Latest news with #Matson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mayor Matson gives final State of the City Address
Davenport mayor Mike Matson delivered his final State of the City Address Thursday afternoon. He has announced that he is not seeking re-election, but for now his message to the city of Davenport is continual improvement. 'I can't thank the conversations I've had, uncomfortable or comfortable, but I need to thank you for that,' Matson said. 'I give credit to) the folks that do the work and work together in different entities to give city council goals and ideas on what to do. It's because of you.' The mayor pointed out improvements across Davenport, including a 66 percent decrease in shots fired over the last five years. 'Davenport, again, just like the parks', Good Neighbor Project, recognized as an example of how to do gun violence intervention, how to do gun and crime reduction, 'Matson said. He also noted that nearly a billion dollars have been investment in the northern part of the city. 'Set the table so businesses, when they are interested in coming, are ready to go,' Matson said. 'That's what the city council, the staff, that's what a lot of people have told us to do, and we are doing it.' Matson added that the key to continuing a positive trajectory is collaboration. 'There are no words to say how important it is for everyone in this room, much less everybody out in whatever world you are, to work together,' Matson said. 'Come to the same vision of how do we improve whatever it is we want to improve.' Matson said that Davenport's future is bright. 'We are doing a good thing. Maybe we can improve here, but thank God we have partners, thank God we have people who care about the community, and thank God we have people to work together,' Matson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
His parents refused to come to his gay wedding. His TikTok went viral – with support.
His parents refused to come to his gay wedding. His TikTok went viral – with support. Show Caption Hide Caption Pride flag raised in DC in honor of Pride month Officials, organizers and supporters gathered in front of the John A. Wilson building in Washington D.C. as the Pride flag was raised. Nick Matson's July wedding is fast approaching. A hundred people sent in their RSVPs. He and his fiancé hired a choreographer for their first dance, picked a cake. But there's a problem – one that many LGBTQ+ people face. Matson's father and stepmother aren't planning on attending the ceremony. A gut punch, but not a surprising one for the 32-year-old gay man. "When I told them I proposed to Mike, they did not give me a single emotion, a congrats, a happy for you," the influencer, who goes by AuthenNick, says over a Zoom call, recalling the dead silence. Ultimately, they've since told him they'll come to the reception but not the ceremony, citing their religious objections. Matson made a viral TikTok video about the situation, which has almost 100,000 likes and nearly 14,000 comments. Support poured in: "its not a gay wedding, its just their son's wedding, its on them if they don't understand." "Their son should be first above anything. Sorry they are causing you pain." "I'll send my parents. They're always down for a wedding." If you scrolled through TikTok the last few years, that sentiment might sound familiar. Back in 2021, a stranger offered to stand alongside same-sex couples on their wedding day, if they didn't have their biological parents' support. That initial invitation grew into a Facebook group of more than 60,000 people and an app launched in October 2024 called "Stand in Pride" (now a nonprofit organization) that aims to connect LGBTQ+ people and allies. It has a similar number of users. And it's coming at a crucial time for queer people like Matson, as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and sentiment has only increased in the U.S. in recent years and months. "The backlash that's happening politically is making people realize, 'I want to do something,'" says Daniel Blevins, founder of "Stand in Pride." Standing in for someone on the most important day of their life is an easy way to give back – perhaps beyond a TikTok comment. In case you missed: LGBTQ people in need of stand-in parents at weddings, holidays find 'family' in Facebook group 'I think it's beautiful' Matson's father's rejection hurt him deeply. But the influencer has a lot worth celebrating: He's sober after struggling with addiction and finally happy after feeling different all his life due to his sexuality. "You would think as a parent, you'd want to be supportive of that," he says. "And I understand he's got his beliefs, but it does not make it easy." The two have since talked more about the big day, especially after the viral TikTok, hence the compromise to go to the party but not the ceremony. Still, Matson has plenty of people in his corner, including his biological mother, who couldn't wait to pick out her dress for the occasion. But he thinks the Stand in Pride movement is a crucial one. "There's got to be people out there that have nobody, and to have people in our community that volunteer and give back in that way, I think it's beautiful," he says. The app works like a social media platform, were you can set your range from 100 miles all the way to 1,000 miles – i.e., how long you'd be willing to travel to attend a wedding. People can introduce themselves and share pictures, and Blevins hopes to grow it into a learning platform for LGBTQ+ people and allies to learn more about queer history, too. Stand in Pride also has a business directory for queer-owned and queer-affirming businesses, with space for them to advertise and to connect with the community. Whether the group is stepping up for someone like Matson or someone with no support system at all, community members are happy to help each other. "People are scared, but the need has always been there," Blevins says. "There just hasn't been an outlet for it until now." Contributing: Eve Chen
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
His parents refused to come to his gay wedding. His TikTok went viral – with support.
Nick Matson's July wedding is fast approaching. A hundred people sent in their RSVPs. He and his fiancé hired a choreographer for their first dance, picked a cake. But there's a problem – one that many LGBTQ+ people face. Matson's father and stepmother aren't planning on attending the ceremony. A gut punch, but not a surprising one for the 32-year-old gay man. "When I told them I proposed to Mike, they did not give me a single emotion, a congrats, a happy for you," the influencer, who goes by AuthenNick, says over a Zoom call, recalling the dead silence. Ultimately, they've since told him they'll come to the reception but not the ceremony, citing their religious objections. Matson made a viral TikTok video about the situation, which has almost 100,000 likes and nearly 14,000 comments. Support poured in: "its not a gay wedding, its just their son's wedding, its on them if they don't understand." "Their son should be first above anything. Sorry they are causing you pain." "I'll send my parents. They're always down for a wedding." If you scrolled through TikTok the last few years, that sentiment might sound familiar. Back in 2021, a stranger offered to stand alongside same-sex couples on their wedding day, if they didn't have their biological parents' support. That initial invitation grew into a Facebook group of more than 60,000 people and an app launched in October 2024 called "Stand in Pride" (now a nonprofit organization) that aims to connect LGBTQ+ people and allies. It has a similar number of users. And it's coming at a crucial time for queer people like Matson, as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and sentiment has only increased in the U.S. in recent years and months. "The backlash that's happening politically is making people realize, 'I want to do something,'" says Daniel Blevins, founder of "Stand in Pride." Standing in for someone on the most important day of their life is an easy way to give back – perhaps beyond a TikTok comment. In case you missed: LGBTQ people in need of stand-in parents at weddings, holidays find 'family' in Facebook group Matson's father's rejection hurt him deeply. But the influencer has a lot worth celebrating: He's sober after struggling with addiction and finally happy after feeling different all his life due to his sexuality. "You would think as a parent, you'd want to be supportive of that," he says. "And I understand he's got his beliefs, but it does not make it easy." The two have since talked more about the big day, especially after the viral TikTok, hence the compromise to go to the party but not the ceremony. Still, Matson has plenty of people in his corner, including his biological mother, who couldn't wait to pick out her dress for the occasion. But he thinks the Stand in Pride movement is a crucial one. "There's got to be people out there that have nobody, and to have people in our community that volunteer and give back in that way, I think it's beautiful," he says. The app works like a social media platform, were you can set your range from 100 miles all the way to 1,000 miles – i.e., how long you'd be willing to travel to attend a wedding. People can introduce themselves and share pictures, and Blevins hopes to grow it into a learning platform for LGBTQ+ people and allies to learn more about queer history, too. Stand in Pride also has a business directory for queer-owned and queer-affirming businesses, with space for them to advertise and to connect with the community. Whether the group is stepping up for someone like Matson or someone with no support system at all, community members are happy to help each other. "People are scared, but the need has always been there," Blevins says. "There just hasn't been an outlet for it until now." Contributing: Eve Chen This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Parents refuse to attend gay son's wedding, TikTok commenters weigh in
BBC News
18-05-2025
- BBC News
Man arrested after Matson baseball bat attack
A man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after a reported baseball bat attack. The victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with possible fractures following the incident at around 00:50 BST on Sunday, where he Police said officers had received a report of two men attacking another man with baseball bats, which they dropped before leaving the scene on Rectory Road, Matson. A 35-year-old man from Gloucester has been arrested on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm, and remains in custody. Anyone with information about the incident has been asked to contact Gloucestershire Police.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Watch: Huge jet of water sprays across homes as burst main floods streets
This video shows a burst main sending thousands of gallons of water into the air, covering nearby properties. A jet of water about 100ft high sprayed across Sneedhams Green in Matson, Gloucester, during the incident on Wednesday. Residents nearby were left without supplies. One house adjacent to the leak was battered by the jet stream, and the water caused Sneedhams Road to flood. Utility company Severn Trent said bottled water was being given to affected residents and engineers were on site to fix the problem. Shortly before 2pm the water main was turned off, with local residents giving a loud round of applause.
