Latest news with #Colwell
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Hope Air connects ‘all the dots' to critical medical care
Desperate to get to a bigger centre for medical needs? Have you heard of Hope Air? Pilots and planes congregated on Manitoulin last week for the first leg of a fundraiser. The Gore Bay-Manitoulin Airport was busy with arrivals and refuelling as it hosted volunteers inbound for Hope Air Day in Sault Ste Marie. Somewhat smoky conditions, blowing in from Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, were shared by aircrews as they landed. Welcomed by airport manager Robert (Robby) Colwell, all were delighted with the new Gore Bay flight facilities. A luncheon and speeches mid-afternoon acknowledged the value of Hope Air. 'Hope Air takes the pressure off ... the worries of transportation,' said Colwell. 'Most Hope Air clients have medical needs of a serious nature. I have never seen a client who wasn't happy boarding an aircraft or returning. Hope Air makes their experience wonderful. I get to witness this in my job. 'The mission statement of Hope Air could not happen without places like this. Airports are a very important piece of infrastructure. We play a very important role. I like to think of Hope Air as the angels of the sky.' Jon Collins, chief development officer for Hope Air, had much to say from the podium. 'There were 46,000 travel arrangements last year,' Collins said. 'Donors and sponsors are essential to each story. We connect with people and communities. I've been with the organization coming up on four years. 'Today is part of a celebration of our volunteer pilots. They help people access care from places that may not have all the skilled medical services. With chronic pain or conditions, you can't wait. We have accommodation allowances, too. 'The tour is also about raising much-needed funds. Our Give Hope Wings tour will have a family-friendly event at the airport, then there is an evening at the Bushplane Heritage Museum.' Hope Air Day in Sault Ste Marie, and the tour is all about asking Ontarians to stand behind equitable access to healthcare. Kelly Chaytor from Manitoulin Transport said Manitoulin Transport likes to help everybody. 'As the donation coordinator, it is a full-time job,' Chaytor said. Hope Air Day moved on to Marathon, followed by Sioux Lookout and Red Lake, with the final destination in Winnipeg. Some pilots opted not to go the full route, acknowledging the growing need for hotel rooms for evacuees from the wildfires in other parts of Canada. Who are those who need Hope Air? 'My journey started with a fall,' shared Bonnie Stevens. With much damage to her vision and eye elements, she was struggling. 'It has been a three-year journey. My eyesight has been restored. At 75 years old, Hope Air has given me my life back. I can attest that it is an amazing organization.' Another recipient recounted her many flights south. A double organ transplant recipient, Dawn Young-Tolsma said what Hope Air delivers is a miracle. 'I have tomorrow,' Young-Tolsma said. 'There was kindness. I am alive. Hope Air can connect all the dots. It started for me in 2018, and I don't know how many times I flew with them. They knew I had to get to the London hospital rapidly, and then they brought me home, always.' Sylvio Roy and Lori Sweet are a flight team. Sweet looks after the radio on their 1976 Piper Arrow. 'I support my husband in this 110 per cent,' Lori said. Sylvio Roy is a Canadian Forces retired pilot and loves using his skills to support Hope Air missions. 'About 85 per cent of what Hope Air delivers is with commercial airlines, but what we do is offer greater reach and more convenience.' Ed Johnston, of Toronto, has spent a decade with the organization. 'We cultivated a community that cares,' he said. Blake and Darlene Gennoe are new. 'About a year. Then we heard about Hope Air. We are based out of North Bay,' said Darlene. 'Blake was looking for a hobby. This is valuable in a way other hobbies might not.' Edie Craddock's 1979 Piper Aztec is a twin prop with space. 'It is a workhorse. The triangle of Sudbury, Timmins, Kapuskasing and Hamilton is very doable from my home in the Muskokas. I've gone all the way to Hearst. It can carry several passengers and even a small wheelchair in the luggage store. 'Flying was on the bucket list for me. I knew about Hope Air for some time. We are all trying to pay it forward. I want to help people. We all do. It is a privilege to do what we do.' The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government. Bluesky: @ X: @SudburyStar Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Albany man receives two life sentences for 1988 cold case rape and kidnapping
The Brief Reginald Colwell was sentenced to two life terms plus 20 years for kidnapping, raping, and assaulting a woman in a 1988 cold case. The conviction was based on DNA evidence from a preserved sexual assault kit, matched to Colwell in 2019 through a federal initiative. Colwell's life sentences are subject to 1988 parole eligibility guidelines due to the crime's occurrence date. DECATUR, Ga. - An Albany man has been sentenced to two life terms plus 20 years in prison after being convicted of kidnapping, raping, and assaulting a woman in a 1988 cold case, prosecutors announced Tuesday. A DeKalb County jury on May 20 found 58-year-old Reginald Colwell guilty on charges of kidnapping, rape, and aggravated assault for the December 30, 1988, attack. Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams, who presided over the trial, handed down the sentence on Tuesday, ordering the terms to be served consecutively. The backstory According to investigators, the 20-year-old victim reported the rape to DeKalb County Police after being attacked while leaving her apartment on Weatherly Drive in unincorporated Stone Mountain. As she locked the front door, a man wearing a ski mask held a knife to her throat and forced her into nearby woods, where he sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she resisted. The victim fled to a nearby neighborhood once the attacker ran off, and a resident helped her call her boyfriend, who took her to the police station. Officers recovered her purse and other items scattered in the woods and transported her to Grady Memorial Hospital for a sexual assault examination. Although DNA testing was not available at the time, the sexual assault kit was preserved by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In 2015, DeKalb County joined a federally funded effort through the Bureau of Justice Assistance's National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), which aimed to process long-untested rape kits. In 2019, testing from the victim's case produced a CODIS match to Colwell. A court-ordered DNA sample confirmed the match. Prosecutors said Colwell had been living in DeKalb County at the time of the attack. What's next Because the crime occurred in 1988, Colwell's life sentences fall under the parole eligibility guidelines in place at the time. The Source The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office provided the details on the case. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office provided the mug shot and arrest record.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man sentenced for kidnapping, raping woman in DeKalb nearly 40 years ago
A DeKalb County jury has convicted a man of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in a 1988 cold case. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On May 20, Reginald Colwell, 58, of Albany was found guilty of kidnapping rape, and aggravated assault. The conviction stems from an incident that happened on December 30, 1988. Investigators said a 20-year-old victim went to the DeKalb County Police Department to report that she had been raped. She told investigators she was headed out to meet her boyfriend earlier that evening and heard a noise as she locked her apartment front door. According to authorities, when she turned around, a man in a ski mask put a knife to her throat and forced her into the woods behind the apartment complex on Weatherly Drive in unincorporated Stone Mountain. TRENDING STORIES: Chase in DeKalb ends in serious crash, blocking traffic on I-285 GA parents accused of waiting to report 6-month-old's death while possessing cocaine Atlanta Public Schools approves new $1.3 billion budget, will cut 135 positions Investigators said the man held the 20-year-old at knifepoint and raped her, threatening to kill her if she refused. After the attack, the man told the victim to stay on the ground and ran off. Authorities said the woman then ran to a nearby neighborhood for help. A woman helped the victim call her boyfriend, who then rushed her to the DKPD to file a report. Investigators searched the woods and found the victim's purse and other belongings. The victim was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for a sexual assault exam. According to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office, DNA testing wasn't available at the time of the crime, however, biological evidence collected in the kit was kept by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] In June 2019, evidence from the case was tested with the help of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. From there, they secured a warrant to collect Colwell's DNA sample, pinning him as the suspect in the crime. Investigators learned he was living in DeKalb County in 1988. On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Colwell to two life sentences, plus 20 years, all to be served consecutively.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At Tax Day round table, North Carolinians raise concerns over cuts to health and education
North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Clayton Henkel) Democratic lawmakers held a Tax Day round table with North Carolina residents to hear their thoughts on budget priorities, with constituents singling out cuts to education, health coverage, and other social services as top concerns. The panel, organized by Sen. Graig Meyer (D-Orange) and Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Durham), brought together residents from around the state on Tuesday who largely focused on state and federal cuts to government support as the top issues in their lives, raising fears that basic necessities would become unaffordable for families struggling to make ends meet. The gathering came a day after state Senate Republicans unveiled a budget aimed at cutting taxes and eradicating perceived government 'waste,' amid congressional and Trump administration efforts to strip federal agencies of large chunks of funding. Debbie McMillan, a social services worker from Columbus County, said even before the ongoing cuts to government aid, her community did not receive enough support — and that as grocery prices continue to rise, families are finding it more difficult to survive. 'Most people, if they have a family, they cannot go to work and receive $7.25 an hour and sustain a family,' McMillan said. '[Lawmakers] want to cut food stamps, they want to cut Medicaid, they want to cut all these programs, but the people need these programs to live.' Ellie O'Connor and Judy Colwell, both residents of Wilmington, said the same cost of living issues were hitting vulnerable people in their city as well. O'Connor said the influx of wealthy retirees to New Hanover County in recent years was pricing out longtime residents who can no longer afford the region's rising housing prices. 'We've got a lot of people who are coming to the county with money, which kind of edges [out] the people who have lived there for a long time, but are not making a wage that can support their family,' O'Connor said. 'The housing is a real issue.' Colwell said North Carolina needs to raise the minimum wage to help families keep up with rising prices. A resident of an independent living facility, she said staff members have told her it is 'impossible to raise their children' while working minimum wage jobs — an obstacle to improving the quality of life for North Carolinians and investing in communities. 'The powers that be, I think they just don't understand. You hear the phrase all the time, investing in people,' Colwell said. 'I don't think they understand that taking care of people is to their benefit, because people have more money to buy things and a good education will make people able to supply the jobs that corporations need for their labor force.' Other speakers raised concerns about cuts to public schools and child care, raising concerns that North Carolina is sabotaging its future by failing to properly teach and care for the next generation. Brittany Newton, a member of the Columbus County Deciders, said teachers are quitting their jobs in her community due to insufficient pay. 'So, the classroom sizes are getting bigger and they're not actually able to do one-on-one teaching with kids,' Newton said. 'Some child is being left behind, even though they have a no left behind rule that they're supposed to be doing.' Residents also said the state hadn't done enough to help communities and industries recover from the major disasters of recent years. Katy Rosenbaum, a mother of a young child, said daycares in the state were now being forced to lay off employees because COVID-19 relief funds had stopped before the industry fully recovered. Jen Hampton, a member of Just Economics, said counties in western North Carolina were forced to cut millions of dollars from their school systems in the wake of the disaster, adding that the lack of tax revenue from the disaster would also devastate local health care facilities and other critical public services. She said rental assistance was also a critical need for the region. 'We are advocating for revenue replacement, unrestricted, so that we don't have to cut any more public services,' Hampton said. 'People have lost their jobs or are underemployed if they can find a job, so we really need a lot more help.' After the round table concluded, Meyer thanked residents for sharing their concerns and said he and Murdock would be reviewing the issues they'd raised. He added that they planned to write up and circulate what they'd heard in hopes of helping their colleagues better understand the issues facing everyday North Carolinians. 'It shows that the budget really should reflect the people and the interests of the people — and that every piece of this budget, if you knew what was in it, you would have questions about it, you would have ideas for it,' Meyer said. 'We will certainly continue to advocate as best we can for you.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Deltona vote allows Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr., to avoid penalty over Washington, D.C. trip
Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr., violated the city's travel policy when he went to Washington, D.C., last month. He said so himself at an unprecedented quasi-judicial hearing – a trial where commissioners acted as prosecutors and Avila was the defendant, complete with a lawyer. To attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, and several balls and galas, Avila used a city vehicle and spent $1,750.85 in city funds. City money paid for a hotel and gas to drive with his wife to Washington on Jan. 17, checking out on Jan. 20, and returning the car on Jan. 22. Commissioner Stephen Colwell making a motion to find Avila guilty said the mayor was "fully aware of the policies and procedures of the City of Deltona when he went on this trip. This is the second time he's done it." Commissioner Dori Howington asked to add language that the mayor violated the travel policy. Thus, the motion contained two allegations, not just that he violated policy, but did so knowingly. "He was not accused of two violations. He was accused of one violation,' City Attorney Gemma Torcivia said. So the whole hearing hinged on commissioners proving Avila knowingly violated the policy. And to find Avila guilty in that setting required a supermajority vote of 5-2. After two hours, the vote was 4-3, with Avila joined by Vice Mayor Davison Heriot and Commissioner Emma Santiago in voting no. The mayor and his attorney, Anthony Sabatini, had a clear strategy. Admit the mistake, but argue ignorance of the policy. Complain about too many policies. And suggest those alleging he violated the policy had "political" motives. Colwell has been friends of former Vice Mayor Jody Lee Storozuk, who took the opportunity during a public comment session on Feb. 3 to turn in paperwork to run for mayor against Avila in 2026. But Colwell wasn't the only commissioner who had concerns about the policy violation. Commissioner Dori Howington, who was endorsed by Avila last year, previously had said she hated "being put in this position," but the mayor should have to pay the city back for traveling to a "partisan event." In 2013, the Deltona City Commission renewed a six-year-old policy that commissioners who want to travel out of state must first get approval from the full board. Avila said he wasn't aware of the policy when he booked the hotel and reserved a city vehicle for the weekend of the second inauguration of Donald Trump. He never got commission approval. Colwell attempted to prove Avila was not being truthful by playing a video from a November 2023 meeting, at which a resident, Elbert Bryan, complained during a public comment section that commissioners hadn't been following a travel policy. Sabatini argued the video wasn't evidence, saying the resident didn't cite a specific name or number of the policy and didn't name Avila. No commissioners at the time brought any concerns about Avila's travel to a conference in Mississippi that year, he said. "It was simply one throwaway statement from the crowd out of dozens of public commenters that day," Sabatini said. Avila, who became mayor in 2023, said he never was provided a copy of the travel policy when he was onboarded. He also held up a thick stack of what he said were all of the City Commission's policies. "It's a part-time job," he said. "I have not specifically gone through this big book of policies and procedures." The 2013 policy was a revised update of a 2007 policy. There were no significant differences. Several commissioners also discussed a November 2024 travel policy authored by the city manager. Even though it was said to apply to employees, appointed board members and elected officials, Commissioner Maritza Vasquez-Avila said the policy cannot apply to the commission without the body's approval. But others suggested it complicated matters. "Right, wrong, indifferent, at this point, that it applies to staff, appointed boards and elected officials. I understand that just makes things even more confusing," Heriot said. "We went from two policies, now we've got a third one." Howington made a case that Avila knowingly violated the policy because he previously signed travel reports for mileage reimbursement, which, just above his signature included "that it conforms in every respect with the requirements of the City of Deltona travel regulations." "So you signed this, did you not?" Howington asked. "I did. So now we have a regulation and not a policy. We can play with words all day, Commissioner Howington. "Rules are rules are they not?" Howington responded. Commissioner Nick Lulli asked Avila the purpose of his trip. Avila responded: 'So, there was multiple purposes. Obviously for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. I did get the invitation from Sen. Scott's office regarding the inauguration and a couple other after-hours galas, balls, but none of that cost the city money.' Lulli asked Avila what the U.S. Conference of Mayors is. 'It's mayors from all over the country that come together and they try to work on different policies, procedures," Avila said. "They talk about things that affect your cities.' Ormond Beach, for example, is a member and its mayor, Jason Leslie, attended. The city paid a $3,838 membership fee last July and a $1,500 fee to attend the conference, records show. Lulli established that the conference costs money to attend, and that neither Avila nor the city paid any fee, then asked: "How did you plan to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors if you had not paid for admittance to it?" Avila responded: 'I planned to go in as a guest.' It's unclear whether the Deltona mayor attended any U.S Conference of Mayors daily sessions. Leslie said he "might have seen him in crossing at some point," but the only time he spoke to Avila was at an evening social event. Avila posted on Instagram a photo of himself with three other Florida mayors, including Leslie, at a U.S. Conference of Mayors inaugural reception. Leslie added the U.S. Conference of Mayors required badges to attend both sessions and social hours. The U.S. Conference of Mayors didn't respond to News-Journal questions about whether conference attendees are allowed guests and if so, for which events. Avila didn't respond to requests for comment. During the hearing, he displayed a report he said he had made about the Washington trip. The News-Journal has requested the report as a public record on Thursday. Through Monday, the city had not provided it. Heriot, the vice mayor, proposed a review of the travel policy in the next 30 days. 'We need to put this to bed and be done with it,' he said. Avila said he wants the commission to review all policies every two years, while Heriot pushed for a full index of all policies with the date they were enacted, adding: 'I look forward to clear and concise policy moving forward." This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Deltona mayor will face no penalty for violating policy on D.C. trip
