Latest news with #Poyner
South Wales Argus
06-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly scheme helps young people at risk of homelessness
Caerphilly Council's youth service is working with schools and other organisations to support young people aged 11 to 18 who are at risk of being not in education, employment or training (NEET), or of becoming homeless. Their preventative approach focuses on early identification of risk and information sharing with schools, colleges, Careers Wales, and third sector organisations. This is to help young people build a positive future. John Poyner, the engagement and progression co-ordinator at Caerphilly youth service, brings together organisations to support around 400 young people. The intervention comes as tailored support to help young people transition into education, employment or training after leaving school. Mr Poyner works closely with the youth homelessness co-ordinator, Nichola Davies, to identify and support those young people who might also be at risk of homelessness. Kaide, aged 18, is now studying for his Level 1 qualification in sports at MPCT Sports and Exercise College in Caerphilly after receiving support from the service. He said: "I didn't really enjoy school, I was struggling academically and didn't know what I wanted to do. "After joining the summer camp at the Virginia Centre I started using the gym and socialising, which built my confidence. "I realised I could train to be a personal trainer, something I never thought I'd be doing. "I'm a new person now, physically and mentally stronger." Mr Poyner said: "Where a young person in Year 11 has been identified as at risk of becoming NEET, I meet with them to establish relationships and explain available support. "The key to our success is the positive relationship they build with our service and with lead workers assigned to support them." The programme is supported through the Youth Engagement and Progression Framework and Welsh Government funding for youth work and youth support services. Lynne Neagle, the Welsh Government's cabinet secretary for education, said: "We want our children to have the support they need to thrive and achieve their potential. "This initiative showcases the power of organisations coming together to provide that network of support for young people."
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Waverly prepares for high flood and tornado risk overnight and into weekend
WAVERLY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Ahead of heavy rains and possible tornadoes in the forecast, Humphreys County and Waverly officials are preparing for every scenario. Trace Creek was one of a couple of surrounding creeks that contributed to the 2021 deadly flood in Waverly. On Wednesday, city and county officials were out preparing for the increased risk of flooding for Wednesday night through the weekend. How to get alerts for your community 'This community is horrified when we get a forecast like we've had,' Waverly mayor Buddy Frazier said. Humphreys County, along with many other Middle Tennessee counties, are under a tornado watch Wednesday night. Days of heavy rain will increase the overall flood risk in the area. 'We've got a lot of creeks and rivers and we've got a lot of areas that will overflow,' Humphreys County EMA Director Odell Poyner said. Poyner told News 2 they were preparing for every possible scenario. 'I just got off the phone with one of our churches just in case we need a shelter of some sort,' Poyner said. '[I've] been talking with the Red Cross this morning. They are on standby.' 'We have only one flood monitor that's actually in operation right now, so it will be monitored,' Frazier said. '…The main thing we do is try to keep obstructions away from our bridges.' On Wednesday morning, city officials cleared debris from creekbeds. Frazier explained that if a blockage occurs at any time, crews are on standby, ready to clear the debris. If creek levels rise, it will be all hands on deck. 'If we need to do an evacuation, we will have law enforcement [and] fire going door-to-door in some cases, if necessary,' Poyner said. Want the forecast delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up for the News 2 Forecast Newsletter An alert would also be sent out to residents in the area with information on local shelters, but Poyner added officials feel prepared to navigate all the conditions that could come their way. 'It's not going to surprise us; the magnitude might surprise us, but the storm is not going to surprise us,' Poyner said. 'We are preparing for it, and we are going to be as prepared as we possibly can to try to meet the needs of our community.' City and county officials told News 2 that before going to bed Wednesday night, residents should have their phones charged and ready to receive alerts. Don't forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
Former Kenosha substitute teacher charged with 17 felonies alleging inappropriate messages to student
A former substitute teacher is facing 17 felony charges accusing him of sending inappropriate messages to a student. Alexander Poyner, 32, of Kenosha was charged Feb. 25 in Kenosha County Circuit Court with 14 counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer. Each count carries a prison term of up to 3½ years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Poyner was also charged with three counts of exposing a child to harmful descriptions. Each of those charges also carries a prison term of up to 3½ years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or both, according to the criminal complaint. The court denied a request by Poyner's attorney, Benjamin Schwarz, to dismiss 16 of the charges. Schwarz did not respond to a reporter's request for comment. According to the criminal complaint: A 15-year-old student at Kenosha Bradford High School reported to school administration Oct. 28, 2024, that they had been receiving concerning messages on Instagram from Poyner, a former substitute teacher in the district. The student had originally reached out to Poyner to ask why he had been fired from teaching at the school. The student said Poyner told them that it was "too bad he was straight and too young" and made references to P. Diddy. Because of these statements, the student stopped messaging with Poyner, the complaint said. A detective found that the messages sent to the student were "sexual in nature and explicit in content, with many of the messages having a sexual undertone, sexual context, or used in a way that was consistent with 'sexual humor,'" the complaint said. When questioned by police in November 2024, Poyner admitted it was "probably unprofessional" for him to be communicating with the student. He described his conversations with the student as "dancing around the line" that some would consider "inappropriate." Poyner also said he was ashamed of what he did and said he had no intentions of doing anything sexual with the student and that "he did not intend for the messages to be construed in a sexual manner," the complaint said. The complaint noted that Poyner was employed at Kenosha Bradford High School as a substitute teacher from October 2020 to April 2024. He had also been a substitute teacher in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District from September 2021 to October 2024, when he was placed on administrative leave due to an internal investigation alleging misconduct. He resigned nine days after being put on leave, while the investigation was ongoing, superintendent Tarrynce Robinson told police. The district did not immediately respond to a reporter's message. Poyner also worked in the Nicolet Union High School District in September 2024, the complaint said. According to a statement from the district to a reporter, the district used Poyner as a substitute for four nonconsecutive days in September and October 2024 but stopped using him as a substitute after learning of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. A spokesperson for the DPI said it was investigating Poyner's licensure. "Based on the information currently available to us, including our conversations with the Kenosha Police Department, it is our understanding that the situation was isolated and does not affect any Nicolet students," the statement said. In an email to a reporter, Kenosha Unified School District communications officer Tanya Ruder said Poyner resigned in April 2024. Ruder declined to provide further details, calling his resignation "a personnel matter." Ruder also provided an emailed statement from the district. "Kenosha Unified is committed to hiring the most qualified teachers and staff to support our students. Our extensive interview process includes thorough reference checks and criminal background checks to ensure we select the best candidates. However, if an individual has not been convicted of a crime and a past employer does not disclose concerning information, there may be no way for us to be aware of their intentions," the district's statement said. "The safety of our students is our top priority. We appreciate those who bring concerns to our attention, as this allows us to conduct thorough investigations in accordance with local and federal laws while adhering to state statutes. We are dedicated to maintaining a safe learning environment and will continue taking all necessary steps to protect our students." Poyner made an initial court appearance Wednesday, where bail was set at $50,000. He is scheduled for a March 5 preliminary hearing, according to online court records. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former substitute teacher charged with sending inappropriate messages
