Latest news with #MichelleTaylor
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Peoria's Michelle Taylor focuses on trauma-sensitive learning
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A trailblazer in education focusing on a trauma-sensitive and human-centered approaches for Peoria-area students. Michelle Taylor is the Vice President of Education at the Children's Home Association of Illinois (CHAIL) in Peoria. She oversees Kiefer School and the Academy for Autism. Both schools serve students with autism from diverse backgrounds, providing them with a safe place to grow and navigate their challenges. We are equipped to address each student's individual needs and ensure they receive the tools necessary for success. This includes individualized therapeutic learning environments, grouping students with similar needs within classrooms, providing readily accessible special sensory items, and offering additional sensory rooms, while maintaining a 2:1 student ratio. Michelle Taylor For two decades, she's remained committed and dedicated to students and staff helping them to thrive in the face of adversity. 'Kids have a future that is worth fighting for,' said Taylor. 'I think the impact that we have is seen when kids begin to thrive after they've been here with us but the impact is something that will last for decades.' She said leadership, engagement, and growth are pivotal for students to be able to feel empowered to learn in a safe environment. Taylor continues to transform education at the agency, but her reach goes into the community as well. 'Education opens doors,' said Taylor. 'It provides a future that helps students, families, it helps all people. I think the reason I got into education was because some of the most important people in my life in my past were educators.' School hallways and classroom may sit empty in June, but Taylor said planning and advocating for students and staff continues year round. Students who attend either school can also be provided with wraparound services provided under the umbrella of CHAIL. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
a day ago
- Business
- CBS News
Dr. Michelle Taylor named Baltimore City's new health commissioner
Baltimore City will welcome a new health commissioner this summer. Dr. Michelle Taylor, a Tennessee native and Johns Hopkins graduate, will step into the role beginning August 4. Taylor brings both medical and military experience to the job, having served in the Tennessee Air National Guard and most recently leading health efforts in Shelby County, Tennessee. In an interview with WJZ, Taylor discussed the parallels between her previous work and the challenges she expects to face in Baltimore. "Most populations — and I can say this about Baltimore just like I would say it about Memphis and Shelby County — want to feel seen, heard, and want to have the best tools available to promote and protect their health," Taylor said. Shelby County, located three hours west of Nashville, has similar health concerns as Baltimore, including addiction, poverty, and limited access to quality healthcare. Taylor said her first priority will be listening to both the health department team and the city's residents. "I know that I have to listen not only to my team at the Baltimore City Health Department but to all the people in all of the communities in Baltimore City: to really find out what their concerns are, what their pressing needs are, and then to make sure that we're translating that into the best possible services to help people to promote and protect their health." What health challenges will Dr. Taylor have to tackle? Baltimore City has been working to tackle an ongoing opioid crisis. Baltimore has secured more than $600 million in settlements from pharmaceutical companies and drug distributors for their role in fueling the city's opioid crisis, with the most recent jury verdict in November awarding over $260 million in damages. Mayor Brandon Scott released a draft plan in December 2024 outlining how the city will use $242.5 million of the settlement funds to address opioid overdoses. The plan included the establishment of an executive director to oversee the Opioid Restitution Advisory Board. The board includes individuals with lived experience, medical professionals, and city officials. Scott's draft plan follows an executive order established in August 2024 to manage settlement funds and ensure accountability and transparency. The board will guide the use of settlement funds and continue to gather community input on how the money should be spent. Local impacts of medical research funding cuts Maryland is one of many states impacted by federal funding cuts by the Trump administration. Johns Hopkins University has experienced significant funding cuts, placing medical research programs at risk. In a letter issued on March 1, Hopkins officials said the shutdown of USAID and the termination of its related grants resulted in the loss of 1,975 Johns Hopkins jobs across 44 countries and 247 positions within the United States. In April, JHU said it was tapping into earnings from its $13.2 billion endowment to help compensate for the cuts.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
St. Johns County mother sentenced to prison for 2018 house fire that killed son
A St. Johns County woman accused of burning down her home in a 2018 fire that also killed her son has been sentenced to 3 years in prison followed by 5 years of probation. Michelle Taylor was charged with second-degree manslaughter and faced up to 13 years behind bars after her 11-year-old son died in the fire. On October 18th, 2018, Michelle Taylor, her son David, and 18-year-old daughter Bailey were at their home on Lee Street in St. Augustine when their house caught on fire. Taylor and her 18-year-old daughter made it out of the house safely, but her 11-year-old ran back into the home to save their family dog, according to the State Attorney's Office. He died from smoke inhalation and severe burns. Nearly three years later, in August 2021, Taylor was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and felony arson. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Investigators say she was trying to get insurance money from the house and later received a $90,000 check from her homeowner's insurance company. According to our previous reporting, fire investigators with the State Fire Marshal determined several areas inside the house tested positive for gasoline. On April 2nd, 2025, Taylor entered a no-contest plea for second-degree manslaughter in exchange for the murder charge being dropped. The arson charges were dropped at the sentencing as part of the plea agreement. During the hearing, the defense called upon seven witnesses, including Taylor's husband, daughter, and mother. Taylor herself took to the podium and delivered a very emotional testimony about how much she loved her son David. 'The day that he died, I died,' said Taylor. The State Attorney's Office called several witnesses as well. Taylor will only have to serve two and a half months in Florida State Prison, as she already served 33 months in the St. Johns County Jail. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
NAACP calls for emergency shutdown of Musk's supercomputer in Memphis
Local regulators should immediately stop Elon Musk's supercomputer project from operating in South Memphis because it's out of compliance with environmental rules, the NAACP wrote in a letter sent Thursday to Shelby County officials. The civil rights group addressed the request to Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Health Department, and to the commissioners of Memphis Light Gas and Water. The health department is responsible for implementing federal air regulations in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis. 'Being the world's richest man doesn't give you the right to pollute Black communities and jeopardize the health of its residents,' NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement to NBC News. 'We urge the health department to step in immediately.' When contacted, a spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water said it had not received the NAACP letter and could not comment on it. Neither the health department nor xAI immediately responded to questions about the letter, which was also signed by the presidents of the Tennessee and Memphis chapters of the NAACP. In a previous statement to NBC News, xAI said its "operations comply with all applicable laws' and that it 'works collaboratively with County and City officials, EPA personnel, and community leaders regarding all things that affect Memphis.' xAI has come under scrutiny in recent months for operating methane gas turbines at its Memphis facility to meet the electricity needs of the supercomputer Colossus. The turbines emit pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde, according to their manufacturer. Environmental groups and the NAACP believe the turbines required permits under the Clean Air Act; the city's health department, the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce have said permits were not required for the turbines' first year of use. xAI, which is now seeking a permit for 15 permanent turbines, said those would be equipped with pollution controls and only be used as backup once other energy options are available. Earlier this month, NBC News reported on a South Memphis neighborhood called Boxtown, about two miles from xAI's facility, where residents are concerned that Musk's project will harm the area's already poor air quality. 'They got money. And they can do what they want to do, you know, without consulting us,' said Easter Knox, who has lived in the area since 1977. Knox told NBC News she and her husband both struggle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can be exacerbated by pollution. Health department officials have been limited in their comments about the project. On Friday, news broke that Taylor, the department head, would be leaving Shelby County to oversee the Baltimore City Health Department. Colossus, which xAI calls the world's largest supercomputer, came online in September 2024 to train Grok, the company's chatbot. But critics say the project's potential economic benefit to the community is outweighed by environmental concerns. 'While we applaud research and innovation,' the NAACP letter states, 'there must be limits that ensure that communities are healthy and alive to enjoy the benefits of any potential innovation.' Shelby County health officials are expected to make a decision on xAI's application in the coming weeks. Memphis Mayor Paul Young previously told NBC's "Nightly News" that the city plans to work with a researcher to implement air monitoring in the months ahead. This article was originally published on
NBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
NAACP calls for emergency shutdown of Musk's supercomputer in Memphis
Local regulators should immediately stop Elon Musk's supercomputer project from operating in South Memphis because it's out of compliance with environmental rules, the NAACP wrote in a letter sent Thursday to Shelby County officials. The civil rights group addressed the request to Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Health Department and to the commissioners of Memphis Light Gas and Water. The health department is responsible for implementing federal air regulations in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis. 'Being the world's richest man doesn't give you the right to pollute Black communities and jeopardize the health of its residents,' NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement to NBC News. 'We urge the health department to step in immediately.' When contacted, a spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water said it had not received the NAACP letter and could not comment on it. Neither the health department nor xAI immediately responded to questions about the letter, which was also signed by the presidents of the Tennessee and Memphis chapters of the NAACP. In a previous statement to NBC News, xAI said its "operations comply with all applicable laws' and that it 'works collaboratively with County and City officials, EPA personnel, and community leaders regarding all things that affect Memphis.' xAI has come under scrutiny in recent months for operating methane gas turbines at its Memphis facility to meet the electricity needs of the supercomputer Colossus. The turbines emit pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde, according to their manufacturer. Environmental groups and the NAACP believe the turbines required permits under the Clean Air Act; the city's health department, the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce have said permits were not required for the turbines' first year of use. xAI, which is now seeking a permit for 15 permanent turbines, said those would be equipped with pollution controls and only be used as backup once other energy options are available. Earlier this month, NBC News reported on a South Memphis neighborhood called Boxtown, about two miles from xAI's facility, where residents are concerned that Musk's project will harm the area's already poor air quality. 'They got money. And they can do what they want to do, you know, without consulting us,' said Easter Knox, who has lived in the area since 1977. Knox told NBC News she and her husband both struggle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can be exacerbated by pollution. Health department officials have been limited in their comments about the project. On Friday, news broke that Taylor, the department head, would be leaving Shelby County to oversee the Baltimore City Health Department. Colossus, which xAI calls the world's largest supercomputer, came online in September 2024 to train Grok, the company's chatbot. But critics say the project's potential economic benefit to the community is outweighed by environmental concerns. 'While we applaud research and innovation,' the NAACP letter states, 'there must be limits that ensure that communities are healthy and alive to enjoy the benefits of any potential innovation.' Shelby County health officials are expected to make a decision on xAI's application in the coming weeks. Memphis Mayor Paul Young previously told NBC's "Nightly News" that the city plans to work with a researcher to implement air monitoring in the months ahead.
