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CHEYENNE – The three triple jumpers who finished ahead of Jackson Kirkbride at last year’s Class 3A state meet all graduated.
So did the next four athletes who stood below him on the podium that day at Harry Geldien Stadium in Casper.
Kirkbride has the top triple jump mark in 3A this spring, according to Athletic.net. The Burns senior knows he’s the favorite to claim the state title later this month. However, Kirkbride is leaving nothing to chance.
“I have my eyes on a state title, for sure, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to go win it,” he said. “But I know I still have all kinds of things to work on if I want to do that.”
Kirkbride continues to shine, even though he remains a work in progress. He won the title at Torrington’s T-Town Qualifier with a leap of 40 feet, 5 inches, and placed second at the invitation-only Best in the West Classic in Scottsbluff, Nebraska (41-4¼) to earn Prep Athlete of the Week honors from WyoSports’ Cheyenne staff.
Kirkbride’s emphasis this spring has been shortening the first of the three phases in order to lengthen the last two.
“My first phase has always been huge, even when I started triple jumping,” Kirkbride said. “We’re working on dialing back on the first phase to enable me to go farther on the other two. By dialing back and not reaching so far for the first one, I’ll have more spring for my second and third ones.”
Kirkbride struggled to get used to the new rhythm designed to give him a stronger push during the final two phases. The move was designed to increase the distances he posts, but he felt like he wasn’t going as far as he was before. That concern was put to rest early.
Kirkbride had a leap of 42 feet, 6 inches in this season’s first meet, which was a personal best by a half-inch. Kirkbride has worked to become more comfortable with his new progression ever since.
“It takes time and reps, which are hard to get in triple jump because the event takes a toll on the body,” said Burns girls coach Brooks Hoffman, who also coaches all of the Broncs’ long and triple jumpers. “It’s constant work. That habit of going big on the first jump is pretty strong in him.
“But he’s very coachable, wants to improve and has goals. He’s willing to do any exercise or drill to get those phases where they need to be.”
Kirkbride feels like he’s making progress, even though he’s not setting personal bests each week. He knows further marked improvement will happen when all of his phases come together in the right competition conditions.
In the meantime, Kirkbride is happy to be consistent and rack up wins.
“I haven’t jumped my best, and I’m still placing really well,” he said. “I was pretty excited to get second at Best in the West, because that’s a big meet, and I was fourth there last year.
“I scratched my first jump, had two pretty good jumps and then scratched what felt like a big jump at the end. Being able to do well at a big meet like Best in the West with two scratches is a big deal to me.”
Kirkbride hesitates to say how far he felt his final jump in Scottsbluff went. Hoffman has taught him scratched jumps can quickly morph into fish tales.
“The ones you scratch are always bigger in your head than they actually are, and they tend to grow the more you tell the story,” Kirkbride said.
Others recognized for their efforts include:
n Aleah Brooks, softball, Cheyenne East: The freshman went 6 for 9 with two home runs and five RBI to help the Lady Thunderbirds go 1-2 on the week.
n Barrett Georges, girls golf, Cheyenne Central: The junior posted an 8-over-par 80 to win the Laramie Invitational.
n Katie Hinz and Lauren Lucas, softball, Central: Hinz, a sophomore, struck out 12 hitters in a six-inning complete game victory over Cheyenne East.
Lucas, a senior, was 4 for 5 with five RBI in that contest.
n Tayler Miller, girls soccer, East: The senior scored two goals and assisted on another to help the Lady Thunderbirds go 2-1 on the week.
n Reed Thompson, boys track and field, Pine Bluffs: The senior cleared 5 feet, 6 inches to win high jump at the T-Town Qualifier. He also placed second in long jump at that meet (20-1). | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/prep_athlete/burns-jackson-kirkbride-hopes-triple-jump-tweaks-yield-state-title/article_20f42f85-bf05-54d6-899e-0542dbe19e17.html | 2022-05-04T14:02:53Z |
Regional Overview
May is off to a cool, wet start. Fish need water, so this is a good thing. Expect precipitation today, but warming up Thursday, Friday and part of Saturday. Conditions change starting Saturday afternoon. Mother’s Day could bring a big cool down, making outdoor celebrations less than inviting. These waves of moisture continue, as is typical this time of year. Those hoping to bask in some sunshine will have to be alert, since such warm periods pass through quickly. Eventually, they will arrive and stick around for a while, but that isn’t the situation just yet. While temperatures warm near the end of the week, breezes start up, especially Friday into Saturday, heralding the arrival of the next cold front on Sunday. Still, with temperatures reaching into the low 70s, those are the best days to get out to toss a line.
Ranking Categories
H (One fish) – to ensure fish dinner, go to the local grocery store
HHHHH (Five fish) – toss a line and get a fish; the fish aren’t picky
Granite, Crystal and North Crow reservoirs
HHH
The buzz: The fishing is good, but tends to fluctuate, just like the spring weather. Move around the shoreline to find the fish. Look for large tiger muskies in Upper North Crow Reservoir. This sterile hybrid fish species was introduced starting in 2015 to control the sucker population. Now some of them are pretty good size and offer a change of pace from catching trout.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Nightcrawlers
Salmon eggs
Panther martins
Leech patterns
Bead head pheasant tails
Bead head copper Johns
Sloans and Absarraca lakes
HH
The buzz: The action is slow due to the rollercoaster weather. It should be decent the next couple days, as it warms up, with clear skies, but get out before the breezes kick up.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Nightcrawlers
Salmon eggs
White plastic jigs (for bass)
Tellicos
Prince nymphs
Pole Mountain
HH
The buzz: The fishing is good on the ponds, but access is limited and very sloppy. Expect to hike or mountain bike to get to the fishing. The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service snow measuring station along Crow Creek is free of snow as of Tuesday morning. There’s been no report from the U.S. Forest Service of road openings, so expect the closure gates to still be down, limiting motorized travel.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Nightcrawlers
Bead head prince nymphs
Olive hare’s ears
Elk hair caddis
Adams
Renegades
Laramie Plains lakes
HH½
The buzz: The fishing picked up across the basin, but wind has been persistent. Anglers report good fishing at Gelatt and Diamond lakes. Twin Buttes continues to provide excellent action for those casting from the bank. Meeboer is fishing fair, while the action is slower at Alsop Lake.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Nightcrawlers
Red powerbait
Chironomids
Leeches
Boatman
Egg patterns
Laramie River
HH½
The buzz: The runoff is still slow, with the flow at 51 cubic feet per second as it crosses the basin. The flow is slightly higher, around 120 cfs, near Woods Landing. The fishing is fair to good. Now is the time to toss a line before the runoff really picks up.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Small worms
Flashback pheasant tails
Rainbow warrior
Hot head leech
Pat’s rubber legs
Snapping craw
Urban cowboy
San Juan worms
Snowy Range
H
The buzz: It’s still winter in the high country, but there may be some areas for angling at the lower elevations. At Keystone, near Rob Roy Reservoir, as of Tuesday there was a total of 225 inches of snow so far this season according to Don Day Jr. at www.dayweather.com. This is a 3-inch increase from last week, but still lagging behind the 257 inches reported by this time last year. As of Tuesday morning, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service snow measuring station reported 55 inches at Brooklyn Lake, a 5-inch decrease from last week. The report showed 39 inches of snow at Cinnabar Park, an 8-inch decrease from last week. The report at Sand Lake on the north end of the Medicine Bow Mountains was 75 inches, a 5-inch decrease from last week. The measuring station at Medicine Bow Peak, at an elevation of 10,500 feet, reported 87 inches, a 9-inch increase from last week. At North French Creek, on the western side of the Medicine Bow Mountains, the reported snow depth was 74 inches, a 1-inch decrease from last week.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Nightcrawlers
Roostertails
Bead head prince nymphs
Woolly buggers
North Platte River and Encampment River – Saratoga Valley
HH½
The buzz: The runoff is just getting started, with the flow currently around 600 cubic feet per second at the state line. Until flows increase significantly, the angling is fair to good.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Bead head prince nymphs
Egg patterns
Pheasant tails
Pat’s rubber legs
Black woolly buggers
Beldar buggers
North Platte River – Grey Reef
HHH
The buzz: The river is fishing well, but avoiding the wind is tricky. This area could get quite a bit of moisture today, turning the river muddy for a couple days. When the weather warms, watch for blue-winged olive nymph hatches, making for some excellent action.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Blue-winged olive nymphs
Purple rock worms
Juju baetis
Egg patterns
San Juan worms
Midges
Hot head leeches
Squirrel leeches
North Platte River – Miracle Mile
HHH
The buzz: The fishing is quite good, with clear water at least until Tuesday. It could get off-color with the moisture today. The flow is moderate, around 1,500 cubic feet per second. The blue-winged olives and midges are hatching, making for some lively dry fly action when the temperature is up and the winds die down.
Suggested bait, lures and flies:
Blue-winged olive nymphs
Squirmy worms
Egg patterns
Rock worms
Hot head leeches
Red San Juan worms
Rusty scuds
Wheatland Reservoir No. 3
HH½
The buzz: The fishing is good and picking up. The ice is off, and the boat ramp is out. Anglers report landing some particularly impressive rainbow trout.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Nightcrawlers
Powerbait (red and green colors)
Little Cleo spoons
Rapala countdowns
Bead head prince nymphs
Hot head leeches
Glendo
HH½
The buzz: The walleye action is picking up across the reservoir, and all boat ramps are open. The action should improve as the water warms.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Leeches
Nightcrawlers on worm harnesses (gold and silver blades)
Rapala spinners (perch and minnow patterns)
Hawk Springs Reservoir
HH½
The buzz: The walleye action is picking up. It’s usually quite good this time of year.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Leeches
Nightcrawlers with worm harnesses
Rapala spinners
Magic bait (for catfish)
Uncle Josh’s dough bait (for catfish)
Grayrocks Reservoir
HH
The buzz: The fishing is slow, but anglers are catching a few. It should improve as the water warms up.
Suggest bait, lures and flies:
Leeches
Nightcrawlers with worm harnesses (gold blades)
Rapala spinners (perch and minnow patterns)
Reservoir levels
Alcova: 97.8% full
Boysen: 76.4% full
Guernsey: 12.1% full
Glendo: 83.2% full
Grey Reef: 87.7% full
Keyhole: 69.8% full
Pathfinder: 61.2% full
Seminoe: 32.4% full
River flows
North Platte River near Colorado state line: 569 cubic feet per second
North Platte River above Seminoe Reservoir: 1,990 cfs
North Platte River near Miracle Mile: 1,511 cfs
North Platte River at Grey Reef: 504 cfs
Encampment River near town of Encampment: 324 cfs
Boat ramp openings
Glendo Reservoir: All ramps are open.
Guernsey Reservoir: All ramps are open except Long Canyon.
Boysen Reservoir: All ramps except Lakeside are open.
Seminoe Reservoir: All ramps are closed except North Red Hills #3. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/community/fishing-report-for-may-4-2022/article_b01f74f4-875f-5e1b-941e-4780a0e7bfa3.html | 2022-05-04T14:03:00Z |
CHEYENNE – Although their careers with the Laramie County Community College men’s soccer program have ended, Cole Van Holland and Noah Espino-Kennedy will continue to hold down the back line together on the pitch.
On Tuesday, the two defenders signed to continue their careers at NCAA Division II University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. UCCS is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. They will join former Golden Eagles goalkeeper Declan Domyan, who has also committed to the Mountain Lions.
“Having some players down there that I’m familiar with will help with the transition,” Espino-Kennedy said. “This was one of my only options, so I’m glad it worked out … it’s a good region to play in in Division II.”
Van Holland said the mentality of the UCCS program and its players resembles that of LCCC, and there’s an opportunity to help build success – something they were familiar with during their time in Cheyenne.
The team had a combined record of 25-5-3 over its previous two seasons.
“It was nice knowing what I was stepping into a little bit,” said Van Holland, who is from Canton, South Dakota. “I feel like we have a chance to build something special like we did here. There’s a lot of guys that carry that winning mentality down there, and we could be pretty successful.”
The staff at UCCS was upfront with Van Holland about mutual expectations, which was something he appreciated when weighing his options between different programs.
“I like the coaching staff and what they had to say about their season. They were pretty honest with me and told me what they wanted me to come down there and do,” Van Holland said. “There was a level of transparency that I didn’t get from a lot of other schools.”
Espino-Kennedy also knows how to establish his role and help energize the team, he said.
“Hopefully, I can bring some organization and some intensity and some help in controlling the defense,” said Espino-Kennedy, who hails from Thornton, Colorado. “Then I can just grow from there.”
Van Holland started in 17 of the 18 games he appeared in last season and recorded one goal and three assists while Espino-Kennedy started in 10 of the 13 contests he saw action in last season. The duo helped LCCC capture a Region IX championship and reach the quarterfinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament in November.
Their skills are just a glimpse of what they will provide to the Mountain Lions, interim LCCC coach Fernando Perez said.
“It’s not just going to be what we taught them about soccer, but they’ll also just continue to be that good person that they are and continue to be leaders,” Perez said. “They’ll incorporate that into that program as well as they did for us.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/lccc/lcccs-van-holland-espino-kennedy-ink-with-uccs/article_233efbf9-9ddf-598e-85d2-503b308360ab.html | 2022-05-04T14:03:06Z |
CHEYENNE – Freshman Brenson Bartlett was the only bull rider to cover his draw at Saturday’s portion of the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association’s stop in Newcastle.
Bartlett scored 68 points to win the event Saturday. He is second in the WYHSRA’s season standings.
Burns header Tate Bishop and Thermopolis heeler Jhett Longwell won team roping Saturday with a time of 10.94 seconds. Carpenter header Royce Breeden and Cheyenne heeler Kyle Kofron were fifth (12.78 seconds).
Cheyenne Central junior Cory James Bomhoff finished fourth in tie-down roping Sunday (13.22 seconds) and seventh Saturday (15.95). He is sixth in the season standings.
Burns saddle bronc rider Colby Smith did not record a score either day, but remains third in the season standings.
JR. HIGH RODEO Thompson wins two events in Newcastle
CHEYENNE – Cheyenne’s Trigg Thompson won chute dogging at the second rodeo of the junior high portion of the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association’s visit to Newcastle.
Thompson stopped the clock in 9.72 seconds. He is third in the season standings for chute dogging. Thompson joined heeler Kaycee Kosmicki of Yoder to win ribbon roping at the second rodeo (6.25 seconds). The pair took fourth in the first rodeo (10.81). They are first in the WYHSRA’s season standings.
Thompson also took second in boys breakaway roping in the second rodeo (3.89). He is first in the season standings.
Cheyenne’s Juddy Farella won boys breakaway roping in the second rodeo (3.75), and was fifth in the first (14.15). He is second in the season standings. Farella also was third in boys goat tying in both the first (12.16) and second (11.06) rodeos. He is third in the goat tying season standings.
Carpenter’s Stesha Tidyman placed fourth in barrel racing at the first rodeo (14.80 seconds) and fifth in the second rodeo (14.60). She is sixth on the season.
Cheyenne’s Colin Kofron took fifth in boys breakaway roping in the second rodeo (15.46). He is sixth in the season standings. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/rodeo/prep-rodeo-laramie-county-athletes-win-at-newcastle-event/article_e0a3eb95-13c4-522d-835d-5bda7b545b05.html | 2022-05-04T14:03:12Z |
Amber Heard to take stand in Johnny Depp’s libel suit
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Actor Amber Heard is expected to take the stand in her own defense Wednesday in a civil suit filed by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp.
Heard’s anticipated testimony comes after a psychologist hired by her lawyers testified that Heard suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from multiple acts of abuse, including sexual violence, inflicted on her by Depp.
Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote a December 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” The article never mentions Depp by name, but Depp’s lawyers say he was defamed nevertheless because it clearly referred to accusations she made in 2016 during their divorce proceedings.
Depp spent four days on the stand earlier in the trial, testifying he never struck Heard and that he was the abuse victim. He said he was punched and struck by her on many occasions, and that she threw things at him. He described Heard as having a “need for conflict.”
Psychologist Dawn Hughes, in her testimony Tuesday, acknowledged that Heard at times perpetrated physical violence against Depp, but said it paled in comparison to violence she suffered, which left her intimidated and fearful for her safety.
The trial, now in its fourth week, continues to capture public attention. More than 100 people were lined up Wednesday before 7 a.m. — the proceedings don’t begin until 10 a.m. — outside the courthouse for the 100 seats made available in the courtroom. Most are Depp supporters and fans.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/04/amber-heard-take-stand-johnny-depps-libel-suit/ | 2022-05-04T15:01:26Z |
Intuit to pay $141M settlement over ‘free’ TurboTax ads
NEW YORK (AP) — The company behind the TurboTax tax-filing program will pay $141 million to customers across the United States who were deceived by misleading promises of free tax-filing services, New York’s attorney general announced Wednesday.
Under the terms of a settlement signed by the attorneys general of all 50 states, Mountain View, California-based Intuit Inc. will suspend TurboTax’s “free, free, free” ad campaign and pay restitution to nearly 4.4 million taxpayers, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.
James said her investigation into Intuit was sparked by a 2019 ProPublica report that found the company was using deceptive tactics to steer low-income tax filers away from the federally supported free services for which they qualified — and toward its own commercial products, instead.
“For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans,” James said in a statement. “This agreement should serve as a reminder to companies large and small that engaging in these deceptive marketing ploys is illegal.”
A message seeking comment was left with Intuit.
Intuit has offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the Internal Revenue Service’s Free File Program, geared toward taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military. Intuit withdrew from the program in July 2021. The company also offers a commercial product called “TurboTax Free Edition” that is only for taxpayers with “simple returns,” as defined by Intuit.
According to documents obtained by ProPublica, Intuit executives knew they were deceiving customers by advertising free services that were not in fact free to everyone.
“The website lists Free, Free, Free and the customers are assuming their return will be free,” an internal company PowerPoint presentation said. “Customers are getting upset.”
Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to consumers who started using the commercial TurboTax Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible for the version of TurboTax offered as part of the IRS Free File program.
Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services, James said. They will automatically receive notices and checks by mail.
“We empower our customers to take control of their financial lives, which includes being in charge of their own tax preparation,” an Intuit spokesperson told ProPublica in a statement in 2019.
The spokesperson added that a “government-run pre-filled tax preparation system that makes the tax collector (who is also the investigator, auditor and enforcer) the tax preparer is fraught with conflicts of interest.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/04/intuit-pay-141m-settlement-over-free-turbotax-ads/ | 2022-05-04T15:01:33Z |
Mother accused of stabbing her children to death, police say
Published: May. 4, 2022 at 10:21 AM EDT|Updated: 39 minutes ago
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) – A mother in Kentucky accused of stabbing her two children to death is facing murder charges, according to police.
WKYT reported authorities were called to respond to a report of a “cutting/stabbing” at a home around 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Police say they found three people injured when officers arrived at the scene. They were all taken to the hospital, where two children died.
According to the coroner, the siblings, 5 and 13 years old, died from multiple stab wounds.
The coroner said the children’s mother, 43-year-old Nikki James, was the third person involved. She was charged with two counts of murder, according to police.
Copyright 2022 WKYT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/04/mother-accused-stabbing-her-children-death-police-say/ | 2022-05-04T15:01:39Z |
As US poised to restrict abortion, other nations ease access
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.
That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies — such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.
It’s not yet clear what impact there will be outside the United States from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
But for women’s activists who for years have led grinding campaigns demanding open access to abortion, often looking to the United States as a model, it’s a discouraging sign and a reminder that hard-won gains can be impermanent.
“It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world,” said Colombian Catalina Martínez Coral, Latin America and Caribbean director for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which was among the groups that litigated the abortion case in Colombia’s high court.
The February ruling there established a broad right for women to have abortions within the 24-week period, whereas previously they could do so only in specific cases such as if a fetus presented malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape. Abortion is still allowed after that period under those special circumstances.
The decision fell short of advocates’ hopes for a complete decriminalization, but Martínez Coral said it still left Colombia with the “most progressive legal framework in Latin America.”
Similarly, Mexico’s Supreme Court held last year that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion. As the country’s highest court, its ruling bars all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy.
Statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in most of Mexico’s 32 states, however, and nongovernmental organizations that have long pushed for decriminalization are pressing state legislatures to reform them. Abortion was already readily available in Mexico City and some states.
To the south in Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week and after that for circumstances similar to those described in the Colombia ruling.
It’s also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.
But expansion of abortion access has not extended to all of Latin America, with many countries restricting it to certain circumstances — such as Brazil, the region’s most populous nation, where it’s permissible only in cases of rape, risk to the woman’s life and certified cases of the birth defect anencephaly. Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term in October, recently said he sees legalizing abortion as a public health issue, eliciting criticism in a country where few approve of the procedure.
Other places have total bans with no exceptions, such as Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Courts in the latter have given women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases where prosecutors suspect a miscarriage was actually an abortion.
Many African nations also maintain complete bans, but in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most circumstances up to 12 weeks. That significantly increased safe access to the procedure after the health minister reported that nearly 200 women were dying each year of complications from clandestine abortions. Previously abortion was permitted in cases of rape or incest; risk to the woman’s life; or severe fetal malformation.
Most European countries have legalized abortion, including predominantly Catholic ones. Ireland did so in 2018, followed by tiny San Marino in a voter referendum last fall. It remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City, while Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.
It’s also been widely available in Israel since 1978 and relatively uncontroversial, allowed by law before the 24th week with the approval of hospital “termination committees” that consist of medical professionals including at least one woman.
Laws and interpretations vary across the Muslim world.
Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for decades, but in Iran it’s been forbidden since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year the leader of Cairo’s top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, said abortion is not the solution even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.
In Japan, abortion is allowed only for economic and health reasons, and requires partners’ consent, making Japan one of a handful of countries in the world to do so. Victims of sexual violence are excluded from the requirement.
While there is a growing call for women to have the right to make their own decision, Japan’s government, led by the ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has long focused on traditional gender roles of women to give birth and raise children.
Japan has not approved abortion pills, though an application for one by a British company is pending at the health ministry.
Abortion has been legal in India since 1971. Women can terminate pregnancy up to 20 weeks, but only on a doctor’s advice. Under changes in 2021, a woman can also seek an abortion up to 24 weeks under certain circumstances such as rape or incest, though it requires approval from two doctors.
China is moving to limit abortions, but that’s because it has one of the highest rates of abortions in the world.
Last September, the Chinese cabinet, known as the State Council, published new national guidelines that require hospitals to “reduce non-medically necessary abortions.” In February, China’s family planning association announced it would launch a campaign to reduce teenage abortions.
When the U.S. Supreme Court’s final decision is handed down, expected in late June or early July, the world will be watching.
“While moves to decriminalize and legalize abortion in places like Argentina, Ireland, Mexico and Colombia in the last few years have been a huge win for the global community,” Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement, “there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.”
___
Sherman reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Karl Ritter in Stockholm, Sweden; Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mauricio Savarese in Rio de Janeiro; Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal; Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo; Krutika Pathi in New Delhi; and Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/04/us-poised-restrict-abortion-other-nations-ease-access/ | 2022-05-04T15:01:47Z |
Port Huron-area home prices rise 7.8% in March, with houses for sale in high demand
A typical St. Clair County home listed for $274,750 in March, up 7.8% from a month earlier, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows.
The median list home price in March was up about 19.5% from March 2021. St. Clair County's median home was 1,618 square feet for a listed price of $169 per square foot.
The St. Clair County market was busy, with a median 41 days on market. The market added 168 new home listings in March, compared with the 136 added in March 2021. The market ended the month with some 184 listings of homes for sale.
Information on your local housing market is available through the USA TODAY Network, with more data from Realtor.com.
Sanilac County home prices rise 12.5% to $217,500
Sanilac County's home prices rose 12.5%, to a median $217,500, from a year earlier. The typical house was on the market for 75 days, from 98 days a year earlier. The typical 1,670-square-foot house had a list price of $140 per square foot.
Across metro Detroit, median home prices rose to $229,450, up 5.7% from a month earlier. The median home had 1,446 square feet, at a list price of $163 per square foot.
Across all of Michigan, median home prices were $241,950, rising 6.4% from a month earlier. The median Michigan home for sale had 1,532 square feet at list price of $156 per square foot.
Across the United States, median home prices were $404,950, up 3.2% from a month earlier. The median American home for sale had 1,800 square feet, listed at $214 per square foot.
The median home list price — the midway point of all the houses or units listed over a period of time — is used more often in this report instead of the average home list price because experts say the median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market. In finding the average price, all prices of homes listed are added and then divided by the number of homes sold. This measure can be skewed by one low or high price.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the Realtor.com residential listings database.. The story was written by Mike Stucka and Sean Lahman. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/05/04/gda-homes-for-sale-20220503-mi-ppoh/65353381007/ | 2022-05-04T16:31:45Z |
Unofficial results: East China Schools sinking fund millage renewal fails
A sinking fund millage renewal for the East China School District was not passed by voters Tuesday.
According to unofficial results, 2,615, or about 45%, voted for the renewal; and 3,232, or about 55%, voted against, said Debbie Rhein, elections director for St. Clair County.
The sinking fund is a millage levied to support the repair of school buildings. Superintendent Suzanne Cybulla has said the fund has been used for repair projects such as roof replacements, HVAC units, boiler replacements, renovations of early childhood centers, emergency catch-basin repairs and more.
The 0.3992 mill tax is set to expire in July.
Cybulla said she will meet with the central office, board of education and administration team to determine next steps and whether to place the millage renewal on a future ballot.
“We’re disappointed that our voters didn’t see the importance of the sinking fund to the overall budget for East China School District," she said, "but as a team for East China we will come back together and discuss what our next steps will be."
The district will reassess its five-year sinking fund renewal plan to determine how and if projects that were slated for sinking dollars will proceed, Cybulla said.
She said the school will have to budget state dollars previously slated for education expenses for building repairs. With 12 buildings in the district, it will have unexpected building repair expenses, she said.
If the millage passed, it was expected to generate about $826,000 annually due to an increase in home values. Currently, the millage generates about $660,000 annually.
However, Cybulla said reassessing the budget will not impact students' education.
“In the business of education, we always put our students first and we will continue to do that, we just have to look at the picture differently," Cybulla said.
East China Board of Education President Jeanne Frank did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday morning.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/05/04/unofficial-results-east-china-schools-sinking-fund-millage-renewal-fails/9642285002/ | 2022-05-04T16:31:51Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 20: Dave Chappelle looks on during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 20, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
(CNN) -- An audience member who had a knife is in custody after he tackled a "famous comedian" Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles police said, following the emergence of a video that shows Dave Chappelle being attacked onstage.
"A famous comedian was performing at the Hollywood Bowl. He had finished his act and as he was exiting the stage, a male who was part of the audience jumped on the stage and tackle(d) this celebrity to the ground," said LAPD spokesperson Officer Lizeth Lomeli.
The suspect, 23, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and taken to a hospital for medical treatment, Lomeli said. The victim "was not injured as a result of the crime," she said.
The weapon was a "knife blade," Lomeli said. The motive of the apparent attack remains unclear.
It also wasn't clear whether Chappelle filed an official police report.
Chappelle was performing at "Netflix is a Joke: The Festival."
CNN has requested comment from representatives for Chappelle, Netflix and the festival. CNN has also reached out to the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Hollywood Bowl for more information. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/comedian-dave-chappelle-was-attacked-onstage-video-shows-a-suspect-is-in-custody-lapd-says/article_ffad570a-cbb9-11ec-a7f3-a7e65a95c1a3.html | 2022-05-04T16:42:05Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
FILE - The Wall St. street sign is framed by the American flags flying outside the New York Stock exchange, Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, in the Financial District. Wall Street is off to a mixed start on Wednesday, May 4, and bond yields are rising as traders look ahead to an announcement later in the day on interest rates from the Federal Reserve. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks were mixed and bond yields rose Wednesday ahead of a widely expected interest rate increase from the Federal Reserve. Oil prices rose as Europe moved toward banning Russian oil.
The Fed is widely expected to raise its benchmark short-term rate by double the usual amount, half a percentage point, as it steps up its fight against inflation.
Tupperware plunged after withdrawing its forecast, and Lyft sank after releasing a weak outlook. Airbnb and Starbucks rose after reporting solid results. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 3%, its highest level since late 2018. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/stocks-drift-bond-yields-rise-as-markets-wait-for-the-fed/article_ad7c93d8-cbb9-11ec-89fe-17a0d5f921ea.html | 2022-05-04T16:42:12Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HONOLULU (KITV4) - Partly to mostly cloudy skies with breezy conditions continue. A slight chance of thunderstorms for Kaua'i and O'ahu. Highs 80 to 85. Locally breezy trade winds 10 To 25 mph.
Tonight, High clouds spread across the state create mostly cloudy conditions. Occasional showers in windward zones with scattered showers over leeward spots. Lows 68 to 73. Locally breezy trade winds 10 to 25 mph.
Winter Weather Advisory for big island summits until 6 pm this evening
A breezy and wet trade wind weather will continue the next couple of days, with a few brief heavy downpours, and possibly a thunderstorm, today. Showers will be focused over windward areas, but a few will occasionally drift to leeward areas. Thickening high clouds are expected statewide from tonight through Friday. A trend toward lighter trade winds, with fewer clouds and showers, is anticipated over the weekend.
High Surf Advisory for north and west facing shores from Ni'ihau to Moloka'i and north facing shores of Maui.
High Surf Advisory for south facing shores of all islands
A long period northwest swell will continue to fill in tonight and Wednesday with advisory level surf expected. This swell will then lower gradually through the remainder of the week and on into the weekend. Another small pulse from the northwest may arrive Monday or Monday night. The current long period south swell will linger through Thursday then slowly lower through rest of the week and on through the weekend. Advisory level surf is expected through Thursday. Trade winds over and upwind of the state will continue to produce above normal, short-period surf along east facing shores through Friday then lower slightly over the weekend and on into early next week as trade winds become a bit lighter.
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at times.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/wednesday-weather-cloudy-and-breezy-with-a-slight-chance-of-thunderstorms-high-surf-advisories/article_05b15e46-cbb8-11ec-9cac-37d437f2d9be.html | 2022-05-04T16:42:18Z |
Casper Star-Tribune
CASPER – Former President Donald Trump will appear at a May 28 rally in Casper, he announced in a statement Monday.
The city has for months been discussed as a possible site for a Trump rally. But it wasn’t until Monday that Casper’s Ford Wyoming Center was confirmed as the location for what will be Trump’s first political appearance in the state.
The Ford Wyoming Center is the largest indoor venue in Wyoming, with a capacity of more than 8,000 people.
There is symbolism, as well. The Cheney family hails from Casper, and Trump has made it his mission to defeat Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., after she voted to impeach him following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Cheney remains Trump’s most outspoken Republican critic, and she is serving as vice chair of the committee tasked with investigating the events of Jan. 6.
Trump is appearing in support of land attorney Harriet Hageman, his pick to challenge Cheney in the highly anticipated August Republican primary.
“It will be a tremendous honor and incredibly exciting to have President Trump visit with us, and it will no doubt be the largest political event in Wyoming history,” Hageman said in a statement. “His policies were the best that we have ever seen, from building the greatest economy in the world, to driving America to energy independence, to enforcing our immigration laws, and I expect thousands of Wyomingites to come out to thank him enthusiastically.”
The race for Wyoming’s lone House seat has drawn considerable national attention, attracting well-known political figures to the state, including Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz and Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul, both of whom have campaigned against Cheney.
Many observers see Wyoming’s House race as a symbolic battle in the broader war between Republicans who support the former president and those who oppose him.
Polling shows that Trump remains deeply popular in the state.
In the 2016 and 2020 elections, Wyoming voted for Trump at a higher rate than any other state, with the Republican receiving 68.2% of the vote in 2016 and 69.9% of voters in 2020.
The former president’s popularity here among Republicans resulted in a strong backlash when Cheney began to speak out against him after the U.S. Capitol riot. Wyoming Republican Party leaders censured her in February 2021 and then later voted to no longer recognize her as a Republican, a symbolic move.
Cheney hasn’t flinched. She’s continued to forcefully describe Trump as a threat to democracy.
Meanwhile, her national stature has grown, and she continues to rake in huge sums of campaign contributions, with donations coming from across the country. While Cheney and Hageman are the highest-profile candidates in the race, they are not the only ones.
State Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, was the first Republican to announce a challenge to Cheney. Retired Army Col. Denton Knapp is also seeking the Republican nomination.
Hageman entered relatively late compared to the other candidates, but did so with the coveted Trump endorsement. May 28 will be the first time they campaign together.
Ford Wyoming Center officials say they were approached last year about the possibility of holding a Trump rally at the venue. Cheyenne was also discussed as a possible location.
Parking for the event is set to open at 6 a.m. Doors will open at 11 a.m., with speakers starting at 1 p.m. Trump is scheduled to speak at 4 p.m. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/trump-to-hold-casper-rally-may-28-to-support-hageman/article_2bf570dc-cac2-570c-bb27-39051f030e32.html | 2022-05-04T17:57:41Z |
CHEYENNE – Wyoming National Guard leaders expressed concerns to state legislators Tuesday about declining candidate recruitment and retention.
Since fiscal year 2020, the Wyoming Army National Guard reported a drop from 102% to 97% in strength, and the Wyoming Air National Guard fell more than 2 percentage points in the past year. Military officials said they anticipate a continued decline in the number of members enlisted by the end of fiscal 2022, which they attribute, in part, to the negative impact of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Wyoming National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Greg Porter said this isn’t just a Wyoming issue, but rather a nationwide dilemma.
“It’s a fairly significant problem that I’m losing sleep about,” he told members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee.
They met Tuesday to listen to military leaders discuss one of their interim priorities, which is finding ways to provide state support for recruitment and retention. The presentation to lawmakers stated that each year, recruiters are expected to replace every outgoing soldier or airman, at a minimum. When the Guard is not already 100% staffed, replacing outgoing Guard members is just the start.
The current average annual loss rates are 10.9% for the Wyoming Air Guard and 11.9% for the Army Guard. While the Air Guard gained 169 total new accessions after losing 116 last fiscal year, the Army Guard only added 231 members after losing 259.
“It’s becoming harder and harder to recruit right now,” Porter said. “And we’re spending a lot of time, effort and energy on it.”
Although fiscal 2022 is not over, and the data cannot be drawn directly from the vaccine mandate yet, there are still associated losses. The adjutant general said at least 41 individuals opted not to join the Air Guard due to the requirement, more than 64 are seeking exemptions, and 11 were honorably discharged. The Army Guard also had 19 soldiers who did not want to join, 76 refusing who are currently members, and only 75% are fully vaccinated.
He also cited societal changes. Porter said that currently only 14% of men and around 5% of women express interest in joining the military, half of America’s parents discourage their family members from joining, and the competitive advantage of providing financial support and an education has deteriorated. Since companies such as Starbucks, Walmart and McDonald’s are in search of staff, they’re offering scholarships and encroaching on the GI Bill benefits.
Another obstacle discussed by Major Karen Hinkle was more unique to the state.
“One of the challenges in Wyoming, and particularly for the National Guard, is that our state population is very small in contrast to every other state,” she said. “And that has made it challenging for us to recruit in accordance with the model that seems to be successful in surrounding states.”
She mentioned solutions that include the fact that the single best source of new recruits is current airmen and soldiers. Wyoming Guard leadership suggested the Legislature fund a $500 bonus for Guard members that successfully refer individuals. This is based on referral incentives in Alabama and Vermont.
Options include providing a cash bonus for any referral of a new member to the Wyoming National Guard or referral of enlisted members.
The easiest plan to administer is for a financial incentive for any new member, and it is the costliest plan. The total projected cost per biennium for new member referrals would be $440,000, assuming 440 individuals signed with the Guard per year. While the projected cost per biennium for referring enlisted members would be $368,000, with an assumption of 368 accessions each year, it does not incentivize the referrals of skilled professionals.
Hinkle clarified since the estimate is $500 for each referral per year, the biennium cost would be double.
Legislators did not vote on the action to draft a bill, nor did they take public comment on the recommendation. They said they will continue to consider such recruitment and retention efforts.
“What we find more and more is the military’s becoming a family business,” Porter said. “Almost every enlistee that we have has some sort of relationship, familial relationship or friend relationship with somebody in the military. That tends to be that connection now.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/wyoming-guard-sees-decrease-in-candidate-recruitment-and-retention/article_bbb2ea06-b4cf-5a58-88bd-804b57a79a58.html | 2022-05-04T17:57:47Z |
ROCK SPRINGS -- From May 4-21, 114 students from Rock Springs High School and Black Butte High School are displaying their best work at the Community Fine Arts Center. A reception for family, friends and the public to recognize the students will be held Wednesday, May 4th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
With 9th through 12th graders showing their talents, the gallery has over 160 pieces of art on display. This is the last exhibit in a series of students’ work highlighting the celebration of National Youth Art Month observed in March. To accommodate all the schools in the district, the CFAC continues the displays from February to May.
“There are some talented and dedicated students in the arts programs at both schools,” said Debora Soule, CFAC director. “The variety of work and the strength in their skills shows amazing growth over the years by these young artists.”
The annual Wyoming State Art Symposium, held in April, is the highlight for the high schools throughout the state and this year Rock Springs High School students were successful with about a third of the work receiving ribbons.
David Doporto, Amanda Margrave, Jasmine Krueger, and Tania Szewczyk teach at RSHS. The classes including in the schools’ curriculum are Drawing I and II, Painting I and II, Photography, Graphic Design, Advanced Art, and Sculpture I and II.
The students enrolled in RSHS art classes and included in the CFAC exhibit are Ezra Achenbach, Ellie Aldridge, Jennifer Alvarado, Darwin Alarcon, Emma Asay, Xander Black, Gabriella Bracho, Jacob Burdette, Lizbeth Campos Del Villar, Wyatt Cartwright, Noah Cowgill, Lindsey Cox, Karson Curtis, Emily DeBernardi, Lillie DeVree, Saylor Dewitt, Kaden Duckwitz, Jorja Feichko, Ariana Fetch, Davan French, Emmalee Garner, Frankie Garza, Emiliano
Gonzalez, Audrey Hall, Solveig Hanks, Jenessa Hanson, Lexi Harper, Abigal Harris, Jeff Hyatt, Noble Jefferies, Liberty Jenkins, Cheyenna Johnson, Jayden Johnson, Lucus Johnson, Kait Killpack, Shelby Koepplin, Marcus Kopp, Laine Kothe, Ari Kuhn, Alex Lange, Robert Larson, Emma Lash, Paige Layne, Lucille Leveck, Amelia Lindsey, Kaitlyn Liptak, Nathan Martinez, Logan McCann, Phoebe McCusker, Kaelynn Moncada, Kiera Monzon, Wesley Muir, Allison Murray, Danielle Navarro, Joshua Odogwa, Saylor Pecolar, Bryce Perry, Breanna Quickenden, Darla Patterson, Maggie Powell, Phoung Pham, Annette Proa, Alyssa Proa, Cadence Ranger, Cassie Rath, Cameron Ribordy, Mackenzie Ribordy, Megan Rice, Austin Riddle, Peyton Robertson, Galilea Rodriguez, Katherine Rodriguez, Brooklyn Ross, Ivie Schaechaterle, Aveleigh Scheuerman, Gunner Seiloff, Shelby Schoenfeld, Mathew Sleight, Natalie Sleight, Daylan Smith, Deegan Smith, Maggie Smith, Abby St. Marie, Autumn Tanner, Brooke Tanner, Logan Tepayoti, Samantha Thoma, Noah Torrez, Milo Tulaga, Lacie Vasquez, Yesenia Vicencio, Aaron Villa, Cabriah Volvia, Varina Viray-Jilge, Evelyn Whitson, Tristan Wooden, and Klohe Yedinak.
The Black Butte High School art instructor is Shari Kumer, teaching Art I, Art II and Computer Graphics. Students’ work was also submitted to the Wyoming State Art Symposium with five blue ribbons being awarded plus a special 3D Artistic Discovery ribbon.
The BBHS students participating in the exhibit are Jerricka Ainge, Trinity Arredondo, Serenitie Bradley, Tatumn Chavez, Emily Christie, Kenny Fullmer, Kyrah Greub, Elias Hansen, Skylynn Harmon, Connor Howe, Jasmine Jamali, Isabelle Lloyd, Lucia Santamaria, Caitlynn Shipp, Ashley Smith, Landyn Story, and Kayla Weber.
Friends and family of the students, and the public, are encouraged to attend the reception on May 4th and visit the CFAC the next three weeks to see the students’ exhibit as well as enjoy the permanent art collection owned by Sweetwater County School District No. One.
The CFAC was started due to the vision of one of Rock Springs High School teacher’s, Elmer Halseth. Mr. Halseth encouraged his students as far back as the 1930s to raise money and he helped them to purchase art to hang in their classrooms. In 1966, he arranged for the expanded art collection to be on display for the public and the Community Fine Arts Center began to be an important feature of the town.
CFAC hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday noon to 5 p.m. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/reception-honors-high-school-artists/article_d3e1bee7-4fbd-5404-9aed-eda37e6e8067.html | 2022-05-04T17:57:54Z |
...Snow showers today...
This is a special weather statement from the National Weather
Service Office in Riverton.
* WHAT...Snow showers. An additional 1 to 2 inches expected, with
locally higher amounts in the Wind River Range.
* WHERE...Sweetwater County, southern Lincoln County, Upper Green
River Basin, Western Wind River Range and Green Mountains.
* WHEN...Through this afternoon. The steadiest snow will be this
morning.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Roads may become slick and snow covered.
Road conditions should improve after mid morning.
SWEETWATER COUNTY -- The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office’s firearms training staff announced its 2022 civilian firearms training course schedule earlier this week.
This year, the training staff is offering basic, women's-only basic, and advanced classes. Each session comprises a combination of classroom instruction and shooting exercises. The training emphasizes firearms familiarization and safety, and training topics include grip, stance, sight picture, trigger control, holster considerations, home firearms storage and more.
There is a $30 registration fee for each class. All classes satisfy the state’s training requirement for a concealed carry permit. In addition to a personal firearm in good condition, participants are required to supply a suitable belt or paddle holster for their firearm, proper eye and ear protection and a minimum of 100 rounds of ammunition.
Participants are also reminded to dress appropriately for the weather.
Scheduled classes are as follows:
Saturday, May 21 - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (basic class)
Saturday, June 18 - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (basic class)
Saturday, July 16 - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (women's-only basic class)
Saturday, August 13 - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (basic class)
Saturday, September 10 - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (advanced class)
To register for a class or have any questions answered, please contact Kitty at 307-352-4901. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/sweetwater-county-sheriffs-office-announce-civilian-firearms-training-schedule/article_6eafe9e3-2528-5c75-b5e2-bd40292b8b25.html | 2022-05-04T17:58:00Z |
CHEYENNE – Wyoming National Guard leaders expressed concerns to state legislators Tuesday about declining candidate recruitment and retention.
Since fiscal year 2020, the Wyoming Army National Guard reported a drop from 102% to 97% in strength, and the Wyoming Air National Guard fell more than 2 percentage points in the past year. Military officials said they anticipate a continued decline in the number of members enlisted by the end of fiscal 2022, which they attribute, in part, to the negative impact of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Wyoming National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Greg Porter said this isn’t just a Wyoming issue, but rather a nationwide dilemma.
“It’s a fairly significant problem that I’m losing sleep about,” he told members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee.
They met Tuesday to listen to military leaders discuss one of their interim priorities, which is finding ways to provide state support for recruitment and retention. The presentation to lawmakers stated that each year, recruiters are expected to replace every outgoing soldier or airman, at a minimum. When the Guard is not already 100% staffed, replacing outgoing Guard members is just the start.
The current average annual loss rates are 10.9% for the Wyoming Air Guard and 11.9% for the Army Guard. While the Air Guard gained 169 total new accessions after losing 116 last fiscal year, the Army Guard only added 231 members after losing 259.
“It’s becoming harder and harder to recruit right now,” Porter said. “And we’re spending a lot of time, effort and energy on it.”
Although fiscal 2022 is not over, and the data cannot be drawn directly from the vaccine mandate yet, there are still associated losses. The adjutant general said at least 41 individuals opted not to join the Air Guard due to the requirement, more than 64 are seeking exemptions, and 11 were honorably discharged. The Army Guard also had 19 soldiers who did not want to join, 76 refusing who are currently members, and only 75% are fully vaccinated.
He also cited societal changes. Porter said that currently only 14% of men and around 5% of women express interest in joining the military, half of America’s parents discourage their family members from joining, and the competitive advantage of providing financial support and an education has deteriorated. Since companies such as Starbucks, Walmart and McDonald’s are in search of staff, they’re offering scholarships and encroaching on the GI Bill benefits.
Another obstacle discussed by Major Karen Hinkle was more unique to the state.
“One of the challenges in Wyoming, and particularly for the National Guard, is that our state population is very small in contrast to every other state,” she said. “And that has made it challenging for us to recruit in accordance with the model that seems to be successful in surrounding states.”
She mentioned solutions that include the fact that the single best source of new recruits is current airmen and soldiers. Wyoming Guard leadership suggested the Legislature fund a $500 bonus for Guard members that successfully refer individuals. This is based on referral incentives in Alabama and Vermont.
Options include providing a cash bonus for any referral of a new member to the Wyoming National Guard or referral of enlisted members.
The easiest plan to administer is for a financial incentive for any new member, and it is the costliest plan. The total projected cost per biennium for new member referrals would be $440,000, assuming 440 individuals signed with the Guard per year. While the projected cost per biennium for referring enlisted members would be $368,000, with an assumption of 368 accessions each year, it does not incentivize the referrals of skilled professionals.
Hinkle clarified since the estimate is $500 for each referral per year, the biennium cost would be double.
Legislators did not vote on the action to draft a bill, nor did they take public comment on the recommendation. They said they will continue to consider such recruitment and retention efforts.
“What we find more and more is the military’s becoming a family business,” Porter said. “Almost every enlistee that we have has some sort of relationship, familial relationship or friend relationship with somebody in the military. That tends to be that connection now.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/economy_and_labor/wyoming-guard-sees-decrease-in-candidate-recruitment-and-retention/article_be719c2a-cbd1-11ec-bcd4-b39c717c9527.html | 2022-05-04T17:58:06Z |
While people around the the globe are itchy to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind them, a group of University of Wyoming scientists is working to develop a test for the virus that is more accurate and efficient.
The testing system has the potential to streamline on-site testing in places like doctor’s offices, airports and nursing homes and takes only 30 minutes to complete.
Unlike other tests, multiple samples can be tested for the virus at once, making the process more efficient. The test also uses antibody fragments, which are cheaper to produce than the whole antibodies used by some tests now on the market.
Developing the test took a group of six local scientists and students, who worked with colleagues at the National University of Ireland in Galway. Before 2020, some of the researchers were working with detection technology in a more general sense. When the pandemic hit, it became clear it was time to focus on COVID-19.
“It was a really great opportunity for me,” said Moein Mohammadi, a Ph.D. student who worked on the project. “I had other projects before the pandemic. I stopped all of those projects and started working on this (one).”
Mohammadi worked with the guidance of Karen Wawrousek and Patrick Johnson, who are both professors at the university. Each week, the trio would meet with their Irish colleagues, including professor Gerard Wall.
“I think one great thing about the project is how much everyone contributed. We each had our own area of expertise that we brought,” Wawrousek said. “Without the three of us it wouldn’t have worked so well.”
All parts included, the testing equipment is compact enough to fit on a small countertop in a lab nestled in the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science building.
To conduct the test, a researcher adds a saliva sample to a solution with both magnetic particles and detector particles. The sample is then placed on a magnet, where the particles form a small pellet. If the virus is present, the detector particles sink into the pellet along with the magnetic particles and the test is positive.
Testers scan the sample using a handheld device called a Raman spectrometer to detect the positive or negative result.
The Raman spectrometer used for the test was created by Metrohm Raman, a local scientific equipment manufacturer on 2nd Street next to Bond’s Brewing Co. in Laramie.
While it's still not as sensitive as the longer-wait time PCR test, the researchers found that it is 75-130 times more sensitive than the commercially available FlowFlex rapid antigen test.
Despite the efficacy of the test on a small scale, the researchers have a way to go before the test can be used by the public. The team will continue trying to improve the method and then must figure out a way to produce it on a large enough scale to be a candidate for Food and Drug Administration approval, Wawrousek said.
It also will be difficult to determine a cost for the test compared to others until it has been produced on a large, commercial scale. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/education/infection-detection-university-of-wyoming-scientists-develop-new-covid-19-test/article_a9c3389c-cbd1-11ec-bd21-3b405d7053cf.html | 2022-05-04T17:58:12Z |
CHEYENNE – The Laramie County District Attorney has formally objected to a disciplinary panel’s recommendation to the Wyoming Supreme Court that she be disbarred. She argued that, except in one instance, the panel did not have the “clear and convincing evidence” required to show she violated professional conduct rules for attorneys in the state.
In a document filed with the state’s high court Tuesday, DA Leigh Anne Manlove and her attorney, Stephen Melchior, asserted that, even if the court did decide she violated rules, appropriate sanctions under American Bar Association standards would be things like “private reprimand” and “public censure.” Manlove rejected an argument that disbarment would not remove her from her elected position as DA, calling it “illogical.”
“Suspending or revoking the (Laramie County District Attorney’s) license to practice law while they are in office would effectively remove them from their elected position by disabling their legal authority to act as the (district attorney),” the response said.
The state Supreme Court oversees the Wyoming State Bar and its Board of Professional Responsibility, from which a three-person disciplinary hearing panel was chosen. The BPR is the hearing body for attorney discipline in the state.
The court will ultimately decide what consequences Manlove will face. This process may take several months.
Bar Counsel Mark Gifford declined to comment on Manlove’s response.
Formal charges filed by the Office of Bar Counsel last year with the State Bar alleged Manlove had mishandled the prosecution of cases and inappropriately dismissed certain cases, and that she created a hostile work environment.
Following the conclusion of the hearing, the panel announced Feb. 11 that it would recommend Manlove be disbarred, or lose her ability to practice law in Wyoming, for violating six rules of professional conduct. It filed its formal recommendation with the Supreme Court on March 11.
These rules were found to be: Rule 1.1, duty of competence; 1.3, duty of diligence; 3.3(a), duty of candor to the tribunal; 3.4©, duty to follow rules of the tribunal; 8.1(a), material false statements in a disciplinary proceeding; and 8.4(d), which says, “It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
The report also recommended Manlove be required to pay an administrative fee of $3,000.
‘Outrageous’ expenses
In her response, Manlove rebuked the choice by the BPR and Office of Bar Counsel to hold the eight-day hearing at “the lovely and luxurious” Little America Hotel & Resort in Cheyenne, accusing the BPR and OBC of “sparing no expense” on meals and beverages.
“The Office of Bar Counsel’s willingness to expend (State Bar) resources in this way is outrageous, and no doubt done with full confidence and expectation that Manlove would be reimbursing (the Bar) in the end,” the response said.
The state Supreme Court has discretion over whether Manlove is responsible for reimbursing the Bar more than $91,000 in total for costs associated with the hearing and investigation.
The largest portion by far was $64,635.75 for lodging, meals, meeting space and use of audio/visual equipment. The Wyoming Room, the ballroom in which the disciplinary hearing was held, cost $1,200 each day – except for the two Fridays the ballroom was used, when the price increased to $2,600.
Manlove noted the “extraordinary” toll the almost year-and-a-half proceedings took on her life, and that the more than $91,000 requested for reimbursement doesn’t include more than a year of legal defense fees and costs.
Disregard of witnesses
Manlove said the BPR panel “markedly discounted the testimony of Manlove and her witnesses,” and “gave full credence to to (Special Bar Counsel Weston W. Reeves’) witnesses but expressed distrust of Manlove and her legal assistant, Lisa Riggs.”
The DA rejected the panel finding she was “combative” and “defiant” during the hearing, as Manlove had been “under attack for more than a year by the time the hearing took place and was there to defend herself,” the response said.
Manlove added that she had taken responsibility, long before any formal charges, for failing to produce evidence in a timely manner in a 2019 case involving the defendant Rodney Law. She said this is the only allegation for which the panel has clear and convincing evidence.
“Manlove also apologized and took responsibility for her perceived harsh treatment of certain employees,” the response said.
She also reiterated arguments made in previous responses and during the hearing that she did not act improperly in her attempts to deal with proposed budget cuts by the state, or in her discretion to fire or hire certain attorneys and other staff members at the beginning of her tenure.
The district attorney said evidence showed her office was fully staffed, or close to it, throughout 2019 and 2020, in conflict with assertions made by the disciplinary panel. She added that testimony from the director of the state budget office, Kevin Hibbard, was “either misunderstood or misconstrued” by the panel regarding furlough days and vacancies, which the panel seemed to use to show management misconduct.
Manlove argued Reeves, prosecuting the disciplinary proceedings on behalf of the Bar, failed to prove her office actually dismissed entire categories of cases, despite the DA having issued a letter following the budget cut announcement that her office would not be able to prosecute “non-priority cases,” including many misdemeanors. (Priority cases included violent felonies, domestic violence cases, subsequent DUIs and felony drug crimes.)
Manlove and former attorneys who worked in her office testified that which cases would be prosecuted was determined largely on a case-by-case basis.
Insufficient evidence
She also asserted that “There is no testimony or evidence, let alone clear and convincing evidence, ... that the cases that were dismissed with the Budget Letter resulted in public safety being jeopardized.” Each had been been dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning the charges could be refiled in the future, and had been approved by a judge.
The DA said there was no evidence to support the assertion that she’d directed cases to be dismissed because she wasn’t prepared to go to trial.
The panel discounted testimony by employees who did not support the allegation that Manlove fostered a chaotic or toxic work environment, the response said, while finding testimony that supported that allegation credible.
Contemporaneous notes by former office manager Amanda Santee were “improperly admitted,” following an objection by Melchior, Manlove’s attorney, that they only consisted of hearsay statements, according to the response.
Manlove rejected claims she’d incorrectly used the state’s overtime policy, and that employees had appropriately received compensatory time, typically in lieu of overtime pay.
The DA said there was not clear and convincing evidence that she’d made false statements or attempted to deflect responsibility away from herself or her office after a defendant named Andrew Weaver was released from jail because a DA’s office employee failed to file documents in time. Days after his release, Weaver shot and killed two adults, and shot and injured two teenagers.
Manlove at the time “was still reeling from the loss of her friend and co-worker, Angela Dougherty, and had been working around the clock to help care for Ms. Dougherty’s ailing mother while still going to work everyday.” The DA “relied on the information she had received from her staff” that the Laramie County Circuit Court was not fully functioning at the time.
She said Reeves and the BPR “mischaracterized” a letter she wrote to a Cheyenne police detective regarding an alleged child sex abuse case. She asserted that it was clear in the letter that, based on available evidence, she’d decided not to charge the case at the time – not that she would never charge the case.
Targeted
Manlove reiterated an assertion she testified to, that “she has multiple reasons to believe she is/has been the target of person animus of Mark Gifford, Bar Counsel.”
Contrary to the panel’s findings, there was “ample testimony” that a former deputy DA, Caitlin Harper, “had an interest in seeing Ms. Manlove removed from office” so she herself could take the position. Harper was the only person who spoke to a few Laramie County judges about alleged dysfunction in the DA’s office, save for a comment by former attorney Cameron Geeting that the office was “hostile and not working for me,” according to the response.
Gifford then seemed to solicit the assistance of Harper and other either former or soon-to-be-former employees to gather information on Manlove.
Manlove wrote that, rather than bring concerns she’d heard from Harper to her directly, Laramie County District Judge Catherine Rogers and other judges decided to write a letter to Gifford. He used the letter, “prepared (by the seven Laramie County judges) with the encouragement and guidance of Mr. Gifford” as the basis of a petition filed a day after to immediately suspend Manlove, the response said.
She referenced an exchange she’d had with Gifford in which he’d been critical of her public refusal to prosecute any potential citations related to a mask mandate.
Also mentioned was an apparently unexplained refusal by Gifford to support a proposed temporary rule that would have helped fill openings in the DA’s office, when a similar request by the Office of the State Public Defender had been approved.
Manlove also argued panel chair Hawks should have disqualified himself from participation in the hearing, as he sits on the state’s Board of Law Examiners and participated in the discussion related to that proposed temporary rule.
According to testimony during the disciplinary hearing, Gifford also called a Cheyenne Police Department officer and inquired about Manlove’s role in a man not yet being arrested. The man was accused of an alleged offense against former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Michael Golden’s granddaughter.
Manlove alleged based on the format of panel members’ questions and comments during the hearing that they “had already made up their minds” about her. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/government_and_politics/da-manlove-formally-objects-to-panel-s-disbarment-recommendation/article_d0434a34-cbd1-11ec-8614-5780758b2c28.html | 2022-05-04T17:58:18Z |
2020, 2022 US Olympians visit Bidens at White House
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden hosted the 2020 and 2022 U.S. Olympic teams at the White House on Wednesday, celebrating athletes from the most recent winter Games while staging a much delayed, in-person celebration for participants of last summer’s Tokyo Olympics.
The president and first lady Jill Biden hosted Olympians from the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, on the South Lawn. Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff, the second gentleman, also attended.
Jill Biden made her first solo overseas trip as first lady by traveling to Japan to attend the 2020 Olympics, which were delayed until last year because of the pandemic — though access remained restricted because of the coronavirus.
Last summer, the Bidens hosted a virtual celebration for Team USA from 2020′s Tokyo Olympics from their home in Delaware. The president said then that he’d like to host the team at the White House in the future.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/2020-2022-us-olympians-visit-bidens-white-house/ | 2022-05-04T18:05:25Z |
Alabama corrections officer and inmate considered ‘dangerous,’ US Marshal Service says
LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WAFF/Gray News) - The U.S. Marshals Service is calling the Alabama corrections officer and inmate who have been missing since Friday “dangerous,” according to a release posted on their website.
Investigators confirmed that Vicky White and Casey White had a relationship at the Lauderdale County Detention Center, one that inmates called “special.” That relationship has been confirmed through independent investigation, WAFF reported.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Marshals Service released a statement that says the two may be driving an orange 2007 Ford Edge. There may be damage to the left rear bumper.
The two are considered armed and dangerous, and may be armed with an AR-15 rifle and a shotgun. Authorities said not to approach them if you see them.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton announced Monday at a press conference that an arrest warrant has been issued for Vicky White, an assistant director of corrections for the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office.
She is charged with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree in connection with capital murder suspect Casey White. The maximum time in prison is 10 years with a $15,000 fine.
On Wednesday, Singleton confirmed that Vicky White is no longer a Lauderdale county employee.
Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly said he is shocked and disappointed as more information develops about the incident.
“I would have trusted Vicky with my life. I really mean it,” Connolly said. “If we needed something from the jail, she was our go-to person, solid employee. That’s why it’s so shocking.”
Officials say that Casey White is a free man and no longer restrained.
“We found her radio, sheriff’s department radio, and the leg shackles and handcuffs,” Singleton said.
Detectives also believe Vicky White has her phone, but it is turned off.
“It wasn’t left in the car. You know, we’ve attempted using technology. We haven’t had any success with it,” Singleton said.
Vicky White sold her home a month ago, and authorities are looking through her finances to see if there is anything unusual.
“We’ve had the Secret Service helping us with some of that kind of stuff. They’re working on that angle of it.” Singleton said. “We’re assuming she’s got some cash.”
Vicky White and Casey White have been missing since Friday, which was Vicky White’s last day of work before she was set to retire. Vicky White said she was taking the inmate to a mental health evaluation. Singleton confirmed that no mental health evaluation existed. Investigators said there is no doubt that Vicky White aided and abetted Casey White with his escape.
Shortly before her disappearance, Vicky White said she had also planned to get medical care because she wasn’t feeling well, but she never arrived.
The vehicle in which the two departed Friday morning was found at a shopping center in Lauderdale County later that afternoon.
Casey White was serving 75 years for a series of crimes and was awaiting a capital murder trial. He is 6-feet, 9-inches tall and weighs about 330 pounds, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Vicky White is 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighs 145 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Authorities said Vicky White violated a policy that required more than one official to be involved in transporting inmates. The policy was put in place when Casey White was jailed two years ago and authorities believed he was planning to escape.
The Marshals Service said people with information about Casey White’s location or Vicky White’s disappearance can call the service at 1-800-336-0102. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the U.S. Marshals Tip App.
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Casey White and $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of Vicky White.
Copyright 2022 WAFF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/alabama-corrections-officer-inmate-considered-dangerous-us-marshal-service-says/ | 2022-05-04T18:05:32Z |
Amazon to pay employee travel expenses to get abortions, other treatments, reports say
(Gray News) – Millions of women in the United States are on the verge of possibly losing the right to an abortion if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized the procedure nationwide.
If overturned, many women won’t be able to afford the costs of going out of state to have an abortion and will rely on employer benefits.
Amazon reportedly told its staff Monday the company would pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses for employees who need non-life threatening medical treatments, including abortions, according to a message seen by Reuters.
CNN Business reports this move is similar to policies implemented by Citigroup, Yelp, Uber and Lyft “to help employees bypass Republican-led efforts in several states to effectively ban abortion.”
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, 26 states are likely to ban abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, the pro-abortion rights think tank.
Of those, 22 states already have total or near-total bans on the books that are currently blocked by Roe, aside from Texas.
The Texas law banning it after six weeks has been allowed to go into effect by the Supreme Court because of its unusual civil enforcement structure.
Four more states are considered likely to quickly pass bans if Roe is overturned.
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have protected access to abortion in state law.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/amazon-pay-employee-travel-expenses-get-abortions-other-treatments-reports-say/ | 2022-05-04T18:05:44Z |
Amber Heard to take stand in Johnny Depp’s libel suit
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Actor Amber Heard is expected to take the stand in her own defense Wednesday in a civil suit filed by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp.
Heard’s anticipated testimony comes after a psychologist hired by her lawyers testified that Heard suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from multiple acts of abuse, including sexual violence, inflicted on her by Depp.
Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote a December 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” The article never mentions Depp by name, but Depp’s lawyers say he was defamed nevertheless because it clearly referred to accusations she made in 2016 during their divorce proceedings.
Depp spent four days on the stand earlier in the trial, testifying he never struck Heard and that he was the abuse victim. He said he was punched and struck by her on many occasions, and that she threw things at him. He described Heard as having a “need for conflict.”
Psychologist Dawn Hughes, in her testimony Tuesday, acknowledged that Heard at times perpetrated physical violence against Depp, but said it paled in comparison to violence she suffered, which left her intimidated and fearful for her safety.
During cross-examination Wednesday, Hughes acknowledged that she wasn’t making factual determinations that Depp assaulted Heard on specific occasions. But she testified that Heard’s account of her experiences are consistent with accounts of those experiencing domestic violence.
Hughes testified that sexual assaults included being forced by Depp to perform oral sex. On cross-examination, though, Depp’s lawyers noted that Heard denied being forced to perform oral sex during psychological testing performed as part of Hughes’ evaluation.
Hughes said Heard initially was framing the encounters as consensual but “angry sex.”
“She wasn’t framing them as physical force,” Hughes said.
The trial, now in its fourth week, continues to capture public attention. More than 100 people were lined up Wednesday before 7 a.m. — three hours before proceedings began — outside the courthouse for the 100 seats made available in the courtroom. Most are Depp supporters and fans.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/amber-heard-take-stand-johnny-depps-libel-suit/ | 2022-05-04T18:05:51Z |
Biden announces Sept conference on hunger, nutrition, health
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House will hold a conference on hunger, nutrition and health in September to notch progress on the Biden administration’s goals of ending hunger, improving nutrition and physical activity and reducing diet-related diseases.
The gathering will be the first of its kind by the White House since 1969. The White House described that gathering as a “pivotal event” that influenced the U.S. food policy agenda for the next 50 years and said President Joe Biden “sets out to do the same with this year’s conference.”
The Biden administration has set a goal of ending hunger and increasing healthy eating and physical activity in the U.S. by 2030 so that fewer people are afflicted with diabetes, obesity, hypertension and other diet-related diseases.
Anti-hunger and nutrition advocates, food companies, health care representatives, government officials and others will help the administration develop a national plan outlining how to achieve those goals, the White House said.
“Hunger, diet-related disease, and the disparities surrounding them impact millions of Americans, and the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the urgency of addressing these issues,” said Susan Rice, the president’s adviser for domestic policy. “No one should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/biden-announces-sept-conference-hunger-nutrition-health/ | 2022-05-04T18:05:57Z |
Body of missing 5-year-old girl found in river, officials say
Published: May. 4, 2022 at 11:36 AM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) – The body of a missing 5-year-old girl with autism was found in a river Tuesday night, officials in South Carolina said.
According to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, the body of Collins Elizabeth “Lenny” Lusk was found in the Black River.
Lenny was last seen playing in her backyard sandbox around 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Officials said no foul play is suspected. No further details have been released.
Copyright 2022 WCSC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/body-missing-5-year-old-girl-found-river-officials-say/ | 2022-05-04T18:06:04Z |
Dallas-bound flight from South Carolina diverted after losing part of wing
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - American Airlines confirmed a flight from the Charleston International Airport had to be diverted Tuesday night after encountering turbulence that damaged one of the plane’s wings.
American Flight 3729 from Charleston to Dallas-Fort Worth, an Embraer E175 operated by Envoy, diverted to Birmingham, Alabama, after “a possible mechanical issue,” an airline spokesperson said. The flight landed without incident at 6:45 p.m.
A Federal Aviation Administration pilot’s report states the plane encountered moderate to severe turbulence resulting in the loss of a portion of the wing. The plane was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet when the portion of the wing, known as a winglet, was lost.
Maintenance crews were inspecting the aircraft, and customers were placed on an alternate flight that departed Tuesday night.
“We thank our crew for their professionalism, ensuring the safety of their fellow team members and customers on board,” the spokesperson said.
Photos taken of the plane before and after its landing appear to show the right winglet missing. Winglets are vertical extensions of wingtips that improve an aircraft’s fuel efficiency and cruising range, according to NASA’s website.
Winglets increase an aircraft’s operating efficiency by reducing what is called induced drag at the tips of the wings, the site states.
Copyright 2022 WCSC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/dallas-bound-flight-south-carolina-diverted-after-losing-part-wing/ | 2022-05-04T18:06:14Z |
Dave Chappelle tackled during Hollywood Bowl comedy show
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Comedian Dave Chappelle was tackled during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night. Security guards chased and overpowered the attacker, and Chappelle was able to continue his performance while the man was taken away in an ambulance.
The assailant was carrying a replica handgun with a knife blade inside, authorities said.
Isaiah Lee, 23, was detained and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, said Officer Alba Mendez, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson.
Lee was treated by medical staff for an unspecified injury and was booked into the Hollywood Division jail at 3:36 a.m. Wednesday and held in lieu of $30,000 bail, Mendez said. It was not immediately known if he had retained a lawyer.
Mendez said a “famous comedian was performing” when Lee jumped onto the stage, tackled the celebrity and produced the replica handgun containing a knife blade. Mendez said the department did not name the celebrity because it does not confirm victim names.
Chappelle was performing his standup routine at the amphitheater as part of the “Netflix Is a Joke” festival when the man rushed on stage and tackled him. Jamie Foxx was in the wings of the stage and Chappelle thanked him for responding to the attack. Chris Rock was there as well, and jokingly asked if the attacker was Will Smith.
Chappelle was attacked as he was wrapping up a routine in which he talked about how comedians have to worry more about their personal security in the wake of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony where the Oscar-winning actor slapped Rock on live television in reaction to a joke about his wife.
“The comedian had literally just said he now has more security because of all the uproar from his jokes about the Trans community,” tweeted Buzzfeed News reporter Brianna Sacks, who attended the show. She tweeted that “while the attacker was getting beat up,” Chappelle “made a joke about him probably being a Trans man.”
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/dave-chappelle-attacked-during-performance/ | 2022-05-04T18:06:27Z |
Dolly Parton, Eminem, Richie get into Rock Hall of Fame
(AP) -- Eminem, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Duran Duran and Pat Benatar have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that also includes Dolly Parton, who initially resisted the honor.
The honorees — voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals — “each had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock ‘n’ roll,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock Hall, in a statement Wednesday.
Parton had gone on social media to “respectfully bow out” of the process, saying she did not want to take votes away from the remaining nominees and had not “earned that right.” The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation responded by saying ballots had already been sent and it was up to the voters to decide if Parton was elected. Parton later said she would accept an induction.
In its citation, the hall called Parton “a living legend and a paragon of female empowerment,” adding that “Her crossover success broadened the audience for country music and expanded the horizons for countless artists who followed.”
To be eligible, artists are required to have released their first record 25 years prior to induction. Parton, Richie, Simon and Duran Duran were selected on their first go-round. Simon was a first-time nominee this year more than 25 years after becoming eligible. Eminem becomes the 10th hip-hop act to be inducted, making the cut on his first ballot.
Richie, a former member of The Commodores whose illustrious solo career includes pop classics like “Endless Love,” ″All Night Long” and “Hello,” said being elected to the hall “is an incredible honor.” He thanked voters and fans on Instagram and said: “Congratulations to all of my fellow 2022 inductees!”
The hall also announced Wednesday that Judas Priest and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis are getting the award for musical excellence and that Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotten will be honored with the Early Influence Award.
Other artists and groups that failed this year for induction in the performer category are A Tribe Called Quest, Rage Against the Machine, Dionne Warwick, Beck, Kate Bush, DEVO, Fela Kuti, MC5 and the New York Dolls.
Parton is most associated with country music and is in the Country Hall of Fame, but she has performed songs with a rock feel. Artists who have made both the Rock Hall and Country Hall of Fame include Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Hank Williams and the Everly Brothers.
The induction ceremony will be held Nov. 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
___
Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/duran-duran-dolly-parton-among-rock-roll-hall-fame-inductees/ | 2022-05-04T18:06:38Z |
Dusty Baker becomes first Black MLB manager to reach 2,000 wins
HOUSTON (AP) — Just call him Mr. 2,000.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker won his 2,000th game Tuesday night, becoming the 12th skipper in major league history to reach the milestone and the first Black man to do it.
The benchmark victory came in Houston’s 4-0 win over the Seattle Mariners and comes more than 29 years after he collected his first win on April 6, 1993, in San Francisco’s 2-1 victory over St. Louis.
“I’m probably one of the luckiest men to ever walk on this earth,” a grinning Baker said minutes after the final out.
The 72-year-old Baker said being the first Black manager to reach 2,000 wins makes the achievement even more meaningful.
“It means extra,” he said. “It means extra to the culture. It means extra to society. It means extra to my race, and it means extra hopefully for others to get an opportunity (so) I’m not the last.”
It’s the latest milestone in a storied career as a player and manager that has spanned more than 50 years. Baker has reached the World Series twice as a manager, last season with the Astros and in 2002 with the Giants. As a player, he went three times with the Dodgers, winning it all as a big-hitting left fielder in 1981.
So where does this moment rank?
“Right now it’s at the top,” he said. “But I ain’t gonna stop now.”
Ten of the 11 other managers who have accumulated at least 2,000 wins are in the Hall of Fame. Bruce Bochy (2,003), who isn’t yet eligible, is the only exception.
“This should lead straight to the Hall of Fame,” Astros catcher Martín Maldonado said.
Baker’s players presented him with a bottle of vintage Dom Pérignon champagne they signed with a gold marker to commemorate the achievement. The team toasted Baker with far more reasonably priced champagne in the clubhouse after the game.
His wife, Melissa, and a group of about 10 friends were at the ballpark. Melissa Baker smiled as she filmed her husband postgame from the stands as the big screen displayed a picture of him with the words “2K Wins” in huge white letters.
Baker’s career record is 2,000-1,745, and he’s the only manager in major league history to take five different teams to the postseason.
He collected 840 wins in 10 years with the Giants, 322 in four seasons with the Cubs, 509 in six years with the Reds, 192 in two seasons with the Nationals and he has 137 in his tenure with the Astros.
“I’m just doing my job,” Baker said. “I’m not that proud of myself yet.”
He reached 500 wins while with the Giants in a 6-5 victory over the Phillies on June 1, 1999. His 1,000th win came on Aug. 30, 2004, while managing the Cubs to a 5-2 victory over Montreal. Win No. 1,500 came on May 9, 2012, with the Reds in a 2-1 triumph over Milwaukee.
“It’s an honor to play for somebody who loves the game and loves his team and is so knowledgeable about the game of baseball and who has had such a storied career,” Houston third baseman Alex Bregman said. “To be able to learn from him, play for him and just to be able to suit up with him every single day is very special and nobody in here takes that for granted.”
There was a time Baker wondered if he’d even get a chance to chase this milestone. After being fired by the Nationals following a 97-win season in 2017, Baker didn’t get another job until 2020 after Houston’s sign-stealing scandal cost manager A.J. Hinch his job.
“If there wasn’t a scandal, I wouldn’t be in this position,” Baker said. “My phone wasn’t ringing off the hook. Three different times I lost jobs and twice I was winning, and I didn’t get a call for two years ... so, yeah, it’s just a matter of perseverance. And I’m here and I’m ... where I’m supposed to be.”
Right-hander Lance McCullers raved about Baker as a manager and a man and noted the difficult situation he walked into when he was hired in Houston.
“He helped us through a tough time as a clubhouse,” McCullers said. “There in 2020 we were navigating through a lot of choppy water (and) everything going on post-COVID. He’s earned our respect. It’s a big milestone for him tonight. Probably one of the most exclusive clubs around.”
Baker, who needs 41 wins to move all the way up to No. 9 on the career list, was asked about cracking the top 10.
“I’ll get there long as I live,” he said. “That’s my thing. As long as I live and as long as you just do your job — and my job is to win — then I’ll get there.”
Baker said the first thing he thought of after the final out was being there when Bochy, a good friend, reached 2,000 wins. And then a second thought immediately popped into his head.
“That’s the first thing I thought about,” he said. “And next thing I thought about is that I needed three more to (catch) Bruce.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/dusty-baker-becomes-first-black-mlb-manager-reach-2000-wins/ | 2022-05-04T18:06:45Z |
Eta Aquarids to peak Friday with up to 30 meteors visible per hour
(Gray News) – The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak this week, with at least 30 meteors visible during the peak of the meteor shower in some locations, according to NASA.
The meteors will be traveling fast in the Earth’s atmosphere at about 148,000 miles per hour, the agency says.
The fast meteors leave glowing “trains,” which are incandescent bits of debris that appear in the wake of the meteor.
People in both Northern and Southern hemispheres will be able to view the meteor showers during their peak in the hours before dawn.
The Southern hemisphere is better for viewing the showers, NASA says. The Northern hemisphere only has an hourly rate of about 10 meteors. The southern half of the U.S. may be able to see 10 to 20 meteors per hours under a dark sky with no moon and when the radiant is high in the sky, according to Earthsky.org.
The constellation of Aquarius, which is home to the radiant of the Eta Aquarids, is higher up in the sky in the Southern hemisphere than it is in the Northern hemisphere.
Although the shower peaks Friday, it will be viewable until around May 28.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/eta-aquarids-peak-friday-with-up-30-meteors-visible-per-hour/ | 2022-05-04T18:06:53Z |
Few parents say they’ll get COVID vaccines for young kids as soon as possible, survey finds
(CNN) - It might not be long until there’s a COVID-19 vaccine approved for kids younger than 5, but having a vaccine in the U.S. for those young kids and vaccinating them are two totally different things. And there are a lot of parents who say they’re on the fence right now.
In fact, a new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed only 18% of parents with children younger than 5 said they would vaccinate them as soon as a vaccine was available.
Nearly 40% of parents want to wait and see, and 11% said they’d only vaccinate if it were required. And 27% said they definitely won’t do it.
The survey said the majority of parents who are hesitant say they feel like they “don’t have enough information about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for children in this age group.”
Ultimately, the FDA will determine the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness with meetings set for June.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/few-parents-say-theyll-get-covid-vaccines-young-kids-soon-possible-survey-finds/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:00Z |
Harrisonburg City Council seeks community’s input on future city manager
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - As the Harrisonburg City Council continues moving forward on the search for its next city manager, community input is needed to inform the upcoming interview process.
A survey is now available to all in The Friendly City focused on the characteristics the next manager must possess, and what challenges and opportunities the community believes the new hire will need to first address after joining the organization.
Results of the anonymous survey will be provided to city council members and help inform their questions and selection process once interviews begin.
- The English version of the survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZGSSGCY.
- The Spanish version of the survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZGNGCPD.
“The selection of a city manager is one of the most important things we do as your elected officials,” Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed said. “This person will not only lead the approximately 800 city employees who work hard to serve our community every day, but the manager will be a driving force in bringing our Harrisonburg 2039 vision plan to life and making sure we embody the values Harrisonburg is known for. We are very eager to hear from our community and utilize your input in this vital decision, and I hope you use this opportunity to make your voice heard.”
The survey will remain open until Tuesday, May 31.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/harrisonburg-city-council-seeks-communitys-input-future-city-manager/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:08Z |
Harrisonburg Education Foundation thanks HCPS educators through ‘Thanks-A-Lotto’ event
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - May 2-6 is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and the Harrisonburg Education Foundation wanted to come up with a special way to thank educators.
On May 4, over a thousand educators will receive a scratch-off card, revealing either a note of gratitude from a community member or a donated prize.
The Foundation’s Executive Director says this is just something small they can do to say, “thanks” for all the things staff do within the schools each day.
“From our youngest kids from three all the way up to high school they’re the center of our community and we’re really excited to support the staff that supports them and helps them become who they are. It’s a very special job they have, those people who support our schools,” Executive Director Cody Oliver said.
Local businesses donated 200 prizes for the event, and HEF will also be donating a Keurig, Soda Stream, or cooler to each school within the city district.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/harrisonburg-education-foundation-thanks-hcps-educators-through-thanks-a-lotto-event/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:14Z |
‘I just don’t want to feel unsafe’ - couple flees Florida amid ‘Don’t Say Gay’
Florida Congresswoman fights to pass the Equality Act amid slew of restrictive bills
JACKSONVILLE, FL (Gray DC) - When Becky Richmond and her wife moved to Florida in 2017 - they were hopeful about their future.
“We moved here for the same reason a lot of people move here,’ said Richmond. “It’s warm, cheaper cost of living, it’s beautiful. But there’s also a huge, huge LGBTQ+ community. And it’s one of the things that we love most about it is that presence here.”
But that warm welcome has worn off.
“Unfortunately there is legislation that’s targeting trans kids, LGBTQ families, and we don’t want that for our children,” said Richmond, “We don’t want that for us.”
Becky says she and her wife plan on moving out of Florida this summer.
“I know that it’s better elsewhere, and I know that I don’t necessarily have to fight, but I want to. But also, I just I don’t want to feel unsafe,” said Richmond.
Here in Washington, Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) is fighting to keep families like Becky’s in the sunshine state- but knows it’s an uphill battle.
“In Florida we do not have a human rights law, an equality act that bars discrimination’ said Castor.
That’s why castor co-sponsored the Equality Act that passed the house last year.
It protects people from discrimination based off sex, sexual orientation, gender identity in employment, housing, education and federally funded programs. But not everyone is on board.
“You don’t need to protect the rights of some by eliminating the rights of others - and that’s precisely what the equality act does” said Sarah Perry.
Perry, of the Heritage Foundation believes the bill would make those with traditional views of marriage acquiesce to the changing times.
The bill has yet to move in the senate - Perry says it likely has to do with the upcoming midterms.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/i-just-dont-want-feel-unsafe-couple-flees-florida-amid-dont-say-gay/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:20Z |
Infant left in vehicle dies after father arrested in Georgia, police say
ATLANTA (WGCL/Gray News) - An 8-month-old infant is dead after allegedly being left in a vehicle by her father on Tuesday.
Hospital staff at Piedmont Eastside Emergency Room alerted police after the dead child was brought in by her grandmother, WGCL reported.
Investigators later learned the girl was left in a vehicle by her father, Davied Japez McCorry Whatley, 20, who surrendered himself to Snellville police earlier that day for an unrelated probation violation.
Whatley has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the infant girl’s death.
RELATED: Risk of child hot car deaths rise as temps rise
Police said that Whatley failed to inform them that his daughter was in the car for the several hours that he was in custody.
Whatley’s vehicle, a 2007 Mazda 3, was found in the parking lot of Snellville City Hall near the dumpsters.
The Snellville Police Department has requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation take over the investigation.
Meanwhile, Whatley remains in Gwinnett County jail.
Copyright 2022 WGCL via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/infant-left-vehicle-dies-after-father-arrested-georgia-police-say/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:27Z |
Intuit to pay $141M settlement over ‘free’ TurboTax ads
NEW YORK (AP) — The company behind the TurboTax tax-filing program will pay $141 million to customers across the United States who were deceived by misleading promises of free tax-filing services, New York’s attorney general announced Wednesday.
Under the terms of a settlement signed by the attorneys general of all 50 states, Mountain View, California-based Intuit Inc. will suspend TurboTax’s “free, free, free” ad campaign and pay restitution to nearly 4.4 million taxpayers, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.
James said her investigation into Intuit was sparked by a 2019 ProPublica report that found the company was using deceptive tactics to steer low-income tax filers away from the federally supported free services for which they qualified — and toward its own commercial products, instead.
“For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans,” James said in a statement. “This agreement should serve as a reminder to companies large and small that engaging in these deceptive marketing ploys is illegal.”
“As part of the agreement, Intuit admitted no wrongdoing, agreed to pay $141 million to put this matter behind it, and made certain commitments regarding its advertising practices,” representatives for Intuit said in a blog post Wednesday. “Intuit already adheres to most of these advertising practices and expects minimal impact to its business from implementing the remaining changes going forward.”
Until last year, Intuit offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the Internal Revenue Service’s Free File Program, geared toward taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military. Intuit withdrew from the program in July 2021, saying in a blog post that the company could provide more benefits without the program’s limitations.
The company also offers a commercial product called “TurboTax Free Edition” that is only for taxpayers with “simple returns,” as defined by Intuit.
According to documents obtained by ProPublica, Intuit executives knew they were deceiving customers by advertising free services that were not in fact free to everyone.
“The website lists Free, Free, Free and the customers are assuming their return will be free,” an internal company PowerPoint presentation said. “Customers are getting upset.”
Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to consumers who started using the commercial TurboTax Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible for the version of TurboTax offered as part of the IRS Free File program.
Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services, James said. They will automatically receive notices and checks by mail.
“We empower our customers to take control of their financial lives, which includes being in charge of their own tax preparation,” an Intuit spokesperson told ProPublica in a statement in 2019.
The spokesperson added that a “government-run pre-filled tax preparation system that makes the tax collector (who is also the investigator, auditor and enforcer) the tax preparer is fraught with conflicts of interest.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/intuit-pay-141m-settlement-over-free-turbotax-ads/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:33Z |
Judge overseeing Chauvin civil rights case accepts plea deal
Published: May. 4, 2022 at 12:59 PM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases of four former Minneapolis police officers in the killing of George Floyd has accepted the terms of Derek Chauvin’s plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison.
Chauvin pleaded guilty Dec. 15 to violating Floyd’s civil rights.
The white former officer admitted he kept his knee on Floyd’s neck, resulting in the Black man’s death in May 2020.
Judge Paul Magnuson deferred accepting the agreement pending a presentence investigation.
He said in an order Wednesday that the report is complete, but did not set a sentencing date.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/judge-overseeing-chauvin-civil-rights-case-accepts-plea-deal/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:43Z |
Man charged with setting fire at Home Depot that burned store to ground
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A man charged with setting a fire that gutted a Northern California Home Depot, prompted hundreds to flee and filled the sky with smoke was trying to cover up a theft of tools, authorities said.
Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, 27, of San Jose, was arrested April 15. He appeared in court April 19 and was given a public defender and a June 1 court date to enter a plea. He was being held without bail.
Gogue is accused of setting a fire that began in the lumber section of the Home Depot in South San Jose on April 9. He was trying to create a distraction while making off with a cart full of tools but drove off without taking them, prosecutors said.
The five-alarm fire destroyed the store, causing an estimated $17 million in damage to the store contents. The fire, which took about 100 firefighters six hours to control, sent up a huge black plume of smoke. People in nearby homes and businesses were told to stay inside out of concerns that the smoke might contain toxic chemicals.
The fire burned near hundreds of homes and was so hot that it was seen by satellites, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said at a news conference.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said the fire erupted on a weekend when the store was full of shoppers and he was thankful that his office “is not prosecuting a multiple murder case today.”
“Miraculously no one was hurt,” he said. “But it came close — far, far too close — to causing many injuries and deaths.”
Gogue allegedly stole items from a Bass Pro Shop before the fire, and he went on to steal from a Macy’s store afterward, authorities said.
In addition to aggravated arson, he also is charged with grand theft and petty theft involving shoplifting at six South San Jose stores between last October and April 2.
The new theft charges span from October 2021 to April 2, involving $17,000 worth of items from six South San Jose retailers. He could face a potential life sentence if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/man-charged-with-setting-fire-home-depot-that-burned-store-ground/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:50Z |
Man left nooses, notes, threatening phone calls mocking BLM movement, feds say
SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) — A retired Michigan optometrist faces federal charges for allegedly leaving nooses and notes mocking the Black Lives Matter movement inside a couple’s truck and near or inside stores as well as placing threatening phone calls.
Kenneth David Pilon, 61, of Saginaw, is charged with six counts of interfering with federally protected activities — a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison and fines, federal prosecutors announced April 28.
The charges allege that “Pilon intimidated and attempted to intimidate citizens from participating lawfully in speech and peaceful assembly opposing the denial of Black people’s right to enjoy police protection and services free from brutality,” an FBI special agent wrote in an affidavit.
Pilon’s attorney, Barry Wolf, was not readily available for comment, the Detroit Free Press reported. The Associated Press left a message Thursday for Wolf requesting comment on the charges.
Federal prosecutors allege that on June 14, 2020, Pilon used racial slurs while calling nine Starbucks stores in Michigan about workers who might be wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts.
Those calls came days after Starbucks announced it was producing about 250,000 Black Lives Matter shirts for employees to wear if they wanted to express support for the movement following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
In one call to a Starbucks store, Pilon allegedly used a racial slur when telling a staffer he planned to lynch someone, according to the court filing.
Then, between June 22, 2020, and July 17, 2020, prosecutors said Pilon left five nooses in Saginaw with handwritten notes reading: “An accessory to be worn with your ‘BLM’ t-shirt. Happy protesting!” Those nooses were left in parking lots in and outside Goodwill, Walmart and Kroger stores, inside a 7-Eleven store and inside a vehicle owned by a Saginaw couple.
That couple, Regina and Donald Simon, told the Free Press that Donald Simon found the noose and note inside his truck one day after they had spent time playing with their puppy in their front yard as they were both wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts.
“I opened my door, and when I looked at it, then I looked at it again, I was amazed,” said Donald Simon, who is Black, adding that he was overcome with anger and confusion at the sight of the noose. “I was in shock. I thought, ‘Is this really what I think it is?’”
After discovering the noose, the couple posted what happened on Facebook, along with a photo of what was found in the truck.
“He was bringing hate to my front door, and that really bothered us,” said Regina Simon, who is Mexican and white. “We’re not hateful people. That really shook me right there.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/man-left-nooses-notes-threatening-phone-calls-mocking-blm-movement-feds-say/ | 2022-05-04T18:07:57Z |
Mechanical failure caused deadly Navy helicopter crash
SAN DIEGO (AP) - A Navy helicopter crash off Southern California that killed five crewmembers last year was caused by mechanical failure, not pilot error, the military announced Tuesday.
A command investigation completed on April 18 found that a damper hose failed on the MH-60S Seahawk during flight, probably because of unsuspected damage that occurred during maintenance, the Navy said.
The hose reduces vibrations from the main rotor and the failure led to severe vibrations that caused the rotor to hit the deck as the aircraft landed on an aircraft carrier on Aug. 31, 2021, off San Diego, the Navy said.
The helicopter fell into the sea and sank about 70 miles (112 kilometers) off San Diego. One crewmember was rescued and five were declared dead after a search.
Five sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln were injured.
“There is no evidence that weather conditions or pilot error were causal or contributing factors to the mishap,” the command investigation concluded.
The aircraft belonged to the Navy’s Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/mechanical-failure-caused-deadly-navy-helicopter-crash/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:03Z |
Mother accused of stabbing her children to death, police say
Published: May. 4, 2022 at 10:21 AM EDT|Updated: 3 hours ago
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) – A mother in Kentucky accused of stabbing her two children to death is facing murder charges, according to police.
WKYT reported authorities were called to respond to a report of a “cutting/stabbing” at a home around 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Police say they found three people injured when officers arrived at the scene. They were all taken to the hospital, where two children died.
According to the coroner, the siblings, 5 and 13 years old, died from multiple stab wounds.
The coroner said the children’s mother, 43-year-old Nikki James, was the third person involved. She was charged with two counts of murder, according to police.
Copyright 2022 WKYT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/mother-accused-stabbing-her-children-death-police-say/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:11Z |
Mountain Valley Pipeline to seek new permits, boosting cost
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Officials say Mountain Valley Pipeline will seek new permits that courts have been rejected twice, increasing the cost for proposed natural gas pipeline that would run through Virginia and West Virginia and delaying its completion.
The Roanoke Times reports that Equitrans Midstream Corp., the lead partner in the pipeline project, outlined the latest plan in a conference call Tuesday with financial analysts.
The pipeline’s cost is now projected to be $6.6 billion and its completion would be delayed to 2023.
Four other energy companies, including a subsidiary of Roanoke Gas Co., are building the 303-mile (487-kilometer) pipeline that would transport natural gas drilled from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations through West Virginia and Virginia.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/mountain-valley-pipeline-seek-new-permits-boosting-cost/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:21Z |
Pro-choice demonstrators protest leaked SCOTUS opinion on abortion
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Tuesday, a charged crowd of hundreds rallied near the federal courthouse in Richmond in support of abortion rights.
This comes after the fallout from reports that the Supreme Court of the United States drafted a 96-paged opinion that would overturn Roe V. Wade, which has served as the basis of abortion law across the country for nearly 50 years.
That ruling is not final, but the leak has sent shockwaves across the country, reigniting the debate over reproductive rights all across the country, including right here in Virginia.
“This is that red alert moment that we have been preparing for,” said Rae Pickett.
Pickett works with the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood and organized the Richmond protest hours after news of the SCOTUS’s opinion broke.
For hours, hundreds of demonstrators representing Planned Parenthood and the Virginia ACLU marched, chanted and rallied, shouting phrases like “my body, my choice!” and “abortion is healthcare!”
“I think we’re all just really scared, and we want things to remain the same, and this is the least we can do just to react this way,” demonstrator Brooks Daughtry said.
“The fact that people are in danger of losing that right is atrocious and inhumane,” demonstrator Alex Knezevich said.
Similar demonstrations took place in Norfolk.
Pickett says this energized response is necessary in order to send state legislators a clear message.
“When people’s rights are under attack and under threat, they will fight back,” Pickett said.
But on the opposite side of the debate, there was a different reason for outrage. Governor Glenn Youngkin and other pro-life leaders are taking issue with how the Supreme Court document was leaked.
“This is just an unbelievable breach of confidence. It was done in order to create chaos and put pressure on elected officials,” Youngkin said.
Regardless, the pro-life governor says he wants to see fewer abortions in the state. But the laws on the books would protect reproductive rights even if Roe V. Wade is overturned, at least for now.
“I think that makes the state elections that much more critically important on this issue.” State Sen. Jennifer McClellan said.
That’s why Picket says legislators should prepare to see these same crowds at the polls.
“All of the other anti-reproductive health and rights politicians in Virginia should be very concerned about the crowd behind us because we are going to vote, and we are going to vote in every election, and we are going to fight for our access to abortion care no matter what,” Pickett said.
Pickett says politicians should expect many larger demonstrations in the coming weeks. She says efforts are being made to coordinate several protests across the state for May 14.
Copyright 2022 WWBT. All rights reserved.
Want NBC12’s top stories in your inbox each morning? Subscribe here. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/pro-choice-demonstrators-protest-leaked-scotus-opinion-abortion/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:27Z |
Russia pounds Ukraine, targeting supply of Western arms
LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Complaining that the West is “stuffing Ukraine with weapons,” Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line points across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.
Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. But a Russian official denied Moscow’s troops were storming the plant, as Ukrainian commanders claimed a day earlier.
The Russian military said Wednesday it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.
Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and missile fire followed in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine and Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, the mayor said one strike hit the city’s center. There was no immediate word on casualties or damage.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of “resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.”
The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory or expand what he calls a “special military operation.”
A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as “nonsense.”
Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.
The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is “stuffing Ukraine with weapons.”
A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon’s assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been “no appreciable impact” on Ukraine’s effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.
Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russia’s initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.
Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.
The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.
In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU’s top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports.
“We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won’t take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.
The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cut-off of coal imports.
Russia’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin’s “war machine.”
Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian fighters said Russian forces began storming the bombed-out steel mill in Mariupol. But the Kremlin said that was not true.
“There is no assault. We see that there are cases of escalation due to the fact that the militants take up the firing positions. These attempts are being suppressed very quickly,” Peskov said.
Over the weekend, more than 100 people — including women, the elderly and 17 children — were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed, and no further evacuations were organized.
It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and “heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.”
“Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult,” he said.
His claims could not be independently verified, and he said he had lost contact with the fighters at Azovstal. “The connection with the guys in order to understand what is happening there, whether they are safe or not, disappeared,” Boychenko said.
Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.
The city’s fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.
___
This story has been updated to correct that von der Leyen was speaking Strasbourg, not Brussels.
___
Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/russia-hits-eastern-towns-amid-hopes-more-evacuations/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:33Z |
Satanic Temple asks Boston to fly flag after Supreme Court ruling
BOSTON (AP) — The Satanic Temple is requesting to fly a flag over Boston City Hall after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that the city violated the free speech rights of a conservative activist seeking to fly a Christian flag outside the downtown building.
The Salem-based group tweeted a copy of a request to the city property management department submitted Tuesday to raise a flag marking”Satanic Appreciation Week” from July 23-29.
Mayor Michelle Wu’s office declined to comment on the group’s request other than to say it’s reviewing the high court’s decision while also evaluating its flag-raising program.
Lucien Greaves, the organization’s co-founder, said in an email Wednesday that the group wants to show that religious liberty must mean respect for “all forms” of religious practice and religious opinion.
“When government officials are able to impose arbitrary restrictions on claims of conscience, or to abridge the civic capacities of some based on their religious identity, we fail to be a free, democratic republic,” he wrote in part.
The organization hasn’t decided which of its official flags it will ask the city to fly, Greaves said, but one likely option echoes the American flag, only with black and white stripes and an emblem of a pentagram and goat skull where the 50 stars would be.
The Satanic Temple is separate from the Church of Satan, which was founded in the 1960s. Founded in 2013, the Satanic Temple doesn’t believe in Satan and describes itself as a “non-theistic religious organization” that advocates for secularism.
It has lodged freedom of religion challenges nationwide, including a federal lawsuit arguing the Boston City Council’s traditional opening prayer at its public meetings is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that Boston discriminated against activist Harold Shurtleff because of his “religious viewpoint,” even though it had routinely approved other flag raising requests.
In 2017, Shurtleff and his Camp Constitution wanted to fly a white banner with a red cross on a blue background called the Christian flag to mark Constitution Day on Sept. 17.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/satanic-temple-asks-boston-fly-flag-after-court-ruling/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:42Z |
Several White House correspondents’ dinner attendees test positive for COVID-19
Published: May. 4, 2022 at 11:28 AM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
(CNN) - Several attendees of the White House Correspondents Association dinner have tested positive for COVID-19.
Reporters and staffers from CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and Politico have fallen ill.
Politico reports ABC’s Jon Karl has the virus.
He shook hands with President Joe Biden at the Saturday and sat next to Kim Kardashian, though it was unlikely Karl was infectious at the time.
The White House Correspondents Association said it had implemented protocols beyond local and federal guidance.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/several-white-house-correspondents-dinner-attendees-test-positive-covid-19/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:49Z |
States that will be most affected if Roe v. Wade is overturned
(Stacker) - One historic decision has been endlessly passed around states over the last year. Roe v. Wade expressly protects a pregnant person’s right to choose to have an abortion. It’s under review by a now supermajority conservative Supreme Court, but reports suggest it could be struck down at any moment, as more and more states bring their own abortion laws to the highest court in the land.
States have already employed many kinds of restrictions, including but not limited to: parental consent for young women seeking abortions, bans on telemedicine for medicated abortions, mandated counseling and ultrasounds before the procedure, and TRAP laws, which impose burdensome medical standards such as hospital-admitting privileges on abortion clinics.
Many states with either anti-choice governors or constituents against abortion are attacking Roe v. Wade by enacting laws they can’t enforce, in case the Supreme Court decides in 2022 to overturn the decision.
To find out which states would be most affected by this decision, Stacker consulted a July 2019 study published in reproductive health journal Contraception, updated in 2021 by Professor Caitlin Myers at Middlebury College. The study analyzed the impact of a post-Roe world by analyzing states’ current laws and political climate to identify states that would be at a high risk of outlawing abortion.
Eight states maintain so-called “trigger bans” that would immediately outlaw abortion if Roe v. Wade were overturned. Based on this and other information, any state that could quickly enact restrictions if Roe v. Wade was overturned is listed as “high-risk.” States could be classified as “high-risk” even if they have no laws currently on the books, but simply a political climate unamiable to abortion.
Then, using Census demographic data, the study calculated the number of women that would be affected by an increase in travel time to the nearest abortion clinic in a scenario where all high-risk states ban abortion.
The makeup of the surrounding states is enough to limit abortion access by an over 1,000% increase in distance. Keep reading to see which states will be most affected if Roe v. Wade is reversed.
#29. Nevada
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -0.2%
--- Affected population: 11,808 (2.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 11 miles (22.2% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 9
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 9 miles
Though abortion will likely remain legal in Nevada, people in need of services will have to travel a bit farther to get them, due to bordering states that would outlaw them. Nevada residents voted to keep abortion rights for pregnant women under 24 weeks into the gestational period in 1990, and that law could only be reversed by another direct vote of the people.
#28. Oregon
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -0.2%
--- Affected population: 7,245 (0.9% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 16 miles (6.7% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 15
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 15 miles
Oregon and Nevada share a border with California, a state with several abortion protections others do not have, including constitutional protection. Reproductive rights were recognized in California’s constitution in 1969, giving people in states like Oregon more options. Oregon passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2017, which expanded abortion access by requiring private health insurance to cover abortions, and funding services for those who would otherwise be excluded from coverage, such as DACA recipients.
#27. Kansas
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -0.3%
--- Affected population: 20,488 (3.6% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 54 miles (1.9% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 4
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 53 miles
Kansas already has a few common restrictions on abortion, such as limits on public and private funding for the procedure. Though the state supreme court ruled in 2019 the right to an abortion is protected in the Kansas constitution, conservative lawmakers recently voted to to put a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution on the 2022 ballot. The majority of the states surrounding Kansas are far more restrictive.
#26. New Mexico
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -0.5%
--- Affected population: 40,320 (10.1% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 58 miles (1.8% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 5
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 57 miles
Women in New Mexico were once facing a long-dormant abortion ban that was deemed unconstitutional and unenforceable, but they now have access to legal procedures and public funding. In February 2021, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill that finally overturned that law, which would have triggered a statewide ban if Roe v. Wade were reversed.
#25. Virginia
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -0.9%
--- Affected population: 92,473 (5.5% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 25 miles (19.0% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 16
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 21 miles
Virginia is one of many states overturning previously restrictive abortion laws amid concerns for Roe v. Wade. As of 2020, Virginia health insurance carriers can cover abortion services, though they are not required to do so. Nearby in Maryland, those seeking abortions have protection outside of Roe v. Wade.
#24. Wyoming
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -1.1%
--- Affected population: 12,111 (11.2% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 138 miles (3.0% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 2
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 134 miles
People won’t find abortion protections in Wyoming’s state law or its constitution, and will barely find a clinic they can use. What they will find is a legislature that is advancing bills that restrict abortion access, including one that prevents women from using student health insurance for the procedure. If Roe v. Wade were outlawed, the legality of abortions could be at risk.
#23. Minnesota
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -1.6%
--- Affected population: 95,799 (8.9% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 40 miles (25.0% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 7
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 32 miles
The right to abortion has been protected in Minnesota since 1995, when the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a woman’s right to privacy includes the right to terminate a pregnancy. However, Minnesota shares a border with two very restrictive states that may try to immediately restrict abortions if Roe v. Wade is gone.
#22. Missouri
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -3.2%
--- Affected population: 708,893 (60.2% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 74 miles (10.4% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 1
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 67 miles
Missouri is the first state on this list with a trigger ban. Though previous bans were declared unconstitutional, one recent ban would immediately go into effect if Roe v. Wade is reversed. In June 2021, a federal appeals court blocked Missouri from enforcing the bill that prohibits all abortions after eight weeks.
#21. Nebraska
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -8.4%
--- Affected population: 331,206 (88.6% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 69 miles (56.8% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 3
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 44 miles
It’s already a felony to get an abortion after 20 weeks in Nebraska. Though there’s no trigger ban, the state government enacted a law last year prohibiting dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortions, which are performed in 95% of second trimester abortions.
#20. South Dakota
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -12.9%
--- Affected population: 112,850 (69.6% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 189 miles (43.2% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 1
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 132 miles
South Dakota has had a trigger law waiting to become enforceable since 2005. It escalates the practice of abortion to a felony for physicians who provide it. Like its neighbor North Dakota, the state has just one facility, which would have to stop providing abortions in a no-Roe country.
#19. West Virginia
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -15.5%
--- Affected population: 184,170 (58.5% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 126 miles (129.1% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 2
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 55 miles
In 2018, 52% of West Virginia voters decided to amend the state’s constitution and ensure abortion is not protected if Roe v. Wade is overturned. West Virginia is surrounded by states with similar plans, apart from Maryland, so people will have to travel even farther to find services.
#18. North Dakota
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -20.4%
--- Affected population: 136,216 (91.9% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 323 miles (121.2% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 1
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 146 miles
North Dakota’s trigger ban allows few exceptions for abortion procedures. People who are victims of rape or incest can get them, and those whose lives are at risk are also included. The 2007 ban was followed by several other restrictions, including the dilation and evacuation ban that Nebraska also put forward.
#17. Indiana
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -24.1%
--- Affected population: 1,307,855 (99.8% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 129 miles (279.4% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 7
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 34 miles
As part of the block of states in the Midwest ready to ban abortions via bills or amendments, Indiana has tried to overturn any protections for the procedure that exist. Their proposed ban is strict: should Roe v. Wade be nullified, there would be no abortions allowed, not even in cases of rape or incest, and if performed, they would be classified as murder.
#16. Idaho
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -24.8%
--- Affected population: 224,181 (65.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 173 miles (355.3% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 4
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 38 miles
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed an abortion ban in April 2021, along with a wave of other nearby states. It’s considered a “heartbeat bill,” one that requires doctors to decline abortions to mothers with a detectable fetal heartbeat, and would only go into effect if a federal appeals court upholds a similar heartbeat ban. A heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.
#15. Mississippi
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -27.9%
--- Affected population: 584,299 (100.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 250 miles (303.2% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 1
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 62 miles
Mississippi is one of eight states that has a pre-Roe abortion ban, and a loud voice in the fight to overturn the landmark Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court decided in May 2021 to review Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Whole Health, a case concerning Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban. Though the state had initially focused its argument on defending that specific ban, it recently made overturning Roe v. Wade part of its pending argument before the Supreme Court. The court will have a decision by June 2022.
#14. Arkansas
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -28.8%
--- Affected population: 578,319 (100.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 314 miles (330.1% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 2
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 73 miles
Surrounded on all sides by abortion-restrictive states, Arkansas is in a precarious spot when it comes to protecting the right to abortion. Along with several states that introduced new bans in 2021, its legislature introduced an expansive abortion ban that was blocked by a federal judge in July 2021. Arkansas’ pre-Roe ban on abortion has not been reversed.
#13. Kentucky
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -30.4%
--- Affected population: 848,023 (100.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 266 miles (315.6% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 2
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 64 miles
In former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin’s quest to become “the most pro-life governor in America,” he signed four anti-abortion bills during his term, two of which were blocked by federal judges. House Bill 148, Kentucky’s full ban on abortion, is unenforceable while Roe v. Wade is still intact. The state’s current governor, Democrat Andy Beshear, is pro-choice. Beshear has had difficulty stopping pro-life legislation from becoming law since the state House and Senate have a Republican supermajority.
#12. Oklahoma
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -32.2%
--- Affected population: 759,207 (98.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 191 miles (416.2% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 5
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 37 miles
Oklahoma’s trigger ban was enacted in 2021, though its existing abortion laws were already restrictive for young women and for clinics. Oklahoma, and many of its surrounding states, have TRAP laws, or what Planned Parenthood calls “medically unnecessary,” building requirements that a clinic must meet to provide abortions.
#11. North Carolina
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -32.3%
--- Affected population: 2,017,049 (98.1% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 169 miles (576.0% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 19
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 25 miles
The governor of North Carolina has vetoed multiple anti-abortion bills, one of which would have made it a crime to refuse treatment to “any infant born alive after an abortion.” (In his veto, Gov. Roy Cooper noted that “[this] practice simply does not exist.”) With an unconstitutional, pre-Roe abortion ban, and four border states without any legal protections, people in this state will be greatly affected by the conflict. North Carolina’s governor has demonstrated pro-choice stances, which may be helpful in the future.
#10. Alabama
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -32.5%
--- Affected population: 912,878 (96.2% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 224 miles (622.6% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 5
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 31 miles
The southern states feature pre-Roe and post-Roe bans, and if the decision is overturned, the number of clinics that are available to provide abortions will be severely limited in the area. Alabama was prosecuting misdemeanor abortion cases in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and it still hasn’t overturned the law that originally enforced that ban. In 2019, Alabama’s governor signed another law banning most types of abortions that would be enforceable should Roe fall.
#9. Ohio
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -33.2%
--- Affected population: 2,171,938 (98.2% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 181 miles (624.0% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 9
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 25 miles
Ohio’s “most restrictive abortion law in modern history” arrived with the wave of 2019 laws to undermine Roe v. Wade. A judge blocked Ohio’s recent “heartbeat” bill, which bans abortion at the detection of a fetal heartbeat, around six weeks into pregnancy, and which progressive lawmakers argued would put women’s lives at a high risk. Though the judge in this case said the law potentially conflicts with the constitution, it has a chance of taking effect in a post-Roe country.
#8. Louisiana
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -34.3%
--- Affected population: 922,449 (100.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 294 miles (525.5% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 3
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 47 miles
The heartbeat bill streak made its way to Louisiana in May 2019, in the form of a trigger ban that would go into effect if Roe is reversed. Making it constitutional to ban abortions before people are aware they are pregnant would affect the entire South.
#7. Utah
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -35.7%
--- Affected population: 644,869 (91.8% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 272 miles (597.4% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 2
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 39 miles
Utah is in a peculiar place, politically and geographically. Pre-Roe, there were no express bans on abortion, but post-Roe, there were no express protections for it, either. It’s also too far from California for anyone to benefit from nearby clinics. In March 2020, a trigger ban was passed to prep for a Roe v. Wade recall. The state also passed an 18-week ban on abortions in 2019.
#6. Georgia
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -36%
--- Affected population: 2,035,985 (93.4% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 249 miles (789.3% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 14
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 28 miles
The center of the South’s legacy of abortion bans is Georgia. The Georgia legislature rode the anti-abortion legislation wave early with a sweeping abortion ban signed in 2019, set to take effect in 2020, but permanently blocked in the summer of that year. This version of the “heartbeat” bill solidified the state’s stance against Roe v. Wade.
#5. Texas
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -37.1%
--- Affected population: 6,018,754 (99.7% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 471 miles (1077.5% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 22
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 40 miles
Other states have trigger bans, but Texas added a unique proposition where citizens would be allowed to sue clinics that perform abortions. This is in addition to a ban on abortions around six weeks, which was signed into law May 2020.
#4. Tennessee
- Policies: Trigger ban, high-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -37.4%
--- Affected population: 1,333,861 (100.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 294 miles (716.7% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 7
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 36 miles
Tennessee has several restrictions in place already. Gov. Bill Lee signed a heartbeat bill into law in 2020, which a federal judge temporarily blocked from taking effect shortly after it was passed. It is still making its way through the courts. In 2020, the state’s legislature put forth a bill that allows fathers to deny the pregnant mothers of their children an abortion, without the woman’s consent.
#3. South Carolina
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -38.6%
--- Affected population: 984,181 (100.0% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 267 miles (790.0% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 3
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 30 miles
South Carolina’s latest abortion law, which bans the procedure at the detection of a fetal heartbeat, hit snags in federal court back in March 2021 when it was indefinitely blocked. Not only is South Carolina surrounded geographically by states with similar problems, but it is also supported by 20 other states that want this abortion ban to succeed.
#2. Michigan
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -39.6%
--- Affected population: 1,876,586 (99.9% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 239 miles (1393.8% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 26
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 16 miles
Michigan’s court has decided the state’s pre-Roe ban of abortion procedures is only unconstitutional (as applied to physicians) thanks to Roe v. Wade, so the debate on that case’s constitutionality will directly affect it. Still, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seen as pro-choice, and was once criticized by anti-abortion activists for calling abortion “life-sustaining.” Michigan’s attorney general has also said she would not prosecute doctors performing abortions or anyone seeking them.
#1. Arizona
- Policies: High-risk
- If abortion bans take effect in all high-risk states:
--- Predicted change in abortion rate: -40.3%
--- Affected population: 1,316,221 (94.1% of women aged 15-44)
--- New average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 247 miles (1352.9% increase)
- Present day:
--- Abortion facilities: 8
--- Average distance to nearest abortion clinic: 17 miles
In the renewed fight to restrict abortions, Arizona lawmakers are ready to challenge Roe v. Wade. One new Arizona law expressly rejects any federal decisions on abortion laws, which may not be constitutional. Since the ‘60s, the state has passed laws banning abortion that cannot be enforced until the Supreme Court’s landmark decision falls.
Copyright 2022 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/states-that-will-be-most-affected-if-roe-v-wade-is-overturned/ | 2022-05-04T18:08:57Z |
Texas teenager dies after stabbing at high school
BELTON, Texas (KWTX/Gray News) - A teenager has died after being stabbed at Belton High School Tuesday morning, KWTX reports.
Jose Luis Ramirez Jr., 18, was stabbed by Caysen Tyler Allison, 18, during a fight in a school’s bathroom, authorities said.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Belton High School today and send my prayers to all of those who have been impacted by it, particularly to the young victim and his family,” said Belton Mayor Wayne Carpenter.
The stabbing happened Tuesday morning, and the school was immediately placed on lockdown. After the stabbing, Allison allegedly ran out of the school. Police later found him and took him into custody.
Parents said that students had to turn in their phones at the school Tuesday because of testing, making it difficult for some to communicate with their children during the lockdown.
“It was very stressful, just wondering if everyone is OK,” parent Ailehs Gaines said. “The stress to come to school for STARR testing and then have something like this happen. It’s pretty bad.”
Sarah Lopez said she was able to speak with her daughter during the terrifying incident.
“She was scared. I heard commotion in the background. I asked if she was OK, and she said, ‘Mom, someone has been stabbed.’ So, I asked her if she was OK and she said, ‘I’m OK, but I saw what happened,’” Lopez said.
Lopez said the incident is “too close to home.”
“You hear it all the time, but when it actually happens at home, it’s shocking because you start thinking about the community, and you think of the people you work closely with that also have children going here,” she said.
Allison is being interviewed and the investigation is ongoing, Belton Police Chief Gene Ellis said in a video statement shared on social media.
The school dismissed students at noon on Tuesday and canceled classes for Wednesday.
Tuesday evening, people gathered at Christ The King Catholic Church for a brief service to honor Ramirez.
“Joe is just a goofy person. He’s just always making you laugh smile,” said Bryan Lopez, a childhood friend of Ramirez. “We were just hanging out the other day on prom night.”
Copyright 2022 KWTX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/texas-teenager-dies-after-stabbing-high-school/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:04Z |
Toddler hospitalized in critical condition after coyote attack
DALLAS (WFAA) - A 2-year-old boy was critically injured after being attacked by a coyote on the front porch of his Dallas home, police say.
Anthony Divenuti lives directly across the street from where a 2-year-old boy was attacked by a coyote. It happened about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in Dallas’ Lake Highlands neighborhood.
“It’s gut-wrenching,” Divenuti said. “That little boy was sitting on his front porch, and that animal came right up to the porch, unfazed whatsoever, and attacked him.”
The 2-year-old was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Even after the attack, Divenuti says the coyote showed no fear.
“[It] came out across the street and stood there, staring in the direction of where the EMTs and the parents were,” he said.
Police say an officer saw the coyote near a park after the attack and shot at it before it ran into the woods. It’s not clear if the animal was hit by a bullet.
Around 3 p.m., Dallas Animal Services said the coyote had been located, isolated in a wooded area.
During an investigation into the attack, animal services says it was revealed that the coyote was well-known in the neighborhood, and residents had been feeding and petting it.
“This tragic incident shows why it is critical that residents treat all wildlife as wild animals,” said animal services in a statement.
Some neighbors say they’ve been calling the city and complaining about the coyote.
Clark Collier says he saw the animal on Easter hanging out near the park at White Rock Elementary School. He says it locked eyes with a child.
“It looked like it wanted to attack a kid,” Collier said.
Coyotes are generally reclusive animals who prefer to avoid human contact, but they still creep into North Texas neighborhoods.
Animal services says anyone who sees a coyote should call 911 and not approach it. Making loud noises, such as banging pots and pans, should help scare it off.
Copyright 2022 WFAA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/toddler-hospitalized-critical-condition-after-coyote-attack/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:10Z |
As US poised to restrict abortion, other nations ease access
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.
That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies — such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.
It’s not yet clear what impact there will be outside the United States from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
But for women’s activists who for years have led grinding campaigns demanding open access to abortion, often looking to the United States as a model, it’s a discouraging sign and a reminder that hard-won gains can be impermanent.
“It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world,” said Colombian Catalina Martínez Coral, Latin America and Caribbean director for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which was among the groups that litigated the abortion case in Colombia’s high court.
The February ruling there established a broad right for women to have abortions within the 24-week period, whereas previously they could do so only in specific cases such as if a fetus presented malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape. Abortion is still allowed after that period under those special circumstances.
The decision fell short of advocates’ hopes for a complete decriminalization, but Martínez Coral said it still left Colombia with the “most progressive legal framework in Latin America.”
Similarly, Mexico’s Supreme Court held last year that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion. As the country’s highest court, its ruling bars all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy.
Statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in most of Mexico’s 32 states, however, and nongovernmental organizations that have long pushed for decriminalization are pressing state legislatures to reform them. Abortion was already readily available in Mexico City and some states.
To the south in Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week and after that for circumstances similar to those described in the Colombia ruling.
It’s also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.
But expansion of abortion access has not extended to all of Latin America, with many countries restricting it to certain circumstances — such as Brazil, the region’s most populous nation, where it’s permissible only in cases of rape, risk to the woman’s life and certified cases of the birth defect anencephaly. Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term in October, recently said he sees legalizing abortion as a public health issue, eliciting criticism in a country where few approve of the procedure.
Other places have total bans with no exceptions, such as Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Courts in the latter have given women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases where prosecutors suspect a miscarriage was actually an abortion.
Many African nations also maintain complete bans, but in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most circumstances up to 12 weeks. That significantly increased safe access to the procedure after the health minister reported that nearly 200 women were dying each year of complications from clandestine abortions. Previously abortion was permitted in cases of rape or incest; risk to the woman’s life; or severe fetal malformation.
Most European countries have legalized abortion, including predominantly Catholic ones. Ireland did so in 2018, followed by tiny San Marino in a voter referendum last fall. It remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City, while Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.
It’s also been widely available in Israel since 1978 and relatively uncontroversial, allowed by law before the 24th week with the approval of hospital “termination committees” that consist of medical professionals including at least one woman.
Laws and interpretations vary across the Muslim world.
Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for decades, but in Iran it’s been forbidden since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year the leader of Cairo’s top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, said abortion is not the solution even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.
In Japan, abortion is allowed only for economic and health reasons, and requires partners’ consent, making Japan one of a handful of countries in the world to do so. Victims of sexual violence are excluded from the requirement.
While there is a growing call for women to have the right to make their own decision, Japan’s government, led by the ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has long focused on traditional gender roles of women to give birth and raise children.
Japan has not approved abortion pills, though an application for one by a British company is pending at the health ministry.
Abortion has been legal in India since 1971. Women can terminate pregnancy up to 20 weeks, but only on a doctor’s advice. Under changes in 2021, a woman can also seek an abortion up to 24 weeks under certain circumstances such as rape or incest, though it requires approval from two doctors.
China is moving to limit abortions, but that’s because it has one of the highest rates of abortions in the world.
Last September, the Chinese cabinet, known as the State Council, published new national guidelines that require hospitals to “reduce non-medically necessary abortions.” In February, China’s family planning association announced it would launch a campaign to reduce teenage abortions.
When the U.S. Supreme Court’s final decision is handed down, expected in late June or early July, the world will be watching.
“While moves to decriminalize and legalize abortion in places like Argentina, Ireland, Mexico and Colombia in the last few years have been a huge win for the global community,” Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement, “there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.”
___
Sherman reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Karl Ritter in Stockholm, Sweden; Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mauricio Savarese in Rio de Janeiro; Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal; Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo; Krutika Pathi in New Delhi; and Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/us-poised-restrict-abortion-other-nations-ease-access/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:17Z |
Warm mid week but cooler into the weekend
More rain later in the week
WEDNESDAY: A few lingering showers, isolated storm with a passing cold front, mainly in the early afternoon. Can have heavier rain, rumbles of thunder, and small hail. Turning breezy and no washout. Still warm with highs in the mid to upper 70s, some Valley locations may hit 80 with more sunshine through the afternoon.
A pleasant evening with temperatures in the 70s. Partly cloudy overnight and pleasant with lows in the low to mid 50s.
THURSDAY: A mild start with temperatures rising into the 60s with a mix of sun and clouds. Partly to mostly cloudy for the day and warm with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s. A pleasant day behind the cold front.
A mild evening with temperatures in the 60s as plenty of clouds arrive for the night. Our next system may bring us rain to start as early as the overnight hours, or as late as Friday moring. Pleasant overnight with lows in the low to mid 50s.
FRIDAY: Cloudy to start the day and mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. Our next system will bring scattered showers during the day. Mild with highs in the mid to upper 60s. Likely more breaks in the rain into Friday evening but on and off showers for the night with temperatures in the 60s. Patchy fog overnight. Lows in the low 50s.
SATURDAY: Cooler to start the day with temperatures in the 50s. Scattered showers at least for the early part of the day but cloudy and cool. Highs only in the mid to upper 50s. Pleasant for the evening with temperatures into the 50s. Some clouds overnight and chilly with lows in the low to mid 40s. Areas of fog.
SUNDAY: A pleasantly cool start with temperatures rising into the 50s and more clouds than sun. Staying rather cloudy for the day with some peeks of sun and feeling comfortable with highs in the low to mid 60s. A pleasant evening with temperaturs in the 50s and chilly overnight with lows in the low to mid 40s.
MONDAY: A chilly start with temperatures in the 40s but plenty of sunshine. Mainly sunny for the day and mild with highs in the mid to upper 60s. A comfortable evening in the 60s and chilly overnight with lows in the low to mid 40s.
TUESDAY: Another chilly start with temperatures rising into the 50s and sunshine. Warm for the day and mainly sunny with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s. A comfortable evening with temperatures in the 60s and pleasant overnight with lows in the low to mid 50s.
As always, you can get the latest updates by downloading and checking the WHSV Weather App.
**A reminder that spring wildfire season is still going on in West Virginia. No outdoor burning in West Virginia before 5pm through May 31.**
Copyright 2021 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/warm-mid-week-cooler-into-weekend/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:25Z |
Biden showcases deficit progress in bid to counter critics
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday highlighted new figures showing the government’s red ink will grow less than expected this year and the national debt will shrink this quarter as he tried to counter criticism of his economic leadership amid growing dismay over inflation going into midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.
Biden, embracing deficit reduction as a way to fight inflation, stressed that the dip in the national debt would be the first in six years, an achievement that eluded former President Donald Trump despite his promises to improve the federal balance sheet.
“The bottom line is the deficit went up every year under my predecessor before the pandemic and during the pandemic. It has gone down both years since I’ve been here,” Biden said. “Why is it important? Because bringing down the deficit is one way to ease inflationary pressures.”
The president is placing a renewed emphasis on reducing the deficit — which is the gap between what the nation spends and what it takes in — in order to blunt Republican criticism that the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package has left the U.S. economy worse off. It’s an attempt to burnish his credentials as a responsible steward of the economy while trying to fend off criticism about inflation at a 40-year high. The reopening of the economy coming out of the coronavirus pandemic and the commodity squeeze resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war has made high prices a key political risk for Democrats.
But it is unclear if greater fiscal responsibility can deliver politically for Biden as Democrats try to defend their control of the House and Senate. His two most recent Democratic predecessors, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, also cut budget deficits, only to leave office and see their Republican successors use the savings on tax cuts.
When reporters tried to question Biden about other topics after his remarks, the president prodded, “You don’t want to ask about deficits?”
Bidden is making a nuanced argument about how the financial outlook has improved: Strong job gains over the past 16 months have increased total incomes and led to additional tax revenues. That means that this fiscal year’s budget deficit will decline $1.5 trillion, much better than the $1.3 trillion that was initially forecast. Less government borrowing will, in turn, limit the financial sources of inflation.
But the expected $26 billion drop this quarter in the national debt — which is money the U.S. owes due to accumulated deficits over time — will be short-lived, as the debt already totals $23.9 trillion and will continue to rise in the second half of this year. And while Biden expects his plans will improve the outlook for budget deficits over the next decade, the national debt would continue to climb. The Biden administration believes that the cost of servicing the debt is low enough to sustain the borrowing, while critics say structural changes are needed to improve the long-term outlook.
“There needs to be a real fiscal restructuring because we continue to see these trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office who now leads the center-right American Action Forum.
Holtz-Eakin said the Biden administration is taking credit for lower deficits over the past two years that largely occurred due to the end of coronavirus-related spending, rather than fixing the finances of Medicare and Social Security that will determine the long-term budget outlook.
“That doesn’t seem to be the right aspiration for a great country,” Holtz-Eakin said. “What they’re doing is essentially deferring the need to do anything real and genuinely fix the programs that are important to people.”
Deficit reduction also matches a priority of Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the key Democratic vote in the evenly split Senate who blocked the passage of Biden’s domestic and environmental agenda in December. The reduction also occurs amid rising interest rates on U.S. Treasury notes, a consequence of inflation running at 8.5% and the Federal Reserve’s efforts to reduce price pressures.
Within an hour of Biden’s remarks, Senate Republicans gathered to challenge Biden’s economic policies. Their core critique is that overspending in response to COVID-19 was paired with restrictions on domestic oil and natural gas production, leading to higher gasoline prices than under Trump.
‘The biggest drag on the U.S. economy right now involves the rising energy costs,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. “This is purely a self-inflicted wound by the Biden administration.”
One of the challenges for Biden is that voters have largely shrugged off deficit increases and seldom rewarded deficit cuts. Voters might discuss the idea of reducing deficits with pollsters, yet health care, incomes and inflation are often top of mind when casting their ballots.
Norman Ornstein, an emeritus scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, noted that deficits are often “abstract” for voters. The recent low interest rates have also muted any potential economic drags from higher deficits, which have risen following the COVID-19 pandemic and, separately, the 2008 financial crisis, to help the economy recover.
“They’re more likely to respond to things that are in their wheelhouse or that they believe will have a more direct effect on their lives,” Ornstein said. Deficits are “a step removed for most voters, and we’ve been through periods where we’ve had the big deficits and debt and it’s not like it devastated directly people’s lives.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/with-deficit-falling-biden-highlights-fiscal-responsibility/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:31Z |
Woman finds ‘soulmate’ kidney donor via TikTok
SAN DIEGO (KFMB) - A California woman found the person who could save her life on TikTok after she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.
Rubi Duran decided to share her survival struggles after being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, stage 5, in a series of videos on TikTok. With tears in her eyes, she recounted the moment her doctor told her it would take almost a decade to find a match who would help replace one of her kidneys.
“I just was in shock mode. I just didn’t understand why it happened to me, if I have always been very healthy,” Duran said.
Duran was 23 when her entire life took a turn. She says at one point, her only focus was attending college, but that quickly changed after experiencing excruciating symptoms.
“Every time I would wake up, I would have…my face would be swollen and my undereyes particularly,” Duran said.
After being diagnosed, her doctor told her she would need to undergo dialysis treatment. That treatment only caused her even more discomfort and robbed her of a normal life.
Just when Duran started to lose all hope, her doctors gave her an idea that would change her life once again.
“So, one day, I posted my story on TikTok, and continued posting my story of my kidney journey,” Duran said.
As she posted her videos on TikTok, Sandra Leon reached out and offered to be her donor.
“I messaged her and asked her if she had found a donor. I would scroll through her comments. I saw that a lot of people were commenting, and I remember when I reached out to her, she told me she hadn’t found anybody. So, I let her know I was already in the process, and I would talk to my coordinator,” Leon said.
With the same blood type and a similarity in age, the two became a perfect match.
Duran gained not only a perfect kidney but a new sister in the life she never thought would be possible to enjoy again.
“I don’t know how to explain it. I know she is my soulmate,” Duran said of Leon.
Duran is now hoping to change careers and advocate for organ donors. Leon currently serves in the Army and hopes to become a firefighter.
Copyright 2022 KFMB via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/woman-finds-soulmate-kidney-donor-via-tiktok/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:38Z |
Woman uses ‘romance scam’ to steal nearly $34K from word game app player, police say
GILBERT, Ariz. (Arizona’s Family/Gray News) - Police said a “romance scam” cost a woman nearly $34,000, and an Arizona woman is facing fraud charges as a result.
Arizona’s Family reports officers arrested 70-year-old Carla Ann Whaley at her home in Gilbert Monday afternoon.
Court documents state the victim told police in late November she believed she was talking to a man named “Garth Davis” while playing the app-based game Words With Friends.
The victim told officers she was lonely after her husband had died earlier that year. She told police she began talking with “Garth” in March 2021 on Google Hangouts and started sending him cash cards and gift cards when he told her he was having trouble accessing his bank account.
When she broke her foot and couldn’t leave her home to go to the store and buy the cards, “Garth” told her to start sending money to Whaley, who he said was his friend.
The woman sent Whaley $20,000 in cash and $3,000 through CashApp until July. The woman grew suspicious and called the police shortly afterward, and officers went to Whaley’s home to speak with her.
Court records indicate Whaley told police she was helping a friend move money but did not tell officers who the friend was.
Police found the victim had lost a total of almost $34,000.
In late December, Whaley was taken to the Gilbert police station for more questioning. Court documents state Whaley told police she “wasn’t entirely truthful” the first time she spoke with police and admitted receiving $20,000 in cash from the woman.
Police searched Whaley’s CashApp account and saw that the money she had within the app was being exchanged for cryptocurrency and then exchanged for cash.
Whaley transferred just over $10,000 from CashApp to her credit union account from July to August.
Police said “Garth Davis” is an unknown suspect.
Whaley was booked into jail on Monday and faces one count of fraudulent schemes and one count of financing a criminal syndicate.
Copyright 2022 Arizona’s Family via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/woman-uses-romance-scam-steal-nearly-34k-word-game-app-player-police-say/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:49Z |
WPS hosts community conversation for AAPI Heritage Month
WAYNESBORO, Va. (WHSV) - Waynesboro Public Schools is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a special community conversation around anti-racism and the book “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning.”
Waynesboro High School’s Lorraine Dresch and Virginia Tech assistant professor Dr. S. Moon Cassinelli will lead the conversation Wednesday evening.
The two have recently been published in the Georgia Review after writing about the Korean diasporic identity in the U.S. South.
“A chance to listen to somebody else’s stories. A lot of times stories are lost due to the majority. This provides a space for others to talk and share their experiences. Listening to other people’s stories gives you a chance to empathize and connect with others,” Kendra Jones-Carter, director of diversity equity and inclusion for Waynesboro City Public Schools, explained.
Jones-Carter says this will be a time for community members to have anti-racist reflections on Asian and Asian American communities within Waynesboro schools.
“Anti-racism is when you critically reflect on your own biases, stereotypes and prejudices. Once you have a clear understanding of that, you do your part in ending the negative narrative that comes often with people often from diverse cultures diverse languages, or diverse identities,” Jones-Carter said.
The event will take place over Zoom and you can register by clicking here. There will be a Q&A period at the end of the event and there is an option to submit questions when you register.
Jones-Carter says the goal is to normalize talking about race so they hope to continue these community conversations in the future.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/04/wps-hosts-community-conversation-aapi-heritage-month/ | 2022-05-04T18:09:55Z |
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People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/bee-gees-tribute-coming-to-ragland/article_9a8da603-826b-5fb4-a6f3-265f965044ac.html | 2022-05-04T19:05:07Z |
Get out your mask and press your cape, the first Comic Con in the Klamath Basin in nearly three years is coming to Klamath Community College.
Sparked by a desire to host a large-scale open house for the community, the college will host its first KCC Comic Con from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 13.
A free event filled with a games and crafts, and featuring numerous vendors and speakers, KCC Comic Con will provide something for everybody as a festive way to celebrate the close of spring term. Falling on the lone Friday the 13th of the year, the event will be family-friendly and horror themed, with haunted house décor across campus.
Coming in costume is highly encouraged.
Nearly 40 vendors will be on site, offering everything from fan art to clothing and collectibles, games and jewelry, as well as an assortment of food trucks. Each visitor will be given a program with a map of the campus highlighting the various activities stations. Collecting a stamp at each station and returning to the check-in booth will garner a prize.
At the stick
Also included will be the opportunity to try KCC’s full-motion flight, and commercial truck simulators. Or visit KCC’s fire engine, and a semi-truck from the commercial driver license program outside to see the real thing.
The KCC Business Center (Building 7) will be converted into an interactive videogame museum, housing more than 80 videogame consoles set up chronologically from the early days of Pong in the 1970s to present-day virtual reality. In the KCC Learning Resource Center will be an assortment of tabletop board games, popular trading card games such as Yu-gi-oh, Pokémon, and Magic the Gathering, and guided Dungeons & Dragons adventures.
The Building 4 Commons will be the epicenter of Comic Con with vendors, a photo booth, main stage, and KCC admissions staff available for instant enrollment for summer and fall terms. Adjacent to the Commons in the KCC Wellness Center from 3 to 5 p.m. will be a puppetry workshop, where everyone can learn to build and manipulate their own puppets.
The puppetry workshop will be overseen by filmmaker and professional puppeteer Jesse Blanchard, whose all puppet comedy/horror film “Frank & Zed” will be screened in collaboration with KCC and Klamath Film at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 14, in the Oregon Tech Auditorium. Tickets for the film screening are $10, available at www.klamathfilm.org.
Cos to win
The main stage will include a number of featured speakers throughout the day, as well as a cosplay costume contest with nearly $1,000 in prizes to be awarded based on age group. The costume contest will take place between 6 to 7 p.m., contestants may register for the competition beforehand at the photo booth. Prizes include a Sonic the Hedgehog Lego set, gaming equipment, gift cards, and an Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality set.
Realistic weapons will not be permitted as part of costumes, and costumes must cover swimsuit areas. A designated area will be provided for cosplayers to change, store valuables, and check any prohibited weapons. For a complete list of costume rules visit www.klamathcc.edu.
At the mic
Slated to appear as featured speakers are Peter Tieryas, Taylor Morden, Blanchard, and the screenwriting duo of Patrick Casey and Josh Miller – writers of the hit “Sonic the Hedgehog” films.
• Tieryas is an animator and author with numerous film and videogame projects to his credit, working with LucasArts and Pixar. He is the author of several books including “The United States of Japan,” “Mecha Samurai Empire,” and “Cyber Shogun Revolution.” Tieryas, who is currently writing an unannounced videogame, will speak from 3:30 to 4 p.m.
• Morden is a filmmaker based in Eugene whose documentary films under his production company Popmotion Pictures have reached platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix. In 2021 his film about the last remaining Blockbuster video store in Bend, “The Last Blockbuster,” drew international acclaim, and was the featured film at the 2020 Klamath Independent Film Festival. Currently he is working on a new documentary about the culture surrounding Build-a-Bear workshops. Morden will be on stage answering questions from the audience from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
• Blanchard will discuss puppetry and filmmaking, with a showcase of several of his puppetry film projects and a snippet of “Frank & Zed,” during a Q&A from 5 to 6 p.m.
• Casey and Miller have been working together in Hollywood as actors, directors, producers and screenwriters for many years. Prior to their most recent hit films “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” the duo had collaborated on several horror films and an animated show on Fox, “Golan the Insatiable.” Casey and Miller will join KCC’s Comic Con virtually to answer audience questions starting at 7 p.m.
A DJ will provide music in the Commons when featured speakers are not on stage.
For more information visit www.klamathcc.edu. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/comic-con-coming-to-kcc/article_fe8619a1-1799-5c52-a967-b16064d8b95b.html | 2022-05-04T19:05:10Z |
This may seem strange, but I need to tell somebody, and I’m trusting you to understand.
Here goes. I recently adopted a new family - seven individuals with distinct personalities, not to mention a few peculiarities.
We’re having fun getting to know one another. Or at least, I am. If they have any complaints, they’ve not said a word.
Why did I adopt a new family? Let me be clear. My decision to adopt them had nothing to do with my love for the real family my husband and I share - a big blended bunch of great people, including five wonderful grown children, their lovely others and nine of the finest grandkids the world has ever seen.
I adore my real family and love to spend time with them. Always have. Always will. Especially if I don’t have to cook.
But two years ago, when the pandemic brought gatherings of family and friends (and even strangers in the check-out line) to a screeching halt, I began to feel a need - I’ll just say this - for a little more life in my life.
Have you felt that need, too?
Again, don’t get me wrong. My husband is a great companion. We’ve made the best of our time in semi-solitary confinement.
We have lots in common. We both like to eat. And sleep. And talk. Or not talk. We take turns cooking and cleaning. We use a tag team system to empty the dishwasher. He hands me the dishes, I put them away. He takes the trash cans down to the street. I do the laundry. We both fold it. He plays a video game killing demons. I play FreeCell creating order in chaos. (I like to create order any way I can.)
We watch TV together: Giants baseball, Warriors basketball and “Station 19,” a show in which my actor son plays a really good-looking fire captain.
And if the weather is nice, as it often is, we sit outside in the evening watching the sun go down, the moon come up, the stars come out and the lights come on around the valley.
Life is good for us. I hope it is for you, too. But as I explained, the disconnect of the pandemic somehow made me welcome a new family into our home.
They hang out in our living room. I think they’re happy. I’m trying hard not to kill them.
Allow me to introduce to you my new family of plants. They sit stacked, one above the other, on several shelves in the corner between two sunny windows.
I’m clueless about botanical names, so I gave them common names that seem to suit them.
Gloria (short for glorious) is a gorgeous white orchid who sits on the top shelf like a queen.
Next is Jessica, with frilly green leaves speckled in pink. She’s named for my daughter-in-law, who gave her to me.
On the third shelf is Celine, a desert princess with tiny white flowers. She reminds me of our years in Las Vegas of all Places.
At the bottom, shoulder to shoulder, like leafy green guards are four big plants of various varieties. I call them “The Boys.”
And interspersed on the shelves are three remarkably real-looking battery operated candles controlled by the click of a remote. A gift from my friend Linda, they light up those plants (and my heart) like Christmas.
I wish you could see them.
I’ve never been a plant person. Over the years, I had my share of violets and such, but they never lasted long. I was always so busy taking care of the people in my life I kept forgetting that plants are living things, too.
They need love and care, or at least, a little water. I hope to do better with Gloria, Jessica, Celine and The Boys.
Once, as a child helping my grandmother tend her garden, I asked her why she did it. Her family was grown. She could buy produce at the market. Why did she keep pulling those weeds?
She laughed and gave me a look. “Keeping things alive,” she said, “keeps me alive, too.”
I didn’t understand it then. But it’s starting to make sense.
Sharon Randall is the author of “The World and Then Some.” She can be reached at P.O. Box 922, Carmel Valley, CA 93924 or www.sharonrandall.com | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/keeping-things-alive/article_27386888-ffc5-5285-bd7a-99635823f5f5.html | 2022-05-04T19:05:11Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- The owner of Tina's Lei Shop in Chinatown relies heavily on Mother's Day and graduation season to sustain her small business.
"We were making enough profit to pay for our rent for the whole year," said owner Tina Nguyen.
During a typical day, this shop might see 10 people, but during Mother's Day and graduation season, hundreds of people come here for lei.
After almost three years of losses due to COVID-19, Nguyen says she is facing another major obstacle -- a shortage of lei.
"Because of the shortage it also drives up the price too. So, like I told all the customers, the price is really high now, but we don't make as much of a profit like before," Nguyen said.
Supply-chain issues, labor shortages and loss of production are to blame -- as well as getting lei into the islands with most of the orchid ones coming from Asia.
"The real problem right now is over the last two weeks most of the incoming lei from Asia have been confiscated by (agriculture) for some reason. That is creating a huge vacuum and a very, very low supply heading into Mother's Day weekend," said Monty Pereira, general manager of Watanabe Floral.
Watanabe Floral estimates a 50% shortage this week, which is why it's limiting the number of lei per shopper.
But having enough lei isn't the only problem. A helium shortage is also stifling balloon sales.
"We had ordered...tanks and tanks of helium," Pereira said. "We got one half of one tank delivered to us. So you could have no lei and no balloons come graduation, which would be very...sad."
Shop owners are just hoping supply will catch up to demand by the time high school graduations commence later this month. But for right now, many graduates face the very real prospect of going without the traditional lei to celebrate their milestone.
Kristen joined KITV4 in March 2021 after working for the past two decades as a newspaper reporter. Kristen's goal is to produce meaningful journalism that educates, enlightens and inspires to affect positive change in society. | https://www.kitv.com/news/business/florists-report-shortage-of-lei-helium-ahead-of-mother-s-day-graduation-season/article_b7afc73c-cb62-11ec-8bed-1fba1d6ba90f.html | 2022-05-04T19:11:29Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/gate-hold-room-at-daniel-k-inouye-airport-isolated-due-to-flood/article_1f14617a-cbcd-11ec-ae8d-13c1b0abbf17.html | 2022-05-04T19:11:35Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
Hale Kipa keeps "Moving Forward" to help Hawaii's at-risk youth.
Maleko grew up in Kailua on the Windward side of Oahu and graduated from St. Louis School. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications, Broadcast Journalism from Northwest Missouri State University. Maleko joined KITV's News team in 2016. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/hale-kipa-keeps-moving-forward-to-help-hawaiis-at-risk-youth/article_ecba4d90-cbc5-11ec-97c6-87db1b523bc8.html | 2022-05-04T19:11:42Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
(KITV4) -- In Case You Missed It: Here are four stories from around Hawaii that you need to know about from Tuesday, May 3, 2022, along with today's weather.
Hundreds rescued in Waikiki after 12 feet swells hit Oahu south shore.
A large surf swell Tuesday along the south shore of Oahu had lifeguards scrambling to save lives.
Honolulu Ocean Safety reports that lifeguards over 320 rescues and assists were performed Tuesday, after large swells as big as 10-12 feet hit the south shore.
Partly to mostly cloudy skies with breezy conditions continue. A slight chance of thunderstorms for Kaua'i and O'ahu. Highs 80 to 85. Locally breezy trade winds 10 To 25 mph. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/icymi-4-stories-you-need-to-know-about-may-3-2022/article_447bf186-cbd6-11ec-bdc1-6f5dcfbbd8b9.html | 2022-05-04T19:11:48Z |
(CNN) -- New Mexico's governor has asked for a presidential disaster declaration to help get more money into her state as it battles the largest wildfire burning in the US.
Seven wildfires are burning in New Mexico -- the most in any state, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Those fires have torched more than 223,979 acres, including more than 146,000 acres charred by the largest -- the combined Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires, which merged more than a week ago.
New Mexico is directing emergency dollars to fight the fires, but it's not enough, Lujan Grisham said Wednesday.
"I have 6,000 people evacuated. I have families who don't know what the next day looks like. I have families who are trying to navigate their children, their own health care resources, figure out their livelihoods, and they're in every single little community," she said.
A presidential disaster declaration would unlock resources "for watershed recovery, restoration of all of those wildlands and personal direct financial reparation and assistance before the fire is out," said Lujan Grisham.
"The President is very clear that that is coming, and we have every indication that we will be the first state to be able to advance this request and unlock these resources for New Mexicans," said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.
More than 15,000 homes could be threatened this week if the combined Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire continues to grow, a spokesperson for the Southwest Incident Management Team said Tuesday.
The area includes the New Mexico city of Las Vegas, about 85 miles northeast of Albuquerque, plus surrounding communities in San Miguel and Mora counties, management team spokesperson Andy Lyon said.
Some 172 homes have been destroyed in Mora County and San Miguel County, and more than 6,000 homes have been evacuated.
"One house lost to one New Mexico family is too many," the governor said. "We are very grateful for the work of the firefighters and fire responders."
Like much of the Southwest, New Mexico has been under a prolonged, severe drought, which has helped create critical fire conditions. April's fire weather conditions were the worst the state has seen in more than a decade.
The situation is "a long-term event," San Miguel and Mora counties said in a joint release Tuesday. "We don't anticipate having 'control' of this fire any time soon."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/new-mexico-governor-asks-biden-for-more-wildfire-help-i-have-6-000-people-evacuated/article_f7573912-cbc9-11ec-a6a0-73c39d658df3.html | 2022-05-04T19:11:54Z |
Jane Dausman-Lessenger was recognized at Monday's board of trustees meeting as Laramie County School District 1’s Educational Support Person of the Year. Courtesy photo
CHEYENNE – Jane Dausman-Lessenger was recognized at Monday's Board of Trustees meeting as Laramie County School District 1’s Educational Support Person of the Year.
Dausman-Lessenger has been employed with LCSD1 since 2008 as an administrative assistant for the elementary and secondary math, science and computer science and world language arts departments.
“Jane consistently goes above and beyond in her work with students, staff and the community,” said LCSD1 Secondary Math Coordinator Amy Kassel. “For over 14 years, Jane has dedicated time and effort to coordinating many district initiatives, including science fair, robotics, State Math Contest and World Language Day.”
According to South High Assistant Principal Kristen Siegel, Dausman-Lessenger is professional, takes initiative, and goes out of her way to work with schools and teachers on new course materials.
“I was surprised to be presented with the award,” Dausman-Lessenger said. “I am very honored, humbled and proud to receive it.”
In addition to her duties at LCSD1, through the years, Dausman-Lessenger has worked as a sales associate at Pier 1 Imports, an administrative clerk for the U.S. Census Bureau, malt beverage cash clerk for Cheyenne Frontier Days and as a congregational relief secretary for her church.
“Jane is always willing to help with any needs that arise," Kassel said. "She is knowledgeable, works well with others, and strives to make every event the best for our LCSD1 students and staff.”
Prior to joining the school district, she worked as a loan service representative for Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union and as a loan servicing supervisor at Security First Bank.
“It is my pleasure to work on the tasks that I am asked to complete,” Dausman-Lessenger said. “Everything I do supports a student in one form or another.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/in_our_schools/dausman-lessenger-named-2022-23-lcsd1-educational-support-person-of-the-year/article_733d0e4e-625f-5f9f-8143-a1772e0a38de.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:20Z |
I have a new lover.
I accidentally told him I loved him within half an hour of meeting him. While it was an accurate reflection of my heart, it came out a little bit prematurely.
My lover takes up about as much time as I spent in the early days of the relationship with my now-wife of 18 years. Fred and I take lots of walks together, we play a bit, he sleeps in the bed with me (even when I would prefer he not), and he and I go places together. I would even take him to work if I thought that was acceptable. (By contrast, my wife and I used to work in the same newsroom.)
I also am trying to help Fred with some of his pre-existing issues. You might call this relationship baggage we are both seeking to overcome.
Given that I am not cheating on my wife, I should probably specify that I am talking about Fred, the dog. He joined my household in Cheyenne late last month.
Like the way a lot of new lovers meet (at least, before online dating), me having met Fred was a bit of a serendipitous accident.
I had taken a break one recent afternoon from working at the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and dropped in without an appointment at the Cheyenne Animal Shelter. I had expected to just sign up for volunteering.
Instead, I ended up leaving with Fred.
The reason why I’m writing about Fred is not because I am obsessed with him, which I happen to be.
I am writing about him because getting and deciding to keep Fred was a bit of a community effort. My reasons for getting him reflect some of the growing pains about moving myself and, eventually, my family cross-country to write and edit for you, the reader of this newspaper.
Very little in this community takes place in a vacuum. That's what makes it a community and not simply a geographic place.
At the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, getting Fred was a team effort. Volunteers and staff there work together to make sure that a dog like Fred, and, indeed, any of the thousands of canines and cats they take in each year, are housed, fed and eventually adopted out. They did this even though they were dealing with an unprecedented number of animals.
Many came from one hoarding situation, one in which my colleague Hannah Black reported last week there were a few dozen dogs and other pets. The news came Monday that the shelter had managed to find at least a temporary home for every single one of these newcomers that was eligible for fostering. As the shelter itself wrote, "We couldn’t have done it without the influx of support from our community."
Back on the Wednesday that I visited, Toni at the front desk helped me. She was so good at her job that she subtly and without pressure helped to convince me to take home a dog that day.
The shelter calls this "foster to adopt." I think that is an apt name for the program. Once I got my family's sign-on (especially because we already have a dog and a cat), I ended up about a week later agreeing to fully adopt Fred.
Toni explained to me what might be involved in housing Fred, and gave me several handouts specifying how to integrate Fred into my home. (Such handouts are also online at https://www.cheyenneanimalshelter.org/programs-resources/, under "printable references.")
Hours after taking Fred home, I went to the local Petco. I had a list from Toni of food and toys. Despite having owned a number of pets over my lifetime, I was clueless about where to find these items in the store.
Two employees helped me locate everything. I was helped out to my car, given Fred was pulling at the leash because he wanted to say hello to everyone and every pet (he's a friendly guy.)
Several days later, I had to go to Casper for work and realized I might end up needing to stay there overnight. I used the Rover pet-sitting platform to find Lynn and Phillip, a husband-wife team who run a dog-sitting business a little bit outside of Cheyenne.
Within 24 hours, Lynn had visited my house here in town to meet Fred. She did an excellent job watching him while I was gone. Even after I returned home, Lynn helped me with advice on how to live with a dog with some psychological issues that are pretty common for canines that come from a shelter. On top of that, she swung by my house this past Saturday night to lend me a reinforced crate, because Fred was breaking out of the crate from Petco.
The Cheyenne Animal Shelter also continues to help. Toni provided additional advice over the phone, and I scheduled a time for Fred to meet with the shelter's veterinarian and dog behavioralist.
While adding a new lover was a way for me to be less lonely here, it reinforced that Cheyenne is filled with people who make it a community, not just a place. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/my-side-of-the-story-meet-fred/article_1ca1e6a0-dc9d-5dd7-afb7-da5dd3383aa8.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:26Z |
Sabrina Schofield, left, moves a chess piece as her son Samuel Schofield, 8, right, plays a game with her and his sister, Rachel Schofield, 5, at the Laramie County Public Library on Sept. 1, 2021. Rhianna Gelhart/Wyoming Tribune Eagle
ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) – Jackson Hole Classical Academy, a private kindergarten to 12th-grade school school, has partnered with Wyoming Chess Association President Brian Walker Sr. to host a Wyoming Scholastic Chess Tournament. This will be the first such event to be held in five years, and it will occur at its campus Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sanctioned by the U.S. Chess Federation, this tournament is open to any serious K-12 chess players in Wyoming and presents an opportunity to advance to the national level.
Jay Stallings, internationally recognized chess coach, leads the chess program at JHCA with 27 years of experience teaching students how to win the game while developing logic skills.
A major part of the classical program of study at JHCA, chess helps students learn to make sound decisions, teaches the importance of patient study, and cultivates the habit of always thinking about the consequences to their actions, according to Stallings.
“Chess is for life. It’s a game that will help students to build friendships and meet new people,” he said.
“It’s also an international language,” Stallings said. “You can play chess with people all over the world. It allows you to have many opportunities.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/townnews/sport/jackson-to-host-first-scholastic-chess-tournament-in-5-years/article_9d3d4a1b-6c60-5a7a-a041-f18384be41dc.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:27Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
An RN tends to an intubated Covid-19 patient in the intensive care unit of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan, on January 24.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- The Hawaii State Department of Health Hawaii (DOH) reported 10 new deaths related to COVID-19 and 4,249 new infections over the last seven days in Hawaii. The total number of deaths stands at 1,428.
The statewide test positivity rate is 11.5%. -- the positivity rate in Honolulu County is 12.3%; on the Big Island it's 9.0%; in Maui County it's 12.6%; and on Kauai it is 17.4%. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 252,654 total infections to date.
The new infections on each island stands as follows:
Oahu: 2,855
Hawaii Island: 565
Maui: 468
Kauai: 233
Molokai: 9
Lanai: 25
There were 94 new cases reported from Hawaii residents who were diagnosed out-of-state.
There have been 6,655 COVID cases reported in the last 14 days and 8,726 cumulative hospitalizations. There are 51 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 – 77.2% of the population is fully vaccinated and 84.4% of state residents have had at least one dose. More than 563,000 residents have also received their COVID-19 booster shot – 55.1% of the eligible population.
The percentage of completed vaccinations per county stands as follows: | https://www.kitv.com/news/coronavirus/10-new-covid-related-deaths-4-249-new-infections-recorded-in-hawaii-doh-reports/article_042fbd80-cbde-11ec-a1c4-4389a764b956.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:30Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
FILE - Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin addresses the court as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides over Chauvin's sentencing at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis June 25, 2021. Chauvin has pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating George Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin’s plea Wednesday, Dec. 15, means he will not face a federal trial in January, though he could end up spending more years behind bars.(Court TV via AP, Pool, File)
(CNN) -- The federal judge presiding over the cases of the four Minneapolis police officers implicated in the killing of George Floyd has accepted Derek Chauvin's plea deal and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison.
That sentencing range was laid out in the plea filed months ago, which also mentioned Chauvin would be expected to serve between 17 and a little over 21 years, "assuming all good-time credit."
Chauvin was sentenced last June after the former Minneapolis police officer was convicted of murder in the 2020 death of Floyd.
Chauvin has asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals to overturn his conviction.
At the federal level, Chauvin pleaded guilty in December 2021 to violating George Floyd's civil rights.
Based on the plea filed, this sentence would be served concurrently with the 22.5-year sentence tied to his murder conviction at the state level. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/a-federal-judge-accepts-derek-chauvins-plea-deal-and-will-sentence-him-to-20-to/article_537cc456-cbec-11ec-9ca7-67ec6dd90631.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:36Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HALEIWA, Hawaii (KITV4) – Ted’s Bakery has announced wholesale operations of their famous pies will be coming to an end on May 20.
The decision to end wholesale operations was made due to supply-chain issues, the company announced on social media.
“This has been an ongoing challenge since the summer of last year, and we have tested multiple substitutes but unfortunately have not had great success. At this time, we don’t know if we can go back to wholesale.” The Instagram post read.
Pies and cakes will still be available at their Sunset Beach location.
Aloha friends, we are sad to announce on May 20th, our wholesale operations will come to an end due to supply chain issues.Pies and cakes will still be available at our Sunset Beach location. We truly appreciate your understanding and continued support. ♥ pic.twitter.com/0CtmyDjIfG | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/citing-supply-chain-issues-teds-bakery-in-haleiwa-to-end-of-wholesale-operations/article_b7a7ee22-cbdf-11ec-9738-5367cb8daff2.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:42Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- The City and County of Honolulu plans to enter into a new agreement to lease one of its oceanfront parcels to a company that produces television shows such as “Hawaii Five-0” and “Magnum P.I.”
The Honolulu City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on approving Point Panic Productions LLC’s month-to-month lease for up to one year for a monthly rental amount of $38,320.
The property is located at 98 Koula St. and right in of the famous Point Panic surf spot.
The city gained control of the land via a land transfer from the Hawaii Community Development Authority in 2019.
Point Panic Productions’ lease expired on April 30, however, the city says it does not have immediate plans for use of the property, and that the city benefits from the production company’s continued occupancy of the property because it provides security, presence and maintenance of the property.
Point Point Productions is led by Bryan Spicer, an award-winning producer and director who has worked with Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Ivan Reitman. His film credits include “The X-Files,” “Castle,” “24,” “House,” “Heroes,” “Prison Break,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Hawaii Five-0” and “Magnum P.I.”
Duane Shimogawa has more than 15 years of experience in the media industry with stints as a reporter/anchor at several TV and radio stations, as well as newspapers such as Pacific Business News, Hawaii News Now, KNDU/KNDO-TV, and more. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/city-to-enter-into-agreement-to-lease-oceanfront-property-to-hawaii-five-0-magnum-p/article_c0cd3bc4-cbe4-11ec-8707-4bf7bd1dbbff.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:48Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HONOLULU (KITV4) – Mother’s Day is a celebratory holiday honoring motherhood, and if you’re unsure of how to celebrate mom, KITV4 has you covered.
Below is a list of events for all the mothers on the island to experience and enjoy their special day.
And don't forget: Happy Mother’s Day in Hawaiian is “Hau’oli La Makuahine.”
If you or your business have an event suggestion, email it to digital@kitv.com with the subject line "Mother's Day Celebrations."
Mother’s day brunch at Alohilani Resort
Alohilani is hosting Moms & Mimosas, a special Mother’s Day event for the whole family to enjoy. The brunch will run from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. reservations are required, call 808-921-6137 or email events@alohilaniresort.com
Na Leo - Mother's Day Concert
Na Leo Pilimehana, which means the voices blending together in warmth, are the biggest female Hawaiian group in the world. They'll be performing at the Hawaii Theater this Mother's Day. To purchase tickets call the box office at, 808-528-0506.
Bassjackers in Honolulu
If your mom - or auntie - is more of the EDM type, you can rock out to Bassjackers Saturday, May 7, at the Republik. Tickets are available here.
Rockin Moms at Rock-A-Hula
Don't miss a fun performance just for mom! Treat her to dinner or just choose a show. Get your tickets here.
Michael Kors Gift-With-Purchase
Treat mom to a shopping spree at the Michael Kors store in the International Marketplace and receive a free Mother's Day gift. More details here. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/fun-things-to-do-to-celebrate-mothers-day-in-hawaii/article_07f59050-c73a-11ec-bb68-d31b9feffaf2.html | 2022-05-04T21:26:54Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Hawaii's Department of Transportation (HDOT) has closed a gate hold room at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport due to flooding.
HDOT spokesperson Jai Cunningham tells KITV4 a contractor hit a fire sprinkler head which caused the flooding.
No flight operations have been affected.
This is the second time in two months the airport has flooded. Back in late March, a chiller line that feeds the airport AC flooded gates A13-17. That flood caused one Hawaiian Airlines flight to be delayed.
This is a developing story. Check back with KITV4 for more information. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/gate-hold-room-at-daniel-k-inouye-airport-closed-due-to-flood/article_1f14617a-cbcd-11ec-ae8d-13c1b0abbf17.html | 2022-05-04T21:27:00Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Spring graduation season is coming.
The University of Hawaii, Chaminade University, and Hawaii Pacific University each announced its schedule for spring commencement ceremonies. In-person, virtual and drive-thru celebrations across the state begin May 7.
May 7: UH West Oahu
9:00 a.m. ceremony for applied science, business administration, education, humanities, and math, natural and health science
1:00 p.m. ceremony for creative media, public administration and social sciences
May 7: HPU graduation ceremonies at Aloha Tower
Hawai‘i Pacific University will hold two graduation ceremonies for its spring class of 2022. The ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the promenade at Aloha Tower Marketplace.
May 7: Chaminade University commencement at Waikiki Shell
Chaminade University will host its Spring 2022 Commencement Saturday, May 7, at the Waikiki Shell.
The 5:30 p.m. ceremony will honor graduates receiving degrees from the University’s School of Business and Communication; the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences; School of Humanities, Arts and Design; School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and School of Nursing and Health Professions., university officials said.
May 13: Honolulu Community College at Waikiki Shell 9:00 a.m.
May 13: Leeward Community College 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
A drive-through ceremony will be held for fall 2021 graduates and spring, summer and fall 2022 candidates.
May 13: Kapiolani Community College 12:00–5:00 p.m.
May 13: Kauai Community College 4:30–6:30 p.m.
May 13: Windward Community College 5:00 p.m.
An in-person ceremony will be held in the Paliku Theatre. There will also be a livestream of the event.
May 13: Hawai‘i Community College at Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium 6:00 p.m.
May 13–14: UH Manoa
Three in-person ceremonies for spring 2022 candidates, as well as 2021 and 2020 graduates, will be held at the Stan Sheriff Center, livestream of the ceremonies will be held online or at the Murakami Stadium.
May 13: 5:00 p.m.
- College of Social Sciences
- College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
- School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology
- William S. Richardson School of Law
May 14: 9:00 a.m.
- College of Arts, Languages & Letters
- College of Natural Sciences
- Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- John A. Burns School of Medicine
- Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing
- School of Architecture
- Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health
May 14: 3:30 p.m.
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- Shidler College of Business, with School of Travel Industry Management
May 14: UH Hilo at Edith Kanakaole Multipurpose Stadium 9:00 a.m.
- The ceremony may also be viewed via live stream at: https://youtu.be/Q9NS61_jMRQ
May 14: Hawaii Community College 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
A drive-through ceremony will be held on campus. Only graduates will be allowed to exit their vehicles.
May 14: UH Maui College 5:00–6:30 p.m. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/graduation-ceremonies-across-hawaii-begin-may-7/article_3b7da0ee-c996-11ec-9db3-ab3cfbfe079f.html | 2022-05-04T21:27:06Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
HONOLULU (KITV4) - A large surf swell along the south shore of Oahu had lifeguards scrambling to save lives.
Honolulu Ocean Safety reported that lifeguards conducted more than 320 rescues and assists on Tuesday, May 3, after large swells as big as 10-12 feet hit the south shore.
Hundreds of surfers were caught in the large surf, losing or breaking surfboards and leashes, Honolulu Ocean Safety officials said. Some surfers were unable to paddle back onto shore by themselves.
In addition to the rescues, lifeguards also made more than 1,200 preventative actions, officials said.
Ocean Safety encourages inexperienced surfers to stay onshore during high surf, keep a close watch on your children, and call 911 immediately if you see someone in trouble in the ocean.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/hundreds-rescued-in-waikiki-after-12-foot-swells-hit-oahu-south-shore/article_2953a5ce-cb5a-11ec-b9ee-cfecfea12584.html | 2022-05-04T21:27:13Z |
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL SOUTH FACING SHORES UNTIL 6 PM HST
THURSDAY...
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES OF NIIHAU
KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI AND FOR NORTH FACING SHORES OF MAUI UNTIL 6 AM
HST THURSDAY...
.The combination of northwest and south swells, will produce
advisory level surf across exposed shorelines.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Surf heights of 10 to 14 feet along south facing shores.
* WHERE...South facing shores of all islands.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Moderate. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming
difficult and dangerous.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.
&&
Weather Alert
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 7 to 12 feet.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Weather Alert
A south swell affecting the area will have the potential to
produce large breaking waves in harbor entrances through Wednesday
afternoon. This swell may also produce some harbor surges at
times.
1 of 2
HPD detained the suspect, who allegedly beat a man with a hydro-flask just two blocks away from where he was picked up.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Witnesses say a man was brutally attacked with a water flask at Fort Street Mall in downtown Honolulu Tuesday evening.
The attack occurred on the south side of King Street near Pioneer Plaza according to an eyewitness.
The 57-year-old victim was rushed from the scene in critical condition.
HPD arrested a suspect two blocks away who had attempted to flee on a bicycle. Witnesses say they saw several police vehicles arriving from different directions to converge on the suspect.
"We seen all the cops come down. He was riding his bike down here and then he got tackled by the cops. They just blocked him in and tackled him to the ground," a witness named Elijah told KITV4.
Community advocate Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock says she's disturbed another attack on an has happened within a month of an elderly man being intentionally set on fire. She points to the lack of functioning security cameras among other deficiencies.
"Nothing beats police foot patrol when they are the eyes and ears in the streets," Shubert-Kwock said.
"I think it's horrible this crime happens with the elderly seeming to be the target of criminal, violent people. And for whatever reason there's hatred, hate crime, or just strictly a random act of violence," she added.
Emergency Medical Services treated the victim for a head injury and transported him to the hospital in critical condition.
Jeremy Lee joined KITV after over a decade & a half in broadcast news from coast to coast on the mainland. Jeremy most recently traveled the country documenting protests & civil unrest. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/suspect-arrested-for-attempted-murder-after-brutal-beating-in-downtown-honolulu/article_4e51a58a-cb85-11ec-8443-97490a27f35c.html | 2022-05-04T21:27:19Z |
13-year-old Louisiana girl dies after being struck by stray bullet
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA/Gray News) — A 13-year-old girl who was struck by a stray bullet has died, according to Shreveport police records.
The shooting happened Sunday afternoon in the city’s South Highland neighborhood.
Landry Anglin was shot just before 1:30 p.m. at a residence in the 4500 block of Fairfield Avenue, the Caddo coroner’s office reports. She was taken to Ochsner LSU Health, the Shreveport hospital where she died at 2:42 p.m. An autopsy has been ordered.
Several shots were fired during a rolling shootout involving three vehicles, Shreveport’s police chief reports.
The teenager was inside a house on Fairfield Avenue when she was hit by a single bullet, Police Chief Wayne Smith told KSLA.
Landry’s death marks the 21st homicide this year in Caddo Parish.
Officials with Caddo Parish Public Schools confirmed Landry was a student at Caddo Middle Magnet. She was almost done with her 8th grade year.
The teen’s grandmother says she was artistic, and played lacrosse for Caddo Middle Magnet. She says her granddaughter had a “fabulous” sense of humor and always had a smile on her face. She also says Landry was a wonderful big sister and was “destined to do big things in this world.”
Police have recovered one of the vehicles believed to have been involved in the shootout and are looking for others.
First responders were summoned to Fairfield between Delaware Street and Erie Street at 2:23 p.m. Sunday, Caddo 911 dispatch records show.
Initially, five Shreveport Fire Department units responded to a medical emergency at that location. The Shreveport Police Department sent eight units to a report of a shooting there.
Neighbors told KSLA they heard what sounded like multiple gunshots about 2:20 p.m.
Several members of the Shreveport City Council also were on the scene.
Dispatch records also show police responding to a call at 3:02 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle on Fairfield Avenue between Mitchell Lane and Pierremont Road. It’s not immediately clear whether that call is related to the shooting.
Copyright 2022 KSLA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/13-year-old-louisiana-girl-dies-after-being-struck-by-stray-bullet/ | 2022-05-04T21:46:53Z |
15-year-old who survived car crash because of seat belt has ‘long road to recovery’
BEAVERTON Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) - A 15-year-old boy who survived a car crash that killed two high school students in Oregon has “a long road to recovery,” authorities say.
Two other Southridge High School students and a Washington County deputy are also making a recovery after the crash in Beaverton, according to KPTV.
Alecia Delarosa is the mother of Sky Korbut. She says she hugged him goodbye before heading to work the night shift. She got the call that he had been in an accident a few hours later.
“I always like to tell my kids that I love them, and I’ll see them later as I’m going to work and to have a good night,” she said. “It’s just unreal. One minute your kid’s giving you a hug goodbye when you’re heading out to work, and the next minute you have to come to the hospital, a parent’s worst nightmare to get that call.”
She was told her son had been severely injured but was alive because he was wearing his seat belt.
“The impact was so hard that it actually punctured his intestines,” Delarosa said. “There was bleeding that had to be stopped and then once that was stopped, they had to reattach the intestines. That was the first surgery. Second surgery, he broke his back, lower back, had a fracture so now he has two plates in his spine.”
Delarosa said her son also fractured a femur and has several broken ribs but is awake.
“He hears us. He can shake his head,” Delarosa said. “Right now, he has a tube down his throat so he can’t use his words. He’s under a lot of medication and a lot of pain going on, but he is able to communicate with us for a little bit. He blinks his eyes to let us know he loves us. He’s a tough kid. I know he’ll pull through, but I know it’s going to be a long road to recovery.”
Sky Korbut’s family said he is outgoing, loves to be outdoors and loves to hang out with his friends.
“Sky is really fun, caring, and is such a sweetheart,” Kristin Schwing, Sky Korbut’s sister-in-law, said. “Somebody who would every time he sees you would give you a hug.”
The family is thanking the community for the outpouring of support they have received. A GoFundMe has also been set up to help pay for medical expenses.
Copyright 2022 KPTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/15-year-old-who-survived-car-crash-because-seatbelt-has-long-road-recovery/ | 2022-05-04T21:51:14Z |
KFC employee used customers’ card info to make thousands of dollars worth of purchases, deputies say
STARKE, Fla. (Gray News) – An employee at a KFC in Florida was arrested after police said she was taking photos of customers’ credit and debit cards and then using the information to make online purchases.
According to the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, the incidents occurred at a KFC location in Starke, about 50 miles southwest of Jacksonville.
The sheriff’s office said Markquerva Lumar, 19, was arrested April 21.
Deputies said investigation revealed that when customers would hand Lumar their credit or debit cards in the drive-thru window, she would take photos of the front and back of the cards with her personal cell phone. Deputies said Lumar would then use the card information to make online orders in the victims’ names.
According to the sheriff’s office, they have located “many” victims of Lumar, totaling thousands of dollars in online purchases.
Deputies said they want to stress that these crimes “in no way reflects on the business or the rest of the employees who work hard and do the right thing every day.” Other employees at the location have cooperated with law enforcement and have helped locate victims.
Detectives are still seeking additional victims and ask them to call 904-966-6370.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/kfc-employee-used-customers-card-info-make-thousands-dollars-worth-purchases-deputies-say/ | 2022-05-04T21:51:20Z |
WATCH: Man accused of trying to abduct student at bus stop
AKRON, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – Officers with the Akron Police Department arrested a man accused of trying to abduct a student waiting at a bus stop.
Da Aron Jackson, 29, was charged with abduction and taken to the Summit County Jail, according to police.
WOIO reports the attempted kidnapping happened around 6:25 a.m. Friday at a city bus stop.
Police say the 16-year-old girl explained she was on her way to school when Jackson approached her.
She told police Jackson walked around near her, trying to start a conversation before grabbing her from behind and trying to pull her in the direction of his vehicle, which was parked around the corner.
Akron police said the girl held onto a chain-link fence and broke free of Jackson’s grasp.
Jackson initially left with the girl’s cellphone but threw it back to her before driving away, according to police.
A spokesperson with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction said Jackson had been released from prison just three days prior.
According to the ODRC spokesperson, Jackson was behind bars from Dec. 2013 to Sept. 2017 for an aggravated robbery conviction.
In September of 2021, he was sent back to prison for a post-release control sanction, the spokesperson said, and served the maximum amount of time allowed before being released on April 24, 2022.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/watch-man-accused-trying-abduct-student-bus-stop/ | 2022-05-04T21:51:28Z |
UPDATE: Jury finds Dustin Tucker guilty of first-degree premeditated murder
Laura Fitzgerald
Port Huron Times Herald
A Port Huron Township man was found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder for killing a Port Huron woman.
After about an hour and a half of deliberation, a jury found Dustin Tucker guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree arson and unlawful imprisonment.
Tucker was charged with killing Danielle Smith, 28, in her home on May 28, 2021.
Smith was found dead on May 29, 2021, following a fire in her home in the 1800 block of Division Street.
He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing at 9:30 a.m. July 25 before St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Dan Damman. He faces mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/05/04/attorneys-disagree-whether-killing-premeditated-tuckers-jury-trial/9643167002/ | 2022-05-04T23:47:39Z |
With the U.S. Supreme Court seemingly ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, more rural and conservative states are poised to significantly restrict abortions while progressive and more urban states will look to codify abortion rights and keep their clinics open.
A post-Roe America includes expected increases in women with the economic means traveling from restrictive states to abortion-friendly states such as Oregon and California to terminate pregnancies.
Anne Udall, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Columbia Willamette in Portland, said Oregon could see as much as 234% increase in abortions with restrictions in Idaho and other states imposed or looming. Udall also said mobile clinics deployed to more remote and underserved areas could be part of the abortion providers’ responses to higher demand and less national access for abortions.
Abortion rights advocates also say an overturned Roe and new state bans could be felt the most in rural areas and small towns where access to reproductive health care, including abortions, can already be limited.
“Red states and red counties are full of women who for this is going to be a very significant challenge for their ability to manage their lives,” said Myra Marx Ferree, a gender and women’s studies expert and former sociology professor at the University of Wisconsin. She sees the looming decision is a step back for women’s rights and sees parallels between historical gender and legal barriers related to divorce and contraception.
Opponents of abortion rights are welcoming a potential majority decision in a Mississippi abortion case that shows Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and sending abortion rights to the purview of U.S. states.
“It is long past time that the court re-examine Roe, a ruling that truly was ‘legislating from the bench.’ That previous activist court removed the legislative process from states and Congress, those constitutionally elected by the people to do so. It wrongly removed the legislative debate from the public and their electees that they can face and publicly question and implore,” said U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a conservative Republican representing rural swaths of northern California. “Modern science and technology has repeatedly confirmed what common sense always said was true, life begins at conception. I will continue to work to protect innocent life and look forward to, instead of leaks and speculation, the actual final verdict of the Supreme Court.”
The draft opinion was leaked to media outlet Politico sparking promises of an investigation by Chief Justice John Roberts and concerns from Republicans.
“The unprecedented leak of a draft Supreme Court decision damages the trust between justices, the deliberative process and the public. This leak is a destructive act. It breaks down the ability for our highest court to freely debate amongst themselves, to ask uncomfortable or even awkward questions in their deliberations, to be themselves,” LaMalfa said. “A full investigation must be done to make sure the leaker is found and punished.”
Post-Roe world
A post Roe landscape will potentially launch two stark rushes across an already divided American landscape.
Abortion rights opponents have long sought to weaken or eliminate Roe’s precedent of a federal right of privacy tied to terminating a pregnancy. Former President Donald Trump’s addition of Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative, to the Supreme Court to succeed late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a vocal abortion rights advocate, helped potentially tip the court’s balance away from Roe.
“The Supreme Court is preparing to overturn Roe — the most significant and glorious news of our lifetime,” said U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, an abortion rights opponent.
All told, as many as 28 states could significantly restrict or ban abortions and another 13 have trigger laws that could impose new restrictions if and when federal Roe protections are weakened or eliminated.
Those include populous political battlegrounds in Texas and elsewhere as well as rural swaths of the West and South.
“If Roe and Casey are overturned, Pro-Life Wisconsin will lead the fight to enact a total protection statutory abortion ban in Wisconsin. We will further fight to enshrine the right to life in our Wisconsin Constitution,” said Matt Sande, legislative director for Pro-Life Wisconsin, referring to precedent-setting abortion cases. “If the state constitution is not amended and a future Wisconsin Supreme Court finds a right to abortion in that document, as recently occurred with the Kansas and Iowa high courts, all our pro-life laws will be in peril. That must not happen.”
Other states as well as 2024 GOP presidential contenders are also promising actions to restrict abortions.
South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem said she would immediately call for a special legislative session to pass new abortion restrictions if the Supreme Court undoes the 1973 case legalizing abortions.
There have been more than 63 million abortions in the U.S. since 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized abortion via Roe, according to anti-abortion advocates analysis of health statistics.
Codifying abortion
Many women living in rural areas and small towns already have to travel significant miles to access abortion clinics and other reproductive health services.
Those drives will get longer with potential scenarios of wealthier women being able to travel to other states for procedures (or gain access to abortion pills) while poorer women will have fewer options if they lives in states with prohibitions.
Some progressive states and regions are promising to be abortion havens is the leaked opinion becomes a reality.
Oregon has already established a new $15 million state fund to help women come to the state to have abortions. The state money will be used to help with travel and other costs including procedures. The fund came after Idaho joined Texas, Arizona and other Republican states in approving new restrictions on abortions after six weeks.
“All Americans should have access to abortion – full stop. Abortion is health care and protected by state law in Oregon. We will fight to keep it that way, no matter what this Supreme Court decides,” said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, in response to the leaked SCOTUS opinion.
Planned Parenthood officials said they work hand-in-glove with the Oregon Health Authority on maintaining access for abortions. Udall said clinics in the Northwest are seeing more anti-abortion protests at clinics. Oregon codified abortion rights into state statute in 2017.
Progressives will also push to codify abortion rights in Democratic majority states. Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., are also looking at a federal codification of Roe including a potential new constitutional amendment ensuring the right to an abortion.
A national push, however, likely lacks the votes to pass a divided Congress especially without an end to filibuster rules in the U.S. Senate.
The codification of abortion rights has been underway in a number of Democratic or “blue” states for a number of years, Ferree said. That entails broader state constitutional rights to abortion as well as state statutes and regulations related to access to and coverage for reproductive health care.
Five-alarm fire
Sixteen states, including California, Washington, New York and Oregon, offer public funding for abortions while a dozen states, including Idaho, Texas and Arizona, try to restrict private insurance coverage for abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Democratic lawmakers across the country were quick to condemn the potential Supreme Court decision.
“This is a five-alarm fire. If this is the final decision, the United States will be one of a handful of countries in the world moving backwards on women’s rights. The overturning of Roe would mark a devastating loss of constitutionally guaranteed bodily autonomy and privacy for more than half of America,” said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).
President Joe Biden, who backs abortion rights, said the draft SCOTUS opinion could go beyond restrictions on pregnancy terminations.
“The draft opinion calls into question the fundamental right to privacy — the right to make personal choices about marriage, whether to have children, and how to raise them,” Biden said in a statement. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/abortion-in-the-heartland-what-a-post-roe-v-wade-america-might-look-like/article_4cda280d-b89a-59b1-b87a-fbd8512f89e9.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:16Z |
The West Edge Collective building at 707 W. Lincolnway is pictured Tuesday, April 26, 2022. The Cheyenne City Council had just voted 7-2 to award the city’s only available retail liquor license to Get Bent, LLC, and its The Railspur project at that location.
The West Edge Collective building at 707 W. Lincolnway is pictured Tuesday, April 26, 2022. The Cheyenne City Council had just voted 7-2 to award the city’s only available retail liquor license to Get Bent, LLC, and its The Railspur project at that location.
Michael Smith/For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
This image above shows proposed boundaries of the West Edge rezoning.
CHEYENNE – Coming on the heels of the city giving its OK for a business in this same area of town to get a retail liquor license, the municipality will hold an open house next Wednesday to discuss West Edge rezoning.
The Cheyenne Planning and Development Department has announced that it will host the May 11 event from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Public Safety Center, 415 W. 18th St.
The department said it “encourages your participation and input to bring the West Edge vision to life!” A Wednesday email from the city noted that this zone will be mixed-use business emphasis with a newly adopted urban use overlay.
Last month, the Cheyenne City Council gave its final approval to Get Bent LLC, awarding it the city’s only available retail liquor license. The owners of the business plan to change the West Edge Collective building at 707 W. Lincolnway into a coffee house by day turned bar at night. The Railspur project will feature handcrafted cuisine from local food trucks, a package liquor store, and an outdoor space for events and music. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/cheyenne-sets-next-wednesday-open-house-on-west-edge-rezoning/article_fee24e4f-ac04-5e40-a8d6-ad5b856e04f7.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:22Z |
CHEYENNE – If you had a lower income or were a member of the military, and you used a certain type of paid TurboTax tax preparation for tax years 2016 through 2018, you may get a refund of $30 for every year you used the program.
This is according to a Wednesday announcement from Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill about a settlement that the tax software maker Intuit Inc. has entered into with every state and the District of Columbia. The multistate agreement calls for the company to pay $141 million in restitution to millions of consumers in the U.S. who should not have had to pay Intuit for the tax filing.
Hill said her office got $272,182 from the company for consumers in the state who apparently were deceived into paying to file their IRS tax return, when it should have been free. "Impacted consumers will automatically receive notices and a check by mail," said her office's announcement.
"The multistate investigation found that Intuit engaged in several deceptive and unfair trade practices that limited consumers’ participation in the IRS Free File Program," according to Hill's office. "Intuit must suspend TurboTax’s 'free, free, free' ad campaign that lured customers with promises of free tax preparation services, only to deceive them into paying for services."
"Intuit already adheres to most of these advertising practices and expects minimal impact to its business from implementing the remaining changes," the company wrote in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing Wednesday. It "remains committed to providing Americans with free tax preparation offerings." Intuit did not comment further for this news report.
According to the state attorney general's office release, the company took other steps to potentially fool customers into paying for something that, for some, should have been offered at no charge. The IRS Free File Program is described as a public-private partnership with the IRS for taxpayers earning less than roughly $34,000 annually and for members of the military to file their taxes for free.
"Intuit bid on paid search advertisements to direct consumers who were looking for the IRS Free File product to the TurboTax 'freemium' product instead," Hill's office said. "Intuit also purposefully blocked its IRS Free File landing page from search engine results during the 2019 tax filing season." | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/intuit-to-give-money-back-from-turbotax-fees-in-pact-with-wyo-other-states/article_f937d45b-9d2c-56f6-a226-b4485f7e16c2.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:28Z |
LARAMIE -- While people around the the globe are itchy to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind them, a group of University of Wyoming scientists is working to develop a test for the virus that is more accurate and efficient.
The testing system has the potential to streamline on-site testing in places like doctor’s offices, airports and nursing homes and takes 30 minutes to complete.
Unlike other tests, multiple samples can be tested for the virus at once, making the process more efficient. The test also uses antibody fragments, which are cheaper to produce than the whole antibodies used by some tests now on the market.
Developing this took a group of six local scientists and students, who worked with colleagues at the National University of Ireland in Galway. Before 2020, some of the researchers were working with detection technology in a more general sense. When the pandemic hit, it became clear it was time to focus on COVID-19.
“It was a really great opportunity for me,” said Moein Mohammadi, a Ph.D. student who worked on the project. “I had other projects before the pandemic. I stopped all of those projects and started working on this (one).”
Mohammadi worked with the guidance of Karen Wawrousek and Patrick Johnson, who are both professors at the university. Each week, the trio would meet with their Irish colleagues, including professor Gerard Wall.
“I think one great thing about the project is how much everyone contributed. We each had our own area of expertise that we brought,” Wawrousek said. “Without the three of us it wouldn’t have worked so well.”
All parts included, the testing equipment is compact enough to fit on a small countertop in a lab nestled in the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science building.
To conduct the test, a researcher adds a saliva sample to a solution with both magnetic particles and detector particles. The sample is then placed on a magnet, where the particles form a small pellet. If the virus is present, the detector particles sink into the pellet along with the magnetic particles and the result is positive.
Testers scan the sample using a handheld device called a Raman spectrometer to detect the positive or negative result.
The Raman spectrometer used for the test was created by Metrohm Raman, a local scientific equipment manufacturer on 2nd Street next to Bond’s Brewing Co. in Laramie.
While it's still not as sensitive as the longer-wait time PCR test, the researchers found that it is 75-130 times more sensitive than the commercially available FlowFlex rapid antigen test.
Despite the efficacy of the test on a small scale, the researchers have a way to go before the test can be used by the public. The team will continue trying to improve the method and then must figure out a way to produce it on a large enough scale to be a candidate for Food and Drug Administration approval, Wawrousek said. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/nfection-detection-university-of-wyoming-scientists-develop-new-covid-19-test/article_ab3d1e4e-a10b-51cf-97e0-ff430e397959.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:35Z |
GILLETTE — The coal production from Peabody Energy Corp. and Arch Resources Inc. through the first three months of 2022 aligned with the strong projections each company had for their Powder River Basin mines headed into the year, despite rail issues and other logistical challenges.
Their steady coal production comes amid an increased demand for thermal coal sold at higher prices that has carried over from last year.
But both companies have kept an eye on the short-term gains with the other fixed on the looming long-term downfall of the coal industry in the basin.
“I think we’ll continue to generate cash out of these assets but we’re simply not going to put any more cash into them,” said Paul A. Lang, Arch CEO and president, on the company’s quarterly earnings call.
“We’ll do what we have to to feed them and keep them going, but any thought of increasing production beyond what we have the ability to do with equipment on hand is completely out the door.”
From January through March, Arch sold 18.2 million tons of thermal coal, shipped out of Black Thunder and Coal Creek, its two Powder River Basin mines, as well as its West Elk mine in Colorado, according to its quarterly report. Arch sold significantly less — 12.3 million tons — in the first quarter of 2021.
The majority of the coal comes from Black Thunder. The company has kept its smaller Campbell County operation, Coal Creek, open for production despite its plans of gradually closing it down for reclamation, in light of the steady demand for coal.
In the same quarter, Peabody sold 20.6 million tons of Powder River Basin coal from its North Antelope Rochelle Mine, Caballo and Rawhide mines in Campbell County.
The production was nearly even with the 20.7 million tons sold in the first quarter of 2021.
Demand for thermal coal — used to produce energy and found in the Powder River Basin— saw an uptick in the latter half of 2021 due to a variety of factors, including increased natural gas prices and the expectation of a colder than normal winter.
Both companies reported logistical challenges in meeting that demand, primarily related to railway transportation issues. These issues have reportedly improved month-to-month through the quarter and into April.
The start of the year for two companies controlling five of the 12 coal mines in Campbell County signaled the industry is on track for the strong year of sales. But that hasn’t affected the long-term trajectory.
Harvesting cash
Last year, Arch announced plans to shift its focus towards metallurgical, or coking, coal used for steel production and away from thermal coal, fast-tracking its departure from mining in the basin.
While funding its reclamation and retirement obligations on Black Thunder and Coal Creek, the company has made good on its plan to continue “harvesting cash” from those mines in their twilight years.
The company’s thermal coal mines have raked in over $1 billion in adjusted income while spending $114 million in capital over the past 22 quarters, or 5.5 years, according to the report.
In the first quarter of 2022, Arch reported a net income of $271.9 million, a far cry from the $6 million net loss in the year-ago period.
“The Arch team executed at a high level during the first quarter, delivering record earnings despite significant rail-related challenges,” Lang said in a press release.
Its thermal mine reclamation fund reached $100 million, which is about 80% of the company’s target goal. Its goal is to have it fully funded by the third quarter of this year.
Since 2021, Arch paid $39.4 million towards its “asset retirement obligation” in the Powder River Basin. It owes $150.4 million.
The company instituted a reclamation fund used towards the money needed to eventually close and reclaim its PRB mines.
“With the set up of this thermal reclamation fund, we can run this as long as it’s profitable and as long as it makes sense, but the second it stops, I have no hesitation doing what we have to do ultimately which is close these operations,” Lang said on the call.
Peabody
Although Peabody had its mines busy hauling coal out of the basin, the international company reported a $119.5 million net loss.
But the company has its eyes on the rest of the year when it expects to ramp up coal production in the basin.
Since the year began, the company invested $40 million into its basin and other U.S. mines, expecting to produce more coal through the rest of the year.
For this year, basically all of the company’s thermal coal volumes are priced and committed, with incremental volumes expected to come from the basin at the whims of the railway logistics.
Along with the higher volumes, the company expects a higher price of coal from the basin in the second half of the year. But the cost of producing that coal is expected to grow too, due to inflationary factors.
That coal boon may last longer than expected, as the company reported having 59 millions tons of Powder River Basin coal committed in 2023.
“In the first quarter, we set the stage for the remainder of the year, addressing challenges to delivering projected volumes and costs across the platform and continued to strengthen our balance sheet,” said Peabody President and CEO Jim Grech, in a press release. “Strong global market dynamics persist for our products, driving prices to unprecedented levels globally.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/powder-river-basin-coal-demand-and-production-have-been-strong/article_d1c0938b-8a26-529b-8dd3-997056b5943f.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:41Z |
Best friends Ellie Schutten and Aria Pasenelli stopped chasing each other for a minute to give each other a hug. According to the kindergarteners, their mothers say "hugs are important."
Ellie Schutten and her mother Michelle can't wait to spend Mother's Day together.
Rocket Miner Photo by Trina Brittain
Rock Springs resident Kali Chatwin and her baby son Exavior are always excited to pick older brother Kaylub up from school.
Rocket Miner Photo by Trina Brittain
Best friends Ellie Schutten and Aria Pasenelli stopped chasing each other for a minute to give each other a hug. According to the kindergarteners, their mothers say "hugs are important."
ROCK SPRINGS -- Mothers guide, teach, nurture, love, discipline, hug, feed, laugh, support and so much more. Children consider their mothers superheroes and no matter what their age is, most people still need their mothers.
Rocket Miner went to Walnut Elementary School and spoke with three mothers about motherhood and asked their children what their favorite part of Mother’s Day is.
Kindergarteners Ellie Schutten and her best friend Aria Pasenelli were chasing each other on the grass as their mothers were chatting.
"My dad and I serve breakfast in bed for my mom," Ellie shared. "She likes that!"
She added, "After that, we play hide and seek."
According to Ellie's mother, Michelle, the family goes on an outing or go on a hike often, depending on the weather.
"Raising a happy and healthy child is important to me," said Michelle. "Seeing how she's going to make an impact on the world excites me."
Michelle advises new mothers to "make sure your child is eating enough vegetables and fruits."
"There is a linear correlation between fruits and vegetables, in the numbers of eight, and in happiness," she pointed out. "Just yesterday, Ellie ate 13 servings of vegetables and fruit.
"It makes a difference in her mood."
Aria said, "I like Mother's Day because I can give my mom anything she wants."
Aria's mother, Myranda recalls having nice Mother's Day dinners with her mother.
"I can see why my mom loved being a mom," Myranda mentioned. "Motherhood has given my life more purpose and I've realized what's really important."
The stay-at-home mother also pointed out that being a parent comes with challenges.
"As a stay-at-mom, it's OK if every day is not your best day. As long as you're trying your best, that's what matters the most."
Second grader Kaylub Chatwin was playing "Tag" with his baby brother Exavior.
"Getting my mom gifts and playing with her is the best!" he exclaimed.
Kalub's mother Kali agrees.
"Playing games with my kids make awesome memories," said Kali. "They grow so fast."
She believes having patience is important for mothers to have. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/as-you-see-it-how-is-mothers-day-special-to-you/article_e7c697ca-3ce1-53c1-8458-03ad3658fdd9.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:47Z |
SWEETWATER COUNTY -- The Sweetwater County Commission had a discussion concerning the next steps for the specific purpose tax initiative during the meeting on Tuesday, May 3.
This discussion was had following the ending of a two-week community-wide survey.
The survey was launched on March 31 in order to “gather initial feedback from the community on a potential specific purpose tax.”
Around 900 people participated and 860 completed the survey during the two weeks the survey was up, March 31 - April 15, 2022.
Based on those who participated in the survey, 54% of those who responded have lived in Sweetwater County for 15 years or more and 84% of them voted in every recent, local election.
Additionally, 28% said that they were willing to pay an extra 1% sales/use tax for five years or less. According to the results, an additional 10% supported the increase for up to 10 years and 17% were undecided.
There were 35% that were unwilling to pay an extra 1% sales/use tax for any amount of time.
Concerning the results of the survey, Sweetwater County Commissioner Lauren Schoenfeld said that the survey was done with “minimal information on the projects.”
“We don’t have even a list of projects that we’re moving forward with yet. We haven’t made a decision around that.”
Survey participants got to see a full list that was put out but don’t have any details.
Filling out the survey included ranking the typed of projects that should be prioritized.
The top three were maintenance and improvements to streets, sewer systems and water facilities. Wastewater facilities, dirt road paving, flood mitigation, sewer services to areas with out and new equipment such as ambulances were some of the other priorities.
After looking at the results of the survey, Schoenfeld said that the committee looked at which type of projects should be included as well as a timeline for the tax.
“After reading through all of these, the committee looked at figuring out a way to streamline it and get rid of any projects that are not basic infrastructure projects in the communities,” Schoenfeld said. “We need to look at how we can keep it under five years.”
Schoenfeld added that the residents are not interested in considering quality of life projects after looking at the survey results.
All of the smaller communities in Sweetwater County have cut back on their individual lists of projects while still including their top priority infrastructure projects, according to Schoenfeld.
“The Sweetwater Events Complex has elected to withdraw all of their projects for the one waterline installation because they won’t be able to meet current fire code without that.”
Furthermore, Green River has cut all of its quality of life projects.
When looking at and considering a menu-style option on the ballot that lists the projects, Schoenfeld said that choosing that format could to the smaller communities in the county not getting enough votes in order to complete their projects.
Another public meeting will be held to discuss the specific purpose tax on Wednesday, May 11, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. It will be held at Western Wyoming Community College in Room 3650. Schoenfeld said that the meeting will be an open public forum to allow people to come and go. There will also be an option for people to attend the meeting through Zoom. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/proposed-specific-purpose-tax-initiative-survey-results-discussed-at-commissioners-meeting/article_9eea1e9c-fc81-594d-8cce-6ebfe5d2ffba.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:53Z |
Rock Springs Police Chief Dwane Pacheco (left) was honored with a plaque from Mayor Tim Kaumo (right) during the city council meeting on Tuesday, May 3.
Chief Pacheco's family was present to see him receive the plaque.
Rocket Miner Photo
Rock Springs Police Chief Dwane Pacheco (left) was honored with a plaque from Mayor Tim Kaumo (right) during the city council meeting on Tuesday, May 3.
ROCK SPRINGS — Rock Springs Police Chief Dwane Pacheco was honored with a plaque by Mayor Tim Kaumo during the Rock Springs City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 5, following his decision to retire after 31 years of service.
Before the presentation of the plaque, Kaumo gave some remarks on Pacheco’s career and impact he has had on the community.
“Chief Pacheco’s lifelong career in service and protection of our citizens, even while serving in the Air Force right out of high school as a law enforcement specialist, has molded him into a leader that’s well respected by our communities,” Kaumo said.
Kaumo added that Pacheco has been out in a lot of the communities and has a lot of respect throughout those communities; not just Rock Springs.
Pacheco has been involved with several different causes throughout his career including breast cancer awareness, Sweetwater County Prevention Coalition, Public Safety Commission and WyoLink.
Pacheco worked to help secure two WyoLink towers in Sweetwater County.
Other causes Pacheco has been involved with include United Way, Wyoming Gaming Commission and Special Olympics (Jackalope Jump and Law Enforcement Torch Run).
“I’m sure that there’s numerous more but my point is, this shows you the character of Dwane and the dedication and the passion he has to serve our community.”
Following the presentation of the plaque, Pacheco also shared some of his thoughts.
“I’m extremely proud of where I started and how I will leave the agency. Succession planning has been a long term goal and that will be realized,” Pacheco said.
Pacheco went on to thank his family and friends for their support.
“People always ask what keeps me going and it’s very simple: a strong faith, a loving family and friends away from my law enforcement family.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/the-end-of-an-era-rock-springs-police-chief-dwane-pacheco-honored-at-city-council/article_e5cd42c8-4681-52d4-b61a-d06cd4811fdc.html | 2022-05-05T00:33:59Z |
Rawlins residents are under water restrictions as the city continues to attempt to mitigate impacts from a catastrophic failure of the water system in March and ongoing drought conditions throughout the region.
The restrictions went into effect last week, the city announced, adding the same collective effort residents made when the system failed needs to continue.
“Without pulling together to conserve water, our community will likely drain our tanks, experience boil-water advisories and potentially lose fire protection,” according to a city statement announcing the restrictions.
Rawlins gets about 1.5 million gallons of water a day into its treatment plant and residents “consistently use 1 million gallons per day for household use,” the city reports.
That replenishment rate is half of what it was last year at this time, and summer use usually increases to between 3 million and 6 million gallons a day because of outdoor watering.
“This obvious shortfall in water supply needs to be taken seriously to have water available to our community,” according to the city’s statement. “If our community waters the same amount as last year during restrictions, we estimate that our water tanks would be completely empty by mid-June.”
Officially, Rawlins has reached a Level D water emergency, which allows officials to implement more substantial restrictions. For now, those include:
• Residences and businesses may only water one day a week before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Even-numbered addresses can water on Thursdays and odd-numbered Mondays. When you do water, the city urges no more than 60 minutes of watering for each zone of turf on the designated day. The city will continue to monitor the situation for excessive water use.
• Trees, bushes, gardens, etc. may be watered as needed using a manually operated hose with an automatic shut-off valve before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• Do not allow water to run onto or pool in gutters, streets and sidewalks.
• Vehicles may be washed only using a manually operated hose with an automatic shut-off valve. Only wash when absolutely necessary and use the minimum amount of water possible.
• Washing parking lots, sidewalks or driveways with water is prohibited except for construction, safety and health reasons.
• Any water that can be conserved will make difference. Even the simple things, such as turning off water while brushing teeth and fixing dripping faucets, will make a difference when done by the whole community.
Those who choose to ignore or skirt the water restrictions can be ticketed and fined $250-$750 each instance. At least one warning will be issued per residence before leveling fines, and water use and consumption will be closely monitored.
The restrictions also carry over to public places like parks.
“Typically, our Parks Division begins irrigation in late April. However, public safety is our city’s first priority,” the statement says.
“We recognize the importance of water for public safety and that will be the main consideration this summer,” said Parks Superintendent Tyrell Perry.
The Parks Division has postponed all irrigation of turf and will meet regularly with the Water Division about what can and cannot be done to maintain public spaces, Perry said.
“Our parks, green spaces and sports fields will likely be brown and dry this year,” the statement says. “We understand that the restricted watering will likely be seriously detrimental to the long-term health of our parks.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/agribusiness/water-restrictions-begin-in-rawlins/article_0234b1e0-cbf5-11ec-b316-97dee95b49bd.html | 2022-05-05T00:34:05Z |
The Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee spent almost half of its two-day meeting in Lander last week discussing whether Wyoming’s private-trust and limited-liability-company laws are prone to abuse by bad actors — tax evasion, tax avoidance, money laundering, shielding assets from creditors and law-enforcement etc. Most — but not all — of the expert witnesses objected to that idea, telling lawmakers that Wyoming is neither a tax haven nor a harbor for illegal activity. One expert offered sharply different testimony.
“It’s apparent we have two widely different thoughts here,” Committee Chairman
Sen. Cale Case (R-Lander) said during the meeting.
Legislative leadership assigned the topic following scathing reports in the Washington Post and elsewhere. But despite the international spotlight and the lengthy discussion, the committee adjourned without giving legislative staff instructions for further action on the topic, such as research or bill drafting. Case told WyoFile, “[I] definitely don’t think we are finished with this.”
Private trusts and LLCs are both legal entities that can be used to protect and manage assets. In Wyoming, in particular, both entities — either separately, or in combination with one another — can provide a high degree, if not complete, anonymity to involved parties thanks to little regulation and strong privacy laws.
Proponents describe the status quo as a strength that, when combined with Wyoming’s lack of an income tax, makes the state an attractive jurisdiction in which to house and protect wealth. Detractors say it is indeed attractive, though not to the right people, and provides little to no benefit to Wyoming residents that are not employed in the industry.
Independent of the moral hazard question Case said Wyoming’s trusts and LLCs are potentially an untapped revenue stream at a critical time for the state, hence his request for the topic and its assignment to the committee responsible for figuring out how to fund state government.
Trust companies in Wyoming hold at least $31.5 billion worth of assets in trusts — close to the GDP for the entire state.
Wyoming provides the legal structure but may not be getting a fair return, according to Case. Because the topic is extraordinarily complex, Case said it was important for the committee to begin its work with a “primer.”
Attorney Chris Reimer was the first of about a half-a-dozen local experts to walk the revenue committee through the ins and outs of Wyoming’s statutes on April 28. This was far from Reimer’s first experience with the Legislature. He had helped to draft and revise the very laws at the center of the discussion, he said.
As a partner with Long Reimer Winegar Beppler LLP, his practice includes setting up and administering private trust companies, “usually for out-of-state and international clients,” according to the firm’s website.
Aside from legal explanation, Reimer spent much of his time in front of the committee criticizing the work of the Washington Post and objecting to the idea that Wyoming may be enabling criminal activity. That was echoed by several others, including Scott Weaver and Betty Andrikopoulos of the Wyoming Trust Association.
Reimer did not completely deny the presence of criminal activity, though he characterized it as a thing of the past. For instance, Reimer brought up concerns about registered agents, who act as a representative for a company.
LLC filings are typically public record. The identities of the LLC’s members, however, can be kept private if a business formation company is hired to act as a registered agent. Wyoming does not require any training for these individuals, such as how to vet a company before representing them — a process which is not required by Wyoming law.
It’s also not uncommon for registered agents to know very little about the companies they represent, according to the Washington Post, which also linked several registered agents in Wyoming to companies facing accusations of wrongdoing in international court cases.
The Sheridan Press reported on the potential unintended consequences of the secrecy afforded by using a registered agent.
Reimer, however, said the potential for illegitimate businesses hiding behind a registered agent in order to disguise shady operations has been voided by the federal Corporate Transparency Act which was enacted in January 2021, but hasn’t yet fully gone into effect.
“The most important thing to take away from this is that a so-called secret shell company … that is a thing of the past,” Reimer said. “It is over.”
The CTA will require some legal entities to report certain basic information about themselves, their beneficial owners and who is authorized to act on their behalf. The data collection has begun but it has yet to be determined who will have access to that information.
The CTA’s unhurried rollout is a problem, according to Ryan Gurule. He’s policy director for the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency Coalition, a non-partisan group based in D.C. working to end the use of anonymous shell companies as vehicles for illicit activity, among other things.
“Wyoming has attracted and protected capital from people who threaten our national security, and undermine the stability of our financial and main street markets, including by using complex structures to avoid taxes, launder ill-gotten monies and hide assets,” Gurule told the committee, pointing to Igor Makrov, a Russian oligarch.
“He protects portions of his immense fortune via a Wyoming trust, managed by an unregulated Wyoming private trust company,” Gurule noted, as reported by the Washington Post.
That was of particular concern for Rep. Mike Yin (D-Jackson). He repeatedly raised questions about foreign nationals using Wyoming’s legal framework to hide assets from their home countries.
“Wyoming is not in a position to regulate Russian oligarchs,” Lucas Buckley, an attorney with Hathaway and Kunz, told the committee. Buckley’s firm offers commercial registered agent services, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Rep. Pat Sweeney (R-Casper) was more concerned with how recent reports painted Wyoming’s reputation, which he felt were unfair.
“We’re being painted with this broad brush. Basically we’re a bunch of hicks out here and we don’t know what we are doing, which I totally, fundamentally disagree with,” Sweeney said. He then asked Chris Reimer what should be done, if anything.
“From where I sit and practice, there’s no law regarding information of entities or private trust companies or trusts that needs to be implemented in Wyoming,” Reimer said.
His peers in the Wyoming Trust Association also urged the committee against any kind of tax, saying it would drive the trust industry out of the state and into competing jurisdictions, like Nevada and South Dakota.
Case was not convinced. He said he continued to circle back in his mind to one question — what does Wyoming get out of this?
In terms of static assets, he said, the business is bigger than the mining industry or the oil and gas industry.
“As Wyoming changes, we’ve got to follow the money,” Case said.
“Part of my concern with the folks that testified at the hearing was that the majority of them have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo,” Jenn Lowe with the Equality State Policy Center told WyoFile.
It’s a very complex financial system, Lowe said, and the experts present contributed to good discussion. But she’s not sure where the topic goes from here since the committee did not give staff any direction.
“There’s a lot of money to be made in the trust industry, which is not a bad thing at face value, but on the other hand, I’m not sure that the folks that live here in Wyoming are seeing a return in benefit,” Lowe said.
The Joint Revenue Committee’s next meeting is in September.
WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/government_and_politics/legislators-take-no-action-on-trust-llc-laws/article_4802d85a-cbf5-11ec-a1d2-e7786a638b32.html | 2022-05-05T00:34:12Z |
CASPER — The leaked draft ruling showing that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade is raising a lot of questions about what will happen to abortion in Wyoming, particularly following the state’s passage of an abortion trigger bill in March. The Supreme Court verified Tuesday that the leaked document is authentic.
The draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito and published Monday night by Politico, is a strong rejection of the 1973 landmark case that made abortion a constitutional right in the U.S.
The draft’s implications are dramatic. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, that means it’ll be up to states to decide the legality of abortion within their borders.
Earlier this year, lawmakers passed House Bill 92, which would trigger a near-total ban on abortions in Wyoming if the Supreme Court does away with Roe. Some Wyoming legislators who were against House Bill 92 argued that it could cause mayhem for the state if the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe was ambiguous. But based on the current draft, it appears the Supreme Court’s decision would be pretty clear-cut.
“It looks like its on track for a rapid implementation,” Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, said in reference to Wyoming’s abortion trigger bill.
Case was one of a handful of legislators who were against the abortion trigger bill. His amendment on the bill, which ended up passing after a similar one by Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, failed, provides for exceptions to the potential abortion ban in cases where the mother’s life or physical health is in extreme danger, or if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.
“It seems pretty clear that we’re going to have many restrictions and maybe a complete reversal of Roe v. Wade,” Case said. “There are a lot of people who are on pins and needles about this.”
House Bill 92, the abortion trigger ban that legislators passed in March, would outlaw abortion in Wyoming except for a handful of circumstances including extreme physical danger to the mother or if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.
Case said he thinks that “it would take a sea of change in political thinking” to reverse the bill.
David Adler, a professor of constitutional law and the director of the Alturas Institute, said it’s important to remember the leaked opinion is only a draft — the text of the opinion, or the actual vote itself, could still change.
But if it becomes final, Adler said Wyoming would likely see the ban in place within 35 days of the opinion. That’s the maximum time the law provides for a review by the state attorney general and certification from the governor.
Wyoming’s ban, while nearly total, is still more moderate than other states that have trigger laws in place that don’t allow abortions to be performed even in cases related to sexual assault or incest.
Cristina González, a nurse who works with Lander-based nonprofit Chelsea’s Fund, said it’s too early to tell what the opinion will mean for Wyomingites. The fund gives financial assistance to people ordering abortion pills through the mail, which can be obtained with a telemedicine referral. González said she’s not yet sure how that service will be affected, but that the fund’s board will be meeting to discuss a “game plan” in the event the opinion becomes final.
Abortion wouldn’t be illegal everywhere if the Supreme Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade. A reversal of Roe v. Wade would give states the ability to decide on the legality of abortion.
Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, a pro-life legislator, told the Star-Tribune that it would be “nice to see the power going to states.”
“This is a pivotal time in our country’s history,” he said. “It’s also a pivotal in that this is an issue of states’ rights to rule.”
A return of power to states over abortion would likely make the practice illegal in about half the U.S., according to the New York Times.
The U.S. Senate could still vote to pass a bill — which has already made it through the House — to codify Roe v. Wade and make abortion legal on the federal level. But that would likely require some uncharacteristic votes from Republican senators, or a possible elimination of the filibuster to allow the bill to pass without bipartisan support.
“One of the first things that jumped to mind was how important this year’s elections are going to be,” said Sharon Breitweiser, the executive director of Pro-Choice Wyoming. She said the coming vote isn’t likely to change the Wyoming Legislature’s makeup enough to pave the way to repealing the trigger law “in the near future,” but her group hopes to “start moving in that direction.”
“I don’t want to be naive, but I don’t know what other hope we have.”
Overturning Roe v. Wade would essentially make the Mountain West an abortion desert. Abortions would, in most instances, be illegal in Wyoming. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, Idaho and Nebraska would probably move to ban abortion. Utah enacted a trigger law in 2020. South Dakota and North Dakota also have trigger bans.
If Roe falls, Colorado and Montana would be the only two states neighboring Wyoming where abortion would be legal. Those states are gearing up to provide more services for people who live in states where abortion would be outlawed.
Abortions are already hard to get in Wyoming. There’s only one clinic — the Women’s Health and Family Care Center in Jackson — that currently offers abortion services. Founder of Wellspring Health Access Julie Burkhart said last month that she plans to open a clinic in Casper. Burkhart said in a statement Tuesday morning that she continues to move forward with those plans despite the revelations of the leaked opinion draft.
But Wyoming is a big state and essentially an abortion desert already. Not everyone can drive to a clinic to get an abortion.
To be clear, the leaked opinion is still a draft.
“We don’t know if a judge might change his or her mind,” Sen. Bear, the anti-abortion legislator from Gillette, said. “The impact right now with the leak is that there is a great deal more pressure on judges.”
ACLU spokesperson Janna Farley also emphasized that the decision isn’t set in stone.
“While it confirms our deepest fears about what the Supreme Court is ready to do, nothing is final,” she told the Star-Tribune on Tuesday.
The ACLU, which was heavily involved in debates on Wyoming’s abortion trigger ban, also said the decision could change.
“We are not conceding anything right now and we will not let the Court off the hook when a decision is finally published,” the statement said. “But if the Court does indeed overturn Roe, it would have a devastating impact on the lives of millions of people — falling most quickly and heavily on the most marginalized people: people of color, those trying to make ends meet, young people, and undocumented immigrants,” the statement continued.
Michelle St. Louis, an anti-abortion Casper resident, said she’s “still somewhat skeptical” about the leaked opinion’s implications.
“We’ll see. I’m not ready to jump up and down in the streets yet,” she said. “I would like this to be a done deal.”
Another Casper resident opposing the city’s planned clinic, Ross Schriftman, said he thinks the leak is likely to divide people even more on the already contentious issue.
The Wyoming Democratic Party will “weigh (its) options” for potential legal action in response to the pending decision, said executive director Sarah Hunt.
“In the meantime, our mission is to elect policymakers who see this ruling for what it is: an attack on our freedom to make personal medical decisions, including when to start a family or choose reproductive healthcare options,” Hunt said.
The added public scrutiny, thanks to the leak, may also influence the Supreme Court’s final opinion, according to Adler. It’s also sparked a Supreme Court investigation into the leak, and drawn anger from many anti-abortion politicians.
“It will be interesting to see how the final opinion is different from this opinion,” Case, the Republican lawmaker from Lander, said.
The Supreme Court is likely to make a final decision on Roe v. Wade in June.
This story was published on May 4. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/government_and_politics/wyoming-braces-for-roe-v-wade-impact/article_1645a61c-cbf5-11ec-abe6-c79c5d4405ff.html | 2022-05-05T00:34:18Z |
Basin Buzz for May 6-12, 2022 May 4, 2022 4 hrs ago Comments Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Save Friday, 5/6Live music: Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m., Mia & Pia's Pizzeria & Brewhouse.Saturday, 5/7 Live music: Klamath Symphony, 7:30 p.m., Ragland Theater.Thursday, 5/12 Live music: Chris Garrett, 6-8 p.m., American Legion Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Save Tags Music Open Mic Ragland Theater Night Klamath Symphony Chris Garrett Pizzeria Recommended for you Trending Now Poll: Oregon's Kate Brown is most unpopular U.S. governor 'Execution-style' killer of teen girl released from prison 64-year-old woman arrested at alleged illegal marijuana farm Man steals ambulance, leads cops on wild freeway chase Oregon Tech to begin evaluation of President Nagi Naganathan Latest e-Edition Klamath Falls Herald and News Read the latest edition of the Klamath Falls Herald and News. Local Survey As mask mandates come to an end in Oregon, how will you use them in future? You voted: Will never wear one again Will wear masks in busy places, like airports and stadiums Will wear if experiencing symptoms Will wear if requested by friend/store/municipality Vote View Results Back | https://www.heraldandnews.com/basin-buzz-for-may-6-12-2022/article_52e450eb-484c-55f1-8516-182f36931a73.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:26Z |
ASHLAND – It’s not necessary to travel to New York City to see a Broadway quality musical.
Instead, head over to Ashland for an afternoon or evening performance of “In the Heights,” an energetic, dazzlingly choreographed and incredibly produced musical that won four Tony Awards in 2008, including best musical. “Heights” was conceived by and features the music of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who’s best known for multi-award winning “Hamilton.”
Enlivened, enriched with rap and Latin influences “Heights” is set in the heat of summer in the predominately Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan. Spoken words are few, with most of the talking done by song by all members of the cast. Trying to pick highlights is near impossible, with one pulsating, often heart-felt musical piece after another, almost always with precise and daring choreography.
Because of its setting in a relatively poor neighborhood, “Heights” isn’t overburdened with social commentary. Several storylines intersect. Nina, for example, has just returned from her first year at prestigious Stanford University, where life hasn’t gone as hoped. Her parents, wanting her to have opportunities they haven’t experienced, offer to sell their car-dispatch business to help fund her expensive tuition. Benny, who works at the car-dispatch business, falls in love with Nina.
“Heights” narrator Unsavi — so named it’s explained because one of the first sights his immigrant parents saw on arriving in the U.S. was a sign with the words, U.S. Navy – owns a small bodega, or grocery store, and has dreams of moving and expanding his business. Another player, Vanessa, who works at a neighborhood beauty salon, has visions of living in a West Village apartment. Others harbor dreams, dreams that for some could become realities when Abuela, an older woman who lives alone, wins a $96,000 lottery, but dies shortly after and leaves portions of her winnings to neighbors.
“Heights” is a poignant, heartfelt but never sappy story of finding and accepting “true home.”
Maria Torres, “Heights” director and choreographer, created the show for the Cabaret stage. The acting is precise, with a cast that features actors mostly not previously seen in Southern Oregon, including Michel Alejandro Castillo, Alysia Noelle Beltran, Aline Cenal, Kristopher Stanley Ward, Cory Simmons, Ernesto Rosales, Edlyn Gonzalez and Amanda Lopez. Everyone gets to show their skills singing and dancing with 13 musical numbers in the first act and another 10 in the second.
Because of the Cabaret’s intimate size – it is a remodeled history church – the musical accompaniment sometimes muddles words and lyrics. But the play shines, bringing level of musical theater that displays and broadcasts its Broadway roots.
“In the Heights” is a musical that brings the always excellent Cabaret experience to new heights. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/in-the-heights-another-lin-manuel-miranda-hit/article_481e62f0-0922-5f67-8737-0826bbfa9d53.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:28Z |
If the U.S. Supreme Court’s final decision on abortion rights resembles a draft opinion leaked Monday night, women in more than half the country could lose access to a right they’ve had for 50 years.
In Oregon, women seeking abortions would not see immediate consequences.
Over several decades, and even more during the past five years, Oregon lawmakers have protected abortion rights and provided funding to ensure every patient seeking an abortion can receive one at no cost.
However, reproductive health care providers have warned that abortion restrictions in other states may make it harder for Oregon women to receive care.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights advocacy group based in New York, hundreds of thousands of women from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming or Utah would be left to travel hundreds of miles to Washington, Oregon or Colorado for reproductive care.
Oregon clinics, which performed about 6,600 abortions last year, are already struggling to hire staff. Planned Parenthood began leasing clinic space in Ontario in eastern Oregon following the Idaho Legislature’s passage of a law that would ban abortions after six weeks of gestation, before many women know they’re pregnant.
An Idaho judge stayed the new law, but the expected U.S. Supreme Court decision would allow it to take effect. Until the Ontario clinic opens, the closest abortion providers for women in eastern Oregon are in Bend or Boise.
Abortion providers and legislative Democrats say Oregon likely needs to do more to shore up legal protections and provide additional funding for women seeking abortions, though they didn’t have many details to share Tuesday.
Oregon’s abortion law history
The then-territory of Oregon first limited abortions in 1854, five years before statehood. By 1864, anyone who administered an abortion – including providing drugs or herbal remedies intended to induce a miscarriage – could be charged with manslaughter.
There were exceptions for abortions needed to save a woman’s life. Over the next century, some doctors faced criminal charges. In one 1956 case, a Portland chiropractor was sentenced to six months in county jail after the Oregon Supreme Court determined that he was “engaged in operating a full-scale abortion mill which constituted an open affront to public decency.”
By the late 1960s, public sentiment around abortion had changed in Oregon. In 1969, the Legislature passed a law to also allow abortions in cases of rape, incest or fetal anomaly, and the state Senate deadlocked on a bill that would have completely overturned any restrictions on abortion. The Roe decision in 1973 negated any state laws restricting abortion during a pregnancy’s first trimester.
For the past 50 years, the Oregon Legislature has expanded protections for abortion while Oregon voters have defeated efforts to restrict abortion at the ballot box. In 1978, 1986, 1990, 2006 and 2018, Oregon voters rejected ballot measures that would have prohibited state funding for abortions and required parental notification.
In 1983, lawmakers overturned the pre-Roe abortion law and declared that abortion was a right under the state Constitution.
Recent actions
In 2017, following the election of Republican President Donald Trump and a GOP-controlled U.S. House and Senate, Democratic states including Oregon sought to further protect the right to an abortion and provide state funding.
At the time, national Republicans were seeking to prevent any federal funding from reaching Planned Parenthood and to remove birth control as an essential health benefit that must be covered by insurance plans. Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers are already banned from using federal money to pay for abortion care, but they could receive federal funding for services, including testing for pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, HPV vaccinations and screening for breast or cervical cancer.
Oregon responded with the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which passed along party lines and was signed by Gov. Kate Brown in August 2017. It required insurance providers to cover abortion costs for all women and guaranteed that the state will cover costs for people covered by Medicaid or who are uninsured, including those living in the U.S. without legal documentation.
The 2017 law also enshrined the right to abortion care in state law. Other states, most recently Colorado, have since passed their own versions of the law.
This spring, following the passage of laws effectively banning abortion after six weeks in Texas and Idaho, Oregon lawmakers appropriated $15 million for abortion providers to hire more employees, buy equipment or expand services, as well as cover expenses like travel, hotel stays, child care and missing wages for women seeking abortions at Oregon clinics.
Nonprofit organizations including the Eugene-based Northwest Abortion Access Fund already provided similar aid.
Next steps
Legislative Democrats including House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, said more work might need to be done.
In a statement, Rayfield said lives are at risk if Roe v. Wade is overturned, especially in low-income communities. Democrats in the Legislature have prepared for years for such a court reversal, he said.
“As dozens of states attack abortion rights and this decision looms, we need to ensure that we fill our gaps in coverage and help people get the care they need,” he said. “I anticipate much more work ahead in the interim to determine what legislative and funding solutions are needed to support and improve our reproductive healthcare infrastructure.”
Rep. Julie Fahey, the House Democratic leader from Eugene, told the Capital Chronicle lawmakers are monitoring how the 2017 law is being implemented and looking at policy changes. This year, the Legislature tweaked the 2017 law to clarify state agencies’ authority, and similar minor technical changes could come in future years.
Fahey said legislative Democrats will continue protecting abortion rights even if voters elect a governor who opposes them.
“In the Legislature, we will always, regardless of who’s in the governor’s office, or what the Supreme Court says, we will always fight to maintain that right,” Fahey said. “We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to serve the public and protect this very basic right to access to reproductive health care and the choices that make sense for each individual and their family.”
An Do, executive director of the advocacy organization Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, said during an online news conference Tuesday that reproductive health providers are thinking about other policies that might be needed. The $15 million provided by the Legislature was a good start, she said.
With just two weeks until the May 17 primary election, Do said voters should keep abortion rights in mind.
“We need to be more robust and vigilant than ever to ensure we have people who are representing our interests,” she said.
Capital Chronicle deputy editor Lynne Terry contributed reporting | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/abortion-rights-protected-in-oregon-regardless-of-supreme-court-ruling/article_03bac270-f795-55d8-8af1-8d89a581257c.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:29Z |
A group of Oregonians who don’t want politicians to draw Oregon’s electoral maps are giving up on their attempts to reach the ballot this year to change that.
Petitioners sought to amend the Oregon Constitution to create an independent redistricting commission that would draw new legislative and congressional districts beginning in 2023. Before voters can indicate whether they support such a change, any initiative needs a ballot title – and the Oregon Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum needs to rewrite the one she drafted last year.
“It will take, I imagine, about a month at least to actually get a ballot title settled,” said chief petitioner Norman Turrill, president of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Advocacy Fund. “By then we’re well into June and that leaves us about a month to gather signatures, which is just about impossible.”
Instead, Turrill and other supporters – including former Secretary of State Phil Keisling, the League of Women Voters, the NAACP and the Oregon Farm Bureau – say they’ll start their process anew for the November 2024 ballot.
In a 24-page ruling, Supreme Court Justice Roger DeHoog concluded that Rosenblum must rewrite both the 15-word caption and 125-word summary to more clearly convey that the initiative would repeal and replace electoral maps the Legislature adopted last year.
“The fact that IP 34 would effectively repeal and replace the state legislative and congressional redistricting plans for the current decennium, which the democratically elected Legislature recently enacted and shepherded through court challenges, is a highly significant effect of the measure,” DeHoog wrote on behalf of the unanimous court.
Most western states already have independent commissions, but in Oregon the Legislature decides how to divide the state into voting districts, and the governor approves or vetoes that plan.
Last year, that meant legislative Democrats crafted maps that Republicans and nonpartisan groups that track redistricting say disproportionately benefit Democrats. The Oregon Supreme Court and other state judges upheld the maps against several legal challenges.
The proposed initiative would create an independent redistricting commission of 12 people: four Democrats, four Republicans and four with no ties to either major party. Elected officials, lobbyists, campaign staff and their families wouldn’t be eligible.
Half the panel would be randomly selected from a pool of qualified applicants, and those six people would choose the remainder of the commission. The commission would then redraw congressional and legislative districts, prioritizing competitiveness while also following existing guidelines about making sure districts are geographically contiguous, don’t favor a political party or individual and comply with federal voting rights laws. At least one member of each party must approve the maps.
Our Oregon, a political nonprofit that receives most of its funding from labor unions and typically supports Democratic policies, challenged the ballot title, saying it didn’t put enough emphasis on the proposed commission’s power or the fact that it would repeal the congressional and legislative boundaries adopted by the Legislature for the next 10 years.
“Nullifying successful legislation passed by the legislature, and undercutting the extensive public participation underlying that legislation, is a dramatic outcome,” said a legal filing from Our Oregon’s executive director, Christy Mason.
Turrill also asked the Supreme Court to add the word “independent” to the title, remove references to Democrats and Republicans and clarify that elected officials, political staff, consultants, lobbyists, party officials, major political donors and their families are ineligible.
The court took nearly four months to rule on the combined challenges.
Voters seeking to change state law face several hurdles before their proposed laws make it to the ballot. First, they must collect more than 1,000 signatures from Oregon voters. Then, the attorney general crafts a title and caption to impartially summarize the petition and its effects, and the secretary of state and attorney general decide whether the measure complies with the Constitution.
At this point, lawsuits filed by proponents or opponents of the measure are common. Only after the ballot title is complete and any legal issues are resolved can petitioners begin collecting tens of thousands of signatures from Oregon voters. In 2022, petitioners need 149,360 signatures for a constitutional amendment, 112,020 to create a new law and 74,680 to repeal a law enacted by the Legislature.
They must gather those signatures by July 8, four months before the election. Then, if the signatures are verified, the initiative appears on the ballot.
Petitioners can file their petition for 2024 at any point – they just can’t begin collecting signatures until after the July 8 deadline for 2022 initiatives. Turrill said supporters may make minor changes before starting again.
“The ballot title process will take again probably several months, but now that they’ve decided major issues, they should be able to do it very quickly,” Turrill said. “Our opponents will undoubtedly again try to delay us by appealing to the Supreme Court whether there’s some issue or not.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/independent-redistricting-advocates-look-to-2024-after-oregon-supreme-court-ruling/article_f07a978a-fba6-5f80-8fa3-7ea8e8a2b3e3.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:30Z |
The Owyhee Irrigation District will receive about $1.3 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the new federal infrastructure package, district general manager Clancy Flynn said.
USDA last month announced it will invest $420 million in 132 infrastructure projects in 31 states. The work includes rehabilitating dams, preventing flooding and restoring watersheds. The agency said the funding aims to build on a $166 million investment announced earlier this year.
For Oregon, $2.7 million targets modernization projects in Tumalo, Owyhee and East Fork irrigation districts.
USDA said modernization work “provides a climate-resilient solution to offset the impacts of drought throughout the regions of the Deschutes River, Tumalo Creek, Snake River and Hood River watersheds.” The Owyhee River is a Snake River tributary.
The agency said open irrigation canals will be converted to pipelines to deliver water more efficiently and “preserve water where it is needed to restore critical habitat for designated trout and salmon species.”
Pipelines reduce loss from evaporation and seepage, divert less water from rivers and increase flow downstream.
Flynn said his Nyssa, Ore.-based irrigation district is yet to sign an agreement for the new funding. The district will use the money to hire a contractor and start a watershed planning process, which will include public and stakeholder input.
The district board still must approve a contract with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, he said. After it receives the funding, the board will issue a request for proposals from contractors to develop the watershed plan.
The plan will look at the district’s system improvements plan in the context of watershed impacts. Flynn said the process could start this year.
He said the watershed plan positions the district to apply for more federal funding, such as through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. That law authorizes NRCS to help organizations plan and carry out various projects, including water supply development.
“We would be able to accomplish projects that could take decades in a matter of years with these bigger dollars,” Flynn said.
The district last year completed its system improvements plan. It calls for piping canals and laterals, in part to save water and energy.
Flynn said much of the piping completed so far aims to pressurize water delivery, particularly where a drop in elevation reduces the need to use electric pumps for sprinkler irrigation.
He said that if the district gets more money it could take on other work such as piping flatter laterals to save water. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/owyhee-irrigation-district-to-receive-1-3-million-from-usda/article_c214689a-7f5b-5c15-bef9-7aa62ef42359.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:36Z |
Christine Drazan, the former House Republican leader, has moved to the top of a crowded field of GOP candidates for Oregon governor with less than two weeks left before the May 17 primary election, according to a new independent poll.
About 19% of the 514 likely Republican voters who responded to the poll chose Christine Drazan, who represented Canby in the House until this spring. Bob Tiernan, former Oregon Republican Party chair, came in second with 14%, and 2016 nominee Bud Pierce, who led a previous poll, fell to 9.5%.
Trey Rosser, Drazan’s campaign manager, said in a statement that the poll from Salem-based Nelson Research shows Drazan has established herself as the “clear frontrunner.”
“While today’s poll results are encouraging, the only poll that matters is the one that arrives at 8 p.m. on May 17,” he said. “We are confident that voters will continue to recognize that Christine is the only candidate with the leadership, experience, and vision to start leading our state in a new direction on Day One.”
The poll, conducted April 29 to May 2, also found that more than a quarter of Republicans still haven’t decided who to vote for. That’s down from a few weeks ago, when more than two-thirds of voters hadn’t made up their minds in a poll by the same firm.
Voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, to return their ballots to a drop box or mail them. For the first time this year, ballots mailed and postmarked by Election Day will be counted.
So far, more than 70,000 Oregon voters – about 2.5% of those eligible – have returned their ballots. That includes more than 18,000 Republicans eligible to vote in the GOP primary for governor.
Nineteen Republicans are running for governor, though the poll only asked about 14 of them. The eventual nominee is likely to receive just a fraction of the primary vote because of the size of the field.
Along with Drazan, Tiernan and Pierce, more than 5% of respondents said they would select Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, former Alsea School District superintendent Marc Thielman or Baker City Mayor Kerry McQuisten. West Linn publisher Bridget Barton and Medford businesswoman Jessica Gomez, both of whom have raised enough money to qualify for participation in sponsored debates, were backed by 2.7% and 2.1% of respondents, respectively.
Among Democrats, former House Speaker Tina Kotek and state Treasurer Tobias Read are essentially waging a one-on-one primary despite a field of 15 candidates. The eventual Democratic and Republican nominees will likely face a three-way race with Betsy Johnson, a former Democratic state senator now running a well-funded independent campaign for governor. As a non-affiliated candidate, Johnson must gather about 24,000 signatures from Oregon voters by Aug. 30 to qualify for the ballot. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/poll-christine-drazan-leads-crowded-republican-field-for-oregon-governor/article_992038d8-db6d-5dd9-b44a-d53395710793.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:46Z |
A statewide effort aims to take on social isolations born from the coronavirus pandemic, divisive partisan politics and cantankerous social media discourse — one letter at a time.
Oregon Humanities' Dear Stranger campaign hopes to offer more personal positive personal connections as the state and country continues to face mental health challenges born from the shutdowns and stresses of the pandemic, challenging economy and divisive politics.
The nonprofit's effort entails a letter-exchange project offering Oregonians a chance to write letters to people they have never met before.
Dear Stranger asks writers to delve into what they care about and why. Letters are swapped anonymously and pen pals can then continue to converse through the humanities group
“In good times, bad, and everything in between, sometimes it’s hardest to share our innermost thoughts with those closest to us,” says Lucy Solares-Steger, a program assistant who runs the Dear Stranger project at Oregon Humanities. “Dear Stranger offers a chance to share a fresh perspective with a stranger in the world and receive one in return. It provides an opportunity to reach out and find community, listen to one another, and learn from each other.”
The goal of Dear Stranger is to create better understanding of others with different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences, according to Oregon Humanities officials.
The statewide group has operated pen pal programs since 2014. Last winter, a letter exchange effort involved 69 people from 28 Oregon counties.
Letters should be addressed to Oregon Humanities, Attention: Dear Stranger, 610 SW St., Suite 1111, Portland, Oregon, 97205. Oregon
Humanities will exchange letters mailed by June 30. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/life_and_living/dear-stranger-pen-pal-effort-seeks-to-overcome-social-isolations-nasty-politics/article_0d488c17-e1c2-5a26-b7a9-2bc5ba6d1308.html | 2022-05-05T01:10:52Z |
This Saturday, April 23, 2022, evidence photo provided by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office shows seized 92.5 pounds (42 kilograms) of illicit fentanyl displayed in Alameda, Calif. The Alameda County Task Force discovered a fentanyl manufacturing lab Friday, April 22, after serving two search warrants in the cities of Oakland and Hayward, Calif., said Lt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. (Alameda County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Oregon is seeing dangerous increases in fentanyl use as counterfeit pills containing the dangerous opioid proliferate the region.
A new analysis medical testing and laboratory firm Millennium Health shows a 58% increase in fentanyl positivity in Oregon drug tests during the first quarter of 2022 compared to last year.
Fentanyl can be 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. It is frequently used in counterfeit oxycodone pills or is mixed with other hard drugs. Fentanyl is linked is the vast majority of deadly drug overdoses in Oregon and nationally.
The report also found fentanyl’s positivity rates in Oregon drug tests has increased 163% since 2020. The dangerous opioid is showing up more in with users of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs.
The San Diego-based company said positivity rates for fentanyl were up 197% in Jackson County, 88% in Umatilla County and nearly 60% in Lane and Multinomah counties from March 2021 to March 2022.
"These increases in fentanyl positivity are especially frightening, as a dose of fentanyl as small as a few grains of salt can result in death," said Kelly Olson, director of clinical affairs at Millennium Health. "According to the CDC, last year, Oregon overdose deaths increased 36% compared to a 16% increase nationwide1. Our current Oregon data suggests overdoses may continue to rise in 2022. We have already seen too many Oregon families lose loved ones to fentanyl."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control projects a 36.2 % increase in fatal drug overdoses in Oregon between November 2020 and November 2021 (791 versus 1,077).
The CDC pegs a 32.8% increase in deadly drug overdoses in Washington, a 25.4% jump in California and 26% increase in Idaho over the 12-month period. Many of those deaths are tied to fentanyl and other opioids.
Local police have made a number of recent fentanyl related arrests including drivers transporting pills on Interstate 5. Fentanyl pills have also been present at other drug busts involving meth, heroin and in some instances illegal marijuana grows.
Much of the fentanyl transported into California and the Pacific Northwest comes from Mexico and China with ties to cartels and organized crime syndicates. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/study-oregon-sees-worrisome-rise-in-fentanyl-use/article_ab07069e-9baf-519c-b492-d33db64ae290.html | 2022-05-05T01:11:06Z |
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