Latest news with #BrentTaylor
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Flag honoring Utah man killed in action is getting repaired, replaced
A giant U.S. flag flown in North Ogden yearly is undergoing some major changes after it was damaged by weather The flag named 'The Major' is one of Utah's most recognizable flags due to who it's honoring and how big it is. 'There is no kitchen table or sewing table big enough,' said Jennie Taylor, the wife of the late Maj. Brent Taylor. 'Every single one of those 50 stars is 5 feet tall.' Brent Taylor was a member of the Utah National Guard shot and killed in Afghanistan on Nov. 3, 2018, by a rogue member of the Afghan military. Every year, the flag honoring Brent Taylor is hung in the Coldwater Canyon. It is also meant to pay tribute to other U.S. military veterans. Last November, it sustained heavy damage from wind and rain. 'When this particular flag, The Major, took a beating last November, I almost felt like it was symbolic of my husband and my life and me,' Jennie Taylor said. Jennie Taylor said she nearly retired the flag after rain, snow and wind tore it up. 'Widowhood is not super easy, for those who are asking,' she said. But Jennie Taylor felt inspired to give The Major new life. The flag will be on display at different events across Utah. 'It flies strong and proud and true. And it takes a beating here and there, and it needs repairs along the way … I think that's kind of how we sometimes feel as American people,' she said. 'We're strong and proud and true to our values, and sometimes we get beaten up, and sometimes we need a break.' When The Major was not flying, it was placed in a black case signed by every serviceman and woman who had seen it in person. Their notes are a reminder of their bravery and commitment. For Jennie Taylor, those signatures help her not to give up the tradition. 'New life rising like the phoenix from the ashes. We need a new set of Sharpies, and we need to find new service members and veterans to sign that box,' Jennie Taylor said. Colonial Flag workers are creating a new flag to replace The Major's duty to fly over Coldwater Canyon during Memorial Day. 'We have to cram a lot of fabric onto that machine and maneuver,' said Jacob Swenson of Colonial Flag. 'Did we get the math right on this? Do we get it all calculated?' The Major Brent Taylor Foundation is accepting name ideas for the new flag on the foundation's website.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honoring Major Brent Taylor's legacy with a new flag
OGDEN, Utah () — A massive sewing project is underway at the Sandy Expo Center, where is working to repair '.' The flag suffered major wind damage last fall. It once flew proudly over North Ogden's Coldwater Canyon, and it carries the name and legacy of a man who meant so much to the community: . The flag spans 78 by 150 feet and would cover nearly half of a football field. PREVIOUSLY: Weber County hangs largest free hanging American flag in Coldwater Canyon when he was killed in action. He was not only a military officer but also , and the first U.S. elected official to die in combat since the Civil War. 'He was killed the Saturday before Election Day, which was one week before Veterans Day,' Jennie Taylor, his widow and founder of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation, told . The with a high-flying flag strung across Coldwater Canyon that Veterans Day in 2018. 'It had such an impact — not just on me, but our whole community,' Taylor said. 'My husband, the father of our seven children, was gone. People immediately began fundraising to make sure we had a flag worthy of him. And that became 'The Major'.' Who was Major Brent Taylor? Since 2019, the flag has flown each Veterans Day week in Coldwater Canyon. But in 2023, it had to be taken down early after heavy canyon winds caused a tear nearly 12 feet long. Instead of being retired completely, 'The Major' is being reassigned to what Jennie calls 'ground missions' — football games, parades, rodeos, and community events. A new flag will be commissioned to take its place in the sky. An American Hero: Utah says goodbye to Maj. Brent Taylor This new flag, currently being made, will take about six to eight weeks to complete. According to Jacob Swenson at Colonial Flag, this version is specially reinforced to endure canyon winds and last for years to come. This new flag still needs a name. You can go to to cast your vote. That flag will be flown for two full weeks beginning Saturday, November 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UNFI DRIVERS IN TEXAS JOIN TEAMSTERS
93 Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Local 745, Prepare to Bargain First Contract LANCASTER, Texas, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 90 drivers at United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 745. The group organized with the Teamsters to secure the wages, benefits, and working conditions already enjoyed by thousands of UNFI Teamsters nationwide. "We're proud to welcome these new members into our Local 745 family, and we're committed to helping them win the strongest possible Teamsters contract," said Brent Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 745 and Teamsters Southern Region International Vice President. "These workers saw what their Teamsters brothers and sisters across the country are achieving, and they're ready to do the same." UNFI, the largest distributor for Whole Foods, has seen a surge in Teamsters organizing victories in recent years. Since 2022, over 3,000 workers have organized with the Teamsters. "We know that joining the Teamsters is the only way to secure the pay, benefits, and respect we deserve," said Charles Evans, a UNFI driver and new member of Local 745. "We're ready to negotiate a first contract that matches what Teamsters have already won at other UNFI locations." UNFI drivers in Texas are the latest workers at the company to join the Teamsters. Just last month, drivers in Wisconsin voted by a 2-to-1 margin to join Teamsters Local 200. That victory followed a wave of strong first contracts at UNFI facilities in Florida, Georgia, and Illinois — where over 1,000 Teamsters ratified agreements securing $8 hourly raises, comprehensive Teamsters health care, a defined benefit pension plan, strong seniority rights, and more paid time off. "The Teamsters are showing UNFI workers nationwide what's possible when you organize and fight together," said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "Workers are seeing the strong contracts we're negotiating and are joining the Teamsters in overwhelming numbers because they know they deserve the same. We won't stop until every UNFI worker is protected by a strong Teamsters contract." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Contact:Colin McCullough, (856) 625-6856cmccullough@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters 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
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
TEAMSTERS CALL ON TEXAS LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT DRIVERLESS VEHICLE BILL
Push Comes After Aurora Endangers Motorists with Fully Driverless Trucks AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters are calling on Texas lawmakers to pass House Bill 4402 (HB 4402), critical legislation requiring trained human operators in autonomous vehicles (AVs), following its passage out of the Texas House Committee on Transportation. The push for AV regulation comes as the tech company Aurora begins operating fully driverless trucks on Texas roads, despite serious concerns about safety and accountability. The company announced plans to remove safety drivers from its trucks starting this month. "Requiring a human operator in a driverless truck isn't unreasonable — it's common sense," said Brent Taylor, President of Teamsters Joint Council 80 in Dallas and Southern Region International Vice President. "There are hundreds of thousands of Texans who turn a key for a living. They have mortgages, medical bills, and families to support. We can't let out-of-state billionaires steal their jobs with reckless automation. We must protect their livelihoods by passing this critical bill into law." The Teamsters are also pushing back against Senate Bill 39, legislation that would make it harder for AV companies to be held liable for civil damages in the event they are found to be at fault for an accident. "The driverless trucks on the road right now cannot drive in most inclement weather and will never match having a human behind the wheel," said Robert Mele, President of Teamsters Joint Council 58 in Houston. "As if this wasn't bad enough, Big Tech now wants to avoid accountability when their products malfunction and inevitably destroy people's lives. The need for HB 4402 has never been more urgent. We encourage state legislators to act as quickly as possible." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Contact:Matt McQuaid, (771) 241-0015mmcquaid@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Memphis schools takeover imminent as bill is approved by TN legislature. What to know
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include that MSCS does not wish to comment on the legislation's passage. The state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools is now imminent. Both the Tennessee Senate and House of Representatives passed legislation on April 22 that would force a state intervention into MSCS, in response to the controversial firing of ex-Superintendent Marie Feagins and poor academic performance for years. Up until April 22, the legislature had two competing bills on how much power a board of advisors would have over the locally elected school board. The legislation that ultimately passed was more similar to the Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor, a Republican from Eads representing parts of Shelby County and Memphis. "This is a decades-old problem, and the state and the county, they have tried for decades to try to figure out what to do about this school system in Shelby County that is routinely failing our students, despite spending $1.8 billion a year," Taylor said. "So we just need to quit passing this problem around more than a joint at a Willie Nelson concert, and finally decide that we're going to do something about our education system in Shelby County." MSCS had no comment on the legislation passing. State Rep. Mark White, a Republican from Memphis, called for state intervention into the largest school district in Tennessee in the immediate aftermath of the firing of Feagins. The legislation calls for the expansion of charter schools and the private school voucher program. "I do this from the bottom (of my heart) because I care greatly about our city. As a former principal and teacher, you develop a love for the young people and if they are not coming out of K-12 ready to hit the workforce, where they have the skills that they can perform in society, then it doesn't work for them, and the numbers are there for us," White said. The bill passed overwhelmingly in both the House and Senate along party lines. Across the House and Senate, Democrats strongly opposed the takeover legislation, calling it possibly unconstitutional and questioning motivations. Republicans in the House said the legislation needs to happen because of the poor academic performance of MSCS in conjunction with the school board not acting enough on the academics. State Rep. Kevin Vaughan, a Republican from Collierville, said he changed his position on the takeover. Initially, he wanted to wait until the state audit findings came back from MSCS, but he said the state can't wait to take action. "Giving another year away while we wait, it's not going to change itself organically. That is not going to be the case," Vaughan said. "We're not going to suddenly see a 15-year trend turn on a year in one year's time without some type of catalyst that provides additional information and additional review of what the duly elected school board is doing." Some Senate Democrats called the Senate sponsor's language about Memphis inappropriate. Taylor said the city of Memphis is known for three things: good barbeque, high crime rates and a bad school system. Sen. London Lamar, a Democrat from Memphis, called the comments, along with Taylor's comparison of Memphis to athlete's foot, inappropriate, offensive and unacceptable. Lamar pointed out a contradiction in the bill by removing the income cap for the educational savings account for private school tuition, while the bill specifically targets school districts that mainly serve low-income students. "Why would we remove the income cap on these vouchers if it's supposed to be targeting those low, low economic disadvantaged areas? So it makes no sense that we're taking away the income cap," Lamar said. Lamar accompanied other Democrats in the Senate in voting against the bill. State Sen. Page Walley, a Republican from Savannah, said that because the bill has statewide implications, it could lend a hand to some of his district's smaller and impoverished districts. "I think this might be something that could be beneficial if we need it," Walley said. "I don't think we've met all the criteria yet, but if we do, I think that this might be something that could even help our elected school board members." Another Memphis Democrat, Sen. Raumesh Akbari, said the legislation creates more bureaucracy, less transparency and takes the power away from the people of Memphis. "I understand we need to do more to help our school systems, but it's not just a Memphis problem, it's a statewide problem, and this targeted legislation is not one that's going to improve what's going on," Akbari said. If a school district has 50% or more of students who are economically disadvantaged, 50% of students are not meeting grade level expectations in math and English and has at least one school identified as a priority school, the commissioner of education can recommend takeover. What comes next is the appointment of the board of advisors. The state-appointed advisory board will include: Three members appointed by the governor; Two members appointed by the speaker of the Senate; Two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; The mayor of the county in which the district is located, or the county mayor's designee; and If applicable, the mayor of the city in which the school district is located, or the city mayor's designee. The commissioner of education will be able to recommend the removal of the superintendent, one or more elected school board members and converting public schools into charter schools. If an elected school board member is removed, the "local legislative body" will have appointing authority to fill the vacancy. The individual who fills the vacancy will hold the position until the next election. The board of advisors will be in place for at least four years, with the option for a two-year extension and will be compensated the same as elected school board members. The board of advisors, within 60 days of its appointment, will receive a list of underutilized properties from the district. From there, the board of advisors will come up with recommendations to turn the underutilized or vacant properties into public charter schools. Within the first 90 days, the board of advisors will complete a comprehensive needs assessment. The comprehensive needs assessment will look at a wide range of topics, from teacher retention to textbooks to school facilities. Based on the comprehensive needs assessment, the board of advisors will then present a transformation plan to the local school board. The transformation plan will act effectively as a road map to improve student outcomes, lower chronic absenteeism and improve early child literacy. The board of advisors, while their meetings will be closed to the public, will have their recommendations for each agenda item on the elected school board meetings read into the meeting minutes. The legislation removes the income requirement for the Education Savings Accounts, a pilot program that predated the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Program. Students who apply and receive Education Savings Account dollars had to be eligible to receive free and reduced lunch based on income. Now, the income provision has been taken away if a student attends a MSCS school. The legislation will go into effect in the 2025-26 school year. Brooke Muckerman covers politics and education for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at 901-484-6225 and This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Tennessee legislature OKs Memphis-Shelby County Schools takeover bill
