Latest news with #JustinCarter
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Only on News 19: Turning pain into purpose one veteran at a time
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — One letter forever changed Justin Carter and his family's lives. Carter, a 22-year Army veteran, lost his brother-in-law, John Cloyd, to suicide after Cloyd's service in the Marines. Pathway of Madison Co. still fighting for its business license after public hearing 'With John having to travel so much, he spent an unholy amount of time in his vehicle,' Carter said. 'So, I went through it, and it was a scene that you could imagine from that kind of situation. Glass was everywhere. There was bodily fluids and blood everywhere. There was a letter from him, to him from the Veterans Affairs, with his appeal denial.' Cloyd was seeking service-connected VA benefits for depression following his service. His initial VA claim was denied, so he appealed. That appeal was also denied. Cloyd took his life shortly after receiving the letter stating his second denial, leaving his wife and two kids behind on Christmas. That was the letter Carter found covered in blood in Cloyd's car. How is our driving? City of Athens seeking input for new transportation safety plan 'It was hard to take because it's somebody who was screaming for help, and that help wasn't given,' Carter said. 'We've been around suicides before, and I've never had one hit so close to home.' After seeing the people he loves shatter after Cloyd's death, Carter felt called to create change in life after service and do what he could to ensure no other veteran feels the way Cloyd did. Carter then created a new non-profit: Rally Point at the Summit. The name has roots in military practices. 'Rally point is a military term for a place we all meet up,' Carter said. 'We regroup, assess our injuries, and come up with a plan to move forward. The summit is the top. A lot of people are extremely good, especially military folks, at hiding what they're feeling. You're not doing this alone. We're going to be there with you, and we're going to help you as much as we can.' The new non-profit aims to help veterans in a variety of ways, from free assistance with VA benefits applications to eventually being able to provide some financial support for vets who need it. What sets the organization apart is its focus on conquering outdoor challenges and forming camaraderie and companionship while they do it. 'To get the guys out there and take them to places that are challenging,' Carter said. 'You're in our hands. We've got you. And to feel that connection, you know, and to say you're not alone, no matter how challenging it is.' Carter is doing all of this in the name of Cloyd, saying he will play his part in making sure no one feels alone and paralyzed by circumstance. Carter is awaiting the 501c3 official approval, but is accepting donations to build up his organization through GoFundMe. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Peoria's DIGIM night honors student excellence at dinner event
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) –The DIGIM Night of Scholars Dinner May 8, at Distillery Labs, recognizes outstanding students. According to author, and DIGIM Founder, Marc Supreme, 'DIGIM is an acronym for Dang, I Graduate in May'. Supreme, and Dr. Gregory Wilson, the DIGIM Vice President, stopped by WMBD This Morning to talk more about the May 8 dinner. They'll be awarding 5 scholarships that evening to students to help students continue their educational journeys. Dr. Wilson said, 'it's one thing to get them ready for college, but it's another thing to help support them while they're in college.' The evening is hosted by Stephen Graves and features Emmy Award winning investigative journalist, Justin Carter as a guest speaker. Follow this link to get tickets in advance and learn more about the DIGIM Night of Scholars Dinner, May 8, 6:30 p.m. -9 p.m. at Distillery Labs, 201 SW Adams St, Peoria. The 40-dollar ticket price goes towards the ongoing scholarship effort. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Trio Of Leading Playground Experts To Lead Playspace Whakatū Design And Build
Creo has been appointed as 'end to end' project lead to bring Playspace Whakatū to life, in partnership with Isthmus Group as design lead and supported by Kūmānu as the local build experts. The design process formally began in Whakatū on Friday following a robust procurement process to engage a suitable design and build partner for the project. The new playspace, which will be built in Rutherford Park, is being led by Ngā Iwi o Te Tauihu in partnership with Nelson City Council. Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui chief executive Justin Carter said a high calibre of expressions of interest were made by design and build partners, with a shortlist of five bids considered in the final stage. 'Creo, Isthmus and Kūmānu were chosen because of their collective experience and expertise in bringing accessible, inclusive and inspiring playgrounds to life, all non-negotiable aspects of our vision,' he said. The ultimate goal of the playspace is to create an iconic, inclusive and place-inspired destination that is appealing to all ages and will attract families to the city centre. Creo is a reputable and integrated playspace design and build partner with extensive experience and an award-winning portfolio with particular strengths in the design of accessible and inclusive playgrounds, including the Lorna Irene Reserve Playground in Paraparaumu. They also offer manufacturing within the South Island. Isthmus is one of the country's leading landscape architecture and urban design firms with an award winning portfolio of playful and playable public destinations that reflect their kaupapa of 'regenerating Aotearoa by connecting land, people and culture'. Their localised design approach tells a unique story of place through collaboration with Iwi and communities. Kūmānu is a strong and reliable local partner with a significant depth of experience and expertise in delivering playgrounds across Te Tauihu, including the Rutherford Park site. Together, the Creo-led consortium formed a tight ship with extremely well suited strengths and the ability to offer an integrated end to end solution that minimised risk and maximised value for money for the project. "The proposed solution from Creo, Isthmus and Kūmānu offered the strongest possible outcome for the project - experienced delivery partners, local knowledge, and specialist design skills. We feel incredibly fortunate to have such a strong team and excited by what they can deliver in collaboration with iwi and council,' Justin said. Creo team lead Ben Witty said the consortium was thrilled to have been trusted with the task. 'There is an opportunity here to create something truly amazing for the people of Whakatū, that tells the story of the region and is inclusive for all ages, stages and abilities. We are very excited to be working with both local iwi and Nelson City Council to bring this space to life.' The new playspace is expected to open during the summer of 2026/27. More than 700 people made submissions about what they'd like to see in the playspace, which will now be used by the consortium in collaboration with iwi and Nelson City Council to form the concept and final designs. To keep up to date with progress on the playspace, head to to sign up for email updates.
Scoop
23-04-2025
- General
- Scoop
More Than 700 People Have Their Say On Playspace Whakatū
More than 700 people have had their say on Playspace Whakatū, the new playground set to take pride of place in Whakatū Nelson's Rutherford Park. Around 200 primary school students kicked off the engagement process in February, collaborating and creating their dream playspaces through drawings, miniature models and oral submissions. A further 500 people had their say online, while 54 made physical submissions at public collection points. Playspace Whakatū is being led by Ngā Iwi o Te Tauihu in collaboration with Nelson City Council, making use of $2.4M awarded to Council from central Government's Better Off fund under the previous Three Waters reform. Council also committed just over $600,000 to the project under the Long Term Plan 2024-2034. Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui chief executive Justin Carter said it had been heartening to see the effort put in by tamariki in Whakatū, alongside their whānau and the wider community. 'Ultimately, this is a space for our tamariki, and their ideas have been truly inspiring. Our main aim with this project is to create an intergenerational and accessible space, and it's amazing to have so many thoughtful and creative ideas to consider as we move forward,' he said. 'Thank you to everybody who has taken the time to share their thoughts.' Some of the more creative ideas have included a whole plane, a giant Mako head, a candy machine, a swimming pool and a zoo, while many of the more practical submissions covered the need for shade, fencing and water. Zip lines, an adventure playground and water features like splash pads were a common theme, as was the need to create an accessible and inclusive space for all. 'We can't do it all, given limited resources, however there is a lot riding on this new space and we will do our best to include as many of the common features as we can, within our constraints,' Justin said. While the submission process was underway, a robust procurement process has also been underway to appoint a design and build partner for the project. The appointed partner will be announced early next month. 'Once the design and build partner is appointed, they'll be provided with all of the submissions to help them create an amazing, accessible playspace that tells the story of Whakatū, is appealing to all ages and will attract families to the city centre,' Justin said. If you want to keep up to date with progress on the playspace, head to to sign up for email updates.
