Latest news with #Sommers
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County commission asked to look at creating pawnshop ordinance
princeton – A ordinance connecting pawnshops to an easier way for reporting potentially stolen guns and other times to law enforcement has been proposed to the Mercer County Commission. Capt. Steven Sommers with the Mercer County Sheriff's Department spoke Tuesday afternoon with the commissioners about how pawnbrokers can better work with his department. 'This is just a request for the county commission to reevaluate, with some of the new commissioners, a pawnshop ordinance,' Sommers said. 'The ordinance would mimic state code, but what we're looking for is that ordinance designate the sheriff as the individual responsible for designating to the pawnbrokers how they are to electronically record. For the last nine years we have been using Leads Online, which as law enforcement, we have to pay for that; but Leads Online allows us to search names, serial numbers, description of any pawned items, scrapped items nationwide, regionally or within the county.' Pawnshops now report pawned items either on a paper form, an Excel spreadsheet or by fax, Sommers said. This includes reporting pawned firearms. 'Leads Online is connected to NCIC (National Crime Information Center) so any known serial number that is reported to NCIC is automatically reported as a post about a possible stolen item for investigation,' Sommers said. Pawnbrokers can sign up to Leads Online for free. 'Leads Online will accept and digest just about any format that a pawn broker has to get that information online and they can do it absolutely free,' Sommers said. 'The only people that pay are law enforcement, so I just ask that the county revisit and look at a pawn shop ordinance.' Sommers called Leads Online access 'a force multiplier' for the sheriff's department. 'Instead of making 100 phone calls or traveling five, six, seven, eight, 10 different pawnshops, if everybody's reporting from the computer in a keystroke, we can see if the item we are looking for is at any of the pawnshops and even initiate a case and initiate a request with the pawnshop from the computer and hey, this is stolen property and we believe it is and we are on our way,' he said. Commission President Bill Archer said that a county pawnshop ordinance had been addressed back in 2021, but one was never implemented. Archer asked Sommers if the commission could get sample ordinances from other places. Sommers said the commission should have a copy of Kanawha County's pawnshop ordinance and he could get a copy of the one used in Barboursville, a town in Cabell County. Commissioner Greg Puckett asked if the sample ordinances could be changed over to what Mercer County could use and then given to Prosecuting Attorney Brian K. Cochran for review to make sure the county is complying with state code. Once the commission is sure the proposed ordinance is in compliance, it could be presented for consideration. Sommers said the county's cities should be asked about participating in Leads Online, too. The ordinance could be presented in June and it would have to go through two public readings before it is enacted, Puckett said. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
New Medicaid Work Requirements ‘Impossible' for People To Navigate
Medicaid work requirements, under consideration as part of the House Republicans' budget to cut federal spending, are "impossible" to navigate for those using the program, experts said. Part of the budget mandates 80 hours of verified community engagement per month for able-bodied Medicaid recipients ages 19 to 65. However, experts warn that the work requirements not only will see millions pushed off the program but also could lead to many struggling to understand what the new requirements mean for their working situation and how to report their work. If you're unsure exactly what the new requirements could mean for you, you're not alone. "Previous studies of states that have tried work requirements show that people are frequently unaware or confused about what the requirements mean and how to navigate the rules," Dr. Benjamin Sommers, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts, told Newsweek. Corroborating this, Julie Marie Donohue, a professor and chair in the department of health policy and management in the School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, told Newsweek: "Evidence from states that have imposed work requirements shows people have difficulty navigating reporting systems, especially when there are monthly requirements. "Medicaid work requirements can be complex for individuals to understand and for states to implement." Even without work reporting requirements, Medicaid is a complex program to navigate and manage, as Medicaid beneficiaries face "a significant amount of administrative burden," Jamila Michener, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University in New York, told Newsweek. "They have to regularly recertify their eligibility, complete substantial paperwork, navigate managed care plans, coordinate their care, and adhere to a wide range of other requirements," she said, adding that was without having to additionally report work requirements. While noting the degree and extent of burdens imposed by work reporting requirements will depend on how states design the administrative processes necessary to implement them, Michener said that "adding such requirements to the mix only makes things harder. "Even in the best-case scenario, such requirements will lead to people who are eligible being denied benefits simply because they cannot jump over bureaucratic hurdles." The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted that millions of Americans would lose their Medicaid health coverage under the new policy to scale back the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but experts are concerned that many could also lose their coverage because of the legislation's complexity and administrative burden. "Most of the people who will likely lose coverage will still be eligible for the program and lose their Medicaid due to red tape," Sommers said. Published studies show that more than 90 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries are already working or have a good reason for not working, Sommers said, adding this might be having a disability, caring for a family member or being in school, to name a few. This means that many who fulfill the requirements already could be confronted with a heavy administrative burden to prove that they are eligible for Medicaid coverage. Difficulties with reporting work could become an issue for many for different reasons. If reporting will be done online, those who lack "consistent, reliable access to the internet will struggle to report their work," Michener said, while "people who lack adequate transportation to get to reporting agencies will struggle to report their work," if reporting has to be in person. Those employed in "temporary, seasonal, contract-based or other jobs with less predictable, regular hours may struggle to report their work accurately or to meet the required hours," she added. Even recipients who are exempt from the requirement, including caregivers of dependent children, people with disabilities, people who are pregnant, and others, may struggle to prove they are exempt or may not realize they are supposed to be exempt, Michener said. "People in between jobs, doing gig work, working part-time, or who are self-employed may not know how to accurately report their work and may not know whether they remain eligible given these less traditional work arrangements. "Work requirements are simply Medicaid cuts by another name. They serve little other purpose. There is little to know evidence that work requirements actually boost labor market participation." Discussing what specific parts of the legislation appear to mean for different Medicaid recipients with Newsweek, Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of Health Law and Policy and founding chair of the department of Health Policy at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., said that when it comes to the number of hours recipients are required to work, it is important to know the 80 hours a month is not an average. This means that a Medicaid recipient cannot complete the working requirements at 85 hours for one month and then hit 75 hours the next month, Rosenbaum said, as "no averaging" is allowed. While the working requirements could be work, school, training or a number of other things, a recipient must complete the 80 hours each month. Rosenbaum said that "every hour needs to be separately proved," adding that it was "impossible to ask people to piece together their lives this way." Having to report every hour worked could be particularly difficult for those who are self-employed, Rosenbaum said. "It is impossible for people who work on their own, do odd jobs, clean houses, do yard work, etc., unless the implementing rules allow oral estimation," she said, adding that she didn't think this would be likely. Those who lose their work or can no longer complete the 80-hour requirement would "be obligated to report a changed circumstance since this is a condition of eligibility," Rosenbaum said. Those in the process of getting work or looking for work are not exempt from the 80-hour requirement, she said, adding that those who are exempt must also prove their exemption every month. "The measure is designed to do one thing-remove working-age adults from Medicaid," she said. Related Articles Medicaid Changes Get New Timeline: Who's ImpactedDonald Trump's Spending Bill Makes Progress as Medicaid Faces CutsTrump's Proposed Bill Could Leave Millions of Medicaid Patients UninsuredIowa Passes Medicaid Work Requirement 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
One Piece Chapter 1149: Exact release date, time, where to watch and more
One Piece Chapter 1149 has just dropped its release date. With Scopper Gaban confronting Saint Shepherd Sommers and landing a blow that leaves lasting damage, fans are now eagerly expecting the next chapter to finally reveal the long-awaited secrets of immortality. Also Read: Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet take a 'big step' as romance gets 'really serious' According to the official MANGA Plus website, One Piece Chapter 1149 is scheduled to be released on Monday, May 26, 2025, at midnight in Japan. The chapter reveal of the popular series for the international audience is set for Sunday, May 25, 2025. To keep fans in the loop, a detailed schedule for the release of One Piece Chapter 1149 has been shared, outlining the exact launch times across various time zones. This ensures that no matter where fans are, they can catch the latest chapter as soon as it drops and stay up to date with the thrilling developments in the story. The latest One Piece manga chapter will be available on the MANGA Plus website through a subscription model. You can also access the latest chapter via the Shonen Jump+ app and the Viz Media platform, which offers the most recent three issues of the series for free. Also Read: Tory Lanez stabbed 14 times, both lungs collapsed: New details emerge in prison attack as 'FreeTory' trends on X One Piece Chapter 1149 will likely begin with the ongoing battle between Gaban and Sommers, with Sommers still stunned by his inability to regenerate. Gaban's actions and dialogue should shed light on their shared history and reveal how he has been able to bypass the Holy Knights' immortality. During the fight, one of the captured Straw Hats or Franky may manage to reach out to Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and the New Giant Warrior Pirates. The chapter will likely end with the group gearing up to return and confront their foes, but Loki will step in, cautioning them about the formidable power of the Holy Knights and their involvement in King Harald's death.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Mercer County woman charged with felony child neglect
princeton – One parent has been arrested and a warrant is ready for another after three children were found living in conditions both law enforcement and state Child Protective Service personnel called 'deplorable.' Ashley Nicole Smith, 30, of Princeton has been charged with three counts of gross child neglect and another three counts of concealment of a minor child, according to a criminal complaint filed by Capt. S.A. Sommers with the Mercer County Sheriff's Department. Both types of charges are felonies. In West Virginia, child neglect resulting in injury or creating risk of injury is a felony with a possible one to five year prison term, according to the West Virginia Code. Concealment or removal of a minor child from a custodian or a person entitled to visitation is another felony with a penalty of up to a year in jail. Smith was being held Thursday at the Southern Regional Jail on a $25,000 cash or surety bond with the condition of home confinement if released. The investigation leading to Smith's arrest spans from April 2023 to July 2024, Sommers said in the complaint. It involves Smith and the biological father of their three children. In April 2023, a Child Protective Services case was opened due to reports of deplorable living conditions for the three children and drug use by their parents, Sommers said. On April 19, 2023, the family was evicted from their home near Bluefield and rented a room at a Princeton motel. Shortly afterward, Smith moved the children to a relative's Kentucky home. Child Protective Services lost contact with the family after May 29, 2023. Child Protective Services regained contact with the family in December 2023 and learned they had returned to Mercer County. Sommers said in his complaint that Smith and the father failed to fully cooperate with drug screenings. On May 29, 2024, Child Protective Services lost contact with the family again, but found they had used SNAP benefits in Mercer County on June 15 and 16, 2024. Through a relative, the agency learned the family was living near Bramwell, Sommers said. This relative said one of the children's relatives had stopped at the home and 'observed that the children were dirty, barely clothed and appeared skinny. He also alleged that he had taken food to them, but was cussed at and the food was thrown away.' After a Child Protective Services worker visited the family's home on June 28, 2024, Magistrate Susan Honaker granted the department emergency custody of the children, Sommers said in the complaint. The worker returned to the home and learned that the family had left. The owner of a trailer the family had been using allowed the worker and law enforcement to inspect it. 'They found there was no power or running water and it smelled 'foul,'' Sommers said. 'She reported that it was hard to breathe due to the odor. The home was in 'complete disarray' and the conditions were 'deplorable.' There was a broken window in the kitchen and throughout the home. She located a twin bed that the children slept on, finding it filthy.' The owner told the Child Protective Services worker not to enter the back room due to a snake infestation. 'He continued, stating he had killed three snakes already' and that was why the parents had taped the door shut, Sommers said. 'The ceiling in the hallway connected to that room was falling in and appeared wet,' Sommers said in the complaint. On July 1, 2024, Smith was told that the department had custody of the children and that she needed to turn them over, but she refused and stated she was in Kentucky, Sommers said. That same day, Child Protective Services were tipped about where the children were living and relayed the information to Deputy J. Pinter. According to information from Pinter's report, Pinter and Deputy A. Presley went to Old Coaldale Mountain Road to serve the state's custody order. An anoymous source informed them that the family was deep in the woods, according to Pinter's report. When law enforcement located the site, they found a tent set up next to a vehicle. The father was taken into custody due to an active warrant out of Tazewell County, Va. Authorities in that county advised they would extradite the father. Smith and the three children, all under the age of 12, were found, Pinter said. 'The children's clothes and bodies were extremely dirty, their clothes fit poorly and I did not observe there to be adequate shelter, food or water in the area,' Pinter said in his report. The Child Protective Services worker later said that the children were dirty from sleeping on the ground. On July 17, 2024 during a forensic interview with one of the children, Child Protective Services learned that the family had moved about four times a month because of the state agency 'finding them,' Pinter said. 'She also revealed that they had to rely on others to bring food and that they stayed hungry,' Pinter said. On Monday, Sommers requested that the Mercer County Magistrate Court issue warrants for Smith and the father, who had not been arrested on the charges as of Thursday. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funding cuts delay Sterling-Rock Falls fire training facility construction
Mar. 25—STERLING — The Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments have hit a speed bump in their plans to build a joint training facility. Rock Falls Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Sommers said the departments are losing $825,000 in federal Community Project Funding appropriations they had planned to use to build a burn tower where firefighters from both communities could train in live-fire conditions. CPF allows members of Congress to request federal funds for specific projects in their district, which are then reviewed and approved through a series of committees and votes. Rock Falls' funding was requested by U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Rockford, as part of the fiscal 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. However, Sommers said that despite their CPF allocation request having made it out of the Appropriations Committee last fall, it was part of ongoing temporary spending bills. The final spending bill eliminated CPF requests. "I can't speak to which departments had cuts," Sommers said. "The projects that were approved ranged from cities that had infrastructure projects to fire departments like ours that had projects and everything in between. The way it was explained to me is none of the CPF requests in the country got approved for that fiscal year." Sommers said that the setback is a "speed bump" and not a "roadblock," and said there is still hope that Sorensen's CPF requests will be approved next fiscal year. He went on to say that because the project had already been approved, it would be given top priority if funding is secured. Sterling Fire Department Deputy Chief David Northcutt said the project "is not dead" and the departments are considering other avenues to raise the money, including fundraisers, donations and various grants. "There are different grants that are out there and we just have to find the ones that fit our project," Northcutt said. "Instead of one big one, it might be three or four small ones that come together. On top of that maybe we get some donations from some corporate folks. There are other avenues out there. We have to get a little bit more creative now and keep at it."
