Latest news with #Shumard
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Aquarium on wheels: Educational nonprofit brings awareness to water quality
Jun. 12—MORGANTOWN — A traveling aquarium was parked along Morgantown's rail-trail Wednesday, giving locals a glimpse into the local fish right in their backyard waters. Brought to town by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and its educational nonprofit, the Foundation for Ohio River Education, a variety of fish caught downstream in the Monongahela River drew families, students and scientists. "This is the perfect place and time to host an event like this, " said Bridget Borrowdale, an aquatic biologist with ORSANCO and lead coordinator of its mobile aquarium program. "We are holding our quarterly commission meeting here, our chair is stepping down, and it is just a meaningful opportunity to connect the community with what is living right here in their river." The decision to host this event in Morgantown was strategic, explained Annette Shumard, ORSANCO's director of communications and executive director of FORE. "Because we have eight signatory states in our compact, we rotate our quarterly meetings around the basin, " Shumard said. "When I saw we were meeting right along the Monongahela River, I knew we had to do something more." ORSANCO, based in Cincinnati, has monitored water quality throughout the Ohio River, including tributaries like the Monongahela River, for more than 75 years. In 1957, a study on a particular stretch of water found only two fish. Recent studies in the same area are now showing more than 42 species and more than 8, 000 fish. "That is real progress, " Borrowdale said. "And it proves that policy, science and public engagement make a difference." "I have heard so many people walk up and say, 'Wait, that is in there ?'" Shumard said laughing. "They can not believe the diversity. It is like a light bulb goes off." One of the fish was a river redhorse, a species highly sensitive to pollution. The abundance of this fish has shown the improvement of water quality. "People often assume if a river looks brown, it must be dirty, " said Nicholas Callahan, ORSANCO's environmental education and outreach coordinator. "But brown water usually just means sediment. It is what you can not see that usually tells the real story about water quality." Besides the aquarium, the event featured educational booths, rock painting for kids, and a celebration of the regional effort in building river stewardship. Changing perception and building a movement, Shumard explained, is just part of the goal. "There is a strange, outdated perception that the Ohio River is filthy or unusable, " she said. "But, it is a source of drinking water for millions. It is a place where people boat, fish, and swim. It is beautiful and it deserserves the same love as other places." ORSANCO also holds the Ohio River Sweep, an annual litter cleanup now open to any community within the basin. Anyone can request free supplies, which include bags, gloves, trash grabbers and a T-shirt. "This is making it easy for people to get involved, " Callahan said. "You do not have to be a scientist to make a difference." The fish in the aquarium are released back into the Monongahela after the event and data is taken. Their brief display helps develop a picture of what is out there, as well as establishing a lasting impression. "What we do matters, " Borrowdale said. "And events like this remind people that clean water is not just about policy and data—it is about life. It is about the pride in where you live."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
David Northcutt appointed new Sterling fire chief
May 1—STERLING — Sterling City Manager Scott Shumard has appointed David Northcutt as the next fire chief for the Sterling Fire Department, effective April 30, 2025. Northcutt has served as Deputy Chief of the SFD since March 2023. He previously served as a captain with the Rock Falls Fire Department, where he was employed for more than 23 years and is the current Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 30 president. He also served as a 911 dispatcher, as a Fire Officer Program instructor at Sauk Valley Community College and is a U.S. Army veteran. "I've been doing a lot of it already, so it's not a whole lot of change," Northcutt said. "However, there is a little weight that came with the official announcement. The biggest thing for me is the support that I've had, people messaging, calling, emailing, all that ... very humbling to have that much support." Shumard said that appointing department heads falls under the authority of the city manager. The position was advertised online and with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and the Great Lakes Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. "Three applications were received," Shumard said. "After meeting with one applicant, he was ruled out as his certifications were in Michigan, and Illinois law has stricter requirements for out-of-state fire chief candidates that the candidate did not have." The remaining two candidates were interviewed, and the city retained MGT Solutions to conduct an "assessment center" for those candidates. "The Assessment Center is a series of written, oral and presentation tests administered by a team of current or former chiefs to evaluate how candidates respond to various scenarios," Shumard said. "Personality profiles were also completed at this stage." The 2025 wage study that was completed for the city recommended a salary range of $110,210-$148,220 for the position. Shumard said Northcutt will start at $112,965. In a news release issued by the city, Shumard said that Chief Northcutt was well prepared for the position through his experience as deputy chief and tutelage from interim Chief Forest Reeder. "Chief Northcutt's experience with the Rock Falls automatic aid agreement, his time as deputy chief and mentorship from interim Chief Reeder makes him a well-qualified successor," Shumard said. "Northcutt will continue the culture of increased integrity and, most importantly, accountability in the Sterling Fire Department." Northcutt plans to improve training and professionalism within the SFD to make it a leader in both areas. He wants to build on the progress made over the past year and strengthen partnerships with nearby departments through MABAS to improve teamwork and emergency response in the area. He said that strengthening collaboration with neighboring departments starts with open communication. "The first thing is communication, it's got to start there," Northcutt said, adding that understanding each department's practices and priorities is key to serving the region as a whole. He noted that while Sterling operates as a full-time department, it still relies on assistance from surrounding agencies, including volunteer departments, for large-scale emergencies. Northcutt expressed deep appreciation for that support and stressed the importance of sharing resources and knowledge. He said that when firefighters attend specialized training, the goal should not be to benefit only one department. "If we have a little bit better funding mechanism to go to classes and things like that, when we do come back, don't just use it for us, but to pass on that knowledge to the other department."
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Planting trees for the next generation on Earth Day
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — On this Earth Day, the Peoria Park District is digging in to make a difference with its annual community tree planting. Staff and volunteers planted three oak trees at Donovan Park Arboretum, expanding its diverse collection of native and non-native trees. 'We have a Shumard oak, a Scarlet Letter oak, which is a hybrid between our native white oak and the English oak, and then we have Chinkapin oak,' explained Jacob Kuban, supervisor of park horticulture and recreation maintenance at Peoria Park District. Each oak tree planted on Tuesday was selected with intention for its benefits. 'If you were to plant one tree that is the one tree that supports the most wildlife in our area,' said Kuban. 'Planting trees, especially in urban areas, can help lower electricity costs. It can provide space for everyone to enjoy and explore. And really, the community just really benefits from trees in many ways.' Kuban said he hopes people are inspired to plant their own trees at home after visiting the Arboretum. 'Even if just watching it kind of introduces the idea of stewardship and preservation for everyone. And everyone can have their hand in their part in doing that,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
