Latest news with #Churchwell
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Creston Police: Drunk woman drives from Sioux City with three kids in car
May 28—Lela A. Churchwell, 46, of Creston, was taken into custody 3:56 p.m. May 23, in the 200 block of North Division Street on the charges of OWI, first offense and interference with official acts. According to a Creston Police report, a 2002 Saturn SL1 Churchwell was observed to be driving was stopped because Churchwell does not have a valid driver's license. After being stopped, Churchwell exited the car and attempted to go into her residence. Officers stopped her at which time she attempted to push past them before she was eventually escorted to the ground and placed in handcuffs. Churchwell was observed to have bloodshot, watery eyes, impaired balance and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. She also made statements about consuming alcohol earlier in the day. Churchwell was transported the Union County Law Enforcement Center where she consented to field sobriety testing and showed validated clues of impairment. She refused a PBT and to provide a breath specimen for chemical testing. Churchwell was transported to the Union County Jail where she was released from after posting $1,300 cash or surety bond. — — — — — Rikki L. Klos, 36, of Afton, was taken into custody 5:48 p.m. May 24, at Elm and Mills streets on the charges of possession of a controlled substance — marijuana, first offense and two counts of possession of a controlled substance, first offense. According to a Creston Police report, at approximately 5:31 p.m. a 2000 Dodge Ram was stopped for not having a front license plate. Klos, an occupant of the truck, admitted to having marijuana in her purse. Officers searched her purse and located a grinder containing marijuana, one alprazolam pill and one diazepam pill. Both pills are Schedule 4 controlled substances. Klos admitted to not having a prescription for either medication. Klos was transported to the Union County Jail where she was released from after posting $3,000 cash or surety bond. — — — — — Samantha J. Little, 30, of Moville, was taken into custody 11:31 p.m. May 24, in the 800 block of Laurel Street on the charges of public intoxication, OWI, second offense and three counts of child endangerment — substantial risk. According to a Creston Police report, at approximately 11:13 p.m. a Walmart employee reported a female operating a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, who appeared intoxicated and had three children with her in the parking lot. The employee stated they witnessed a bottle of alcohol fall out of the female's pocket and smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from her person. Officers made contact with the female, identified as Little, and immediately detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person. Little consented to a PBT which indicated her BrAC to be above .08%. Three children, two of which were Little's and one of which was a friend's child, were in the backseat of the Traverse. Little admitted to driving intoxicated from Sioux City. Open Fireball shooters were found in the driver's door of the Traverse. Little was transported to the Union County Law Enforcement Center where she consented to field sobriety testing. During the tests, Little showed validated clues of impairment. Little consented to provide a breath specimen for chemical testing, the result of which showed her BAC to be .181%. Little has a prior OWI conviction in October of 2020 from Plymouth County. Little was transported to the Union County Jail where she was released from after posting $8,300 cash or surety bond. — — — — — Howard J. Davis IV, 33, of Creston, was taken into custody 4:34 p.m. May 26, at his residence on a Union County warrant for the charge of violation of parole. According to an Iowa Department of Correctional Services report, during a May 19 parole appointment, a parole agent reviewed Davis' phone. After the phone was reviewed, Davis admitted to multiple violations of his parole terms. Violations included an unreported relationship with a sex offender parolee, who he allowed to spend the night at his residence without permission and who was not registered as a visitor with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Davis had unapproved and unregistered social media accounts. He admitted to having unapproved contact with several minors and to spending the night at an unregistered address where minors were present without permission. Davis admitted to using marijuana multiple times each month. He also admitted to sending and receiving inappropriate sexual photos and videos and to viewing pornography on his phone which he deleted after viewing. Davis was transported to the Union County Jail and held without bond. — — — — — Nathan L. Novotny, 20, of Creston, was taken into custody 8:03 p.m. May 26, in the 900 block of North Sumner Avenue on the charges of interference with official acts and driving while suspended. According to a Creston Police report, at approximately 8:58 p.m. Novotny was observed driving a Dodge Charger at Prairie Street and Highway 25. Novotny has a suspended license. While at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, Novotny made comments about fleeing and did not sit down after being told to. He actively resisted officers and had to be assisted into handcuffs and then resisted while being escorted to the jail. Novotny was transported to the Union County Jail where he was released from after posting $1,300 cash or surety bond.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pinson Councilor John Churchwell recognized for 2 decades of public service
The following article is by Nathan Prewett for the Trussville Tribune: PINSON, Ala. (Trussville Tribune) — Councilor John Churchwell was recognized during Thursday's Pinson City Council meeting for recently being honored at the annual meeting of the Alabama League of Municipalities (ALM) for serving two decades as an elected official. During his report, Mayor Robbie Roberts talked about the council's attendance at the gathering where Churchwell was among 35 others recognized. Roberts thanked him for his service and offered his congratulations. 'Well, it's not necessarily about being recognized as being able to get that accomplishment,' Churchwell told the Trussville Tribune. 'And it was great for me and hopefully it's good for the city also. 20 years is a good thing to do just about anything.' Churchwell was elected to his position in Place 4 not long after the city was incorporated in 2004. 'I've always liked politics,' he said. 'And I worked for the federal government, Social Security Administration, and I spent 38 years with them and of course you can't be involved in politics and work for the government, so it was just natural when we came up with getting everything organized and we became a city in [2004]. And so I just said 'Okay. Been waiting for 38 years.' So I decided to run for council.' Churchwell said that during his tenure he ran opposed the first time he ran but the next four times he ran unopposed, calling it something of a 'miracle'. He added that he will not be running for reelection. 'But I've enjoyed being here in the city,' Churchwell said. 'And it was really enjoyable and good to have the opportunity to help set up the guidelines and the rules and regulations that the city is still going by. So that was my reason but now it's time for me to move on.' Roberts also announced that the splash pad will open on Saturday and will be operated on Tuesdays through Saturdays at 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays at 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The splash pad will not be open on Mondays with the exception of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. Alabama study reveals hurricane resilience programs are paying off for homeowners and insurers Afterwards the council passed the items on its agenda, beginning with a resolution to approve an allocation from the Rebuild Alabama Act of approximately $140,000 to be used for street and road maintenance. The resolution states that the city has received approximately $116,000 from a new 10 cent gas tax that was implemented by the act and will put towards a continuing plan to pave and construct industrial roadways in the Highway 79 corridor. The council also approved purchasing a sousaphone for the Pinson Valley High School or PVHS Marching Chiefs and approved $5,000 to fund a composer to write a musical piece for the school's mariachi program, which has been developing over the past several years and will soon have a full-time teacher. The program at PVHS was said to be the first in Alabama. Mariachi is a genre of music native to Mexico, with its performers often remembered for their distinctive hats and outfits. 'It's great to see that we're a community that's quite diverse,' Roberts said. 'And that diversity shows even in a program like the mariachi, which is of course a more Hispanic-oriented type music if you're familiar with it.' Among other items to be passed was an ordinance that set the qualification fees for those who run for mayor or councilperson. The fee to run for mayor is $50 and $30 for anyone seeking a council position. Payments are made to the city clerk and deposited into the general fund or prior to the time of taking out qualification papers by the candidate, says the ordinance. The ordinance also specifies that if anyone who cannot pay the fee may furnish the city clerk with an affidavit stating that they cannot pay the qualification fee. In other business the council: Approved a grant request for $1,341.27 from the Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System (BREMSS), Approved a change order of $14,000 for clearing projects at Palmerdale Fire Station and the Palmerdale Homestead Community Center, and Granted $1,000 to the Pinson Valley High School business education teacher to attend a conference on the condition that she will have to pay it back if she does not return for the school year. Pinson City Council meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at City Hall on 4410 Main Street. Live-streamed meetings can be seen on the city's Facebook page. Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
29-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Their time at the Education Department may be over. The grieving isn't.
Their time at the Education Department may be over. The grieving isn't. Laid-off Education Department workers packed up their offices Friday – and said goodbye to jobs they cherished. WASHINGTON – Anguish. The feeling was almost palpable in the crisp spring air on Friday as Nikki Churchwell exited the U.S. Department of Education headquarters. She'd been slotted to clean out her office on the second floor at 9:15 a.m. Then she said one final goodbye to the job she'd loved for almost 10 years. Dozens of well-wishers stood waiting for her with signs. 'Your work matters!' one read. 'SOLIDARITY.' 'Just remember,' a voice in the crowd called out as Churchwell juggled cardboard boxes and tote bags. 'They can't take away what we did.' Churchwell, a former teacher, joins a massive pool of Education Department employees – and a sea of federal workers – whose lives have been upended since January by President Donald Trump's gutting of government agencies. Thousands of people whose work touched virtually every aspect of American life, from the education system to the medical community to the nation's parks, are looking for new jobs (or hoping lawsuits might bring their old ones back). But the agency that is Churchwell's (now former) employer has uniquely drawn the president's ire. With a stated goal of reducing the federal government's role in schools, Trump administration officials slashed the Education Department's workforce in half earlier this month – a move many decried as illegal. "The Democrats know it's right, and I hope they're going to be voting for it because ultimately it may come before them," Trump said on March 20, when he signed an executive order meant to dismantle the agency. He can only fully shutter the Education Department through legislation, which would require the unlikely support of congressional Democrats. Read more: Trump ordered the dismantling of the Education Department. But it's not closing entirely. Still, the president has demonstrated a willingness to push legal boundaries, especially in the name of government efficiency. Many of the offices within the Education Department whose responsibilities are legally mandated have been reduced to just a handful of people, raising concerns for many about how they will administer funds and programs that millions of students and schools rely on. Read more: Trump gutted the office overseeing financial aid and student loans. These charts show how. In court filings this week, former Education Department officials argued that the agency simply can't function anymore. The scale of recent layoffs and buyouts is jeopardizing the livelihood of the entire U.S. education system, they said. Linda McMahon, the education secretary whom Trump has said must 'put herself out of a job,' has promised that students won't feel the ripple effects of all the turmoil. She's wrong, according to Bradley Custer, who worked with student loan servicers and borrowers in the Federal Student Aid office before being laid off. 'The department is doing everything it can to gaslight the American people and politicians,' he said. 'It's just simply not possible that we'll be able to maintain the same level of service if half the employees are gone.' Custer is hopeful that recent lawsuits against the department will force the government to reinstate him. But even if that happens, others aren't as sure they'd return. Sarah Newman, who served at the Education Department for 13 years and led a data team within the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, packed up her stuff from the fourth floor at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. Though weeks had passed since she was laid off, the reality of the situation still hadn't sunk in yet. When she walked out of the building for the last time, to applause from the crowd, she burst into tears. Her longtime boss wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head as she sobbed. Newman said she's looking for another job in the D.C. area. But she knows that career prospects are only getting bleaker for social science researchers like her. 'I feel like hope is a dangerous thing right now,' she said. Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@ Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @ Josh Morgan is a photojournalist for USA TODAY.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
When it comes to heart and brain health, these are numbers you should know
Feb. 5—American Heart Association News Heart disease is once again the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to a new statistical report from the American Heart Association. Cardiovascular diseases, which include heart disease and stroke, claimed more lives in the U.S. than all forms of cancer and accidental deaths — the No. 2 and No. 3 causes of death — combined. But that key stat from the annual update, published Monday in the AHA journal Circulation, is not the only one worthy of your attention. Here are other details about the state of heart disease and stroke in the U.S. — and how you can use that info to increase your own odds of staying healthy. 1. A post-COVID decline, but still a problem According to the report, in 2022 (the most recent year for which final data is available) the overall number of cardiovascular disease-related deaths in the U.S. was 941,652, an increase of more than 10,000 from 2021. But the rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease that adjusted for age fell slightly, from 233.3 per 100,000 in 2021 to 224.3 in 2022. Cardiovascular-related deaths appear to be leveling off after an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Age-adjusted death rates dropped for all but one of the 10 leading causes of death: kidney disease. But nearly 2,500 people in the U.S. are still dying from cardiovascular disease every day, Dr. Keith Churchwell, the AHA's president, said in a news release. "Those are alarming statistics to me — and they should be alarming for all of us, because it's likely many among those whom we lose will be our friends and loved ones," said Churchwell, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. 2. The numbers behind those numbers According to the update, nearly 47% of adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, and 57% of adults have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. High blood pressure and diabetes are major cardiovascular risk factors. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability among people with Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body is unable to efficiently use the insulin it makes or when the pancreas loses its capacity to produce insulin. Blood pressure levels may be affected by many factors, such as being overweight, smoking, not getting enough physical activity, eating a poor diet or too much sodium or not getting good sleep. Diet and exercise also are among the targets for reducing the risk of heart disease among people with Type 2 diabetes, along with managing blood sugar and cholesterol levels, not smoking and not drinking alcohol. 3. Obesity remains a problem Obesity is growing among young people and globally. Around 40% of children in the U.S. have an unhealthy weight, which is defined as a body mass index in the 85th percentile or higher. About 20% have obesity, which is defined as a BMI in the 95th percentile or higher. Globally, nearly 60% of adults have an unhealthy weight. In the U.S., about 71% of adults have unhealthy weight, and about 42% have obesity. (In adults, an unhealthy weight is defined as a BMI of 25 or higher, and obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or more.) "In the update, we noted calculations that found excess weight contributes to as many as 1,300 additional deaths per day in the U.S., nearly 500,000 per year," Dr. Latha P. Palaniappan, vice chair of the report's writing committee, said in the news release. Excess weight lowers life expectancy by as much as 2.4 years compared to a healthy weight, said Palaniappan, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University in California. "Being overweight is the new smoking when it comes to health threats." 4. Concerns about kidneys While age-adjusted death rates dropped in nine other categories in 2022, kidney disease death rates increased 1.5%. "Kidney disease has actually been on the rise over the past decade," writing committee chair Dr. Seth S. Martin said in the news release. "The reason this is important is that, first, cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to kidney disease," said Martin, a professor of medicine and cardiologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. "Second, the risk factors of these diseases are closely interrelated. These include high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes — all health conditions that are rising substantially across the U.S. and the world." Among Medicare beneficiaries, kidney disease increased from 9.2% in 2011 to 14.2% in 2021, the report said. The global prevalence of kidney disease has increased more than 27% in relative terms since 2010, Martin said. 5. Cardiovascular disease not the same for every group In an editorial that accompanied the statistics report, Dr. Dhruv S. Kazi, head of health economics and associate director of the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, wrote it was important to acknowledge that "although (cardiovascular disease) affects us all, it doesn't affect us all equally." Some examples: — Overall obesity prevalence ranged from a low of 14.5% among Asian women to a high of 57.9% among Black women. — Overall diabetes prevalence ranged from a high of 14.5% among Hispanic men to a low of 7.7% among white women. — Black women had the highest rate of high blood pressure at 58.4%; the lowest rate, 35.3%, was among Hispanic women. "These disparities in risk and outcomes call for tailored interventions among high-risk populations," wrote Kazi, who also is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. "A good place to start is to ensure that every member of the population can access affordable, high-quality care for the prevention and treatment of (cardiovascular disease)." 6. Good news on tobacco and cholesterol Smoking greatly raises the risk for heart disease and stroke. So it's good news that smoking rates have been on a steady decline. The AHA update says: — Since the U.S. surgeon general's first report on the health dangers of smoking, age-adjusted prevalence of smoking among adults has declined, from 51% of men smoking in 1965 to 15.6% in 2018. Among women, it has fallen from 34% in 1965 to 12% in 2018. — In 2023, 12.6% of high school students reported current use of any tobacco product, compared to 16.5% in 2022. — About 28% of high school students reported ever using any tobacco product in 2023, compared to about 34% in 2022. — Among high school students, 10% reported using e-cigarettes in 2023, compared to 14.1% in 2022. "Another positive trend over the years has been a reduction in the rates of high cholesterol," Churchwell said. "That's likely thanks, in part, to increased awareness about the dietary and lifestyle factors that impact cholesterol levels, along with the availability of medications and better clinical control." Recent clinical research has identified new medications to address obesity as well, he said, "and we look forward to learning more about those advances as the body of science builds." More importantly, Churchwell said, "we need to stop these risk factors in their tracks, keep people healthy throughout their lifespan. That will only be possible with a strong emphasis on early prevention and equitable health access for all." American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved.
Associated Press
31-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Churchwell Insurance to Speak on D&O Insurance at Centurion One Capital 8th Toronto Conference
Dallas, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2025) - Churchwell Insurance Agency (Churchwell), an industry leader and rapidly growing independent agency specializing in public companies, is proud to announce that its founder and principal, Chaz Churchwell, has been invited to speak at Centurion One Capital's (Centurion) 8th Annual Toronto Growth Conference. This premier global event will host over 500 participants, including leading companies, growth investors, and service providers from North America and abroad, from March 3-6, 2025, at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: As a Gold sponsor, Churchwell is honored to partner with Centurion, widely regarded as the premier investment banking firm in Canada. Known for curating exceptional experiences and fostering meaningful connections, Centurion conferences consistently create opportunities for investors, companies, and service providers to network and thrive. Churchwell founder and principal, Chaz Churchwell, will deliver a keynote speech titled, 'D&O Dysfunction: How Insurers Are Cheating You and Why It Will Cost You Millions.' During his presentation, qualifying companies will have the chance to enter a giveaway for a complimentary audit of their D&O insurance by one of North America's most esteemed D&O coverage attorneys. 'We are thrilled to serve as both a keynote speaker and a Gold sponsor at Centurion One Capital's prestigious Toronto Growth Conference! This opportunity affirms the trust in our team's commitment to providing top-tier service and advisement to public clients. Additionally, we plan to invest $40,000 in legal costs for the D&O coverage audits we're offering. CFOs must be equipped to confidently assure their boards that they've secured a best-in-class D&O program. These audits will provide organizations with critical insights into their current coverage.' - Chaz Churchwell, Founder and Principal, Churchwell Insurance Agency About Churchwell Insurance Agency: Veteran-owned Churchwell Insurance Agency is headquartered in Dallas, TX, with an additional office in Charlotte, NC. Renowned for providing tailored insurance solutions, Churchwell specializes in helping public executives and organizations navigate complex risks. Led by experienced professionals, the agency offers comprehensive coverage options, including Directors and Officers Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Cyber Liability, Intellectual Property Insurance, and more. Churchwell serves public companies across a wide range of industries, including AI, biotech, defense, beverage, fintech, high-tech, life sciences, SPACs, and EVs. Through proactive risk management and personalized strategies, Churchwell is dedicated to safeguarding the assets and interests of its publicly traded clientele. This version improves readability, fixes grammar and structural issues, and enhances the professional tone while maintaining your core message. Churchwell Insurance Agency: You Build – We Protect Media Contact: Jerry Williams Churchwell Insurance Agency 844.604.1357 900 S Preston Rd, Suite 50-154 Prosper, TX 75078
