Latest news with #Mendenhall
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Grace Schara's wrongful death trial against Ascension St. Elizabeth begins
APPLETON - The jury trial involving the death of Grace Schara, 19, at an Ascension hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic got underway June 3 in Outagamie County Circuit Court. The Freedom teen died Oct. 13, 2021, seven days after she was admitted to Ascension NE Wisconsin-St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton for symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Scott Schara, her dad, sued the hospital a year and a half later in a wrongful death case that includes claims of medical negligence, violation of informed consent and battery. Dr. Gavin Shokar, who was the primary doctor in charge of Grace's care, and Hollee McInnis, a registered nurse who provided medications to Grace while she was a patient in the intensive care unit, are also named as defendants in the case. In an approximately 30-minute opening statement, Warner Mendenhall, one of Schara's attorneys, said Grace's stay at St. Elizabeth was a precautionary measure to provide her with supplementary oxygen and steroids. But she quickly began facing issues. On two occasions shortly after she was admitted, on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, Grace was given Precedex, which "dangerously lowered her blood pressure and pulse," Mendenhall claimed. On both occasions, Grace's condition improved after medical staff stopped or turned down her dose of the medication, he said. Scott Schara stayed with his daughter at the hospital for several days, until staff asked him to leave, and he was escorted out of the hospital by security guards on Oct. 10. He was persistent with asking questions of medical staff, but was "doing exactly what he was supposed to do as a dad and power of attorney for health care,' Mendenhall said. The family had lawyers negotiate with the hospital to allow older sister Jessica Vander Heiden to be with Grace. On the morning of Oct. 13, Shokar spoke with Grace's family over the phone saying Grace was stable and they should focus on nutrition and movement so Grace could soon go home. 'Oddly though, despite Grace's improving condition, Shokar requested Scott authorize a ventilator, even though there was no need for a ventilator at that time,' Mendenhall said. Mendenhall said Scott Schara did not want his daughter to be placed on a ventilator. But as a result of this conversation, Shokar not only documented that Grace had a Do Not Intubate order, known as a DNI, but also a Do Not Resuscitate Order, known as DNR. The Schara family did not learn Grace has been labeled DNR until Grace was in respiratory distress shortly before she died later that night. 'Dr. Shokar watched this 19-year-old girl breathing fast, and instead of assessing why, without talking to the family before, and Nurse McInnis, injected Grace Schara with morphine, a powerful opioid drug that suppresses breathing,' Mendenhall said. Scott and Cindy Schara, Grace's mother, then had to watch their daughter die over FaceTime, with their cries for medical staff to save their daughter ignored, Mendenhall said. 'At this trial, we will show that Grace Schara, a beautiful, gifted 19-year-old girl with Down syndrome, was killed by a deadly injection while dozens of medical personnel stood aside and did nothing,' Mendenhall said. Attorneys for the defendants painted a very different picture of Grace's hospital stay and the events leading up to her death. Two attorneys delivered opening statements for the defense: Jason Franckowiak, who represents defendants Ascension Health and McInnis; and Randall Guse, who represents Ascension Medical Group – Fox Valley Wisconsin, Inc. and Shokar. Grace did not die of any injection she was given by hospital staff, the attorneys argued. She died of a COVID-19 infection, which worsened during her days at the hospital, despite medical staff's best attempts to save her. Additionally, attorneys said Grace's family had consented during a conversation with Shokar to both a "Do Not Intubate" and a "Do Not Resuscitate" order. Franckowiak said evidence presented at trial will dispute multiple claims made by the plaintiffs, including that the medications and dosages provided to Grace were standard in the intensive care unit. Specifically, Precedex and lorazepam, both sedatives, were used in an effort reduce her rapid breathing and allow her to take deeper breaths and take in more oxygen. After administration of those drugs did little for her vitals, Shokar ordered McInnis, one of Grace's nurses, to administer a small dose of morphine. That drug, Franckowiak said, helped temporarily improve Grace's oxygenation, from around 50% to 98%. "Dr. Shokar reached a reasonable conclusion that the morphine had done exactly what he had intended it to do: it had lowered Grace's rate of breathing sufficient to allow her take deeper breaths, therefore increasing her oxygenation level,' Franckowiak said. Grace was stable for about an hour, but then her lungs gave out, Franckowiak said. He said experts will testify that without the ability to intubate Grace, chest compressions would not have been effective. And a reversal agent like naloxone would not have been effective, as the plaintiffs asserted. "The only potential way for Grace's emergent pulmonary condition to have been adequately addressed at the point of her arrest would have been mechanical ventilation, but doctors and nurses had been explicitly forbidden by Mr. Schara (from) intubating Grace," Franckowiak said. Franckowiak also said Scott Schara will be asked to testify about some of his beliefs, which have 'shaped the allegations' he is making. Among them are a belief that the COVID-19 pandemic was planned to create fear and a general distrust of medical personnel. Cindy Schara, Grace's mom, was the first witness to testify for the plaintiffs. She detailed how Grace began to show symptoms of COVID-19, which she describes as similar to allergy symptoms, after the family attended a concert in Oshkosh on Sept. 25. Grace was not vaccinated, and on Oct. 1 she tested positive for the virus. Cindy said she had the same symptoms, which is why she was never able to go to the hospital to be with Grace. Cindy Schara also confirmed she and Scott Schara had been researching how to treat COVID-19 prior to seeking medical help for Grace on Oct. 6. Cindy Schara said they were researching protocols provided by Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance. The group, now known as the Independent Medical Alliance, was formed in April 2020 by physicians and former journalists who advocated for unapproved treatments, such as ivermectin, for COVID-19. Both its founders have since had their medical board certifications revoked. She said the organization advised taking supplements, which they did, and to seek medical help if blood-oxygen saturation levels dropped below 94%, which they also did. Cindy Schara said the family would never made a decision on a DNR order on its own. If they were, they would want other family members, their pastor, primary care physician and a lawyer to be involved in the conversation. "It would be a terrible thing to have to decide," she said, indicating she and her husband never made that decision during two separate phone calls with Shokar. She was questioned at length about her and her husband's views on the medical professional after Grace's death. She acknowledged she believes the COVID-19 vaccine is a bioweapon and young vaccinated men, once vaccinated, became sterile, among other things. None of these theories are supported by research or the scientific community. The trial is expected to last up to four weeks. Jessica Van Egeren is a health care reporter and assistant breaking news editor with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at jvanegeren@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trial begins against Ascension hospital in Appleton over Grace Schara's death
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Private city, public fight
TO many, Tatu City on the outskirts of Nairobi looks like a success. The first city entirely built by a private company to be operational in east Africa, with some 25,000 people living and working there, it accounts for around two-thirds of all foreign investment in Kenya. Its low-tax status has attracted more than 100 businesses including Heineken, coffee brand Dormans and the biggest call-centre and cold-chain transport firms in the region. But to some local politicians, Tatu City has looked more like a target for extortion. A parade of governors have, according to the city's owners, demanded land worth millions of dollars in exchange for building permits. A few years ago, a governor 'drove around with us, just pointing at different plots of land, saying 'I want that, I want that'', said Preston Mendenhall, Kenya country head for Rendeavour, the company building the city. The American responded with a tactic rarely attempted in Kenya: going public. More than once, Mendenhall has held press conferences detailing the alleged extortion attempts of local politicians. 'They thought that we, as foreign investors, would leave the country,' he said. '(But) we're looking at a 50-year time horizon. For us to challenge somebody, if need be in public, who is trying to extort us... we believe that's the right thing to do.' Last year, he publicly accused local governor Kimani Wamatangi of demanding 22ha of Tatu City, worth US$33mil, free of charge. Wamatangi – who did not respond to a request for comment – denied the accusation. It's a risky strategy. 'I'm subject to four defamation cases. It's their intimidation tactic and they're used to getting what they want,' said Mendenhall. 'But the first case goes back to 2015 and we haven't had a hearing yet, so I'm not too worried.' The waiting game appears to be paying off. The first governor who targeted them, Ferdinand Waititu, is now in prison from a separate corruption case. Wamatangi was arrested in April by anti-corruption officers who found some US$13,000 in cash in his home, also in an unrelated case. A worker inspecting the condition of goods preserved in sub-zero storage at cold chain solutions provider, Cold Solutions Kenya Sez Ltd, at their plant in Tatu City in Ruiru, Kiambu county. — AFP World-class facilities Meanwhile, Tatu City is slowly but steadily growing. The resident population is still small, but the 2,000ha site already includes a supermarket, health clinic and two schools with 5,000 pupils. There are 2,400 homes ranging from studios to lakeside mansions and 2,000 more on the way. Many are attracted by the fact that it has its own electricity and water supply to prevent cuts that are highly common across Africa. 'That is why we chose Tatu City,' said Hannington Opot, commercial director of Hewa Tele, which is currently building a factory to produce medical-grade oxygen for hospitals – a chemical process requiring uninterrupted power and water. Cold Solutions, which provides storage for food and pharmaceutical partners, also highlighted the infrastructure. 'We wanted to put a stake in the ground and say that Africans can build world-class facilities. And it marries nicely with what Tatu is trying to do,' said managing director Fredd Kambo. Unity Homes has built over 1,500 apartments. Buyers are attracted by the 'playgrounds, parks, the fact they can drink the water from the tap... and knowing no one will build two centimetres in front of your balcony', said commercial director Mina Stiernblad. By far the hardest Tatu City is the most advanced of six cities Rendeavour is building across Africa – in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia. Kenyan corruption has made it 'by far the hardest', said Mendenhall. Anger over corruption was one of the key drivers of mass protests in Kenya last year. But Rendeavour's founders made their fortunes in the free-for-all of 1990s Russia and are unfazed. The owners have faced their own allegations, including claims of tax evasion. But investigations have been ongoing for years without resulting in any charges. Mendenhall says they are just more extortion attempts by 'bad actors'. He emphasised that many in the Kenyan government are 'incredibly supportive'. 'They understand the vision of this project, understand the number of jobs that it's created,' he said. And for all the corruption attempts, Mendenhall has great faith in Kenya. 'Kenya is really an economic hub of the region (and) we think Nairobi will become the capital of Africa,' he said. — AFP
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Utah State Football Preview 2025: How Quickly Can Bronco Mendenhall Rebuild the Aggies?
Has Bronco Mendenhall found a home?Utah State has had a rough run, and it needs Mendenhall to work his magic as soon as humanly program won ten or more games four times in the last 13 seasons - the only double-digit campaigns in Utah State history - and going to bowl games has become the norm. But three straight losing seasons, and the firing of head coach Blake Anderson just before last year started, made 2024 impossible to turn things back around. But Mendenhall is used to this. He was great right away at BYU for 12 seasons before running off for the Virginia job. In Year Four, he took the Cavaliers to the Orange Bowl. After taking three years off, he resurfaced in New Mexico, taking over and winning five games with one of the best offenses in the State might need a little bit. Mendenhall knows what he's doing, but close to 30 players transferred out, the portal didn't fill in enough gaps, and this whole thing will be put together with duct tape and a few there's enough in place to potentially match the four wins of last season. And because it's Mendenhall, it should be fun regardless of the first year record. Utah State Aggies Preview 2025: Offense X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- Bronco Mendenhall isn't quite bringing over the New Mexico offense that finished fourth in the nation, but he'll give it a shot. Coordinator Kevin McGiven spent the last several years making the San Jose State offense go. Offense wasn't a problem for Utah State, finishing sixth in the nation, averaging 468 yards and 32 points per game, but …- Leading passer Spencer Petras is done, but Bryson Barnes threw 12 touchdown passes and got in enough work last year and at Utah to be ready for the gig. His 348 rushing yards over the last two games might be a glimpse of what's to come in the Mendenhall attack. However, Arizona transfer Anthony Garcia will get every shot in fall camp. - Jalen Royals was a special receiver who'll be a big deal for the Kansas City Chiefs. The transfer portal needs to pick up the slack with Corey Thompson (UNLV), Brady Boyd (Texas Tech), and Demick Starling (WKU) all relatively untested options who'll get every shot.- The line isn't totally starting over, but all five starters will be replaced. Jake Eichorn (BYU) will come in through the transfer portal, and there's a little experience to play around with. The job will be to crank up the running game, and it won't just be Barnes. Miles Davis (BYU) and Javen Jacobs (New Mexico) are quick backs who should each average over five yards per carry. Utah State Aggies Preview 2025: Defense - The defense couldn't do much of anything, even with all the help coming from the strong Aggie offense. The D had a nice pass rush, but it allowed 470 yards and 38 points per game. Defensive coordinator Nick Howell is still around, and …- The Aggies might have the best safety in the Mountain West. Ike Larsen is back after making 217 tackles, nine picks, and 17 broken up passes over the last three years. Omari Okeke and transfer Bobby Arnold (New Mexico) will step in at the other slots. The corners might be even better, with Bryson Taylor and Noah Avinger two big-play parts of last year's New Mexico secondary. - Top pass rusher Cian Slone is gone to NC State, but Bronson Olevao Jr. is back at one linebacker spot - he was second on the team with 3.5 sacks and 23 tackles - and John Miller should be a bigger tackler in the middle coming off a 52-tackle season.- The line doesn't have a ton of experience with Slone gone on one end, but Gabriel Iniguez is a decent run stopper inside, Bo Maile can play inside or as a 3-4 end, and the transfer portal will help with tackle Tyree Morris (Lafayette) an instant starter. Utah State Aggies Key to the Season Be way, way better against the Aggies allowed 5.4 yards per carry and got hammered over 200 yards in seven games. It's way, way too tough to hold up when the team is getting crushed in the time of possession battle, and in this way, the offense has to control the clock a bit better. But it's been years since the program has consistently stopped the run. Utah State Aggies Key Player Tyree Morris, DT the run defense must be more than just a speed bump. The 6-6, 273-pound Morris might not be huge, but he's active. He made 65 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss last year for the Leopards, and now he has to be a disruptive force. Utah State Aggies Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss Top Transfer In: Noah Avinger, CB it's not Morris, and if it's not fellow former Lobo defensive back Bryson Taylor, it's Avinger, a strong-tackling option for any defensive back started out at San Diego State, missed the 2023 season, and then stepped in at corner for New Mexico and stopped everything the porous defensive front didn't, coming up with 91 tackles and five broken up Transfer Out: Rahsul Faison, RB Aggies have other options at running back and should be okay, but the 5-11, 200-pound Faison would've rolled in this new offense. He wasn't bad in the old one, running for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns in two seasons. Now he's at South Carolina. Utah State Aggies Key Game at New Mexico, Oct. 25No one's expecting a College Football Playoff national title out of the Aggies, but there are games you can lose, and games you can't. Bronco Mendenhall losing to the Lobos after his one-and-done era in Albuquerque is one of those the Aggies shouldn't drop.- 2025 Utah State Schedule Breakdown Utah State Aggies Top 10 Players 1. Ike Larsen, S Sr.2. Noah Avinger, CB Sr.3. Bryson Barnes, QB Sr.4. Bryson Taylor, CB Sr.5. John Miller, LB Sr.6. Bronson Olevao Jr., LB Jr.7. Tyree Morris, DT Jr.8. Miles Davis, RB Sr.9. Gabriel Iniguez, DT Sr.10. Omari Okeke, S Sr. Utah State Aggies 2024 Fun Stats - 2nd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 186, Utah State 89- Field Goals: Opponents 20-of-22, Utah State 10-of-16- Time of Possession: Opponents 32:41, Utah State 27:19 Utah State Aggies 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen It's Bronco Mendenhall, and while that will only go so far on a team that returns four starters and lost just about everyone of note through the transfer portal, he should have the team ready and good enough to at least push for the four wins of last not an awful deal to miss Colorado State, San Diego State, and Wyoming, but it would've been nice to miss Boise State, or UNLV, or Fresno State. Making things worse, there's a trip to Hawaii kicking off a run of four road games in six dates. The Aggies will beat McNeese and slip by UTEP in the opener. It'll pull off at least one other Mountain West game - at New Mexico and home against Nevada are most likely - but this is a true rebuilding The Utah State Aggies Win Total At … 3.5Likely Wins: McNeese50/50 Games: Air Force, at Hawaii, Nevada, at New Mexico, San Jose State, UTEPLikely Losses: Boise State, at Fresno State, at Texas A&M, at UNLV, at Vanderbilt © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested after police say he threatened Salt Lake City mayor after city's flag change
A Farmington man was arrested Tuesday after police say he made online threats against Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and then showed up at Salt Lake City Hall after being questioned about it. Jason Guy Rogers, 44, was arrested for investigation of electronic communication harassment and stalking, per a jail report. He was booked into the Davis County Jail but has since been released, according to jail records. 'The mayor's office is monitoring the situation and appreciates the swift and professional investigation by the Salt Lake City and Farmington police departments,' Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, said in a statement to The investigation began shortly after May 6, when Mendenhall proposed three new city flag designs to bypass a new state law that directs which types of flags government entities can fly. The new flags use the sego lily from the primary city flag on new flags representing the LGBTQ communities and Juneteenth celebrations. Members of the Salt Lake City Council quickly adopted the measure, codifying the change on the eve of HB77 going into law, which would have otherwise barred the city from flying all three flags. Salt Lake City police began a 'coordinated investigation' with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, Farmington Police Department, Davis County District Attorney's Office and Statewide Information and Analysis Center after coming across 'alleged threats' made against Mendenhall, said Brent Weisberg, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Police Department. The posts, which were first made on the social media platform X on May 9, were sent by an account traced back to Rogers, Farmington police wrote in an affidavit. 'When you see her and her family, end them immediately. Utah will rise up,' one of the posts read, along with a blood drop and a face with crossed-out eyes emojis. Other posts also referenced threats, police wrote in the report. While the mayor last posted on X in December, police said she still has 'direct access to see' messages on the account. The police report says a Farmington officer contacted Rogers on Tuesday, and Rogers said he 'did make comments about being upset over the changing of the flag proposal.' 'However, he denied making any comments that would indicate he threatened anybody. He told me he believed his account must have been 'hacked' when those specific comments were made,' the report states. An hour later, the account linked to Rogers responded 'time for action' to another post from the mayor's account, the report states. Farmington police said that they were informed a truck identified as Rogers' vehicle through a license plate-reader system had pulled up to the mayor's 'place of work.' The driver attempted to enter the building through its locked side doors before trying to enter through the main entrance. 'Security personnel made eye contact with (the man) from inside; (he) turned around and walked to his truck. He then drove from the area,' the report stated. The Salt Lake City Mayor's Office confirmed to that the man was spotted by Salt Lake City police and by city security staff, both of whom are stationed at the Salt Lake City-County Building. Officials said the incident occurred before the Salt Lake City Council convened Tuesday afternoon for meetings often attended by the mayor. Salt Lake City's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located Rogers and arrested him shortly after, Weisberg said. He was transferred to Farmington police, who booked him into Davis County Jail. 'We're grateful to our officers, detectives, victim advocates and law enforcement partners for their support and collaboration as this case developed,' he said in a statement, adding that the incident remains under investigation. Wittenberg said the mayor's office will not release 'any additional information' about the case 'out of respect for the investigative and judicial processes.' It wasn't immediately clear if Rogers had obtained legal representation.
eNCA
09-05-2025
- Business
- eNCA
How a privately owned city in Kenya took on corrupt officials
NAIROBI - To many, Tatu City on the outskirts of Nairobi looks like a success. The first city entirely built by a private company to be operational in east Africa, with some 25,000 people living and working there, it accounts for around two-thirds of all foreign investment in Kenya. Its low-tax status has attracted more than 100 businesses including Heineken, coffee brand Dormans, and the biggest call-centre and cold-chain transport firms in the region. But to some local politicians, Tatu City has looked more like a target for extortion. A parade of governors have, according to the city's owners, demanded land worth millions of dollars in exchange for building permits. A few years ago, a governor "drove around with us, just pointing at different plots of land, saying 'I want that, I want that'", said Preston Mendenhall, Kenya country head for Rendeavour, the company building the city. The American responded with a tactic rarely attempted in Kenya: going public. More than once, Mendenhall has held press conferences detailing the alleged extortion attempts of local politicians. "They thought that we, as foreign investors, would leave the country," he said. "(But) we're looking at a 50-year time horizon. For us to challenge somebody, if need be in public, who is trying to extort us... we believe that's the right thing to do." Last year, he publicly accused local governor Kimani Wamatangi of demanding 22 hectares of Tatu City, worth $33-million, free of charge. Wamatangi -- who did not respond to an AFP request for comment -- denied the accusation. It's a risky strategy. "I'm subject to four defamation cases. It's their intimidation tactic and they're used to getting what they want," said Mendenhall. "But the first case goes back to 2015 and we haven't had a hearing yet so I'm not too worried." AFP | Tony KARUMBA The waiting game appears to be paying off. The first governor who targeted them, Ferdinand Waititu, is now in prison from a separate corruption case. Wamatangi was arrested last month by anti-corruption officers who found some $13,000 in cash in his home, also in an unrelated case. - 'World-class facilities' - Meanwhile, Tatu City is slowly but steadily growing. AFP | Tony KARUMBA The resident population is still small, but the 5,000-acre site already includes a supermarket, health clinic and two schools with 5,000 pupils. There are 2,400 homes ranging from studios to lakeside mansions and 2,000 more on the way. Many are attracted by the fact it has its own electricity and water supply to prevent cuts that are highly common across Africa. "That is why we chose Tatu City," said Hannington Opot, commercial director of Hewa Tele, which is currently building a factory to produce medical-grade oxygen for hospitals -- a chemical process requiring uninterrupted power and water. Cold Solutions, which provides storage for food and pharmaceutical partners, also highlighted the infrastructure. "We wanted to put a stake in the ground and say that Africans can build world-class facilities... and it marries nicely with what Tatu is trying to do," said managing director Fredd Kambo. AFP | Tony KARUMBA Unity Homes has built over 1,500 apartments. Buyers are attracted by the "playgrounds, parks, the fact they can drink the water from the tap... and knowing no one will build two centimetres in front of your balcony", said commercial director Mina Stiernblad. - 'The hardest' - Tatu City is the most advanced of six cities Rendeavour is building across Africa -- in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia. Kenyan corruption has made it "by far the hardest", said Mendenhall. Anger over corruption was one of the key drivers of mass protests in Kenya last year. But Rendeavour's founders made their fortunes in the free-for-all of 1990s Russia and are unfazed. The owners have faced their own allegations, including claims of tax evasion. But investigations have been ongoing for years without resulting in any charges. Mendenhall says they are just more extortion attempts by "bad actors". He emphasised that many in the Kenyan government are "incredibly supportive". "They understand the vision of this project, understand the number of jobs that it's created," he said. And for all the corruption attempts, Mendenhall has great faith in Kenya. "Kenya is really an economic hub of the region (and) we think Nairobi will become the capital of Africa," he said.
