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Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Committee, 1 p.m., Thyra Thomson State Office Building, Round House Conference Room, third floor, Room 3024, 444 W. Collins Drive, Casper. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Cheyenne City Council’s Finance Committee, noon, Committee Room 104, Municipal Building, 2101 O’Neil Ave., and online via Zoom. For online access information, visit www.cheyennecity.org/ecm.
Laramie County School District 1 Board of Trustees, 6 p.m., 2811 House Ave., Cheyenne, or via online Zoom meeting. Details on how to access the Zoom meeting will be posted at https://www.laramie1.org/new-board-of-trustees-5165ea53#.
Tuesday
Cheyenne City Council’s Public Services Committee, noon, Committee Room 104, Municipal Building, 2101 O’Neil Ave., and online via Zoom. For online access information, visit www.cheyennecity.org/ecm.
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Committee, 1 p.m., Thyra Thomson State Office Building, Round House Conference Room, third floor, Room 3024, 444 W. Collins Drive, Casper. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Wednesday
Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Committee, 1 p.m., Thyra Thomson State Office Building, Round House Conference Room, third floor, Room 3024, 444 W. Collins Drive, Casper. Livestream available on the Legislature’s website at www.wyoleg.gov.
Laramie County Fair Board, 6 p.m., Commissioners’ Board Room, Historic Courthouse, 310 W. 19th St.
Laramie County School District 2 Board of Trustees, Committee of the Whole meeting, 7 p.m., Burns Junior-Senior High, 524 E. Fourth St., Burns.
Thursday
Laramie County Board of Commissioners, 3:30 p.m., Commissioners’ Board Room, Historic Courthouse, 310 W. 19th St. Visit https://laramiecounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx to attend the meeting virtually and comment online. During the meeting, comments may be called in at 633-4422. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/government_meetings_listing/government-meetings-listing-for-5-1-22/article_e117599f-3e16-5e2a-9df9-a7ab13874c9c.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:22Z |
Maia Wiley, who is an eighth grader at McCormick Junior High, was selected as Laramie County School District 1’s Student of the Week for the week of May 2. Courtesy
Maia Wiley, who is an eighth grade student at McCormick Junior High, was selected as Laramie County School District 1’s Student of the Week for the week of May 2.
“Maia is an outstanding student,” language arts teacher Suzanne Szabo said. “She works hard to maintain top grades every quarter by going above and beyond in her assignments while balancing outside activities.”
According to the committee, Wiley’s academic strength is math, as she is already taking a high school honors math course. She is a member of the school’s track team and is a fourth-year orchestra student.
“She is kind, responsible and respectful in class and uses class time wisely,” Spanish teacher Janet Stewart said. “She deserves recognition for being an upstanding citizen.”
Outside of school, Wiley enjoys playing the violin. She also likes to ride horses and participates in 4-H.
“She is one of the hardest workers and nicest students,” music teacher Leslie Fox said. “She is always on task, focused, listening to directions and meeting expectations.”
Wiley’s future goal is to be successful, as she is still considering her options as she grows up.
“She has a very bright future before her,” committee members said. “We all know she is destined for amazing things.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/in_our_schools/lcsd1-student-of-the-week-for-may-2/article_5bee632a-d01f-5afb-a9f1-421a28303d79.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:28Z |
Small, non-farm businesses in 18 Wyo. counties can seek SBA disaster loans
Small non-farm businesses in 18 Wyoming counties are now eligible to apply for low-interest rate federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the SBA has announced. The deadline to apply is Dec. 22.
The loans are meant to help “offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by (a) drought” that began Jan. 1.
“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” said Director Tanya Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West, in a Thursday news release. “Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 2.83% for businesses and 1.875% for private nonprofit organizations, (with) a maximum term of 30 years.”
The federal agency listed the counties in Wyoming where there is such eligibility. It said the primary Wyoming counties are Albany, Big Horn, Carbon, Fremont, Hot Springs, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta and Washakie. And what it deems “neighboring Wyoming counties” are Converse, Johnson, Laramie, Platte, Sheridan and Teton.
Applicants can apply online, and get information, as well as applications, at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Or you can call SBA at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Completed applications can be sent to SBA, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Agricultural businesses can contact the Farm Services Agency about U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance, SBA noted. “However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.”
There are also counties in Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Utah that have some similar eligibility.
Milestones
A past administrator is returning to the fold at the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Director Todd Parfitt announced last week that Alan Edwards will return to DEQ to take on the dual roles of deputy director and administrator of the Industrial Siting Division. Edwards previously retired from DEQ in October 2020. At the time, he served as the deputy director and the administrator of the Abandoned Mine Land Division. Before his retirement, Edwards worked at DEQ for a total of 19 years.
n
Wyoming Community Development Authority has welcomed newly appointed board member Pat Thomas. Thomas was appointed to serve on the WCDA board beginning March 1. Thomas started his career as a commercial pilot for various companies, flying both people and cargo throughout the U.S. In 1985, he started working for UPS as a seasonal delivery driver. Since then, Thomas joined the carrier’s public affairs group in Washington, D.C., where he assumed the title of senior vice president of state government affairs at UPS. Thomas retired in 2017, and he as his wife returned to Casper.
The WCDA board of directors consists of Chairman Pete Illoway of Cheyenne, Vice Chairman Michael Martin of Cheyenne, Treasurer/Secretary Susan Anderson of Casper, Gov. Mark Gordon, State Treasurer Curt Meier, Pat Thomas of Casper, Doug Chamberlain of LaGrange, Kendra Heimbuck of Sheridan and David Caplan of Rock Springs. WCDA Executive Director Scott Hoversland serves as an ex-officio member.
n Aikta Marcoulier has been appointed by President Joe Biden as regional administrator for the Rocky Mountain region of the Small Business Administration, the SBA has announced. The move makes Marcoulier the Region 8 administrator. She will oversee SBA programs, offices and operations in the agency’s Rocky Mountain region, which serves Colorado, Montana, the Dakotas, Utah and Wyoming. Marcoulier had worked at the Colorado Small Business Development Center network. She previously was the director of partnership marketing with Professional Bull Riders Inc. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/business-briefs-for-5-1-22/article_eaa9584c-54b6-57b3-9e4e-4a655638bc4b.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:34Z |
What does a speech language pathologist do?
Speech language pathologists (SLPs) treat people of all ages for many types of communication and swallowing disorders (also known as dysphagia).
Common concerns are when someone has trouble swallowing meat, bread or other foods, or when someone starts coughing while drinking water. These problems can be caused by a structural anomaly or weakness.
SLPs can also treat articulation in children, cognitive changes in individuals diagnosed with a stroke or other brain injury and the voices of people with vocal cord dysfunction or progressive neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
What kind of tests are available to diagnose a swallowing issue?
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s speech therapy clinic offers complete modified barium swallow studies (MBS), which take place in the radiology department, or fiberoptic endoscopic exams (FEEs), which take place in the clinic itself. The CRMC clinic is the only one in Wyoming that offers FEEs.
What help is available for patients being treated for head and neck cancer?
Radiation and chemotherapy cancer treatments to the head and neck can affect a person’s ability to eat and drink. An SLP can help ensure patients can continue to eat and drink before, during and after treatment. Head and neck cancer treatments can also affect the voice and ability to communicate. The CRMC clinic offers several services to help with these concerns.
How can the clinic help children with language development?
SLPs help children from birth through high school with language development and speech sounds. For example, an SLP can work with children who have cochlear implants or who have had recurrent ear infections. Sometimes children in these situations need a minimal amount of assistance to help them catch up to their peers. In other instances, the child may need more extensive treatment to meet development targets. In addition, SLPs assist children who are having difficulty eating a variety of foods or who have a history of aversion to foods and textures. SLPs also work with the caregivers of infants who have had a tongue or lip tie correction, so that the infant develops good feeding habits.
What treatment is available for voice disorders?
CRMC’s speech therapy clinic has three therapists certified in the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD), which assists individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. SLPs can also address voice disorders caused by vocal cord dysfunction, vocal nodules and voice changes that can occur due to age. With therapy, people who have struggled with voice changes can learn to speak louder, clearer and stronger.
How else can SLPs help someone?
An SLP might help stroke survivors improve their word-finding ability or re-learn critical skills in organization and memory. An SLP can also help someone with a progressive disease such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) establish a voice bank, which will allow the person to use their voice on an augmentative and alternative communication device.
How to get help
CRMC’s speech therapy clinic has recently expanded its staff to three full-time and two part-time SLPs, so is now able to provide more services and support to the community. The clinic is located in the medical office building attached to CRMC. A referral is required for services. For more information, call the clinic at 307-773-8120. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/speech-language-pathologists-treat-communication-swallowing-disorders/article_d42657f0-ba32-50dd-b7b4-f3efe86547d9.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:40Z |
CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Supreme Court recently ruled that a traffic stop by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper was unconstitutional, and that the Laramie County District Court failed to consider the full circumstances when it denied a motion to suppress evidence.
An appeal to the state Supreme Court, filed Sept. 7, argued a WHP trooper conducted an unconstitutional traffic stop, eventually leading to Joshua David Levenson’s conviction for marijuana possession and a prison sentence.
The opinion, penned by Justice John Fenn and filed April 20, ruled the trooper’s stop had violated the Wyoming Constitution and the Fourth Amendment. The trooper had admitted he pulled over the vehicle in which Levenson was a passenger, despite not seeing a traffic violation before using high speeds to catch up to the vehicle.
The opinion said Laramie County District Judge Catherine Rogers made a mistake by denying a motion to suppress evidence. The higher court agreed with the appellant’s argument that the court had failed to consider the full context of the stop, including the trooper’s behavior.
The court did not, however, overturn a prior decision it made in 2006’s Fertig v. State, in which the court said pretextual traffic stops did not violate the Wyoming Constitution. Levenson’s attorney, Devon Petersen, had asked the court to overturn that decision as part of the Levenson case.
“Pretextual stops provide an end run around the Constitution,” Peterson told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
A pretextual traffic stop can be characterized as when an officer pulls over a motorist for a traffic or equipment violation with the intent to check for more serious criminal offenses.
“We find no reason to depart from our decision in Fertig and continue to adhere to the principle that ‘an officer’s subjective intent to search for drugs does not invalidate an otherwise lawful traffic stop,’” Fenn wrote. “We do note, though, that regardless of the officer’s subjective intent, there must still be an otherwise lawful traffic stop that is reasonable under all the circumstances.”
The case was appealed from a judgment and sentence issued by Rogers last May.
“In its decision, the Wyoming Supreme Court made clear that an officer’s conduct in the course of a traffic violation may be scrutinized, and that the officer’s conduct may render a traffic stop unreasonable and therefore unconstitutional,” Petersen said in an email to the WTE. “The (Supreme) Court’s decision is an important step in ending arbitrary and needless traffic stops for minor traffic violations, which are so ripe for abuse.
“I am hopeful that one day pretextual traffic stops will no longer be allowed in Wyoming or any other part of the United States,” Petersen continued.
Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill, whose office represented the state in the appeal, declined to comment Friday.
WHP Administrator Col. Kebin Haller could not be reached for comment Friday, nor could a WHP spokesperson.
The traffic stop
On an August evening in 2018, Trooper Shane Carraher was parked on a paved median near mile marker 357 on Interstate 80. He began following a black Nissan Rogue, despite – by his own admission, according to court documents – not observing a traffic violation.
Carraher drove up to 111 miles per hour in a 75 mph zone to catch up, penning in the Nissan between two semi trucks in a way that would have made a lane change unsafe. The trooper calculated that the Nissan was following the front truck too closely and pulled the vehicle over.
“After carefully reviewing the dash camera footage, we find the traffic stop was unreasonable under all the circumstances,” Fenn wrote. “The trooper’s conduct congested traffic and required the Nissan Rogue to remain in the right lane between the two semi trucks, all of which were approaching a busy interchange with the lead semi truck slowing down to exit onto southbound I-25.
“Accordingly, under all the circumstances of this case, we find the trooper’s objective justification for a traffic violation was negated, and the initial traffic stop was unreasonable under Article 1, (Section) 4 of the Wyoming Constitution,” as well as the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Fenn continued.
The trooper then issued the driver a warning for following too closely. After speaking with the driver and with Levenson, who was the passenger, Carraher suspected the two might have been involved in criminal activity: their rental vehicle had been due the previous day, and they were headed away from the location where it was to be returned.
The driver denied Carraher permission to search the vehicle, so the trooper asked for a drug-detection canine from the Cheyenne Police Department. The K-9 alerted to controlled substances, and Carraher found 42 pounds of marijuana. The driver and Levenson were arrested, with Levenson charged with felony intent to deliver a controlled substance and felony possession of a controlled substance.
In January 2019, Levenson moved to suppress evidence, arguing the stop had been unreasonable. He argued Carraher’s driving created a safety hazard, and that because the initial stop was pretextual, it was barred by the Wyoming Constitution.
Following a May 2019 hearing, the district court held that the traffic stop was justified based on the trooper’s observation of the Nissan following the semi truck too closely.
In exchange for Levenson’s guilty plea to felony possession of a controlled substance, the charge of felony intent to deliver a controlled substance was dismissed. Rogers sentenced Levenson to 12 to 15 months in prison, but he was released on bond while his appeal was resolved, according to court documents.
Levenson had entered a conditional guilty plea, reserving his right to appeal the court’s denial of a motion to suppress evidence based on what he said was an illegal pull-over.
Levenson argued the court was required to consider “all the circumstances surrounding the stop, including the officer’s own conduct,” the opinion said.
“We find the district court erred” by failing to do so, Fenn wrote.
Fenn quoted part of the decision in a 2005’s O’Boyle v. State:
“Our location along a nationally recognized drug trafficking corridor likely results in a disproportionately large percentage of Wyoming’s comparatively small population being subjected to what have become routine requests to relinquish their privacy rights by detention, invasive questioning and searches,” the quote reads, “all without reasonable suspicion of criminal activity other than the offense giving rise to the stop.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/wyoming-supreme-court-rules-traffic-stop-unconstitutional/article_fe203e93-83da-59f4-817f-3343ee6f8048.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:47Z |
The Laramie County Sheriff’s Department, in cooperation with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, advises residents that state law requires notification if a registered sex offender is living within a minimum of 750 feet of certain areas.
Those areas include residences and organizations within the community such as schools, churches and religious and/or youth organizations.
This is not a complete listing of all sex offenders but reflects the most current updated address information. The website below can be accessed for more complete prior postings. If you have any additional questions, you also can contact the Laramie County Sheriff’s Department at 307-633-4733.
Additionally, any person who uses this information or information accessed through the Wyoming Sex Offenders Registry site to harass any individual – including the registrants or their family members – or who otherwise misuse this information may be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liability under federal and/or state law.
No determination has been made that any individual included in the registry is currently dangerous; individuals included in the registry are included solely by virtue of their conviction record and state law.
The main purpose of providing information on the internet and through the newspaper is to ensure information is publicly available and accessible, not to warn about any specific individual.
Go to http://www.laramiecounty.com/_officials/Sheriff/index.aspx, then click on the Sex Offender Search link near the bottom of the page for specific information on the listed offenders below (Note: All are from Cheyenne, unless otherwise noted).
Derick James Archibeque, 1504 Stinson Ave.
Elden Edward Cooley, 316 Central Ave., Space 16 (camper) | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/sex_offenders/sex-offenders-list-5-1-22/article_7f1d7cde-a100-59ca-9ddd-5603b526cf26.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:53Z |
Wyoming’s natural resource-based economy has always had tension with the federal government. Unfortunately, the federal government’s environmental policies are disconnected from common sense, and serve only to increase the tension and decrease the trust in the federal government. Two recent announcements from the federal government illustrate the problem.
The federal government announced this month that it would resume federal oil and gas leasing – including multiple parcels in Wyoming – although in a much-reduced capacity compared to times past. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, it is a marked reduction from what the federal government could be doing and has done before.
Federal lease sales follow a specific process: the federal government, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announces a sale in a particular area, those interested in leasing in the area nominate specific parcels, and after review of the nominations, the BLM offers some of the nominated parcels for sale at auction. Historically, sales happened quarterly, and of the parcels nominated, the BLM would offer a far higher percentage at auction than we will see at the upcoming auction.
As just one example, in 2019, 719 parcels were nominated for lease in Wyoming and 527 were offered at auction – meaning that around 72% of nominations resulted in leases. In the most recent announcement, BLM announced it would offer only about 20% of nominated parcels for lease – and at a higher royalty rate than in years past. Nationwide, only 173 parcels will be offered up, include 129 in Wyoming.
While something is certainly better than nothing, this unnecessarily low level of federal leasing shows that the federal government is more interested in performance than policy. The Biden administration is trying to play both sides of an issue without considering what is best for America.
Environmental activists have decried the resumption of leasing and championed the cancellation of lease auctions largely based on climate change and emissions grounds. Although not explicitly cited as the reason for failing to offer parcels for lease, it is difficult to imagine that this was not a major basis for the Biden administration’s decision to cancel lease sales. The administration now wants to be seen as doing something to address gas prices while still appeasing those who oppose oil and gas production as a whole.
Oil is a global market. This means that reductions in drilling in Wyoming or other places in America do not result in lower amounts of oil in the marketplace. If domestic production dips, it is made up for by increased drilling elsewhere. Refusing to offer federal oil and gas leases does nothing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or other potential pollutants – it merely moves their source to another country. If anything, domestic production, where we have more control over safety and emission standards, is likely to be the best option for minimizing environmental impacts. Rather than protect the environment, the Biden administration’s oil and gas leasing decisions so far have merely been an attempt to placate a particular interest group at the expense of America and Wyoming’s well-being.
The federal government, this time through the EPA, made another announcement this week that flies in the face of common sense. The greater Denver area has dealt with increasing smog and air quality issues in recent years. One air quality monitoring station recently concluded that about 1% of the Denver area’s airborne particulate matter originated in Wyoming. This amounts to less than 1 part per billion of particulate matter in the air. However, for this reason, the EPA is now proposing that it impose more stringent emissions standards on the state of Wyoming, even though Wyoming already regulates its own emissions standards.
This proposal flies in the face of common sense. For example, the American Lung Association recently rated Cheyenne as the city with the nation’s cleanest air for year-round particle pollution. Casper came in sixth. Wyoming’s contribution to Denver’s issues is negligible and does not support the federal intrusion. In fact, the state of California contributed around double what Wyoming did to the Denver area’s smog problem, despite the great geographic distance.
Simply put, Wyoming is not the problem when it comes to Denver’s air quality. The burden that new federal regulation would place on Wyoming far outweighs the negligible change to Denver air quality issues that would come from the regulations. Even if the EPA entirely shut down Wyoming, such that no emissions began here, the impact on Denver would be unnoticeable. Instead, this merely reflects the federal government failing to consider the real-world impacts of their policies.
We in Wyoming often say we need to push back against the federal government. Policies like these show why that sentiment makes sense. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/lenhart-federal-policies-lack-common-sense/article_15247f19-e054-55b7-ac2b-03a017c02cba.html | 2022-05-01T11:41:59Z |
In this space last week, I predicted that when our 2022 “Notice of Assessment” arrived, it would announce an increase in property taxes “a rate double the 8.5% national inflation rate.” I was wrong.
The increase was almost two and a half times the rate of inflation. That’s the 8.5% inflation rate that has everyone angry with Joe Biden. My property tax jumped 20.4%. So much for the talk we hear from conservative lawmakers about “no new taxes.”
That comes on top of similar increases in recent years. The multiplying effect is onerous. The Albany County assessor explained the problem to me. Fewer houses on the market consistently selling at prices in excess of appraised values.
When the county assessor calculates our tax rate, she or he must use those actual sales to determine what we will pay. Therefore, keep this in mind. The anecdotes we hear about how fast a friend’s home sold and how they received what they asked within hours of listing are a prelude to a coming property tax hike.
When I called the assessor in 2021, he also said the legislature was aware of the burden this was placing on low income and older property owners, and they were studying plans to fix the problem. That sound you hear is Nero fiddling while Rome burns.
While the 2022 session funded a limited property tax refund program, the subject continues to be on the “we will study that” legislative to-do list. In fact, the Joint Revenue Committee lists “Property Tax Issues” as its “Priority #1.” They say, “The committee will review issues related to property taxes, including consideration of property tax relief programs, the State Board of Equalization, property taxes on second homes and property tax administration in general. This topic will also include a review of governmental property tax exemptions and how those are applied.”
So, their first interim committee meeting was last Wednesday in Lander. Let’s look at the agenda. They talked about state land administration, heard from the Gaming Commission and listened to the Department of Revenue presentation on governmental tax exemptions.
On Thursday, they studied the “critical” issue of putting a “Tax Cap on Premium Cigars.” After that, they looked at limited liability companies and private trusts. The remainder of the morning, if they were on schedule, was spent hearing from the state treasurer, the secretary of state and the Division of Banking.
There you have it. What their website describes as “Priority #1” was nowhere to be seen during their first interim committee meeting. But, if you smoke those premium cigars, be assured they are looking after your interests.
The committee has scheduled two more meetings before the end of the year. When you look at the Legislative Service Office website and click on “Revenue Committee,” you’ll see a rogue’s gallery of the photos of smiling “no new taxes” lawmakers. These legislators need to hear from you as often, as they are apparently hearing from the cigar smokers.
More importantly perhaps than their interim committee meetings is the intervening political campaign. Every single one of the House members of this committee and about half of its Senate members will be on the ballot in November. Some of them might even have an opponent.
Some of you should consider becoming their opponent. If you are a senior citizen on a fixed income or a low-wage working stiff, your campaign platform could be your 2022 tax assessment. Take note during your stump speech whether your opponent voted to cut coal company taxes while doing nothing for homeowners.
By the way, every Republican on both the Senate and House Revenue Committee voted for tax break for coal companies. That bill passed the House with 40 votes and the Senate with 25.
Legislators on the Revenue Committee and incumbents seeking re-election will need to hear from their constituents as they are hearing from premium cigar sellers and coal mining lobbyists. If not, we’ll be trying to figure out how to add another 20% higher property tax to our budgets next year. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/mcdaniel-so-much-for-property-taxes-being-committees-top-priority/article_873929bd-6c4b-594e-b72e-9e390b3991c8.html | 2022-05-01T11:42:05Z |
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People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/case-is-right-its-time-to-get-cheyennes-bus-system-going-again/article_9a71b181-d9b0-537a-a7a8-08f68fe37f86.html | 2022-05-01T11:42:11Z |
This is technically a Letter to the Editor, but it’s also a response to Nora Fraley’s heartfelt letter that appeared on April 29 titled “Athletic achievement celebrated more than academics in LCSD1.”
Nora, your achievements academically are deserving of praise and recognition. What you’ve observed about honors and recognition for athletic achievement in LCSD1 probably extends well beyond this district and beyond this state.
In the culture in which we live, star athletes and performers garner most of the attention and much of the praise. In part, I think, that’s because they offer some "escape" from the hard things of life, an hour or two of entertainment and diversion. And some of us just love sports!
But you are right about our failing to recognize great achievements in the classroom. We seldom see stories about it in the newspaper or hear about it on the radio or television. Scholars like you labor every day to do your best and to achieve excellence, and yet there’s no plaque on the wall and no story in the newspaper, unless you write it yourself.
But I read your story today, and I congratulate you on your amazing success. While it may not bring much attention now, the effort and commitment behind your success are character traits that will bless your life forever, long after the rest of us have laid aside our basketball shoes, footballs, soccer balls and all the rest. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
We’ll hope that your thoughtful letter will bring some changes in LCSD1 with how we recognize achievement in and out of the classroom.
In the meantime, be happy and cheer the accomplishments of others, even on the athletic field, including your brother’s. He was an outstanding athlete, and I suspect a pretty good student, too! And may your "investment" in learning bring you all the dividends you hope for and deserve. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/nora-youre-right-that-athletics-getting-more-praise-than-academics/article_3635cf34-0bbb-54d3-af8c-40d654c0c820.html | 2022-05-01T11:42:17Z |
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If someone ranked the top 10 most thankless volunteer positions in America today, serving as a local school board member would have to be at the top.
Most of them probably decided to run because they believe in the importance of good public schools, run by strong administrators, with excellent teachers and the resources they need to get students off to a solid start in life. The last thing they expected was to be attacked at every turn by people upset over certain books in the school library or whether kids should wear face coverings to slow the spread of a potentially deadly virus.
Yet that’s exactly what many have faced in the past couple years – including here in Laramie County. So we hate to pile on with criticism of our own. But based on what we’ve observed and reported on in recent weeks, we think it’s necessary.
For us, the issues are transparency and trust. Both K-12 boards have a problem coming clean with their constituents, and both need to do better.
Let’s start in Laramie County School District 1, the district with the most students in the state. And we should preface our critique with some much-deserved kudos for the fact trustees debated and approved a resolution a few weeks ago condemning discrimination in all forms.
Yet even that process lacked transparency, since some people came to the meeting prepared to testify about the resolution, while others were caught off-guard. This meant some concerned citizens had pre-registered to offer public comment, but many more were left on the sidelines.
Either the LCSD1 Board of Trustees needs to better publicize such agenda items so constituents can be prepared to comment, or they need to open up public comment to anyone who wants to speak without advance registration. Since the meeting in question lasted more than four hours, we understand a reluctance to do the latter, which makes the former even more important.
At the same meeting, the board adopted its new strategic plan for 2022-27. One of the three overarching focus areas is Community Engagement, with the overall goal to “develop and nurture collaborative relationships ...” The third bullet point calls for creating “a team-based environment with all stakeholders to build a vibrant educational culture.”
If district leaders and elected representatives hope to turn that goal into a reality, they need to be more forthcoming with information – even when it doesn’t make the district look good. Such has been the case with Dave and Fawn Bartlett, two administrators who were forced out last fall without a word of explanation.
Dave Bartlett had served the district for many years, most recently as assistant superintendent of support operations, which put him in charge of district facilities and construction projects. His wife, Fawn, had served in several building administrator roles, most recently as principal of Meadowlark Elementary, home to fifth and sixth graders.
Without acknowledging they had ever been there, both were sent home and their offices cleared. Rumors began flying immediately of various improprieties, but the district made no comment. More than six months later, both submitted letters of resignation, which the school board accepted at a special meeting that also wasn’t well-noticed to the public in advance.
We may never know why the Bartletts were dismissed, but we do know this: Either something serious happened that’s being swept under the rug or something as simple as personality conflicts were at play. Without any explanation, however, constituents are left to wonder, have doubts and take sides in ways that only cause more division and distrust.
Which leads us to an even more serious situation in Laramie County School District 2. Among the key roles of a school board and administrators is to ensure the safety of students and to create an environment in which they can do their best work. In recent weeks, that hasn’t been the case for some female students at Burns Junior/Senior High School.
Two parents, a student and a local lawyer let a Wyoming Tribune Eagle reporter know that around 30 girls at the school had been the victims of blackmail by a male student. The boy reportedly edited photos of the girls to make them appear nude, then threatened to send them to their colleges of choice and others unless they sent him authentic sexual images of themselves.
State investigators confirmed the boy has been charged criminally, and that’s where the victimization should have ended. Instead, school administrators failed to keep the boy separated from his alleged victims, and when a student brought the situation to the school board’s attention, all she got in return was an empty promise that they would discuss the situation and get back to her.
We realize any situation involving juveniles needs to be handled with extreme care. But to fail to address the concerns brought out in a public meeting sends a strong message that board members don’t want to do the hard work of holding administrators responsible for doing the right thing.
In each of these cases, we’re not looking for the gory, salacious details. But parents, students and community members deserve clear explanations of district policy, how it was violated and what’s being done to address the situation now that it’s happened.
Parents and students in LCSD2 should know their school board has their backs and will make it a priority to provide the best learning environment possible. Students who were already victimized once shouldn’t have to shift to online courses or homeschooling while the alleged perpetrator continues to take classes like nothing ever happened.
In LCSD1, district leaders need to live up to their stated objectives by being more forthcoming with constituents – and in a timely manner.
We know serving on a local school board usually is a thankless job, but improved communication and transparency would go a long way toward earning that appreciation. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/staff_editorials/better-communication-would-aid-trust-in-school-boards/article_dd16ca85-a4b1-5562-b0a9-d5692a5c322f.html | 2022-05-01T11:42:30Z |
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CHEYENNE – Laramie didn’t let its first-half opportunities go to waste Saturday afternoon.
After registering 12 total shots and eight shots on goal in the first half, the Lady Plainsmen didn’t tally any in the second half. Regardless, they took advantage of what they were given and came away with a 2-0 win over Cheyenne South.
“We really wanted to win that coin toss,” Laramie coach Justine Tydings said. “Taking advantage of the ball was a main point of emphasis in this wind, and then obviously putting those shots on frame added to those opportunities, as well.”
Laramie’s first score came in the 13th minute when a Kierra Osborne through-ball connected with Chloe Whisenant in the middle of the pitch where Whisenant took a couple dribbles and netted it, giving the Plainsmen a 1-0 advantage. The shots continued to mount from Laramie with an Alexia Lucero attempt barely clearing the top crossbar just over a minute later.
In the 19th, Allison Beeston made it 2-0 when she sent a rebounded ball past South goalkeeper Sarah Keefe with a header.
“It’s good that we capitalized on those goals and those chances when we had them,” Beeston said. “I knew I just had to follow that shot. I mean, you need to follow every shot, so I knew I just needed to get in there and get something on it.”
South responded by putting together some passes and pushed the ball downfield to find its first shot of the match – a strike from Savannah Kohlhagen on the right side of the frame that was stopped by Laramie goalie McKenna Barham. It was the most momentum the Bison saw from their attack from the first half, as most upfield passes died in the wind.
Keefe was injured after colliding with Lucero – who was given a yellow card – in the 27th minute and was briefly replaced by Emma Cortez. Cortez made back-to-back saves in goal during her stint. Laramie saw two more opportunities in the 38th on consecutive corner kicks, but the South defense and Keefe didn’t let anything through.
“(Laramie) got the ball with the wind in the first half and they were able to capitalize on a couple of those long balls from some set pieces,” South coach Brandon McHenry said. “We did some good things defensively, just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
With the wind at their back, the Lady Bison had a handful of shots that just cleared the frame in the second half. They maintained possession on their side of the field for most of the half and had three shots on goal in the first 13 minutes of the half, but couldn’t squeeze any past Barham.
“We were able to get out, we played through the middle like we wanted to play, we held possession, and played to feet,” McHenry said. “We just couldn’t get anything in the second half.”
Cheyenne Kohlhagan had two opportunities late in the second half to get South on the board. Her first was a direct kick from 22 yards out the looked as if it was going to make it into the top right corner of the netting, but was knocked away. The second was in the 74th when another free kick – this one from 35 yards out – rang off the top crossbar.
South finished with five shots on goal and four corner kicks in the second half.
“The big thing at halftime was keeping the ball in front, so they were chasing going back toward our goal a ton which limited their opportunities for direct shots on goal,” Tydings said. “It did give them a couple more corner kicks than we liked … but, overall (defense) stay connected as a unit and overcame the wind adversity today.”
LARAMIE 2, SOUTH 0
Halftime: 2-0
Goals: Laramie, Whisenant (Osborne), 13. Laramie, Beeston (unassisted), 19.
Shots: Laramie 4, South 7. Shots on goal: Laramie 8, South 6. Saves: Laramie 6 (Barham); South 6 (Keefe 4, Cortez 2).
Corner kicks: Laramie 4, South 6. Offsides: Laramie 5, South 1. Fouls: Laramie 3, South 3. Yellow cards: Laramie 1 (Lucero, 27). South 1 (Cortez, 41). | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/lady-plainsmen-strike-early-defeat-south/article_b0c44bbd-effe-513b-9537-84fd2d52630c.html | 2022-05-01T11:42:55Z |
CHEYENNE – Cheyenne American Legion Post 6 used a seven-run fifth inning to turn a tight ballgame into a blowout on a windy Saturday afternoon at Powers Field.
The Sixers were tied with Rapid City (South Dakota) Post 22 when they put up their seven spot during a 14-6 victory. Cheyenne also won the second game 8-4.
The teams will finish off their three-game series at 11 a.m. today at Powers Field.
Sophomore third baseman Mason Tafoya got the big inning started when he was hit by a pitch and scored on junior shortstop Colter McAnelly’s triple down the line that narrowly eluded the glove of Hardhats right fielder Harrison Good.
McAnelly scored on Zack Costopoulos’ sacrifice fly to right. Cheyenne (6-0) loaded the bases with a single and two walks before sophomore designated hitter Hayden Swaen broke the game open with a two-run double to right. Swaen took third on the throw home and eventually scored on Aaron Gallant’s single to make the game 9-3.
Tafoya added an RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 10-3.
“We did a lot of good things offensively, especially base-running,” Cheyenne manager Ty Lain said. “Our base-running was phenomenal. We applied pressure on the base paths all day, and that gave us some better pitches to hit that we took advantage of with a lot of good swings.
“Our guys were really aggressive on the bases all day whether that was reading a down angle and taking an extra bag or straight stealing and applying pressure to their pitcher and catcher. Hopefully we can keep doing that.”
Post 6 added four runs in the sixth thanks, in part, to run-scoring singles from Tafoya and senior catcher Kaden Anderson.
Senior right fielder Dominic Lopez paced Cheyenne’s offense, going 3 for 4 with a triple and three RBI. Tafoya also was 3 for 4, and drove home two runs. The Sixers had 10 hits, nine walks and just three strikeouts.
“I saw a lot of fastballs in the beginning of the game,” Lopez said. “When you see that first fastball, you have to hit it and take it away.”
The Sixers stole seven bases on the afternoon, and had Lopez take home on a passed ball that didn’t get too far away from Rapid City catcher Philip Bentz in the fifth.
“We want to be aggressive on the bases and put extra pressure on the other team,” Lopez said. “We want them to think not just about the batter, but have the runner in the back of their head.
“I heard (Lain) saying, ‘No, no, no’ when that ball got away from the catcher, but I was thinking, ‘Go, go, go.’ I had to go 100%, hope for the best and slide around the tag if I had to.”
Left-hander Wyatt Haught got the start and overcame a shaky first inning to fan five and scatter five hits in three innings of work. He gave up an infield single and then watched Amarion Saler hit a triple over Lopez’s head in right for a 1-0 Hardhats lead.
Cheyenne pulled ahead in the bottom of the first on Lopez’s three-run triple. The knock looked like a routine single, but the ball hit the outfield and kicked up over the head of Post 22 center fielder Zeke Farlee allowing Tafoya, McAnelly and Costopoulos to score and put the Sixers up 3-1.
Farlee had an RBI double in the third, and scored on Saler’s double to knot the score 3-3 in the third.
Cheyenne turned a pair of double plays. It got out of the third on a groundball Costopoulos fired to McAnelly, who stepped on second before firing the ball back to Costopoulos at first. In the fifth, Saler hit a looping line drive to center that senior Julian Romero dove to catch. Farlee was past second base when Romero caught the ball. Romero got to his feet and threw the ball to Gallant, who flung it to Costopoulos for the twin killing.
“Our pitchers all did what they needed to do to get us through this game,” Lain said. “My only complaint is that we’re wasting too many pitches and our pitch counts are way too high. We have to be more aggressive in the strike zone and trust our stuff.
“The guys have good stuff. If they throw it in there and believe in it, they get good results.”
GAME TWO Cheyenne 8 Rapid City 4
Tafoya, Swaen, Anderson, Haught and Ethan Reisdorfer all had two hits apiece to help the Sixers complete the doubleheader sweep Saturday. One of Haught’s hits was a double. Corey Williams drove home a pair of runs.
Cheyenne starter Braden Pearson gave up five hits and four earned runs in 3-2/3 innings of work. Senior right-hander Xander Jarosh closed out the game in relief. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/baseball/cheyenne_post_6/aggressive-approach-helps-sixers-drub-rapid-city/article_9851a059-df2e-5461-ba52-6a25b92e4d20.html | 2022-05-01T11:43:01Z |
LARAMIE – Starting running back Titus Swen was limited to just a few snaps during Saturday’s Brown and Gold game, but the University of Wyoming still showcased a bright future in the backfield as spring ball came to a close.
Redshirt freshmen D.Q. James and Joseph Braasch, playing for the Gold and Brown teams, respectively, each rushed for 80 yards on the day. Braasch appeared to have the highlight of the afternoon for the Cowboys’ running game midway through the fourth quarter, as he found a seam and took a hand-off 51 yards untouched for a go-ahead touchdown – his second of the day.
Sophomore Dawaiian McNeely, however, had other plans in mind.
Just 73 seconds later, McNeely – who finished with a game-high 96 yards on 13 carries – tip-toed the sideline on his way to a 64-yard score that proved to be the game-winner with 4 minutes, 39 seconds remaining. A block from junior tight end Jackson Marcotte on the edge helped spring McNeely free for the touchdown scamper, and after a pair of stops by both defenses, redshirt freshman cornerback Kolbey Taylor pulled down an interception in the final seconds to seal a 26-22 win for the Gold team.
“I knew it was going to happen when Jackson set that block,” McNeely said. “That was a good run, and a group (effort).”
In total, UW’s tailbacks compiled 309 yards from scrimmage, while averaging 6.9 yards per carry.
“I would say the explosive plays,” Cowboys coach Craig Bohl said when asked what impressed him most about the running game. “Then the other thing was their blitz pickup. I didn’t see a lot of busts with the backs. I was pleased with that, because beyond running the football, you have to be a pretty complete player. I also thought when the ball was thrown in a catchable radius, they did a good job with that.”
Added Braasch: “It was good to just be out there and get a feel for the ball, and it’s definitely good to get a little steam rolling behind you. As a position group, it just feels good to get a little bit of momentum going into fall camp. I feel like today was a step forward.”
While the Brown team came up short on the scoreboard, the defensive line was a source of optimism.
Jordan Bertagnole had four tackles, including three solo stops and two for a loss, as well as a pass breakup. Oluwaseyi Omotosho also had three solo tackles, while Cole Godbout finshed with two. DeVonne Harris recorded two tackles with one for a loss, and recovered a fumble that set up the Brown team’s first touchdown of the day.
“We definitely had a lot of young guys step up to the plate with our defensive group, but more specifically our defensive line group,” Bertagnole said. “At defensive end, we lost Garrett (Crall), (Solomon Byrd) and (Victor Jones), so (I’ve been) watching them step up and play as one group, rather than playing for ourselves. When we do that, someone is taking up two (blockers) every time somebody gets through ... That’s where we really stepped up, playing as a unit on that defensive front.”
Added Marcotte: “I hate having to go down and get in the mix with them. We have some great guys with experience and some younger guys, and that’s a dangerous thing to have to play against.”
Tight ends get involved
UW’s coaches have spoken throughout the spring about getting the tight ends more involved in the offense, something that was on display Saturday.
Tight ends accounted for five of the Brown team’s nine receptions, receiving 13 of 24 targets. Marcotte had the only reception among the Gold squad’s tight ends, but he made the most of it.
Junior cornerback Jakorey Hawkins nearly came up with an interception on a deep pass attempt down the middle of the field in the second quarter, but he was only able to tip it. Marcotte capitalized, snagging the ball out of the air and breaking away for a 67-yard touchdown reception.
“It’s just about developing as a group,” Marcotte said. “We have a lot of experienced guys that understand the offense. When that happens, we’re able to put more on the tight ends. That opens up a lot in the passing playbook. Not that we haven’t been an option in the past, but there’s just more of an emphasis.
“When you understand coverages more, and why you’re running this route, that means you’re going to get more open. We take a big pride in our meeting room, learning the game and how to play it, and that’s really opened stuff up for us.”
Ball Hawk in the secondary
While Hawkins missed out on an interception during the pass to Marcotte, as well as another on a fade pass in the end zone, the Ole Miss transfer showcased his play-making potential all afternoon.
He matched a game-high with four tackles, three of which were solo stops, and also had one pass breakup and an interception. His interception came on the first possession of the game, as he wrestled the ball away from a receiver with the Gold team approaching scoring position.
“It felt great,” Hawkins said. “It’s something I always look forward to, making plays and making a difference in the game.”
Peasley, Clemons headline QB performances
The passing game got off to a rough start for both teams Saturday, with the Cowboys’ quarterbacks completing only 5 of 13 passes in the first quarter. However, Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley and returning sophomore Jayden Clemons started the find a groove as the game went on.
Peasley completed 12 of 21 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while Clemons finished with 63 yards on 5 of 10 passing, in addition to picking up 46 yards on seven carries. Evan Svoboda and Hank Gibbs combined for 34 yards on 7 of 24 passing, with Svoboda throwing an interception to redshirt freshman linebacker Brent VanderVeen.
Both offenses started off slow, combining for only 72 total yards and zero points in the first quarter. As the Gold team compiled 167 of its 188 rushing yards in the final three quarters, though, Peasley says things began to open up.
“On the first couple drives, there were a bunch of little things that can cost you on third down and get you off the field,” Peasley said. “I thought we were driving the ball well, and with the touchdown (pass to Marcotte), we gained some momentum and things started clicking after that.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/football/mcneely-s-late-td-run-lifts-gold-team-to-spring-game-win/article_bfb4b12d-670a-5eb3-96f5-be4eb8f98254.html | 2022-05-01T11:43:07Z |
Evidence mounts of GOP involvement in Trump election schemes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rioters who smashed their way into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, succeeded — at least temporarily — in delaying the certification of Joe Biden’s election to the White House.
Hours before, Rep. Jim Jordan had been trying to achieve the same thing.
Texting with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, a close ally and friend, at nearly midnight on Jan. 5, Jordan offered a legal rationale for what President Donald Trump was publicly demanding — that Vice President Mike Pence, in his ceremonial role presiding over the electoral count, somehow assert the authority to reject electors from Biden-won states.
Pence “should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all,” Jordan wrote.
“I have pushed for this,” Meadows replied. “Not sure it is going to happen.”
The text exchange, revealed in a court filing from the congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6 riot, is in a batch of startling evidence that shows the deep involvement of some House Republicans in Trump’s desperate attempt to stay in power. The evidence provides new details about how, long before the attack on the Capitol unfolded, several GOP lawmakers were participating directly in Trump’s campaign to reverse the results of a free and fair election.
It’s a connection that members of the House Jan. 6 committee are making explicit as they prepare to launch public hearings in June. The Republicans plotting with Trump and the rioters who attacked the Capitol were aligned in their goals, if not the mob’s violent tactics, creating a convergence that nearly upended the nation’s peaceful transfer of power.
“It appears that a significant number of House members and a few senators had more than just a passing role in what went on,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the Jan. 6 committee, told The Associated Press last week.
Since launching its investigation last summer, the Jan. 6 panel has been slowly gaining new details about what lawmakers said and did in the weeks before the insurrection. Members have asked three GOP lawmakers — Jordan of Ohio, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California — to testify voluntarily. All have refused. Other lawmakers could be called in the coming days.
So far, the Jan. 6 committee has refrained from issuing subpoenas to lawmakers, fearing the repercussions of such an extraordinary step. But the lack of cooperation from lawmakers hasn’t prevented the panel from obtaining new information about their actions.
The latest court document, submitted in response to a lawsuit from Meadows, contained excerpts from just a handful of the more than 930 interviews the Jan. 6 panel has conducted. It includes information on several high-level meetings nearly a dozen House Republicans attended where Trump’s allies flirted with ways to give him another term.
Among the ideas: naming fake slates of electors in seven swing states, declaring martial law and seizing voting machines.
The efforts started in the weeks after The Associated Press declared Biden president-elect.
In early December 2020, several lawmakers attended a meeting in the White House counsel’s office where attorneys for the president advised them that a plan to put up an alternate slate of electors declaring Trump the winner was not “legally sound.” One lawmaker, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, pushed back on that position. So did GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Louie Gohmert of Texas, according to testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former special assistant in the Trump White House.
Despite the warning from the counsel’s office, Trump’s allies moved forward. On Dec. 14, 2020, as rightly chosen Democratic electors in seven states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — met at their seat of state government to cast their votes, the fake electors gathered as well.
They declared themselves the rightful electors and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the true winner of the presidential election in their states.
Those certificates from the “alternate electors” were then sent to Congress, where they were ignored.
The majority of the lawmakers have since denied their involvement in these efforts.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia testified in a hearing in April that she does not recall conversations she had with the White House or the texts she sent to Meadows about Trump invoking martial law.
Gohmert told AP he also does not recall being involved and that he is not sure he could be helpful to the committee’s investigation. Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia played down his actions, saying it is routine for members of the president’s party to be going in and out of the White House to speak about a number of topics. Hice is now running for secretary of state in Georgia, a position responsible for the state’s elections.
Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona didn’t deny his public efforts to challenge the election results but called recent reports about his deep involvement untrue.
In a statement Saturday, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona reiterated his “serious” concerns about the 2020 election. “Discussions about the Electoral Count Act were appropriate, necessary and warranted,” he added.
Requests for comment from the other lawmakers were not immediately returned.
Less than a week later after the early December meeting at the White House, another plan emerged. In a meeting with House Freedom Caucus members and Trump White House officials, the discussion turned to the decisive action they believed that Pence could take on Jan. 6.
Those in attendance virtually and in-person, according to committee testimony, were Hice, Biggs, Gosar, Reps. Perry, Gaetz, Jordan, Gohmert, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, and Greene, then a congresswoman-elect.
“What was the conversation like?” the committee asked Hutchinson, who was a frequent presence in the meetings that took place in December 2020 and January 2021.
“They felt that he had the authority to, pardon me if my phrasing isn’t correct on this, but — send votes back to the States or the electors back to the states,” Hutchinson said, referring to Pence.
When asked if any of the lawmakers disagreed with the idea that the vice president had such authority, Hutchinson said there was no objection from any of the Republican lawmakers.
In another meeting about Pence’s potential role, Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis were joined again by Perry and Jordan as well as Greene and Lauren Boebert, a Republican who had also just been elected to the House from Colorado.
Communication between lawmakers and the White House didn’t let up as Jan. 6 drew closer. The day after Christmas — more than two months after the election was called for Biden — Perry texted Meadows with a countdown.
“11 days to 1/6 and 25 days to inauguration,” the text read. “We gotta get going!” Perry urged Meadows to call Jeffrey Clark, an assistant attorney general who championed Trump’s efforts to challenge the election results. Perry has acknowledged introducing Clark to Trump.
Clark clashed with Justice Department superiors over his plan to send a letter to Georgia and other battleground states questioning the election results and urging their state legislatures to investigate. It all culminated in a dramatic White House meeting at which Trump considered elevating Clark to attorney general, only to back down after top Justice Department officials made clear they would resign.
Pressure from lawmakers and the White House on the Justice Department is among several areas of inquiry in the Jan. 6 investigation. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the panel from Maryland, has hinted there are more revelations to come.
“As the mob smashed our windows, bloodied our police and stormed the Capitol, Trump and his accomplices plotted to destroy Biden’s majority in the electoral college and overthrow our constitutional order,” Raskin tweeted last week.
When the results of the panel’s investigation come out, Raskin predicted, “America will see how the coup and insurrection converged.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/evidence-mounts-gop-involvement-trump-election-schemes/ | 2022-05-01T12:48:02Z |
$600 million investment by Bodhi Tree will help scale India's biggest and most successful test-prep company; leverage digital technology to dramatically improve learning outcomes for students in India and beyond
MUMBAI, India, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ALLEN Career Institute (ALLEN) and Bodhi Tree Systems have announced a strategic partnership with the goal of building the world's most admired and trusted education brand.
ALLEN is an education powerhouse with an unparalleled track record of success in the world's most competitive college entrance examinations and Olympiads. ALLEN has a pan-India footprint with a growing presence in Middle East through 138 classroom centers in 46 cities, a team of highly dedicated and renowned faculty members, and a pedagogy that has been perfected over three decades. ALLEN's partnership with Bodhi Tree Systems will build further on the test-prep offering and deliver at-scale positive impact for millions of students in test-prep and K12 segments, using technology as the core driver of value.
Bodhi Tree Systems is a newly formed platform between Lupa Systems Founder and CEO James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, the former president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and former Chairman of Star and Disney India. Bodhi Tree Systems will leverage its founders' shared track record of building iconic consumer businesses to build ALLEN into a world-class digital education business of the future. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar, is an investor in Bodhi Tree Systems.
"Education is a critical consumer need, driven by its deeply transformative impact on lives and livelihoods of consumers," Murdoch and Shankar said. "We believe that education is on the cusp of a technology led renaissance that will fundamentally alter how education is imparted and will increase its efficacy. ALLEN's unrivaled success and scale provide the right foundation to build the digital education company of the future. We are excited to work with the Maheshwari family to build an outcomes-focused digital education company that delivers on the aspirations of millions of learners and parents in India and beyond."
Founded by Rajesh Maheshwari in 1988, ALLEN is India's most respected test prep brand that has created a positive transformational impact on over 2.5 million young lives since its inception. Aspirants for engineering and medical college entrance exams have gained tremendously from ALLEN's high-quality pedagogy, resulting in an unparalleled track record of selections in prestigious exams such as IIT JEE Mains & Advanced, NEET-UG, KVPY, and the Olympiads.
Senior-most Director of ALLEN, Govind Maheshwari, said, "Our decision to enter into this strategic partnership with Bodhi Tree is founded on shared values, principles and an aligned vision of creating societal impact at scale through education globally."
"Since its inception, ALLEN has focused on providing high quality education to students to help them achieve their highest potential and fulfil their career aspirations. In the process, we have helped create hundreds of thousands of doctors and engineers, who contribute to building India and the society of today. Our partnership with Bodhi Tree is an essential ingredient in furthering our mission to significantly increase ALLEN's reach and impact. We are quite pleased and excited that the Bodhi Tree team also sees value in combining their expertise with our experience in Education.", Rajesh Maheshwari said.
ALLEN's Director Naveen Maheshwari said, "The journey of ALLEN has been one of always giving back to the society. ALLEN's student-centric caring system has been its highlight. We believe this partnership is only going to take our pedagogy, caring-system and values to a very wide student community which was not able to associate with ALLEN otherwise due to physical constraints."
Chairman-designate of the new Board, Brajesh Maheshwari further mentioned, "Most of the edtech products & services in the market are currently not solving for the needs of a student. With ALLEN's time-tested pedagogy and Bodhi Tree's track record in technology, the 2 T's – 'Teaching' and 'Technology', will now come together to finally solve the problems of millions of students of outcome-driven learning in a tech-enabled environment."
Keshav Maheshwari, from the second generation of the Maheshwari Family, mentioned, "Our partnership with Bodhi Tree will not only help us scale our Indian operations through technology but also fuel our growth journey in the Middle East."
The transaction is expected to close within three months and is subject to closing conditions and requisite approvals.
EY acted as the exclusive financial advisor. Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas provided legal advisory and documentation support to ALLEN. EY provided due diligence services to Bodhi Tree. AZB & Partners were the legal advisors to Bodhi Tree.
About ALLEN
ALLEN is India's premier coaching institute for the preparation of JEE (Main + Advanced), JEE (Main), Pre-Medical (NEET-UG), Pre-Nurture & Career Foundation (Class VI to X, NTSE & Olympiads). At ALLEN, the focus is on building a strong foundation of knowledge and concepts in students for their success and providing an excellent platform for preparation for competitive exams and K12 curriculum. The academic support and due personal care provided to each ALLEN student helps them meet their career goals. ALLEN's core values of Determination, Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, Devotion, Humanism, Holistic Learning, Social Ethics, and concern for society & environment are all closely interwoven into the fabric of its academic programs. ALLEN's highly qualified and experienced faculties are dedicated and committed to student's complete success and provide a nurturing environment to the students for their social, cultural, academic and all-round development. Website: www.allen.ac.in
About Bodhi Tree Systems
Bodhi Tree Systems is a strategic investor in consumer technology opportunities in South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, with a particular focus on India. The entity is a platform of James Murdoch's Lupa Systems and Uday Shankar and was established in 2021. Bodhi Tree expects to invest in consumer technology sectors that represent significant opportunities but suffer from a lack of capital and innovation – including media, healthcare and education.
About James R. Murdoch
James Murdoch is an investor and philanthropist. After more than two decades of global leadership in the media and technology industries, James Murdoch founded Lupa Systems as a private holding company. James most recently served as CEO of 21st Century Fox from 2015 to 2019; previously he served as 21st Century Fox Co-COO, Chairman and CEO for Europe and Asia. Prior to his time at 21st Century Fox, James was the CEO and Chairman of Sky, and CEO of STAR TV. He is a Director of Tesla, the Dia Art Foundation, and Vice-Chair of the Center for New American Security. James and his wife, Kathryn Murdoch, are founders of Quadrivium, a foundation that invests in democracy reform, technology and society, scientific awareness, and climate and ocean health issues.
About Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar recently transitioned to an entrepreneurial career following decades in corporate management. With funding from global investors, he aims to support founders to create transformational solutions. A journalist by training, Uday led and transformed the media landscape in India. He took over as CEO of Star India in 2007 and transformed the company's broadcast operations and made Star India one of the biggest media and entertainment companies in Asia. He subsequently led 21st Century Fox's operations throughout Asia. Uday was appointed President of The Walt Disney Asia Pacific when The Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Fox. Under his leadership, Star launched Hotstar, now Disney+ Hotstar – one of the most successful streaming services globally. Uday currently serves as the Immediate Past President of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), India's premier industry association.
About Lupa
Lupa Systems is a private holding company founded in 2019 by James Murdoch, the former CEO of 21st Century Fox, Sky plc, and STAR. The company has presence in New York and Mumbai. Collectively, the Lupa team has extensive experience building and scaling businesses across the globe in multiple industries. Lupa focuses on companies within the technology and media industries, impact-driven companies focused on environmental sustainability, and emerging markets, particularly within the Indo-Pacific region. Website: www.lupasystems.com
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SOURCE Bodhi Tree | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/allen-career-institute-bodhi-tree-systems-announce-strategic-partnership/ | 2022-05-01T12:48:08Z |
Evidence mounts of GOP involvement in Trump election schemes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rioters who smashed their way into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, succeeded — at least temporarily — in delaying the certification of Joe Biden’s election to the White House.
Hours before, Rep. Jim Jordan had been trying to achieve the same thing.
Texting with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, a close ally and friend, at nearly midnight on Jan. 5, Jordan offered a legal rationale for what President Donald Trump was publicly demanding — that Vice President Mike Pence, in his ceremonial role presiding over the electoral count, somehow assert the authority to reject electors from Biden-won states.
Pence “should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all,” Jordan wrote.
“I have pushed for this,” Meadows replied. “Not sure it is going to happen.”
The text exchange, revealed in a court filing from the congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6 riot, is in a batch of startling evidence that shows the deep involvement of some House Republicans in Trump’s desperate attempt to stay in power. The evidence provides new details about how, long before the attack on the Capitol unfolded, several GOP lawmakers were participating directly in Trump’s campaign to reverse the results of a free and fair election.
It’s a connection that members of the House Jan. 6 committee are making explicit as they prepare to launch public hearings in June. The Republicans plotting with Trump and the rioters who attacked the Capitol were aligned in their goals, if not the mob’s violent tactics, creating a convergence that nearly upended the nation’s peaceful transfer of power.
“It appears that a significant number of House members and a few senators had more than just a passing role in what went on,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the Jan. 6 committee, told The Associated Press last week.
Since launching its investigation last summer, the Jan. 6 panel has been slowly gaining new details about what lawmakers said and did in the weeks before the insurrection. Members have asked three GOP lawmakers — Jordan of Ohio, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California — to testify voluntarily. All have refused. Other lawmakers could be called in the coming days.
So far, the Jan. 6 committee has refrained from issuing subpoenas to lawmakers, fearing the repercussions of such an extraordinary step. But the lack of cooperation from lawmakers hasn’t prevented the panel from obtaining new information about their actions.
The latest court document, submitted in response to a lawsuit from Meadows, contained excerpts from just a handful of the more than 930 interviews the Jan. 6 panel has conducted. It includes information on several high-level meetings nearly a dozen House Republicans attended where Trump’s allies flirted with ways to give him another term.
Among the ideas: naming fake slates of electors in seven swing states, declaring martial law and seizing voting machines.
The efforts started in the weeks after The Associated Press declared Biden president-elect.
In early December 2020, several lawmakers attended a meeting in the White House counsel’s office where attorneys for the president advised them that a plan to put up an alternate slate of electors declaring Trump the winner was not “legally sound.” One lawmaker, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, pushed back on that position. So did GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Louie Gohmert of Texas, according to testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former special assistant in the Trump White House.
Despite the warning from the counsel’s office, Trump’s allies moved forward. On Dec. 14, 2020, as rightly chosen Democratic electors in seven states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — met at their seat of state government to cast their votes, the fake electors gathered as well.
They declared themselves the rightful electors and submitted false Electoral College certificates declaring Trump the true winner of the presidential election in their states.
Those certificates from the “alternate electors” were then sent to Congress, where they were ignored.
The majority of the lawmakers have since denied their involvement in these efforts.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia testified in a hearing in April that she does not recall conversations she had with the White House or the texts she sent to Meadows about Trump invoking martial law.
Gohmert told AP he also does not recall being involved and that he is not sure he could be helpful to the committee’s investigation. Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia played down his actions, saying it is routine for members of the president’s party to be going in and out of the White House to speak about a number of topics. Hice is now running for secretary of state in Georgia, a position responsible for the state’s elections.
Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona didn’t deny his public efforts to challenge the election results but called recent reports about his deep involvement untrue.
In a statement Saturday, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona reiterated his “serious” concerns about the 2020 election. “Discussions about the Electoral Count Act were appropriate, necessary and warranted,” he added.
Requests for comment from the other lawmakers were not immediately returned.
Less than a week later after the early December meeting at the White House, another plan emerged. In a meeting with House Freedom Caucus members and Trump White House officials, the discussion turned to the decisive action they believed that Pence could take on Jan. 6.
Those in attendance virtually and in-person, according to committee testimony, were Hice, Biggs, Gosar, Reps. Perry, Gaetz, Jordan, Gohmert, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, and Greene, then a congresswoman-elect.
“What was the conversation like?” the committee asked Hutchinson, who was a frequent presence in the meetings that took place in December 2020 and January 2021.
“They felt that he had the authority to, pardon me if my phrasing isn’t correct on this, but — send votes back to the States or the electors back to the states,” Hutchinson said, referring to Pence.
When asked if any of the lawmakers disagreed with the idea that the vice president had such authority, Hutchinson said there was no objection from any of the Republican lawmakers.
In another meeting about Pence’s potential role, Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis were joined again by Perry and Jordan as well as Greene and Lauren Boebert, a Republican who had also just been elected to the House from Colorado.
Communication between lawmakers and the White House didn’t let up as Jan. 6 drew closer. The day after Christmas — more than two months after the election was called for Biden — Perry texted Meadows with a countdown.
“11 days to 1/6 and 25 days to inauguration,” the text read. “We gotta get going!” Perry urged Meadows to call Jeffrey Clark, an assistant attorney general who championed Trump’s efforts to challenge the election results. Perry has acknowledged introducing Clark to Trump.
Clark clashed with Justice Department superiors over his plan to send a letter to Georgia and other battleground states questioning the election results and urging their state legislatures to investigate. It all culminated in a dramatic White House meeting at which Trump considered elevating Clark to attorney general, only to back down after top Justice Department officials made clear they would resign.
Pressure from lawmakers and the White House on the Justice Department is among several areas of inquiry in the Jan. 6 investigation. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the panel from Maryland, has hinted there are more revelations to come.
“As the mob smashed our windows, bloodied our police and stormed the Capitol, Trump and his accomplices plotted to destroy Biden’s majority in the electoral college and overthrow our constitutional order,” Raskin tweeted last week.
When the results of the panel’s investigation come out, Raskin predicted, “America will see how the coup and insurrection converged.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/evidence-mounts-gop-involvement-trump-election-schemes/ | 2022-05-01T13:35:17Z |
CHEYENNE – This city’s loss of some Union Pacific Railroad historic steam and diesel locomotives and passenger cars will be the gain of the Quad Cities area in the Midwest.
And perhaps eventually, they could even travel again to our area for temporary display.
The railroad company has agreed to donate some well-known, but mostly no longer operational, locomotives and rail cars to the nonprofit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, representatives at Union Pacific and RRHMA said in interviews Friday. U.P. will hang onto other popular train equipment, namely its so-called “Big Boy” and “Living Legend” steam locomotives.
An advantage to fans of old trains is they can eventually visit the artifacts that U.P. is donating, although they are expected to be housed at RRHMA’s facility in Silvis, Illinois. The organization aims to transform that former 400,000-square-foot train shop complex of a now-defunct railroad into a museum. It is in the Quad Cities area of the Midwest, near Iowa’s border with Illinois and some 800 miles from Cheyenne.
The donation helps U.P. focus on maintaining and showcasing the “Big Boy,” which is perhaps the world’s largest functioning steam locomotive, and “Living Legend,” notable for being an older steam locomotive that was never fully retired from service. It also comes as major railroads across the U.S. are trying to trim costs to remain competitive.
“We’ve been trying to streamline our operations,” noted Mike Jaixen, a spokesperson for U.P. “We realized that we do not need as big of a fleet as we had” of older train equipment, he said. RRHMA “was a group that was able to find a use for them.”
Any speculation that the company, which is known for preserving a bigger fleet of older trains than some other railroads, is not sticking with this tack is unfounded, the company’s representative said.
“There’s been some internet scuttlebutt that this is the end of the U.P. steam program. This is not the case. We are continuing on with Big Boy 4014 and Living Legend 844. We are continuing forward – that is our steam program.”
Older array
Even with the downsizing, the rail carrier has an impressive array of older items, two stakeholders said.
U.P. has “one of the best steam programs in the world,” said Steve Sandberg, RRHMA president. “We’ve been running a big steam locomotive around the Midwest,” the organization’s own Milwaukee Road No. 261 that is based in Minneapolis. The museum’s new goal is to have what U.P. is donating “restored to a standard that is acceptable to Union Pacific,” so that it could travel on the company’s rails.
“They basically wanted to make sure that they could get it out in front of the public and that it would be preserved for future generations,” Sandberg said of U.P. “With them having two steam locomotives, they really did not need to have more.”
It could cost his organization $3 million to $5 million to fully restore all that U.P. is donating, estimated Sandberg. Donations totaling $500,000 will be tripled through matches by the UP in Smoke Foundation, as well as other donations, he noted.
Even before any financial hurdles are overcome, there are potentially complex logistics to get the donated rolling stock from Cheyenne to Silvis, representatives from U.P. and RRHMA acknowledged.
“It will be a huge endeavor, and while we have some ideas how that will happen … now we have to figure out how we make all this logistically happen,” said Jaixen.
One positive is that the train gear will start out on U.P. rails, although other tracks may also be used. The Iowa Interstate Railroad, which took over part of the railroad that used to own the Silvis facility, may play a part in the transfer, some suggested. One Iowa Interstate employee said they were not familiar with the situation, and the railroad itself did not comment.
When the historic equipment does hit the rails, it is likely to prove popular among rail fans, stakeholders said. They recalled big crowds when, a few years ago, Big Boy came to Cheyenne.
“We know that people will want to see this equipment moving,” said Jaixen.
“You’ll see rail fans taking pictures everywhere of the movement,” said Union Pacific Historical Society Business Manager Bob Krieger. Indeed, photos from this newspaper show fans themselves snapping pictures alongside the rails.
Donated items
Krieger, who used to work for U.P., including in its local steam shop, described himself as happy with the donation.
“It’s been sitting idle for a long time, and I don’t think there is much chance of it being restored here. They have their hands full with the two engines they have,” he said. “They’ll keep their heritage fleet, they are just downsizing. A lot of stuff was just sitting around in the roundhouse. This way, they’ll just give access to the public.” (The current equipment is not typically on public display.)
U.P. summarized, and Jaixen provided details on, the donation from Union Pacific’s Steam Shop in Cheyenne:
The Challenger, which also goes by 4664 and 3985: This was perhaps the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, until it was exceeded by Big Boy’s restoration.
U.P. No. 5511: It is about 100 years old, perhaps the “only one of its type left,” Jaixen said by phone. “It has not operated in 60 years.” It was “not designed for speed, it was designed for power” and could do things like push other trains around a train yard.
The Centennial U.P. No 6936: It was the world’s biggest diesel locomotive when it was built in 1969 to mark the 100th anniversary of the of completion of the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad. It has some 6,600 horsepower.
The shell of a passenger locomotive.
Two business cars called the Selma and the Stanford. They are “kind of akin to a suite at a high-end hotel,” Jaixen said. They could be used by railroad employees who were traveling, and they had things like a bed and an office setup.
Four 1950s coach cars.
A diner-lounge car.
A baggage car.
A caboose. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/union-pacific-donating-several-locomotives-passenger-cars-to-illinois-museum/article_f84fb892-318b-53ca-ae79-bb26bd05c527.html | 2022-05-01T13:50:07Z |
One of North America's leading performance sock brands, Endur Apparel has just announced a refreshed brand identity with Outway as its new brand name.
VICTORIA, BC, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Endur Apparel, one of the most popular performance sock brands in North America, will now be operating under its new brand name Outway. This new brand identity embodies the company's renewed sense of purpose, energy, and enthusiasm, and is indicative of an organization on the move.
The company's new brand positioning will be fuelled by a $3.2 million investment led by Andrew Wilkinson of Tiny. Other powerhouse investors include Shane Parrish, Jason Warner, Jonathan Becker, Rasool Rayani, Ben Moore, Tobyn Sowden, Janene Scordo, Tina Swinton, Rajiv Khaneja, and Carla Matheson.
Outway was founded by ex pro cyclist turned entrepreneur Rob Fraser in 2016 with the goal of transforming the underserved sock market that has been left behind by the athleisure movement. Their first pair of socks was created out of a 500 sq/ft basement. Under Rob's proactive leadership, the company has carved a niche in the market over the last 5 years.
Outway's decision to rebrand was a result of external circumstances where the best path forward was to evolve. Now, with a refreshed brand identity, Outway is all set to continue its relentless efforts to emerge as the number one performance sock brand in North America. As a direct to consumer athletic lifestyle brand, the company is well positioned to offer the best quality product at the best value, backed by the best service.
The new branding is rooted in Outway's focus on performance, originality, and sustainability, three drivers that have made the company and its portfolio what it is today. As always, Outway will continue to engage with the community to evolve in real time and deliver incredible brand experiences by incorporating feedback from thousands of ambassadors and reviews.
"This rebrand is our butterfly moment. Over the past 5-years we've grown and evolved, and although today we look a little different, our essence remains. We're now able to spread our wings to take our brand to all-new heights, powered by the same team, products, and community," Rob mentioned.
Following its rebrand, the company's team, logo, and products will remain the same and its mission of inspiring everyone's personal best will only get stronger.
To find out more about Outway, please visit www.outway.com
About Outway: Outway is an athletic lifestyle brand in pursuit of the perfect technical socks—thoughtfully designed for inspiration, performance and personal bests. Outway performance socks are reflective of its commitment to the brand and product journey. The brand is dedicated to providing an ever-evolving collection of new designs paired with technical innovation to continuously inspire and delight the community.
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SOURCE Outway Ltd. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/endur-apparel-rebrands-outway-unveils-all-new-brand-identity-powered-by-32-million-investment/ | 2022-05-01T14:20:21Z |
Exos' NFL Combine and Pro Day training program produces industry-leading year as athletes shatter records in Indianapolis and achieve greatness in Las Vegas, with nearly 100 Exos athletes drafted into the pros.
PHOENIX, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Exos, the industry leader in human performance, today announced its sports division's record-setting year and industry-leading season, which the brand attributes to their athletes' success at the 2022 NFL combine and draft.
Since 2014, Exos has produced 348 Top 100 NFL draft selections, more than any other training facility in the country. An impressive 125 of those picks came in the first round of the draft.
The 2022 NFL draft proved to be another successful moment for the powerhouse behind top NFL athletes, as Exos produced the No. 1 draft selection, four of the Top 10 picks, 13 (40%) first-round picks, and 43 of the Top 100 draftees.
The stage for the results witnessed at the 2022 NFL draft was set in March at the combine, where athletes like Jordan Davis, Garrett Wilson, Travon Walker, Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, and Treylon Burks showcased elite performances after eight weeks of training and fine-tuning their abilities with Exos.
For more than 35 years NFL hopefuls have assembled in Indianapolis in March to compete for the biggest job interview of their lives. This year, Exos supported a company-high 172 NFL hopefuls for the combine and their respective pro days. Of the athletes invited to the combine, 125 (an industry-high 38%) trained with Exos.
"Continuity of care is a top priority for Exos, which is why we create a mobile Exos facility at the combine each year to keep our athletes primed and ready to perform their best," says Adam Farrand, vice president of pro / elite sports at Exos.
That care and support paid off, with Exos athletes producing a company record 23 position group leading performances at the 2022 combine. In addition, defensive lineman Amaré Barno broke an all-time combine position record in the 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.36 seconds while defensive lineman Jordan Davis and wide receiver Calvin Austin III broke all-time records based on their body measurements. Exos athletes also posted four overall top performances across the bench press, vertical jump, 3-cone drill, and 20-yard shuttle.
These performances came full circle this past weekend in Las Vegas as the athletes' hard work came to fruition when their NFL dreams came true. Exos broke company and industry records with 99 athletes drafted this year, 12 more than last year's previous best of 87. Exos posted an impressive round-by-round selection average of 14 picks, with round six dialing up a staggering 20 selections from Exos.
Through its unique, athlete-first, integrated approach, Exos helped Georgia defensive end Travon Walker earn the No. 1 spot in this year's draft — a feat that hasn't been accomplished by an Exos-trained athlete since Jadeveon Clowney in 2014. This also marked the eighth time in company history that Exos produced the No. 1 selection.
In the first round, three of the first four picks hailed from the Exos Athletes' Performance Institute in Frisco, Texas: Travon Walker, Derek Stingley Jr., and Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner. Through the second and third rounds, Exos notched a company record 33 picks, including half (16) of the second-round picks.
"To witness our athletes' dreams become reality on national television is such a proud moment for our coaches and company, and to know we played a supporting role in that is powerful. The achievements of the athletes this year isn't only a reflection of their hard work but also a testament to the dedication and passion our staff has for empowering others on their path to greatness," says Brent Callaway, vice president of performance at Exos.
Exos strives to celebrate teams of all kinds by uniting under the umbrella theme: 'Greatness is a Team Sport.' From historical and recent to notorious and unknown, the best teams work together with one common denominator: greatness.
"The achievements our coaches and athletes have made this year are truly tremendous, and they're a testament to what we as a company can bring to not only elite athletes but also to individuals," says Exos CEO Sarah Robb O'Hagan. "We did it for them, and we can do it for you, too. At Exos, we believe performance coaching shouldn't be restricted to just elite athletes, and as we look ahead to the future we plan to lean on our heritage to empower everyone."
Check out this video for a behind-the-scenes look at how Exos goes above and beyond for its athletes at the combine, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About Exos
Exos has been the architect and the owner of the human performance industry, standing side by side with those driven to rise higher in sport, work, and life. With over 20 years of experience empowering corporate employees, elite athletes, and many other performers operating in some of the toughest environments, Exos' world-class team of coaches and practitioners personalize an integrated approach across the pillars of mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery to empower anyone to perform at their highest level.
For additional information:
https://www.teamexos.com/
@ExosSports
You can find more info about Exos in our media room.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Exos Communications Team: media@teamexos.com
Small Girls PR: Exos@smallgirlsPR.com
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SOURCE Exos | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/exos-powerhouse-behind-top-nfl-athletes-breaks-company-records-2022-nfl-draft/ | 2022-05-01T14:20:27Z |
CLIFTON, N.J., May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Have you ever thought about what it takes for clean drinking water to flow from your faucet? Drinking Water Week recognizes the hardworking people performing various roles to ensure tap water is "There When You Need It." Drinking Water Week is May 1-7 this year.
Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) and partners throughout North America are observing Drinking Water Week by recognizing the vital role tap water plays in daily life, the infrastructure that is required to carry it to and from homes and businesses, and the important work of water professionals "behind the scenes."
Whether it's a customer service representative assisting a customer with questions, a lab technician ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water or a member of a pipe crew replacing lead line services in our community, PVWC water professionals work around the clock to ensure clean drinking water is there when you need it.
"I am proud to be associated with the work performed by our water professionals," said Passaic Valley Water Commission's Executive Director, Jim Mueller. "These professionals continuously perform important work to ensure that our customers receive clean drinking water because clean water is essential to life."
To commemorate the week, water utilities, water organizations, government entities, environmental advocates, schools and others throughout North America and beyond are encouraging people to learn more about the importance of water services and water infrastructure.
About Drinking Water Week
For several decades, American Water Works Association and PVWC have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity to recognize the vital role water plays in daily lives because, clean water is essential to life. Free materials for download and additional information about Drinking Water Week are available at www.pvwc.com/dww2022
Visit www.PVWC.com or follow us on Facebook (@thePVWC), Instagram (@passaic_valley_water) and/or Twitter (@PVWC).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bryan Frierson
Passaic Valley Water Commission
973-340-4386
bfrierson@pvwc.com
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SOURCE Passaic Valley Water Commission | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/pvwc-kicks-off-drinking-water-week-clean-water-is-essential-life/ | 2022-05-01T14:20:33Z |
WILMINGTON, Del., May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Ugreen is announcing the global release of the HiTune T3 true wireless ANC earbuds. Before their international launch, the T3 earbuds were trialed in the UK market where they were received positive reviews.
Same Sound, New Color
During the international release, Ugreen will be releasing a second color option for the T3 earbuds. Previously, the earbuds were only available in white, but they will now also be available in black. The black version of the T3 earbuds will maintain the same sleek form factor and provide the same high-quality audio.
T3 Key Features
The T3 earbuds feature 10mm PU+Wool composite dynamic drivers, which offer punchy and dynamic bass without sacrificing mid and high tones.
In addition, they offer feed-forward ANC which can reduce ambient noise by 25 dB. This is a proprietary system developed by the HiTune Acoustics Lab. The ANC doesn't produce inner ear pressure, so listeners can spend hours comfortably enjoying their music.
The T3 earbuds also feature the Real Voice 4.0 environmental noise cancellation system, which effectively filters out 90% of external noise.
Availability
HiTune T3 earbuds were launched in February on Amazon UK with a recommended retail price of £35.99. Today the T3 earbuds will launch on Amazon US, and several European Amazon stores at the price of $35.99. Additionally, they will be available on Ugreen's Official Website around May 7th.
About HiTune
HiTune is a Ugreen sub-brand that strives to provide high-quality audio devices that the average person can afford. Good audio devices are often prohibitively expensive, but it doesn't have to be this way.
About Ugreen
Ugreen is a global leader in consumer electronics. Ugreen is dedicated to pursuing excellence in research and development, with the goal of providing more value to electronic consumers.
Contact:
pr@ugreen.com
Ugreen Limited
Related Links
https://www.ugreen.com/
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SOURCE Ugreen Limited | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/ugreen-launches-new-hitune-t3-earbuds-globally/ | 2022-05-01T14:20:40Z |
SHANGHAI, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China", NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) today announced at a special event in Shanghai a series of corporate citizenship initiatives under the theme of "Million Thanks, Million Gifts" to express gratitude to medical workers nationwide that have supported the COVID-19 response in Shanghai.
As the largest restaurant company in China, Yum China is committed to leveraging its scale and expertise to support communities in Shanghai and across the country. On May 1st, to honor International Labor Day, Yum China contributed, out of its limited supply, hundreds of free meals, including fried chicken, pizza, sandwiches and coffee to medical workers in four makeshift hospitals in Shanghai. In addition, as a token of appreciation for their selfless service, the Company has prepared over 30,000 care packages to be distributed to medical workers nationwide when they return to their home from Shanghai. The packages include ready meal products such as fried rice, steak, and beef patty from KFC and Pizza Hut's packaged food selections.
"As we are facing unprecedented challenges from the most severe outbreak since early 2020, we are extremely grateful for the tireless efforts of medical workers and volunteers during this difficult time. We hope that our convenient and delicious food can bring them some additional comfort." said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. "In addition to supporting medical workers, Yum China's volunteers come together across brands and functions to continue serving communities in need. Their tremendous efforts embody our mission to serve the communities we operate in."
Yum China was one of the first authorized essential service suppliers to serve communities during the latest outbreak in Shanghai. The Company's brands have been supplying food and drinks to medical workers and volunteers. Notably, despite limited restaurant service capacity, since early April KFC has provided over 3,000 breakfasts every day to frontline medical workers and Lavazza has also been providing coffee and sandwiches to frontline medical workers. Meanwhile, as part of Yum China's efforts to care for the community, the Company has collaborated with charity foundations and NGOs to provide 7,000 elderly people living alone with sufficient ready meal products to last several days. KFC has also donated children's books to quarantine centers.
"On International Labor Day, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all medical workers from several regions across China supporting Shanghai during these difficult times," said Alice Wang, Chief Public Affairs Officer of Yum China, who oversaw the event. "We are humbled by their sacrifices, dedication, and unwavering efforts throughout the pandemic. We hope they and their families can enjoy these packages together when they return home."
Since entering China 35 years ago, Yum China has been actively fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities, including serving and supporting communities. Since COVID-19 first emerged in early 2020, Yum China's employee volunteers have been active in supporting communities, delivering over a million free meals to communities across the country.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "aim," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "ambition" "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook," "look forward to" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations " in our Annual Report on Form 10-K) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.
About Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Yum China Holdings, Inc. is a licensee of Yum! Brands in mainland China. It has exclusive rights in mainland China to KFC, China's leading quick-service restaurant brand, Pizza Hut, the leading casual dining restaurant brand in China, and Taco Bell, a California-based restaurant chain serving innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China also owns the Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang, East Dawning and COFFii & JOY concepts outright. In addition, Yum China has partnered with Lavazza to explore and develop the Lavazza coffee shop concept in China. The Company had 12,163 restaurants in over 1,600 cities at the end of February 2022.
In 2021, Yum China ranked # 363 on the Fortune 500 list and was named to TIME100 Most Influential Companies list. Yum China has also been selected as member of both Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI): World Index and Emerging Market Index. In 2022, the Company was named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and was certified as a Top Employer 2022 in China by the Top Employers Institute, both for the fourth consecutive year. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.
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SOURCE Yum China Holdings, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/yum-china-shows-appreciation-medical-workers-international-labor-day/ | 2022-05-01T14:20:46Z |
CL Spirit helps competitive cheer and dance grow in Blue Water Area
There wasn't anything like it in the Blue Water Area. So Christine Partlo set out to fill the void.
CL Spirit is a competitive cheer gym based in Croswell. Founded by Partlo in 2019, it offers competitive cheerleading and hip hop dance teams for local residents from ages 3 and up, regardless of experience.
Partlo, a former cheer coach at Port Huron Northern, felt the urge to get back into the sport three years ago. But she wanted to do something a little different.
"I originally started through a dance studio," Partlo said. "Then I went to branch off on my own the next season. So that was 2019-2020 when we had our first season with CL Spirit. Then the (coronavirus pandemic) hit."
The organization remained afloat through the uncertainty. And it's grown at a rapid pace.
"Last year is when we got our own facility," Partlo said. "I had about 50 athletes between cheer and dance. This year, it basically doubled to right around 100."
Because of this surge, she had to move the program's annual End of Season Showcase from a park in Grant Township to a bigger venue — McMorran Theater.
"I thought it would be a really great place to be able to do it," Partlo said. "And then to get out there in the community, too, for people that weren't already aware of CL Spirit."
Spectators came from communities such as Peck, Port Huron, Sandusky and Yale to watch the showcase on April 24.
"They're family," said Shannon Grover of Croswell, whose daughter is on one of the dance teams. "They definitely care about the kids and how they're feeling. They're not just doing cheerleading. It's not all about that. They want the teams to build and expect them to have a bond, too."
"They make it fun," said Jillian Kirkpatrick, whose daughter has been with CL Spirit since its inception. "So the kids really enjoy it. They love their coaches and so that's what really stands out."
"It's neat to have athletes and families from all over," Partlo said. "It's starting to branch out because it's something so different than a normal dance studio or high school cheerleading."
Partlo hopes to offer classes for adults eventually. But at the moment, CL Spirit's facility is just too small.
Space was also hard to come by for those attending the showcase. The upper balcony at McMorran Theater was originally closed for the afternoon. But as more people began to trickle in, extra seating was needed. So theater staff quickly opened additional rows.
"It's really humbling," Partlo said. "When I first started coaching again, it was just a small group. And then it's just grown and grown and grown — which is really cool to see.
"So when I'm out there speaking on the microphone and I do look out into the crowd it's like, 'Wow. This literally started from nothing.' And within three years' time to grow into this is really cool."
Those interested in CL Spirit can learn more by visiting its Facebook page.
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/sports/2022/05/01/cl-spirit-competitive-cheer-dance-blue-water-area/9539662002/ | 2022-05-01T15:00:49Z |
Black doctors say they face discrimination based on race
ATLANTA (AP) — Dr. Dare Adewumi was thrilled when he was hired to lead the neurosurgery practice at an Atlanta-area hospital near where he grew up. But he says he quickly faced racial discrimination that ultimately led to his firing and has prevented him from getting permanent work elsewhere.
His lawyers and other advocates say he’s not alone, that Black doctors across the country commonly experience discrimination, ranging from microaggressions to career-threatening disciplinary actions. Biases, conscious or not, can become magnified in the fiercely competitive hospital environment, they say, and the underrepresentation of Black doctors can discourage them from speaking up.
“Too many of us are worried about retaliation, what happens when you say something,” said Dr. Rachel Villanueva, president of the National Medical Association, which represents Black doctors. “We have scores of doctors that are sending us letters about these same discriminatory practices all the time and seeking our help as an association in fighting that.”
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Black doctors made up just 5% of active physicians in the U.S. in 2018, the most recent data available. People who identify as Black alone represent 12.4% of the total U.S. population, according to the 2020 U.S. census. For the 2021-2022 academic year, 8.1% of students enrolled in medical schools identified as Black alone. The medical school association and the National Medical Association in 2020 announced an initiative to address the scarcity of Black men in medicine — they made up only 2.9% of 2019-2020 enrolled students.
The American Medical Association, the country’s largest, most influential doctors’ group, is also trying to attract Black students to medicine, working with historically Black colleges and universities and helping secure scholarships, president Dr. Gerald Harmon said.
“We’re trying to put our money where our mouth is on this and our actions where our thoughts are,” he said, acknowledging that, among other things, a shortage of Black physicians contributes to poorer health outcomes for Black patients.
Some Black doctors who believe they’ve been mistreated are speaking out. Adewumi, 39, filed a federal lawsuit in September against Wellstar Medical Group and Wellstar Health Systems alleging employment discrimination based on race.
“If they don’t like him, that’s one thing, but you can’t penalize someone — according to the law — based on race,” his lawyer C.K. Hoffler said. “And that’s the exact thing that happened to Dare. And that’s what many, many highly skilled, highly trained, highly credentialed African American doctors are experiencing in this country.”
Adewumi said some of his surgical decisions were questioned and he was placed on a performance review plan, steps he says were a pretext to push him out. He said he had a previously unblemished record and his white colleagues didn’t face similar scrutiny.
“I’ve worked so hard, done so much to get to this level, and all I really wanted to do was help sick people,” he said. “And here I was having this taken away from me for no reason other than my skin color.”
William Hill, an attorney for Wellstar, said the case is sealed so he’s unable to speak about specifics.
“Wellstar does not discriminate. Dr. Adewumi has not been the subject of discrimination or unfair treatment. Patient care and safety are Wellstar’s top priorities,” Hill wrote in an email, noting that they have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Dr. Stella Safo, an HIV specialist, is among a group of past and present employees at the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at Mount Sinai in New York City who in April 2019 sued alleging sex, age and race discrimination. Some claims have been dismissed but others are moving forward. Safo’s claims focus on alleged gender discrimination, but she said that, as a Black woman, race and gender discrimination are intertwined. Since filing the lawsuit, she’s heard from a lot of people with similar stories.
Adewumi’s allegations don’t surprise her: “It’s what many of us have gone through directly,” she said.
Speaking out has been “terrible,” Safo said, adding that she risked her career and lost friendships. But she’s felt vindicated by changes: The New York City Council last year passed legislation to create an advisory board to examine racial and gender discrimination in hospitals.
A judge sealed Adewumi’s lawsuit and some filings in the case at the request of Wellstar, which cited confidential information. The following account of what happened comes from an interview with Adewumi and a complaint he filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which in July granted him permission to sue.
Adewumi signed on in March 2018 to lead neurosurgery services at Wellstar Cobb Hospital in Austell, Georgia. The hospital hadn’t had a neurosurgeon for a decade and referred patients elsewhere, including Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where Adewumi’s supervisor worked.
As his practice started to flourish, Adewumi felt his supervisor was targeting him “with the intention of undermining my skill as a physician and pushing me out of the group,” the EEOC complaint says.
In November 2018, Adewumi began receiving “letters of inquiry” about surgeries he’d done. These anonymous letters can be submitted by any member of the medical staff or be triggered by a patient complaint. They’re reviewed by the hospital’s medical executive committee.
At first, Adewumi said, he didn’t know what the letters were, having never received anything similar. But within eight months, he had received 15, all but one filed by colleagues.
Separate independent reviews requested by the hospital and by Adewumi’s lawyers found that concerns stemmed from differences in opinion about the approach or surgical technique, not patient care standards or safety, according to the EEOC complaint.
In contrast, Adewumi said, he’s aware of at least two cases where white colleagues performed surgeries that were unnecessary or left a patient disfigured. He doesn’t believe they received letters of inquiry or were disciplined in any way.
After trying unsuccessfully to mend the relationship with his supervisor, Adewumi said he went up the chain to raise concerns and a hospital system executive suggested it might be better if he resigned. Floored by the suggestion, Adewumi refused to quit.
Wellstar then proposed an “action plan.” It wasn’t meant to be punitive but would help “better integrate” him into the main group of neurosurgeons at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, he was told.
Several Black doctors in Georgia and elsewhere who spoke to The Associated Press said the hierarchy and competition in hospitals, where surgeons are evaluated and compensated based on productivity, can lead to people being targeted if they aren’t liked or are perceived as professional threats. Racial bias can compound that, they said.
Adewumi suspects that’s what happened to him. Before arriving at Wellstar, he’d done two fellowships on spine and brain tumors, learning difficult techniques that others within the neurosurgery group couldn’t do. Additionally, his presence at Wellstar Cobb meant lucrative surgeries were no longer being referred to his colleagues at Wellstar Kennestone.
During an action plan check-in meeting in August 2019, medical executive committee leaders applauded Adewumi’s progress. Two months later, on Oct. 8, he was fired “not for cause.” He was assured he’d done “nothing wrong,” that he was being dismissed because “certain relationships were not fostered.”
His termination was effective at the end of a 180-day notice period, in April 2020, but he wasn’t required or allowed to work at the hospital in the meantime. That meant he couldn’t fulfill a six-week “mentorship” requirement, leaving his action plan incomplete.
In March 2020, as the coronavirus began to strain hospitals, he emailed Wellstar administrators offering to come back temporarily in any capacity to help. He figured the hospital could use extra hands, and it could allow him to complete his action plan and resolve his situation without suing. But Wellstar refused.
With his action plan incomplete, the hospital refused to give him a “letter of good standing,” leaving him unable to find a hospital that will credential him, meaning he can’t work as a neurosurgeon.
“They have cornered him and locked him out, effectively,” Hoffler said. “You don’t do this by happenstance, by mistake. This is intentional and deliberate and that is why we have a lawsuit pending.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/black-doctors-say-they-face-discrimination-based-race/ | 2022-05-01T15:11:14Z |
Black doctors say they face discrimination based on race
ATLANTA (AP) — Dr. Dare Adewumi was thrilled when he was hired to lead the neurosurgery practice at an Atlanta-area hospital near where he grew up. But he says he quickly faced racial discrimination that ultimately led to his firing and has prevented him from getting permanent work elsewhere.
His lawyers and other advocates say he’s not alone, that Black doctors across the country commonly experience discrimination, ranging from microaggressions to career-threatening disciplinary actions. Biases, conscious or not, can become magnified in the fiercely competitive hospital environment, they say, and the underrepresentation of Black doctors can discourage them from speaking up.
“Too many of us are worried about retaliation, what happens when you say something,” said Dr. Rachel Villanueva, president of the National Medical Association, which represents Black doctors. “We have scores of doctors that are sending us letters about these same discriminatory practices all the time and seeking our help as an association in fighting that.”
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Black doctors made up just 5% of active physicians in the U.S. in 2018, the most recent data available. People who identify as Black alone represent 12.4% of the total U.S. population, according to the 2020 U.S. census. For the 2021-2022 academic year, 8.1% of students enrolled in medical schools identified as Black alone. The medical school association and the National Medical Association in 2020 announced an initiative to address the scarcity of Black men in medicine — they made up only 2.9% of 2019-2020 enrolled students.
The American Medical Association, the country’s largest, most influential doctors’ group, is also trying to attract Black students to medicine, working with historically Black colleges and universities and helping secure scholarships, president Dr. Gerald Harmon said.
“We’re trying to put our money where our mouth is on this and our actions where our thoughts are,” he said, acknowledging that, among other things, a shortage of Black physicians contributes to poorer health outcomes for Black patients.
Some Black doctors who believe they’ve been mistreated are speaking out. Adewumi, 39, filed a federal lawsuit in September against Wellstar Medical Group and Wellstar Health Systems alleging employment discrimination based on race.
“If they don’t like him, that’s one thing, but you can’t penalize someone — according to the law — based on race,” his lawyer C.K. Hoffler said. “And that’s the exact thing that happened to Dare. And that’s what many, many highly skilled, highly trained, highly credentialed African American doctors are experiencing in this country.”
Adewumi said some of his surgical decisions were questioned and he was placed on a performance review plan, steps he says were a pretext to push him out. He said he had a previously unblemished record and his white colleagues didn’t face similar scrutiny.
“I’ve worked so hard, done so much to get to this level, and all I really wanted to do was help sick people,” he said. “And here I was having this taken away from me for no reason other than my skin color.”
William Hill, an attorney for Wellstar, said the case is sealed so he’s unable to speak about specifics.
“Wellstar does not discriminate. Dr. Adewumi has not been the subject of discrimination or unfair treatment. Patient care and safety are Wellstar’s top priorities,” Hill wrote in an email, noting that they have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Dr. Stella Safo, an HIV specialist, is among a group of past and present employees at the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at Mount Sinai in New York City who in April 2019 sued alleging sex, age and race discrimination. Some claims have been dismissed but others are moving forward. Safo’s claims focus on alleged gender discrimination, but she said that, as a Black woman, race and gender discrimination are intertwined. Since filing the lawsuit, she’s heard from a lot of people with similar stories.
Adewumi’s allegations don’t surprise her: “It’s what many of us have gone through directly,” she said.
Speaking out has been “terrible,” Safo said, adding that she risked her career and lost friendships. But she’s felt vindicated by changes: The New York City Council last year passed legislation to create an advisory board to examine racial and gender discrimination in hospitals.
A judge sealed Adewumi’s lawsuit and some filings in the case at the request of Wellstar, which cited confidential information. The following account of what happened comes from an interview with Adewumi and a complaint he filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which in July granted him permission to sue.
Adewumi signed on in March 2018 to lead neurosurgery services at Wellstar Cobb Hospital in Austell, Georgia. The hospital hadn’t had a neurosurgeon for a decade and referred patients elsewhere, including Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where Adewumi’s supervisor worked.
As his practice started to flourish, Adewumi felt his supervisor was targeting him “with the intention of undermining my skill as a physician and pushing me out of the group,” the EEOC complaint says.
In November 2018, Adewumi began receiving “letters of inquiry” about surgeries he’d done. These anonymous letters can be submitted by any member of the medical staff or be triggered by a patient complaint. They’re reviewed by the hospital’s medical executive committee.
At first, Adewumi said, he didn’t know what the letters were, having never received anything similar. But within eight months, he had received 15, all but one filed by colleagues.
Separate independent reviews requested by the hospital and by Adewumi’s lawyers found that concerns stemmed from differences in opinion about the approach or surgical technique, not patient care standards or safety, according to the EEOC complaint.
In contrast, Adewumi said, he’s aware of at least two cases where white colleagues performed surgeries that were unnecessary or left a patient disfigured. He doesn’t believe they received letters of inquiry or were disciplined in any way.
After trying unsuccessfully to mend the relationship with his supervisor, Adewumi said he went up the chain to raise concerns and a hospital system executive suggested it might be better if he resigned. Floored by the suggestion, Adewumi refused to quit.
Wellstar then proposed an “action plan.” It wasn’t meant to be punitive but would help “better integrate” him into the main group of neurosurgeons at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, he was told.
Several Black doctors in Georgia and elsewhere who spoke to The Associated Press said the hierarchy and competition in hospitals, where surgeons are evaluated and compensated based on productivity, can lead to people being targeted if they aren’t liked or are perceived as professional threats. Racial bias can compound that, they said.
Adewumi suspects that’s what happened to him. Before arriving at Wellstar, he’d done two fellowships on spine and brain tumors, learning difficult techniques that others within the neurosurgery group couldn’t do. Additionally, his presence at Wellstar Cobb meant lucrative surgeries were no longer being referred to his colleagues at Wellstar Kennestone.
During an action plan check-in meeting in August 2019, medical executive committee leaders applauded Adewumi’s progress. Two months later, on Oct. 8, he was fired “not for cause.” He was assured he’d done “nothing wrong,” that he was being dismissed because “certain relationships were not fostered.”
His termination was effective at the end of a 180-day notice period, in April 2020, but he wasn’t required or allowed to work at the hospital in the meantime. That meant he couldn’t fulfill a six-week “mentorship” requirement, leaving his action plan incomplete.
In March 2020, as the coronavirus began to strain hospitals, he emailed Wellstar administrators offering to come back temporarily in any capacity to help. He figured the hospital could use extra hands, and it could allow him to complete his action plan and resolve his situation without suing. But Wellstar refused.
With his action plan incomplete, the hospital refused to give him a “letter of good standing,” leaving him unable to find a hospital that will credential him, meaning he can’t work as a neurosurgeon.
“They have cornered him and locked him out, effectively,” Hoffler said. “You don’t do this by happenstance, by mistake. This is intentional and deliberate and that is why we have a lawsuit pending.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/black-doctors-say-they-face-discrimination-based-race/ | 2022-05-01T15:50:19Z |
CHEYENNE – While there are many opportunities to give back to the community at the Cheyenne Day of Giving events this May, organizers said providing the resources for year-round work is just as important.
They ask residents to consider donating not only food and personal-care items at the 17th annual Day of Giving on May 13, as well as the youth event the day before, but financial support. The money goes directly to 10 local nonprofits in order to purchase items during the year, as well as quality-of-life products such as bedbug-proof mattress covers and kitchen tools.
“The next 364 days, Day of Giving is available to those agencies to help them when they need things that are not donated by the public, and are not in the agency budget,” Cheyenne Day of Giving founder and board member Greta Morrow told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. “So this past year, we spent over $70,000 helping those agencies.”
To ensure the funds go toward helping clients, Morrow said the organization helps create a quarterly budget to disperse for each nonprofit based on size and the number of individuals served. Instead of handing over the money, they purchase the items asked for. She said this doesn’t solve every problem for the agencies, but it does provide a safety net throughout the year.
COMEA House
One of the nonprofits partnered with Cheyenne Day of Giving is the COMEA House and Resource Center, which operates as an emergency shelter for the homeless. Besides offering a safe place to sleep, there are meals, showers, case management, family services, family education programs and overall support.
COMEA Director Robin Bocanegra said the Day of Giving event has been a source of relief in all the years her organization participated. The group receives the bulk of its protein for cooking at the shelter after Cheyenne Frontier Days, and by the time May comes around, it is the perfect opportunity to restock.
She said the bonus is the financial support.
“What we love even more than just the annual giving is their quarterly giving, because that’s used for something that isn’t typically in our budget,” she said.
Examples of past purchases are general paper and cleaning supplies, single-trip bus passes, special bedbug-proof mattresses and a heating cabinet to keep food warm. Bocanegra said the hotbox was a significant addition to the shelter because it helps with proofing bread, keeping meals fresh as residents are taught restaurant skills and helps with managing the catering business services.
Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless
Another shelter with similar daytime services for transient individuals, along with providing bikes for them to get to work or around town, is the Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless. It serves nearly 5,000 individuals a year, and the numbers are rising on a daily basis. This quarter, it helped at least 100 more people in the community than during the same time period last year.
The reason the organization depends on the Cheyenne Day of Giving and the quarterly funding is because it provides at least 90% of their snack and food items, according to Coalition Director Darlyn Tucker.
“Without them, we would not be able to survive,” she said.
Since the coalition uses paper plates, bowls and plastic silverware to serve food, this is another item that runs out quickly. Continued inflation impacts the ability to purchase large quantities, so it requested donations of these items at the Cheyenne Day of Giving event to help stay on budget.
Needs Inc.
Nonperishable food and clothes are the heart of the Needs Inc. food pantry’s services, which provides weekly food distribution throughout Laramie County. During the school year, the nonprofit also gathers school supplies for hundreds of children. The event helps refill its pantry after all of supply shelves are getting bare, especially since the holiday season is when food drives and donations are most popular.
“This time of year is where we really need a reinvigoration from the community,” Needs Executive Director Taylor Albert said, “and the Day of Giving allows that to happen for our pantry.”
The ability to serve individuals in need has also been impacted by the pandemic, meaning Needs Inc. requests more nonperishable items. She said the group is seeing an average of 94 households a day at the food pantry and clothing store, whereas prior to the pandemic it was about 31 households a day.
Magic City Enterprises
At Magic City Enterprises, the services are different from the food pantry or the homeless shelter, but the funding from Cheyenne Day of Giving has just as much of an impact. The nonprofit has provided support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1971.
It gets quality-of-life purchases, such as multi-function cookers for classes, fish tanks for the group home, waterproof mattress pads and Boardmaker units to help nonverbal adults communicate.
“This program [Boardmaker] has symbols or pictures that illustrate what they might want to try to communicate,” Morrow explained. “So let’s just say that they’re going to go to a restaurant and eat, or if they want to tell somebody they’re hungry, they can point to a picture of food.”
The images can also be printed out and put on key rings so they can carry a series of cards with them. This is an easy way for them to share what they’re thinking, or what they need.
“Can you imagine how much that expands the horizons?” the Cheyenne Day of Giving founder said.
These are only a few of the organizations which will benefit from the donations given by the Laramie County community at the youth event on May 12 and the Day of Giving on May 13. Others include the Boys & Girls Club, Family Promise, Unaccompanied Student Initiative and more.
Many of the directors said are they grateful for the work of Cheyenne Day of Giving in putting together the drive-through event, and for residents' support. It was a shared sentiment that many of the services helping people who are struggling would not be possible without participation.
“We just want to make sure everybody understands how much we appreciate their giving and what they do for us,” Bocanegra said. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/day-of-giving-hopes-for-year-round-boost/article_d4233665-5a3c-53ac-a46b-08347bd2e6ad.html | 2022-05-01T15:56:16Z |
LARAMIE – A span of five minutes early in the first half was the main difference-maker when Laramie and Cheyenne South hooked up for a Class 4A East Conference boys soccer match.
The Plainsmen ran on all cylinders offensively en route to a 7-2 win against South during another windy game Saturday afternoon at Deti Stadium.
Laramie kept a similar style of play while pushing the ball up the field to start the scoring in the 13th minute by moving the ball wide, then crossing it back to the center of the field.
The Plainsmen scored goals in the 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th minutes, the first with an assist provided by senior Jackson Sweckard from the right corner of the field, finding senior Cameron Hoberg for the goal.
“Once we start passing, getting into the game and talking to each other, usually Cameron just plays it down to the corner to me and I cross it every time,” Sweckard said. “Hopefully, one of them gets on the end of it and puts it right in.”
Added Laramie coach Anne Moore: “We moved the ball really well in the first half and created some beautiful goals by taking the ball wide, and it was nice people got on the end of crossing passes and put them in the back of the net.”
The third-ranked Plainsmen (12-1 overall, 10-0 East Conference) followed with a flurry of scores from senior Landon Whisenant from Hoberg, Hoberg from sophomore Karson Busch and Whisenant from senior Christian Smith. Freshman Sammy Heaney later added an unassisted goal in the 32nd minute.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to defensively stick with (Hoberg), who is the biggest part of their attack,” South coach Joshua Eastman said. “At times, we concentrated too much energy on him, which created space for (Whisenant), who is excellent, as well.
“But the adjustments we made seemed to help a lot and in the second half we only allowed two goals. … I think Laramie’s coach had a hard time pulling some of their starters with a 6-2 lead, knowing we put two on the board. I felt good about our offensive attack and our defensive adjustments. We were missing some important pieces to our team, so I do still feel like our team grew and I wanted them to just get better.”
South (0-13, 0-10) didn’t let up its pressure down 5-0 by notching a pair of goals before halftime. The first was in the 33rd minute when sophomore Jorge Guerrero scored on an assist from junior Will Bechtel. The second was on a penalty kick in the 36th from sophomore Armando Hernandez.
“For me, it’s just composure when taking those,” Hernandez said. “I like to get my eyes to where I think I’m going to go and then go the other way for a trick play. But the main thing is to score for the team.”
Laramie had two second-half goals: Busch on an assist from Smith and unassisted from junior Gage Hepworth.
Freshman goalkeeper Caden Polson started in net for Laramie, making four saves. Senior Talon Luckie was lost for the rest of the season after an injury late in Friday’s game against Thunder Basin.
LARAMIE 7, SOUTH 2
Halftime: 5-2
Goals: Laramie; Hoberg (Sweckard), 13; Whisenant (Hoberg), 15; Hoberg (Busch), 16; Whisenant (C. Smith), 18; Heaney (unassisted), 32; Busch (C. Smith), 47; Hepworth (unassisted), 69. South; Guerrero (Bechtel), 33; A. Hernandez (penalty kick), 36
Shots: South 8, Laramie 24. Shots on goal: South 6, Laramie 13. Saves: South 6 (Potter), Laramie 4 (Polson)
Corner kicks: South 3, Laramie 3. Offsides: South 0, Laramie 1. Fouls: South 8, Laramie 12. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_south/plainsmen-power-past-bison/article_87e0ce7c-d52b-56ce-9a24-23b8d8ee1c0b.html | 2022-05-01T15:56:22Z |
Combat death puts spotlight on Americans fighting in Ukraine
(AP) - Harrison Jozefowicz quit his job as a Chicago police officer and headed overseas soon after Russia invaded Ukraine. An Army veteran, he said he couldn’t help but join American volunteers seeking to help Ukrainians in their fight.
Jozefowicz now heads a group called Task Force Yankee, which he said has placed more than 190 volunteers in combat slots and other roles while delivering nearly 15,000 first aid kits, helping relocate more than 80 families and helping deliver dozens of pallets of food and medical supplies to the southern and eastern fronts of the war.
It’s difficult, dangerous work. But Jozefowicz said he felt helpless watching from the United States last year during the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, particularly after a close friend, Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, died in a suicide bombing at Kabul.
“So, I’m just trying to do everything I can to make sure I can help others not go through what I went through,” he said Saturday during an interview conducted through a messaging platform.
A former U.S. Marine who died last week was believed to be the first American citizen killed while fighting in Ukraine. Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, died Monday while working for a military contracting company that sent him to Ukraine, his mother, Rebecca Cabrera, told CNN.
An undetermined number of other Americans — many with military backgrounds — are thought to be in the country battling Russian forces beside both Ukrainians and volunteers from other countries even though U.S. forces aren’t directly involved in fighting aside from sending military materiel, humanitarian aid and money.
Russia’s invasion has given Ukraine’s embassy in Washington the task of fielding inquiries from thousands of Americans who want to help in the fight, and Ukraine is using the internet to recruit volunteers for a foreign force, the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine.
“Anyone who wants to join the defense of security in Europe and the world can come and stand side by side with the Ukrainians against the invaders of the 21st century,” President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a recruitment pitch.
Texan Anja Osmon, who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army from 2009 through 2015, said she went to Ukraine on her own. A medic, she said she arrived in Ukraine on March 20 and lived in the woods with other members of the International Legion before a new commander sent her away because he didn’t want female fighters.
Osmon, 30, said her mother wants her home before September. But for now she’s anxious to get out of the hotel where she is staying in Lviv and catch on with another fighting force nearer the action.
“I can’t turn away from injustice,” she said. “No one should be scared.”
U.S. Marine veteran Eddy Etue said he quit his job in the gig economy, found a friend in Colorado to watch his cat and gave up his home four blocks from the beach in San Diego, California, to help out in Ukraine, where he’s been about two weeks. He first worked with an aid organization but now is training with the International Legion.
Etue, 36, said he simply couldn’t stay home. “It’s just the right thing to do,” said Etue, who financed the journey through an online fundraising campaign.
Etue’s family history pulled him toward Ukraine. He said his grandparents left Hungary with nothing but their four children and clothes after the 1956 revolution, which was put down by Soviet forces that killed or wounded thousands.
“What’s happening here will affect not only the people who are experiencing it but their children and grandchildren as well,” he said. “I know that from personal experience.”
Jozefowicz, the former Chicago cop, says there are thousands of American and other volunteers in Ukraine. Multiple organizations are operating in the country, and Jozefowicz said his group alone has placed scores of volunteers in positions all over the country, with about 40 of those being combat jobs.
“We do not facilitate a civilian going into any direct-action role. We only guide and connect prior military volunteers,” he said.
But there’s plenty of other work to do. Groups of volunteers are getting medical and food supplies to people in the nation of 44 million people, he said, and others are working with refugees and others who’ve had to flee their homes.
“The closer I got into Ukraine and the more time I spent in Ukraine, the more voids I found that needed to be filled to maximize my groups volunteer efforts,” he said.
Osmon, who said she’s been in contact with Jozefowicz’s group, said she supplied troops with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications after days in the woods.
“Most everyone had air raid fever from hiding in the trenches in the snow and cold air,” she said. “Bronchitis was ravaging us.”
Etue said he got a feel for the country after making a 24-hour round trip with another volunteer to pick up a vehicle in Odessa. He said he’s been impressed with the quality of people serving in the International Legion since Ukrainians have done a good job of weeding out the inexperienced and “war tourists” who don’t have much to offer a military unit.
“I think they’re doing amazingly well given that they’re at war with one of the largest standing armies in the world,” he said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/combat-death-puts-spotlight-americans-fighting-ukraine/ | 2022-05-01T16:44:09Z |
Guests escape burning resort by jumping off balconies
CONWAY, N.H. (WMUR) – Hotel guests in New Hampshire were seen jumping from balconies to escape a raging fire.
Fire crews arrived at The Red Jacket Resort in Conway to find heavy smoke pouring from the third floor.
North Conway Fire Chief Steve Soloman said parts of the hotel are a total loss.
“75 rooms have been burned off the hotel,” he said.
At one point, the state fire marshal said guests could be seen jumping from balcony to balcony to reach safety.
“There is continued danger of collapse in this portion of the structure,” Solomon said. “It’s a calculated risk, we have to get the fire extinguished, so we weigh what we’re able to do to extinguish the fire versus the risk of doing it.”
Solomon said two firefighters and one civilian suffered non-life threatening injuries. Everyone has been accounted for.
He said it was a team effort with help from 27 other agencies.
Guests like Trish Laraja said their weekend getaway on a whim was not what she expected.
“I didn’t hear a smoke alarm or anything, I just kept hearing people say they’re evacuating,” hotel guest Trish Laraja said.
Still, she said she chooses to see the silver lining.
“I’m a widow myself so we’ve been through that kind of a tragedy and I’m super glad me and my son are safe,” she said. “Everybody that we’ve met today has been so nice, and I was like ‘Maybe this is actually what we needed this weekend.’”
Firefighters said strong wind gusts made it more challenging to put out the fire. It’s unclear what initially started the fire.
Copyright 2022 WMUR via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/guests-escape-burning-resort-by-jumping-off-balconies/ | 2022-05-01T16:44:16Z |
Jeep’n at the Creek brings car show, live music and more to Camp Creek
Published: May. 1, 2022 at 12:31 PM EDT|Updated: 12 minutes ago
CAMP CREEK, W.Va. (WVVA) - Jeep enthusiasts showed out at Camp Creek State Park Saturday for the inaugural “Jeep’n at the Creek,” hosted by Country Roads Jeep Club.
The event featured live music, local vendors and a jeep competition judged by Country Roads Jeep Club’s David Lusk. As for the competition, “There’s really no basic standard,” said Lusk. “We just want all the vehicles here to show their different personalities.”
The day-long event lasted from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m., with helping hands from the US Army’s Princeton office, and ROTC students in charge of parking operations.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/jeepn-creek-brings-car-show-live-music-more-camp-creek/ | 2022-05-01T16:44:23Z |
Mercer County advocates host walk for child abuse awareness
PRINCETON, W.Va. (WVVA) - Child abuse advocates took to the Mercer County courthouse in Princeton on Saturday to raise awareness on child abuse in the area.
Beth Sizemore, organizer of the walk and Program Director for Child Protect said Mercer County is the 9th most populous county in W.Va., yet sees the 5th highest amount of child abuse in the state.
“A lot of people are under the impression that that’s an issues that doesn’t happen in a place like this,” said Sizemore. “But unfortunately child abuse happens everywhere, even in Mercer County.”
The walk closed out April’s Child Abuse Awareness Month, with blue pinwheels seen throughout to symbolize the “happy and safe childhood that every child deserves.”
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/mercer-county-advocates-host-walk-child-abuse-awareness/ | 2022-05-01T16:44:29Z |
Combat death puts spotlight on Americans fighting in Ukraine
(AP) - Harrison Jozefowicz quit his job as a Chicago police officer and headed overseas soon after Russia invaded Ukraine. An Army veteran, he said he couldn’t help but join American volunteers seeking to help Ukrainians in their fight.
Jozefowicz now heads a group called Task Force Yankee, which he said has placed more than 190 volunteers in combat slots and other roles while delivering nearly 15,000 first aid kits, helping relocate more than 80 families and helping deliver dozens of pallets of food and medical supplies to the southern and eastern fronts of the war.
It’s difficult, dangerous work. But Jozefowicz said he felt helpless watching from the United States last year during the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, particularly after a close friend, Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, died in a suicide bombing at Kabul.
“So, I’m just trying to do everything I can to make sure I can help others not go through what I went through,” he said Saturday during an interview conducted through a messaging platform.
A former U.S. Marine who died last week was believed to be the first American citizen killed while fighting in Ukraine. Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, died Monday while working for a military contracting company that sent him to Ukraine, his mother, Rebecca Cabrera, told CNN.
An undetermined number of other Americans — many with military backgrounds — are thought to be in the country battling Russian forces beside both Ukrainians and volunteers from other countries even though U.S. forces aren’t directly involved in fighting aside from sending military materiel, humanitarian aid and money.
Russia’s invasion has given Ukraine’s embassy in Washington the task of fielding inquiries from thousands of Americans who want to help in the fight, and Ukraine is using the internet to recruit volunteers for a foreign force, the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine.
“Anyone who wants to join the defense of security in Europe and the world can come and stand side by side with the Ukrainians against the invaders of the 21st century,” President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a recruitment pitch.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos may contain disturbing content.
Texan Anja Osmon, who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army from 2009 through 2015, said she went to Ukraine on her own. A medic, she said she arrived in Ukraine on March 20 and lived in the woods with other members of the International Legion before a new commander sent her away because he didn’t want female fighters.
Osmon, 30, said her mother wants her home before September. But for now she’s anxious to get out of the hotel where she is staying in Lviv and catch on with another fighting force nearer the action.
“I can’t turn away from injustice,” she said. “No one should be scared.”
U.S. Marine veteran Eddy Etue said he quit his job in the gig economy, found a friend in Colorado to watch his cat and gave up his home four blocks from the beach in San Diego, California, to help out in Ukraine, where he’s been about two weeks. He first worked with an aid organization but now is training with the International Legion.
Etue, 36, said he simply couldn’t stay home. “It’s just the right thing to do,” said Etue, who financed the journey through an online fundraising campaign.
Etue’s family history pulled him toward Ukraine. He said his grandparents left Hungary with nothing but their four children and clothes after the 1956 revolution, which was put down by Soviet forces that killed or wounded thousands.
“What’s happening here will affect not only the people who are experiencing it but their children and grandchildren as well,” he said. “I know that from personal experience.”
Jozefowicz, the former Chicago cop, says there are thousands of American and other volunteers in Ukraine. Multiple organizations are operating in the country, and Jozefowicz said his group alone has placed scores of volunteers in positions all over the country, with about 40 of those being combat jobs.
“We do not facilitate a civilian going into any direct-action role. We only guide and connect prior military volunteers,” he said.
But there’s plenty of other work to do. Groups of volunteers are getting medical and food supplies to people in the nation of 44 million people, he said, and others are working with refugees and others who’ve had to flee their homes.
“The closer I got into Ukraine and the more time I spent in Ukraine, the more voids I found that needed to be filled to maximize my groups volunteer efforts,” he said.
Osmon, who said she’s been in contact with Jozefowicz’s group, said she supplied troops with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications after days in the woods.
“Most everyone had air raid fever from hiding in the trenches in the snow and cold air,” she said. “Bronchitis was ravaging us.”
Etue said he got a feel for the country after making a 24-hour round trip with another volunteer to pick up a vehicle in Odessa. He said he’s been impressed with the quality of people serving in the International Legion since Ukrainians have done a good job of weeding out the inexperienced and “war tourists” who don’t have much to offer a military unit.
“I think they’re doing amazingly well given that they’re at war with one of the largest standing armies in the world,” he said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/combat-death-puts-spotlight-americans-fighting-ukraine/ | 2022-05-01T17:20:58Z |
Guests escape burning resort by jumping off balconies
CONWAY, N.H. (WMUR) – Hotel guests in New Hampshire were seen jumping from balconies to escape a raging fire.
Fire crews arrived at The Red Jacket Resort in Conway to find heavy smoke pouring from the third floor.
North Conway Fire Chief Steve Soloman said parts of the hotel are a total loss.
“75 rooms have been burned off the hotel,” he said.
At one point, the state fire marshal said guests could be seen jumping from balcony to balcony to reach safety.
“There is continued danger of collapse in this portion of the structure,” Solomon said. “It’s a calculated risk, we have to get the fire extinguished, so we weigh what we’re able to do to extinguish the fire versus the risk of doing it.”
Solomon said two firefighters and one civilian suffered non-life threatening injuries. Everyone has been accounted for.
He said it was a team effort with help from 27 other agencies.
Guests like Trish Laraja said their weekend getaway on a whim was not what she expected.
“I didn’t hear a smoke alarm or anything, I just kept hearing people say they’re evacuating,” hotel guest Trish Laraja said.
Still, she said she chooses to see the silver lining.
“I’m a widow myself so we’ve been through that kind of a tragedy and I’m super glad me and my son are safe,” she said. “Everybody that we’ve met today has been so nice, and I was like ‘Maybe this is actually what we needed this weekend.’”
Firefighters said strong wind gusts made it more challenging to put out the fire. It’s unclear what initially started the fire.
Copyright 2022 WMUR via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/guests-escape-burning-resort-by-jumping-off-balconies/ | 2022-05-01T17:21:05Z |
Kansas tornado generated 165 mph winds as it destroyed homes
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The tornado that damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long.
The National Weather Service said the tornado that caused extensive damage Friday mostly in the Wichita suburb of Andover and injured several people rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale it uses to assess tornadoes.
Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said that at least 300 to 400 buildings were destroyed by the storm as part of a total of 1,074 buildings that were damaged. The Weather Service said the tornado was on the ground for 21 minutes Friday evening.
Four people, including two firefighters who were responding to a call in Andover, were injured during the storm but their injuries were minor.
Russell said it will take years for Andover to recover from this storm.
“The city of Andover will be affected by this for years,” he said. “We still have scars from 1991 (EF-5 tornado). I’m so thankful this tornado was not as bad as that, but we will literally be doing this for years.”
By Sunday, utility crews had restored power to nearly all of the more than 15,000 customers who lost power during the storm. Evergy said less than 1,000 people still lacked power in the Wichita area Sunday morning.
In addition to the storm damage, the Oklahoma State Patrol said three University of Oklahoma meteorology students were killed in a car crash about 85 miles north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma Friday evening as they returned from storm chasing in Kansas.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/kansas-tornado-generated-165-mph-winds-it-destroyed-homes/ | 2022-05-01T17:21:12Z |
RADNOR, Pa., May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against C3.ai, Inc. ("C3") (NYSE: AI). The action charges C3 with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of C3's materially misleading statements to the public, C3's investors have suffered significant losses.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR C3 LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE
FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER:
https://www.ktmc.com/ai-class-action-
lawsuit?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=ai
TO VIEW OUR VIDEO, PLEASE CLICK HERE
LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: MAY 3, 2022
CLASS PERIOD: DECEMBER 9, 2020 THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2022
CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:
James Maro, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at info@ktmc.com
Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.
C3'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCT
C3 is an artificial intelligence software company that offers software-as-a-service applications for enterprises in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and internationally.
On February 16, 2022, Spruce Point Capital Management, LLC ("Spruce Point Capital") published a short-seller report on C3. In the report, Spruce Point Capital revealed that it found "multiple instances of claims made by C3 that appear to be exaggerated, or don't reconcile with our research findings." Specifically, the report indicates, among other things, that given shifty customer definition disclosures, there is a high probability that C3 is overstating its paying and active customer Inflated Technology Value. Additionally, Spruce Point Capital found that C3's implied market share of just 0.12% supports either market size inflation or its irrelevance in the industry sales cycle.
Following this news, C3's stock price fell $1.01 per share, or 3.93%, to close at $24.70 per share on February 16, 2022.
WHAT CAN I DO?
C3 investors may, no later than May 3, 2022 seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages C3 investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE
WHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?
A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.
ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.
CONTACT:
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
James Maro, Jr., Esq.
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
(484) 270-1453
info@ktmc.com
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SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/deadline-2-days-kessler-topaz-meltzer-amp-check-llp-reminds-c3ai-inc-ai-investors-filing-deadline-class-action-lawsuit/ | 2022-05-01T17:21:18Z |
This pocket-sized plug-and-play projector will be available worldwide starting May 1st — ideal for business presentations, outdoor, or at-home use
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampula, Inc. is pleased to announce the highly anticipated Wemax Go Advanced ultra-thin pocket-sized 1080P Laser Projector featuring cinema-grade ALPD® Laser Technology, available worldwide beginning May 1st. With its incredible portability and fine-tuned visual features, this new purpose-built projection solution provides users with the ability to project world-class video anytime and anywhere, making it a great companion for both business people and frequent travelers who need a simple and convenient projector that delivers top-notch clarity.
A first of its kind super-portable projector that sports a sleek and solid structure as thin as one inch, the Wemax Go Advanced represents a massive leap for the Wemax Go series in creating the world's thinnest projector with unrivaled performance.
A true technological marvel, the Wemax Go Advanced is fitted with a cinema-grade ALPD® Laser, the first time in the history of projectors that the world-class Phosphor Laser Technology has been miniaturized into a body no bigger than an iPad. The technology enables a projector as compact as the Wemax Go Advanced to be exceptionally energy-efficient while delivering stellar image quality with vividness and vibrancy, even in environments where ambient light is present.
The Wemax Go Advanced delivers 102% Rec. 709 color gamut and can play an hour and a half of video at true 1080p FHD resolution, projecting sharp and crystal-clear images that come with a whopping 16.7 million distinct colors. With 600 ANSI lumens of brightness, the Wemax Go Advanced is two-times brighter than other projectors of the same size, meaning users can treat themselves to a perfectly clear viewing experience in various ambient light conditions.
Built from the ground up to be a smart projector, the Wemax Go Advanced includes features such as autofocus, intelligent obstacle avoidance, and intelligent screen alignment to give users greater convenience and flexibility. Autofocus enables the Wemax Go Advanced to re-adjust the focus within seconds to keep the image sharp. The intelligent obstacle avoidance feature detects objects on the surface to re-scale the image, while the intelligent screen alignment ensures hassle-free operation and keeps the image within the screen at all times.
The company's patented ALPD® Laser Technology enables the Wemax Go Advanced to consume less power, allowing greater versatility. It contains USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports, giving users more options when charging from a portable power bank or connecting to other third-party devices for expanded functionality.
In addition to the HDMI port, which makes the Wemax Go Advanced the perfect choice for business presentations, users can also take advantage of the built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules to share content from their iPhone, iPad, Android devices, or laptops. Beyond its unmatched hardware configuration, the Smart OS-powered Wemax Go Advanced also provides an intuitive user interface and easy access to all the mainstream video streaming apps, so users can skip the step of screen mirroring when projecting.
With all of its industry-leading features packed into this unique form factor, the Wemax Go Advanced is a testament to the brand's latest effort to enable users to share rich visual experiences in the business world and during outdoor activities. The product, successfully funded on Indiegogo in January 2022, will be delivered on time to all backers later this month. Starting May 1st, consumers can place orders on Wemax's official website to enjoy 10% off with the discount code: WXA1OFFS.
About Ampula, Inc.: WEMAX (an Ampula Inc. brand.) is a California-based technology company on a mission to provide shared rich, visual experiences wherever you go. WEMAX provides one-stop solutions to deliver visual applications that are intelligently connected with your home or small business. The team believes that maximized visual experiences not only increase our daily productivity, but also bring people together and enhance each person's individual experience. WEMAX products create that special moment to enrich the day-to-day aspects of life.
Una Tao
Ampula, Inc.
323-825-5038
marketing@wemax.com
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SOURCE Ampula, lnc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/wemax-go-advanced-be-released-worlds-first-ultra-portable-1080p-laser-projector-designed-business/ | 2022-05-01T17:21:25Z |
Dan Starks stands in one of the large galleries of the National Museum of Military Vehicles on April 14, 2021, in Dubois. The gallery depicts the progress of American military vehicles throughout World War II and beyond. Cayla Nimmo, Star-Tribune
Dan Starks stands in one of the large galleries of the National Museum of Military Vehicles on April 14, 2021, in Dubois. The gallery depicts the progress of American military vehicles throughout World War II and beyond. Cayla Nimmo, Star-Tribune
Cayla Nimmo, Star-Tribune
Dan Starks is chairman of the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois. He is pictured speaking in front of a Huey helicopter. Courtesy photo
CHEYENNE – Although it has been open since August 2020, the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois has scheduled its grand opening ceremony for May 28.
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the big event, due to health concerns about having many people gathering physically in one place, spokesperson Craig Blumenshine said by phone Friday. Now, it is safer to hold such gatherings, he noted.
The official opening ceremonies are purposefully being held over Memorial Day weekend, and admission will be free on May 28, according to Blumenshine. "It's just a wonderful time for the museum to uphold its mission of honoring veterans and their families."
The 140,000-square-foot, single-story building has nearly 500 restored military vehicles, pieces of artillery, naval vessels and aircraft. They date "from 1897 to the present with a current emphasis on the American experience in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War," according to a news release.
Gov. Mark Gordon is among the scheduled speakers at the opening event, which is to begin at 10 a.m. Dan and Cynthia Starks had founded the privately funded $100 million museum, and Dan Starks is its chairman.
In what is considered the off-season, the facility at 6419 U.S. Highway 26 is open Wednesdays to Sundays, and starting May 25, it is open daily. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/national-museum-of-military-vehicles-holds-grand-opening-may-28/article_d532c930-8e71-550b-9ebf-d67a8067200e.html | 2022-05-01T17:53:44Z |
I am interested in S. Michael Melia's letter regarding Florida's ban on instruction on gender identity for K-3 elementary students. In reading the law, there appears some confusion on what instruction is or its consequences. Can a child in a same gender family share? Or must they simply be silent? Will a teacher have legal charges for asking about family units? That remains unclear by design.
Mr. Melia keeps talking about sex. But the law is about gender identity – two very different things. Most children, by the time they are in school, recognize gender. Most fall into male/female. But we all remember "tomboy" girls and "quiet" boys. Do those children have no voice when the artistic boy is told to "man up" and the athletic girl told to be more "girly"? No discussion about the fluidity of gender identity?
I was interested in the examples given. First, Starri Hedges is a sex education teacher in a very small private school. The Gaia Democratic School has 25 students, K-12. The older kids attended a sex educational workshop at the shop mentioned. Parents were notified. Enough said.
Second is Sarah Leonardi of Florida, who took her students to lunch at nearby Rosie's Bar & Grill. They were offered a menu of chicken fingers, grilled cheese and hamburgers. While true, Rosie's is owned and operated by gay men, pictures show nothing different than an Applebee's.
The last is of the French teacher in Wisconsin in drag singing Lady Gaga. A fine old tradition, as women were not allowed to perform on stage by church decree until the 17th century. And even until the mid 20th century, they were often considered "harlots." Only males in theater, often in drag.
Times change. And drag is once again seen as art, or maybe it just never went away.
I do agree with his last paragraph. The astronomic, enormous obsession with sex is adult, particularly males. Women, especially teachers, think more about food. In the obsession with children and sex, it seems this male political obsession deserves some more thoughtful discussion and understanding. Just what is the fear? | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/melias-letter-confuses-sex-and-gender-identity-among-other-problems/article_96de2d1e-a6a5-5eb7-b39c-1360b3a615f3.html | 2022-05-01T17:53:50Z |
LARAMIE — The Brown and Gold game wasn’t the only thing that stirred excitement around the University of Wyoming football program on Saturday.
Alabama defensive end Keelan Cox announced his commitment to the Cowboys shortly after the conclusion of the spring game, bringing additional firepower to a position group that has already been a source of praise from UW coach Craig Bohl this offseason.
Cox, who will have four years of eligibility remaining, says the atmosphere at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday played a large part in his decision to choose the Pokes over Iowa State, TCU and Mountain West foe UNLV. As a Houston-area native, the Texas connections on UW’s roster and coaching staff made an impact, as well.
“I knew about four of them, but I didn't know there were 19 players on the team from Texas,” Cox said. “That's crazy that there's a pipeline there. What kind of drew me in was at the spring game, just seeing the family feeling there from everyone. I didn't think that many people would show up.
“The fans kind of set it off for me. Me being a kid from Texas, I'm far from home and I want to be around an environment that's like a family. ... The Wyoming fans really set the tone at the spring game.”
Cornerbacks coach Benny Boyd, defensive ends coach Marty English and defensive tackles coach Oscar Giles played significant roles in Cox’s recruitment, with the fact that Giles is a former University of Texas assistant who hails from the Lone Star State providing added comfort. He also already knew some Cowboys on the roster — such as Cameron Stone and Oluwaseyi Omotosho, who played at nearby schools when he was a standout at Manvel High.
Cox says his pass rushing ability is his greatest strength on the defensive line, pointing to the Pokes’ emphasis on “letting their edge rushers fly around” as something that attracted him to Wyoming’s system. He also has experience in pass coverage from one season at Tyler Junior College in Texas.
Although he did not see the field at Alabama last year, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound sophomore says he gained valuable experience from his time working with coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.
“Building those relationships while being far from home matters,” Cox said. “Me, being a high school guy then going to junior college, coming to Alabama I didn't think the small things mattered. I was like, 'The only thing that matters is what I put on film.'
“But being around coach Saban teaches you how to be a better person — not only what you do on the field, but how to treat people and be a good person in your environment. Having high character can take you a long way, so I'd say the small things off the field is something I learned at Alabama.”
Cox says he tries to model his game after NFL edge rushers K'Lavon Chaisson and Chase Young.
He’d like to make the type of impact these players did in college — Young was a unanimous All-American and Chuck Bednarik Award-winner at Ohio State, while Chaisson was a first-team All-SEC honoree on LSU’s 2019 national championship team. The main focus for now, though, is simply on how he can help the Cowboys.
“I'm very versatile,” Cox said. “I talked to coach (Keaton) Wilkerson, he's a defensive GA, and told him, 'Put me on special teams, put me on kick return, put me on everything.' I just want to come in and be an impact player and help the team however I can.
“It's not all about me. I know they expect me to make an immediate impact as a transfer, which I expect, too. But I just want to do everything I can to help the team out and try to bring a Mountain West championship back to Wyoming.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/fans-texas-connections-sold-bama-dl-keelan-cox-on-wyoming/article_09767407-3649-53f2-9df4-bf7e149a0f20.html | 2022-05-01T17:53:56Z |
Bluefield University celebrates 100 years with Community Day 2022
BLUEFIELD, Va. (WVVA) - Bluefield University celebrated 100 years of higher education on Saturday as a part of the university’s “BU Community Day” celebration.
Most events Saturday were free of charge, including the Community “Mud Pig Day,” as attendees slid down a massive makeshift water slide along with an Appalachian music performance and more.
The day kicked off with the university’s annual “Jason Elswick 5K Challenge” in honor of a former Bluefield University student who passed away following a car accident in 2005.
University leaders say events like Saturday’s are able to further their involvement with the community.
“We want to be a good partner to the community, and good stewards of the great resources we’re given here,” said Joshua Cline, VP for Institutional Advancement. “Just trying to make life better here in the Two Bluefields.”
The day-long celebration closed out with a performance of Disney’s “Frozen” by the Bluefield Youth Theater, followed by a fireworks display.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/bluefield-university-celebrates-100-years-with-community-day-2022/ | 2022-05-01T18:16:25Z |
Homeless shelters begin to see value in making room for pets
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Being homeless in Los Angeles and struggling with addiction is hard enough, but Rachel Niebur couldn’t imagine enduring it without her dog Petey.
Niebur credits her constant companion, an energetic black and white chihuahua mix, with helping her keep off drugs and giving her a reason to get up in the morning.
“She needs me. She gives me my focus. I have to feed her. I have to walk her. It’s a real relationship,” said Niebur, before following Petey to the small, fenced-in dog park on the grounds of the shelter in the Venice neighborhood where the inseparable pair have lived for about two years.
Traditional homeless shelters have long been off limits to pets, leaving animal owners who want to get off the streets with a difficult choice. But as homelessness surges across the U.S., those working toward a solution are increasingly recognizing the importance pets have for vulnerable populations and are looking for ways to keep owners and pets together.
When given the choice between getting shelter or giving up their pet, unhoused people will almost always choose to remain on the streets, said Tim Huxford, the associate director of the Venice facility now home Niebur and Petey.
“So we always want to reduce the amount of barriers that we have for people in bringing them off the street,” he said. “We realize that pets are like family to people.”
The Venice shelter operated by the nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless, or PATH, was the first of its kind in Los Angeles County to allow residents to bring animal companions, Huxford said.
Thanks to a state grant, PATH has a budget for food, crates, toys and veterinary services under an initiative called the Pet Assistance and Support program. In 2019, the pilot program provided $5 million to nonprofits and local jurisdictions, and that amount was doubled the following year. Now pending legislation would make the grant program permanent, while expanding it across the state.
State Sen. Robert Hertzberg, who wrote the bill that would expand the program, estimates that about 10% of homeless Californians have pets. And the reason many shelters don’t accept animals is simply because they don’t have resources to care for them, said Hertzberg, a dog owner.
He called pets “our comfort” and cited research that found animals provide companionship and a sense of purpose to people who don’t have housing.
The Democrat from Los Angeles said it’s just “raging common sense” to give nonprofits and other caregivers the budgets they need to feed and house pets, especially considering how much California already allocates to address the statewide homelessness crisis.
“We’re spending a billion dollars over here to get people off the street; why can’t we spend a few dollars over there to put together veterinary services and dog food and crates? These are grants of between $100,000 and $200,000, so it’s not a ton of money in the grand scheme of things,” Hertzberg said.
The money would come the state’s general fund, so it’s not cutting into any existing funding, Hertzberg said. The measure, SB513, unanimously passed the state Senate in January and now awaits consideration in the Assembly.
The California law is part of a larger national recognition of the issue.
In Arizona, for example, there are several organizations that take care of animals for residents who are struggling to get back on their feet.
A nonprofit no-kill shelter called Lost Our Home provides up to 90 days of pet care for homeless people while they search for a permanent place to live following a crisis like eviction, domestic violence or medical treatment.
Don Kitch manages one of several shelters operated in the Phoenix area by the nonprofit Family Promise, among the few that allow people to keep their pets at a separate area for the animals at the site. He said his shelter was currently housing four dogs, two cats and a Guinea pig.
“Unfortunately, there are very few facilities around here that will accept pets,” said Kitch.
He said many shelters do allow service animals, and less frequently emotional support animals.
Kitch said the Arizona Humane Society takes in pets for 90 days to allow their owners time to find stable housing, while the Sojourner Center allows domestic violence victims to keep their pets at the shelter.
Kitch said Family Promise used a grant from PetSmart to get started with its program to house pets. He said he’d welcome a law like California’s, because “anything to defray the cost would be ideal for a nonprofit homeless shelter like ours.”
The national nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society has joined forces with Catholic Charities USA to push for programs that keep homeless people and their pets together. The group Feeding Pets of the Homeless organizes veterinary clinics and donation drives for pet food and supplies.
The ASPCA and other animal care groups are urging the California bills’ passage.
“The ASPCA believes that financial circumstances alone are not reliable indicators of the capacity to love and care for a companion animal and that pets are incredible source of support and companionship in our lives, especially during times of stress and uncertainty,” said Susan Riggs, the ASPCA’s Senior Director of Housing Policy.
One of Petey’s canine companions at the Venice PATH facility is Champ, a pit bull mix that his owner Ro Mantooth calls “the mascot” of the shelter.
“He’s really my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without him,” Mantooth, 29, said of Champ. “I’m lucky to have him. Not a lot of places are going to take animals, you know?”
In addition to Petey and Champ, there are eight other dogs and one cat at the Venice shelter. Huxford said another PATH facility has a parrot in a cage. Technically there are no rules about what animals can be admitted, he said, but that hasn’t been tested yet.
“If someone came in with an elephant, I guess we’d have to see,” he said.
___
Associated Press reporter Anita Snow in Phoenix contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/homeless-shelters-work-end-choice-between-street-pets/ | 2022-05-01T18:16:31Z |
Kansas tornado generated 165 mph winds as it destroyed homes
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The tornado that damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long.
The National Weather Service said the tornado that caused extensive damage Friday mostly in the Wichita suburb of Andover and injured several people rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale it uses to assess tornadoes.
Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said that at least 300 to 400 buildings were destroyed by the storm as part of a total of 1,074 buildings that were damaged. The Weather Service said the tornado was on the ground for 21 minutes Friday evening.
Four people, including two firefighters who were responding to a call in Andover, were injured during the storm but their injuries were minor.
Russell said it will take years for Andover to recover from this storm.
“The city of Andover will be affected by this for years,” he said. “We still have scars from 1991 (EF-5 tornado). I’m so thankful this tornado was not as bad as that, but we will literally be doing this for years.”
By Sunday, utility crews had restored power to nearly all of the more than 15,000 customers who lost power during the storm. Evergy said less than 1,000 people still lacked power in the Wichita area Sunday morning.
In addition to the storm damage, the Oklahoma State Patrol said three University of Oklahoma meteorology students were killed in a car crash about 85 miles north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma Friday evening as they returned from storm chasing in Kansas.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/kansas-tornado-generated-165-mph-winds-it-destroyed-homes/ | 2022-05-01T18:16:37Z |
Local law enforcement take part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. (WVVA) - Local law enforcement set-up on Saturday to take part in National Prescription Drug Take Back day.
One of many options state and nationwide, Mercer County Sheriff’s office deputies said the day is about keeping prescription medication out of the wrong hands. And while Saturday provided plenty of options to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs, community workers said they want the public to know it’s not the only time such a service is available.
“Every day when the [Mercer County] courthouse is open, there is a dropbox in the courthouse where people can take it, not just on these special occasions but on any day,” said Derek Wilson with Community Connections Inc.
The United States typically hosts two prescription drug take back days per year -- you can find out more about such events at dea.gov/takebackday.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/local-law-enforcement-take-part-national-prescription-drug-take-back-day/ | 2022-05-01T18:16:44Z |
Marshals: Reward for info on escaped inmate, missing officer
FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Marshals Service said Sunday that it is offering up to $10,000 for information about an escaped inmate and a “missing and endangered” correctional officer who disappeared Friday after the two left a jail in north Alabama.
Casey Cole White, 38, had been jailed on a capital murder charge in the Lauderdale County Detention Center in Florence, Alabama, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) west of Huntsville.
The inmate and assistant director of corrections Vicky White, 56, left the Lauderdale County Detention Center on Friday morning to go to a nearby courthouse, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post Saturday. Investigators said the two are not related.
“Casey White is believed to be a serious threat to the corrections officer and the public,” the U.S. marshal for northern Alabama, Marty Keely, said in a statement Sunday.
While in state prison for other crimes in 2020, Casey confessed to the 2015 stabbing death of Connie Ridgeway, WHNT-TV reported.
Vicky White has been with the department 16 years. At a news conference Friday, Singleton said she was armed when she left the jail with the inmate and headed to the courthouse for what she said was a mental health evaluation for Casey White. She was alone with the inmate, which the sheriff said violated department policy.
“Our policy is for any inmate with those kinds of charges to have two sworn deputies escort them. And that did not happen,” Singleton said.
Singleton also said there was no mental health evaluation for the inmate scheduled at the courthouse.
The vehicle the officer and the inmate were in when they left the detention center was found at a nearby shopping center parking lot, according to the sheriff’s office.
Vicky White also told co-workers she had a doctor’s appointment scheduled, which was confirmed but the office said the deputy never showed, the sheriff said. Officials said no one realized the two were missing until about six hours after they left the jail. Deputies tried to contact Vicky White but her phone repeatedly went to voicemail.
Singleton said his department was “aggressively investigating” the incident and would be looking into previous interaction between the two to “see if something else was going on.” Singleton told news outlets that Vicky White had turned in her retirement papers the day before she went missing.
The sheriff told AL.com on Sunday that there were no new developments in the investigation. The Associated Press called the sheriff’s office, but a phone message there said the office was closed Sunday.
The Marshals Service said Casey is 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms). He has brown hair and hazel eyes.
The Marshals Service said people with information about Casey White’s location or Vicky White’s disappearance can call the service at 1-800-336-0102. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the U.S. Marshals Tip App.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/marshals-reward-info-escaped-inmate-missing-officer/ | 2022-05-01T18:16:51Z |
Homeless shelters begin to see value in making room for pets
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Being homeless in Los Angeles and struggling with addiction is hard enough, but Rachel Niebur couldn’t imagine enduring it without her dog Petey.
Niebur credits her constant companion, an energetic black and white chihuahua mix, with helping her keep off drugs and giving her a reason to get up in the morning.
“She needs me. She gives me my focus. I have to feed her. I have to walk her. It’s a real relationship,” said Niebur, before following Petey to the small, fenced-in dog park on the grounds of the shelter in the Venice neighborhood where the inseparable pair have lived for about two years.
Traditional homeless shelters have long been off limits to pets, leaving animal owners who want to get off the streets with a difficult choice. But as homelessness surges across the U.S., those working toward a solution are increasingly recognizing the importance pets have for vulnerable populations and are looking for ways to keep owners and pets together.
When given the choice between getting shelter or giving up their pet, unhoused people will almost always choose to remain on the streets, said Tim Huxford, the associate director of the Venice facility now home Niebur and Petey.
“So we always want to reduce the amount of barriers that we have for people in bringing them off the street,” he said. “We realize that pets are like family to people.”
The Venice shelter operated by the nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless, or PATH, was the first of its kind in Los Angeles County to allow residents to bring animal companions, Huxford said.
Thanks to a state grant, PATH has a budget for food, crates, toys and veterinary services under an initiative called the Pet Assistance and Support program. In 2019, the pilot program provided $5 million to nonprofits and local jurisdictions, and that amount was doubled the following year. Now pending legislation would make the grant program permanent, while expanding it across the state.
State Sen. Robert Hertzberg, who wrote the bill that would expand the program, estimates that about 10% of homeless Californians have pets. And the reason many shelters don’t accept animals is simply because they don’t have resources to care for them, said Hertzberg, a dog owner.
He called pets “our comfort” and cited research that found animals provide companionship and a sense of purpose to people who don’t have housing.
The Democrat from Los Angeles said it’s just “raging common sense” to give nonprofits and other caregivers the budgets they need to feed and house pets, especially considering how much California already allocates to address the statewide homelessness crisis.
“We’re spending a billion dollars over here to get people off the street; why can’t we spend a few dollars over there to put together veterinary services and dog food and crates? These are grants of between $100,000 and $200,000, so it’s not a ton of money in the grand scheme of things,” Hertzberg said.
The money would come the state’s general fund, so it’s not cutting into any existing funding, Hertzberg said. The measure, SB513, unanimously passed the state Senate in January and now awaits consideration in the Assembly.
The California law is part of a larger national recognition of the issue.
In Arizona, for example, there are several organizations that take care of animals for residents who are struggling to get back on their feet.
A nonprofit no-kill shelter called Lost Our Home provides up to 90 days of pet care for homeless people while they search for a permanent place to live following a crisis like eviction, domestic violence or medical treatment.
Don Kitch manages one of several shelters operated in the Phoenix area by the nonprofit Family Promise, among the few that allow people to keep their pets at a separate area for the animals at the site. He said his shelter was currently housing four dogs, two cats and a Guinea pig.
“Unfortunately, there are very few facilities around here that will accept pets,” said Kitch.
He said many shelters do allow service animals, and less frequently emotional support animals.
Kitch said the Arizona Humane Society takes in pets for 90 days to allow their owners time to find stable housing, while the Sojourner Center allows domestic violence victims to keep their pets at the shelter.
Kitch said Family Promise used a grant from PetSmart to get started with its program to house pets. He said he’d welcome a law like California’s, because “anything to defray the cost would be ideal for a nonprofit homeless shelter like ours.”
The national nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society has joined forces with Catholic Charities USA to push for programs that keep homeless people and their pets together. The group Feeding Pets of the Homeless organizes veterinary clinics and donation drives for pet food and supplies.
The ASPCA and other animal care groups are urging the California bills’ passage.
“The ASPCA believes that financial circumstances alone are not reliable indicators of the capacity to love and care for a companion animal and that pets are incredible source of support and companionship in our lives, especially during times of stress and uncertainty,” said Susan Riggs, the ASPCA’s Senior Director of Housing Policy.
One of Petey’s canine companions at the Venice PATH facility is Champ, a pit bull mix that his owner Ro Mantooth calls “the mascot” of the shelter.
“He’s really my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without him,” Mantooth, 29, said of Champ. “I’m lucky to have him. Not a lot of places are going to take animals, you know?”
In addition to Petey and Champ, there are eight other dogs and one cat at the Venice shelter. Huxford said another PATH facility has a parrot in a cage. Technically there are no rules about what animals can be admitted, he said, but that hasn’t been tested yet.
“If someone came in with an elephant, I guess we’d have to see,” he said.
___
Associated Press reporter Anita Snow in Phoenix contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/homeless-shelters-work-end-choice-between-street-pets/ | 2022-05-01T18:51:18Z |
Judds, Ray Charles to be inducted into Country Hall of Fame
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Country Music Hall of Fame will induct Ray Charles and The Judds into its ranks on Sunday night, though the death of Naomi Judd a day earlier will undoubtedly alter the normally celebratory ceremony.
The hall said late Saturday that it would continue with the ceremony at the request of Judd’s family, but with “heavy hearts and weighted minds,” according to CEO Kyle Young.
Mother-daughter act Naomi and Wynonna Judd were among the most popular duos of the 1980s, scoring 14 No. 1 hits during their nearly three-decade career.
Inductees are usually honored with speeches, performances of their songs and the unveiling of a plaque that will hang in the Hall of Fame’s rotunda. However, a planned public red carpet prior to the ceremony was canceled.
Charles’ induction will showcase his genre-defying country releases, which showed the genre’s commercial appeal. The Georgia-born singer and piano player grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry and in 1962 released “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music,” which became one of the best selling country releases of his era.
Charles’ version of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” spent five weeks on top of the Billboard 100 chart and remains one of his most popular songs. He died in 2004.
Much of the attention Sunday will likely be on Naomi Judd, who died unexpectedly on Saturday near Nashville.
“We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” daughters Wynonna and Ashley said in a statement to The Associated Press announcing her death. “We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public.”
In a March interview, Wynonna Judd told the AP: “Music is the bridge between mom and me, and it it bonds us together. Even in the not easy times.”
In choosing to go forward with Sunday’s ceremony, the Country Hall of Fame noted Naomi Judd’s remarkable life.
“Naomi overcame incredible adversity on her way to a significant place in music history. Her triumphant life story overshadows today’s tragic news,” CEO Kyle Young said in a statement.
The Hall of Fame will also honor two recordings musicians: Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake.
Bayers, a drummer in Nashville for decades who worked on 300 platinum records, is a member of the Grand Ole Opry band. He regularly played on records for The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Alan Jacksonand Kenny Chesney. He is the first drummer to join the institution.
Drake, who died in 1988, was a pedal steel guitar player and a member of Nashville’s A-team of skilled session musicians, played on hits like “Stand By Your Man” by Tammy Wynette and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones. He is the first pedal steel guitar player to become part of the Hall of Fame.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/judds-ray-charles-be-inducted-into-country-hall-fame/ | 2022-05-01T18:51:24Z |
Marshals: Reward for info on escaped inmate, missing officer
FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Marshals Service said Sunday that it is offering up to $10,000 for information about an escaped inmate and a “missing and endangered” correctional officer who disappeared Friday after the two left a jail in north Alabama.
Casey Cole White, 38, had been jailed on a capital murder charge in the Lauderdale County Detention Center in Florence, Alabama, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) west of Huntsville.
The inmate and assistant director of corrections Vicky White, 56, left the Lauderdale County Detention Center on Friday morning to go to a nearby courthouse, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post Saturday. Investigators said the two are not related.
“Casey White is believed to be a serious threat to the corrections officer and the public,” the U.S. marshal for northern Alabama, Marty Keely, said in a statement Sunday.
While in state prison for other crimes in 2020, Casey confessed to the 2015 stabbing death of Connie Ridgeway, WHNT-TV reported.
Vicky White has been with the department 16 years. At a news conference Friday, Singleton said she was armed when she left the jail with the inmate and headed to the courthouse for what she said was a mental health evaluation for Casey White. She was alone with the inmate, which the sheriff said violated department policy.
“Our policy is for any inmate with those kinds of charges to have two sworn deputies escort them. And that did not happen,” Singleton said.
Singleton also said there was no mental health evaluation for the inmate scheduled at the courthouse.
The vehicle the officer and the inmate were in when they left the detention center was found at a nearby shopping center parking lot, according to the sheriff’s office.
Vicky White also told co-workers she had a doctor’s appointment scheduled, which was confirmed but the office said the deputy never showed, the sheriff said. Officials said no one realized the two were missing until about six hours after they left the jail. Deputies tried to contact Vicky White but her phone repeatedly went to voicemail.
Singleton said his department was “aggressively investigating” the incident and would be looking into previous interaction between the two to “see if something else was going on.” Singleton told news outlets that Vicky White had turned in her retirement papers the day before she went missing.
The sheriff told AL.com on Sunday that there were no new developments in the investigation. The Associated Press called the sheriff’s office, but a phone message there said the office was closed Sunday.
The Marshals Service said Casey is 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms). He has brown hair and hazel eyes.
The Marshals Service said people with information about Casey White’s location or Vicky White’s disappearance can call the service at 1-800-336-0102. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the U.S. Marshals Tip App.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/marshals-reward-info-escaped-inmate-missing-officer/ | 2022-05-01T18:51:30Z |
WATCH: Angelina Jolie visits children at boarding school in Ukraine
(CNN) – Hollywood actress and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visited children at a medical institution and a boarding school in Lviv, Ukraine.
Jolie visited a medical institution, where she met with children who suffered from a missile strike by the Russian military on the Kramatorsk train station.
She said she was very moved by their stories. One girl was even able to tell Jolie about her dream privately.
The Envoy also visited a boarding school, where she talked and took photos with students. She promised she would come again.
She also took the time to talk to volunteers who provide medical and psychological assistance at the Main Railway Station in Lviv and thanked them for their work.
She talked to people who managed to leave the zones of active hostilities and listened to the stories of evacuees who said that Russia had lost everything due to “terrorist acts.”
UNHCR’s Head of Global Communications Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams told CNN Saturday that “Angelina Jolie is traveling to the region in her personal capacity and UNHCR has no involvement in this visit.”
Jolie represented the UNHCR as a Goodwill Ambassador from 2001-2012. She took on an expanded role as a special envoy to the UN in April of 2012.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/watch-angelina-jolie-visits-children-boarding-school-ukraine/ | 2022-05-01T18:51:36Z |
SAN FRANCISCO, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In conjunction with ARVO 2022, Vial announced that they will be hosting an advisory board co-hosted and led by Dr. Raj Maturi, Principal Investigator at Midwest Eye Institute and Associate Clinical Professor at Indiana University.
The ad board will bring together the top investigators in ophthalmology, along with the Vial team, to delve deep into the shortcomings and challenges researchers in the field are facing today. The goal of the ad board will be to discuss how Vial can help grow ophthalmology research practices and become a top resource for both PIs and sponsors as Vial expands their end-to-end clinical trial operations into ophthalmology.
Earlier this week, Vial announced their plans to launch a next-gen Ophthalmology CRO, following the success of their Dermatology CRO. Their best-in-class CRO services will include tech-enabled trial management, optimized study-startup processes, and an unparalleled approach to patient recruitment, made possible by their sophisticated marketing management and centralized pre-screening call center. The CRO will be powered by Vial's growing network of top investigators across the country, including Dr. Maturi and his clinic in Indianapolis, IN.
On hosting the ad board, Dr. Maturi said, "The field of ophthalmology research can greatly benefit from Vial's technology-centric vision and best-in-class trial management resources. I'm looking forward to hosting the advisory board and collaborating with my colleagues to ensure Vial is making the best moves to improve the field of ophthalmic research."
The ad board will take place on Monday, May 2, 2022 during the ARVO 2022 conference in Denver, CO.
See the full release here.
About Vial: Vial's mission is to run clinical trials with faster execution and higher quality in order to bring new therapies to market. Vial has over 90 employees and is based in San Francisco, California. Vial partners with Dermatologists and Ophthalmologists to support their research teams and has created a network of over 35 clinics that have contributed to over 750 trials. The clinic network runs trials from Phase I through Phase IV.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Vial | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/vial-host-an-advisory-board-with-dr-raj-maturi-leading-ophthalmology-researchers-2022-arvo-conference/ | 2022-05-01T18:51:43Z |
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 knots.
* WHERE...Kauai Northwest Waters, Kauai Windward Waters, Kauai
Leeward Waters, Kauai Channel, Oahu Windward Waters, Oahu
Leeward Waters, Kaiwi Channel, Maui County Windward Waters,
Maui County Leeward Waters and Big Island Windward Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM HST Monday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
HONOLULU (KTIV4) Mostly cloudy skies with breezy trade winds. Radar shows scattered to numerous showers embedded within strong trade wind flow, favoring windward and mauka areas. Highs 81 to 86. East winds 15 to 25 mph.
Tonight, Cloudy conditions continue with breezy trade winds out of the east at 15 to 25 mph. Showers are likely for windward and mauka spots with scattered showers for leeward zones. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Lows 67 to 72.
Strong trade winds will decrease slightly by Tuesday but remain breezy through the rest of the week. An upper trough approaching from the west will destabilize our weather this afternoon through the rest of the forecast period. Showers will increase today into tonight, with wet and breezy trade wind weather expected through the first half of the new week. Locally heavy rainfall is possible over windward areas this evening through Monday.
The current small northwest swell will continue today. A larger and longer period northwest swell is expected to arrive Monday. The swell will then get a reinforcement late Tuesday into Wednesday with surf heights possibly reaching low end advisory levels. This swell will then lower gradually through the remainder of the week. Small, mainly background south swells are expected today. A slightly larger and long period south swell is then expected to arrive tonight and Monday, then linger on into Tuesday. An even larger south swell is then expected to arrive by Wednesday with surf heights possibly reaching reaching advisory levels during its peak late Wednesday and Thursday. This swell will then lower gradually through the remainder of the week. Trade winds over and upwind of the state will continue to produce short period choppy surf along east facing shores this week.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/may-day-weather-cloudy-and-breezy-with-increasing-showers/article_07176f46-c965-11ec-ba9d-830788afa45a.html | 2022-05-01T18:56:06Z |
Judds, Ray Charles to be inducted into Country Hall of Fame
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Country Music Hall of Fame will induct Ray Charles and The Judds into its ranks on Sunday night, though the death of Naomi Judd a day earlier will undoubtedly alter the normally celebratory ceremony.
The hall said late Saturday that it would continue with the ceremony at the request of Judd’s family, but with “heavy hearts and weighted minds,” according to CEO Kyle Young.
Mother-daughter act Naomi and Wynonna Judd were among the most popular duos of the 1980s, scoring 14 No. 1 hits during their nearly three-decade career.
Inductees are usually honored with speeches, performances of their songs and the unveiling of a plaque that will hang in the Hall of Fame’s rotunda. However, a planned public red carpet prior to the ceremony was canceled.
Charles’ induction will showcase his genre-defying country releases, which showed the genre’s commercial appeal. The Georgia-born singer and piano player grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry and in 1962 released “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music,” which became one of the best selling country releases of his era.
Charles’ version of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” spent five weeks on top of the Billboard 100 chart and remains one of his most popular songs. He died in 2004.
Much of the attention Sunday will likely be on Naomi Judd, who died unexpectedly on Saturday near Nashville.
“We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” daughters Wynonna and Ashley said in a statement to The Associated Press announcing her death. “We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public.”
In a March interview, Wynonna Judd told the AP: “Music is the bridge between mom and me, and it it bonds us together. Even in the not easy times.”
In choosing to go forward with Sunday’s ceremony, the Country Hall of Fame noted Naomi Judd’s remarkable life.
“Naomi overcame incredible adversity on her way to a significant place in music history. Her triumphant life story overshadows today’s tragic news,” CEO Kyle Young said in a statement.
The Hall of Fame will also honor two recordings musicians: Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake.
Bayers, a drummer in Nashville for decades who worked on 300 platinum records, is a member of the Grand Ole Opry band. He regularly played on records for The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Alan Jacksonand Kenny Chesney. He is the first drummer to join the institution.
Drake, who died in 1988, was a pedal steel guitar player and a member of Nashville’s A-team of skilled session musicians, played on hits like “Stand By Your Man” by Tammy Wynette and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones. He is the first pedal steel guitar player to become part of the Hall of Fame.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/judds-ray-charles-be-inducted-into-country-hall-fame/ | 2022-05-01T19:46:00Z |
WATCH: Angelina Jolie visits children at boarding school in Ukraine
(CNN) – Hollywood actress and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visited children at a medical institution and a boarding school in Lviv, Ukraine.
Jolie visited a medical institution, where she met with children who suffered from a missile strike by the Russian military on the Kramatorsk train station.
She said she was very moved by their stories. One girl was even able to tell Jolie about her dream privately.
The Envoy also visited a boarding school, where she talked and took photos with students. She promised she would come again.
She also took the time to talk to volunteers who provide medical and psychological assistance at the Main Railway Station in Lviv and thanked them for their work.
She talked to people who managed to leave the zones of active hostilities and listened to the stories of evacuees who said that Russia had lost everything due to “terrorist acts.”
UNHCR’s Head of Global Communications Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams told CNN Saturday that “Angelina Jolie is traveling to the region in her personal capacity and UNHCR has no involvement in this visit.”
Jolie represented the UNHCR as a Goodwill Ambassador from 2001-2012. She took on an expanded role as a special envoy to the UN in April of 2012.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/watch-angelina-jolie-visits-children-boarding-school-ukraine/ | 2022-05-01T19:46:06Z |
Woman charged with child neglect after 3-year-old found sleeping on sidewalk
OKALOOSA, Fla. (Gray News) – A Florida woman is facing child neglect charges after a 3-year-old child was found sleeping on a concrete sidewalk in the early hours of the morning.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged 25-year-old Shyla Heidelberg with three counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.
Police were called around 1 a.m. Saturday morning for a report of a 3-year-old child wrapped in a blanket and asleep on a street sidewalk.
After investigating, police discovered two more young children asleep alone in an apartment at the complex.
After police questioned her, they said Heidelberg admitted she had gone out to a nightclub an hour and a half earlier, leaving the children unattended.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/woman-charged-with-child-neglect-after-3-year-old-found-sleeping-sidewalk/ | 2022-05-01T19:46:13Z |
Woman charged with child neglect after 3-year-old found sleeping on sidewalk
OKALOOSA, Fla. (Gray News) – A Florida woman is facing child neglect charges after a 3-year-old child was found sleeping on a concrete sidewalk in the early hours of the morning.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged 25-year-old Shyla Heidelberg with three counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.
Police were called around 1 a.m. Saturday morning for a report of a 3-year-old child wrapped in a blanket and asleep on a street sidewalk.
After investigating, police discovered two more young children asleep alone in an apartment at the complex.
After police questioned her, they said Heidelberg admitted she had gone out to a nightclub an hour and a half earlier, leaving the children unattended.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/woman-charged-with-child-neglect-after-3-year-old-found-sleeping-sidewalk/ | 2022-05-01T20:24:37Z |
The Oregon Tech board of trustees held a special executive committee meeting on Sunday morning, May 1 to discuss the list of people that will be contacted by an outside consultant as part of a performance review of the university’s president, Dr. Nagi Naganathan, who has been at the helm of the polytechnic university since 2016.
The special executive session was held virtually on Sunday morning due to the “very condensed schedule” set by the outside consultant, according to Board Chair Jessica Gomez.
Members present at the meeting included Gomez, Vince Jones, Fred Ziari, and Paul Stewart. There were also some community observers as well as the university’s general council, David Groff.
According to Groff, “This is routine, in as much as it’s provided for in our policy. Policy provides for annual evaluations, as well as for a periodic comprehensive evaluation. This is the periodic comprehensive evaluation.”
In the meeting, the attending board members discussed the groups that would be contacted for a full interview by the outside consultant regarding their interactions and feelings on Naganathan.
These groups included: members of the Board of Trustees; university vice presidents and those that report directly to President Naganathan; university faculty and members of the faculty senate; unclassified staff; student representatives, including the current Associated Students of Oregon Institute of Technology (ASOIT) presidents; community and government leaders; and finally members of the Alumni Advisory and Oregon Tech Foundation boards as well as stakeholders and donors.
There will also be a group of people that will receive surveys to provide written feedback regarding their interactions with Naganathan. This group includes other university presidents in the state such as the presidents at Southern Oregon University and Oregon State as well as prominent community members.
The results of these interviews and surveys are expected to be in the hands of the Board of Trustees by June. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/oregon-tech-to-begin-evaluation-of-president-nagi-naganathan/article_f3fb4b69-cfaf-5de3-9554-158fd7502679.html | 2022-05-01T21:07:54Z |
Necessity is the mother of invention, according to the old English proverb born from Plato’s writing in the “Republic.”
Necessity is confronting consumers, farmers and small businesses in spades as the U.S. economy faces 40-year highs with inflation and pandemic-induced supply chain shortages arising again with Chinese COVID-19 shutdowns.
U.S. sanctions against Russia and ally Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine have also further driven up prices of gasoline, agriculture commodities and fertilizers and have stirred worries about shortages of corn, wheat and other foodstuffs.
But those same inflationary and supply chain troubles are also sparking business pivots, innovative hacks and entrepreneurial ideas across the country to help navigate the economic landscape.
It’s the proverbial making lemonade out of lemons.
The whole hog
In Idaho, a new group was born during the pandemic aimed at better linking local farmers and food producers with restaurants, bars and stores.
The Boise-based group, FARE Idaho, is looking to go beyond networking meetings and marketing campaigns in its effort to boost local businesses and farmers.
“There is a huge demand for locally sourced produce right now,” said Katie Baker, executive director of FARE Idaho.
The group is hosting classes teaching chefs how to butcher animals so restaurants can buy more meat in bulk.
“We teach chefs how to break down animals in house,” Baker said of the whole hog approach.
FARE is also looking at better ways to connect local food sources with restaurants including via technology platforms. The Idaho group was established in March 2020 and has 300 members.
It works with farmers on water conservation and regenerative agriculture that is healthier for the land. It helps them explore new crops and changes to their production and marketing plans.
Baker sees promise in better connecting local farmers, chefs and food artisans to help them with cross-marketing.
“People want to know where their food comes from,” said Baker, who will start hosting larger events to connect the group’s constituencies.
Many restaurants are teetering on extinction after all the shutdowns and restrictions of the pandemic and now inflation, product shortages and lack of labor, Baker said.
“A lot of them face closure,” she said. “They are barely scraping by. There is a workforce shortage.”
Local businesses and farmers have opportunities to bolster each other and find new revenue lines with supply chains facing continued delays and shortages, she said.
“It can be easier to source locally right now,” said Baker, whose group is looking at how technology platforms and apps can better link food producers and business customers.
More supply chain problems could be on the way with the Chinese government imposing strict COVID shutdowns in Shanghai, home to the world’s largest port.
Manufacturing centers are shuttered with Shanghai’s 25 million residents sequestered in apartments.
The port shutdown will be felt throughout global supply chains for some time, said John Rosen, a finance professor at the University of New Haven in Connecticut and an executive director of global marketing firm MCAWorks.
“It will be at least a year,” Rosen said of the logistics impacts of the Chinese COVID shutdowns on some products and industries.
That could affect industrial components needed for infrastructure and construction projects as well as consumer goods, he said.
The current wave of Chinese lockdowns affect as much as 40% of the world’s second-largest economy.
On the wagon
Nick Carter is an Indiana farmer who started Market Wagon Inc. in 2016.
Carter fashions his business model as an online farmers market aimed to bring more last-mile deliveries from food artisans and local farms to hometown consumers.
The Indianapolis-based company links local farmers with local consumers in 33 markets nationwide via an online platform and logistics system.
Market Wagon operates in larger metro areas such as Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore as well as mid-sized and outlying regions such as southern Wisconsin, southern Maryland and southeastern Ohio.
The online farmers market is open year-round. The company also offers a bigger footprint for farmers and local food producers, Carter said.
For example, the company says it can connect Maryland farmers with a 5.7 million market audience in the D.C./Baltimore region.
“We dramatically expanded our geographic footprint during the pandemic,” said Watson, who grew up on his family’s farm. “We went from six cities to 33 in 18 months.”
Carter said inflation is pushing up prices at grocery stores, and that is closing the price gap for locally produced foods, which are traditionally more expensive.
“While supermarket prices are rising, our prices are not looking so premium,” Carter said.
The inflation wave is being felt most by consumers via higher gasoline and grocery prices.
Food prices were up 8.8% in March compared to a year ago while the cost of gasoline jumped 18% in one month and 48% for the year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.
Empty shelves and higher prices for staples such as eggs, produce and meats are combining with consumers' preferences for locally produced and organic items to help drive demand, Carter said.
Some major grocery chains, including Publix Supermarkets Inc., Albertsons Safeway and Kroger, have posted monster profits and sales growth during the pandemic and the inflation wave.
That is rubbing some consumers the wrong way and sending them looking for alternatives.
Consumers pay a flat $6.95 fee per Market Wagon delivery. Market Wagon gets 25% of sales compared to a 50% take by many traditional wholesalers. The company also looks to bring fresh and organic to so-called food deserts whether they are in rural or urban areas.
“We don’t gerrymander our delivery areas,” said Carter, who is focusing on boosting market shares in existing markets before entering new regions.
Challenges of change
Getting farmers to adapt to new platforms, technology and supply chains can be a major challenge.
Many farmers resist changing up crops or growing strategies, said Ron Rabou, president and CEO of Rabou Farms, an 8,000-acre organic farm in Wyoming.
“People are very, very slow to change. Most guys are what I would call very married to a system,” said Rabou, who grows organic wheat and other crops.
Family and multigenerational heritages keep some farmers focused on certain crops, but there are also other drivers, Rabou said. Some other agriculture operators are focused on commodity prices and growth via acquisition rather than market demand and innovative production practices.
Rabou said his farm has planted some other crops in addition to wheat after projecting great demand. Those include chickpeas, lentil, hemp and buckwheat.
It is not always as easy as planting different seeds. Many farms are major business operations with significant investments in certain crops.
Different crops can require different equipment, machinery and processing systems as well as different fertilizers and soil treatments. Those costs, along with the risks and uncertainty of planting new crops, can discourage agricultural changes.
Some changes may be forced on the marketplace, including building better relationships with customers and distributors, especially with supply chain problems.
“When you chase price, you can’t build loyalty,” said Rabou, who also pointed to continued supply chain troubles.
“We have a very good relationship with trucking companies that we work with. We never have a problem getting our products shipped. If you don’t have those, I don't know what to do,” Rabou said.
DIY fertilizer
Farmers, nurseries and growers also face rising prices for fertilizer and other products as well as drought conditions in some parts of the country, especially the West and Pacific Northwest.
The price of fertilizer, a lifeblood of farming, growing seasons and food production, has skyrocketed after the U.S. imposed bans on imports from Russia and Belarus.
Prices were already up before the war and resulting sanctions. They have now doubled, tripled or more.
“Fertilizer is the big issue right now,” said Sean Ellis, spokesman and publications editor for the Idaho Farm Bureau.
Russia is the world’s top fertilizer export with a $9 billion industry. Belarus is another leading fertilizer exporter with close to a $3 billion industry.
That is just the tip of the iceberg, said Ellis, who points to higher energy and other costs.
“Farmers’ costs have edged up 20% to 30% minimum,” he said.
Fuel oil prices, for example, were up 70.1% from March 2021 to March 2022, according to BLS. Energy prices rose 32% overall — with impactful hits on trucking and logistics firms as well as food supply chains.
Rising fertilizer costs and worries about shortages are in the wheelhouse of HomeBiogas, an Israeli company with its U.S. base in New York.
HomeBiogas develops and sells digestive systems for households, farmers and businesses that turn manure and waste into biofuels and fertilizer.
“You feed organic waste into the systems,” said Mira Marcus, spokesperson for the company.
The units create biofuels for heating oil as well as organic and homegrown fertilizers. Marcus said the company has sold 15,000 units in 107 countries. She is also seeing increased demand from farmers with a global focus on fertilizer prices and supplies.
“We have a lot of farmers that use this,” she said.
The household units can run between $800 and $1,500.
The company is putting a focus this year on larger industrial systems.
“It’s aimed toward industrial kitchens, hotels, army bases, schools, corporate campuses, restaurants — anything that has a big kitchen,” Marcus said.
That can help business customers grow their own food via their own fertilizers.
The DIY systems help reduce methane emissions by turning animal and other waste into biofuels and fertilizers, she said.
That can appeal to customers who are climate conscious and want greater control in getting needed supplies like fertilizer.
“We’re giving you a solution to two problems — waste management and fertilizer,” Marcus said. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/in-these-challenging-times-businesses-finding-ways-to-make-lemonade-out-of-lemons/article_a470902a-4115-56a6-a1a9-b26c370393fb.html | 2022-05-01T21:08:00Z |
14-year-old charged after 17-year-old brother shot and killed, police say
KOKOMO, Ind. (Gray News) – Police in Indiana have arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the death of the boy’s 17-year-old brother.
Police with the Kokomo Police Department said in a release they responded on April 30 to the report of someone who had been shot.
When they arrived, they said they found the 17-year-old suffering from two gunshot wounds. He told officers his 14-year-old brother had shot him and ran from the area.
The 17-year-old was flown to a hospital in Indianapolis where police say he died from his injuries.
Police located the 14-year-old about a mile from the scene where they took him into custody.
He was taken to the Kinsey Youth Center and booked for murder.
A judge can determine if children as young as 12 should be tried as adults for murder, according to Indiana law.
Teens ages 16 or 17 who are accused of murder are automatically tried as adults.
The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kokomo Police Department Hotline at 765-456-7017.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/14-year-old-charged-after-17-year-old-brother-shot-killed-police-say/ | 2022-05-01T21:16:35Z |
Robert Krueger, ex-Texas congressman and diplomat, dies at 86
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) — Robert C. Krueger, who followed two U.S. House terms with a brief interim appointment to the Senate before launching a sometimes-hazardous diplomatic career, has died at age 86, his family said Sunday.
Krueger died Saturday morning in his New Braunfels home with his wife by his side after suffering from congestive heart failure, daughter Sarah Krueger said.
Funeral arrangements were pending.
Most of Krueger’s career was as an academic at Duke University, the University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, Oxford University and Texas State University.
Even while pursuing that career, Krueger, a Democrat, ventured into politics in 1974 with his first election to the U.S. House. After two House terms, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as a U.S. ambassador at large and coordinator for Mexican affairs. He served in that capacity until the end of the Carter administration in 1981.
Krueger returned to elective politics when he won a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission in 1990. He served from January 1991 until Texas Gov. Ann Richards tapped him to complete Lloyd Bentsen’s unexpired U.S. Senate term in January 1993 when Bentsen left to become President Bill Clinton’s Treasury secretary. However, Krueger lost to Republican Kay Baily Hutchison in a June 1993 special election.
Krueger returned to diplomacy when Clinton named him U.S. ambassador to Burundi in 1994. The eastern African country was embroiled in civil strife at the time. Krueger had to be airlifted when his convoy was attacked by unidentified gunmen in June 1995, killing one convoy member and injuring several others, and was recalled from the post for his safety.
Krueger was U.S. ambassador to Botswana in 1996-99 and a special U.S. representative to the 14-nation Southern African Development Community in 1998-2000. He then returned to academia as a visiting fellow at Merton College, Oxford, and continued his academic pursuits until his 2017 retirement from a lectureship position at Texas Tech University.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/robert-krueger-ex-texas-congressman-diplomat-dies-86/ | 2022-05-01T21:16:45Z |
Thunderstorms come to an end tonight as we look forward to sunny skies tomorrow.
Temperatures tomorrow will reach into the 70s.
Published: May. 1, 2022 at 4:17 PM EDT|Updated: 58 minutes ago
Overnight tonight we could still see some scattered storms. The chance of thunderstorms will diminish as we go through the night, and we could still see a second round sometime around 8 PM. After midnight, things will clear up and we’ll have partly cloudy skies.
Tomorrow is looking to be the only nice day next week. Temperatures will reach into the mid to upper 70s as we see mostly sunny skies. Temperatures overnight tomorrow will get down to the low 50s.
Looking ahead to the rest of the week, we’re still looking unsettled. Tuesday and Wednesday have a chance of thunderstorms rolling through the area once again, and that rain chance will stick with us the rest of the week.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/thunderstorms-come-an-end-tonight-we-look-forward-sunny-skies-tomorrow/ | 2022-05-01T21:16:51Z |
14-year-old charged after 17-year-old brother shot and killed, police say
KOKOMO, Ind. (Gray News) – Police in Indiana have arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the death of the boy’s 17-year-old brother.
Police with the Kokomo Police Department said in a release they responded on April 30 to the report of someone who had been shot.
When they arrived, they said they found the 17-year-old suffering from two gunshot wounds. He told officers his 14-year-old brother had shot him and ran from the area.
The 17-year-old was flown to a hospital in Indianapolis where police say he died from his injuries.
Police located the 14-year-old about a mile from the scene where they took him into custody.
He was taken to the Kinsey Youth Center and booked for murder.
A judge can determine if children as young as 12 should be tried as adults for murder, according to Indiana law.
Teens ages 16 or 17 who are accused of murder are automatically tried as adults.
The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kokomo Police Department Hotline at 765-456-7017.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/14-year-old-charged-after-17-year-old-brother-shot-killed-police-say/ | 2022-05-01T21:55:56Z |
Quieting down this evening
A beautiful Monday ahead
SUNDAY: Mild for the evening with scattered showers and thunderstorms and temperatures falling into the 60s. There may be a storm on the strong to severe side with damaging winds and some hail but severe threat is going down. Most shower and thunderstorm activity will be out west to east by 9/10 pm. A few lingering showers until around midnight. Clearing some during the overnight and pleasant. Overnight lows in the low to mid 50s.
MONDAY: A mild morning with temperatures rising into the 60s with a mix of sun and clouds. A few passing clouds during the day, otherwise plenty of sunshine and warm with highs in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees. A beautiful day overall!
A fantastic evening with just a few clouds and temperatures in the 70s. Pleasant for the evening and overnight as we add some more clouds, especially after midnight. Overnight lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.
TUESDAY: Some sunshine to start the day with more clouds. Mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. More clouds than sun for the afternoon and warm with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. A few showers and storms firing up late in the afternoon, generally after 4 pm. One of these storms could be on the strong side.
A warm evening with a few showers and storms with temperatures falling into the 70s. Plenty of clouds around for the night as showers and storms generally wrap up in the late evening. There could be a spotty shower or storm during the overnight. Staying mostly cloudy overnight and turning pleasant with overnight lows in the mid to upper 50s.
WEDNESDAY: More clouds than sun to start the day and mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. A few showers and storms to start the day with coverage increasing some in the afternoon. It will not rain all day, there will just be some brief periods of rain. There is a potential for some of these storms to be strong. Warm with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. A warm evening with temperatures in the 70s as a cold front crosses. Some clouds overnight and pleasant with lows in the low to mid 50s.
THURSDAY: A mild start with temperatures rising into the 60s with a mix of sun and clouds. Partly to mostly cloudy for the day and warm with highs in the low to mid 70s. A mild evening with temperatures in the 60s as plenty of clouds arrive for the night along with some scattered showers. Pleasant overnight with lows in the low to mid 50s.
FRIDAY: Cloudy to start the day and mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. Our next system will look to bring scattered showers during the day. Mild with highs in the mid to upper 60s. A mild evening with temperatures in the 60s with scattered showers possible overnight. Lows in the upper 40s to around 50 degrees.
SATURDAY: Pleasant to start the day with temperatures in the 50s. Scattered showers for some of the day, beginning to taper late in the day. Mild with highs in the low to mid 60s. Pleasant for the evening with temperatures falling into the 50s. Some clouds overnight and chilly with lows in the low to mid 40s.
As always, you can get the latest updates by downloading and checking the WHSV Weather App.
**A reminder that spring wildfire season is still going on in West Virginia. No outdoor burning in West Virginia before 5pm through May 31.**
Copyright 2021 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/quieting-down-this-evening/ | 2022-05-01T21:56:02Z |
Robert Krueger, ex-Texas congressman and diplomat, dies at 86
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) — Robert C. Krueger, who followed two U.S. House terms with a brief interim appointment to the Senate before launching a sometimes-hazardous diplomatic career, has died at age 86, his family said Sunday.
Krueger died Saturday morning in his New Braunfels home with his wife by his side after suffering from congestive heart failure, daughter Sarah Krueger said.
Funeral arrangements were pending.
Most of Krueger’s career was as an academic at Duke University, the University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, Oxford University and Texas State University.
Even while pursuing that career, Krueger, a Democrat, ventured into politics in 1974 with his first election to the U.S. House. After two House terms, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as a U.S. ambassador at large and coordinator for Mexican affairs. He served in that capacity until the end of the Carter administration in 1981.
Krueger returned to elective politics when he won a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission in 1990. He served from January 1991 until Texas Gov. Ann Richards tapped him to complete Lloyd Bentsen’s unexpired U.S. Senate term in January 1993 when Bentsen left to become President Bill Clinton’s Treasury secretary. However, Krueger lost to Republican Kay Baily Hutchison in a June 1993 special election.
Krueger returned to diplomacy when Clinton named him U.S. ambassador to Burundi in 1994. The eastern African country was embroiled in civil strife at the time. Krueger had to be airlifted when his convoy was attacked by unidentified gunmen in June 1995, killing one convoy member and injuring several others, and was recalled from the post for his safety.
Krueger was U.S. ambassador to Botswana in 1996-99 and a special U.S. representative to the 14-nation Southern African Development Community in 1998-2000. He then returned to academia as a visiting fellow at Merton College, Oxford, and continued his academic pursuits until his 2017 retirement from a lectureship position at Texas Tech University.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/robert-krueger-ex-texas-congressman-diplomat-dies-86/ | 2022-05-01T21:56:09Z |
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 knots.
* WHERE...Kauai Northwest Waters, Kauai Windward Waters, Kauai
Leeward Waters, Kauai Channel, Oahu Windward Waters, Oahu
Leeward Waters, Kaiwi Channel, Maui County Windward Waters,
Maui County Leeward Waters and Big Island Windward Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM HST Monday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 27: Gianna Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, attend the WNBA All-Star Game 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on July 27, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(CNN) -- Nike has released a special pair of "Mambacita Sweet 16" shoes to honor Gianna "Gigi" Bryant on what would have been her 16th birthday.
"I'm so happy with the way these Mambacita shoes came out in honor of my daughter, Gigi," wrote Vanessa Bryant on Instagram. The shoes feature a black snakeskin pattern to represent "Gigi's Mambacita Mentality."
"The 'Mambacita Sweet 16' is inspired by her resilient spirit and the love she had, not only for the game, but for her family, friends and community," said Bryant in a note posted to her Instagram. "Part of her legacy is about building a better future for all girls and women in sport, one step at a time."
Gianna and her father, basketball legend Kobe Bryant, were killed in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Like her father, Gianna was also a talented basketball player and aspired to play in the WNBA. Earlier this year, Bryant announced that she had reached a deal with Nike to create apparel to honor the late basketball player, nicknamed the "Black Mamba."
"The Kobe 6 Protro 'Mambacita Sweet 16' honors the legacy that Kobe and Gianna 'Gigi' Bryant built," wrote Nike in a statement announcing the release. "One that propelled all generations to continue their quest to be better, for themselves and for the game that unites us all."
Proceeds from the shoes will go towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring Kobe's and Gianna's legacies by supporting underserved athletes, according to Nike.
The shoe sold out in 2 minutes, according to an Instagram post from the foundation. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/nike-releases-mambacita-sweet-16-shoe-to-honor-gianna-bryant-on-her-birthday/article_f83f20fa-c98b-11ec-b208-93d80a6a4ebe.html | 2022-05-01T21:57:32Z |
(CNN) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made an unannounced trip to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Saturday, becoming the most senior US official to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky since the war broke out more than two months ago.
Pelosi's office said Sunday that the speaker had led an official congressional delegation to Ukraine -- the first since Russian invasion of the country began on February 24.
President Joe Biden spoke with Pelosi on Sunday to discuss her trip to Ukraine and her meeting with Zelensky, according to a statement from the White House shared by the press pool.
Zelensky shared a video Sunday of his meeting with the congressional delegation and thanked the US for its support of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
In the clip, Pelosi is seen telling Zelensky, "We are visiting you to say thank you for your fight for freedom, that we're on a frontier of freedom and that your fight is a fight for everyone. And so our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done."
Pelosi was joined by several senior House Democrats on the trip, including Reps. Gregory Meeks of New York, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Adam Schiff of California, the chairman of the House Intelligence panel, and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, who leads the House Rules Committee. Democratic Reps. Bill Keating of Massachusetts, Barbara Lee of California and Jason Crow of Colorado were also part of the delegation, according to Pelosi's office.
The lawmakers spent just over three hours on the ground in Kyiv, Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said. The lawmakers later landed in Poland, where they were to meet with President Andrzej Duda and other senior officials.
Speaking to reporters Sunday at a news conference in Rzeszow, Poland, Pelosi said her discussions with Zelensky centered around security, humanitarian and economic assistance, and eventually rebuilding Ukraine.
"We were proud to convey to him a message of unity from the Congress of the US. A message of appreciation from the American people for his leadership and admiration to the people of Ukraine for their courage," she said. "America stands with Ukraine, we stand with Ukraine until victory is won, and we stand with NATO."
'Speed of war'
The delegation's visit comes as the US and its allies are stepping up to provide long-term support to Ukraine as the fighting rages on.
Last week, responding to pleas from Zelensky, a group of 40 nations gathered by the US in Germany agreed to streamline and expedite the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. "We've got to move at the speed of war," said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who met with Zelensky in Kyiv last week along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that would allow Biden to use a World War II-era law, known as the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, to swiftly supply weapons to Ukraine on loan. That law was originally created to help forces fighting Nazi Germany and reflects the urgency in Congress to support the Ukrainian armed forces.
Biden also asked Congress for a $33 billion supplemental funding bill to aid Ukraine over the next several months as Russia's brutal and unrelenting war enters a new phase. Biden also outlined a proposal that would further pressure Russian oligarchs over the war in Ukraine, including using money from their seized assets to fund Ukraine's defense.
The package is significantly larger than other packages that have been put forward and is more than twice as much as the $13.6 billion infusion of military and humanitarian aid that Congress approved last month.
Zelensky stressed the importance of the financial assistance in his meeting with Pelosi and the other lawmakers. "The signals that the United States and President Biden are giving today are very important. These are recent strong steps in defense and financial support for Ukraine, as well as decisions on Lend-Lease -- we are grateful for that," he said.
Schiff in a statement Sunday lauded the Ukrainian army, saying that "in the face of unimaginable odds," it had "thwarted (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's most egregious plans and fended off Russian forces for more than two months. As Ukrainians defend their homes, the U.S. has supported their fight for freedom by allocating significant funding for humanitarian, military, and economic assistance.
"It is imperative that Congress comes together to expeditiously take up President Biden's request for an additional $33 billion in security and humanitarian assistance," he added. "There's no time to waste. And the stakes grow higher with every passing day."
Strong signal of support
The trip to Kyiv by Pelosi, who is second in line to succeed the president as speaker of the US House, marks a significant measure of commitment to supporting Ukraine from the most senior level of US leadership.
"Our Congressional Delegation had the solemn opportunity and extraordinary honor of meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian officials in Kyiv," read a news release from Pelosi's office. "Our delegation conveyed our respect and gratitude to President Zelenskyy for his leadership and our admiration of the Ukrainian people for their courage in the fight against Russia's oppression."
Zelensky awarded Pelosi with the Order of Princess Olga for her "significant personal contribution" to strengthening Ukrainian and American ties. Olga was the first woman to rule Kievan Rus, a medieval East Slavic state. The order bearing her name is awarded to women who have achieved significant success in politics and society -- the personification in Ukraine of female strength.
Zelensky also gave Pelosi a Ukrainian flag signed by him and female members of the Ukrainian Parliament, including those she had met with at the US Capitol recently, according to Hammill, Pelosi's spokesman.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/pelosi-makes-unannounced-trip-to-kyiv-becoming-highest-ranking-us-official-to-meet-with-zelensky/article_c87cbe74-c98e-11ec-98de-475a23c3dad5.html | 2022-05-01T21:57:38Z |
Port Huron Northern baseball embraces 'next-pitch' mentality to overcome slow start
Don't worry about the Port Huron Northern baseball team's 3-7 record. The Huskies aren't panicking. They know they're talented and that the season has only just begun.
"We feel like we have a really, really good team," Northern coach Nate Manis said. "But we haven't been healthy and that's hurt (us). So we're finally seeing what we can do once we're getting our guys on the field healthy and ready to go."
Northern has gotten a glimpse of its potential in the past week. After an 0-4 start, the Huskies are 3-3 in their last six games.
"Our record doesn't show the team that we are," Northern catcher Logan Sheffer said. "But we're going to have no problem bouncing back the last half of the season."
"It's next-pitch (mentality)," Northern pitcher Dylan Bloink said. "Trusting your ability, talents and the work you put in during the offseason. So that short-term memory is huge."
Bloink has found his groove as of late. The sophomore threw a complete-game shutout in the Huskies' 5-0 victory over Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse on Friday. He finished with nine strikeouts while allowing just one walk.
"He's been throwing great on the mound," Manis said. "He accounts for (two) of our wins so far this year."
Bloink's growth will compliment senior starting pitcher Owen Johnson, who is the team's ace. Together they anchor Northern's rotation.
"We feel like we have an all-around really good pitching staff," Manis said. "Owen competes every time he takes the mound. (Bloink and Johnson) are our guys and we're just waiting for the offense to come around."
Northern's offense is led by infielder Derek Ruiz. He's batting .310 with nine hits and five RBIs on the young season. The senior also has an on-base percentage of .429.
"Derek is off to a hot start hitting and playing the field," Manis said. "So we're excited to see how he finishes off the year."
Now that the active roster is starting to look more familiar, the Huskies are putting a slow start behind them. They feel they're headed in the right direction entering May.
"I think the thing we're driving home right now is energy," Sheffer said. "The thing that led to (Friday's) win and Dylan's really good start was the energy that we had going in. That's been big for us lately — just trying to maintain that energy throughout the game."
"Having the some of the guys back that we were missing was huge," Bloink said. "They've made a difference."
"We need to eliminate some mental errors — specifically strikeouts," Manis said. "We're cutting down on them and we're dangerous on the base path. So if we put the ball into play I think we're going to win a lot of games the second half of the year."
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/sports/2022/05/01/port-huron-northern-baseball-next-pitch-mentality-overcome-slow-start/9604275002/ | 2022-05-01T22:26:02Z |
ROCK SPRINGS – From pansies and trees to strawberries, perennials and more, a Rock Springs family has proven that anything can grow in the Cowboy State.
A high wind advisory on Friday, April 29th, didn’t keep friends, neighbors and relatives from attending a ribbon-cutting at Simply Sunshine nursery, 363 Turret Drive.
“This is amazing,” said Rick Lee, CEO of Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce. “This is something Rock Springs needs.”
Master Gardner Christine Kopp was trying to decide what she should take home.
“I just had to clap for them,” Kopp expressed. “This is such a special day for them.
“Some people think it’s impossible to grow anything in Wyoming, but with time and practice, it can happen. There are ways to extend your growing season.”
Jennifer and Wes Woodward started planting last year on their previous property, a 9000 square feet lot.
“We wanted to see if everyone wanted this as much as we did here,” said Jennifer. “It was good therapy during COVID and we just needed goodness in our lives.
“We thought this would be the way to reach out to our neighbors and provide goodness to them too.”
Expecting only family and friends to support them, they were surprised to have formed new friendships with those who have the same interest.
“We have a need to farm,” she explained. “That’s who we are.”
She added, “It’s been delightful.”
Sometimes it can be exhausting, according to Jennifer but they “keep pushing.”
“We have our own little ‘nursery family’ that helps us so it’s nice because it’s more than the Woodward family can handle,” she giggled. “It got bigger than us but it’s been good!”
As a family, they wanted the name of the nursery to symbolize positivity.
“There’s so much tension in the world so we wanted to create a space for people to find peace and just be happy,” she shared. “And sunshine just makes all of this possible.”
Outside, there is “grumpy rock.” Someone can sit and surround themselves with flowers when they’re having a bad day.
“It’s a peaceful spot,” she mentioned. “My husband joked saying, ‘that’s where the husbands will sit while their wives shop!’”
Their children served lemonade and nachos during the celebration.
“It’s a lot of fun to get to this point,” Wes said. “The best thing is visiting with those who come here.
“It’s like the ‘old days,’ when people are checking in with their neighbors.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/family-s-success-blossoms-in-southwest-wyoming/article_784c814a-97a6-5d04-8238-648f211a2e44.html | 2022-05-01T23:20:01Z |
ROCK SPRINGS -- Western Wyoming Community College’s Welding program hosted their annual Percy Hadley High School Welding Competition on Friday, April 29.
Eight high schools competed in this year’s event including Rock Springs, Green River, Big Piney, Saratoga, Rawlins, Evanston, Farson and Star Valley.
The following are the placements of the competition:
- First place: Branson Barton (Green River High School)
- Second place: Talen Gritchfield (Evanston High School)
- Third place: Brady (Evanston High School)
- Fourth place: Kai Mckeever (Rock Springs High School)
- Fifth place: Branden Langdon (Rawlins High School)
- Sixth place: Cesar Magana (Green River High School)
- Seventh place: John Oliver (Evanston High School)
- Eighth place: Dustin Martin (Big Piney High School)
- Ninth place: Jeffery Ice (Rawlins High School)
- Tenth place: Marissa Suhr (Rock Springs High School)
- Eleventh place: Joseph Jantz (Rock Springs High School)
- Twelfth place: Jd Taylor (Big Piney High School)
- Thirteenth place: Jafet Bravo
- Fourteenth place: Ridge Hester (Green River High School)
- Fifteenth place: Andrew Winters (Green River High School)
Students competed by demonstrating their skills in oxy fuel cutting and shielded metal arc welding by building a small project. Students also completed a 100-question written exam as part of the eligibility process for scholarships.
Three of the students at the competition received scholarships to Western:
- Branson Barton (Green River High School) received a $1,250 scholarship
- Kai McKeever (Rock Springs High School) received a $1,000 scholarship
- Branden Langden (Rawlins High School) received a $500 scholarship
For the competition, RSHS junior Marissa Suhr took tenth place.
RSHS junior Kai McKeever took fourth place.
RSHS welding instructor Greg Buel has 130 students in his classes. Out of those 130, three were chosen to participate in this year’s competition:
- Kai McKeever
- Marissa Suhr
- Joseph Jantz
“I’m really proud of them,” Buel expressed. “They’ve worked hard and earned it.”
He added, “They’re so motivated.”
He explained that welding leads to other opportunities such as mechanics, maintenance and in other areas.
“It’s needed for different professions – you'd be surprised.”
McKeever has been a welding student since he was a freshman.
“Since then, I’ve learned a lot of new skills,” McKeever shared. “This competition is so enjoyable and it’s a great learning experience.”
Suhr, who is also an RSHS junior, agrees.
“I think it’s fun, in fact, it’s one of my favorite things to do,” she revealed. “When I was little, my grandfather was a welder so here I am keeping it in the family.
“Don’t let anyone tell you what you should do or what you’re good at. Don’t be intimidated.”
According to RSHS senior Joseph Jantz, his parents were terrified when he expressed interest in taking shop classes such as woodshop and welding.
“I will be the first to have a blue-collar job,” said Jantz. “The teachers I’ve had, including Greg, really inspired me to keep going.”
According to Buel, more and more students are going into vocational education than engineering. He also pointed out that it’s essential for students to take classes that will help them toward their profession.
“We’re not only raising kids to do these projects at home but they’re learning how to do it in school.”
Cesar Magana and Ridge Hester are both seniors from Green River High School that competed in the welding competition. This is the first year that Magana and Hester have competed in the welding competition hosted by Western.
Magana, who came in sixth place, said that anyone wanting to get into welding should go ahead and start the process.
“Start as soon as possible and just stay in the shop,” Magana said. “Don’t get distracted with anything else and get as much welding time in as you can.”
Hester said that he really enjoyed getting to compete.
“I think it went well. You can always do something better but overall, I think it turned out good,” Hester said. “The written part of the test was testing us on basic knowledge like cutting terms and other things like that.”
Rosie Gotfredson is one of the GRHS welding instructors and is also an instructor at Western.
“I did a lot of study guides with my students to help them prepare for the written test. We also focused a lot on bevels,” Gotfredson said. “We also did a lot of fillet welds.”
Gotfredson said that all four of the students that she brought to the competition want to pursue welding once they graduate from high school.
According to Western Wyoming Community College welding instructor Jake Manniko, the annual competition gives him and the students an “opportunity to showcase the program.”
“Keeping interest peaked in blue-collar trades is the goal,” said Manniko. “This program isn’t going anywhere.
“We have about 150 students enrolled in it every year.”
Rick Paravicini is also a welding instructor at Western and helps put the competition together.
“This year, we kind of made it tough for the kids. It’s been the same for so long so we decided to change it up a bit,” Paravicini said. “We made it tough but these kids really came through.”
Every year, experienced welders are invited to speak to the students during the competition.
“The kids get the opportunity to ask them why their trucks are designed the way they are,” Manniko explained. “For the Show and Shine awards, there are three different kinds of welding trucks – a slick rig, your people’s choice and work force rig.”
He added, “It’s about building this welding community and growing it. A lot of them are getting older and now is the right time to be looking into some great income in town.”
Gottfredson and the Green River High School welding students designed the Show and Shine Awards for winners from industrial businesses in the region.
There were also local vendors set up at the competition including: Carls BBQ, Kettlemen Corn, Chill out Ice Cream, Lincoln Electric and Praxair.
Industry Donors includes:
- Simplot
- Genesis
- Tata
- Rocky Mountain Air Solutions
- Praxair
- The Allen’s Company
- Wire Brothers Roustabout Service
- Jim Bridger Power Plant
- Western Wyoming Community College
- Lincoln Electric
“Without the sponsors, this event wouldn’t happen,” said Buel. “We appreciate them.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/students-weld-for-their-future/article_0b1842a1-6358-5927-89d9-f84dea9e7ab2.html | 2022-05-01T23:20:07Z |
B-Cubed helps boost small businesses in Harrisonburg and Rockingham
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - The pandemic created many struggles for a lot of businesses everywhere.
An analysis from the Federal Reserve found it hit black-owned businesses especially hard.
One program in the Valley was created to help just that.
The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce created B-Cubed to highlight black and brown business owners in the community.
“The flood gates open for any new business trying to get integrated in Harrisonburg and then to sustain a business and grow a business,” Nick Koger, a local business owner said.
B-Cubed helped Nick Koger jump-start his business.
“It’s definitely needed. There’s so many existing businesses that want to grow, but they don’t have the support and funds that they need,” Koger said.
His business became successful and is now in a re-launching period.
“Becardless makes it easy to connect with your community and your peers, discover farmers markets, pop-up shops, events, local businesses and connect with your peers with a digital business card,” Koger said.
His new mobile app will launch in August.
“You can actually use it right now and throw away your paper card. Essentially, the idea is that it’s free and less stressful to connect with other people,” Koger said.
Koger said the program has helped grow and sustain these businesses, which not only supports the owners, but the community as well.
“It gives them almost like a brand ... here’s a business that we love and support, so partake with them, buy from them, use their services,” Koger said.
This is not a solo effort by the Chamber of Commerce, many city offices participate in backing these businesses.
“HDR, SPBC, City Council members as well. B-Cubed has been a phenomenal help and support for my business and I don’t know where I would be without them,” Koger said.
While his app is undergoing the final touches, to support and use Koger’s business you can visit his website.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/b-cubed-helps-boost-small-businesses-harrisonburg-rockingham/ | 2022-05-01T23:25:34Z |
Bike Month kicks off with many new trails bring worked on
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Sunday is the kick-off to National Bike Month.
There are many paths and trails for people who choose two wheels instead of four to ride along throughout the Valley, and many more are being added in the coming months.
In Harrisonburg, the city is pedestrian-friendly, but there are other parts of the Valley needing more trails.
“We look out for pedestrians as well because we want to build better communities and getting people outside and safely is what we like to do,” Parks said.
The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition is working with local cities to bring safe trails for riders in the community.
”We’ve got new trails that have opened up in the National Forest out near Terminal Road, we’ve been active with the real trails going from Broadway to Strasburg,” Sandy Parks, board member of the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition said.
The group has not only been advocating for more and better trails but also some perks for their riders.
“We’ve been working on improvements at the Western Slope trails out as Massanutten those are extremely popular,” Parks said. “Just added a changing room and a bathroom there as well as new trails.”
Just recently, a trail in Waynesboro received approval.
“We’ve been involved in Sunset Park in Waynesboro, taking an area that had been an old landfill and making it into a mountain bike park and looking at things like that,” Parks said.
SVBC is starting group rides again, a tradition that was put to a halt due to the pandemic and they are looking for ride leaders for these events.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/bike-month-kicks-off-with-many-new-trails-bring-worked/ | 2022-05-01T23:25:40Z |
Mower, co-inventor of implantable defibrillator, dies at 89
BALTIMORE (AP) — Dr. Morton Mower, a former Maryland-based cardiologist who helped invent an automatic implantable defibrillator that has helped countless heart patients live longer and healthier, has died at age 89.
Funeral services were held Wednesday for Mower, who died two days earlier of cancer at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, The Baltimore Sun reported. The Maryland native had moved to Colorado about a decade ago.
Mower and Dr. Michel Mirowski, both colleagues at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, began working in 1969 on developing a miniature defibrillator that could be implanted into a patient. The device would correct a patient’s over-rapid or inefficient heartbeat with an electric shock to resume its regular rhythm.
“It was the talk of the whole hospital that these two crazy guys are going to put in an automatic defibrillator,” Mower said in a 2015 interview with The Lancet medical journal. “If something had gone awry, we would have never lived it down. We were these two crazy guys who wanted to put a time bomb in people’s chests, so to speak.”
The physicians had, in a matter of months, a model of an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator for demonstration. But it wasn’t until 1980 that the device was implanted into a human at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the newspaper reported.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the device in 1985. Both doctors shared the patent for the device, the technology of which was sold to pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. Mower later became director of medical research for the Eli Lilly division that produced the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, according to the newspaper.
“I think Morty had as much influence successfully finding a treatment for sudden death as anyone in our profession,” said Dr. David Cannom, a retired Los Angeles cardiologist and longtime friend.
The device “proved that it was better than medication in treating arrhythmia, and they did this against all odds at a small hospital in Baltimore,” Cannom added. “And for the past 40 years, it has proven that it’s reliable” while saving many lives.
Mower, a Baltimore native who grew up in Frederick, attended Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He worked at Baltimore hospitals and served in the Army before beginning his professional career at Sinai in 1966 as a co-investigator of its Coronary Drug Project. He was chief or acting chief of cardiology at the hospital for several years in the 1970s and 1980s. Sinai Hospital named a medical office building for him in 2005.
Later in his career, he was a consultant or executive for several medical companies.
“He continued his research and worked up until his death,” his son, Mark Mower, of Beverly Hills, California, wrote in an email to the newspaper. “He never wanted to waste a moment of his life.”
Mower received many awards, including a 2002 induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He also was involved in many Jewish charitable organizations. One group, Jewish National Fund-USA, praised him for his fundraising efforts toward water infrastructure, education and community centers in Israel. Mower and his wife of 57 years, Toby, had visited Israel weeks before his death.
“As a medical inventor, his innovations restarted the hearts of millions, yet he also gave a heartbeat to an entire nation – the land and people of Israel,” Jewish National Fund-USA CEO Russell F. Robinson said in a news release.
In addition to his wife and son, Mower is survived by his daughter, Robin Sara Mower of Denver; and three grandchildren.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/mower-co-inventor-implantable-defibrillator-dies-89/ | 2022-05-01T23:25:46Z |
Two children killed after being trapped in house fire, authorities say
HOUSTON (KPRC) – Two children were killed in a horrific house fire in Texas early Sunday.
Neighbors in Galveston said they tried to save the children, but police told them to stop because it was too dangerous.
Cellphone video shows the flames bursting from an upstairs window.
Firefighters on the ground were seen battling the blaze.
James Rodgers’ house is connected to the burning home. He said the children inside were family members.
“They were my cousin and niece,” he said. “Logan and Jade.”
Fire officials say calls for the fire came in at about 2:30 a.m.
The children and their father were inside the home at the time. The dad was able to get out, but the children were stuck inside.
A neighbor who asked to be left anonymous said they scrambled to get the word out.
“One of my friends went and tried to crawl up there to get into the window,” they said. “The police told him to get down and he got down.”
Their worst fear was confirmed when they say the mom made it back home a short time later.
“She made it about 20 minutes later and I could just tell the way she was screaming, it wasn’t good news,” the neighbor said.
Veronica von Blon, a nearby neighbor, said the entire community is heartbroken, with the family in everyone’s thoughts and prayers.
“You see something like this and it’s just so sad,” von Blon said. “It really is sad.”
It is unclear right now what ignited the fire.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/two-children-killed-after-being-trapped-house-fire-authorities-say/ | 2022-05-01T23:25:52Z |
Women in Sports: Dr. Bridget Lyons
Published: May. 1, 2022 at 6:56 PM EDT|Updated: 28 minutes ago
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Peri Sheinin spoke with Shenandoah University Athletic Director Dr. Bridget Lyons about her passion for leadership, her vision for female athletes, and her journey to the top of college sports.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/women-sports-dr-bridget-lyons/ | 2022-05-01T23:25:58Z |
Bluefield State College honors 2022 graduating class
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) - Bluefield State College honored 240 graduates in its Class of 2020 Saturday evening. The commencement ceremony was held at Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield, W.Va. for the third consecutive year.
Of Saturday’s 240 graduates, Bluefield State College Provost Ted Lewis said half made the honor roll. That’s along with four co-valedictorians. Zachary Lawless, Cristian Galdeano, Kelly Neal and Luke Busse shared the co-valedictorian honors.
“This is also our first class where we have four valedictorians with a perfect 4.0 average,” said Lewis. “We have students graduating from eight states tonight and students graduating from five foreign countries.”
2022 marked the college’s 125th graduation, and just the third to be held at Mitchell Stadium.
“We held it in Mitchell Stadium the first year of the pandemic,” said Lewis. “It was so well received that we’re planning on having it at Mitchell Stadium every year.”
You can watch Bluefield State College’s 2022 Commencement in its entirety on the college’s website.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/bluefield-state-college-honors-2022-graduating-class/ | 2022-05-02T00:21:25Z |
Mower, co-inventor of implantable defibrillator, dies at 89
BALTIMORE (AP) — Dr. Morton Mower, a former Maryland-based cardiologist who helped invent an automatic implantable defibrillator that has helped countless heart patients live longer and healthier, has died at age 89.
Funeral services were held Wednesday for Mower, who died two days earlier of cancer at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, The Baltimore Sun reported. The Maryland native had moved to Colorado about a decade ago.
Mower and Dr. Michel Mirowski, both colleagues at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, began working in 1969 on developing a miniature defibrillator that could be implanted into a patient. The device would correct a patient’s over-rapid or inefficient heartbeat with an electric shock to resume its regular rhythm.
“It was the talk of the whole hospital that these two crazy guys are going to put in an automatic defibrillator,” Mower said in a 2015 interview with The Lancet medical journal. “If something had gone awry, we would have never lived it down. We were these two crazy guys who wanted to put a time bomb in people’s chests, so to speak.”
The physicians had, in a matter of months, a model of an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator for demonstration. But it wasn’t until 1980 that the device was implanted into a human at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the newspaper reported.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the device in 1985. Both doctors shared the patent for the device, the technology of which was sold to pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. Mower later became director of medical research for the Eli Lilly division that produced the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, according to the newspaper.
“I think Morty had as much influence successfully finding a treatment for sudden death as anyone in our profession,” said Dr. David Cannom, a retired Los Angeles cardiologist and longtime friend.
The device “proved that it was better than medication in treating arrhythmia, and they did this against all odds at a small hospital in Baltimore,” Cannom added. “And for the past 40 years, it has proven that it’s reliable” while saving many lives.
Mower, a Baltimore native who grew up in Frederick, attended Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He worked at Baltimore hospitals and served in the Army before beginning his professional career at Sinai in 1966 as a co-investigator of its Coronary Drug Project. He was chief or acting chief of cardiology at the hospital for several years in the 1970s and 1980s. Sinai Hospital named a medical office building for him in 2005.
Later in his career, he was a consultant or executive for several medical companies.
“He continued his research and worked up until his death,” his son, Mark Mower, of Beverly Hills, California, wrote in an email to the newspaper. “He never wanted to waste a moment of his life.”
Mower received many awards, including a 2002 induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He also was involved in many Jewish charitable organizations. One group, Jewish National Fund-USA, praised him for his fundraising efforts toward water infrastructure, education and community centers in Israel. Mower and his wife of 57 years, Toby, had visited Israel weeks before his death.
“As a medical inventor, his innovations restarted the hearts of millions, yet he also gave a heartbeat to an entire nation – the land and people of Israel,” Jewish National Fund-USA CEO Russell F. Robinson said in a news release.
In addition to his wife and son, Mower is survived by his daughter, Robin Sara Mower of Denver; and three grandchildren.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/mower-co-inventor-implantable-defibrillator-dies-89/ | 2022-05-02T00:21:32Z |
Two children killed after being trapped in house fire, authorities say
HOUSTON (KPRC) – Two children were killed in a horrific house fire in Texas early Sunday.
Neighbors in Galveston said they tried to save the children, but police told them to stop because it was too dangerous.
Cellphone video shows the flames bursting from an upstairs window.
Firefighters on the ground were seen battling the blaze.
James Rodgers’ house is connected to the burning home. He said the children inside were family members.
“They were my cousin and niece,” he said. “Logan and Jade.”
Fire officials say calls for the fire came in at about 2:30 a.m.
The children and their father were inside the home at the time. The dad was able to get out, but the children were stuck inside.
A neighbor who asked to be left anonymous said they scrambled to get the word out.
“One of my friends went and tried to crawl up there to get into the window,” they said. “The police told him to get down and he got down.”
Their worst fear was confirmed when they say the mom made it back home a short time later.
“She made it about 20 minutes later and I could just tell the way she was screaming, it wasn’t good news,” the neighbor said.
Veronica von Blon, a nearby neighbor, said the entire community is heartbroken, with the family in everyone’s thoughts and prayers.
“You see something like this and it’s just so sad,” von Blon said. “It really is sad.”
It is unclear right now what ignited the fire.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/01/two-children-killed-after-being-trapped-house-fire-authorities-say/ | 2022-05-02T00:21:38Z |
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 knots.
* WHERE...Kauai Northwest Waters, Kauai Windward Waters, Kauai
Leeward Waters, Kauai Channel, Oahu Windward Waters, Oahu
Leeward Waters, Kaiwi Channel, Maui County Windward Waters,
Maui County Leeward Waters and Big Island Windward Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM HST Monday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Honolulu Police arrested and charged a 17-year-old teen for several crimes after finding him asleep in a stolen car.
Police say the car was still running with the keys in the ignition when they found the boy Friday morning in the Kalihi area.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers found illegal drugs. After the teen was arrested, he was later identified as the suspect in a slew of other crimes.
He was charged Saturday for two counts of a stolen vehicle, promotion of dangerous drugs, fraudulent use of a credit card, ID theft, and theft in the fourth degree.
He remains in custody at the Juvenile Detention Facility.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/teen-found-asleep-in-stolen-car-in-kalihi-charged-with-multiple-crimes/article_2835b4e8-c99d-11ec-a0f0-9fc6acf6a7af.html | 2022-05-02T00:48:56Z |
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People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/hfd-extinguishes-two-story-building-fire-at-varsity-circle/article_5dfa9268-c9a9-11ec-aa65-53cc11c5afc9.html | 2022-05-02T00:49:02Z |
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST MONDAY...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 knots.
* WHERE...Kauai Northwest Waters, Kauai Windward Waters, Kauai
Leeward Waters, Kauai Channel, Oahu Windward Waters, Oahu
Leeward Waters, Kaiwi Channel, Maui County Windward Waters,
Maui County Leeward Waters and Big Island Windward Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM HST Monday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
Graduation season is coming and the University of Hawaii announced Sunday its schedule for spring commencement ceremonies. In-person, virtual and drive-thru celebrations across the state begin May 7.
May 7: UH West Oahu
9:00 a.m. ceremony for applied science, business administration, education, humanities, and math, natural and health science
1:00 p.m. ceremony for creative media, public administration and social sciences
May 13: Honolulu Community College @ Waikiki Shell 9:00 a.m.
May 13: Leeward Community College 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
A drive-through ceremony will be held for fall 2021 graduates and spring, summer and fall 2022 candidates.
May 13: Kapiolani Community College 12:00–5:00 p.m.
May 13: Kauai Community College 4:30–6:30 p.m.
May 13: Windward Community College 5:00 p.m.
An in-person ceremony will be held in the Paliku Theatre. There will also be a livestream of the event.
May 13: Hawai‘i Community College @ Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium 6:00 p.m.
May 13–14: UH Manoa
Three in-person ceremonies for spring 2022 candidates, as well as 2021 and 2020 graduates, will be held at the Stan Sheriff Center, livestream of the ceremonies will be held online or at the Murakami Stadium.
May 13: 5:00 p.m.
College of Social Sciences
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology
William S. Richardson School of Law
May 14: 9:00 a.m.
College of Arts, Languages & Letters
College of Natural Sciences
Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
Interdisciplinary Studies
John A. Burns School of Medicine
Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing
School of Architecture
Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health
May 14: 3:30 p.m.
College of Education
College of Engineering
Shidler College of Business, with School of Travel Industry Management
May 14: UH Hilo @ Edith Kanakaole Multipurpose Stadium 9:00 a.m.
May 14: Hawaii Community College 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
A drive-through ceremony will be held on campus. Only graduates will be allowed to exit their vehicles.
May 14: UH Maui College 5:00–6:30 p.m.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/uh-graduation-ceremonies-across-the-state-begin-may-7/article_3b7da0ee-c996-11ec-9db3-ab3cfbfe079f.html | 2022-05-02T00:49:08Z |
XUZHOU, China, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG (000425.SZ), China's top construction machinery company, is among the world's leaders in autonomous road construction technology. The company's in-house research and development team conducts experiments and simulations, developing high-precision technologies for use in real-life scenarios by integrating 5G and artificial intelligence.
Most recently, the research and development team has been conducting trials on-site for three consecutive months. The team developed a high-precision alignment technology for the strapdown inertial navigation system of an unmanned construction roller, improving control accuracy from 20cm to 5cm. In Xinjiang's Karamay Desert, the team worked under harsh weather conditions. After hundreds of days collecting data and conducting trials, the team managed to solve industry-wide bottleneck problems such as complex environment cluster interaction and welt compression, increasing compression efficiency by 20%.
Such efforts by the in-house research and development team are eventually translated to improvements and enhancements for XCMG's autonomous road construction technologies. To date, the company's second-generation unmanned cluster construction equipment has participated in 15 highway construction projects that cover 12 provinces across China, such as the Pan-Dalian Expressway, Jingxiong Expressway, reconstruction and expansion of the Beijing-Taipei Expressway, S420 Jinhu Section, Xinjiang S21 Desert Expressway, and Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway maintenance projects.
The total construction length is 500km, the highest in the industry, and the average annual time of in-depth research conducted by technicians is 170 days. Key indicators, like vehicle positioning and acquisition accuracy, trajectory and control accuracy, and obstacle avoidance radar sensitivity, have already been recognized by national authorities for technical appraisal. The XCMG comprehensive test site's unmanned system further boasts a trouble-free test time of 3,000 hours.
Data from key projects such as the Jingxiong Expressway, Panda Expressway, and Xinliunan Expressway revealed that for every 1km of subgrade construction, unmanned construction rollers only utilized 85% of working time and 80% of running track compared to traditional construction rollers. The unmanned construction rollers reduced fuel consumption by 15%, improving efficiency by 20%.
"Our autonomous road construction technology efforts focus on three core points: efficiency, quality, and cost. Just like the automated production line of the manufacturing industry, automated construction technology can improve standardization and achieve high-quality, high-efficiency construction solutions," said Cui Jisheng, General Manager of XCMG Road Machinery Division.
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SOURCE XCMG | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/01/xcmg-pushes-boundaries-autonomous-road-construction-technology-transforms-future-infrastructure-development/ | 2022-05-02T00:56:33Z |
Biden calls former VP Mondale ‘giant’ of political history
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Joe Biden saluted his “friend of five decades” Walter Mondale on Sunday, traveling to the University of Minnesota to remember the former vice president and Democratic Party elder whose memorial service was delayed for a year due to the pandemic.
Mondale died in April 2021 at age 93. He is credited with transforming the office of the vice presidency — which Biden himself held for eight years under President Barack Obama — expanding its responsibilities and making himself a key adviser to President Jimmy Carter.
Mondale “was a giant in American political history,” Biden said of Mondale, known to friends as “Fritz.” He added that Mondale was one of the “toughest, smartest men I’ve ever worked with” both as Senate colleagues and as a mentor when Biden was Obama’s No. 2 and then later as president.
Biden emphasized Mondale’s empathy, recalling his own promise during the 2020 presidential campaign to unite the country. That’s something the president has strayed from a bit in recent weeks, as he seeks to draw a starker contrast between his administration and congressional Republicans who have opposed it on nearly every major issue.
“It was Fritz who lit the way.” Biden said. “Everybody is to be treated with dignity. Everybody.”
Biden added of Mondale: “He united people sharing the light, the same hopes — even when we disagreed, he thought that was important.”
“It’s up to each of us to reflect that light that Fritz was all about.”
The invitation-only, 90-minute service Sunday inside a stately campus auditorium featured plentiful organ music. Biden, who received a standing ovation, said he spoke with Mondale’s family beforehand and “got emotional” himself.
Democratic Sen. Tina Smith called Mondale a “bona fide political celebrity” who still dedicated time to races large and small back in their home state. Minnesota civil rights icon Josie Johnson spoke of what a good listener Mondale was and how he championed inclusiveness.
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar described once being an intern who climbed under chairs and a table to carry out a furniture inventory when Mondale was vice president.
“That was my first job in Washington. And, thanks to Walter Mondale, this was my second,” Klobuchar said of being a senator, noting that Mondale encouraged her to run and taught “the pundits in Washington how to say my name.”
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz said Minnesota may be better known as Mondale’s home state than its moniker “The Land of 10,000 Lakes,” and praised Mondale’s intellect, humility, humor and optimism.
“He embodied a sense of joy. He lived his life every single day,” Walz said. “At 91, he was still fishing for walleye. Unlike me, he was catching some.”
A booklet given to attendees for the “afternoon of remembrance and reflection” quoted from Mondale’s 2010 book, “The Good Fight”: “I believe that the values of the American people — our fundamental decency, our sense of justice and fairness, our love of freedom — are the country’s greatest assets, and that steering by their lodestar is the only true course forward.”
Its back cover showed Mondale’s face next to the slogan, “We told the truth. We obeyed the law. We kept the peace,” which Klobuchar described as being memorialized after the then-vice president said them at the end of the Carter administration.
Mondale was a graduate of the University of Minnesota and its law school, which has a building named after him. During Sunday’s remembrance, Biden wiped his eyes as a performance of “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie” played, and the service closed with the university’s marching band, which sent people away with the “Minnesota Rouser” fight song.
Mondale followed a trail blazed by his political mentor, Hubert H. Humphrey, serving as Minnesota attorney general before replacing Humphrey in the Senate. He was Carter’s vice president from 1977 to 1981.
Mondale also lost one of the most lopsided presidential elections ever, to Ronald Reagan in 1984. He carried only Minnesota and the District of Columbia after bluntly telling voters to expect a tax increase if he won. But he made history in that race by picking Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, of New York, as his running mate, becoming the first major-party nominee to put a woman on the ticket.
Mondale remained an important Democratic voice for decades afterward, and went on to serve as ambassador to Japan under President Bill Clinton. In 2002, at 74, he was drafted to run for the Senate again after Sen. Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash shortly before the election. Mondale lost the abbreviated race to Republican Norm Coleman.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/biden-calls-former-vp-mondale-giant-political-history/ | 2022-05-02T01:52:21Z |
Multiple fatalities reported in car accident into river
BRAXTON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A single-vehicle car accident into the Elk River has resulted in several fatalities near the Herold Bridge.
According to the Braxton County Emergency Management Director, the crash happened around 2:30 p.m. Sunday just south of Sutton, along I-79 near exit 62 across from the senior center. Two people in the car died, one adult and one child. Both occupants drowned in the accident.
One volunteer firefighter attempting a rescue operation also drowned.
According to Braxton County Sheriff John Hoffman, a deputy and state trooper were able to pull one of the victims from the water. They were also able to rescue another individual who was attempting to locate victims but had begun to go under. That individual is expected to be okay.
No names or additional information is being released at this time.
Crews wrapped up the rescue operation around 4:55p.m. The Braxton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash. They were assisted by West Virginia State Police, Braxton County EMS and several volunteer fire departments.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/multiple-fatalities-reported-car-accident-into-river/ | 2022-05-02T01:52:27Z |
30th Roanoke Pride Festival brings out the crowds downtown
ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - The weather didn’t stop the crowds from coming out Sunday afternoon for the wrap-up of the 30th annual Roanoke Pride Festival.
“There’s always one kid that comes here because it’s their first pride and it’s the only place that they can be themselves,” said Justin Utley, a singer and activist who has performed at the annual Roanoke Pride Festival for almost a decade.
Roanoke Valley leaders, like Councilman Joe Cobb and Del. Sam Rasoul, along with organizations like Carilion Clinic, were also there, showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“That’s what sets this pride apart from many others, is because we’re out here claiming our ground and making a safe space for these kids,” said Utley.
“To be able to celebrate the inclusive beauty and the rich diversity of our city in this way, it just means everything,” said Cobb.
Cobb, who is openly gay, also presented a proclamation for the 30th Roanoke Pride Festival on behalf of City Council.
“We wanted to tap into the history of the LGBTQ community and some of the things we’re continuing to work on.”
It was a weekend enjoyed by hundreds, but Cobb and activists alike, said there is still work to be done for the future, especially in the transgender community.
”To see past that, and get some understanding, and get to know somebody in that community is going to make a huge world of difference as we move forward in our progress,” said Utley.
”We need to stay alert, we need to stay attentive and we really need to bond together to make sure that not only Roanoke continues to be an inclusive environment city, but Virginia as well,” said Cobb.
For more information on Roanoke Pride, you can find its website here.
Copyright 2022 WDBJ. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/01/30th-roanoke-pride-festival-brings-out-crowds-downtown/ | 2022-05-02T02:27:11Z |
Another meteor shower peaks this week up in the sky
(WHSV) - Into May we go! A fairly quiet week but another meteor shower peaks this week.
Gaining Daylight
We will be gaining 14 minutes of daylight over the course of this week. By Monday, May 9th, we’ll have 14 hours and 5 minutes of daylight and 9 hours and 55 minutes of nighttime. Sunrise moves from 6:17 am to 6:09 am while sunset moves from 8:08 pm to 8:14 pm. On Saturday, May 7th, we will have more than 14 hours of daylight since August 4th, 2021! For about the next 3 months, we will have more than 14 hours of daylight.
ISS Viewing (Most Viewable)
Moon Phases & Next Full Moon:
Next Full Moon
The next full moon will be Monday, May 16th, at 12:14 am. May’s full moon is known as the Flower Moon, to represent flowers blooming. Other names for this full moon include Hare Moon, Corn Planting Moon, and Milk Moon.
Wait there’s more! In addition to the full moon occurring in mid-May, this moon will also be a Blood Moon. This is because a total lunar eclipse will occur! The total lunar eclipse turns the moon red during the event.
Other Interesting Events
On Monday, May 2nd, a very thin crescent moon will be in the west-northwest horizon after sunset. Mercury will be four finger widths to the bottom right of the moon. You’ll be able to view this pair together in binoculars.
Before dawn on Friday, May 6th, the Eta-Aquariids Meteor Shower will peak. With the peak of this meteor shower, it will produce a few dozen meteors per hour and will include fireballs. You may even be able to view it the evening before after dusk but the moon will interfere with visiblity. It’s best to watch it after midnight and very early Friday morning.
Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/02/another-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-up-sky/ | 2022-05-02T02:27:17Z |
Biden calls former VP Mondale ‘giant’ of political history
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Joe Biden saluted his “friend of five decades” Walter Mondale on Sunday, traveling to the University of Minnesota to remember the former vice president and Democratic Party elder whose memorial service was delayed for a year due to the pandemic.
Mondale died in April 2021 at age 93. He is credited with transforming the office of the vice presidency — which Biden himself held for eight years under President Barack Obama — expanding its responsibilities and making himself a key adviser to President Jimmy Carter.
Mondale “was a giant in American political history,” Biden said of Mondale, known to friends as “Fritz.” He added that Mondale was one of the “toughest, smartest men I’ve ever worked with” both as Senate colleagues and as a mentor when Biden was Obama’s No. 2 and then later as president.
Biden emphasized Mondale’s empathy, recalling his own promise during the 2020 presidential campaign to unite the country. That’s something the president has strayed from a bit in recent weeks, as he seeks to draw a starker contrast between his administration and congressional Republicans who have opposed it on nearly every major issue.
“It was Fritz who lit the way.” Biden said. “Everybody is to be treated with dignity. Everybody.”
Biden added of Mondale: “He united people sharing the light, the same hopes — even when we disagreed, he thought that was important.”
“It’s up to each of us to reflect that light that Fritz was all about.”
The invitation-only, 90-minute service Sunday inside a stately campus auditorium featured plentiful organ music. Biden, who received a standing ovation, said he spoke with Mondale’s family beforehand and “got emotional” himself.
Democratic Sen. Tina Smith called Mondale a “bona fide political celebrity” who still dedicated time to races large and small back in their home state. Minnesota civil rights icon Josie Johnson spoke of what a good listener Mondale was and how he championed inclusiveness.
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar described once being an intern who climbed under chairs and a table to carry out a furniture inventory when Mondale was vice president.
“That was my first job in Washington. And, thanks to Walter Mondale, this was my second,” Klobuchar said of being a senator, noting that Mondale encouraged her to run and taught “the pundits in Washington how to say my name.”
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz said Minnesota may be better known as Mondale’s home state than its moniker “The Land of 10,000 Lakes,” and praised Mondale’s intellect, humility, humor and optimism.
“He embodied a sense of joy. He lived his life every single day,” Walz said. “At 91, he was still fishing for walleye. Unlike me, he was catching some.”
A booklet given to attendees for the “afternoon of remembrance and reflection” quoted from Mondale’s 2010 book, “The Good Fight”: “I believe that the values of the American people — our fundamental decency, our sense of justice and fairness, our love of freedom — are the country’s greatest assets, and that steering by their lodestar is the only true course forward.”
Its back cover showed Mondale’s face next to the slogan, “We told the truth. We obeyed the law. We kept the peace,” which Klobuchar described as being memorialized after the then-vice president said them at the end of the Carter administration.
Mondale was a graduate of the University of Minnesota and its law school, which has a building named after him. During Sunday’s remembrance, Biden wiped his eyes as a performance of “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie” played, and the service closed with the university’s marching band, which sent people away with the “Minnesota Rouser” fight song.
Mondale followed a trail blazed by his political mentor, Hubert H. Humphrey, serving as Minnesota attorney general before replacing Humphrey in the Senate. He was Carter’s vice president from 1977 to 1981.
Mondale also lost one of the most lopsided presidential elections ever, to Ronald Reagan in 1984. He carried only Minnesota and the District of Columbia after bluntly telling voters to expect a tax increase if he won. But he made history in that race by picking Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, of New York, as his running mate, becoming the first major-party nominee to put a woman on the ticket.
Mondale remained an important Democratic voice for decades afterward, and went on to serve as ambassador to Japan under President Bill Clinton. In 2002, at 74, he was drafted to run for the Senate again after Sen. Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash shortly before the election. Mondale lost the abbreviated race to Republican Norm Coleman.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/02/biden-calls-former-vp-mondale-giant-political-history/ | 2022-05-02T02:27:23Z |
Highland’s annual sheep shearing returns
Published: May. 1, 2022 at 9:25 PM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The annual highland sheep shearing is back teaching both children and adults about agriculture. The New Zealand sheep shearing method was used to shear five Highlands sheep to get them ready for summer.
“It’s really important because a lot of folks just don’t know where these types of agricultural products come from and for kids and adults alike coming out and actually seeing this process makes that connection between these working farms and what you buy at the store,” Jason Woodle with James Monroe’s Highland said.
The wool from the sheep is then cleaned and sold at the Highland store.
Copyright 2022 WVIR. All rights reserved.
Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/02/highlands-annual-sheep-shearing-returns/ | 2022-05-02T02:27:30Z |
UVA Health experts say some COVID-19 tests won’t detect omicron subvariant
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - At home COVID-19 tests may be convenient, but some doctors are raising concerns about how well they detect certain variants. You’re going to have to be extra careful next time you go shopping for a home test.
Doctors with UVA Health say there’s early data that shows some home tests may not capture all of the omicron subvariants the same.
“There is a little bit of variation and it’s essentially unknown which test does well with which variant and so this may be a bit of a moving target, unfortunately,” Dr. Amy Mathers with UVA Health said.
Mathers specializes in infectious disease at the UVA Medical Center. She says the good news is they know one home test does work with BA.2.
“Some of the new tests like the BinaxNOW, went ahead and did a sub study and showed that nope, they can detect the newer variant,” Mathers said. “But that’s not true of all home tests.”
This new information isn’t to say other brand won’t work at all. Mathers says you’re just more likely to get a false negative with some of the tests.
“All the tests have proprietary chemistry that they use and so slightly different binding and slightly different algorithms for the way that they are able to pick up and test positive,” Mathers said.
Mathers says this makes different variants interact with that chemistry slightly differently, so sensitivity changes with various variants.
Doctor Costi Sifri with UVA Health says this data is new, though he has seen most of the tests have multiple, different targets for the virus spike protein that is important for detection.
“It is important to note that it does remain a possibility that we could see a variant that ends up not being detected by one test or another,” Sifri said. “That is something that is continually being evaluated as new variants arise.”
Mathers says if you are symptomatic and have a negative home test, you should wait a day, test using a different brand. She also recommends getting a PCR test, which she says will be the most accurate.
“What we do know is there’s actually a delay, even sometimes after you get symptoms by a day, for your antigen test to test positive,” Mathers said. “The PCR test is more sensitive early on.”
Copyright 2022 WVIR. All rights reserved.
Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/02/uva-health-experts-say-some-covid-19-tests-wont-detect-omicron-subvariant/ | 2022-05-02T02:27:36Z |
GUANGZHOU, China, May 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Puzzles & Survival, a zombie-themed match-3 strategy game launched by 37 GAMES, announced today that it will team up with Hasbro, Inc. to bring G.I. JOE to the game on May 6.
Upon its launch in May, this limited-time collaborative event will pit players against the evil forces of Cobra over the course of six exclusive events, all while still striving to defeat the zombies that have become part and parcel of daily life. In doing so, players will have the chance to engage with the characters that have made G.I. JOE such an iconic action hero brand and enjoy the stunning visual effects and thrilling gameplay that the limited-time event will offer.
Of course, such an exciting crossover event would never have been possible had it not been for the extraordinary dedication of both the game's fans and developers. Their zeal and enthusiasm are doubtless responsible for the game being the subject of many App Store and Google Play recommendations, which cumulatively led to the game being downloaded over 38 million times. As if that wasn't enough, the game also won the SensorTower APAC Best Gameplay Innovation Award in 2021, a well-deserved feat in light of the remarkably innovative spirit that compelled the developers to partner with household names in the first place.
Now you know that G.I. JOE is coming to Puzzles and Survival- and, after all, knowing is half the battle- make sure not to miss out on the opportunity to save the world this May. In the meantime, be sure to download the game now and enter the gift code [PNSGIJOE].
Download: https://pse.is/gijoepns01eng
Official Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/PnS.37Games
G.I. JOE is a trademark of Hasbro used with permission.
About Hasbro
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to making the world a better place for all children, fans and families. Hasbro delivers immersive brand experiences for global audiences through consumer products, including toys and games; entertainment through eOne, its independent studio; and gaming, led by the team at Wizards of the Coast, an award-winning developer of tabletop and digital games best known for fantasy franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.
The Company's unparalleled portfolio of approximately 1,500 brands includes MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS, as well as premier partner brands. For the past decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media and one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute. Important business and brand updates are routinely shared on our Investor Relations website, Newsroom and social channels (@Hasbro on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn).
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SOURCE 37 GAMES | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/05/02/gi-joe-is-coming-puzzles-amp-survival/ | 2022-05-02T02:27:42Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- A bill that would ban flavored vape products aims to protect children, but those in the industry say it would kill their business.
KITV-4 reports on the impact the bill banning flavored vapes would have in Hawaii. Volcano Vape Shop operates 16 stores on the islands and was started in 2009.
The Chief Operating Officer says, The bill takes things to the extreme because it prohibits the sale of flavored vapes which is 99.9 percent of all products sold in Hawaii.
Scott Rasak says, if the Bill becomes law, the industry and the millions of tax dollars it brings into our economy will go up in smoke. Scott Rasak from Volcano Vape Shop said, “We’re talking about 10s of thousands of adult users, who rely on these products hundreds of businesses. Thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in state tax revenues that literally will vanish if this measure passes.”
Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D) Kaneohe says, “We’re not banning vaping, we’re banning flavored vaping. So people who want to use vaping to get off of smoking cigarettes can still vape using non flavored vaping or tobacco flavored vaping if you smoke cigarettes, you should be used to that. It’s the flavored vaping that does target kids, cotton candy. sour patch kid flavored. Flavors that target kids, and since 95 percent of tobacco users start before the age of 21. We are trying to cut into that by banning flavored vaping.”
Many in the Vape Industry say a ban or prohibition on flavored vape products would create a dangerous black market. Scott Rasak of Volcano Vape Shop.
“Vaping products don’t disappear if you ban flavors, this is going to allow black market individuals to import them directly and sell them on the street , now you have no age verification at all and you have a huge problem with youth access.” Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D) Kaneohe adds, “Kids have little access to money especially when they are under 18 so, the ability of kids to buy a black market product is going to go way way down.”
Winter Nakanelua smokes up to three packs of cigarettes a day, she started vaping 10 years ago and saves at least $400 in a month from not buying cigarettes.
Winter Nakanelua is a Vape User and says, “Of course we don’t want our children doing it, but it helped me to kick that stink habit. It’s a bad habit. My kids are happy I vape instead of smoking cigarettes. They told me you stink mom. (laughs).
Manuel Menendez is a Vape User and stopped smoking because his mother told him about E-cigarettes “2 weeks after you stop, cough up all the stuff that is there in your lungs, all the tar, your girlfriend, doesn’t tell you smell like smoke when you get in the car. The walls don’t turn yellow from the cigarette smoke.”
For the bill to become law, the House will need to agree to the Senate Version of the bill by early next week. And if the House agrees, then the measure goes to the Governor for his signature. If the bill does pass in its current form, the law becomes effective on July 1 2022. | https://www.kitv.com/news/business/flavored-vape-ban-looms-in-hawaii/article_9fd6dfba-c9aa-11ec-9372-e7543b5b700c.html | 2022-05-02T03:16:17Z |
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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.kitv.com/news/local/large-tree-downed-power-lines-blocking-piiholo-road-at-mile-marker-three/article_996c75ec-c9bc-11ec-8309-07a096eba7d6.html | 2022-05-02T03:16:29Z |
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST MONDAY...
* WHAT...East to northeast winds 20 to 25 knots.
* WHERE...All Hawaiian Coastal Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM HST Monday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
MAUI (KITV4) – May is National Pet Month and the Maui Humane Society is partnering with BISSELL Pet foundation to “Empty the Shelters” by hosting their largest national adoption event.
The event will be hosted in more than 275 shelters in 40 states, including at the Maui Humane Society. The last time Maui Humane participated in this event over 100 animals found their forever home.
“Every day we are faced with a high population of animals, but the adoption needs of the shelter rotate on a day to-day basis,” stated Katie Shannon, Director of Marketing & Communications. “Across the country, adult dogs and cats (6 months plus) linger in shelters, including our own. As we dive further into spring, an increase of kittens, guinea pigs and bunnies are approaching. Whether you’re looking for a companion to be active or relax with you, Paws to Adopt will give you the opportunity to find your perfect match!”
The event is scheduled from May 2 through May 15, 2022, offering $0 adoption fees for all critters, adult dogs and cats and $25 for kittens. (Maui County requires a dog license fee at $19 that cannot be waived).
Maui Humane has also brought back what would be their second annual “Wags to Riches” event on May 28. Their “Wags to Riches” event gives shelter pets a chance to go from the doghouse to the penthouse.
CEO Steve MacKinnon said, “We love the idea of taking a homeless shelter dog to a world-class resort where they’ll be spoiled for the night. All fundraisers will be competing for a luxurious beachfront resort with a four-legged friend. As the event takes place over Memorial Day Weekend, start summer vacation off with a treat for you and a pup at a top-rated resort.”
Wags to Riches is sponsored by six resorts and local businesses including: At Home Animal Hospital, Beachin’ Rides Maui, Kalei’s Lunchbox, Kihei-Rent-a-Car, Maui Brew Co., Max on Maui, Maui Cookie Lab and Maui Printing.
Those interested in adoption or to register for Wags to Riches, can sign up at https: //www.mauihumanesociety.org
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com
After nearly 10-years away, this local girl is home! In November 2021, Lia started at KITV as the weekend GMH anchor and a weekday reporter. The 2011 Kamehameha Kapālama graduate worked all across the country and even overseas before finding her way home. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/maui-humane-society-looking-to-find-forever-homes-for-pets/article_1aab4ad6-c9b6-11ec-ae9e-1fc000756141.html | 2022-05-02T03:16:35Z |
Sanctuary hopes to save the horses but needs volunteers
Renick, W.Va. (WVVA) - Horses in need of a place to go will soon have just that in Greenbrier County, with ‘Almost Heaven Horse Sanctuary’.
What started as a passion for horses between Gail and her daughter Audrey has now become a start up for a safe-haven for retired, abused, neglected, and abandoned horses.
Gail is not only bringing a home to horses but she has also brought someone who never would have come to West Virginia a new love for it.
“I am actually born and raised in Connecticut so I’m a little ways away from home, about 700 miles but I couldn’t sit behind a desk my whole life. So I quit my last job as much as I loved it and I was looking for something outdoorsy to do and I needed something to keep my body moving and I just happened to find an equine assistant job that was going to be here,” said Sophia Daddario, an Equine Assistant for the sanctuary.
They have a few horses ready to be moved to the sanctuary and they will officially be up and running once their fence is finally up.
“I’ve loved horses since I was 4, horses have done a lot for me in my life, I’ve had a lot of challenges in my life that horses were really there for as my therapy and my friend,” said sanctuary founder, Gail Gentile.
Gentile’s daughter developed brain cancer when she was 18 years old and after a 5 year battle she passed away and Gail wanted to honor her memory of horses in someway. After purchasing the 400 acre abandoned farm they found a overflowing hidden spring that will now be dedicated to Audrey as a memorial garden.
Gentile and her assistant have a long road ahead of them and they know they can’t do it alone and are asking for assistance.
“We are looking for volunteers and we are looking for donations. We are doing a pretty amazing job ourselves, but it’s ourselves. There is a lot of work to be done. This is an abandoned farm, we are trying to bring back and clear out and clear the pastures, so we really really need help,” said Gentile.
The horses get moved to the sanctuary May 17, so any help before then would be greatly appreciated Gentile said.
They have some horses ready to be moved like Sugar Plum who is a dwarf pony and a foal, Misty, who as abused and also starved with a baby by her side.
Almost Heaven Horse Sanctuary is hoping to be the largest horse sanctuary on the east coast.
If you want to volunteer or know more about their sanctuary you can visit their website here. Volunteer | Almost Heaven Horse Sanctuary or visit them on Facebook here. (2) Almost Heaven Horse Sanctuary | Facebook
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/05/02/sanctuary-hopes-save-horses-needs-volunteers/ | 2022-05-02T03:25:35Z |
SWEETWATER COUNTY -- Rock Springs was once home to not one, but two foreign language newspapers, the Sweetwater County Historical Museum reported on Saturday.
Italian immigrants were among the dozens of nationalities who came to Rock Springs during the decades that straddled the turn of the 20th century, drawn by work in the coal mines.
The peak years of Italian immigration to Wyoming were from 1890 to 1910. By 1910, 7.7% of the state’s foreign-born population was Italian, mostly from the northern provinces of Tuscany, Lombardy, and Piedmont. By the early 1920s, more than 60% of Wyoming’s Italians lived in Uinta, Laramie, and Sweetwater Counties.
The strong Italian presence in Rock Springs fostered the creation of two local Italian language newspapers between 1907 and 1909: Vita Nuova and Il Grido Del Popolo.
Over 800,000 pages of historic Wyoming newspapers are available online from the Wyoming Digital Newspaper Collection; among them are images of a single issue each from Vita Nuova and Il Grido Del Popolo.
Vita Nuova (New Life) was a weekly. On the Wyoming Digital Newspaper Collection website are the 102 pages of the edition for February 7, 1908. One story on the front page describes the February 1, 1908 assassination of King Carlos I of Portugal and his son and heir, Crown Prince Luis Felipe. The pages are filled with advertisements, including one for The Hubb, a clothing store in Rock Springs.
Il Grido Del Popolo (The People’s Cry) was also a weekly. A one-year subscription cost $2.00. Unfortunately, there are only four pages of the December 9, 1907 issue on the Wyoming Digital Newspaper Collection website.
The director for both newspapers was an Italian-born physician, Dr. F. Di Giacomo. The papers did not last long, and in 1915 he moved to Kemmerer, where he established a new medical practice but met a gruesome end three years later, when he was brutally murdered on June 21, 1918.
Dr. Di Giacomo maintained his practice in his home, (which was common at the time), and his body was found there by a neighbor during the early evening of the 21st. As reported at the time, “The body of the victim was terribly mutilated. His skull had been fractured behind the left year, the blow literally crushing the skull; a bullet had been fired into the abdomen, its range being downward, coming out at the thigh; a long scalp wound inflicted with a sharp instrument had been sustained, as well as bruises on the head. The most revolting phase of the crime was the removal of the right ear of the victim apparently after death. This was accomplished by the use of a razor.”
Di Giacomo’s killer, subsequently identified as Peter Natala, was arrested roughly six hours later trying the buy a train ticket at Opal, about 16 miles east of Kemmerer. His jacket was heavily bloodstained and he was carrying an “automatic revolver,” a razor, and $127 in cash. While drinking in a saloon on the afternoon of the murder, he told people that he’d been treated for a stomach ailment by Dr. Di Giacomo but not cured, and that the physician had “robbed” him of $60 out of the $75 charged for his treatment. It was reported that “The lefthand coat pocket revealed the most gruesome part of the murder. It was bloody inside, and distinct marks of where he [Natala] had carried his victim’s severed ear could be traced by the outline of the blood ring. The missing member has not been located.”
Natala was transported to the Lincoln County Jail in Kemmerer. Only a few days later, on the night of July 1 / 2, Natala and two other prisoners staged a successful escape. Museum researchers could find no information that he was ever recaptured.
The Wyoming Digital Newspaper Collection can be found at https://wyomingnewspapers.org/ . An outstanding resource for historical research, the site is readily searchable, and searches can be refined by city, county, newspaper, and by date frame.
The Sweetwater County Historical Museum is located at 3 E. Flaming Gorge Way in Green River. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no charge for admission. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/newspapers-in-foreign-languages-were-once-available/article_c449e279-2873-5f16-8fc9-88ed9d536ebd.html | 2022-05-02T03:32:20Z |
ROCK SPRINGS – Sweetwater County residents gathered to raise awareness for the rights of crime survivors over the weekend.
In recognition of National Crime Victims Week, the 8th annual Run with the Badges was held at the Young at Heart senior citizen center on Saturday, April 30.
Agencies from around Sweetwater County were at the event, providing information about their services including Enroll Wyoming.
Marketing Director Caleb Smith pointed out that “financial control is often wielded in abuse situations.
“Worries about finances and health insurance may stop victims from leaving,” said Smith. “One of the great things about today’s events is that it’s raising awareness about issues of community concerns and free resources people can use to get help.
“Feeling safe and secure is a big deal.”
Angela Thatcher, regional navigator for Enroll Wyoming added, “The whole purpose of this event is to provide services to people who need it.
“We are honored and delighted to be a part of that process in helping the people of Sweetwater County.”
Alyssa Allen, direct services advocate for the Centers of Families and Children, greeted visitors and participants. She presented information on ways survivors can get back on their feet after leaving their abusers.
“Starting over is huge, said Allen “We need to listen to their stories.
“Believing them will benefit them.”
Green River Police Department Public Relations Officer Jamie Green had several conversations with participants regarding the agency’s services.
“We’re a part of this community and we would like to keep people safe,” said Greene. “We try to support any way we can.
“Crimes happen and the victims need help.”
Shelby Gordon, prevention specialist from Sweetwater County Coalition Prevention provided information on how to end tobacco use and promoted safe storage for medications. She also provided information about suicide awareness and how individuals can receive help.
“We just love being present in the community and connecting people to as many resources as possible,” said Gordon. “This is a testament of what we all do.
“If someone in abuse is in counseling, we can connect them to the YWCA. They have some great programs that can help them too.”
Rock Springs Chief of Police Dwane Pacheco was preparing to dash down Reagan Avenue with his daughter Ellie.
“Ensuring that the victims’ rights are protected is important,” said Pacheco. “We see a lot in our field and sometimes we have to remind everyone that there are victims on the other side.
“This event reminds us why we do what we do.”
Originally, Pacheco wanted to raise funds for the Center for Families and Children and it was called Run with the Chiefs. Eventually, other law enforcement agencies wanted to join and they changed it to Run with the Badges.
According to Pacheco, they’ve raised $25,000 over the past eight years.
“It’s been a real win-win for the YWCA and the community.”
State trooper Josh Carris has been with the Wyoming Highway Patrol for eight years.
“When there is a victim, whether it’s a crash due to a drunk driver or anything else, we are there to help those victims get justice,” said Carris. “It feels satisfying to know that we’ve made a difference in their lives.”
Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle was impressed with the event’s turn-out.
According to Melinda Bass, executive director for the YWCA, 200 runners participated in this year’s ‘Run with the Badges’, which is 100 more than years before.
“The numbers today are just crazy,” Grossnickle expressed. “I’ve never seen it get this big before.
“We’re all out here to support the victims of crime and Sweetwater County does it best as a community in coming together for an important cause.”
Rock Springs resident Lucas Knight took first place and Rock Springs resident Taden Morrell took second in the 5K category.
It was Petra Hampton’s first time participating in Run with the Badges with her friend Brenda Gray.
“It was a great turn out on a beautiful day,” said Hampton. “To see the community coming together for a good cause is wonderful.”
Rock Springs resident Ashley Ehlert and her son Dallin were resting after covering the long route on foot.
“I like the fact that it raises awareness for domestic violence and I get to spend time with my son,” said Ehlert.
“It’s a good cause,” Dallin shared. “It’s also a good reason to get out and enjoy the great weather.”
The 2022 National Crime Victims Week Awards for Excellent Services to Crime Victims were presented to the following:
Rock Springs Police Detective Ken Davis
Malinda Searle, YWCA board member
Deputy Stephanie Cassidy from the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office
Trooper Joshua Powell from the Wyoming Highway Patrol
Dr. A. Bryce Castillon
“We hope that as a community, we understand the support victim of crimes need,” said Bass. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/run-with-the-badges-helping-victims-find-justice/article_fca65d43-3cdd-5cd9-a37c-3ab2d7a185c1.html | 2022-05-02T03:32:26Z |
Beautiful Monday ahead
Plenty of sunshine with highs in the upper 70s to around 80!
SUNDAY: A stray shower or storm possible in the early overnight. Clearing some during the overnight and pleasant. Overnight lows in the low to mid 50s.
MONDAY: A mild morning with temperatures rising into the 60s with a mix of sun and clouds. A few passing clouds during the day, otherwise plenty of sunshine and warm with highs in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees. A beautiful day overall!
A fantastic evening with just a few clouds and temperatures in the 70s. Pleasant for the evening and overnight as we add some more clouds, especially after midnight. Overnight lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.
TUESDAY: Some sunshine to start the day with more clouds. Mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. More clouds than sun for the afternoon and warm with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. A few showers and storms firing up late in the afternoon, generally after 2 pm. One of these storms could be on the strong side.
A warm evening with a few showers and storms with temperatures falling into the 70s. Plenty of clouds around for the night as showers and storms generally wrap up in the late evening. There could be a spotty shower or storm during the overnight. Staying mostly cloudy overnight and turning pleasant with overnight lows in the mid to upper 50s.
WEDNESDAY: More clouds than sun to start the day and mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. A few showers and storms to start the day with coverage increasing some in the afternoon. It will not rain all day, there will just be some brief periods of rain. There is a potential for some of these storms to be strong. Warm with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. A warm evening with temperatures in the 70s as a cold front crosses. Some clouds overnight and pleasant with lows in the low to mid 50s.
THURSDAY: A mild start with temperatures rising into the 60s with a mix of sun and clouds. Partly to mostly cloudy for the day and warm with highs in the low to mid 70s. A mild evening with temperatures in the 60s as plenty of clouds arrive for the night along with some scattered showers. Pleasant overnight with lows in the low to mid 50s.
FRIDAY: Cloudy to start the day and mild with temperatures rising into the 60s. Our next system will look to bring scattered showers during the day. Mild with highs in the mid to upper 60s. A mild evening with temperatures in the 60s with scattered showers possible overnight. Lows in the upper 40s to around 50 degrees.
SATURDAY: Pleasant to start the day with temperatures in the 50s. Scattered showers for some of the day, beginning to taper late in the day. Mild with highs in the low to mid 60s. Pleasant for the evening with temperatures falling into the 50s. Some clouds overnight and chilly with lows in the low to mid 40s.
As always, you can get the latest updates by downloading and checking the WHSV Weather App.
**A reminder that spring wildfire season is still going on in West Virginia. No outdoor burning in West Virginia before 5pm through May 31.**
Copyright 2021 WHSV. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/05/02/beautiful-monday-ahead/ | 2022-05-02T04:03:10Z |
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