Latest news with #BradMiller
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Trip Elementary School parents feel betrayed by teacher's arrest
The Brief Brad Miller feels betrayed by the teacher and school administration, accusing them of downplaying the situation after Brian Hill's arrest for inappropriate behavior with students. Surveillance video allegedly shows Hill fondling Miller's daughter for over 5 minutes, contradicting the school's initial minimization of the incident. Miller urges other parents to come forward if they suspect their children were victims, with his attorney providing an email address for reporting concerns. GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County father is speaking out after his daughter's kindergarten teacher at Trip Elementary School was arrested earlier this month, accused of inappropriately touching students in his class. What we know Brad Miller said he feels betrayed by both the teacher and the school administration, which he believes tried to downplay the situation after 29-year-old Brian Hill was arrested May 5. Hill is charged with first-degree cruelty to children and simple battery. "It's…I don't even have words. There's no words," Miller said. What they're saying Miller's attorney, Mitch Skandalakis, said they believe Hill engaged in inappropriate behavior with Miller's daughter and other female kindergarten students since the beginning of the school year. "He was stroking her hair. He drew her close to him in an embrace. And again, this is bizarre behavior," Skandalakis said. Miller said the school first notified families in a March 31 email titled "Staffing Update," which simply stated that Hill had resigned and was being replaced. Days later, Miller said the school principal called and minimized the situation. "Oh, she just got patted on the head," Miller recalled being told. But police later contacted Miller and showed him surveillance video of the alleged incident. "He goes, grabs a chair, pulls the chair up right up on my daughter, and then proceeds to fondle her for over 5 minutes," Miller said. "Something like this should not get downplayed. An adult male touches kindergarten kids…it's just shattered. You know, all my belief and trust in the system." "The damage has been done and there's a fork in the road," Miller said. "Either you protect kids or you protect your image and the optics of all of this. And unfortunately, it feels like they took the wrong path." The other side Gwinnett County Public Schools declined to comment on specifics, citing the ongoing investigation, but said in a statement that Hill was "promptly removed from the classroom and did not return to the school" once the allegations were discovered. Police were also notified immediately, the district said. Timeline March 31 - Miller receives an email from school officials titled "staffing update." April 1 - He gets a call from the principal. May 5 - Hill was arrested. What's next Miller is urging other parents who suspect their children may have been victims to come forward. His attorney has created an email address for families seeking to report concerns. What you can do Those who believe their child may have been a victim can email justicefortripkindergarten@ The Source FOX 5's Eric Mock spoke with parents and guardians at Trip Elementary School for this article.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pinellas County could bring Cross Bay Ferry service back by buying two of their own boats
The Brief Pinellas County leaders are hoping to bring back the Cross Bay Ferry service – with their own boats. Instead of leasing vessels from an outside vendor, officials hope to buy at least one — possibly two — ferries. The executive board is now recommending accepting a nearly $5 million federal grant – money currently sitting with HART – to fund the purchase. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - After the Cross Bay Ferry wrapped up its final voyage last week, some riders were left wondering whether the popular Tampa Bay area commuter service would ever return. Now, Pinellas County leaders are working to do just that, and this time, they want to own the boats. Big picture view The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is charting a new course for the future of the ferry. Instead of leasing vessels from an outside vendor, officials hope to buy at least one — possibly two — ferries outright. Their plan: Purchase the boats, then hire a contractor to operate the service. RELATED: Cross Bay Ferry makes final voyage with future possibilities still afloat "The goal would be to increase ridership and lower subsidies," said PSTA CEO Brad Miller during an executive leadership meeting this week. Dig deeper That meeting marked the first major step in the effort. The executive board is now recommending accepting a nearly $5 million federal grant – money currently sitting with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) – to fund the purchase. HART still has to vote to transfer the unused grant to Pinellas. If they don't, Miller said, the funds will revert back to the federal government and could end up benefiting another city entirely. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "If we could take advantage of this federal grant and purchase the boats, that would reduce the costs," Miller explained. What's next Should the grant fall through, PSTA said it would still move forward, but would likely issue a request for a ferry operator who can supply their own boat, similar to the old model. HART's vote is scheduled for June 1. For now, ferry supporters remain hopeful the scenic ride across Tampa Bay isn't gone for good and that a more permanent solution is just on the horizon. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis. 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
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Will a St. Pete-Clearwater airport shuttle get tourists out of cars?
Tourists arriving at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will now have another option for getting to the beach: an airport shuttle to Clearwater Beach, run by Pinellas County's transit agency. It's the first transit option available to people passing through Tampa Bay's secondary airport. The concept sprung from visitor feedback asking for more transit options, said Brad Miller, CEO of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority. Some of Pinellas' most popular routes appeal to tourists. The SunRunner, an express bus service, ferried more than 55,000 riders in December between downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, both tourist hotspots. Beachside trolleys and routes to the beach represented more than a sixth of Pinellas' bus ridership that month. But the launch of another tourist-centered service has some leaders questioning whether that's the right direction for the transit agency. 'It seems that it's another SunRunner,' said Barb Haselden, a citizen appointee to the agency's board. 'It seems like it's... another deterrent from the core business model, which is serving the people of Pinellas County.' The service, called the Grouper, will cost a single rider $8, while groups will pay between $20 and $30 for door-to-door service from the airport to their hotel. In comparison, a single Uber or Lyft ride for the 12-mile route from the airport to the beach typically costs between $30 and $50. Since its soft launch two weeks ago, 79 people have used the Grouper over 34 rides, averaging about two riders per shuttle trip. The goal is to reach 50 to 100 riders per day by next year. St. Pete Beach Mayor Adrian Petrila said in order for the service to get cars off of jammed roadways like the Clearwater Memorial Causeway, multiple families would need to carpool in the shuttle. Otherwise, he said, the service would just divert dollars from local Uber drivers to a subsidized shuttle bus. 'The tourists are already spending money to come here,' Petrila said. 'Why are we subsidizing, with our residents' tax dollars, for your vacation?' Pinellas County commissioners Brian Scott and Kathleen Peters said the service was worth a shot to improve miserable spring break traffic jams as some 4.5 million visitors descend on Pinellas beaches each spring. Max McCann, another citizen appointee to the transit agency board, said he hopes visitors will forego rental cars entirely if they have transit options to and along Clearwater Beach, easing parking shortages on the barrier islands. But for any of those benefits to manifest, more people will need to sign up for the shuttle service. Transit officials are working with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, the tourism booster, to advertise the service to visitors online before they book a rental car. The Pinellas transit agency has also taken over and expanded the frequency of another tourist-heavy service: the Clearwater Ferry, which before the pandemic moved visitors and residents between downtown Clearwater and the beach. In the last month, more than 1,700 people used the service, already an improvement over pre-pandemic totals. 'Tourism is our No. 1 economic driver in Pinellas County,' Peters said. 'The more we can do to enhance the experience of someone coming into the county helps (make) us... one of the best destinations to come to.'
