Latest news with #Perreault
Chicago Tribune
07-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Volunteer Fair in Batavia all about making connections to help the community
Helping residents learn how to help out in their community was the point of the Volunteer Fair hosted by the Batavia Chamber of Commerce Tuesday afternoon. The event at the Batavia Public Library featured over three dozen non-profit organizations looking for volunteers. Kathryn Vance of Batavia said she has lived in town for more than 20 years and had just retired. 'I'm just looking. There are so many times I wanted to volunteer but I was still working,' she said at the four-hour event Tuesday. 'Now, I don't know exactly, but I'm kind of looking around. I want to work with children but I'm open. I'm going to take a quick look at everything.' Nicolette Jensen, also of Batavia, said at the Volunteer Fair that 'she just wanted to contribute somehow. I'm looking to find something that I'm interested in.' 'I do like seniors and I do like kids,' Jensen said. 'There are a couple things I've already seen that I'm interested in, and there are several I've never heard of.' Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, said the fair was organized for the first time a year ago and it 'was a great success.' 'Moving forward this year we heard from our not-for-profits that they really appreciated our Volunteer Fair by not only getting quality volunteers at food pantries and other places and also the visibility that we provided,' Perreault said. A year ago, Perreault said that 'a lot of one-time volunteer opportunities were popular' including service hours for students as well as 'things like helping Mutual Ground … or volunteering and signing up on the Northern Illinois Food Bank website and knowing how to do that.' 'Those kinds of opportunities that most people aren't aware of, that's the kind of thing many of our not-for-profits appreciated,' she said about the Volunteer Fair. Perreault said that Batavia residents want to give back to their city. 'People want to support our community and support the people here,' she said. Cathy Madlinger, a board member of Batavia RSVP which offer rides for senior citizens, said last year's fair drew about a dozen volunteers for the group. 'It was extremely important as we had a hiatus for three or four years due to COVID,' she said. 'A lot of the not-for-profits in the Tri-City area were looking for volunteers and people are very generous with their time but don't always know where to look. This gives them kind of a one-stop shop to show what's available.' Sharon Filiaggi of Batavia came to the Volunteer Fair on Tuesday because she is 'looking to contribute to the community.' 'I've worked for non-profits before and working for them there are rewards. I've always enjoyed being involved in something that gives back to people and gives back to the community,' she said.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
CT community college employee accused of vandalizing Tesla
A state community college employee has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing a Tesla that was parked in a garage in New Haven last month. Conor Perreault, 40, of New Haven faces one count of second-degree criminal mischief after turning himself in on April 16, according to the New Haven Police Department. Police said they responded to the report of a Tesla being vandalized on March 5 and learned that someone had scraped a key along the driver and passenger side doors while the vehicle was parked in the Temple Street Garage. The damage was estimated to cost between $500 and $2,000, according to police. Police said the cameras on the vehicle captured the individual responsible for the vandalism. Investigators identified Perreault as a suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest. Police said they discovered that he is an employee at the CT State Community College Gateway campus. According to the college's website, Perreault is listed as a systems librarian. A spokesperson for the college did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Perreault did not immediately respond to an email sent to his Gateway email account.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested for allegedly keying Tesla in New Haven
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A man was arrested for allegedly keying a Tesla, causing up to $2,000 in damages in New Haven, police said. Connor Perreault, 36, of New Haven, was charged with criminal mischief in the second degree. Perreault was also an employee at Gateway Community College, police said. Avon man accused of drawing swastika on a Tesla Police said the car was vandalized on March 5 while parked in the Temple Street Garage. Cameras on the Tesla captured still images of Perreault, according to authorities The driver and passenger sides of the car were keyed. The damages are estimated between $500 to $2,000 in damages, according to police. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Postgame takeaways: NY Rangers capture OT win in Gabe Perreault's debut
NEW YORK – Gabe Perreault got the full New York Rangers experience on Wednesday. Just 72 hours after playing his final NCAA game for Boston College, the freshly signed 19-year-old made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden. Advertisement It was an eventful occasion, for a variety of reasons. Perreault had moments that reminded everyone why he's considered one of the best playmaking prospects in the game, including a nifty no-look pass on his second shift that even caught linemate Alexis Lafrenière off guard. And then there were hiccups, most notably an accidental tip for an own goal toward the end of the first period. It seemed like a perfect fit for the up-and-down Rangers, who continued this season's roller-coaster ride with a winding 5-4 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild. "It was super fun," said Perreault, who had several BC teams make the trip and find their way right up against the glass for his rookie lap during warmups. "Playing in this building is something I've never done before, and to finally get to be able to do it was unreal." Vincent Trocheck scored the winner 24 seconds into the extra period, giving the Rangers (36-32-7) only their third OT win in 10 tries this season. Advertisement Artemi Panarin set it up with a slick pass for his team-leading third point of the night, despite the Garden crowd pleading for No. 10 to take it himself. "The whole rink said, 'Shoot!'" he said with a smirk. "They know better." It wasn't always pretty, complete with the usual self-inflicted wounds that always seem to crop up for these Rangers. But after losing nine out of 12 during an ugly stretch last month, they've swung the possession pendulum back in their favor the last two games − both wins − and found a way to dig deep after folding in similar situations earlier this season. "I can't say we didn't compete in games before," Panarin said. "It's just a little harder everything for us this season. Everyone is trying hard, it's just sometimes when you hit the wall every time and can't win it, you lose confidence, too, and then maybe it looks like no one's trying. But I promise you, everyone tried 100% every game." NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 02: Gabe Perreault #94 of the New York Rangers skates in his first NHL game against the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden on April 02, 2025 in New York City. Ultimately, the results are what matter at this time of year. Advertisement The victory moved New York into a tie with Montreal for the Eastern Conference's second and final wild card. The Canadiens have a game in hand, though, and could retake sole possession Thursday when they host the bumbling Bruins. "I'd like to clean up a couple things, but overall, we came out on the attack," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "I thought we defended okay. It was just some puck decisions at times. But we needed a win and guys found a way to do that." Ups and downs for Perreault Perreault has areas to clean up, as well, particularly on the defensive end. But he mostly looked like he belonged. Advertisement "I thought he played a solid game, jumping into a big situation like that," Laviolette said. "I'm sure the next one and the one after that, they'll be a little bit more natural for him, as opposed to the first one. But I thought he played really well." The pass to Lafrenière encapsulated everything we've been hearing about the 2023 first-round pick − patience, vision and skill. Gabe Perreault: Rangers top prospect debuts in prominent lineup spot Perreault came flying on for his second shift and attacked the middle of the ice. He deked Mats Zuccarello and cut to the left, leaving the former Ranger twisting as he fell to the ice. A desperate stick wave from Zuccarello just barely deflected the pass, and while it still made it through, the slight change in direction caused Lafrenière to slip and fall as he was attempting to get the wide-open shot off. Advertisement "Last second, I think the guy got a stick on it," Perreault said. "But it was a good try. (Lafrenière) almost got it. It would have been pretty cool to get that one." While the play didn't result in points, Perreault noted, "It definitely made me feel comfortable and helped me feel the puck a little bit." There were a few other passes that showed his savvy with the puck, with his placement on a line with Lafrenière and J.T. Miller putting him in the familiar offensive situations he's been asked to play his entire life. The 5-foot-11, 178-pounder didn't look overwhelmed by the physicality of the NHL game, either, which was a concern some scouts had expressed. Of course, it will take time to find the balance between taking risks and avoiding costly mistakes. Advertisement "I think as the game went on, I got better," he said. "It's definitely a lot faster, and not as much time and space. But that was, for sure, expected." Perreault recorded three shots on four attempts while finishing with a pair of giveaways in 13:38 time on ice. He also had an own goal, which occurred when he tipped a Brock Faber shot past goalie Igor Shesterkin to put the Wild ahead, 2-1, with five minutes remaining in the first period. It was a starting point, with seven regular-season games left for Perreault to build on it. "His hands and his head are at a level that he can play and contribute," Laviolette said. "Those are things we'll talk about leaving the game. He's got his first game under his belt, and we get a chance to see it and what he's able to do out there. We'll get it set up for next game." A role reversal The game itself was a bit of role reversal for the Rangers. Advertisement They've been outshot by wide margins on many occasions this season, yet somehow found ways to keep the score close. (They can mostly thank Shesterkin for that.) That's resulted in at least a few wins they frankly didn't deserve, but on Wednesday, it was the Blueshirts who controlled multiple stretches of play but couldn't pull away. They outshot Minnesota, 39-24, including an 18-7 advantage in the first period. They also held a 13-9 edge in high-danger scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. "That was nice to feel," Panarin said. "I think the San Jose game (on Saturday) affected us. We feel the confidence again with the puck, and then everyone tries to make it plays – not forcing the plays. That's when the results come." That volume didn't always lead to enough quality, and the defensive breakdowns that have plagued them all season popped up at critical moments. Advertisement The first instance came on a Wild power play nine minutes into the game, kicking off a night of highs and lows for K'Andre Miller. The defenseman's stick broke, and when he went to retrieve a new one from the bench, it left one side of the ice completely unattended. Marcus Johansson took advantage by finding a wide open Gustav Nyquist at the far post, staking Minnesota with a 1-0 lead. The two teams would trade goals from there, with Braden Schneider scoring on a rebound to get the Rangers on the board before Perreault tipped Faber's shot in later in the period. "We've been talking about it – just more of a direct approach; a north approach," Laviolette said. "I think the guys came out with that mindset. I like the way we played the first period. Yet, it may not be where you want it to be." Artemi Panarin leads K'Andre Miller tied the score early in the second by roofing a tremendous wrist shot from a tough angle, then Chris Kreider − who was dropped to the fourth line to begin the game − gave New York a 3-2 lead with a backhander at the 7:21 mark. Advertisement Johansson tied it for the third time with a shorthanded goal following a brutal neutral-zone turnover from Trocheck, but Panarin responded swiftly. He was buzzing all over the ice again on Wednesday and put the Rangers back on top, 4-3, with a breakaway to end the second period. The 33-year-old has been New York's most reliable source of offense in a year when that's been fleeting − and he's been heating up as the playoff drama rises, with 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists) in his last 16 games. "It feels like he scores every game," said Will Cuylle, who was named the 2024-25 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner prior to the game. "If he's playing well, we're all following." Advertisement Panarin will fall well short of last season's career-high 120 points, but Wednesday's standout performance secured his fifth 80-point season with the Rangers, tying Mark Messier for the most in team history. K'Andre Miller's eventful night The dizzying pace continued in the third, where Marco Rossi intercepted a D-zone pass from K'Andre Miller and turned it into the fourth tie of the evening 22 seconds in. Miller, who looks like an all-star at times but continues battle inconsistency in a contract year, would atone by drawing two penalties in the final period and assisting on Trocheck's game winner. He finished with two points (one goal and one assist) while tying Panarin with a team-high 11 shot attempts. The 25-year-old also dished out three hits and blocked two shots in 22:04 TOI. Advertisement "There's always a thing or two that you'd like to take back in the game," Laviolette said of Miller. "If we could take back five things tonight, we would. It wasn't like we overloaded with things that we could have done better or should have done better, but we made mistakes, and they cost us. Conversely, he's figuring into that last goal, as well. And so he does a lot of really good things for us out there." Power play funk continues Miller drew two of three Minnesota penalties in the third period, but the Rangers failed to cash in on any of the ensuing power plays. They finished 0-for-4 and are now just two for their last 43 attempts. Advertisement It's become one of the most troubling trends in recent weeks, with Laviolette making yet another tweak on Wednesday by swapping out Kreider for J.T. Miller on the top unit. None of the moves seem to be helping, though. "It's moved around quite a bit," Laviolette said. "It's not like we're sitting here stuck on one thing. We're moving it around. We're trying different options, and we work on it in practice. It's an opportunity to make a difference in a game like tonight. We'll continue to look at it and look at the personnel that we have and what we can do to make that effective inside of a game like tonight. There's no question that special teams can always factor into a game. They've been a real positive for us for a long time, but we're in a little bit of the funk right now with it." Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Postgame takeaways: NY Rangers capture OT win in Gabe Perreault's debut
CBC
12-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Indigenous DNA in wastewater is vulnerable to exploitation, Guelph, Ont., researchers say
Scientists collecting wastewater samples gain access to a variety of sensitive information. At the University of Guelph in southern Ontario, researchers are working to protect that data. Melissa Perreault is part of the research team focused on developing a policy to better protect Indigenous people from research exploitation, specifically through wastewater sampling. "I want to start by saying how valuable wastewater research is ... but there are other things in wastewater besides [COVID-19]," Perreault told CBC News. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health departments used wastewater sampling to keep track of the spread of the virus across Canada. The sensitive data found in wastewater — including human DNA and prescribed or illicit drugs — can also give researchers more information about the general health of the community. "With Indigenous communities, this becomes a problem because they live in isolated communities for the most part.... There's a risk of exploitation of using that human DNA for things other than what the researchers originally intended to do," Perreault said. She said consent can become complicated if researchers decide to hold on to DNA samples for a long time. "Wastewater samples are community samples, so there are potentially hundreds [or] thousands of people who have contributed to that DNA in those samples. So the question becomes: 'Who gives consent for that?'" Perreault said. "If it's community leaders, what happens if the community leaders change? Can one person in a community say no? These are all questions that add on to the complexity of wastewater samples." The work is being funded through a two-year grant by Genome Canada. The non-profit group works to "use genomics-based technologies to improve the lives of Canadians," according to its website. The two-year timeline to finish the work is a rough estimate and could change, Perreault said. Some of the preliminary efforts will focus on understanding which Indigenous communities they would like to work with and obtaining consent. Lack of Indigenous DNA a challenge for researchers Precision medicine refers to the use of genomic data to predict which drug will work best for each person. But precision medicine cannot serve Indigenous Peoples if their reference data is missing, and an information gap for Indigenous groups exists around the world, including in Canada. "Indigenous DNA is highly coveted by researchers," Perreault said. "First Nations people mostly live on reserves, so they're very tight-knit communities, for the most part, more isolated than other communities for millennia.... The risk of exploitation of Indigenous Peoples by researchers is higher," she said. The lack of representation of Indigenous genomes in large databases reflects a general wariness in that group caused, in part, by historical cases of genetic research gone wrong. One study considered by leading geneticists as a game-changer involved the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations on Vancouver Island. The Nuu-chah-nulth have a high frequency of rheumatoid arthritis. The research team collected DNA samples from approximately half of the First Nations members to study the genetic basis for the disorder. The genetic determinants of rheumatoid arthritis weren't found, but that wasn't the big problem. Researchers sent the DNA samples to external facilities for genetic ancestry studies without the knowledge or consent of the participants. Bridging the 'genomic divide': Lack of Indigenous DNA data a challenge for researchers Nuu-chah-nulth want their blood back Krystal Tsosie, a geneticist and bioethicist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, said the gathering of genetic samples and data from underrepresented populations, including Indigenous Peoples, is colonialism. "If we really want to talk about justice and genomic justice, then we really have to talk about data equity, and also empowering data decisions from Indigenous communities like ours," she said. Another case study: Arizona's Havasupai community Perreault said there are several examples in recent history of Indigenous DNA being used in research without permission. She said one of the most infamous case studies is of the Havasupai community in Arizona. Between 1990 and 1994, researchers from Arizona State University went to that community to take blood samples to be used in a diabetes project, with the goal of determining how genetics play a role in Type 2 diabetes. It was later discovered their biological samples were used to challenge the community's origin story and test the link between schizophrenia and inbreeding — terms not agreed to by the Havasupai. The community sued Arizona State University on the grounds they did not consent to how their blood samples were used and it was a violation of medical confidentiality. The community settled out of court for $700,000. "[The Havasupai community] is probably one of the more famous samples," Perreault said. "But this is not something that is only happening historically. Exploitation of Indigenous communities is actually happening now." An ethical guide to working with DNA The First Nations Principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession) gives researchers an ethical guide to working with First Nations that choose to share their data, including DNA. The OCAP guideline says First Nations alone should have control over how their data is stored, interpreted, used or shared. Perreault and her team are hoping to use OCAP as a foundation to build their policy, which is specific to wastewater management. Jonathan Dewar is CEO of the First Nations Information Governance Centre, which developed the OCAP principles. He said it's true that Indigenous Peoples are at a greater risk of research exploitation. "The history is a legacy of abuse, a legacy of extractive research practices, taking from Indigenous communities, not compensating them, not citing them, erasing them," he said. "Fast forward to 2025 and that hasn't changed.... We have a federal government that uses the language of nation-to-nation relationship. The imbalance between Canada and Indigenous Peoples, and their governments, is still very much the prevailing reality." After the policy is developed, Perreault and her team will reach out to Dewar and the First Nations Information Governance Centre, as well as the University of Guelph's Research Ethics Board, to see if they can adopt it officially.
