Category Archives: Progress

What can you do to prevent climate change?

You can find out with a new outreach effort called Climate Smart Bainbridge. You can find out how you can reduce transportation choices, electricity use, heating, food choices and waste the major causes of greenhouse gas emissions.

The program explains how people can take action to protect the environment, save money, and improve your health and comfort at home.

The Climate Smart Challenge is an easy and fun way to reduce your GHG emissions. Based on your lifestyle, you can track your progress and watch your carbon footprint decline.

The city will be hosting commnity workshops on Climate Smart Bainbridge as part of its Climate Action Plan goals for this year. The first is April 21 from 6-7 p.m. online on Zoom. Go to http://www.ClimateSmartBainbridge.org

BI is making progress on CAP. Thats what Autumn Salamack, the citys climate mitigation and adaption officer, told the BI Planning Commission recently. She discussed in a Powerpoint presentation CAPs goals, progress and work plan for this year.

She reminded the commission about CAPs three main priorities.

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2025, 60% by 2035 and 90% by 2045, compared to measurements made in 2014.

Prepare the BI community for climate change impacts.

Engage and educate the community.

Salamack said 55% of emissions can be linked to residential uses and 34% from areas related to transportation.

She gave an update on progress made on the 18 major initial projects established in relation to energy, buildings, transportation, natural environment, waste and community engagement.

Some of the major accomplishments include:

Working with Puget Sound Energy for a partnership on providing a cleaner energy supply.

Working with the National Renewable Energy Lab on having 100% renewable energy on the island by 2030.

Discussion of a biodigester for the island is taking place. The City Council decided the recycling structure is not in place right now to get one, but it is looking to change that.

The Green Building Task Force was formed.

The Sustainable Transportation Plan was adopted.

BI is transitioning to using electric landscaping tools.

BI also is transitioning to electric fleet vehicles, with the police department recently getting its first one. BI also is making progress in developing charging stations in the community. Even when not transitioning to electric, BI is changing from diesel to renewable diesel fuel.

The City Council passed two laws to reduce plastic waste in BI.

The city has authorized design funding for the Wing Point Sewer Pump Station.

It has drainage repair at the stormwater outfall to prevent flooding during high tides.

And it is planning for solar panels and battery energy storage at six community disaster hubs at Waterfront Park, the Recreation Center, Bloedel Reserve, Battle Point Park, Bainbridge High School and Hyla School.

It has developed a website at http://www.bainbridgewa.gov/climateaction

Looking ahead, Salamack said this years plans include:

Installing the solar and batteries at the disaster hubs.

Evaluating electric charging station needs for the city and community.

Evaluating code updates and supporting climate goals.

Training staff to look at projects through a climate change lens.

Promoting early adoption of 2023 waste reduction requirements.

Developing a community solar project at Vincent Road.

Read the rest here:

BI making progress on Climate Action Plan - Bainbridge Island Review

A major shake-up among Branson city leadership is in progress. In a wave election last year focused on discontent over mask mandates, Branson voters chose Mayor Larry Milton to lead the down-home tourist hub.

Since then, recent elections brought three new members to the town board of aldermen, joining the outspoken mayor.

A week ago, Mayor Milton was quoted in the Branson Tri-Lakes News as saying over the coming days and weeks residents "will notice some staff changes at City Hall." Residents say his comments stirred up a lot of discussion in Branson. Through a spokesperson, Milton declined to be interviewed by KSMU.

This week, Bransons board of aldermen called a special meeting closed to the public under a Missouri law allowing secrecy for personnel issues. At that meeting, the board voted to put City Administrator Stan Dobbins on administrative leave through April 30, when hes likely to retire.

Earlier, Bransons assistant city administrator resigned. And two months before the recent elections, Bransons city attorney left to work for the Greene County Prosecutor.

On Thursday, Branson announced another special closed meeting scheduled for Friday night to discuss more personnel issues. Its not clear what those might be. A city spokesperson did not respond to KSMU by deadline.

Original post:

Major shake-up of Branson city government in progress - KSMU Radio

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein told CBS 17 progress is being made in efforts to clear the states backlog of 16,000 untested rape kits.

At a Thursday news conference, Stein said more than three-fourths of kits that can be tested either have been tested or are in the process of being tested.

He said those results have led to 63 arrests connected to 91 assaults.

That means that there are 91 victims or 91 Victim families that are experiencing some sense of closure some sense of relief in the knowledge that the system is working on their behalf, Stein said.

The attorney general said despite that progress, it could still take a couple of years to clear the backlog because the labs are overwhelmed right now.

Although we had a more pronounced problem with untested kits, were not unique. This is a situation where other states and other jurisdictions are also tackling so the national demand on these labs is immense, Stein said.

Stein also talked about efforts to train 50 sexual assault nurse examiners, otherwise known as SANE nurses. Those nurses are already in the middle of training, which should be completed by the end of the summer.

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Progress being made on NCs backlog of untested rape kits, AG says - CBS17.com

We are now roughly 48 hours away from the non-standard format spring game that second-year head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Texas football program are set to take part in this weekend. While it is disappointing that Sark announced on April 21 that Texas wont be participating in the usual Orange-White spring football game this weekend, this still serves as a big opportunity for the fans to finally see the new prize addition for the program out of the NCAA Transfer Portal so far this offseason.

The former Ohio State Buckeyes freshman transfer quarterback Quinn Ewers is the player that the Longhorns faithful were most excited to see play in the spring game this weekend. And the fans will still at least get to see Ewers play in some situational scrimmage/game plays during the festivities this weekend.

Sark was also speaking highly of what hes seen out of Ewers so far this spring in media availability this week. He noted that Ewers is making a lot of the necessary strides and essentially keeping a good head on his shoulders while doing so.

Sark specifically noted how Ewers is a very quick study and how well hes able to take coaching well in many different situations.

Another aspect to note here is the fact that Sark essentially stated that Ewers is getting better at absorbing the aspects of situational football so far during spring camp. The way hes applying what he learns is seemingly making a positive impression on this coaching staff throughout practice. The same could probably be said for what hes learning in scrimmages this spring.

All in all, its great to hear about the progress that Ewers is making this spring in terms of where his head is at. Ewers is improving in a lot of the areas he needed to this spring and it feels like the transition for him into the program is going really well thus far.

Sark and the Longhorns staff also deserve props for how theyve handled this situation by transitioning Ewers into the quarterback room early this offseason. You can tell that Sark and his staff are taking extreme time and patience with Ewers throughout this process to make sure hes able to find his footing.

Ewers and the Longhorns officially began spring practice back on March 22. Texas is now roughly just two days away from the now-altered spring game, which is set to take place at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 23 starting at 6 p.m. CT.

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Steve Sarkisian lauds the progress of Texas QB Quinn Ewers - Hook'em Headlines

LONDON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertical Aerospace (Vertical) [NYSE: EVTL], a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero emissions aviation, today announces further progress on its path to certification, including the appointment of the former European Union Aviation Safety Agencys (EASA) Certification Director, Trevor Woods, as Director Regulatory Affairs.

Concurrent EASA/CAA validation

Vertical is also pleased to announce that EASA has agreed to concurrently validate the UK Civil Aviation Authoritys (CAA) certification of its VX4 electric VTOL aircraft. In this concurrent validation, the VX4 will be certificated by the UK CAA against their stringent safety standards and in compliance with the similar and equally stringent standards developed by EASA. This means that the certification and validation processes will run simultaneously in both regulatory jurisdictions, paving the way for the VX4 to operate in both the UK and Europe from 2025.

Vertical believes this activity with both the CAA and EASA will also support swift validation of the VX4 by other international regulators, who respect the stringent safety standards imposed by the UK and European regulators.

Vertical is seeking to conduct similar certification validation efforts with other national aviation authorities where Verticals customers operate, enabling the VX4 to be flown in these jurisdictions. Vertical has already run project familiarisation workshops with regulators in key territories including Japan, Brazil and Singapore. Vertical will also seek validation by the FAA, enabling entry into service with US operators.

Certification Progress

Verticals certification programme is progressing rapidly as it targets entry into service in 2025. Vertical has submitted its certification basis proposal, based on EASAs established SC-VTOL certification basis. Vertical expects to have this agreed with the CAA later this year.

Vertical has also received notice that its three key nominated managers (Form 4 Holders) have been accepted by the regulator as competent to hold the roles. These approved managers are necessary for Vertical to be granted Design Organisation Approval (DOA).

DOA (equivalent to the FAAs Organization Designation Authorization or ODA) is the approval from the regulator that an aerospace company is certified as being competent and responsible to hold a Type Certificate. Verticals DOA, when granted, will cover the full scope required to hold a Type Certificate for a commercial passenger carrying winged eVTOL.

Vertical believes this will be of the widest scope an eVTOL manufacturer will have received to date, giving Vertical a competitive edge when progressing towards Type Certification. A Type Certificate is a formal recognition from the certifying authority that the design of the aircraft is in compliance with all applicable airworthiness requirements. Vertical expects to receive DOA from the UK regulator later this year and this will be the first formal recognition from the CAA confirming Verticals competency as a VTOL design organisation and eventually as a Type Certificate holder.

Trevor Woods, Verticals Director Regulatory Affairs, said I am delighted to join Vertical, the eVTOL manufacturer that, I believe, has the edge on its competitors. Its considerable in-house engineering expertise matched with its unrivalled industrial partnerships from proven tier-one aerospace suppliers such as Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, GKN and Leonardo lend significant momentum to its certification efforts. I, myself, am looking forward to flying in the VX4 at the earliest opportunity."

Paul Harper, Head of Certification at Vertical, said To have someone with Trevors experience join the team is a boost for us and our certification efforts. We are pleased with the status of our certification programme and look forward to reaching a number of meaningful milestones in our activity over the coming months, including the launch of our test flight campaign.

Verticals key accountable managers are Eric Samson, Head of Engineering; Paul Harper, Head of Certification and Paul Cotton, Head of Independent Systems Monitoring.

About Vertical Aerospace

Vertical Aerospace is pioneering electric aviation. The company was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, an established entrepreneur best known as the founder of the Ovo Group, a leading energy and technology group and Europes largest independent energy retailer. Over the past five years, Vertical has focused on building the most experienced and senior team in the eVTOL industry, who have over 1,700 combined years of engineering experience, and have certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems. Verticals top-tier partner ecosystem is expected to de-risk operational execution and its pathway to certification allows for a lean cost structure and enables production at scale. Vertical has a market-leading pre-order book by value for a total of up to 1,350 aircraft from global customers creating multiple potential near term and actionable routes to market. These customers are American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Avolon, Bristow, Marubeni and Iberojet, as well as Japan Airlines (JAL), Gol, Gozen Holding and AirAsia, through Avolons VX4 placements. Verticals ordinary shares listed on the NYSE in December 2021 under the ticker EVTL. Find out more: vertical-aerospace.com

About VX4 eVTOL Aircraft

The four passenger, one pilot VX4 is projected to have speeds up to 200mph, a range over 100 miles, near silent when in flight, zero operating emissions and low cost per passenger mile. The VX4 is expected to open up advanced air mobility to a whole new range of passengers and transform how we travel.

Vertical Media Kit

Available here

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the certification and the commercialization of the VX4, the differential strategy compared to its peer group, and the transition towards a net-zero emissions economy, as well as statements that include the words expect, intend, plan, believe, project, forecast, estimate, may, should, anticipate, will, aim, potential, continue, are likely to and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature. Forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, without limitation, Verticals limited operating history without manufactured non-prototype aircraft or completed eVTOL aircraft customer order; Verticals history of losses and the expectation to incur significant expenses and continuing losses for the foreseeable future; the market for eVTOL aircraft being in a relatively early stage; the potential inability of Vertical to produce or launch aircraft in the volumes and on timelines projected; the potential inability of Vertical to obtain the necessary certifications on the timelines projected; the potential that certain of Verticals strategic partnerships may not materialize into long-term partnership arrangements; the impact of COVID-19 on Verticals business; as a foreign private issuer and intend to follow certain home country corporate governance rules, Vertical not be subject to U.S. proxy rules and will be subject to Exchange Act reporting obligations that, to some extent, are more lenient and less frequent than those of a U.S. domestic public company; and the other important factors discussed under the caption Risk Factors in Verticals prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on December 1, 2021, as such factors may be updated from time to time in Verticals other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Vertical disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than to the extent required by applicable.

Original post:

Vertical Announces Further Certification Progress - Business Wire

The former world champion Judd Trump established a 6-3 lead in his first-round match against the debutant Hossein Vafaei at the Crucible. Trump had looked to play down expectations of another success after claiming just one ranking event title, which came at the inaugural Turkish Masters last month.

However, the Crucible crowd were treated to a vintage display during the opening frames of Wednesdays afternoon match, with a break of 110 seeing the 2019 champion open up a 3-0 lead. The Iranian qualifier Vafaei, though, had his first world championship frame on the board to reduce the deficit ahead of the mid-session interval.

Vafaei was a level at 3-3 after also edging the fifth and then taking the next with a break of 99 after just missing the chance of a maiden century on the final red. A composed run of 56 helped Trump take the seventh frame, and the former champion edged 5-3 ahead following a re-rack in the next before a 73 clearance increased his advantage to take into Thursdays conclusion.

Elsewhere on Wednesday afternoon, Jack Lisowski held off a fightback from Matthew Stevens to progress 10-8. Lisowski had resumed with a 6-3 lead over Stevens, but that was soon wiped out following a swift start from the Welshman with two half-century breaks and a 99 clearance helping him level.

The Englishman, seeded 14, regrouped to take the next three, including breaks of 78 and 83, only for Stevens to respond again and cut the deficit back to 9-8. The 18th frame proved another tense affair, which Lisowski eventually took 93-33 to book a showdown with Australias Neil Robertson for a place in the quarter-finals.

Earlier, the four-time champion John Higgins eventually saw off Thailands Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10-7 to move through to the last 16, where he will play either Luca Brecel or Noppon Saengkham, with the latter leading 6-2 after the opening session. Higgins, who won the last of his world titles in 2011, levelled the match at 5-5 on the back of a 75 break in Wednesday mornings lengthy opening frame, which lasted almost half an hour.

Another clearance of 53 was followed by a century as the veteran Scot, an eight-time finalist, took a 7-6 lead into the mid-session interval. Following the restart, Un-Nooh recovered to stay in touch at 8-7, but Higgins eventually edged a nervy 16th frame 58-40 to move within one of victory, which he secured with another classy half-century clearance.

It had looked at one stage as if Higgins would push home his advantage when 8-6 ahead, only to go into the middle pocket off a black when trying to screw back up the table. When I went in-off in the middle bag, I felt numb at that point, as if someone had taken me out of my own body, thats when some crazy thoughts go through your mind, but I managed to get to 10 first, Higgins said.

Its always more nerve-racking in the first round because you just want to get through and get into the tournament. I feel as if I am hitting the ball well at the moment, that can get better the longer I stay in the event.

Kyren Wilson, runner-up in 2020, won four of the last five frames to beat Ding Junhui 10-8. Wilson was trailing for most of the match but came good with some clutch matchplay, with breaks of 65 and 62 when the match was tied at 8-8.

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World Snooker: Trump in the driving seat as Lisowski and Higgins progress - The Guardian

ILUS International Inc.

NEW YORK, NY, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- ILUS International Inc. (OTC: ILUS) is a Mergers and Acquisitions company focused on acquiring and developing public safety technology-based companies across the globe. Having already acquired seven companies since January 2021, ILUS is in the process of agreeing and completing several acquisitions for its Emergency Response Technologies subsidiary. Simultaneous to this and in addition to the building of the companies within its group, ILUS has been undergoing its audit which is nearing completion, reviewing options for shareholders to lock up shares in a preference category, finalising structure for the roll out of its European deals and restructuring its subsidiaries in preparation for planned participation on a major stock exchange, an opportunity which has grown substantially since the companys Annual Shareholder Meeting earlier this year. With this and more underway behind the scenes, ILUS wishes to update Shareholders on its progress and set market expectations for short and medium-term milestones to be achieved in the coming weeks and months.

Since ILUS provided an update on its second quarter plans (reference 4 April 2022 Press Release), the company has remained hard at work building its subsidiaries, particularly Emergency Response Technologies. In preparation for planned participation on a major stock exchange, ILUS has been agreeing the acquisition of several companies. Therefore, the company is pleased to say that it has held further promising negotiations with an acquisition that is achieving upwards of $100 million in annual revenue. Furthermore, while ILUS has been structuring the roll out of its European first phase deal in aak, Serbia, it has also been going through the processes for completion of the larger second phase deal. Having spoken previously of its creation of a Defense subsidiary, ILUS is now also nearing the agreement of its first defense acquisition, which manufactures disruptive technology and vehicles for the defense sector. In addition to the completion of already agreed acquisitions, ILUS is agreeing the acquisition of an emergency response communications company, a wildfire equipment manufacturer and more as the company continues to add valuable assets to its Emergency Response Technologies portfolio.

Story continues

As the deal size and complexity of its acquisitions has grown significantly in preparation for the planned participation on a major stock exchange, ILUS is in discussions with reputable investment banks to evaluate several options and scenarios. Once confirmed, the company will announce the investment bank that it has chosen to partner with for its participation on a major stock exchange. ILUS recognizes that it is running slightly behind schedule for its first planned participation on a major stock exchange due to larger and more complex deals on the table, however, these larger deals have increased the valuation potential of its subsidiaries and ILUS is confident that the outcomes will be more positive for the company and its Shareholders. Also in conjunction with its planned participation on a major stock exchange, the company has furthered discussions with suitably experienced potential board members and begun discussions with newly identified candidates.

We have so many deals on the brink of completion and many large new opportunities have arisen that we didnt anticipate. Many deals are due to be announced very soon with several others due to complete at around the same time. We are due to complete most, if not all of the deals that we have spoken about in the past, and more that we have not been able to speak about. What many people wont have envisaged is that the current economic conditions, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the energy crisis which many countries are facing, has presented us with massive opportunities, since we are operating in the infrastructure and technology sectors with a wealth of influential relationships at our disposal. This means that we are evaluating a lot more opportunities that we hadnt planned on at the start of the year, and this is great news for ILUS. Ultimately, it means that we have the opportunity to not only participate on a major stock exchange, but to become a dominant force in our sector on it. Although there are so many exciting developments, we are cautious to the timing and substance of the news and so we are doing our best to balance the tension between keeping the market updated and the appropriate timing towards our planned participation on a major stock exchange, without jeopardising it. We do however want to keep our Shareholders updated so that they can understand the enormous scope of what is going on behind the scenes, said ILUS Managing Director, John-Paul Backwell.

Having previously announced that its audit by AJSH & Co LLP is underway, ILUS can confirm that good progress has been made with the audit, which is moving towards completion. The company remains on track for its audit and subsequent name change to Ilus International Inc. to be completed during the summer of 2022, giving it the option to up list to the OTCQB.

ILUS is currently reviewing various options and incentives for its Shareholders to lock up common shares in a preference category. Given the many short and medium-term milestones, ILUS has been presented with many options and possible implications, therefore the company is considering which options will add the most value to its long-term Shareholders. The company expects to announce the options to its Shareholders soon, along with a simple method for Shareholders to register for their preferred option, should they be interested in doing so.

ILUS CEO, Nick Link, commented: Our entire management team has been hard at work, driven by the knowledge that we are building something truly special. It is most exciting to see a vision that we have had for so many years really coming together now. Over the next few weeks and months, we will announce a series of deals and more detailed plans, as our vision of building a global conglomerate takes giant leaps towards becoming a reality. To expand further on the progress we have been making and to give clarity on our short and medium-term milestones, I am planning to record a podcast in the next week or so that we will release on our YouTube channel and share via Twitter.

For further information on the companies, please see their communication channels:

Website:https://ilus-group.com

Twitter: OTC_ILUS

Contact:

Email:IR@Ilus-Group.com

Source: ILUS

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Forward-Looking Statement

Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking information", including "future-oriented financial information" and "financial outlook", under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, the information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements and includes, but is not limited to, the (i) projected financial performance of the Company; (ii) completion of, and the use of proceeds from, the sale of the shares being offered hereunder; (iii) the expected development of the Company's business, projects, and joint ventures; (iv) execution of the Company's vision and growth strategy, including with respect to future M&A activity and global growth; (v) sources and availability of third-party financing for the Company's projects; (vi) completion of the Company's projects that are currently underway, in development or otherwise under consideration; (vi) renewal of the Company's current customer, supplier and other material agreements; and (vii) future liquidity, working capital, and capital requirements. Forward-looking statements are provided to allow potential investors the opportunity to understand management's beliefs and opinions in respect of the future so that they may use such beliefs and opinions as one factor in evaluating an investment. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has provided guidance to issuers regarding the use of social media to disclose material non-public information. In this regard, investors and others should note that we announce material financial information via official Press Releases, in addition to SEC filings, press releases, Questions & Answers sessions, public conference calls and webcastsalso may take time from time to time. We use these channels as well as social media to communicate with the public about our company, our services, and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, considering the SEC's guidance, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the following social & media channels:

website: https://ilus-group.com Twitter: OTC_ILUS

Note: ILUS Coin does not sit within ILUS International Inc (Ilustrato Pictures International Inc), so the public are recommended to follow the correct Media Channels relating to the public company OTC: ILUS.

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OTC: ILUS, ILUS International (Ilustrato Pictures International Inc.) Provides a Progress Update in Line With Its Short and Medium-Term Milestones -...

A lot has changed since News On 6 began investigating deaths involving runaways from the Tulsa Boys' Home. 14-year-old Cameron Dail and 13-year-old Rylan Harris ran off from the Tulsa Boys' Home nine months apart and died.

Cameron was hit and killed on Highway 51. Rylan drowned in the Arkansas River. The death of Rylan prompted a lawsuit by Rylan's family against the Tulsa Boys Home and DHS. In 2020, there were 226 reports of children running away from the Tulsa Boys' Home. In 2021, that number dropped to 39.

"You know sometimes you have to ask the tough questions and I think you did and I think you helped precipitate some movement in this problem that we've been having," Sand Springs Deputy Police Chief, Todd Enzbrenner, told News On 6s Brian Dorman.

Enzbrenner said a News On 6 investigation prompted roundtable discussions with law enforcement, DHS, judges, attorneys, medical professionals, councilors and the Tulsa Boys' Home.

"At the last meeting I went to, I think there were 30 people there and maybe five of them worked at the same agency, Enzbrenner said. You had multiple people, multiple agencies and multiple perspectives on what the problem is and how to fix it and everybody was, from my mind, was real receptive and real open to change.

Joe Dorman is the CEO of the Oklahoma Institute of Child Advocacy. "I certainly wish we were invited to the table and could've been a part of that but I'm very thankful that individuals are sitting down and talking about these issues and what can be changed to try to improve conditions for Oklahoma's youth," Joe Dorman said.

Although his organization does not have a seat at the table of the roundtable discussions, he is hopeful the discussions will produce real results that can potentially save lives. "There has to be a game plan and I'm confident that DHS will look at this and changes will be made, Dorman said. We certainly need to make sure the training is in place for judges when they determine when a young person should be sent to a facility that they are aware of the capabilities of that facility and that someone isn't sent to a place they shouldn't be."

Dorman said there arent any private Level E facilities in Oklahoma and he believes that is a problem. The family of Rylan Harris argues that type of lockdown facility, and not the Tulsa Boys' Home, where youth are able to essentially come and go was required for his care; required to keep Rylan alive.

The only mental health treatment in the state for Level E youth, considered the most ill, is through the hospital system, where there are 13 Level E facilities. Joe explained that kids there are capped to a certain number of days and as long as their insurance will last. To Dorman, the lack of resources is most concerning.

"We've got to improve the situation, Dorman said. I've certainly been hopeful that there will be federal dollars through the recovery act or the CARES dollars that can go to alleviate some of those issues and try to help out. We got to get these kids the help they need and we can't send them to facilities that aren't built or equipped to handle young people like that."

News On 6 took a closer look at the runaway numbers from the Tulsa Boys' Home over the past five years. There were 40 in 2017; 93 in 2018; 101 in 2019; and 226 in 2020. In 2021, there were just 39 runaways from the facility.

"Certainly, on the surface, it's a reason to celebrate, Dorman said. Any time you see those numbers drop that's going to be a good thing. Most likely it is because people are paying more attention and they're trying to do a better job of assessing what level these young people are at and get them to the right place."

It tells me they're maintaining the kids at their facility, said Enzbrenner. It tell me that the kids that they have there are, for the most part, responsible and are the kind of kids that are willing to work within the programs that have been established."

Oklahoma State Representative Jadine Nollan said the task force roundtables are a great starting point.

She provided this statement to News On 6: "The Department of Human Services in the State of Oklahoma has been under the strict supervision of federally appointed supervisors related to a class action lawsuit and the subsequent settlement agreement, called the Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan, for the last ten-plus years.DHS continues to show good faith efforts and progress regarding child safety in the Oklahoma foster care system.Federal policy is very clear about DHS agencies not being lock-down facilities for children placed in the foster care system, which is why the run-away issue continues to be a problem for children in foster care placements in Oklahoma and across our nation.

I am encouraged that Tulsa Boys Home formed a task force involving DHS, law enforcement, Juvenile Justice, the Tulsa County District Attorney, legislators and other stakeholders to look into solutions to improve the foster care run-away issue in Oklahoma.By implementing the ideas and improving stakeholder communications through the task force, we are seeing a significant improvement in Tulsa Boys Home's run-away statistics already.

I look forward to hearing additional ideas as well as any recommendations regarding future legislation related to this matter."

When it comes to new details on the investigations into the death of Cameron and Rylan, Dorman said there is no update. We are still waiting the results of the investigation to determine what exactly happened and then what will happen to try to change the system to make sure that this never happens again," Dorman said.

News On 6 has been able to confirm over the past seven years, more than 200 troubled youth from Oklahoma have been sent to other states, like Tennessee, for care through a DHS partnership. Joe Dorman calls that a band-aid on the critical situation and in his opinion, can't be a long-term solution.

The Tulsa Boys' Home and the state Department of Human Services declined to participate in this update, citing ongoing litigation.

Excerpt from:

Progress & Hope: 1 Year After News On 6 Investigation Into Teen Runaway Deaths - News On 6

When I was in sixth grade, my illustrious career as a mediocre pianist came to an end. At the time I quit piano lessons, I was stumbling through the process of learning to play one of Clementis sonatinas (Op. 36, No. 2). I have carried the book of music (which includes six short sonatas) with me ever since occasionally playing the piece on college dorm pianos, or in our homes when we have had a piano. The yellow book is now a bit rough around the edges, but in fairly good shape after all the years of packing and unpacking.

Yesterday, I took out my book to play the music once again and noted the many pencil markings which my long-suffering piano teacher, Mrs. Vixie, had added to the pages. She had circled areas where I needed to adjust my tempo or pay attention to my volume. After all these years, I can play the sonatina at approximately the same level of expertise as when I was 11. Muscle memory kicks in during the parts I learned well, and I might convince someone for a moment that I have real talent. Unfortunately, the same muscles which demonstrate mastery of some sections continue to struggle with all those circled portions from my past.

I tend to pass some judgment on myself when I play this piece. I find great enjoyment in playing the parts I know well. Energy and creative power seem to flow through my unpracticed fingers for a few minutes out of my week. And yet, those troublesome parts continue to be concerning, and I feel critical of my lack of effort toward greater musical talent. I dont have an ear for music, as my husband and sons do. They may hear a tune in a movie score and recreate it on our piano after only a few minutes of trying.

As I have asked myself in the past, how is it helpful to focus on my perceived deficiencies, and perhaps compare my musical abilities with others? I am convinced it really is not very helpful at all. Where I tie this in with a broader life perspective is the concept of how we judge our own (and others) growth through difficulties. If I reached out to a dear friend, who is a phenomenal piano teacher, and asked for help to improve my piano skills, I know that could make a big difference. If I then committed to practicing and learning the skills my sixth-grade self never internalized, Im confident I would improve. But honestly, I dont really want to use my limited time and resources to improve at my piano playing. For now, I am content with adjusting my mindset about how I play this piece and focusing on the enjoyment I get from playing the portions I have mastered.

What about the growth processes we see in others? With our children, our spouses, our siblings, our friends, how do we judge the speed or effort with which they work through their own challenges? I have certainly been guilty in the past of feeling self-righteous about the superiority of my methods for handling spiritually troubling questions as they arose. I felt like I was handling things the right way as I researched, talked with others, and took action regarding my questions. As I have had subsequent challenging experiences and emerged from my all-knowing young adult mindset, I now see much greater value in sitting still with questions and discomfort.

Sometimes a crusade for answers, truth, and knowledge is not actually the right path. Getting hard questions answered is sometimes not even especially important.

As life stretches on, we may look back on seasons marked with searching and others marked with waiting. Sometimes we are learning so much about ourselves and our world as we walk jauntily along our path. Other times we are simply clinging tightly to what matters most, trying to keep our tired eyes open and our feet trudging through a frigid downpour. No matter how we are moving through life, we can acknowledge we are never alone on the path, whether we are actively searching or waiting out a storm.

Palmer is a mother of four and doctoral student at the University of Idaho. She has lived on the Palouse with her husband and children since 2012. Palmer is studying youth development through overnight camp programs and can be reached at acpalmer@uidaho.edu.

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Her View: The value of progress versus the power of stillness - Moscow-Pullman Daily News

The $12.8 million Ohiopyle Multimodal Gateway project, designed to improve safety and promote tourism, is among 12 finalists competing for a national award.

The project included building a pedestrian tunnel from a boat parking lot to the Youghiogeny River and Ohiopyle State Park Visitor Center, and widening Route 381 with shoulders for pedestrians and bicyclists. Route 381 now has continuous sidewalks, on-street parking and a dedicated bike lane. Sugarloaf Road was relocated to improve the grade of the road, reconstruct the boat parking lot with additional spaces and build the pedestrian underpass.

These enhancements improved safety for all visitors, regardless of travel mode, while improving convenience and accessibility to the park for everyone, said a statement from the PennDOT District 12 Progress Report.

The project won a regional award, Americas Transportation Award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The project was recognized in the category of Quality of Life/Community Development (Small).

The Top 12 finalists will compete for the national grand prize awarded by a panel of judges and for the Peoples Choice Award, selected by online voters.

We hope that Pennsylvanians will turn out to support this project by voting in the competition, PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said in a statement. This recognition truly reflects the departments hard work to improve the publics enjoyment of this amazing state park.

PennDOT District also completed a number of projects in 2021, including slide repairs at 11 locations in the district, said Melissa Maczko, Acting Safety Press Officer.

Roadway damage from slides continue to be a challenge in southwest Pennsylvania, with more than 12 currently being monitored in the District 12, she said.

A 300-foot wide, 160-foot high slide led to an emergency road closure on U.S. 40 in Wharton Township June 24, with traffic detoured through Confluence for nearly two months.

As many as four pieces of equipment were operating on the hillside as a convoy of 10-12 trucks were loaded with material and transported to a local site. During the process 5,330 truckloads were transported to the dump site amounting to 58,630 cubic yards of material, she said.

Repairs cost about $2 million. The road was reopened August 13.

PennDOT also completed replacement and rehabilitation of two bridges carrying traffic on Route 1051 (Breakneck Road) over Butler Run and Spruce Run for $400,000.

In addition to the many construction projects in District 12, our county maintenance crews working out of 30 stockpiles located in Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties completed a variety of maintenance activities, she said. These activities included sealcoating 433 miles of roadway, paving 113 miles of roadway, shoulder cutting of 1,362 miles of roadway, line painting of 7,015 line miles of roadway, and spent over 19,463 hours performing litter pick up. Additionally, crews replaced and updated signs, performed mowing operations, slide repairs, and pipe replacements.

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PennDOT's Ohiopyle project nominated for national award | Progress | heraldstandard.com - Uniontown Herald Standard