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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'No Kings' protests updates: Rallies remain peaceful, tens of thousands gather nationwide
Coordinated "No Kings" protests are happening from coast to coast, part of a "national day of peaceful protest" against the Trump administration, expected to draw millions. Protesters in some areas braved wet weather to raise signs and chant slogans supporting the rights of immigrants and criticizing what they see as Trump's power grab. Some protests took on a festive atmosphere, while others were more tense, including confrontations with counterprotesters. Members of the far-right Proud Boys appeared at an Atlanta "No Kings" protest, wearing the group's distinctive black and yellow colors. In Minnesota, protests were canceled out of caution after shootings targeted local lawmakers, authorities say. In Florida, marchers got as close to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Palm Beach estate, as police would allow and were met by Trump supporters. Tens of thousands of people headed into Philadelphia, where the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. Hundreds gathered in northern and southern California for protests, marches and a car cruise, but organizers drew special attention, ahead of the events, to Los Angeles, where President Donald Trump called in the National Guard and the Marines after some protests over immigration enforcement raids spiraled into violence. About 2,000 protests and rallies were planned nationwide. 'I have a lot of family members that are immigrants and basic human rights are being taken away on a daily (basis),' Los Angeles resident Beatriz Pérez, 27, told USA TODAY before the city's protest. Perez added that she hoped the country's leaders 'have a change of heart.' Are people protesting more than usual? 'Jaw-dropping' number planned on Trump's birthday The demonstrators outside the White House are dispersing after more than an hour of protesting. Hundreds are headed home, to the metro, and back to their hotels. Leo Pargo, one of the event's organizers, said they have no plans to protest the parade beginning at 6:30 p.m. – Rachel Barber After a roughly 2-mile protest route, thousands made their way back toward the steps of Los Angeles' City Hall and Grand Park to hydrate, gather and simply stand in solidarity against Trump's mass deportation efforts in the city. Across the street from Grand Park — where many people stayed put, recharging and getting some shade in the 80-degree, sunny weather — organizers kept the energy going in front of City Hall steps. A lively crowd, hundreds strong, were standing in the streets when a fitting call and response went up. 'Whose streets?' 'Our streets!' Isabella and Mark Garcia were among those sardined in the street. They said they attended a protest last week and officers targeted them with non-lethal munitions. Two hours into the 'Kings Day" march, there were no visible confrontations with law enforcement. 'It's the same (as last week) except they're not shooting at us today.' – Josh Peters and Pamela Avila Tens of thousands of people headed into Philadelphia for what was expected to be the 'major flagship' event of the "No Kings" protests. Anticipation rose and rain fell as demonstrators flooded past the perimeter of LOVE Park, waiting for the official start of the march. The front lines of the protest made it to the Museum of Art just shy of 1 p.m. with cheers and a chant of 'U.S.A.' Helicopters continued overhead, joining the sounds of the march and music coming from numerous speakers attached to the stages, platforms and risers on the museum's lawn. The event began with a performance from local band Trash Boy, before Bishop William J. Barber gave an impassioned speech to the crowd. Hundreds of attendees could be seen leaving Saturday's rally early, heading down Benjamin Franklin Parkway just after 2 p.m. as speakers continued. The rain that began earlier in the day seemed to dampen the mood for some, but not all. Kevin Reilly and Eric Reisman from the Ambler area said they're happy with how the protest went. 'It was peaceful,' Reisman said. 'A smash success.' Reilly's son's girlfriend is moving here from India, he said, growing emotional. 'She's really afraid. I want her to feel welcome.' While there had been a strong police presence throughout the protest, no major incidents were reported by the time the crowd began to dissipate. — Shane Brennan and Chris Ullery, USA TODAY Network The Texas Capitol was evacuated Saturday afternoon after law enforcement "identified a credible threat toward state lawmakers planning to attend a protest," the state's Department of Public Safety said on social media. The capitol and surrounding grounds remained closed out of an abundance of caution as officials continued investigating the threat, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. A large crowd gathered peacefully for a "No Kings" demonstration at the Arizona State Capitol. Some held signs stating, "I'm not part of a MAGA agenda!" and "Hey Trump! Nobody paid us to be here! We all hate you for free!" As speakers took to the stage in Phoenix, participants tried to stay cool amidst the rows of white pop-ups set up for groups and vendors. A National Weather Service forecast called for a high of 109 degrees and an extreme heat warning to begin at 10 a.m. Sara Wester, of Mesa, 23, attended the protest with her mother, Lynn Dumais. She carried a sign that read 'LEAVE YOUR MAGA HUSBAND.' The mother-daughter pair braved the heat because they felt strongly about exercising their right to protest. 'It's our duty. It's our right, it's our Constitutional right. And fighting for standing up for what you believe in is one of the biggest things that makes America America,' Wester said. - Stephanie Murray, Arizona Republic In Nanuet, New York, people lined all the sidewalks along an intersection known as the "Four Corners." It's been the site of various demonstrations going back at least 50 years. Clarkstown police and protest organizers had a calm and detailed discussion about perimeters. Vehicles honked frequently in the heavily traveled corridor, earning appreciative cheers from the crowd. By noon, the demonstration had swelled to well over 1,000 protesters and Clarkstown police could be seen putting up more orange barriers as a buffer between the roadway and sidewalk. Ciara Sweeney, of Pearl River, made hand-painted posters with a caricature of Trump behind bars and the words "IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS BUT THE PRESIDENT IS." She and her mother turned out for the day's demonstration to counter the military parade in D.C., "just to show there are protests everywhere. People think people have given up," Sweeney explained. "That's not true." Sweeney said it was important to show up in the suburbs, too. "Don't count out Rockland County," the 20-year-old said. -Gary Stern and Nancy Cutler, The Journal News The crowd could not have been more delighted when a 20-foot balloon of Trump wearing a diaper was inflated and made its way through a sardined crowd at the Los Angeles' Gloria Molina Grand Park. Timmy Vu of Los Angeles found himself almost in the direct path as the balloon was led onto the street as the March began. 'Probably a good representation of our president,' Vu said with a smile as a woman yelled, 'Make room for the balloon.' Vu, 32, said he came to the rally mostly to 'get ICE out of L.A." As protestors caught sight of about a dozen National Guard members lined in front of federal buildings, they chanted 'out of LA' at them. The chants didn't prompt a reaction from the National Guard, and one man expressed what looked like frustration to one of the guards close to his face. Another woman was heard thanking them for their service. Brent Blair showed out to the LA protest with his 16-year-old daughter, Amara Blair, and two sons, ages 10 and 6.'This country is in crisis; we're upside down. We are slipping really fast into a fascist dictatorship,' said Brent, a professor at the University of Southern California. His two younger sons stood nearby holding up their homemade signs. For Brent's daughter, Amara, exercising her First Amendment rights isn't new — she was protesting with her father at a young age when Trump was first elected into the White House in 2016.'It is so important to protect our people,' Amara said. 'We have a president that doesn't respect us at all and we all deserve to be safe and to feel safe.' - Pamela Avila and Josh Peter There weren't any "No Kings" protests originally scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. during Trump's military parade, but reports early Saturday afternoon show a small demonstration beginning to form. A group called 'Refuse Fascism' started assembling in Logan Circle with about 500 people reportedly marching to Lafayette Park just in front of the White House. 'Fascist America – We say no! Now's the time for Trump to go,' the crowd chanted, according to the NBC affiliate in Washington. – Phillip M. Bailey A La Quinta man threatening violence at a "No Kings" rally has been arrested, the Palm Springs Police Department announced Saturday morning. Edward Miranda, 28, allegedly threatened to commit a shooting at the Palm Springs "No Kings" rally, police said on social media. Police became aware of the threat, which was posted online, and worked with the FBI to identify Miranda and locate him at his residence. He was taken into custody without incident and is expected to be charged with one felony count of criminal threats and a misdemeanor count of threatening to interfere with civil rights. Law enforcement executed search warrants at two residences and located a firearm belonging to Miranda, PSPD said. Police did not say in their post if Miranda remained in custody. "We take all threats to public safety seriously and will vigorously pursue those intent on committing violence in our community," Chief Andy Mills said in a statement. "Thanks to the vigilance of a community member who saw something and said something, along with the tireless efforts of our PSPD detectives and FBI partners, we were able to identify and apprehend the suspect, ensuring the safety of tonight's event." Thousands gathered at the south end of the Indiana Statehouse. By Saturday afternoon, an organizer of the 50501 'No Kings' protest, tracking the crowd with a clicker had counted more than 4,150 people. Among them was Leland Lindahl, 47, who said he voted for Donald Trump in 2020. 'As soon as January 6 hit, I immediately regretted it,' Lindahl said. Lindahl said while he doesn't agree with everything some of the protesters believe, he came to the Statehouse because he didn't want to sit on his couch and complain — he wanted to take action. Other protesters displayed signs that were largely handmade with markers, paint and printed photos on cardboard and posters. With a light rain falling, several people opened umbrellas, including some with protest signage attached to them. As the rain intensified, protesters began to march and chant, "America has no kings," and passing cars honked to cheers of those gathered. The organizer directed protesters to grab whistles from a bucket to alert others if they became involved in a confrontation with a counter-protester. Indianapolis police detained one protester after he ripped a pro-Trump flag from the hands of a counter-protester. The counter-protester ran after him but tripped and fell. His left elbow was bleeding as he showed officers his scuffed knee. – Cate Charron and Marissa Meador, The Indianapolis Star On the steps of Metro Hall in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, protesters began gathering before noon, carrying signs that read "No kings in America" and "Dictator or democracy: That's the choice." Drivers honked their horns as they passed the demonstration, spurring cheers from the crowd. Ponchos and umbrellas came out as a short rainstorm passed over. Tom Scharff was among those who gathered early. "The hatred that exists, that (Trump has) generated, has got to stop," he said, explaining why he chose to attend. "Democracy has got to come back in full." Scharff cited the administration's crackdown on immigration, including the deployment of the military in Los Angeles, as issues he is concerned about. "Now they're taking people off the streets," he said. "It's not America." -Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal Though other groups have plans to protest in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, there aren't any "No Kings" protests planned in the city, where Trump will hold a parade Saturday evening to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The anniversary also falls on Flag Day and Trump's 79th birthday. Roughly 60 protesters were arrested in the district on Friday after a few pushed down a bike rack, crossed a police line, and ran towards the steps of the U.S. Capitol, Capitol Police said in a statement. The "No Kings" protests are meant to oppose what demonstrators see as Trump's power grab. The number of planned events is nearly double that of the April 5 "Hands Off" protest that saw millions of Americans turn out in big and small cities nationwide. Protesters fear crackdown: But demonstrators stick to plans to rally in DC before June 14 Army parade Organizers of the "No Kings" demonstrations and local officials urged demonstrators to stay home from planned protests in Minnesota on Saturday after a lawmaker and her husband were fatally shot and another lawmaker and his wife were injured at their homes. Gov. Tim Walz called the incident a 'politically motivated assassination.' "Governor Walz has recommended that we cancel No Kings events across the state of Minnesota because the individual who assassinated a Democratic lawmaker is still at large," organizers said in a statement on their website. "For the safety of all involved, we are cancelling all Minnesota events not already underway." Authorities found papers with "No Kings" written on them in the back seat of the suspect's vehicle, Col. Christina Bogojevic with the Department of Public Safety said. There was no evidence of a specific threat to the "No Kings" rallies; however, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said authorities were sharing the information about the papers found so the public remains informed. Read more: Walz urges Minnesotans to avoid 'No Kings' Day rallies June 14 after shooting At City Hall in Los Angeles, sheriff's deputies fanned out at the top of the steps as people began to gather in advance of one of several protests planned across the city. Reggae music, the sound of helicopters overheard and the smell of freshly cooked hot dogs being sold by vendors for $10 a piece greeted arrivals. As the crowd quickly swelled to about 1,000 people, hundreds of others gathered around a speaker: Shannon Rivers on a bullhorn. Rivers is a member of the Akimel O'odam (River People) Nation and is an Indigenous Peoples human rights activist. Other members of the Native American group played drums and some held signs that read, 'No one is illegal on stolen land.' Los Angeles is the ancestral land of the Tongva People. 'Stop talking about immigrants,' Rivers said. 'All of you are immigrants. Everyone one of you. We've accepted you into our territory — sometimes reluctantly, but we've done it. We are here today, we are standing in solidarity." Many among those gathered near City Hall have brought signs with messages including: 'The Only Minority Destroying America Are Billionaires," 'L.A. Heat Melts I.C.E.' and 'United We Stand Against Hate.' And then there was the sign Victor Ceron carried to the barricade midway up the steps at City Hall and held it high so the sheriff's deputies fanned out across the top could see it. It read: 'Brown Won't Back Down.' Ceron, who said he is a 39-year-old, first-generation Mexican American, said he wants the world to see the sign so people know, 'We are a resilient people.' He said it was his first protest, and he came alone. 'But I'm thinking of my parents and my son. He's the future,' added Ceron, who said he was born and raised in Los Angeles. – Pamela Avila and Josh Peter Protesters are showing up for the planned 9 a.m. Saturday protest at Redding City Hall in Shasta County in Northern California to say, "We don't fall for the fear-mongering, we want ICE out of California, and we won't let our elected officials be attacked," said Redding resident Brooke McGowen, who attended similar past protests. Hundreds of people also gathered in the morning for the "No Kings" rally in Cathedral City in Southern California's Coachella Valley on Saturday. They lined the street near the Cathedral City Civic Center. Protesters carried an array of signs that said things like 'We Don't Need A Nepo-Baby King,' 'Get the Faux King Out of Our White House,' and 'A Woman's Place is in the Resistance." They were chanting 'Trump Must Go!' Coachella Valley residents will also march and cruise from Coachella to Rancho Mirage on Saturday. – Ani Gasparyan and Jennifer Cortez, Palm Springs Desert Sun and Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight 'No hate, no fear. Immigrants are welcome here,' marchers chanted in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Cars driving by honked in support, drawing cheers from the marchers. Thunder clapped loudly as the rain became steadier. James Neal, 50, of Enid, said he came to Oklahoma City to protest the 'rise of authoritarianism in the country and defend the constitution.' A U.S. Navy veteran, he wore a shirt that said, 'Not on my Watch.' – Ray Rivera, The Oklahoman A 'No Kings' march took place June 13 in downtown Columbus, Ohio and Indivisible Central Ohio brought the same themes into its float at the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March on Saturday. Protestors with the group gathered around a white parade float styled after the White House. 'No kings in the White House,' read a banner across it. People carried signs stating, 'No kings, no dictators, no billionaires, no bullies'; 'We the people means everyone'; and other slogans. Mia Lewis, organizer for Indivisible Central Ohio and a member of Common Cause, said her group was there to protest because the rights of LGBTQ+ people are under attack by the Trump administration, along with the rights of immigrants, women and refugees. 'We the people do not accept a president who is trying to overthrow our democracy,' Lewis said. 'We do not accept that Donald Trump is trying to be a king. … So many things he is doing run counter to our democracy.' – Bailey Gallion, Cole Behrens, Nathaniel Shuda, Eleanor Kennedy and Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch More than a thousand people marched in Wilmington, Delaware on the morning of June 14 as part of "No Kings" day. Demonstrators began organizing before 9 a.m., when the first speakers addressed the crowd. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester was one of the initial speakers, followed by Gov. Matt Meyer. Meyer served as grand marshal as speakers wrapped up and the "parade" got underway around 9:20 a.m. The governor stirred the crowd by quoting Simon Wiesenthal, an Austrian Holocaust survivor, Nazi hunter and writer: "For evil to flourish, for evil to flourish, it only takes one thing for evil to flourish, for evil to flourish," Meyer quoted. "It only requires that good women and men be silenced for evil to flourish; it only requires that good women and men be silent." –Isabel Hughes and Esteban Parra, Delaware News Journal At exactly 10 a.m., attendees young and old migrated from the shade of Phipps Park's ficus trees to began their march toward Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Palm Beach estate. Some chanted into megaphones and others seemed content to nod along. Daniela Childers, a 31-year-old therapist from West Palm Beach, stood alone among the crowd of demonstrators gathered at the park ahead of the march. She said she's a generally anxious person who had abstained from protests before, but decided she could no longer watch from the sidelines. 'I'm here at my first protest to basically show dissent to the current administration that I disagree with completely,' she said. – Hannah Phillips and Valentina Palm, Palm Beach Post The largest protest effort is expected in Philadelphia. Major protests are also scheduled in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Phoenix and Los Angeles, while sympathetic protests have cropped up in other countries. The largest "No Kings" protest on June 14 is expected to take place in Philadelphia as a nod to the country's history and to avoid accusations that protesters are opposing the Army parade in the nation's capital, organizers have said. "We made that choice to not feed into any narrative that Trump might want that we're counter-protesting him directly or give him the opportunity to crack down on protesters," Levin said. Read more: 'No Kings' organizers say Philadelphia set to be largest June 14 protest. Why? The Philadelphia protest begins at LOVE Park at the corner of Arch Street & North 15th Street at noon. At 12:30 p.m., the crowd plans to march down the Ben Franklin Parkway to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where several people will speak. It is expected to end at about 3 p.m. The Association of the United States Army is also hosting its own celebration for the 250th anniversary of the Army in Philadelphia over three days that started Friday, for which the city closed parts of several roads and altered bus routes. Sherri King woke up at 6 a.m. to head to the Philadelphia protest from her home in Elkton, Maryland. 'I just think it's important because I'm an American citizen and we have to live by the constitution, and Trump is not obeying the constitution from what I see,' King said while finishing her protest sign in LOVE Park. 'We don't need no kings in America. We have a democracy,' King said. Much of the central and eastern parts of the country are expected to see showers and some storms on Saturday, with the chance for severe thunderstorms affecting protests in parts of the northern High Plains states of Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska. Forecasters said flash flooding is a concern in Virginia and North Carolina on Saturday. Meanwhile, parts of the West are expecting a hot, dry heat with temperatures up to 110s in the Desert Southwest. Contributing: Kaitlyn McCormick, Cherry Hill Courier-Post; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'No Kings' protests: Rallies stay peaceful as tens of thousands gather
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Walmart challenges consumer perceptions with ‘Who Knew?' campaign
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. Walmart has teamed with actors Walton Goggins and Stephanie Beatriz for a new campaign, 'Walmart. Who Knew?,' designed to challenge consumer perceptions about the big-box store, according to details shared with Marketing Dive. Goggins serves as a knowledgeable guide in a 60-second spot set to The Who's 'Who Are You' where he dishes on the various perks of shopping with Walmart. Beatriz plays a similar role in a Spanish-language ad set to Ricardo Arjona's "Quien Diría.' The effort, which is live and spans TV, online video, paid social and out-of-home ads, follows the retailer's brand refresh in January. The campaign was inspired by research indicating that while 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart, most aren't aware of the retailer's brand evolution. Walmart is reintroducing itself to consumers who may not be aware of its full range of capabilities with its latest campaign. The effort follows the big-box store's recent brand refresh, which included a new typeface, more vibrant colors and a larger emphasis on its spark logo. The refresh also included a focus on delivering greater consistency across channels like its app and website, moves meant to support its goal of becoming a true omnichannel retailer. With its latest campaign, Walmart is highlighting features like Express Delivery and its enhanced Walmart+ membership benefits, including free delivery on a variety of items. A 60-second spot starring Goggins ('The White Lotus') begins with the star asking 'You wanna hear a secret?,' before revealing that the sauna he is sitting in is from Walmart. He goes on to appear in a variety of other scenarios, showcasing how the retailer can provide an assist. The spot ends with a voiceover that states, 'The Walmart you thought you knew is now new.' Actress Beatriz ('Brooklyn Nine-Nine') appears in a Spanish-language spot set at a gender reveal party. The star is seen explaining that, because of Walmart's speedy delivery, she is able to wait to learn what gender the baby is before purchasing a gift, which she proceeds to do after a chaotic reveal. Ahead of the campaign's launch, celebrity Paris Hilton and NBA player Russell Westbrook appeared to tease the effort with social media posts that featured blue and yellow shopping bags marked with the words 'I knew.' Walmart's effort takes a similar approach as JCPenney's 'Yes, JCPenney' campaign that launched in April. That effort, which pushes consumers to reconsider what they think they know about the 123-year-old brand, kicked off with out-of-home ads that depict stylish looks but without overt labels. Instead, they feature copy reading, 'It's from where?' and QR codes that reveal the clothing is from JCPenney. The similarities between Walmart and JCPenney's campaigns are a signal of how legacy retailers — Walmart was founded in 1962 — are attempting to stay relevant and build loyalty as shopping habits change. Walmart reported revenue of $165.6 billion during Q1 of its fiscal year 2026 ended April 30, an increase of 2.5% year over year, per an earnings statement. Its global ads business grew 50% YoY and Walmart Connect in the U.S. was up 31%. Beyond its campaign, the brand has sought to connect with consumers in other ways recently, including through the launch of its own Minecraft Java server in March as a way to link itself to the movie based on the video game property. Recommended Reading How JCPenney's new brand positioning is subverting consumer expectations Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Star
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
What is it like to die? This VR experience offers some answers
MINNEAPOLIS: When the University of Minnesota offered to let me experience what it's like to die, naturally I said yes. Aren't we all morbidly curious about the undiscovered country, as Hamlet put it, from which no traveler returns? Except this time, happily, I would get to return because it would be a virtual death, an experience in a VR studio that's part of the university's Health Sciences Library system. The dying experience is part of a series of VR simulations developed by a nine-year-old California-based company called Embodied Labs. They've created immersive, first-person experiences of what it's like to have dementia, Alzheimer's or Parkinson disease, vision or hearing loss, to be socially isolated or to experience ageing. And what it's like to die. Admittedly, these experiences don't sound as fun as using VR to play a video game or pilot a jet plane. Instead, the simulations are designed as training tools to foster empathy and understanding for caregivers of older adults. At the University of Minnesota, medical school students have been using an Embodied Labs experience to understand the perspective of a woman named Beatriz, dealing with frustrations, confusion and family dynamics as she experiences advancing stages of Alzheimer's. Students at the university's Mortuary Science program have experienced an Embodied Labs simulation where they take on the role of a 74-year-old man named Alfred who has age-related macular degeneration and high-frequency hearing loss. He's struggling to hear and understand what relatives and caregivers are saying to him. 'They feel frustrated and annoyed that they're treated like a child,' said Janet McGee, an instructor at the Mortuary Science program, of the students who experience the Alfred Lab. Gagen uses a VR device to experience a virtual death, an experience in the school's VR lab in which you are given the point of view of someone in their death bed at the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Education Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this scene the terminally ill patient is looking at their phone to get test results on their cancer. — Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS McGee said the outcome for students may be better empathetic listening skills, which will be useful when they do funeral arrangements for clients with age-related perception issues. I'm not sure if I'll be a caregiver, or if I'll experience Alzheimer's or macular degeneration myself. But I do know that someday I'm going to die. Which is why I wanted to try the end-of-life Embodied Labs experience called the Clay Lab. You take on the role of a 66-year-old man named Clay Crowder, coming to terms with the reality of a stage IV terminal lung cancer diagnosis. 'Strong emotional reactions are common,' warns an introduction to the VR experience. 'That one is intense,' said Carrie Shaw, Embodied Labs CEO and founder. 'We wanted to portray what active dying is like.' The experience includes one scene where your wife and daughter are taking you to a doctor's appointment. 'I'm afraid it's not good news,' says an oncologist. 'The latest scan that was repeated unfortunately did not look good.' My daughter is in denial. 'You're going to repeat the treatments, correct?' But the doctor says continuing treatments will likely do more harm than good. She gently guides us to accept that palliative care is the best option now. Next, I'm in my final days, seeing myself lying prone in bed, looking down at my feet and torso. For a brief period, my skin becomes transparent and I see my struggling organs and my ribcage moving as I'm panting in discomfort. If I hold up my hands, my fingertips look bluish. But I get some pain medication and my breathing and heart rate ease. I look around the bedroom in my home. My loved ones are gathered around me, watching me intently but sadly. I hear them talking about diapers, catheters and the rattling secretions from my lungs. A hospice nurse recommends against giving me a feeding tube, which will get in the way of the 'natural process' of my journey. 'At this stage, he's really not hungry,' she says of me. I fade in and out of consciousness. 'Your eyes are open. Good morning, Clay. How are you feeling?' says the hospice nurse at one point. Apparently, not so hot, I'm thinking. My daughters remark about how cold my body feels. Then at one point, the hospice nurse sends for my wife in the room because 'it's time'. 'Have you told him that it's all right for him to go?' she asks everyone. One of my daughters is tearfully reading aloud from a poem as my vision fades. Then everything disappears, and all I see is a bird – a blue heron, I think – flying away toward a white light. I didn't create these images in my head; they're all part of the VR program. 'Our intent, from an emotional standpoint, was to give some space,' Shaw said of that scene. Next, the VR program shifts my perspective. I seem to be floating somewhere near the ceiling of the room. I'm looking down on my own body. My loved ones give me final hugs and kisses. I can hear the caregivers talking to me. 'We're going to bathe you and put some lotion on your skin,' they say. I watch my body being wheeled out of my home on a gurney and placed in a vehicle. McGee said she could see the Clay VR experience being used by mortuary science students because morticians see the need to collaborate with end-of-life caregivers. 'I don't think a lot about death,' said Ryn Gagen, a 29-year-old medical school librarian. But trying out the Clay experience made Gagen empathise and wonder about the loved ones and caregivers who might be by their side at the end of life. 'I think about me in the future in that situation,' Gagen said. 'I should think about what I want to happen, what I want around me.' I had a similar reaction. When I went through the Embodied Labs experience, I was struck and saddened by the silent, miserable faces staring at me. In real life (or death), I think I'd like a television in the room, with some of my favorite movies playing. Maybe Casablanca or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance . Or a couple of lighthearted Ernst Lubitsch comedies like To Be Or Not To Be or Ninotchka . Alternatively, I'd like to have some music playing, maybe Gershwin's Lullaby for String Quartet or Joplin's Bethena waltz. Even if I wasn't always awake to appreciate it, at least it would give those around me something pleasant to do while they were waiting. Seeing my future dead self has also prompted me to take a continuing education class to finally write a will. As Hamlet also said, when it comes to death, the readiness is all. Shaw said her company grew out of her background being a caregiver for her mother, who suffered from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Shaw used tape to obscure part of the lens of a pair of safety goggles and asked other people who were caring for her mother to try them on so they could understand the vision problems her mother was having. Shaw, who studied biomedical visualisation and game development at the University of Illinois Chicago, said the videos with real people have greater impact for the viewers than computer-generated scenes. The goal is to remind caregivers that they're dealing with a person, not just a disease. She said users of the Embodied Labs VR experiences include medical schools, nursing schools and social work programs at universities. They're also used for staff training at government agencies like VA medical centres and state and local social service programs, and senior living, home care and hospice programmes. The VR experiences feature videos showing real people – actors portraying relatives and caregivers – interacting with users, not computer-generated imagery or animations. 'We're really trying to capture the narrative of real lived experiences,' Shaw said. – The Minnesota Star Tribune/Tribune News Service
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police: Dunmore couple face assault, resisting arrest charges after scuffle
A Dunmore couple face charges after hitting officers during an altercation in the borough early Sunday, police said. An officer observed a man pushing a woman in the road — as children were around — near East Grove Street and Prescott Avenue at 1 a.m., according to a criminal complaint. The man — later identified as Abelno Cahuec-Ruiz — started to walk away when the officer left his patrol vehicle, police said. The officer ordered Cahuec-Ruiz to stop, but he continued to walk away, and then began running from the officer, according to the criminal complaint. * Cahuec-Ruiz (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing) * Beatriz (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing) Show Caption 1 of 2 Cahuec-Ruiz (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing) Expand During a foot pursuit, a woman involved in the argument — Karen Beatriz — lunged toward the officer, striking him in the face, while attempting to intervene, police said. The officer kept chasing Cahuec-Ruiz down an alley before the man ran into a fence in the 200 block of East Grove Street, where the couple had been attending a party earlier, according to the criminal complaint. When Cahuec-Ruiz made his way back into the backyard, he was assaulted by a man, police said. Cahuec-Ruiz then attempted to run toward the house, officers said. The officer tripped while attempting to apprehend him and police said Cahuec-Ruiz tried to grab a garden shovel multiple times. Cahuec-Ruiz also hit the officer in the neck, face and body with his elbows and fists, police said. Additionally, Beatriz tried to prevent the officer from arresting Cahuec-Ruiz by shoving him away, according to the criminal complaint. Another officer attempted to assist with apprehending Cahuec-Ruiz, but Beatriz kept trying to pull him away from police while she was being pulled by two crying children, police said. Officers used a Taser to subdue Beatriz and Cahuec-Ruiz and eventually took both into custody, according to the criminal complaint. The children were allowed to stay with an uncle, police said. Police charged Cahuec-Ruiz, 36, with two counts of felony aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, simple assault and resisting arrest. Police charged Beatriz, 29, with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, simple assault and resisting arrest. Beatriz was released on $5,000 unsecured bail. As of Monday, Cahuec-Ruiz remained in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail. A preliminary hearing for both is scheduled for May 19 at 10:45 a.m.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
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‘We do worry, and we live in fear.' Immigrant moms reassure kids while making plans.
They haven't seen immigration agents arresting people yet, but a group of moms in a Durham mobile home park say their families worry about running into 'la migra' on the street and in their schools. 'We do worry, and we live in fear,' said Beatriz, who immigrated to the United States over 20 years ago from Guatemala and is a single mother of three. The News & Observer is not publishing her last name at her request. Her family and others have been on edge since President Donald Trump won a second term in November. Unverified rumors about Immigration and Customs Enforcement checkpoints and raids, combined with news of recent arrests, have fanned the fears. On Feb. 13, a Homeland Security Investigations team reported arresting 10 immigrants and a Venezuelan gang member in Raleigh. In Durham, three immigrants, identified by neighbors as natives of India, were arrested in the Northgate Park neighborhood. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials confirmed the three men were among 11 people arrested in Durham during a 'targeted enforcement operation.' They are being held in a federal detention facility pending deportation hearings, officials said. Meanwhile, Indian immigrants remain on edge in the Triangle, The News & Observer reported. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams addressed the arrests in his city at a recent City Council meeting, saying local police are charged with protecting and serving people in Durham — and will not be doing the federal government's work. 'Once you walk in the borders of Durham, you are a Durhamite,' Williams said. 'We are an embracing community, and we will continue to hold those values to be true, and we will continue to make sure that our law enforcement are doing the job that they are tasked and scoped to do for Durham, within Durham, by Durham, of Durham, for the people of Durham.' Beatriz said her 10- and 13-year-old sons are afraid ICE might come to their school. They skipped a day earlier this month after hearing rumors, she said, and she also considered skipping work, but clocked in for her job at a Durham fast-food restaurant anyway. 'I am fearful, because my children worry that when they go to school and come back, I will not be home,' she said in Spanish. 'We think school is going to be the safest place, but it's not, which is very sad.' Many Hispanic families expressed similar fears during Trump's first administration, when ICE officers swept up people with criminal records in workplaces, mobile home communities and parking lots, but also detained others who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The administration has pledged to arrest criminals first this time, but data shows many of those arrested do not have criminal records or pending charges. Beatriz joined other moms recently in a neighbor's kitchen to talk with The N&O. They spoke on the condition that their last names not be used because they fear being targeted for deportation. More Americans need to understand their situation, said Reyna, who urged people 'to put themselves in our shoes.' 'We're working. We're not stealing. We're contributing to the community,' she said. 'We take care of their children. We take care of things, and we don't want our families to be separated.' The neighborhood of several dozen older mobile homes is within walking distance of a park and just a short drive from schools, work and shopping. The families who live there, many of them Hispanic immigrants, own their homes and rent the land. It's a special place, with beautiful, tall pines, oaks and maples, where she can take a walk and relax, said Silvia, a 49-year-old mother of three. 'I can go outside, smoke my cigarette, drink my beer. Nobody is going to say a thing,' she said, smiling, as the women walked with a reporter on a short tour of the neighborhood. ICE agents didn't bother them during the first Trump administration, Reyna said, but she knew some people in Alamance County who were taken into custody. As a community organizer with Siembra NC, she has been urging her neighbors to learn their rights and create a family preparedness plan in case of an emergency. The plans include having a designated caretaker for children; medical information, important authorizations, contacts and family documents; and instructions for handling the family's belongings. Legal experts also recommend including passports for each child. Many immigrant families 'are hyper-focused on learning about their rights,' Reyna said. 'Before, we really had to work for them to give us their permission to speak with them or to work with them or give us their number, but now they're like, where do I sign (up), what do I need to do to get more information.' Reyna traveled from Hidalgo, Mexico, to the United States in 2004 with her brother — looking for 'adventure,' she said — and was married for 16 years before her divorce. Several years ago, she and her ex-husband made plans for their children if something happens to them. She shared that plan with their four children, ages 7 to 17, when they started hearing rumors about ICE raids at school, Reyna said. 'I told them they shouldn't worry about that, because they were born here,' she said. 'They said, in that case, what are we going to do about it that you were not born here?' She reminded them they are U.S. citizens and could stay with their aunt if necessary, she said. Someone has also agreed to bring them to her in Mexico if she can't return, she said. They are now waiting to see if the rumors become reality, she said. 'I focus on the main picture, but my kids are worried about me and also about themselves,' Reyna said. 'I am not worried, because they have their status, and I have a plan already established for all of that.' It's not just children who are afraid, said Ana. She and her husband, who works as a landscaper, created a plan during Trump's first term that still applies to their sons, ages 13 and 15. Their daughter is now 21. 'Everyone is afraid that they can come knock on their doors and then take us. Or when we are on the streets, they can pick us up,' including her youngest son, Ana said. 'Even though he was born here, he says what if they find me when I'm on my way somewhere and I have no documentation, what can I share with them? I tell him, don't worry about it. Nothing will happen to you,' she said. Looming in the background is Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship for children born to parents who are in the country illegally. While the executive order says it would only apply to babies born after Feb. 19, 2025, there is still debate about whether it would be expanded to others born before this year. The order is on hold while lawsuits filed by multiple states, including North Carolina, and immigrant-rights groups are heard. Ana's neighbor Silvia said she is 'not going to be intimidated.' Her childhood in Mexico was 'very happy,' even though her family of 10 had only the basics, Silvia said. She worked in the fields to earn money for school until she got married. About 25 years ago, she and her husband immigrated to the United States, struggling to make a good life for their three children, she said. If they are deported, their 10-year-old son could stay in the U.S. with his brother and sister, both of whom are in their 20s. He is not happy about that possibility, Silvia said. 'He doesn't want to be separated from us,' Silvia said. 'He doesn't want to be taken to a family that he might not like. I tell him that's not going to happen. He says, 'I don't want to stay with my brother or my sister. ... I want my mom and dad to be with me.'' In the Spotlight designates ongoing topics of high interest that are driven by The News & Observer's focus on accountability reporting.
