Latest news with #Rector
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida attorney general steps into Scientology land debate
Residents, city council members and the Church of Scientology have been locked in a tug-of-war over a portion of roadway in downtown Clearwater ever since city leaders voted in March to tentatively approve selling the land to the church. The church withdrew its request to purchase the city-owned street in May after a group offered a counter proposal that would memorialize African American history. What seemed like a hyper-local debate over the future of Scientology's downtown footprint has now caught the attention of Florida's attorney general. James Uthmeier sent a letter to Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector last month about the sale of a portion of South Garden Avenue. Despite never using the word 'Scientology' in his letter, he wrote that comments Rector made during a recent city council work session suggest an 'unconstitutional' position against the church. 'My role as the state's chief legal officer compels me to caution you in this instance because it appears discriminatory motives could taint the Council's decision making,' Uthmeier's letter stated. 'If discrimination forms a basis for any decision to reject or place restrictions on approval, such a decision would run afoul of Florida law.' He wrote that his office had learned the city may agree to vacate the land on the condition that the Church develops its other downtown properties, a condition that he claimed violates a 1978 attorney general opinion. Companies tied to the Church of Scientology have purchased at least 200 properties within Clearwater's downtown since 2017. Residents and city council members opposed to the church purchasing more land say Scientology's properties are empty storefronts that have stunted downtown's growth. Rector, Clearwater's mayor, said the facts in the attorney general's letter were incorrect. He learned from Uthmeier's office that a letter was coming, he said, but didn't know exactly what it would say. This week, Rector said he spoke with Uthmeier's office to explain the situation and correct assumptions. 'We're not adversaries in this,' Rector said. 'It's a local issue. They're not going to get involved in a local issue, but they did receive a complaint.' Rector doesn't know who sent the complaint, although he has an idea, he said. The attorney general's office didn't respond immediately to requests for comment. Danaya Wright, a constitutional law professor at the University of Florida, said the city council has to make decisions that are in the best interest of its community — selling publicly owned land to a private entity is hard to get back, so doing so needs to be done carefully. 'I don't think the (city) has an obligation to bend over backwards to give them publicly owned land,' Wright said, 'as long as they're not privileging one religion over another, or discriminating against one religion over another, which is not the case.' The city council has to assess how this entity has used the other property it owns and what the taxpayer benefits are, she said. 'If it has made promises about development and then not done so, then that's relevant information,' Wright said. Brooks Gibbs, a part of the Save the Garden Coalition, which is proposing a plan that will memorialize African-American history in Clearwater, published a statement in response to the attorney general's letter. 'We intend to meet with city officials to discuss the next steps in bringing The Garden Memorial to life through a public-private partnership, while keeping the street in full use for Clearwater's citizens,' Gibbs wrote. 'We are continuing to move forward with determination.' Rector said Uthmeier's office is not taking any action. And right now, the city isn't looking to do so either. 'It's an active street,' Rector said. 'I don't think there's any appetite from the city council right now to vacate the street for anyone.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hutto listed in top 15 of fastest growing cities in U.S.: report
The Brief Hutto is the 13th fastest-growing city in the country, according to a report Between 2023 and 2024, it grew by more than 9 percent Along with several resident houses, businesses are also popping up in Hutto HUTTO, Texas - A new U.S. Census report put seven Texas cities in the top 15 fastest-growing places in the country. Hutto was the only Central Texas city on the list. What they're saying The houses popping up left and right are a testament to that. It's a far cry from what Jena Dubon remembers as a kid. "They were excited about a Wendy's coming like twenty years ago, and we finally got it a few years ago, and now we have big places coming," said Dubon. She's now a realtor in Hutto with On Air Realty. She points to the city's location and affordability as its attractions. "We have a toll road really close by, 79. We're in the corridor of when it comes to tech, like big tech companies, so really great place to put some roots down and grow," said Dubon. According to the U.S. Census, Hutto is the 13th fastest-growing city in the country. Between 2023 and 2024, it grew by more than 9 percent. "I knew that we were growing fast because I'm exhausted," said Matthew Rector, Hutto's city engineer. "My team is exhausted, but I didn't realize we were going to rank 13th in the nation. That to me was a shock." Rector is helping guide that growth with plans to expand water capacity, treatment plants, and roads. "We have Samsung just to our east, and so they're going to be generating a lot more traffic, so we're working with the county and TxDOT to figure out how we can facilitate that without creating too much of an adverse impact for our residents, so we are busy busy busy," said Rector. It's not just people moving to Hutto. Companies are building new offices, too, like one across from the city hall, which city officials believe is a Swedish company working with Samsung. "We're seeing a lot of growth in areas where other metro areas are seeing declines," said Cheney Gamboa, Hutto's director of economic development. "For example, office space. That's something we're building here at the Co-Op." For Gamboa, keeping Hutto's small-town charm with its shiny new big city amenities is all a delicate balancing act. "Your residents want quality of life, but they need infrastructure," said Gamboa. "Your business needs infrastructure, but their employees want quality of life, so it's just kind of striking that balance about what you're prioritizing and what you're trying to achieve for the community at any given time." Georgetown has long boasted of being one of the fastest-growing places in the U.S. It didn't make the list this year, but it was one of seven U.S. cities to pass the population threshold of 100,000 in 2024. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Lauren Rangel
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tennessee's new death penalty drug sparks concerns ahead of first scheduled execution in years
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee hasn't executed an inmate on death row since early 2020, but now the new drug meant to restart the death penalty is raising new red flags among critics. Gov. Bill Lee paused all executions in April 2022 after discovering issues with the state's death penalty protocol and the drugs it used in executions. He ordered the Tennessee Department of Correction to create a new death penalty protocol, which was completed in December 2024. However, critics like Stacy Rector, executive director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty have argued the new protocol is even worse than before. RELATED | Death row inmates sue state over new lethal injection protocol 'Tennessee struggled with the drugs that were previously being used and has now switched to one that is also problematic,' Rector said. Tennessee chose pentobarbital, a single drug commonly used to treat insomnia in humans, as its new lethal injection drug. In higher doses, it can be fatal. Several states, and formerly the federal government, have used it to execute inmates since around 2010. However, the drug is controversial. This past January, the U.S. Department of Justice ditched the drug after a years-long investigation rose concerns pentobarbital could cause 'unnecessary pain and suffering.' According to Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, some people put to death with pentobarbital experienced pulmonary edema, which causes the sensation of drowning and pain. SEE ALSO | Tennessee's new death penalty protocol: What's different 'The pentobarbital did not adequately anesthetize these individuals, so they were experiencing this sensation of being water boarded, and that, according to the DOJ, is a violation of the 8th Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment,' Rector said. Several Tennessee death row inmates are now suing the state over its new death penalty protocol. In the lawsuit, they argued pentobarbital has been shown to 'pose a high risk of a torturous death.' 'It's riskier now, and this risk is not simply theoretical, folks,' Kelley J. Henry, a supervisory assistant federal public defender, said. 'They make it seem as if a lethal injection is a medical procedure. It's not. It's poison.' In addition, some expressed concerns if something were to go wrong during an execution under the new protocol, the public likely wouldn't find out because the new protocol is more secretive than the last. 'I think all citizens, regardless of your opinions of the death penalty, should have deep concern about the government shielding itself from accountability from the public this way,' Rector said. Death row inmate Oscar Smith will be the first prisoner executed under the state's new protocol on Thursday, May 22. Smith brutally murdered his estranged wife, Judy Robird Smith, and her sons Chad Burnett and Jason Burnett in Nashville on Oct. 1, 1989. Inmates whose crimes were committed before Jan. 1, 1999, can choose between the lethal injection and the electric chair under Tennessee law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Construction company displays the Oklahoma Standard by donating free roof
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A woman is getting a whole new roof for free, while a company is showing what it means to be an Oklahoman. The homeowner's original plan was to fix it one leak at a time. 'The house is old!' said Statia Rector. LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma Company helps OKCPS Foundation support local students Rector said her home, in northeast Oklahoma City, was built in the 1920's. First, it was her mother's home in the 1950's. Then Rector made it hers in the late 1980's. Rector, 95, said that's the last time they put on a new roof. 'If god has given you the years, then thank him for them,' she said. Last year, she got a leak in her ceiling above her bathtub. Then, a few months ago, another appeared in the dining room. 'That's the ceiling itself that you're seeing and the split there,' she said while pointing out the spot in the ceiling. 'I just went and got a bucket.' Rector called her insurance, who found Joe Knapp with Excel Construction Group. 'When you have a leak, it's probably going to lead to a bigger problem' said Knapp. After inspecting the roof, Knapp said he'd find one issue after another. 'This roof was absolutely not up to code, multiple layers of shingles on top of rotted decking,' said Knapp. 'The water was penetrating through the shingles.' The fix is an expensive new roof. 'I had already decided I was not going to put a roof on this old house,' said Rector. 'Just fix the leaks when they happen.' Knapp talked to the company owners. They decided on a new $10,000 roof on the house, so to speak. 'I put it in the hands of the Lord,' said Rector. LOCAL NEWS: BBB warns Oklahomans of REAL ID scams as deadline approaches 'And I said, 'I guess God put me in a position to help you, so that's what we're doing,'' said Rector. Monday, Knapp's crews set to work adding new decking, new shingles, and proper ventilation. 'We're going to give her a very permanent solution,' said Knapp. The project wrapped up Monday afternoon. It was a real display of Red Dirt Readiness to help out an Oklahoman in need. 'Getting it done freely never crossed my mind,' said Rector. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Finalists for Small Business of the Year award announced
Apr. 29—LIMA — Back on Track Therapy and Wellness, BIGGBY Coffee and Tomorrow's Technology Today are finalists for the Lima/Allen Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award. Each independently owned and operated small business has grown, demonstrated community involvement and operated with no more than 150 employees for at least 18 months. The winner will be announced at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8, during the Lima/Allen Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the University of Northwestern Ohio event center, 1450 N. Cable Road, Lima. Back on Track Therapy and Wellness Founded in 2017 by Cameron Dennis, Back on Track Therapy and Wellness began in a yoga studio inside the Wapak Athletic Club and has since grown into a full-service physical therapy clinic based at FAST in Shawnee. The clinic operates with two locations, five physical therapists, and more than 400 monthly visits. "We help people who've been told they'll always be in pain — those who struggle to walk, carry groceries or play with their grandchildren," Dennis wrote to the chamber. "We even provide free care to those on fixed incomes when insurance won't cover it." Dennis turned to Facebook Live to increase visibility. According to data provided by Dennis, patients have increased by 257 percent since 2019, from 209 to 748. Data also shows revenue rose 679 percent from $95,649 in 2019 to $745,679 in 2024. Staff work 36-hour weeks with three days off, and the business refuses to increase patient loads to preserve quality care and holds regular team meetings and bonding outings. Community involvement includes sponsoring the Flying Angel 5K, Healthy Kids Running Series and the Lima Locos baseball team. Dennis also gave guest lectures at Mercy Health this spring. Back on Track expects to break the $1 million revenue mark in 2025 and plans to open a new location in Sidney. BIGGBY Coffee BIGGBY Coffee, led by Adam Rector, has grown from a single specialty coffee shop into a three-location operation employing more than 50 people in Lima. Established in 2009, BIGGBY now serves more than 500,000 cups annually. "We have always felt that we would use our business as our pillar to be able to give back to our community," Rector wrote to the chamber. Over the past five years, BIGGBY has grown from two to three locations, including one inside Lima Memorial Hospital, and increased revenue from $2 million in 2020 to $2.5 million in 2024. The company has nearly doubled its assets, created a district manager position, and paid off loans while continuing to reinvest in upgrades. BIGGBY Coffee is deeply embedded in the community, donating thousands of gallons of coffee to schools and nonprofits. Rector also serves as board chair for the Lima YMCA, past president of Lima Young Professionals, and is active in the Lima Memorial Hospital Foundation. "We believe if we have a strong chamber and strong community, we all thrive," Rector said. Tomorrow's Technology Today Founded in 2002 by Lisa Niekamp-Urwin, Tomorrow's Technology Today began in the Urwin family dining room with just one client. The company has since grown into a managed information technology service provider employing 13 people at its St. Henry office and supporting more than 4,000 businesses. The company reached the $2 million revenue milestone in 2023 and sustained 18% growth into 2024, according to data provided to the chamber. Key to its success was a pivot to Microsoft 365, which allowed clients to remain operational during the pandemic. The company also implemented a business operating system to track quarterly goals and performance. "We treat every computer like a finely tuned race car," Niekamp-Urwin said. "Our goal is to make sure clients can work efficiently and securely every day." The business also hosts cybersecurity webinars and in-person learning sessions, writes weekly blogs, and mentors students through programs at Tri-Star Compact Career Center. Several students have gone on to tech careers or internships with the company. The business supports various youth programs, bands and academic clubs and has launched a green initiative in partnership with Charitable Recycling. Funds raised through this program benefit Dayton Children's Hospital. Niekamp-Urwin also volunteers with the Mercer County Board of Health, the Toledo Infragard Board, and the Chamber Board of Directors. Featured Local Savings
