Latest news with #MichaelWalsh
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dunmore PSP holds annual memorial service
DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop R in Dunmore held its annual memorial service to honor fallen troopers and pay tribute to those who served before them. Wednesday's ceremony wasn't just about remembering the past, it was about honoring legacy, reflecting on sacrifice, and bringing together generations of troopers who share a bond that goes beyond the badge. Since 1905, the PSP has served the commonwealth, and each year, troopers gather to honor those who gave their lives in the line of duty. 'We have and unfortunately will continue to suffer loss. The names of 104 troopers who have been killed in the line of duty, somberly and resoundingly illustrate this reality,' PSP Captain Michael Walsh said. Six of those 104 troopers served under Troop R, which covers Lackawanna, Wayne, Pike, and Susquehanna Counties. A wreath is placed out front of the barracks to honor their sacrifice. Suspect in 'House of Horrors' murder speaks out 'Today we honor their bravery, their memory, their legacy, we honor these individuals who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,' Captain Walsh explained. The ceremony brought back memories for many retired troopers, who once served alongside those being remembered. 'Everyone they named today, I worked it. It brings sadness to your heart. You know, they were all good men,' retired state trooper Joseph Sarkis said. 'It's important to remember, you know it started in 1905 and that's a lot of years, just to remember the friends, fellow troopers, people you worked with, and just that they died and it's very sad,' Retired State Trooper Ronald Grzybosi told 28/22 News. For current members, the service is also a time to reconnect and reflect. 'It's really nice to see everybody come back and get together, and everybody tells old stories about how things were and what they are now. With law enforcement, it's like a brotherhood or a sisterhood also,' Pennsylvania State Police Community Services Officer Trooper Bob Urban said. Whether they're active or retired, members of PSP say this memorial is a reminder that their brotherhood and their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Ya Biladi
16-04-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Any US terrorist designation of Polisario could lead to trouble for South Africa
Any designation of the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization by the United States would have serious implications for South Africa, especially for advocacy and fundraising groups. This was discussed by South Africa's Mail & Guardian in an article by U.S. foreign policy expert Michael Walsh. In his article, published Thursday, Walsh interviews Zineb Riboua, a Moroccan research fellow with the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East. Riboua explains that there will likely be serious consequences for South African NGOs and fundraising groups supporting the Polisario if they don't sever ties once the group is flagged as a terrorist organization. She explains that while «some actors — especially mainstream NGOs — [who] would likely step back to avoid legal exposure», others, «motivated by ideology or religious solidarity» may «continue their support covertly». Riboua predicts that if the South African government does not back the enforcement of a future designation «internally», the second group of «fringe actors» could persist, but they will face greater isolation, heightened monitoring, and significant financial risks. Another potential consequence is the negative impact on South Africa's economy. According to Riboua, any such designation could lead to increased international scrutiny of South Africa's banking system. She alleges that «certain individuals or NGOs in South Africa may have engaged in fundraising or advocacy» for the Polisario Front. This heightened international scrutiny would undoubtedly be an unwelcome development for South African banks. Riboua argues that this could result in more financial transactions being «flagged more often by global compliance systems», potentially exposing South African banks to «reputational damage, derisking, and even secondary sanctions». Furthermore, it could even lead to the imposition of targeted sanctions (such as Magnitsky sanctions) and/or the designation of South Africa as a state sponsor of terrorism. These concerns follow U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson's recent announcement of a forthcoming bill to designate the Polisario as a terrorist organization under U.S. law.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Catholic church's secret quest to quash clergy abuse investigation
A slew of recently unsealed court documents by New Jersey's Supreme Court reveals the secret quest of the Catholic Church to quash the state's grand jury investigation of decades of clergy sexual abuse. The court has scheduled a hearing next month which pits the state Attorney General's Office against the Catholic Diocese of Camden over the issue of whether the state can go forward with its grand jury investigation of clergy abuse. After a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report found that hundreds of Catholic priests had sexually abused at least 1,000 children, New Jersey's Attorney General launched its own investigation into clergy abuse in 2019. For nearly seven years, New Jersey's clergy abuse victims and their advocates have been waiting for the state to issue a report. Many have grown frustrated by the apparent standstill and the Attorney General's office was tight lipped about its progress. Grand jury investigations are confidential and the state declined to reveal whether a grand jury had been convened. Last month, The Record and revealed the reason for the delay after it discovered a once-sealed transcript of a court hearing which showed that the Camden Diocese successfully challenged the state's effort to conduct a grand jury investigation. On Thursday, all of the court records revealing the secret battle were released by the judge. The court will also rule on whether the state can empanel a grand jury. If so, the state could move forward with its investigation and release a detailed report on clergy abusers and a coverup by the church. The hearing is scheduled for the court's April 28-29 session. First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay Ruotolo said that the commitment of the Attorney General's Clergy Abuse Task Force to the investigation "has never wavered.""For years, we have been seeking to convene a grand jury to present evidence collected by prosecutors across the state regarding decades of sexual abuse, the conditions that made that abuse possible, and the systematic failures to prevent it — and to allow the grand jury, as the conscience of our community, to make recommendations to ensure widespread abuse by clergy can never happen again," she said in a written statement. Michael Walsh, Director of Communications for the Camden Diocese, did not respond to calls requesting comment. Lloyd Levenson, the attorney representing the diocese, also did not immediately respond. The hundreds of pages of unsealed court filings open a window into a secret, yearslong battle by the Camden Diocese to bar New Jersey's Attorney General from investigating clergy abuse in the state. In one of the unsealed briefs filed by the Camden Diocese, diocese lawyers challenged the state's authority to convene a special grand jury by arguing that state grand juries have no authority to issue a presentment relating to decades old allegations of abuse. Unlike Pennsylvania, whose grand jury report inspired New Jersey's investigation, "the New Jersey Legislature has already effectively abolished the statutes of limitations for criminal and civil sexual abuse, obviating any need for a grand jury to recommend statutory changes." Furthermore, the five Catholic Dioceses entered into "a Memorandum of Understanding in 2002 that established reporting procedures which effectively ended clergy abuse," the diocese attorneys wrote. Superior Court Judge Peter Warshaw in Mercer County sided with Camden, saying that a grand jury presentment does not apply to religious organizations. In addition, he noted that a report by a special grand jury castigates an individual "without giving him the slightest opportunity to defend himself" and that many of the accused priests "were dead or of such advanced age that speaking up for oneself would be nearly impossible." But the state urged the court to reconsider and reverse its decision, asserting that, "statewide sexual abuse by clergy, and the State's failure to prevent it, have had a tremendous impact on the public — and the full facts of how this widespread abuse went undetected and unaddressed have never been comprehensively resolved. A grand jury is empowered to investigate these harms, report on them, and offer recommendations to prevent their recurrence. There was no basis to foreclose an important, lawful presentment process that had not yet even begun." The state also said that, "This dispute concerns one of the most wrenching public harms in recent memory: decades of sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy, and the conduct that allowed it to go undetected and unaddressed for so long." Among the details revealed by the court documents is that even as a flurry of briefings were submitted to the trial court, more than 550 phone calls had come into the state's 24-hour Task Force hotline with callers "who alleged sexual, physical, verbal and mental abuse by clergy dating back to the 1940s and continuing to the recent past. The calls also detailed actions by Church officials to conceal misconduct, such as shuffling accused priests among parishes and promoting clergy who molested children," according to the state's brief. At least four clergy have been arrested. "I'm glad the Supreme Court saw fit to release this. It should never have been sealed," Clergy abuse advocate Mark Crawford said. "The victims were starting to give up hope about the truth ever coming out." Ruotolo, from the Attorney General's office, said: "We were disappointed when the trial court prevented us from even bringing this evidence to a grand jury, and we are grateful that the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed to hear this case. Now that this case has been made public for the first time in this years-long dispute, victims and survivors will have an opportunity to make their voices heard — and to speak to the real harms that we have never lost sight of.' This article originally appeared on How the Catholic church tried to quash investigation into clergy abuse
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trustmark Selects Leading Caregiver Platform Cariloop To Support Customers Facing Long-Term Care Challenges
LAKE FOREST, Ill., February 11, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Trustmark Voluntary Benefits, a national provider of individual and group financial protection products, including market-leading life insurance with long-term care options, will now provide even greater value to customers facing common caregiving challenges through its new arrangement with Cariloop. Beginning March 1, all Trustmark Universal Life, Universal LifeEvents® and Trustmark Life+Care® policies with new employer clients gain access to Cariloop's adult caregiving support services. Cariloop is the leading comprehensive caregiving support platform, helping people navigate the complexities of providing care for loved ones, such as identifying and vetting long-term, in-home care options. Trustmark policyholders will receive digital care support as well as one month of concierge coaching services per term year. Providing long-term care can be tremendously taxing and stressful. A 2021 study from the American Association of Retired People (AARP), "Caregiving Out-Of-Pocket Costs," found that there are 48 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S., and that family caregivers devote 26 percent of their income and about 24 hours per week to caregiving. "When employees buy our permanent life with long-term care policies, we know that in most cases it is to gain peace of mind for their long-term future," said John Anderson, President of Trustmark. "At a time when we have an aging population and many people are struggling to care for loved ones, this valuable product enhancement delivered by Cariloop helps our policyholders access the living benefit feature of their policy more effectively and ease the burden of caregiving." Cariloop CEO and Co-Founder Michael Walsh said that the two companies share similar values and the same commitment to health and overall wellbeing. "We know how overwhelming it can be to navigate long-term care decisions, manage costs, and balance work and home lives while caring for a loved one," Walsh said. "That's why we are so proud to work with the team at Trustmark, one that shares our commitment to easing this burden. Together we're ensuring that policyholders don't have to face these challenges alone. Now they have access to expert guidance and support to help them make informed decisions, protect their financial future, and provide the best care possible for their loved ones." When a policyholder or family member needs coaching support, Cariloop's licensed, experienced Care Coaches will create a consolidated care summary in its HIPAA-compliant portal that outlines the information needed to support the caregiving journey. Through the intuitive platform, policyholders and their family members can access a robust library of information and a suite of tools and resources, such as tips on caring for loved ones in the home, assistance finding respite care services, the latest information about Medicaid and Medicare, and more. In a 2021 report from The Associated Press—NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 88 percent of respondents said that they would prefer to receive any ongoing living assistance they need as they age at home or with loved ones. "People want to stay at home to receive care, but many will struggle to afford professional care, leaving family members to care for their loved ones," said Trustmark's Dan Kraft, VP, Product and Innovation. "The financial flexibility of Trustmark's permanent life products with comprehensive caregiver support services from Cariloop can help people remain in their home. We are excited for what this means for our policyholders." About Trustmark Voluntary Benefits Trustmark Voluntary Benefits, a division of national employee benefits provider Trustmark, offers Life, Accident, Critical Illness, Disability, and Hospital insurance solutions that help policyholders protect what they care about most and achieve greater financial security and wellbeing. For more than 100 years, we've been going beyond to meet the needs of our customers. Trustmark Voluntary Benefits combines a caring, client-first approach with capabilities, services and products that help companies of all sizes solve their benefit challenges. For more information, visit About Cariloop Cariloop is the go-to solution for employer-sponsored caregiver support, blending expert coaching and guidance with an intuitive platform, and caregiver network. We empower families to navigate caregiving challenges with confidence by connecting them to experienced Care Coaches and tailored resources. Cariloop focuses on reducing stress and burnout, helping employees thrive at work and home. A proud Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp, Cariloop is committed to driving social impact while delivering exceptional results for employers. By enabling organizations to support their workforce's caregiving needs, Cariloop drives higher productivity and improved retention. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Bob Gosmanbgosman@ Sign in to access your portfolio
