Latest news with #Caudill
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fatal crash reported on night of fire that destroyed historic Caudill's Electrical Company building in Kernersville
KERNERSVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) — A woman died in a crash in a stolen vehicle in Kernersville on Saturday night hours before a historic building burned down, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol. The building was recognized as a historical Kernersville structure, built in 1897 as the Harmon and Reid Mill before becoming Caudill's Electrical Company in recent years. According to a press release from the Kernersville Fire Rescue Department, at 10 p.m., emergency personnel were still battling a 'commercial structure fire' at 208 East Bodenhamer Street. At 2:50 a.m. Sunday, Kernersville Fire Rescue confirmed that more than 60 firefighters from multiple local agencies assisted with bringing the fire under control, including: Winston-Salem Fire Department Forsyth County Fire Department Piney Grove Fire Department Oak Ridge Fire Department Union Cross Fire Department Walkertown Fire Department At the time of the fire, there was also a car crash in the area involving downed power lines. FOX8 was told that around 9 p.m., Isabelle Rose Lawson, 25, was driving a stolen Chevrolet Corvette when she lost control and hit several power poles. Lawson was the only one in the car. She was thrown from the car during the crash and died at the scene. Kernersville police said their officers spotted the stolen car, but at this point in the investigation, it is unclear if there was a chase. 'This space is normally occupied by our security techs, and we have just kind of had to kick them out, so now you see admin staff in here and working,' said Dana Jones Caudill, the owner of CEC. Every paper, piece of equipment and power chord is gone. 'Our main supply closet was across the street, and so we went to Staples to try to get some basic stuff we would need,' Caudill said. Most of it is replaceable, but other items will live on only in their memories. 'It's the pictures of employees who have retired with us. It's our family photos,' Caudill said. Caudill's family bought the former mill in 1978 when they started the company. CEC is an electrical contracting company that does security systems and cameras for homes and businesses in the Triad. Caudill has also served the Kernersville community as an elected official and currently as a state senator. The community knows the Caudill family and has shown nonstop support since the fire. 'We really have a great community … That is the part that is kind of overwhelming,. It kind of gets you at times … We are just really grateful,' Caudill said. It's her business, but the reality is that it's just a building. 'We are blessed that nobody was hurt,' Caudill said. Just down the road, there is still debris left over from the crash that killed Lawson. 'It was a tragic accident that happened. Someone lost their life, and we lost a building, but someone lost a loved one, so we have to put that into perspective,' Caudill said. CEC plans to rebuild its property as soon as the investigation wraps up. The Kernersville Fire Department said that it could take several weeks. Caudill's released the following statement on Facebook Sunday morning regarding the fire. Last night, we experienced a heartbreaking total loss at Caudill Electric as our building went up in flames. Watching it burn was incredibly difficult and left us feeling helpless — but even in the middle of the devastation, we are filled with gratitude. We want to thank the Kernersville Fire Department and all of the first responders who worked tirelessly to contain the fire. While the building couldn't be saved, we are so thankful they were able to protect the surrounding properties and spare our neighbors from damage. We are also incredibly proud of our amazing employees, many of whom came out to the scene last night to support and help in any way they could. To our loyal customers — thank you for your continued support and prayers. We're already working on a plan to be back in operation by Tuesday, and we are committed to continuing to serve you. Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward. We know that God is good in all situations, and that's the truth we are holding onto at this (Facebook) Kernersville Fire Rescue released the following update at 1:25 p.m. Sunday: Fire crews completed overhaul operations and full extinguishment of hot spots this morning. Duke Energy has also finished repairs in the area, and the building was officially released back to the property owners at approximately 10:00 a.m. today. Bodenhamer Street has been reopened to regular traffic. We are aware of various rumors circulating on social media, and we want to clarify that no injuries occurred to either emergency personnel or civilians during the fire at Caudill Electric. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Kernersville Fire Marshal's Office. Kernersville Fire Rescue Department Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
16-04-2025
- Health
- CNN
Antianxiety drugs in waterways are changing how salmon migrate
Summary Antianxiety drug clobazam in waterways alters salmon migration behavior, causing fish to reach oceans sooner and navigate dams faster. Researchers found benzodiazepine-exposed salmon showed reduced fear responses, swimming farther apart even when predators were near. Swedish river studies tracked hundreds of young salmon implanted with time-release drug dispensers matching environmental pollution levels. While more drug-exposed salmon reached the Baltic Sea, scientists warn these behavioral changes could harm long-term survival. Griffith University researchers warn pharmaceutical pollution could reshape wildlife populations in unpredictable ways. Hatched in quiet streams and rivers, salmon undertake a perilous journey to reach the open ocean where they become mature adults. Over millions of years, generations of young salmon have migrated great distances, in some cases traveling hundreds of miles from freshwater systems to the sea. However, modern salmon face a hurdle that was unknown to their ancient ancestors: pharmaceutical pollution that changes their migration behavior. Recently, researchers discovered that when a drug called clobazam accumulates in salmon's brains, migrating fish reach the ocean sooner and navigate dam obstacles faster. On the surface, this change might seem helpful to salmon. However, any deviation from normal animal behavior through human activity — particularly when psychoactive substances are involved — is a red flag, and the full extent of how drug pollution may alter salmon health, behavior and reproduction is still unknown, scientists reported April 10 in the journal Science. Clobazam, which is commonly found in wastewater, belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines, which depress the central nervous system. The drug is used to prevent epileptic seizures, for short-term treatment of anxiety and to treat anxiety-related sleep disorders. But because neural wiring in fish resembles that of mammals, fish are highly susceptible to the effects of drugs that tweak human neurochemistry, said Dr. Christopher C. Caudill, a professor in the department of fish and wildlife sciences at the University of Idaho. 'Humans share a large amount of biological architecture with fishes — our physiology and anatomy are remarkably similar. Thus, it is intuitive that psychoactive drugs alter the behavior of both fishes and humans,' Caudill, who was not involved in the research, told CNN in an email. Prior research showed that benzodiazepines could alter behavior in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), but they did so under conditions unlike those experienced by wild salmon, said study coauthor Dr. Marcus Michelangeli, a lecturer in the School of Environment and Science at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. 'Those studies were largely conducted in laboratory settings, only tracked movement over short distances — less than 100 metres (328 feet) — or used drug concentrations much higher than what salmon would typically encounter in the wild,' Michelangeli said via email. 'Our study took a different approach. We followed the entire river-to-sea migration of juvenile salmon in a natural river system, using drug concentrations that match what fish are actually exposed to in the environment.' The field investigation's findings highlight the growing risks pharmaceutical pollutants pose to wildlife populations across the globe, according to Michelangeli. For the new study, the scientists performed trials with more than 700 young salmon, or 'smolts,' in the laboratory and in the field. The research team used sound-transmitting tags to remotely track hundreds of smolts in 2020 and 2021 as the fish navigated the Dal River in central Sweden. Migrating smolts swim downriver into a reservoir, hurtle over rapids and crest two dams before finally reaching the Baltic Sea. The journey takes 10 to 13 days. Two major classes of pharmaceuticals — benzodiazepines and opioids — 'are commonly detected in rivers and streams worldwide, including in Sweden, where our study was conducted,' Michelangeli said. Time-release implants in the smolts dispensed two drugs from these classes: clobazam and tramadol. Fish received clobazam, or tramadol, or both. A control group of smolts received implants with no drugs in them at all. 'These two drugs are known to interact chemically when taken together in humans, and they often co-occur in the environment,' Michelangeli said. 'This made them a good test case to explore how pharmaceutical mixtures might affect animal behaviour.' Along with the field trials, the scientists ran a laboratory-based study on 256 smolts to confirm that the implants worked as intended and that the drugs were lingering in the fishes' bodily tissues and brains. When the researchers tracked the migrating salmon with transmitters, they found that more clobazam-exposed salmon reached the Baltic than any of the other fish. Compared with the control group, more than twice as many salmon with clobazam implants made it to the sea. Lab experiments showed that clobazam affected shoaling behavior, in which smolts stick close together to evade predators. Under the influence of clobazam, fish swam farther apart even when a predator was near, 'suggesting that the drug may reduce natural fear responses,' Michelangeli said. Fish with clobazam implants were also faster at getting past two hydropower dams along their migration route — about two to eight times faster than fish in the other groups. These dams are notorious death zones, where churning turbines can swiftly reduce smolts to salmon tartare. By diminishing fear in smolts, clobazam might briefly benefit the fish by boosting their migration success. But the drug could also increase their vulnerability to ocean predators, decreasing their chances of surviving long enough to return home to spawn, Caudill said. 'The transition from freshwater to saltwater is one of the most dangerous times in the life of a salmon because they experience many new predators in the ocean,' he said. Drug-exposed and risk-taking salmon may be more likely to reach the Baltic, but less likely to ever leave it alive. Caudill's research investigates how environmental change affects fish ecology and evolution. In future work, he said, 'I do plan to consider the potential for behavioral effects from pharmaceutical pollution.' Further study will clarify how behavioral changes from drug pollution affect long-term survival, reproduction and how populations change over time — in salmon and in other wildlife that are vulnerable to pharmaceutical contaminants. 'While more drug-exposed salmon may reach the sea, it doesn't mean they're healthy or that the population benefits in the long term,' Michelangeli said. 'The bottom line is we need to be cautious with this interpretation. Changing behaviour with pharmaceuticals — even unintentionally — could reshape whole populations in ways we don't yet understand.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Retired Laurel Sheriff's sergeant passes at 69
A retired Laurel County Sheriff's sergeant recently passed following his hard-fought battle with cancer. Sgt. Jack Caudill, of London, died last Tuesday, April 1, at age 69. Caudill was born Sept. 19, 1955, in Paintsville, to the late Jack Caudill and Patsy Wolverton Caudill. He was married to Jennifer Charles Caudill of London, with whom he had two children — daughter Veronica Caudill and son Jack Caudill. He was the grandfather of Madden Jack Caudill, and a brother to Lynn Jarrell. In addition to his parents, Jack Caudill is preceded in death by three siblings — Brian Caudill, Ronnie Caudill, and Donnie Caudill. Before Caudill worked at LCSO, he began his career in law enforcement at the Kane County Sheriff's Office in Illinois. There, Caudill fulfilled various duties — including having served in the first special operations unit. He also acted as a gang officer, detective, training officer, and road deputy. After his time in Illinois, Caudill returned to Kentucky, where he served with LCSO until he retired in 2023. Caudill also volunteered as a security guard at Cornerstone Christian School. Labeled a 'stern' and 'family-oriented' man by his colleagues, Caudill was most known for being dedicated to both his work and loved ones. Bailiff Jerry Poynter worked closely with Caudill for years and spoke on the loss of his one former colleague. 'He was the most honest, straight-shooting man I have ever known in my entire life,' Poynter commented. 'He looked after his people and he made sure that things were done right.' Poynter shared that he had become close friends with Caudill through their work. 'He's going to be sorely missed by everybody that knew him,' he said. 'He retired a couple years ago but his presence is still felt every day.' Poynter sends his condolences to Caudill's family. Another colleague of Caudill's who gave comment was Deputy Daniel Reed. Reed shared that Caudill was a Christian and 'family man' who 'brought a vast knowledge from when he worked in the Chicago area.' Laurel Sheriff John Root posted a tribute to the retired sergeant, stating, 'He earned the respect of all the men and women under his supervision, and I can confidently say that if I were to face a challenging situation, I wouldn't mind a bit to have Jack by my side because there's no doubt he would stand with you. Jack brought to the table old-school values, straightforwardness, and unwavering resolve.' In closing, Root wrote, 'Rest easy, my friend; we will carry on from here.' A memorial service was held for Caudill at the Bowling Funeral Home Chapel Sunday, March 6.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Columbus and Franklin County homicides in April 2025
Columbus homicides dropped by considerable numbers in 2024, with the city experiencing a 17% decrease in killings over the previous year. There were two homicides in Columbus and one homicide in Obetz in March 2025, including one where a 14-year-old boy was fatally shot at a home in Franklinton. The trend continues to move downward. The Dispatch tracks all killings to get a sense of where violence is happening in the city and Franklin County and to remember the victims of homicides. This list is preliminary, and the number of homicides can change as law enforcement investigates each case and decides whether the killing was criminal, justified, accidental or the result of suicide. The Dispatch will exclude fatal overdoses, accidents, suicides and unintentional hit-and-run deaths. The information we compile comes from Columbus and Franklin County law enforcement, court records and interviews with family and loved ones of homicide victims and is subject to change. Are we missing details or other information from a homicide case? Email the Dispatch newsroom at newsroom@ Previous homicide coverage: March 2025, February 2025 Apr. 2, 2025: A Whitehall man has been charged with murder in connection with the stabbing death of a woman in Obetz. According to a statement from the public relations manager for the city of Obetz, Obetz police responded on Apr. 2 at around 4:50 p.m. to a call for service in the 5200 block of Groveport Road at the Greenfield Estates, a mobile home park. Officers discovered the body of 49-year-old Jessica Bird. She had been stabbed or cut multiple times, according to a criminal complaint filed by Obetz police. Jeffrey Caudill, 44, has been charged in connection with Bird's death and was taken into custody by Columbus police. According to the criminal complaint, Caudill sent messages via Facebook messenger to a person stating that he killed Bird. Caudill also called a second person and admitted to killing her, the complaint states. Obetz police did not disclose a possible motive in the criminal complaint. Police also did not say what relationship, if any, existed between Caudill and Bird. Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@ at ShahidMeighan on X, and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus, Franklin County homicides in April 2025
