Latest news with #Landen
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Southeast Tech student shares journey to nursing career
BERESFORD, S.D. (KELO) – South Dakota is in need of health care workers, especially in rural areas. One way the state and other organizations are trying to help increase the workforce is through the Build Dakota Scholarship. Landen Kroger didn't exactly know where he wanted to go to college after graduating from Beresford High School in May 2024. Benefit to assist SD Air Guard member's cancer journey 'I spent 95% of my day in the guidance counselors office and she was like, 'did you know about the Build Dakota Scholarship?' And I was like, 'no,' she's like, 'you can apply for it,'' Landen said. Landen was awarded Build Dakota Scholarship and started school at Southeast Technical College in the fall of 2024. 'For me, it was a sigh of relief because I knew, being a single mom, that I wasn't in the position to necessarily be able to bail them out if something happened,' Casey said. Each year hundreds of people are awarded the opportunity to get an education at a state technical school for free, in exchange for working in that field in South Dakota for at least three years after graduation. Initially, Landen wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. However, after losing his grandmother and aunt to cancer in 2019, his interest shifted towards nursing. 'I helped take care of my grandma when she had cancer. So I would go over there every day at like after school and help do things around the house,' Landen said. 'It was a hard year. They passed away three months exactly from each other,' Casey Kroger said. His mom says Landen has always had the natural ability to help others. 'So he's always been that kid that wanted to make sure everybody was okay. Like someone was getting picked on at school, like he wanted to check on him,' Casey said. Currently Landen is finishing his first year at Southeast Technical College, as well as working at Avera Health on the oncology floor, the same hospital his grandma would go to for treatments. Landen believes he's able to bond with the patients because of his personal experience with cancer. 'It's a sense of comfortability kind of. I've seen it so I'm comfortable around the situation and it's like, it's kind of my comfort zone now,' Landen said. DTSF offering free rides to Summit League Tournament Dustin Pepper is one of the instructors at the nursing program Landen will attend at Southeast Tech. 'In cases like Landon had where it's a family issue and that made a big impact, there's oftentimes a reason why, it's a difficult profession. So having that reason why is a big step for for being successful in completing the program and being a great nurse,' Pepper said. And his mom agrees Landen's 'why' will make him a good nurse. 'He genuinely cares. He wants to make sure that you're good. He understands, the quality over quantity aspect of life.' Casey said. 'They're in the hospital, it is serious. But there's also times where like, you need a light enough to mood a little bit,' Landen said. After graduating from the LPN Program Landen plans to eventually become a licensed registered nurse. The deadline for this year's Build Dakota Scholarships is March 31. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
A father died mining coal. His son warns KY bill would endanger other miners.
David "Bud" Morris celebrates his son Landen's first Christmas in 2005. Five days later, Bud died after a mine owner, the only mine emergency technician on duty, failed to render aid after Bud was injured underground. (Morris family photo) Growing up along the Harlan-Letcher county line in Eastern Kentucky, Landen Morris often heard from family that he reminded them of his father. It wasn't just because his slightly crooked smile or brown eyes resembled David 'Bud' Morris, they told him. It was the way he talked, the way he laughed, his personality. Bud was a good person, they said, who cared about others. The 19-year-old plays the bass drum in the Morehead State University marching band, and his late father loved playing the drums in a rock band. 'I never got to really meet him personally,' Landen told the Lantern over the phone. 'I feel like that process of getting to know him was a little more difficult. … Just learning to actually trust what people had to say about him, and the fact that they were all good things.' Landon was only 3 1/2 months old when Bud Morris was fatally injured in an underground coal mine in Harlan County in December 2005, leaving behind his mother, Stella Morris, to raise him. It was a death that federal inspectors said was preventable, in part because Bud, 29, didn't receive proper first aid to stop bleeding after a loaded coal hauler nearly amputated both of his legs. The only person trained on site in emergency medical care, the mine owner, failed to provide proper aid. Morris' death was part of a spate of deaths in coal mines across the country including five miners killed in an underground explosion in Harlan County in 2006. Stella Morris and the other widows did not grieve in silence. They joined the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) at the Kentucky Capitol to push for stronger safety protections. That intense lobbying effort led to Kentucky lawmakers in 2007 unanimously approving a number of mine safety protections that went beyond federal rules. One protection was put in place because of what happened to Bud Morris, said Tony Oppegard, a former mine inspector and attorney who helped write the law. The legislature required at least two mine emergency technicians (METs), or miners trained to provide medical care and stabilize a miner's condition, on each mining shift. If one MET was unable to help, the new law assured that a backup MET would be there. Now, nearly two decades after losing Bud, Stella, joined by Landen, is speaking out again because Kentucky miners are at risk of losing that extra MET. The House last month approved a bill that would end the requirement for a backup MET on shifts with 10 or fewer miners. The sponsor of House Bill 196, Rep. John Blanton, R-Saylersville, who represents Knott, Magoffin and part of Pike County, has argued small mines are being temporarily shut down by not having two METs available on site, hurting productivity and impacting miners' paychecks. Blanton's HB 196 awaits action by the Senate. An operator of small surface mines in Eastern Kentucky told the Lantern he doesn't want to endanger miners but that having one MET on site is sufficient coupled with the first aid training his miners receive. Oppegard, the former mine safety inspector, disagrees, saying the extensive emergency medical training that METs receive goes well beyond first aid training. Stella remembers Dec. 30, 2005 was the last working day of the year for Bud at Mine No. 3 with H & D Mining Inc. She was getting ready to take a shower and go to her job when she got a call from the mine saying Bud was being taken to the local hospital. Bud's legs were cut off, the caller said. By the time she got to the hospital, Bud was gone. She remembers the months after Morris' death as a bad dream she couldn't wake up from. 'I had a 3 ½ month old son, and I would look at him for my strength to carry on through the day, because part of me wanted to go on and be with Bud,' Stella said. 'But I would look at my son knowing that he had lost his dad. I couldn't make him lose his mom.' She'd also replay in her mind the decisions made by miners that day when Bud died — why they didn't elevate his body to mitigate the bleeding, or why the only mine emergency technician on site didn't instruct other miners on how to help Bud. According to a federal mine fatality report, Morris, a shuttle car operator, died from 'near amputating injuries' to his legs when he was struck from behind by a loaded coal hauler. His left leg was severed '17 inches above the heel.' The report states the mine emergency technician at the mine did not provide Morris with any first aid as he continued to bleed, instead telling miners to 'get him out of here.' A supervisor, who was supposed to receive first aid training but had not yet done so, wrapped cravat bandages around Morris' knees. Outside the mine while waiting for an ambulance, miners had 'applied two pieces of rope to each leg above the knee' in an attempt to stop the bleeding, according to the report. Miners didn't apply dressings or tourniquets to the injury, nor were pressure points used to mitigate the bleeding. A paramedic who treated Morris said there would have been 'a very different outcome' if basic first aid training had been implemented, according to the report. The lone mine emergency technician at the mine had 'panicked,' the acting director of Kentucky's mine safety office told the Louisville Courier-Journal in a Feb. 15, 2008 article. Stella's takeaway: 'Just because you have a title don't mean you're going to do what you should do when it comes down to things like that. If we would have had someone else, just one other miner trained to do what Bud needed, he may still be with us today.' Stella filed suit against H&D Mining Inc. but received no compensation from the coal mining company. When Landen was growing up, she'd tell him how much his dad loved him and that he was in heaven. Stella didn't sit down with Landen and share some of the details of what had happened to Bud until her son was about 10 years old. 'My son would just lay and cry for his dad, and it was like, 'He knew his dad but he didn't know his dad,' And it was a struggle,' Stella said. 'I'm very proud of my son for being the tough kid that he is. I just thought it was a different life for him than what he would have had had he had his dad growing up.' Landen told the Lantern he didn't look at the federal mine fatality report detailing how his father died until last month. He worries that if HB 196 becomes law other injured miners will die like his father for lack of trained help. Ending a requirement that could 'save someone's life one day is, without a better term, stupid,' Landen said. 'I just feel like they're doing miners a disservice.' Both proponents and critics of HB 196 recognize the significant decline of Kentucky's coal industry, particularly in Eastern Kentucky, in the nearly two decades since Bud's death. The market pressures of competitive natural gas prices along with cheaper coal produced elsewhere decreased demand for Appalachian coal, while mines became more mechanized and automated. The number of active mines and miners in Kentucky have steadily dropped. Blanton, the sponsor of HB 196, has argued that fewer and smaller coal mines are operating now in Eastern Kentucky. Some of those smaller operators asked him for the change. He told the Lantern he wants to cause no harm to miners, only keep them working. 'I don't want to cause consternation for them, by no means. I just want to make sure that our mines are able to stay operational, that we do so in a safe manner,' Blanton said. 'I'm simply trying to make a tweak to it so that mines can stay operational.' According to the state's 2023 annual mine safety report, 53 licensed mines — out of 158 total — had 10 or fewer employees. Those small mines accounted for 267 of the 4,766 total employees counted in the report. When asked about small mining operations that have been impacted by the MET requirement, Blanton pointed to former Pikeville Mayor Frank Justice II who operates a few small surface mines in Eastern Kentucky. Justice in a phone interview said it's been difficult to have two METs on site for his highwall mining operations, particularly overnight shifts, staffed with three or four people. Highwall mining is a technique in which machinery is used to extract coal from an unmined wall of excavated earth. 'It's a big burden to keep two METs on there, especially when guys already got all their first aid training,' Justice said. 'What happened to Mr. Morris is certainly a tragedy, but I've got confidence in my guys' ability to handle situations.' Justice said in the past when he has had only one MET available, he has hired emergency medical technicians from local fire departments to stay on site while his miners operate. He said he pays his certified METs a dollar more per hour, but he also suggested some of his miners don't want the responsibility of being a MET. 'Anytime you ask for something like this, it's controversial of course. I know that,' Justice said. Oppegard, the attorney who helped write the 2007 law, said that while the industry has declined, the need for a backup MET at all mine sites has not. The free training required to become certified as a MET takes at least 40 hours and includes learning about cardiac emergencies, muscular and skeletal injuries and bleeding and shock. An exam and annual training also are required. The industry's decline has coincided with the disappearance of organized labor in Kentucky mines. The last unionized Kentucky coal mine closed at the end of 2014. The United Mine Workers of America union has previously opposed bills that would reduce the required number of METs for small coal operations. In 2009, UMWA President Cecil Roberts wrote a letter to the editor in part condemning a Kentucky bill that would have reduced the number of required METs from two to one for mine shifts with 18 or fewer workers. Roberts wrote then that 'supporters of these attacks on miners' safety say they are taking these steps to help small mine operators.' 'One thing you can say about these folks: At least they aren't trying to hide the truth of their greed. They are willing to be quite upfront about their desire to put profits and production ahead of safety in Kentucky coal mines,' Roberts wrote. The UMWA was neutral on a similar Kentucky bill last year to reduce the number of METs, and Blanton has said the UMWA is neutral on this year's bill as well. A representative with the national UMWA office didn't respond to emails requesting an interview about the union's position on this year's bill. Every mining law ever written on paper was written with the blood of dead miners. It always took a disaster to get the laws changed. – Steve Earle, United Mine Workers of America In a recent interview, Steve Earle, a former UMWA lobbyist who helped push for the original requirement for two METs and current vice president for the UMWA district representing Western Kentucky, spoke personally about his experience working with Stella and other widows to pass the 2007 mine safety law. The late Democratic Rep. Brent Yonts of Muhlenberg County carried the mine safety bill in 2007; it passed both legislative chambers unanimously. 'I was speaking at a Democratic function. I said, 'Because of the hard work that Rep. Yonts did … women have husbands and children have fathers.' And I was convinced then, and I'm convinced now, that that legislation saved miners' lives,' Earle said. Earle, speaking to the Associated Press in 2007, said the mine safety law showed what determined, passionate people like Stella and the other widows can do 'when they have right on their side.' Earle told the Lantern he still believes that. 'They did have right on their side. They were very effective,' Earle said. 'Every mining law ever written on paper was written with the blood of dead miners. It always took a disaster to get the laws changed.' Landen says he has a lot of respect for his many neighbors and high school classmates who work in mining. He believes coal mining — an occupation that's taxing and difficult for a number of reasons — is an integral part of his mountain community. He picked a different path, enrolling at Morehead State where he hopes to become a high school English teacher. He remembers writing an essay about the epic poem 'Beowulf' in high school, being fascinated by the Old English syntax. He doesn't know what his future holds or whether he'll stay in Eastern Kentucky but he hopes to inspire and help others. As for the father he never got to know in person, he believes Bud would be proud of him. 'I'm on the path to actually doing something else than what's usually expected in our little town. Because not many people do go to college here, let alone teach,' Landen said. 'I feel like he would just be really, really proud of me, that I'm carrying on that dream and that I'm actually chasing it, rather than falling into something that I wouldn't enjoy.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Second driver charged for deaths in 2023 Eagle Mountain road rage incident
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah () — A second driver is being charged for the in June 2023. Michael Alan Landen, 42, of Eagle Mountain, is being charged with two counts of negligent homicide, both class A misdemeanors; and reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor. According to charging documents, Landen was the driver of a white Nissan Maxima that was involved in the incident. PREVIOUSLY: Eagle Mountain road rage suspect charged with felony manslaughter In June 2023, Peterson Drew Matheson (also of Eagle Mountain) was . Matheson was the driver of the white Ford F-150, and the two victims who died — later — were in a 1987 Porche 911 Carrera. Landen reported that Matheson's truck was tailgating him on SR-73, documents said. Witnesses reported the white truck swerved and drove on the shoulder of the road in an attempt to pass the Maxima after unsuccessfully attempting to pass on the left. Landen said the truck pulled up alongside him, and while the two vehicles were driving parallel to each other, the F-150 and the Maxima 'made contact multiple times, resulting in damage to the sides of both vehicles,' according to documents. Documents said neither driver slowed down, stopped, or let the other in. The truck then lost control and went onto the opposite side of the road, where the truck collided head-on with the Porsche and killed the two people inside. An accident reconstruction report found that Landen 'actively steered into the white truck' and appeared to disregard the safety of other drivers. Landen is scheduled to make an initial appearance in Fourth District Court at the end of the month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Police caution students on dangers of popular ‘teenage tradition'
It's Nerf War Season for local students, but one police department is stressing caution while teams work to catch their opponents. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7′s Mason Fletcher spoke to residents in Springboro about the yearly tradition and the safety concerns that come with it. Catch his report on News Center 7 at 5:00 p.m. Nerf Wars is starting for Springboro which means teams of students armed with Nerf guns and their foam bullets go head to head until a victor is crowned. It seems fun but Springboro Police Department wants everyone to stay safe. It's a yearly tradition for most students. TRENDING STORIES: Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost PHOTOS: $2.1M home features wine cellar, media room and walking trails Business closing after 39 years in Greene County John Landen is a Springboro grandparent who said it's been a while since he's seen Nerf Wars. 'My kids used to do them and my grandkids used to do them when they were growing up,' Landen said. Landen wants to make sure kids are paying attention to their safety. In 2023, News Center 7 reported a minor was shot and taken to the hospital close to Bengals running back Joe Mixon's house. It was related to Nerf Wars and police said their biggest concern is a student getting mistaken for a real shooter. In 2024, the game was linked to a rollover crash that included two minors. Springboro police made a post on social media saying Nerf Wars is 'not condoned or sponsored by the department.' It added that players are encouraged to keep local laws in mind. 'Just be careful. They know how to be careful and the kids are probably not going to listen to adults are going to be kids. So probably going to happen. So just be very careful,' Landen said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate kills bill to create separate mule, whitetail deer seasons
CHEYENNE – This fall, Wyoming hunters will harvest deer the way they always have: Whitetail and mule deer in one season, with one license. On Monday, the state Senate rejected Senate File 3, 'Mule and whitetail deer-separate hunting seasons,' in a 19-12 vote. On the Senate floor last week, Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, said the bill would have primarily provided a statutory tool for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to manage deer populations in Wyoming. SF 3 would have separated, in statute, the species of mule deer and whitetail deer, and was sponsored by the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee. Separating the species would have allowed Game and Fish to charge different license fees for each species, and would have allowed officials to set enforceable herd quotas, according to Driskill. Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower (2025) Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower 'We are struggling with mule deer statewide, and virtually every (mule deer) herd unit across the state has declined,' Driskill said on Wednesday, adding that separating the hunting season between species could help mule deer recover from whitetail overtaking habitat. On Friday, the Senate again debated the bill on the floor, and Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, said that according to statewide surveys of more than 37,000 identified deer hunters, 45% supported the bill and 25% did not. Thirty percent had no opinion. That same day, Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, said that no survey showed a majority of hunters in favor of the program. Noting another survey of 700 ranchers, Landen said two out of three ranchers did not support SF 3. In addition, people who work in the field also are unlikely to support the bill, because 'they've got all the tools necessary to take care of the deer populations in Wyoming,' Landen said. Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper (2025) Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper 'They're doing it now, and everything that is purported to be done in this bill is already being done,' Landen said. 'There's a reason why the mule deer are coming back. There's a reason why we're getting control (of) the whitetail populations.' Landen said he was concerned the bill was unnecessary, and may have unintended consequences. Many sportsmen, he said, had expressed concern over having to purchase two deer hunting licenses: one for mule deer and another for whitetail, for one season. Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, said he could not support SF 3 over worries that separate seasons could create management challenges. SF 3 died on the Senate floor Monday without discussion.
