Latest news with #SusanCampbell
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City targeting blighted properties
CATLETTSBURG After recently implementing a tax increase on blighted properties, the City of Catlettsburg will begin compiling a list of deteriorating real estate as their next action in cracking down on neglected areas. Council members referred to several locations in need of attention during a special-called meeting on Thursday evening, specifically downtown and off U.S. 23. As councilwoman Susan Campbell inquired about utilizing eminent domain, city attorney Sonny Martin said some properties of concern had already been cited or were in the process of litigation, anticipating default judgement against non-responding property owners could open the door for the city to begin demolition or clean up efforts. While no action related to blighted properties was taken just yet, Mayor Faith Day instructed council members to compile a list of addresses they were concerned about or were made aware of by citizen complaints. Day said after compiling the addresses, the city could begin looking into title searches and issuing more citations when necessary. The discussion of vacant or blighted properties downtown led the council to the topic of utilizing Kentucky Heritage Council's Main Street Program, which could allow grant monies to fix up properties on the historic registry. Councilman Randy Salyers said he was under the impression the city was already listed as a participant in the Main Street program. Councilwoman Mindy Stanley said from her understanding, participants of the program had to be admitted through their local government, but documentation wasn't signed off by Mayor Day, resulting in the city not being in good standing with the organization's requirements. The council as a whole appeared to be unsure if Main Street participation would require funds from the local government or whether Catlettsburg was a listed participant, and if not, whether they could fix the city's standings with the organization for admission. According to Kentucky Heritage Council's website: 'Main Street efforts can be initiated by anyone in the community, not just the local municipality. Citizens interested in finding ways to create more sustainable solutions to downtown development can begin to participate and work with their local partners including local government and slowly build the capacity to apply to be a Main Street community. Communities should reach out to the state office to obtain information on the program and the application process which includes an in person presentation by the community.' Despite the discussion, no action was taken on the matter. In other happenings from Thursday: • Councilwoman Rose Marcum was designated Mayor Pro-Tem due to receiving the highest vote count in the previous election. Marcum will serve in the mayor's capacity in the event Day is not present. • Mayor Day said she had hired an employee in a clerical role at city hall on a seasonal basis, adding she is waiting to bring the employee before the council for hire on a full-time basis following the completion of municipal clerk training this summer. Stanley said the city had been without an official clerk for over a year. Susan Maddix, City Clerk for Ashland, is currently serving as interim city clerk.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Longview Lobo Choir honors veterans with performance, medals
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – The Longview Lobo Choir held a ceremony where they sang to local veterans in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on Saturday. Remarkable Woman Susan Campbell works to save veteran lives The ceremony was the choir's way of honoring veterans after they couldn't make it out to an event they planned to attend in Hawaii. 'We decided that we still wanted to honor that commitment, to honor the Vietnam veterans,' Longview Lobo Choir director Melody McMullen said. 'So we decided that let's do it locally instead of flying all the way to Hawaii to do it. I'm really glad that we're here doing this because we already have a pretty good turnout. I'm excited to get to, to meet some of these men that fought.' Each veteran who attended the event was given a medal and then turkey legs were served. The event was held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Longview High School parking lot. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
38% of LGBTQ+ youth in Maine have considered suicide, national report says
Mar. 7—More than a third of LGBTQ+ young people in Maine seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 50% experienced depression, according to the results of a 2024 national survey on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth. Maine advocates say those results aren't surprising, considering ongoing struggles with access to care and the political rhetoric around transgender rights. "They are afraid. They don't know where it's safe to be who they are, or if it's safe to be who they are," said Susan Campbell, executive director director of the Maine LGBTQ+ youth advocacy group OUT Maine. The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit focused on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth, conducts the annual study to assess the mental wellbeing of the community. The report is based on a survey of more than 18,000 LGBTQ+ people ages 13 to 24 nationwide, including 117 Mainers. The survey was taken between September and December of 2023, before President Donald Trump took office and began targeting transgender individuals, and shows the vast majority of LGBTQ+ youth across the country, including 87% of those in Maine, said their well-being was already negatively impacted by politics. However, only 18% of young LGBTQ+ Mainers reported considering leaving Maine for another state because of state politics and laws, compared to nearly 40% nationally. DIRE NUMBERS Nationally, almost 40% of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the last year, and 1 in 10 attempted suicide, according to the survey results. Sixty-six percent reported symptoms of anxiety, and 53% said they'd had symptoms of depression. In a statement this week, the Trevor Project said that those in the LGBTQ+ community are not inherently more likely to have mental health issues, but rather are placed at higher risk because of social factors. "Similar to previous research, these data reinforce that LGBTQ+ youth are not disproportionately impacted by suicide because of who they are, but rather, because of how they are mistreated, stigmatized and discriminated against," Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, said in the statement. And for almost every risk factor, transgender and nonbinary youth are worse off than the broader LGBTQ+ population. In Maine, 42% of trans and nonbinary respondents said they had seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 18% said they had attempted it. When it comes to accessing care, 45% of young LGBTQ+ people in the state said they did not receive the mental health care they desired. The top reported reasons for not getting that care were a lack of affordability and being afraid they wouldn't be taken seriously by providers. POLITICAL RHETORIC In early February, Trump signed an executive order threatening to pull federal funding from schools that allowed transgender student-athletes to compete in women's sports. Maine officials said they would still allow student-athletes to play sports aligned with their gender identity, a decision that received national attention during a public confrontation between Trump and Gov. Janet Mills in which he vowed to investigate Maine schools. Trump learned about the policy when Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, posted a photo of a high school athlete she identified as transgender on Facebook, a decision for which she was censured by the Maine House of Representatives. This week a dozen state Republican lawmakers said they would continue fighting to keep trans athletes out of women's sports. The Trevor Project's survey predates all of that, but Campbell, with OUT Maine said anti-LGBTQ legislation isn't anything new. "We're talking about a small group of young people that this impacts," she said. "And yet, it's the thing that they want to set our world on fire about." In Maine, 81% of young LGBTQ+ people said they felt the community they lived in was accepting, including 78% of trans or nonbinary Mainers. That's compared to just 64% nationally. Campbell said that's a sign that the majority of Mainers generally support LGBTQ+ people — and that recent political rhetoric represents a vocal minority in the state. "So this is about political power, all of this legislation. This is about people picking a topic that feels scary," she said. Campbell understands why some people, especially if they don't know anyone who is transgender, can feel daunted by the idea. But she's worried about the impact of the rhetoric on trans students, who are concerned they might be the next one to end up in a politician's social media post. She said school is already beginning to feel like a scary place for many LGBTQ+ students, and that might result in them shying away from education. "We need to be helping them be excited and happy about their lives, and learning all the skills that they need to be learning about community-building and team-building, and all the other resiliency skills and tools that they're going to need in order to become a successful adult," Campbell said. "And if they spend their entire childhood being afraid, they're missing out on a whole lot of opportunities and a whole lot of education." ------ IF YOU NEED HELP If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, dial 911. For assistance during a mental health crisis, call or text 888-568-1112. To call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or chat online at For other support or referrals, call the NAMI Maine Help Line at 800-464-5767 or email helpline@ Other Maine resources for mental health, substance use disorder and other issues can be found by calling 211. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Remarkable Woman Susan Campbell works to save veteran lives
TYLER, Texas (KETK) – This Remarkable Woman is dedicated to saving veterans' lives through her work with a East Texas organization, having already helped more than 40 veterans. Now, she's encouraging others to join the cause. PHOTOS: East Texas hit by storms, tornado warnings cause damage Susan Campbell has been a member of Camp V since the organization was founded. Camp V is dedicated to providing support to veterans along with their families in East Texas. The non-profit offers several programs along with a recreation center, women's center and fitness center. Campbell spoke about the reason she has dedicated the past few years of her life to supporting Camp V. 'I don't come from a military family. I grew up in the Vietnam era and over those years, I lost two friends to suicide,' Campbell said. 'So my heart was just touched by that, and Camp V has just been a way that I can give back and say thank you for what you did for me and for us. So, it's been quite a blessing. It's really changed my life.' Camp V opened in 2019 in Tyler. The complex sits on 20 acres acting as a one-stop shop for veteran resources. 'It is a remarkable place where there are multiple veterans service providers onsite that help veterans find assistance and guidance services that they need, where they don't have to travel all over to be told not a lot,' Campbell said. 'So, it reduces their stress. It helps, you know, resolve what their questions or issues are.' Drugs, firearms found in Rusk County hotel: 5 arrested According to the VA, veterans have a suicide rate of 17. 6%, a statistic they hope to lower by helping them connect with each other. Campbell spoke about this troubling statistic and acknowledged how challenging it is for veterans once they return home. 'It is hard, no matter how strong they are, not even how great of a background they've had,' Campbell said. 'It's still hard to go from the service that has given you everything to now you're on your own.' Campbell reflected on the lives she has already been able to save through her work with Camp V. 'I remember speaking at one point when saying we've saved 42 lives, and I had someone come up to me afterward and said, make that 43,' Campbell said. Campbell encourages other women and wants them to welcome every opportunity that comes their way. 'I think the important thing for women to know is that I'm not sure we're ever done,' Campbell said. 'I was 72 when I started with Jim on Camp V. I am soon to be 79, and I'm still going strong. You never know what life is going to bring you, so just embrace it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
