Latest news with #JoelSmith
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lincoln Tech welding instructor building bridges and relationships
CHICAGO — At a space in Melrose Park, students are hard at work learning to create the metal joints that will help construct everything from bridges, skyscrapers, pipelines, and airplanes and it is a source of great pride for Lincoln Tech instructor Joel Smith. 'It's my job to push them to be that welder they know they can be, because they would settle,' Smith said. Eddie Amaya, who nominated Smith back in September, came through the doors of Lincoln Tech intimidated and with little knowledge about welding, but he soon found a father-like figure in Smith. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines 'He is always pushing me. I'll do a bad weld and he'll say 'Just do it again Eddie,' and then I think one time I started crying, but I know it was coming from a good place,' Amaya said. The 30 men and women who are taught by Smith described him the same way, as a teacher who will give students honest and firm feedback, but with a big heart. Smith's father was in the trades and he got interested in welding after talking to an instructor at Lincoln Tech. 'And I remember I was managing a doggy daycare facility, and I went to him, I was like 'You're making $14 an hour? I'm making $9,' and he was like 'Yeah I just went to school and learned to weld and now I got a welding job,' so I honestly give a lot of my credit to a fellow instructor,' Smith said. As soon as he got the job, smith said he knew he also wanted to teach. Smith has now been teaching for five years, taking his students on field trips to make sure they understand the real-life importance of their work. Many of Smith's students will find work welding or even inspecting welds, and after five years and hundreds of students, Smith knows his students are ready for the real world. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland 'I don't care what people say about tradespeople or this generation you guys work hard, keep it up break that barrier down I'm sick of tradespeople saying this generation doesn't want to work, you guys show up every day and prove them wrong, continue doing it,' Smith said. To honor Smith as Teacher of the Month, Howard Ankin of Aankin Law presented him with a $1,000 check. Traditionally, the Teacher of the Month check is addressed to the school, but at Smith's request, the money will be donated to Guide Dogs of America, a charity he said is close to his heart. 'We can train an animal to help visually impaired individuals, like c'mon there is no better feeling there,' Smith said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
City of Bryant presents stormwater plan to address future flooding at Thursday meeting
BRYANT, Ark. – The city of Bryant held a meeting Thursday night to introduce the draft of a master stormwater plan. The plan aims at addressing 12 areas of the town that often see continual flooding problems, creating a stand-alone stormwater utility, and finding funding for the projects and new utility. Bryant presents draft stormwater plan for flooding and infrastructure upgrades The committee, which is made up of four city council members and four residents, is asking for input from the public on these flooding plans and funding for the plans. The first task is the draft of the Master Stormwater Plan. It identifies 12 areas of the town that often see continual flooding problems. One of those areas is on Rodeo Drive near Shoal Creek, where Joel Smith, who gave a public comment, lives. 'This is my home, I would like to make it my permanent home, but the continual flooding problems is an issue,' Smith said. 'I was scared,' Vietnam veteran thankful to be alive following severe storms in Almyra The second task for the committee is creating a stand-alone stormwater utility. 'It's crucial so that we can address the needs as they come up and hopefully we can address them before they are huge,' Treat said. Right now, stormwater is run through the streets department. 'The actual maintenance of the stormwater systems is the streets guys, they do it,' Public Works Director Tim Fournier said. The mayor reiterated that the street department is funding itself and the stormwater, which is why he is pushing and supporting it to be separate entities. Lastly, the committee is tasked with finding funding for the projects and new utilities. The funding has the potential to come from multiple avenues, which is why the committee is asking for input from the public on these flooding plans and funding for the plans. 'Some may ask why you are raising our water rate or raising other things, well, because milk has gone up, gas has gone up, so has the cost of maintaining the stormwater system,' resident committee member Scott Staples said. The full plan can be read on . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
