Latest news with #Marine
The Hill
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Democratic veterans group backs Colorado Dems running in GOP House districts
Progressive veterans organization VoteVets backed two House candidates challenging Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) on Thursday. The group, which aims to elect Democratic veterans to public office, endorsed Eileen Laubacher, who is challenging Boebert in the state's 4th Congressional District, and Jessica Killin in the 5th Congressional District. Both districts have large military veteran populations. 'Jessica and Eileen have committed their careers to service, and their campaigns offer the type of authentic, selfless, problem solving determination voters are hungry for,' said the group's senior adviser, former Rep. Max Rose (D-N.Y.). 'Jessica and Eileen represent the future of leadership and embody the type of winning formula VoteVets has seen successful time and again. They are prepared to put service over self and have already proven they can take on the toughest of battles. We are proud to be by their side as they help bring fresh perspectives and true leadership to DC,' he continued. The group has rolled out a number of high profile endorsements ahead of November's off-year elections and next year's midterms. On Wednesday, the group endorsed Marine veteran Ryan Crosswell, who is one of three Democrats seeking to challenge Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.) in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. Earlier this year, the group announced it was contributing $500,000 to the Virginia gubernatorial campaign of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.). Both candidates will face uphill climbs in the Republican-leaning districts. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Crank's district as R+9 and Boebert's district as R+5. Laudbacher is one of four Democrats seeking to challenge Boebert. The Democratic candidate is a retired rear admiral in the Navy and a former top National Security Council staffer. Her campaign announced earlier this month it raised $1.9 million in the first quarter of the race. Killin, who launched her bid for Crank's seat earlier this month, is also running in a crowded Democratic primary. Four other Democrats are seeking to challenge Crank. 'The demographics of the district are trending and changing,' Killin said in an interview with The Hill. 'People are tired of both sides of the aisle, honestly, putting politics over people and they want someone who's going to represent them, and I believe that my brand of leadership which is pragmatic but also focused on putting people over party, is going to be refreshing.' She most recently served as chief of staff to former second gentleman Doug Emhoff. Prior to that she served as chief of staff for Rep. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (D-Wash), along with then-Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Donna Shalala (D-Fla.).
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
To Youghal by the sea: Iconic Marine Bar at just €375,000 is ready for new wave of success
A 70-YEAR slice of seaside life and musical hospitality in Youghal faces a turnaround with a family sale after three generations of tending the lovely Marine Bar, and former guesthouse/hotel, by the strand and new East Cork greenway's end point. Upstanding: The Marine has over 5,000 sq ft and had up to 15 bedrooms A 70 year slice of seaside life and musical hospitality in Youghal faces a turnaround with a family sale after three generations tending of the lovely Marine Bar, and former guesthouse/hotel, by the strand and new East Cork greenway's end point. And, even the price, at €375,000 (up from a 1956 purchase at £550), seems delightfully old-fashioned, but reflects the fact new owners will have to roll up their sleeves on this grand old Victorian build, with over 5,000 sq ft and up to 15 bedrooms at peak. Calling time are siblings Julie, Jasper, Blaise and Muiris Sheehan whose parents Brian (Travers) Sheehan and Paula previous ran the Marine, having taken over from their grandmother Ellen Broderick who bought in two adjoining houses in 1956 and set up her bar and guest business. Interior quirks It traded first as a 'hatch licence', generally used to sell alcohol off a premises, and a more modest form of licence, now almost a legacy memory of the trade, and she later developed a more rounded bar which served Youghal and myriad visitors in the seaside town's halcyon days, when the train delivered thousands of day trippers from the city (Ellen Broderick had come from Inchigaggin, and married a local butcher) and PGs, paying guests. Ellen Broderick had bought the properties as a business venture and as 'as an early retirement project,' says granddaughter Julie. Ellen had eight children – as well as her fledgling Youghal business, with one daughter Josephine perishing in the 1968 Tuskar Aer Lingus plane crash along with her husband James O'Halloran. Pictured on The L.E. Eithne: family of those lost on the Tuskar plane tragedy in 1968 at the crash site near Tuskar Rock off the coast of Wexford. The couple had married in England in 1956, the year the Marine Bar entered Broderick family hands: the crash which killed 61 left five orphaned O'Halloran children to be minded. Another of Ellen Broderick's daughters, Paula, took on the Marine along with her husband Brian Sheehan, who was also a musician. Going for a song: The Shandells with Brian Sheehan Brian played with the Youghal four-piece band The Shandells with Tom Pomeroy, Howard Hughes, and Liam Gaffney: they played rock and roll rather than showbands material in Redbarn among other venues, covering the likes of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Chuck Berry and more, recalls daughter Julie, adding Brian also played live 'at home' in the Marine. It's change of tune time now for the Marine Bar. Brian died in 2017, predeceased by Paula in 1999 and their son Muiris ran it, mostly open at weekends since, but the four siblineg have now decided to sell. Heave away, hall away at the Marine The Marine is listed with estate agent Adrianna Hegarty who says her price guide of €375,000 reflects the fact it needs refurbishment, particularly on the upper floors, and describes it as 'a truly iconic property in one of Youghal's most historic and scenic locations, dating to the 1850s and 'originally two stately villas which later became home to the much-loved Marine Bar.' Ms Hegarty says it's big enough to be versatile, and may get repurposed to a refreshed commercial venture, café by the greenway or more, or may revert to an exceptional private residence, or two. The three storey, 5,600 sq ft property has dual road frontage, to the Upper Strand and Golf Links Road, with a protected facade. Go with the flow: Hotel Marine in 1978 'It's a truly unique opportunity, the Marine invites a visionary buyer to restore its character or reimagine its future in this picturesque seaside setting, just 80 metres from Youghal's seafront, with commanding views by and Capel Island views,' says Ms Hegarty. Details: 021- 4639411
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Cousins who were longest-serving wrongfully convicted people in Illinois get innocence certificates
James Soto and his cousin, David Ayala, stood outside the doors of a Cook County courtroom Wednesday at the end of a more than four-decade entanglement with the criminal court and prison system, nervously riding out a final 20-minute delay in their hearing to receive an official declaration of innocence. 'It doesn't happen until it happens. I waited so long,' Soto said, listening for a call back into the room. Family and supporters audibly exhaled when the decision came several minutes later: a certificate of innocence was granted for the two men, the longest-serving wrongfully convicted people in Illinois. Ayala and Soto were released from prison more than a year and a half ago after a judge exonerated them. But the certificate of innocence means even the arrest records from the case will be erased. Soto said having the certificate will allow him to travel without restrictions, and both men said it would help them to move on with their lives. Soto, whose post-release journey the Tribune chronicled earlier this year, and Ayala were wrongfully convicted of murder in 1982 and served 42 years before their release from prison in December 2023. 'Our vindication is not based on some sort of technicality,' Ayala said after the ruling. 'This is clear proof of evidence, what we've been saying for over 42 years.' Cook County prosecutors previously dropped all charges in the case. But Soto, Ayala and their family and supporters all said they still felt on edge in court before the certificates were issued. 'It feels like I'm in a dream,' Rose Ayala-Olson, David's sister, said in the lobby of the Leighton Criminal Court Building. 'He's innocent. He always has been.' Soto earned a college degree in prison and learned how to write court petitions for himself and others who were in prison. He had a reputation inside prison walls for using his self-taught knowledge to help others who were incarcerated with their legal issues, sometimes writing the first petition that would eventually win freedom or a sentence reduction. A professor once called him 'one of the most successful non-licensed litigators inside of Stateville.' Next month, he's planning to take the LSAT, his attorney Lauren Myerscough-Mueller said. Now in their 60s, Soto and Ayala were 20 and 18 when they were arrested following the shooting deaths of 16-year-old Julie Limas and Hector Valeriano, 18, a U.S. Marine on leave, on Aug. 16, 1981. They were sentenced to natural life in prison. The case largely turned on a single witness who, in exchange for a deal, told a jury Soto carried out a shooting with him and a third person under orders from Ayala. That witness was later key to both men's exoneration, when an Illinois appeals court found that other witnesses contradicted his 'highly-incentivized' account. Ayala served 15 years in the supermax facility at the now-shuttered Tamms Correctional Center, which was known for brutal conditions and was the prison where the state housed people on death row before the death penalty was abolished in Illinois. Both men have been making up for lost time since their release, getting out in nature and volunteering, Myerscough-Mueller said. Soto last year filed a lawsuit against defendants including the city of Chicago and Cook County accusing police and prosecutors of using abusive tactics to get witnesses to tell a certain story, including threatening them with the death penalty and depriving them of sleep and food. He said he expects that process will continue for another four or five years. Ayala has filed a similar lawsuit seeking compensation for his wrongful conviction. 'This is something that I've been waiting for a long time, and to finally hear those words — I mean, it's like a whole weight lifted off me,' Soto said of receiving the certificate.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Armed hero who confronted ‘wild-eyed' Walmart stabbing suspect describes how he ‘de-escalated the situation' without firing gun
An armed hero who confronted the 'wild-eyed' suspect of a mass stabbing at Walmart kept his cool despite bystanders urging him to open fire — declaring in a new interview he's no 'judge, jury or executioner.' Marine veteran Derrick Perry, in a Tuesday appearance on ABC's 'Good Morning America,' described the chaos that enveloped the Traverse City superstore Saturday when 11 people were allegedly knifed by Bradford James Gille. 'A lady was screaming for her son and all the employees and patrons were clamoring, trying to run in different directions,' Perry recalled. 8 Marine veteran Derrick Perry confronted the mass shooting suspect at a Walmart in Traverse City, Mich. on July 26, 2025. X/ImMeme0 8 Perry held suspect Bradford James Gille at Gunpoint in the parking lot. X/paige29863 When Gille fled out to the parking lot, Perry, along with others, dropped his groceries and surrounded the alleged attacker. Perry, a hospital worker, pulled out his gun, but did not shoot Gille — even though he said others were calling on him to pull the trigger. 'Unfortunately, there was kinda like a mob mentality and some very disturbing things were being said on how to deal with the situation,' Perry said. 'I had to block all of that out and focus on him [Gille] because … I ultimately just wanted him to put the knife down and back away until law enforcement got there,' he went on. 8 Gille allegedly stabbed 11 people in the Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan. 8 The knife Gille allegedly used in the attack. Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office via AP 'I did not see myself as any type of judge, jury or executioner. I just wanted everyone to be safe.' Gille was rambling and appeared out of his mind, Perry recalled. 'I could see it in his eyes that he was wild-eyed and he did not look like he was in his right mind,' he said. 'And he was saying, 'They told me to do it. They told me to do it. And call 911.' 'I said they are on their way. They are coming,' said Perry, who described how he worked to de-escalate the situation. 8 Perry ignored calls from bystanders to shoot Gille before police arrived. Chris O'Brien via Storyful 8 A victim of the stabbing spree seen in the parking lot of the Michigan Walmart. Chris O'Brien via Storyful 'I took time to actually look and listen and try to understand his mind state, and see that, yes, I am in a position to do something very rash, but it's ultimately my decision to not do it as well,' he said. 'De-escalate the situation, try to get him to surrender on his own accord.' Despite his brave actions, which ensured that Gille was taken into custody without incident and with no further injuries, Perry doesn't consider himself a hero. 8 Gille getting arrested by a law enforcement officer. Channel2 NOW 8 First responders outside of the Walmart after the shooting in Michigan. Jan-Michael Stump/Traverse City Record-Eagle via AP 'The only thing that separated me from the other gentlemen that had stepped in as well was what I was carrying in my hands,' he said. 'I think I would have ran out there or walked out there and helped either way. It was just a moment of, 'I got a duty to protect.'' Gille was arrested and arraigned on one count of felony terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder in Grand Traverse County District Court on Monday. He is due in court again on Aug. 6.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
North Texas military veterans face sharp cuts to VA-funded in-home care
Veterans in North Texas who depend on federal funding for in-home care are seeing major cutbacks, forcing some to give up the independence of living in their homes. The CBS News Texas I-Team first reported in April that many veterans were receiving fewer approved hours through the Department of Veterans Affairs' Homemaker Home Health Aide (H/HHA) Program. The program is designed to help veterans live independently by sending aides to assist with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and housekeeping. While the number of North Texas veterans enrolled in the H/HHA program has increased in recent years, the percentage of veterans who receive more than 20 hours per week of in-home care has steadily gone down in the past year, according to an analysis of data provided by the VA. Veterans enrolled in the program who receive more than 20 hours a week of in-home care has dropped from 37% in June of 2024 to 11% in June 2025. A VA spokesperson told the I-Team there had been some confusion about the scope of the program. To fix that, the VA North Texas Health Care System recently rolled out a new system to make sure hours are being approved consistently and correctly. One of the veterans affected is an 80-year-old Marine veteran from Denton who is suffering from cancer linked to exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. He asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation. The VA determined his disability rating was 100%, which represents how the disability impacts overall health and ability to function. The rating also determines what level of benefits veterans are eligible for. The Marine veteran had been receiving 37 hours of in-home care each week. The support allowed him and his wife, who has Alzheimer's disease, to remain in their home. But last summer, without warning, the VA cut his in-home care to 13 hours per week. With less help, the veteran said he had no choice but to move into assisted living. "I can't take care of my wife because I can't get help for me," he said, holding back tears. "That's what's hurtful about it." Nagraj Venkataraman, owner of BrightStar Care of Denton, a home health care agency, said all his veteran clients in the program — more than a dozen — have seen similar cuts. "If there is one segment of the population that needs help, it's our veterans," he said. "It's our duty to give back to them. That shouldn't be a cliché. It should be real." Marine veteran James Carey of Heath, Texas, also knows firsthand how devastating the cuts can be. Fifteen years ago, a training accident at Camp Pendleton left him with a traumatic brain injury. Now 38, Carey is blind, unable to move his body and suffers from dementia. Until this year, Carey had been receiving care from the VA around the clock. But in January, the VA reduced it to 16 hours per week. After multiple appeals, his hours were raised to 50 — still far less than what he had been receiving. His mother, Kim Carey, has been his primary caregiver. But she said she can't do it alone. "Why do we have to keep paying that price every day?" she said. "Why do we have to beg the VA to give him the benefits he earned?" The VA insists that no national policy has changed. In a statement, the VA told the I-Team there was some confusion about what the program was supposed to cover, stating the H/HHA is "not meant for housekeeping or 24/7 care." But the VA's own website lists housekeeping in a video as one of the services the program can provide — and does not mention any limits on hours. The VA North Texas Health Care System provided H/HHA services to 7,939 veterans in 2024 and 8,196 so far in 2025. The VA also pointed to other services available to veterans, including the Caregiver Support Program, medical foster homes and nursing homes.
