Latest news with #Shepherd
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pushes local leaders for help with his starter home goal
During Gov. Spencer Cox's 'Built Here' housing summit Thursday, local officials were pressed to do more to help make his goal of building 35,000 starter homes in Utah by the end of 2028 a reality. But after the two-hour private discussion held in the stately Governor's Mansion, Cox said at a news conference that his message to the 48 mostly Wasatch Front area municipalities represented wasn't about taking them to task. 'It was a collaboration moment more than anything else. It really was about sharing the good ideas. I mean, we've had lots of 'woodshed' moments. It was about going over the numbers,' the governor said. 'I said at the end, 'All I'm asking is that you are all as passionate about this as I am, understanding that the very future of our state hangs in the balance here,'' Cox said, warning all of Utah's top rankings nationally 'go away if we don't solve this in the next five years.' So far, just over 5,000 starter homes have been built since his 'Utah First Homes' goal was announced in December 2023. Efforts are underway to allow 'starter condo' projects to tap into the $300 million in public funds set aside for loans to builders. A new statewide housing dashboard launched Thursday by the governor shows the percentage of Utahns who can't afford a median-priced home by county as well as how many new units have been permitted since January 2024 and other data, although some is not yet available. 'It is rough to talk housing. It is rough to look at a situation that you know is a problem and know needs to be addressed, and figure out a way to solve it,' Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd told reporters at the news conference. 'It can't just be solved overnight. This problem didn't just all of a sudden pop up,' Shepherd said, adding he did not believe any of the dozen or so mayors standing beside him disagreed with the need for more homes priced for first-time buyers. 'We recognize that we have a problem.' He said cities are making 'massive efforts' already to 'bring that housing to those that need it.' The mayor said that even though he'd been told that Clearfield was built out, in the last five years there have been more than 4,000 housing units either built or set to be soon. It takes time and can be costly, requiring local flexibility and technical assistance from the state, Shepherd said, adding many more housing units are expected in the reinvestment zones around transit stops created by state lawmakers several years ago. 'We've got cities doing everything they can to try to make this happen,' the mayor said, although some need to do more. 'We need them to stick shovels in the ground and really make an effort. But the vast majority of cities in this state are making huge strides in housing.' Spanish Fork Mayor Mike Mendenhall told reporters mayors across the state do share the governor's passion on the issue 'and if we can find a way for this problem not to be political but to be practical, I'm confident that we can solve' the home ownership dilemma. Part of the discussion Thursday was about how other states have mandated that local governments accept restrictions on their power to control issues like density, something that has failed to gain traction in the Utah Legislature. Cox, who served in local government himself, said he understood the political consequences for local leaders who support sometimes unpopular housing projects. Everyone wants more affordable housing, he said, but only where it can't be seen. 'There is always a tension between the state and local government,' the governor said, adding he has 'tremendous amount of respect, a tremendous amount of empathy for what they're going through' and that he 'pushed on them, and they pushed on me.' Cox's senior adviser for housing, Steve Waldrip, said the new dashboard tracking state housing data 'may be a carrot-shaped stick' to motivate local officials. He said when they were asked at the summit whether nothing needs to be done, 'not a single hand went up.'
Chicago Tribune
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Former Gov. Pat Quinn shares Memorial Day message in Blue Island
Former Gov. Pat Quinn never served in the military, but he still has a keen perspective on what Memorial Day means. Quinn was lieutenant governor of Illinois from 2003-2009 and governor from 2009-2015. In that time, he said he attended more than 300 funerals or services for military men and women from Illinois who died serving the United States. Sometimes, he said, he would attend two in a day. The 41st Illinois governor was the guest speaker Monday at the Blue Island Memorial Day program at Memorial Park. More than 100 people attended as he spoke about the meaning of Memorial Day. Quinn, 76, said when he was in office, he thought it was important for someone from the state to be at the funerals. 'Those were very, very sad days,' Quinn told the crowd. 'There were no words in the English language or the Spanish language or any language to relieve the pain of a mom or a dad who lost their son or daughter in serving our country in a faraway place.' Former Lansing resident and Thornton Township Board member Tom Shepherd, who helped bring Quinn to Blue Island for the speech, said he admired that the former governor was able to try to comfort so many families. 'I respected him to begin with,' Shepherd said. 'But I really respected him during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars when he was a governor. He went to services all around the state.' Shepherd remembers the Pullman area losing Sgt. Albert Ware, who died by an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan in 2009. Quinn attended Ware's service and called him 'an all-American hero.' Shepherd was impressed Quinn took the time to come to the service. On Monday, Quinn echoed some of the thoughts of Blue Island American Legion Post 50 Cmdr. Joe Serbantez, who said Memorial Day was about more than cookouts and mattress sales. 'Yes, we have ballgames and we have picnics and all kinds of celebrations and that's good,' Quinn said. 'We were given a gift by God to be here in the United States as citizens in 2025. That's all important. 'But we cannot forget the significance of today, which is to honor all of those who came and served our country. We cannot forget them.' He said it's not just Memorial Day in which they should be remembered. 'As far as I'm concerned, every day should be Memorial Day,' Quinn said, 'We should remember the sacrifices of those who answered the call to duty, went into the face of danger and served our democracy.' He said this area is full of history and patriotism with people willing to serve. 'When you think about it, we're here in Illinois, Blue Island, Illinois, and we're the land of Lincoln,' Quinn said. 'Abraham Lincoln had talked about service at Gettysburg in 1863. That's why we're gathered here today. 'We want to honor those who understood the importance of protecting democracy.' The program featured prayers and remembrances from post chaplain Ken Young, 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and 'God Bless America' sung by Christine Rodriguez, a sounding of taps by Jerry Dagenais and the placement of wreaths by members of the Latin American Advisory Council. Former Blue Island residents Bob and Judy Kissel, who now live in Palos Heights, make attending the Blue Island ceremony a tradition. Judy, 84, brought a rose to a monument at Memorial Park in honor of her grandfather, Chester Kaufman, who served in World War II. 'We grew up in Blue Island and used to swim in the pool over there (on the Memorial Park property) and my husband played Pony League here,' she said. 'We like coming back.' Judy was escorted to the monument by Quinn. 'It was special to have him here,' she said. 'He had a very good message.' In Orland Park, the names of the five veterans who were recently added to the village's granite wall memorial, Ara Pacé, which means Place of Peace, were read aloud during a ceremony. They are David A Trechel, who served in the Marines from 1969-1970; Thomas T Georgas, in the Army from 1966-1967; Roberto Bargas, in the Army from 1944-1946; Kenneth R Kovac, in the Army 1988-1992; and Gam Mon Yee, in the Army 1957-1959. 'Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the courage and selflessness of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice serving our country,' said Mayor James Dodge. The ceremony included representatives of the Orland Park Veterans Commission, the American Legion Orland Memorial Post 111, Veterans Voices Military Group, VFW Reber-Tesmond Post 2604 and the Orland Park Children's Choir.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hopkinton's Baypath Humane Society helps rescue dozen dogs from Wrentham backyard breeder
At Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton on a Friday afternoon, it is playtime for more than a dozen German Shepherd and Husky dogs waiting for adoption. Until now, playtime was something the dogs never knew. Last fall, more than a dozen dogs were rescued from a backyard breeder in Wrentham. Photos and video reveal the living conditions the dogs endured for their entire lives, as they existed for one reason: to create puppies. 'A lot of them really haven't been out of a confined area of cement. They had cement walls, wood chips for bedding. And that was it,' Baypath Shelter Support associate Kathy Lundgren told me. Lundgren said the dogs showed signs of neglect: starvation, parasites, and in some cases, disease. 'The saddest part, when they came in, they were just numbers. Case numbers. You could tell in the breeders' mind, these were breeding machines,' Lundgren said. The case taxed Baypath's resources; the vet bill now stands at $130,000. 'It was emotional for us, as well as the dogs,' Baypath's Rachel Gallagher said. Meanwhile, workers and volunteers nursed each of the dogs to health. 'My hope for these dogs is to find them love, to find them care and to find them people who actually deserve them,' said Elly Hammond, a Baypath Animal Care Associate. The dogs rescued from the Wrentham backyard breeder are thriving now. It has been a long road for Baypath, but each dog is ready to find a home. 'They came in as a number: Husky 1, Shepherd 1. Now they have a name. They have a face, and they have freedom. Now they can find a home,' Lundgren said. All of the dogs are now up for adoption If you'd like to know more about the dogs or about ways to support the mission, go to their website at: This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
India.com
23-05-2025
- Sport
- India.com
IPL 2025: Ishan Kishan, Bowlers Star In Sunrisers Hyderabads 42-Run Win For RCB
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be ruing the missed opportunity to go top of the Indian Premier League 2025 table as Sunrisers Hyderabad handed a crushing 42-run defeat to the playoffs-bound franchise in Match 65 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday. With this loss, RCB's run rate has taken a heavy hit and pushed them down to third place in the table with Punjab Kings moving past due to their superior run rate. Gujarat Titans is still at the top of the table with 18 points and Mumbai Indians in fourth with 16. Asked to bat first by RCB's stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma, Sunrisers Hyderabad rode on Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 94 to reach a massive total of 231/6 in 20 overs. Openers Abhishek Sharma (34) and Travis Head (17) gave the Sunrisers a flying start with their heavy hitting and reached the 50-run mark in just 15 deliveries. Just when it seemed the two were on for a big score, RCB scalped both batters in a matter of three deliveries. Abhishek flicked Lungi Ngidi's full-length delivery straight to Phil Salt. Just two deliveries later, it was Bhuvneshwar who claimed the important wicket of Head. After targeting Suyash Sharma, Heinrich Klassen (24) fell to the bowler while attempting to clear the fielder at the long-on boundary but was caught by Shepherd. Kishan kept up the momentum by hammering a short delivery by Krunal Pandya for six before Aniket Verma (26) joined in the fun with two maximums and a four off Suyash for a 19-run 11th over. The duo similarly dealt with Pandya by getting a six each off his opening three balls. Aniket's time at the crease came to an end when a leading edge saw the ball balloon towards backward point for a simple catch by Bhuvneshwar. Kishan, on the other hand, had no intentions of letting the fall of wickets at the other end halt the flow of runs and raised his half-century in 28 balls. Nitesh Kumar Reddy's (4) lean run of form continued as the all-rounder was undone by Shepherd. With Kishan firing from the other end, Abhinav Manohar (12) struggled to get going and it was once again Shepherd who got the vital breakthrough for RCB. Kishan ended the inning just short of the century landmark and took SRH to 231/6 in 20 overs with a four and a six in Yash Dayal's final over. He ended with 94 not out off 48 balls, a knock laced with seven boundaries and five sixes. In response, Virat Kohli (43) took the fight to the SRH bowlers. He began the proceedings with a late cut off Pat Cummins, before punching Jaydev Unadkat through wide mid-off with authority in the next over. A pull shot towards deep mid-wicket, which just evaded Nitesh Kumar Reddy, off Cummins, saw the veteran take charge of the opening overs, while Phil Salt (62) struggled to get going, contrasting their regular dynamic. With the required run rate being matched, almost uncharacteristically, Kohli failed to get on top of the bounce off Harsh Dubey and sliced the ball straight to Abhishek at backward point. Mayank Agarwal (11), brought in as an injury replacement for Devdutt Padikkal, got off the mark with a four, but his return was cut short by a good length delivery in the channel by Reddy, as he edged to Klassen. Incredibly enough, RCB were still flying at 167/3 at the end of the 15th over before disaster struck. Reddy clamped up the pressure and allowed only four off the next six deliveries, which resulted in Malinga completely flipping the game on its head. A yorker saw RCB try to steal a quick single, but the pacer got to the ball first and dismissed Rajat Patidar, who was left in no man's land, with a direct hit. Malinga continued to torment RCB by pouching a catch off his own bowling to dismiss Romario Shepherd (0) on his first delivery. The game completely seemed to slip away from RCB when Jitesh miscued a slot delivery straight to Abhinav Manohar at deep mid-wicket. Tim David (1), who was forced off the field after pulling up in the final over in the first innings, was struggling heavily and was concerningly unable to take singles. Malinga obliged by ending his innings with a lower full toss, saw the Aussie hit it straight to long-on. Pat Cummins castled Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3) before Krunal Pandya (8) hit his own stumps with his bat. Harshal Patel rounded the game up for SRH as Yash Dayal (3) was caught in the deep to dismiss the side for 189 to seal the 42-run victory.
Edinburgh Live
23-05-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Unseen Jay Slater footage shows 'confession' in final hours before he vanished
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Jay Slater boasted about pinching a costly £12,000 timepiece while 'off his undies' just before he vanished in Tenerife. The 19-year-old from Lancashire disappeared after rocking out at the NRG music fest with mates on the Spanish isle in June last year. After an extensive search that caught the attention of media worldwide, his remains were eventually spotted in a gorge near the secluded village of Masca. Freshly released footage and snaps from just before he went missing have now been shared as part of the inquiry into his tragic end - including the very last videos Jay sent, as highlighted by the Mirror. In a brief clip pinged from his mobile shortly before dawn, we get a glimpse of Jay cruising in a car en route to Masca, as reported by MailOnline. He captions the video boldly claiming: "Just took a 12k rolly off some c*** wi this Mali kid off to get 10quid for it now haha off my undies." A similar-timed Snapchat displays: "Yes cuz ended up getting thrown out of there me with 2 maili kids just took an AP off some c*** on way to sell it for 10 quid." At the crack of 7am, Jay whips out his phone for a 13-second vid showing himself having a smoke outside an Airbnb while admiring the mountain scenery, reports the Manchester Evening News. Shortly thereafter, he records a last seven-second snippet featuring the craggy landscape, which police later pinpointed to Masca – precisely where his body was found. Jay had been ferried to the Airbnb by Brits Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas. Recently released footage has shed new light on the circumstances surrounding Jay's death, following an inquest that put to rest a long-standing rumour that the teenager was murdered over a stolen £12,000 watch. During the inquest at Preston Crown Court, Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd revealed that Jay's body was already decomposing when he examined it. Despite this, he was able to determine that the cause of death was a severe head injury, likely sustained from a significant fall. A CT scan confirmed a severe fracture to the head, consistent with a heavy fall from height. Dr Shepherd stated that even with immediate medical attention at a specialist neurosurgical unit, the severity of the injury made survival highly unlikely. "The injury is so severe that death was either instantaneous or extremely quick," Dr Shepherd explained. The Spanish authorities also concluded that Jay's death was caused by a severe traumatic brain injury. Toxicologist Dr Stephanie Martin reported that Jay had multiple substances in his system at the time of death, including ecstasy and a cocaine metabolite, which is present when cocaine is consumed with alcohol. However, she noted that testing a deceased person's body after some time can be "extremely challenging". The inquest was temporarily halted when Jay's mother, Debbie, appealed for the two British men who rented the Masca Airbnb with Jay to attend the hearing. Despite exhaustive efforts by the coroners to locate them, convicted drug dealer Mr Qassim and Mr Roccas, formerly known as 'Rocky', were nowhere to be found and did not attend.
