Latest news with #Herring
BBC News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ulster survive scare against bottom side Dragons
Dragons (24) 30Tries: Owen, Anderson, Williams Cons: Reed 2 Pens: Reed 3Ulster (14) 34Tries: Hume, Herring 2, Wilson, Andrew Con: Doak 3, Cooney Pens: Cooney 2 Ulster survived a huge scare against the Dragons to win 34-30 and keep their hopes of a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship alive. The Dragons, who have only one win to their name all season, pushed Ulster to the edge in Newport and it could have been a famous win if not for Scott Wilson's late solo hosts held a 24-10 lead at half-time as Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson and Rhodri Williams all crossed, while James Hume and Rob Herring responded for who was also sent to the sin bin in the first half, grabbed his second try after the restart but the boot of Will Reed kept the Dragons in replacement prop Wilson stole the ball at a ruck in the Dragons 22 and powered over to score with nine minutes remaining, with John Cooney's late conversion and penalty securing the Murphy's side move level on points with Benetton, who occupy the last play-off place in eight but several teams behind have a game in hand. It was a disastrous start from Ulster, who conceded the first try of the game inside the opening minute. Ulster lost the ball in their own half, which allowed the Dragons to race into the 22. The ball was moved quickly to Owen, who was tackled short but his momentum brought him over the line. Reed landed the conversion to give the Welsh side the perfect from there Ulster put pressure on and, after Herring went close to touching down, James Hume stretched out to dot down under the posts and Nathan Doak was sent to the sin bin by referee Griffin Colby for contact on the head of Matthew Screech in the tackle, and Reed landed the Dragons were almost in again when Rio Dyer was inches away from getting on the end of Reed's kick into the corner, but their dominance was rewarded in the 21st minute when Anderson crossed after the home pack laid the groundwork from the response, Jack Murphy made a superb break into the Dragons half and Joe Westwood was sent to the bin for an infringement Ulster at the ruck. The visitors immediately capitalised from a maul of their own as Herring, back on the pitch, crossed and Doak sent a penalty attempt wide, but the 14 men got more rewards moments later when Stewart Moore lost the ball in the tackle, Anderson beat O'Connor and McCloskey and popped the ball off to Williams and Reed converted. Thrilling second half in Newport Ulster responded well after the restart and Herring, perhaps lucky to be on the pitch after his earlier yellow was not referred to the bunker for review, crossed for his second try of the game. Doak converted, but just like in the first half, the Dragons had an immediate response as Reed landed his second penalty of the match. A big turning point came on the hour mark, when Ulster pressed the Dragons line and looked to have burrowed over for a try but some superb Dragons defence won the penalty turnover. That moment was only compounded when Reed kicked the Dragons nine points clear with a penalty, before replacement Cooney swiftly responded with a kick of his had another opportunity to restore the nine-point margin but his kick came back off the post. That miss was punished as Wilson stole the ball at a ruck in the Dragons' 22, spun away from a tackle and showed tremendous power to cross, and Cooney converted to give Ulster the lead for the first Andrews thought he had added a fifth try in the final minute but it was ruled out for obstruction, but play was brought back for a penalty and Cooney landed a simple kick to help Ulster over the Huw Anderson, Rio Dyer, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen (capt), Ashton Hewitt, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams; Rodrigo Martinez, Elliot Dee, Chris Coleman, Matthew Screech, George Nott, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harrison Keddie, Aaron Brodie Coghlan, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Paula Latu, Steve Cummins, Taine Basham, Dane Blacker, Josh Thomas, Jared Stewart Moore; Michael Lowry, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Callum Reid, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole; Alan O'Connor (capt), Matthew Dalton; David McCann, Nick Timoney, James Andrew, Crean, Wilson, Treadwell, Crothers, Cooney, Morgan, Griffin Colby (SARU)Assistant referees: Rhys Jones (WRU), Gwyn Morris (WRU)TMO: Morne Ferreira (SARU)
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Potter County Commissioners work to address jail overcrowding, seek state help
The Potter County Commissioners heard an update Tuesday from 47th District Attorney Jason Herring regarding judicial case flow and its impact on overcrowding at the Potter County Jail. Herring reported that about 11.5% of the 409 felony cases addressed during the year's first 43 working days were dismissed — well below the statewide average of approximately 30%. 'We're proud of that number because it shows we're not charging people unnecessarily,' Herring said. 'We're mindful of jail space and taxpayer resources.' Commissioner John Coffee asked Herring and Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas about inmate management and expressed hope for state assistance to alleviate jail overcrowding. "We've recently completed several major county projects, including the new courthouse, law enforcement center, vehicle maintenance garage, and ongoing renovations to the jail booking area," Coffee said. "It's too soon to approach taxpayers with another costly jail expansion. If we can get the state to pick up inmates more quickly, we could delay or possibly avoid additional taxpayer costs." Sheriff Thomas noted Potter County currently has active inmate housing agreements with Childress, Garza, Smith, Randall, Scurry and Lynn counties, as well as the recently approved Parmer County. An additional agreement with Runnels County remains under consideration, though Thomas cited logistical concerns because of its considerable distance. 'We evaluated Runnels County primarily to satisfy court requirements,' Thomas said. 'But realistically, the distance creates logistical problems for us.' Commissioners recently explored the state-owned Nathaniel J. Neal Unit — located adjacent to the Clements Unit — as another potential solution for overcrowding. Thomas discussed constraints at the Neal facility, including noncompliance with Texas Jail Standards, lack of air conditioning, and structural challenges due to separate buildings for kitchen, medical, and laundry services. Coffee acknowledged the Neal Unit could have more than tripled Potter County's inmate capacity, but recent evaluations indicated the facility wasn't a viable option. 'The Neal Unit doesn't meet our requirements," Coffee said. "The state is also considering reopening it, which takes it off the table." Despite weekly inmate transfers by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDC), the steady influx of new detainees continues to outpace departures, creating constant strain on local facilities and budgets. 'The TDC comes every Tuesday without fail,' Sheriff Thomas said. 'Paperwork turnaround typically takes two to three days, and pickups continue weekly based on this process.' Chief Deputy Scott Giles further clarified the inmate transfer situation, noting that TDC is typically limited in how many inmates it can take from each county weekly. 'The state usually picks up about 10 inmates from Potter County every Tuesday," Giles said. "However, in emergency situations, TDC can take as many as 40 inmates at one time. We're not quite ready to request that emergency pickup yet, though, because we're trying to hold that option for a potentially more critical situation during summer, when inmate numbers traditionally spike.' Giles emphasized the county has actively reached out to state officials to expedite the inmate pickup process, but challenges remain. Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner expressed frustration with the ongoing overcrowding issue. 'I wish I could wave a magic wand and everyone would stop committing crimes," Tanner said. "That would be awesome, but I don't think that's ever going to happen. No matter how many inmates the state takes, we get twice that many coming in on the weekend." Currently, Potter County houses about 40 inmates in other county jails — a temporary measure incurring significant daily costs. Coffee highlighted recent state salary increases for corrections officers, suggesting that continued improvements in pay could help alleviate staffing shortages and reopen additional state prison capacity. 'The state has nearly a $24 billion surplus,' Coffee said. 'They should seriously consider raising salaries further to attract enough corrections staff. That could significantly ease overcrowding pressures on counties.' Commissioners expressed hope that the planned construction of a state mental health facility in Potter County might also help relieve overcrowding pressures in the coming years, but it would not address the more significant problem of lack of beds statewide. Sheriff Thomas reported the Potter County Jail currently houses 627 inmates, including four women and 19 individuals deemed incompetent. One inmate, declared incompetent for trial, has been in custody for 698 days due to classification issues. Commissioners reiterated that meaningful solutions will require legislative changes, such as shorter inmate pickup timelines or compensation from the state. 'The process is what it is,' Giles said. 'Without legislative changes, the current situation remains largely unchanged.' This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Potter County working to address jail overcrowding issue with state
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
Former north Arkansas pastor pleads guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from church
HARRISON, Ark. – A north Arkansas man pleaded guilty to stealing more than half a million dollars from a church. According to court records, 49-year-old Brian Keith Herring pleaded guilty in Boone County on Monday to theft of property, tampering with physical evidence and second-degree forgery. Arkansas pastor arrested, facing 100 counts of child pornography possession Records state the Boone County Sheriff's Office received a report on Oct. 7, 2021, from a Harrison Faith Assembly of God Church representative about money missing from the church. One representative from the church told police that they had found over $333,594 was missing from various church accounts and they no longer had access to the church's credit card account or the statements from the account. On Oct. 13, 2021, prosecutors said Herring turned in a laptop, an iPad and two phones that belonged to the church, which they noted had been factory reset and all church account information had been deleted from them. Police said an audit revealed that $524,634.24 was taken by Herring and used in credit card purchases and other account transactions. Arkansas woman pleads guilty in New Hampshire federal court to stealing over $300,000 from elderly credit union customers When authorities attempted to contact Herring at his home, they said they found it was empty and listed for sale. Authorities later contacted Herring by phone. Herring was sentenced to serve 17 years probation for the theft of property charge and 10 years probation for the forgery charge. He is also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to the church and serve 800 hours of community service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County commissioners oppose elimination of countywide polling
The Cherokee County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution opposing proposed bills that would eliminate countywide polling and certain electronic devices. House Bill 2990, authored by Rep. David Lowe (R-91), and Senate Bill 76, authored by Sen. Bob Hall (R-2) seek to end the countywide polling place program. H.B. 1001 by Steve Toth (R-15) and S.B. 77, by Hall, would discontinue use of certain electronic equipment such as ballot marking devices and poll books. Cherokee County Elections Administrator Kandace Herring presented the resolution to commissioners at Tuesday's meeting. The resolution expresses the county's reasons for opposing the discontinuance of both countywide polling, which allows a registered voter to cast a ballot at any polling location within the county, and would disallow use of certain electronic devices at the polls. The resolution recognizes the distance residents must travel between home and work and the convenience provided by the countywide polling program, reports an increased voter turnout since Cherokee County implemented the program in 2022, and notes the increased accessibility electronic ballot marking devices provide to people living with disabilities, among other reasons for opposing the proposed bills. 'This is something that election administrators across Texas have been doing, coming forward with these resolutions, getting the support of their commissioners and their county judge and then sending this to our representatives in the House and the Senate saying we're opposed to this elimination,' Herring said. 'It would increase hardship, not only on the county, but the voters themselves.' Angelina, Rusk and Smith Counties, which border Cherokee County, also use the countywide polling program. Angelina County has passed its own resolution similar to Cherokee County. A resolution is on the March 5 agenda for Rusk County, according to Lisa Sanders of the Rusk County Elections Office, and Smith County Election Administrator Michelle Allcon said there were discussions regarding a resolution but nothing has developed. Other neighboring counties – Anderson, Houston and Nacogdoches – do not use the countywide voting system. In an unsolicited email from Common Cause Texas, Policy Director Emily Eby French is quoted as saying, 'Texans have been crystal clear: they like countywide polling. If these legislatures really want to make it 'easy to vote, hard to cheat,' as they say, they should lay off their attacks on this secure and beloved program. As many local election officials have already said, the only thing ending this program would do is make our elections far more expensive and far less accessible.' Herring said those with whom she had discussed the possible end of countywide polling had no valid reason for doing so, at least none that made sense to her. 'I really wish that someone who was against this and supported the elimination of the program could communicate with me their concerns, because it could just be a lack of knowledge on how things work,' Herring said. 'I would love to have a valid argument, or discussion, with someone about why they think this should be eliminated.' Emails sent to individuals in the offices of Lowe and Hall garnered no response before press time. A call to Lowe's office resulted in a redirection to Hall's office. Charlotte Lannon, who answered the phone at Hall's office provided some internal notes. 'This is what we share with other offices curious about the legislative intent of the bill,' she said. Reading from the notes, Lannon said, 'Computers and software have increased the opportunities and frequency of error and fraud in elections in ways never before contemplated and at a level more difficult to detect than ever before. Some election workers have expressed concern that countywide voting creates unique vulnerabilities in election security and, importantly, frustrates chain of custody measures.' The notes, as read by Lannon, also indicated polling locations in countywide polling are often further from people's homes than in precinct-only voting. A bill proposed by Jose Menendez (D-26) and others, H.B. 1001, would eliminate a single point in the election code, essentially expanding the program. Section 43.007 (I), which the proposed bill would remove, reads, 'The secretary of state may only select to participate in the program six counties with a population of 100,000 or more and four counties with a population of less than 100,000.' Cherokee County residents who wish to express their opinions, regarding these or other proposed bills, to their elected representatives, should contact Senator Robert Nichols, District 3, and Representative Cody Harris, District 8. To contact Nichols' office in Austin call 512-463-0103. To reach his Jacksonville office, located at 329 Neches St., call 903-589-3003. To contact one of Harris' offices, dial 512-463-0730 (Austin) or 903-731-4005 (Palestine).
CBS News
20-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Black lawyers speak at an assembly for the South Fayette Township School District
Some students in the South Fayette Township School District got to hear from a group of Black legal experts Thursday. It's part of one school club, Social Handprints Overcoming Unjust Treatment or "SHOUT". The students there chose to attend the assembly. "We sent out an email to our students saying that if anyone is interested in law, they can sign up to come see this event," Malak Saeed, a South Fayette SHOUT Organizer, said. Saeed helped lead the panel of Black lawyers Thursday. "We kind of wanted some more representation in the law field," she said. American Bar Association statistics from last year show that the share of White lawyers declined 10 percent from 2014 to 2024 (88 percent to 78 percent, respectively). Asian (2 percent to 7 percent) and Hispanic (4 percent to 6 percent) representation went up slightly during that time. But with Black people (5 percent in both 2014 and 2024), it stagnated. Blaine Jones, the founding attorney of Blaine Jones Law and one of Thursday's panelists, saw an opportunity to answer statistics like that with a message of defiance. "You don't say to yourself well I can't make it because there's only one female attorney," he said. "Forget that, you be that female attorney." Dr. Chuck Herring helped organize Thursday's venue. He knows the importance of the law. "If we didn't have the law on our side, we wouldn't have Brown vs. the Board of Education so I wouldn't even be in this space right now," Herring said. Herring says this space isn't just for people of color to learn too, there's a message for everyone. "And also our other populations need to see reflections of them to see like, man everybody can do everything when they have an opportunity to do it,'" he said.
