Latest news with #Honeycutt
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hoover's Heroes: ‘Selfless, devoted' pre-k teacher dedicates nearly 2 decades in classroom
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – For young mothers, especially working moms, if they can't be home with their babies, they want a happy, loving place that feels like a community. In Huntsville's Chapman Mountain, you'll find a special place where News 19 heard from a parent who wants to show a particular teacher how much she is loved and appreciated. 'The Birthday Fairy' brings the magic for children on their birthday in the Shoals 'She's the most selfless, kind, humble, loving teacher ever,' Melissa Owens said. It's the last day before summer break, and Pre-K teacher Robbie Honeycutt can't help but get a little lump in her throat. 'It is very emotional. You get very attached to your children,' Honeycutt said. For 18 years, Robbie has taught the little ones at Epworth United Methodist Mom's Day Out Pre-K and Kindergarten. Hoover's Heroes: Teacher who is a 'guiding light' for both students and staff That's 18 years of class photos, morning carpet time and last days of school. She loves her job of teaching children at such a magical time in their lives. That's because Honeycutt says once children reach kindergarten, time seems to go fast. Feeling all the emotions of the day is Melissa Owens. Her son Maverick is in Honeycutt's class and he's the last of Melissa's children to come through Epworth. 'Epworth has been home,' said Owens. Owens is fighting back tears because Honeycutt has played such a big part of her family's life. Honeycutt is someone she calls a hero to all her preschoolers. 'She's a hero not just to me but to the community here at Epworth,' said Owens. Melissa nominated Honeycutt to be recognized as a Hoover's Hero, writing in to News 19 about her selflessness and dedication to going above and beyond in the classroom. 'We love on them a lot. I have great co-teachers. You may come in in a bad mood and you saw Maverick saying I love you. You just get a hug and it makes your day much better,' Honeycutt said. Hugs are a big part of the day for Honeycutt's class because life sometimes gets hard, even in the Pre-K. 'I'm not going to push a child away. If they want a hug, I'm not going to do that. I just love them. If they want to hug me then I'm going to hug them back,' Honeycutt said. While learning their letters and writing their names is the goal before kindergarten, life lessons mean just as much. 'Treat others how you would want to be treated,' Honeycutt said. Owens says they are lessons taught by a teacher who always puts others before herself and never asks for anything in return. 'She doesn't know that she deserves it and doesn't realize how loved she is,' Owens said. To nominate a hero in your community, you can fill out the form for Hoover's Heroes here. Then watch News 19 at 5 every Monday to see your hero and others get the recognition they deserve! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charleston Co. council discusses priorities for ‘Housing Our Future' plan
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County council voted on priorities for their 'Housing Our Future' plan. Staff members will focus on collaborating with municipal partners to align zoning and other land use regulations and expanding home repair resources for seniors and low-income homeowners. The third priority was tied with two strategies, continuing to explore and support housing authority coordination and providing capacity building and technical assistance resources to nonprofit and emerging housing developers. Housing Our Future was enacted in 2023. Since then, county staff have accomplished two objectives including establishing a housing trust fund and securing land for future units. They have worked with the South Carolina Community Loan Fund and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to implement both of these programs recently. 'So, council adopted the 'Housing Our Future' plan almost two years ago now, which is our plan and our commitment towards starting to resolve the housing affordability crisis in the county,' Eric Davis, director of housing development and land management, said. The county has several affordable housing projects under their belt including the Archer School Apartments, Esau Jenkins Village, and the North Bridge Townhomes. According to council member Jenny Costa Honeycutt, recent studies show that the county is thousands of units behind for the predicted population growth. She added the overall, the goal for this plan is to increase housing in the market to ensure affordability. 'So, in order to help stabilize the pricing, we just need more housing. It's sort of this blessing and curse where a lot of people want to be, but it's our challenge as leaders to balance that and to make sure that we are providing the appropriate response,' said Honeycutt. Council is expected to debate and vote on their top three priorities out of the 25 strategies left. This is expected to determine what kinds of programs county staff put together to then bring back to leaders to consider and put in action. 'There's a whole slew of different types of strategies. There's ones based on partnerships, ones based on policy changes, others that require potentially some changes at state legislation, and then of course those related to resources,' Davis said. Officials said some of these strategies may take six months or years to implement. 'But there are some low-hanging fruit, I would say, that we could accomplish. For instance, changing some of our zoning laws to accommodate or better allow for the goals we have in this area. Where density is appropriate – identifying those areas and making sure that folks are able to build in those areas,' Honeycutt said. 'As you know we have a housing shortage in the area, and it's a basic supply and demand issue.' The meeting began at 6 p.m. They are expected to discuss the agenda item in the special finance committee and county council meetings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two more candidates announce they're running for Knoxville City Council
Candidates are stepping up for the new election system for the Knoxville City Council. The nonpartisan primary election for city council will be Aug. 26 and the general election is Nov. 4. Candidates have until May 15 to enter the race. This election will look different. Candidates will only have to win the approval of residents in their own district, rather than voters from across the city. Experts told Knox News the new system, which was endorsed by Knoxville voters in 2024, might yield more neighborhood-focused campaigns. Voters in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 will choose their council members in this cycle. Elections for the District 5 seat coincide with elections for mayor, municipal judge and the three at-large seats on the other cycle. In 2027, District 5 residents will elect someone to serve two years so that in 2029, all six districts will vote together. The newest people to enter the race are Nathan Honeycutt, who is running to represent District 2, and Nathan Ramey, who is running to represent District 3. All of the current city council members whose seats are up are term limited. That means each race is wide open, so stay tuned to see who else will run. Nathan Honeycutt hopes to represent West Knoxville, including the Sequoyah Hills, West Hills and Bearden neighborhoods. Honeycutt, 45, is an architect and principal at McCarty Holsaple McCarty, the Knoxville-based firm making its home at the Sanitary Laundry Building. 'As a father, local business owner, and architect, I understand what it takes to build great communities," Honeycutt said in a release. "For years, I've been helping families and businesses build toward their dreams ‒ and our city has blessed my family and me in more ways than I can count." Honeycutt hopes to support sustainable development, enhance greenspaces, modernize infrastructure and promote affordability, the release said. Frank Ramey is running to represent northwest Knoxville, including the Norwood, Cumberland Estates and West Haven neighborhoods. Ramey, 37, is an SEO and digital marketing consultant and real estate investor. "I'm running for City Council because I want to ensure Knoxville remains a place where all children can thrive and choose to stay," Ramey's website says. "We need to focus on making our city affordable again while maintaining the safety of our neighborhoods and creating economic opportunities that will keep talented young people here after graduation." Ramey wants to advocate for property tax relief programs, lead a safety upgrade for Western Avenue, implement a policy requiring developers to hold community meetings before major projects and secure funding for "better servicing of public trash cans," according to his website. In 2024, two candidates took initial steps to run for council. Karyn Adams hopes to represent South Knoxville and the Fort Sanders neighborhood. Adams, 52, is principal and creative director for H·A ThirtyOne, a higher education-focused marketing and communications company that supports the recruitment and communication strategies for colleges and universities in the Southeast, Midwest and Northeast. Matthew DeBardelaben is running to represent northeast Knoxville, including the Alice Bell and Fountain City neighborhoods. DeBardelaben, 52, is an estate broker with Avison Young, a commercial real estate agency, and an activist with the American Institute of Architects. He's on the Knoxville Downtown Alliance board and Knoxville's design review board, a branch of the planning commission. Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Four candidates are running for Knoxville City Council (so far)
Buzz Feed
30-01-2025
- Health
- Buzz Feed
Certain Headphones Are Safer For Your Ears. Doctors Share The Best Ones For Adults And Kids.
You don't have to have an ear for music to have a pair of headphones that better protect your hearing. Whether you wear headphones during the workday or at the gym, you want to be smart about the style and the volume, according to Sandra Honeycutt, a board-certified physician assistant at BergerHenry ENT specialty group in Philadelphia. ('ENT' references an Ear, Nose, and Throat medical professional, by the way.) Amazon 'It is well documented that prolonged exposure to loud sounds damages the hair cells in the inner ear, which are crucial for hearing,' Honeycutt told us. 'Once these cells are damaged, they are unable to regenerate, which causes permanent hearing loss.' According to Honeycutt, while the otolaryngology academy/associations don't endorse specific audio brands, 'The best style of headphones would be over-ear and on-ear headphones, as these will seal off the ear better, allowing for the reduction of ambient noise. This overall reduction limits the risk of hearing damage as the volume from headphones is not competing with background sounds.' Honeycutt describes that in-ear headphones or earbuds sit closer to the eardrum and are less effective at canceling out background noise, meaning you'll likely turn your listening volume higher. Regardless of what headphones you go with, Honeycutt recommends following the '60/60 rule' — only using headphones for 60 minutes at a time and keeping the volume on your phone or device at no more than 60% of the max. 'After each hour, take a break for at least 10 minutes to allow your ears to recover,' Honeycutt said. ' And consider turning on the Hearing Notifications feature, if you have an iPhone, this will alert you if your audio exposure has been loud enough for long enough.' Dr. Guy Talmor, MD, an ENT and Allergy Associates in West Nyack, NY says the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules for sound exposure are also helpful to consider, regardless of your occupation. In simplest terms, the rules say the louder the sound, the shorter you should be listening to it. 'If [headphones] are set to 85 decibels or less and not used for exceedingly long durations, the likelihood of noise-induced hearing loss will drop,' he said. 'For reference, a typical conversation is held at around 55-60dB, while a sound level of 85dB typically corresponds to heavy street traffic or a loud device such as a blender.' For adults: 1. Sony noise canceling Bluetooth headphones Amazon When shopping for a set of headphones, Honeycutt says you want to consider something comfortable, with active noise cancellation and ideally volume-limiting (though that is often more present in children's options, which you'll see below.) "Active noise canceling technology allows you to listen at lower volumes as it blocks out the background noise," she said. "This feature can decrease the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus." Just under $100, Honeycutt recommends Sony headphones, like these noise-canceling ones with a ton of 5-star reviews. They're made with an integrated processor and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine for crips and balanced sound, which can be personalized further via the EQ settings on the Connect app. The battery can go for up to 35 hours, with cushioned cups that fit around your ears. Control them via the buttons on the headphones or with voice control, and enjoy the precise voice pickup, wind-noise reduction, and beamforming mic that keeps you clear as you speak on the go. Get them from Amazon for $99.99+ (available in two colors). 2. Amazon Bose is a big name in the audio world and it's little surprise it comes recommended by Honeycutt. A splurgy option, we like is these QuietComfort Bluetooth headphones which offer superior noise canceling plus a transparency mode that lets the outside world in. High-fidelity audio and an adjustable EQ lets you perfect the bass, mid-range and treble to your liking. Use them with the included AUX wire or not, as a charge gives you 24 hours of listening, though a quick 15-minute charge will give you 2.5 hours of playtime. They even come with a multi-point toggle feature that lets you seamlessly move between your devices without missing a beat or needing to reconnect. Lastly, they have super plus ear cushions that keep the sound up off of your eardrums and feel comfortable to wear. Get them from Amazon for $349 (available in seven colors). Amazon Sennheiser is another Honeycutt-prefered brand, which, while not a budget piece, are made with incredible quality. While she didn't give us a specific style, we like these Momentum 4 wireless headphones that offer up to 60 hours of battery life and totally personalized sound from the Sennheiser Smart Control App. These offer both active noise canceling and transparency modes, letting you choose how immersed you want to be, with a built-in microphone for taking calls. The padded headband and extra cushioned cups are light on the ears and comfortable for long-term wear. As Dr. Talmor says, you want to make sure the fit feels good, as the wrong headphones "[c]an be irritating to the external auditory canal." Get them from Amazon for $249.95 (available in five colors). 4. Tozo noise-canceling over-ear headphones Amazon Taking the expert's advice into consideration, we like this budget-friendly, editor's pick of the Tozo noise-canceling over-ear headphones. Tozo makes really high-quality, affordable headphones and earbuds some even waterproof options. This over-ear set comes in a bunch of colors, with active noise-canceling and up to 60 hours of listening time between charges. Use them wireless with Bluetooth or with the attached 3.5-millimeter audio cable and enjoy the cushion deep cups that feel comfortable around the ear. Get them from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in eight colors). 5. JLab JBuddies volume-limited headphones Amazon According to Honeycutt, some headphones have built-in safety features, like volume-limiting to prevent hearing damage. "The main purpose of volume-limiting headphones is to protect users, particularly children, from long-term hearing damage or tinnitus caused by loud noise," Honeycutt said. "Volume limiting will cap the maximum volume levels using its internal limiters and automatic adjusters to keep users listening at 85dB or lower." If you're looking for safer headphones for kids, Honeycutt recommends the JLab JBuddies, made with volume regulators that top the sound at 85db. This AUX wired option never needs to be charged and offers adjustable earcups for a good fit. 6. Puro Sound Labs PuroBasic volume-limiting kids headphones Amazon Honeycutt also recommends this kid's option from Puro Sound, which maxes out at 85dB. They're designed to isolate the sound coming from the headphones, limiting exterior sounds and easily fold into themselves for packing and carrying. The design offers an AUX wire and comes in purple. Get them from Amazon for $29. 7. Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet Amazon Lastly, Honeycutt recommends this set from Puro Sound Labs, which has an active noise-canceling switch that can make background noise up to 22 dB quieter. This option maxes out at 85 dB, meaning you can't overdo it even if you want to. Enjoy them wirelessly for up to 35 hours of playtime (23 hours with active noise canceling), with a built-in microphone and one-touch Bluetooth pairing that gives you a 30-foot range from your device. Get them from Amazon for $139 (available in six colors). If you're still shopping, check out some of Amazon's highest-rated noise-canceling over-ear headphones, previously rounded up by former writer Kristen Adaway: 8. A premium option from a trusted audio brand Amazon Score: 4.6 out of 5 stars Fully customize your music listening experience with these Bose headphones that offer full noise cancellation. You can set the bass, mid-range and treble levels to your preference and essentially create your own concert. They offer up to 24 hours of battery life. Promising review:"I needed noise cancelling headphone for when I go into the office as it can be noisy there and it is hard to concentrate. So when I wear these headphones I don't hear anything! And they really keep the charge for a long time which is terrific! And they are very comfortable to wear. And they come with a great case that is very portable for traveling. Highly recommend!" — tvgirl Get them from Amazon for $249.99+ (available in three colors). 9. A budget-friendly option with thousands of accolades Amazon Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars With active noise cancellation, high-quality sound, strong bass, and a whopping 40-hour playtime on a single charge, these headphones are a great budget option for wireless listening. Promising review:"The sound is very clean and deep. It had extra bass if you like it and the noise canceling is amazing. I am impressed by the quality of sound and the price. Don't think twice and get them. The headphones themselves are great made and good quality. They are also very comfortable around the ears with that super soft memory foam. I have buds but after a while they slide of my ear and make it sore so this is a much better choice." — Sara Get them from Amazon for $54.98+ (available in two styles and four colors). 10. Apple's luxury TikTok-viral headphones Amazon Score: 4.6 out of 5 stars These surprisingly stylish headphones feature active noise cancellation, spatial audio and memory foam ear cushions for a comfortable fit. They come in multiple colors. Promising review:"Love these headphones, the buds never fit in my ears properly so these over the ear are my favorite. I fly a few times a week for work and these are the best headphones on the plane. I never realized how loud the plane was until I turned the noise cancellation off mid flight just to see if it actually worked." — Jackie Griffith 11. A pair from a beloved brand with nearly 40,000 five-star reviews Amazon Score: 4.6 out of 5 stars These wireless Sony headphones have dual noise sensor technology, which uses two microphones on both earcups to capture ambient noise. You can use the touch sensors on these headphones to control music playback and take calls. With up to 30 hours of battery life and a feature that pauses your music when you remove them from your ears, these headphones will instantly become your new favorites.
