Latest news with #Trooper
Global News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Whoop-Up Days could be bigger than ever, tourism expert says
The 2025 Whoop-Up Days programming has been announced, with headlining acts such as Trooper and Chad Brownlee set to take the stage in Lethbridge, Alta., this August. Organizers say they've made a concerted effort to ensure Canadian and even local talent is at the forefront this year, while also making the show better than ever. 'We try to make it a little bit better and a little bit bigger each year and this year, I think we've done that,' said Paul Kingsmith, director of event development at Lethbridge and District Exhibition. He says the 'stay local' movement that was born out of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and statements against Canada has simply helped their cause, as opposed to directly sparking it. 'It's nice that it worked out that way, that maybe there is more of a local focus this year, but it's something that we'd been thinking about for quite a while.' Story continues below advertisement For Dominika Wojcik, the senior director of communications at Tourism Lethbridge, Whoop-Up Days could be an even bigger boost for other businesses in the city this year. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'With a festival experience like this, (visitors) can come, they can enjoy the day at Whoop-Up Days, they can have some fun on the midway, check out the acts. But then they can also go out to dinner, they can also go shopping and checkout Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, which is just down the street from (the fair grounds). I think it's a really great opportunity for people to come and see more than just what's here and it's a huge gateway for that,' she said. In fact, Wojcik says it could be the biggest year ever. 'Maybe Whoop-Up Days is that excuse now to stay home because we know there's something fun and exciting going on. We have some great acts that were just announced, so, I really think that this year we could see a really high number and maybe double what we saw last year.' The height of Whoop-Up Days attendance was in 2023 when admission was free. Over 75,000 people walked the midway that year, but it tapered off significantly last year with around 40,000 buying tickets as the event returned to a paid model. Even so, the economic impact cannot be overstated. Paired with the summer festival is the Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo, which is a financial driver for the entire city, according to its executive producer. Story continues below advertisement 'We're probably anywhere between $11 million and $15 million in a six-day, five-day event. Of course, bringing in the pro rodeo makes it even more so by having all those competitors coming in and staying in our hotels and spending money on fuel and all those types of things. So, it's huge,' said Kynan Vine. He says communities often overlook the value of rodeos. 'There's probably not many other events happening every single year in Lethbridge that have an impact in the tens of millions of dollars.' This year, Whoop-Up Days runs from Aug. 19-23, with a special first-of-its-kind wrap-up day on the 24th, a Sunday. The 'Whoop-Up Wrap-Up' will have a limited amount of programs for the final day. Returning this year is the 'Free 'til 3: fueled by Gas King' initiative from Aug. 19-21, giving free access to the fair before 3:00 p.m. every day. The midway will once again be operated by West Coast Amusements, with over 30 rides and games, including some never-before-seen attractions. The Whoop-Up Day parade will kick things off at 9:00 on Aug. 19, snaking its way through Lethbridge. For more details on the programming, including every artist performing, information can be found at
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Alaska man survives being pinned face-down by 700-pound boulder in creek after help from his wife
An Alaska man survived being pinned face-down by a 700-pound boulder in a creek after his wife held his head above water to prevent him from drowning, officials say. The harrowing incident involving Kell Morris happened last Saturday as he was hiking near Godwin Glacier outside of Seward on an isolated and undeveloped trail behind a state prison, according to Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites. "The patient was found lying in the creek on his stomach with an approximately 700 lb. boulder on top of him with his spouse holding his head out of water. The patient was hypothermic and in and out of consciousness," the Seward Fire Department said. "Crews used air bags, ropes, and brute force to lift the boulder off the patient and pull him to safety. Once out of the water, the crew re-warmed the patient, and he became more alert, and his vitals improved." Morris, 61, who was trapped for about three hours, later told the Associated Press that "I was very lucky" and "God was looking out for me." Human Remains Found In Sunken Boat Bring Closure To Texas Family's Alaska Tragedy His wife, Jo Roop, is a retired Alaska State Trooper. They moved to Seward, about 120 miles south of Anchorage, from Idaho last fall when she took a job with the local police department. Read On The Fox News App The trail the couple was hiking on was a rocky creek bed lined with large boulders deposited by the glacier. Morris told the AP he noticed dangerous boulders -- some weighing up to 1,000 pounds -- along the banks of the creek and avoided them the best he could, until he ran into an area he couldn't pass. "I was coming back and everything, the whole side slid out from under me," he said. Morris described how things became a blur as he tumbled down an embankment about 20 feet, landing face down in the water. Then he immediately felt a boulder hit his back in what Crites described as "basically an avalanche of boulders." Hiker, 33, Dies After Hiking Arizona Mountains In Extreme Heat, 4 Others Rescued Morris recounted to the AP how he felt an intense pain in his left leg and waited for his femur to snap. "When it first happened, I was doubtful that there was going to be a good outcome," Morris said. His wife tried to free him for about 30 minutes, putting rocks under the boulder and trying to roll it off him, before she left to find a cell signal to call 911. She used her law enforcement experience to send exact GPS coordinates to dispatch. The Seward Fire Department said a volunteer at the nearby Bear Creek Fire Department who works for Seward Helicopter Tours then heard the call "while working and he and a pilot volunteered to respond to the scene and pick up six firefighters via helicopter and transport them to the patient, thus cutting down 45 minutes of travel time. "The patient was in a boulder field and the helicopter could only hover while firefighters had to jump from the helicopter to the ground as the helicopter could not land safely," it said. The Seward Fire Department said Morris was airlifted to a local hospital where he is now expected to make a full recovery, but "it is now doubt that without the help from the Seward Helicopter Tours this incident could have had a much different and potentially fatal outcome." Firefighters who carried out the rescue used two air bags normally reserved to extract people from wrecked vehicles to slightly lift the boulder. "It just became an all-hands brute force of 'one, two, three, push,'" Crites told the AP. "And seven guys were able to lift it enough to pull the victim out." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Alaska man survives being pinned face-down by 700-pound boulder in creek after help from his wife
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Alaska man unscathed after being pinned for three hours by 700-pound boulder in glacier creek
Once rescuers arrived, it took seven men and inflatable air bags to lift the boulder off as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Advertisement Morris, 61, said he realizes he is probably the luckiest man alive. 'And luckier that I have such a great wife,' he said Thursday. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up His wife, Jo Roop, is a retired Alaska State Trooper. They moved to Seward, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Anchorage, from Idaho last fall when she took a job with the local police department. Last Saturday, they wanted to avoid the big crowds that converge on the Kenai Peninsula community during holidays and decided to hike near Godwin Glacier on an isolated and undeveloped trail behind a state prison, Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites said. In this photo on May 24, Kell Morris, in the brown hat and blue shirt, is seen trapped under a 700 pound rock near Seward, Alaska. Jason Harrington/Associated Press Their trail was actually a rocky creek bed lined with large boulders deposited by the glacier. Advertisement Morris said he noticed dangerous boulders, some weighing up to 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms), along the banks of the creek and avoided them the best he could, until he ran into an area he couldn't pass. 'I was coming back and everything, the whole side slid out from under me,' he said. He said things became a blur as he tumbled down the embankment about 20 feet (6 meters), landing face down in the water. Then he immediately felt the boulder hit his back in what Crites described as 'basically an avalanche of boulders.' Related : The way Morris landed, there were rocks under him, in between his legs and around him that caught the weight of the boulder, preventing him from being crushed, Crites said. But the massive rock still had him pinned, and Morris felt intense pain in his left leg and waited for his femur to snap. 'When it first happened, I was doubtful that there was going to be a good outcome,' Morris said. His wife tried to free him for about 30 minutes, putting rocks under the boulder and trying to roll it off him, before she left to find a cell signal. Amazingly, she only had to walk about 300 yards (274 meters) to connect with 911 and relied on her law enforcement experience to send exact GPS coordinates to dispatch. This photo from the Seward Fire Department shows the creek near Seward, Alaska, where Morris was trapped. Jason Harrington/Associated Press A volunteer at the neighboring Bear Creek Fire Department heard the call while working at the sled dog tourism operation and diverted the helicopter used to ferry tourists to the scene. Ultimately, firefighters who couldn't navigate their all-terrain vehicles over the boulder field jumped out of the helicopter. By this time, Morris was hypothermic from the cold water running off the glacier, Crites said, and his wife was holding his head out of the water. Advertisement 'I think if we hadn't had that private helicopter assist us, it would have taken us at least another 45 minutes to get to him, and I'm not sure he had that much time,' Crites said. Related : The firefighters used two air bags normally reserved to extract people from wrecked vehicles to slightly lift the boulder. 'But then it just became an all-hands brute force of 'one, two, three, push,' ' Crites said. 'And seven guys were able to lift it enough to pull the victim out.' An Alaska National Guard helicopter lifted them out of the creek bed with a rescue basket. Morris spent two nights at the local hospital for observation but walked away unscathed. 'I fully anticipated a body recovery, not him walking away without a scratch on him,' Crites said. Morris, who is now reflecting on his ordeal at home, acknowledged it might have been a little wake-up call to stop doing things like this at his age. 'I was very lucky. God was looking out for me,' he said. When he and his wife go hiking this weekend, they are going to stick to established trails. 'We're going to stop the trailblazing,' he said.
UPI
2 days ago
- UPI
Dog tied to fence during hurricane inspires law banning pet abandonment
A bull terrier found tied to a fence as Hurricane Milton approached Florida last fall has inspired a new state law against pet abandonment. Photo courtesy of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles The dog who was left to drown during a hurricane is now the face of a new Florida law. On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed "Trooper's Law," making it a felony to restrain and abandon a dog during a declared natural disaster or when an evacuation order is in effect. The law was named after a bull terrier found tied to a fence as Hurricane Milton approached Florida last fall. The dog was discovered on Oct. 9 along Interstate 75 near Tampa, as evacuees fled the path of the Category 4 storm. Body camera footage shows Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales crossing a flooded field in the pouring rain to reach the frightened dog, who stood chest-deep in water and barked in fear. "I don't blame you," Morales said gently, trying to calm the animal. "It's OK." The dog's owner, 23-year-old Giovanny Aldama Garcia, told investigators he had been heading to Georgia to escape the storm but left the dog, originally named Jumbo, behind "because he couldn't find anyone" to care for him. He was later charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony. In a statement, Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez said, "Quite frankly, I don't think [five years] is enough," and urged lawmakers to consider tougher penalties for abandoning pets during emergencies. The dog was renamed Trooper in honor of Trooper Morales and was adopted by a couple in Parkland, Florida. Trooper recently survived cancer and stomach surgery after ingesting more than 100 pieces of garbage while in his former owner's care. Signed this week, Senate Bill 150 makes it a third-degree felony to leave a dog restrained and unattended during a declared disaster, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. It also codifies existing misdemeanor penalties for failing to provide confined animals with adequate food, water, shelter and exercise. DeSantis also signed Dexter's Law on Tuesday, a second bill that strengthens penalties for aggravated animal cruelty. Named after a shelter dog who was killed just days after being adopted, the legislation ensures that those convicted of extreme abuse face criminal consequences that reflect the seriousness of the crime. "Florida stands by man's best friend," DeSantis said in a statement. Safe, healthy and loved, Trooper was recently honored as Parkland's "Favorite Dog" and now his name is part of Florida law.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dog tied to fence during Hurricane Milton inspires Florida law banning pet abandonment in disasters
The dog who was left to drown during a hurricane is now the face of a new Florida law. On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed "Trooper's Law," making it a felony to restrain and abandon a dog during a declared natural disaster or when an evacuation order is in effect. The law was named after a bull terrier found tied to a fence as Hurricane Milton approached Florida last fall. The dog was discovered on Oct. 9 along Interstate 75 near Tampa, as evacuees fled the path of the Category 4 storm. Body camera footage shows Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales crossing a flooded field in the pouring rain to reach the frightened dog, who stood chest-deep in water and barked in fear. "I don't blame you," Morales said gently, trying to calm the animal. "It's OK." The dog's owner, 23-year-old Giovanny Aldama Garcia, told investigators he had been heading to Georgia to escape the storm but left the dog, originally named Jumbo, behind "because he couldn't find anyone" to care for him. He was later charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony. In a statement, Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez said, "Quite frankly, I don't think [five years] is enough," and urged lawmakers to consider tougher penalties for abandoning pets during emergencies. The dog was renamed Trooper in honor of Trooper Morales and was adopted by a couple in Parkland, Florida. Trooper recently survived cancer and stomach surgery after ingesting more than 100 pieces of garbage while in his former owner's care. Signed this week, Senate Bill 150 makes it a third-degree felony to leave a dog restrained and unattended during a declared disaster, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. It also codifies existing misdemeanor penalties for failing to provide confined animals with adequate food, water, shelter and exercise. DeSantis also signed Dexter's Law on Tuesday, a second bill that strengthens penalties for aggravated animal cruelty. Named after a shelter dog who was killed just days after being adopted, the legislation ensures that those convicted of extreme abuse face criminal consequences that reflect the seriousness of the crime. "Florida stands by man's best friend," DeSantis said in a statement. Safe, healthy and loved, Trooper was recently honored as Parkland's "Favorite Dog" and now his name is part of Florida law.
