Latest news with #LakeCharles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dad practiced golf swing while wife in 12-hour labor to "pass the time"
A man has confessed how he decided to play GOLF to "pass the time" while his wife was in labor for 12 hours. Steven Rideaux, 39 and his wife Da'sha, 27, were at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, Louisiana, awaiting the arrival of their second child. Da'sha had been in labor for five hours when Steven decided to get his gold clubs from the trunk of his car to "pass the time".
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Racehorse jockey arrested for alleged shocking device
LAKE CHARLES, La. () — A man was arrested at the for allegedly possessing a device in an attempt to cheat in races. On Saturday, officials with arrested Ricardo Hernandez-Perez, 41, of Vinton as a result of an investigation into allegations of cheating by horse jockeys at the Delta Downs Racetrack and Casino. After the races concluded, officials conducted post-race checks of each jockey. Officials said during one encounter, Hernandez-Perez attempted to flee while removing a battery-operated shocking device from his clothing and discarding it into one of the horse stalls. Hernandez-Perez was subsequently taken to a Calcasieu Parish correctional center for violation of unnatural stimulation of horses. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The law prohibits anyone from possessing or using devices like electric batteries that can unnaturally stimulate, depress or excite a racehorse before or during a race, including within racetrack stables, sheds or other buildings on racetrack grounds where eligible horses are kept. Man sues Walt Disney World over Florida water slide's 'exhilarating speeds' Fact or myth? Common thunderstorm advice, explained What are serial killers, and who are the most well-known? Valerie Mahaffey of 'Northern Exposure,' 'Young Sheldon' dies San Diego neighborhood expresses outrage, solidarity after ICE raid shakes restaurant Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Jerome Ringo, Outspoken Advocate for Environmental Justice, Dies at 70
Jerome Ringo, who as the leader of the National Wildlife Federation became the first Black chairman of a major conservation organization, spurred to activism in his native Louisiana by witnessing the ravages of climate change and the disproportionate environmental damage done to poor minority communities by the petrochemical industry, died on April 30 in New Orleans. He was 70. The cause of his death, in a hospital, was a brain aneurysm, his stepdaughter Tayla Phillips said. Mr. Ringo spent most of his life in his hometown, Lake Charles, in southwest Louisiana. He grew up hunting and fishing in the bayous and marshes that gave the state its nickname, the Sportsman's Paradise. The experience made him appreciative of the beauty of nature, but it also made him aware of Louisiana's ecological vulnerabilities. He observed the continued erosion of the coastline, which scientists say is losing the equivalent of a football field of wetlands about every 100 minutes. And he suffered through the pummeling of hurricanes that have grown more intense in recent years. Hurricane Laura, which severely damaged Mr. Ringo's home in 2020, and Hurricane Ida, in 2021, tied an 1856 storm as the strongest ever recorded in Louisiana, with catastrophic 150-mile-an-hour winds. 'The single greatest issue for me as an environmentalist is climate change,' Mr. Ringo told Mother Jones magazine in 2005. Beginning in 1975, Mr. Ringo spent two decades employed in Louisiana's booming petrochemical industry. While the significance of oil, gas and petrochemicals as an economic force in the state has since declined, the industry remains important there, and it has long been favored with limited regulation. Working offshore on platforms and onshore at refineries that processed crude oil into fuels and solvents like benzene, a carcinogen, Mr. Ringo came to see environmentalism as a matter of social justice. Those who live in the shadow of refineries and chemical plants in and around Lake Charles, and in the dense chemical corridor along the Mississippi River known as Cancer Alley, are predominantly Black and poor, as Mr. Ringo would later stress in interviews, noting that they suffer inordinately high rates of cancer and respiratory diseases. (Scientific studies have confirmed that elevated risks of certain cancers are associated with industrial pollutants.) There was a psychological toll as well, Mr. Ringo told the New Orleans newspaper The Gambit in 2005. 'You've got procedures like 'shelter in place,' which is designed for people to respond to the release of toxic gases and chemicals,' he said. 'Community members know they're at risk every day.' Mr. Ringo gave impetus to the idea that the wildlife, climate and environmental justice crises are interrelated and must be addressed jointly, Collin O'Mara, the president and chief executive of the National Wildlife Federation, said in an interview. 'Jerome's argument was that pollution affects people and wildlife alike,' Mr. O'Mara said. 'Whether folks want to go birding and hunting or just want their kids to be able to breathe the air and drink the water, they should be working together.' In 1991, Mr. Ringo became one of the first Black members of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation. In the mid-1990s, he took early retirement from the petrochemical industry and devoted himself full time to advocacy. He urged officials in Washington and Louisiana to enact tighter regulations on pollution and encouraged residents to express their concerns at public hearings. In 1996, Mr. Ringo joined the board of the National Wildlife Federation. He was also a delegate to the negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol climate agreement reached in 1997, according to Yale University, where he later served as a research scholar. In 2005, he became the first Black chairman of the board of the National Wildlife Federation — or of any major national conservation organization, the federation said — and served a two-year term. From 2005 to 2010, he was also president of the Apollo Alliance, a clean-energy coalition of business, labor, environmental and community leaders. Jeremy Symons, who was senior vice president of the National Wildlife Federation when Mr. Ringo was chairman, said in an email that Mr. Ringo 'was the Neil Armstrong of the wildlife conservation movement, a pioneer who did what nobody else had done because it needed to be done.' Jerome Claude Ringo was born on March 2, 1955, in Lake Charles, La. His father, Earl, was a postal worker and a civil rights activist; his mother, Nellie (Huddleston) Ringo, was a nurse. From a young age, Jerome was imbued with a sense of social justice. In 1967, he and his brothers were among the first Black students to begin integrating public schools in Lake Charles. Resistance was immediate. Years later, he told friends that when he was in middle school he was frequently beaten by white students. And he often recounted the story of the time his family woke in the middle of the night to hear Klansmen shouting, and found a 13-foot cross burning in the front yard. He attended McNeese State University, in Lake Charles, and Louisiana Tech University, in Ruston, but he left before graduating, drawn to high-paying jobs in the petrochemical industry. Advocacy became a companion to his work, and later his permanent career. An impassioned and inspiring speaker, Mr. Ringo was indefatigable in seeking to broaden the environmental movement so that it would 'look more like America,' he told The Gambit in 2005. As his platform grew, he helped facilitate conservation projects for students in minority neighborhoods, lectured at historically Black colleges and universities, and spoke at meetings of the Congressional Black Caucus. In a 2005 interview with NPR, Mr. Ringo explained the challenge of recruiting Black people to conservation groups, which have traditionally consisted mostly of white hunters and anglers. 'Those were the people that I would say would fish to hang the fish on the wall,' he said. 'Those people that fished to put the fish on the plate simply didn't join clubs, and couldn't afford to anyway.' His efforts at diversification were successful, to a point. Roughly half of the combined board of directors and senior staff of the National Wildlife Federation are now people of color. Ben Jealous, a former chief executive of the N.A.A.C.P., is now executive director of the Sierra Club. Minority involvement is 'better than it was,' Mr. O'Mara said. 'But it's nowhere near where it needs to be.' In 2006, Mr. Ringo appeared briefly in the Academy Award-winning documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth,' which chronicled former Vice President Al Gore's campaign to call attention to global warming. In 2008, he appeared on a panel at the Democratic National Convention. From 2005 to 2020, Mr. Ringo and his wife, Mary (Guidry) Ringo, whom he married in 2002, served as pastors of Faith Vision Ministries, which they founded in Lake Charles. He would often speak openly about his recovery in midlife from drug dependency, which he said helped strengthen his commitment to uplifting others while bolstering his faith and his drive to persevere. His wife survives him. In addition to Ms. Phillips, her daughter, he is also survived by Mrs. Ringo's other daughter, Brittany Richards-Pete; a son, Jerome Ringo II, and a daughter, Earlandra Ringo-Finnie, from his marriage to Marve Sevier; three brothers, Bennie, Ronnie and Wendell Ringo; and six grandchildren. Mr. Ringo's most recent project was putting his advocacy into action by co-founding Zoetic Global, a company dedicated to fighting climate change in the developing world by providing communities with renewable energy, reliable water and food security. In a 2021 interview with CNBC, Mr. Ringo said he remained hopeful, buoyed by the parallel successes, decades earlier, of the civil rights movement and the women's movement. 'The climate movement is no different,' he said. 'The only thing that guarantees us to lose is to quit.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
High School Student, 16, Remembered for Her 'Radiant Smile and Kind Heart' After Being Killed During Shooting at Party
A Louisiana teen, McKenzie Rideau, was killed during a shooting at a house party on May 20 She was described by her family as "a smart and beautiful individual with big plans for the future" Rideau was also remembered by the principal of her school, who called her "a beloved student whose presence touched every corner of our campus"A Louisiana community is in mourning after a high school volleyball player was killed this week during a shooting at a house party. During the early morning of Tuesday, May 20, a shooting took place in the area of Central Parkway near Overhill Drive in the city of Lake Charles, the Lake Charles Police Department (LCPD) confirmed to NBC affiliate KPLC. Authorities identified the victim as a "young lady," per KPLC, and Lake Charles College Prep, a local charter school, later named her as 16-year-old McKenzie Rideau in a social media post. Neighbors told the outlet they believed the shooting took place in a short-term rental unit during a high school graduation party. They added that they heard between 30 and 50 gunshots around midnight. The LCPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information on Saturday, May 24. In the social media statement, Lake Charles College Prep Principal Freddie L. Harrison lll wrote, "It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of one of our own, McKenzie Rideau, a beloved student whose presence touched every corner of our campus." "McKenzie was more than just a student, she was a light. As a proud member of the volleyball team and our vibrant flag line, McKenzie brought energy, determination, and joy to every practice, every performance, and every moment in between," he continued. "Her radiant smile and kind heart made it easy for others to feel seen, welcomed and accepted. She had a rare gift for making people feel like they belonged, always encouraging, always uplifting, always trying to help everyone fit in," added the educator of Rideau. Harrison also remembered Rideau for her "compassion, leadership and friendship," as he called on the community to "continue lifting McKenzie's family, friends and teammates." "Let us honor her memory by continuing to lead with kindness, love, and unity just as she did every day," the principal added. Following the shooting, a neighbor, who captured the sound of apparent gunshots on a security camera, recalled hearing "what sounded like fireworks underneath my carport" before the sound of people "taking off in their cars" and screaming. Police confirmed to KPLC that the shooting took place during a large gathering, with dozens of people between the ages of 16 and 22 at the home. 'I can tell you the detectives with the Lake Charles Police Department are working on identifying people who were there, identifying suspects, and they're working very hard," Chief Shawn Caldwell told the outlet. "We have some people of interest, an actual suspect, I don't want to say suspect yet, but we have identified some people, and we still have a lot of work left to do," Caldwell added. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The anonymous neighbor also told KPLC that the shooting 'puts me a little more on edge," adding that "no neighborhood is safe in this area" and that people are "dying from useless actions." Friends, family and classmates of Rideau joined forces on May 23 for a balloon release in her honor, and a GoFundMe campaign has since been launched in an effort to support her family. (The campaign has raised roughly $6,000 of a $10,000 goal.) "Please keep our family in your prayers as we mourn the [loss] of McKenzie. If you knew her you knew how much of a loving and outspoken person she was. A smart and beautiful individual with big plans for the future," the fundraiser's description reads, adding that the teen was "loved by so many." "She's gained her wings where she'll reunite with her little brother Prince," the description continues. "We thank you all for the love and support as it does not go unnoticed. Anything is appreciated. Justice4McKenzie ❤️. Services [have not been] announced yet. We will have a date once we get back with the detectives. Thank you!!" Read the original article on People
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers to Try Out Massive Hawaiian Offensive Lineman
The Pittsburgh Steelers have invited massive Hawaiian offensive lineman Gareth Warren to participate in the team's rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, the Lindenwood football program announced on Thursday. Warren is a 6-foot-5 1/2, 328-pound offensive lineman from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii who started at Lindenwood, which is in Lake Charles, Missouri, in 2021, the program's final season at the NCAA Division II level. In 2022, Warren and Lindenwood moved up, becoming members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Advertisement Warren made four starts and played six games as a true freshman in 2021, earning All-GLVC third-team honors. In 2022, he started all 10 games at left guard and was an All-OVC second-team selection. For his junior season in 2023, Warren switched from left guard out to left tackle. The transition was a smooth one, as he allowed just two sacks on the season, per Pro Football Focus. In 2024, Warren and the Lions offensive line helped pave the way for an OVC-best 173.7 yards per game. After the season, he was invited to participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl, where he was first scouted by the Steelers. Gareth Warren, East-West Shrine Bowl Warren showed solid testing numbers in the pre-draft process, posting a 7.10 Relative Athletic Score out of 10, boosted by a 30-inch vertical and a 9-foot-2 broad jump. Advertisement Warren's flexibility as a guard or tackle could help him at the next Steelers will invite a number of players to tryouts for their three-day rookie minicamp, which will be held the second weekend of May at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Over the last few seasons, the Steelers have typically signed one or two players to contracts from rookie camp invitees. Among the team's rookie camp tryout successes have been quarterback Devlin Hodges in 2019. Last year, vets Anthony Averett and Jonathan Ward made the team after trying out at rookie camp. Warren is the 12th player to be revealed as a tryout, joining Pitt outside linebacker Nate Matlack, Rhode Island RB/WR Tommy Smith, William & Mary (Penn Hills) QB/WR Hollis Mathis, New Hampshire (Mt. Lebanon) quarterback Seth Morgan, Central Michigan (Thomas Jefferson) center Dom Serapiglia, Slippery Rock defensive back Eddie Faulkner IV, James Madison wide receiver Omarion Dollison, Notre Dame special teamer Max Hurleman, South Carolina linebacker Debo Williams and Arkansas safety Jayden Johnson. This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers to Try Out Massive Hawaiian Offensive Lineman
