Latest news with #Estes
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Soldiers' sacrifices remembered at Memorial Day observation
Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes says he often has to explain to people the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Estes was one of the speakers at Monday's Memorial Day ceremony in Broadway. The ceremony was moved inside to American Legion Post 347 because of rain, but that didn't dampen the crowd. More than 100 packed the Legion to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. 'Over the years, I've had to explain the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day to people,' Estes said. 'This is the easiest way I can think of to explain it — I want all of the veterans in the audience to stand up. I want to give them a round of applause. So on veterans day and every day, we can celebrate them for being here. On Memorial Day, we would celebrate the same people that just stood up if one thing would have changed in their lives. If they would have turned a different way or they would have driven a car in a different direction or if someone had taken a different shot, they wouldn't be here today. To me, that's the easiest way to explain it to people. The difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is that we would have been celebrating with these heroes if one thing would have been different.' The ceremony began with the crowd reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before joining Cindy Buchanan in singing the National Anthem. Pastor Eddie Thomas of Juniper Spring Baptist Church then gave the invocation. After Estes spoke, Broadway Mayor Donald Andrews welcomed the crowd and shared a few thoughts, including welcoming the members of Trail Life USA, Troop NC-2717, and American Heritage Girls, Trop NC-1715, who would have presented the colors had the ceremony occurred outdoors. 'I saw them out there yesterday practicing, making sure everything was ready to go,' Andrews said. 'I hate that Mother Nature was a little uncooperative.' Andrews noted that for many, Memorial Day is a three-day weekend to kick off the summer, but for others, it's much more. 'It's a day set aside to remember veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice ensuring our freedom,' he said. Andrews said that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. 'Vietnam veterans are special to me,' he said. 'As many of you know, my dad served in Vietnam. The Vietnam War divided our country. Nonetheless, the men and women who volunteered — or were drafted — carried out orders that our country asked of them. They did not come home to ticker tape parades or celebrations. It's only been in the last 20 years or so that we tried to correct that oversight.' Andrews said, of the more than 58,000 troops killed in Vietnam, 1,600 were from North Carolina and 14 from Lee County. He also shared a list of their names. 'These brave men and women we honor today, some whose names are listed on the memorial wall down the street, answered the call from their country and defended the freedoms and liberties that we are enjoying today. They come from farms, small towns and large cities. Their diversity spans all demographics. When asked to defend this nation, they stood strong in the face of tyranny. I would ask that if you gather later with family and friends, please take a moment to remember them and the 1,354,000 Americans who died defending this country. They made the ultimate sacrifice.' Charles Parks was the final speaker. He served in the Marine Corps. Parks gave a brief history of Memorial Day, which was known as Decoration Day. 'On May 26, 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a proclamation that recognized the tradition of preserving the tradition of what had begun 100 years before,' Parks said. 'Most of you here today recognize the importance of this day to remember the sacrifices that have been made to keep our nation free.' Parks said he has concerns that as older veterans and citizens become complacent, young people do not realize the sacrifices that have been made. 'We are slowly losing factual history,' he said. 'I find that a lot of young people disrespect our flag and those who have served. We are not teaching them to love and respect our nation. They are not being taught that history — real history.' Parks then shared the story of a book that included the story of one of his wife's uncles, who was killed in World War II. 'My wife and her sisters, who were born after he was killed, knew nothing but a picture and a name until two years ago, when we found a book that had almost a total history of his life in the service. After his sister passed, we found this book — for uncle John Burleson.' The book contained information about his service as a medic. 'If they had not made the effort, we would not know anything about his service,' Parks said, noting that Burleson landed on Omaha Beach a month after D-Day and worked to take care of the wounded until he was killed in France. Parks concluded by telling the crowd that they need to pass down their stories to preserve the history for future generations. 'There is no reason not to have recorded history,' he said. 'We have multiple avenues to record your history.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Surprisingly Great Assets Retirees Don't Think To Invest In
You may be thinking beyond the traditional investment opportunities, such as stocks and bonds, when looking for options during retirement. While those can provide solid returns, there may be lots of other options to consider. Be Aware: Find Out: Some financial experts shared with GOBankingRates their recommendations for assets that may be worth a look. Kevin Estes, CFP, founder of Scaled Finance, recommended home upgrades. He said they may be worth the hassle and cost and provide a positive return on investment. Estes also said adding an accessory dwelling unit could generate rental income and improve the property's value. Learn More: Another option that could be considered is startup investments. 'Investing in a small business or local startup could be a good investment,' Estes said. 'While there's certainly risk, a retiree may improve the odds by sharing their connections, experience and other resources.' According to Andrew Lokenauth, a money expert from Fluent in Finance, luxury watches have been one of his favorite recommendations lately. 'I suggest looking beyond the obvious choices to smaller watchmakers,' Lokenauth said. 'These pieces typically appreciate 5% to 10% annually, and they're a blast to collect. One of my clients started with a $15,000 piece and has built an impressive collection worth over $100,000.' Lokenauth called rare coins 'hidden gems.' 'I'm talking about specific niches like early American copper coins or certain mint errors. The key is specializing — I've got clients who've seen 15% to 20% returns by focusing on particular series or years,' he said. 'A client's time horizon, cash flow constraints and risk tolerance guide the appropriate mix of assets for their investment portfolio,' said Marguerita Cheng, CFP, CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth. 'Sometimes clients may neglect to include emerging markets, international or small cap stocks in their portfolio because these asset classes are perceived to be too risky or volatile.' In addition, Cheng said commodities can be valuable additions to an investment portfolio and serve as an inflation hedge. More From GOBankingRates 25 Places To Buy a Home If You Want It To Gain Value This article originally appeared on 5 Surprisingly Great Assets Retirees Don't Think To Invest In
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
New Barry University men's basketball coach working to return Bucs to glory
After a quarter-century as an assistant men's basketball coach, Justin Furr is finally running his own program – and he's not going to get out-worked. Furr, 48, was named Barry University's men's basketball coach on May 1, replacing Butch Estes, who retired after 12 years with the Bucs. 'I'm excited,' Furr said. 'It feels like I'm coming home.' That's because Furr – who is a native of North Carolina and played college ball at Wingate – had some of his most successful years at Barry as Estes' assistant coach. In Furr's five years at Barry, the Bucs went to the NCAA Division II Tournament each time. And, in Furr's final season as a Barry assistant, the Bucs made it to the Elite Eight for the second time in three years. They also won an exhibition game over Auburn, which went on that year to win the SEC regular-season championship. 'I'm delighted with the choice,' Estes said of the Furr hiring. 'I don't think they could've hired anybody who fits Barry better. 'Justin was responsible for recruiting many of the players that took us to the highest levels of Division II basketball. And, since he left Barry, he prepared himself even more to become a head coach.' Indeed, in the past seven years since leaving Barry, Furr was a Division I assistant coach, first at Florida Gulf Coast and then at Indiana State, the school made famous by Larry Bird. In Furr's three seasons at Indiana State, the Sycamores went 69-38, including a 32-7 record and a berth in the NIT championship game in 2023-2024. That was Indiana State's best record in 44 years. Which leads us to how hard Furr has been working at Barry. After getting hired last week, Furr left his home in Terre Haute, Indiana at 3:30 a.m. to catch a 6 a.m. flight to Miami. From there, he and assistant coach Kevin Donahue worked until 10:30 p.m. as they strive to put together a roster for the 2025-2026 season. 'Not every day is going to be like that,' Furr said. 'But the next day was a 14-hour day. There are long days in this job, but I'm thrilled with the reception I've gotten from local high school and junior-college coaches. It's been awesome.' The Bucs are coming off a 12-17 season, which is a long way down from the 117-37 record that Estes posted with Furr as his assistant. In those five seasons, Barry's average record was 23-7. Since then, Sunshine State Conference rival Nova Southeastern University hired coach Jim Crutchfield, and the Sharks have dominated the league … and the country. Over the past three years, NSU has won two national titles and finished second once, leaving schools such as Barry in the proverbial dust. 'Coach Crutchfield has a unique style, and I have the utmost respect for him,' Furr said. 'He has put a stranglehold on the league, but we're going to try to match up with them.' Furr said that, going forward, Barry will be analytically driven, meaning a fast offense that hunts layups and 3-pointers. The object will be to score in the first 15 seconds of every possession. Barry, which will primarily run a man defense, has six scholarship players returning. That includes five players who started games last season: Malik Stanley; Michael Bradley III; Adren Roberts; Akeem Crandon; and Sami Elkamel. Furr said he is looking to sign three or four more players, and he is optimistic he will find some gems. 'There are so many players available now due to the transfer portal,' Furr said. 'There are players visiting our campus that we never could've gotten previously. 'I'm just trying to be patient.' Furr said he is confident he can bring Barry back to where it was one decade ago. 'It's not going to be built in a day,' Furr said. 'But we're looking for players with competitive character – guys who will give you their best no matter the circumstances. 'We want problem solvers and not excuse makers.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Theodore family shocked after lightning strike leads to surprise discovery
THEODORE, Ala. (WKRG) — A Theodore family is still in shock after what they believe was lightning that struck their home Thursday morning. Mobile County school bus crash under investigation 'The power of Mother Nature,' Homeowner Jeff Estes said. Around 9 a.m. Thursday, Estes was cooking breakfast when suddenly he heard an explosion and a shock of electricity through his body. 'From head to toe, I went down to my knees actually,' Estes said. Meanwhile, across the house his daughter nearly lost her life. 'She went screaming down the hall, saying, 'Are you okay, daddy?'' Estes said. 'I said 'Are you okay, Haley?'' Where his daughter's room is, lightning struck outside of the house, shocking through the brick and exploding inside right next to her bed. Lightning also struck a tree outside, splitting it in half. The tree fell on the house and Estes' truck. As he was checking out the damage, they found three baby squirrels soaking wet after they fell from the tree. The mother squirrel was nowhere to be found. The Estes family decided to take them in and care for them. 'Their eyes aren't even open yet, we're feeding them with a little thimble thing,' Estes said. Estes said that he is thankful his family is okay and has three new additions to the family. US Marshals offering $5K reward for information on Mobile criminal 'God was looking out for us and yesterday was National Prayer Day and I always pray for my family every morning,' Estes said. 'I did that day, yesterday and it paid off.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
York Selectboard rejects ethics complaint against Mike Estes over Trump spat
YORK, Maine — The Selectboard will not be taking action against its member Mike Estes over a complaint that he violated the board's code of ethics when he made 'disparaging remarks' to the town historian in March. The Selectboard held an executive session just 15 minutes before their meeting Monday, April 28, to discuss the complaint filed by resident Kiki Tidwell. The complaint alleged Estes made the remarks to town historian James Kences at the March 10 meeting after Kences criticized President Donald Trump. Board Chair Todd Frederick said at the 7 p.m. start of the public meeting that the board entered the executive session and decided no action on the ethics complaint was necessary. He then asked board members one final time if they wanted to act on the complaint and, seeing no response, concluded the discussion. 'The understanding of myself is that, from our executive session, is that members do not believe a formal investigation was warranted at this time,' Frederick said. Estes has not spoken on the complaint, filed with the town on March 26. He is retiring from the Selectboard after 15 years in May, choosing not to run for re-election. Tuesday, he said he was waiting for the complaint process to play out before speaking. He was thankful the board did not find him in violation of the ethics code. 'It's too bad I'm leaving my career after 25 years (total in politics) with this little mark against it,' Estes said, 'But I really knew that I didn't violate the code of ethics, so I'm happy.' Tidwell said she was disappointed the board took no action against Estes. 'I believe in the rule of law and that everybody follows the same rules,' Tidwell said, 'So, I believe people should follow the same rules they expect of all citizens.' More: Does Trump's ban on paper straws impact York's new ban on plastic straws? In the meeting on March 10, Kences spoke at Citizens' Forum about the lawsuits stemming from Trump's executive actions. He regularly appears to speak on town history but has spoken against Trump since the president's reelection. 'To him, nothing is sacred,' Kences said of Trump before the Selectboard on March 10. 'The now over 100 lawsuits directed at overturning his policies are all the proof that any of us need that, to him, the oath, the office, the government, the American people, are all subjects of his contempt.' As Kences walked away from the podium that evening, Estes addressed Kences, saying, 'It gets sickening every night when you get up here. 'One thing was history,' Estes said to Kences. 'But your personal opinions of politics is not something that should happen at this podium. There are other podiums for that.' Frederick said at the meeting that Kences was allowed to make such comments as a citizen. Tidwell's complaint alleged Estes' comment was 'derogatory,' 'abusive,' and 'disparaging,' asking Estes to publicly apologize and resign. Others in town spoke during the Citizens' Forum in April questioning whether Kences' comments on non-town related issues should be allowed. Residents like Greg Gosselin said his concern was people getting up and speaking about 'their own personal convictions.' 'It's not about free speech,' Local veteran Wade Fox said during the April 14 Selectboard meeting. 'It's about using the right free speech at the right time in the right venue about the right subjects because you have more than enough to deal with.' More: Nectar Café at Bell Farm Shops reopens in York with new flavors and fresh faces Selectboard members did not elaborate on their decision not to take action on Monday. Frederick did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday but said previously he was a 'strong advocate of free, open speech,' as long as people are respectful and polite. Selectboard member Marla Johnson declined to comment on Estes because it is a personnel matter. She said the debate is 'always healthy,' though, and said that Kences did well in tying the town to federal actions in his comments in the most recent meeting. 'I'm fine with people speaking their mind within the guidelines we've set forth and fine with people seeing things a different way,' Johnson said. 'As far as I'm concerned, the matter's closed.' Kences has previously said he intends to continue speaking about global events at the Citizens' Forum. In his remarks Monday, he listed numerous ways that decisions by the Trump administration could affect York directly. Kences said that included seasonal workers facing the threat of 'illegal kidnappings' by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as that fewer Canadians are expected to return for vacation in Maine this year in the wake of Trump's spat with Canadian leaders over tariffs. 'One hundred days of this administration, and already this town has been reached by its harms,' Kences said. 'So, you can see Citizens' Forum is very much a suitable venue for these remarks.' Estes said he also is a proponent of free speech. He maintains that personal opinions about politicians have no place at public town meetings and called the targeting of any candidate on either side of the aisle 'hate speech.' 'Never did I say anything about Mr. Kences for getting up and talking about history,' Estes said. 'It's just when it went to hate speech, I didn't think it was the proper venue.' This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York Selectboard rejects ethics complaint against Mike Estes
