Latest news with #Beaty
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The late James Beaty takes home 2024 ONG Editorial Sweepstakes award
The late James Beaty, who served as the Managing Editor for The McAlester News-Capital, received posthumous honors as the 2024 ONG Editorial Sweepstakes Award winner. The award was presented Saturday, June 7 during the The Oklahoma Press Association's annual convention, hosted June 6-7 at the Grand Casino Hotel and Resort in Shawnee, Oklahoma. ONG sponsors the contest and award. The contest takes place on a monthly basis and members of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame judge the monthly contests. At the end of the year, winners throughout the year are considered and an overall winner is selected as the sweepstakes award winner. The final selection for the ONG Sweepstakes Awards came from members of the Mississippi Press Association. Beaty won the award for his editorial titled 'McAlester Council shouldn't repeal the will of voters.' Ed Choate, publisher of The Muskogee Phoenix, presented the award. 'The winning writer said the McAlester council shouldn't repeal the will of voters after four city councilors repealed a quarter cent sales tax for a cancer treatment center that was already approved by a vote of the people,' Choate said when presenting the award. 'He wrote the quality of future cancer treatment for McAlester, and the surrounding area is at stake.' Judges said the 'editorial stood out among a dozen excellent entries.' 'It gave a complete picture of the problem, discussed it so everyone could understand it and gave a solution,' judges said. 'The fact it was so clearly presented made it a good choice as the best entry. Good job with letting the reader know the problem that needs correcting.' Choate said Beaty was 'one of our state's great reporters.' Beaty passed away in the summer of 2024. Beaty reported for the MN-C for more than 38 years and celebrated his 72nd birthday on May 3, 2024. He passed away May 12, 2024. The late award-winning journalist started his career in 1985 after graduating from East Central University in Ada. Beaty was also a graduate of Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton and Hartshorne High School. Beaty's writing over his career helped expose several issues related to corruption and nepotism in local governments that led to dismissals, resignations and even criminal charges against several individuals — earning him several state and national awards for his reporting. His weekly Ramblin' Round music column was a favorite, with his writings making their way onto music forums across the globe. His reporting lauded him into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2017. In August 2024, a portion of Kiowa Avenue in McAlester was renamed as James Beaty Avenue. McAlester News-Capital publisher Reina Owens accepted the award on behalf of Beaty's family, who were unable to attend the luncheon where the award was presented. 'James was a remarkable journalist and it was an honor to accept the award for him and his family,' Owens said. 'His absence in our newsroom is still felt today but his memory will live on.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tennessee State Veterinarian issues alert for flesh-eating parasite
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Beaty is urging animal owners in the state to be aware of an invasive pest after it was recently detected in Mexico. While the flesh-eating parasite known as the New World Screwworm was eradicated from the United States decades ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday it was temporarily suspending all cattle, horse and bison imports from Mexico after recent detections in the country. The larvae of these parasitic flies feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing painful infected wounds. Adult flies are slightly larger than houseflies, with metallic blue/green bodies, orange eyes, and three dark stripes on their backs. Flesh-eating screwworm detected, US stops imports of Mexican cattle Beaty said Tennessee's position along key travel, wildlife migration, and trade corridors increases the need for awareness among animal owners in the state. Species that could be affected include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and other mammals, including pets and, in rare cases, humans. 'An international border means nothing to [New World Screwworm] or wildlife that may be carrying the larvae,' Dr. Beaty said. 'Livestock and pet owners should carefully inspect their animals and report any unusual or persistent wounds. [New World Screwworm] can cause devastating health impacts to affected animals, and early detection is critical to containment and treatment efforts. As with many animal health concerns, awareness and prevention go a long way in reducing the risk of spread to Tennessee.' Wounds that won't heal or worsen over time Foul-smelling discharge or visible larvae (maggots) in a wound Signs of discomfort or unusual behavior, such as animals avoiding feed or isolating themselves Infestation may be found in wounds resulting from routine procedures such as castration, dehorning, or branding, or from minor injuries like insect bites. ▶ See more top stories on Contact the State Veterinarian's office at 615-837-5120 or the USDA Area Veterinarian in Charge at 615-517-2642 if you suspect your animal has been affected by the New World Screwworm. On weekends and evenings, call 866-536-7593. Suspicious cases will be evaluated, and samples may be submitted for laboratory confirmation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Thousands saw him protest in Tampa. Then he drove through a building.
A South Tampa man whose protest became a familiar sight for thousands of local motorists before it turned violent has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial. He had been set to defend himself on charges that he crashed his truck into an office building over a customer service complaint. Nearly every day since last spring, retired security guard Robert Beaty, 70, sat in a folding chair with his dog and a cooler to protest the veteran-focused banking and insurance company USAA. Seated across from USAA's 128-acre New Tampa campus or along busier Bruce B. Downs Boulevard nearby, Beaty's signs read 'thou shalt not steal' and 'Unfair to Seniors Anti American.' His quiet consistency through rain and heat made him an object of fascination. The situation exploded Dec. 3. In a red pickup, Beaty blew through a security checkpoint at USAA's front gate. Wearing a bicycle helmet he'd bought for the occasion, he drove up a parking garage, reversed into a security vehicle and crashed through two sets of entry doors. When guards pulled Beaty from his totaled truck, it was resting against toppled turnstiles that the campus's 1,000-plus workers pass through. One witness described Beaty shouting at her before driving right at her. She scrambled to use her employee badge to run inside, she told police, just before the entrance exploded behind her. Another employee, USAA security told police, fell and broke her arm while fleeing. Beaty, speaking to the Tampa Bay Times, claimed the area appeared unoccupied. He told police he'd not intended to hurt people but wanted upper management to speak with him. Beaty's jury trial, previously set for May 6, is postponed indefinitely. Per Florida law, he'll be referred for mental health treatment to attempt to restore competency. If deemed a danger, he could be civilly committed. If Beaty regains competence, he'll face up to 15 years in prison at trial for each of the two felony charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. If he doesn't regain competence, the charges will be dropped. After Beaty pleaded not guilty in December, a judge ordered him to stay away from USAA. Two days later, he was back protesting along Bruce B. Downs, a half-mile from the USAA entrance. Nearly every day since, he's been there. In April, prosecutors asked a judge to make him leave. The judge ruled that Beaty was allowed to continue demonstrating in his spot. Beaty spends his time as a Christian evangelist, he said, traveling the state and chatting up strangers about Jesus. His only previous legal trouble came in 2016, when he was caught driving on a suspended license. Beaty's protests were often joined by others who waved to cars and held signs reading 'ladrones,' Spanish for 'thieves.' The Times learned that Beaty had been paying those people as much as $100 a day to join him. He started the protest, he said, after USAA refused to hand over funds he'd inherited from his late mother's account. USAA asked him to file certain paperwork to access the money. He says he couldn't file that paperwork until USAA provided him with account info — a supposed endless loop he called the 'carousel of confusion.' 'USAA is committed to doing the right thing for members and their families,' the company wrote in a statement. 'We always confirm that individuals seeking access to an account owned by a deceased member have the legal authority to do so.' USAA would not discuss specifics but said it does its part to keep members' accounts secure, to clarify all needed documents and to simplify the process. Barbara Brown, a probate lawyer in Tampa Bay who was not involved, said the situation sounds like the kind of confusion that happens when heirs try to prepare court filings themselves and get faulty legal information on the internet. Exhausted by phone calls, Beaty said that in May he went to the Tampa campus, which has never served customers in person, and asked to speak to someone. Turned away, he started showing up with signs. The company was aware of Beaty's activity. At least twice, Tampa police said, an officer had, at USAA's request, stood by as employees visited the protest to try to communicate with him. On Dec. 3, Beaty was protesting when people in suits came out of the gate to tell him it was over. They'd made an exception. A check was in the mail. But when Beaty learned the amount — around $40,000 — he says he made it clear he wasn't satisfied. Shortly after, he crashed into the building. 'Pennies on the dollar,' he called the check later, saying he'd never cashed it. Beaty told the Times he had documents proving he'd been mistreated and would provide them, but he never did. Faced with more questions about the probate process and what information he'd provided to USAA to prove he represented his mother's estate, Beaty declined to talk about it in any more detail. As for the crash, Beaty said he'd just gotten mad. 'But no, I don't feel bad,' he said, 'because I did the right thing.' In a written statement sent before Beaty was found incompetent, a USAA spokesperson called it an 'irresponsible and reckless act' that injured more than one person. 'We believe that any issue can be solved peacefully and productively,' it read. In February, Beaty said he believed that if he got the right jury, he'd be acquitted. He wasn't worried that the trial would focus on the details of the crash and not USAA's customer service. Regular people, he said, would be on his side.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas House will consider proposal to remove and replace entire State Library Board
Kristin Stuart (left) expresses opposition to Senate Bill 640, co-sponsored by Rep. Howard Beaty (right), R-Crossett, before the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Monday, April 14, 2025. The bill would reconstitute the Arkansas State Library Board. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate) An Arkansas House committee approved a proposal Monday to remove all seven members of the State Library Board and allow Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to replace them later this year. Senate Bill 640 passed the Senate Thursday with support from 27 Republicans. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, and Rep. Howard Beaty, R-Crossett, filed the bill late Wednesday night, less than two hours after Senate Bill 536 hit a dead end with a week left in the legislative session. Beaty was among a bipartisan group of members of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs to vote against SB 536. The bill would have abolished both the Arkansas State Library and its board and transferred their powers and responsibilities to the state Department of Education. Beaty told the same committee Monday that the current board should be replaced because of its 'dysfunction' and 'infighting.' Arkansas Senate approves State Library Board overhaul after dissolution bill fails 'There were legitimate concerns that were raised, and those haven't been addressed,' he said. '[It shows] the lack of consideration of what we need in this state and what our constituents are telling us.' Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, filed SB 536 last month in response to the State Library Board's failure to pass two measures he requested as conditions for him to drop his promise to abolish the board. Sullivan has targeted the State Library for its affiliation with the American Library Association, which he claims is a leftist political organization, and for the board's refusal to adopt policies directing public libraries to keep certain materials out of the hands of minors. The board rejected both efforts with a 4-3 vote in March. The latter would have created nonbinding policies to protect children from 'sexually explicit' content in libraries and detached the State Library from the ALA. The three board members who supported Sullivan's requests were all Sanders appointees: former Republican state senator Jason Rapert of Conway, who moved to approve the requests; Shari Bales of Hot Springs, whom the Senate confirmed alongside Rapert; and Sydney McKenzie of Rogers, who joined the board in January and is married to GOP Rep. Brit McKenzie. Rapert has been the board's most outspoken advocate for keeping 'sexually explicit' content out of children's reach and has called for the board's abolition due to the majority's consistent refusal to back his efforts. SB 640 would require the seven new members to draw lots determining how their terms will be staggered, ending between one and seven years from when the bill becomes law. Subsequent appointees would serve seven-year terms, the current length of time board members serve. Those terms end in October every year, and Rep. Julie Mayberry reminded the committee that Sanders will be able to appoint a new board member in just a few months. The Republican lawmaker from Hensley said she would not support SB 640 because she personally knows and respects a State Library Board member. 'I know her work and her dedication to students, to families across the state is exemplary,' Mayberry said. 'There's no reason to eliminate every single position on this board.' Lupe Peña de Martinez of Mabelvale is a former principal at a public school in East End, which is in Mayberry's House district, and her term on the State Library Board is currently set to expire in 2028. At the March board meeting in which Sullivan's two requested motions failed, Peña de Martinez made a successful motion to create nonbinding policies aimed at protecting children in libraries while honoring the First Amendment and library material selection standards. All three Sanders appointees voted against the motion. Nothing in SB 640 would prevent current State Library Board members from being reappointed, said Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle. He and other Republicans expressed support for the bill as an alternative to SB 536, particularly since SB 640 does not involve the Department of Education in the State Library's responsibilities. Lawmakers and members of the public both included this as a reason to oppose SB 536. Mayberry joined the committee's three Democrats in voting against SB 640. House Minority Leader Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock, challenged Beaty's assertion about State Library Board 'dysfunction.' 'They are continuing to have meetings [and] they are continuing to make decisions, even if they're not the decisions that some people would like,' Collins said. 'It's a functional board. It's just a board that some people disagree with.' Collins said he did not believe the Legislature should set a precedent of reconstituting state boards if some lawmakers are frustrated with them. Beaty said he disagreed and was 'not concerned in the slightest' about setting such a precedent. Kristin Stuart of Little Rock, the only audience member to speak against SB 640, agreed with Collins that the proposal is a 'power grab.' She said reconstituting the board would 'disrupt its mission' of supporting Arkansas libraries and preserving people's access to information and learning. '[SB 640 is] opening the door for political appointees who may not have the experience, objectivity or commitment to intellectual freedom that the board requires,' Stuart said. The State Library Board is scheduled to meet the second Friday in May and in August. If SB 640 passes the House this week and if Sanders signs it, it will go into effect Aug. 1, and it gives Sanders 30 days to replace the board. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watson scores 23 to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 in WNIT title game, set program record for wins
Watson scores 23 to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 in WNIT title game, set program record for wins BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chellia Watson scored 23 points with seven rebounds and six assists to help Buffalo beat Troy 88-84 at Alumni Arena on Saturday to win the WNIT championship and set a program record for single-season wins. Buffalo (30-7) won five games in a row — a program record in postseason play — after a loss to Toledo in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament to claim its first WNIT crown. Advertisement Kirsten Lewis-Williams finished with 18 points, Terah Harness scored 17, including four 3-pointers, and Lani Cornfield added 15 points and 11 assists for the Bulls. Jordyn Beaty added 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Lewis-Williams was fouled as she hit a spinning layup and hit the and-1 free throw to make it 80-all with 3:26 to play. Brianna Jackson made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to put Troy back in front 14 seconds later. Lewis-Williams had a layup attempt blocked by Zay Dyer but grabbed her own rebound and kicked it out to Harness for a 3-pointer and an 83-81 lead with 2:57 remaining. The Bulls last lead was 6-4. Beaty stole the ball and raced to the other end for a layup and a four-point lead with 1:45 left before Emani Jenkins hit three free throws to cut Troy's deficit to 86-84 with 18 seconds remaining. After Beaty made 1 of 2 foul shots, Lewis-Williams stole the ball and her free throw with five seconds left capped the scoring. Dyer had 15 points and 17 rebounds, her 18th double-double of the season, to lead Troy (24-14). The Trojans appeared in the program's first postseason championship game. Advertisement A record 5,650 fans were in attendance, Buffalo's first sellout in program history. Cornfield threw an arcing no-look pass over her head to Harness for a corner 3-pointer that made it 64-all nearly a minute into the fourth quarter. Jackson answered with a three-point play and Fortuna Ngnawo added a jumper before Ashley Baez and Dyer made back-to-back layups to make it 73-67 with 6:43 to play. Buffalo took a 6-0 lead when Cornfield found Beaty for a wide-open layup but Troy responded with a 14-4 run. Shaulana Wagner's jumper capped the spurt and made it 14-10 with 3:13 left in the first quarter and the Trojans took a 44-34 lead into halftime. Both teams were members of the Mid-Continent Conference from 1993-97. Advertisement Buffalo went 18-2 at home this season, including an 80-78 win over the Trojans in the season opener on Nov. 4. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and
