Latest news with #Bilbrey
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Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Bad tires on rental car led to man's deadly crash, Ohio widow says in lawsuit
An Ohio woman is suing after she said her husband died as a result of reckless driving and bad tires on a rental car. The federal lawsuit was filed April 10 against Avis Car Rental, Hutchinson Inc. and Jules Toussaint. McClatchy News reached out to Avis Car Rental and Hutchinson Inc. for comment May 19 but did not immediately hear back. Toussaint was driving a 2023 Dodge Charger in Brighton Township on Jan. 18 at the direction of his employer, Hutchinson Inc., according to the lawsuit. The car had been rented by Avis Car Rental, according to the civil complaint. According to the lawsuit, the car's tires were 'worn with little to no tread' and the tread depth was below the legal limit, 'making it exceptionally dangerous to operate.' This, the lawsuit said, is what led to the death of 69-year-old Robert Bilbrey. Bilbrey was driving a 2005 Toyota Corolla in Brighton Township on Jan. 18. It was raining and the roads were 'wet with a slush buildup on the pavement,' the complaint said. Toussaint was driving 'in a negligent, reckless, and wanton manner,' the lawsuit said. He lost control of the vehicle and crashed head-on into Bilbrey's car, according to the complaint. Fire crews had to remove Bilbrey from his vehicle because of the severity of the crash, the lawsuit said. He died from his injuries, the complaint said. Bilbrey was 'a friend to all and helped wherever needed,' according to his obituary. He loved hunting, golfing, watching westerns and being with his family. Toussaint was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, according to His attorney declined the outlet's request for comment due to the pending case. The complaint said it was a combination of the condition of the car's tires, Hutchinson Inc.'s trust in Avis Car Rental and Toussaint's reckless driving that led to Bilbrey's death. 'We were deeply saddened by this incident, and we extend our sincerest condolences to the family impacted. Given pending litigation, we are unable to provide further comment,' Avis told The lawsuit is asking for over $75,000 in punitive damages and more than $75,000 in compensatory damages, in addition to attorney fees, costs and expenses. Brighton Township is about a 45-mile drive southwest from Cleveland.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
TN Dept. of Agriculture tracking invasive spotted lanternflies
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee is one of several states monitoring the presence of an invasive insect. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is keeping a close watch on the spotted lanternfly — a spotted black and red insect that could be mistaken for a butterfly depending on its stage of life. Tennesseans asked to report sightings of invasive spotted lanternfly 'The early instar nymphs are more the size of, like, a tick,' entomologist Cindy Bilbrey said. 'As the adults come out, they're going to be more mobile.' Researchers said the insect poses a threat to trees by sucking out nutrients. What the insects don't use comes out the other end in the form of a 'honey dew' that's conducive to black, sooty mold. Field crews have been out across the Volunteer State to prevent the insects from spreading. 'They're scraping egg masses. We have some backpack vacuums that we [use to] suck up the nymphal stage as well as the adults. We also do some chemical treatment with Bifenthrin,' Bilbrey told News 2. 'They don't bite. They don't sting. They're not a threat to humans.' The first reported sighting was in Davidson County in Hermitage in 2023, then in Wilson County a few months later. ⏩ 'A lot of folks don't send a picture. Without a picture, it's really hard for us to confirm or deny information that they're giving us,' said Bilbrey. 'They're not common across the state yet and we want to keep it that way.' You can follow this link to report a sighting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
Pinellas hospitality industry welcoming Spring Break visitors after devastating hurricanes
The Brief Spring Break visitors are a welcomed sight this year after back-to-back hurricanes. St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport also had a record-breaking February with almost 195,000 passengers coming in and out of the airport. Clearwater's mayor said they're hoping to have the city's best spring break after everything that the hospitality industry has been through. CLEARWATER, Fla. - Many vacationers are already in town enjoying our piece of paradise during their spring break. It comes after a record-breaking February for St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Almost 195,000 passengers flew in or out of the airport. Visitors are a welcomed sight every spring break, but especially this year after back-to-back hurricanes, hospitality workers said. READ:Caspersen Beach has long road to recovery after 2024 hurricane season: 'It won't stop me from coming' Local perspective "Spring break this year, especially for the staff, it's a big deal," Steven Bilbrey, the general manager of Clear Sky Café, said. The restaurant just reopened last month. Hurricane Helene flooded the restaurant with two to three feet of water, he said. "It was devastating. We were shut down for some period, I guess close to five months… that's a long time to have your staff not working," Bilbrey said. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube He said they're still fixing some things, but are grateful to be reopened for spring break. "We got such a great, great, great staff. Really. That's the best thing. That has kept us going. Just be patient because we still are doing some construction work. We're not quite finished yet," he said. What they're saying Chris Tiemeier, the general manager of Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, said their parking lot right on the beach just reopened last week. The restaurant reopened at the end of last year. "That was huge," he said about the parking lot reopening. "That was a big, big mess for a long time. So, now it's starting to feel like kind of the normal insanity instead of the other insanity." MORE: Manatee County running out of time to prepare for 2025 hurricane season, experts say "Everybody's been supportive of everybody else. The businesses are kind of welcoming each other back open and all that, and it couldn't be a better time of year to get it going," Tiemeier said. "I think everyone coming down here is just happy that things are open and surprised to some extent. I mean, it seemed like it was going to take a lot longer. So, I think we were able to get everything back together. The city did a good job about getting everything cleaned up. So, everybody's just really happy to be back. And, you know, if there's still a hole in the wall or a TV's missing, there's, you know, it doesn't really matter." Dig deeper Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector said they're hoping to have Clearwater's best spring break ever after everything that everyone, especially those in the hospitality industry, have been through over the past six months. "A successful spring break will allow families working in that industry an opportunity to recover and restore their income to normalcy after two devastating hurricanes," Rector said. "Some parking is limited right now due to previously planned renovations at the Clearwater Beach Marina. We ask visitors to avoid residential neighborhood areas of the beach as those streets are somewhat narrow and a number of homeowners are still making repairs to their homes. But all of the tourist areas of the beach are now fully open and accessible," Rector said. Rector said the beach itself is back to normal, and most resorts, restaurants and attractions vacationers love are reopened too. The Source The information in this story was gathered through interviews with those in the hospitality industry in Pinellas County as well as Clearwater's mayor. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
CBS News
11-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
USDA cancels $1 billion in funding for schools and food banks to buy food from local suppliers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is cutting two federal programs that provided about $1 billion in funding to schools and food banks to buy food directly from local farms, ranchers and producers, part of what the agency said was a decision to "return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives." The move cancels about $660 million in funding this year for the Local Food for Schools program, which is active in 40 U.S. states, as well as about $420 million for a second program called the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, which helps food banks and other local groups provide food to their communities. The decision comes as the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, say they are slashing federal spending to reduce government waste. The USDA programs were funded through the agency's Commodity Credit Corporation, a Depression-era fund created to buy products directly from farmers. "Unlike the Biden Administration, which funneled billions in [Commodity Credit Corporation] funds into short-term programs with no plan for longevity, USDA is prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact," a USDA spokesperson said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. In recent days, schools were alerted that they were set to lose $660 million in federal funding for the current year, according to Diane Pratt-Heavner, director of media relations for the School Nutrition Association, which represents thousands of school meal employees. The withdrawal of funding will affect schools across the U.S. at a time when they're already grappling with high food costs, she said. "It's a pretty big hit" One of those school districts said the USDA's decision will wipe out $100,000 in funding that it had planned to spend on local beef and produce for students' school meals. "It's a pretty big hit, and that's mostly fresh fruits and vegetables," said Patti Bilbrey, director of nutrition services at the Scottsdale Unified School District in Arizona. "It wasn't just about keeping food costs low — it meant supporting your community and your local farmers in your state." While the $100,000 represents about 2% of the school district's roughly $6 million in annual spending on food, Bilbrey noted that it allowed the district to buy food ffrom small farmers and introduce produce like microgreens to their students. She added that the funding loss comes as her district, like many others, are struggling to keep school meals affordable amid rising food and labor costs. The Local Food for Schools program "was a godsend to us," Bilbrey said. "It keeps our meal costs down, and we're helping our community, which improves the perception of school meals."
