Latest news with #Slusser
CBS News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Pittsburgh Marathon honors longtime runner who died while kayaking in Tennessee
The Pittsburgh Marathon is honoring a longtime runner who died while kayaking before he could run this weekend. Don Slusser ran in every single Pittsburgh Marathon since it began in 1985, and was a leading member of a group of eight men called the "sole survivors," who are the only ones who have done the same. Saturday's Pittsburgh Marathon Hall of Fame ceremony was meant to celebrate longtime runners like Tom Abbott. "I really am humbled and honored," Abbott said as he took the stage." And I thank you, and especially like to thank a friend of mine of over 50 years. He passed away about a month ago, Donnie Slusser." Slusser, 73, died while kayaking in Tennessee. He helped to organize the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. For years, he was the one helping to make sure things ran smoothly, even if that was just handing out bags to inductees. He helped to organize the committee that voted on new inductees and collected stats on runners for them to review. He's also the one who, months ago, informed inductees like Abbott that they'd made the Hall of Fame. They first raced each other in high school. "I know he's up there, and he's organizing the pearly gates marathon at this minute," Abbott said. "I don't want an entry very soon, but save one." Another "sole survivor," Tim Hewitt, also inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, said Slusser embodied running in Pittsburgh. "It's sad; you can't be here and not think [Slusser] should be here," Hewitt said. "I'd look at him and say, 'How can he even move,' and then I'd be worried he was going to pass me because he was that determined." Like Hewitt and Abbott are now, Slusser was also a Hall of Famer. He was part of the inaugural class in 2009, a product of his achievements during races and the lifetime more than 200,000 miles he had run. "If you had a bad race, he'd say, 'Come on, come up next week, there's another race,'" Abbott said. Marathon Course Director Melissa Cade, who also helps organize the Hall of Fame ceremony, said Slusser ran with grit, heart, and humility. "He gave advice without ego. He gave support without any condition, and kindness without hesitation," Cade said. She grew emotional as she was close to wrapping up a speech she delivered about Slusser at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. "In a world moving too fast, Don slowed things down by putting one foot in front of the other over and over again for the right reasons," Cade said. "Pittsburgh has lost a true original, but Don Slusser's legacy will echo on every trail, track, and quiet morning sidewalk." A story she said that was not just written in race times, but the lives he touched. "We're going to run with empty hearts and for me this [race] will be in his honor," Hewitt said. On Sunday, five runners will participate in a relay, passing along Slusser's final printed bib and taking it across the finish line one more time. During the ceremony, Louis Kusher was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was part of the group that brought the race back to the city after a six-year absence. He detailed the struggles they faced, saying they lacked credibility. "For us, it was a dream," Kushner said. "Pittsburgh needed to have a marathon. You couldn't be a big league city without a marathon, so we persevered." Kushner can now admit they managed that first marathon on "a wing and a prayer." They were ready to call 2,000 runners a success. Instead, they had thousands more and were forced to cut off registration at 10,000, he said.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas passes anti-trans bill restricts bathrooms use, other private spaces
TEXAS (KTAL/KMSS) — Today, the Texas Senate passed the 'Women's Privacy Act,' ensuring women are safe in their bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers. However, it explicitly prohibits trans people from sharing those spaces. Mary Elizabeth Castle, Director of Government Relations for Texas Values, said, 'The vote today in the Senate was a landmark vote for protecting women and girls in our state. No woman should have to be forced to share a vulnerable private space with a man and be deprived of her dignity. Private spaces are separated based on sex for a reason, and our state should keep it that way.' According to Texas Values' news release, Brooke Slusser, a San Jose State women's volleyball player, was a 'key witness' who was 'forced' to share a locker room and an apartment with her transgender roommate without her knowledge. Texas bill could charge transgender people with 'gender identity fraud', if passed During her testimony in favor of SB 240, Slusser claimed that she was not aware that her teammate was transgender. However, according to a New York Times interview, the teammate, Blare Flemings, did not publicly identify as trans at the time. Flemings reported she became suicidal after becoming the face of a national anti-transgender movement. Meanwhile, Slusser appeared on national television against trans athletes. 'We were lied to and deceived. I was traumatized from this situation. I am now doing online school and not attending SJSU anymore,' said Slusser. Slusser said she could have 'saved' herself from the situation. The Texas athlete concluded her statement, 'This is something that could have saved so many other young student athletes and not have them go through what I went through and be traumatized, and have the sport ruined because a man is in a woman's safe space.' SB 240 underscores 'a person entering a private space designated for the biological sex opposite to the person's biological sex.' Individuals who violate the bill may be fined $5,000 for the first offense and $25,000 for the second offense. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Local running legend found dead in lake in Tennessee
A local Hall of Fame marathon runner died on a kayaking trip. Don Slusser, 73, died Thursday night while kayaking on Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee, NBC affiliate WSMV reports. His body was found by search teams near the campground where he was staying with his wife Friday morning. GCX Racing Pittsburgh shared a photo of Slusser on Facebook from the 2024 Mad Dash 10 Miler, calling him an amazing runner, race director and community organizer. Slusser was the Indiana University of Pennsylvania's All-American Marathon Runner and was inducted into the IUP Hall of Fame in 1996. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arena Authority board assigns new solicitor two matters to get resolved
Apr. 9—WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The new solicitor for the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority hit the ground running on Wednesday when the board assigned two matters to get resolved. Attorney Christopher Slusser, who was appointed at the board's March meeting, was asked to handle the possible sale of a 5-to-7-acre parcel adjacent to the Mohegan Arena and also to negotiate with U-Haul to resolve the use of an access road off of Mundy Street. In early January, the board heard a presentation from Sonny Singh of ONVB, regarding his request to purchase a parcel of land from the arena authority to build a second hotel. Singh built a Residence Inn extended-stay hotel four years ago, and this parcel adjoins that site. The board and staff at the arena said they have had a good relationship with Singh over the years. In January, the board thanked Singh for his presentation and referred the matter to the Land Development Committee for review. Board member John Pickering reported that Attorney Slusser has recommended that the authority get its own appraisal of the property before negotiating a sale price with Singh. Board Chair Patrick Patte said that not many realtors do commercial land appraisals. He said the board will seek proposals from realtors that perform that work and report back at the next meeting. Pickering and Slusser will meet to discuss the access road issue and report back at the board's meeting in May. The authority has stated it hopes to get at least $1 million for the property. The board also unanimously approved the contract — which includes a $35,000 per year retainer — with Slusser, who replaced Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald, which held the position for 16 years. Board member Donna Cupinski, who chaired the authority board for 16 years, praised RJ&G for its service to the authority, noting that the firm went "above and beyond" for the authority. "It doesn't always come down to an hourly rate," Cupinski said. Last month, the authority board hired the Slusser Law Firm, with offices in Hazleton and Kingston, at the hourly rate of $150-$250. The only other bid submitted was from Rosenn Jenkins and Greenwald of Wilkes-Barre at an hourly rate of $250-$475, depending on the attorney assigned. In other business, the board: —Approved the final bill of $430,248.10 for the completed floor chiller replacement project. —Heard ASM Global General Manager Steve Poremba report that the arena has hosted several sell-out or near-sell-out events, such as Monster Jam and Cirque du Soleil, and recently announced the booking of country music superstar Cole Swindell. Poremba also reported that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will be in the Calder Cup playoffs. The arena will host four college commencement ceremonies and three high school graduations in May and June. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Axios
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
More EV chargers incoming in Detroit Charge Ahead initiative
As Detroit continues to go all-in on electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a City Council member cautioned the city to explain to residents why these chargers won't be left collecting cobwebs. The big picture: The city is looking to install public high-speed chargers on businesses' properties under its Detroit Charge Ahead initiative. City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved two easement agreements for EV charging at Triangle Hardware on Gratiot Avenue. State of play: City Council president pro tem James Tate supported EV charging but raised questions in a committee meeting earlier this month on whether data supported the demand for stations, and how the city could assure the chargers wouldn't become an underused resource. Tim Slusser, Detroit's chief of mobility innovation, said charger locations were identified via traffic pattern data. Slusser said the city needs to build infrastructure to match the amount of usage it wants to see in the future. Between the lines: "Based on conversations with the departments, (Tate) felt comfortable moving the resolutions forward for approval," per a statement from his office Tuesday after the vote. Tate's concerns about utilization remain, but he got clarity that the city is working to ensure infrastructure is used and will collect more data, per the statement. By the numbers: Slusser said in 2023 he wants Detroit to "be the leader in the Midwest for charging infrastructure." The city has 60 charging sites, according to its website, and is trying to build more high-speed chargers.
