Latest news with #Toland
Boston Globe
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Alex Lutky dreamt of walking off Franklin. The King Philip senior did so in the Division 1 quarterfinals
With a swift motion, Lutfy caught the pitch with the end of his bat, lifting it the opposite way to left, and the ball was not handled, dropping in to lift the fourth-seeded Warriors to a frenetic 2-1 win. Fairy-tale ending! Alex Lutfy lifts a bases-loaded single over Franklin's left fielder, who barely caught a piece of the ball but didn't manage to haul it in. Unreal. — Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) KP (20-4) will take on No. 8 Braintree (15-8) in a state semifinal (TBD). 'You can't make that feeling up,' said Lutfy, who was 3 for 4 in the designated hitter spot. 'It's like Christmas morning. I don't know how else to put it. Probably the greatest thing I've ever done.' Advertisement 'We battle Franklin every year and they've had our number for quite a while,' King Philip coach Jeff Plympton Jr. said. 'This year, we got two wins against them [in the regular season] probably [for the first time] since 2016. If we won those two, we needed to win this one.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The game was a duel into the seventh, with Cam Hasenfus and Franklin's Zach Winer matching pitch for pitch. Winer yielded two hits over six innings, fanning seven, allowing an unearned run. Hasenfus scattered seven hits in a complete-game effort, walking one and striking out four. 'Unbelievable. MVP of the Hockomock, and it's not an easy thing to do — pitch like that in front of this environment,' Plympton Jr. said. 'Anytime he takes the mound, this team has tremendous energy, and they want to play for him … It felt like a basketball atmosphere there at the end.' Advertisement The Arlington Catholic baseball team shows off its new banner after advancing to the Division 3 state semifinals. Graham Dietz Division 3 State Arlington Catholic 5, Foxborough 3 — In the bottom of the sixth inning, in a bases-loaded, two-out jam, Arlington Catholic senior Matthew Toland saw his pitch ricochet off the bat of Foxborough's Ben Angelini. His reaction? 'Oh no.' A trip to the semifinals, the first in program history, was on the line. 'You know, this could be a bases-clearing double,' Toland said. 'But [Ryan Tarello]'s the fastest kid I know. He covers ground so well.' By the time Angelini's moonshot to center field reached its apex, Tarello was already perched under it with his mitt open. The ball landed safely into his glove, and 11th-seeded Arlington Catholic (16-6) was on its way to the victory in a game that was suspended Saturday (with AC on top, 3-1) because of rain. Toland put away all but one batter in the seventh, who walked, and recorded the final out himself by tossing a short grounder to first. 'Toland, he's the [Catholic Central] league MVP two years in a row,' Arlington Catholic coach Chris Hall said. 'We have confidence in all our pitchers, but he's been the central core. And it's ironic that when Matt pitches, Ryan goes to center, and he maybe made the catch of the program on that play.' In addition to pitching the final five innings, Toland also had two RBIs — one Saturday, and another in the top of the fourth when play resumed. Coleman O'Neill, Tyler Valente, Pat Clair and Trey Flaherty all collected hits, with Clair's RBI double to left-center in the top of the fifth increasing the lead to 5-1. Advertisement Aidan Stow had an RBI double for Foxborough in the fifth. 'It's obviously easy to pitch coming in with the lead,' Toland said. 'We just knew we had to come in here and get on them early, because we had to keep up the momentum and couldn't let them get anything.'
Belfast Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
New NI-built pharmacy app can save NHS £1.7bn, claim founders
Neil Sharpe and Stephen Toland have launched ConsultTed following a six-figure investment and said it gives community pharmacies the ability to manage minor illnesses like sore throats, coughs and stomach bugs "directly and safely'. The app encourages patients to use pharmacies as a first port of call, therefore easing pressures on GPs and hospitals. It's already used in some pharmacies here, with a full roll-out planned across the island of Ireland by August. The co-founders said the platform could boost the UK economy by £350m a year by cutting workplace absences and providing pharmacies with up to £30,000 in annual added income but without increasing their workload. Mr Toland said: 'Community pharmacies have untapped potential to ease pressure on our healthcare system. 'With ConsultTed, we're giving them the digital tools to deliver safe, same-day treatment for minor illnesses without the need to see a GP.' The pair said that over 30 million GP and hospital appointments in the UK last year 'could have been handled by pharmacies without a prescription'. ConsulTed is in beta testing and launching pilot sites across the Republic in the coming weeks, while it's been showcased in London, Dublin and New York. The co-founders are part of the AMP Growth Incubator at Derry's Ebrington complex, and have secured a place on Invest NI's Founder Labs Programme. Mr Sharpe, who works in a pharmacist in Donaghcloney in Co Down, said: 'Our goal is to make ConsultTed the go-to minor illness platform across the UK and Ireland. 'We're actively seeking partnerships with healthcare providers, policymakers and pharmacy groups to help make pharmacy-first care the new normal.' Mr Toland, a pharmacist in Derry, was named Pharmacist of the Year at the Pharmacy in Focus NI Awards in March.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
DHS denies claims of Worcester mother's mistreatment
The Department of Homeland Security is denying claims that a woman arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Worcester has been treated poorly in detainment. ICE agents arrested Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, a Brazilian mother of three, on Worcester's Eureka Street on May 8. She is being detained at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Ferreira-De Oliveira's lawyer, Paul Toland, told MassLive on Thursday that ICE agents had injured his client's shoulder during the arrest and she has not been provided pain medication. A statement from a senior DHS member received on Friday, however, disputes Toland's claims. 'The allegations about Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira's treatment in detainment are unequivocally false,' the statement reads. 'ICE has provided Ferreira with prompt medical care and services, and she has not filed any grievances or complaints regarding delayed medical care.' The statement went on to say that it is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment when someone enters ICE custody. 'This includes medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,' the statement reads. In a statement provided to Spectrum News 1, the DHS claimed that Ferreira-De Oliveira entered the country illegally in August 2022, which led to ICE custody. Toland told MassLive, however, that the mother of three was paroled and allowed into the country by ICE as she pursued asylum. 'When someone is paroled into the United States, that means they are allowed to enter and stay in the U.S. temporarily, even if they don't have a visa or formal admission,' Toland said. 'It's not a legal entry in the same way as someone who comes in on a visa or green card, but it still allows a person to be here lawfully for a specific period and purpose.' Ferreira-De Oliveira pursued an asylum claim, he said. Once the claim was submitted to the immigration court, the mother was allowed to stay here indefinitely until the asylum application was approved or denied, he added. 'In order to become an asylee, an immigration judge would have to hear the merits of the case and make a determination to approve to deny the claim after an individual hearing,' Toland said. 'You can only apply for asylum at a port of entry or while inside the country.' Toland said he would not further speak about Ferreira-De Oliveira's asylum claim due to privacy concerns. DHS has also called the mother a 'violent criminal illegal alien,' according to a statement provided to WHDH. 'She was arrested by local police for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery on a pregnant victim,' according to the statement. Court records obtained by MassLive show that Ferreira-De Oliveira was suspected of using a phone-charging cable to strike a pregnant relative in February. She initially appeared in court on Feb. 3, where she pleaded not guilty and paid $500 cash bail, according to court records. Her last court appearance was a pretrial hearing on March 24. Last Tuesday, Judge Zachary Hillman scheduled Ferreira-De Oliveira's trial date for July 18, according to court filings. On the morning of May 8, Eureka Street erupted into screams, chants and yelling as ICE agents apprehended Ferreira-De Oliveira. More than 30 people gathered on Eureka Street, including District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj and disqualified School Committee candidate Ashley Spring. Some of the people confronted the agents, demanding they show a judicial warrant, while other people in the crowd chanted, 'Don't take the mother.' Also at the scene of the arrest were two of Ferreira-De Oliveira's daughters, a 17-year-old and a 21-year-old named Augusta Clara Moura. After 11 a.m., Worcester Police Officers arrived on the scene, telling the crowd over loudspeakers that they were participating in an unlawful assembly. The police also made two arrests on Eureka Street that day: Ferreira-De Oliveira's 17-year-old daughter and Spring. Police present at the scene said that they were called to maintain the peace. Body camera footage and 911 calls related to the Eureka Street arrest were released by the city on May 16 after pressure from the public, including a rally during which residents accused Worcester officials of assisting ICE in arresting Ferreira-De Oliveira. The footage and recording of the 911 calls were posted on the city's YouTube page. The video and audio are taken from body cameras worn by officers Juan Vallejo, Patrick Hanlon and Shauna McGuirk. Officer Hanlon's footage shows District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj walking toward the officers and Ferreira-De Oliveira. Haxhiaj grabbed Ferreira-De Oliveira's arm and pleaded with the agents not to take her. Two of the ICE agents then proceeded to fling the councilor off Ferreira-De Oliveira. As the agents moved to a gold Ford SUV, Haxhiaj then reached out for Ferreira-De Oliveira. Hanlon grabs her hands to pull her back and tells her to stop. 'I cannot stop!' Haxhiaj yelled at the officer. Clara Moura, who was being held back by Spring, reached out to the vehicle and said, 'No' multiple times. Hanlon responded by saying that ICE would offer an explanation. Haxhiaj and Spring yelled that the agents would not explain, with Spring telling Hanlon that ICE does 'not have a judicial warrant.' At around 2 minutes and 25 seconds into the video, an ICE officer says, 'We do not need a judicial warrant for this arrest.' Body camera footage from Hanlon and Officer Juan Vallejo shows Ferreira-De Oliveira's teenage daughter running up to the side of the SUV's front passenger door. Police later claimed she tried to kick the door, but it is difficult to confirm this due to the camera's shakiness and the large police presence. Vallejo and other officers surrounded the girl and moved her to the ground on the street. During the arrest, an officer yells, 'You're under arrest for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.' Police officers saw Spring push and shove other officers trying to arrest the daughter, according to a police report. 'Officers also observed Ashley directly point at and spray an unknown liquid in a bottle at officers that were on duty attempting to conduct their job,' the report read. It turns out, however, that the 'unknown' liquid was water. At the 2:30 mark in the video, Vallejo approaches Spring and points his finger at her, listing charges for another officer: 'Disorderly, disturbance and she sprayed me in the face with water.' As he moveed away from her, the audio catches Spring saying, 'It was water.' Spring was charged on May 9 with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — that being the 'unknown liquid' — along with charges of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and interfering with police officers. Lt. Sean Murtha of the Worcester Police Department told MassLive on May 17 that he was not aware of the department dropping any of Spring's charges despite police saying the liquid was water in the video. The daughter, meanwhile, was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, according to the Worcester Police Department. After her arrest, she was released from custody and is staying with family friends along with her 21-year-old sister, Clara Moura, Clara Moura's 3-month-old son and her other sister, who is also a minor. In a statement on May 16, Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier announced that the Worcester Police Department is requesting that the court dismiss the case against Ferreira-De Oliveira's daughter. Even though the department wishes to have the case against the daughter dismissed, Saucier noted, 'It is important to emphasize that assaulting or interfering with law enforcement officers as they carry out their duties is never acceptable.' What happened on Eureka Street has left some Worcester residents outraged over the city's response. During a rally on May 13, many protesters accused the Worcester Police Department of collaborating with ICE. The protest was held outside of City Hall, which was locked that evening. Protesters had planned to attend the city council meeting that was to be held inside the building, but it was announced the day before that it would be moved to a virtual format. During the meeting, Mayor Joseph Petty explained that the switch from an in-person to virtual-only meeting was made due to city officials receiving 'threats of violence.' Those who did attend the virtual meeting lashed out at the council. 'There are two explanations for this,' Marcus Palumbo of Clark University said at the meeting. 'Either you, the council, have completely lost control over the police department, or you are actively complicit in their actions.' On May 16, City Manager Eric D. Batista issued an executive order to establish 'guidelines for local response and involvement in federal enforcement of immigration laws and operations, including investigations and civil detainments performed by ICE officers,' according to a statement from Batista's office. 'Enforcement of immigration laws is within the jurisdiction of the federal government, not the municipality, and as such, municipal resources shall not be used toward that end,' the city statement continued. 'The municipality and the WPD are committed to promoting safety in the community regardless of immigration status.' On May 21, Batista was faced with disruptions from protesters during his State of the City Address, one carried a sign with a doctored image of Batista wearing an ICE vest, and another played audio from the arrest on repeat. Councilor Haxhiaj has received both praise and scorn for her actions on Eureka Street. Councilor-at-Large and Council Vice Chair Khrystian King said she 'rose to the moment.' 'She acted urgently to defend a fellow mother, a woman in crisis, a young teen girl, and constituents she was elected to serve,' King wrote. 'In doing so, she stood up against a system that has too often trampled due process and constitutional rights — especially under the Trump administration. That's not grandstanding. That's moral leadership.' The New England Police Benevolent Association Local 911 and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 504, however, released two statements on May 9 and May 10, respectively, both blasting Haxhiaj for 'physically interfering and physically assaulting' Worcester police officers. 'We stand with our fellow Worcester Police Patrol Officers Union Local 911 and demand an ethics investigation into the egregious actions and behavior of Councilor Haxhiaj,' the letter from Local 504 reads. Three city councilors have made statements since the body camera footage was released. 'The footage released today confirms this: Worcester Police officers did not aid ICE in any detainment,' said District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. 'Instead, they responded with professionalism, compassion and restraint in a complex and challenging situation.' Councilor-at-Large and Public Safety Committee Chair Kathleen Toomey criticized the protesters who confronted the ICE agents, claiming that they 'crossed a line' and did little to help the mother's two daughters at the scene. 'The videos I saw reinforced for me that had the protesters stayed on the sidewalk and not interfered with federal officers, we would be in a very different space,' Toomey said. 'However, they exacerbated the situation, and instead of focusing their efforts [on] supporting the daughters of the woman apprehended, they crossed the line by obstructing and physically assaulting both ICE and WPD officers, which is unacceptable.' Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen, however, wrote an Instagram post on Sunday saying they could not believe the city administration and the Worcester Police Department's recounting of the events on Eureka Street. They also demanded the release of all police incident reports. 'We will not stop holding WPD accountable,' Nguyen wrote. 'We must abolish ICE.' ICE agents injured Worcester mother during raid, won't give her meds, attorney says Shadow of ICE arrest hangs over Worcester 'State of the City' speech Worcester councilor deposits large donation haul after confronting police at ICE raid Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
ICE agents injured Worcester mother during raid, won't give her meds, attorney says
Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, a Brazilian mother of three arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Worcester this month, has a damaged shoulder and is not receiving any pain medication at the facility where she is currently detained, according to her lawyer. Attorney Paul Toland told MassLive that Ferreira-De Oliveira is currently wearing a sling while she is presently detained at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Ferreira-De Oliveira is being held following her arrest on May 8 at Eureka Street in Worcester. Toland believes that her shoulder was damaged due to excessive force used by ICE agents who apprehended her that day. He is not aware of the extent of the damage to her shoulder. 'Wyatt Detention is a very depressing detention center,' Toland said. 'With barbed wire everywhere. She's not even getting pain medication in there for her pain.' The lawyer added that Ferreira-De Oliveira had been frequently moved to different cells at the facility, so she would not see or hear those expressing support for her outside of the detention center. The Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the Wyatt Detention Center did not respond immediately to requests for comments on Thursday. Toland said he was assigned Ferreira-De Oliveira's case on Friday, May 16, and met with her for the first time face-to-face this week. The mother will likely remain in Rhode Island as her case will be held at the Boston Immigration Court, according to Toland. An individual hearing will be held for Ferreira-De Oliveira but a judge has not yet set a date, Toland told MassLive. 'Typically if a person is detained though, their final individual hearing is heard within 1.5 to 2.5 months,' Toland explained. Ferreira-De Oliveira is also not in immediate danger of being deported, Toland added. The lawyer told MassLive the case does not have a timeline as of yet and that he could not disclose any legal strategy. In a statement provided to Spectrum News 1, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Ferreira-De Oliveira entered the country illegally in August 2022, which led to ICE taking her into custody, Toland told MassLive, however, that the mother of three was paroled and allowed into the country by ICE as she pursued asylum. Asylum is a form of protection that is granted to individuals fleeing their home country due to persecution or fear of persecution based on specific grounds such as race, religion, nationality or political opinion, according to the nonprofit organization the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 'When someone is paroled into the United States, that means they are allowed to enter and stay in the U.S. temporarily even if they don't have a visa or formal admission,' Toland explained. 'It's not a legal entry in the same way as someone who comes in on a visa or green card but it still allows a person to be here lawful for a specific period and purpose.' In the case of Ferreira-De Oliveira, Toland said that she pursued an asylum claim. Once that asylum claim was submitted to the immigration court, the mother was allowed to stay here indefinitely until the asylum application was approved or denied, the lawyer said. 'In order to become an asylee, an immigration judge would have to hear the merits of the case and make a determination to approve to deny the claim after an individual hearing,' Toland said. 'You can only apply for asylum at a port of entry or while inside the country.' Toland said he would not further speak about Ferreira-De Oliveira's asylum claim due to privacy concerns. In addition to the claims of illegal entry, ICE claims that the mother is a 'violent criminal illegal alien,' according to a statement provided to WHDH. 'She was arrested by local police for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery on a pregnant victim,' according to the statement. Court records obtained by MassLive read that Ferreira-De Oliveira was suspected of using a phone-charging cable to strike a pregnant relative in February. She initially appeared in court on Feb. 3, where she pleaded not guilty and paid $500 cash bail, according to court records. Her last court appearance was a pre-trial hearing on March 24. Last Tuesday, Judge Zachary Hillman scheduled Ferreira-De Oliveira's trial date for July 18, according to court filings. The sounds of screaming and chants echoed throughout Worcester's Eureka Street on the morning of May 8. As ICE apprehended Ferreira-De Oliveira, more than 30 people, including District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, demanded the agents not take her and show a warrant for the arrest. Worcester Police Officers were also at the scene, and they arrested Ferreira-De Oliveira's teenage daughter and now-disqualified Worcester School Committee candidate, Ashley Spring. Augusta Clara Moura, Ferreira-De Oliveira's 21-year-old daughter and mother of a 3-month-old baby, said the arrest of her mother started after her partner honked at an undercover car with ICE agents. Through Clara Moura's attorney, Andrew George Lattarulo, Clara Moura said that her partner, Samarone Alves Ferreira-De Souza, was arrested by federal agents the day before ICE took her mother. Ferreira-De Souza, who is the father of the 3-month-old, had honked at a car that cut him off while he was driving to work, according to Clara Moura. The car turned out to be an undercover ICE vehicle and agents arrested him. 'He had committed no crime,' according to Clara Moura. Ferreira-De Souza is currently being held at the Pine Prairie Correctional Facility in Pine Prairie, Louisiana, according to ICE's Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS). Lattarulo previously told MassLive he is providing legal representation for Clara Moura's partner. A day after her partner was arrested, Clara Moura said ICE came to her home, telling her to return her partner's car and sign immigration paperwork. She said she left her house with her 17-year-old sister and her baby, intending to comply with the order. 'That's when ICE stopped my car and told me I was under arrest,' Clara Moura said. 'Since I was with my baby, I called my mother to come take my son.' When her mother arrived, ICE agents attempted and succeeded in arresting her. Clara Moura claims that ICE agents also attempted to take her baby from her but they backed down due to protests from neighbors. Lattarulo told MassLive last week that ICE threatened to arrest Clara Moura and her 17-year-old sister, an account that matches reporting from Rolling Stone Magazine, which said that Clara Moura and her sister were used as 'bait' for ICE to arrest their mother. Clara Moura, who saw her mother be apprehended by the agents that morning, launched a GoFundMe last week explaining the events that led up to her mother's arrest. Toland said he could not comment on the reporting from Rolling Stone magazine or Clara Moura's account. On May 16, Worcester officials released the body camera footage and 911 calls from the May 8 arrest following pressure from the public, including a rally during which residents accused Worcester officials of assisting ICE in arresting Ferreira-De Oliveira. The footage and audio are taken from body cameras worn by officers Juan Vallejo, Patrick Hanlon and Shauna McGuirk. In Officer Hanlon's footage, District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj is shown walking toward the officers and Ferreira-De Oliveira. Haxhiaj grabbed Ferreira-De Oliveira's arm and pleaded with the agents not to take her. Two of the ICE agents then proceeded to fling the councilor off Ferreira-De Oliveira. As the agents moved to a gold Ford SUV, Haxhiaj then reached out for Ferreira-De Oliveira. Hanlon grabs her hands to pull her back and tells her to stop. 'I cannot stop!' Haxhiaj yelled at the officer. Clara Moura, who is being held back by School Committee candidate Ashley Spring, reaches out to the vehicle and says 'no' multiple times. Hanlon responds by saying that ICE will offer an explanation. Haxhiaj and Spring yell that the agents will not explain, with Spring telling Hanlon that ICE does 'not have a judicial warrant.' At around 2 minutes and 25 seconds into the footage, an ICE officer says, 'We do not need a judicial warrant for this arrest.' Body camera footage from Hanlon and Officer Juan Vallejo showed Ferreira-De Oliveira's teenage daughter run up to the side of the SUV's front passenger door. Police later claimed she tried to kick the door, but it is difficult to confirm this due to the shakiness of the cameras and the large police presence. Vallejo and other officers surrounded the girl and moved her to the ground on the street. During the arrest, an officer yells, 'You're under arrest for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.' Police officers saw Spring push and shove other officers trying to arrest the daughter, according to a police report. 'Officers also observed Ashley directly point at and spray an unknown liquid in a bottle at officers that were on duty attempting to conduct their job,' the report read. It turns out, however, that the 'unknown' liquid was water. At the 2:30 mark in the video, Vallejo approaches Spring and points his finger at her, listing charges for another officer: 'Disorderly, disturbance, and she sprayed me in the face with water.' As he moves away from her, the audio catches Spring saying, 'It was water.' Spring was charged on May 9 with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — that being the 'unknown liquid' — along with charges of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and interfering with police officers. Lt. Sean Murtha of the Worcester Police Department told MassLive on Saturday that he was not aware of the department dropping any of Spring's charges despite police saying the liquid was water in the video. The daughter, meanwhile, was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, according to the Worcester Police Department. After her arrest, she was released from custody and is currently staying with family friends along with her 21-year-old sister, Augusta Clara Moura, Clara Moura's 3-month-old son and her other sister, who is also a minor. In a statement on May 16, Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier announced that the Worcester Police Department is requesting that the court dismiss the case against Ferreira-De Oliveira's daughter. Even though the department wishes to have the case against the daughter dismissed, Saucier noted, however, that 'it is important to emphasize that assaulting or interfering with law enforcement officers as they carry out their duties is never acceptable.' Additionally, City Manager Eric D. Batista issued an executive order on May 16 that establishes 'guidelines for local response and involvement in federal enforcement of immigration laws and operations, including investigations and civil detainments performed by ICE officers.' During his State of the City address on Wednesday, Batista spoke about the events of May 8 and acknowledged those who are pained by what happened. 'I know that many of you listening tonight, and residents across Worcester are in pain after the events on Eureka Street on May 8,' said Batista after he took the podium at the Jean McDonough Arts Center's BrickBox Theater. 'You are not alone in that pain.' Protesters interrupted Batista's speech, with one carrying a sign with a doctored image of Batista wearing an ICE vest and another playing audio from the arrest on repeat. Shadow of ICE arrest hangs over Worcester 'State of the City' speech Worcester councilor deposits large donation haul after confronting police at ICE raid Worcester Diocese to close 2 churches, merge 3 parishes Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Astra Tower unintentionally became Utah's tallest building with the state's largest mural
SALT LAKE CITY — Ed Lewis never intended to construct Utah's tallest building when his company began planning Astra Tower some seven years ago. The high-rise was supposed to mirror a 27-story building that Kensington Investment Company constructed in Boston. However, designers needed to add height to account for the smaller lot size. Then, after compiling a market study, he found that they needed to add more parking to account for future renters who like to drive to locations all across the region. Adding a service elevator on the north side of the building required more height to account for 35 lost units. Add it all up, and Kensington's building suddenly became 41 stories and 451 feet high, pushing it past the 422-foot Wells Fargo Center to become the tallest building in downtown Salt Lake City and the state. 'I'm really freaking proud it came out that way and turned out the way that it did,' said Lewis, Kensington's CEO, as he stood outside of the building Tuesday morning, reflecting on the journey. Residents began moving into Astra Tower late last summer, but only about half of the building's floors were complete at the time. More units have gone online in phases since, along with other amenities, leading to a ceremony on Tuesday to celebrate the project's total completion. All the building's changes unintentionally led to a massive, eight-story wall that felt very blank as residents started moving in. Kensington explored the idea of turning its western wall into a giant projector screen, but it ultimately settled on a partnership with the Salt Lake City Arts Council on a plan to fill about 13,000 square feet of space with paint. They reached out to artists seeking to take on what would ultimately become the state's largest mural, which generated at least a few dozen submissions. That's where they came across Miles Toland and Joseph Toney, a pair of muralists whose work has popped up all over the world. Toney, who lives in Utah, and Toland befriended each other during South Salt Lake's Mural Fest a few years ago. They kept in touch and, when they saw the artist request come in, they started talking about collaborating on a design. 'We did know how large it was gonna be, and that was part of the excitement behind the project,' Toney told recalling the origin. All of the artists were given the freedom to design whatever they wanted. Toney and Toland bounced around pencil sketches nearly a dozen times before they pieced together four designs. One concept ultimately featured human hands forming out of clouds and mountains, locking hands up over a lake. A few migratory birds are flying above, next to an immense orange moon, all of which is meant to symbolize the cooperation and collaboration across different groups needed to address the stewardship of Utah's natural beauty. It quickly won over the developers, fitting into what they wanted from the space. 'I think it represents the local geography,' Lewis said. Toland and Toney started working on the mural last month, using about 70 gallons of paint and another 20 gallons of varnish. They estimate they also went through about 100 spray paint cans over four weeks to slowly turn the giant blank wall into a massive art piece. A record-breaking piece at that. 'It's an honor to know that our work is at this scale,' Toland said. 'The largest wall might be a temporary title but an exciting title nonetheless for the time being.' Astra Tower now boasts the tallest building and largest mural in the state, while its air quality beacon, installed earlier this year, is a first of its kind in the nation. It also adds 377 units of various sizes, ranging from studio to three bedrooms, to a city looking for housing. Lewis estimates that about 35% of the building is already occupied, but it expects to reach about 95% by the summer of 2026. It won't add to the city's affordable housing stock, but the project adds much-needed housing of all types as the city continues to grow, said Blake Thomas, senior advisor on real estate and capital projects for Salt Lake City. He also sees Astra Tower as a testament to the type of development coming Salt Lake City's way. And as more redevelopment occurs across downtown, it's only a matter of time before other Astra Tower records are broken — intentionally or not. 'I'm sure this is a record that will probably be broken,' Thomas said, as he glanced up at the building. 'Knowing the need that we have and thinking of the highest and best use of our land, I'm excited for this to be a record-breaking day and for future records to be broken.'
