according to new federal data cited by economists at the University of Arizona’s Economic and Business Research Center.
Tucson has been lagging the state and nation in recovering jobs lost during the worst of the pandemic in 2020, with an estimated job-recovery rate of 88.4% as of April.
Statewide, the number of jobs in Arizona recovered through July surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 25%, while Phoenix-area jobs were up 36.6%.
People are also reading…
The UA economists noted that Tucson’s accelerated job recovery puts the city roughly on par with the nationwide pandemic job-recovery rate, which just topped 100% in July.
Besides Tucson, only two other Arizona metro areas were short of recovering their pre-pandemic job levels through July: Sierra Vista-Douglas with an 86.4% recovery rate and Flagstaff at 96.9%.
Jobs surge
Overall, Arizona added 22,900 jobs over the month in July, up from a revised 11,600 in June, while Tucson added 3,300 jobs on a seasonally-adjusted basis, the UA economists said.
The statewide job growth in July was nearly quadruple the average monthly job gain during the five years before the pandemic began.
Statewide, Arizona had 87,000 more jobs than the pre-pandemic level – but even with those additional jobs the state is more than 100,000 jobs behind the job-growth trend it was on before COVID-19 hit, the UA economists said.
Meanwhile, the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was stable at 3.3%, just below the national rate of 3.5% and still suggesting a tight labor market.
Labor easing?
UA economist George Hammond, director of the Economic and Business Research Center, said he expects the U.S. and state economies to slow in the coming months amid the headwinds of higher interest rates, inflation and the Ukraine war.
That will cool labor demand, Hammond said, perhaps providing relief to employers that are now finding hiring difficult.
“People who are still able to hire, whose demand hasn’t fallen, they’re going to have an easier time hiring workers,” he said.
Job openings in Arizona peaked at 259,000 in March but had dropped to about 200,000 by May, Hammond noted.
Job drivers
Statewide, job growth since the start of the pandemic in February 2020 has been driven by the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which has added 55,600 jobs; financial activities (up 13,200), manufacturing (12,200); education and health services (9,900), construction, professional and business services, and information.
Jobs in other services and natural resources and mining were roughly back to pre-pandemic levels, while leisure and hospitality and government remained well below their February 2020 level on a statewide basis.
But the story in leisure and hospitality employment — including jobs at hotels, bars, restaurants, entertainment and attractions — is much different in Tucson and Phoenix.
Leisure and hospitality jobs in Tucson through July were 1,000 above their February 2020 level, while in Phoenix they were 1,600 above their pre-pandemic level, the UA economists noted.
Forecast ahead
The UA Business and Economic Research Center plans to issue its latest economic forecast update and data on Wednesday, Sept. 7, online at azeconomy.org.
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/business/tucson-has-recovered-nearly-all-of-its-pandemic-job-losses/article_eb76799e-28c3-11ed-822a-2729139cdd7f.html | 2022-09-01T15:31:11 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/business/tucson-has-recovered-nearly-all-of-its-pandemic-job-losses/article_eb76799e-28c3-11ed-822a-2729139cdd7f.html |
Arizona Daily Star
Old Tucson's popular Halloween attraction is returning this October and tickets can be purchased at nightfallaz.com starting Sept. 1 at 9 a.m.
This year's event marks Nightfall's 30th anniversary and will feature five themed mazes, stunt shows and characters guests can interact with while roaming the streets of Old Tucson, organizers announced.
Other attractions include train rides, a carousel, restaurants, bars and gift shops.
Nightfall runs Thursday through Sunday from Oct. 6 to Oct. 30. Ticket pricing and more information can be found at Nightfall's website .
Frightening images of Nightfall at Old Tucson
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Actors Gary Laramore, Ed McKechnie, Jonathan Mincks (now known for his work during Dillinger Days) and Louise Wilson during a scene at "Nightfall, Arizona," the first year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1990.
Mari A Schafer / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A crazy person in the historic old jail during "Nightfall, Arizona," the first year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1990.
Mari A Schafer / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Just another dead body on the streets of Old Tucson during "Nightfall, Arizona," the first year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1990.
Mari A Schafer / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A blood-spattered, chainsaw wielding Robert Ratkevich awaits to greet visitors during a preview of Old Tucson's Nightfall in 2015, the 25th anniversary of Tucson's town of terror where everyone has gone mad.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A scared couple are hesitant to see what is around, near or under the hood of a pickup truck inside Psychomania, one of the attractions during Old Tucson's Nightfall in 2015. Entrants to Psychomania experience the dark and twisted corridors of a psychotic human brain.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
David Bertolldo, right, is looking for a hug from one of the characters in the park during a preview of Old Tucson's Nightfall in 2015, the 25th anniversary of Tucson's town of terror where everyone has gone mad.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Joe Briscoe carries his mask in his hand as he walks through Old Tucson on his way to The Inferno, where he plays Hellraiser No. 1, at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear, in 2009. The Inferno is a journey into Dante's Inferno where tortured souls cry out for mercy.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Brad Banacka has a little fun applying some makeup for his character that goes around town scaring anyone at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear, in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Natalie Marsh and Stacy Mort jog away from of clowns like David M. Felix bearing chain saws at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A ghoulish Andrew Beatty rises from the dead scaring the bejesus out of many passersby at one of the attractions at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A tortured Charlie Luna is in peril during a scene from the performance, "Necrosis-Party of Six" where a Hip-Hop competition goes bad inside the Palace at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Not everything at Nightfall is scary unless you take a chance on riding a mechanical bull as Alexa Calludoes as she spins off the machine at this year's Nightfall, Harvest of Fear in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Everyone knows how deadly the Arizona sun can be especially without some sort of sunscreen for protection. Still, that may not be the case here as one of the exhibits appears to be coming out of its coffin at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear, in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Travis Montoya plays Crazy Sam at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear at Old Tucson in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Rob Jensen who plays the evil Dr. Jebediah Hyde has fun with the Hemphill brothers, Mike and Matt, during a skit on main streets at this year's Nightfall, Harvest of Fear at Old Tucson in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
An eery fog rises out of a coffin in the middle of the town square where a corpse seems to be making a break for it at Nightfall, Harvest of Fear at Old Tucson in 2009.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Old Tucson Studios actors Michael Moore and Josh Mattison eat sandwiches in the commissary before the start of Nightfall 2007 at Old Tucson.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Even a gut cutter like Charlie Watkins needs a break before starting his ghastly work in the Cannibal House at Old Tucson before the start of Nightfall 2007. Watkins had the task of removing the innards of a tortured soul that is hanging around.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Dried but fake blood is caked on Aaron Araza's costume while he checks himself out in front of a mirror as several actresses wait for their performance to start in the musical review, Vampire Nightmare, at Nightfall 2007 at Old Tucson. Araza played Crazy Sam and is part of the humorous show, Gross Anatomy, where actors participate in outrageous and ghoulish medical procedures.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Blood goes flying in the air as actor Michael Moore gets his spine removed by fellow actor Josh Mattison while James Mead looks on during "Gross Anatomy", part of Nightfall 2007 at Old Tucson.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
The skeletal remains of Crazy Sam pops out of a vat of acid and to the delight of the audience chats with the evil Dr. Jebediah Hyde during Nightfall 2007 at Old Tucson.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Actor James Mead as Dr Jebediah Hyde tries to hypnotize Aren Farrington during Nightfall 2007 at Old Tucson. They were part of the humorous show, Gross Anatomy, where the good doctor performs questionable, if not outrageous medical procedures.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Crazy Sam (Aaron Araza)) gets some medical attention from the evil Dr. Jebediah Hyde (James Mead) during "Gross Anatomy," where they participate in outrageous medical procedures at Nightfall 07', Darkness Rising at Old Tucson.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Austin Elbie as Chain swings a fake chain saw, complete with sound, as several frightened visitors try to get away at Cannibal House, part of Nightfall 07', Darkness Rising at Old Tucson
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Several kids hold on to the railing as they walk through the Vortex while in the Caverns of Despair, part of Nightfall 07', Darkness Rising, at Old Tucson
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Face painter Candi Carrell does some final touching up on Jallina Limar at Old Tucson before Nightfall 07', Darkness Rising.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A shackled Courtnie Robenolt as the beautiful Zambora struggles to get out of her chains before her transformation can take place at Old Tucson during Nightfall 07', Darkness Rising.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
One of the displays at Cannibal House at Old Tucson has a crow picking away at the remains of an unlucky soul for Nightfall 07', Darkness Rising.
A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Andrew Kenworthy, art director at Old Tucson Studios, works on a puppet that will be in a blood letting show for 2007 Nightfall.
James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Andrew Kenworthy, art director at Old Tucson Studios, checks out one of the sets for 2007 Nightfall Old Tucson.
James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
2006 Nightfall at Old Tucson: Mark Newill as zombie.
Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
2006 Nightfall at Old Tucson: Quick costume ideas include using torn cheese cloth to give a spooky cobweb look.
Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
2006 Nightfall at Old Tucson: Laura Wood shows off a costume that incorporates tulle, an easy to use item to give things a spooky look.
Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
2006 Nightfall at Old Tucson: Austin Elbie models a Chupacabra costume, with fur poking out from behind torn jeans.
Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A character lurks in a haunted house at Old Tucson Studios during Nightfall in 2000.
Ben Kirkby / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Sylvia Pesquerra got the fright of her life when "Silas Reaper" from Nightfall came after her during the 1999 Ted Walker Youth Day at Old Tucson.
Sarah Prall / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Leesajean Meader gets ready for opening night of "Nightfall VII" at Old Tucson Studios in 1998.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Corey Hawk paints lizards so they will show up under a black light in the Tunnel for Old Tucson's Nightfall VIin 1997.
Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Thomas Lough secures a guillotine to a platform at Old Tucson's Nightfall VI in 1997.
Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A death scene from the show's first dress rehersal - Greg DeBenedetti, as Olin, the evil henchman, screams as he meets his end at the hands of outlaw Wesley (played by Preston Gamblin), while Brett Nathan (played by Bobby Stevens) lies in the foreground during Nightfall VIII at Old Tucson Studios in 1999.
Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
John Zell, Props Assistant at Old Tucson, puts flickering bulbs into candles during setup of the sacrifice table for Old Tucson's Nightfall VI in 1997.
Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Tim Olds (on ladder) removes some rope while setting up the recovery room of Nightfall VI at Old Tucson Studios in 1997.
Jim Davis
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
The old mission at Old Tucson is lit up with pyrotechnics during Dr. Hyde's Hall of Horrors at Old Tucson's Nightfall VIII in 1999.
Francisco Medina / Tucson Citizen
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
David Davis gets the Werewolf set ready for "Nightfall IV," the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1993.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A skeleton emerges from Morbidiah Hyde Cemetery during "Nightfall IV," the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1993.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Mike Muise and Frank DeFelice pack brains into the open skull of a mannequin before "Nightfall III," the third year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1992.
Linda Seeger / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A carpenter saws off the top of a mannequin's head in preparation for "Nightfall III," the third year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1992.
Linda Seeger / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Mike Muise adds the final, gory touches to a mannequin at the "Goulliard Rehab Center" for "Nightfall III," the third year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1992.
Linda Seeger / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
Actor John Reckers helps carpenter Mike Walker test out the guillotine before "Nightfall III," the third year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1992.
Linda Seeger / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A bug-eyed grave digger runs from a corpse during "Nightfall II" the second year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1991.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star
Nightfall, Old Tucson, Halloween
A corpse leaves the cemetery during "Nightfall II" the second year of the annual Halloween attraction at Old Tucson Studios in October, 1991.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://tucson.com/news/local/nightfall-tickets-go-on-sale-sept-1-at-9-a-m/article_5e055460-2a06-11ed-acdb-1b561f7297d8.html | 2022-09-01T15:31:17 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/nightfall-tickets-go-on-sale-sept-1-at-9-a-m/article_5e055460-2a06-11ed-acdb-1b561f7297d8.html |
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — As summer comes to a close, it's time to check back in on what people have been searching for on Google.
FOX43 spoke with Google Search Trends Expert, Marley McAliley, about what was trending both nationally, and in the Commonwealth during the month of August.
According to McAliley, several topic categories reigned supreme in terms of search interest last month including: entertainment, culture, technology, and more. Dating apps, she says, reached an all-time high in terms of searches across the U.S. this month.
"It's funny because dating apps have been around for a while," she said. And she's right: Tinder, specifically, turns 10 this year.
"It looks like, maybe with summer coming to an end, people are going back to school, back into the office in person, and...are looking for different ways to connect and meet new people," she said.
In Pennsylvania specifically, the most-searched dating apps were actually for older people.
"It's nice to see that people of all different ages, even older folks, are getting back into the dating scene if they've been out of it for a while and using new modes of technology to do so," McAliley said.
Similar to dating apps, another thing that's been around for a while that's been trending more recently is pickleball.
Pickleball is a sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, according to USA Pickleball. It can be played indoors or outdoors, "on a badminton-sized court," and with a slightly-modified tennis net.
"So many people of different ages and physical abilities can enjoy the sport together," McAliley said. Younger people have gotten more interested in the sport recently, with many searching how, and where to play, she says.
The sport, usually popular in retirement homes and assisted-living communities, is sparking interest with younger people, she says, and lots of them are searching for how and where to play.
People are also trying to learn all they can about spotted lanternflies, McAliley says.
The invasive species first touched down in the United States in 2014, but they've gotten a bit of a reputation in the past few years, as populations have surged.
"This year, even more so, this invasive species has been reaching new states across the U.S. and experts have actually urged people to kill these guys if they see them," McAliley said.
People are looking up how to report them, how to kill them, and more.
In Pennsylvania, "House of the Dragon," was one of the most-searched topics during August. The "Games of Thrones" prequel takes place about 200 years prior to the original show, and 10.2 million people tuned in when it premiered on Aug. 21.
People were searching for specific characters, such as Daenerys Targaryen, one of the main characters, according to McAliley.
People in Pa. also had food on the mind, she says, with some of the most-Googled recipes being Gazpacho, carrot cake, baked chicken, casserole, and pickled eggs.
Going into September, McAliley thinks that one of the most popular topics will be "Barbiecore," a new fashion aesthetic, which focuses on excess in the form of pink, feminine clothing and accessories. Lots of celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox have donned "Barbiecore" looks in recent weeks.
"I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that this new Barbie movie is coming out, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken," McAliley told FOX43. That movie comes out next year.
So between TV, food, dating apps, and more, people across the United States and right here in Pennsylvania, are continuing to search for the things that matter to them, while exploring what could matter in the future. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/heres-what-was-trending-in-pennsylvania-august/521-a0802976-1e6f-400a-bcbd-bd5aea15d94e | 2022-09-01T15:34:50 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/heres-what-was-trending-in-pennsylvania-august/521-a0802976-1e6f-400a-bcbd-bd5aea15d94e |
BOSTON — Editor's note: The above video is from March 15.
If you're hitting the road for Labor Day, expect to get a mild break at the pump, a leading fuel savings app said Thursday.
After a seemingly never ending spring of price-hikes at the pump, national gas prices have declined every week of the summer and are expected to be the lowest since March 3, at $3.79 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.
That national average is 20 lower than it was on July 4, GasBuddy said.
In Pennsylvania, the price of a gallon is still above the national average. According to AAA, the average cost per gallon in the commonwealth is $4.07. But that's down from the average cost of $4.46 per gallon a month ago, AAA said.
According to GasBuddy, prices this Labor Day weekend will continue to fall slightly from summer highs, though remain over 60¢ per gallon more expensive than last year.
Forecast to be the biggest travel summer since pandemic shutdowns in 2020, this year’s soaring gas prices threw a wrench in to the road trip plans of many Americans.
At the beginning of the summer, 58% of Americans responded to GasBuddy’s survey that they intended to take road trip over the summer, with 33% to travel on Labor Day weekend. Though after months of price spikes and the national average topping $5 per gallon, GasBuddy gasoline demand data, powered by its Pay with GasBuddy card, tells a new story.
Gasoline demand on Independence Day weekend this year was notably lower than that of 2021, and the decline in gallons pumped in recent weeks advise that seasonal trends continue to push demand down for the unofficial close to the summer.
“It was a dizzying time as gas prices surged ahead of summer, which caused many Americans to re-think their summer travel plans, only for the longest decline in gas prices since the pandemic to start providing meaningful relief,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “As the sun sets on summer, gas prices are in far more familiar territory and could continue to decline well into fall, barring major disruptions from hurricanes and the likes.”
For those hitting the road as summer travel season comes to a close, GasBuddy recommends shopping around for the best prices. As gas prices continue to decline around most of the country, variance in prices between stations can be extreme.
Motorists can save up to 60¢per gallon by shopping around for gas using the GasBuddy app, and an additional up to 25¢ per gallon off by signing up for the free Pay with GasBuddy card. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/labor-day-gas-prices-slight-drop/521-858a0278-63ba-4c7a-8bcc-4c3e7def2073 | 2022-09-01T15:34:56 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/labor-day-gas-prices-slight-drop/521-858a0278-63ba-4c7a-8bcc-4c3e7def2073 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Note: The video is from July 15.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman on Thursday announced a coordinated effort for a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with select minor, non-violent marijuana criminal convictions.
"I have repeatedly called on our Republican-led General Assembly to support the legalization of adult-use marijuana, but they’ve yet to meet this call for action from myself and Pennsylvanians,” Wolf said in a press release. “Until they do, I am committed to doing everything in my power to support Pennsylvanians who have been adversely affected by a minor marijuana offense on their record.
“This pardon project has the potential to open the door for thousands of Pennsylvanians – the college grad looking to start their career, the grandparent who’s been wanting chaperone a field trip, or any Pennsylvanian who’s been told 'no’ for much needed assistance. Now’s your chance."
The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons will accept applications for the PA Marijuana Pardon Project from Thursday, September 1 through Friday, September 30.
It is estimated that thousands of Pennsylvanians are eligible due to convictions over the past several decades, even pre-dating marijuana’s inclusion as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
Anyone with only the two select marijuana offenses noted below on their record is eligible to apply, and there is no limit for the age of the conviction.
Fetterman, who is running for U.S. Senate against Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, said the project will deliver second chances to thousands of deserving Pennsylvanians who are trying to improve their lives amidst the legislature’s refusal to “take the commonsense approach and just legalize it.”
“Nobody should be turned down for a job, housing, or volunteering at your child’s school because of some old nonviolent weed charge, especially given that most of us don’t even think this should be illegal,” Fetterman said.
Pennsylvanians eligible for the opportunity to be pardoned are those with one or both of the following convictions:
- Possession of Marijuana (Title 35 Section 780-113 Subsection A31)
- Marijuana, Small Amount Personal Use (Title 35 Section 780-113 Subsection A31I)
Individuals can apply for an accelerated pardon through this one-time project at pa.gov/mjpardon.
Once a person submits their application, they will be contacted if any necessary follow-up is needed.
Those who are not eligible to apply for a pardon through this project because they have additional criminal convictions on their record are encouraged to apply for clemency using a standard application available at bop.pa.gov.
While a pardon constitutes complete forgiveness, those whose pardons are granted will still need to petition the court for an expungement of the conviction from their record. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/wolf-fetterman-marijuana-conviction-pardon-program/521-10424e85-ca59-4a6d-bb1c-37588947841c | 2022-09-01T15:35:03 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/wolf-fetterman-marijuana-conviction-pardon-program/521-10424e85-ca59-4a6d-bb1c-37588947841c |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers failed early Thursday to replace limits on carrying concealed weapons that were struck down by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
A measure that would have enacted more than three dozen new restrictions failed by one vote as lawmakers adjourned. Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino, who pushed for the bill along with Attorney General Rob Bonta, promised to reintroduce the legislation on the day lawmakers reconvene in December after the November election.
“California was made less safe tonight by not passing the bill to make us consistent with the Supreme Court's decision," Portantino said. “It's unfortunate, it's sad, it's surprising.”
The Supreme Court in June overturned a New York law requiring that people seeking a license to carry a gun in public demonstrate a particular need, such as a direct threat to their safety.
California is among a half-dozen states with similar requirements that are scrambling to make adjustments under the ruling that made their existing laws unenforceable, with New York proceeding with its new limits even as California's effort failed.
The goal was to “push the envelope” without triggering another Supreme Court reversal, Portantino previously said of his bill.
Bonta also said “the safety of Californians” is at risk without a replacement.
“There would be a huge influx of applicants now that the ‘just cause’ component has been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, and not enough safety precautions for the individuals who are seeking that,” Bonta said as he unsuccessfully pushed for the bill's passage. “If this bill doesn't pass, people who haven't had a comprehensive safety evaluation can get a concealed weapon and bring it into (sensitive) places” like schools, playgrounds, voting booths and sports stadiums.
Bonta called the failed measure “a completely constitutional response that promotes the safety of Californians from gun violence.”
But the measure never obtained the 54 votes it needed in the 80-member Assembly to take effect immediately. It fell one vote short of that two-thirds majority before ultimately failing on a 52-23 vote as time ran out.
Opponents said the bill violated the intent of the high court's decision while taking aim at law-abiding gun owners instead of concentrating on criminals who aren’t likely to follow the law.
“The bait and switch of this bill is disingenuous," objected Republican Assemblyman Thurston “Smitty” Smith. "This response to a disagreement with the Supreme Court's decision is an unconstitutional attempt at finding a work-around.”
Democratic Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, who carried the bill in the Assembly, said it was intended to keep guns legally out of the hands of those who might be dangerous. It struck the appropriate balance between public safety and the rights of gun owners, he said, while being consistent with the Supreme Court ruling.
“Increased public carrying of firearms leads to more violence,” Jones-Sawyer argued unsuccessfully. "More guns on the street equals more chances for deadly violence, more chances those guns to end up in the wrong hands.”
Restrictions would have included raising the minimum age from 18 to 21, requiring at least 16 hours of training, and setting new standards for background checks that include repeated fingerprinting, at least three character references, and a review of applicants’ public social media posts.
The proposal keyed on the justices allowing a ban on weapons in sensitive areas, including more than two-dozen such no-go zones in California.
Among them:
Schools, courts, government buildings, correctional institutions, hospitals and other medical facilities, airports, public transportation, specified public gatherings, businesses where liquor is sold for onsite consumption, public parks or athletic facilities, casinos, sports arenas, libraries, churches, zoos, museums, amusement parks, banks, voting centers, and any business unless it has a sign saying licensees may possess their firearm.
The prohibition would have encompassed the entire properties, including parking lots.
Opponents said lawmakers misinterpreted a recognition of “sensitive places” by the late Justice Antonin Scalia in another landmark firearms ruling in 2008. Scalia mentioned schools and government buildings — and that's all he meant, argued Gun Owners of California.
The group further objected that the legislation would make 18- to 20-year-olds “half-citizens” by barring them from carrying concealed weapons, and that lawmakers are increasing restrictions on some of “the most law-abiding citizens in the state” — those who obtain the carry permits.
Lawmakers are “not getting at the crux at the gun violence problem that we are experiencing…. It is criminals and other prohibited persons who are getting these guns and committing mass murder," Assembly GOP Leader James Gallagher said as lawmakers added the amendments last week. "The problem is not law-abiding people. The problem is crime and we need to do something about it. We need to have real enforcement.”
Advocates for gun restrictions and gun owners' rights further split on whether the pending California measure complies with the Supreme Court's recent ruling.
The bill “would help California effectively respond to U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling ... and help protect the public from risks the ruling might otherwise pose to communities’ health and safety in our state," said the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
It promotes “more robust vetting” to make sure those who are dangerous aren't legally carrying weapons in public; better training for those who lawfully carry; and bars weapons in “especially sensitive places,” the group said.
The bill's provisions “are consistent with standards affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Giffords said, and are similar to restrictions in at least 21 and as many as 43 other states.
But the Firearms Policy Coalition said the many restrictions would “make public carry all but impossible," allow denials based on social media posts alone, require business owners to publicly say where they stand on gun rights, and add more subjectivity to officials' review of applications in violation of the Supreme Court's decision.
A federal judge last week struck down one of Texas' few restrictions on firearms, a law barring adults under the age of 21 from carrying a handgun without a license, background check or training.
Lawmakers passed a second bill to clarify the intent of a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in July that banned the marketing of firearms to minors.
Associations representing gun owners and the firearms industry sued, saying the language was so broad that it effectively outlawed hunter safety programs and youth camps that include target shooting or firearms courses.
The revised language exempts any advertising for classes or events related to firearm safety, hunting, or sport shooting, or promoting membership in any organization.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-concealed-weapon-ruling/103-f172ffb9-c838-4c66-9963-ea80a16ba8ae | 2022-09-01T15:38:11 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-concealed-weapon-ruling/103-f172ffb9-c838-4c66-9963-ea80a16ba8ae |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California was in a state of emergency Thursday as a brutal heat wave brought the threat of power outages and wildfires.
Temperatures will continue to reach triple digits in many areas of the state through Labor Day, forecasters said, prompting concerns that people will turn up the air conditioning and strain the state's electrical grid.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared an emergency to increase energy production and relaxed rules aimed at curbing air pollution and global warming gases. He emphasized the role climate change was playing in the heat wave.
“All of us have been trying to outrun Mother Nature, but it’s pretty clear Mother Nature has outrun us,” Newsom said. “The reality is we’re living in an era of extremes: extreme heat, extreme drought — and with the flooding we’re experiencing around the globe.”
Newsom’s declaration followed a “Flex Alert” call for conservation on Wednesday afternoon and again for Thursday afternoon by the California Independent System Operator, which oversees the state's electrical grid.
In August 2020, a record heat wave caused a surge in power use for air conditioning that overtaxed the grid. That caused two consecutive nights of rolling blackouts, affecting hundreds of thousands of residential and business customers.
Rolling blackouts “are a possibility but not an inevitability” during the current heat wave, said Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of California Independent System Operator.
Cooling centers were being opened across the state and officials encouraged people to seek comfort at public libraries and stores — even if just for a few hours to prevent overheating.
Cooling Center Map
The risk of fire also could increase over the Labor Day weekend when crowds are expected to descend on wilderness areas to camp, hike or fish and a spark or an ember from an untended fire could set brush ablaze, authorities said.
Meanwhile, California's power concerns come in the midst of rising temperatures and a drought that have affected much of the West.
Anticipated imports of hydropower from the Pacific Northwest and energy from the desert Southwest dried up because warmer weather in those regions had driven up demand there, Mainzer said.
Despite more than 160 projects to increase power supply and storage by 4,000 megawatts after outages two years ago, the state’s power supply was partly crippled by the impact of the ongoing drought that has sapped a significant share of the state’s hydropower production as reservoir levels drop.
Newsom’s order allows the use of backup diesel generators to put less strain on the system and won’t require ships at port to plug into onshore electricity sources. The move is expected to increase air pollution, but Karen Douglas, the governor’s senior energy adviser, said the priority was to keep the lights on.
Newsom has proposed extending the life of the state’s last operating nuclear power plant by five years to maintain reliable power supplies in the climate change era. The proposal would keep Pacific Gas & Electric’s Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant running beyond a scheduled closing by 2025.
Watch more on ABC10
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-heat-wave-power-outages-fires/103-a943b42c-5294-441b-99d6-22a072b20fb4 | 2022-09-01T15:38:17 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-heat-wave-power-outages-fires/103-a943b42c-5294-441b-99d6-22a072b20fb4 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers balked at a scaled-back attempt at reforming the state's cash bail system Wednesday, a year after a more expansive effort also stalled amid headlines over a gruesome killing.
The latest version would bar suspects released prior to trial from being charged for things like ankle monitors or other conditions imposed to ensure they show up in court.
It also would require that bail premiums be returned to suspects if charges are dismissed or no charges are filed within 60 days after the suspects' arrest. Bail agencies would be allowed to keep 10% fee.
The reform is “focused on those who are struggling from poverty and in the criminal justice system,” said Democratic Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who carried the bill in the Assembly. She added later that “the bail system will survive.”
But Democratic Assemblyman Jim Cooper, who will soon become Sacramento County sheriff, said the danger is that bondsmen will no longer bail people out and “it will be de facto zero bail.”
The measure was seven votes short of the 41 it needed in the 80-member Assembly, as time ran out for the year as lawmakers prepared to adjourn.
Most people who make bail — 97% — pay a bail agent a fee that is currently nonrefundable even if charges are never filed. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said requiring the return of most of that money in such circumstances “represents a critical step forward in securing Californians’ rights to the presumption of innocence and due process."
Last year's broader version would also have set a statewide bail schedule to take into account suspects’ finances. It was intended to write into law a California Supreme Court ruling that judges must consider suspects’ ability to pay when they set bail.
The proposal stalled when a parolee who had been released without bail was arrested after a Sacramento woman found dead along with her two slain dogs inside her burning home. County prosecutors are now seeking the death penalty for Troy Davis in that case.
The revised version continues to be opposed by the bail industry, with a coalition of opponents saying the measure “is carefully designed to eliminate the bail industry and open the door to a permanent Zero Bail system in the future.”
Senate Republicans also criticized majority Democrats for resurrecting the bill “despite huge concerns for public safety.”
Prosecutors continue tweaking their policies in seeking bail two years after a statewide zero bail policy helped reduce the jail population during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who recently replaced a more progressive prosecutor recalled by voters in mid-term, said last week that she would generally continue her predecessor's policy of rarely seeking cash bail.
But Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said last week that his office's tracking of those released without bail found that 70% committed new crimes, and nearly 30% of those re-arrests were for violent crimes.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-stalls-bail-reform-after-delay/103-ad18a6d3-9607-4e01-8a50-b0fd45fcb695 | 2022-09-01T15:38:23 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-stalls-bail-reform-after-delay/103-ad18a6d3-9607-4e01-8a50-b0fd45fcb695 |
MINNEAPOLIS — For four months, they've been waiting.
In one hospital room: Maddy Fleischacker, age 6, from Buffalo, Minnesota.
In another room: Rinken Braun, 21-month-old, from Brookings, South Dakota.
Separating the girls are four years and a few hundred feet. Yet, daily, Maddy and Rinken are joined by hearts.
“They're just inseparable,” Emily Johnson, Rinken’s mother says.
In April, both girls arrived at Children’s Minnesota as strangers. Rinken’s heart defect had been detected before she was born. Maddy’s was only discovered in January. To survive long-term, both need heart transplants.
So, they wait. And they play.
If Rinken is on a riding toy, Maddy will be pushing it. If Maddy is guest-hosting the hospital’s in-house TV show, Rinken will be at her side.
And if Maddy is drawing a picture, there’s never a doubt who the recipient will be.
“Rinken,” Maddy says, looking up from her crayons.
Rinken calls Maddy, "Mae Mae." She may as well call her "sister."
“I think it was at that level the day they met,” Rinken’s mother says.
Both girls require around-the-clock IVs. To leave their rooms means poles and plastic tubing comes with them.
It’s been this way for four months and will continue to be so until donor hearts can be found.
“We're waiting for a gift that is the hardest thing in the world to ask for – life,” Emily says.
Listening nearby, Miguella Fleischaker, Maddy’s mom, wipes away tears. “For another parent to have to lose their child for ours to survive is so hard,” she says. “I don't want to pray for it because I don't want someone to lose their child.”
It’s unlikely both girls will be matched with hearts at the same time.
It’s also unlikely either mom will feel a tinge of envy, should her daughter be left waiting while the other girl proceeds to a transplant.
“If they were to interrupt us right now to say Mae Mae's getting a heart, I would jump for joy,” Emily says.
Same for Miguella.
“Absolutely,” she says. “I mean, how could you not?”
The girls play in a hospital activity center. Maddy is dressed in her favorite shirt. On the front of the gray t-shirt, inside a red heart, are the words, “Rinken Strong.”
“It means I love her a lot,” Maddy says.
The girls wait, but seldom have a bad day.
Why would they, when their best friend is just an IV line away?
UPDATE: On the morning of Aug. 15, Maddy successfully underwent heart transplant surgery after a donor heart became available. Two weeks later, Rinken received her donor heart as well.
According to LifeSource, more than 3,000 people locally remain on the transplant waiting list. For more information on becoming an organ donor, click here.
Boyd Huppert is always looking for great stories to share in the Land of 10,000 Stories! Send us your suggestions by filling out this form.
Watch more from the Land of 10,000 Stories:
Watch the latest videos from the Land of 10,000 Stories in our YouTube playlist and subscribe to the Land of 10,000 Stories Complete Collection on YouTube. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/two-girls-form-sister-bond-while-waiting-months-in-hospital-for-hearts/89-2a073862-8f08-491a-83a6-f98f93ca014d | 2022-09-01T15:38:29 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/two-girls-form-sister-bond-while-waiting-months-in-hospital-for-hearts/89-2a073862-8f08-491a-83a6-f98f93ca014d |
The Atlantic City High School football team begins what it hopes is a year of transition Friday night.
The Vikings host Clearview Regional in the season opener at 6 p.m.
Atlantic City is seeking its first winning season since 2017. This is coach Keenan Wright’s third year. He took over in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. The Vikings ended last season with six straight defeats and finished 3-7.
But for the first time since Wright took over Atlantic City had a normal offseason of training.
“No excuses this time,” Wright said. “We have everything we need, a full offseason. We’re ready to go. This is a pretty big year for the Atlantic City Vikings program. I think we’re going to turn some heads. I’m excited.”
This is the first full weekend of the high school football season. A few teams opened last weekend. Atlantic City players attended a couple of games as spectators last weekend.
People are also reading…
“The kids are antsy, ready to go,” Wright said. “It feels like we’ve had a never-ending camp.”
Atlantic City is young this season. The Vikings will start several sophomores, including wide receiver/running back/linebacker Sah’nye Degraffenreidt and defensive end/receiver Raul Cabrera.
“I’m looking for our young guys to step up,” Wright said. “We have some sophomores who are being put into pretty big roles. I’m looking forward to seeing how they respond.”
Wright knows with so many young players there are bound to be some growing pains.
“Expect mistakes,” Wright said. “I just want them not to get too high, not to get too low. Just try to be in control of your emotions and do what you’re coached to do.”
Clearview finished 6-5 last season and opened its season with a 42-7 loss at Cherry Hill West. Pioneers quarterback Tyler Dell threw for 151 yards and a touchdown and ran for 43 yards in the loss. Nick Oliveira, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound offensive tackle, has committed to the University of Cincinnati and is considered one of the state’s top players.
Friday is the first of four games Clearview will play against Atlantic County schools this season. The Pioneers also meet Holy Spirit, Vineland, Egg Harbor Township and Mainland Regional. Stephen Duncan, who was Clearview’s defensive coordinator from 2017-2020 is in his first season as the Pioneers head coach.
“They’re a tough team traditionally,” Wright said. ‘They’re very strong upfront. They’re a disciplined football team. They do what they do. They’ll march right down the field. We have to come ready to play.”
As with any game, but especially the opener, the Vikings hope to limit mistakes. Joe Lyons, a 5-10, 170-pound junior transfer from Kingsway Regional, steps in as the Atlantic City quarterback.
‘We can’t turn the ball over,” Wright said. “They’re a ball-control offense. We have to keep their offense off the field as much as possible because they’ll chew the clock up. We have to play fast, play Viking football.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/game-of-the-week-atlantic-city-starts-what-it-hopes-to-be-a-season-of/article_ceb3272a-2a04-11ed-8f69-df9ebb2fa6b4.html | 2022-09-01T15:44:53 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/game-of-the-week-atlantic-city-starts-what-it-hopes-to-be-a-season-of/article_ceb3272a-2a04-11ed-8f69-df9ebb2fa6b4.html |
A 55-year-old was arrested Wednesday evening on suspicion of second-degree murder and a weapons charge, one day after a 61-year-old man was killed in an apparent cutting near the city's homeless shelter.
William Wright was arrested on suspicion of the murder charge and use of a weapon to commit a felony in the killing of Ronald George near Third and P streets.
During the investigation into George's killing, the Lincoln Police Department learned of another death near Northwest 12th and West Bond streets that Police Chief Teresa Ewins described as "suspicious." Ewins didn't provide further details on how the two deaths might be connected, and said the department would provide further details at a Friday morning news conference.
Wright's arrest comes only a day after police and medics responded to a field near Third and P streets, between the People's City Mission and the nonprofit Community Action Partnership, just after 2 a.m. Wednesday on a report of an unresponsive man, Ewins said.
People are also reading…
Responders found the victim, George, with wounds to his neck caused by a "bladed weapon," Ewins told reporters at a news conference Wednesday morning. Authorities pronounced the man dead at the scene.
By noon, investigators had vacated the scene of the crime, which occurred on a patch of grass between a thicket of trees and a row of industrial buildings, at least one of which is owned by Community Action. A set of "no trespassing" signs bordered the area between Second and Third streets where the cutting is alleged to have occurred.
Ewins said police recovered a "possible weapon" in the field.
It remains unclear what led to the apparent cutting. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-live-lincoln-police-arrest-55-year-old-man-on-suspicion-of-murder-a-day/article_66a0cb76-22d2-5468-bde2-2de0cecb7659.html | 2022-09-01T15:46:32 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/watch-live-lincoln-police-arrest-55-year-old-man-on-suspicion-of-murder-a-day/article_66a0cb76-22d2-5468-bde2-2de0cecb7659.html |
Two people were shot early Thursday morning in the parking lot a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, apartment complex that sits near both a high school and university.
Cheltenham Township police officers were called to the parking lot outside one of the buildings at the Towers at Wyncote Apartments off Limekiln Pike (Route 309) around 2:20 a.m., Cheltenham police said in a news release.
"At the scene, two victims were located, one with gunshot wounds to the hands and the other with a gunshot wound
to the abdomen," police said.
Both gunshot victims were rushed to the hospital. Police didn't reveal their conditions.
Police called the shooting an "isolated incident" and noted there was "no active danger to the public."
The gated three-tower apartment complex is near both Cheltenham High School and Arcadia University. NBC10 has yet to receive a reply to requests for comment from the apartments.
Investigators asked that anyone with information on the shooting call township police at (215) 885-1600 or email PoliceTips@cheltenham-township.org. Tipsters can remain anonymous, police said. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/cheltenham-township-shooting/3351366/ | 2022-09-01T15:53:02 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/cheltenham-township-shooting/3351366/ |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Weather
Local
Sports
Entertainment
Investigators
Videos
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
LX News
Monkeypox
Eagles Training Camp
Watch NBC10 24/7 on Roku
Decision 2022
Clear the Shelters
Phillies
Expand
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/two-people-shot-in-parking-lot-of-montgomery-apartment-complex/3351411/ | 2022-09-01T15:53:09 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/two-people-shot-in-parking-lot-of-montgomery-apartment-complex/3351411/ |
ASU attracts Arizona's largest Indigenous population as Native students seek community
Lourdes Pereira started her senior year at Arizona State University last month and as she nears the end of her undergraduate career, she’s studying for her law school entrance exams, hoping to get into Sandra Day O’ Connor Law School next fall.
Pereira, who is Hia-Ced O'odham and Yoeme, doesn’t hesitate to name ASU as her choice for law school, since Sandra Day O’ Connor has the largest American Indian Policy program in the country.
She is majoring in American Indian studies, minoring in justice studies, works as an aide with the university’s Labriola lab and is a former Miss Indigenous ASU, a title she held for two years because of the pandemic.
“I picked ASU for their community,” Pereira said. “I know that ASU has the largest Indigenous community within Arizona. I know they are very active with the Indigenous students here at ASU.”
Last fall, ASU reported it had enrolled more than double the Indigenous population in undergraduate classes compared to the UA. Schools officials say it's in large part due to the community cultivated and the resources used to recruit, transition and assist students.
In Tucson, the University of Arizona began offering tuition-free courses to members of all 22 recognized Arizona tribes this fall, with a goal of boosting enrollment among Indigenous students.
But ASU’s sense of community appeals to students like Pereria.
“I’m from Tucson,” said Pereria. “I kind of already saw how University of Arizona was with their Indigenous community. I chose ASU for the engagement and community side, but I chose my majors because I would like to practice tribal law. At ASU, they have the No. 1 American Indian legal program within the nation and that’s exactly where I want to be.”
ASU connects with high school students
Annabell Bowen is Seneca and Navajo. She serves as the director for the Office of the President on American Indian Initiatives at ASU. Her focus is on recruitment and retention of Indigenous students, and coordinating and aligning academic and student services on campus. She works to implement college planning initiatives that meet the needs of K-12 schools, students and families.
She also oversees the ASU Tribal Nations Tour, which recently celebrated its 11th year.
“Its a program where we take current ASU Indigenous students who are interested, it's all volunteer, and we take them to tribal communities all over the state to primarily promote and encourage high school completion and get students to think about going on to college,” said Bowen.
Bowen said students like Pereria, who took part in the tour a couple of years ago, and ASU junior Cheneil Jones, who participated in the most recent tour, speak to young students and give them their own life stories about how they were able to transition to university life.
“They are the ones who share the message,” said Bowen. “We also highlight our resources here at Arizona State University to support our Indigenous students here. It's making ASU visible in our tribal communities and promoting tribal access.”
Understanding there are schools on tribal lands that aren’t able to hold campus tours of colleges, Bowen said the tour offers an opportunity to take ASU to the students.
Enrolling students is just one aspect, but retaining students is another and Bowen said this is where they concentrate on making known the resources available to students.
“Where we are at now there is a lot of support that has been in place speaking specifically at ASU to support our students coming in,” said Bowen. “ASU Tribal Nations Tour is just one resource that we have.”
Incoming students can find help
Another resource is the American Indian Student Support Services, which conducts a two-week transition program for incoming freshman students like Dayshon Dalgai, who just started his first year at ASU.
“My professors are really good as I start my first year,” said Dalgai, who is Navajo and graduated last spring from St. Michaels Indian School in St. Michaels. “For a different place, a different setting than on the Navajo reservation, it’s a lot different. But it's a good kind of different. It’s exciting.”
Dalgai chose to attend ASU, even though he was accepted at Northern Arizona University and the University of Southern California, because his two older siblings are ASU alumni and the tuition isn’t too expensive.
He plans to go into sports business, a major he settled on after he researched what he wanted to ultimately study. A former star basketball player in high school, he was awarded Regional Player of the Year for 1A North. He said the sports culture on the Navajo Nation was a factor into his major decision. He said he wants to get into the business of helping Indigenous athletes get exposed to “the sports world.”
“I was a student athlete at my high school,” Dalgai said. “I wasn’t really exposed to the types of big schools out there. I felt they didn’t know we were there. From experience I want to help Native American students on the reservation get really exposed, because there is some exposure here and there, but there is a lot of talent. I felt they should be more seen.”
When he took part in the two-week Spirit program, he said he was able to meet new people with the same interest in basketball and now they are looking to form a basketball team to play at the ASU Fitness Center as part of the intramural sports program.
Jones, who is Navajo and from Chinle, took part in the most recent ASU Tribal Nations Tour. The group traveled to Window Rock and spoke to schools like the Bureau of Indian Education-run Hunters Point Boarding School in Hunters Point. They also visited with students in Chinle, Sanders, Fort Defiance and Dilkon.
Jones, an elementary education major with a minor in family development, said she looks forward to one day returning home to the Navajo Nation to teach second grade. She cited two teachers from junior high and high school, along with her mom, who is a teacher, as her inspirations for going into education.
“My childhood environment inspired me to come back to make an impact somehow for the children’s mindset,” said Jones. “I want to make sure the children have a future to look forward to and I saw teaching as a way to get that for them. I also saw it as a way to open doors for opportunity and maybe change the education back home.”
But what sold her on the idea of going to ASU was the community. She gravitated toward the teaching program.
Instilling leadership in new students
Jones and Pereira both had to acclimate to online classes when the university was shut down due to COVID-19, a time Jones said her mental health suffered. Both said that point in time for them as students was difficult.
Bowen said Jones was invited to speak at a conference in Sedona on mental health. She said Jones' passion for advocacy in helping students is admirable.
“Cheneil just came into our office one day and introduced herself and basically asked how she can get involved,” said Bowen. "She said, ‘I want to participate. I want to help out and volunteer.’ Seeing that advocacy of putting herself out there, and seeing that passion in her of what she wants to do, she wants to go home and be an elementary teacher, which is needed. Just seeing her passion and enthusiasm impresses me.”
Bowen said even during the pandemic she could see how involved Pereria was with her tribe. Her leadership didn't go unnoticed: She was recently recognized as one of Native Youth Leadership Program's 25 Under 25.
“I’ve been fortunate to hold a lot of different leadership roles,” said Pereria. “In my senior year of high school I implemented a policy that allowed Native youth to wear their regalia during their graduation within Tucson Unified School District.”
For fall 2021, Arizona State University reported 1,213 American Indian or Alaska Native undergraduates, followed by Northern Arizona University, with 674 Indigenous students, and the University of Arizona with 475 undergraduate students who identified as American Indian or Alaska Native.
"I suggest Native students looks at a college that they can see themselves at and makes them happy," said Pereria. "I wouldn't have gone as far without the support and the resources that ASU, most specifically the Indigenous department here at ASU gave me.
"I always had someone to go to and talk to. So when Native students are looking for whatever school, they should do research and see if these schools fit what they want in obtaining their education."
Arlyssa Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2022/09/01/asus-indigenous-population-remains-largest-arizona/7940777001/ | 2022-09-01T16:02:03 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2022/09/01/asus-indigenous-population-remains-largest-arizona/7940777001/ |
Deadly crash in Yavapai County spurs community meeting, talk of crosswalk
Yarnell community members had previously asked for a crosswalk in an area where a 74-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by an off-duty YCSO sergeant on his way home from work Aug. 26.
Sheriff David Rhodes is hosting a community meeting Thursday afternoon in Yarnell to discuss the issue.
The woman, Donna Gordon, was crossing the street at Highway 89 and Post Road around 7 p.m. when Sgt. Dakota Brinkley struck her while driving his work vehicle. The woman died at the scene.
The Department of Public Safety is investigating the collision and has not yet released any information regarding speed or other potential factors that may have been involved. Initial reports show that impairment was not a factor, according to the Sheriff's Office.
A statement from YCSO noted that "community members have been asking for a crosswalk to be put in that area for a while and will undoubtedly be asking the Arizona Department of Transportation to review the issue."
In a statement, the Arizona Department of Transportation said it extended its deepest sympathies to the victim and her family.
"Yavapai County officials have approached ADOT about placing a marked crosswalk approximately a block from where this incident occurred," according to the ADOT statement.
"As with any request of this type, ADOT is reviewing data to determine any potential course of action. The incident is the subject of a law enforcement investigation that will inform this process going forward."
The community meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Yarnell Community Center, at 22303 State Highway 89 in Yarnell. Yavapai County Supervisor Harry Oberg is expected to attend.
Contact northern Arizona reporter Lacey Latch at llatch@gannett.com or on social media @laceylatch. Coverage of northern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America and a grant from the Vitalyst Health Foundation in association with The Arizona Republic. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/09/01/deadly-crash-yavapai-county-spurs-community-meeting/7950840001/ | 2022-09-01T16:02:09 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/09/01/deadly-crash-yavapai-county-spurs-community-meeting/7950840001/ |
2 arrested after 18-year-old girl fatally shot in south Phoenix home
Phoenix police identified the woman found dead Wednesday morning near Central and Sunland avenues and have arrested two men in connection to the case.
Frida Valdez, 18, was inside her home when a person entered and fatally shot her around 5 a.m., according to Sgt. Vincent Cole, a spokesperson with Phoenix police. It is unclear whether Valdez was by herself in the home.
Later Wednesday, Cole said officers responded to a call for a welfare check in the area and found Valdez. He didn't release information on who made the call.
Officers arrested Leon Valencia Verdugo, 18, on suspicion of first-degree murder and Jesus Barrera, 22, on suspicion of misconduct involving weapons. Police said they developed probable cause to arrest both in connection to the homicide, according to a Thursday news release, but did not provide details.
Anyone with information was asked to call the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151. Those who wish to report anonymously can call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish speakers.
Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2022/09/01/frida-valdez-18-fatally-shot-her-south-phoenix-home/7959546001/ | 2022-09-01T16:02:21 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2022/09/01/frida-valdez-18-fatally-shot-her-south-phoenix-home/7959546001/ |
RICHMOND, Ind. — Police shared tragic news Wednesday that Ofc. Seara Burton, the Richmond police officer who was critically injured in a shooting exactly three weeks ago, will be taken off life support Thursday.
Major Jon Bales released the following statement announcing the news:
"Despite the very best efforts of all the doctors and nurses at Miami Valley Hospital, Officer Seara Burton’s injuries have been determined to be unrecoverable. Tomorrow, Thursday, September 1, 2022, Seara will be taken off of life support.
Seara will live on and continue to be a hero with her selfless gift of organ donation. Officer Burton will continue to serve others long after her passing. Final arrangements for Officer Burton will be released in the coming days.
Seara’s family wanted to include the community in sharing this information. The incredible outpouring of support has been truly heartwarming. We ask that you please respect their privacy during this time. The Chief’s office will put out more information once it becomes available."
It was the news a police department and community had been praying wouldn’t come. As word spread Wednesday afternoon, people came to the Richmond police station to pay respects.
“I came to light a candle and leave a flower for her,” said Richmond resident Karla Chasteen, a retired police officer who remembers the danger of the job.
“You always expect it to happen in the big city, you don’t expect it to happen in our small town,” said Chasteen.
It was a feeling shared by other Richmond residents, many asking the question, “How could it happen here?”
“For it to hit so close to home, it was shocking,” said Jennifer Lopez, who works in a local restaurant.
Lopez has followed news of Burton’s condition since she was shot three weeks ago.
“To die doing your duty, to protect your community, it’s just... I have no words,” said Lopez.
Hours after the devastating news, a local boutique held a live auction on Facebook, with items donated from local businesses, all to raise money for a fund in Burton’s name.
“We want to honor her and her sacrifice for our community,” said Luxe Lizzy Boutique owner Lori Troutwine. Troutwine said her father had once been Richmond’s police chief and hired Burton to be an officer with the department.
“So this is really close to my heart,” Troutwine said, adding that Wednesday’s fundraiser had already been planned when they got the news Burton was not going to recover.
“We’re crushed,” said Troutwine.
There was never a thought to reschedule the fundraiser, though. The group of women who helped with it, pushed through their own grief to support Officer Burton.
“We have cried throughout, but the bottom line is we’re honoring Seara,” said Troutwine. “The fact that there’s so much support is so heartwarming. The fact that there’s so much good, still out there.”
Burton was shot at around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10. The day after the shooting, police chief Michael Britt said Burton was in "extremely critical" condition after suffering a gunshot wound to her head.
At the time, she was helping other officers with a traffic stop. When her K-9 partner, Brev, went to check 47-year-old Phillip M. Lee's moped, Burton went to talk to Lee. That's when he allegedly pulled out a gun and shot several rounds toward officers.
Court documents say Lee was aiming at the officers' "head and facial areas."
Burton was shot at close range and the officer next to her was nearly shot in the head. Other officers returned fire, and Lee shot at them as he ran away.
“He just pulled the gun and fired. He was just so close to her. She didn’t stand a chance. It’s just not fair to her. It’s not fair to her family," said Michelle Partin, who is Lee's neighbor and witnessed the shooting. “He fired one shot and pop and there was a slight pause and then pop, pop, pop where [officers] returned fire and there was anywhere from 10 to 15 shots.”
Burton was taken the Dayton hospital in "very critical condition, fighting for her life," said Britt.
The shooting happened less than two weeks before Burton's wedding day. In the face of tragedy, her fiancée Sierra Neal has shown incredible strength.
In a post a few days after the shooting, Neal said, "Seara is the strongest person I know and she continues to prove that every single day. She is the most beautiful human inside and out and anyone who has ever been lucky enough to know her will tell you the same."
Neal ended her post with, "Seara Burton I love you more than anything in this entire world and I am so very proud of you. You are my person."
And on what would have been their wedding day, Neal shared a video on TikTok of a special moment at the hospital.
It wasn't the wedding they had planned, but on Saturday, Aug. 20, Neal posted a video on TikTok of her walking in a white dress toward Burton's hospital room.
In the video, "Something in the Orange" by Zach Bryan plays in the background as Neal walks toward the room, surrounded by hospital staff standing in support of her and Burton.
"This walk was supposed to look a lot different, but I will always be thankful we still got to celebrate. Even if it is not legal on paper, you are my wife. I love you Seara," Neal wrote in the caption for the video.
A photo hangs on the door of Burton's room, showing the Richmond officer and her K-9 partner Brev, who was with her when she was shot on Wednesday, Aug. 10.
The video has been viewed more than 5 million times and has nearly 500,000 likes. It's gained attention from people across the country, offering their prayers for Burton, Neal and their families. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/richmond-police-officer-seara-burton-to-be-taken-off-life-support/531-32b1205f-19ec-494f-990d-002daf6de1e5 | 2022-09-01T16:03:41 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/richmond-police-officer-seara-burton-to-be-taken-off-life-support/531-32b1205f-19ec-494f-990d-002daf6de1e5 |
ATLANTA — Atlanta is gearing up for a busy Labor Day weekend as it welcomes a plethora of popular events to the city for what is expected to be a very crowded weekend downtown.
The upcoming holiday weekend offers Atlantans and visitors alike an opportunity to experience a taste of the culture and entertainment the city has to offer.
Here are some of the notable events happening downtown:
Atlanta's largest multi-genre and pop culture convention returns to the city for its 35th year and is expected to bring in at least 60,000 fans of cosplayers, gamers and pop culture enthusiasts for a celebration of fantasy, sci-fi and gaming. Dragon Con begins Thursday and runs all the way through Monday with activities happening at five hotels -- Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta -- in addition to AmericasMart buildings two and three.
There will be multiple events celebrating Atlanta's Black LGBTQ+ community for their annual celebration. The event begins on Thursday with Mayor Andre Dickens speaking at the opening reception, followed by additional nightlife events in several Midtown venues. Atlanta Black Pride weekend continues through Monday, and is highlighted by the Pure Heat Community Festival at Piedmont Park on Sunday with appearances by many special guests from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will also feature its first ever "Black Excellence Influencers Dinner" that will showcase the successes of organizations, leaders, and influencers assisting the LGBTQ+ community.
This year, fans of both college football rivals will get to experience the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as the annual series will host two games this weekend featuring matchups that include both the Dawgs and the Jackets. On Saturday, Georgia will take on the Oregon Ducks at 3:30 p.m. at The Benz, while Georgia Tech will battle the highly-ranked Clemson Tigers on Monday at 8 p.m. Expect to see a lot of red and black and white and gold displayed by fans on Labor Day weekend.
Transportation methods:
Parking will not be easy at any of these events and you are strongly encouraged to take public transportation.
MARTA will be assisting attendees throughout the weekend to and from the events. MARTA sent out the best destinations for each stop on your way:
- Dragon Con – Peachtree Center
- Atlanta Black Pride Parade – Midtown
- Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game / UGA vs. Oregon – Mercedes-Benz Stadium/GWCC/CNN
- Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game / Georgia Tech vs. Clemson – Mercedes-Benz Stadium/GWCC/CNN | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/labor-day-weekend-events-atlanta/85-3c6d7046-d2e2-4a71-8909-d9d7360d4558 | 2022-09-01T16:06:00 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/labor-day-weekend-events-atlanta/85-3c6d7046-d2e2-4a71-8909-d9d7360d4558 |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Local
Weather
Responds
Investigations
Video
Sports
Entertainment
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Homebuyer Program
Bodycam Video
Battleship Texas
Shawn Bradley
#ClearTheShelters
Expand
Texas News
News from around the state of Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/new-airline-rules-could-ease-airport-woes-ahead-of-labor-day-travel-rush/3062027/ | 2022-09-01T16:09:41 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/new-airline-rules-could-ease-airport-woes-ahead-of-labor-day-travel-rush/3062027/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Well, there’s a first for everything. 2022 has been a crazy year from the start to now nearing its finish in Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area just saw a record-breaking month as summer is almost through.
The National Weather Service center in Fort Worth says the month of August was the wettest August on record in Dallas-Fort Worth as the area saw a final total reach 10.68″ which broke 1915’s record of 10.33″.
“August 2022 was the wettest August on record at DFW with the final total reaching 10.68″ breaking the old record of 10.33″ in 1915. The deluge last week at DFW also set a number of other records including most rain in a day and in 24 hours in August, and most rain ever in a 45 minute time-span.” | https://cw33.com/news/local/august-2022-was-wettest-august-in-dallas-fort-worth-nws-fort-worth-says/ | 2022-09-01T16:11:41 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/august-2022-was-wettest-august-in-dallas-fort-worth-nws-fort-worth-says/ |
U.S. Steel is saying its latest offer is financially responsible for a cyclical industry while the United Steelworkers union said the new offer is weak and barely an improvement over the last proposal.
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Barry Melnkovic said steelworkers would benefit from a compound 13.6% increase in pay over four years and from uncapped profit-sharing that resulted in $65,000 in bonuses over the last 18 months.
"We want to put appreciation for our employees front and center daily," Melnkovic said. "We proposed more pay in response to the USW. The current proposal offers security, health benefits, a well-funded pension plan and higher wages."
U.S. Steel is offering a bonus of up to $7,000 and 3% raises the first three years of the contract and 4% the final year.
"It ensures consistent wage increases as well as profit sharing," Melnkovic said. "Our mantra is if we do well, you do well. The profit sharing is uncapped, which lets us reward the workers in a responsible way."
People are also reading…
The company is looking to ensure sustainability over the long term.
"We can't foresee the future. We're not pleading poverty in negotiations but we're strongly advocating responsibility," Melnkovic said. "We've been in the steel business for a long time. It remains a cyclical business. We have to be responsible."
U.S. Steel is pledging $1 billion in investment in its mills, which Melnkovic said offers workers job security. The company has invested $5.3 billion in its integrated mills for the past five years.
"We're not walking away from the USW or the integrated mills," he said. "Those investments are appropriate relative to sustaining the mills. That's pure capital. We're very pleased with the amount of investment we've put into our plants. Footprint changes do occur, but we have put $5.3 billion in investment to upgrade our facilities and will continue to do an appropriate amount of investment going forward."
Melnkovic said the company's proposal would benefit workers with more pay, job security and a cash bonus.
"It makes sense for our employees who would get cash upfront in their pockets," Melnkovic said. "There will be no premiums. Profit-sharing continues. It's a strong package. We will continue to negotiate to work toward a common outcome in the interest of both parties."
USW said the new proposal "contained only minor changes to the company’s last, substandard offer." The union said the proposed wage increases were nowhere near the standard set by Cleveland-Cliffs.
U.S. Steel also rejected the union's proposals for vacation, an additional holiday and pension increases.
The two sides will continue negotiating after the contract expires Thursday.
"We continue to demand they recognize our work and sacrifices with real wage increases and a benefits plan that protects our families now, and through retirement," USW said in an update to members. "We will continue pushing hard for a fair agreement. We give our time and our bodies to this work — to make the steel that has literally built our country. However, we are miles apart and an extension is possible. An extension means we continue our current contract for a negotiated period of time. Under an extension, our jobs, wages and benefits are protected while we continue bargaining."
The union said it would continue to fight for a good contract.
"Everyone should continue to report to work until notified by your local union president. It’s clear USS is trying to take full advantage of our labor, sweat and sacrifices by claiming 'when we do well, you do well.' But when Burritt just received a 17% increase in his base salary and made $19 million last year, it’s hard to believe they mean it," USW said in the update to members. "They’ve raked in record profits recently, paid themselves handsomely and this is the offer we get." | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/u-s-steel-says-latest-proposal-responsible-while-usw-says-offer-is-weak-as-contract/article_0177313b-26d0-558d-8192-cc2722c5b28e.html | 2022-09-01T16:16:40 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/u-s-steel-says-latest-proposal-responsible-while-usw-says-offer-is-weak-as-contract/article_0177313b-26d0-558d-8192-cc2722c5b28e.html |
DES MOINES — The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is partnering with Kemin Industries for the ninth year of the Iowa STEM Teacher Award. Nominations will be accepted through October 11 at 11:59 p.m.
The award recognizes one full-time, licensed preschool through 12th grade teacher from each of the state’s six STEM regions whose passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics motivates their students to develop a lifelong interest in the related fields – both in and out of the classroom. The six selected recipients will each receive an award of $1,500 for their classrooms and $1,500 for personal use.
Anyone can nominate a teacher by going online to iowastem.org/teacheraward-application and completing the nomination form by the deadline. Following nominations, eligible educators will fill out an application for review by a panel of judges. The award recipients will be announced in early 2023. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/stem-teacher-award-nominees-sought/article_6cdbf2e2-4d49-5cbe-8efc-5e3bb7155ec0.html | 2022-09-01T16:16:58 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/stem-teacher-award-nominees-sought/article_6cdbf2e2-4d49-5cbe-8efc-5e3bb7155ec0.html |
VALPARAISO — A 30-year-old Gary man, being held at the Porter County jail on felony gun and drug charges, is now accused of battering a guard, records show.
Jeremiah Laron Thompson was charged this week with a felony count of battery against a public safety official, based on allegations of using his elbow to strike a jail officer in the face and chest Aug. 9 at the jail, a charging document reads.
The alleged battery, which occurred around 8:30 a.m. that day, was caught on video surveillance, police say.
The Level 6 felony battery count carries a potential sentence of up to 2 1/2 years behind bars if Thompson is convicted.
Thompson is already facing felony counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and possession of a narcotic drug, records show. The firearm charge alone carries a potential sentence of up to 12 years behind bars.
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident.
"In those phone calls, Katalinic made specific references as to knowing the victim’s whereabouts, as well as other references regarding the well-being of their shared child," state police said.
"Kelsie stated she would never leave her children home alone during the daytime while they were awake, however she thought they were asleep, so she left them overnight," police said.
Hammond firefighters also arrived on scene and attempts were made to revive the child, who was taken to Franciscan Health Hammond hospital, police said.
The judge questioned whether the defendant would be able to pay $1,000 a month in restitution for two years. If she misses a payment, she could have her probation revoked and be sent to jail.
The truck driver told police he was traveling east on U.S. 20 in Gary when he stopped for a red light and two people in a red Ford Edge behind him got out and argued with him about a traffic issue. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/porter-county-jail-inmate-charged-with-battering-guard/article_9952479d-8733-5347-b727-b44255b4526f.html | 2022-09-01T16:16:58 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/porter-county-jail-inmate-charged-with-battering-guard/article_9952479d-8733-5347-b727-b44255b4526f.html |
GARY — Gary wants to bring fast internet to every home in the city with the help of a 'Broadband Ready' certification.
Gary Chief Innovation Officer Lloyd Keith said the city has had a digital equity problem for years. Keith has spoken on the problem during multiple city meetings, often displaying a map of internet speeds, measured by megabit per second, or Mbps. The map shows that almost all of Gary is colored pink, meaning speeds are 1 Mbps to 150 Mbps. The city is starkly contrasted by surrounding communities, which are almost entirely green, meaning speeds are 1 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps.
The speed ranges allow for areas in the green that are slower and areas in the pink that are faster, but Keith said the majority of the city is actually under 25 Mbps. Gary is in the midst of a five-part project that Keith said could be "an opportunity to rewire the city."
However, the comprehensive project will require plenty of funding. Over the winter, the Gary Common Council approved the allocation of $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the initiative. Now the council will consider an ordinance that would help the city become a certified Broadband Ready Community.
The ordinance is part of the city's application to the Indiana Broadband Office. If approved by the state, Gary would join 68 other Broadband Ready Communities in Indiana including Merrillville, Porter County and LaPorte County. The Broadband Ready certification means the municipality is ready for broadband infrastructure investment.
The Gary Ways and Means Committee discussed the ordinance during a Monday night meeting. Keith said the certification could help the city get more state funding.
"It [internet] is a utility now, you can't operate without it."
The gap in internet speed can largely be attributed to a lack of investment from internet providers. The majority of Gary homes are wired with cable instead of fiber, and most of the city does not have the correct infrastructure required for fiber, Keith said.
After issuing a Request for Qualifications in July, the city received applications from 10 internet providers interested in servicing Gary. According to the request, the city is seeking partners that can provide affordable wireless access of 100 Mbps or higher to every residential or business location in Gary by the end of 2026. Ideally, citywide internet speeds would be 100 Mbps to 1 gigabit per second or Gbps. The city has not selected a vendor yet.
During the Monday night meeting, Keith said the selected provider would have to comply with the Affordability Connectivity Program, which offers a discount of up to $30 per month for internet service in eligible households.
The five-part initiative will include providing free Wi-Fi in six city parks: Glen Ryan, Brunswick, Tolleston, Reed, Glen Park Optimist Club Ball Park and Roosevelt.
During a Tuesday night meeting, the City Council unanimously passed an ordinance establishing the requirements to become a certified Broadband Ready Community.
Council President William Godwin, D-1st, said he still has "some concerns about the park idea because we know our pavilions are not open." Godwin said the majority of the cities' over 50 parks are "underutilized."
Keith said providing Wi-Fi in city parks "is not the solution" but will serve as a test case for the selected vendor before they take on the much larger task of bringing fast wireless to the entire city.
The broadband-ready ordinance will go before the Common Council on third and final reading Sept. 6.
1 of 7
This is Gary event
Melvin Alexander, 13, works on his origami ninja star as he talks about the several careers for which he shows an interest.
LaTrice L. Edwards talks to students about being make-up artists in the TV and film industry Wednesday at the This is Gary event at the Gary Area Career Center.
Melvin Alexander, 13, works on his origami ninja star as he talks about the several careers for which he shows an interest.
John J. Watkins, The Times
This is Gary event
Cameran Battley talks to students about cosmetology and other related fields Wednesday at the This is Gary event at the Gary Area Career Center.
John J. Watkins, The Times
This is Gary event
McKenya Smith talks to students about social entrepreneurship Wednesday at the This is Gary event at the Gary Area Career Center.
John J. Watkins, The Times
This is Gary event
Amplias Starks, 16, outlines her hand as part of an exercise Wednesday as part of Youth Empowerment Day.
John J. Watkins, The Times
This is Gary event
Toccara Steele, left, and Natalie Bonner give a presentation on writing Wednesday at the This is Gary event at the Gary Area Career Center.
John J. Watkins, The Times
This is Gary" event
LaTrice L. Edwards talks to students about being make-up artists in the TV and film industry Wednesday at the This is Gary event at the Gary Area Career Center.
John J. Watkins, The Times
This is Gary event
A group of girls make their way to the next station Wednesday at the This is Gary event at the Gary Area Career Center.
The above map shows differing internet speeds across Lake County. The red area shows places where internet speeds are between 1 and 150 Mpbs, the green shows places where speeds are 1 to 1000 Mpbs. Gary is now hoping to become a certified 'Broadband Ready Community' to address gaps in internet service. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/gary-could-become-broadband-ready-community/article_95f11a6b-ab4c-51e0-bc61-b36aeea45127.html | 2022-09-01T16:17:05 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/gary-could-become-broadband-ready-community/article_95f11a6b-ab4c-51e0-bc61-b36aeea45127.html |
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT SUNDAY
NIGHT...
* WHAT...High temperatures from the upper 90s to 103.
* WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest and west central
Idaho and northeast and southeast Oregon.
* WHEN...Until midnight MDT Sunday night.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
&&
1 of 3
A glimpse of the Micron campus along South Federal Way in Boise.
BOISE — Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies and the only U.S.-based manufacturer of memory, has announced plans to invest $15 billion through the end of the decade to construct a new factory for leading-edge memory manufacturing in Boise.
Referred to as a “fab” in the company’s news release, Micron said it will be the first new memory manufacturing factory built in the United States in 20 years, ensuring domestic supply of leading-edge memory necessary for industries like automotive and data center. It will be driven by the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence and 5G, the news release stated.
This is the first of Micron’s multiple-planned U.S. investments following the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, and represents the largest private investment ever made in Idaho. Micron said that co-locating the fab with the company’s R&D center at Micron’s headquarters will enhance operational efficiency, accelerate technology deployment and improve time to market.
The news release stated that the fab will create over 17,000 new American jobs, including approximately 2,000 direct jobs with Micron, by the end of the decade.
“We thank President Biden, Secretary of Commerce Raimondo, Secretary of Defense Austin, the Biden-Harris Administration and Members of Congress for the bipartisan support of the CHIPS and Science Act, which made this investment decision possible,” said Micron President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. “Our new leading-edge memory manufacturing fab will fuel U.S. technology leadership, ensuring a reliable domestic supply of semiconductors that is critical to economic and national security. We also appreciate the support of Gov. Little and his administration, Idaho state legislators, Mayor McLean and our partners at Idaho Power. We are proud of the positive impact this investment will have on the community and our more than 6,000 employees located in Boise, Micron’s headquarters and the epicenter of our innovation for over 40 years.”
In an emailed statement, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean described Micron’s announcement as a once-in-a-generation investment in Boise from a local institution that delivers economic impacts on a national level.
“We looked hard at what we could do as a city to do our part to make sure this happened in and for our community knowing that, together with Micron, we will grow our economy, protect our open space and clean water and attract and sustain a diverse, dynamic workforce,” Mclean said.
In an emailed statement, President Joe Biden called the announcement “another big win for America.”
He pointed to other announcements this week by First Solar, Toyota, Honda, and Corning regarding new investments and job growth as proof that his recent economic plan is coming to fruition.
“In our future, we will make EVs, chips, fiber optics, and other critical components here in America, and we will have an economy built from the bottom up and middle out,” Biden said.
The news release added that Micron will expand investment for K-12 STEM education programs in Idaho and increase focus on reaching underrepresented and rural student populations. The company also said it will look to deepen its partnerships with state institutions, universities with strong research and semiconductor engineering programs, minority serving intuitions and veterans transition programs across the nation.
As part of the effort, the company announced a partnership with the College of Western Idaho to lead efforts in delivering key curricula, such as Advanced Mechatronics Engineering Technology, to prepare students for the Micron Technician Apprenticeship Program.
Micron said it plans to invest more than $150 billion globally over the next decade in manufacturing and R&D. That includes investing $40 billion through the end of this decade to build leading-edge memory manufacturing in multiple phases in the U.S. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/micron-announces-plans-to-build-15-billion-facility-in-boise/article_113ae35e-2a04-11ed-8543-db3525a806bc.html | 2022-09-01T16:20:38 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/micron-announces-plans-to-build-15-billion-facility-in-boise/article_113ae35e-2a04-11ed-8543-db3525a806bc.html |
In 1933, during the Great Recession, North Bend made history when it created its own wooden coins to keep the local economy afloat.
Almost 90 years later, a father and son who live in the city turned their interest in local history and a hobby engraving objects into a history lesson of sorts honoring the North Bend coins and benefitting the Coos History Museum.
Bob and Jonathan Schalck said the idea of engraving replicas of the North Bend coins was almost by accident.
"I guess it started when we first got our laser," Jonathan said. "I was looking for a project to do, and I remembered, 'Oh yeah, we had the wooden currency.'"
Jonathan said he searched online for pictures of the coins and tried to make a version himself, but he struggled. Later, his dad found a book on myrtlewood that had a clearer picture of the coins, and Jonathan was finally able to get a good replica.
When the Coos History Museum decided to have an exhibit about myrtlewood that includes both the original coins and a later version printed by the state to showcase the historical time, the Schalcks approached the museum.
"When the coin show came to town, he showed it to her and she said can you do something for us," Bob said. "So, we started printing them out."
The museum is offering the replica coins for sale as a fundraiser. Each coin, made out of myrtlewood, showcases a replica $5 coin on the front with a Coos History Museum on the back. The Schalcks said they put the history museum logo on the back to make sure their replica coins could not be confused with the originals.
There are also some other differences. While the original coins were printed in black ink, the replicas are engraved into the wood with the laser.
In addition to cutting coins for the museum, the father and son have done projects for 7 Devils Brewery, the Oregon Coast Railroad and others.
"The whole idea is we're trying to tie this to the community as much as possible," Bob said.
Building what they call a hobby-business has been more about fun that money so far, but someday soon the father and son duo hope to make it more profitable.
They cut the coins into myrtlewood to keep them as close to the original as possible, but can also cut into other woods. Bob said they found a place to get myrtlewood almost by accident while being part of an inventing group at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
"It just came up that we had the laser, and this guy said, 'Hey, I've got tom wood if you want to try it out,;'" Bob said.
Since then, the man has sold his scrap to the Schalcks so they have a consistent supply or myrtlewood to use.
Jonathan said he is happy with the coins he created and is happy they are being used for a good purpose.
"I just love the way they look and the history of the community coming together in a time of need," he said. "With COVID, it's kind of like the same thing."
The Schalcks received permission from North Bend before making the coins and have been talking to city staff about making a version that can be sold at the North Bend Visitors Center. That coin will have the $5 front, with a map of Oregon highlighting North Bend on the back.
While the Schalcks have reached out to different organizations in the community about using their laser engraver, they are happy it was the Coos History Museum that they worked with first. Both said they are big supporters of the museum and enjoy seeing the exhibits.
"I love the history of it, learning about the area," Bob said. "A lot of people don't know about the fishing, the lumber and the coal. And of course, the Indian Tribes. It really has a dramatic history." | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/father-and-son-bring-north-bend-history-to-life/article_6c68ce88-2709-11ed-8e3b-d3c87b438ecd.html | 2022-09-01T16:23:26 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/father-and-son-bring-north-bend-history-to-life/article_6c68ce88-2709-11ed-8e3b-d3c87b438ecd.html |
The city of Coos Bay has received a $15,000 Certified Local Government “Pass-Through” Grant from the State Historic Preservation Office to assist property owners of historic structures with needed preservation. The “Pass-Through Grant” is financed with federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior; however, the contents and opinions of the grant do not necessarily reflect the United States Department of the Interior views or policies nor endorsement by mention of trade names or commercial products.
The funds are available to property owners of structures listed on the “Local Historic Registry” and the “National Register of Historic Places” to make exterior rehabilitation or preservation improvements. The work shall be located on the primary facade of the structure or on a facade that is highly visible to the public. Structural improvements to preserve the integrity of the structure may also qualify. Upon award, a project may receive 50% of the project cost up to a maximum of $15,000 in grant funds, whichever is the lesser amount. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/grant-to-help-restore-historic-buildings/article_b6c2cecc-270c-11ed-a2aa-774e4dafd83b.html | 2022-09-01T16:23:26 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/grant-to-help-restore-historic-buildings/article_b6c2cecc-270c-11ed-a2aa-774e4dafd83b.html |
DALLAS — The attorney for a man accused of sedition in the Jan. 6. Capitol riot has also been arrested for her alleged role in the incident, federal authorities confirmed on Thursday.
Kellye SoRelle, 43, faces charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding and obstruction of justice-tampering with documents, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
SoRelle, who is from Granbury, was arrested in Junction, northwest of San Antonio.
A federal jury in Washington, D.C., indicted SoRelle on Wednesday. She is accused of participating in the riot on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
SoRelle is the attorney for Stewart Rhodes and the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group that was allegedly involved in the Capitol riot.
Rhodes in January was charged with seditious conspiracy for his alleged role in the Capitol attack.
Ten other people – including another Prosper, Texas man, 37-year-old Roberto Minuta – were also charged with seditious conspiracy. Authorities said members of the extremist Oath Keepers group came to Washington intent on stopping the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.
According to the federal indictment, Rhodes and others began in late December 2020 using encrypted and private messaging apps to coordinate, plan and travel – armed – to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
Among their plans, the indictment said, was organizing into teams that were "prepared and willing to use force" and to transport firearms and ammo into the D.C. area. The court documents outline that Rhodes texted his followers, “We aren’t getting through this without a Civil War." | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/kellye-sorelle-oath-keepers-jan-6-riot-lawyer-for-arrested-oath-keepers-leader-also-arrested-in-jan-6-riot/287-e9f19184-8b42-457b-addd-98e164510d55 | 2022-09-01T16:28:32 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/kellye-sorelle-oath-keepers-jan-6-riot-lawyer-for-arrested-oath-keepers-leader-also-arrested-in-jan-6-riot/287-e9f19184-8b42-457b-addd-98e164510d55 |
PLANO, Texas — An arrest affidavit obtained by WFAA revealed more details about a viral video of a woman's racist attack on other women outside a popular Plano restaurant, including more racist comments not caught on the previously-released video.
On Aug. 25, police arrested Esmeralda Upton on misdemeanor charges of assault (bodily injury) and terroristic threats for the Aug. 24 incident.
RELATED: 'She started hitting me' | Victim of viral, racist confrontation in Plano parking lot speaks
According to the arrest affidavit, the group of women told police that Upton approached them and began yelling at them to go back to India and that "Indians are ruining this country." This is when the group of women started recording Upton, the affidavit says.
Police said the group of women told officers Upton hit them, which she admitted to and the viral video also shows. The affidavit also says Upton continued to maker racially-charged comments throughout her conversation with the officer on scene.
According to the affidavit, Upton told police she became agitated when the group called her a "white woman." Upton originally stated to police she was a "first generation" American, but later said she was "second generation," told police that she is "Mexican-American" and "Native-American" and lives in a $1.5 million home.
Upton admitted to police she struck one of the women because they were "videoing and saying all of this (expletive) that I wasn't doing. And that's what they do. Just like the black people," the affidavit said.
The affidavit also says one of the three videos recorded by the group of women shows Upton saying "I'm going to blow your (expletive) brains out" and "I swear to God I am going to shoot your (expletive)."
According to the affidavit, after being asked for her identification, Upton asked police if they'd like to see her license to carry a firearm as well. The officer asked Upton if she was "carrying" at the time, and she said she wasn't, but stated that her firearm was in her vehicle.
Police referred to Upton in the affidavit as "very agitated and uncooperative."
After being arrested, Upton posted $10,000 bond, but 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 last week.
You can watch the incident below (Warning: The video has some graphic and racist language.):
More Texas headlines: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-woman-esmerelda-upton-sixty-vines-viral-video-racist-confrontation/287-939fa808-560d-4192-acff-4590076108c4 | 2022-09-01T16:28:38 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-woman-esmerelda-upton-sixty-vines-viral-video-racist-confrontation/287-939fa808-560d-4192-acff-4590076108c4 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.