Latest news with #Barker
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Nonprofit founder who trained Maine's first comfort dogs mourns his loss
May 30—Maine's first comfort dog, Baxter, had been rescued as a puppy and bottle-fed by volunteers for a nonprofit in New Hampshire that pairs trained dogs with veterans and first responders. "We're heartbroken," the organization's founder, Laura Barker, said in an interview on Friday, a day after the Maine Department of Public Safety announced Baxter had been found dead in a state vehicle. "We know that Baxter was loved his whole time on Earth," Barker said. "He also helped a lot of people while he was here." Barker said she and her colleagues are still in shock at the loss, and are confident that the department will conduct a thorough investigation. It's still unclear exactly what led to Baxter's death. The 3-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever had been working as a comfort dog for dispatchers under the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications since he was introduced to the state in the fall of 2022. A spokesperson for the department said he was found dead Wednesday afternoon after the vehicle "unexpectedly" shut off while he was inside. The vehicle was parked at the communications center in Bangor, where the National Weather Service recorded temperatures up to 82 degrees that afternoon. Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for DPS, said she could not answer questions about the type of vehicle and how long the dog was left inside. She confirmed that Brodie Hinckley, the director of the Bureau of Emergency Communications, had been Baxter's handler. Hinckley did not respond to requests for an interview on Friday. Moss did not answer follow up questions asking if Hinckley was placed on leave. Some newer vehicles have an auto shut-off feature, where the engine is disabled after a certain amount of time if it's left running while parked. In recent years, some police departments have purchased technology that will alert officers if the car shuts off or gets too hot. The Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society, notes that temperatures inside a car can rise rapidly in minutes. Even with the windows opened slightly, temperatures can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes on an 85 degree day, according to Humane World. Baxter was trained through Hero Pups and AT&T FirstNet paid for the dog's vet visits and supplies before he joined the bureau in 2022, according to Hero Pups and the Department of Public Safety. Barker, Hero Pups founder, said Baxter's DPS handler took care of him full-time after his first birthday, but he came back to the New Hampshire non-profit occasionally for training. She encouraged the public to wait to hear all of the details before assuming what happened. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Themba Zwane and Danny Jordaan played a key role in Hugo Broos deciding against an early resignation from his Bafana Bafana post
Broos might have not won the Afcon crown like Barker did 29 years ago, but he's made some great strides since taking over the reins. Earlier this month, Broos became the longest serving Bafana coach, surpassing the record of the late Clive Barker, who was in charge for exactly four years. Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has revealed what made him make a last-gasp decision to not step down from his post after a torrid start. Broos led Bafana to a podium finish in the last Afcon - which was the first after more than two decades, qualified for back-to-back Afcons finals and is on the verge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. But those nearly didn't come into fruition. Broos nearly resigned in the first few months of his five-year contract after being heavily criticised by all and sundry. 'No, certainly in the first year (it wasn't easy),' Broos recalled. 'I know that it is also your job (the media personnel) to criticise, but sometimes the critics were not fair. 'When you lose 5-0 against the world champions, it's not fair to criticise. You have to be smart enough to see this is normal, especially with an inexperienced team. 'But for many people it wasn't. They always referred to the 2010 World Cup when they beat France, but forgetting there was big trouble in the French team (then). 'We lost to Morocco 2-1, and we were criticised. And Morocco was fourth six months later in the World Cup, so that was not fair.' There was a time that the criticism became unbearable that the 72-year-old opened up to his then assistant what he thought of it and his future with the national team. 'I went back home after the first year, and I said to my assistant at that time Cedo (Janevski) that 'I won't go back. It's not nice what they are doing to me',' the Belgian explained. 'I came back, and said if things go on, in the New Year, I will go not back and things will be finished. Then suddenly, I selected (Themba) Zwane and things changed. 'The guy was 33 or 34 years old at the time. You couldn't build a future around that. But yeah, Themba is a talented boy and he helped us a lot. 'He came, and we selected a few other players. And suddenly why, I don't know, but boom, things were getting better and better till our lengthy unbeaten run.'
Entrepreneur
12 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How a Firefighter's 'Hidden' Side Hustle Led to $22M in Revenue
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Jeremy Barker, 50, of Ogden, Utah. Barker was working as a firefighter and paramedic when he started his company, Murphy Door, which sells "hidden" home furnishings, including bookcase doors and Murphy beds. Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Image Credit: Courtesy of Murphy Door. Jeremy Barker. Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe to Money Makers, our free newsletter packed with creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here. When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it? I started Murphy Door in December 2012 while I was still working as a firefighter. The inspiration came from wanting to build a home theater for my kids, which sparked the idea for hidden storage solutions. I believed I could change how the biggest hardware stores approached storage solutions and create a new category in the market. Related: She Started a Creative Side Hustle While Working 'Dead-End' Jobs — Then Grew It From $10,000 to Over $50,000 a Month: '[It] Became Magnetic' What did those early side-hustling days look like? I kept Murphy Door as a side hustle while working in fire services. In 2012, our first year in business, we only made $30,000, but I kept pushing forward. The real breakthrough came when I took the business online in 2013 and got advice from Architectural Digest to think beyond just hidden doors and focus on multifunctional storage solutions, turning wall space into functional storage rather than just secret compartments. Image Credit: Courtesy of Murphy Door Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business? I have some amazing mentors that I've worked with: Don Blohm (operations), John Porter (human capital coach), Brandon Dawson (business systems) and Grant Cardone (sales training). But honestly, the best mentor we could have is our customers. I also believe young entrepreneurs should actively seek out mentors — most successful business people want to help. If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you'd done it differently? I wish I had better banking support early on. Utah needs a better banking system — banks are quick to say no, but don't tell you how to get to yes. I faced bankruptcy twice, once in my early 20s, then the next time in my 30s; better financial guidance could have saved me a lot of headaches. When it comes to this specific business, what is something you've found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren't? Manufacturing equipment lead times can really slow you down. Our German equipment has 6-12 month lead times, which makes the ability to forecast demand with manufacturing capacity accurately a must; it is also why it makes expansion challenging. Balancing creativity with practicality [is also challenging] — you need to ensure innovations are feasible, cost-effective and meet genuine needs. Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong? How did you fix it? In the early days of Murphy Door, my team showcased our hidden doors for panic rooms at a major trade show. We soon realized that although the product was intriguing, it catered to a limited market. This realization led to the broader concept of hidden storage doors, which had mass appeal. The lesson? Embrace feedback, no matter how unexpected, and be prepared to adapt. Related: She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn? It took about four years to see consistent revenue that I could rely on. I started Murphy Door in 2012 while still working as a firefighter, and in our first year, we only made $30,000. I kept it as a side hustle, reinvesting everything back into the business. The real turning point came in 2016 when we hit a $5 million revenue trend: That's when I finally felt confident enough to leave firefighting and take my first paycheck from the company. So it was a four-year journey of building it nights and weekends while maintaining my day job for financial stability. Image Credit: Courtesy of Murphy Door What does growth and revenue look like now? The growth has been incredible, especially since Covid. We entered Covid with $7 million in revenue and then saw explosive growth: $7 million to $14 million to $22 million. We're currently maintaining 70% year-over-year growth, which makes us the fastest-growing mill department in the U.S. We now have 102 employees across multiple manufacturing facilities: our headquarters in Ogden, Utah, a plant in Kentucky, and we're opening a third plant in Plano, Texas, at the end of the year. Our reach has been massive — we've had over one billion organic views on social media and have completed 200,000 unique installations. We've worked on high-profile projects, including for Lionsgate and Only Murders in the Building, done unique build-outs for celebrities and athletes, and collaborated with a Grammy-winning artist. What do you enjoy most about running this business? I love the innovation rush of creating something new and watching it succeed. It's about proving you can build something significant, creating jobs in America and competing with anyone in the world while solving real problems for people. The combination of innovation, impact and building something lasting — that's what gets me up every morning. Related: This 34-Year-Old Was 'Wildly Un-Passionate' About His Day Job, So He Started a 9-Figure Side Hustle: 'Be an Animal' Build fast, break faster, then refine. Too many entrepreneurs wait until something is perfect. That's a death sentence. I believe in rapid prototyping and getting a version out, then fixing it based on real feedback. With Murphy Ladder, we didn't wait for perfection — we built a working prototype , then tested it in the real world. What we learned in the field made the final product strong enough to win awards.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Moment vile woman caught kicking dog and screaming abuse in its face on neighbour's doorbell camera
WATCH the shocking moment a woman swears and screams at her dog before kicking and dragging him by the lead. Vile Lauren Leigh Barker was caught on camera physically and verbally abusing her Advertisement 6 Lauren Leigh Barker shouted at her dog Rocco to get him into the room Credit: SWNS 6 She became more aggressive with the pooch throughout the footage Credit: SWNS 6 She was shown kicking the pup after forcing him into the door frame Credit: SWNS Doorbell camera footage from a neighbour shows Barker repeatedly raising her voice and becoming increasingly aggressive with the distressed pup, shouting at him to move. She pushes him towards the door and he collides with the frame before she eventually muscles him in and shuts them both in. They disappear from view, but her shocking abuse continues behind the closed door and Rocco can be heard barking at his owner. In the footage, Barker, of Clevedon, North Somerset, bellows: "In there. Rocco don't wind me up. Advertisement Read more News "Get in. Get the f*** in. I said move. Move, move. Stay." She can be seen kicking Rocco through to the next room and the doorbell camera visibly shakes as she slams the door. Barker, who owns another dog called Iddy, was banned from keeping animals for five years after the footage was shared with the This decision cannot be appealed for at least two years. Advertisement Most read in The Sun After reviewing the footage, a vet said: "Rocco has been caused to suffer due to the person responsible for the welfare of this animal behaving in an aggressive, intimidating and physically abusive manner. "Suffering will have been experienced by this animal via mechanisms of fear, distress and possibly pain for a period of at least several minutes, possibly longer." Shock moment Royal Mail postman KICKS tiny puppy Bella after it bounded over at owner's door Appearing at North Somerset Magistrates Court earlier this month, Barker was deemed to have caused unnecessary suffering to Rocco during an incident in September 2023. She was also found to have failed to meet her dogs' needs to be protected from pain and suffering due to the infliction of physical violence and abusive behaviour for an incident in October that year. Advertisement She was sentenced to 12 weeks custody, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 30 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR). 6 Barker has been given a suspended jail sentence Credit: BPM 6 She has also been banned from keeping animals for five years Credit: SWNS 6 The RSPCA opened an investigation after being shown the footage Credit: SWNS Advertisement Barker intends to appeal the conviction and continues to plead her innocence, arguing that she was acting in self-defence against "aggressive" Rocco. At a rescue centre, RSPCA teams carried out behaviour assessments on the pup and found he was suitable for rehoming. He was deemed to be very tolerant of vets, allowing them to perform a range of checks without needing to restrain him. RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters said: "We're extremely grateful when people report animal welfare concerns to us and share any evidence they have that can help our investigations." Advertisement
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Moment vile woman caught kicking dog and screaming abuse in its face on neighbour's doorbell camera
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WATCH the shocking moment a woman swears and screams at her dog before kicking and dragging him by his lead. Vile Lauren Leigh Barker was caught on camera physically and verbally abusing her pooch, Rocco. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 She shouted at Rocco to get him into the room Credit: SWNS 6 She became more aggressive with the pooch throughout the footage Credit: SWNS 6 She was shown kicking the pup after forcing him into the door frame Credit: SWNS Barker repeatedly raises her voice and becomes increasingly aggressive with the distressed pup, shouting at him to move. She pushes him towards the door and he collides with the frame before she eventually muscles him in and shuts them both in. They disappear from view, but her shocking abuse continues behind the closed door and Rocco can be heard barking at his owner. In the footage, Barker, of Clevedon, North Somerset, bellows: "In there. Rocco don't wind me up. "Get in. Get the f*** in. I said move. Move, move. Stay." She can be seen kicking Rocco through to the next room and the doorbell camera visibly shakes as she slams the door. Barker, who owns another dog called Iddy, was banned from keeping animals for five years after the footage was shared with the RSPCA. This decision cannot be appealed for at least two years. After reviewing the footage, a vet said: "Rocco has been caused to suffer due to the person responsible for the welfare of this animal behaving in an aggressive, intimidating and physically abusive manner. "Suffering will have been experienced by this animal via mechanisms of fear, distress and possibly pain for a period of at least several minutes, possibly longer." 6 Barker was convicted of two counts of mistreating Rocco. Credit: BPM 6 She has been banned from keeping animals for five years. Credit: SWNS 6 The RSPCA opened an investigation after being shown the footage. Credit: SWNS Appearing at North Somerset Magistrates Court earlier this month, she was deemed to have caused unnecessary suffering to Rocco during an incident in September 2023. She was also found to have failed to meet her dogs' needs to be protected from pain and suffering due to the infliction of physical violence and abusive behaviour for an incident in October 2023. She was sentenced to 12 weeks custody, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 30 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR). Barker intends to appeal the conviction and continues to plead her innocence, arguing that she was acting in self-defence against "aggressive" Rocco. Whilst at a rescue centre, RSPCA teams carried out behaviour assessments on the pup and found he was suitable for rehoming. He was deemed to be very tolerant of vets, allowing them to perform a range of checks without needing to restrain him. RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters said: 'We're extremely grateful when people report animal welfare concerns to us and share any evidence they have that can help our investigations."
