Slowpokes ticketed; homemade cannon kills woman; cherished flag found
- Updated
Odd and interesting news from the Midwest
- By ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS The Detroit News
- Updated
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — On a recent Saturday morning, Tara Vallejo goes over her four children's chores, checks their homework and talks about their plans for the summer. She asks if they are behaving themselves.
It's a typical mom-and-kids moment, with a big difference: She is doing her mothering behind prison walls, The Detroit News (http://detne.ws/297u4nQ ) reported.
"It's very difficult," said Vallejo, surrounded by her three daughters and her son at Huron Valley Women's Prison in Ypsilanti. "I'm involved (in their lives). It doesn't feel like it. I make calls. I send letters."
Once a year, moms at Huron Valley get to take part in the "One Day With God" event that allows them unfettered time with their children for a daylong program of fun and games. About 85 moms, 100 children and 120 volunteers take part.
Just like on the popular Netflix series "Orange is the New Black," the women at the Ypsilanti prison who are mothers worry about their children. About 70 percent of female state prison inmates have kids, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. The program also is available to dads at other state prisons.
Vallejo of Lansing has spent 21/2 years in prison. She has six to eight months to go on a conviction of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Her children range in age from 6-13.
"I know it sucks," Vallejo said. "But we will get through it."
For the children — such as 9-year-old Antonio Ybarra of Adrian — the day is a chance to spend extended time with his mom.
"We're allowed to dance and stuff," he said of his mom, Jennifer. "I get to hug her."
There's lots of hugging at the event. Mothers and children are allowed to embrace only twice during normal visiting hours: once when the children arrive and again when they leave. At the "One Day" event, there are no restrictions — so the physical contact is plentiful and joyful.
"I feel happy," Antonio said. "It's fun seeing Mom."
The boy's 40-year-old mom is into her sixth month of a three-year prison sentence for selling drugs.
"This is phenomenal," Jennifer Ybarra said. "This is the best experience I've had since coming to prison."
Ybarra said it's painful to know she's missing out on a large part of her children's lives.
She says she doesn't like the children to visit her in the normal prison visiting room.
"I don't want them to (think about that their) mom's in prison," Ybarra said. "It breaks my heart."
Like other mothers who are locked up, Ybarra works with relatives, in her case the children's grandmother, to provide a supportive network for them.
Michigan is among the states with the highest number of children who have a parent behind bars. Some 228,000 children — 1 in 10 — have had a parent incarcerated, according to Kids Count in its report "A Shared Sentence: The Devastating Toll of Parental Incarceration of Kids, Families and Communities." California was first with 503,000 in 2011-12, the latest figures available, followed by Texas, Florida and Ohio.
Michigan is tied for third with five other states — Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Alaska — at 10 percent of its children affected by incarcerated parents. Kentucky was first at 13 percent, followed by Indiana at 11 percent.
Deborah Springer's two sons, 6 and 14, blend in with other children at the prison on the special visitation day.
"I feel blessed to spend the entire day with my children," said Springer, who is serving time for home invasion and malicious destruction of property. "It's truly a blessing."
Like other moms, Springer says the regular visitors routine is hard on her and the children.
"We have to be separated," the 35-year-old from Waterford said. "It's hard to bond and to just hug."
Springer ended up behind bars after she was caught scrapping vacant houses in Macomb County with her boyfriend to pay for their drug habit.
Her mom is helping to raise her boys while Springer is in prison. Some of the women give relatives, usually their own parents, legal custody over their kids when they are doing their time.
___
Alicia Guevara Warren, project director for Kids Count and an analyst for Michigan League for Public Policy, said programs bringing incarcerated parents and their children together are vital.
"To be able to maintain their relationships and bond, especially when you're talking about younger children, is important," she said.
There are many hurdles for families, she noted. Older children may resist visiting because of the stigma of having a parent in prison, while some families can't afford travel costs or phone calls.
The children are just as excited as the moms, program organizers say.
"They don't see a crime. They don't see a prison," said Scottie Barnes, the founder of Forgiven Ministries, which sponsors the One Day With God event. "They just see their mom."
Barnes said her participation in the program is based on a personal story: she, too, had a father in prison as a young child.
"This is your day. It's all about you," Barnes told the mothers and children gathered in the gymnasium of the prison.
"You have no restrictions today."
___
Huron Valley's warden, Anthony Stewart, praised Barnes and the volunteers. "It's a phenomenal program," he said.
Stewart told the volunteers "you don't know the impact this has made on these ladies"
Stewart told The Detroit News the program, in its eighth year at Huron Valley, is a deterrent.
"We feel that it hopes to end that (prison) cycle of incarceration," Stewart said. "We don't want grandmothers, mothers and daughters coming to prison."
Mary Smith, the director of prison re-entry programs at Huron Valley, said the program can be transformational for incarcerated women.
"It changes their state of mind," she said. "After the program is over, these women are changed women."
___
Ruby Lechak, a 35-year-old resident of the Upper Peninsula town of Kincheloe, agreed.
"Sometimes it's frustrating. We do the best we can," said Lechak, a mom of four daughters who have come to see her for the daylong event. Lechak is serving time for home invasion as a result of her drug habit.
Lechak's 10-year-old daughter, Cassandra, laments: "It's harder when I want to tell her something (about what is going on in her life)."
Kenisha Faison recalls her 5-year-old son was in diapers when she was sent to prison four years ago. The 24-year-old Westland resident has 11 more years to serve for conspiring to commit murder.
Faison said the father of her child helps with her young son while she is in prison.
"He knows where I am ... that I'm in prison," Faison said of her son.
Shavonne Davis beams with the excitement that her daughter recently graduated from college. The 43-year-old has been behind bars for eight years. She raised two daughters, now 24 and 20, while incarcerated. She said her younger daughter felt "I chose prison over her."
"This program was life-changing," Davis said. "It gave me a chance to have an honest relationship with my daughters. I was able to hold my child."
But Davis admits the restrictions can be daunting.
"It is very hard," said Davis of Detroit, who's serving time for home invasion and great bodily harm. "You only have 15 minutes on the phone. That is a great feat in itself."
___
Information from: The Detroit News, http://detnews.com/
This is an AP Member Exchange shared by The Detroit News
- Updated
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State police say troopers issued more than 100 tickets to drivers in the year since a law took effect requiring drivers to move over from the left lanes of highways in favor of faster vehicles.
The law allows police to issue tickets to left-lane drivers who don't budge when they should reasonably know another vehicle is overtaking them. State police report troopers wrote at least 1,535 warnings and 109 tickets under the law since last July.
State police Capt. David Bursten tells WISH-TV (http://bit.ly/296tZPs ) the intent isn't to penalize drivers for not yielding to others going 95 mph, but to discourage inconsiderate drivers who think they own the left lane and help avoid traffic backups.
The mandate does not apply during traffic congestion or bad weather.
___
Information from: WISH-TV, http://www.wishtv.com/
- Updated
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police made arrests on a variety of alcohol related charges during the College World Series.
The department on Monday released the results from 11 enforcement operations around T.D. Ameritrade Park.
Police say 18 people were charged with minor in possession of alcohol, 16 were charged with driving under the influence, 14 were charged with having an open container, one was charged with procuring alcohol for a minor and 30 were charged with other misdemeanors and traffic violations.
The operations were financed through a grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, which ended on June 30.
- Updated
MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. (AP) — Investigators are trying to track down thieves who made off with multiple vehicles from a southeastern Wisconsin car dealership.
The Racine Journal Times reports (http://bit.ly/29qPIqI ) that police saw multiple vehicles racing away from the Porcaro Ford Dealership in the village of Mount Pleasant in Racine County around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Officers tried to pull them over but they sped away. Police said in a news release they gave up pursuing them due to the speed and reckless nature of the drivers. Some of the vehicles had no lights on.
Officers did come across one of the vehicles smashed into a median and arrested a 13-year-old boy as he tried to run away. The vehicle was on fire but officers extinguished the flames with equipment from their squad cars.
The boy was taken to Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints Hospital in the city of Racine with minor injuries. Police have not released his name. He could face numerous charges.
Officers later found substantial damage at the dealership.
___
Information from: The Journal Times, http://www.journaltimes.com
- Updated
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Bison have injured four people in Custer State Park this year, despite warnings that the animals are dangerous and shouldn't be approached, park official say.
The attacks have come after a five-year stretch of no such incidents, said Gary Brundige, the park's resource program manager.
"We're constantly warning people to stay back and don't approach buffalo," Brundige told the Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/29bBGUw ). "The safest place to watch them is from your car."
Park officials said the latest two injuries happened Thursday. In the first incident, a person was charged by a bison, fell down and was trampled. In the second incident, a person was charged and gored, resulting in a leg laceration.
Brundige said both victims got too close to groups of bison that were clustered on the park's west side. Members of each person's party apparently transported them to seek medical treatment immediately after each incident. The park released no further information about the victims or their medical status.
Two other injury-producing bison encounters happened in May. One visitor tried to pat a bison on the head and was gored in the abdomen and tossed several feet in the air. Another person approached a bison and was knocked to the ground.
Brundige has no definitive explanation for the sudden rash of human injuries from bison encounters this season. He said it could be the result of increased visitation, driven partly by a new visitor center and a run of sunny days without rain. Through the end of May, camping activity at the park was already up 13 percent over the same period in 2015.
There are currently about 1,300 bison in the park, and they are one of the main attractions for the park's nearly 2 million visitors. Though bison can appear docile when grazing, they are wild animals that can stand up to 6 feet tall, weigh up to 2,000 pounds and run as fast as 35 mph.
The only known bison-connected human fatality at the park happened in 2001, when an elderly Michigan man died after being gored.
___
Information from: Rapid City Journal, http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
- Updated
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Madison's mayor wants to ban sleeping on public sidewalks in the capital city's downtown area.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports (http://bit.ly/29j66GS ) that Mayor Paul Soglin's new proposal would ban sleeping and lying on downtown sidewalks, public rights of way or on city office land between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.
According to the proposal, the city has received regular complaints from downtown residents and businesses about people occupying sidewalks and rights of way. The proposal states that people who sleep or lie on the sidewalk are threatening their own safety as well as the safety of pedestrians around them.
Police would give a sleeper a warning before issuing a citation. First-time violators would face a $100 fine. Each subsequent offense within the same year would carry a $250 fine.
The plan is based on ordinances in Portland, Oregon, and Honolulu.
"We've looked at what other cities have done and the common agreement is that when people start populating the streets, they shouldn't have the feeling that they're walking into someone's bedroom," Soglin said. "I think the public is entitled to an alternative."
Soglin plans to introduce the proposal at a city council meeting on Tuesday. The council last year resoundingly rejected another Soglin proposal to limit the time people could sit or lie on sidewalks, benches or city office property.
Asked about the new proposal's chances, the mayor said he expects certain council members will react "negatively and hostilely to any proposal that touches on anything that takes responsibility along with compassion."
___
Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
- By ED WHITE The Associated Press
- Updated
DETROIT — A Detroit group that gives new life to wood, doors and antique fixtures salvaged from deserted homes is getting its own revival.
With no strings attached, Reclaim Detroit said it has received a $100,000 grant after a fire destroyed a workshop, tools and wood saved from more than 100 houses.
"We're in good shape now, but I wouldn't be able to say that without the support of Open Road Alliance," said Susan Dundon, business innovation director at EcoWorks, the nonprofit parent of Reclaim Detroit.
Open Road is a Washington, D.C.-based philanthropy that specializes in just what Reclaim Detroit needed: a generous dose of cash to rise above a disaster.
"This one was a no-brainer," said Open Road executive director Maya Winkelstein. "There was a high opportunity cost if they couldn't overcome this obstacle. They had already proven there is a strong market for their services."
Indeed, Reclaim Detroit trains people to work in the construction and demolition industries. Workers carefully dismantle houses and other buildings to save centuries-old wood and other valuable pieces that would otherwise be destroyed. The wood is milled, refinished and sold throughout the Detroit area, especially to restaurants wanting tables.
Reclaim Detroit operated at a large warehouse in Highland Park that was destroyed by fire in February. It hopes to open a new mill shop this summer, thanks to Open Road, which provided the largest grant.
"Our ability to earn money was imperiled by the fire. ... We lost a lot of antique doors and handles. We lost all of the circular saws, ladders, pickaxes. You name it, we lost it," Dundon said. "Insurance didn't cover all the losses. It's extremely difficult for the insurance market to value salvage materials."
Winkelstein said Open Road has faith in Reclaim Detroit.
"If you don't trust them to manage the money," she said, "you probably shouldn't give them money in the first place."
- By NICK HEDRICK (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star
- Updated
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — As a cavalry scout, Dustin Everhart was the "eyes and ears" of the U.S. Army, keeping his comrades up to date on battlefield conditions.
Years after returning home, Everhart is among a group of local veterans working to open a resource center where retired military personnel would help former soldiers readjust to the civilian world.
Such a place, he said, would've helped him manage a post-combat life that was complicated by a failing marriage, lack of strong employment skills and illegal drugs.
"And knowing at this point I could give back to guys that are way worse off than I ever was... has given me a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment that only God can provide," said Everhart, who served in the military from 1999-2003.
Dubbed "Community Outpost Lazarus," the resource center is the next mission of the Faithful Veteran Guide Detachment Ministry at Terre Haute United Methodist Temple.
Members are finishing their latest pig hunting trip in Texas, four-day excursions geared toward building camaraderie and allowing veterans to put their combat training to practical use.
The ministry also conducts walkabouts providing essentials to Terre Haute's homeless community.
A resource center would serve as a "nexus" for building diverse community relationships and provide a welcoming place, said Elias Donker, a retired Army major who served in Iraq and is overseeing the plans. It's exactly what Christians are led to do, he added.
The group has its sights on the former home of Youngstown United Methodist Church, which closed June 26 after more than 130 years of service. Youngstown's property reverts back to the United Methodist's state conference and a district-level committee will decide its fate.
Ministry members want to maintain the sanctity of the church, which sits at Bono Road and Dallas Drive south of Terre Haute. Plans call for preserving the sanctuary as a place of worship.
Donker himself played piano for the church during college.
"You walk in the place and it looks like it's still from 1920, and that's awesome," he said. "It's beautiful. So it's a privilege to find a way to take this building that's not functioning as a church and use it in a way that preserves that heritage and functions in a new way that helps enhance the community."
The ministry gathers at Temple weekly to discuss the plans. Seated a picnic table in the backyard garden near a cackling campfire one recent evening, Donker began to sketch on a pad of paper.
He diagrammed Youngstown's sanctuary, filling in rows of pews and drawing the center aisle. The design scheme raises alarms for the security-minded group: congregants sat with their backs to the doors.
Donker wants to reconfigure the seating by pulling out a quadrant of pews and replace them with chairs angled for a view of the entrance. A few of the pews would be sold as custom pieces to help cover expenses.
Other parts of the building would be converted to provide vocational counseling and other services. Members also want to allow other military organizations to use the space. The center would be staffed around-the-clock to answer hotline calls and open the building for veterans in need.
The concept is based on the military's remote outposts where troops stand guard against unexpected attacks. Lazarus is a Biblical reference to the restoration of life.
Having veterans run the center brings a "voice of experience" to the project, said Sarah Heath, a former Air Force captain, who is offering spiritual guidance through the process.
"And being able to say, 'Hey, I've been there, I did that, I know what you went through,'" she added.
The ministry is tapping in to the resources of Launch Terre Haute to help craft a business plan.
"We are in the process now of identifying the audience, so we can certainly feed individuals that we come in contact with that might need additional resources that we're not able to offer down to the new facility and vice-versa," said executive director Shelley Klingerman, who attended the meeting.
By July 31, Donker said, the ministry aims to have a finished plan ready to present to the church's conference.
It wouldn't be the first time a defunct church was repurposed into a community center. In 2001, the 14th and Chestnut Community Center opened in the building formerly occupied by Terre Haute First United Methodist.
Temple Pastor Kevin Drane, who also listened to Donker's plans, said the resource center would give veterans a place to call home.
"I think there are a lot of veterans who, for whatever reason, feel like they don't necessarily have the support," he said.
Retired Marine Bryce Rogers, who left the service last fall after 13 years, is another veteran involved in the planning.
In a society with high rates of suicide, homelessness and criminal activity among veterans, Rogers said the center will provide the family-type support necessary while transitioning from the military
"They didn't enlist so they could become a part of a larger gang or become a part of a criminal ring," he said. "They enlisted to do something that was greater than themselves, to be a part of something that mattered — that had eternal value."
___
Source: (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star, http://bit.ly/293ntx9
___
Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com
This is an Indiana Exchange story shared by the (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star.
- By LEANNE SMITH Jackson Citizen Patriot
- Updated
JACKSON, Mich. (AP) — They were names on a piece of paper.
Two older sisters 16-year-old Isaiah Cram had never known, but had thought about from the time he was given that paper by his adoptive parents three years ago, the Jackson Citizen Patriot (http://bit.ly/299FBVh ) reported.
"I've looked at it so many times, just wondering," Isaiah said.
Then, this spring, during a Jackson High School assembly honoring seniors, Isaiah heard one of those names - Vivica Gage - called out. He watched his sister, who had attended the same school he does, walk across the stage to be recognized.
"I was shocked," he said. "I didn't know what to do at first. Then I got an idea that I could actually meet her."
On Wednesday, June 22, Isiah not only met 18-year-old Vivica, but his older sister Michelle Gage, 21, too.
"It is amazing," Isaiah said. "Meeting them was just really important to me."
Also in attendance at a lunch arranged by Jackson High School Principal Barbara Baird-Pauli were Isaiah's adoptive parents, Monika and Gary Cram, and his sisters' father, Richard Knott II.
"This is a glorious day," Knott said. "He has two sisters who will love him very much."
The siblings share a mother. While Knott is the girls' biological father, and has had them since they were 3 and 5 years old, he is not Isaiah's biological father.
Knott knew of the girls' brother and would have liked to have kept the siblings together, but the courts said that wasn't possible at the time, he said. He knew Isaiah had been adopted, but didn't know where he was.
"The good Lord has a way of making everything work out, though," Knott said. "I'm just glad they got the opportunity to finally meet."
Isaiah's sisters both attended classes in Jonell Hasselback's Jackson High classroom for cognitively-impaired students.
"We have never, that I can remember, ever had anything like this happen at Jackson High before," Baird-Pauli said.
The Crams adopted Isaiah when he was 2½ years old. They struggled with the decision, Monika Cram said, but gave Isaiah the papers with his sisters' and biological parents' names on it a couple of years ago.
"We had no idea his sisters were here in Jackson," Monika Cram said. "When he came home from school and told us this and said he wanted to pursue meeting them, I cried. We all couldn't hardly wait for this day to happen."
Now that they've found each other, the trio of siblings plan to stay reunited, taking time to get to know each other, making up for lost time apart.
"I never expected this to happen," Isaiah said. "But I'm definitely glad it did."
As for Isaiah's sisters, well, they pretty much feel the same.
"I was as shocked as he was," Michelle Gage said. "But he's a cool brother."
___
Information from: Jackson Citizen Patriot, http://www.mlive.com/jackson
This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the Jackson Citizen Patriot
- By JOSH LINTEREUR Sheboygan Press
- Updated
SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. (AP) — Greg and Heather Schneider had long flirted with the idea of opening a restaurant before a pair of recent travel experiences finally sealed the deal.
The first came during a mission trip to Houston, where they helped provide nutritious meals to families in need and left with the desire to do the same when they returned home.
The second came during a visit last summer to Door County, where they ate at a small soup restaurant and saw it as a blueprint for a business they could manage on their own.
Upon their return, they immediately began creating plans for Heavenly Soup in downtown Sheboygan Falls, which opened earlier this year on a limited basis and just expanded its hours as the business has grown in popularity.
The Sheboygan Press (http://shebpr.es/28SmwUk ) reports that the restaurant, located at 608 Broadway St., serves a wide range of from-scratch soups using family recipes and others the couple developed on their own.
It also includes a board where customers can purchase and leave behind soup gift cards for strangers, which was inspired by the couple's Houston mission trip.
"Our goal is to be a restaurant that anyone can come to and have a nutritious meal," Greg Schneider said. "I've always enjoyed cooking, and we've always talked about doing something where we could cook for other people."
Schneider worked as a cook for about a decade at an area nursing home and now works as a teacher at Sheboygan Falls Elementary School. He helps run the restaurant on the side.
His wife, Heather, left her teaching job at South High at the end of the school year and will soon work full-time at the restaurant, with help from their two children and extended family.
The restaurant was initially open three days a week, with the couple working at the restaurant after school let out. They've since expanded their hours and are now open Tuesday-Saturday.
"We weren't sure what to expect when we started, and we're very happy with the business since we got going," Greg Schneider said.
The restaurant's menu is always evolving. A recent weekday had a lineup of beef chili, kale and sweet potato, butternut squash and chicken noodle soups.
Along with soup, they offer a small selection of sandwiches, and during summer months, they sell Cedar Crest ice cream.
The coupons left behind by strangers have also proven popular with customers who are grateful for the free meal, and there continue to be generous patrons who leave more behind.
"We're trying to foster a sense of community within the restaurant and with our customers," Greg Schneider said.
___
Information from: Sheboygan Press Media, http://www.sheboygan-press.com
- By DANIELLE FERGUSON Argus Leader
- Updated
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — At the age of 10, Rachel Van Beek was driving tractors at her home farm in Iowa. Now, 22 years later, she's driving fire trucks through the streets of Sioux Falls.
Van Beek is one of about 40 with the Sioux Falls Fire Department charged with the responsibility of getting firefighters where they need to be quickly, accurately and safely.
And of those 40, Van Beek is the only woman, the Argus Leader (http://argusne.ws/296VkTy ) reported.
Van Beek was promoted to fire apparatus operator June 6, after an application process requiring knowledge of over 2,000 pages of study material, a driving test and an interview. As the driver, Van Beek is responsible for the truck itself, making sure all the equipment works and ensuring it gets fixed when something breaks. She's also in charge of the water used in fighting fires: how much of it to use, where to hook up the truck to a hydrant, how much water pressure the situation needs.
When a call comes in and the firefighters run to their gear, Van Beek runs to the map, finding the quickest route to their destination. She opens up the station overhead door, starts up the truck, switches on the lights and makes sure firefighters are buckled in. She weaves the 24- to 48-foot truck through traffic, holding the power to flip a switch that can change any stoplight to green.
"It's pretty cool," Van Beek said about getting to drive a fire truck. "It's a lot bigger than your typical car, so it takes a little while to get used to. It's a challenge, but it's worth it."
Van Beek was one of 22 to apply for the position, said division chief Brad Goodroad. Thirteen passed the application process, but only six got offered the position.
"Rachel ranked third overall," Goodroad said. "It's quite an accomplishment, especially so young."
Van Beek joined Sioux Falls Fire Rescue in 2011. She started the application process in March of 2009 after Sioux Falls Fire Chief Jason Sideras was a guest lecturer at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, where she studied to be a paramedic.
"I thought, I'll just apply and see what happens. And here we are," she said.
The thought of being a woman in a typically male-dominated profession didn't intimidate Van Beek. The only time she said she really thought about it was when she first started.
"A lot of times, if we were in a class or training, I'd look and see, oh, I'm the only girl here today," she said. "But I don't think about it too much. I'm just part of the group. It's nothing that usually crosses my mind."
Van Beek is also part of the fire department's diversity and inclusion committee and is involved in recruiting efforts, going to outreach events with college students.
She thinks the efforts are helping the department recruit, but the main question she gets from women is: Is the job too physically taxing?
"It is a physically demanding job," she said. "If it's something they want to do or want to be involved in, absolutely they should (apply). I think a lot of girls don't know that this is a job possibility for them. I think a lot of them are scared of the physical aspect of it. If you work at it, take the time and effort, you can do it."
Van Beek is one of four women in the Sioux Falls Fire Department and is often the only woman on her shift. She said she would like to see more women in the department, but also said she doesn't feel singled out simply because she's a woman.
"The job isn't for everybody, guys or girls," she said. "It's a challenge.But it's a good job male or female. (The men) don't treat you any differently than they treat any of the guys. The physical aspects intimidate some people, but stick with it. Be determined and hardworking."
Van Beek stuck with it through hours of studying and training. Now, she said driving the fire truck down the road is "pretty cool."
"When (all the cars) move out of the way for you, and you get the whole road to yourself, that's pretty cool," she laughed. "You get to get going and people get out of your way."
While flashing the lights, honking the horn, changing the stoplights and parting the sea of cars all are job perks, Van Beek said none of those make up for her favorite part of the job.
"The people," she said. "The people I get to work with, and the people we get to help are what make me want to do this."
And as for any little girls out there who want to be a firefighter when they grow up, Van Beek said:
"Be dedicated to it. It can get overwhelming at times, so have (people) to go to. You have to be patient. It's definitely worth it, but at the time (you're applying), you're wondering if it's ever going to happen. In the end it's worth it, so stick with it."
___
Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
- By SUSAN REDDEN The Joplin Globe
- Updated
JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — In rain, snow, freezing cold and sweltering heat, a group of Joplin veterans stands at attention at cemeteries throughout the region to ensure their comrades in the military get one final tribute for their service.
A new battle for these veterans — many older than 80 years old — is finding reinforcements who will step forward to make sure those honors can continue.
On June 21, seven of the group were at the Diamond Cemetery where six performed a rifle salute and Ken La Near, the bugler, played taps at the funeral of a Diamond man who was an Air Force veteran.
All members of the Robert S. Thurman American Legion Post 13, they are part of the Missouri Military Funeral Honors program, which joins with active duty military to honor the wishes of families that ask for military rites at the funerals of their relatives.
"They are indispensable; without them, the veteran wouldn't get full honors," said Maj. William Smith, retired from the Missouri National Guard and director of the state program.
-----
Most active post
When military graveside rites are requested, two active duty military — most often from the branch in which the deceased served — attend the service to remove the U.S. flag from the casket, fold it and present it to the family. Additional military rites, if the family wants them, are performed by honor guards made up of members of American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations in the region. Honor guards receive a stipend from the state and are tested each year on their performance, he added.
The Joplin Globe (http://bit.ly/28Vokwq ) reports that the honor guard from the Thurman post is among the most active — performing graveside rites 1,040 times since 1999, Williams said. The Joplin group's rifle corps and bugler honored veterans at 80 services last year, and 72 so far this year.
"It's been twice a week, for a lot of this year," said La Near, who, at 91, is the oldest member of the honor guard. "We're trying to get enough younger guys involved so the old group can relax a little. It's sad when you have to go with just three or four, because we like to fire seven rifles."
-----
Paying tribute
La Near joined the American Legion post in 1946, as soon as he concluded his World War II duties as a gunner on a B-17, often called the Flying Fortress. He later volunteered for the honor guard program and estimates he helped with graveside rites at more than 1,000 funerals.
"I'm a patriot and I want to honor those veterans who've gone before me. I know there's just a handful of us, but the least we can do for our veterans is give them a military funeral," he said.
Other World War II veterans who are part of the funeral detail are Fred Horst, 89, a Navy veteran in the amphibious corps; Herb Rawlins, 90, an Air Force veteran who was a pilot with the 23rd Fighter Group; and Walter Kane, 90, an Air Force veteran. Other members are Ralph Green, 83, a Navy veteran of the Korean War, and John Newberry, 84, an Army veteran.
Most are longtime members of the military honor guard.
"We do it because we need to pay tribute to our veterans," said Horst.
"I think family members appreciate it because it helps give them closure," Newberry added.
Pastor at Bethel Baptist Church and the post chaplain, Newberry joined the program four years ago. At the request of families, he said he also has stepped in to conduct funerals for some veterans.
"Families are appreciative, especially of the patriotism they show," said Randy Wilson, of Mason-Woodard Mortuary. "They also appreciate the dedication because they're out there in the rain and the cold — all kinds of weather — because they feel they owe it to their fallen comrades."
Tom Hamsher, administrator at Mount Hope Cemetery, agreed.
"It adds a special touch that veterans are participating in the funeral service of another veteran. It makes it very personal," Hamsher said. "A lot of times, vets tend to be forgotten, and it's one last touch that can be added to the family's remembrance — that this individual served their country."
-----
Dwindling ranks
When the group first was formed, La Near said members performed all elements of the graveside rites. For years, the team was lead by Howard Spiva, longtime post commander, who died in January at the age of 93.
"When he died we were lost, because he ran the show," Newberry said.
The new post commander is Warren Turner, who recruited Bob Tignor, both the newest members of the honor guard. Both were longtime members of the Missouri National Guard.
"Other than church, this is the most rewarding thing I do; I'm able to give back to this great country," Tignor said.
Turner said he got involved after Spiva died, noting his father had been a member of the Legion post. In past years, the post had sponsored summer baseball leagues, "which gave me a lot of opportunities," said Turner, now retired after years as head baseball coach at Missouri Southern State University.
"I knew all those guys, and after Howard died I thought maybe they could use some help. I went out and watched them, saw how dedicated they were and decided to join," he said. "I really enjoy being around them. And we're doing something for veterans that's meaningful for their families."
The group travels in a van given to it by the Bethel Baptist Church, where Newberry is pastor.
The Legion post has more than 130 registered members. But very few — mostly members involved in the honor guard — attend meetings.
When he first joined the post, La Near said, veterans from World War I still were active members.
"Gradually we replaced them, but there's very few coming up behind us. We can't carry the load forever," he said.
The post meets at Memorial Hall. The Legion headquarters at Fourth Street and Schifferdecker Avenue was sold because the post could no longer afford the insurance. Attendance at post meetings has dropped drastically in recent years.
Turner said he and others are working to attract more members.
"It's one of the oldest posts in the state," he said. "We'd like to have more veterans, and be more active."
___
Information from: The Joplin (Mo.) Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com
- By ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS The Detroit News
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — On a recent Saturday morning, Tara Vallejo goes over her four children's chores, checks their homework and talks about their plans for the summer. She asks if they are behaving themselves.
It's a typical mom-and-kids moment, with a big difference: She is doing her mothering behind prison walls, The Detroit News (http://detne.ws/297u4nQ ) reported.
"It's very difficult," said Vallejo, surrounded by her three daughters and her son at Huron Valley Women's Prison in Ypsilanti. "I'm involved (in their lives). It doesn't feel like it. I make calls. I send letters."
Once a year, moms at Huron Valley get to take part in the "One Day With God" event that allows them unfettered time with their children for a daylong program of fun and games. About 85 moms, 100 children and 120 volunteers take part.
Just like on the popular Netflix series "Orange is the New Black," the women at the Ypsilanti prison who are mothers worry about their children. About 70 percent of female state prison inmates have kids, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. The program also is available to dads at other state prisons.
Vallejo of Lansing has spent 21/2 years in prison. She has six to eight months to go on a conviction of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Her children range in age from 6-13.
"I know it sucks," Vallejo said. "But we will get through it."
For the children — such as 9-year-old Antonio Ybarra of Adrian — the day is a chance to spend extended time with his mom.
"We're allowed to dance and stuff," he said of his mom, Jennifer. "I get to hug her."
There's lots of hugging at the event. Mothers and children are allowed to embrace only twice during normal visiting hours: once when the children arrive and again when they leave. At the "One Day" event, there are no restrictions — so the physical contact is plentiful and joyful.
"I feel happy," Antonio said. "It's fun seeing Mom."
The boy's 40-year-old mom is into her sixth month of a three-year prison sentence for selling drugs.
"This is phenomenal," Jennifer Ybarra said. "This is the best experience I've had since coming to prison."
Ybarra said it's painful to know she's missing out on a large part of her children's lives.
She says she doesn't like the children to visit her in the normal prison visiting room.
"I don't want them to (think about that their) mom's in prison," Ybarra said. "It breaks my heart."
Like other mothers who are locked up, Ybarra works with relatives, in her case the children's grandmother, to provide a supportive network for them.
Michigan is among the states with the highest number of children who have a parent behind bars. Some 228,000 children — 1 in 10 — have had a parent incarcerated, according to Kids Count in its report "A Shared Sentence: The Devastating Toll of Parental Incarceration of Kids, Families and Communities." California was first with 503,000 in 2011-12, the latest figures available, followed by Texas, Florida and Ohio.
Michigan is tied for third with five other states — Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Alaska — at 10 percent of its children affected by incarcerated parents. Kentucky was first at 13 percent, followed by Indiana at 11 percent.
Deborah Springer's two sons, 6 and 14, blend in with other children at the prison on the special visitation day.
"I feel blessed to spend the entire day with my children," said Springer, who is serving time for home invasion and malicious destruction of property. "It's truly a blessing."
Like other moms, Springer says the regular visitors routine is hard on her and the children.
"We have to be separated," the 35-year-old from Waterford said. "It's hard to bond and to just hug."
Springer ended up behind bars after she was caught scrapping vacant houses in Macomb County with her boyfriend to pay for their drug habit.
Her mom is helping to raise her boys while Springer is in prison. Some of the women give relatives, usually their own parents, legal custody over their kids when they are doing their time.
___
Alicia Guevara Warren, project director for Kids Count and an analyst for Michigan League for Public Policy, said programs bringing incarcerated parents and their children together are vital.
"To be able to maintain their relationships and bond, especially when you're talking about younger children, is important," she said.
There are many hurdles for families, she noted. Older children may resist visiting because of the stigma of having a parent in prison, while some families can't afford travel costs or phone calls.
The children are just as excited as the moms, program organizers say.
"They don't see a crime. They don't see a prison," said Scottie Barnes, the founder of Forgiven Ministries, which sponsors the One Day With God event. "They just see their mom."
Barnes said her participation in the program is based on a personal story: she, too, had a father in prison as a young child.
"This is your day. It's all about you," Barnes told the mothers and children gathered in the gymnasium of the prison.
"You have no restrictions today."
___
Huron Valley's warden, Anthony Stewart, praised Barnes and the volunteers. "It's a phenomenal program," he said.
Stewart told the volunteers "you don't know the impact this has made on these ladies"
Stewart told The Detroit News the program, in its eighth year at Huron Valley, is a deterrent.
"We feel that it hopes to end that (prison) cycle of incarceration," Stewart said. "We don't want grandmothers, mothers and daughters coming to prison."
Mary Smith, the director of prison re-entry programs at Huron Valley, said the program can be transformational for incarcerated women.
"It changes their state of mind," she said. "After the program is over, these women are changed women."
___
Ruby Lechak, a 35-year-old resident of the Upper Peninsula town of Kincheloe, agreed.
"Sometimes it's frustrating. We do the best we can," said Lechak, a mom of four daughters who have come to see her for the daylong event. Lechak is serving time for home invasion as a result of her drug habit.
Lechak's 10-year-old daughter, Cassandra, laments: "It's harder when I want to tell her something (about what is going on in her life)."
Kenisha Faison recalls her 5-year-old son was in diapers when she was sent to prison four years ago. The 24-year-old Westland resident has 11 more years to serve for conspiring to commit murder.
Faison said the father of her child helps with her young son while she is in prison.
"He knows where I am ... that I'm in prison," Faison said of her son.
Shavonne Davis beams with the excitement that her daughter recently graduated from college. The 43-year-old has been behind bars for eight years. She raised two daughters, now 24 and 20, while incarcerated. She said her younger daughter felt "I chose prison over her."
"This program was life-changing," Davis said. "It gave me a chance to have an honest relationship with my daughters. I was able to hold my child."
But Davis admits the restrictions can be daunting.
"It is very hard," said Davis of Detroit, who's serving time for home invasion and great bodily harm. "You only have 15 minutes on the phone. That is a great feat in itself."
___
Information from: The Detroit News, http://detnews.com/
This is an AP Member Exchange shared by The Detroit News
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State police say troopers issued more than 100 tickets to drivers in the year since a law took effect requiring drivers to move over from the left lanes of highways in favor of faster vehicles.
The law allows police to issue tickets to left-lane drivers who don't budge when they should reasonably know another vehicle is overtaking them. State police report troopers wrote at least 1,535 warnings and 109 tickets under the law since last July.
State police Capt. David Bursten tells WISH-TV (http://bit.ly/296tZPs ) the intent isn't to penalize drivers for not yielding to others going 95 mph, but to discourage inconsiderate drivers who think they own the left lane and help avoid traffic backups.
The mandate does not apply during traffic congestion or bad weather.
___
Information from: WISH-TV, http://www.wishtv.com/
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police made arrests on a variety of alcohol related charges during the College World Series.
The department on Monday released the results from 11 enforcement operations around T.D. Ameritrade Park.
Police say 18 people were charged with minor in possession of alcohol, 16 were charged with driving under the influence, 14 were charged with having an open container, one was charged with procuring alcohol for a minor and 30 were charged with other misdemeanors and traffic violations.
The operations were financed through a grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, which ended on June 30.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. (AP) — Investigators are trying to track down thieves who made off with multiple vehicles from a southeastern Wisconsin car dealership.
The Racine Journal Times reports (http://bit.ly/29qPIqI ) that police saw multiple vehicles racing away from the Porcaro Ford Dealership in the village of Mount Pleasant in Racine County around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Officers tried to pull them over but they sped away. Police said in a news release they gave up pursuing them due to the speed and reckless nature of the drivers. Some of the vehicles had no lights on.
Officers did come across one of the vehicles smashed into a median and arrested a 13-year-old boy as he tried to run away. The vehicle was on fire but officers extinguished the flames with equipment from their squad cars.
The boy was taken to Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints Hospital in the city of Racine with minor injuries. Police have not released his name. He could face numerous charges.
Officers later found substantial damage at the dealership.
___
Information from: The Journal Times, http://www.journaltimes.com
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Bison have injured four people in Custer State Park this year, despite warnings that the animals are dangerous and shouldn't be approached, park official say.
The attacks have come after a five-year stretch of no such incidents, said Gary Brundige, the park's resource program manager.
"We're constantly warning people to stay back and don't approach buffalo," Brundige told the Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/29bBGUw ). "The safest place to watch them is from your car."
Park officials said the latest two injuries happened Thursday. In the first incident, a person was charged by a bison, fell down and was trampled. In the second incident, a person was charged and gored, resulting in a leg laceration.
Brundige said both victims got too close to groups of bison that were clustered on the park's west side. Members of each person's party apparently transported them to seek medical treatment immediately after each incident. The park released no further information about the victims or their medical status.
Two other injury-producing bison encounters happened in May. One visitor tried to pat a bison on the head and was gored in the abdomen and tossed several feet in the air. Another person approached a bison and was knocked to the ground.
Brundige has no definitive explanation for the sudden rash of human injuries from bison encounters this season. He said it could be the result of increased visitation, driven partly by a new visitor center and a run of sunny days without rain. Through the end of May, camping activity at the park was already up 13 percent over the same period in 2015.
There are currently about 1,300 bison in the park, and they are one of the main attractions for the park's nearly 2 million visitors. Though bison can appear docile when grazing, they are wild animals that can stand up to 6 feet tall, weigh up to 2,000 pounds and run as fast as 35 mph.
The only known bison-connected human fatality at the park happened in 2001, when an elderly Michigan man died after being gored.
___
Information from: Rapid City Journal, http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Madison's mayor wants to ban sleeping on public sidewalks in the capital city's downtown area.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports (http://bit.ly/29j66GS ) that Mayor Paul Soglin's new proposal would ban sleeping and lying on downtown sidewalks, public rights of way or on city office land between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.
According to the proposal, the city has received regular complaints from downtown residents and businesses about people occupying sidewalks and rights of way. The proposal states that people who sleep or lie on the sidewalk are threatening their own safety as well as the safety of pedestrians around them.
Police would give a sleeper a warning before issuing a citation. First-time violators would face a $100 fine. Each subsequent offense within the same year would carry a $250 fine.
The plan is based on ordinances in Portland, Oregon, and Honolulu.
"We've looked at what other cities have done and the common agreement is that when people start populating the streets, they shouldn't have the feeling that they're walking into someone's bedroom," Soglin said. "I think the public is entitled to an alternative."
Soglin plans to introduce the proposal at a city council meeting on Tuesday. The council last year resoundingly rejected another Soglin proposal to limit the time people could sit or lie on sidewalks, benches or city office property.
Asked about the new proposal's chances, the mayor said he expects certain council members will react "negatively and hostilely to any proposal that touches on anything that takes responsibility along with compassion."
___
Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
- By ED WHITE The Associated Press
DETROIT — A Detroit group that gives new life to wood, doors and antique fixtures salvaged from deserted homes is getting its own revival.
With no strings attached, Reclaim Detroit said it has received a $100,000 grant after a fire destroyed a workshop, tools and wood saved from more than 100 houses.
"We're in good shape now, but I wouldn't be able to say that without the support of Open Road Alliance," said Susan Dundon, business innovation director at EcoWorks, the nonprofit parent of Reclaim Detroit.
Open Road is a Washington, D.C.-based philanthropy that specializes in just what Reclaim Detroit needed: a generous dose of cash to rise above a disaster.
"This one was a no-brainer," said Open Road executive director Maya Winkelstein. "There was a high opportunity cost if they couldn't overcome this obstacle. They had already proven there is a strong market for their services."
Indeed, Reclaim Detroit trains people to work in the construction and demolition industries. Workers carefully dismantle houses and other buildings to save centuries-old wood and other valuable pieces that would otherwise be destroyed. The wood is milled, refinished and sold throughout the Detroit area, especially to restaurants wanting tables.
Reclaim Detroit operated at a large warehouse in Highland Park that was destroyed by fire in February. It hopes to open a new mill shop this summer, thanks to Open Road, which provided the largest grant.
"Our ability to earn money was imperiled by the fire. ... We lost a lot of antique doors and handles. We lost all of the circular saws, ladders, pickaxes. You name it, we lost it," Dundon said. "Insurance didn't cover all the losses. It's extremely difficult for the insurance market to value salvage materials."
Winkelstein said Open Road has faith in Reclaim Detroit.
"If you don't trust them to manage the money," she said, "you probably shouldn't give them money in the first place."
- By NICK HEDRICK (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — As a cavalry scout, Dustin Everhart was the "eyes and ears" of the U.S. Army, keeping his comrades up to date on battlefield conditions.
Years after returning home, Everhart is among a group of local veterans working to open a resource center where retired military personnel would help former soldiers readjust to the civilian world.
Such a place, he said, would've helped him manage a post-combat life that was complicated by a failing marriage, lack of strong employment skills and illegal drugs.
"And knowing at this point I could give back to guys that are way worse off than I ever was... has given me a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment that only God can provide," said Everhart, who served in the military from 1999-2003.
Dubbed "Community Outpost Lazarus," the resource center is the next mission of the Faithful Veteran Guide Detachment Ministry at Terre Haute United Methodist Temple.
Members are finishing their latest pig hunting trip in Texas, four-day excursions geared toward building camaraderie and allowing veterans to put their combat training to practical use.
The ministry also conducts walkabouts providing essentials to Terre Haute's homeless community.
A resource center would serve as a "nexus" for building diverse community relationships and provide a welcoming place, said Elias Donker, a retired Army major who served in Iraq and is overseeing the plans. It's exactly what Christians are led to do, he added.
The group has its sights on the former home of Youngstown United Methodist Church, which closed June 26 after more than 130 years of service. Youngstown's property reverts back to the United Methodist's state conference and a district-level committee will decide its fate.
Ministry members want to maintain the sanctity of the church, which sits at Bono Road and Dallas Drive south of Terre Haute. Plans call for preserving the sanctuary as a place of worship.
Donker himself played piano for the church during college.
"You walk in the place and it looks like it's still from 1920, and that's awesome," he said. "It's beautiful. So it's a privilege to find a way to take this building that's not functioning as a church and use it in a way that preserves that heritage and functions in a new way that helps enhance the community."
The ministry gathers at Temple weekly to discuss the plans. Seated a picnic table in the backyard garden near a cackling campfire one recent evening, Donker began to sketch on a pad of paper.
He diagrammed Youngstown's sanctuary, filling in rows of pews and drawing the center aisle. The design scheme raises alarms for the security-minded group: congregants sat with their backs to the doors.
Donker wants to reconfigure the seating by pulling out a quadrant of pews and replace them with chairs angled for a view of the entrance. A few of the pews would be sold as custom pieces to help cover expenses.
Other parts of the building would be converted to provide vocational counseling and other services. Members also want to allow other military organizations to use the space. The center would be staffed around-the-clock to answer hotline calls and open the building for veterans in need.
The concept is based on the military's remote outposts where troops stand guard against unexpected attacks. Lazarus is a Biblical reference to the restoration of life.
Having veterans run the center brings a "voice of experience" to the project, said Sarah Heath, a former Air Force captain, who is offering spiritual guidance through the process.
"And being able to say, 'Hey, I've been there, I did that, I know what you went through,'" she added.
The ministry is tapping in to the resources of Launch Terre Haute to help craft a business plan.
"We are in the process now of identifying the audience, so we can certainly feed individuals that we come in contact with that might need additional resources that we're not able to offer down to the new facility and vice-versa," said executive director Shelley Klingerman, who attended the meeting.
By July 31, Donker said, the ministry aims to have a finished plan ready to present to the church's conference.
It wouldn't be the first time a defunct church was repurposed into a community center. In 2001, the 14th and Chestnut Community Center opened in the building formerly occupied by Terre Haute First United Methodist.
Temple Pastor Kevin Drane, who also listened to Donker's plans, said the resource center would give veterans a place to call home.
"I think there are a lot of veterans who, for whatever reason, feel like they don't necessarily have the support," he said.
Retired Marine Bryce Rogers, who left the service last fall after 13 years, is another veteran involved in the planning.
In a society with high rates of suicide, homelessness and criminal activity among veterans, Rogers said the center will provide the family-type support necessary while transitioning from the military
"They didn't enlist so they could become a part of a larger gang or become a part of a criminal ring," he said. "They enlisted to do something that was greater than themselves, to be a part of something that mattered — that had eternal value."
___
Source: (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star, http://bit.ly/293ntx9
___
Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com
This is an Indiana Exchange story shared by the (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star.
- By LEANNE SMITH Jackson Citizen Patriot
JACKSON, Mich. (AP) — They were names on a piece of paper.
Two older sisters 16-year-old Isaiah Cram had never known, but had thought about from the time he was given that paper by his adoptive parents three years ago, the Jackson Citizen Patriot (http://bit.ly/299FBVh ) reported.
"I've looked at it so many times, just wondering," Isaiah said.
Then, this spring, during a Jackson High School assembly honoring seniors, Isaiah heard one of those names - Vivica Gage - called out. He watched his sister, who had attended the same school he does, walk across the stage to be recognized.
"I was shocked," he said. "I didn't know what to do at first. Then I got an idea that I could actually meet her."
On Wednesday, June 22, Isiah not only met 18-year-old Vivica, but his older sister Michelle Gage, 21, too.
"It is amazing," Isaiah said. "Meeting them was just really important to me."
Also in attendance at a lunch arranged by Jackson High School Principal Barbara Baird-Pauli were Isaiah's adoptive parents, Monika and Gary Cram, and his sisters' father, Richard Knott II.
"This is a glorious day," Knott said. "He has two sisters who will love him very much."
The siblings share a mother. While Knott is the girls' biological father, and has had them since they were 3 and 5 years old, he is not Isaiah's biological father.
Knott knew of the girls' brother and would have liked to have kept the siblings together, but the courts said that wasn't possible at the time, he said. He knew Isaiah had been adopted, but didn't know where he was.
"The good Lord has a way of making everything work out, though," Knott said. "I'm just glad they got the opportunity to finally meet."
Isaiah's sisters both attended classes in Jonell Hasselback's Jackson High classroom for cognitively-impaired students.
"We have never, that I can remember, ever had anything like this happen at Jackson High before," Baird-Pauli said.
The Crams adopted Isaiah when he was 2½ years old. They struggled with the decision, Monika Cram said, but gave Isaiah the papers with his sisters' and biological parents' names on it a couple of years ago.
"We had no idea his sisters were here in Jackson," Monika Cram said. "When he came home from school and told us this and said he wanted to pursue meeting them, I cried. We all couldn't hardly wait for this day to happen."
Now that they've found each other, the trio of siblings plan to stay reunited, taking time to get to know each other, making up for lost time apart.
"I never expected this to happen," Isaiah said. "But I'm definitely glad it did."
As for Isaiah's sisters, well, they pretty much feel the same.
"I was as shocked as he was," Michelle Gage said. "But he's a cool brother."
___
Information from: Jackson Citizen Patriot, http://www.mlive.com/jackson
This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the Jackson Citizen Patriot
- By JOSH LINTEREUR Sheboygan Press
SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. (AP) — Greg and Heather Schneider had long flirted with the idea of opening a restaurant before a pair of recent travel experiences finally sealed the deal.
The first came during a mission trip to Houston, where they helped provide nutritious meals to families in need and left with the desire to do the same when they returned home.
The second came during a visit last summer to Door County, where they ate at a small soup restaurant and saw it as a blueprint for a business they could manage on their own.
Upon their return, they immediately began creating plans for Heavenly Soup in downtown Sheboygan Falls, which opened earlier this year on a limited basis and just expanded its hours as the business has grown in popularity.
The Sheboygan Press (http://shebpr.es/28SmwUk ) reports that the restaurant, located at 608 Broadway St., serves a wide range of from-scratch soups using family recipes and others the couple developed on their own.
It also includes a board where customers can purchase and leave behind soup gift cards for strangers, which was inspired by the couple's Houston mission trip.
"Our goal is to be a restaurant that anyone can come to and have a nutritious meal," Greg Schneider said. "I've always enjoyed cooking, and we've always talked about doing something where we could cook for other people."
Schneider worked as a cook for about a decade at an area nursing home and now works as a teacher at Sheboygan Falls Elementary School. He helps run the restaurant on the side.
His wife, Heather, left her teaching job at South High at the end of the school year and will soon work full-time at the restaurant, with help from their two children and extended family.
The restaurant was initially open three days a week, with the couple working at the restaurant after school let out. They've since expanded their hours and are now open Tuesday-Saturday.
"We weren't sure what to expect when we started, and we're very happy with the business since we got going," Greg Schneider said.
The restaurant's menu is always evolving. A recent weekday had a lineup of beef chili, kale and sweet potato, butternut squash and chicken noodle soups.
Along with soup, they offer a small selection of sandwiches, and during summer months, they sell Cedar Crest ice cream.
The coupons left behind by strangers have also proven popular with customers who are grateful for the free meal, and there continue to be generous patrons who leave more behind.
"We're trying to foster a sense of community within the restaurant and with our customers," Greg Schneider said.
___
Information from: Sheboygan Press Media, http://www.sheboygan-press.com
- By DANIELLE FERGUSON Argus Leader
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — At the age of 10, Rachel Van Beek was driving tractors at her home farm in Iowa. Now, 22 years later, she's driving fire trucks through the streets of Sioux Falls.
Van Beek is one of about 40 with the Sioux Falls Fire Department charged with the responsibility of getting firefighters where they need to be quickly, accurately and safely.
And of those 40, Van Beek is the only woman, the Argus Leader (http://argusne.ws/296VkTy ) reported.
Van Beek was promoted to fire apparatus operator June 6, after an application process requiring knowledge of over 2,000 pages of study material, a driving test and an interview. As the driver, Van Beek is responsible for the truck itself, making sure all the equipment works and ensuring it gets fixed when something breaks. She's also in charge of the water used in fighting fires: how much of it to use, where to hook up the truck to a hydrant, how much water pressure the situation needs.
When a call comes in and the firefighters run to their gear, Van Beek runs to the map, finding the quickest route to their destination. She opens up the station overhead door, starts up the truck, switches on the lights and makes sure firefighters are buckled in. She weaves the 24- to 48-foot truck through traffic, holding the power to flip a switch that can change any stoplight to green.
"It's pretty cool," Van Beek said about getting to drive a fire truck. "It's a lot bigger than your typical car, so it takes a little while to get used to. It's a challenge, but it's worth it."
Van Beek was one of 22 to apply for the position, said division chief Brad Goodroad. Thirteen passed the application process, but only six got offered the position.
"Rachel ranked third overall," Goodroad said. "It's quite an accomplishment, especially so young."
Van Beek joined Sioux Falls Fire Rescue in 2011. She started the application process in March of 2009 after Sioux Falls Fire Chief Jason Sideras was a guest lecturer at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, where she studied to be a paramedic.
"I thought, I'll just apply and see what happens. And here we are," she said.
The thought of being a woman in a typically male-dominated profession didn't intimidate Van Beek. The only time she said she really thought about it was when she first started.
"A lot of times, if we were in a class or training, I'd look and see, oh, I'm the only girl here today," she said. "But I don't think about it too much. I'm just part of the group. It's nothing that usually crosses my mind."
Van Beek is also part of the fire department's diversity and inclusion committee and is involved in recruiting efforts, going to outreach events with college students.
She thinks the efforts are helping the department recruit, but the main question she gets from women is: Is the job too physically taxing?
"It is a physically demanding job," she said. "If it's something they want to do or want to be involved in, absolutely they should (apply). I think a lot of girls don't know that this is a job possibility for them. I think a lot of them are scared of the physical aspect of it. If you work at it, take the time and effort, you can do it."
Van Beek is one of four women in the Sioux Falls Fire Department and is often the only woman on her shift. She said she would like to see more women in the department, but also said she doesn't feel singled out simply because she's a woman.
"The job isn't for everybody, guys or girls," she said. "It's a challenge.But it's a good job male or female. (The men) don't treat you any differently than they treat any of the guys. The physical aspects intimidate some people, but stick with it. Be determined and hardworking."
Van Beek stuck with it through hours of studying and training. Now, she said driving the fire truck down the road is "pretty cool."
"When (all the cars) move out of the way for you, and you get the whole road to yourself, that's pretty cool," she laughed. "You get to get going and people get out of your way."
While flashing the lights, honking the horn, changing the stoplights and parting the sea of cars all are job perks, Van Beek said none of those make up for her favorite part of the job.
"The people," she said. "The people I get to work with, and the people we get to help are what make me want to do this."
And as for any little girls out there who want to be a firefighter when they grow up, Van Beek said:
"Be dedicated to it. It can get overwhelming at times, so have (people) to go to. You have to be patient. It's definitely worth it, but at the time (you're applying), you're wondering if it's ever going to happen. In the end it's worth it, so stick with it."
___
Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
- By SUSAN REDDEN The Joplin Globe
JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — In rain, snow, freezing cold and sweltering heat, a group of Joplin veterans stands at attention at cemeteries throughout the region to ensure their comrades in the military get one final tribute for their service.
A new battle for these veterans — many older than 80 years old — is finding reinforcements who will step forward to make sure those honors can continue.
On June 21, seven of the group were at the Diamond Cemetery where six performed a rifle salute and Ken La Near, the bugler, played taps at the funeral of a Diamond man who was an Air Force veteran.
All members of the Robert S. Thurman American Legion Post 13, they are part of the Missouri Military Funeral Honors program, which joins with active duty military to honor the wishes of families that ask for military rites at the funerals of their relatives.
"They are indispensable; without them, the veteran wouldn't get full honors," said Maj. William Smith, retired from the Missouri National Guard and director of the state program.
-----
Most active post
When military graveside rites are requested, two active duty military — most often from the branch in which the deceased served — attend the service to remove the U.S. flag from the casket, fold it and present it to the family. Additional military rites, if the family wants them, are performed by honor guards made up of members of American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations in the region. Honor guards receive a stipend from the state and are tested each year on their performance, he added.
The Joplin Globe (http://bit.ly/28Vokwq ) reports that the honor guard from the Thurman post is among the most active — performing graveside rites 1,040 times since 1999, Williams said. The Joplin group's rifle corps and bugler honored veterans at 80 services last year, and 72 so far this year.
"It's been twice a week, for a lot of this year," said La Near, who, at 91, is the oldest member of the honor guard. "We're trying to get enough younger guys involved so the old group can relax a little. It's sad when you have to go with just three or four, because we like to fire seven rifles."
-----
Paying tribute
La Near joined the American Legion post in 1946, as soon as he concluded his World War II duties as a gunner on a B-17, often called the Flying Fortress. He later volunteered for the honor guard program and estimates he helped with graveside rites at more than 1,000 funerals.
"I'm a patriot and I want to honor those veterans who've gone before me. I know there's just a handful of us, but the least we can do for our veterans is give them a military funeral," he said.
Other World War II veterans who are part of the funeral detail are Fred Horst, 89, a Navy veteran in the amphibious corps; Herb Rawlins, 90, an Air Force veteran who was a pilot with the 23rd Fighter Group; and Walter Kane, 90, an Air Force veteran. Other members are Ralph Green, 83, a Navy veteran of the Korean War, and John Newberry, 84, an Army veteran.
Most are longtime members of the military honor guard.
"We do it because we need to pay tribute to our veterans," said Horst.
"I think family members appreciate it because it helps give them closure," Newberry added.
Pastor at Bethel Baptist Church and the post chaplain, Newberry joined the program four years ago. At the request of families, he said he also has stepped in to conduct funerals for some veterans.
"Families are appreciative, especially of the patriotism they show," said Randy Wilson, of Mason-Woodard Mortuary. "They also appreciate the dedication because they're out there in the rain and the cold — all kinds of weather — because they feel they owe it to their fallen comrades."
Tom Hamsher, administrator at Mount Hope Cemetery, agreed.
"It adds a special touch that veterans are participating in the funeral service of another veteran. It makes it very personal," Hamsher said. "A lot of times, vets tend to be forgotten, and it's one last touch that can be added to the family's remembrance — that this individual served their country."
-----
Dwindling ranks
When the group first was formed, La Near said members performed all elements of the graveside rites. For years, the team was lead by Howard Spiva, longtime post commander, who died in January at the age of 93.
"When he died we were lost, because he ran the show," Newberry said.
The new post commander is Warren Turner, who recruited Bob Tignor, both the newest members of the honor guard. Both were longtime members of the Missouri National Guard.
"Other than church, this is the most rewarding thing I do; I'm able to give back to this great country," Tignor said.
Turner said he got involved after Spiva died, noting his father had been a member of the Legion post. In past years, the post had sponsored summer baseball leagues, "which gave me a lot of opportunities," said Turner, now retired after years as head baseball coach at Missouri Southern State University.
"I knew all those guys, and after Howard died I thought maybe they could use some help. I went out and watched them, saw how dedicated they were and decided to join," he said. "I really enjoy being around them. And we're doing something for veterans that's meaningful for their families."
The group travels in a van given to it by the Bethel Baptist Church, where Newberry is pastor.
The Legion post has more than 130 registered members. But very few — mostly members involved in the honor guard — attend meetings.
When he first joined the post, La Near said, veterans from World War I still were active members.
"Gradually we replaced them, but there's very few coming up behind us. We can't carry the load forever," he said.
The post meets at Memorial Hall. The Legion headquarters at Fourth Street and Schifferdecker Avenue was sold because the post could no longer afford the insurance. Attendance at post meetings has dropped drastically in recent years.
Turner said he and others are working to attract more members.
"It's one of the oldest posts in the state," he said. "We'd like to have more veterans, and be more active."
___
Information from: The Joplin (Mo.) Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com
Most Popular
-
Arizona lawmaker seeks to jump-start I-11 construction
-
Report: Sheriff Nanos improperly used position, resources in political foe's suspension
-
Faculty concerned about changes to U of A admissions policy -
Over 70 fun events happening in Tucson in April 🎡🐰
-
Sean Elliott: Homegrown talent gives Arizona basketball special spark in Final Four run
