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After the National Weather Service in 2012 deemed Kailua a "Tsunami Ready Community," meaning residents are prepared and aware of proper evacuation protocol, the area neighborhood board has been pushing the city to install tsunami warning signs.
Neighborhood board chair Bill Hicks worries some of his community members may not know much about evacuation zones because, "you know it's important because, people don't look at the phone book very much anymore."
Despite repeated appeals, board members have grown frustrated with what they viewed as little action to put up signs.
"Despite the lack of visible progress in our community, there has been a lot of work being done behind the scenes," Honolulu Department of Emergency Management Hiro Toiya said.
Throughout the years, the department has been trying to secure funding for the signs -- and even ordered some a few years back.
However, Toiya told KITV-4 the signs only accounted for one type of evacuation zone. There are two kinds, a regular one and an extreme one.
"The regular tsunami evacuation zone has about 80,000 resident population, where as the extreme tsunami evacuation zone has about 250,000 resident population," Toiya added.
Residents in the regular zone, closer to the water, must evacuate whenever there is a tsunami warning. But those in the extreme zone only have to evacuate if a warning is triggered after an 9.0 magnitude or higher Earthquake in the Easter Aleutian Islands.
But not all the signs in the Department already has, Director Hiro Toiya reported, clearly indicate to residents in the extreme zone that they don't always have to evacuate during all tsunami warnings.
"So the problem with that is, those that are closest to the coastline and that are going to be more impacted by the tsunamis, they're going to be on the tail end of that traffic and their evacuation is going to be compromised as a result," Toiya explained.
"We're going to use as many of the signs as we can from our previous efforts."
Luckily, the department received $800,000 from a federal grant to put up more than 70 evacuation signs aross O'ahu's city and state beach parks.
There will also be about 260 along roadways, "and these signs will show when you're entering or leaving a tsunami hazard area," Toiya said.
The grant requires city leadership to match $200,000 and Toiya said the department is working with councilmembers to release those funds.
Additionally, the department has to finish the project by November of next year.
"It's a rather short timeline, so we're trying to be very aggressive with our work," Toiya pledged.
The department plans to begin installing signs by the end of this year.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. | https://www.kitv.com/news/after-years-of-planning-pressure-from-community-city-to-install-tsunami-warning-signs-across-oahu/article_9c348988-25ae-11ed-ae92-479c9fe0d819.html | 2022-08-27T02:45:33Z |
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Honolulu County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm held a joint press conference with Honolulu Police officials to announce the indictment against 27-year-old Brennen Canumay.
Honolulu County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm held a joint press conference with Honolulu Police officials to announce the indictment against 27-year-old Brennen Canumay.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- A man accused of driving recklessly along Kamehameha Highway shortly before a deadly head-on crash on Oahu’s North Shore was indicted Friday on two counts of manslaughter, among other charges.
Honolulu County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm held a joint press conference with Honolulu Police officials to announce the indictment against 27-year-old Brennen Canumay.
“The allegations in this case show utterly reckless behavior by Canumay and we will hold him accountable for this tragedy,” Alm said.
The crash happened on Monday, Aug. 22, just after 1 p.m. on the Kam Highway, in the area of Gunstock Ranch and the Malaekahana State Recreation Area.
According to investigators, Canumay was allegedly driving his Ford Ranger on the wrong side of the road when he struck a Hyundai sedan head-on. Witnesses told police they saw the Ford truck weaving through traffic at a high speed, and passing multiple vehicles leading up to the crash.
Canumay was indicted and charged on two counts of manslaughter, one count of second-degree assault, and one count of abuse of a family or household member. He is still recovering in the hospital with critical injuries of his own, but after he recovers, authorities say he will be jailed on $1-million bond.
“The allegations in this case show utterly reckless behavior by Canumay and we will hold him accountable for this tragedy,” Alm said. “Due to the seriousness of Canumay’s alleged actions, we will be seeking the maximum prison term for him if he is convicted.”
Canumay’s manslaughter charges are class-A felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison, according to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The Hyundai was being driven by 55-year-old Michelle Hartman. Michelle and her husband, 62-year-old Ron Hartman, were both killed in the crash. The couple’s daughter, Holly Hartman, suffered critical injuries in the crash and is still recovering in a Honolulu hospital.
The Hartmans were visiting Hawaii from Norfolk, Virginia, to support their daughter Holly, who was participating in the Spartan race.
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/manslaughter-charges-filed-against-driver-in-deadly-kamehameha-highway-crash/article_eade1544-25a5-11ed-a73c-079ebe8994cf.html | 2022-08-27T02:45:45Z |
A Ring doorbell camera captured the attempted abduction of a 6-year-old girl from the front of her house in Hamilton, Ohio. Deric McPherson is currently being held in Butler County Jail on a 5th degree felony abduction charge.
A Ring doorbell camera captured the attempted abduction of a 6-year-old girl from the front of her house Tuesday in Hamilton, Ohio, according to court documents and the security camera footage obtained by CNN.
The video shows the girl standing next to a garbage can at the curb of a front yard, when a man, identified in court records as 33-year-old Deric McPherson, walks toward her and appears to touch her before turning back and dragging her down the sidewalk by her arm before she runs away.
"He just let go of me because I screamed."A six-year-old girl in Ohio is speaking out for the first time since she saved herself from an apparent kidnapping attempt right outside her home.@ErielleReshef has the full story: https://t.co/VV8Q5xd1oCpic.twitter.com/cIm1Wb62mT
Mandie Miller, the girl's mother, told CNN Friday her daughter was taking out the garbage, as she's done many times before, when McPherson reached out and groped her daughter.
Miller said McPherson let go after her daughter screamed, which is heard on the video recording.
"She came in with a blood-curling scream, she ran into the living room she said, 'mommy someone tried to take me, he touched my private parts,'" Miller said. "I went outside and saw him walking down the sidewalk."
Miller said she and her husband both tried to chase McPherson down the street by foot before her husband got in his car and followed McPherson until he was ultimately apprehended by Hamilton Police.
Miller said she's already seeking counseling for her daughter and the family is looking into moving, which Miller said is at her daughter's request. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/mom-of-6-year-old-girl-thankful-doorbell-camera-captured-alleged-attempted-abduction/article_2bae472d-8886-5e02-9d84-7f0e806c83e1.html | 2022-08-27T02:45:51Z |
The ashes of the late trailblazing "Star Trek" actor Nichelle Nichols will take flight when they are released into space from a Vulcan Centaur rocket later this year.
The ashes of the late trailblazing "Star Trek" actor Nichelle Nichols will take flight when they are released into space from a Vulcan Centaur rocket by United Launch Alliance later this year.
Nichols -- who died at 89 on July 30 -- is best known for playing Lt. Nyota Uhura in the "Star Trek" television series from 1966 to 1969, and in the sci-fi franchise's films from 1979 to 1991.
As the only Black character on "Star Trek" during the civil rights era of the 1960s, Nichols became a vanguard of representation both on screen and in space and science fields. She helped recruit some of the first female and minority US astronauts -- including Guion Bluford Jr., the first African American to go to space in 1983, and Judith Resnik, one of six women selected as NASA astronauts in 1978, the first year women were considered.
Nichols had wanted to leave "Star Trek" after the first season in 1967 to pursue a Broadway career, but decided to stay after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. told her about the impact of her non-stereotypical role on Black Americans. Before Nichols' history-making role hit the small screen, Black women were often portrayed as domestic workers or in small roles.
Her cremated remains will be aboard the first Celestis Voyager Memorial Spaceflight, which will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Celestis, Inc., is a private company that conducts memorial spaceflights.
Among the remains also aboard the flight will be the ashes of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry; his wife, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, who played various roles in the show and films; and James Doohan, who played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the films and TV series.
Nichols' fans can send a tribute message aboard via the flight's website.
The spaceflight will travel beyond NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and into interplanetary deep space. In addition to cremated remains, capsules onboard will also carry complete human genome DNA samples from willing participants.
People can participate in the flight -- by having DNA or loved ones' remains in a spaceflight container -- for a price starting at $12,500, and reservations close August 31. (Celestis offers other voyages that don't travel as far, but can cost less than $5,000.) Ahead of the flight's liftoff, Celestis will host a three-day event with mission briefings, an astronaut-hosted dinner, launch site tours, an on-site memorial service and launch viewing.
All events will be shown via webcast, according to Celestis. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/star-trek-legends-ashes-will-head-to-deep-space-on-a-vulcan-rocket/article_0ba30f88-a19e-58cf-b59c-76c756993464.html | 2022-08-27T02:45:57Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Broadway vs. Fluvanna County
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:48 PM EDT|Updated: 46 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Broadway and Fluvanna County meet in week one of the 2022 season.
FINAL: Broadway 28, Fluvanna County 17
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-broadway-vs-fluvanna-county/ | 2022-08-27T03:35:28Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Fort Defiance vs. Turner Ashby
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:48 PM EDT|Updated: 46 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Fort Defiance travels to Turner Ashby in week one of the 2022 season.
FINAL: Turner Ashby 30, Fort Defiance 16
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-fort-defiance-vs-turner-ashby/ | 2022-08-27T03:35:34Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Gilmer County vs. East Hardy
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:45 PM EDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - East Hardy hosts Gilmer County to open the 2022 season.
FINAL: East Hardy 73, Gilmer County 12
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-gilmer-county-vs-east-hardy/ | 2022-08-27T03:35:40Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: James River vs. Buffalo Gap
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:45 PM EDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Buffalo Gap hosts James River in week one of the 2022 season.
FINAL: Buffalo Gap 35, James River 7
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-james-river-vs-buffalo-gap/ | 2022-08-27T03:35:46Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Page County vs. Central
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:46 PM EDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Page County and Central meet up in week one of the 2022 season.
FINAL: Central 38, Page County 0
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-page-county-vs-central/ | 2022-08-27T03:35:52Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Riverheads vs. Waynesboro
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:47 PM EDT|Updated: 47 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Riverheads and Waynesboro square off in week one of the 2022 season.
FINAL: Riverheads 61, Waynesboro 14
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-riverheads-vs-waynesboro/ | 2022-08-27T03:35:58Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Spotswood vs. East Rockingham
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 11:07 PM EDT|Updated: 27 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Spotswood and East Rockingham square off in the WHSV EndZone Game of the Week in week one of the 2022 season.
FINAL: Spotswood 23, East Rockingham 21
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-spotswood-vs-east-rockingham/ | 2022-08-27T03:36:04Z |
WHSV EndZone - Week 1: Stuarts Draft vs. William Monroe
Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 10:46 PM EDT|Updated: 47 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Stuarts Draft pays a visit to William Monroe to open the 2022 season.
FINAL: Stuarts Draft 41, William Monroe 0
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-week-1-stuarts-draft-vs-william-monroe/ | 2022-08-27T03:36:10Z |
CAUGHT ON CAM: Ohio trooper dives for safety after cruiser was struck by pickup truck
(CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - A state highway patrol trooper avoided significant injuries after an early-morning hit-and-run incident in northern Ohio.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol hopes the public can help identify the driver of a pickup truck, who struck the side of the trooper’s cruiser and continued driving.
The incident occurred Friday after 1:30 a.m. on I-475 near U.S. Route 23, according to the OSHP.
Dash camera video shows the trooper diving over the interstate guardrail after the cruiser was struck, while parked on the side with its emergency lights activated.
Investigators believe the pickup involved is a dark-colored truck with damage on the left side.
Anyone with information about the incident or vehicle involved can call the Ohio State Highway Patrol post at 419-856-5544.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/27/caught-cam-ohio-trooper-dives-safety-after-cruiser-was-struck-by-pickup-truck/ | 2022-08-27T03:52:41Z |
Organized crime, that is what we are up against. The laws of Oregon are specific when they define that term and it includes two or more individuals conspiring to engage in criminal activity as a significant source of income or to aid or abet the violation of criminal laws; to include cannabis production and distribution. Law enforcement agencies in our area are working together to combat this problem and it appears there has been headway.
Whether it is the misappropriation of groundwater, the ecological damage of human waste and garbage, the obnoxious odor and unsightly production sites, the human trafficking, the intimidation of law-abiding citizens, or the increased damage to rural roadways, this issue directly affects many in our community.
Last fall, following a record year of marijuana seizures in Klamath County, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office helped bring together every agency and county department involved in combating the illegal manufacture of marijuana.
The goal was a unified effort in addressing what had become a severe black-eye to our community in the form of organized criminal activity at a level not seen before in our county.
The resulting collaboration has opened up communication and made efforts more efficient. This collaboration resulted in a grant application to the Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement Grant Program administered by the Criminal Justice Commission of Oregon.
In July 2022, Klamath County was granted $2.67 million to increase the enforcement of laws regarding the illegal production and exportation of marijuana. This funding was specifically requested to boost law enforcement efforts by providing staffing and equipment for the Sheriff’s Office, County Code Enforcement, and the District Attorney’s Office.
In addition, needed funding to aid in clean-up cost associated with the pollution of our lands was secured. This grant funding covers costs that would have been picked up by General Fund tax dollars and increases the amount available to proactively address the problem.
As the Sheriff of Klamath County, there isn’t much I can say about the legalized use of marijuana, however, illegal black-market production is another thing.
As you continue to see marijuana production sites being dismantled and destroyed, please keep in mind what the resulting destruction of our county would look like if this was not being undertaken.
In neighboring counties, the blight of this illegal crop has taken its toll; and we should not want to end up in the same position. There are of course other law enforcement priorities that we continue to address as well, and this does seem to take us away at times.
However, if it is viewed for what it is, organized crime, perhaps the significance of our combined efforts during this short growing season can be better understood. Hopefully our vision of “grow legal or get out” will catch on and this region can get back to what it has done for centuries, use our precious land and water supply to grow food. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/members/guest-commentary-illegal-marijuana-grows-amount-to-organized-crime/article_276dda90-2587-11ed-bf0d-6b986e755f21.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:04Z |
Laws and contracts help ensure dispute resolution and promotes the maintenance of domestic tranquility. As with all government activities, the Klamath Project should be operated in accordance with law, not illegal shut-off orders, illegal water diversions, nor thuggish federal extortion tactics.
The Klamath Tribes and Klamath Irrigation District (KID) both have water rights in Oregon’s Upper Klamath Lake. While the Klamath Tribes water rights are for protection of fish species, KID.’s water rights are for irrigation, and both rights are valid property rights entitled to legal and mutual respect. The Endangered Species Act also imposes requirements that must be legally understood and respected.
Instead of honoring the water rights of the Klamath Tribes and KID by faithfully complying with the Endangered Species Act, the federal government is disregarding those rights, illegally diverting water from Oregon’s Upper Klamath Lake to California with no water right at all, and baselessly asserting the Endangered Species Act authorizes its illegal behavior at our expense.
When situations like this arise, state and federal law both contemplate the conflict will be resolved by Oregon’s water regulators. However, we have both observed the Oregon agency responsible for protecting the water rights of the Klamath Tribes and KID is looking the other way – doing nothing to protect tribes interests, our needs, water resources of the people of Oregon, nor our ecosystems (including fish species) from the federal government’s illegal actions.
Now, Reclamation is trying to stand the situation on its head, distract the public, and drive a wedge between the neighbors of the Klamath Tribes and farmers. It is doing this by directing Oregon irrigation districts to illegally deny water to farmers and falsely claiming these districts are breaking the law if they fail to comply.
Understanding Reclamation’s directives to be illegal, irrigation districts have repeatedly asked Reclamation to provide legal justification for their water shut-off orders. KID has stated it would comply with a legitimate legal argument. Tellingly, Reclamation has refused.
Instead, Reclamation has thuggishly coerced compliance with its illegal directives by threatening financial harm to other farmers. Specifically, Reclamation has threatened that if KID does not follow its illegal shut-off orders, it will refuse to make financial payments it promised to other farmers in other irrigation districts in exchange for these farmers’ commitment not to use any irrigation water this year – a commitment these other farmers have honored to their own financial detriment and an act that was encouraged by our neighbors.
To avoid public accountability, Reclamation has seized upon the complexity of the situation to spin a false narrative. The narrative is that Oregon irrigation districts continuing to divert minimal quantities of water from Upper Klamath Lake in accordance with their water rights, contracts, and the Endangered Species Act will harm endangered species important to the Klamath Tribes.
But this narrative is false.
The irrigation diversions that have occurred are legal and do not violate the Endangered Species Act – Reclamation has not even asserted otherwise.
Furthermore, if any diversion from Oregon’s Upper Klamath Lake is causing harm to endangered species important to the Klamath Tribes, it is Reclamation’s own massive illegal diversions of water to California without a water right, in violation of water rights held by the Klamath Tribes and farmers.
Reclamation’s massive illegal diversions of water to California and illegal water shut-off orders to irrigators should be the story here and are the proper source of public concern.
But they aren’t.
That’s because Reclamation’s cynical strategy is working. Evidence of this came Thursday when the Klamath Tribes issued a news release incorrectly accusing the Klamath Irrigation District of making “illegal” diversions of water from Upper Klamath Lake in violation of lawful Reclamation orders. But as explained above, Reclamation’s orders are what is illegal, not KID’s lawful use of water in accordance with its water rights, its contracts, and the Endangered Species Act.
Furthermore, if there is any diversion of water the Klamath Tribes should be concerned with, it is Reclamation’s massive illegal diversions of water from Oregon to California without any water right whatsoever in violation of the Klamath Tribes own water rights, as well as those of Klamath farmers – issues the Klamath Tribes’ news release says nothing about.
It should be obvious to any reasonable person that getting mad, pointing fingers, spinning narratives, and threatening people is not the way to sort this situation out. We are cognizant of the activities which occurred in 2001 which hurt and divided our communities.
Instead, KID requests to peacefully go to court and have an unbiased decisionmaker resolve our dispute in accordance with law. Unless or until this occurs, it is impossible for the parties involved in the situation, let alone the public, to truly know what is lawful and what is not, who is right and who is wrong. In a nation of laws, going to court is how conflicts are peacefully sorted out. This is the role of the government to resolve disputes and ensure domestic tranquility.
Legal resolution is what the Klamath Irrigation District has been wanting, and asking for, in the days, weeks, months, and years leading up to the present conflict. The problem is the United States has made it nearly impossible for our complaints to be heard in court.
We have to get the United States’ own permission to litigate against them. Consequently, KID has repeatedly asked Reclamation to facilitate resolution of this conflict by filing a lawsuit against KID that will resolve the present and ongoing conflict.
To date, Reclamation has refused – resorting instead to the types of tactics described above, making it impossible for anyone to know who to believe and perpetuating the problem, rather than resolving it. This is in spite of the fact that there is a contract between Reclamation and KID that defines the parties relative rights and responsibilities concerning the operation of certain irrigation works, which Reclamation is readily capable of suing upon.
If there is one thing people of different viewpoints should be able to agree upon it is this: Reclamation needs to bring a lawsuit against KID so that their relative rights and responsibilities under their contract may be determined in accordance with law by an impartial court. Unless or until this occur, all anyone can reasonably expect is more of the same.
The Klamath Project should be operated in accordance with law, not illegal shut-off orders, illegal water diversions, and thuggish extortion tactics.
The federal government’s recent resort to extortion tactics and unwillingness to bring legal action against KID to resolve the present dispute benefits no one and only serves to confirm KID’s strong belief that the federal government is exceeding its authority and conducting itself in a manner that is highly illegal.
While KID is in receipt of a letter from Reclamation asserting it is presently in litigation against KID. concerning the matters at issue, it is not. This is merely another obfuscation.
Gene Souza is the executive director of the Klamath Irrigation District. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/members/guest-commentary-water-dispute-should-be-decided-in-court/article_41858b82-2585-11ed-a649-8fb10c14e0ad.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:10Z |
Former state senator Betsy Johnson received notice Thursday she’d qualified to appear as a nonaffiliated candidate on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
Longtime Oregon lawmaker Betsy Johnson has qualified to appear on the November ballot as a nonaffiliated candidate for governor.
On Thursday afternoon, the Oregon Elections Division notified Johnson that enough signatures on her nominating petitions had been verified to qualify her as a candidate, and that her name would be printed on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
She is competing in an unusual three-way race against the Democratic nominee, former House Speaker Tina Kotek, and the Republican nominee, former state House Minority Leader Christine Drazan.
“Damn straight. This is a momentous day for Oregon,” Johnson said in a statement. “We have an incredible opportunity this year to reject the extremes and elect an independent governor who will put Oregonians first. I am the only candidate running to lead this state who will both protect a woman’s right to choose and keep our streets safe.”
In Oregon, people who don’t belong to a major party may run for partisan office in one of two ways: a one-day election assembly or by a petition of registered voters.
Johnson was required to submit 23,744 valid signatures, or 1% of all votes cast for president in Oregon in the most recent presidential election. The longtime Democrat turned in 17 boxes of signature sheets on the steps of the Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 16, the deadline. She boasted turning in more than twice the required number of signatures: 48,214.
To collect the signatures, Johnson used volunteers, the “Betsy Brigade,” and paid more than $200,000 to a Washington signature gathering firm, Initiative & Referendum Campaign Management Services, to hire signature gatherers. Some canvassers were hired through Craigslist with ads offering $1,000 weekly or $25 per hour.
The process for verifying signatures for nonaffiliated candidates is similar to the process of qualifying ballot measures, according to Ben Morris, communication director for the Oregon Secretary of State. Ten percent of the signatures turned in were selected at random for verification, with the names and addresses compared against voter registration information on file with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Morris said it’s the first time in recent memory someone has qualified to run for governor in Oregon via a nominating petition.
Johnson has the lead in fundraising, bolstered by several large donations from Oregon business leaders like Nike co-founder Phil Knight ($1.75 million) and former Columbia Sportswear president Tim Boyle ($200,000). Johnson has collected about $10.5 million, according to Portland Record, a campaign finance site. That compares with Kotek’s $7.2 million and Drazan’s $6.1 million. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/betsy-johnson-qualifies-as-nonaffiliated-gubernatorial-candidate-for-november-ballot/article_41a04e88-256a-11ed-b3c6-23093ee46d27.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:16Z |
Participants take turns holding up “stop” and “slow” signs for each other during one of the activities this week at the Bike For Life camp in Klamath Falls.
Oliver Coslet, 9, can now ride a regular bicycle without any assistance, thanks to the work he put in during the Bike For Life camp this week in Klamath Falls.
Naia Mason, 11, stands with Hannah Van Meter, left. Van Meter works with Tater Tots Pediatric Therapy, which volunteered with the Bike For Life camp this week in Klamath Falls.
Participants take turns holding up “stop” and “slow” signs for each other during one of the activities this week at the Bike For Life camp in Klamath Falls.
Josh Abbott/Herald & News
Amy Nickell helps guide Daniel Eudaily along the course at the Bike for Life camp Thursday, Aug. 25 in Klamath Falls.
Josh Abbott/Herald & News
Oliver Coslet, 9, can now ride a regular bicycle without any assistance, thanks to the work he put in during the Bike For Life camp this week in Klamath Falls.
Josh Abbott/Herald & News
Naia Mason, 11, stands with Hannah Van Meter, left. Van Meter works with Tater Tots Pediatric Therapy, which volunteered with the Bike For Life camp this week in Klamath Falls.
Rows of bicycles stood lined up in the shade, overlooking the asphalt track on a morning that was already hot, even before 10 a.m. On the track, children pedaled their bicycles, easing around cones, over squeaky toys, into bubbles and through a carwash-style sprinkler.
The children were of all ages. Some simply rode along on a tandem bike, learning how to keep their feet on the pedals as a volunteer managed all the steering and balancing. Some biked slowly and cautiously as a volunteer shadowed them, clutching the big black handle protruding from the back of the bike.
While some children were inside the gym next door learning the basics with specialized training wheels, some had already graduated, having worked through the selection of bikes.
Bike For Life hosted its first five-day bike camp in Klamath Falls this week, offering an inclusive opportunity for people older than 5 to learn how to ride bicycles.
The camp pairs children with specialized bicycles that are designed to match different skill levels. Participants work with volunteers who guide them through the process of pedaling, balancing and, most crucially, gaining confidence. There are tandem bikes, bikes without pedals used to teach balance and bikes with various kinds of training wheels, including some that can be pumped to various pressures in order to offer differing levels of support.
Bike For Life provides an inclusive opportunity for learners, including children with disabilities who are enabled by the camp to learn at their own pace. The program is supported by sponsors and is free for learners. Kayla Taylor, the director of clinical operations at Tater Tots Pediatric Therapy, said she hopes the program will become a regular yearly event in Klamath Falls.
“We have 15 riders this year,” she said. “We hope to be able to do more in the future.”
She said the program was unable to accommodate everyone who was interested in participating, but with more sponsors they might be able to add more sessions in later years.
Tater Tots collaborated with the Central Oregon Disability Support Network to bring Bike For Life to Klamath Falls from Redmond, where the program originated and has run for six years. Sean Corson, an adapted physical education teacher from Redmond works with Bike For Life, and is helping to adapt the program for Klamath Falls.
“This is the first summer the show has been on the road,” he said.
Corson said he’d like to tour various counties and cities in Oregon to create sustainable Bike For Life programs.
“Just here in K-Falls they’ve got trailers, they’ve got bikes, they’ve got amazing volunteers,” Corson said. “This is easily something that they can do next year independently.”
Oliver Coslet, 9, learned to ride a bicycle at the camp, and had taken to riding the adjacent dirt trail without assistance, which he called the “bike road.”
“I used to think I’d get on it, and it would immediately go like this,” he said of the bicycle, gesturing downward with his hands. “It’s kind of like how a hoverboard works. If you’re not constantly moving it’s going to lean one way.”
Oliver said he’d gained a lot more confidence, but wasn’t quite ready to take the bike to the streets.
Amy Nickell has watched kids grow as riders since Bike For Life’s Redmond inception in 2016. She said having youth volunteer for the program really helps the riding process for some of the children.
“It helps that peer-to-peer relationship,” she said. When she ran a mentor program, she would tell the young volunteers, “You’re the cool ones. I’m the fuddy duddy, so you’re going to get a lot more out of them.”
Malachai Fuller, 15, was learning to ride a bike with the assistance of his two brothers who serve as volunteers. He said that by the end of the camp, he would be able to ride a bike independently, but expressed doubts about his ability to do so during the Thursday, Aug. 25.
According to Taylor, Malachai accomplished independent riding by the end of the day.
“Our overall goal is to ensure that all people, no matter their ability level, have access to a lifetime of physical activities,” Corson said. He said that for youth, biking is one of the best ways to achieve that. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/klamath-falls-children-learn-to-ride-with-bike-for-life/article_3e8ac15c-2569-11ed-9868-9f5cba5dfe4d.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:23Z |
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The Klamath Tribes Youth Council are, sitting, from left, Co-Chair Leilonnie Wilson, Co-Chair Orville Schroeder, Secretary Alivia Miller, Treasurer Weeyaya Brown and Media Director Adriahna Blackwater; and standing, from left, Members-at-Large Tashina Matt-Collier, Natasha Roberson, Catherine Terrell, Lance Stone, Maggie Hicks, Maxwell Kimbol, Shayla Ochoa and Shakyla Jackson
Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin tribal members ages 12 to 24 took part in the sixth annual Klamath Youth Youth Tribes Summit from Aug. 9-11 at Oregon Tech.
The Klamath Tribes Youth Council are, sitting, from left, Co-Chair Leilonnie Wilson, Co-Chair Orville Schroeder, Secretary Alivia Miller, Treasurer Weeyaya Brown and Media Director Adriahna Blackwater; and standing, from left, Members-at-Large Tashina Matt-Collier, Natasha Roberson, Catherine Terrell, Lance Stone, Maggie Hicks, Maxwell Kimbol, Shayla Ochoa and Shakyla Jackson
Oregon Tech
Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin tribal members ages 12 to 24 took part in the sixth annual Klamath Youth Youth Tribes Summit from Aug. 9-11 at Oregon Tech.
Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin tribal youth ages 12 to 24 years old participated in the sixth annual Klamath Tribes Youth Summit from Aug. 9-11, for a residential camp at the Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech). The event is a partnership between the Klamath Tribes and Oregon Tech and provides youth an opportunity to participate in workshops and activities meant to encourage leadership and educational opportunities.
At the opening of the event, Oregon Tech President Nagi Naganathan shared, “This year’s theme, Empowering Our Youth, acknowledges the responsibility we have as leaders to create opportunities for you [the youth] to grow and develop characteristics and life skills that will help you create a happier and healthier life for yourself and your loved ones.”
To facilitate discussion and teamwork for the attendees, two days of workshops were led by Klamath Tribes members and Oregon Tech staff. They included:
• Identity: Learning to uncover who we are through a cultural lens
• Stop the Bleed: Lifesaving skills
• Traditional Game of Shinny
• Art and Culture
• Encouraging and Overcoming Stereotypes
• Youth Council 101
• Respiratory Care Simulation
• Cultural Diversity
• Civil Engineering Introduction
• Oregon Tech/Klamath Community College Welding Program Demonstration
Klamath Tribes General Manager George B. López shared, “The youth involved in the summit showed great leadership skills and offered a glimpse into the bright future of tribes in Oregon. They participated in workshops, listened to speakers such as President Naganathan, and were offered the opportunity to be elected to the Klamath Tribal Youth Council.”
The Klamath Tribal Youth Council represents the Klamath and Modoc Tribes and the Yahooskin Snake Band of Paiute Indians of Southern Oregon and Northern California. After learning about the youth council during the event, candidates presented their speeches on day three and voting was held. The 2022-23 Klamath Tribes Youth Council was elected and will proudly represent the tribal youth of Klamath County and the Klamath Tribes for the next year.
Elected at the event were Adriahna Blackwater, Weeyaya Brown, Maggie Hicks, Shakyla Jackson, Maxwell Kimbol, Tashina Matt-Collier, Alivia Miller, Shayla Ochoa, Natasha Roberson, Orville Schroeder, Lance Stone, Catherine Terrell and Leilonnie Wilson.
“I am always reenergized when I see youth taking a positive leadership role in the community and particularly with their respective tribe,” López said. “I want to thank all the staff that helped organize, support, and execute an excellent Klamath Tribal Youth Summit.”
Oregon Tech Diversity and Belonging Assistant Director Shawni Cayetano-Ramos and Klamath Tribes Education and Employment Department Youth Transition Specialist Aralia Blackwater organized the event on behalf of Oregon Tech and the Klamath Tribes.
“We want to thank everyone who made this event happen,” said Blackwater. “Will Hess and the prevention staff, Sheea Scott from education and employment, and the team at Oregon Tech including Shawni, Thomas Arce, and Dr. Jennifer Wilson.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/klamath-tribes-youth-summit-at-oregon-tech-highlights-empowering-klamath-modoc-and-yahooskin-youth/article_c44a4d6a-2566-11ed-9ea0-037d91ba9253.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:35Z |
Police and federal prosecutors are warning about the debut of “rainbow fentanyl” in Oregon.
Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid linked to many of of the more than 107,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2021 — a dubious, all-time record.
Police and federal prosecutors are warning about the debut of “rainbow fentanyl” in Oregon.
Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid linked to many of of the more than 107,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2021 — a dubious, all-time record.
Rainbow fentanyl is a brightly and multi-color version of the drug — which can be 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
Police in Oregon as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney’s Office for Oregon report rainbow fentanyl showing up in Portland.
They are concerned about the opioid showing up in other parts of the state. Cops and prosecutors said the drug can look like sidewalk chalk or candy and they worry about it being ingested by children. Police in other U.S. states and regions have also reported the rainbow drug’s appearance.
“We urge all Oregonians to be on the lookout for fentanyl in our community and respect the highly-toxic nature of this substance,” said Steve Mygrant, chief of the narcotics and criminal enterprises unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “Fentanyl is commonly disguised in fake prescriptions pills. If you find or come in contact with pills not dispersed by a licensed pharmacist, assume they are fake and potentially lethal. Fake pills are indistinguishable from real pills.”
The synthetic drug is often produced in China and trafficked into the U.S. by drug cartels and criminal syndicates via Mexico.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we face today,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Jacob D. Galvan from the Seattle Field Division. “It doesn’t matter what color, shape or form it comes in; just two milligrams of fentanyl – the equivalent of 10 to 15 grains of salt — is enough to kill someone. DEA’s Portland Office is seizing record amounts of fentanyl and we will continue this important work because we know American lives are at stake.”
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/cops-rainbow-fentanyl-showing-up-in-oregon/article_3a330b70-2580-11ed-a6b9-23117a293703.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:41Z |
More than 50 bones were found in an Oregon woods during a search Aug. 16 and 17. However, they were determined to be not of “human origins,” according to the Oregon State Police.
An image generated by police of a young woman whose body was found in Oregon woods in 1978. Her identity has never been cofirmed.
Oregon State Police
More than 50 bones were found in an Oregon woods during a search Aug. 16 and 17. However, they were determined to be not of “human origins,” according to the Oregon State Police.
Oregon State Police
Police investigators searched a three-acre site in Oregon for clues to the identify of young woman whose body was found in 1978.
Oregon investigators are looking for new help in an old cold case involving a young woman whose body found in the woods in 1978.
The Oregon State Police and Union County Search and Rescue team are looking again at the 44-year-old unsolved mystery near La Grande.
The young woman, whose body was recovered in “wooded hillside”, has never been identified.
Police detectives, forensics specialists and the State Medical Examiner’s Office are looking to change that after seeing some recent interest in an area of Union County by trained cadaver dogs.
More than 50 bones were found during a three acre search Aug. 16 and 17 of a rural property “around the original burial site,” according to OSP. But those bones were not of “human origin,” according to police.
Investigators had hoped to find some DNA evidence that could help identify the woman and the circumstances of her death. Her body was found Aug. 27, 1978. Police continue to welcome the public’s help in solving the mystery of the Finley Creek Jane Doe.
Anyone who might have information on this case is asked to contact the Oregon State Police Dispatch at 800-442-0776 and reference case #SP78-752103.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System — NamUs is a national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified and unclaimed person cases across the United States. The case profile for this unidentified female can be found under Unidentified Person profile #UP11902 at tinyurl.com/HN-Cold-Case. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/police/cold-case-oregon-police-find-animal-bones-but-no-new-leads-in-death-of-young/article_8dbc16ce-256c-11ed-b547-d328de4d3f05.html | 2022-08-27T04:10:47Z |
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Anne Udall, front, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, says that the organization’s clinics have seen an uptick in demand from residents of states with abortion bans. In back left to right: Gov. Kate Brown, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, state Rep. Andrea Valderrama and Katie Jo Jackson, manager of the Planned Parenthood clinic in southeast Oregon.
Abortion providers in Oregon have seen a recent rise in demand for abortions from women from states that have adopted bans or are in the process of doing so, officials said at a news conference on Thursday.
“We are seeing people from almost every red state in the country right now – Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Idaho, any state that has a ban, we’re seeing patients,” said Anne Udall, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette. Planned Parenthood accounts for three-quarters of the abortions in Oregon, according to company officials. Its clinic in Bend has seen stepped-up demand in part because it’s one of the only options now for many women in Idaho and eastern Oregon seeking abortions.
Last week, a woman took a $1,200 taxi ride from Boise to the Bend clinic for an abortion, Udall said at the news conference.
“Let me reassure you, she will be reimbursed,” Udall said. “There are a lot of funds out there to help people who are seeking abortion care.”
In February, the state Legislature approved $15 million to ensure that patients in Oregon and elsewhere can access abortions in the state. Oregon has no limits on abortions, and, by law, the procedures are free. But on Thursday, “trigger” laws went into effect in Idaho, Tennessee and Texas, banning almost all abortions following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. The Idaho, Texas and Tennessee laws have provisions to prosecute medical providers for performing or helping women obtain abortions.
“This ban is cruel, and it forces physicians in an impossible position to make a choice between following and honoring their oath or risking criminalization and jail time,” Udall said.
The three West Coast states – Oregon, Washington and California – guarantee abortion rights, though California and Washington have some restrictions while Oregon does not.
Gov. Kate Brown, who was also at the news conference, has created a pact with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, all Democrats, to protect patients and providers. Inslee recently issued a directive prohibiting law enforcement in his state from cooperating with out-of-state investigations, and Newsom has signed legislation that protects patients and providers from out-of-state investigations.
Brown has not done the same but she said that patient records are private in Oregon and indicated that providers would be protected.
“My extradition tools are sufficiently broad to ensure that I have the tools that I need to protect both physicians and patients,” Brown said.
She said she’s been in talks with the Biden administration, Inslee and female Democratic governors about any future action to protect abortion rights.
“I will continue to work with my colleagues up and down the West Coast and across the country to ensure that people across these United States of America will continue to access this fundamental right,” Brown said.
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, who was also at the news conference, said privacy protections need to be addressed at the federal level. She also said she’s pursuing legislation to ensure that the Federal Trade Commission investigates crisis pregnancy centers for false advertising. These centers offer pregnancy testing and counseling while trying to persuade women against abortions. Bonamici called them “fake clinics” that “often mislead people who are seeking accurate information.”
“They think they’re at a health clinic and they’re not,” Bonamici said. “There is false and misleading information coming out of these crisis pregnancy centers.”
Bonamici has been a champion behind the Women’s Health Protection Act, which passed the U.S. House but has not been taken up by the U.S. Senate. The act would protect abortion rights.
For now, the U.S. is a patchwork of laws, and patients are confused about what to do to access care, Udall said.
Planned Parenthood closed its Boise center this past spring, and has hired more staff in Bend. The organization also leased clinic space in Ontario on the Idaho border to serve women in that state and in eastern Oregon. Residents there used to go to Boise for abortions.
Udall said the company had found a contractor and planned to start renovations on the facility immediately. She gave no indication of when it might open or its capacity.
“We don’t know exactly the numbers we’re expecting,” Udall said. “We will wait and see. We’re going to offer a full range of sexual reproductive health care. We want to work in partnership with existing health care providers in the area.”
She said the Bend clinic will shoulder the uptick in demand for abortions from Idaho and eastern Oregon until the Ontario center opens. About one-third of Oregon residents are affected by the Idaho ban, Udall said.
Planned Parenthood offers surgical and medication abortions. Planned Parenthood is setting up a telehealth network to make it easier for women far from a clinic to undergo an abortion by taking a prescribed pill. Providers can consult with patients electronically and they can take the pill at home. But Oregon providers cannot prescribe the pills to patients out-of-state. They have to have an Oregon address.
Only about one-third of the abortions at Planned Parenthood are surgical; the rest are prompted by medication.
The clinic in southeast Portland, Elsie H. Hillman East Portland Health Center, is Planned Parenthood’s largest facility, with 12 exam rooms. It used to offer same day appointments. Now it’s booked two weeks out, manager Katie Jo Jackson told the Capital Chronicle after the news conference.
The clinic only provides medication abortions, and many of its patients are low-income and on Medicaid, the free health care insurance offered by the state and federal government. The facility is expected to shoulder some of the uptick in demand from out-of-state residents, Udall said. As an example, Jackson said the Portland clinic recently served a woman from Texas who had trouble obtaining contraceptive care.
Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon has also seen an uptick in patients seeking abortions, Udall said.
“Both affiliates across the board are seeing more people from out of state,” Udall said. “This is only the beginning.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/out-of-state-patients-seek-abortion-care-in-oregon/article_400e32aa-256b-11ed-9e6c-5fac526c447a.html | 2022-08-27T04:11:06Z |
LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT — Visitors to Lava Beds National Monument will face temporary road closures and delays as a project to pave park roads continues.
In addition, the road work will continue to impact park sites.
LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT — Visitors to Lava Beds National Monument will face temporary road closures and delays as a project to pave park roads continues.
In addition, the road work will continue to impact park sites.
According to a park update, as the paving project heads south from Lava Beds’ main entrance there will be temporary closures and disruptions to some of the park’s sites throughout the next several weeks.
Visitors are encouraged to keep updated by visiting the park’s website at www.nps.gov/labe or by calling the visitor center during business hours at 530-667-8113.
Among current and upcoming impacts:
• Valentine Cave Road and Skull Cave Road will be temporarily closed while the pavement is removed and replaced. It is expected the closures will last only a few days at each site. The Merrill Cave Road is currently closed due to ongoing work resulting from last fall’s Antelope Fire along with the repaving project.
• Indian Well Campground will remain accessible during the repaving of the campground access road. Traffic control will be provided on the access road during the hours when pavement work is being done. The two loops in the campground will not be paved this year, only the access road.
• There will be closures to the visitor center parking lot and Cave Loop Road in September. Work is expected to begin in these areas Sept. 6. During this time, visitors are asked to park at the Indian Well Cave parking lot and walk up the pathway to access the visitor center. Work in these areas is expected to last through September.
• To accommodate park staffing at the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair, which runs from Sept. 8 to 11, the visitor centers at Lava Beds and Tule Lake National Monuments will be closed. ”Please come and visit us at the fair!”
During the course of the project visitors should expect:
• Possible delays up to 30 minutes in the construction zone. Work will generally be done from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Work will not typically occur on weekends and holidays.
• Obey instructions by flaggers on the road and watch for the pilot car before traveling through the construction zone.
• Remain in your vehicle when waiting for the pilot car.
• Obey posted speed limits.
• Refrain from parking around barriers that mark closed sections of the roads. Access is needed for construction and safety vehicles.
Visitors without an Interagency or park annual pass can pay the entrance fee at the entrance station when staffed, at the visitor center when open, or via cash at the self-pay kiosk outside the visitor center, which will be accessible throughout the repaving.
During the project, park officials note, “We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout the construction process.”
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A third cattle death caused by a wolf near Doak Mountain has been confirmed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In a case investigated Wednesday, Aug. 24, ODFW spokesmen said the previous evening staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Service found the carcass of an approximately 250-pound, two-month-old calf in a 36,000-acre private land allotment. It is estimated the calf died about 36 hours before the investigation.
An examination determined muscle tissue was missing from the calf’s chest and hindquarters but the hide was most intact. In addition, pre-mortem bite scrapes were found on its lower left should “with large areas of pre-mortem hemorrhage and tissue damage on the left shoulder and right hind leg above the hock.”
According to ODFW, “The severity, size and locations of these wounds are consistent with injuries to calves attacked by wolves.”
The depredation is attribute to OR103, a wolf described by ODFW as an adult male that was originally captured and GPS radio collared southeast of Bend in February 2021. It later dispersed into northern California and remained there until returning to Oregon’s Klamath County in July.
OR103 is also believed by ODFW as responsible for two other cattle deaths in the Doak Mountain area. Both of those incidents happened in mid-August on the same private land allotment. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/third-cattle-kill-discovered-near-doak-mountain/article_6348fd94-256c-11ed-8d72-afbf977e23dd.html | 2022-08-27T04:11:18Z |
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Oregon Tech forward John Sarna, foreground, reacts after a goal against Corban University last season. Sarna, a three-time All-Cascade Collegiate Conference selection, needs seven points to become OIT’s all-time leading scorer.
Oregon Tech forward John Sarna, foreground, reacts after a goal against Corban University last season. Sarna, a three-time All-Cascade Collegiate Conference selection, needs seven points to become OIT’s all-time leading scorer.
First-year Oregon Tech coach Sean McManamon inherits a men’s soccer team that was the most prolific in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, with their 52 goals the most in program history.
With the club returning four of six starters in the midfield and attack areas, plus outstanding depth at each position, the Owls have the firepower to make a deep run in the postseason.
The team heads into 2022 riding a 14-match unbeaten streak – with departing seniors, Jake Mitchell and Anthony Santillan, big parts of the run. Mitchell was a three-time All-CCC selection in the midfield and led the Owls with 10 goals last season, while Santillan scored nine goals and nabbed his first all-league honors.
The cupboard is not bare – as 13 players with quality experience return at either a forward or midfield spot.
Returning starter DeShone Myles is the glue to the group in the defensive midfield spot The sophomore stands at 6-foot-3 and has the versatility to win balls in the air, stop an attack, or play a ball forward.
“I like a ‘6’ that can hold things down and stop a counter as a clean sheet is the most important thing,” McManamon said. “Someone who is an anchor piece that two guys can work off of and be free flowing – giving our front three an opportunity to get in-behind lines.”
Competition in the central midfield will be fierce, as returning starter Cade O’Neill is joined by junior Dylan Nakagawa, who missed most of last season due to injury. O’Neill scored three goals and added three assists, with Nakagawa expected to be key to the Owls distribution.
“We have a lot of experience in the midfield, guys who know what it takes to raise a trophy” McManamon stated. “We have guys who can work the flank and get up and down the line and read what our opponent gives us and find the counter.”
Look for returners Richy Valadez and Kevin Rodriguez to get extended minutes early in the season after playing in reserve roles in 2021. Freshman Pedro Rodrigues has high level experience from his club days in Brazil.
“It’s great to have Dylan back and hitting his stride after missing most of last year,” the new coach said. “He will be key in the midfield. Kevin and Richy are able to open things up with creativity.”
The Owls will be dangerous on the outside, as three-time All-CCC pick, John Sarna, is back for his senior season, along with sophomore Andrew Pasang – both key during the 2021 postseason run. The 6-foot-5 Sarna led OIT with seven assists last season and needs seven points to become Tech’s all-time leading scorer. Pasang was equally impressive, scoring two goals with four assists and is coming off an outstanding spring season.
“Sarna is a big piece to have back and Pasang gives us some craftiness and flair – allowing us to isolate players and go one-on-one,” McManamon said. “They are extremely dangerous and dynamic and are fun to watch.”
Three juniors and a freshman will battle for minutes in winger roles – as Sean Burcin, Ellis Harwood and Hunter Hoogerwerf combined to make 26 appearances in 2021. Logan Miller, an all-state selection from Juneau, Alaska, has also had a solid training camp.
At the point, Arthur Proost was slotted as the go-to player, after scoring five goals during his first season with the squad. However, the sophomore will be sidelined during the early season – allowing three others to make the most of the opportunity. Transfer Rosendo “Piso” Juarez-Flores, an All-Northwest Athletic Conference transfer from Rogue Community College, has been impressive in camp, with junior Matthew Shirley and sophomore Britton Ullan battling for minutes.
Tech will have four opportunities to find the right combination before their conference opener on the road Sept. 16 at Evergreen. The Owls will play non-conference matchups at Simpson (Aug. 28), a neutral-site contest in La Grande vs. Jamestown (Sept. 2) and a home date vs. Menlo (Sept. 12). | https://www.heraldandnews.com/sports/oregon-tech-mens-soccer-team-hopes-to-keep-the-offense-flowing/article_0d5f02f4-2597-11ed-ab7a-5feb03875e72.html | 2022-08-27T04:11:31Z |
Ashley Ripplinger tied a career-high with 15 kills and Nicole Reyes added a double-double, helping Oregon Tech close out non-conference play with a four-set victory over Menlo College at the William Jessup Invitational in Rocklin, Calif.
Ripplinger had seven kills in the fourth set alone, as the Lady Owls (3-3) claimed a 25-17, 25-17, 26-28, 25-16 win.
“Nice to see us play at a higher level for longer periods of time,” OIT coach Dr. Ken Murczek said. “Some great individual performances, but we will need to reset and get focused for the start of conference play next weekend.”
OIT dominated the first two sets to take a commanding lead in the match. Aces from Aubrey Kievit, Paige Tevelde and Alicia Volk highlighted a 11-3 start to the opening set, with Ripplinger adding three kills in an identical 11-3 run to start Set 2.
The Oaks (4-2) survived Set 3 – rallying from a 21-16 to even the score at 24-24 on a Janet Moala kill and claimed the win on a Bea Manzon ace.
Set 4 was tight, with a Moala kill pulling Menlo within 15-14. Ripplinger answered with back-to-back kills, starting a 10-2 OIT push to end the match.
Ripplinger did not commit an attack error in 25 swings, hitting at a 60% clip, with Reyes recording 18 kills, 14 digs and three blocks. Tevelde had 23 assists and eight digs, with Kievit leading the way with 20 digs – and the duo combining for five aces.
Gabby Mackenzie led the Oaks with 11 kills and Julia Tena had 27 digs – but Menlo was limited by the OIT defense to a .118 hitting percentage.
The Lady Owls open Cascade Collegiate Conference play at home on Friday, Sept. 2, hosting Lewis-Clark State at 7 p.m. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/sports/oregon-tech-volleyball-team-wraps-up-non-conference-play-with-victory/article_fd8f77b6-257b-11ed-a1fd-cb9168842f6c.html | 2022-08-27T04:11:37Z |
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Tickets are currently on sale for the 2022 Howard Morris Oregon Tech Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
The event is scheduled for Sept. 24 at the Ross Ragland Theater in Klamath Falls at 3 p.m. (with a social hour beginning at 2 p.m.). Cost for the event is $15 and attendees are asked to dress business casual.
Legendary coach Danny Miles will be inducted alongside three former student-athletes – basketball standouts Carmen (Arroquero) Morgan and Dave Carrigan, along with baseball star Dave Hummel. Longtime radio broadcaster Bobby Thompson and the 1973-74 men's basketball team round out the 2022 Hall of Fame class.
The OIT Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2021 and is named in honor of Morris, the architect of Hustlin' Owl sports – a longtime baseball, football and wrestling coach, athletic director and chair of the physical education department, all part of a career at Tech that spanned 30 years.
Miles joins the Hall of Fame after a record-setting 45-year career at OIT – coaching men's basketball, baseball, football and women's softball. As the leader of the Hustlin' Owl men's basketball program, the Medford native won 1,040 games, including 10 30-win seasons – with his teams winning 14 conference titles, nine conference/district tournament titles and made 17 appearances at the NAIA National Championships. The College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee led OIT to three national titles (2004, 2008, 2012), while also leading the softball team to their first-ever NAIA National Tournament appearance in 1997. He was honored as NAIA Coach of the Year in 2004, 2008 and 2012, while also earning conference/district honors 10 times.
Miles' 1973-74 basketball team became OIT's first-ever District 2 champion, defeating George Fox, 55-54, in the title game. Led by Carrigan and Herb McEachin, the Owls were co-champions of the Evergreen Conference with Central Washington and Eastern Washington and established a new district record for points in a game, scoring 127 in a win over Western Baptist. Tech was unbeaten against District 2 opponents and finished the season 24-5 after losing to Gardner-Webb in the first-round of the national tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
Morgan enters the Hall of Fame as the most decorated women's basketball player in program history, with her records established nearly 40 years ago still untouched. During her four years with the Lady Owls (1982-86), the Bonanza product scored 2,049 points and grabbed 1,276 rebounds – both still the OIT school records – as are the 603 points scored during the 1985 season and the 370 rebounds in 1986. The 4-time All-District 2 selection holds the school records with 38 points (against George Fox in 1985) and 27 rebounds (against George Fox in 1986) in a game and became OIT's first-ever women's basketball All-American in 1985. Morgan was inducted into the Cascade Conference Athlete Hall of Fame in 2003 and has served as a faculty member at Tech since 1989.
Carrigan was key to the Owls success in the 1970s, as the Central Point native was a two-time All-Evergreen Conference and two-time NAIA NAIA District 2 selection – scoring 1,098 points, adding 420 rebounds and 365 assists in his three seasons from 1971-74. During his senior season, Carrigan averaged 16.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in helping Tech to the district crown, earning All-Little Northwest and honorable mention All-America honors.
Hummel was a two-sport standout at OIT from 1972-75, competing with Carrigan in basketball – but most-known for his exploits on the baseball diamond. After one season at Oregon State, the local product returned to the Basin and had a record-setting career at Tech – where he was the 3-time Evergreen Conference Player of the Year, earning first-team ABCA All-America honors in 1974 and honorable mention NAIA All-America honors in 1975. Hummel hit .434 for his career – including a school-record .445 as a senior, adding 25 doubles, 51 walks and 72 RBI.
Thompson has the most recognizable voice in OIT history, serving as the Voice of the Hustlin' Owls for four decades. The longtime Klamath Falls native joined the staff at Tech in 1990, handling play-by-play duties for football and basketball, while assuming the sports information director role in 1993 – a job he held for 14 years. He has been on the radio call for four OIT national championship victories (2004/2008/2012 men's basketball and 2011 softball) and will begin his 56th year behind the microphone this winter, his 33rd season with the Owls. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/sports/tickets-available-for-oits-hall-of-fame-ceremony/article_d9a2c84c-259b-11ed-9631-eb5d2d79a404.html | 2022-08-27T04:11:49Z |
School districts discuss health safety as students return to class
School districts in St. Clair and Sanilac counties are taking measures to keep students healthy as the new school year approaches.
Students in both counties are starting the school year fully in-person and mask free. However, maintaining student health has been a forefront topic for school districts, especially in relation to flu season, COVID-19 and the newest virus, Monkeypox.
Marysville Public Schools will have its classes be taught in-person without masks. However, students and staff who wish to wear a mask will be allowed to. Superintendent Shawn Wightman said the health of Marysville Public Schools’ students and staff will always be an important topic.
“During the pandemic, we were very concerned about our staff and students’ health and wellbeing in the district,” he said.
In 2021, the district opened a wellness clinic that employed a full-time nurse and social worker. The nurse rotates between buildings five days a week. In addition to checking in on students’ health, the nurse also provides vaccinations.
“We’re grateful and thankful to have a nurse in our district,” Wightman said.
Marysville Public Schools will also be diligent in its sanitizing and disinfecting efforts, especially considering Monkeypox. Wightman said the district has had disinfecting experts come into its building multiple times a week to keep surfaces clean.
Croswell-Lexington will also have in-person instruction this year. Although it won’t be required, students have the option to wear masks inside the school buildings. Superintendent Colette Moody said Cros-Lex tracks student immunization rates, and student health is something the district watches closely.
“We’re always in touch with the health department and following mandates if something happens” Moody said.
Moody said COVID-19 gave the district the opportunity to reevaluate its cleaning and sanitizing procedures. The district has hand sanitizer stations throughout its schools. Additionally, the district teaches its younger students the importance of hand washing before meals and after using the restroom.
Cros-Lex does not have virtual learning options for its elementary and middle schools. However, Moody said it will be an option for high schoolers in the district because it provides access to broader courses.
East China School District is fully back to in-person instruction with facemasks optional for students. The district is implementing similar efforts to other districts to ensure student health. Superintendent Susanna Cybulla said the district will be continuing to use cleaning protocols it used during the peak of the pandemic.
“We’ll continue doing what we have been doing to keep our students safe and healthy,” she said.
Additionally, East China will be using the air purifier system it obtained last year to incorporate as much fresh air into school building as possible. Cybulla said East China will maintain steps to have a happy and healthy school year.
East China Virtual Learning Academy is available for students as well.
Port Huron Area Schools will not be requiring masks for the 2022-23 school year. No further comment was provided to the Times Herald.
Health Department weighs in
Washing hands and disinfecting surfaces is only two ways people can keep themselves healthy. Liz King, director-health officer for the St. Clair County Health Department, aid keeping up to date on vaccinations will help people stay healthy.
“Vaccinations can save lives, are safe, effective and protects others,” she said in an email.
King said parents and schools can keep students healthy in similar ways in regards to vaccines. Parents can speak to their family doctor to ensure their children are up to date with vaccines. Doctors will also answer any questions or concerns parents have.
Schools can promote the recommended vaccine schedule, which will also ensure school requirements are met. Schools can also work with their local health department by asking questions, provide training to staff and have credible information available.
“The Health Department is also a great resource and staff are highly knowledgeable on all vaccines,” King said in an email. “Follow credible vaccine sources of information as misinformation is so easy to find.”
According to the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, the vaccine rate in children under 18 have decreased across the state. St. Clair County reflects the trend, with the vaccination rate of children between 19 and 35 months dropping from 52.4% in 2021 to is 48.6% in 2022.
For children between 13 and 17, the vaccination rate has dropped slightly from 33.7% in 2021, to 33.2% in 2022.
“According to Michigan Department of Health & Human Services 2022 data, thus far, St. Clair County is ranked 62 out of 84 counties for 19–35-month-olds and 77 out of 84 counties for 13–17-year-olds,” King said in an email.
The data was received from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry. In this data set, Detroit was counted as another county.
As of August 22, Michigan has 143 confirmed or probable Monkeypox cases. Only one case is confirmed in St. Clair County.
Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com or (810) 292-0122. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/08/27/school-districts-discuss-student-health-with-upcoming-school-year/65418656007/ | 2022-08-27T04:30:42Z |
'Something I'll never forget': Port Huron community relishes day at The Big House
ANN ARBOR — Dan Perkins had been here before. So had Amauri Haller.
But they'd never experienced anything like this. And when the Port Huron football team left the bowels of the 94-year-old building, it hit them all at once.
"My favorite part was walking out of that tunnel," said Haller, Port Huron's quarterback. "Just seeing the field open up and how big it is — it was amazing. I loved it."
"The prior experience of being here kind of lessened it for a minute," said Perkins, Port Huron's coach. "Until we went down the tunnel. I was like, 'Oh my gosh. We're about to go out on the field.' That was something I'll never forget. Having the team behind me, I looked back at the kids and was like, 'Can you believe this?' It was really, really cool."
The Big Reds opened the 2022 season against Grand Rapids Catholic Central at Michigan Stadium on Friday as part of the "Battle at the Big House." While they ultimately fell, 54-0, that isn't what they'll remember. Instead, it'll be the memories they shared with the Port Huron community.
"With all of our people around, it was just super awesome," Perkins said. "My family was down the field and we got some pictures. It was just an incredible experience."
In addition to Port Huron's football team, the school's marching band, cheerleading squad and dance team were also in attendance. All three performed on the field at halftime.
"It was pretty exhilarating," said Griffin Dano, the marching band's drum major. "It was a lot like being back home, just on a much bigger scale."
"One of my favorite parts from our show isn't even part of our show," said Brooklyn Megie, a section leader with the band. "It's the student section cheering for us. Because that means the world to us. It makes us so happy. We're nervous, but (when) they do that we're ready to get out there and get going."
Port Huron's student section was, as usual, vocal all afternoon. Even when the game wasn't going their way, they continued to make noise. And the cheerleaders helped synchronize that energy.
"This was a very good opportunity for us to showcase our team in front of so many people," said Breanna Goch, a captain on the team. "I really enjoyed it."
The group's halftime routine was specifically tailored to the venue. But they didn't have a chance to practice it. So this was their one and only shot.
"That was all us just hoping the spacing was right," Goch said. "I loved (performing) in between our band and our dancers in the biggest stadium in the U.S. I'm very grateful to be here."
Siara Kidd had a baritone solo during the marching band's number. While nervous at first, she settled in as the day went on.
"Being able to cheer with your friends for the game, that's the best part," Kidd said. "And being able to play for the game and show our school pride."
After the game ended, members of all the Port Huron teams met with family and friends outside the stadium. Just about everyone was wearing red. Pizza was served and the gathering spilled into the parking lot.
The number of Port Huron faithful that made the trip stood out to Cheyenne Thrall, a captain on the cheer team. It was the highlight of the day in her opinion.
"(My favorite part) was how many people showed up," Thrall said. "It was very exciting to see all the people come and be part of this experience."
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/sports/2022/08/27/something-ill-never-forget-port-huron-relishes-day-the-big-house/65459019007/ | 2022-08-27T04:30:48Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- After the National Weather Service (NWS) in 2012 deemed Kailua a "Tsunami Ready Community," meaning residents are prepared and aware of proper evacuation protocol, the area neighborhood board has been pushing the city to install tsunami warning signs.
Neighborhood board chair Bill Hicks worries some of his community members may not know much about evacuation zones because, "you know it's important because, people don't look at the phone book very much anymore."
Despite repeated appeals, board members have grown frustrated with what they viewed as little action to put up signs.
"Despite the lack of visible progress in our community, there has been a lot of work being done behind the scenes," Honolulu Department of Emergency Management Hiro Toiya said.
Throughout the years, the department has been trying to secure funding for the signs -- and even ordered some a few years back.
However, Toiya told KITV4 the signs only accounted for one type of evacuation zone. There are two kinds, a regular one and an extreme one.
"The regular tsunami evacuation zone has about 80,000 resident population, where as the extreme tsunami evacuation zone has about 250,000 resident population," Toiya added.
Residents in the regular zone, closer to the water, must evacuate whenever there is a tsunami warning. But those in the extreme zone only have to evacuate if a warning is triggered after an 9.0 magnitude or higher earthquake in the Easter Aleutian Islands.
But some of the signs department has do not clearly indicate to residents in the extreme zone that they don't always have to evacuate during all tsunami warnings, Toiya said.
"So the problem with that is, those that are closest to the coastline and that are going to be more impacted by the tsunamis, they're going to be on the tail end of that traffic and their evacuation is going to be compromised as a result," Toiya explained. "We're going to use as many of the signs as we can from our previous efforts."
Luckily, the department received $800,000 from a federal grant to put up more than 70 evacuation signs aross Oahu's city and state beach parks.
There will also be about 260 along roadways, "and these signs will show when you're entering or leaving a tsunami hazard area," Toiya said.
The grant requires city leadership to match $200,000 and Toiya said the department is working with councilmembers to release those funds. Additionally, the department has to finish the project by November of next year.
"It's a rather short timeline, so we're trying to be very aggressive with our work," Toiya pledged.
The department plans to begin installing signs by the end of this year.
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/after-years-of-planning-pressure-from-community-city-to-install-tsunami-warning-signs-across-oahu/article_9c348988-25ae-11ed-ae92-479c9fe0d819.html | 2022-08-27T04:31:31Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- The Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) paramedic who suffered life-threatening injuries when the ambulance he was in caught fire continues to recover in the hospital.
A fellow paramedic started a GoFundMe fundraiser on Thursday for the injured paramedic, identified as Jeff Wilkinson. Jeff is 36 years old and has worked for EMS for 10 years.
The post states: "Jeff is an amazing human being and those that know him, know they can count on him through thick and thin. Jeff has performed his duties as a paramedic with the utmost integrity and desire to help those from all walks of life.
"He currently serves as a reliever paramedic and rotates through all the communities across Oahu. He has a long, long road to recovery and I humbly ask for your assistance so that he and his family are taken care of during these extremely tough times."
The fire started just after 8 p.m. on Wednesday, as the EMS crew was transporting a 91-year-old man to Adventist Health Castle in serious condition. Police said the patient had reported feeling ill and was having a hard time breathing.
EMS officials said as the ambulance pulled into the hospital's driveway, the back of the ambulance caught fire and quickly engulfed the vehicle.
Jeff had been in the back of the ambulance with the patient. He escaped and walked into the emergency room at Adventist Health Castle. He was then taken to Straub Medical Center's Burn Unit.
Officials said the EMT who was driving the ambulance escaped without injuries. He was not able to rescue the patient because the flames had already overcome the back of the vehicle. The patient died in the fire.
As of Friday afternoon, people had already donated nearly $85,000 -- money that will go to Jeff's wife and two young children.
For more information on the GoFundMe fundraiser for Jeff, click here.
Marisa Yamane joined KITV4 in January 2022 as an anchor and executive producer. She is an award-winning veteran journalist, who’s spent most of her career in Hawaii. She’s a proud graduate of Iolani School and UCLA. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/gofundme-fundraiser-set-up-for-honolulu-paramedic-injured-in-ambulance-fire/article_4cf9cd62-25b1-11ed-b848-eb6317ddc710.html | 2022-08-27T04:31:37Z |
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CHEYENNE – Gov. Mark Gordon’s education initiative has completed its statewide listening sessions and is currently preparing a series of policy recommendations.
Building on the momentum of a statewide survey that garnered in excess of 7,000 responses, the Governor’s Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education (RIDE) Advisory Group hosted 17 listening sessions with more than 200 attendees. Participants included parents, students, employers, district employees and community members.
Some of the most common feedback received during the listening sessions included support for more individualized approaches to learning, including more flexibility for students to move at their own pace, according to a news release.
Attendees also advocated for addressing standards and expanding options that prepare students for careers and life, approaches which align well with the "Profile of a Graduate" work that the State Board of Education is completing. Additional topics that were emphasized included an increase of focus on the early years before third grade, including pre-kindergarten; increasing mental health support for students and educators; and teacher preparation, retention and recruitment.
“We asked our citizens how they would improve Wyoming’s education system so we can better prepare students for successful careers in our changing world,” Gordon said in the release. “We heard a consistent message in both our small and large communities – they support their local teachers and want to maintain control. But we can do more to address challenges such as teacher retention, student engagement and the mental health of both students and staff members.”
The RIDE Advisory Group is currently identifying opportunities for innovative approaches based on implementation methods that are achievable and sustainable in order to equip Wyoming students for success in a rapidly changing world. RIDE’s work will include reviewing innovations within Wyoming, as well as other states and nations while conferring with experts and the State Board of Education to examine how these approaches might fit in Wyoming. A summary of policy recommendations will be available for public review later this fall.
“It is abundantly clear that we need to appreciate the uniqueness of each student; and to promote an educational system centered on preparing each student for a productive and fulfilling future consistent with that student’s dreams and abilities,” RIDE Chairman John Masters said.
More information on the RIDE Advisory Group is available at ride.wyo.gov. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/governor-s-education-initiative-prepares-recommendations-for-review/article_64d323d0-25b0-11ed-bb5f-c34152de881d.html | 2022-08-27T05:06:01Z |
CAUGHT ON CAM: Ohio trooper dives for safety after cruiser was struck by pickup truck
(CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - A state highway patrol trooper avoided significant injuries after an early-morning hit-and-run incident in northern Ohio.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol hopes the public can help identify the driver of a pickup truck, who struck the side of the trooper’s cruiser and continued driving.
The incident occurred Friday after 1:30 a.m. on I-475 near U.S. Route 23, according to the OSHP.
Dash camera video shows the trooper diving over the interstate guardrail after the cruiser was struck, while parked on the side with its emergency lights activated.
Investigators believe the pickup involved is a dark-colored truck with damage on the left side.
Anyone with information about the incident or vehicle involved can call the Ohio State Highway Patrol post at 419-856-5544.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/caught-cam-ohio-trooper-dives-safety-after-cruiser-was-struck-by-pickup-truck/ | 2022-08-27T05:13:13Z |
Pipeline operator agrees to guilty plea in California spill
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A pipeline operator and two subsidiaries agreed Friday to plead guilty to negligently discharging oil off the Southern California coast in connection with a pipeline break that covered beaches with blobs of crude.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles said in a statement that Houston-based Amplify Energy and two subsidiaries agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and pay a $7 million fine and nearly $6 million in expenses incurred by government entities, including the U.S. Coast Guard. The companies would also install a new leak detection system for pipeline and train employees to identify and respond to potential leaks, the statement said.
“Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to protect our communities and oceans from hazardous pollutants, including oil,” said Scot Adair, special agent in charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal investigation division in California. “Amplify Energy’s agreement to plead guilty today demonstrates that companies that negligently violate those laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”
The plea agreements still need to be approved by U.S. District Judge David Carter.
Amplify Energy, which owns the pipeline that ruptured, said the company has been cooperating with the investigation into the spill and is committed to operating safely.
“We believe this resolution, which is subject to court review and approval, reflects the commitments we made immediately following the incident to impacted parties,” Martyn Willsher, Amplify’s president, said in a statement.
The October 2021 leak in a pipeline that ferried crude oil from offshore platforms to the Southern California coast spilled about 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of oil into the Pacific Ocean.
While less severe than initially feared, the spill about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) offshore shuttered beaches in surf-friendly Huntington Beach and nearby communities for a week and fisheries for more than a month, oiled birds and threatened wetlands the region has been striving to restore.
“The Orange County oil spill was devastating for our environment, our community and our local businesses,” said state Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, who represents the area, in a statement.
U.S. prosecutors charged the companies late last year with the illegal discharge of oil and failure to respond to eight leak detection alarms over a 13-hour period that should have alerted them to the spill. The leak detection system alarm first sounded late in the afternoon on Oct. 1, but workers believed it was triggered by a change in the concentration of produced water in the pipeline earlier in the day, according to a copy of the plea agreement.
The alarm sounded repeatedly throughout the night and workers shut down the pipeline to investigate, then restarted it again. Before dawn on Oct. 2, a boat went out and traveled along the course of the undersea pipeline with flashlights but didn’t see signs of a leak, according to the agreement.
It wasn’t until a boat went out after daybreak that the spill was identified, the papers said.
In the plea agreement, Amplify contends that two ships dragged their anchors across the pipeline and damaged it during a January 2021 storm, but they weren’t notified until after the October 2021 spill. Without this damage, Amplify, which has filed a civil claim against the ships, has argued that the spill would not have happened.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/pipeline-operator-agrees-guilty-plea-california-spill/ | 2022-08-27T05:13:19Z |
WHSV EndZone - Top 3 Nominees: Week 1
Published: Aug. 27, 2022 at 12:43 AM EDT|Updated: 28 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Vote for which high school football play you think is the best from Week 1 of the 2022 season.
Watch the Top 3 Nominees from WHSV EndZone for Week 1 of the 2022 season here:
To vote for which play you think is the best, click here and scroll down until you see the poll.
The poll remains open until 5 p.m. Sunday. The winner will be revealed Sunday night on WHSV News at 6.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/whsv-endzone-top-3-nominees-week-1/ | 2022-08-27T05:13:26Z |
Given where she's been lately, it should come as no surprise that Megan Thee Stallion has chosen to dispense with pleasantries on her new album. The ferocity of Traumazine begins with its cover, which shows her visage in an emotive triplicate reminiscent of Cerberus, the three-headed hellhound of Greek mythology. In Dante's Inferno, Cerberus resides in the Third Circle of Hell with the gluttons, where he "rends the spirits, flays, and quarters them." As an executioner, Megan is more precise. On the Rico Nasty collaboration "Scary," she renders both her lyrical and physical form as a foreboding omen for her detractors: "Say my name like Candyman, and bitch, you know I'm there / These hoes wish they saw me when they lookin' in the mirror."
Megan is also used to being the life of every party. Her bawdy, unabashed 5'10" presence quickly won her devoted followers, and as her star rose she engaged in rowdy revelry with these loyal supporters at famed roving spaces called "Hottie Parties." She was so eager to please that base — the fans who helped elevate the carnal slow-burn "Big Ole Freak," from her 2018 EP Tina Snow, into her first bona fide hit — that she continued to perform as the good-time gal they had come to love even as she entered what would be the most traumatizing years of her life. Where her debut studio album, 2020's Good News, clanged against the public awareness of that turmoil, Traumazine leans into it: making space for ruminations and grief, managing the swirling emotions produced by years of acrimony and cathartically letting them rise to the surface. In reaching for a more confessional mode, she reaffirms her commitment to talking her talk.
At her best, Megan is a lyrical virtuoso who brings motion and menace to her self-reliant songs, crafting innovative rhyme schemes that both thrill and tantalize and then coating them in her seductive Houston drawl. She bares her teeth on the opening track, "NDA," weaving in and out of Memphis producer Hitkidd's hi-hat heavy production to make mincemeat of multi-syllabics: "They take all the hate that they got for me and they market it / When they shit ain't poppin', they usin' Megan for marketing /And they ain't got enough in they budget for me to talk to them." "Ungrateful," featuring Memphis rapper Key Glock, is in conversation with her cult-favorite "Still Tippin' Freestyle" — doubling down on the whiplashing flows of that verse, she swings her bars around the highs and lows of the melody. The ease with which Megan navigates collaborations with producers and rappers from Memphis only reinforces the strains of the one-time Three 6 Mafia member Gangsta Boo in her DNA. On "Who Me," she corrals Pooh Sheisty, another Memphis native, into form around skipping drums while she quips, "I feel like Biggie, who shot you? But everybody know who shot me, bitch."
Trauma is cyclical, especially when you are forced to process it before the world. Megan's string of accomplishments — three Grammy wins, two chart-topping records and a college degree — has been stymied by a series of misfortunes. In 2019, her mother, a stabilizing figure in her life, died from brain cancer. An ongoing dispute with her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, has complicated her career. But most pressingly, in 2020, she was shot in an incident involving the rapper and singer Tory Lanez, and the near-constant refutation of her version of events, in both the courtroom and the court of public opinion, has been an obvious drain of her energy. In the songs of Traumazine, she reckons with these events by probing at her own feelings, by returning to familiar haunts, and by reaffirming her skills as one of rap's bar-for-bar heavyweights.
The more introspective tracks, like "Anxiety," perform a sort of sleight of hand, expertly using upbeat production to cover darker material: "If I could write a letter to Heaven / I would tell my mama that I shoulda been listenin'/ And I would tell her sorry that I really been wildin' / And ask her to forgive me, 'cause I really been tryin'," she raps. It's a brave decision to expose her wounds, metaphorically or otherwise, as she has experienced repeated recriminations for that choice. But in this instance, she is not seeking to exonerate herself, but offering insight, showing that even one of rap's most self-confident women can be plagued by the deepest insecurities. "Not Nice" and "Plan B" dispense with the pretense of easing a listener into her frustrations, launching directly into the depths of what feel like venting sessions in a private journal: expletive-laden, unrestrained and uncouth.
For those who have long clamored for Meg to return to the charmingly commanding Foxy Brown-meets-Pimp C character work of Tina Snow, there is plenty of the sample-heavy, raunchy and nonchalant music that defined that era. This reset is exemplified by "Consistency," which uses a sample of The Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets" as cushion for breezy, brazen raps tailor-made for a late-night Instagram Stories caption. "Ms. Nasty" is a short and pithy return to erotic form, whipping her words around with the force of a lyrical domme. She playfully takes the reins of the beat, which bucks like a mechanical bull, as a clear demonstration of her undeniable control: "P-I-M-P, put it in my pocket / If it ain't 'bout my money or me nuttin', we ain't talkin'."
At a lengthy 18 tracks, some of the album's potency gets diluted by more inert moments. Its formulaic and unmemorable lead single, "Pressurelicious," showcases Future at his most asynchronous. "Sweetest Pie," which caps the album, is an abrupt tonal shift, and seems to serve little purpose beyond guaranteeing a streaming-inflated RIAA certification at the expense of cohesion. Similarly, "Star" is an unexpected and awkward intermission from Megan's more aggressively raunchy melodies.
But for every swing and miss, there is also a statement. Despite Meg's rapid ascent into popstar status, she always roars the loudest for the hometown that molded her, helped craft her sound, and continues to stand beside her. The Juicy J-produced "Southside Royalty Freestyle" stands out as an ode to the Third Coast, placing Megan amongst Houston mainstays Sauce Walka, Lil' Keke and Screwed Up Click's Big Pokey. "It takes 10 female artists to make a Megan Thee Stallion," Sauce Walka boasts on his outro, before reminding everyone of Lil Keke's heralded opening bars on the DJ Screw Houston classic "Pimp tha Pen": "I'm draped up and dripped out." The posse cut again reconnects Megan with the hometown sound, in what feels like a search for comfort. The reminder is necessary because she has grown into a pop-rap luminary, and elsewhere on the album, she stands resolutely in her reputation, as if posing for the cameras. "Her," a paint-by-numbers dance single that beats the Azealia Bankses of the world at their own game, plays like a statement of renewed purpose. In its verses, Megan slyly addresses any barb or insult that could be lobbied at her before the mud-slingers can even bother to hit send: "No matter what they do or say, it ain't no gettin' rid of me."
Megan joins a long line of women seeking agency through music — manifesting her anger, her resentment, and her full-bodied sexuality — attempting to define herself on her own terms after watching the public wrestle her story away from her, leaving her with the carnage. Listening to Traumazine brings to mind another time when one of the world's biggest pop darlings attempted to reclaim her power after a high-profile abuse scandal. For Rihanna, then a superstar in the making, the daring Rated R helped redefine her, changing her image and setting the tone for the rest of her career. While Traumazine is not the transformative pop revelation that Rated R was, it is absolutely a declaration, and at times, a provocation, one in line with her freestyle breakthrough. It is a testament to her skill that she displays such command; it is a shame that she even feels the need to prove herself once again.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-19/megan-thee-stallion-resets-her-terms-with-traumazine | 2022-08-27T05:18:38Z |
There is no major industrialized country in the world more dependent on Russian energy than Germany.
Natural gas, mostly from Russia, is used to power the country's manufacturing sector, and it heats nearly half of the country's households.
To Berlin-based entrepreneur Karolina Attspodina, it is an especially troubling reality, as the European energy crisis revealed how much Germany needs Russia's oil and gas exports to simply function.
"I'm pretty frustrated," said Attspodina, 34, who was born in Ukraine. "And it not just me. A lot of people are. How could we get to this stage that we're so reliant on somebody else, especially Russia?"
Last year, Attspodina co-founded a company to empower Germans to rely a bit less on Russian energy: She sells solar panels that can be installed on apartment balconies and garages.
Here's how it works: The solar panels collect energy from the sun, which is then sent to a device, known as a microinverter, that is plugged into a power socket. The energy from the panels then becomes the initial source of energy for the household, ahead of power from the grid.
By the most optimistic measure, her solar panels can save residents up to 25% on their utility bills.
When Putin's forces invaded Ukraine earlier this year, her crusade against Germany's reliance on Russian oil and gas become even more personal.
"I can see my people dying over at home. I still have family and friends there," Attspodina said.
Other Germans, meanwhile, realized that the invasion meant energy prices at home would soon rise.
The war spiked sales of her solar panels by 70%, she said.
"I wish it never happened in this way, but everyone really understood in a new way that we needed to be more independent in terms of energy," she said.
She is now racing to keep up. Even though regulations limit the amount of power her solar panels can generate, she has a backlog of 3,000 orders she is now trying to fill.
"This is a way for you to actually reduce your energy bill, but also reduce CO2 and help our climate crisis and obviously help the fact that we are reliant on the Russian gas," she said.
Dimming lights countrywide to save energy
Across Germany, the government is taking its own steps to try to reduce energy consumption: Dimming lights in public places; cranking down the heating of public pools; turning off water fountains — some cities are even considering turning off traffic lights in lightly populated areas.
Russia has been gradually sending less gas to Europe in response to Western sanctions. The critical Nord Stream 1 pipeline now sends just 20% of what it is capable of to Europe — some fear that Russia will turn off the taps completely this winter.
That would make a painful energy crunch even worse, said Fabian Ronningen, a senior analyst at Rystad Energy.
"The energy crisis will last as long as prices are very high and Germany remains reliant on Russian gas, which will not be a short-term thing," he said.
We Do Solar's sales bump, according to Ronningen, dovetails with residential solar panel purchases surging across Germany in response to the energy crisis.
Solar energy now accounts for around 9% of the electricity Germany consumes. Ronningen said residents installing more solar modules on balconies and rooftops is a welcome development, but there is no easy fix to solve the crisis.
"Consumers have to deal with these prices in the winter and also for the coming year," he said.
Solar is a boon for some, out of reach for others
In Berlin, one of Attspodina's customer, Leo von Bismarck, 40, a tech entrepreneur, recently installed the solar panels at his parents' place in the city's posh Mitte neighborhood.
Looking at the eight black panels attached to the outside of the balcony, von Bismarck said they were appealing because they double as a privacy screen. He is happy about the cost savings too.
"Some people are just paralyzed by the urge to do something, but at the same time not knowing how to do it," he said. "And this is really plug and play, to be honest. It's really as simple as that."
Easy for a von Bismarck say. For many Germans, at 1,300 euros, the cost of buying the cheapest set of solar modules is simply out of reach.
Like for Lydia Dietsch, a graphic designer in Berlin who said there is no way she could afford them.
At the same time, her utility bill recently delivered a nasty sticker shock. She lives with her partner and a roommate.
"Prices already increased from like 91 Euros per month to 410 per month," she said.
With solar panels out of reach and her energy bill soaring, Dietsch is taking shorter showers. Sometimes cold showers.
"I'm trying to avoid cooking with the gas oven and use other things instead," she added. "We have a grill."
Bracing for the coming winter, Dietsch said she might have no choice but to shiver her way through it.
"I'm afraid of winter. I don't know what will happen," she said. "We will just be in the cold rooms, I guess."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-23/as-germany-struggles-in-energy-crisis-more-turn-to-solar-to-help-power-homes | 2022-08-27T05:18:44Z |
Iowa parents offer reward to find fentanyl dealer after daughter overdoses
(CNN) - An Iowa couple is hoping to get justice for their daughter following a lethal overdose.
They are offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to the dealer who sold her the lethal drugs.
Robert and Karletha Gilliam are mourning the loss of their only child, 22-year-old Ciara, who died on Aug. 23rd.
“The preliminary investigation, it looked like an accidental overdose of fentanyl,” Robert Gilliam said.
The couple went on Facebook and made their first offer at $10,000, then $20,000 to whomever can identify the dealer’s name, address, and phone number.
“If we can save just one life or take one dealer off the streets or make an impact on someone’s life to stop what’s going on, then we are going to do that,” Robert Gilliam said.
“Many other families are going to suffer if something’s not done,” Arletha Gilliam said.
The couple admitted their daughter had substance abuse issues, but believes the reward is their effort to pay it forward.
“This is our gift back to her, so the next family doesn’t have to go through this,” Robert Gilliam said.
The couple said this is not about revenge, but about legal justice.
“Families are tired of losing their kids. Families are tired of losing their mothers, fathers, uncles, cousins,” Arletha Gilliam said.
For now, they hold on to each other and memories of their daughter.
“She was my heart, my soul,” Robert Gilliam said.
They urge everyone to talk with their children and let them know they are loved, because there is no guarantee there will be a tomorrow.
“You don’t know that one day they are not going to be there. It doesn’t matter if they have drug addiction, what they’re into. They are still your child so take care of them,” Robert Gilliam said.
The couple says any information they gather will be forwarded to the Des Moines Police Department.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/27/iowa-parents-offer-reward-find-fentanyl-dealer-after-daughter-overdoses/ | 2022-08-27T05:28:16Z |
Pipeline operator agrees to guilty plea in California spill
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A pipeline operator and two subsidiaries agreed Friday to plead guilty to negligently discharging oil off the Southern California coast in connection with a pipeline break that covered beaches with blobs of crude.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles said in a statement that Houston-based Amplify Energy and two subsidiaries agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and pay a $7 million fine and nearly $6 million in expenses incurred by government entities, including the U.S. Coast Guard. The companies would also install a new leak detection system for pipeline and train employees to identify and respond to potential leaks, the statement said.
“Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to protect our communities and oceans from hazardous pollutants, including oil,” said Scot Adair, special agent in charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal investigation division in California. “Amplify Energy’s agreement to plead guilty today demonstrates that companies that negligently violate those laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”
The plea agreements still need to be approved by U.S. District Judge David Carter.
Amplify Energy, which owns the pipeline that ruptured, said the company has been cooperating with the investigation into the spill and is committed to operating safely.
“We believe this resolution, which is subject to court review and approval, reflects the commitments we made immediately following the incident to impacted parties,” Martyn Willsher, Amplify’s president, said in a statement.
The October 2021 leak in a pipeline that ferried crude oil from offshore platforms to the Southern California coast spilled about 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of oil into the Pacific Ocean.
While less severe than initially feared, the spill about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) offshore shuttered beaches in surf-friendly Huntington Beach and nearby communities for a week and fisheries for more than a month, oiled birds and threatened wetlands the region has been striving to restore.
“The Orange County oil spill was devastating for our environment, our community and our local businesses,” said state Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, who represents the area, in a statement.
U.S. prosecutors charged the companies late last year with the illegal discharge of oil and failure to respond to eight leak detection alarms over a 13-hour period that should have alerted them to the spill. The leak detection system alarm first sounded late in the afternoon on Oct. 1, but workers believed it was triggered by a change in the concentration of produced water in the pipeline earlier in the day, according to a copy of the plea agreement.
The alarm sounded repeatedly throughout the night and workers shut down the pipeline to investigate, then restarted it again. Before dawn on Oct. 2, a boat went out and traveled along the course of the undersea pipeline with flashlights but didn’t see signs of a leak, according to the agreement.
It wasn’t until a boat went out after daybreak that the spill was identified, the papers said.
In the plea agreement, Amplify contends that two ships dragged their anchors across the pipeline and damaged it during a January 2021 storm, but they weren’t notified until after the October 2021 spill. Without this damage, Amplify, which has filed a civil claim against the ships, has argued that the spill would not have happened.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/27/pipeline-operator-agrees-guilty-plea-california-spill/ | 2022-08-27T05:28:22Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) - The Rainbow Warriors will go up against the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Clarence T.C. Ching Stadium. This is the first sold-out home game in 15 year with almost 10,000 people attending.
Super fan, Wayne Coito, said he has been to 73 UH football games – home and away consecutively since 2015. He hasn't missed a home game since 2006 with exceptions to games during the pandemic.
"This commitment has required me to go to Australia and Michigan back to back and flying over the whole creation to see Hawaii football. It’s a part of my life schedule,” said Coito.
Coito said he hopes to make it to 100 straight games which he believes will take him another three years to accomplish. He said UH Football is a part of his family's tradition and that his 91-year-old grandfather, John Ferreira, sat in the stands of the first game at the Aloha Stadium in 1975.
"I’ve been a fan for so long. I believe since before Larry Price and all the other coaches at that time," said John Ferreira.
University officials warn there will be heavier traffic in surrounding neighborhoods in both directions of the H-1 Freeway. Some also believe there will be traffic in various parts of island because many residents will be celebrating at restaurants, bars, parks and so on.
"There are a lot of people here that have been involved with UH football since the 80s, even earlier. They’ve seen coaching changing here and dealt with the pandemic. There is a really rabid group ready to crank out," said Dave Kawada, executive director, football booster club UH Manoa.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/business/super-fans-ready-for-uh-football-game---first-with-no-pandemic-restrictions/article_9b88f5ea-25c3-11ed-8a1b-57c22e86e1f1.html | 2022-08-27T06:07:07Z |
HAWAII (KITV)- Thera was an attempted kidnapping on Friday. Parents received a letter from Ka'o-hao Public Charter School in Kailua saying a student biking home was approached by two men in a white truck near Kailua Beach Park. The student turned around and biked to a friend's house. The truck also tried to turn around but stopped after a bystander called the police. There's been no arrests at this time.
A Ring doorbell camera captured the attempted abduction of a 6-year-old girl from the front …
Stories like this and an attempted abduction in Ohio has some parents concerned about their own child's safety in Hawaii. Eli Dennis is doing what he can to keep his son safe. He's telling him at an early age about the dangers of child abduction. "The earlier he learns about it the better. Because in today's climate is not a safe as it was when we were kids. I don't want my son ending up in someone's van. I don't want him playing around in the wrong streets, going on the wrong roads, and someone end up taking him," said Dennis.
A national story has come out detailing a 6-year-old's alleged escape from an abductor in Ohio. Dennis says he teaches his son to be vigilant. "He has to be cognizant and focused on who he encounters, and what he's doing. How he's going from Point A to Point B. We have those conversations all the time," said Dennis.
"Kids just need to be aware of their surroundings. If you can manage distance from whoever is trying to grab them, then half of the battle is won already before contact," said child trafficking expert Katherine Alamea-Xian. She says in today's climate, it's important to talk to kids early. The girl in Ohio got away from her alleged attacked by struggling and screaming, and she's only six years old.
"I teach my daughter not to talk to strangers. And we tell her if anything that happens that she should scream very loud," said Tiffany Bernades. Her daughter is 5 and she's wants her to know what to do, if she's grabbed.
"When kids are in this situation they should scream, scratch them or kick them to get them out of the way, just to release them," said Evelyn Barut who is Program Executive for the Youth Department at the YMCA of Honolulu.
Barut says the YMCA uses specific protocols to prevent abduction. "They need a picture ID if the parents are going to have someone else pick up their child. here is also a passcode that the parents need to identify and know what it is before they authorize someone to pick up the child," said Barut.
As for being on the street, a child trafficking expert recommends parents tell kids to stay alert for vehicles moving slow, stopping, or following them. And to stay away from individuals with no reason for being at a location. " The effects of someone trying to kidnap you last a lifetime. You suffer PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks and you never have a sense of safety without long term therapy. It's a life altering event," said Alamea-Xian.
Jefferson Tyler joined KITV after a lengthy stint in Reno, Nev. where he covered a variety of subjects. From wildfires to presidential elections, Jefferson takes pride in creating balanced stories that keep viewers’ attentions. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/attempted-abductions-have-parents-concerned-about-childrens-safety/article_353a99fa-25c4-11ed-a2cd-3f03a68f3a3f.html | 2022-08-27T06:07:13Z |
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HONOLULU (KITV4) -- City officials don't want patients or emergency personnel to be afraid of going into an ambulance, following Wednesday's fatal explosion that killed an elderly man and critically injured Oahu paramedic Jeff Wilkinson.
The Honolulu City Council is planning a special hearing with the head of Honolulu Emergency Services Department to figure out what changes may need to be made to ensure public safety.
"If we need to do more inspections to make sure that it's safe, that's what we'll have to do," said council chair Tommy Waters. "Not just for folks who call for the ambulance, but the people who drive the ambulance and work in the ambulance and for their families as well to have some comfort."
The United Public Workers union, representing more than 300 emergency personnel, is also calling for EMS to do daily vehicle inspections -- even on rigs with no signs of defect.
The union's asking members to immediately report any workplace safety issues.
"I think people in our department are all saying, 'that could have been me,'" said Dr. Jim Ireland, director of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department. "No one's more eager than me to find out what the cause of this was and I think it will reassure our workforce, our paramedics, the public to have some answers."
Once preliminary information reveals the cause of the fire, Ireland said EMS will make changes to improve safety.
"We know fires happen in medical settings. In operating rooms across the country there's anywhere from maybe 90 to 100 fires a year where they use flammable anesthetics or oxygen," Ireland said. "In ambulances in other instances we've known oxygen has been involved in other ambulance fires on the mainland."
The Hawaii Fire Fighters Association has already directed its members not to accompany patients in ambulances until the cause of Wednesday's fire is determined.
However, a Honolulu Fire Department spokeswoman told KITV4 fire fighters will continue assisting paramedics with patient care in the ambulance.
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/local/ambulance-safety-questioned-on-oahu-following-deadly-explosion-in-kailua/article_6d94e046-25b8-11ed-9479-c332d5890845.html | 2022-08-27T06:07:25Z |
Abrams, Georgia Democrats look to prove 2020 wasn’t ‘fluke’
ATLANTA (AP) — Four years ago, Georgia Democrats had a contested primary for governor because the party old guard didn’t believe in Stacey Abrams. She blew away the elders’ alternative and, in a close general election loss, established herself as de facto party boss in a newfound battleground.
That previewed 2020, when Joe Biden put Georgia in Democrats’ presidential column for the first time in 28 years, while Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff captured two Senate seats in early 2021 to give Democrats control on Capitol Hill.
Now Abrams and Warnock top the Democratic ticket together for the first time as the party tries to replicate its success in a tough midterm election landscape. The outcome will again help determine Senate control in Washington and whether Republicans continue to dominate state government in Georgia.
“We’re putting in the work to show everyone across the country that 2020 was not a fluke,” said Democratic Chair Nikema Williams ahead of the party’s convention Saturday.
Yet Williams and other Democrats acknowledge that 2022 is not a simple replay of the last two cycles.
Abrams is no longer a burgeoning juggernaut running against a little-known secretary of state; she’s a battle-worn challenger facing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, a well-positioned incumbent. Warnock isn’t a political newcomer but a sitting senator who must distinguish himself from a relatively unpopular president who once campaigned for him — a point underscored by GOP nominee Herschel Walker relentlessly criticizing Warnock as a rubber-stamp for the White House.
The rest of the Democratic slate must run under the banner of a national party that controls Washington amid sustained inflation and an uncertain economy. And Democrats must retool their voter turnout operation to comply with tighter voting restrictions that Kemp and the state’s Republican legislature enacted after Democrats’ 2020 victories.
The response, Democrats here say, isn’t to run from their record but to embrace it, while casting Republicans as an “extremist” party that advances an out-of-step cultural agenda and remains in thrall to former President Donald Trump.
“The party of Trump is a party of extremism, a party of election deniers, a party of authoritarianism, that says that their opinions about who should win elections matter more than the voters,” said lieutenant governor nominee Charlie Bailey, whose Republican opponent, Burt Jones, is among the fake electors who signed certificates falsely stating that Trump, not Biden, had won their states.
That approach aligns with the national midterm pitch that Biden unveiled Thursday at a campaign rally in Maryland, where he cast voters’ choice in November as being between Democrats and Trump’s “MAGA movement,” a dominant strain of the GOP that Biden said resembles “semi-fascism.”
Kemp and Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have garnered plaudits from moderate voters for bucking Trump’s bid to overturn the 2020 election. But Abrams and others challenge the “moderate” label for either man.
Abrams criticizes Kemp as an “extremist” who signed a concealed carry law to loosen gun restrictions and a near-total abortion ban that bars the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant.
Bee Nguyen, a legislator challenging Raffensperger, hammers the secretary of state for his part in overhauling state voting procedures. Nguyen notes Raffensperger as a state lawmaker compiled a staunchly conservative record on abortion and guns, among other matters. “He’s not a friend to democracy. He’s not a friend to women, either,” she said recently on the liberal “Pod Save America” podcast.
Indeed, Georgia Democrats agree that the Supreme Court’s decision eliminating a constitutional right to access abortion, combined with Georgia’s near ban, is a critical enough issue to overcome swing voters’ worries about the economy.
“I’ll tell you that people are much more concerned about protecting their rights and their access to health care than anything else,” said attorney general nominee Jen Jordan, a state senator who has made her support of abortion rights a centerpiece of her bid.
Even so, Democrats insist they aren’t afraid to discuss the economy or other issues Republicans try to claim as theirs.
Kemp blasts Abrams as a liberal who wants to “defund the police.” Abrams counters with proposals that would increase salaries for many law enforcement and criminal justice personnel. “Brian Kemp wants you to be afraid of me,” she says in one of her advertisements.
Jordan talks openly of crime increases but dismisses Republicans’ effort to cast it as “an Atlanta problem” — GOP framing aimed at white voters beyond the demographically diverse and heavily Democratic city.
“It’s not an urban problem or a suburban problem. It’s a Georgia problem, and the people who have been in charge have a lot to answer for,” Jordan said.
In the Senate campaign, Warnock has largely steered clear of Biden, even as he embraces Democrats’ legislative victories. Warnock touts a pandemic relief bill and its child tax credit as critical aid to Georgia families. He notes the benefits from a long-sought infrastructure package.
The senator acknowledges that gas prices and general inflation have spiked but notes that he called for a suspension of the federal gas tax and then won passage of a provision in the Democrats’ big climate and health care bill that caps the price of insulin for Medicare patients. Republicans blocked his effort to extend the cap to all consumers.
Williams, who is also an Atlanta congresswoman, summed up the two-track argument.
“We Democrats have delivered on the national level. ... And just imagine what we could be doing when we are in control at the state level,” she said. And if Republicans control Congress, she added, “a national abortion ban is on the table” along with cuts to popular programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Those warnings ignore that Biden would certainly veto such measures. But Williams said the point remains: “A lot is at stake.”
And every marginal shift among voters matters. In 2018, Kemp topped Abrams by 55,000 votes out of about 4 million cast. Biden outpaced Trump by less than 12,000 votes out of 5 million cast. In concurrent Senate runoffs two months later, about 4.5 million Georgians voted; Warnock and Ossoff won by 2 percentage points and 1.2 percentage points, respectively.
Democrats hope the November electorate is at least as large as that Jan. 5, 2021, electorate. Georgia requires a majority vote to win statewide office, and Libertarian candidates can draw enough to force a runoff.
With that in mind, Abrams, a Black woman from Atlanta, has spent a noticeable amount of time in rural, mostly white Georgia, where she lost ground in 2018 compared with Democrats’ performances in previous midterms. Jordan, who is white, notes that she grew up in small-town south Georgia but now represents a suburban Atlanta state Senate district that had been a Republican lock. Abrams sometimes campaigns alongside Bailey, a white man with a pronounced Southern accent and small-town Georgia roots.
“We have a ticket that looks like Georgia,” Abrams says often.
Al Williams, a Black state lawmaker who is close to Abrams, praises the ticket as well. But he put the pressure most squarely on the woman at the top, predicting that in an era of few split-ticket voters, Abrams must win for Democrats to have a big day.
“Stacey is the wind beneath the sail,” he said.
___
Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/abrams-georgia-democrats-look-prove-2020-wasnt-fluke/ | 2022-08-27T06:43:56Z |
Iowa parents offer reward to find fentanyl dealer after daughter overdoses
(CNN) - An Iowa couple is hoping to get justice for their daughter following a lethal overdose.
They are offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to the dealer who sold her the lethal drugs.
Robert and Karletha Gilliam are mourning the loss of their only child, 22-year-old Ciara, who died on Aug. 23rd.
“The preliminary investigation, it looked like an accidental overdose of fentanyl,” Robert Gilliam said.
The couple went on Facebook and made their first offer at $10,000, then $20,000 to whomever can identify the dealer’s name, address, and phone number.
“If we can save just one life or take one dealer off the streets or make an impact on someone’s life to stop what’s going on, then we are going to do that,” Robert Gilliam said.
“Many other families are going to suffer if something’s not done,” Arletha Gilliam said.
The couple admitted their daughter had substance abuse issues, but believes the reward is their effort to pay it forward.
“This is our gift back to her, so the next family doesn’t have to go through this,” Robert Gilliam said.
The couple said this is not about revenge, but about legal justice.
“Families are tired of losing their kids. Families are tired of losing their mothers, fathers, uncles, cousins,” Arletha Gilliam said.
For now, they hold on to each other and memories of their daughter.
“She was my heart, my soul,” Robert Gilliam said.
They urge everyone to talk with their children and let them know they are loved, because there is no guarantee there will be a tomorrow.
“You don’t know that one day they are not going to be there. It doesn’t matter if they have drug addiction, what they’re into. They are still your child so take care of them,” Robert Gilliam said.
The couple says any information they gather will be forwarded to the Des Moines Police Department.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/27/iowa-parents-offer-reward-find-fentanyl-dealer-after-daughter-overdoses/ | 2022-08-27T06:44:02Z |
Abrams, Georgia Democrats look to prove 2020 wasn’t ‘fluke’
ATLANTA (AP) — Four years ago, Georgia Democrats had a contested primary for governor because the party old guard didn’t believe in Stacey Abrams. She blew away the elders’ alternative and, in a close general election loss, established herself as de facto party boss in a newfound battleground.
That previewed 2020, when Joe Biden put Georgia in Democrats’ presidential column for the first time in 28 years, while Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff captured two Senate seats in early 2021 to give Democrats control on Capitol Hill.
Now Abrams and Warnock top the Democratic ticket together for the first time as the party tries to replicate its success in a tough midterm election landscape. The outcome will again help determine Senate control in Washington and whether Republicans continue to dominate state government in Georgia.
“We’re putting in the work to show everyone across the country that 2020 was not a fluke,” said Democratic Chair Nikema Williams ahead of the party’s convention Saturday.
Yet Williams and other Democrats acknowledge that 2022 is not a simple replay of the last two cycles.
Abrams is no longer a burgeoning juggernaut running against a little-known secretary of state; she’s a battle-worn challenger facing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, a well-positioned incumbent. Warnock isn’t a political newcomer but a sitting senator who must distinguish himself from a relatively unpopular president who once campaigned for him — a point underscored by GOP nominee Herschel Walker relentlessly criticizing Warnock as a rubber-stamp for the White House.
The rest of the Democratic slate must run under the banner of a national party that controls Washington amid sustained inflation and an uncertain economy. And Democrats must retool their voter turnout operation to comply with tighter voting restrictions that Kemp and the state’s Republican legislature enacted after Democrats’ 2020 victories.
The response, Democrats here say, isn’t to run from their record but to embrace it, while casting Republicans as an “extremist” party that advances an out-of-step cultural agenda and remains in thrall to former President Donald Trump.
“The party of Trump is a party of extremism, a party of election deniers, a party of authoritarianism, that says that their opinions about who should win elections matter more than the voters,” said lieutenant governor nominee Charlie Bailey, whose Republican opponent, Burt Jones, is among the fake electors who signed certificates falsely stating that Trump, not Biden, had won their states.
That approach aligns with the national midterm pitch that Biden unveiled Thursday at a campaign rally in Maryland, where he cast voters’ choice in November as being between Democrats and Trump’s “MAGA movement,” a dominant strain of the GOP that Biden said resembles “semi-fascism.”
Kemp and Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have garnered plaudits from moderate voters for bucking Trump’s bid to overturn the 2020 election. But Abrams and others challenge the “moderate” label for either man.
Abrams criticizes Kemp as an “extremist” who signed a concealed carry law to loosen gun restrictions and a near-total abortion ban that bars the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant.
Bee Nguyen, a legislator challenging Raffensperger, hammers the secretary of state for his part in overhauling state voting procedures. Nguyen notes Raffensperger as a state lawmaker compiled a staunchly conservative record on abortion and guns, among other matters. “He’s not a friend to democracy. He’s not a friend to women, either,” she said recently on the liberal “Pod Save America” podcast.
Indeed, Georgia Democrats agree that the Supreme Court’s decision eliminating a constitutional right to access abortion, combined with Georgia’s near ban, is a critical enough issue to overcome swing voters’ worries about the economy.
“I’ll tell you that people are much more concerned about protecting their rights and their access to health care than anything else,” said attorney general nominee Jen Jordan, a state senator who has made her support of abortion rights a centerpiece of her bid.
Even so, Democrats insist they aren’t afraid to discuss the economy or other issues Republicans try to claim as theirs.
Kemp blasts Abrams as a liberal who wants to “defund the police.” Abrams counters with proposals that would increase salaries for many law enforcement and criminal justice personnel. “Brian Kemp wants you to be afraid of me,” she says in one of her advertisements.
Jordan talks openly of crime increases but dismisses Republicans’ effort to cast it as “an Atlanta problem” — GOP framing aimed at white voters beyond the demographically diverse and heavily Democratic city.
“It’s not an urban problem or a suburban problem. It’s a Georgia problem, and the people who have been in charge have a lot to answer for,” Jordan said.
In the Senate campaign, Warnock has largely steered clear of Biden, even as he embraces Democrats’ legislative victories. Warnock touts a pandemic relief bill and its child tax credit as critical aid to Georgia families. He notes the benefits from a long-sought infrastructure package.
The senator acknowledges that gas prices and general inflation have spiked but notes that he called for a suspension of the federal gas tax and then won passage of a provision in the Democrats’ big climate and health care bill that caps the price of insulin for Medicare patients. Republicans blocked his effort to extend the cap to all consumers.
Williams, who is also an Atlanta congresswoman, summed up the two-track argument.
“We Democrats have delivered on the national level. ... And just imagine what we could be doing when we are in control at the state level,” she said. And if Republicans control Congress, she added, “a national abortion ban is on the table” along with cuts to popular programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Those warnings ignore that Biden would certainly veto such measures. But Williams said the point remains: “A lot is at stake.”
And every marginal shift among voters matters. In 2018, Kemp topped Abrams by 55,000 votes out of about 4 million cast. Biden outpaced Trump by less than 12,000 votes out of 5 million cast. In concurrent Senate runoffs two months later, about 4.5 million Georgians voted; Warnock and Ossoff won by 2 percentage points and 1.2 percentage points, respectively.
Democrats hope the November electorate is at least as large as that Jan. 5, 2021, electorate. Georgia requires a majority vote to win statewide office, and Libertarian candidates can draw enough to force a runoff.
With that in mind, Abrams, a Black woman from Atlanta, has spent a noticeable amount of time in rural, mostly white Georgia, where she lost ground in 2018 compared with Democrats’ performances in previous midterms. Jordan, who is white, notes that she grew up in small-town south Georgia but now represents a suburban Atlanta state Senate district that had been a Republican lock. Abrams sometimes campaigns alongside Bailey, a white man with a pronounced Southern accent and small-town Georgia roots.
“We have a ticket that looks like Georgia,” Abrams says often.
Al Williams, a Black state lawmaker who is close to Abrams, praises the ticket as well. But he put the pressure most squarely on the woman at the top, predicting that in an era of few split-ticket voters, Abrams must win for Democrats to have a big day.
“Stacey is the wind beneath the sail,” he said.
___
Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/27/abrams-georgia-democrats-look-prove-2020-wasnt-fluke/ | 2022-08-27T07:03:51Z |
Football Friday, August 26th: Part 1
A full slate of games across the Two Virginias
Published: Aug. 27, 2022 at 1:57 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(WVVA) - Check out some of the final scores from Week 1 of Football Friday:
Graham 29 - Bluefield 25
Summers Co. 49 - Pikeview 14
Westside 28 - Wyoming East 20
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/27/football-friday-august-26th-part-1/ | 2022-08-27T07:03:57Z |
Football Friday, August 26th: Part 2
A full slate of games across the Two Virginias
Published: Aug. 27, 2022 at 1:58 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(WVVA) - Check out some of the final scores from Week 1 of Football Friday:
Mount View 24 - River View 6
Tazewell 46 - Virginia 21
James Monroe 41 - Sherman 6
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/27/football-friday-august-26th-part-2/ | 2022-08-27T07:04:04Z |
A school district in southwestern Missouri decided to bring back spanking as a form of discipline for students — if their parents agree — despite warnings from many public health experts that the practice is detrimental to students.
Classes resumed Tuesday in the Cassville School District for the first time since the school board in June approved bringing corporal punishment back to the 1,900-student district about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southwest of Springfield. The district had dropped the practice in 2001.
The policy states that corporal punishment will be used only when other forms of discipline, such as suspensions, have failed and then only with the superintendent's permission.
Superintendent Merlyn Johnson told The Springfield News-Leader the decision came after an anonymous survey found that parents, students and school employees were concerned about student behavior and discipline.
"We've had people actually thank us for it," he said. "Surprisingly, those on social media would probably be appalled to hear us say these things, but the majority of people that I've run into have been supportive."
Parent Khristina Harkey told The Associated Press on Friday that she is on the fence about Cassville's policy. She and her husband did not opt-in because her 6-year-old son, Anakin Modine, is autistic and would hit back if he were spanked. But she said corporal punishment worked for her when she was a "troublemaker" during her school years in California.
"There are all different types of kids," Harkey said. "Some people need a good butt-whipping. I was one of them."
Morgan Craven, national director of policy, advocacy and community engagement with the Intercultural Development Research Association, a national educational equity nonprofit, called corporal punishment a "wildly inappropriate, ineffective practice."
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1977 that corporal punishment is constitutional and left it up to states to set their own policies. Craven said 19 states, many in the South, have laws allowing it in schools. The most current data from 2017-18 shows about 70,000 children in the U.S. were hit at least once in their schools.
Students who are hit at school do not fare as well academically as their peers and suffer physical and psychological trauma, Craven said. In some cases, children are hurt so badly that they need medical attention.
"If you have a situation where a kid goes to school and they could be slapped for, you know, some minor offense, it certainly creates a really hostile, unpredictable and violent environment," Craven said. "And that's not what we want for kids in schools."
But Tess Walters, 54, the guardian of her 8-year-old granddaughter, had no qualms about signing the corporal punishment opt-in papers. She said the possibility of being spanked is a deterrent for her granddaughter, who has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
"I've read some some people's responses on Facebook recently, and they're just going over the top like, 'Oh, this is abuse, and, oh, you're just going to threaten them with, you know, violence.' And I'm like, 'What? The child is getting spanked once; it's not beatings.' People are just going crazy. They're just being ridiculous," Walters said.
Mitch Prinstein, chief science officer with American Psychological Association, said decades of research shows corporal punishment will not reduce inappropriate behavior and is likely to increase aggression, rage, hostility and could lead to depression and self-esteem problems.
Prinstein said better methods for eliminating undesirable conduct including problem-solving training; rewarding positive behavior, such as with extra recess; and providing extra attention in the classroom.
"Parents are experts on what works for their own children," Prinstein said. "But it's important for parents to be educated on very substantial science literature demonstrating again that corporal punishment is not a consistently effective way of changing undesirable behavior."
Sarah Font, an associate professor of sociology and public policy at Pennsylvania State University, coauthored a 2016 study on the subject. Her research found that districts using corporal punishment are generally in poor, Republican-leaning rural areas in Southern states. Font said Black children are disproportionately subjected to it.
The disparity frustrates Ellen Reddy, of the Nollie Jenkins Family Center, which advocates on issues such as corporal punishment and special education.
"Look at the history of violence against Black and brown bodies," said Reddy, who described herself as a Black mother of sons and a grandson. "Since we've been in this country, there's been violence perpetrated against our children, our families, our foreparents. So when do we stop that kind of violence?"
Disabled students also are more likely to be subjected to corporal punishment, said Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She said that led four states — Tennessee, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Louisiana — to ban using it for those students.
She noted that overall, corporal punishment is on the decline, with the numbers dropping steadily since the federal government started tracking it in the late 1970s.
"Most schools are realizing, 'You know what, we can discipline children, we can guide their behavior without hitting them,'" said Gershoff, who authored the 2016 study with Font.
Cassville School District spokeswoman Mindi Artherton was out of the office Friday and a woman who answered the phone in her office suggested reading the policy. She said staff had already done interviews. "At this time, we will focus on educating our students," she added, before hanging up.
The policy says a witness from the district, which is in a county that is around 93% white, must be present and that the discipline will not be used in front of other students.
"When it becomes necessary to use corporal punishment, it shall be administered so that there can be no chance of bodily injury or harm," the policy says. "Striking a student on the head or face is not permitted."
In Missouri, periodic efforts to ban corporal punishment in schools have failed to gain traction in the Legislature. The state does not track which districts allow spanking because those decisions are made at the local level, a spokeswoman for Missouri's K-12 education department said.
U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, is pushing for a ban on the use of corporal punishment in schools that receive federal funding. He has called it a "barbaric practice" that allows teachers and administrators to physically abuse students.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-27/a-missouri-school-district-reinstated-spanking-if-parents-give-their-ok | 2022-08-27T08:39:37Z |
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — As the Colorado River shrinks, the seven states in the western United States that rely on it for water and power need to cut their use dramatically to keep the biggest reservoirs from getting critically low, according to federal analysts.
But a recent deadline for a plan to conserve an unprecedented amount of water came and went without many specifics from either the states or the federal government on how to achieve the cutbacks.
In June, federal officials gave leaders in the states the draw from the river — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — a mid-August deadline to come up with a plan to conserve 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water across the Southwestern watershed. One acre-foot is more than 325,000 gallons. Federal officials said they wanted to see cuts from all seven states, from every sector.
With the deadline now passed, and lingering uncertainty about where those cutbacks will come, some of the region's leaders are calling for the federal government to take charge.
Water stored in the Colorado River's biggest reservoirs has declined during the past two decades due to climate change and overuse. The river and its tributaries provide drinking water to 40 million people, and irrigate millions of acres of cropland. In addition to the seven U.S. states, the river also crosses into Mexico and provides water supplies to cities and farmers in two Mexican states as well.
At Lake Powell, the nation's second-largest reservoir on the river, water levels are threatening to dip low enough that its dam would lose the ability to produce hydropower. That could come as early as November 2023. All but two boat ramps at the recreation hotspot are now closed due to its low level.
"We want to encourage [the states] to be doing as much as possible," said Tanya Trujillo, the Interior Department's assistant secretary for water and science. "There is an urgent requirement to be doing that. We're trying to explain the modeling information that we have paints a very, very urgent situation. We feel the urgency. They should feel the urgency."
Trujillo and other federal water managers said that if the states couldn't come up with a plan for those cuts by the August deadline, the federal government would take action to protect the river system. The possible actions the federal government has laid out start administrative processes to study how the river's large dams might be re-engineered or operated. They also plan to incentivize agricultural efficiency by offering additional funding.
The federal government also announced incremental increases in existing water cuts for Arizona, Nevada and Mexico, starting in January 2023. Those cuts were already agreed to, and it's still not clear what specific actions federal officials could or will take to prevent the reservoirs from declining to critically low levels.
"Our water users really would like to understand the federal government when they say, 'If you don't take action states, we will,' " said Andy Mueller, general manager of the Colorado River District, a water agency in rural Western Colorado. "Well, what are the actions being proposed?"
Even though the federal government has yet to deliver on its threat to intervene, it could still happen, Mueller said. The call for cuts was clear and came with specifics – 2 to 4 million acre-feet in cuts across the watershed. But the threat of what happens if the states can't get there remains unclear.
"If you don't know what that threat is, it's really hard to be motivated to take action," Mueller said.
Aversion to federal intervention runs deep along the Colorado River. Some state leaders say the federal government should simply run the dams, and not wade into policy-making. Others doubt the forcefulness of federal authorities to mandate cutbacks, most of which are entirely untested. As the river's scarcity crisis has deepened in recent years, others in the basin are beginning to crave federal leadership.
"There was a deadline that came. It passed. Nothing happened," said John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which serves the Las Vegas metro area. "I think it would be much more effective if the federal government actually, in writing, articulates a plan."
When it became clear the states were not going to reach an agreement ahead of the deadline, he pleaded with federal officials to take the reins and make hard decisions about where some of the cuts need to come from. This tension between the states and the federal government only works as a motivator when state leaders believe a federal crackdown might really happen, he said.
"The states have never accomplished anything meaningful without a credible federal threat," Entsminger said.
But it is not only the Biden administration applying pressure through the various federal agencies involved in the West's water management. Pressure from the city leaders, farmers and residents in the Southwest is mounting as well.
"I think the general public is aware of the real crisis that's developing in the Colorado River basin in a way they previously haven't," Entsminger said. "There's pressure building from constituencies across the basin to do something."
Members of Congress have begun to take notice as well.
U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, an Arizona Democrat, called for the river's users to "share the sacrifice to solve this crisis," and called the federal threats to intervene, "hollow."
In Nevada, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto gave federal officials her own deadline, asking to see firm plans on how to spend the $4 billion set aside in the Inflation Reduction Act to help solve the region's water-scarcity problems.
In response to the complaint that they should be doing more, federal water managers said they are going to continue working with states on a plan for cutbacks. No new deadline has been set.
Kathryn Sorenson, a water policy researcher at Arizona State University, said if the federal government were to take drastic action, it could alienate people in states that rely on the river.
"Certainty is just paramount," Sorenson said. "And the cities, the tribes, those who are depending on this water, they need to know what to expect. And right now, that's completely lacking."
But if the feds don't take action, she said, the risk falls on the reservoirs.
"No one wants to make this call, right? It's not enviable to be in a position of saying who gets water and who doesn't," Sorenson said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-27/7-states-and-federal-government-lack-direction-on-cutbacks-from-the-colorado-river | 2022-08-27T10:09:15Z |
Madam C.J. Walker is joining Barbie's lineup of Inspiring Women dolls.
Walker, often referred to as the nation's first documented self-made female millionaire, was known for her entrepreneurial skills as she built her haircare and cosmetic brand from scratch.
But aside from her beauty empire, Walker was also known for her philanthropic and social justice efforts, including her contributions to the NAACP anti-lynching movement. It's Walker's whole story that her great-great-grandaughter A'Lelia Bundles hopes younger generations will learn about through the new doll.
"I hope that when little girls and little boys pick up the doll, that they will see something that's a little different than just a generic doll, that this is a doll who comes with a backstory," Bundles told NPR. "And as an entrepreneur and as a boss and as a philanthropist and a patron of the arts and somebody who cared about social justice, that they will perhaps see themselves and take one of those narratives."
As the official biographer of Walker, Bundles worked with Barbie on creating the doll.
Her input and knowledge helped in the creation of Walker's vibrant outfit that showcases the entrepreneur's favorite colors — purple and turquoise — as well as the hair and the packaging of the doll which features a historical photo of Walker's Villa Lewaro residence, a gathering place for people during the Harlem Renaissance. The doll even comes with a mini replica of Walker's original Wonderful Hair Grower product — an ointment that helped with many scalp issues.
Bundles shared memories about her first Black doll and the significance of having Black representation in the toy industry.
"It means a lot that a child can look at a doll, can have a doll that looks like them," Bundles said. "And it doesn't mean that Black children should only have Black dolls and white children should only have white dolls. ... But I like the idea of children really being able to have somebody who looks like them ... so that they know that they're part of the world."
Walker joins the ranks of Ida B. Wells, Billie Jean King, Jane Goodall and many other innovative women who also have had Barbies made in their likenesses.
"As a pioneer in entrepreneurship, philanthropy and activism, creating the blueprint for the self-made American businesswoman and innovators of the twentieth century, Madam C.J. Walker is an embodiment of our Barbie Inspiring Women series," Lisa McKnight, execute vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls for Mattel said in a statement.
The doll is available on Amazon and Walmart.com for $35.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-27/madam-c-j-walker-the-first-u-s-self-made-female-millionaire-gets-her-own-barbie | 2022-08-27T10:09:21Z |
ASHLAND, Ore. — Jason Fischer watches a firefighting chopper scoop a big bucket of water out of the Klamath River, as it douses hotspots on the McKinney Fire in remote Northern California.
The flames threatening his sixth-generation cattle farm, Fischer looks across the narrow river canyon at a steep, charred mountainside. All the trees are blackened silhouettes.
His face twists into a scowl.
"This whole fire we knew ... it was a bomb," he says.
The last time the forests on the other side of the river burned was the Haystack Fire in 1955.
"And after that, they never did anything to manage the land, so all that grew back was brush," Fischer says. "The brush was 10 feet high, so one little spark when it's 113 degrees outside."
Fischer's frustration is one you hear a lot in this corner of the West, especially where the timber industry — once mighty — has largely shut down. The forests are neglected, not being managed, the saying goes. Environmental laws prevent them from being thinned or logged.
"People are tired and worn out from the downturn of the timber industry and the poverty and lack of funds and lack of action," says Larry Alexander, director of the Northern California Resource Center in nearby Fort Jones, Calif. "Then they look up and see everything burn up, and so they get angry."
Wildfires have burned about six million acres of land so far this year, mostly in the West and Alaska. Due to prior forest management decisions, including a century or more of suppressing wildfires, Alexander says many forests are a tinder box.
Severe drought and prolonged heatwaves — now more common with climate change — has exacerbated the problem. Yet Alexander and other foresters on the ground in Western states say there are finally signs that the needle is starting to move away from full fire suppression and toward more upfront mitigation and prevention work.
Really good timing
On a ridge, a couple thousand feet above Jason Fischer's farm, Clint Isbell, the fire ecologist for the Klamath National Forest, is looking across at the same forested land with a bit more optimism.
"We put in these strategic fuel breaks that you can see across the landscape," he says, pointing to the west into a brisk wind. "A lot of them are on ridges."
U.S. taxpayers recently paid to bulldoze and clear out these "strategic fuel breaks," which are built with the intention of slowing down a fire before it reaches homes, communities and critical infrastructure such as powerlines. The idea is that firefighters can then try to at least make a stand in places like this.
A years-long, 10,000-acre hazardous fuels reduction project, including thinning in these rugged mountains and canyons, is ongoing. And to the east, down the mountainside, another federally funded project paid to clear out brush on private land around the perimeter of the town of Yreka, Calif.
Remarkably, that last project was completed just three days before the McKinney Fire ignited.
"Yeah, really good timing," Isbell says.
The agency believes this upfront work may have helped firefighters tackle the McKinney Fire, which is believed to have destroyed more than 100 homes and killed four people. But despite fears, it didn't turn into as bad of an inferno as last summer's Dixie Fire, which burned more than one million acres in northeastern California, or the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire earlier this year that became the largest in New Mexico's history.
"We can't do anything about drought, it's climate change," says Nickie Johnny, an incident commander who managed the McKinney and Calf Canyon fires this summer.
There is growing acknowledgement among veteran managers that these modern wildfires burning amid record heat waves and extreme drought can never be stopped by firefighters alone.
"We just have to figure out how we're going to get out ahead of it or what we're going to do in the aftermath of it," Johnny says.
One recent hot afternoon, as more red flag warnings for extreme fire danger came into effect, Johnny took stock of the conditions that led up to elite teams like hers having to respond to Siskiyou County, Calif., where the McKinney was just one of several fires burning this August. While still too early to assess fully, she suspected some of the upfront mitigation work may have allowed her crews to position in safer places. That allowed them to begin digging a line around the perimeter of parts of the fire, eventually helping to contain it.
But in extreme drought made worse by climate change, Johnny says preparation work can only go so far. Now the U.S. government and other agencies like Cal Fire have no choice but to throw everything they can at the crisis in the moment. There's just too much at risk, she says, from lives and property to critical watersheds for cities.
At one point, 3,700 firefighters responded to the McKinney Fire.
"We've been focusing on fire suppression [in California] for the last three years because that's where the need is," Johnny says.
Stopping fires is making things worse
Some say we've backed ourselves into this corner.
Firefighters are really good at suppressing almost every wildfire on initial attack, only a few — 3% or less — of ignitions get away and turn into large blazes like McKinney. But every time they stop one, don't they just leave more fuel on the ground for the next fire?
This conundrum is often described as the fire paradox. And there's no easy solution, says forestry professor Andrew Sanchez Meador, who runs the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University.
"It took us 150 years to get into this problem , so it's not a problem we're going to get ourselves out of quickly," he says.
But Sanchez Meador is encouraged by what he sees is a paradigm shift starting to happen in the nation's hulking firefighting program, sometimes even dubbed the fire-industrial complex. Last year, the U.S. government spent a record $4.3 billion on fire suppression. But there are now tens of millions of federal and state dollars also going toward upfront mitigation work.
Allow fires to happen without killing everything
Just over the mountains from Yreka, Calif., near the historic gold mining town of Jacksonville, Ore., smoke and haze from the McKinney Fire hangs in the air as Rich Fairbanks steers his small pickup up a winding mountain highway.
Forests with dense stands of trees line the road, up to 300 packed into an acre in places.
"The people that are responsible for the safety of a fire crew, they don't like that at all," Fairbanks says looking up toward the dark woods. " They cannot see that spot fire starting up behind them and maybe trapping their crew."
Fairbanks is a retired U.S. Forest Service firefighter who now runs a small forestry company. They got a grant from the new Infrastructure Law that could make a big difference here. Further up the road, crews have already thinned out trees from private land that's peppered with homes and small outbuildings. The trees are stacked in piles awaiting to be burned this Fall when it's cooler and wetter.
"The idea is to make it so that the fires still happen, but they don't kill everything, and burn people up in their cars for heaven's sakes," Fairbanks says.
The thinning is also intended to create a bigger buffer around this already existing fire break — the highway. Fairbanks says a wildfire is probably inevitable here, but a catastrophic blaze with a chaotic evacuation along this road doesn't have to be.
"This [project] is a good use of tax dollars in my opinion," he says.
Everyone along this road signed up for the free treatments. Fairbanks also is encouraged by what he sees as a paradigm shift in state and federal agencies toward prioritizing work like this, and among Westerners who are starting to understand they have to learn to live with wildfires.
But some people still don't get it.
"Unfortunately, there are politicians who make hay out of saying, 'They should put out every single fire all the time forever,' which is just really dumb," Fairbanks says.
For foresters like him, a smarter path is the upfront work like this. It takes longer and doesn't make for dramatic headlines. But it might at least make some of these modern wildfires manageable again.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-27/why-suppressing-wildfires-may-be-making-the-western-fire-crisis-worse | 2022-08-27T10:09:28Z |
Texas’ near-total ban on abortion and its so-called “bounty” law have had a chilling effect on the ability of Methodist ministers to counsel pregnant parishioners in line with their faith’s doctrine, according to a letter sent on behalf of four North Texas Methodist ministers.
The ministers argue that two Texas laws open them to potential criminal and civil liability if they offer advice and counsel that leads a parishioner to terminate her pregnancy in accordance with the United Methodist Church’s principles.
They say that violates a state law prohibiting any government agency from “substantially burdening” a person’s free exercise of religion.
“They're torn,” said Sean McCaffity, a lawyer for the ministers. “Do you give advice that may be actually consistent with your religious principles, but also subject your parishioner or member or the person seeking your guidance to potential criminal liability? And how do you square that with being a faithful leader?”
The United Methodist Church’s foundational statement of principles says there are times when the life of the mother and the life of a fetus are in conflict, and that creates circumstances where terminating a pregnancy is morally and religiously justified.
The ministers also argue that the religious rights of rank-and-file Methodists are being curtailed. The church teaches that decisions about terminating a pregnancy “must be prayerfully considered and resolved at the individual level,” the letter states. But the state’s abortion ban precludes that.
The ministers are Rev. Katie Newsome of Union Mission Congregation, which runs the philanthropic Union coffee shop; Rev. Phil Dieke of White Rock United Methodist Church; Rev. Rachel Baughman of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church; and Rev. Sheron Patterson of Hamilton Park United Methodist Church.
They sent the letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday.
In Paxton's court
In a legal opinion issued soon after the Dobbs decision, Paxton declared his commitment to making abortion illegal in the state.
“My office is specifically authorized to pursue and recover … civil penalties, and I will strictly enforce this law,” he wrote. “Further, we will assist any local prosecutor who pursues criminal charges.”
How exactly this will play out is unclear. KERA reached out to Paxton’s office but did not receive any comment.
“It remains to be seen how aggressive the attorney general will be,” in applying the law, said McCaffity. “And so that all has a chilling effect and a dampening effect, or, in the words of the [Texas] Religious Freedom Restoration Act, burdens the free exercise of a religion.”
That act requires plaintiffs to send a letter notifying the state about a violation of religious protections before they can sue the state.
Paxton, a Republican, has argued in favor of religious liberty in the past. But McCaffity said he doesn’t expect the attorney general to grant the exception his clients seek. They will decide whether to sue after reading Paxton’s response to the letter.
“We’re interested to see what the attorney general does and says,” he said.
Social principles
The United Methodist Church outlines its values in a document called the Social Principles. They affirm conditional support for abortion access, but generally guide the faithful to avoid abortion and support people seeking abortions in finding alternatives.
“Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child,” the church’s Social Principles states. “We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures by certified medical providers.”
Most relevant to the legal challenge offered by the letter, the Social Principles states, “a decision concerning abortion should be made only after thoughtful and prayerful consideration by the parties involved, with medical, family, pastoral, and other appropriate counsel.”
The North Texas ministers argue in their letter that state abortion law now precludes them from freely offering that pastoral counsel their faith calls upon them to deliver.
Legal concerns
The ministers claim HB 1280, a law that made performing nearly all abortions a felony, “substantially burdens the free exercise of these religious beliefs by preventing access to such care, in most circumstances.”
The law was “triggered” by the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning constitution protections for abortion access and went into effect on August 25.
“These faith leaders cannot provide full pastoral care to their congregations as dictated by the United Methodist Church and the Social Principles because doing so now either violates H.B. 1280 or is consonant with violating the law,” the letter states.
The letter goes on to argue that the law violates the individual rights of the three women ministers who, as individual members of the United Methodist Church, cannot obtain a legal abortion in Texas, even though their faith tells them that “decisions related to life versus life conflicts must be prayerfully considered and resolved at the individual level.”
The letter also takes aim at Senate Bill 8, the so-called “bounty law” passed in 2021, which bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. The law also allows anyone – even people outside of Texas – to sue an individual who “knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance of an abortion,” and receive a minimum of $10,000 in damages.
“The ‘aiding and abetting’ language is broad enough to capture and include faithful pastoral care that may encourage or otherwise comfort decisions that lead to a person seeking and performing an abortion as described in the statute,” the letter states.
Religious arguments
The Methodist ministers aren’t the only church leaders challenging abortion restrictions on religious freedom grounds.
In Florida, a synagogue sued the state in June over a new law that mostly bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. They claimed the law stops pregnant Jewish people from freely practicing their faith.
“I think there is a coming challenge to the statutes from that perspective,” McCaffity said.
Elizabeth Sepper, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, said religious objections to abortion bans like these highlight the wide range of religious perspectives on abortion and the way that bans affect the free exercise of religion.
But Sepper, who focuses on religious liberty, health law, and equality, thinks there are weaknesses in the ministers’ case.
The Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, passed in 1999, allows for restricting religious practice, as long as the restriction is “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and is the least restrictive means of furthering that interest.” Paxton could argue that the state has a compelling interest in preserving fetal life.
The letter reflects the current lack of clarity around Texas’ abortion law, Sepper said. It hasn’t been settled fully whether someone can be prosecuted for assisting someone to access an abortion out of state. The ministers argue that they face a chilling effect from the possibility of criminal or civil penalty if, with their guidance, parishioners elect to leave the state to terminate a pregnancy.
“Usually criminal laws don't apply extraterritorially, but people may be right to be concerned about what the bounds will be in the future of these Texas abortion bans,” Sepper said.
She thinks the argument that all Methodists should be exempt from the Texas abortion laws is a significant weak point, because the three women making the case are not claiming that they are pregnant or seeking to have an abortion currently.
Sepper noted that in recent years, conservative groups have notched major victories in causes championed by the Religious Right using religious liberty claims.
“We’ve seen sort of a turbocharged religious liberty doctrine and one of the questions that these lawsuits present is, ‘is this is religious liberty only for conservatives? Is it only for those who oppose reproductive health care and LGBTQ rights?’” Sepper said. “We don't have yet an answer to that question, but I think we're going to start to see something from the courts in this regard.”
Got a tip? Email Christopher Connelly at cconnelly@kera.org or Bret Jaspers at bjaspers@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you. | https://www.keranews.org/government/2022-08-27/north-texas-ministers-say-state-abortion-bans-violate-methodists-religious-freedom | 2022-08-27T10:25:58Z |
David Moore has spent the summer taking steps similar to what police chiefs, superintendents and others on school security frontlines across the country have been doing in response to mass shootings that have rattled communities large and small across the country.
Moore, who is police chief in Janesville, Wisconsin, two hours northwest of Chicago, and others have spent the summer break reassessing and revising security plans and conducting fresh training exercises after the tragic shooting and botched law enforcement response in Uvalde, Texas, that saw 19 elementary school students ages 9 to 11 and two teachers killed.
“That was shocking, to be honest. It was shocking to us,” said Moore of the Texas shooting and the delayed police response to the incident.
School districts and police departments are also working to reassure their communities that the failed response in Uvalde won’t be repeated in their local schools.
Salvador Ramos, 18, stormed into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24 and is charged with massacring a classroom full of students and two teachers with an AR-15 rifle. Police have been faulted for their delayed response, waiting more than an hour before entering the classroom.
Moore said his Wisconsin agency has made sure officers have key fobs to access schools, doors have been numbered to reduce potential confusion and every local school building has police radios to directly communicate with officers.
“We are not waiting for someone to let us in,” said Moore, whose efforts also include training teachers and school staff with emergency first aid such as caring for wounds and how to stop bleeding.
The failed response in Texas, along with a spate of other mass shootings – including a May shooting at a Buffalo grocery store targeting Black shoppers and employees – has school superintendents, police chiefs and concerned constituencies anxious to test their own readiness and not repeat the same mistakes.
“It leaves a knot in my gut,” said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri of the delayed response in Texas.
The Florida law enforcement agency and the 101,000-student, 150-school Pinellas County Schools district conducted active-shooter training in late July with the failings of Uvalde front of mind.
Gualtieri said during a briefing after the training that the coronavirus pandemic inhibited active-shooter exercises. He was eager to see the results of the exercise at a local school and to show the public “we are doing the best we can.”
“It’s essential,” he said. “You need the assurance that it works. You’ve got to keep pushing it.”
Other school districts and police across the country conducted active-shooter and other security training exercises this summer to help ease angst among students, parents and staff conditioned by school shootings that have permeated American society since the Columbine High School massacre 23 years ago.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, also near Tampa, conducted a 16-hour training exercise in late July to train officers on response times and approaches if they are the initial responder to a shooting. That includes immediate and fast responses, said Sheriff Mike Pendergast.
More districts are poised to increase police footprints on campuses for the new school year, including more school resource officers (SROs) and security guards, some of them armed.
Hardening schools
The latest shooting’s aftermath also has seen a push to further harden school campuses with more layers of security, limiting access points and the prospect of more students having to go through metal detectors and security pat-downs just to go to school.
On the East Coast, Talbot County Public Schools in Maryland recently conducted “an independent security assessment” and has been adding security hardening measures, said Debbie Gardner, special programs and public relations coordinator for the 4,500-student, eight-school district.
“The facility hardening projects that have been completed are meant to enhance the overall security of our facilities, with the primary goal of preventing unauthorized access and an enhanced visitor screening process,” Gardner said.
Those include installing security vestibules at school entrances that can further control access to buildings and give staff another layer of screening. Talbot schools also have improved classroom doors and installed security film on windows to prevent shattering.
Moore said installing vestibules, a secure lobby or holding area where visitors can be further screened, also are a focus in Wisconsin as he works with local schools to improve security layers within buildings and campuses.
Across the country in rural southern Oregon near the California border, the Klamath County School District also is planning upgrades to security cameras, more mental health services and outreach to students (including via partnership with Klamath Basin Behavioral Health). The district is working on increased training related to emergency responses and helping teachers and staff better recognize and respond to signs of trauma and distress among students, said district spokesperson Marcia Schlottmann.
Schlottman said the district held a security training with emergency responders in late April, roughly a month before Uvalde.
A number of districts and police agencies across the countries did not respond to requests for comment on their security efforts this summer.
‘Acts of terrorism’
The security efforts are running parallel to fresh debates on gun control as progressive advocates point to shooters’ frequent use of AR-15 rifles in their rampages.
“School shootings are similar to ‘acts of terrorism’ in that by their nature they catch people by surprise. So, it is very difficult to prepare for them,” said Dr. Eugenio Rothe, a professor of psychiatry and public health at Florida International University. His research has focused on the mental health and other factors driving the American phenomena of school and mass shootings.
“The police and other law enforcement are working on solutions, but the common denominators are very clear,” said Rothe.
He points to “access to weapons” as a primary concern but also “children who are marginalized and bullied” and parents, teachers and school counselors who ignore signs of distress.
Constitutional gun rights via the Second Amendment and Republican opposition to more sweeping gun control measures also has enhanced the focus on putting more money toward security infrastructure and technology to help better secure campuses in the age of more frequent mass shootings.
Anti-gun control conservative lawmakers point to increasing security and police footprints at K-12 schools as the preferred path over new restrictions on guns and gun ownership.
There also are bipartisan and institutional penchants for another post-mass shooting slate of security infrastructure and technology spending and training exercises to further button down campuses and ease fears among students, teachers and staff.
Amy Klinger, an education professor at Ashland University in Ohio and director of programs at Educator’s School Safety Network (a nonprofit training group) said training teachers and staff on keeping campuses secure is as important as more infrastructure spending.
“It’s very simple and usually comes down to day-to-day procedures,” Klinger said.
The challenge, according to security consultants, has been getting schools to find the time and sustained funding for training efforts.
“There’s as much of a competition for time as money in schools,” said Kenneth Trump, a Cleveland-based national school security expert.
Trump said he wants schools to focus more on training frontline staff and workers who might be the first to interact with a distressed student or shooter.
“They get the least training to no training at all in many cases,” he said.
‘Army of counselors’
Mental health advocates contend there is a dire need for increased counseling and behavioral health services, as well as improved outreach to distressed kids and better identifying and addressing bullying and threats of violence.
“Mental health is key to solving this problem,” said Brenda High, founder and co-director of Bully Police USA, an Idaho-based group that has pushed for anti-bullying measures across the United States.
High’s 13-year-old son, Jared, killed himself in 1998 after being severely bullied and assaulted at a school in Washington state.
“The only way to solve the problem is to have an army of counselors and people go in there to help these kids choose a better path,” said High, who crafts student-centered programs aimed at using peers to discourage bullying.
That requires increased staffing, pay for counselors and changes in school cultures — including addressing teachers, staff and parents who ignore bullying and distressed students.
But High and others worry the rush to harden schools, limit access and turn them into high-security zones will further stress students returning from pandemic shutdowns and diminish the learning environment.
“There are some schools out there that do treat their students like inmates,” High said. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/school-safety-part-1-a-knot-in-my-gut-for-officials-as-school-begins-in/article_708a9f80-25b2-11ed-8ac8-83e27a7cbe92.html | 2022-08-27T12:38:30Z |
Anxiety and stress levels are up for many students, parents, staff and teachers as they return to campuses and classrooms for the 2022-23 school year.
Some students and teachers are still wrestling with the return to schools after the remote learning and shutdowns during the coronavirus pandemic.
Others are anxious over mass school shootings and their seemingly too regular occurrence across the country.
The horrific elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in late May, with its bungled police response and slaughter of 19 elementary school kids and two teachers, has added to the stress.
Students and parents want to feel more empowered and in control over potential emergency situations. That is part of a much larger mental and behavioral component to addressing school violence, according to counselors and school safety experts across the country.
“There’s a lot of anxiety — a lot of them feel pretty helpless,” said Willow Goldfarb, a licensed mental health counselor and lead clinician for Thriveworks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, of students she’s counseled after Uvalde.
She’s worked with those impacted by the 2018 mass shooting, on Valentine’s Day, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Nikolas Cruz, then 19, opened fire there, killing 17 and injuring 17 more.
The wounds of the Parkland massacre and examinations of Cruz’s troubled childhood and mental and behavioral health problems have been reopened this summer with sentencing testimony being heard in a Florida courtroom. Those testifying have included still-grieving parents and relatives.
Goldfarb is hearing from students, parents and teachers in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, on their worries about police responses after it took officers there an hour to confront shooter Salvador Ramos.
Empowerment
Goldfarb said some students are pressing for more of their own options for survival, escape and connections to the outside world.
Some students have questioned why they can’t be armed if teachers and staff have that option in more gun-friendly states and regions.
“It’s the narrative of the good guy shooter shooting the bad guy shooters,” Goldfarb said.
She also said some students don’t like restrictive cell phone policies imposed by some schools. She’s heard from kids who became used to constant communication with their parents during the pandemic, as well as those who want to be able to call 911 or share information during an emergency, that such rules are a source of anxiety.
Goldfarb said students have also shared that they often feel talked down to when it comes to school security and safety. They say districts would be better served if school officials were as collaborative, inclusive and transparent as possible.
“I feel a lot of times kids get talked over. Just tell them what’s going to happen,” Goldfarb said.
She said she tries to empower students who are feeling trepidation about school safety to follow their instincts in school security situations.
“I talk to them about trusting their gut,” Goldfarb said.
Concerned parents also want to feel more empowered and are pushing to be more involved with school security and safety decisions in light of the recent shootings, said Sharon Hoover, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine and co-director of the National Center for School Mental Health.
“How are you going to keep my kid safe?” is a common refrain Hoover hears from worried parents headed into the new school year.
“Families are certainly wanting to be at the table,” Hoover said.
‘Living hell’
The need to feel empowered and included is just the tip of the mental and behavioral health iceberg when it comes to schools given the continued challenges of bullying and the regularity of contemporary mass shootings.
Addressing bullying and antisocial behavior are essential to addressing the mental health components of school violence, according to Brenda High.
High co-founded Bully Police USA after her 13-year-old son committed suicide after being bullied at a school in Washington State. The Idaho group advocates for tougher anti-bully laws across U.S. states.
High said there are still schoolyards and social cultures that allow bullying and fail to help kids in distress.
“You will still find many places where it’s still ‘boys will be boys’, ‘girls will be girls’,” said High.
Her group helps schools implement more student-focused behavior programs such as peer groups who can help address bullying and mistreatment of classmates.
She said mental health counselors in schools also need to be paid more. School counselors earn a median annual salary of $46,778 with starting pay of $33,000 per year for some, according to San Francisco-based staffing firm Zippia Inc.
Many of the school shooters suffered from mental and behavioral health problems and faced bullying — or felt they were bullied and mistreated, according to reports on those incidents.
Their feelings of ostracization and disassociation can dangerously combine with access to weapons and inadequate responses to mental health challenges by parents, schools and law enforcement.
“It comes back to that sense of connectedness and relationships,” said Amy Klinger, an education professor with Ashland University in Ohio and co-founder of the nonprofit Educators School Safety Network.
Klinger said not all of the mass shooters were bullied — but all of them believe they were mistreated and felt disconnected from their schools and classmates.
Klinger said school can be “a living hell” for some kids who face endless bullying and mistreatment from classmates. Some also live in abusive, traumatic and toxic situations at home.
Some of those same homes might not be supportive of behavioral health counseling while others offer access to guns and ammunition.
Students and their caregivers can also worry about stigmatizations at school and within families and communities that might come with mental counseling.
Goldfarb and other mental health professionals said kids will often follow suit if one or more parents are into guns — or, conversely, are skeptical of behavioral and mental health counseling.
“The kid is picking up on that message and running with it,” she said.
Federal gun measures passed earlier this summer after Uvalde allocated $750 million over five years to help states with crisis intervention programs such as ‘red-flag’ laws that can block purchases and confiscate guns for mental health reasons.
Those efforts run into constitutional protections for gun ownership via the Second Amendment as well as civil liberties concerns about how far police and commitment powers should potentially be expanded.
The federal bill also offers another $510 million in various mental and behavioral health grants for states, localities and school districts.
Disparate reactions
Social division and politically-fueled disagreement over how to address mass shootings also creates disparate reactions to proposed school safety solutions.
Republicans opposed to new federal gun controls have called for more police officers, security guards and security layers on campuses.
That may give confidence to some — but not others.
“I do find students of color or marginalized communities feel a lot more anxious when there are more police officers around,” Goldfarb said.
Some school districts took fresh looks, with some scaling back cops and security guards on campus after the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer.
But the pendulum is swinging back toward increased security and police footprints on campuses after Uvalde and other recent shootings.
David Moore, police chief of Janesville, Wisconsin, near the Illinois border, said law enforcement agencies need to build trust within communities and at schools in order to get help with early identification and interventions.
“You need to have that trust in the community so they will reach out,” said Moore, who has resources officers at local schools in southern Wisconsin.
Law enforcement officers, like teachers and school staff, have been struggling with how to recognize and deal with behavioral health problems as well as bullying and harassment.
Teachers, many of whom already had high anxiety over COVID-19 and are stressed by labor shortages, are also seeing more training related to shootings including crisis interventions and treating severe gunshot wounds.
Hoover said districts need to be sensitive to what they are adding to teachers' duties. “We have to be really careful about adding one more thing to their plate,” she said.
There are also continuing problems with societal approaches to mental health — on and off campus.
A person with untreated mental illness is 16 times more likely to be killed by police, according to a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center. And mentally ill persons make up more than 1 in 4 fatal police shootings, according to the Virginia-based group.
A 2020 study Harvard University found Black people are 3.23 times more likely than whites to be killed by police.
The rush to increase security infrastructure, including limiting access points, and installing more cameras and layers of fences and barriers, can ease concerns but create anxiety for others.
“You can set it up like a prison but then who wants to send their kids,” said Klinger, who is concerned that knee jerk reactions to the latest shootings give the appearance of action but can fail to address root challenges such as helping kids in distress and teachers and staff following security protocols and addressing bullying situations.
“When you have an active shooter incident, the immediate response is to do more active shooter drills,” Klinger said.
Hoover said anxiety over shootings and the return to school are combining with some of the stresses, conflict and social isolations of the pandemic.
“We do better when we feel stable and secure,” said Hoover, who is also director of the Maryland-based National Center for Safe Supportive Schools. “We have had nothing that feels stable or secure for two and a half years now.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/school-safety-part-2-schools-seek-mental-and-behavioral-health-solutions/article_11dafdae-25b2-11ed-af94-1bfafbb5501a.html | 2022-08-27T12:38:36Z |
Familiar and not always productive patterns have emerged over the past two decades for schools and communities shattered by mass shootings.
Some of those — including knee-jerk and politically motivated reactions — can actually work against solving root problems associated with school violence, according to security experts and others on the front lines of the issue.
In the immediate aftermath of a shooting, the news media, gun control and gun rights activists and mental health advocates all now routinely swoop in with dramatic images of grieving parents and memorial services, with emotional calls to action.
Federal and state lawmakers have also thrown money at the problem — often via one-time or short-term grants — to up security with more cameras, reinforced doors and more campus police and mental health professionals.
“You see the knee-jerk reactions of legislators. And it is frequently one-time, shot in the arm grants,” said Kenneth Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, based in Ohio.
For many police departments and school districts — especially smaller ones — jumping through the hoops of applying for federal and other grants is too daunting of a challenge to take on. And if they do plunge into that process and are successful at securing a grant, the pot isn’t infinite. They’ll have to figure out long-term funding after the original money runs out.
“The grant process is not simple. You can put a lot of work into it and end up with nothing,” said Martin Sayre, community engagement commander for the St. Cloud Police Department, in Minnesota. “I’m not a professional grant writer.”
The St. Cloud police force has 116 sworn officers — including school resource officers at local schools.
Sayre said new and enhanced security efforts frequently require financial and operational coordination between law enforcement and school districts.
Striking a balance
Mac Sosa, chief of police in Stevensville, Montana (south of Missoula), said his law enforcement agency agreed to a 50/50 cost split with local schools for an on-campus officer. That is a common formula among school districts with school resource officers (SROs) on campus.
Sosa said he also tries to leverage regional and national training programs and resources related to active shooters, threat assessments and behavior interventions.
But Trump said the problem is getting longer-term sustainable investment in school security and moving beyond vendors offering infrastructure and “gadgets.”
“We are running into a number of people who want to do school safety on the cheap,” said Trump. “Many would rather do a one-time shot in the arm and install a few cameras. You have to strike a balance.”
No one solution
Sayre said police and school districts need to realize that all schools and campuses are not created equal when addressing safety and the deterrence of violence.
Newer and older school buildings are unique animals — as are urban schools compared to suburban and rural counterparts.
“They are all different,” Sayre said, adding that St. Cloud police are looking at how best to secure and access classrooms and other doors after the widely-publicized school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Sayre said secure and reinforced doors have proven effective in protecting students in past shootings. However, police had trouble entering the classroom during the Uvalde shooting.
Some police departments are making sure officers have keys, key FOBs and maps of schools as they learn the lessons from the delayed Texas response.
“That is one thing we are working on in the short-run and long-term,” Sayre said.
Political corners
The national challenge is evolving the conversation from short-term attention and funding to long-term solutions that address school violence and its underlying causes.
“Are you being proactive or are you being reactionary?” said Amy Klinger, an education professor with Ashland University in Ohio and director of programs at the Educator’s School Safety Network.
Klinger said reactionary approaches too-often center on political and media fights over guns and on active shooter drills that appease local worries but don’t actually fix anything.
“Everyone goes into their corner and screams at each other,” Klinger said of the discourse and politics.
There were 97 shootings in classrooms and on campuses nationally this past school year and 943 gunfire incidents at American schools since 2013, according to Ronn Nozoe, CEO of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
The Virginia-based group hosted a forum Aug. 22 with current and former principals from schools that have experienced high-profile shootings including in Columbine, Colorado and Parkland, Florida.
The forum focused on how school administrators who have dealt with previous shootings can help districts and communities who have suffered new violence.
In June, President Joe Biden and Congress approved a school safety package after the Uvalde shooting.
Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Martin said the measure offers more than $2 billion to help schools hire more mental health counselors and expand behavioral health services for students.
Federal school safety grant programs are administered by various agencies including the U.S Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Education. Those streams of funding have helped grow the school security to a $3.1 billion sector, according to a 2021 analysis by consulting firm Omdia. That is up from $2.7 billion in 2017.
The measure — which lacked enough congressional support for restrictive new gun controls — also offers $750 million to help states create and implement crisis intervention plans and to enact “red flag” laws that allow police to seize firearms from individuals deemed dangerous. The new federal measure law, which could face challenges under the Second Amendment, also implements enhanced gun purchase screening for buyers under the age of 21.
Red flag laws vary from state-to-state and give police powers to potentially confiscate firearms from individuals deemed dangerous. They do face criticism from Second Amendment adherents and scrutiny from civil libertarians concerned about potential overreach and use against those with unpopular or anti-government stances.
“We know big problems take big solutions,” said Martin at the NASSP event held in Littleton, Colorado where 15 people were killed at Columbine High School in 1999.
The difficulty has been getting those “big solutions” to stick.
Same old, same old?
Gun control advocates argue that without new restrictions — particularly on the AR-15 rifles favored by many school shooters — the carnage will continue.
Others say past efforts to focus on mental and behavioral health and to address a school bullying culture that, it’s been suggested, feeds the potential for shootings, have been short-lived.
“That’s cutting it for about a week and the kids are back to the same old ways,” said Brenda High, who founded Bully Police USA. High alleges her 13-year-old son committed suicide after being mistreated at his school in Washington state.
High, who now lives in Idaho, works to set up peer councils at schools to help address bullying.
Michelle Kefford, principal at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida where shooter Nikolas Cruz killed 17 and injured 17 more on Valentine’s Day 2018, said during the Aug. 22 forum in Colorado that the focus needs to be on getting students to trust teachers and administrators enough to tell them about distressed classmates and potential threats. That, Kefford said, is violence as important as increasing spending for security and mental health initiatives.
But that requires engaging students and overcoming unwritten school yard codes and social norms against snitching.
Kefford and the other principals at the Aug. 22 event also said the scars from school violence never completely fade and memories can easily be retriggered and become retraumatizing.
In Florida, that’s happening as sentencing hearings are underway this month for Cruz, who could face life in prison or the death penalty.
“That is opening wounds for all of my staff, all of my students and the entire community,” she said. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/school-safety-part-3-communities-endure-after-attention-fades/article_47e5e572-25b1-11ed-a2b2-13df895b1061.html | 2022-08-27T12:38:42Z |
Margaret "Marni" Castriotta Margaret "Marni" Castriotta Began her journey home August 19, 2022 in the home that her Daddy Joe built for her, her siblings and beloved mother. Marni loved a lot of things but nothing more than talking about her kids and bragging about her awesome grandkids. Marni leaves behind daughters, Jenny (Tony) Wilder De La Rosa, Mollie Ashby and Kathryn Griffeth; Step son, Tony (Michelle) Morrow; Brother, Nick; Sisters, Theda, Twin Ruth, Paula, Cheryl ; Grandchildren, Deveree, Nehani, Cade, Kaiya, Kendra, Kalani and Sierra; Great Grandchildren, Eilah, Zander, Ezio, Kaleo and Glacier; Nephews and Nieces, Katalo, Netami, Ishi, Niki, Destiny, Joey, Teri, Brandi, Shaun, Davey, Trish and April; Many beloved cousins, fellow Klamath tribal members and many special friends- Teri, Lynette and Monte, just to name a few. Marni is joining her parents Katherine Plaisted, Joe O'Brien, Wayne Plaisted; her biological Parents, Ruby Charles and Vincent Casrtiotta; Brother, David; Grandson, Meiko; ex-husband, Jesse Wilder; Sister, Patty Ann; Great-Nephew O'Neil; Grandparents, Tom and Grandmom Rodgers and Molly Ruff. Marni asked to be cremated and to be placed with her mama out at their hunting spot. Praying that Marni finds Peace, Love and Acceptance that she didn't always receive in life- she deserved better. A celebration of life will be held August 29, 2022 at Tayas Yawks, 3206 Onyx Ave Klamath Falls, OR. There will be a potluck meal served afterwards, so bring your favorite dish.
The Herald and News also publishes its obituaries and death notices with Legacy.com, a leading online obituary database that partners with more than 1,500 newspapers. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/obituaries/castriotta-margaret-marni/article_7327a1fb-0b9f-5f1a-85f0-540f1dea961e.html | 2022-08-27T12:38:49Z |
• Open six days a week 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Wednesdays
Centennial Hours:
• Monday-Friday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Monday 5-7 p.m.
Rock River Hours:
• Wednesday and Friday: Noon–4 p.m.
The events below take place at the Albany County Public Library, 310 S. 8th St. unless otherwise stated. For more information, visit the website acplwy.org, call 307-721-2580 or email info@acplwy.org.
StoryWalk®: Enjoy a picture book outdoors; start with page 1 outside the front doors. Check back for a new book each week.
Book Clubs: ACPL hosts a wide variety of book clubs that meet virtually, indoors or outdoors (weather permitting). View the book clubs at bookclubs.acplwy.org.
Banned Books Reading Challenge, Aug. 15 — Sept. 30: Staff are competing against patrons to see who can read the most banned books. There will be a prize drawing for those who read at least seven books.
TUESDAY, AUG. 30
After Hours Book Club, 7-9 p.m.: A fun, low-commitment book club where good company is just as important as good books. Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month, and books are chosen by the members. Meeting place TBD. Visit bookclubs.acplwy.org for a list of books and contact Cori at cpotter@acplwy.org for more information.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
Free Stress Relief Open House, 12:30-1:30 p.m.: Free ear acupuncture and acupressure. Treatment lasts 30-45 minutes.
YAK!, 3:45-5 p.m.: For teens ages 12-17 in the ACPL large meeting room for crafts, games and more.
ACPL Outreach Delivery, 12-1 p.m.: As part of the monthly program, ACPL will deliver any item the library has to offer to local retirement residences and others in need of the service due to pregnancy, age, disability, injury or illness. ACPL delivers to Regency Retirement Residence, Laramie Senior Housing, Laramie Care Center and private residences on the first Thursday of every month.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 3
Family Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Join Ms. Robyn in the ACPL large meeting room for toddler and preschool story time. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/albany-county-public-library--community-page/article_67ab9efa-24b3-11ed-ba29-775641a92564.html | 2022-08-27T12:50:47Z |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433...
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this
evening.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
The Eppson Center provides lifelong support for independent living through programs that enhance senior’s quality of life. The ECS offers low-cost opportunities to improve social integration, creativity, nutrition, and physical well-being.
The Eppson Center is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday–Friday, offering lunches in the dining room, transportation services, wellness services and various online and in-person activities.
All day, every day:
Too Fit to Quit (use of gym equipment). If interested, must schedule an orientation with Emma.
Billiards in the pool room, lessons or games.
Free books and puzzles in the pool room.
MONDAY, AUG. 29
9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Chess
9:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Recovery Class
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Prevention Exercise Class
5-6:30 p.m.: Chicken in the Park, tickets must be purchased ahead of time
TUESDAY, AUG. 30
9-10 a.m.: Line Dancing
10:30-11:30 a.m.: BINGO-cize (Nutrition)
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Musical Exercise with Resistance
1-1:45 p.m.: Bible study with Rich Henderson on Zoom
1-4 p.m.: Laramie Duplicate Bridge
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 31
9 a.m.-Noon: Chess
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Prevention Exercise Class
12-12:30 p.m.: Nutrition Education Presentation
THURSDAY, Sept. 1
9 a.m.-Noon: Beltone by appointment only
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Musical Exercise with Resistance
10:30-11:30 a.m.: BINGO-cize (Nutrition)
12:30-3:45 p.m.: Watercolor Class (studio session)
1-3:30 p.m.: Mexican Train Dominoes
1-3 p.m.: Biscuits and Jam
FRIDAY, Sept. 2
9-10 a.m.: Veterans Coffee
9 a.m.-Noon: Chess
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Fall Prevention Exercise Class
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: NARFE Meeting
SERVICES
Monday-Friday: Meals in the dining room 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday: Home delivered meals. Call 307-745-5116 ext. 20. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/eppson-center-for-seniors---community-page/article_db2fc7fa-24b0-11ed-97a7-7f84bea7199f.html | 2022-08-27T12:50:53Z |
I sat in a room filled with more than 900 people. We all had a sad story, the same story.
We had all lost a child.
The common thread was wrapped around each of our hearts tightly and safely never to be cut. The other end of the thread curled, waved and stretched into a web of interaction that connected everyone in the room. We all understood. We all shared a piece of the web. We all shared a piece of the pain.
Some parents had lost their only child. Some carried the loss of more than one. More than 900 stories of pain sat in a room where we gathered to share. Together our love and pain created an energy that was at moments thick and heavy and at times light and freeing.
The emotions were made bearable by a powerfully strong connectivity in the room. The stories varied in their telling, time frames and circumstances, but the same sad story connected all of us.
In a recent conversation, someone mentioned that there seems to be so many sad stories right now and that everyone you talk to has one. I believe that’s true. I believe that the more birthdays we are lucky enough to enjoy and the more candles we blow out, the more sad stories we will have. The longer we live we will hear more and more sad stories from others.
Is it possible that as we age the stories become sadder, or is it the accumulation of stories that becomes heavier with every layered story and every year that passes?
Over the years I have had my struggles. I have watched loved ones and friends struggle. I have said goodbye to people I love. I personally know the story of divorce, job loss, accidents and illness. I have laid battered, bruised and broken in a puddle of helpless hopelessness.
I have suffered. We have all suffered.
Could it be that there is a sensibility to this?
I believe so. We will all be wounded. The wound may be sharp and quick, but deep. The wound may be a slow, dragging pain that leaves a scar in a wide, jagged way. No amount of ointment, stitches or bandages will heal the puncture.
Wounds are meant to break an opening so a lesson, a message or a meaning can reach our hearts. Wounds are the marks of living. Sad stories give us a way to share our wounds.
I believe that it takes the darkest of times to open us up to learning the most. To live this life, we must endure and understand the difficult times, dark times, sad times. We must own our sad stories.
This is what connects us as humans. We can enjoy the beautiful days because we have felt suffering. We can enjoy health because we have felt illness. We appreciate success because we have struggled. We welcome joy because we have felt despair. Emotions are made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the network of our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.
We all have threads wrapped tightly and safely around our hearts while the other end of the thread reaches into a web we all share.
The longer we live the more sad stories we will hear, have and hold. The stories will vary in versions, time frames and circumstances, but sad stories connect all of us.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: The longer we live the more sad stories we will have. The darkest of times open us up to learning the most. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_239768f8-24b7-11ed-bf83-7b92d68052be.html | 2022-08-27T12:50:59Z |
Minnesota Star Tribune
‘Lost Ollie’
There’s a lot to love about this four-part series, especially when director Peter Ramsey (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”) cuts away from the human actors and focuses on his three animated toys, hitting the road to find acceptance. Each has its own tragic back story, but the most heartbreaking one belongs to Zozo, a disturbed carnival-booth clown voiced by Tim Blake Nelson. The flashback that reveals how he became so hardened is one of this year’s most unforgettable sequences, reminiscent of the opening moments of “Up.” The lack of dialogue will make it easier for the rest of your family to hear you sobbing. Netflix
‘Little Demon’
Danny DeVito has a history of playing devilish imps, so it’s no surprise that he’s voicing Satan himself in this animated series that’s hellbent on being as sinful as possible. Despite the show’s graphic nature, there’s something kind of sweet about the relationship between the Devil and his half-mortal daughter, especially when you realize that she’s being voiced by DeVito’s real-life daughter Lucy. The two bond over exorcism acts and revenge killings. The production may be a family affair, but it’s not for families. 10 p.m. ET Thursday, FXX
‘Mike’
Mike Tyson is none too happy with this eight-part series, which covers the champ’s life, starting with his troubled childhood. But director Craig Gillespie (“Pam & Tommy”) takes a rather balanced approach with a top-notch cast, including Harvey Keitel as manager Cus D’Amato and Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight”) in the title role. If you want to hear more from Tyson’s perspective, Spike Lee’s 2013 recording of the boxer’s one-man show, “Undisputed Truth,” is available on HBO Max. Thursday, Hulu
‘They/Them’
What a great idea for a horror movie: to expose the evils of so-called “conversion therapy.” “They/Them” takes place at a camp, run by an unctuous creep played by Kevin Bacon, where parents send their gay, lesbian and non-gender-conforming kids to be turned straight (spoiler alert: It doesn’t work). Unfortunately, “They/Them” doesn’t deliver the thrills we expect from horror and, despite a zesty supporting performance by Anna Chlumsky as a counselor, it’s neither scary nor provocative. Peacock
‘Sharp Stick’
Lena Dunham directed and plays a supporting role in a drama with an intriguing but frustrating premise. Kristine Froseth plays a childlike adult who learns about sex from a married man (Jon Bernthal) and then takes a very deep dive into porn and kink. There are intriguing questions – Can she consent? Is she being exploited? – but the film doesn’t address them. On-demand services | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/5-shows-to-watch-fans-of-toy-story-and-tim-burton-need-to-find-lost/article_71280f34-24d8-11ed-ab07-0f0273e78264.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:05Z |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
This isn’t just another fiesta.
Thank the new organizers, Jessica Fernandez-Medina and Denise Garcia, for overhauling the Cheyenne Hispanic Festival and turning it into not just a celebration of Hispanic heritage, but a significant educational and supportive event for the Hispanic and non-Hispanic community alike.
First, there’s its mission statement – “To promote, educate and celebrate the Hispanic culture through community involvement and enrichment.”
Of these priorities, the greatest emphasis lies in education.
“The more education that people of other cultures have about it, I think the more understanding and the more accepting they will be,” Garcia said about racial stereotypes toward Hispanic members of the community. “You sometimes get a negative connotation that goes along with some things.
“When you have an event like this, where everybody’s celebrating, everybody’s uplifting and everybody’s learning things, I just think it kind of helps shift that to a more accurate description of what we’re doing and what we’re trying to be.”
On the surface, it’s quite the celebration, one that seemingly the entire community plans to take part in on Sept. 10 in the Depot Plaza. Witness Los Royas del Sol mariachi band, different Hispanic musical acts from around the region, as well as a performance from local traditional dance company Las Angelitas Unitas.
Throw in traditional Mexican cuisine, an ArtHaus loaded with artists of Hispanic descent, local vendors, a jalapeño eating contest and a car show, courtesy of Capital City Car and Bike Club, and this day is well on its way to solidifying itself as a significant event for the city and its residents.
Inside the Cheyenne Depot will be a space for participants to set up ofrendas, though they will need to register for a space ahead of time by emailing cheyennehispanicfestival307@gmail.com.
Within the Depot walls, just above live demonstrations on how to make tortillas and arepas, wafts the rich sensation of home cooked beans, clashing with outside air coated in the sharp scent of roasting chiles.
Arrive at the right time, and the sound of the Grito Contest will rattle your auditory senses, too.
Another one of the biggest changes comes from expanding the scope of the event to encompass not just Mexican cultures, but also feature traditional Colombian, Peruvian, Cuban, Honduran, Guatemalan and other Latin cultures.
“What we heard from the community is that they felt that we were just focusing on the Mexican community, and we weren’t really focusing on all the Latinx culture,” Fernandez-Medina said. “We want to make that change. We want our people from Honduras or people from Venezuela, from Peru, from Colombia, to feel welcome as part of this community.”
Outside, children can carry passports to receive stamps from different countries by visiting stations located throughout the Plaza and along 15th Street. The educational program was created to encourage kids to learn more about the different cultures in their community.
With other entities around the city participating in the festival with their own events, it’s beginning to look like the Hispanic Festival, though important in the past, is integrating with the community more than ever.
The Laramie County Library will host a series of Hispanic Festival events, one of which will be a Spanish language reading of children’s books on Sept. 7. The Wyoming State Museum is setting up 10 tables beginning on Sept. 1, where people can register to leave personal items that pertain to their Hispanic culture for others to view and learn about through Oct. 16.
“This is a new thing. It’s a new partnership,” Elizabeth DeGreiner, supervisor of exhibits and programs for the Wyoming State Museum, said. “We have been wanting to partner with Hispanic Fest and really start opening up the museum to community organizations and community groups that are doing stuff around here. Just trying to be a part of that and open up our space to have some new and different voices in the museum.”
Military members stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, some coming from Hispanic cultural backgrounds, will serve as volunteers and security. Fernandez-Medina believes this will aid in exposing some of the younger attendees to quality role models.
In addition to the celebratory events, there will also be important community services provided for attendees.
Roadmap to Health, a nonprofit mobile health screening program, will have a mobile unit set up at the festival, offering free health screenings, like cholesterol checks, blood pressure readings and basic medical advice in regard to positive lifestyle adjustment. These services will be offered in both Spanish and English languages.
The American Red Cross will also have a tent providing similar services.
But the two events kicking off the festival are some of the most important.
At La Noche De Celebración, to be held on Sept. 9 at the Cheyenne Civic Center, Mayor Patrick Collins will read a proclamation designating September as Hispanic Heritage Month in Cheyenne.
Following his announcement, the Hispanic Festival will announce the two high school students that are to receive the organization’s inaugural college scholarship. Funds were acquired through this year’s festival sponsors.
The two students were selected based on essays they submitted to the organization about their heritage while growing up in Cheyenne.
Much of these changes were made with help from the city of Cheyenne Community Recreation and Events Department. Fernandez-Medina and Garcia worked closely with Jason Sanchez, director of Community Recreation and Events, to restructure the festival.
Fernandez-Medina even said Sanchez joked that, in a way, it’s like the inaugural year all over again, despite the festival having made an impact for many years now.
It’s that new.
“We were really focused on making sure we’re bringing a lot of educational components to the festival,” Sanchez said. “Trying to work with the community to honor a couple of students with scholarships. We wanted to make sure that we really did a good job doing our due diligence and explaining the culture.
“Not just having a party, but really explaining the ‘why’ behind all of the things that we do.”
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/hispanic-festival-a-cultural-celebration-with-a-newfound-purpose/article_e2a00b4e-24d3-11ed-b4e8-ab964b874933.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:12Z |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433...
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this
evening.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
Mark Wahlberg, left, and Kevin Hart in “Me Time.” (Netflix/TNS)
Everybody needs a little "me time," but nobody needs any "Me Time."
Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg star in this flat comedy where no one acts like real people and all behaviors are heightened to the point of absurdity. "Me Time" could be turned into a cartoon and it would retain the same amount of believability as it does in live-action form.
Hart plays Sonny Fisher, a straight-laced family man and stay-at-home dad who volunteers at his kids' school and favors a life of responsibility. Wahlberg is Huck Dembo, Sonny's best pal, who's still stuck in an arrested state of late-stage adolescence and who throws himself epic birthday parties with names like Huckchella.
Inevitably, Sonny and Huck are on a crash course with one another where one will learn to loosen up and one will learn to grow up, lessons that manage to be both cynical and condescending in their delivery.
"Me Time" — the title comes from Hart's character's alone time away from his wife (Regina Hall, who was also paired opposite Hart in 2014's "About Last Night") and two kids — is written and directed by John Hamburg, whose "I Love You, Man" was a much more funny and insightful exploration of adult male friendships. "Me Time" relies on raunchy gags and tired R-rated humor and never manages to find a chord of true humanity, let alone any chemistry between its leads. Your time is best spent elsewhere. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/me-time-review-kevin-hart-mark-wahlberg-comedy-a-bad-time/article_f4e4b700-255f-11ed-bf84-33f82394dc36.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:18Z |
The Detroit News
There are no capes or tights in “Samaritan,” a superhero movie that doesn’t subscribe to the rules of modern superhero movies.
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING... ...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433... The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433. * WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH. * HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. &&
The Detroit News
There are no capes or tights in “Samaritan,” a superhero movie that doesn’t subscribe to the rules of modern superhero movies.
Director Julius Avery (2018’s “Overlord”) sets his tale in a gritty modern world and grounds it in recognizable reality, establishing the stakes early on. It’s a superhero movie where the superhero takes a backseat to everything else, and is better for it.
Joe Smith (Sylvester Stallone) is the superhero in question, even though in his knit cap, flannel shirt and gray beard he looks more like a union foreman. He’s quiet and keeps to himself, although his neighbor Sam (Javon Walton) thinks he may be Samaritan, a superhero in his hometown of Granite City. Years ago Samaritan clashed with his archnemesis twin brother, The Nemesis, and both were said to have died in the battle.
Young Sam is a Samaritan superfan, and he desperately needs someone to look up to. He’s being raised by his single mother (Dascha Polanco) who is too overworked to watch over him as he gets mixed up with the local riff-raff, including gang boss Cyrus (Pilou Asbaek) and his henchmen, headed up by the weasel-like Reza (Moises Arias, sporting multicolor braids). The city is falling into chaos as workers are on strike, foreclosures are on the rise and homelessness is running rampant.
Joe takes Sam under his wing but can’t protect him all the time, as Cyrus uses the Purge-like conditions of the city to fashion himself into a modern version of The Nemesis. Questions abound: Is Joe the man Sam believes him to be? Will Samaritan show himself and fight for the forces of good? And if Sam is so poor, how does he have such a crispy pair of Jordan 1s on his feet?
“Samaritan” has a fresh approach to its subject matter, even if it doesn’t have all the answers to its most pressing questions. Director Avery creates a small, contained world where the forces of good and evil are at war not for the fate of the world, but just a few city blocks. Walton, Asbaek and Arias are strong enough that Stallone doesn’t have to do any heavy lifting, and “Samaritan” works because it stays true to its own principles. It’s a superhero movie with its feet planted firmly on the ground.
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/samaritan-review-stallone-superhero-story-stays-rooted/article_e38a31dc-24d9-11ed-b533-dbfffb2cb7f9.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:24Z |
Cheyenne and Laramie County
Cheyenne Farmers Market
– Aug. 27, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Local and regional vendors sell their produce, honey, jams, meat, bakery and specialty items, and much more. Proceeds benefit Community Action of Laramie County and its programs. B Parking Lot, Frontier Park, 4610 Carey Ave. 307-635-9291 or www.calc.net/farmers-market
End of Summer Foam Party
– Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-noon. Summer is over, and it’s time to go back to school. Join the library for outdoor games and sipping on lemonade as we enjoy the last rays of summer with a foam party. Performance Park, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
University of Wyoming Football Fest
– Aug. 27, 2-6 p.m. Prepare your best University of Wyoming football cheer, don your brown and gold, and get ready for game day at the library. Join fellow fans to watch the first game of the season as the Cowboys take on Illinois. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
New Frontier Cheyenne Gun and Western Collectibles Show Auction
– Aug. 27, 4 p.m. This year’s auction includes antique Native American and cowboy items, Old West memorabilia and eight special items worn on-screen by famous (now deceased) actor John Wayne. Laramie County Events Center at Archer, 3801 Archer Parkway. 307-633-4670
Edge Fest 2022
– Aug. 27, 5-11 p.m. Experience Tones & I, Claire Rosinkranz and Joe P at the seventh installment of this free outdoor music festival. There will be food and drink on site, as well. Civic Commons Park, Bent Avenue and 20th Street. info@edgefest.com
Tales Together
– Aug. 30-31, 10:15-10:45 a.m. An interactive early literacy class for preschool children and their caregivers. Practice new skills incorporating books, songs, rhymes, movement and more. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Open Mic Night at Blue Raven
– Aug. 31, 7-10 p.m. A musical open mic night, presented in collaboration with Wyoming Wave Studios. Blue Raven Brewery, 209 E. 18th St. 307-369-1978
Cheyenne First Friday Artwalk
– Sept. 2, 5 p.m. Free. The Cheyenne Artwalk is a monthly event that highlights a local gallery or studio on the first Friday of every month. This month, look for the mobile ArtHaus unit parked out front the Clay Paper Scissors, along with food trucks and live music. Cheyenne Artist Guild, 1701 Morrie Ave. 307-632-2263
Cheyenne Farmers Market
– Sept. 3, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Local and regional vendors sell their produce, honey, jams, meat, bakery and specialty items, and much more. Proceeds benefit Community Action of Laramie County and its programs. B Parking Lot, Frontier Park, 4610 Carey Ave. 307-635-9291 or www.calc.net/farmers-market
VFW Craft and Flea Market Show
– Sept. 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Support local veterans by shopping for different crafts, including jewelry, crochet items, candles and more. Lunch will be available. VFW 1881, 2816 E. Seventh St. 307-632-4053.
Labor Day Pig Roast
– Sept. 5, 11:30 a.m. Free. American Legion Post 6 is sponsoring a free pig roast that is open to the public. There will be barbecue pork, hot dogs and hamburgers with fixings. American Legion Post 6, 2001 E. Lincolnway. 307-256-4138
Cheyenne Heritage Quilters Meeting
– Sept. 6, 7 p.m. Guest speaker Angela McPherson of Cheyenne will give a trunk show of art quilts. She will have an emphasis on the use of many mediums to create an art quilt, and will also talk about a class she will be teaching to create an art quilt on Oct. 15. First United Methodist Church, 108 E. 18th St. info@chquilters.org
Spanish Storytime (Hora de cuentos en español)
– Sept. 7, 6-7 p.m. In collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Celebration, the library will be presenting a special Spanish Storytime. Come enjoy stories, songs, snacks and a craft, all in Spanish. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
– Sept. 7, 6-7 p.m. En colaboración con La Celebración de la Herencia Hispana, presentaremos una hora de cuentos en español. Disfrute de cuentos especiales, canciones, meriendas y manualidades – ¡todo en español! Biblioteca del condado de Laramie, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Capital City Car and Bike Club: Show and Shine
– Sept. 8, 5-8 p.m. Enjoy a free car show at the library before the club’s big event at the Cheyenne Hispanic Festival on Sept. 10. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
The Purple Society Meeting
– Sept. 8, 6-7 p.m. Join members of the LBGTQ+ and allies community. This group meets to chat about LGBTQ+ related issues, work on crafts and enjoy some snacks in a safe environment. This group seeks to offer understanding, support and acceptance. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Nonprofits: Introduction to Proposal Writing
– Sept. 8, 12:30–1:30 p.m. Are you new to proposal writing or wanting a quick refresher? This class will provide participants with an introductory overview of the nonprofit proposal writing process. RSVP for this event at lclsonline.org/calendar/. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Open Jam Night
– Sept. 8, 7 p.m. Free. The Lincoln Theatre is hosting its monthly Open Jam Night. Musicians are encouraged to bring their guitar, bass, etc., and come jam with other local musicians! Backline provided. A full bar will be available for those who just want to come and watch. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
La Noche de Celebracion
– Sept. 9, 7 p.m. $10. La Noche de Celebración will highlight Hispanic heritage as a kick-off to the weekend-long Cheyenne Hispanic Festival. Cheyenne Civic Center, 2101 O’Neil Ave. 307-637-6363
Comedy Night at The Metropolitan
– Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. $20. Laughter is good for the soul. Get your giggles on at this 90-minute comedy show featuring two awesome comedians. The Metropolitan Downtown, 1701 Carey Ave. 307-432-0022
Wyoming State Museum Family Day
– Sept. 10, 10 a.m-2 p.m. This month’s theme is “Buzzing Bees.” This Family Day is dedicated to our favorite little pollinators. Learn how bees take nectar and make it into honey, explore the world of beekeeping and find out how to make your garden more pollinator friendly. Wyoming State Museum, 2301 Central Ave. 307-777-7022
{h3 class=”wcs-class__title wcs-modal-call h1” title=”The Race: Musical Story Time and Instrument Petting Zoo”}Musical Story Time and Instrument Petting Zoo{/h3}
– Sept. 10, 11 a.m. The CSO Brass Quintet will perform with master storyteller Aaron Sommers. Activities presented in partnership with Delta Kappa Gamma’s Upsilon Chapter and WyoMusic. Paul Smith Children’s Village, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, 710 S. Lions Park Drive. 307-778-8561
Hispanic Festival
– Sept. 10, 12-8 p.m. Free. Celebrate Hispanic culture with educational exhibits, games, mariachis, art exhibits, live music, food and craft vendors, piñatas and other kid-friendly activities, food, beer, 50/50 raffle, drawings and a car show. Cheyenne Depot Plaza, 1 Depot Square. 307-275-425
Silent Movie Night at the Atlas
– Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. $10. Cheyenne Little Theater Players will host a screening of the silent film “Nosferatu,” with live musical accompaniment by Dave Neimann. Historic Atlas Theatre, 211 W. Lincolnway. 307-638-6543
Poetry Open Mic @ The Hawthorn Tree
– Sept. 11, 1-3 p.m. Free. Each poet gets five minutes to read, but occasionally go two rounds, so bring extra poems. Arrive five minutes early to sign up. The Hawthorn Tree, 112 E. 17th St. 307-369-4446
Guided Play
– Sept. 12, 10-11:45 a.m. The library invites families to come play. Each week, they will feature a different playscape in the Early Literacy Center, along with suggestions of how to engage your child in guided play. This week’s theme is “Block Party.” Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Material + Metaphor
– Sept. 12-Oct. 12, library hours. Leah Hardy, the metalsmithing professor at the University of Wyoming, tells intricate sculptural stories using metaphor and a vast array of materials. Enjoy this fascinating exhibit displayed on the first floor in the entrance gallery and elevator display cases. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Start Your Own Business
– Sept. 13, 6-7 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of starting a business in Wyoming. Experts will cover business models and plans, the feasibility of business ideas, legal structure and regulations and the reality of start-up financing. RSVP for this event at lclsonline.org/calendar/. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Senior Health Fair
– Sept. 14, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. An event featuring food and prizes where people can learn more about local senior health care resources. Primrose Retirement Community, 1530 Dorothy Lane. 307-634-1530
Arts in the Parks
– Sept. 15-18, park hours. The Wyoming Arts Council partners with Wyoming State Parks to hold various arts activities in parks across the state. Plein Air in the Parks is an annual event that pairs talented artists with beautiful locations. This painting competition is open to artists of all ages and offers cash awards. Curt Gowdy State Park, 1264 Granite Springs Road. 307-777-7742
2022 Cheyenne Greek Festival
– Sept. 16-17. A yearly celebration of Greek culture. Cheyenne Frontier Days Exhibit Hall, Eighth Street and Dey Avenue. 307-635-5929
Positive Aging
– Sept. 16, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Join the library for a screening of “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003, rated PG-13), a romantic comedy about an aging womanizer who finds himself falling for the mother of his young girlfriend during a trip to the Hamptons. Starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. There will be a free discussion afterward. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
CFD Hall of Fame Introduction
– Sept. 16, 5 p.m. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame showcases individuals, livestock and organizations whose distinctive contributions to Cheyenne Frontier Days have helped grow a dream into the “Daddy of ‘em All.” CFD Headquarters, 4610 Carey Ave. 307-778-7290
64th Annual Symphony Gala
– Sept. 17, 5 p.m. An evening to kick off the new season. The event includes a cocktail hour, three-course gourmet meal, live entertainment, and silent and live auctions. Little America Hotel and Resort, 2800 W Lincolnway. 307-778-8561
Guided Play
– Sept. 19, 10-11:45 a.m. The library invites families to come play. Each week, they will feature a different playscape in the Early Literacy Center, along with suggestions of how to engage your child in guided play. This week’s theme is “Big Art.” Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Guitar Workshop with Pierre Bensusan
– Sept. 20. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Internationally renowned guitarist Pierre Bensusan will offer a workshop for adult and teen guitar players at any level. While he plays and composes in DADGAD tuning, the workshop will be open to all guitarists, whatever tuning they use. Presented in partnership with Cheyenne Guitar Society. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Guitar Concert with Pierre Bensusan
– Sept. 20, 7-9:15 p.m. French-Algerian acoustic guitar virtuoso, vocalist and composer Pierre Bensusan has taken his unique sound to all corners of the globe. He is the winner of the Independent Music Award for his triple live album, Encore and the Rose d’Or at the Montreux Festival, for his debut album at age 17 and has been voted Best World Music Guitarist by Guitar Player Magazine Reader’s Poll. Presented in partnership with Cheyenne Guitar Society. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Joe Gato @ Cheyenne Civic Center
– Sept. 22, 7 p.m. Joe Gatto, a stand-up comedian, actor, producer and co-star for the hit TV show “Impractical Jokers,” will give a performance. Cheyenne Civic Center, 510 W. 20th St. 307-637-6200
Dueling Pianos at The Metropolitan
– Sept. 23, 7:30-11 p.m. $20. Come laugh and sing along in an evening of musical entertainment directed by your requests. The Metropolitan Downtown, 1701 Carey Ave. 307-432-0022
Brandt Tobler @ The Lincoln
– Sept. 23, 8-11 p.m. $35. Stand-up comedian Brandt Tobler is coming home to Cheyenne for a night of comedy. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
CLTP presents “Little Shop of Horrors”
– Sept. 23-25, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, Oct. 7-9; dinner theater Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 8. Cheyenne Little Theatre Players are putting on a rendition of the Broadway and big-screen hit musical. Historic Atlas Theatre, 211 W. Lincolnway. 307-638-6543
Cheyenne Community Appreciation Day
– Sept. 24, 8-9 a.m.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; 7-9 p.m. The Downtown Development Authority and Visit Cheyenne are showing their appreciation for the community with a day of family friendly events. There will be a rock wall, bouncy house, 20-foot slide, free face painting, free balloon animals, street magic, $5 pony rides (at the 15th Street Stables) and other activities with local law enforcement and military organizations. There will also be Oktoberfest vendors and activities happening at the Depot Plaza, including the Downtown Mini-Golf Tournament. Various locations, downtown Cheyenne. 307-772-7266
Library Harvest Festival
– Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Children and families. Come join us for our second annual Harvest Festival. There will be fall-inspired games, crafts and treats for the whole family to enjoy. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Black Tooth’s 3rd Annual Oktoberfest
– Sept. 24, noon-11 p.m. A block party with live music, food, games and beer specials. Black Tooth Brewing Co., 520 W. 19th St. 307-514-0362
Guided Play
– Sept. 26, 10-11:45 a.m. The library invites families to come play. Each week they will feature a different playscape in the Early Literacy Center, along with suggestions of how to engage your child in guided play. This week’s theme is “Parachute Play.” Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Blind Date with a Book: Banned Books Edition
– Sept. 26-Oct. 1, library hours. Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. During this week, we will be highlighting historically banned and challenged books. Try out our Blind Date with a Book! Fill out the “rate your date” card and be entered into a drawing for a Barnes & Noble gift card. Burns Branch Library, 112 Main Street. 307-547-2249
High Plains Arboretum with Local Horticulturist Jessica Fries
– Sept. 27, 6-8 p.m. Did you know that Cheyenne was home to one of America’s most important research centers for trees and plants? Hear about this and more cool facts as local author and Children’s Village horticulturist Jessica Friis discusses her book “High Plains Arboretum,” written in collaboration with Friends of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Book Discussion Group
– Sept. 29, 6–7:30 p.m. Transition from summer to fall and join us for a September book group discussion of “Meet Me at the Museum” by Anne Youngson. This novel’s story unfolds through a series of letters written between two strangers who’ve bonded over their mutual obsession with the life and death of Tollund Man, one of Denmark’s famous bog bodies. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
A Sissy in Wyoming
– Oct. 2, 3-5 p.m. Free, reservation required. Inspired by the remarkable life story of Wyoming educator, peace activist and crossdresser Larry “Sissy” Goodwin, a Playwright’s Reading of “A Sissy in Wyoming” will be presented by dramatist and historian Gregory Hinton. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
All City Children’s Chorus Concert
– Oct. 8, 4 p.m. Free. The opening performance of All City’s 47th season, titled “Air.” Laramie County School District 1 Administration Building Auditorium, 2810 House Ave. 307-771-2275
K. Flay @ The Lincoln
– Oct. 15, 8 p.m. The two-time Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and rapper makes her return to Cheyenne after performing at Edge Fest 2021. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
Lunch and Learn
– Oct. 21, noon. Join Maestro William Intriligator and guest pianist Sara Buechner for an informal and entertaining discussion including musical insights about the upcoming concert. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-778-8561
CSO presents “Arabian Nights”
– Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. $10-$50. The Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra opens its 2022-23 season with “Arabian Nights.” The audience will experience Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. Plus, pianist Sara Buechner will performs Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Cheyenne Civic Center, 510 W. 20th St. 307-778-8561
Ace Hood @ The Lincoln
– Oct. 22, 8 p.m. The rapper that brought the world “Bugatti” and “Hustle” will give a performance. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
Tom Segura @ the Civic Center
– Oct. 27, 7 p.m. One of the biggest names in stand-up comedy. Segura has four Netflix specials under his belt – “Ball Hog” (2020), “Disgraceful” (2018), “Mostly Stories” (2016) and “Completely Normal” (2014). Cheyenne Civic Center, 510 W. 20th St. 307-637-6200
Ongoing
Americans and the Holocaust Exhibit
– Through Aug. 28, library hours. Laramie County Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II
– Through Aug. 28, library hours. Smithsonian poster exhibition traces the story of Japanese national and Japanese American incarceration during World War II and the people who survived it. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Laramie and Greater Wyoming
7220’ Music Fest
– Aug. 27, 3-10 p.m. $20. A music festival to raise money for Albany County Search and Rescue and Laramie Chamber Business Alliance. There will be street vendors, food trucks and music. Bond’s Brewing Company, 411 S. Second St. 307-460-3385
307 Film Festival
– Aug. 27-28. $49 for weekend pass. A festival that celebrates films and filmmakers from across Wyoming, the United States and internationally. Studio City UW, 2422 Grand Ave. 307-460-1598
Fort Collins, Colorado
Off the Shelf: Contemporary Book Arts in Colorado
–Through Dec. 18, museum hours. Free. This exhibit features artists that innovate and defy our conceptual framework of the book and its contents. The artist book, a medium spanning the public and private sphere of creators and viewers, reflects on issues intimate and grand. Colorado State University Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, 1400 Remington Street, Fort Collins, Colorado. 970-491-1989
World’s Biggest Pizza Party
– Aug. 27, noon-4 p.m. Fort Collins pizza maker Project Pizza Co. is hosting an event to beat the world record for the world’s biggest pizza party. There will be six pizza trucks making pizzas, a DJ and a celebration for pizza lovers in Fort Collins. City Park Fort Collins, 1500 W. Mulberry St. info@projectpizzaco.com
Three Dog Night @ Lincoln Center
– Sept. 12, 6 p.m. Live at The Gardens Summer Concert Series. Stewart Copeland’s “Police Deranged for Orchestra” is a high-energy orchestral evening celebrating the work of former member of “The Police,” Stewart Copeland, and focuses on the rise of his career in music that has spanned over four decades. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave. 970-221-6730
Marc Maron @ Lincoln Center
– Sept. 23, 7 p.m. Marc Maron has four hit stand-up comedy specials, including “More Later” (2015), “Thinky Pain” (2013), “Marc Maron: Too Real” (2017) and 2020’s “End Times Fun,” which was nominated for a 2021 Critics’ Choice Award. The Lincoln Center Performance Hall, 417 W. Magnolia St. 970-221-6730
20th ArtWear Fashion Show
– Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. The ArtWear Biennial is dedicated to highlighting wearable art. ArtWear’s goal is to present innovative and wearable artwork of the highest quality and provide a forum to explore unique materials and techniques. This event is a fundraiser for The Lincoln Center’s Visual Arts Program. The Lincoln Center Performance Hall, 417 W. Magnolia St. 970-221-6730
Parsons Dance
– Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. $33. Known for its energized, athletic and joyous style, Parsons Dance is internationally renowned for creating and performing contemporary American dance. The Lincoln Center Performance Hall, 417 W. Magnolia St. 970-221-6730
A Culture Preserved (in the Black Experience) Art Show
– Through Oct. 16, museum hours. $5. This exhibit addresses how Black culture and its heritage reflect and shape values, beliefs and aspirations, which define a people’s identity. By bringing together the past and the present, the old meets the new in the Black artistic world. Museum of Art Fort Collins, 201 S. College Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado. 970-482-2787
Greeley, Colorado
”Weird Al” Yankovic @ Union Colony Civic Center
– Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. $52-$89. For only second time in his career, the legendary satirist and five-time Grammy winner will host an intimate evening of non-parody music. Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., Greeley, Colorado. 970-356-5000
David Brighton’s Space Oddity @ Union Colony Civic Center
– Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m. $28-$53. A journey through David Bowie’s storied career by Brighton and the Space Oddity Band. Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., Greeley, Colorado. 970-356-5000
Boulder, Colorado
Hiatus Kaiyote @ Boulder Theater
– Aug. 31, 8 p.m. $39.50-$40. A performance by Melbourne-based, genre-transcending alternative band Hiatus Kaiyote. Boulder Theater, 2042 14th St., Boulder, Colorado. 303-786-7030
Melvins @ Fox Theater
– Sept. 16, 8 p.m; doors at 7 p.m. $25-$27.50. The Melvins are one of biggest names to rise out of the Seattle grunge scene. Catch their slow, sludge-metal style in this performance. Fox Theater, 1135 13th St., Boulder, Colorado. 303-447-0095
Marcus Mumford @ Fox Theater
– Sept. 19, 8 p.m. $45-$50. On his first ever solo tour, the founder and lead singer of folk band Mumford and Sons will perform with special guest Danielle Ponder. Fox Theater, 1135 13th St., Boulder, Colorado. 303-447-0095
Anthony Doerr @ Boulder Theater
– Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.; doors at 5:30 p.m. The author of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel “All the Light We Cannot See,” and most recently “Cloud Cuckoo Land,” will hold a book reading. Boulder Theater, 2042 14th St., Boulder, Colorado. 303-786-7030
black midi @ Fox Theatre
– Oct. 3, 8 p.m. $25-$30. Painfully unique experimental/math-rock outfit from London, black midi, is touring their most recent album “Hellfire,” with support from rapper Quelle Chris. Fox Theater, 1135 13th Street, Boulder, Colorado. 303-447-0095
Viagra Boys and shame @ Fox Theatre
– Oct. 7, 8:30 p.m.; doors at 7:30 p.m. $22-$25. Don’t let the name fool you, Viagra Boys are a sextet of classically trained jazz musicians playing off-kilter post-punk rock. shame are on the forefront of the newest wave of post-punk out of London England. Fox Theater, 1135 13th St., Boulder, Colorado. 303-447-0095
Denver
My Morning Jacket @ Red Rocks
– Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m. A two-night performance from alternative-rock band My Morning Jacket. Red Rocks Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, Colorado. 720-865-2494
Nine Inch Nails @ Red Rocks
– Sept. 2-3, 7:30 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m. A two-night performance from critically acclaimed industrial/electronic/metal band fronted by Trent Reznor. Red Rocks Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, Colorado. 720-865-2494
Courtney Barnett & Japanese Breakfast @ Mission Ballroom
– Sept. 3, 5 p.m.; doors at 4 p.m. $52-$124. Courtney Barnett, as a part of her “Here and There Festival Series,” is stopping in Denver with indie outfit Japanese Breakfast, Arooj Aftab and Bedouine. Barnett is coming off the release of her third studio album, “Things Take Time, Take Time.” Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. 720-577-6884
Echo & The Bunnymen @ The Ogden
– Sept. 4, 9 p.m.; doors at 7 p.m. Legendary Liverpool band Echo & the Bunnymen are announcing their return to the U.S. for a tour in support of their 12th studio album and first since 2009, “Meteorites.” Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave, Denver. 303-832-1874
Meow Wolf Convergiversary
– Sept. 17, 10 a.m.; 21+ night party at 9 p.m. Day party $15, night party $99. A block party celebrating the one year anniversary of Meow Wolf. Meow Wolf Denver, 1338 1st Street, Denver. 866-636-9969
To submit an item to the events calendar, email ToDo@wyomingnews.com or call WTE features editor Niki Kottmann at 307-633-3135. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/saturday-calendar-8-27-22/article_c9251180-2403-11ed-aafc-d33a11fe07ab.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:30Z |
Albany County Public Library is hosting a banned book reading challenge through the end of September.
The challenge is a competition between staff and library patrons to see who can read the most banned books before Sept. 30. Anyone who reads seven or more gets their name entered in a drawing for a prize at the end of the challenge.
The goal of the event is to encourage awareness of book censorship and show that books should not be censored, said ACPL spokesperson Kennedy Penn-O’toole.
She added that while now the librarians are in the lead, that could change by the end of the challenge.
Readers can add their books to the count by visiting Albany County Public Library. More information is available online at acplwy.org.
{strong style=”font-size: 1.17em;”}Explore how Chinese communities helped shape Wyoming{/strong}
Wyoming history buffs, especially those who enjoy exploring the early decades that helped shape the Cowboy State, will enjoy a virtual presentation and Q&A session sponsored by the Wyoming State Archives.
Historian Dudley Gardner will host “Chinese Communities in Wyoming: 1669-1937” as a free event live at 2301 Central Ave. in Cheyenne and online from anywhere beginning at 7 p.m. Sept. 8.
Beginning in 1869, the first Chinese community began to emerge in Evanston. Shortly thereafter, Almy and Rock Springs witnessed the emergence of Chinatowns.
Most of the immigrants came from Taishan in Guangdong Province near the Pearl River Delta and shared much in traditions and culture. They spoke Taishanese, celebrated traditional Chinese holidays in much the same way, and venerated their ancestors in a similar fashion.
And all of this happened in high desert communities in southwestern Wyoming.
Gardner will outline the daily lives of these people and provide historical context on how these immigrants not only lived in Wyoming, but thrived.
This is another installment of the State Archives’ second Thursday speaker series,
For more information on this and other Wyoming State Archives events, contact State Archivist Sara Davis at 307-777-7826 or sara.davis@wyo.gov.
From the things to do file ...
If you’re still not sure what to do or where to go tonight (after watching the University of Wyoming’s season opening football game against Illinois, of course), consider these:
Thrown-Out Bones performs from 5:30-7p.m. at the Washington Park band shell, 18th and Sheridan streets.
Faith Kelly, an Appalachian-inspired rocker, makes a local stop on her “Wild West” tour. Joined by Fort Collins-based performer Caswyn Moon, the set begins at 8 p.m. at The Great Untamed, 309 S. 3rd St.
Slide on in for UW trombone recital
University of Wyoming students may be only less than a week into the fall semester, but the School of Music is already scheduling performances.
The UW Faculty Recital Series continues at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 with a free presentation of “American Trombone!” at the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts recital hall.
The recital features Daniel Watt on trombones and euphonium, and Jiwon Han and piano. They’ll play music by American composers that spans genres from iconic jazz standards to a cinematic climax.
Life Hacks is a semi-monthly column featuring notable milestones and happenings inthe Albany County community and Wyoming. Send your LifeHacks items to editor@laramieboomerang.com. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/keep-the-mind-keen-with-reading-history-and-music/article_5a529b98-2565-11ed-9fae-3bfc5f274656.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:37Z |
SATURDAY
Fusion Feast culinary event: 1-4 p.m., Lincoln Community Center, 365 W. Grand Ave. Hosted by Friends of Internationals and High Plains Christian Fellowship. Taste delicious dishes from around the world and play games. It’s free.
Thrown-Out Bones performs: 5:30-7p.m., Washington Park band shell, 18th and Sheridan streets. Popcorn, pretzels and beer.
SUNDAY
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
MONDAY
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
UW Music presents Diego Caetano on piano: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. Free to attend and all are invited. Program focuses on French-inspired music by an artist who’s been described as “a gifted pianist with a brilliant technique and musicality.”
TUESDAY
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
WEDNESDAY
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. at outdoors Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
THURSDAY
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Diabetes Support Group meets: 5:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email questions@ivinsosnhospital.org for the link.
FRIDAY
Spaghetti fundraiser dinner: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 103 S. 2nd St. Cost is $15 for a spaghetti dinner with meatballs and sausage. Limited quantities, so please call for a reservation, 307-742-2024.
Sept. 3
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Sept. 4
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 5
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Veterans service office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Service Center at the UW Student Union, 1000 E. University Ave.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Sept. 6
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 7
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Free “American Trombone!” recital at UW: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts recital hall.
Sept. 8
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Business After Hours: 5:30-7 p.m., Western States Bank, 3420 E. Grand Ave.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 10
22nd annual Wyoming Buddy Walk: 9 a.m. to noon, Washington Park band shell.
Tailgate party for Wesley Foundation’s 100th anniversary: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., United Methodist Church parking lot, 1215 Gibbon St. The student ministry is marking 100 years at the University of Wyoming and First United Methodist. Free lunch picnic.
Summer Market Day at the fairgrounds: 3-6 p.m., beef barn.
Sept. 11
Special worship service for Wesley Foundation: 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 1215 Gibbon St., followed by a potluck. Special guest Bishop Karen Olivetto will attend and preach. All are invited to reminisce with former Wesley Foundation members and meet the recent generation of the organization.
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 12
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Albany County Historic Preservation Board meets: 6 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. To attend and receive an invite, email a request to kcbard@charter.net.
Sept. 13
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Albany County Republican Party meets: 6 p.m., Albany County Public Library.
Sept. 14
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 15
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 16
Albany County CattleWomen meet: 11:30 a.m., location tbd. Visit wyaccw.com in the week before the meeting for location and more information.
Sept. 17
Walk to End Alzheimer’s: 9 a.m., Optimist Park, with music and food following the walk.
Higher Ground Fair: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie. A celebration of the six Rocky Mountain states and the native first nations that also call the region home. Proceeds from ticket sales (kids admitted free) help support Feeding Laramie Valley. Fore more information or to volunteer, call 307-223-4300 or email info@highergroundfair.org.
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Sept. 18
Higher Ground Fair: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie. A celebration of the six Rocky Mountain states and the native first nations that also call the region home. Proceeds from ticket sales (kids admitted free) help support Feeding Laramie Valley. Fore more information or to volunteer, call 307-223-4300 or email info@highergroundfair.org.
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 19
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Veterans service office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Service Center at the UW Student Union, 1000 E. University Ave.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Sept. 20
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 21
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 22
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 25
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 26
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
America Sewing Guild Laramie Chapter meets: 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1215 E. Gibbon St.
Sept. 27
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 28
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Sept. 29
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Oct. 2
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/announcements/whats-happening-aug-27-2022/article_f4489398-255a-11ed-86d6-3ffb330a8707.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:43Z |
Part of the excitement of a new school year for students is getting a new stash of supplies and clothing to go along with advancing to another adventure in their education.
But for some youth in southern Wyoming, a necessity as basic as clothing means much more. And a volunteer-run closet in Laramie and Cheyenne is changing the landscape for foster children and the families that support them.
Offering a variety of clothing, shoes and other accessories for young people, the Southeast Wyoming Foster Closet operates two locations where foster parents can receive items for children in their care. In both Cheyenne and Laramie, the closets also can play a role in helping foster children heal from trauma.
“Children can’t heal from anything and move forward unless their basic needs and necessities are met,” said Jenni Vazqueztell, director of the foster closet.
While schools offer free lunch to children in foster care, providing clothing and shoes can be overlooks when compared to the focus placed on basic livelihood needs like food and shelter. This can be even more complicated if foster parents don’t have money to buy them a new wardrobe.
Something else that many times isn’t considered is that infants in foster care may come to a home without diapers, toys or other things necessary for their development.
“When we got a little one, we were able to access a baby swing, baby clothes and a stroller (through Laramie Foster Closet),” said foster parent Lisa Theis.
Theis also works as a school success liaison at Laramie Middle School and as an Albany County School District 1 homelessness liaison.
The closets offer children an opportunity to “shop” for new clothes, sanitary supplies and shoes. Foster parents often bring children who may only have old clothing in trash bags to call their own, if they have anything at all.
“A lot of times, the kids come into my home with nothing. They come in with what they’re wearing, and sometimes even what they’re wearing is way too small,” said Heather Burnam, a Cheyenne-based foster parent. “It’s nice to be able to run them up to the closet and have them pick out a whole new set of clothes and brand new fresh, clean underwear.”
When children come without the necessities, foster parents may struggle to make them feel safe or valued. The closet provides ways to rise above barriers, allowing children to connect with adults they can trust.
“I love being a foster parent and my kids also love participating in (fostering). It can be hard at times but it’s amazing to be able to help a family come back together and be in a better place,” said Burnham. “We could not do this without the foster closet, especially when they come without any clothing.”
As the pandemic increased the demand for help and assistance across the spectrum of local communities, the Laramie Foster Closet expanded to include Cody’s Closet.
Through Cody’s Closet, school employees can request clothing for a particular child’s size, style and gender from Laramie Foster Closet. After getting a request, duffel bags with clothing and shoes are given to the school employee to give to the child.
By using a duffel bag and having school employees receive clothing, Cody’s Closet protects children from being singled out or bullied for their socio-economic status.
“That anonymity gives children the chance to be free to be them, and it also gives them a chance to have what they need and show up to school the next day with pride and with self-esteem,” Vazqueztell said.
Cody’s Closet furthers the Southeast Wyoming Foster Closet’s goals of relieving trauma experienced by children in crisis, going a step beyond their normal operations and offering resources to children in Albany County regardless of if they are in the foster system. Its work gives youth more of an opportunity to fit in, accept themselves and avoid social isolation as they face poverty, homelessness, housing transitions or other struggles.
“From the school aspect, they just do an amazing job and have really transformed the way we support our kids,” Theis said.
About 500 children required services from Cody’s Closet last year after the program had its soft launch, with the program offering almost $32,000 in resources.
As Cody’s Closet expands to serve more schools in Albany County School District 1, the program expects to support even more children navigating poverty.
So far, the program has noticeable impacts for students using its services, Vazqueztell said, adding that in addition to the emotional benefits, students are more likely to graduate, attendance is improved and the student’s overall health improves by having weather- and age-appropriate clothing.
“With all the children we served (last school year), it was incredible to see children have the resources they need to thrive,” Vasqueztell said. “It arms children and encourages them to stay in school and I think it unlocks the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.”
Monetary donations are accepted online at sewyofosterclosets.org and gently used clothing items can be donated by calling the Cheyenne location at 307-316-2876 or the Laramie location at 561-729-2945. The closets are always in need of new socks and underwear in all sizes, with other timely needs listed online. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/dress-for-success-foster-closets-help-bridge-social-gaps-for-youth/article_d064dda0-99e7-55e4-9eda-ffc6c659aa43.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:49Z |
University of Wyoming mascot Cowboy Joe, with Tackle Hunger volunteers, will be accepting donations of nonperishable food items at the UW home opening football game Sept. 3.
In what’s become an annual effort, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming is again partnering with Wyoming Hunger Initiative and University of Wyoming football to tackle hunger in the Cowboy State.
Fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to to War Memorial Stadium for the Cowboys’ home opening against Tulsa on Sept. 3. Look for designated food drop-off sites at the indoor practice facility next to the stadium or near Gate 6 of the tailgate parking lot.
People also can buy a food bag to donate from Ridley’s Family Markets at the company’s booth in the practice facility.
Last year, nearly 4,000 meals were donated at the UW home opener, and the drive has expanded this year with more donation locations. In addition to the stadium sites, people can donate now through Sept. 2 at Ridley’s locations across Wyoming.
“With the cost of food increases, many families in Wyoming continue to struggle with food
insecurity,” said Diane Gore, BCBSWY president and CEO. “Thankfully, our partnership with Wyoming Hunger Initiative can impact where it matters most — in the pantries of homes across the state.”
Along with the food drive, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming also has pledged to donate $1 for every pound of food donated.
Since 2020, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, alongside its Caring Foundation, has donated more than $300,000 to Wyoming Hunger Initiative to help combat food insecurity in Wyoming. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/business/tackle-food-insecurity-at-uw-home-opener/article_df9f5b9e-2568-11ed-9885-7fd665e2fb6f.html | 2022-08-27T12:51:55Z |
A federal judge in Montana issued a pair of decisions this month that threaten the future of federal coal leasing in the Powder River Basin — where mining was already expected to continue a precipitous decline.
U.S. District Judge Brian Morris ordered the Bureau of Land Management to revise two resource management plans to more fully analyze the climate and human health implications of leasing federal coal, oil and natural gas in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana.
The RMP revisions, administered by BLM field offices in Buffalo and in Miles City, Montana, are due by Aug. 3, 2023, according to the order.
The same federal judge, a President Barack Obama appointee, also issued a summary judgment this month to reinstate an Obama-era leasing moratorium for all federal coal reserves in the U.S. until the BLM revamps the program to make climate and public health among priority considerations in leasing decisions.
Taking into account coal’s contribution to planet-warming CO2 emissions, as well as its toll on public health, the decisions could curtail new coal leases or significantly cut back on the volume of coal offered for development in the Powder River Basin, according to a coalition of conservation groups.
“This is a significant victory for our climate and the communities across the country who are impacted by our continued reliance on this dirty and dangerous fuel [coal],” Earthjustice attorney Jenny Harbine said via a press release.
Wyoming intervened on behalf of the BLM in both cases. Gov. Mark Gordon criticized the moratorium ruling as “wrong-headed” and a “step backwards that doesn’t protect the environment and ensures consumers will pay more for energy.
“This decision is bad for Wyoming,” Gordon continued in a press statement. “It hurts our country’s ability to provide reliable, low-cost energy to Americans and hinders the abilities of companies to plan and invest in new technologies like carbon capture and utilization.”
The National Mining Association and other coal backers have promised to challenge the rulings.
A federal court ruling in 2018 instructed the BLM to include an analysis of climate implications when considering whether to lease more coal in the PRB. Judge Morris agreed the agency’s revision in response to the 2018 ruling gave only a cursory look and didn’t consider climate impacts as a reason to not lease. This month, Morris more explicitly ordered the BLM to consider a “no leasing” alternative.
The BLM must “consider no coal leasing and limited coal leasing alternatives and […] disclose the public health impacts, both climate and non-climate, of burning fossil fuels from the planning areas,” Morris wrote. “Coal mining represents a potentially allowable use of public lands, but BLM is not required to lease public lands.”
“That a federal judge ordered the [BLM] to consider a no-leasing alternative and disclose to the public how many people will be sickened and die as a result of the combustion of federal coal is groundbreaking,” Western Environmental Law Center Senior Attorney Melissa Hornbein said in a press release. “The courts recognize the seriousness of the climate crisis and the impacts of fossil-fuel pollution. The BLM must now do likewise.”
The separate ruling that reinstates the coal-leasing moratorium adds another layer of assurance for a full analysis of climate and human health implications, according to Western Organization of Resource Councils and other groups, as well as an opportunity to update federal royalty rates and reclamation requirements.
Now, conservation groups want to press the federal government even further. Some want the Biden administration to “phase out” or buy back existing coal leases. “There is no room to continue producing coal in a climate emergency,” Earthjustice’s Harbine said.
“That’s troubling right there,” Wyoming Mining Association Executive Director Travis Deti said. “Every little effort to try to inhibit and stop [coal production], that’s tough and that’s troubling.”
Continued coal production and slowing the retirement of coal-fueled power plants are key to launching carbon capture and sequestration technologies, Deti said. Goals such as electrifying vehicles can’t happen without coal-based power and the opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions from those facilities, Deti said.
Regardless of whether the PRB coal industry continues to shrink due to the retirement of coal-burning power plants or if federal policies hasten the decline, Wyoming and its coal-reliant communities are in for an economic shock, according to some industry watchers. That’s not lost among conservationists who celebrate the potential demise of Wyoming coal.
“There isn’t a good answer or a ready replacement for Wyoming,” Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter Director Connie Wilbert told WyoFile. But, she added, “if we don’t stop emitting carbon and methane pollution nothing else is going to matter. This is way bigger than the immediate hardship that we face here in Wyoming.”
Coal production in the Powder River Basin — the nation’s largest coal-supplying region — has declined 49% from 2008 to 2021, according to WyoFile’s analysis of U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration data. Even before Judge Morris’ rulings this month, the PRB mining industry may have already seen its last round of large federal coal leasing.
The most recent large federal coal leases sold in the basin went to Peabody Energy and Arch Coal (now Arch Resources) in 2012. Peabody paid $1.24 billion for the rights to mine 1.12 billion tons of coal to extend operations at its North Antelope Rochelle mine, according to the BLM. Arch paid more than $300 million for 222.67 million tons of federal coal for its flagship Black Thunder mine.
All told, some 2.5 billion tons of federal coal reserves were leased in the Powder River Basin under Obama prior to his administration issuing a coal leasing moratorium in 2016 to revamp the leasing program. But bad investments and shifting markets had already sent coal company finances into a nosedive, kicking off a series of coal company bankruptcies and mine layoffs in Wyoming.
Since 2016, PRB coal producers have withdrawn several federal lease applications, and some have even relinquished tracts of coal.
The basin’s second largest producer, Arch, for example, told investors last month it’s using its current cash windfall from PRB coal to close its operations in the state. The company, which has shifted its focus to mining coal in the eastern U.S. for steelmaking clients, intends to relinquish millions of tons of Powder River Basin coal already under federal lease.
Deti with the Mining Association pointed out that PRB coal producers are enjoying a surge in demand and pricing, and mine operators are in a good position — for “the short term.”
“We’ve got enough [PRB coal] leased for the next decade,” Deti said.
But that doesn’t mean the court rulings and more stringent leasing rules are inconsequential. “The issue is, when these [court rulings] come out, our utility customers see that and they’re looking down the line and saying, ‘Well, is this even going to be an option in the future?’” Deti said. “So that’s what’s really concerning about it.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/court-rulings-threaten-to-hasten-wyo-coal-s-demise/article_ca98551c-2562-11ed-8201-fb2ffe1dc385.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:01Z |
The following calls were included in the Albany County Sheriff’s Office responses:
MONDAY, AUG. 22
• 10:05 a.m., Interstate 80, theft/unauthorized use of vehicle
• 8:26 p.m., U.S. Highway 30, accident
TUESDAY, AUG. 23
• 3:34 p.m., Albany County Area, accident
• 3:51 p.m., Albany County Area, burglary
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 24
• 5:01 p.m., Interstate 80, accident
• 8:08 p.m., 1100 block of Wyoming Highway 230, possible domestic disturbance
THURSDAY, AUG. 25
• 10:11 a.m., Ramble-a Road, theft
• 1:10 p.m., Melody Homestead Road, trespassing
The following calls were included in the Laramie Police Department responses:
MONDAY, AUG. 22
• 10:05 a.m., Interstate 80, theft/unauthorized use of vehicle
• 10:24 a.m., 900 block of N. McCue St., emergency
• 10:58 a.m., 1200 block of E. Bradley St., possible possession of controlled substance
• 11:19 a.m., 1200 block of E. Bradley St., vandalism
• 11:46 a.m., 1400 block of N. 3rd St., fraud
• 3:01 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 4:24 p.m., 400 block of S. 11th St., animal bite
• 4:25 p.m., 2100 block of Harrison St., vandalism
• 7:40 p.m., 1700 block of Glacier St., animal bite
TUESDAY, AUG. 23
• 3:50 a.m., 1600 block of Centennial Dr., emergency
• 6:23 a.m., 3200 block of Hayford Ave., emergency
• 11:09 a.m., intersection of N. 3rd St. and E. University Ave., accident
• 11:24 a.m., 1700 block of N. McCue St., fighting
• 12:46 p.m., intersection of N. 22nd St. and Binford St., accident
• 2:18 p.m., intersection of Boulder Dr. and E. Grand Ave., accident
• 5:18 p.m., intersection of Jefferson St. and S. Fillmore St., accident
• 10 p.m., 200 block of N. 3rd St., disturbance/harassment-threats
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 24
• 2:21 a.m., 600 block S. 30th St., possible domestic disturbance
• 10:16 a.m., 1500 block of W. Snowy Range Rd., trespassing
• 10:42 a.m., 2400 block of Soldier Springs Rd., vandalism
• 11:41 a.m., 1100 block of N. McCue St., emergency
• 12:28 p.m., 500 block of Arthur St., emergency
• 1:39 p.m., 200 block of E. Grand Ave., theft
• 2:12 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., hit and run
• 2:28 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
• 2:41 p.m., 3900 block of Beech St., vandalism
• 4:29 p.m., intersection of N. 7th St. and E. Harney St., accident
• 4:43 p.m., intersection of S. Fillmore St. and Harrison St., possible domestic disturbance
• 5:55 p.m., 1500 block of N. McCue St., possible domestic disturbance
• 7:05 p.m., intersection of N. 9th St. and Downey St., accident
• 7:47 p.m., intersection of N. 45th St. and Grays Gable Rd., accident
• 8:20 p.m., 700 block of Downey St., disturbance/harassment-threats
THURSDAY, AUG. 25
• 12:28 a.m., 2600 block of Jackson St., possible domestic disturbance
• 12:54 a.m., 400 block of E. Boswell Dr., wildlife
• 6:50 a.m., intersection of N. 13th St. and Beaufort St., hit and run
• 8:54 a.m., 300 block of S. 10th St., vandalism
• 11:25 a.m., 700 block of Boulder Dr., traffic hazard
• 11:37 a.m., 1100 block of Apache Dr., wildlife
• 2:59 p.m., intersection of N. 3rd St. and E. Harney St., accident
• 3:58 p.m., intersection of S. 3rd St. and Soldier Springs Rd., accident
• 5:36 p.m., 2400 block of E. Grand Ave., vandalism
• 5:51 p.m., intersection of S. 21st St. and E. Grand Ave., accident
• 6:32 p.m., 2100 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 7:48 p.m., 1400 block of E. Sully St., possible domestic disturbance | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/arrest_record_and_police_calls/on-the-record-aug-27-2022/article_95f72b32-2556-11ed-afac-af7863e4a18f.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:08Z |
A 1935 Ford is parked outside the log house on the Big Laramie River that Don Bohrer tore down in the mid-1940s and reused in building a new home in Laramie. The kitchen wing is still standing.
A 1935 Ford is parked outside the log house on the Big Laramie River that Don Bohrer tore down in the mid-1940s and reused in building a new home in Laramie. The kitchen wing is still standing.
Sonya Bohrer Moore/Courtesy Photo
Stucco covers the exterior of the log home at 567 North 14th St. that is slated for demolition.
Judy Knight/Courtesy Photo
Part of an interior wall has been removed to show the old logs that form the basis for the construction.
Judy Knight/Courtesy Photo
Priscilla and Sonya Bohrer as teenagers pose in the front yard of their house sometime in the 1950s.
When Paul Bernaski saw his employer’s posted bid notice about a Laramie house to be torn down, he realized it was the house he grew up in.
A University of Wyoming Building and Grounds Department employee, he knew his grandfather Richard “Don” Bohrer had built it.
Bernaski’s mother and her siblings had passed on stories about how the house came to be. It involved their dad’s membership in the Isaac Walton League (IWL).
Paul’s aunt Sonya Bohrer Moore recently explained, “The IWL rented land about 4 miles above Woods Landing for the fishing rights and there was a house and other buildings there too.
“Dad rented that log house from the IWL — there was a polio scare in Laramie then and my parents probably thought it best to take their four kids out of town. We spent several summers there in the early 1940s.”
Around 1945, the land owner wanted most of the house taken down, so her dad, a rural mail carrier at the time, obtained permission to salvage its logs and take them, one by one, to his lot at the southeast corner of Flint and 14th streets in Laramie.
He removed the two-story portion of the house; the logs became the structural material for the walls of the home at 567 N. 14th St. Don and his wife, Erma, bought that lot at a time in the 1940s when there were very few houses north of Lewis Street.
To look at the completed house, no one would know that it had been constructed of logs. Bohrer covered the interior with knotty pine and the exterior with stucco. Until Bernaski knocked a hole in an interior wall of the now-empty house to reveal the logs, they had been invisible.
The house was finished in 1946 and the family of six moved in. Over time, a large family room addition was added to the rear and an enclosed front porch to the front. Paul grew up in the house when his mother, Priscilla Bohrer Baker, moved in with her family in 1970.
Now the home stands in the way of progress.
The University of Wyoming Master Plan proposes that the block become a parking garage, said Frosty Selmer, Associate Vice President for University Operations at UW.
Recently, Bernaski and several of his relatives, including his mother and aunts Sally Bohrer Hudson and Sonya Bohrer Moore, gathered at the house for a nostalgic last look at the home where they grew up. Their brother Richard Bohrer is deceased.
This may be the end for the logs that have provided shelter for more than 100 years — unless Bernaski has yet another function for them to suggest.
Judy Knightis collection manager at the Laramie Plains Museum. A compilation of this history stories in the Boomerang was recently published and is available in the LPM Gift Shop and the Wyoming Women’s History House on 2nd Street. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/going-going-gone-again/article_8d720694-01cc-51c7-be13-b43b3437109d.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:14Z |
Lawmakers have agreed to draft legislation that, if approved by the full Legislature next year, would distinctly change the format of elections across the state in 2024.
The approval came after more than two hours of testimony and discussion in the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee on Thursday. Members carefully weighed the benefits and shortcomings of instant runoff elections, ranked-choice voting and open primaries.
Legislative staff has been directed to draft two bills for the Corporations Committee to consider at its upcoming meeting in October. It took a second vote for both motions to pass, but either would closely align with election formats used by fellow “red” states.
“I’m just happy Alaska and Utah are our models, and not Massachusetts or New York,” said Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, chairman of the committee, following the votes.
The state now uses a closed primary and plurality voting system. Only voters registered with the Republican or Democratic Party can vote in their party’s primary, and the party affiliation is included in voter registration so there is an official record. Voters are allowed to switch their party affiliation at any time.
The plurality system refers to how a candidate is elected. The contender who receives the highest number of votes is elected, and it is not required that they receive more than 50% of the total votes cast.
This is a significant difference from the first proposed election format bill the Legislative Service Office is responsible for drafting. It will take after the initiative Alaskan voters approved in the 2020 general election to establish a nonpartisan primary and ranked-choice voting system.
However, the recommendation by Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, was for an open primary that would have the top four choices move forward to a ranked-choice voting system in the general election.
His second motion, which also was passed, was to keep a closed primary, but to implement a ranked-choice voting system similar to what is being tested by Utah at the municipal level. Both proposals will be considered in October.
Open primary, ranked-choice
FairVote, a nonpartisan election reform organization, defines an open primary as an election where “voters of any affiliation may vote in the primary of any party. They cannot vote in more than one party’s primary, although that prohibition can be difficult to enforce in the event a party has a primary runoff. In many open primaries, voters do not indicate partisan affiliation when they register to vote.”
Along with a ranked-choice voting system, the Wyoming election format would transform dramatically. Voters would rank candidates by preference on their ballots, and if a candidate wins more than half of first-preference votes, they are declared the winner. If no candidate wins based on first-preference, Ballotpedia explains that the candidate with the least first-preference votes are eliminated.
“All first-preference votes for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots,” according to the digital encyclopedia on American politics and elections. “A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won an outright majority of the adjusted voters. The process is repeated until a candidate wins a majority of votes cast.”
Case suggested the system after hearing testimony from stakeholders on its positive impacts. Many argued it would address concerns of crossover voting and the plurality system, as well as encourage candidates to communicate to a greater number of voters, rather than to the extremes of either party.
“With 94% of people voting on the same ballot last Tuesday, we essentially had an open primary here in Wyoming. Open primaries almost eliminate the need for crossover voting, though. There’s no need to switch parties when there’s no parties involved,” said Jennifer Lowe, executive director of the Equality State Policy Center. “The other wonderful thing about open primaries is it allows taxpayers – those who are funding these elections – to fully participate.”
The majority of votes Aug. 16 were in the Republican primary, which pitted U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., against challenger Harriet Hageman. Although many Democrats crossed over to vote for Cheney, Hageman easily ousted the incumbent and advanced to the Nov. 8 general election.
Despite significant support for the system voiced in testimony, there were those who criticized its consideration.
Wyoming GOP National Committeeman Corey Steinmetz said the political philosophy between the parties was very evident, and taking away a partisan primary would be a challenge. He said many voters trust the “R” behind a Republican candidate’s name when they’re running, and it assures that the contender represents their shared values and beliefs.
“What we’ve heard from Republicans all across the state is that we want to keep our primary,” he told lawmakers. “We want Republicans voting for Republican nominees, they want Democrats voting for Democratic nominees, and we would have competitive elections if the Democrats would have people run.”
Steinmetz said changing the voting system has been an ongoing discussion for years, but he didn’t know if “we need to reinvent the wheel.” He was concerned any major changes to the election statutes would also impact political organization makeup and elections for precinct committee persons.
“That’s a very dangerous territory,” he said.
Jacqueline McMann was a supporter of an open primary and ranked-choice voting, and argued against Steinmetz’s theory about Wyoming voters. She said the current system deters healthy participation, and the Republican Party has developed a monopoly on voting.
“We use a shorthand, the ‘R’ in front of a person’s name and the ‘D’ in front of a person’s name. The ‘L’ for libertarian. It’s a shorthand for trust,” she said. “And I think we have broken down that trust by our divisiveness, and people are no longer engaged.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/major-changes-to-state-elections-are-considered/article_60c8247c-2545-11ed-a779-5b432d433159.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:20Z |
The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee considered four draft bills Thursday that would modify the state’s liquor license statutes.
Only one was ultimately approved for the committee to sponsor for the 2023 general session, which would loosen population formulas for bar-and-grill liquor licenses.
Stakeholders from throughout the state have been pushing the Legislature to take action to make more liquor licenses available, saying the current laws are stifling economic growth and encumbering innovative business proposals. A recent example came from Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins, who had 11 local entrepreneurs apply for a sole retail liquor license.
“We have 38 people who own a retail liquor license. Some of them are good friends of mine, and I feel like our future growth has been held hostage because no one wants to do anything that will take the sale of even one beer from those 38 people,” Collins told committee members Thursday. “I’ve heard all of the reasons, you’ve heard them all, but it frustrates me. It’s hurting our ability to diversify our economy.”
Along with supporters of expanding the number of liquor licenses available or changing the population requirements come wary critics. Health care providers, as well as law enforcement and state liquor association members, shared their perspectives on more liquor distribution, such as rising alcoholism, increased crime and unsafe quantities of alcohol available to the public.
Lawmakers listened to the debate and conflicting positions on all four bills. They decided to indefinitely delay a piece of legislation that would have made any retail liquor licenses issued after July 1, 2023 non-transferable, and continue to draft changes to two others before the next meeting in mid-October.
The bills that the committee will reconvene to consider relate to the cost of retail liquor license fees, and creating a tavern and entertainment liquor license. There would have been no limit on the number of the latter licenses based on population, and many criticisms came from both sides of the argument due to the definition of “entertainment.”
April Brimmer-Kunz, one of the 11 applicants for the single retail liquor license in Cheyenne, was especially passionate regarding the development of a new type of liquor license. She and her son plan to open Ace’s Range in Cheyenne, a golf and laser-shooting simulator location, but were denied the license. She told committee members that she understood why they were denied, yet there wasn’t a license that fit the needs of their business.
“The world is changing,” she said. “And I think the liquor licenses need to change with it.”
Bar-and-grill liquor licenses
The one proposal that was supported by the committee relates to changes to bar-and-grill licenses. The committee’s fourth draft bill would change the population formula for bar-and-grill licenses starting July 1, 2023, and incrementally increase the number of licenses available. It would sunset on July 1, 2028, when another set of population formulas would be issued with even more licenses available per thousand.
The final sunset would be in 2033, when population would no longer be a factor in the issuance of bar-and-grill liquor licenses.
A similar system is laid out for county commissioners, and the cost of those licenses is adjusted, as well. The license fee assessed for bar-and-grill liquor licenses would not be less than $1,500, no more than $10,500. Those amounts would be changed in 2033, when each license would cost no less than $500 and no more than $3,000.
Applicants for a bar-and-grill liquor license would still have to satisfy the appropriate licensing authority that not less than 60% of revenue from the operation of the bar and grill would come from food service, not alcohol sales. This applies to all 12 months of operation, and an annual gross sales figures report would be required.
“It worries me sick to flood the market, because of the burden to our communities, law enforcement, etcetera. This does it in phases,” said Mike Moser, the executive director of the Wyoming State Liquor Association. “And I think that way we can gradually adopt it is, as Mick Jagger says, ‘You can’t always get what you want. But you find you always get what you need.’ And this gets what people need.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/more-liquor-license-changes-considered/article_0ec4131a-2546-11ed-b316-b7d0a40814c5.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:26Z |
ABSAROKA RANGE — Andy Pils was silent as he scanned with his Vortex spotting scope, its lens focused on a steep, talus-covered mountainside some 2.5 miles away.
Two weeks before, 10 grizzly bears were clustered together in the same area flipping rocks and lapping up moths, but on this early August day, zero grizzlies were visible. Pils soon realized why.
“Oh, (crap),” Pils said. “I see a guy walking up there.”
The longtime Shoshone National Forest wildlife biologist continued scanning. Actually, he said, there were two guys and a dog. It was late morning, and the canine-human crew was headed for a summit.
“Those guys are in full view of that slope, so I’m sure all the bears moved off,” Pils said. “They’re right where we saw the bears two weeks ago.”
A little bit later, Pils saw the displacement in real time. At 9:53 a.m., the first two grizzlies of the day entered his view. But they were too concerned about the hikers to bother with their calorie-dense bug breakfast.
“They’re actually running from the people,” Pils said.
Within moments the two grizzlies trotted off in tandem and disappeared from sight. In Pils’ view, there was no question as to why. The peak-baggers and their canine companion had inadvertently spooked them off.
Weeks before Pils installed a sign to warn of the bears’ presence, and the hikers should have been able to see the fleeing grizzlies if they were looking in the right direction, but that was tough to ascertain from this distance.
While a rarity to witness, the scene the biologist observed in the Absaroka Range high country wasn’t unexpected. Despite a reputation for standing their ground or becoming aggressive with humans, grizzly bears often flee from people. Grizzlies walked or ran away from people 80% of the time when former Montana State University graduate student Erika Nunlist observed 43 human-bear interactions at two army cutworm moth congregation sites in 2017 and ‘18.
There’s no indication grizzly bears are altogether abandoning these nutrient-rich talus slopes — regionally, grizzly use of moths is actually increasing. But the Shoshone National Forest, which houses all the region’s known moth sites, has a management plan underway that sets out to keep the extraordinary alpine food source viable in the face of increasing human pressure. That’s partly as a result of more interest in peak bagging in the Absarokas. But it’s also because heaps of grizzlies gorging on thousands of insects a day out in the open draws spectators. Nearly 60% of the mountain travelers Nunlist surveyed at one high-use site for her study identified “photography” or “bear viewing” as a reason for being there. She understands the allure.
“It’s just totally crazy,” Nunlist said. “When there’s 22 bears on a slope that’s maybe a football field or two [in size] and you can just watch them, it’s just really amazing. It never got old.”
Wildlife managers are in a tricky position. They don’t want to lead the public to moth sites, but at the same time they want to make people aware of the potential hazard of traveling near high densities of grizzlies and how human presence could impact feeding bears.
“More people are figuring out ways to go in and take advantage of visible bears,” said Dan Thompson, large carnivore supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “We just don’t want bears to be harassed or anything to happen that can negatively impact the ecology of the bear.”
Pils is seeing similar trends that have him worried: “We’re getting more and more of these commercial filming requests.”
Those requests are being denied until the national forest wraps up its moth site management plan, which should be out sometime in the next year. The forthcoming plan emanates from the Shoshone Forest’s 2015 Land Management Plan, which demands it. First, however, there were years of research to better understand moth bear ecology: Nunlist’s study of human interaction, another about what else grizzlies are eating near moth sites and a third study on the moths themselves.
Army cutworm moths have been known as a grizzly food source in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem since the 1980s, but the ecology has been poorly understood, in part because the insects congregate in remote, mountainous country between 11,000 and 13,000 feet in elevation where studies are difficult to pull off.
“So there’s still many unknowns about the ecology of the moths themselves, how bears are using these sights and how human use could affect these dynamics,” Pils told a crowd at the Draper Natural History Museum last winter.
Former Montana State University graduate student Clare Dittemore filled in some of the blanks about the moths, and she upended some traditional assumptions. It was conventionally believed the 1.5-inch-long moths — named for how they move as a fleet from one crop field to the next — migrated east to west, coming by the millions to the Rocky Mountains from the Great Plains.
“The work that we did illustrates that they’re traveling north to Southwest as well,” Dittemore
Cutworm moths are too small to track with GPS, and so she used stable isotope analysis, which pinpoints the origin of the nutrients that make up the moths, to determine where they traveled from. Most moths, she found, were actually coming from Alberta and British Columbia. Others flew in from Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, while moths that came from the easternmost Great Plains were the least numerous.
“Moths are very capable of dispersing throughout the ecosystem,” Dittemore said. “Because they’re coming from such a wide variety of areas, this particular food source is probably protected against any regional declines of larval populations.”
That’s a good thing, because indications are that army cutworm moths are a vital grizzly food source. Up in the alpine where they feed on wildflower nectar at night, the moths pack on fat. Their body fat percentage can reach 83%, fuel for their own migration back to lower elevations and reproduction. It makes for great bear food.
“Just the energetic component of this is pretty interesting,” Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team leader Frank van Manen said. “They are little packets of lipids. There’s not a lot of weight in each insect, but on a per-gram basis, they are one of the highest calorie foods available that we’ve documented in the ecosystem.”
A typical grizzly might consume as many as 40,000 moths — good for 20,000 calories — per day, van Manen said. That’s equivalent to roughly 35 Big Macs, he said. They’re critical calories that grizzly bears need to gain weight and survive winter hibernation.
Whether it’s through their incredible sense of smell or their memory, the moth bears congregate around the highest-density patches of bugs.
Even from miles away, the bruins’ game trail travel paths were visible in the talus that August day.
“If you walk through that stuff, it’s amazing how excavated it is,” Pils said. “It’s like somebody went through it with a plow.”
More and more grizzlies are catching on.
During the study team’s last available survey of moth sites, it logged 324 grizzly observations at 27 of the 35 known moth sites — the second-highest tally to date. Over the decades, as grizzlies have recovered to in excess of 1,000 animals in the Yellowstone ecosystem, more and more bears have visited the alpine moth sites, which generally keeps them away from people and out of harm’s way. That could be because of the decline of whitebark pine — another high-elevation food source — but the precise reasoning is unknown, van Manen said.
Wildlife managers are also gathering new insights into how moth bears move about the landscape. In 2021, a Wyoming Game and Fish-contracted helicopter crew capitalized on grizzlies that dwell above the treeline. When bears were safely away from the steep, hazardous slopes, a number of them were tranquilized and fit with tracking collars.
“That’s a first for anyone in the Lower 48,” Thompson said of the aerial grizzly captures. “We caught 10 bears in three mornings. We didn’t know how well it would work, and it exceeded our expectations. In just over seven hours we caught the same amount of bears that we caught in almost a decade of [ground-based] backcountry trapping.”
Data from those GPS collars is pouring in, and adding to existing location data from GPS-equipped moth bears that have been incidentally caught in the lowlands over the years. That data has taught van Manen and others that the moth bears typically move up around the middle of July.
“They stay near those sites for the next two months,” van Manen said.
Grizzlies of the high Absarokas are mostly filling their guts with gobs of moths, but that’s not all they’re eating. Typically, moth feeding is most productive from daybreak until around 11 a.m., but as the air and talus heats up the insects lose their lethargy and become trickier to catch.
Kate Lozano, another former Montana State University grad student, investigated the moth bears’ summertime diets, finding through scat analyses that their primary alternative food source is a perennial flowering plant called biscuitroot. Her study also pinpointed where biscuitroot tends to grow: At the tops of ridgelines, which are often travel routes for people moving around the backcountry.
“A lot of those sites that had biscuitroot had [grizzly bear] day beds as well,” Lozano said.
The research, she said, suggests that the Shoshone Forest should cast a wider net over the landscape when it’s looking at addressing potential areas for human interaction at the most-visited moth sites.
Pils now has this data at his disposal as he’s pulling together a moth site management plan for the Shoshone Forest. It’s not likely to call for heavy-handed regulations. Where moths and grizzlies are aggregating deep in the North Absaroka and Washakie designated wilderness areas on seldom-visited slopes, there’s nothing to worry about, he said.
“Most of these moth sites, all indications are human use is very light and there’s really no issue,” Pils said.
There are a handful of exceptions.
“This one most prominently,” Pils said the morning of Aug. 8. “We’ll be trying to figure out some criteria, and what our options might be, should we feel compelled to start managing human use.”
Potential closures, he said, would be a “really big deal for us.”
“Seasonal restrictions on motorized vehicle use, that’s pretty well established,” Pils said. “But when you’re talking about restricting foot access into areas, that’s very different.”
The forthcoming plan could also include some regulations for commercial outfitting and guiding around moth sites, he said, as well as prescribe monitoring and information and education efforts. Whatever policies get proposed will be run by the Shoshone Forest’s partners, including Game and Fish, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and van Manen’s Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.
“Ultimately, it’s district rangers and forest supervisors that make decisions,” Pils said. “And so it’s going to be a matter of figuring out what our leadership is comfortable with.”
The hikers spotted by Pils reached their summit shortly after he watched the two bears boogie. The men, Park County locals, according to their pickup truck’s plates, lingered up top for nearly an hour.
“There’s not many days when you can lounge on top like that,” Pils said.
It wasn’t until 11:15 a.m. that the Shoshone National Forest biologist observed his first undisturbed moth-eating grizzly. Even through a spotting scope the animal was just a bear-shaped speck in the distance, but its lack of movement told Pils it was lapping up those lipid-filled moths.
The desire to trek nearer and see the behavior in greater detail was tempered by already witnessing the unintended consequences of getting too close.
Though he had observed it before, even Pils was entranced by the phenomenon.
“It’s pretty unlikely, isn’t it?” he said. When pressed about what he meant, the biologist clarified.
“Just that this whole thing happened.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/mysterious-moth-eating-grizzlies-have-a-people-problem/article_2873ac80-2564-11ed-bc6a-5766732eff2d.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:32Z |
CODY — After a host of objections from neighbors, Park County Commissioners unanimously approved allowing the building of five domes at a property on Green Creek to serve as a yoga retreat and Airbnb.
The special use permit was approved with conditions for the retreat on the North Fork at their Tuesday meeting, with the caveats that the business won’t operate in the winter months and construction on five all-weather domes be completed within one year.
The proposal includes putting five geodesic domes on roughly one acre near Green Creek next to a neighborhood filled mostly with retirees. Planning and zoning staff classified it as a highway commercial business, allowed in the GR-5 zoning with a special use permit.
Eight of 11 neighbors objected to the site plan in writing, while three were in support, according to the staff report. Dozens of people commented at the county planning and zoning meetings, on June 15 and July 20. The board recommended approval at the July session.
Staff had proposed approval with stipulations to reduce lighting, noise and traffic and also not to operate Nov. 15-April 30. Those dates coincide with a Wyoming Game and Fish recommendation for no use on the property during that period because it is prime mule deer wintering habitat.
Owner Mike Gimmeson, who lives on the property, said in his proposal for a special use permit that the plan was to operate it as a short-term rental during the summer months. Yoga will be in a central 26-foot diameter dome, with four 20-foot, 315-square-foot domes surrounding it with two beds each. He said other activities would likely take place off the property.
The business will be called the Pure Heart Retreat. The domes are built in Sheridan.
“We chose geodesic domes for the lodging due to their elegance and visually esthetic design,” he wrote.
Gimmeson said the location has served, as early as 1912, as one of Wapiti’s earliest vacation and hunting rentals out of the original log cabin. He said initially there would also be yoga classes offered for locals in the central classroom dome if year-round use were allowed. He said they’d be willing not to operate in the winter months if that were part of the approval.
Booking will be done, he said, through established sites such as Airbnb.
“We’re excited to move forward with this project for next spring and summer,” Gimmeson said at the meeting. “We have no intention of dragging it out.”
The four residential domes will include, along with beds, a toilet, shower and kitchenette.
“The (retreat) is a health and outdoor centered guest retreat focusing on activities that allow clients to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the surrounding areas,” he wrote.
Many neighbors were concerned about the lot being used as a commercial property.
“The long-standing covenants for the residential Green Creek Subdivision specifically prohibit any commercial activity,” wrote lot owner Richard Downen.
Gimmeson replied to concerns from neighbors, many addressing covenant restrictions, by saying that his research determined his lot was not covered by the covenants and that parts of the covenants had not been enforced for decades. He noted that other property owners on Green Creek also ran short-term rentals on their property. County planner Kim Dillivan said staff also determined the lot was not part of the subdivision covenants.
Gimmeson also said he could ensure the site would not attract bears as the domes are sealed, that the state had no concerns over water and said 4-8 new cars a day would not harm a road that sees an average of 294 vehicles a day.
Neighbor Judge Gambil disagreed.
He wrote “Green Creek Road would be the proposed entrance and exit from the proposed 'glamping retreat' which would increase already heavy traffic occurred by the numerous Bed and Breakfast and VRBO’s located on Green Creek Rd.”
Other neighboring landowners said the business should be allowed to go forward.
While dozens of neighbors, most opposed, had attended the P&Z meetings, one of the few neighbors who showed up Tuesday said many assumed there was no longer any point in protesting.
“I feel that this process is just headed down the road for approval,” Tim McCleary said. “It seems as though if planning and zoning gets the boxes checked that they require, this process kind of slides right through.
“I think many of us came really close to not coming today because we thought it’s a done deal.”
The commissioners did say they have to abide by the current rules, although chair Dossie Overfield encouraged people with concerns to be a part of the land use plan underway that could address future developments.
“There’s a lot of gray area out there and hopefully the land use planning can update rules and regulations,” commissioner Joe Tilden said. “We can address some of these issues, but right now, our decision has to be based on what we have in front of us.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/park-county-oks-permit-for-yoga-retreat/article_9c42d818-2562-11ed-8977-db675c28ccf4.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:39Z |
Anxiety and stress levels are up for many students, parents, staff and teachers as they return to campuses and classrooms for the 2022-23 school year.
Some students and teachers are still wrestling with the return to schools after the remote learning and shutdowns during the coronavirus pandemic.
Others are anxious over mass school shootings and their seemingly too regular occurrence across the country.
The horrific elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in late May, with its bungled police response and slaughter of 19 elementary school kids and two teachers, has added to the stress.
Students and parents want to feel more empowered and in control over potential emergency situations. That is part of a much larger mental and behavioral component to addressing school violence, according to counselors and school safety experts across the country.
“There’s a lot of anxiety — a lot of them feel pretty helpless,” said Willow Goldfarb, a licensed mental health counselor and lead clinician for Thriveworks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, of students she’s counseled after Uvalde.
She’s worked with those impacted by the 2018 mass shooting, on Valentine’s Day, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Nikolas Cruz, then 19, opened fire there, killing 17 and injuring 17 more.
The wounds of the Parkland massacre and examinations of Cruz’s troubled childhood and mental and behavioral health problems have been reopened this summer with sentencing testimony being heard in a Florida courtroom. Those testifying have included still-grieving parents and relatives.
Goldfarb is hearing from students, parents and teachers in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, on their worries about police responses after it took officers there an hour to confront shooter Salvador Ramos.
Empowerment
Goldfarb said some students are pressing for more of their own options for survival, escape and connections to the outside world.
Some students have questioned why they can’t be armed if teachers and staff have that option in more gun-friendly states and regions.
“It’s the narrative of the good guy shooter shooting the bad guy shooters,” Goldfarb said.
She also said some students don’t like restrictive cell phone policies imposed by some schools. She’s heard from kids who became used to constant communication with their parents during the pandemic, as well as those who want to be able to call 911 or share information during an emergency, that such rules are a source of anxiety.
Goldfarb said students have also shared that they often feel talked down to when it comes to school security and safety. They say districts would be better served if school officials were as collaborative, inclusive and transparent as possible.
“I feel a lot of times kids get talked over. Just tell them what’s going to happen,” Goldfarb said.
She said she tries to empower students who are feeling trepidation about school safety to follow their instincts in school security situations.
“I talk to them about trusting their gut,” Goldfarb said.
Concerned parents also want to feel more empowered and are pushing to be more involved with school security and safety decisions in light of the recent shootings, said Sharon Hoover, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine and co-director of the National Center for School Mental Health.
“How are you going to keep my kid safe?” is a common refrain Hoover hears from worried parents headed into the new school year.
“Families are certainly wanting to be at the table,” Hoover said.
‘Living hell’
The need to feel empowered and included is just the tip of the mental and behavioral health iceberg when it comes to schools given the continued challenges of bullying and the regularity of contemporary mass shootings.
Addressing bullying and antisocial behavior are essential to addressing the mental health components of school violence, according to Brenda High.
High co-founded Bully Police USA after her 13-year-old son committed suicide after being bullied at a school in Washington State. The Idaho group advocates for tougher anti-bully laws across U.S. states.
High said there are still schoolyards and social cultures that allow bullying and fail to help kids in distress.
“You will still find many places where it’s still ‘boys will be boys’, ‘girls will be girls’,” said High.
Her group helps schools implement more student-focused behavior programs such as peer groups who can help address bullying and mistreatment of classmates.
She said mental health counselors in schools also need to be paid more. School counselors earn a median annual salary of $46,778 with starting pay of $33,000 per year for some, according to San Francisco-based staffing firm Zippia Inc.
Many of the school shooters suffered from mental and behavioral health problems and faced bullying — or felt they were bullied and mistreated, according to reports on those incidents.
Their feelings of ostracization and disassociation can dangerously combine with access to weapons and inadequate responses to mental health challenges by parents, schools and law enforcement.
At Albany County School District 1 in Laramie, educators are focused on caring for students’ mental health even in the youngest age groups.
“It’s always important to talk about students and their mental health, and their feeling of belonging and safety,” said Carlos Mellizo, a counselor at Beitel Elementary School in Laramie.
Mellizo said that as a school counselor, he feels fortunate he can address those needs and create a space where students feel secure.
“It comes back to that sense of connectedness and relationships,” said Amy Klinger, an education professor with Ashland University in Ohio and co-founder of the nonprofit Educators School Safety Network.
Klinger said not all of the mass shooters were bullied — but all of them believe they were mistreated and felt disconnected from their schools and classmates.
Klinger said school can be “a living hell” for some kids who face endless bullying and mistreatment from classmates. Some also live in abusive, traumatic and toxic situations at home.
Some of those same homes might not be supportive of behavioral health counseling while others offer access to guns and ammunition.
Students and their caregivers can also worry about stigmatizations at school and within families and communities that might come with mental counseling.
Goldfarb and other mental health professionals said kids will often follow suit if one or more parents are into guns — or, conversely, are skeptical of behavioral and mental health counseling.
“The kid is picking up on that message and running with it,” she said.
Federal gun measures passed earlier this summer after Uvalde allocated $750 million over five years to help states with crisis intervention programs such as ‘red-flag’ laws that can block purchases and confiscate guns for mental health reasons.
Those efforts run into constitutional protections for gun ownership via the Second Amendment as well as civil liberties concerns about how far police and commitment powers should potentially be expanded.
The federal bill also offers another $510 million in various mental and behavioral health grants for states, localities and school districts.
Disparate reactions
Social division and politically-fueled disagreement over how to address mass shootings also creates disparate reactions to proposed school safety solutions.
Albany County School Board Chairperson Janice Marshall said that while the district can’t disclose specific information about security measures, she can share that the district’s safety committee has met many times to examine safety procedures.
“Safety and security in our schools has been very closely examined, and we’ve been assured that there are procedures in place to cover situations that occur,” she said.
Principals Dave Hardesty of Linford Elementary and Loren Engel of Beitel also expressed confidence that the district is doing effective work in keeping local schools safe.
Nationwide, Republicans opposed to new federal gun controls have called for more police officers, security guards and security layers on campuses.
That may give confidence to some — but not others.
“I do find students of color or marginalized communities feel a lot more anxious when there are more police officers around,” Goldfarb said.
Some school districts took fresh looks, with some scaling back cops and security guards on campus after the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer.
But the pendulum is swinging back toward increased security and police footprints on campuses after Uvalde and other recent shootings.
David Moore, police chief of Janesville, Wisconsin, near the Illinois border, said law enforcement agencies need to build trust within communities and at schools in order to get help with early identification and interventions.
“You need to have that trust in the community so they will reach out,” said Moore, who has resources officers at local schools in southern Wisconsin.
Law enforcement officers, like teachers and school staff, have been struggling with how to recognize and deal with behavioral health problems as well as bullying and harassment.
Teachers, many of whom already had high anxiety over COVID-19 and are stressed by labor shortages, are also seeing more training related to shootings including crisis interventions and treating severe gunshot wounds.
Hoover said districts need to be sensitive to what they are adding to teachers’ duties. “We have to be really careful about adding one more thing to their plate,” she said.
There are also continuing problems with societal approaches to mental health — on and off campus.
A person with untreated mental illness is 16 times more likely to be killed by police, according to a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center. And mentally ill persons make up more than 1 in 4 fatal police shootings, according to the Virginia-based group.
A 2020 study Harvard University found Black people are 3.23 times more likely than whites to be killed by police.
The rush to increase security infrastructure, including limiting access points, and installing more cameras and layers of fences and barriers, can ease concerns but create anxiety for others.
“You can set it up like a prison but then who wants to send their kids,” said Klinger, who is concerned that knee jerk reactions to the latest shootings give the appearance of action but can fail to address root challenges such as helping kids in distress and teachers and staff following security protocols and addressing bullying situations.
“When you have an active shooter incident, the immediate response is to do more active shooter drills,” Klinger said.
Hoover said anxiety over shootings and the return to school are combining with some of the stresses, conflict and social isolations of the pandemic.
“We do better when we feel stable and secure,” said Hoover, who is also director of the Maryland-based National Center for Safe Supportive Schools. “We have had nothing that feels stable or secure for two and a half years now.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/stress-tests-schools-seek-mental-and-behavioral-health-solutions/article_4cd49a00-23d7-11ed-bd4d-3fe2e3e5500b.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:45Z |
Until primary election night, when he won his party’s Wyoming secretary of state nomination, Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, had a pretty dismal 2022. None of the five bills he sponsored in the budget session passed, including four that didn’t even come up for a vote.
The previous year hadn’t been so hot for Gray, either. In September 2021, when former President Donald Trump shopped for a GOP congressional candidate to send Rep. Liz Cheney packing, he bypassed Gray and endorsed Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman.
When Trump declared everyone else should get out of Hageman’s way, Gray dutifully dropped out.
Gray tried to win Trump’s favor with two bills to change the name of State Highway 258 to the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” Trump may well be the most popular politician in Wyoming, but both bills failed.
In May, opportunity knocked when Republican Secretary of State Ed Buchanan decided to not run for re-election. Gray announced his bid.
Gray made Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen the centerpiece of his campaign. The candidate called the election “clearly rigged” against Trump, with ballot drop boxes like those in Wyoming serving as the tool Democrats used for the theft.
The idea Wyoming voters can’t trust that their ballots will be fairly counted should be a tough sell in a state where Trump trounced Joe Biden by 120,068 votes. If state Democrats are that inept at stuffing ballot boxes, they shouldn’t even be allowed to cross the street unassisted.
But Gray’s message that Wyoming’s elections are tainted by widespread voter fraud carried the day, and he defeated Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, 50% to 41%.
Gray cast himself as a voter fraud expert because he went to Arizona to watch the Cyber Ninjas firm conduct a partisan “forensic audit” of Maricopa County’s presidential election. “I support the audit 100%. It’s an incredible, very important operation,” he tweeted.
The audit, which took more than seven months as the ninjas hand-counted ballots, did find election errors. Their report concluded 360 more residents voted for Biden than previously reported.
Yet Gray contends Wyoming should automatically conduct the same type of audit statewide using paper ballots, even though only four state residents have been convicted of voter fraud since 2000. All four, by the way, were Republicans.
Gray sponsored free showings of Dinesh D’Souza’s film “2000 Mules” to justify his desire to ban ballot drop boxes in Wyoming. Gray said the discredited documentary shows “how the woke, big-tech left has stolen elections with ballot drop boxes.”
Fortunately, none of Gray’s proposed voter fraud remedies can be implemented without legislative approval.
Former Secretary of State Max Maxfield, who endorsed Nethercott, filed a federal complaint against Gray for allegedly violating campaign finance laws. Maxfield questioned how Gray managed to loan his congressional campaign $300,000 when he claimed to only earn $11,000 a year.
After calling the complaint “frivolous,” the work of “liberal insiders,” Gray eventually explained he inherited the $300,000 from his grandfather.
“This campaign, unfortunately, has gotten pretty nasty because when someone stands for the truth against the insiders, they will do anything to maintain their power,” Gray charged at a Casper forum.
I agree that the campaign turned nasty, and truth matters. That’s why what the “Committee to Elect Chuck Gray” did a few days before the primary was so egregious.
Unsolicited text messages were sent to many Wyomingites – including Nethercott! – that erroneously claimed she is “being sued for lying and slander,” investigated “for violating state campaign $$$ law” and voting to “give herself a $30k taxpayer-funded raise.”
There is no lawsuit or investigation. Nethercott voted to increase state officials’ pay, but that was months before Buchanan announced his position would be open.
I don’t know how much damage the phony texts did to Nethercott’s chances of winning. Her loss by nearly 13,000 votes can likely be attributed to her declaring the election wasn’t stolen from Trump and such baseless claims are “undermining our country.”
As expected, Trump endorsed Gray. What’s surprising is that Gray polled about 40,000 votes less than Hageman, even though he and other right-wing candidates tried to tie themselves to her coattails.
Hageman trounced Cheney, but Cheney’s post-election words ring true: “No American should support election deniers for any position of genuine responsibility, where their refusal to follow the rule of law will corrupt our future.”
Gray joins five Republican secretary of state nominees – in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico – who are election deniers. Unlike them, he’s the first who is virtually assured of victory in November, because no Democratic, Constitution or Libertarian party nominees will be on the ballot.
It’s time to face the harsh reality that someone who has the gall to deny the legitimacy of Wyoming elections, without a shred of evidence, will be in charge of them.
To be fair, Gray isn’t the only one responsible for his radical election agenda. He’s a surrogate who took advantage of his politically expedient chance to deliver Trump’s lies to Wyoming. Just as culpable are voters who wholeheartedly bought them – hook, line and sinker.
The Drake’s Take is a weekly column by veteran Wyoming journalist Kerry Drake, and produced by WyoFile.com, a nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/a-gray-day-dawns-for-wyoming-s-future-elections/article_9f9bb57e-24af-11ed-b90f-7b24c321b582.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:51Z |
It's hard to top President Joe Biden's Afghan withdrawal for reckless policymaking, but his student-loan forgiveness scheme is a contender for his second-worst decision.
Based merely on his say-so, with no credible congressional authorization, Biden is going to forgive $10,000 in student debt for individuals with incomes below $125,000 or household incomes below $250,000. Those who received a Pell Grant are eligible for $20,000 in relief.
Forgiveness is a sop to a narrow class of people. It is unfair to people who haven't gone to college, predominantly lower income. It is unfair to people who did go to college and didn't take on loans. It is unfair to people — not realizing that their loans might go away if they held out long enough — who foolishly repaid their loans. It is unfair to people who will take a loan the day after the forgiveness goes into effect.
In short, the loan forgiveness is an arbitrary giveaway in a county where fewer than 40% of people have a four-year college degree.
If Biden were to explain the policy accurately in his characteristic fashion of resorting to folksy wisdom from his parents, he'd say something like: "My father told me when we were driving by commencement at the University of Pennsylvania one day — 'Joey, be sure you're always thinking of the college-educated, including those with advanced degrees, first. They are the best among us.'"
The New York Times news story on the forgiveness features a young woman whose parents are immigrants from Mexico and went to community college for two years before transferring to UCLA. She's delighted that almost all her loans will be wiped out, but before your heartstrings can get pulled too much, the Times notes that she's currently getting a master's degree ... at the London School of Economics.
Presumably, she was going to be OK without getting showered with federal largesse denied to the children of immigrants who haven't gone to college, let alone pursued an advanced degree at one of the most prestigious institutions in the Western world.
Even if this young woman is poor now, it is doubtful that she'll be poor forever. As Brian Riedl of the Manhattan Institute notes, the typical millennial student with debt incurred $30,000 for a bachelor's degree. That's a lot, but the degree will boost incomes over a lifetime by $1-2.8 million.
Of course, there are low-income people who are struggling with their student debt. Even if you think they should get relief, the Biden policy doesn't narrowly target them. Former Obama economist Jason Furman points out that Biden's forgiveness could provide $40,000 in relief to a married couple making just under $250,000, and it includes debt incurred at graduate schools.
The fact is that the top 40% of the income distribution carries a bigger share of student debt than the bottom 40%.
There is all sorts of other debt Biden could theoretically forgive that is widely distributed up and down the income scale and is a burden to people, too, whether from auto loans or credit cards. Instead, student debt has been the obsession of Biden and his supporters. They deny it, of course, but their focus reflects a deeply held, profoundly insulting assumption that those who have earned university degrees are more valuable and worthy than all those Americans who haven't.
Then, there are the broader economic effects. Advocates of loan forgiveness used to argue that it would be stimulative, but in an inflationary environment, they aren't putting that argument front and center anymore. Biden's move will cost roughly $500 billion, and none of it is paid for, easily swamping the cuts to the deficit Democrats touted in their so-called Inflation Reduction Act.
The program is a debacle at every level and isn't product of a messy congressional compromise or unavoidable circumstances — it's Biden's doing, and his alone.
Rich Lowry is a syndicated columnist. Follow him on Twitter @RichLowry. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/bidens-student-debt-debacle/article_ae769fd6-255f-11ed-ba5d-13f2ecf073aa.html | 2022-08-27T12:52:57Z |
Russian forces occupy Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar. Russian and Ukrainian forces are fighting nearby, and shelling has damaged power and communication lines to the plant, prompting fears for the plant’s safety and evoking painful memories in a country still scarred by the world’s worst nuclear accident, at Chernobyl in 1986.
In addition, Russian authorities have developed plans to disconnect the plant from Ukraine’s power grid – in the event of damage to the plant, according to the Russians, as a prelude to switching the plant to the grid in Russian-occupied territory, according to the Ukrainians. Disconnecting the plant from the grid is a risky operation.
The Conversation asked Najmedin Meshkati, a professor and nuclear safety expert at the University of Southern California, to explain the risks of warfare taking place in and around nuclear power plants.
How safe was the Zaporizhzhia power plant before the Russian attack?
The facility at Zaporizhzhia is the largest nuclear plant in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It has six pressurized water reactors, which use water to both sustain the fission reaction and cool the reactor. These differ from the RBMK reactors at Chernobyl, which used graphite instead of water to sustain the fission reaction. RBMK reactors are not seen as very safe, and there are only eight remaining in use in the world, all in Russia.
The reactors at Zaporizhzhia are of moderately good design, and the plant has a decent safety record, with a good operating background.
Ukrainian authorities tried to keep the war away from the site by asking Russia to observe a 30-kilometer (nearly 19-mile) safety buffer. But Russian troops surrounded the facility and seized it in March.
What are the risks to a nuclear plant in a conflict zone?
Nuclear power plants are built for peacetime operations, not wars.
The worst thing that could happen is if a site is deliberately or accidentally shelled. If a shell hit the plant’s spent fuel pool – which contains the still-radioactive spent fuel – or if fire spread to the spent fuel pool, it could release radiation. This spent fuel pool isn’t in the containment building, and as such is more vulnerable.
Containment buildings, which house nuclear reactors, are also not protected against deliberate shelling. They are built to withstand a minor internal explosion of, say, a pressurized water pipe. But they are not designed to withstand a huge explosion.
As to the reactors in the containment building, it depends on the weapons being used. The worst-case scenario is that a bunker-buster missile breaches the containment dome – consisting of a thick shell of reinforced concrete on top of the reactor – and explodes. That would badly damage the nuclear reactor and release radiation into the atmosphere, which would make it difficult to send in first responders to contain any resulting fire. It could be another Chernobyl.
What are the concerns going forward?The safety problems I see are twofold:
- Human error: The workers at the facility are working under incredible stress, reportedly at gunpoint. Stress increases the chance of error and poor performance. There is a human element in running a nuclear power plant – operators are the first and last layers of defense for the facility and the public. They are the first people to detect any anomaly and to stop any incident. Or if there’s an accident, they will be the first to heroically try to contain it.
- Power failure: The second problem is that the nuclear plant needs constant electricity, and that is harder to maintain in wartime.
Even if you shut down the reactors, the plant will need off-site power to run the huge cooling system to remove the residual heat in the reactor and bring it to what is called a cold shutdown. Water circulation is always needed to make sure the spent fuel doesn’t overheat.
Spent fuel pools also need constant water circulation to keep them cool, and they need cooling for several years before they can be put in dry casks. One of the problems in the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan was the emergency generators intended to replace lost off-site power got inundated with water and failed. In situations like that, you get “station blackout” – and that is one of the worst things that could happen. It means no electricity to run the cooling system.
In that circumstance, the spent fuel overheats and its zirconium cladding can create hydrogen bubbles. If you can’t vent these bubbles, they will explode, spreading radiation.
If there is a loss of outside power, operators will have to rely on emergency generators. But emergency generators are huge machines – finicky, unreliable gas guzzlers. And you still need cooling waters for the generators themselves.
My biggest worry is that Ukraine suffers from a sustained power grid failure. The likelihood of this increases during a conflict because power line pylons may come down under shelling, or gas power plants might get damaged and cease to operate. And though Ukrainian intelligence services claim that the Russians intend to stockpile diesel fuel to keep these emergency generators going, it is unlikely that Russian troops will have excess fuel given their need to fuel their own vehicles.
How else does a war affect the safety of nuclear plants?
One of the overarching concerns about the effects of war on nuclear plants is that war degrades safety culture, which is crucial in running a plant. I believe that safety culture is analogous to the human body’s immune system, which protects against pathogens and diseases. Safety culture is pervasive and has a widespread impact. “It can affect all elements in a system for good or ill,” according to psychologist James Reason.
The tragic situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant violates every universally accepted tenet of healthy nuclear safety culture, especially the maintenance of an environment where personnel can raise safety concerns.
War adversely affects safety culture in a number of ways. Operators are stressed and fatigued and may be scared to death to speak out if something is going wrong. Then there is the maintenance of a plant, which may be compromised by lack of staff or unavailability of spare parts.
Governance, regulation and oversight – all crucial for the safe running of a nuclear industry – are also disrupted, as is local infrastructure, such as the capability of local firefighters. In war, everything is harder.
So what can be done to better protect Ukraine’s nuclear power plants?
The only solution is declaring a demilitarized zone around nuclear plants. However, Russia has so far rejected United Nations Secretary General António Guterres’ plea for declaring a demilitarized zone around the plant.
I believe an optimal though not ideal solution is to bring the two operating reactors to a cold shutdown before any further loss of off-site power and risk of station blackout, store more fuel for emergency diesel generators at different locations at the plant site, and keep only a skeleton caretaker staff to look after the spent fuel pools.
Admittedly, this is only a stopgap measure. In parallel with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s effort under the leadership of its Director, General Rafael Mariano Grossi, I believe that the U.N. Security Council should immediately empower a special commission to mediate between the warring parties. It could be modeled after the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission in 2000, and appoint a prominent, senior international statesman as its head.
I believe the person should be of the caliber and in the mold of the legendary former director general of the IAEA, Hans Blix of Sweden. Blix led the agency at the time of the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and commands respect in today’s Russia and Ukraine.
War, in my opinion, is the worst enemy of nuclear safety. This is an unprecedented and volatile situation. Only through active, pragmatic engineering and nuclear diplomacy can an amenable and lasting solution to this vexing problem be found. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/imperiled-nuclear-power-plant-has-world-on-edge/article_a45b3402-2560-11ed-82f3-fb5f7e713160.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:03Z |
Country
United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/letters_to_editor/wheres-the-outrage-for-other-giveaways/article_6ea80052-24b5-11ed-80da-bf6d766e13c6.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:10Z |
JPMorgan Chase awards $10,000 to support Climb Wyoming
JPMorgan Chase recently announced a $10,000 grant to Climb Wyoming, a nonprofit serving low-income single mothers to help discover self-sufficiency through career training and placement.
The contribution will support the nonprofit’s ongoing efforts to support single working mothers in the Cheyenne and Teton areas. Specifically, the contribution will support industry training, life and financial skills development, and mental health support to provide economic stability for their households.
“One of the biggest obstacles for single mothers is calming the toxic stress of poverty and finding stability for work readiness,” said Katie Hogarty, Chief Executive Officer of Climb Wyoming. “The generous contribution from JPMorgan Chase will help our Cheyenne and Teton offices support more low-income single mothers through career training and placement programs.”
“By taking steps to increase the availability of support for low-income single mothers, we improve our communities by helping provide services to enable countless women and children to attain a better life,” said Claudius Duncan, Chase’s Market Director of Banking for the region. “Climb is a wonderful example of how creating awareness of the need for these critical services can encourage involvement through public and private partnerships.”
The mission of Climb Wyoming is for low-income single mothers to discover self-sufficiency through career training and placement. Developed over the past 36 years, Climb’s comprehensive program isn’t just about getting a job – it’s about financial independence for struggling mothers and changing the generational cycle of poverty one family at a time.
Transportation Commission awards almost $19.3M in contracts
The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded almost $19.3 million in contracts for five Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects during its Aug. 18 business meeting.
A bid of almost $1.7 million was awarded to Sheridan-based Advanced Electrical Contracting Inc. for a project that involves electrical work, sidewalk, curb and gutter and other work at various locations within Big Horn, Converse, Fremont, Hot Springs, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, Sheridan, Sweetwater, Uinta, Washakie and Weston counties.
The commission awarded a $1.8 million bid to Utah-based Coldwater Group Inc. for a project involving structure replacement, grading, guardrail and other work at the Hams Fork River Bridge on Lincoln County Road 327 in Lincoln County.
The contracted completion date for the above two projects is Oct. 31, 2023.
The commission awarded a $7.1 million bid to Worland-based McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. for a project that involves milling, paving, chip seal and other work on about 10 miles of US Highway 191 in Sublette County. The project has a contracted completion date of June 30, 2024.
Mills-based King Enterprises was awarded a $4.4 million bid for a project that involves fencing, grading and other work at various locations along Interstate 25 in Johnson County. The contracted completion date for the project is Nov. 30, 2024.
All of the above projects are funded primarily with federal dollars.
The only project awarded in August that is funded primarily with state dollars involves milling, paving, chip seal and other work on more than 7 miles of US Highway 89 in Lincoln County. The project was awarded to Idaho-based H-K Contractors, Inc. with a bid of almost $4.2 million, and the work has a contracted completion date of Aug. 31, 2023.
Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bidder. August’s meeting saw an average of about 2.7 bids per project.
Milestones
Laramie County Library System recently welcomed Steven Leafgreen to its Board of Directors. Leafgreen’s first term on the Board will last until June 30, 2024. Board members for Laramie County Library System are appointed by the County Commissioners, who are required by Wyoming State statutes to provide library services to their constituents. Leafgreen is the CEO of Western Vista Federal Credit Union, and has served in key roles for several different community organizations, including the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce.
My Front Door announced this week that Esther O. Gonzales has been selected as the newly created director of development. Previously, Gonzales spent three years working with the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce as its business development and relations specialist. My Front Door uses a three-phase core program model to end poverty through homeownership. Founded in 2007, My Front Door has assisted 58 families in becoming first-time homeowners.
Lindsay Patterson, the Surface Water Quality Standards Coordinator at the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, was recently recognized by the Association of Clean Water Administrators. Patterson was selected for the ACWA Emerging Leader Award for 2022, which is given to members who have demonstrated notable leadership or contributions to the work of an ACWA committee, task force and/or workgroup, and show potential for future leadership in the association. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/business_briefs/business-briefs-for-8-27-22/article_72bb447c-2570-11ed-a2bd-93518393a3ec.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:16Z |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433...
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this
evening.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
We believe everyone can give something to those in need, and when that happens, everyone benefits. That’s why we created “Everyone gives, Everyone gains,” a way to spotlight some of the ways you can help people in Laramie County. To have an item published, email Managing Editor Brian Martin at bmartin@wyomingnews.com or send it to Everyone gives, Everyone gains, c/o Brian Martin, Wyoming Tribune Eagle, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001. To give your money CASA of Laramie County to hold ‘Roaring ‘20s’ fundraiser What: CASA of Laramie County celebrates its 20th anniversary with a ‘Roaring ‘20s’ themed fundraiser, “To Be a Kid Again” When: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 Where: Little America Hotel and Resort, 2800 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne Cost: $75 per person More information: CASA of Laramie County is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system. To buy tickets: Go online to casalc.org under the “Events” tab, or call the CASA office at 307-222-1902. The deadline to buy tickets is Thursday, Sept. 1.
We believe everyone can give something to those in need, and when that happens, everyone benefits. That’s why we created “Everyone gives, Everyone gains,” a way to spotlight some of the ways you can help people in Laramie County. To have an item published, email Managing Editor Brian Martin at bmartin@wyomingnews.com or send it to Everyone gives, Everyone gains, c/o Brian Martin, Wyoming Tribune Eagle, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001.
To give your money
CASA of Laramie County to hold ‘Roaring ‘20s’ fundraiser
What: CASA of Laramie County celebrates its 20th anniversary with a ‘Roaring ‘20s’ themed fundraiser, “To Be a Kid Again”
When: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9
Where: Little America Hotel and Resort, 2800 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne
Cost: $75 per person
More information: CASA of Laramie County is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.
To buy tickets: Go online to casalc.org under the “Events” tab, or call the CASA office at 307-222-1902. The deadline to buy tickets is Thursday, Sept. 1. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/everyone_gives/everyone-gives-everyone-gains-8-27-22/article_223a0c36-258e-11ed-99b2-cbab3cf72dfa.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:22Z |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – A local partnership is working toward improving well-being in the county by exploring where it could better address social issues likely to affect health outcomes.
Cheyenne Regional Medical System, the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department and Laramie County Community Partnership – a large group of health and human services nonprofit, governmental and faith-based groups – came together to produce the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan.
These reports represent “what the community is focused on for improving health in Laramie County,” said Amy Spieker, the director of Community Health and Analysis at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, and one of the four main authors of the reports.
“When we think about health, we often think about doctors and nurses and hospitals,” Spieker said. “But what we know is actually that it’s a lot easier to keep people healthy than it is to help them get better when they’re sick, and the things that keep people healthy are where you live, learn, work and play. And so that’s the neighborhood you live in, the schools you go to, the workplace you go to every day.”
The group began creating the Community Health Needs Assessment last July. Its goal is to “really understand what’s happening within our community and understand where there might be unmet needs,” she said.
A different approach
They decided to do the most recent needs assessment a bit differently. Rather than looking at things like disease-specific outcomes, as they have in the past, the authors of the assessment wants to focus on “social determinants of health,” as laid out by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The framework helps find common threads in negative outcomes for people in communities, Spieker said, called “upstream effects.”
“So, for example, what’s similar between the causes of cancer and heart disease and obesity and mental health issues,” she said. “Those are things like the neighborhoods we live in and the education that we have and the economic stability that we have.”
The six determinants they used were economic stability; neighborhood and physical environment; education; food; community and social context; and health care system.
“The theory is, and the reality is, if you’re able to address some of these underlying causes, then you’re also able to affect some of those more traditional health outcomes that we’re used to looking at, like cancer, heart disease, mental health,” Spieker said.
Through this needs assessment, Spieker and her colleagues identified three main focus areas for Laramie County: neighborhood and physical environment, health care system and economic stability.
Most residents likely wouldn’t be surprised to learn that many in the community struggle with housing instability, Spieker said. This was the social factor that “stood out kind of like a sore thumb at the top.”
“As we know, housing costs are going up quite rapidly in our community,” Spieker said. It’s important to make sure “that people can both find affordable places to rent,” and to support “people that are trying to transition into homeownership, or those that are trying to remain in their homes, but are on fixed incomes, and so seeing difficulty as taxes increase and things like that.”
The next area was health care – people’s access to primary care, behavioral health care and other measures, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, was identified as very important.
The third element, economic stability, may not have an immediately obvious connection to health, Spieker said. But the kind of “economic shift” many people experienced during the pandemic – whether increased housing or food costs, job loss or just uncertainty about a financial situation – likely had an impact on community health, she said.
Economic stability as a health determinant “really shone through, and is kind of a new area for our partnership to really dive into, and has really stretched us as we’re looking at strategies,” Spieker said.
Goals to improve public health
The Community Health Improvement Plan, then, is developed as a tool to guide public health professionals in the community as they work to address the issues identified in the needs assessment. It lays out specific action items, dividing them up between action teams within the Laramie County Community Partnership.
“Once these priorities are identified, then we have action teams that form around them to take them further,” Spieker said. These LCCP action teams include one for housing, behavioral health, access to care and healthy youth, and a newly formed team focused on health equity, she said.
When it comes to the neighborhood and physical environment, the team identified the goal of increasing housing stability and community safety in Laramie County. Through creating the needs assessment, the authors found that close to half of Laramie County renters pay more than 30% of their income toward rent, and that amount is increasing. They also found that Laramie County has higher rates of crime than Wyoming as a whole.
Another goal is to increase access to comprehensive health care coverage in the county. Wyoming has the fifth-highest rate of uninsured adults in the U.S. at 14.8%, and in Laramie County, 11.8% of adults are uninsured, according to the report.
They also hope to increase access to health care providers “through innovative community partnerships,” as the county has a shortage of behavioral health professionals, and no inpatient behavioral health services for adolescents.
Finally, under the category of economic stability, the group aims to “cultivate an environment that increases workplace participation,” and to “build and sustain partnerships and resources that support economic stability for residents.” According to the improvement plan, this could mean encouraging workplaces to provide greater mental health support for their employees, and increasing residents’ awareness of existing support programs, such as Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding.
Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/county-partnership-works-to-improve-community-health/article_2b0ef81e-249c-11ed-81b6-33ea56c89121.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:28Z |
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING...
...ELEVATED CONDITIONS ALSO POSSIBLE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 417, 423, 425, 427, 430, 431, AND 433...
The National Weather Service in Cheyenne has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM MDT this
evening.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 417-423, 425, and 430-433.
* WIND...West 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
* HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
&&
Former Vice President Mike Pence talks to the crowd during the Rockies Petroleum Conference on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, at Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne.
CHEYENNE – Former Vice President Mike Pence and both of Wyoming’s U.S. senators decried Democrats’ energy policies and the actions of federal regulators during a conference here Thursday.
Speaking to members of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming at its annual Rockies Petroleum Conference, Pence warned of a left-wing “war on energy” intended to eradicate fossil fuels – which, he argued, “belong to the American people,” not the U.S. government.
“American energy is under attack, and the American energy industry is under attack. And it’s because the radical left is in the saddle of Washington, D.C.,” he said.
Those in the oil and natural gas industry, he said, have likely had to withstand harsher criticism than any other group of American workers except police officers, even though “the vast majority of the American people are grateful for the work of our oil and gas industry every single day.”
Pence and Sen. John Barrasso blamed President Joe Biden’s energy policies for recent months’ high fuel prices and criticized his efforts to convince other oil-producing countries to boost output, instead of aiding the American companies that struggled after prices crashed early in the pandemic.
“He’s going to Iran, he’s going to Venezuela, he’s been to Saudi Arabia, saying, ‘Please make more oil, send it to the United States,’” Barrasso, who regularly faults Biden’s energy policy decisions for high prices, said. He continued, raising his voice, “We have it here!”
U.S. oil and gas production rebounded slowly over the last two years. Like past presidents, but unlike many foreign leaders, Biden has little influence over private companies’ decisions. But presidents’ policy decisions can have significant impacts on the industry in the long run – a factor oil and gas trade groups say makes companies hesitant to invest in new development, especially on federal lands.
“I think public policies advanced by the new administration have been a factor,” Frank Macchiarola, a vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, a national oil and gas trade group, told the Star-Tribune in March. “I don’t think they’re by any means the primary factor.”
Former President Donald Trump proved his commitment to the industry repeatedly while in office, Pence said. His administration greenlit the Keystone XL pipeline, expedited a raft of other oil and gas industry projects and left the Paris Agreement, under which 192 countries pledged to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius.
Then, “in bowing to the radical left environmental agenda,” Pence said, Biden canceled Keystone and rejoined the Paris Agreement, and “shut down oil and gas lease sales from vast public lands, blocking the American people from resources.” The Biden administration conducted its first onshore oil and gas lease sale – typically held each quarter – in June.
“Now, I know President Biden likes to call it Putin’s price hike. But I’d have to tell you, the truth is gasoline prices had soared by 52% before the first shot was fired in Ukraine,” Pence said.
Just as Biden has limited sway over U.S. companies’ actions, though, neither he nor those companies has much control over energy markets, particularly the oil market. Prices are shaped more by international oil cartel OPEC, which counts Iraq, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia among its members.
Oil prices plummeted briefly into the negatives near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic because demand collapsed – and because of a short-lived price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia that forced OPEC and other allied oil producers to curb output to stabilize prices. Those countries kept production low even after demand recovered, and pushed prices up around the world instead.
Nine in 10 Americans support developing U.S. oil and gas, rather than relying on imports, according to a poll released in March by the American Petroleum Association. But Pew Research Center reported in May that 67% favor prioritizing renewable energy and other low-carbon options over fossil fuels.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis said Republicans “were at a low ebb, kind of like we are right now,” when she was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008.
Thursday’s speakers called on the audience to mobilize other supporters of the oil and gas industry in order to “take back” the House and Senate during the 2022 election and the White House in 2024.
Wyoming, Pence said, “is just 75 days away from a great victory for American energy independence.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/former-vp-pence-slams-biden-energy-policies-during-wyoming-appearance/article_f2fac46a-2560-11ed-ad82-1309cca0d6b2.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:34Z |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – Suddenly, and sadly, Yer’bellies food truck is shutting down, leaving just two local barbecue joints left in the city of Cheyenne.
As evidenced by this city’s track record, it’s no easy feat keeping good, home-cooked barbecue on the streets. The reason being, besides a lack of Western cultural relevance for the Southern style of cooking, it takes a lot out of a person to satisfy and maintain a client base hungry for the exhausting method of cooking.
In a post on Facebook, Yer’bellies’ Paul Shelly announced that due to “plaguing injuries from his Navy days,” he and co-founder Jamie Schaffer would retire from the food truck business.
It isn’t a question of passion. Both Shelly and Schaffer showed their commitment to their craft, studying Southern barbecue, starting a business, and learning to build, operate and run a food truck that earned the community’s enthusiastic support.
But it certainly does take passion.
Passion to balance two jobs, as is the case with Horace “Hoss” Woodard, the owner and sole employee of A Little Taste of Texas barbecue truck.
If you haven’t spotted him in the early hours of the day, smoking his stock from a trailer smoker, then you’ve surely caught a whiff of the product in progress. It’s the smell of a secret seasoning blend, one that Woodard declined to reveal (aside from salt and pepper), due to the extensive amount of time that he spent perfecting it.
There’s a high chance that you’ve caught an image of him out on the corner of East Lincolnway and Maxwell Avenue, where he’s busy prepping ribs, chicken legs, brisket, occasional turkey legs, pork chops, pork butt and sausage.
The Cooper, Texas native will always be in his cowboy hat, with his jeans tucked into his worn cowboy boots. He’s been living in Cheyenne for seven years now, only running the barbecue business for a little over a year.
“My granddad, man, he always told me he wanted to open up a barbecue pit business,” Woodard said, stepping away from the smoker Tuesday morning. “I was sitting at the house one day, and I was just like, ‘Man, I’m always behind on bills. Things are so bad, man.’
“I just got my ass up. I was like, ‘I’m gonna go spend my little life savings,’ which wasn’t much. I borrowed me some barbecue grills, man. It just took off from there.”
At the time of opening up the truck around noon, Woodard already had several customers start gathering for the lunch rush. They pull into the vacant parking lot across from Halladay Motors, dressed in attire that fit their different professions, and wait in the open air for the cook to assemble his craft.
When Woodard was starting out in May of 2021, he had purchased two recreational barbecue pits that he set up in front of his original location at the C-Mart & Smoke Shop on Dell Range Boulevard.
“People was laughing at me so much,” he said with a smile. “I would have been laughing, too. They saw me out there with a barbecue pit that I bought from Lowe’s, man. I’m serious.”
Passersby might have laughed, but a $900 payday on his first day proved that he was doing something right. Within two weeks, he had saved up half of the necessary funds to buy the full rig he uses now. The rest of the money, about $4,000 worth, was covered by his ex father-in-law.
The trailer smoker allows him to meet his quickly increasing customer demand – on Tuesday, the contents of which are two large briskets, 12 racks of ribs, 16 sausages and then some. By the time 5 p.m. arrives, he should be close to, if not completely, sold out.
That’s pretty much how he closes out each day since he relocated from the C-Mart this summer.
Obviously, the trailer smoker, four times the size of the recreational counterparts, presented a learning curve for Woodard.
“I got a few tips from my granddad, but really I’m self-taught, especially with this,” he said. “I did not know what I was doing. I almost set myself on fire when I got this. I stepped on top of it while the pit was open. It was hot, and I grabbed on and was hanging off of it.
“(My brother in law) was just standing there looking at me all crazy. This thing is still kind of scary to operate. I’ve been knowing this thing for about a year now, and I’m still learning.”
In addition to meat, he makes all of his sides dishes from scratch – potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw. The only side that Woodard doesn’t make himself are the baked beans, but he seasons those up to the point where customers can hardly tell the difference.
It takes a lot of behind-the-scenes commitment to keep A Little Taste of Texas running, things that customers don’t see or regularly consider when stopping by his truck. Woodard is buying the meat every day, preparing it every day and figuring it out all by himself.
The day-in, day-out nature of his responsibilities is overwhelming.
“Sometimes I can’t keep up,” he said. “I’m just one man.”
Then there’s his day job.
“I’m a nurse, as well,” said, motioning to the car parked behind his trailer. Inside sits the patient he was working with that day.
On weekends, Woodard is employed as a nurse. He specializes in helping his patients regain their motor function after they have suffered serious injuries that affected their speech and physical movement. If he isn’t barbecuing, he’s working with one of his clients.
It’s difficult to balance these two sides to his life. Sometimes he’s working 24 hours straight, sometimes he’s getting little to no sleep. That’s what it takes to barbecue.
In the end, he said, it’s worth it.
“It’s not working, because this is what I’m meant to do,” he said. “It’s easy, man. I love to do it. People call me, and they brag about the food. I don’t have to say, ‘Hey, I’m the best barbecue man in town,’ they just speak for themselves. I just love it.”
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/hoss-woodard-is-doing-all-he-can-to-give-cheyenne-a-little-taste-of-texas/article_aaa795ec-2594-11ed-bbad-5f37f442d60c.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:41Z |
Recently arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department:
Willard Benally, 57, transient, for misdemeanor public intoxication at 11:31 p.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of Logan Avenue.
Elexus C. Lucero, 24, of West Pershing Boulevard for felony possession of a Schedule II narcotic (fentanyl pills) and misdemeanor possession of cocaine (heroin type) at 11 a.m. Thursday at Warren Avenue and East 19th Street; also arrested by CPD for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in pill form and misdemeanor possession of cocaine (heroin type) at 12:18 a.m. Wednesday at Warren Avenue and East 19th Street.
Robert D. Broadway, 62, of Stinson Avenue on a misdemeanor probation and parole violator arrest (without warrant) at 10:20 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County Probation and Parole Office, 1934 Wyott Drive.
John P. Pino, 58, of 24th Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 9:55 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail, 1910 Pioneer Ave.; also arrested by Laramie County sheriff’s deputies for felony failure to register as a sex offender at 9:17 a.m. Thursday in the 3500 block of Gregg Way.
Dennis B. Keding, 58, transient, for misdemeanor protection order violation at 12:52 a.m. Thursday in the 3300 block of West College Drive.
Nikki A. Johnson, 41, of Oak Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 11:53 p.m. Wednesday at East Lincolnway and Converse Avenue.
Michael D. Yates, 51, of East Lincolnway for felony possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine type), misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance (marijuana type), and misdemeanor expired or improper registration at 11:06 p.m. Wednesday at his residence.
Jo Ann Mullican, 57, of Omaha, Neb., for misdemeanor public intoxication at 9:47 p.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of East Lincolnway.
John D. Manchego Jr., 29, of 22nd Street for felony assault on a pregnant woman (serious injury and/or with a weapon), felony strangulation of a household member (minor injury), misdemeanor domestic battery and on a misdemeanor warrant for domestic battery at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday at Walterscheid Boulevard and West Jefferson Road.
Anthony J. Maestas, 39, of West 17th Street on a felony order for failure to comply with community corrections at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cheyenne Transitional Center, 322 W. 17th St.
True R. Sullivan, 20, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant out of Albany County for theft of a controlled substance (plant material) at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of West Pershing Boulevard.
Richard C. Kwedor, 20, transient, on a misdemeanor Laramie County warrant for failure to pay and on a misdemeanor Converse County warrant for probation violation at 10:21 a.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of West Pershing Boulevard.
Kyle A. Rozell, 33, of Ketcham Road for felony parole violation at 12:18 a.m. Wednesday at Warren Avenue and East 19th Street.
Cody J. Leal, 29, of South Fork Road on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 8:39 p.m. Tuesday at Windmill Road and East Pershing Boulevard.
Dominique J. McCray, 29, of Frontier Street on misdemeanor warrants for failure to pay and domestic battery at 5 p.m. Tuesday at his residence.
Christopher A. Nace, 57, transient, for misdemeanor public intoxication at 1:24 p.m. Tuesday in the 800 block of Capitol Avenue.
Henry D. Resler, 38, of Thomes Avenue on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay child support at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday at 24th Street and Reed Avenue.
Zain T. Burdine, 19, of 24th Street on a misdemeanor Cheyenne Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear at 5:11 a.m. Tuesday in the 1500 block of Oak Court.
Shilo D. Gifford, 38, of Missile Drive for misdemeanor interfering/obstructing and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at West Fifth Street and Stanfield Avenue.
Catherine A. Cotraro, 53, transient, on a felony warrant for failure to appear at 1:16 a.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of Martin Luther King Court.
Allyson M. Grubaugh, 54, transient, for misdemeanor disturbing the peace/disturbing property and littering at 1 a.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of East 23rd Street.
Recently arrested by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office:
Melanie A. Lemons, 41, of Laramie on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 3:36 p.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail.
Shayla D. Rubeling, 21, of South Greeley Highway on misdemeanor warrants for domestic battery and destruction of property at 11:38 a.m. Thursday in the 900 block of Ballad Lane.
Brayan H. Suarez, 24, of West College Drive for misdemeanor driving under the influence (alcohol), duty to stop for police, interference with a peace officer (no injury) and no valid driver’s license, and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 10:58 p.m. Wednesday at his residence.
Christopher C. Howell, 41, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 8:56 a.m. Wednesday in the 4900 block of County Road 219.
Brittney S. Titchener, 23, of Casper on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail.
Thomas M. Nace, 40, of Evansville on a felony warrant for probation violation at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail.
Cesar J. Bustamante, 33, of Windmill Road on a misdemeanor warrant for reckless endangering conduct at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail.
Rickey D. Dyer, 47, of Victoria Drive for felony protection order violation and misdemeanor theft of motor vehicle parts at 12:21 p.m. Tuesday in the 2200 block of East Allison Road.
Myrtle H. Obanion, 51, transient, on a felony protection order violation at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 7500 block of Tate Road.
Police blotter is a list of recent arrests compiled from public records in Laramie County. All people listed here are innocent until proven guilty. Anyone listed who has a charge dismissed or is acquitted of the charge may bring or mail a court document proving such to the WTE editor, 702 W. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-8-27-22/article_d6e5a260-2590-11ed-b65d-8b467e22524e.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:47Z |
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I was recently sorting through some papers and spent a little time looking at my childhood collection of Electric Company magazines my mom sent me a few years ago.
“The Electric Company” was a 1970s TV show produced by the Children’s Television Workshop for PBS – it had a short-lived, but extremely fun reboot about 15 years ago – and a companion kids’ magazine was published from 1972-87.
My love of the Electric Company spans a lifetime, in all forms. I had to stop and giggle at an article about what our 1980 selves thought the world might look like in the future:
“Some people already have video recorders that record a TV show on a tape cassette. You can play it back as many times as you want. You can also buy cassettes with movies already on them. Not only that, but with a home video camera, you can make your own TV tapes. Instead of just sitting there watching TV, you’ll be making your own TV shows. Right now, video recorders are pretty big and too expensive for most people. But someday they’ll be on almost all TV sets.”
Here’s a true story: by 1991, there were video recorders (weighing well over 20 pounds) available to high school seniors to lug around on their shoulders and record their classmates for an entire year. I know, because I was one of four people who filmed, edited and produced a terrible quality, but priceless senior class film in 1991. We were amazed at our power.
Kids today would literally laugh us out of town because smartphones are approximately 10,000 times more powerful than anything we had at our disposal back then. That’s OK, kids of today, just wait 30 years or so, when someone will laugh you out of town with that silly smartphone you once had.
Another prediction from the same 1980 issue:
“You get a small control box that looks something like a pocket calculator. Then, by pushing buttons, you can answer questions that come over the TV. The audience becomes part of the show … After a speech by the president, the audience can push a button and tell just what they thought of it.”
Well done, Electric Company. You successfully predicted Twitter.
Or this one:
“Flying out in space are special satellites that carry TV waves from one place on Earth to another. These satellites are used when there’s a big event, like the Olympics. That way, people all over the world can watch the same show. Someday, you’ll be able to see shows from other countries every day. How? With a Home Space Antenna. It will pick up TV signals from the satellites. You could watch a comedy show from Iceland or a baseball game from Japan – or any other program coming from anywhere on Earth.”
It’s easy to take technology for granted, isn’t it? But when you chart out the progress of how things we watch or read has developed throughout history, it is breathtaking to think about what we’ve been able to accomplish and how accessible the world really is. The pace of how fast technology changes (and the culture it delivers) is equally breathtaking – anyone that studies social media can tell you that platforms have the power to accelerate trends, ideas and actions at a dizzying rate; all this comes with real impacts on industries, local and global economies, and how we go about our day-to-day lives.
Future predictions aren’t just for kicks and giggles, because the future is full of what we can’t yet imagine, and what we can’t yet imagine is going to affect us in ways we really can’t imagine.
But future predictions are also for kicks and giggles, in my book, which is why I invite you to conduct a little end-of-summer activity with your people. Here’s the idea: at your next picnic or BBQ, ask everyone to write down five to 10 predictions for technology in the future – at least 30 years from now is best, McFly. And then seal them all up in an envelope and tuck it inside the time capsule every home has: the junk drawer. Proceed to forget about it while you live your life, engaging in or avoiding technology trends as you see fit.
One day, far in the future, stumble upon your envelope of predictions and marvel at how quaint everyone was in the 2020s. It’s exciting to think about the ways in which our ridiculous ideas might actually be spot-on decades from now. We can only imagine.
Elizabeth Dillow is a writer, photographer and designer in Cheyenne. Her favorite “Electric Company” character was Easy Reader. She can be reached at edillow@mac.com. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/dillow-the-future-isnt-always-what-we-predict/article_18cc6f0c-254f-11ed-a5de-d7431b2fa987.html | 2022-08-27T12:53:59Z |
When I launched Wyoming Hunger Initiative in October 2019, my goal was to do whatever I could to support anti-hunger nonprofit organizations working tirelessly throughout the state. While this goal hasn’t changed, the scope of Wyoming Hunger Initiative has grown in ways no one could have imagined.
Three years since that launch, Wyoming Hunger Initiative has four core programs under the Wyoming Hunger Initiative banner: Food from the Field, Food from the Farm + Ranch, Wyoming Angel Accounts and Wyoming Hunger Initiative Grants. The impact and significance is already clear and measurable!
Food from the Field has provided hunters with a formal structure to donate game meat to local food pantries (nearly 10,000 pounds were donated over the course of the last hunting season alone!) and more processors across the state are joining the program, providing easier donation opportunities for hunters. As an avid hunter myself, this commitment to sharing the bounty of Wyoming’s natural resources is especially important to me.
Food from the Farm + Ranch has grown more quickly than anyone would have predicted with over 25,000 pounds of Wyoming-raised beef and pork donated by Wyoming ranchers since 2020. Just last weekend, more than 20 animals were donated through the Laramie County Fair Livestock Sale to Wyoming Hunger Initiative to distribute through its network of anti-hunger organization partners.
Our partnership with University of Wyoming’s Cent$ible Nutrition program and Master Gardener program helped distribute 238,000 seeds to gardeners during the last two growing seasons, yielding 10,202 pounds of locally grown produce donated by Wyoming gardeners of all ages in 2021 alone! It’s difficult to procure fresh produce to offer in our community food pantries, and this Wyoming solution to a Wyoming challenge has proven both successful and sustainable. I can’t wait to see what this summer’s gardens produce!
I’ve also been determined to solve the issue of school meal debt with dignity and long-term sustainability without schoolchildren feeling the burden of debt. In December 2021, Wyoming Hunger Initiative partnered with the Mountain West Credit Union Association and Dan and Cynthia Starks, founders of the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, to eliminate school meal debt across the state through Wyoming Angel Accounts. Between generous donations from the Starks and our credit unions, more than $100,000 was paid to Wyoming school districts to accomplish this goal. This ensured students in all 23 counties would begin the 2022-23 school year debt-free.
Wyoming Hunger Initiative Grants have proven to be one of our most successful tools in the fight against food insecurity. While it might feel like commercial dehydrators, dishwashers or wagons aren’t the most exciting items to brag about, you’d be amazed at how transformative they actually are. These time-saving items provide efficiency so that people – our most precious resource in the fight against food insecurity – may stay focused on the mission. Thanks to our generous partnerships with the Hughes Charitable Foundation, the J.P. Ellbogen Foundation and numerous individual donors we call “Hunger Champions,” we’ve been able to allocate nearly $200,000 in funding for grant requests from applicants in every Wyoming county.
It is my honor and privilege to invite you to get involved in the fight against food insecurity, too! Together with our steadfast partner Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, we’re excited to raise awareness, funds and nonperishable food items through the rest of the month and on Sept. 3 at the home opener of Cowboys football. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming takes the issue of food insecurity very seriously as they pursue the goal of health and wellness for all who call Wyoming home, and they’ve generously lent their sponsorship of the football game for the second year in a row to amplify the fight against food insecurity and to “tackle hunger.”
All Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming Member Centers are collecting nonperishable food items through Sept. 1; donation bins will be available at the football game in Laramie on Sept. 3, as well. Joining the fight to tackle hunger with us is Ridley’s Family Markets – you can find donation bins in participating Ridley’s stores or purchase pre-packaged food donation bags for $5 the day of the game at the Ridley’s booth inside the Indoor Practice Facility.
I am so proud of the thousands of fellow Wyomingites who have stepped up to tackle hunger in our state. You can be sure Wyoming Hunger Initiative will continue to work toward sustainable solutions to ending hunger in Wyoming. I invite you to share your time, generosity and innovative thinking to join the fight. Hunger doesn’t stand a chance when we work together.
Jennie Gordon is the first lady of Wyoming, and is committed to the day where no child, family, senior or veteran faces the day with an empty stomach. You can learn more about Wyoming Hunger Initiative by visiting nohungerwyo.org.
Jennie Gordon is the first lady of Wyoming, and is committed to the day where no child, family, senior or veteran faces the day with an empty stomach. You can learn more about Wyoming Hunger Initiative by visiting nohungerwyo.org. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/gordon-an-update-and-an-invitation/article_23232350-2550-11ed-bbd1-0b26592f7e4e.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:05Z |
I sat in a room filled with more than 900 people. We all had a sad story. The same story. We had all lost a child.
The common thread was wrapped around each of our hearts tightly and safely, never to be cut. The other end of the thread curled, waved and stretched into a web of interaction that connected everyone in the room. We all understood. We all shared a piece of the web. We all shared a piece of the pain.
Some parents lost their only child. Some carried the loss of more than one. More than 900 stories of pain sat in a room where we gathered to share. Together, our love and pain created an energy that was at moments thick and heavy, and at times light and freeing. The emotions were made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the room. The stories varied in versions, time frames and circumstances, but the same sad story connected all of us.
In a recent conversation, someone mentioned to me that there seems to be so many sad stories right now and that everyone you talk to has one. I believe that is true. I believe that the more birthdays we are lucky enough to enjoy and the more candles we blow out, the more sad stories we will have. The longer we live, the more sad stories we will hear from others.
Is it possible that as we age, the stories become sadder, or is it the accumulation of stories that becomes heavier with every layered story and every year that passes?
Over the years, I have had my struggles. I have watched my loved ones and my friends struggle. I have said goodbye to people I love. I personally know the story of divorce, job loss, accidents and illness. I have laid battered, bruised and broken in a puddle of helpless hopelessness. I have suffered. We have all suffered.
Could it be that there is a sensibility to this? I believe so. We will all be wounded. The wound may be sharp and quick, but deep. The wound may be a slow, dragging pain that leaves a scar in a wide jagged way. No amount of ointment, stitches or bandages will heal the puncture.
Wounds are meant to break an opening so a lesson, a message or a meaning can reach our hearts. Wounds are the marks of living. Sad stories give us a way to share our wounds. I believe that it takes the darkest of times to open us up to learning the most. To live this life, we must endure and understand the difficult times. The dark times. The sad times. We must own our sad stories.
This is what connects us as humans. We can enjoy the beautiful days because we have felt suffering. We can enjoy health because we have felt illness. We appreciate success because we have struggled. We welcome joy because we have felt despair.
Emotions are made bearable by the powerfully strong connectivity in the network of our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. We all have threads wrapped tightly and safely around our hearts, while the other end of the thread reaches into the web we all share.
The longer we live, the more sad stories we will hear, have and hold. The stories will vary in versions, time frames and circumstances, but sad stories connect all of us.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: The longer we live, the more sad stories we will have. The darkest of times open us up to learning the most.
Pennie Hunt is a Cheyenne-based author, blogger and speaker who teaches how to “Love Your Life ... NO MATTER WHAT!” Visit her online at www.PennieHunt.com. Email: penniehunt@gmail.com.
Pennie Hunt is a Cheyenne-based author, blogger and speaker who teaches how to “Love Your Life ... NO MATTER WHAT!” Visit her online at www.PennieHunt.com. Email: penniehunt@gmail.com. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/hunt-everyone-has-a-sad-story/article_8c73ae48-2545-11ed-9475-ef7873d81686.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:12Z |
It would be easy to dismiss Liz Cheney’s post-primary crusade against Donald Trump as a quixotic campaign doomed to falter in the face of a Republican Party resigned to follow the former president, come what may.
The task is Sisyphean, without a doubt. But it’s also necessary. For the GOP, and for the country.
Cheney’s loss to Trump loyalist Harriet Hageman hardly came as a surprise. Predictions of a landslide victory were realized as Hageman, an anti-environmentalist lawyer and election denier, won by 35 percentage points. Wyoming is wildly pro-Trump, which makes Cheney a turncoat in the eyes of most of the state’s voters.
But in her concession speech, it was clear Cheney doesn’t see the decisive defeat as an endgame – she sees it as Round One. She has conjured up a name for Round Two, the Great Task, which will also brand a new political action committee she has set up with the mission of keeping Trump from taking back the White House. The committee’s name comes from the Gettysburg Address, when President Abraham Lincoln told Americans that “the great task remaining before us” was to ensure that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”
She has dangled the prospect of a run for president in 2024, but hasn’t decided yet. If she runs, undoubtedly it will be an attempt to firewall the country from the possible peril of another four years of Trump in the Oval Office. In the meantime, she continues her work on the House select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol until her term ends in January.
The committee has been invaluable in illuminating for Americans in a compelling, comprehensive way the indefensible actions Trump undertook to selfishly – and unconstitutionally – cling to power. Hearings resume in September, and there’s more to come. “Doors have opened, new subpoenas have been issued, and the dam has begun to break,” Cheney said at the committee’s last hearing in July.
A swath of the Republican Party views Cheney not as truth-telling, but as a traitorous Democrat in disguise. Their fealty to Trump blinds them to the reality that, if returned to power, Trump’s erosion of democracy could inflict lasting, permanent damage on the country and its institutions.
What those Republicans either have forgotten or choose to ignore is that Cheney’s views fall in line with the party’s conservative wing. She’s anti-abortion and backs a robust national defense, strong border control, reined-in taxation and tax cuts for small businesses. Her stances are straight out of the GOP playbook.
Cheney diverges from Republicans on only one issue – Trump, and the danger to democracy that he poses.
Americans don’t have to look very hard to find examples of Trump World’s disdain for the rule of law. The search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the attempt to install fake electors following the former president’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election, and, of course, Trump’s actions and behavior before and during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol all provide ample evidence that Trump puts his own agenda above the country’s interests and ideals.
Trump loyalists in the GOP also are aiming to amass enough clout through the midterm elections in November to recraft election laws in key states to make voting more restrictive. The goal is to scale back or eliminate measures such as early voting and mail-in voting to make it harder for key segments of the Democratic voting bloc, Black and brown voters, for example, to make a difference at the polls.
What’s admirable about Cheney is that she understands the gravity of the Trump problem, as well as its urgency.
“No citizen of this republic is a bystander,” she said during her concession speech on Aug. 16. “We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.”
We’ll see how far Cheney gets with her crusade against Trump. No doubt that the odds are against her. But it would behoove Republicans to realize that she’s fighting the good fight on two fronts: as a digger for the truth about Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 insurrection and as a formidable counterpoint to his reentry into presidential campaign politics.
If they’re smart, they’ll get on the right side of that fight. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/liz-cheney-vs-trump-will-the-gop-get-on-the-right-side-of-this-fight/article_a9681a6c-256c-11ed-a584-679389e582e2.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:18Z |
In a blockbuster, landmark ruling that rolled back the tides of racism and White Supremacy, the Supreme Court, in Loving v. Virginia (1967), affirmed marriage as a fundamental right protected by the 14th Amendment when it struck down a state law that banned interracial marriage.
Just a dozen years after the Court had held in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional and, in a historical context in which racial violence and Southern resistance to civil rights laws and rulings captured daily headlines, the Court proceeded to deliver a powerful blow for the cause of racial justice, equal protection and due process of law.
The Court acknowledged in Loving that it was addressing an issue that it had never heard: Whether a state law to prevent marriages between persons based solely on racial classifications violates the 14th Amendment?
In 1967, Virginia was one of 16 states that prohibited and punished interracial marriages, one of the badges and incidents of slavery dating back to the colonial period. Some 14 states had recently rescinded their miscegenation statutes. The Virginia law was somewhat distinct from others that prohibited interracial marriage. The Virginia statute – “An Act to Preserve Racial Integrity” – extended only to the integrity of the “white race.”
Virginia prohibited whites from marrying nonwhites, subject to the exception for descendants of Pocahontas, but permitted Blacks, Asians and any other racial class to intermarry without interference from the state. The Virginia law, as the Court noted, was “designed to maintain White Supremacy.”
Two Virginians, Richard Loving, a white man, and Mildred Jeter, a woman of mixed African American and Native American descent, had grown up, fallen in love, and wanted to create and build their family in the only state that they had ever known. Because of the state ban on interracial marriage, the young couple, in 1958, drove from Caroline County, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., to get married.
The Lovings returned to Central Point, Virginia ,and hung their marriage certificate on a wall in their bedroom. Several weeks later, law enforcement officials, acting on an anonymous tip, burst into their bedroom around 2 a.m., shined a flashlight in the eyes of the Lovings and demanded of Richard: “Who is this woman you are sleeping with?” Richard pointed to the marriage certificate on the wall, and a sheriff responded: “That’s no good here.”
Richard and Mildred were arrested and taken to jail. Richard spent the night in jail; Mildred, a woman of color, spent the next five days and nights behind bars.
The Lovings, without benefit of legal counsel, appeared before a local judge and entered guilty pleas to charges of violating the miscegenation statute. The judge imposed a one-year jail sentence, but said he would suspend the sentence if Richard and Mildred agreed to leave the state and did not return for 25 years. The judge lectured the Lovings: “Almighty God created the separate races, white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents,” which meant God “did not intend for them to mix.”
Roughly five years later, the Lovings, exiled from their childhood homes, wrote Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy about their plight. Kennedy advised them to contact the American Civil Liberties Association, which agreed to represent them. On June 12, 1967, Chief Justice Earl Warren, in a 9-0 opinion, delivered the Court’s landmark ruling.
“There can be no doubt,” Warren wrote, referring to the 14th Amendment, “that restricting freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the Equal Protection Clause.” In essence, Warren declared, the clause means what it says: equal means equal. He stated, as an additional holding, that the Virginia prohibition on interracial marriage also “deprived the Lovings of liberty without due process” of law.
The Court recognized the deep racial prejudice that informed Virginia’s law. Employing the “most rigid scrutiny” in cases involving racial classifications, which the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment required, the Court concluded that there “is patently no legitimate overriding purpose independent of invidious discrimination which justifies this classification.” The goal of the measure, Chief Justice Warren concluded, was to “maintain White Supremacy.”
The prohibition discriminated against racially mixed couples and those wishing to marry outside their race, both of which were regarded as “they” groups. The fact that the law carried criminal penalties rankled the Court. In a concurring opinion, written only to emphasize his previously stated opinion that miscegenation statutes violated the 14th Amendment, Justice Potter Stewart stated: “It is simply not possible for a state law to be valid under our Constitution which makes the criminality of the act depend on the race of the actor.”
Richard and Mildred Loving were neither educated nor sophisticated citizens. Nor were they interested in making political statements or starting fights, let alone leading a constitutional crusade for enforcement of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection and due process clauses. As Mildred said, they “were just in love and wanted to be married.”
The Supreme Court, Chief Justice Warren explained, thought that was sufficient. “Under our Constitution,” he wrote, “the freedom to marry, or not to marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.”
David Adler, Ph.D., is a noted author who lectures nationally and internationally on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and presidential power. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/loving-v-virginia-equal-means-equal/article_3eb51ca0-24af-11ed-97ee-8b2b8dabdc42.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:24Z |
Before I tell you about my exciting week, I have to give you an up-to-date grandpa report. Our first grandchild finally came home, after spending more than a week in the NICU. It was great to finally meet him! His mom, on the other hand, is still recovering, but we’re so happy she finally came home. Everyone is happy, safe and complete. Throughout the years, I have heard many stories about the special bond you feel and develop as a grandparent. I can confirm it is true. I’m loving this new job!
I speak often about new experiences, and I encountered another this week. We have a local business that is in trouble with our City Clerk’s Office for failing to follow city regulations. The problems are magnified by the fact the business owner does not speak English, and for that reason, I’m not sure our message was being understood. I have a great friend named Yue that speaks Mandarin, so I arranged for him to interpret. Yue did a great job, and we now have a clear understanding going forward. My hope is our city will continue having successful businesses. Thanks, Yue!
Parking is a constant conversation in our downtown. This past week, the Downtown Business Association held meetings to discuss what the business community would like to see regarding parking. I met with Sam Galeotos to learn his thoughts on how to improve the business climate downtown by fixing parking. He has been working downtown for quite a while now and has seen a big improvement in the business climate. I learned a few things that should be easy to implement that should also make the parking situation better. I appreciate the downtown business community engaging in this conversation.
We swore in two new police officers this week. Across the country, the public’s respect for law enforcement is not great in many areas. I am proud of the way our community treats our police officers. One of the officers sworn in is a lateral transfer from the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. It is wonderful when you get officers who are already trained and experienced; a quick training period to learn our policies, and they’re able to step right in and perform their job. The other officer comes to us after leaving the military. We still have a couple of job openings for the police department, if anyone out there wants a great career serving their community.
Some meetings are not as fun or comfortable as others. I met with Ryan and MJ from Redco Construction to discuss ways the city could improve the way we work with the building community. Small world, I worked for Marv right out of high school with Redco. It is so cool to see a third-generation family member running the company and doing so, successfully. During this meeting, I learned a few things we could improve on and got a chance to catch up with old friends.
Tuesday was the day to meet with our building and development community. Another group stopped by for a visit and filled my conference room to discuss our current situation and how we can better serve their businesses. The city controls the building and development process; from the very beginning to the certificate of occupancy once the project is finished. One thing I really liked about our meeting was the positive way challenges were discussed. I like to hear what the customer service goal is and then work to find ways to meet them. They were clear on expectations, so I know what success looks like from their point of view.
Interestingly enough, the United States has a program where state national guards are matched with foreign countries. The Wyoming National Guard is paired with Tunisia. As a result of this relationship, I had the distinct privilege of meeting many members of the Tunisian government. I met members from the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, civil protection and education for a meet-and-greet. I enjoyed the experience and learned there are many similarities between our countries. By virtue of their kindness and stories about Tunisia, Judy and I are planning to visit this fall. Before arranging our plans, I visited our county’s Health Department to see what kind of vaccinations we should get. We received the Hepatitis-A shot, and now we are ready to go.
On Wednesday morning, we had our department directors meeting. We have a great team and I like spending time discussing issues they are dealing with. I find these municipal discussions stimulating. Running a city requires such a diverse set of skills, and our team has them. Homeless issues, annexations, traffic, bridge design, freedom of information requests, audits, zoning, ARPA funding, abandoned houses, fire stations, recreation programs and performance reviews are just a few of the items we discussed at this week’s meeting.
Youth Alternatives is an amazing asset that supports the youth in our community. Ronn Jeffrey started the program 50 years ago, and today, Jay Sullivan is their fearless leader. He stopped by to update me on the department and staff. Taking care of the mental health aspect within our community is such an important mission, and they do it all so well. With their small staff, I wanted to also discuss succession planning to make sure this important mission does not miss a step.
Another interesting meeting happened with our Board of Public Utilities, engineering and planning. We potentially have a very large new business that could choose to come to Cheyenne. I sure hope so! We met to make sure we are all on the same page moving forward and to maximize our chances of getting this business sold on our community. What made me really happy was the fact we were all thinking the same way and have a great plan to get them to say yes! LEADS is doing its job of finding the companies, so we must work hard to make sure we deliver and don’t let them down.
Our group of the six largest cities in the state also met this week, in preparation for the Corporations Committee meeting on liquor laws and affordable housing. We had a great conversation on why we need additional liquor licenses. All of us are sold out of retail liquor licenses and see the lost opportunities, due to the lack of liquor options for new businesses.
We also discussed the need to approve a constitutional amendment this November. Amendment A would allow cities to invest their reserves with the state treasurer, which would allow cities to make so much money and support the delivery of municipal services. Our treasurer has more investment options than we do, resulting in better returns. Remember, if you leave this blank on your ballot, state law records it as a no vote. Please educate yourself on this important issue and check the box that matches your assessment.
I drove to Casper on Thursday for the Corporations Committee meeting. Our legislators do a great job of soliciting comments and working to find ways to get our ideas passed into law. This meeting was the same thing. They listened to hours of testimony and have three bills moving forward in the process. A big one is a bill to give us more bar-and-grill licenses. We have 14 great restaurants currently using this license, and Cheyenne is sold out. This bill would give us seven more licenses starting July 1, 2023, which may result in more dining options.
They also are working on a bill that would allow entertainment businesses a way to get a liquor license. The big challenge is how to define entertainment. Our next opportunity to get the bills ready for the legislative session is in October. We will be ready to join our partners to advocate for more opportunities in Cheyenne and the state.
In a lighter fare, I’m excited that football season is finally here, and our beloved Cowboys will be playing against Illinois. Go Pokes!!
If you have a question for me, please send it to media@cheyennecity.org. I’ll continue to answer them in the following Mayor’s Minute column. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/mayor-s-minute-preparing-for-new-businesses-serving-existing-ones-better/article_8b1d3634-254c-11ed-8001-63f69b33ff3e.html | 2022-08-27T12:54:30Z |
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