Latest news with #Sloan
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man pleads guilty to shooting, killing 6-year-old boy in Kansas City, Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A man who investigators say fired shots from a car that killed a , more than two years ago has pleaded guilty to three charges, including second-degree murder. Lakevis Sloan, 22, pleaded guilty to murder, aggravated assault and aggravated endangering a child in a near N. 31st Street and Greeley Avenue on May 3, 2023. Family said three people in masks were in the car and fired nearly three-dozen bullets. Sloan was on the run for more than two weeks after the shooting and was who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting when they got off a bus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Family told FOX4 during the initial investigation they believed Sloan was likely targeting a family member. The search for Sloan prompted , and led to memorials and vigils for Brown where the boy was mourned as many tried to make sense of what happened. 'He loved karate. He loved motorcycles. He loved making sure that his family was OK,' Shawna Davis-Scott, Sir's great aunt, . KCKPD detectives watched surveillance video of the shooting captured by a nearby homeowner's camera. Court documents say video showed one of the suspects limping away from the scene. Detectives also saw one of the suspects wore unique black-and-white Jordan 12s. Armed with that evidence, Kansas City, Missouri, gang detectives identified the suspect with a limp as a known gang member who lost his leg when he accidentally shot himself, and had to wear a prosthetic limb. The suspect's social media profile had a picture of him wearing the same shoes. Missouri counties denied state aid for tornado damage The investigation also led to an , who was 18 years old at the time, and was accused changing her story regarding the car used in the murder. Detectives said she made a call to someone after her interview, and even though she tried speaking Pig Latin to disguise her message, investigators determined she told the person on the other end of the line: 'Yes, they know everything,' and 'It's on video and everything,' and 'They know y'all was there.' A plea hearing for Sloan took place Friday morning in Wyandotte County District Court. Sloan faces more than 56 years in prison as a result of his guilty pleas, but court documents say that he and his lawyer will argue for a sentence between 15 and 26 years. FOX4 has asked when Sloan's sentencing date is scheduled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Wapiti presence key for park: advocates
Eliminating wapiti from Fiordland National Park will end up destroying the park, a backer of the exotic breed says. Earlier this month, Forest & Bird hit out at Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager's announcement the government planned to make wapiti a herd of special interest that would allow them to live in Fiordland National Park. Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki questioned why help would be given to 512 hunters shooting 86 deer in a national park. The introduced feral species damaged the natural habitat of endangered species. Fiordland Wapiti Foundation founder and general manager Roy Sloan was baffled by the comments from Forest & Bird and said the wapiti were helping conservation efforts. He was aware Ms Toki had been into the area to see the foundation's conservation work. He also said Ms Toki's figures were incorrect. ''What about the 1200 deer that we shoot every year for the benefit of conservation outcomes? ''It's not about a big vege patch, it's about who is protecting the sanctuary.'' The foundation's ''number one purpose'' was to protect Fiordland National Park, he said. Controlling the deer numbers also managed their impact and maintained the quality of the animal. ''We're the only ones undertaking deer control in Fiordland National Park,'' Mr Sloan said. Forest & Bird said undermining the incredible landscapes and habitats of Fiordland National Park so a few hunters could shoot a small number of deer each year was catering to a handful of vested interests at the expense of all New Zealanders. ''To be clear, Forest & Bird is not anti-hunting. Hunting is part of the toolbox in tackling the out-of-control numbers of browsing animals that are causing significant damage to New Zealand's environment and many of our members are keen hunters. However, we are equally clear that putting precious time and taxpayer money into a Herd of Special Interest is not a priority.'' It said the government was looking at changing the law to let a North American deer species use the national park as a ''glorified vege patch''. Hunters also donated multiple tonnes of venison to food banks and KiwiHarvest. Doc national programmes director Ben Reddiex said the organisation monitored all deer populations and vegetation but also supported the foundation's work. The foundation managed wapiti in a designated area to limit wapiti-red deer hybrid offspring being established by the red deer that were widespread throughout the park. Mr Sloan believed if wapiti were removed and the foundation closed, the park would be decimated by the red deer population which hunters helped to keep under control. The foundation had been managing the wapiti population since 1991 and members considered themselves ''guardians''. The foundation had also managed, paid for, and operated more than 550 predator control traps in five river catchments in the Glaisnock Wilderness area to protect native birds since its predator trapping programme started in 2005. Hunters reported bird species sightings via an app and had amassed more than 40,000 hours of native bird monitoring each year or the equivalent of 20 years' work for one person, he said. Since 2005, members had seen the threatened Northern Fiordland whio (blue duck) population increase to up to 3000 birds. The ducks are particularly vulnerable to stoats. Other native bird species had also benefited from the predator control programme, he said. One of the last strongholds of kiwi was in the designated wapiti area. The foundation's goals had always been conservation first and based on having a low number of high-quality healthy wapiti that enabled the native fauna and flora to thrive — a healthy environment also meant a healthy wapiti herd, Mr Sloan said. The foundation's conservation model was attracting international interest as ''one of the top models on the planet''.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
‘It's the right time to step away': GB Olympic hockey hero confirms international retirement
The Ulsterman, who represented Great Britain at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020, steps away from the game having won 141 caps, as well as winning 19 for Ireland. As well as being a two-time Olympian, Sloan also won bronze with GB at the EuroHockey Championships in 2017 and both the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. A co-captain of the national side since 2017 with Phil Roper and George Pinner, the curtain has now come down on a glittering career for Sloan but he admits that it is the right time for him to hang up the stick and move into a new role. "I have loved being part of the senior squad but it's the right time to step away. I was in the squad for ten years, which is quite a long stint, and in my last few years, I suffered a lot of injuries and, as the gears progressed, I started to get more and more into coaching,' he explained. 'I definitely want to thank my family. My parents got me into the sport and followed me across to England and I have been a huge help in my career and all of my family constantly travelling over from Northern Ireland to support me has made a huge difference. "Also, my first club was Cookstown Hockey Club and it was an amazing place to grow up and learn how to play the game and a lot of club members have continued to support me over the years, which I'm very grateful." Sloan will now move into a role as coach developer for England Hockey, aiming to bring the experience that helped him play in all 11 Olympic matches GB played in across his two Games and in four Pro League campaigns to the next generation.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Gonzalez-Ortega, Miller named ‘Sloan Scholars'
One scholar whose early education took place in Mexico wants her future students to be inspired and feel cared about. The other scholar, a lifelong Lee County resident, wants to be a 'bright light' for her students — just as her late grandmother was. Susann Gonzalez-Ortega and Isabella Miller, soon-to-graduates of Lee County High School, were honored Wednesday by the Lee County Education Foundation as 2024-25 Sloan Scholar winners. They received scholarships of up to $36,000 to pursue teaching degrees, with a promise to come back to Lee County as teachers. Gonzalez-Ortega and Miller were recognized by the Education Foundation at a reception ceremony at GiGi's Creations in downtown Sanford. The Temple Sloan Lee County Teacher Fellows program was launched by the Education Foundation in 2023, with the first Sloan Scholar — Anna Marks — named in 2024. It was created to encourage Lee County's best and brightest students to commit to becoming an educator, and then return home and begin a career in a classroom. It's funded by the Raleigh-based Sloan Foundation, in partnership with Lee County Schools, the Central Carolina Community College Foundation and the Education Foundation. The Sloan Foundation was created by Temple Sloan Jr., a former Sanford resident, who founded Carquest Auto Parts in 1961. Carquest, which grew to 3,000 auto parts stores, was acquired by Advance Auto Parts in 2014. 'These scholarships will be given to deserving young students to inspire them to earn a teaching degree and encourage them to work in the Lee County school system,' said Sloan, who's a member of the Lee County Education Foundation board of directors. 'We firmly believe that a successful educational experience for our young people begins with outstanding teachers.' The Sloan scholarships will take the form of forgivable loans — similar to the process used in the statewide N.C. Teaching Fellows program. Scholarship recipients are expected to return to Lee County to teach; and all monies are forgiven after four years of teaching in a Lee County public school classroom. In pursuing a teaching degree, Sloan Scholars may attend any state-supported college or university in pursuit of their teaching certificate. In addition to $4,500 per semester in scholarship funds, the program will also include partnerships with teaching mentors, summer programming and a variety of activities designed to engage Sloan Scholars with LCS and support their commitment to Lee County's students and community. The $4,500 per semester will be awarded to help pay for tuition, fees, and books. Students are expected to provide progress reporting and other information to the CCCC Foundation, which will be managing the scholarship monies. Should a student drop out of the program or decide not to return and teach in Lee County, monies will have to be repaid. GONZALEZ-ORTEGAGonzalez-Ortega, the daughter of Esther Ortega, attends Lee County High School. She's been inducted into the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society, serves as president of the National Juntos Club, and is a member of numerous other clubs. She'll seek a degree in marine biology with a license in education at UNC-Wilmington, which will position her to teach biology at the high school level. She cited two of her teachers — Mrs. Price and Mrs. Biles — for their support, and said she wanted to become the kind of teacher 'who makes students feel both challenged and supported, someone who pushes them to think deeply, ask questions, and take pride in their growth. MILLERMiller, the daughter of Kelly and Billy Miller, also attends Lee County High School, where she's an officer in BETA and the Red Cross, and active in several other clubs. She's also been a part of the Temple Teen Ensemble at Temple Theatre. She plans to major in education and stage and screen at Western Carolina University. Miller's desire to teach comes in part from the inspiration provided by a late grandmother, who'd served as a special education teacher. She still hears stories about her, Miller said. 'My grandma's impact on her students brought me the passion to become a teacher, as I want to be just as bright a light as she was in so many children's lives,' she said. 'Over time, this foundation has never changed, but I have found myself going out of my way to give voice and dance lessons to kids, help them understand issues when things seem off, and try to guide them into a better direction overall. I have a special passion for working with youth, and I believe that my dedication to and appreciation of education is what will make me an excellent teacher.' MARKSMarks, last year's inaugural winner, was also recognized at Wednesday's ceremony. A graduate of Southern Lee High School, she's studying now at UNC-Greensboro and seeking a bachelor's degree in art education. Marks is the daughter of Melinda Marks.
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Insider
Breast cancer treatments derailed a boomer's retirement. To pay bills, she works 12-hour shifts and commutes 200 miles weekly.
On Wednesday nights, Connie Sloan drives two hours from her Tucson suburb to Phoenix for work, cruising up the highway to her country playlist as the sinking Arizona sun casts shadows on her steering wheel. She crashes at a friend's house before waking up early for her nursing shift at a nearby hospital. It has been Sloan's routine for years: She drives 100 miles on Wednesdays, works 12-hour shifts for three days, then returns home on Saturdays. The schedule can be grueling, especially at 69 years old, but she needs her roughly $3,000 monthly paycheck to supplement her Social Security. It was the only job she could find, and even then, money is tight. Baby boomers like Sloan are in a bind. The cost of living is rising across the US, Social Security often isn't enough to afford essentials, and a growing number of older adults don't have adequate retirement savings. For those with unexpected expenses — like steep medical bills — even careful retirement planning can fall apart. Business Insider has heard from thousands of older Americans who say their golden years aren't as financially comfortable as they hoped, and many are back in the workforce to make ends meet. Sloan's financial challenges began in 2013, when she learned she had stage 3 breast cancer. The diagnosis required several surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation as part of her treatment plan. Each procedure chipped away at her and her husband's nest egg, and the couple now lives with their 41-year-old son and his partner because they can no longer afford a mortgage or the typical rent in their area. Sloan expects she will be working as a nurse for as long as she's physically able. "You feel alone. But I know that there's many people my age and my husband's age that are in similar situations," she said. "It's humbling, it's depressing — I didn't expect that this is the way the later years of our lives would be." The high cost of cancer treatment left Sloan without a nest egg Living with her adult son isn't ideal, but Sloan said it's the only option she has. Stage 3 breast cancer treatment in the US typically costs over $100,000, and even with some insurance coverage, Sloan said she's still paying off the credit cards she used to cover her treatment. The charges added up over a decade, so Sloan was unable to share an exact out-of-pocket tally with BI. While she was undergoing treatment — and the bills began stacking up — she and her husband had to downsize their home. They tried living in a low-cost RV for a couple of years, but ultimately decided living rent-free with family was the best solution. It's a dilemma lots of older adults are facing: The portion of homeless single adults 50 or older is estimated to have grown to about 50% from 10% over the past three decades and, with rising housing costs across the US, many have mortgages and property taxes they can't afford. "We worked hard our whole lives," she said. "What we have — what belongs to us — fits into two rooms. That's what we're reduced to." Together, the couple brings in under $5,000 a month in Social Security. Her husband, who was also a nurse, retired a few years ago. Even with their benefit checks, her nursing paycheck, and free housing, she said expenses like car payments and medicine can add up quickly. Despite not paying rent, Sloan said she does her best to help around her son's house: doing laundry, cleaning, buying groceries, and picking up her 11-year-old granddaughter from school — a task she adores: "she calls me Mema," Sloan added, smiling. Sloan hopes to retire someday from her busy nursing schedule and 200-mile weekly commute, but she doesn't "see it in the immediate picture." She advised other older Americans to "plan for the unexpected" as much as possible and to cultivate a strong support system of family and friends. "That's the most important thing," she said, adding. "I thank God every day for my blessing of waking up and for the ability to work in my job. And I ask to continue to please bless me with my health."
