Latest news with #Diehl
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Childcare deficit in northwest Illinois drives need for YMCA expansion
FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO) — The YMCA of Northwest Illinois currently provides childcare services to over 100 children, and is planning to expand to a larger location to double that capacity. Stephanie Diehl, the executive director for youth development, says the need for caretakers in the area is dire. 'I believe when they collected data two years ago, they said we were short 1,200 slots in our region,' she said. 'We have a waiting list, especially with infants, toddlers and twos that exceeds over 60 kids. And we get calls every single day, for every single age group, with parents asking us if we have room for childcare,' Diehl added. The YMCA's 'Vision 2030' plan will move the organization from the campus of Highland College to a nearby facility. 'The vision includes creating a healthy living campus, which will serve as a community hub for childcare services, early childhood education, as well as health and wellness activities for Northwest Illinois residents,' Diehl explained. 'Creating a healthy living campus will allow the Y to expand its offerings, enhance the Y member experience, and allow for co-located partners to better serve the community.' She said reducing the deficit in childcare providers will not only impact kids and parents, but the entire community. 'I hear, employers, businesses, that can't hire their staff because their staff don't have childcare or their potential staff. The school district has talked about not being able to hire teachers because after they have a baby, to [be able to] return back after maternity leave, they don't have childcare for their kids,' Diehl said. 'One of the biggest things families look for is reliable childcare. And if there's not reliable childcare, then they don't relocate to our area.' The YMCA of Northwest Illinois hopes to have the new childcare facility open sometime in 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Growing gains: LHS PTECH program evolves after successful two years
The PTECH program at Logansport High School welcomed in their third class of students Wednesday night at the McHale Performing Arts Center, and with those 24 new students come some other changes as the program evolves. The program is changing its name from PTECH (Pathways to Technology Early College High School) to PCAP (Pathways in Careers and Postsecondary) to match the name change at the state level. PCAP students (called scholars in the program) will also study at The Academy, {span}410 W. Miami Ave.,{/span} beginning in the fall. There are some exceptions for the two classes of scholars that came before them. Next year's junior students, the original class, will remain at LHS through the remainder of high school. The junior year is called Chapter Three in PCAP. Those students in the program who will be sophomores in the fall (Chapter Two) will do split days between the high school and The Academy. 'It was really important to us to keep these students as LHS students so that they also have the option of participating in extracurricular activities and athletics, particularly with our (incoming sophomores) because nine of the 16 are in athletics,' said Christy Diehl, secondary curriculum director. New scholars to the program will attend The Academy where the former library will be converted into a PCAP learning space. The Chapter One scholars recently toured the space and began designing a classroom layout for the room as part of a workplace challenge. 'We are super excited to be able to host this program here on this campus,' said Diehl. Greg Grostefon, principal at The Academy, will oversee PCAP and will be joined by Amy Werner, the school's new assistant principal. LCSC educators Grace Scott and Chris Middleton will also be onboard as lead learners. Grostefon said that The Academy's nontraditional class schedule and structure made PCAP a perfect fit for the school. Many of the students at The Academy take classes online or have a schedule combining in person and online instruction. 'I think it's important to note that education isn't one size fits all,' said Diehl. 'Having an opportunity like The Academy gives students who need something different hope at the end when they weren't really sure what they may be doing or how they would fit in to a bigger school. That comes to stigma breaking, too. When it comes to alternative education people have one idea in mind. I know that Greg all the time has the doors open and says 'please come in and see what we are doing' because it's incredible.' 'Our kids are here because they need something different and they are here for a lot of different reasons,' said Werner. 'Different comes in a lot of forms but they are getting their education. They are going to graduate. That's the biggest gift we can give to them.' Wednesday night, current program scholars spoke of the importance that it had already played in their lives after just one or two years. Roslyn Morgan, a scholar finishing Chapter Two of the program, recounted the difficulties she had in a traditional classroom due to shyness and a lack of self confidence. She reluctantly signed up for PTECH when it started but with the expectation she would eventually drop out and have no future in life. 'I wouldn't have been able to even speak here tonight without PTECH,' she said. 'It's difficult to put into words how much this program has helped me. I felt like I didn't have a voice before this program. It scared me to speak my opinions because it felt like every idea I had was stupid. I hated it, going to school and just being silent almost the entire day. That fear and insecurity held me back greatly, and it's something I still struggle with. PTECH, however, helped me start that turning point.' Now Morgan is on her way to earning an associate degree in building construction technology through Ivy Tech as part of the program and has plans to continue her education at Purdue. Noah Overmyer, a Chapter One scholar, said he lacked interest in school before joining the program, comparing the traditional classroom as a prison cell. His GPA was nearly nonexistent. However, once he started into the program he found himself excited to have the opportunity to do hands on learning projects instead of days spent with textbooks. I told myself this is the place I want to be,' he said Wednesday night. 'And what I like the most about (the program) is that is has helped me so much. I stopped getting into trouble, I got my GPA up and I'm always getting my work done on time.' One of the major resources that PCAP offers is its community partnerships that allow scholars to go into local businesses and participate in workplace challenges. Local business leaders will give the scholars a very real problem in the workplace that the scholars must then solve and present their solution to those leaders. They've even had opportunities to work with Mayor Chris Martin and Deputy Mayor Jacob Pomasl. Local business leaders will also provide feedback to the students based on classroom project presentations. Werner praised the partners for their commitment to the students. '(They are there) helping these kids become good humans and pouring into them and giving them the direction they need to be successful,' she said. The Academy will host its third commencement ceremony at McHale beginning at 6.p.m. on Thursday, March 22.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WNYPGA Tip of the Week: Club fitting provides ton of benefits
Most golfers don't consider a club fitting unless they are considering a new equipment purchase. It's a perfect to be fitted, but it doesn't have to be the only time. Callaway master fitter Jim Yeager has helped out players ranging from PGA Tour pros to square one beginners. We caught up with Yeager at Jackson Golf in Webster while he was working with former Tour pro and Rochester native Terry Diehl. After a decade on Tour during the 70's and 80's, Diehl is now 75 years old and deals with the same aches and pains as most his age. He still plays often and, like any other player, is still hoping to find a few more yards and a few more straight shots. Yeager's job isn't to just sell the most expensive club or even the newest technology. He's just trying to find the right pieces to make a client's swing better and, in the case of someone like Diehl, hurt the body a little less. 'As a PGA professional, I understand the golf swing piece. As a master club fitter, I understand what the golf clubs can do,' Yeager says. 'My job is to try to figure out what part is golf swing induced and what part is golf club induced.' Yeager has seen improvements in golf technology hit the market like a firehose. The difference between a five year old driver and a current model is 'massive'. However, he cautions that the newest and most expensive is not going to be right for every player. Even those with an unlimited budget. The arsenal Yeager brings to most club fittings is equally massive. He has enough clubhead and shaft combinations to build 1,200 different drivers. It's why he cautions players not to decide a particular style shaft, lie angle or loft is the best tool for them. 'You are not going to find that on your own,' he says. 'I can.' Fittings are almost always done in simulators with oodles of data for feedback. The first stat Yeager eyeballs is ball speed because it's the best indicator of distance. However, that data can't be the entirety of the feedback he processes. 'It can be perfect on the machine and awful to the player and that doesn't work. And if it's great to the player and awful on the machine, that doesn't work. We're trying to walk that fine line,' he says. Yeager says to treat club fittings like tuning up a car. It's something that should happen every so often. It's not just new equipment that might change a swing. Changes in body strength and flexibility or even taking a few lessons can alter what club might work best. Club fittings usually can't be done for the entire bag in one session. First of all, Yeager says the average player only has 30 or so swings in them before the data starts to be skewed by fatigue. He suggest a driver fitting could be one day, with irons another and wedges a different day. He's also adamant that putter fittings should be as regular as the rest of the clubs. He laments that even most pros have never been fitted for a putter. Don't forget about getting fitted for the correct ball. Yeager points out that golf and bowling are the only sports where the player gets to choose their own style of ball. 'Really need to go through the process with each piece,' Yeager says. 'Is it harder? Does it take more time? Yeah, but it's worth doing to make sure that it's right for you.' Some players might see a golf fitting as something akin to a root canal. Painful experiences where the professional lectures about what you've done wrong while trying to fix the issue. That's not what Yeager wants. He's hoping it's a fun experience where players learn about the swing in general and their swing in particular. An experience he hopes is 'cool'. 'I want you to walk out of this feeling like I didn't change your golf swing,' Yeager says. 'All I do is find stuff that enhances the way you already play.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Housing developers eye project on former Plainwell mill site
PLAINWELL, Mich. (WOOD) — Two housing developers pitched their proposals Monday night for a project that would take up part of the former Plainwell paper mill site. The mill has been closed since 2000. The city of Plainwell purchased the plant in 2006 from Allegan County. In 2022, demolition and environmental remediation were completed. City officials sent out a request the following year for proposals of what to put on the site. In that request, city officials offered 15 acres along the Kalamazoo River and M-89. It expressed a desire for residential attached options like townhomes and lofts with a central gathering place and amenities. MPART identifies 2 new PFAS contamination sites in West Michigan Representatives from Allen Edwin Homes and Watts Home and Construction shared different proposals during Monday's city council meeting. Ben Diehl with Allen Edwin Homes said homes designed for the project would be 3- to 4-bedroom homes. Diehl said while his company's draft has one section planned out, there are options to work on what the riverfront would look like. The proposal does not exactly match the city's desire for apartments and townhomes in the initial request, Deihl said. But the Allen Edwin Homes team looks to draw in a dense neighborhood. 'We aim for trying to bring in a very tight community, a lot of front porches that fronts the road. and then interior space with a common element like playground, something on the inside,' he said. The idea is to draw residents toward downtown and the riverfront. Diehl said the proposal looks to address the 'missing middle,' or the lack of housing options between single-family homes and major apartment complexes. He said the development could offer a mix of both rental houses and retail space. $25M in funds to go to two W MI affordable housing projects 'This is aimed at your firefighters, your teachers, the people who make the community what it is. The people you want to keep here, retain them over the long term,' he said. Matt Watts with Watts Home and Construction said his company's proposal would bring around 40 single-family homes with 45 to 50 condos. Their focus would be on owner-occupied homes. Their plan drafts a neighborhood along the Kalamazoo River and a condo area closer to the downtown area. 'What Plainwell needs is smaller, affordable, attainable housing that the firefighters, police officers, schoolteachers and the general community can afford,' said Watts. Houses in the draft range from 728-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath homes to 1,677-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath houses. Condos in the draft could be a combination of two- or four-unit homes. Developer revising Gaslight Village plan, East Grand Rapids says 'I want to get the community input because if we're talking about doing condos, it's most likely young people, people who live here now. So we want to know what they want or how big they want it. Two car, one car garage. But we have all the flexibility in the world,' said Watts. Both developers and city officials said a tax increment financing would be part of both proposals. That means eligible costs of constructing infrastructure, like roads, would later be reimbursed to the developer through tax generated by the development. Once that is paid off, the tax revenue would go to the city. City manager Justin Lakamper said construction is not happening any time soon. Any approval will be carefully decided. 'We are going to be judging proposals on dollar value but also on value brought to the community as a whole. So this is the first step in a long process, and we will be seeking community input and community support along the way. But hopefully, we will have a new housing development by the river,' he said. City officials say a developer will be picked at a future meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Arabian Post
12-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Tenchijin Inc. Announces Partnership with PWS in Malaysia for KnoWaterleak Distribution
This strategic partnership combines Tenchijin's innovative satellite-based water leak detection technology with PWS's extensive network and expertise in the Malaysian water sector. PWS, which currently serves as the exclusive distributor for global industry leaders such as Diehl, Nivus, and Aichi Tokei, will leverage its established relationships with major water utilities to accelerate the adoption of KnoWaterleak throughout Malaysia. Strategic Partnership Benefits The collaboration aims to address critical water infrastructure challenges in Malaysia through: – Integration of KnoWaterleak's satellite-based monitoring system with existing water management infrastructure – Enhanced leak detection capabilities for water utilities across the three regions – Improved water conservation and infrastructure maintenance efficiency Executive Comments Yohei Nishiyama – VP of Business Development, Tenchijin Inc | Japan 'Our partnership with PWS represents a significant milestone in our expansion into Southeast Asia. Malaysia's commitment to water infrastructure modernization perfectly aligns with our mission to revolutionize water management through space technology. Through this collaboration, we aim to demonstrate how satellite technology can transform the way we manage and conserve water resources. This partnership will not only benefit the Malaysian water sector but also serve as a model for sustainable water management across Southeast Asia.' Mr. Desmond Lim, Managing Director, Premier Water Services 'PWS recognizes the transformative potential of KnoWaterleak's technology for Malaysia's water utilities. This partnership strengthens our portfolio of innovative solutions and reinforces our commitment to advancing water infrastructure management. By combining our extensive network and expertise with Tenchijin's cutting-edge satellite technology, we are confident in our ability to deliver unprecedented value to water operators across Johor, Selangor, and Penang. This collaboration marks a new chapter in Malaysia's journey towards smarter, more efficient water management systems.' Market Implementation The initial rollout will focus on: – Comprehensive coverage of water networks in Johor, Selangor, and Penang – Integration with existing water management systems – Technical support and training programs for local utilities Hashtag: #Tenchijin #KnoWaterleak #SatelliteTechnology #WaterLeakage #Sustainability #LeakageDetection The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About PWS PWS is Malaysia's leading water solutions provider, with extensive experience in water utility management and strong relationships with major water operators across the country. As the exclusive distributor for several global water technology leaders, including Diehl, Nivus, Aichi Tokei, and TECHNOLOG UK, PWS has established itself as a trusted partner in Malaysia's water infrastructure sector. About Tenchijin Tenchijin Inc. is a pioneering space technology company that develops innovative solutions for infrastructure management. Its flagship product, KnoWaterleak, utilizes satellite technology and advanced algorithms to detect and prevent water leaks, contributing to sustainable water resource management globally. Company Overview Company name: Tenchijin, Inc. Address: Room 3, Ground Floor, Block 2330, Century Square, Jalan Usahawan, Off, Persiaran Multimedia, 63000, Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia Representative: Yasuhito Sakuraba, CEO Business content: land evaluation consulting using satellite data About Tenchijin COMPASS KnoWaterleak Tenchijin COMPASS KnoWaterleak is an advanced cloud-based mapping service that leverages satellite data and AI technology to support efficient leak inspections for water utilities and contractors. Using data from multiple satellites and open data sources, it identifies high-risk areas for leaks within 100m square zones. A key feature of the system is its integration with digital water supply registers and distribution pipe maps, enabling centralized management of leak risk through a 5-level evaluation system. The intuitive interface enables real-time data monitoring, facilitating rapid leak detection and repair planning. See also Blue Cross Surpasses Market Average with Over 20% Growth in 2024 Through regular registration and management of leak locations, the AI continuously reassesses risk levels based on accumulated data, improving accuracy over time. Field demonstrations conducted with the Cabinet Office and various municipalities in 2022 have shown potential cost reductions of up to 65% in inspections and time savings of up to 85% in investigations. The system has received high recognition for its technical excellence and ease of implementation, earning the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Prize at the 7th Infrastructure Maintenance Grand Prize. Special site for Tenchijin COMPASS KnoWaterleak For inquiries regarding the expansion of Tenchijin COMPASS KnoWaterleak in Asia, please contact the following: Asia Business Development Div. Contact: [email protected]
