Latest news with #Covell
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Cambridge tutor scheme sees grades rise for Stem students
More than 700 sixth form students have increased their grades and secured places at top universities after taking part in a free weekly tutoring Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) said pupils who took part in Cambridge University's STEM SMART scheme performed better than their university said the project aimed to mitigate educational disruption caused by the pandemic and bridge attainment gaps in maths and science A-level Jardine-Wright, University of Cambridge physics lecturer, said the scheme had the capacity to support every science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) sixth former in state schools for free. The University of Cambridge said the scheme was launched in response to challenges faced by state schools teaching physical sciences, in particular physics. It said in England there was an estimated national shortage of at least 3,500 physics Covell, 18, who is now a first year natural sciences undergraduate at King's College, Cambridge, said Oxbridge had not been on the radar where she lived as most people applied to local universities to save on accommodation studied A-level biology, chemistry and maths at a college near Middlesbrough and was in Year 9 when the first lockdown took place."It definitely helped with catching up on work we'd missed during Covid," she said after completing the Cambridge scheme. "We got behind on some of the content, particularly the more advanced stuff, so it was great to get the extra learning through STEM SMART."Ucas analysis of the scheme compared the first two cohorts (1,120 pupils) with 9,000 pupils from similar backgrounds. It said those who received the tuition were more aspirational and sixth formers from more disadvantaged backgrounds saw the biggest average grade boost. Samuel Iranloye, 19, joined the first cohort while studying A-level maths, further maths, physics and chemistry in south-east London. Now a second-year engineering undergraduate at Churchill College, Cambridge, he said his experiences visiting the university during the scheme influenced his choice."The extra tuition also helped consolidate the learning in school. It also helped me when it came to preparing for my university admission tests," he said. The scheme aimed to address an attainment gap that already existed in the UK, which was then exacerbated by the pandemic, said Ms Jardine-Wright, a co-director of the said: "This is about levelling the playing field and enabling students from educationally disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to access Cambridge and other competitive universities."Ucas found students who engaged the most in the scheme saw their results rise by a grade, were up to four times as successful in achieving A*s as their peers, and were almost twice as successful in securing a place at Oxbridge. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
2 more East Cleveland police indictments
[Watch in the player above: What is the Miranda warning?] CLEVELAND (WJW) — Two more current and former members of the East Cleveland Police Department are now under indictment, one accused of unnecessarily ramming a suspect's car then claiming a workplace injury, another accused of driving drunk with a firearm. A Cuyahoga County grand jury handed up a 10-count indictment charging police officer James Covell, 48, of Eastlake, with felony counts of tampering with records and evidence, telecommunications fraud and obstructing justice, according to a news release from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. Students escape school bus fire in Cleveland Heights On May 9, 2024, while pursuing a vehicle that had fled a traffic stop, Covell allegedly rammed the back of the car when it stopped near Parkhill Avenue and East 130th Street in Cleveland. The 25-year-old man driving the vehicle fled and was later apprehended. Two females who fled the vehicle before the collision were also arrested. After the collision, Covell told fellow officers the suspect vehicle rammed him and even filed a workers' compensation claim stating the car backed into his cruiser, injuring him, before taking off, according to prosecutors. 'It is an honor and a privilege to serve the public and to hold a position of trust,' Prosecutor Michael O'Malley is quoted in the release. 'Officer Covell not only betrayed the trust of the community he swore to protect — he broke the law and will be held accountable.' Acting Police Chief Kenneth Lundy told FOX 8 News that Covell is now on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the case. Lundy said he became aware of Covell's indictment on Wednesday but that he doesn't have 'knowledge surrounding the particulars of the indictment.' Rashad Cotton, 20, of Cleveland Heights, a former East Cleveland police dispatcher, is also charged with one felony count of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, related to a May 24 crash for which Cotton was convicted of drunk driving and vehicular assault and sentenced to prison. At about 2 a.m. on May 24, 2024, Cotton crashed into an RTA bus near the intersection of Euclid and Doan avenues in East Cleveland. Covell responded to the scene and removed an AR-15-style pistol from Cotton's car before Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority police arrived, and did not tell those officers about the firearm, according to prosecutors. After police learned of the gun, Covell handed it over. Cotton was sentenced to nine months in prison on his vehicular assault and OVI charges in December 2024. Currently, he is due for release in September 2025, according to state prison records. Both are scheduled for arraignment on the latest charges on March 14, court records show. 'Gratitude': Burntwood Tavern to close Chagrin Falls, Lyndhurst locations The Cleveland Division of the FBI assisted with the investigation. In the last few years, several East Cleveland officials, including police officers and the former police chief and the current mayor, have come under indictment on allegations of corruption, civil rights violations or other misconduct. 'Make no mistake: There has been a cancer growing in the East Cleveland Police Department,' O'Malley said in 2023. 'We are doing our best to remove every tentacle of that cancer so that this department can rebuild and grow, to put itself in a position to hire officers who enforce the law as well as follow the law.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
No more bagging of leaves for Oregon residents
Feb. 14—OREGON — Oregon residents won't have to bag leaves come next fall thanks to action by city commissioners Tuesday. The council voted 3-0, with two members absent, to purchase a leaf vacuum that will suck up leaves from the curb. The move comes two months after the city rented a leaf vac and offered the curbside service in December as a trial run. "We put this in place last last year and we had nothing but positive reviews," City Manager Darin DeHaan said at Tuesday's meeting. The machine will cost $130,000 and the council has yet to decide on the length of loan for its purchase. Bill Covell, director of public works, said residents will have to rake leaves to the curb for collection. "Our machine will be a ride-on trailer with one person driving and one person riding," Covell said. "It will also pick up grass clippings and it will mulch. It will be able to run 4 to 5 blocks before having to be emptied." Covell said the new machine should lessen wear on the city's $250,000 street sweeper that is currently used to sweep leaves from the street in an attempt to stop stormwater catch basins from clogging. "We are relying on residents to rake the leaves to the curb line, along the length of their property rather than putting them in one big pile," Covell said. "It's a very simple design. It works really well." Covell estimated the life of the machine at 20 years. Oregon's leaf vac will be in production this year, but the city will rent a machine for the fall season from Bonnell, the manufacturer of the new machine. DeHaan said the collected, mulched leaves will be taken to nearby farms to be used for livestock. "I think this is a necessary piece of equipment," said Commissioner Tim Krug. "It will save wear-and-tear on our street sweeper, result in less manpower and be a savings." Oregon is a designated as a Tree City USA and has a substantial number of mature trees. Residents currently bag leaves and place them in compostable bags or reusable cans marked with 'X' along the curb where they are then picked up by city workers. Mt. Morris and Forreston already use a vacuum device to collect fallen leaves within the city limits. Krug, Commissioner Terry Schuster, and Mayor Ken Williams voted to approve the bid for the vacuum. Commissioners Melanie Cozzi and Kurt Wilson were not present at the meeting. DeHaan said more information will be sent to residents explaining the new leaf collection process later this year. Oregon officially became a Tree City USA in April. Tree City USA was created by the Arbor Day Foundation in 1976, according to A community can receive annual Tree City recognition by meeting four standards: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 a resident on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day on the last Friday of April. For information about the tree program or leaf collection, call City Hall at 815-732-6321 or visit
