Latest news with #Pirtle
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Accused car thief facing 26 charges in two-month crime spree: Police
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man is accused of breaking into multiple businesses over a two-month period and stealing several vehicles. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's probable cause statement, the break-ins and thefts occurred between Dec. 29, 2024, and Feb. 23, 2025, at the following locations: Dec. 29, 2024: 5134 Southwest Avenue (Southwest Garden) Jan. 1, 2025: 3218 Brannon Avenue (North Hampton) Jan. 12, 2025: 2300 Marconi Avenue (The Hill) Feb. 3, 2025: 1824 Knox Avenue (Ellendale) Feb. 22, 2025: 3150 Brannon Avenue (Southwest Garden) Feb. 23, 2025: 4600 McRee Avenue (Southwest Garden) Police said Michael Pirtle, 32, stole the following vehicles: 1992 Chevrolet pickup truck 2017 Ford F450 2016 Ford 250 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 John Deere Gator utility vehicle 2023 Dodge Ram 2500 van Polaris Xpedition ATV E-Z-Go golf cart Ford Transit Ford F150 Hospice nurse accused of stealing checks from elderly victim In addition, investigators said Pirtle took cash, tools, copper piping, and yard equipment from the various locations, and damaged windows, doors, or gates in the process. Pirtle was arrested on Feb. 28 in an unrelated investigation. Police said his cell phone data put him at the scene of three of the burglaries. Investigators said Pirtle would target businesses along or near railroad tracks and then escape by using the railroad tracks. Police said they recovered most of the vehicles and other stolen property at Pirtle's home. The remaining vehicles were found at places where his mother works. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office charged Pirtle with 10 counts of stealing a motor vehicle, six counts of second-degree burglary, five counts of stealing – $750 or more, four counts of first-degree property damage, and one count of second-degree property damage. Pirtle remains in custody without bond. Online records do not show his next scheduled court appearance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Volunteer group attempts to exterminate invasive pest from local waters: 'Near impossible to eradicate'
A volunteer group in Tasmania has cleared a whopping 260 kilograms (573 pounds) of North Pacific seastars from local waters, tackling one of Australia's most troublesome marine pests, reported Yahoo News. The Invasive Seastar Clean Up team, now in its 64th organized event, has pulled more than 200,000 seastars from the ocean, mainly around the Derwent River. These toxic ocean stars arrived in Australian waters as stowaways on ships back in the 1980s. They've multiplied with no natural enemies in their new home. Dr. Tiana Pirtle from the Invasive Species Council told Yahoo News Australia that while total removal is nearly impossible, local efforts make a real difference for nearby ecosystems. "This is a big issue for invasive species management," she explained. "When you have open contiguous landscapes — like the entire ocean — it is near impossible to eradicate some species, even terrestrial animals in Australia, we will probably never eradicate feral cats from mainland Australia." These unwanted visitors pose a serious threat to Australia's underwater world. Scientists estimate about 30 million now swim in Tasmanian waters alone, where they prey on native shellfish, including commercially valuable oysters and scallops. The problem? These seastars breed at an astonishing rate. "They release thousands of eggs per individual, so it's hard to imagine how many they would produce each year — but it's billions," Benita Vincent, who leads the cleanup program, told Yahoo News. Like many invasive species, removing them creates new challenges. "As soon as you remove a bunch of individuals, it creates a vacuum, and now there's more resources available, and it's quite attractive for new individuals to come in," Dr. Pirtle said. The battle against these oceanic invaders shows why protecting native habitats matters so much. Native species form balanced ecosystems that naturally resist outside threats. When we introduce non-native plants or animals, they often outcompete native species without any natural checks on their growth. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "Unfortunately, I think we are fighting a losing battle sometimes on that regard. But that's not to say local control programs can make a difference at a very local scale," Dr. Pirtle added. For everyday Australians, supporting volunteer efforts like these can help protect marine environments. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Tornado drills held statewide for Indiana's weather prep week
SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — It's Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and Tuesday, tornado drills were carried out across the state of Indiana. A WTWO/WAWV videographer was at the Sullivan Courthouse as staff there practiced their safety plan in the event of a tornado. IN Governor announces Severe Weather Preparedness Week Jim Pirtle is the Director of the Sullivan County Emergency Management Agency, and he said the county also tested its tornado Tuesday and will be implementing a new system soon that can reach even more people. 'Within two or three weeks, we will be going to code red, which is a mass notification system,' said Pirtle. 'And I encourage our citizens all the time that you listen to your local news channels for weather, incoming weather. Always have your weather radio and check your batteries twice a year.' Pirtle also said schools, the hospital and other businesses in the area also participated in the tornado drill on Tuesday. Statewide tornado drill to take place in Illinois on Wednesday Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Marian Anderson museum in opera singer's former Philadelphia home reopens after devastating flood
Five years ago, a burst pipe soaked much of the late singer Marian Anderson's former Philadelphia home, today a museum dedicated to her artistic and civil rights legacy. Gowns, sheets of music and newspaper clippings were damaged in the flood and some artifacts were too far gone to be recovered. As far as the structure itself, the needed repairs were extensive for the rowhome building on Martin Street in the Graduate Hospital section of the city. Costs to repair the water damage were estimated at $500,000. Restoration work included fixing the building itself — it was stripped down to the studs — but also fixing treasures like Anderson's designer dress worn on the cover of the record "Softly Awakes My Heart" and the Steinway grand piano. Anderson purchased the home in 1924 with $4,000 in proceeds from her music. But Saturday was a happy day for the museum and those who love the late opera star, who died in 1993 at the age of 96. It was time for the museum to reopen. Museum CEO Jillian Patricia Pirtle was joined by city officials including City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington and state Rep. Jordan Harris as they cut a red ribbon. The celebrations will continue Sunday with a gala at the Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker Building. Anderson is perhaps best known for her famous, hastily scheduled 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Because she was Black, she was denied access to Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, something that also happened to late Philadelphian performer Paul Robeson. Instead, Eleanor Roosevelt and President Franklin D. Roosevelt arranged for Anderson to perform at the memorial. The concert was attended by 75,000 people. Decades later she would sing at the March on Washington. In a recent interview with CBS Philadelphia's Howard Monroe, Pirtle expressed hope that those who visit the museum will be inspired by Anderson's story. "They can say, 'I, too, can be a young tenor, I can be a baritone bass, I can be a contralto or soprano, I can be a historic figure that can help change the world,'" Pirtle said. Anderson was one of the inaugural honorees on the Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame along the Avenue of the Arts, and as of June 2024 music lovers can step off the avenue into the main concert hall at the Kimmel Center, named Marian Anderson Hall.
