AUSTIN (KXAN) One year after a mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart left 23 dead, criminal justice researchers who study mass shootings have noticed a peculiar trend there hasnt been a mass shootings in the U.S. since the pandemic started.

As more people stay home and mass gatherings are discouraged, the public shootings have gone away.

Weve never had anything like this, said Dr. Jillian Peterson, the founder of The Violence Project, a nonprofit that tracks and studies mass shootings.

Peterson listed going to school, church, work, and other large gatherings as examples of activities that have stopped or slowed significantly.

But it isnt just that the opportunity is no longer there. Another factor is our societys focus shifting intensely to the pandemic.

We know that mass shootings are socially contagious, we know that they cluster, we know that perpetrators copy each other, Peterson said.

She believes that the longer mass shootings arent happening, the less likely a mentally ill person is to consider one as a viable solution to dealing with their problems.

While the U.S. averaged seven mass shootings per year from 2017-19, this years lone mass shooting was at the end of February before the pandemic took hold in the country.

Interestingly, the Violence Project found mass shootings also dropped off after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. has averaged five per year from 1999-2001. Then, there was just one in all of 2002.

Additionally, Petersons work found that a majority of school shootings happen shortly after students return to campus, in September and October, and also in May before the end of the year.

I think particularly this September and October is where people are keeping their eyes on things, and feeling a little anxious perhaps, she said.

However, the big question now is whatll happen once the pandemic is over.

While Peterson is hopeful that mass shootings will fade away after so much time is spent focused on the coronavirus, she worries that a lot of the risk factors are starting to compound.

We know that young people are at home in sometimes abusive homes. We know that theres increases in depression and hopelessness. We know that people are losing their jobs, that relationships are hurting, she said. Those are often triggers. Then we also know that gun sales have really skyrocketed since this started, which is another contributing factor.

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No mass shootings in the U.S. since the pandemic started what about once its over? - ABC27

The male suspect was later identified as Jeremy Wade Gibson, Gibsons husband.

Gibson is currently in the Dawson County Detention Center, awaiting trial for charges of murder, cruelty to children and aggravated assault.

But rehashing gory details of Gibsons death wasnt the focus of the ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, instead, friend of the deceased, Kristi Peterson, read from a prepared statement, sharing thoughts from the family on who Gibson was and how the system had failed her.

Amy was a wonderful mother to two beautiful children, as well as a daughter, sister and friend to most who crossed her path, Peterson said, reading words written by Gibsons sister Mary, who was unable to attend the ceremony. She set the example of letting her light shine for so many in our world, sharing her kindness, sense of humor and her great laugh.

Gibsons son and daughter were her world, Peterson said, and when the threat of domestic violence entered their lives, she sought help from any resources in the community she could find.

Despite the fact that Gibson desperately needed help from someone, no help was available, she said.

Those that surrounded Amy in her time of need understood the gravity of the situation, we begged for help alongside her, only to discover that anyone who might have been able to help, had their hands tied until something tragic happened, Peterson said.

The system simply moved too slowly for her, and too slowly to spare her children the tragedy they witnessed, she continued.

The system is broken beyond repair, according to Gibsons loved ones, but for the sake of other women and children in Dawson County that might be facing similar situations, Gibsons family is ready to fight for change.

We will not allow Amys death to be in vain. If you believe someone you love is in danger, please do all that you can to encourage quick action, no matter how extreme it may seem at the time, Peterson said.

Closing out the ceremony and her remarks, Peterson said that anyone with questions or concerns about their situation, or the situation of a loved one, should call the National Domestic Violence Hotline and work with someone trusted to create an escape plan.

Amy we love you, we miss you and we will honor you, she said.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233 or by visitingthehotline.org.

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Friends and family remember Amy Gibson on one year anniversary of shooting at Dawson fire station - Forsyth County News Online

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) There is a brand new airspace exhibition and education center in Mobile County, Alabama. Flight Works Alabama partnered with Airbus and the State of Alabama in order to get this facility ready for takeoff.

News 5s Meteorologist Colleen Peterson met with Kayley Robinson, Marketing and communications manager at Flight Works, and was able to get a sneak peek of the exhibit.

Flight Works Alabama is an interactive aerospace education center housing over 40 hands-on exhibits, Kayley said.

The top attractions include a device that allows you to control the wings of a model aircraft, virtual reality, and a flight simulator where you can test your flying skills.

Our vision was to inspire our visitors to become interested in the aviation industry, specifically middle and high school students who are preparing to look for careers we want them to know that there are career opportunities within the aerospace industry, Kayley explained.

They have a classroom, workshop and fabrication room for classes based around aviation.

We offer flight works Alabama certifications such as 3D printing and sublimation but we also offer NC3 certifications which is a partnership with the national coalition of certification center., Kayley explained.

They also have a 3 week summer camp starting August 10th.

We are offering two camps for rising 7-12 grade students we are calling them our creative design camps, Kayley said. They are for 3D printing and sublimation and there are 12 students per class so we can maintain COVID regulations.

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Flight Works Alabama is a new airspace exhibition and education center in Mobile - WKRG News 5

Boston J.D. Davis banged a two-run homer off the Pesky Pole, and left-hander David Peterson pitched 5 2/3 innings to win his major league debut and lead the New York Mets to an 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

The Mets swept the two-game series and sent the Red Sox to their fourth consecutive loss. The teams now move to New York for another two games at Citi Field.

Peterson allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out three on the day he was called up from the teams alternate training site. He allowed a hard-hit ball off the Green Monster to leadoff batter Jos Peraza, but Peraza was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

The 2017 first-round draft pick then struck out J.D. Martinez getting the ball as a souvenir and retired Rafael Devers on a groundout to end the inning.

The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the second when Matt Hall, making his 2020 debut, gave up an RBI double to Robinson Can and a two-run single to Amed Rosario. In all, Hall allowed three runs on three hits and two walks, striking out three in 2 2/3 innings.

Davis hit a two-run shot in the fifth and the Mets added three more in the eighth when Brandon Nimmo doubled in one run and Jeff McNeil doubled in two more to make it 8-2.

Peterson became the first Mets starting pitcher to win his major league debut since Steven Matz in 2015.

OPENING DOORS

A day after lamenting his inability to enter the Green Monster during his first visit to Fenway Park, Pete Alonso was able to get inside.

Alonso said after Monday nights game that he wasnt allowed into the cramped area where the scoreboard keeper sits during games because of COVID-19 restrictions. Its always a highlight for visiting players, especially rookies and those in the NL who rarely get to visit Boston.

I was really upset that this year were not able to do it, he said after the Mets won the series opener. Hopefully, I can finagle my way in there tomorrow.

On Tuesday, Alonso posted a picture on Instagram of his signature on a splotch of green paint with the caption: Forever on the green monster!!! One of many names and a part of baseball history.

Alonsos homer on Monday was clocked at 116.3 mph the third hardest-hit homer for the Mets since the start of the 2019 season. (He also hit the other two.) The ball hit hard off the wall in the seating area, missing the cutouts taking the place of fans in the Monster Seats this season.

Alonso didnt homer on Tuesday, but he did endanger some imaginary fans when he threw his bat into the third-base box seats in the first inning.

4-6-5-4

The Red Sox loaded the bases with nobody out in the third and scored just one run, on a bizarre inning-ending double play that left everyone confused.

Boston had already cost itself a potential run when Peraza hit a deep fly ball to right-center that bounced out of center fielder Brandon Nimmos glove for a single. Kevin Plawecki, who had been on second, returned to the bag to tag up, and was only able to advance to third.

One out later, Rafael Devers lined the ball to second baseman Robinson Can, who was ruled to catch it on a short hop by umpire Chad Whitson. Can flipped it to second for the force out. Andrew Benintendi, who had been on second, then left the base and was tagged out after a brief rundown for the third out.

Because of the rundown, Plawecki was able to score and make it 3-1.

UP NEXT

Mets: Jacob deGrom (0-0) starts as the series moves to New York. The Mets righty has not allowed a run in 28 innings, including an opening day no-decision in which he shut out the Braves for five innings, striking out eight and allowing just one hit and one walk.

Red Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) has earned Bostons only win this season, allowing one run in six innings against Baltimore in the opener.

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Peterson wins MLB debut as Mets beat Red Sox 8-3 - theday.com

Sisters' Peterson Ridge trail system has a new access point for people arriving via motor vehicle.

Those who've visited the trails probably remember the drill: Get to the trailhead early, or risk wandering the residential streets of Sisters looking for parking. That routine officially goes by the wayside this week, as the Deschutes National Forest opens a new trailhead for Peterson Ridge.

On July 29, officials from the Deschutes National Forest, City of Sisters, the Recreational Trails Program and Sisters Trail Alliance were scheduled to hold an invite-only COVID-era ribbon cutting ceremony at the new trailhead, located just east of Forest Road 16 near the old access point at Tyee Drive and Forest Road 16. The new trailhead has space for 25 cars to park, as well as restroom facilities. Later this year, the Sisters Trail Alliance will install an info kiosk at the trailhead as well, according to a release from the DNF.

"The Peterson trail system has grown in usage and the new trailhead will provide much needed parking capacity and alleviate congestion in nearby neighborhoods," stated Sisters Mayor Chuck Ryan in the July 27 release. "This trailhead, along with the recent Wychus Creek Overlook trail enhancement, are simply outdoor gems for our community especially in these challenging times."

Located on the south end of Sisters, Peterson Ridge hiking and biking trail is a popular trail system with a number of loops of up to 20+ miles for hikers and riders to enjoy. Following the opening of the new trailhead, the old one has been decommissioned.

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Peterson Ridge has a new trailheadwith parking and bathrooms | Go Here | Bend - The Source Weekly

A Pawlet man is being held without bail after police said he fired a gun July 23 at the downstairs tenants in his home, allegedly hitting an air conditioner three times that was in the window of a room where one of the tenants was located.

Stanley F.S. Peterson, 37, of Pawlet, pleaded not guilty in Rutland criminal court on July 24 to two felony counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and a misdemeanor count of unlawful mischief.

Peterson was held without bail. According to the Vermont Department of Corrections inmate locator, Peterson was in the Springfield jail as of Wednesday afternoon.

The charges against Peterson were based on an affidavit written by Trooper Ryan Gardner of the Vermont State Police, who said police were called to the home where Peterson lives on Route 30 in Pawlet around 9:30 p.m. July 23.

Peter Hadeka, 40, who lived at the home, said Peterson, who he said lived in an apartment upstairs from him, had fired five shots from a handgun at Hadekas home and threatened to kill his family and dog.

Gardner said Granville, New York, police also responded to the scene. After troopers and Granville police reached what Gardner said was a long driveway, he said he learned Peterson called 911 and said his tenant had damaged a door.

Dispatchers told Peterson to go outside and walk down the driveway to police with his hands up but Peterson refused, the affidavit said. Gardner said Peterson told the dispatchers he was unarmed and his guns were in a safe but said he wouldnt leave his own apartment until the tenants were removed.

Peterson than hung up, less than 10 minutes after calling 911.

The affidavit said Peterson left his apartment and walked down the driveway around 10:15 p.m. but Gardner said Peterson was still not following commands from police and was detained by troopers because he was trying to walk away and wouldnt keep his hands up.

After Peterson was in custody, Hadeka showed the air conditioning unit to Gardner who said he saw what appeared to be three bullet holes in the unit and a spot that had been grazed by a bullet.

Hadeka said his roommate, Shasta Perez, was in her room, where the air conditioning unit was, when she told him she thought the unit had been shot. He said he went outside to take a look at it when Hadeka allegedly saw Peterson with a flashlight in one hand and a gun in the other.

Hadeka said Peterson made threats that scared him because he believed Peterson had shot at Hadekas vehicles in the past, and Hadeka knew that Peterson allegedly had many guns.

While Hadeka told police Peterson threatened him with a handgun, Gardner said he found 20-gauge shotgun casings outside the home.

Police executed a search warrant at Petersons home later on July 24 and seized 10 guns, according to the affidavit.

There was no indication in the affidavit about why Peterson would shoot at his tenants home, and there was no indication that police had questioned Peterson.

The Rutland County States Attorneys Office, through Ray Sun, a deputy states attorney, asked that Peterson be held without bail based on several factors including the accusations of violence.

Sun said Hadeka and Perez would be in danger if Peterson was released.

The evidence indicates that (Peterson) fired a shotgun into a window unit air conditioner installed in Mr. Hadeka and Ms. Perezs home and then when they emerged from their home to investigate the sounds of gunshots and the broken air conditioner, he threatened to kill them while holding the shotgun that he had just fired. This extreme violent and threatening conduct demonstrates deep animosity toward Mr. Hadeka and Ms. Perez and the ability and inclination to use lethal force against them, Sun wrote.

If convicted of all the charges against him, Peterson could be sentenced to up to 12 years and six months in jail.

patrick.mcardle

@rutlandherald.com

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Man accused of shooting tenants' AC with shotgun - Rutland Herald

The Topeka Capital-Journals list of the Top 120 Shawnee County Athletes of 2020 is slowly starting to take shape.

A whopping 599 athletes make up the list of nominees for the current project, an update of The C-Js Top 100 list published in 2011.

The original list included high school, college, professional and Olympic stars, former world record-holders, as well as Hall of Famers in various sports.

While the 100 athletes who were named in 2011 were very deserving, a long list of recent county athletes have staked their claim for a spot on the updated list while others from the original list are deserving of a higher spot.

And even though there have been 599 athletes nominated, either back in 11 or this time around, Im convinced there are probably athletes who arent on the list who deserve consideration.

If readers agree, heres your final chance to right that potential wrong, with this the last call for deserving athletes to be nominated.

Nominations, with a brief description of qualifications, can be emailed to rpeterson@cjonline.com through Monday, Aug. 3, with The Capital-Journal planning to launch the project next month.

Candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or graduated from a county high school and will be judged solely on their athletic achievements, meaning coaching feats and other sports-related contributions wont factor into the rankings.

Current Capital-Journal staffers will compile the list after gaining input from prominent local sports figures, as well as former Capital-Journal staff members.

To help in the nomination process, a list of the current nominees is listed below.

Now lets get started!

NOMINATIONS FOR TOP 120 OF 2020

A Del Acker, Deana Alexander, Jack Alexander, Nathan Allen, Carky Alexander, Marky Alexander, Aaron Anderson, Ronnie Anderson, Tom Anderson, Al Apitz, Tony Arrington, Sarah Arterburn, Brett Ash, Lamont Austin.

B Bob Babb, Davy Babb, Mike Babb, Carly Bachelor, Kristie Bahner, Derek Bahner, Dan Baker, Corey Ballentine, Trish Barkemeyer, Tony Barksdale, Chris Barnes, Valerie Barnes, Corey Barron, Darrin Baumchen, Henry J. Bayliss, Tyler Bean, Ted Bechtel, Aaron Becker, Ray Beers, Greg Bell, Bob Benoit, Jocelyn Bentley, Boomer Berry, Ken Berry, Greg Besler, Lindsay Biggs, Troy Biladeau, Emil Bilstein, Linda Binggeli, Charlie Black, Michael Blackwell, Mike Blaisdell, Jamie Blakeley, Wolf Blaser, Don Bliss, Dallas Blocker, Alexa Bordewick-Dreiling, Dean Boyles, John Brantham, Clarence "Kid'' Breithaupt, Bob Briggs, Elliott Broadnax, T.C. Broadnax, Keya Brown-Downing, Jeff Bruce, Matt Buhler, Mitch Buhler, Rod Bunde, Tom Bunger, Bob Bunten, Richard Burgardt, Mike Bush, Dee Dee Buzzi, Jack Bybee.

C Alonzo Canady, Don "Moe'' Canfield, Lisa Carey, Ben Carlson, Chris Carlson, Kristen Carlson, Nick Carlson, Tom Carlson, Zach Carlson, Chris Carpenter, Preston Carrington (Syed Abdul Mutfi), Dave Carson, Gil Carter, Marcel Carter, Woodrow Carter, Dale Carver, Marion Carver, Dan Cassidy, Cierra Ceazer, Kelsey Chipman, Marc Chrisco, Tim Clark, Avery Clifton, Dara Clouse, Dan Cnossen, R.D. Cogswell, Hal Coffman, Will Cokeley, Pat Colley, Lisa Comstock, Duff "Sir Richard'' Cooley, Megan Cooney, Jordan Cooper, Bradon Copeland, Chuck Copp, Kevin Cowan, Tych Cowdin, Erica Cowhick-Book, Dave Crandell, Tracy Crawford, Aaron Crow, Dale Cushinberry, Garry Cushinberry.

D George Darrow, Kerry Darting, Dan Davis, George Davis, Paula Davis, Russell Davis, John Dean, Bridget Deghand, Rick DeHart, Jack Deines, Gary Deiter, Ed Delk, Elwood "Bingo'' DeMoss, Judy Desch, Ryan Deutsch, Patty Dick, Alan Dickinson, Emily Dicus, Chris Dieker, Bob Diel, Tom Dinkel, Kelly Dirks, Atticus Disney, Tyler Dobelbower, James Dodson, Lee Dodson, Joe Douglas, Melvin Douglas, Stephen Downey, Kelli Dudley, Antoine Dulan, Fred Dumas, Jimmy Dumas, Keith Dunkel, Brad Durbin, Judy Dyer, Jimmy Dykes, Larry Dykes.

E Steve Eagan, Ron Ediger, Don Edwards, Mark Elliott, Karl Evans, Ted Evans.

F Lauren Falley, Dean Farrell, Wendy Farthing-Watson, Clifford "Bud'' Fawl, Bruce Ferguson, Cecil Fillyaw, Ryan Finan, Paul Fink, Beth Fisher, Trey Fisher, Chad Flores, Shelley Foster-Duffey, Lindsey Frey, Termaine Fulton.

G Santos Garcia, Tanner Gardner, Lindsay Garver, Dan Gay, Will Geary, Mike Geist, Jayme Gergen, David Gish, Justin Glasgow, Abbie Glynn, Jim Golden, Nick Golden, Steve Gomez, Charles "Chick'' Gordon, Grant Gould, Katie Graham, John Grantham, Jesse Gray, Lori Green, Art Griggs, Ross Grimsley Sr., Steve Groth, Ashlee Gustin, Aubree Gustin, Marylys Gwaltney.

H Rip Hagerman, Melanie Hall, Austin Halsey, Kasey Hamilton, Austin Hanson, Mark Hanson, Jennifer Hardesty, Steve Hardesty, Arthur Hardy, Matt Harrington, Tim Harrison Joe Harvey, Collin Hase, John Hastings, Scott Haverkamp, Jim Hayes, Earl Hays, Rob Hays, Dana Hazen, Harun Hazim, Nadira Hazim, Sharieff Hazim, Dillon Hazlett, Jerad Head, Kevin Hedberg, Sarah Heeb, Daniel Heflin, Theo Heflin, Clarence "Lefty'' Heise, Wilmer Henderson, Kelly Hennes, Tyler Herl, Sherman Herold, William Herron, Bruce Hill, Madeline Hill, Mikey Hoffer, Joel Hoffman, Maggie Holmberg, Amanda Holmes, Amelia Holmes, Adam Holthaus, Mark Homlish, Brian Horak, Tucker Horak, Julie Howerton, Jackie Hoyt, Wyatt Hubert, Tyrone Hudson, Tisharria Huggins, John Hughes, Michael Hunninghake, Scott Hunsicker, Blake Hunter, Brooklyn Hunter, Tommy Hunter, Dave Hupp, Jared Huske, Mariah Hutchinson.

I Kyle Ingenthron, Ryan Irvin, Larry Irwin, Becky Ives.

J Mike Jackson (Topeka High), Mike Jackson (Highland Park), William "Rosco'' Jackson, Teven Jenkins, Kelly Jennings, Blair Johnson, Eric Johnson, Floyd Johnson, Jennifer Johnson Jewett, John Johnson, Karwin Johnson, Ken "Hook'' Johnson, Mark Johnson, Ray Johnson, Branden Joost, Chance Joost, Jeneka Joyce, Shawn Joy.

K Carrie Kaberline, Scott Kauffman, Deon Kayhill, Ryan Kelly, Crystal Kemp, Paul Kemp, John Kendrick, Bill Kennedy, Adrian King, Danny Kingcannon, Liesel Kirk-Fink, Don Kirkwood, Jordan Kitchen, Dianna Klamm, Laura Klamm, Matt Klusener, Danielle Knipp, John Knoll, Brandon Kohake, Ryan Koontz, Greg Kopf, Steve Krueger, Jerry Kruger, Kyle Kruger, Lon Kruger, Shannon Kruger.

L Paige Ladbenburger, Brady Lamar, Jack Lambert, Dave Langford, Brooke LaRue, Levi Lee, Tatyana Legette, Lisa Leiber, Ben Leiker, Tony Leiker, Scott Leon, Darrell "Dode'' Lesser, Delvy Lewis, Kelsey Lewis, Trey Lewis, Bill Lindsay, Melaine Livergood-Kester, Donnie Lockhart, Aaron Lockwood, Frank Logan, Megan Lucas, Kevin Lutz.

M Lamar Mady, Courtney Mahon, Jessica Mainz, Dale Mallon, Steve Mallory, Kaylee Manns, Lacie Manns, Stacie Marmet-Lasswell, Greg Marney, Pat Martin, Dwight Martinek, Ron Martinek, Tom Matukewicz, Rhonda Matzke, George Mayfield, Korey Mayronne, Dudley "Tully'' McAdoo, Chauncey McBride, Rick McCabe, Dick McConnell, Chris McCulloch, Bill McDonald, Steve McDonald, Kate McEwen-Hansen, Guy McFadden, Amber McGinnis, B.J. McGivern, C.B. McGrath, Randy McGrath, Rollie McGrath, T.J. McGreevy, John McGrew, Dani McHenry-Schmidt, Orson "Shorty'' McLaughlin, Sean McManus, Jahmal McMurray, Kyle McNorton, Kirke Mechem, Julie Meidinger, Tom Meier, Duane "Blacky'' Melvin, Katie Merriam, Maggie Metz, C.C. Metzler, Larry Miller, Bill Mills, Kathy Mohler, Haley Molden, Billie Jean Moore, John Morgan, Jacob Morgan, Caitlin Morrisey, Steve Moten, Carroll Ray "Dink'' Mothell, Rick Mudge, Rebekah Mueller, Margaret Murdock, Paul Muxlow, Leea Murphy-Carter, Bill Myers.

N Chuck Nelson, Erika Nelson, Charles Nez, Trisa Nickoley, Anna Nimz, Mark Nordstrom, Sheri Norris.

O Nikki Olberding, Dan O'Mara, Daniel Ortiz, Paul Oswald.

P Fred Palenske, R.C. Palmer, Ron Paradis, Jim Paramore, Abreanna Parker, Sherman Parks Jr., Craig Parman, Shannon Parr, James Patrick, A.J. Patterson, Denny Payne, Matt Peacock, Logan Pegram, Whitney Pegram, Jennifer Perine, Don Perkins, Gene Petersen, Jared Peterson, Darrell Peyton, Marty Pfanenstiel, Mark Pickens, Don Pierce, Kristen Pierce, Ray "Lefty'' Pierce, Danny Piles, Angie Poell-Bachelor, Don Pollom, Derek Pomeroy, Raphael Posey, Susan Punzo, Tim Powell, George Pratt, David Proctor, Jason Puderbaugh.

Q John Queen.

R Charlie Rappard, Bruce Rathbun, Ronnie McGivern, Robbie Rea, Damon Reed, Hayley Reed, Scott Reichert, Jayde Reid, Jeff Reid, Rob Reilly, Bob Renker, Fred Renker, Alicia Revely, Dave Reynolds, Janet Rice, Rico Richardson, Eddie Riddle, Tonna Rieger, Bob Riley, Chad Rodriguez, Lori Roenbaugh, Grant Rogers, Faith Rottinghaus.

S Rito Saenz, Steve Sanneman, Laura Sargent, Ariana Scales, Sarah Scheckel, Bill Schmidt, Jonathan Schmidt, Tyler Schmidt, Perry Schmiedeler, Larry Schneider, Dawn Schreiber, Adam Schroeder, Steve Schuster, Sammie Schurig, Spenser Scott, Todd Scott, Warren Seitz, Tom Sewell, Brenda Shaffer-Dahl, Justin Shaw, Sandy Shaw, Nathan Sheafor, Jeff Shelar, MIke Shinn, Charles Short, Christine Silovsky, Kalee Silovsky, Paul Silovsky, Tom Silovsky, Ben Simecka, Brock Simpson, Ian Simpson, Steve Simpson, Barbara Sipes, Brady Sisk, Matt Sivesind, Fred Slaughter, Kevin Sloan, Troy Slusser, Blake Smith, Dean Smith, Jan Smith, Kendall Smith, Scott Smith, Sharp Smith, Adam Sokolowski, Sherri Spangler-Monhollon, Sasha Spann-Wallace, Lance Sparks, Shara Stafford, Mike Starbuck, Bob Steinbock, Maurice Stevens, Brenda Stolle, Tracey Stowe, Carl Strecker, Kristin Strecker, Clyde Strimple, Corrinne Stringer, Nick Stringer, Stan Stringer, Tom Stringer, Adin Stromgren, Whitney Stromgren, Jason Stuke, Shannon Suddarth, Angie Suther, Brent Swanson, Jazz Sweet.

T Ky Thomas, Matt Thonen, Winston Tidwell, Steve Tilford, Chris Torrez, Mike Torrez, Glenn Trammel, Iain Trimble, Tony Trimble, Ed Tucker, Jay Tunnell, Mark Turgeon.

U Mike Unrein, Erin Underwood, Kristen Underwood.

V Elise Valdez, Darth Vaughn, Stan Vernon, Beau Vest, Clardy Vinson, Scott Vondemkamp.

W Carrie Wagaman, John Waltz, Bob Wanamaker, Kevin Ward, Dave Warren, Cassie Wassengerg, Heather Wassenberg, Buzzy Watts, Derrick Watts, Doug Weber, Kyle Weems, Odell Weidner, Kasey Weishaar, Pat Weissbeck, Rick Weissbeck, Garth Wellshear, Thad Wellshear, Rick Wendland, Sandy Werner, Macahla Wesley, Chris Wheeler, Wayne Wheeler, Josh White, Sarah White, Chris White-Ready, George Whitney, Scott Wichman, Michael Wilhoite, Sparky Wilhelm, Bill Wilkerson, Don Williams, Jake Williams, James Williams, Peyton Williams, Tootie Williams, Kent Williamson, Don Wilson, Gene Wilson, Mandy Wilson, Mindy Wilson, Theron Wilson, Troy Wilson, Sam Winter, Kevin Wood, Mike Woodfin, Gary Woodland, Josh Workman, Marty Workman, Janelle Wright, J.P. Wright, Shane Wright.

Y Latisha Yarnell, Luke Yarnell, Lyndall Yarnell.

Z Ryan Zeferjahn, Duane Zlatnik, Taylor Zordel.

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Peterson: Last call for the Top 120 of 2020 - The Topeka Capital-Journal

Jason Zencka(Photo: Courtesy of Amy Anderson Photography)

STEVENS POINT The Portage County Circuit Court has to be one ofthe least likely settings for an opera.

Yet here it is: An original-cast recording of "Voire Dire,"set to be released in CD and by digital streaming services on Aug. 7. "Voire Dire" the title means a preliminary examination of a witness or juror depicts a single day in a fictional courtroom set in central Wisconsin, and it wasinspired by what happened more than a decade ago in the Portage County courthouse.

The work was created by college friends and collaborators Jason Zencka, a reporter for the Stevens Point Journal in 2006 and 2007, and Matthew Peterson, a Swedish/American composer. The two met each other when they attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Peterson composed the music and Zencka wrote the liberetto, or text, of the piece shortly after Zencka left Stevens Point and moved to Washington, D.C.

The opera was performed in 2017 by the Fort Worth Opera, and the original cast of singers recorded the work in June 2018 in a Minnesota Public Radio studio. The album will be released through RedHouse Studios, a music label created by Peterson and another partner, and it's funded through the help of 100 crowd-funded financial supporters and the Swedish Arts Council.

The whole thing is a little surreal, and when Zencka was sitting in the courtroom, taking notes, he said he never would have guessed that the experience would end up as a musical work of art.

"I loved the job.I loved being a reporter at the time, and I wanted to be a good reporter. That's all I was thinking about," Zencka said. "But I have been writing since I was a kid. It was part of how I made sense of the day."

It was unlikely that Zencka became a reporter in the first place. When he was in high school, he toyed with the idea of becoming a pastor. So he studied classical languages, Greek and Latin, at St. Olaf.

He met Peterson there. Peterson, from Grand Forks, North Dakota, and he hit it off, and they collaborated on an opera when they were students, a piece based on the story of Isaac and Abraham of the Bible's Old Testament.

While Zencka was studying in Northfield, his mother, the Rev. Susan Gilbert Zencka, became pastor of Frame Presbyterian Church in Stevens Point. He found and got the reporting job at the Stevens Point Journal with the help of her connections in the community.

Zencka said he was still working in Stevens Point when Peterson approached him again to collaborate on another opera. Peterson was looking to move to Sweden through a Fulbright program and thought the work could help his cause.

It worked. Or at least it didn't hurt his cause. He moved to Sweden shortly after and has been living there ever since, Zencka said.

"Voire Dire" CD cover(Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Peterson)

When he was brainstorming for ideas with Peterson, he started to think about what he saw and heard in the courthouse. They decided that it could work for their piece.

The courthouse "is a particular place with particular cultural signifiers," Zencka said."You're getting this tawdry, pulpy, almost raw, stuff of life and you are filtering it through this kind of sung language. It seemed like a good match."

The people at the Forth Worth Opera thought so. Almost a decade after Peterson and Zencka wrote "Voire Dire," the company chose the work as one to refine and perform.

It was a strange feeling seeing the words he wrote being performed on stage, Zencka said. "It's kind of like stumbling on a home video that you haven't seen for a long time. I had matured in every possible way."

After Zencka left Stevens Point, he worked for a while as an investigator for the public defenders office in Washington, D.C. He then moved on to earn a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Minnesota, and became a high school English teacher, first in the Twin Cities area, now in Syracuse, New York. He is married and the father of a baby boy.

He has written through it all. Zencka has had several short stories published in the past few years, and is refining a novel before sending it to publishers.

Zencka still looks back on his time in Stevens Point with a wistful feeling. He learned so much, he said.

"I saw plenty of things in the courtroom that shocked and saddened me," he said. "I also saw a lot of wonderful people in the community wrestling with how to do right in an impossible situation."

To learn more about "Voir Dire" and to preorder the album, people can log on to Matthew Peterson's website: http://www.matthew-peterson.com/voir-dire-album.

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Contact Keith Uhlig at 715-845-0651 or kuhlig@gannett.com. Follow him at @UhligK on Twitter and Instagram or on Facebook.

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'Voire Dire': How the Portage County Circuit Court inspired an opera, and now a CD - Stevens Point Journal

At 35 years old, Washington Football Team running back Adrian Peterson is considered past his prime. In NFL life, Petersons an aging player, but hes still going strong. Last season, he rushed for 898 yards in 15 games and is planning on big things this season. Theres no end in sight for Peterson, who credited his motivation to keep playing to former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

RELATED: The Dallas Cowboys Owned Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers

Adrian Peterson played his college football at Oklahoma and was a first-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back was taken with the seventh overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings. Peterson didnt disappoint. He rushed for better than 1,300 yards in his first three seasons, including 1,341 in his rookie year when he added 12 touchdowns and was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Peterson made the Pro Bowl in his first four seasons in the league. He rushed for a league-leading 1,760 yards in his second season and then added 1,383 (and a league-leading 18 touchdowns) and 1,298 yards in his third and fourth seasons. Peterson had his best season in 2012 when he ran for a league-leading 2,097 yards and added 12 touchdowns.

In 10 seasons with the Vikings, Peterson rushed for 11,474 yards and scored 97 rushing touchdowns. He then split the 2017 season with the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints in a less-than-stellar season. He revived his career with the then-Washington Redskins in 2018 when he eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark. Peterson is a seven-time Pro Bowler and has an MVP under his belt.

After a stellar college football career at Southern Mississippi, Brett Favre was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 1991 NFL draft. Favre threw just four passes for the Falcons before being traded to the Green Bay Packers prior to the 1992 season.

Favre took over for an injured Don Majkowski in 1992 and never looked back. through the 2004 season, Favre never had a losing record as the quarterback for the Packers. He spent 16 seasons in Green Bay and compiled a 160-93 record. He was an 11-time Pro Bowler and a three-time MVP. Favre guided the Packers to a Super Bowl title in 1997.

After a breakup with the Packers, he was traded to the New York Jets where he spent one season and went 9-7. Favre then went on to play two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He guided the Vikings to the NFC Championship in his first season with the team. Favre never missed a start in 297 games. He finished his career with 508 touchdown passes and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

At the age of 40, Brett Favre was still playing like he was a kid in the NFL. He took the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC title game and threw for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns during the regular season. His passes still had that zip and he was still a scrambler as a 40-year old.

According to The Washington Post, running back Adrian Peterson, who played with Favre in Minnesota, was a guest on a talk show co-hosted by Favre in Dec. of 2018. Peterson said he drew inspiration from Favre as he watched the quarterback shine at 40 years old. You know what it takes, Peterson told Favre. I had the opportunity to play with you in 2009. Still to this day, I havent felt wind go by my ear from any other passer. That was at 40 years old. At practice you threw the ball so hard, wind went by as the receiver was coming by to catch the ball.

That season you had was just spectacular and amazing. Being around you, too, even motivated me more to know that I could play this game as long as I felt I could, and not allowing people to box me in. ... You are a great example, so for me, that was something that I wanted to continue to do throughout my career. Coming in and watching you be the professional that you were at your age, the way that you practiced.

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Brett Favre Gave Adrian Peterson the Motivation to Keep Playing - Sportscasting

BOSTON The Mets were keeping mum before Mondays 7-4 win over the Red Sox on their starting pitching plans for Tuesday, but rookie David Petersons name was squarely in the conversation.

Peterson was placed on the teams taxi squad, meaning he was allowed to travel with the Mets and could be added to the 30-man roster to take the rotation spot that opened with Marcus Stromans placement on the injured list following a left calf tear last week.

The left-hander Peterson, who was the organizations top pick in the 2017 draft, impressed team officials during spring training and summer camp, when he emerged as potential rotation depth.

This kid has great demeanor and he presents as that guy that wants to compete and get you out, manager Luis Rojas said. Hes always searching, hes always asking questions, I like his pitchability as far as repertoire and also controlling the running game and fielding his position, there is just a good package there. A great guy to have in the pool, on the taxi squad for any strategy or any reason that may come in.

Erasmo Ramirez is another possibility to start if the Mets dont choose Peterson.

Pete Alonso, who entered play 1-for-11 (.091) was among the most conspicuous of the Mets struggling at the plate, before going 1-for-5, with a homer that left Fenway Park at 116 mph in Mondays win.

[Alonso] is chasing, Rojas said before the game. I have seen his front foot just landing top leg, sometimes overstriding, that leads to getting beat on the fastball. You overstride and you create more velocity on the fastball. What I do like is his attitude toward it. Hes able to maintain his attitude and he wants to see what hes doing.

Hes somebody under control with his emotions and his coaches are on him, he can make quick adjustments, so that is what were expecting right now from Pete.

Yoenis Cespedes was absent from the starting lineup after starting the first three games as the DH. Rojas indicated he was giving Cespedes a rest and wanted to get Dominic Smiths bat in the lineup. Smith started as the DH.

Tyler Bashlor was recalled from the Mets alternate camp to fill Corey Oswalts roster space. Oswalt was optioned after pitching four innings in relief Sunday and allowing five runs.

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Rookie David Peterson in the conversation to join Mets rotation - New York Post

"Hope and help are available and that recovery is possible. It all starts with a conversation," said Linda Peterson, a mother that lost her son to suicide.

BOISE, Idaho This week, KTVB's Hello Idaho turns the focus on suicide and how the important conversations surrounding it could end up saving a life by looking at a life that ended too soon.

Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, an ariel skier, found extreme success in winter 2010. So much that former Boise mayor Dave Bieter awarded him the key to the city.

In 2010, Peterson was at the top of the winter athletics world, earning himself a silver medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. At the event, Peterson landed the biggest trick in ariel skiing history, prompting a hero's welcome when he returned home to Boise.

His smile, his charisma and his ability to light up a room caught everyone's attention. However, that happiness he displayed on the surface was used as a mask for his battle with depression.

On July 25, 2011, just 18 months after Peterson returned from Vancouver with a silver medal and the hearts of millions from the ariel skiing world, Peterson lost his battle with depression at the top of Lamb's Canyon in Utah.

"I'm not angry at him for what he did," Peterson's mother, Linda, said. "The pain becomes insurmountable. And the pain that he was having, I know because I saw it, your spirit is crushed. It truly was unbearable with him."

Peterson's mother is featured in an HBO documentary premiering this week titled The Weight of Gold, a project that sheds light on mental health issues affecting some of the world's most well-known athletes.

She believes that the project will raise awareness surrounding athletes' struggles with mental health, which she said begins with starting the conversation.

"It will give people hope and tools for knowing how to have a conversation because you don't know what you don't know," Peterson's mother said. "It's just as simple as having a few words."

Shannon Decker, Peterson's cousin, is the co-founder and executive director of the Speedy Foundation. The organization was created just weeks after Peterson's death and provided the start-up funds for the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline.

The hotline was idle for ten years before the Speedy Foundation provided funds to restart it.

The foundation remains as Peterson's legacy and is designed to be a lifeline for those combatting mental health issues, as well as a teaching tool for those looking to help in the fight, according to Peterson's mother.

Linda feels this is the way her son will live through and feels grateful that Decker and Peterson's friend worked together to create this foundation.

"[Peterson] said talk, talk, talk. He was telling friends that, I heard him say that," Peterson's mother said. "Those conversations are hard to have. There's been a lot of tabu or stigma or discrimination against them. They are conversations we avoid having. But they are life-saving conversations. So, the more that we can talk about the hard stuff the easier our life is going to be."

The Speedy Foundation's three main pillars are advocacy, conversation and education. These pillars were designed with the goal of bringing light to the darkness of mental health issues that, as the HBO documentary points out, can occur for even the most idolized and successful, like Peterson.

"They all have a focus on increasing mental health literacy and making conversations normal; normalizing conversations, talking about it," Peterson's mother said. "Normalizing that hope and help are available and that recovery is possible. And it all starts with a conversation."

Visit KTVBs Hello Idaho page for more resources regarding mental health.

Watch our latest conversations about mental health in our YouTube playlist:

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Hello Idaho: The Speedy Foundation continues to offer guidance surrounding suicide prevention - KTVB.com

SportsPulse: Dan Wolken and Paul Myerberg discuss if there will be college football this fall. As Wolken put its, all it takes is one bad outcome due to the pandemic to send the sport into chaos. USA TODAY

So now, were in a staring contest. Who will be the first to decide the fate of 2020 fall college football:College footballs biggest classification of strength (aka Power Five), or the NCAAs Board of Governors?

Let the staredown begin.

It actually started Friday afternoon, after the BOG accepted a Power Five and NCAA Division-I Football Oversight Committee request to delay a decision on whether to postpone championships this fall or to allow soccer, womens volleyball, cross-country, field hockey and lower-level football to proceed as usual.

Who blinks first?

No one wants to be the person that actually utters the play-on mandate, or pulls a cord on a sport that a lot of people think will eventually be pulled.

No one is leading college footballs overall plight to find a workable plan for a healthy fall season. How many quarantined players during a week equals not playing a game? Will anyone nationally be keeping weekly tabs on the number (not individuals names) of positive COVID-19 tests?

Gary Barta, Kirk Ferentz and Bruce Harreld chat on the sidelines before the Hawkeyes' game against Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018.(Photo: David Scrivner/For the Press-Citizen)

The Board of Governors meets again on Aug. 4. By then, maybe well know more, but for now, it looks like a situation in which no one wants to make the ultimate decision. Thats the takeaway from weekend conversations with people connected to all levels of college football.

The Big 12, SEC and ACC are waiting as long as they can before declaring their intent for football in the fall and the Big 12 might wait the longest. Schedule models have been formed, re-formed and tweaked.

Conference opponents only? Conference opponents plus one or two others? Starting the season on time? First games on Sept. 19 instead of Sept. 5? Pushing the season to the spring?

Its all out there. Hopefully, by the time fall camp opens during the first week of August, everyone will know the tentative plan.

Give the Board of Governors credit for listening to Power Five leaders who cringed that the rug would be pulled on the NCAA staging fall championships in the sports it oversees which isnt football at the highest level.

What would the optics have been if, for example, bigger conferences played football, while everyone else was sidelined? Ill help you.Not good.

Everyone now has a couple more weeks before the decision time clock expires to figure out workable solutions assuming one exists.

Oct 20, 2018; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione speaks with former WWE host Jim Ross (right) before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports(Photo: Kevin Jairaj, Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

The largest schools want to play football, but only if its safe. Theyre trending toward changing the starting date some favor earlier, some later. Theyre trending toward a conference-only format that includes playing someone beyond whos on annual schedules. The buzz word is flexible.

On Saturday, Kansas added Southern Illinois to replace the New Hampshire game, which was lost when the Colonial League decided not to play football and the Wildcats chose not to seek an independent schedule. The Salukis originally were scheduled to play at Wisconsin, which was scratched with the Big Tens earlier scheduling decision.

Also over the weekend, Oklahoma moved its opener against Missouri State up a week to Aug. 29. The Sooners press release said the date was changed to allow more scheduling flexibility in addressing potential issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"If the season is indeed permitted to start as scheduled, the benefit of extra time between games will help our teams manage any variety of possible circumstances that may occur," OU athletics director Joe Castiglione said. "Our original schedule had an open date between the second and third games, so now we will have a span of five weeks to play three games. It provides us a more gradual approach to safely manage the conditions of these unprecedented times. We're thankful to Missouri State for their cooperation during this process and to the NCAA for allowing both teams to start the season a week earlier."

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell celebrates with defensive lineman Steve Wirtel (39) after an NCAA college football game against Texas, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 23-21. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)(Photo: Charlie Neibergall, AP)

Theres another school of thought that goes something like this: Start later, like Sept. 19. Give the bubble in which football players have been existing time to re-seal after students converge on campuses having in-person instruction.

Both plans seem workable, assuming its even healthy enough to play.

Both seem all right, especially in a college football climate in which one plan doesnt necessarily have to fit every program.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been writingfor the Des Moines Register for parts of sixdecades. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete. No one covers the Cyclones like the Register.Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal

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Peterson: Re-discovering that theres no one-size-fits-all for college football - Des Moines Register

Name: Dylan PetersonSchool: Pelham High SchoolGrade: 11thWhat sports do you play? I play football and run track.Do you have a pre-game/competition ritual? Yes I do.Whats your favorite subject at school? Why? English, it gets you thinking critically.Are you involved in other school activities or groups? BroadcastingWhat are your hobbies? I enjoy fishing and bowling.What is your favorite sports team? My favorite sports team is Seattle Seahawks.Who is your favorite athlete? My favorite athlete is Derrick Henry.What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to get a business administration degree to become business consultant.

The Shelby County Reporters Athlete of the Week is open to students of all ages who play any sport for public, private or home schools in the county. To nominate someone, contact Scott Mims at 250-669-3131 or scott.mims@shelbycountyreporter.com.

Sponsored by Compact 2020.

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Athlete of the Week: Dylan Peterson - Shelby County Reporter - Shelby County Reporter

360-access's founders Madonna Long (left) and Joann Peterson (right).

Remember Yelp? You know, that archaic crowd-sourced web tool that helped you find a restaurant that meets all of your picky, prickly foodieprerequisites? (Yeah, I know remember restaurants?) Well, even when restaurants were a daily and nightly thing, Yelp wasntmuch help for people with disabilities looking for an accommodating, accessible place to dine. Thats why creating a Yelp-like guide for people who need or simply prefer such accommodations has been one of a few Holy Grail-type goals for techies interested in accessibility and disability tech.

But despite numerous attempts, no one has really reached the scale needed to become a dependable, multi-city or national resource, and reliable information about the true accessibility of everyday destinations remains elusive at best.

Now, two women who are both longtime wheelchair usersthink they may have solved this riddle. Their product, 360-access.com, debuts fittingly on July 26, the by now well noted 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Co-founders Joann Peterson and Madonna Long are turning the concept of crowd-sourcing on its head, instead boldly asking the venues themselves to provide the information for disabled, older and otherwise constrained consumerssuch asthe presence and quantity of stairs, accessible bathrooms, Braille or online menus, hearing induction loops, sound levels and more.360-Access will providethese opt-in venues with a survey that will enable managers to quicklynote their business accessible strengths and weaknesses, givingcustomers an accurate picture of what to expect.With thatand a small annual sponsor fee, restaurants andothervenues will become listed in the app, making it easy for consumers to choose a destination that suits.

On the consumer side, people in the disability community can become members of 360-accessat no cost and will receive regular info about upcoming discounts or events involving sponsors. Members or not, they willbe able toverify the venue-supplied information and add their own reviews or comments.

Such verification is critical, because sometimes compliance with ADA guidelines is, unfortunately, no guarantee of design quality, and also because some managers may make overlyoptimistic or even knowingly falsestatements about how accessible their business really is.

Reviewers will also requirereviewing. All reviews are subject to an internal review before they go live, says Peterson. There will be numerical ratings, and fouled or abusive language wont be permitted.

Will it be hard to get owners and managers to sign up, especially if they have to fill out a survey that acknowledges a lack of compliance? 360-access takes a welcome reality-based approach. We would love the world to be 100% accessible for everyone, Peterson says. But we arent here to talk about compliance.Were here to talk about what exists todayand in the future.If businesses provide information about the features they do havebased on ADA guidelinesthen the person with a disability will be able to make an informed decision.

Indeed, the ability to plan ahead for even a casual trip is key for anyone with accessibility in mind. Lakshmee Lachhman-Persad likes to bring her Bronx-based family, which includes her sister, a wheelchair user, into Manhattan and around the city to visit tourist destinations and have a nice meal. Finding reliable digital information about accessibility is the most difficult part of the trip she says.That informationwas so scarce that she created a blog, Accessible Travel NYC, so she could describe her familys frustrations andtriumphs for her readers.

360-accesss co-founders met at atechnology conference in Pittsburgh after Peterson spotted Long sitting alone in her wheelchair. I just crutched over to her andintroduced myself, Peterson laughs. That was essentially when the app went into development. A planned launch in 2018 had to be scrapped when Abators Chief Information Officer, who had designed the proprietary software for that version of 360-access, passedaway suddenly. Stunned, they nonetheless went back to work, and decided to pull the trigger as the ADA hit its 30th anniversary.

Peterson and Long persevered by staying focused on their goal, and by drawing on their own experience and connectionsalong with being, according to Peterson, 100 percent self-funded. Peterson is theCEO of Abator, an IT engineering systems firmshe foundedalmost four decades ago in Pittsburgh, where it remains; 360-access is being housed under the Abator umbrella, at least for now. Long is a career-long advocate and activist, with a wide and deep network of connections across the U.S., including the American Association of People with Disabilitiesand the Centers for Independent Living, as well as chambers of commerce and local travel and transportation organizations. Shell be leveraging those contacts to build partnerships to hopefully bring in the restaurants and other venues that will populate the site.If we map it, she predicts, they will come.

And if they dont? Peterson doesnt flinch. No risk, no reward, she declares.But its more than that for these personally invested partners.

We want the emotional reward if it kicks off.Our community need this, and I want to help move it forward. In the end, Peterson says, I believe it will work. I dont believe we will fail.

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After 30 Years, Making Accessibility Information Accessible - Forbes

Jack Moser | Courtesy Jordan Peterson

ISLAND PARK A Pocatello child was severely injured Monday when a family camping trip turned into a parents worst nightmare.

Five-year-old Jack Moser was riding his bike at a campsite in Island Park when a truck hauling a trailer pulled through the campground, according to his uncle Jordan Peterson. He said Jack pulled off to the side, but when the trailer was next to him, Jack lost his balance, fell and was ran over by two tires.

There happened to be an ambulance coming from Hebgen Lake (Montana) going to Madison Memorial in Rexburg that saw the call come in, Peterson said. They had a patient in the back of the ambulance and the EMTs realized this is pretty serious. They were about two miles away and they ended up going (to the campground).

The paramedics took the other patient, Jack, and his mother, Amber, in the ambulance to Madison Memorial Hospital. Once there, he was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

A firefighter was giving Amber a ride to EIRMC in a department vehicle that had lights and sirens on but on their way, Peterson said somebody failed to yield and hit the emergency vehicle.

It just so happened that another vehicle that was passing by was a nursing student who was graduating the next day, Peterson said. He and his kids were in the car and offered to give my sister a ride the rest of the way to Idaho Falls.

Courtesy Jordan Peterson

Jack lost over half of his blood volume by the time he arrived at EIRMC. He was intubated, sedated and flown to Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City where emergency surgery was performed to try and stop the bleeding.

Between Idaho Falls and Salt Lake, Jack received 11 units of blood products and platelets, so he has more donor blood in his body than he has his own, Peterson explained.

Doctors determined Jack has a broken pelvis, broken femur, damage to his colon and bladder and a laceration to his perineum, which is the underside between his legs. Hes already undergone several surgeries since the accident.

On top of everything, Jacks father, Jordan, isnt allowed to visit the hospital because the patient Amber and Jack rode with in the ambulance to Rexburg tested positive for COVID-19. Amber and Jack are being quarantined for 14 days.

Theres a lot of factors about this thing, Peterson said. Its not just one thing. Its everything. Theres so much going on its hard to comprehend.

Peterson said Jack, who is typically the happiest, most charming child, has a long road ahead of him.

Its not just this week or next week, this is going to be six months to a year at least of recovery time, Peterson said.

To help the Moser family, a GoFundMe acount has been set up and people can donate via Venmo.

Theres also a Jog for Jack! fundraiser Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Jriven Fitness, located at 669 W. Quinn No. 13. in Pocatello.

Courtesy Jordan Peterson

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5-year-old boy severely injured after being run over during camping trip - East Idaho News

News release, San Angelo ISD Published 11:55 a.m. CT July 25, 2020

Lake View High School librarian Allison Peterson(Photo: Contributed / San Angelo ISD)

San Angelo ISD announced Lake View High School librarian Allison Peterson as being named the Region 15 Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Peterson was selected as the Lake View High School Teacher of the Year in the spring and was named the San Angelo ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year in May.

A third-generation educator, Peterson began her career at Lake View in 1994, teaching inclusion and resource English classes for 13 years. She received a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas in 2011.

According to the American Association of School Librarians, "The school librarian empowers all members of the learning community to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, curators and ethical users of information."

Peterson strives to achieve this every day. In addition to library duties, she oversees the distribution, collection and storage of textbooks, serves as the yearbook bookkeeper, assists with the campus Credit Recovery program, and provides on-campus technical support.Peterson serves on the Process Champions team and Safety Committee at Lake View. She also assists with the Student Ambassador/Face of Lake View group and serves on the district's Connect+ committee.

Peterson consistently designs fun and effective ways to foster a love of reading. One such example is a project she designed based upon the concept of "speed dating." Each

student has a short time to interact with a book before moving on to the next "date" with a different book, some of which they might not have given a second look before.

According to Mrs. Peterson, "at the end of the class period, each student has interacted with ten to twelve very different books, and has hopefully found one he or she would like to get to know a little better, and maybe even come to love."

Peterson is described by her peers as having a love for her students, teaching, and the entire Lake View family. "In public education, we should encourage all students to find their strengths and passions, develop the skills necessary to excel in those areas, inspire them to pursue their dreams, and guide them to become eager, life-long learners who, in turn, become contributing members of society," said Mrs. Peterson. "When they leave high school, students should believe that all careers are noble and that every worker is essential."

As Region 15 Teacher of the Year, Peterson is one of twenty secondary teachers vying for the State Secondary Teacher of the Year title. This fall, three secondary finalists will be selected and interviewed by the Texas Association of School Administrators prior to naming the state recipient.

If you appreciate locally driven journalism, consider a digital subscription to GoSanAngelo.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news updates. Submit news tips to News@GoSanAngelo.com.

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Allison Peterson Named Region 15 Secondary Teacher of the Year - Standard-Times

Posted: Jul 23, 2020 / 12:16 PM CDT / Updated: Jul 23, 2020 / 12:16 PM CDT

*The following is press release submitted by San Angelo ISD.

San Angelo ISD congratulates Lake View High School librarian Allison Peterson on being named the Region 15 Secondary Teacher of the Year. Peterson was selected as the Lake View High School Teacher of the Year in the spring and was named the San Angelo ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year in May.

A third-generation educator, Peterson began her career at Lake View in 1994, teaching inclusion and resource English classes for thirteen years. She received a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas in 2011.

According to the American Association of School Librarians, The school librarian empowers all members of the learning community to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, curators and ethical users of information. Mrs. Peterson strives to achieve this every day. In addition to library duties, she oversees the distribution, collection and storage of textbooks, serves as the yearbook bookkeeper, assists with the campus Credit Recovery program, and provides on-campus technical support. Mrs. Peterson serves on the Process Champions team and Safety Committee at Lake View. She also assists with the Student Ambassador/Face of Lake View group and serves on the districts Connect+ committee.

Mrs. Peterson consistently designs fun and effective ways to foster a love of reading. One such example is a project she designed based upon the concept of speed dating. Each student has a short time to interact with a book before moving on to dates with different books, some of which they might not have given a second look before. According to Mrs. Peterson, at the end of the class period, each student has interacted with ten to twelve very different books, and has hopefully found one he or she would like to get to know a little better, and maybe even come to love.

Mrs. Peterson is described by her peers as having a love for her students, teaching, and the entire Lake View family. In public education, we should encourage all students to find their strengths and passions, develop the skills necessary to excel in those areas, inspire them to pursue their dreams, and guide them to become eager, life-long learners who, in turn, become contributing members of society, said Mrs. Peterson. When they leave high school, students should believe that all careers are noble and that every worker is essential.

As Region 15 Teacher of the Year, Peterson is one of twenty secondary teachers vying for the State Secondary Teacher of the Year title. This fall, three secondary finalists will be selected and interviewed by the Texas Association of School Administrators prior to naming the state recipient.

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SAISD: Allison Peterson Named Region 15 Secondary Teacher of the Year - ConchoValleyHomepage.com

Long time Antioch resident Millie Peterson passed away peacefully on June 30, 2020, at the age of 101. Born on September 9, 1918, on 10th Street in Antioch, Millie attended Antioch schools from Kindergarten to 12th grade graduating with the class of 1935 from Antioch High School. Millie volunteered for the American Cancer Society, Delta Memorial (Sutter) Hospital for 20 years, and the El Campanil theater as an usher. She was involved in various organizations/clubs, including

Millie exemplifies the Antioch spirit of perseverance and service. Millie will be deeply missed by all her family and friends.

Every year Millie Peterson would attend the Victorian Tea at the Antioch Historical Museum. Last week, she passed away just shy of her 102nd birthday. She was born in Antioch in 1918. Her wedding dress is featured in the bridal room at the museum. She will be missed at our tea for sure.

Back in 2012, she was featured in an East Bay Times article, A Life of Work, Fun and Friends written by Trine Gallegos.

Below is an excerpt from the article.

Her father, P.K. Bigelow, ran a dairy farm on Ninth near F and G streets. He also lived his whole life in Antioch. Later, he worked for decades for the city; eventually getting a street named after him.

I am sometimes wistful about the old days, she said. Growing up, Peterson and her family would treat themselves to the movies once a month. And, every Sunday they would enjoy a vaudeville show at the El Campanil Theatre.

Peterson was one of about 30 in Antioch Highs 1935 graduating class. She said there are only a couple of her old classmates still alive, and she is grateful for her new circle of friends.

She enjoyed her job at Famous Fashions (in downtown Antioch) for 30 years. And, continues to take pleasure in the Antioch Womans Club (since 1986). She enjoyed her nearly 20 years of volunteering at Sutter Medical Center.

She liked the progress that has unfolded in her lifetime, but does miss some past joys: People werent in a hurry. Everyone would stop and talk.

There are really nice ideas out there, but with modern technology a lot of little graces have been lost.

She says she doesnt have a secret formula to share to help other to keep sharp and active at her age, but she does believe attitude has so much to do with it.

Her advice to todays youth?

Live life to the fullest; take every opportunity you get; be positive; and, have a happy attitude.

Around East County: Pioneer familys nearly last member passes on

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Millie Peterson - Antioch On The Move

Before the game, Wainwright and manager Mike Shildt (in a BLM T-Shirt) shared plans that the Cardinals unified as a team would kneel before (but not during) the national anthem. As the team lined up before the game, a few players and Shildt indeed began to kneel, but the anthem singer was announced too quickly by the public address announcer. Everyone stood back up for the song.

But there were other forms of activism by the Cardinals on this historic night (and not just because the team played a home game without any fans). After wearing the T-Shirts, they wore Black Lives Matter patches on their famous home white uniforms. BLM was stenciled behind the mound, seen during every pitch on the Fox Sports Midwest telecast. And between innings Friday night, the teams official Twitter account tweeted: We are united in the fight to end systemic racism.

And that will be a process in our country. In our city. But as Wainwright said, It starts with one family at a time.

Some people, if they see somebody different, theyre going to discriminate against them, Wainwright said. And thats just theres something in the fabric of humanity thats been there for thousands and thousands of years that we still got to work through. But you know what, were talking about it now and were trying to get past it.

All I can do is love my kids and lead them and shepherd them in such a way as when they go out into the world, they embrace everybodys differences in colors and think everybodys awesome and loves them all the same.

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Welcome to Howd They Do That? a bi-monthly column that unpacks moments of movie magic and celebrates the technical wizards who pulled them off. This entry looks into the making of the car chase in To Live and Die in L.A.

William Friedkins take no prisoners attitude is the stuff of legend. This is the man who shoots blank guns on set and films without permits while speeding through New York City at ninety miles per hour. The New Hollywood shenanigans bracket is competitive. But Friedkin is outrageous, passionate, and willing to go to great lengths to get what he wants.

Its not a huge stretch to compare the director toRichard Chance, the hot-blooded cop played by William Petersen in Friedkins cat and mouse neo-noir To Live and Die in L.A.In the film, a fearless federal agent obsessively purses the counterfeiter (Willem Dafoe) who killed his partner, endangering himself and others in the process.

In many ways, To Live and Die in L.A. epitomizes Friedkins interest in the thin line between the cop and the criminal. Chances drive to seek and destroy leads him to commit reckless acts. Acts that rival those of the very man hes hunting. You know, like speeding the wrong way down a Los Angeles freeway during rush hour.

In a characteristically dick-out move, Chance and his new, terrified partner Vukovich (John Pankow) hold up a known criminal who is carrying the cash they need to incriminate their real target, the counterfeiter. The robbery goes south, bullets start flying, and someone shoots the courier.

Soon enough, a simple getaway escalates into a multi-vehicle death race. The pair fails to shake their pursuers through alleyways and flood control channels. And so Chance a cop fleeing like a criminal is seemingly trapped. A wrong way sign beckons.

The tires squeal, and Chances Chevy Impala shoots head-on into traffic. Vukovich falls to pieces in the backseat as Chance weaves wildly between hundreds of oncoming cars, collisions erupting in his wake.

Its a chase sequence that not only looks but feels real. You can see it on the screen: people did this. No wonky physics, no CGI. How the hell do you orchestrate something like that?

A lot of money and a lot of drivers. Oh, right and bymaking William Peterson drive the rightway down the freeway. Waitwhat?

According to stunt coordinator Buddy Joe Hooker, the chase scene was never scripted, let alone planned. But Freidkin and Hooker would frequently talk shop, and the idea for a chase scene began to take shape.

According to Hurricane Billy: The Stormy Life and Films of William Friedkin, Friedkin first conceived of a car chase against the flow of traffic while driving home from a wedding in 1963. As he tells it, Friedkin fell asleep at the wheel and woke up in the wrong lane headed straight into oncoming traffic. He swerved back to his side of the road and spent the next two decades wondering how he could use the experience in a movie.

Working with a stripped-down crew and Hookers diagrams, the eight-minute chase took six weeks to film and was the last sequence shot. In the making-of documentary Counterfeit World, Pankow jokes that by shooting the chase at the end of production, if anything were to happen to the lead actors the film would more or less be in the can.

It was forty stunt guys, Friedkin, and Pankow and me, remembers Peterson. We were going all over LA, blocking off streets and just spinning out.

The films director of photography (and noted Friedkin enabler)Robby Mller declined to shoot the chase over safety concerns, so the second unit cameraman, Robert D. Yeoman, came on instead. (Fun fact: Yeoman went on to become Wes Andersons DP of choice. So keep this mans enormous balls in mind next time you scoff at a twee center frame.)

Peterson himself did most of the chase leading up to the freeway stunt. I was able to do a lot of the driving stuff, and I wanted to do all of it, remembers the actor. It got to the point where it was much more fun to be doing the stunts than it was to be doing any of the acting stuff.

Quote Pankow: I didnt really have to act. I was terrified a lot of the time. Inserts and close-ups of Peterson behind the wheel of the Impala were accomplished with a specially designed hydraulic swivel car that was pulled behind a camera truck.

In other shots, where we see Chance driving in the camera car, the vehicles in the opposing lanes were stationary. This was apparently Friedkins idea. And according to Hooker, it created a strobe-effect: you couldnt tell if the cars were moving or not.

As Peterson describes in abehind-the-scenes featurette, the film rented a portion of a freeway for the weekend and sourced nine-hundred (!) cars to give the impression of rush hour.

The car Chance drives is specifically a 1985 Chevy Impala F41. The LAPD rented it out, along with several other cars used in the film. Three weekends were spent on sections of the Terminal Island Freeway near Wilmington, California. These were closed for several hours at a time to allow the crew to stage and shoot the nightmarish chase.

Now, brace yourself for a twist. In the narrative of the film, Chance and Vukovich are driving against traffic. But, in reality, the opposite was true. Petersen and Pankow drove in the correct direction. Meanwhile, traffic actually flowed backward on the wrong side of the road. This is possible to spot in several brief cuts.

According to an interview with Hooker on Shout Factorys Blu-ray release, one of the reasons Friedkin wanted Petersen and Pankow to drive in that particular direction was because there were these beautiful oil refineries with all the lights, and it was a dusk shot. [Friedkin] wanted to see that in the background with the cars going and the only way he could do that was to reverse the flow of the traffic.

Theres a moment near the end of the chase where the eighteen-wheeler jackknifes and squashes the cars in its path. This was Hookers idea. Like all good ideas, he suggested it before he knew how to pull it off.

To achieve the effect, the stunt team attached the back of the semi to a four-wheel-drive truck. When the tractor and trailer brakes locked up, the truck swung the back of the semi around with the cable.

As for the train jump, where our heroes outpace and cross in front of an oncoming train, as far as I can tell, they just staged and straight up did that.

Friedkin has a weakness for car chases. If you were to compile a list of the most impressive car chases in cinema, Friedkins name would certainly appear in the top ten multiple times. In his memoir, he refers to them as the purest form of cinema, something that cant be done in any other medium, not in literature nor on a stage nor on a painters canvas.

In 1971, Friedkin revolutionized the car chase with The French Connection. Shot on open New York City streets, with Gene Hackman doing a good chunk of the stunt driving himself, the sequence contains an exhilarating lack of control (with the unplanned accidents to show for it).

In the sequence, detective Jimmy Popeye Doyle (Hackman) commandeers a civilians car and chases after the elevated train on which a hitman is making his escape.

Basically, the sequence was about as dangerous to shoot as it looks. Much of the chase was shot on busy streets with no traffic control and no permits (Friedkin, on permits: what are they?). Its a kinetic, frantic five minutes with Popeye in a Pontiac LeMans careening through unsuspecting traffic at a frightening speed.

Friedkin has since acknowledged that he endangered lives for the sake of capturing a thrilling sequence. Furthermore, hes stated he would never shoot anything the way he shot The French Connection chase again. But, in his memoir, Friedkin admits to feeling a need to surpass The French Connection chase.

And so, when it came time to brainstorm a chase for The Live and Die inL.A.there it was: no one had done an against traffic chase at high speed. Like Dick Chance says: were going this way. While Friedkin may not have necessarily eclipsed his first iconic chase, in my books, he certainly matched it. And with permits no less!

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