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RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
King's Birthday Honours: Ron Ealam recognised for work training search and rescue dogs
Photo: LandSAR There are many ways to serve a community, and Ron Ealam, from Oxford in Canterbury has been doing it, for the last few decades at least, with trusty dogs at his side. On Monday, Ealam was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work with Land Search and Rescue over more than 50 years. For half of that he has been working with rescue dogs - developing the official search dogs training programme and becoming a national trainer and assessor. "I just quite enjoy being out there, and to actually train a dog up to achieve what we've achieved is just quite amazing," he told RNZ. He brought with him Skyla, a border collie beardie cross - one of those he has trained over the years. "They're actually a light, a very light dog that can work pretty good hours and just stop and have a rest and keep going again, and they're just full of energy." Rescue dogs were trained to recognise human scent, Ealam said. "We train them initially right from when they were a pup to indicate and follow human scent, which are skin follicles that fall off your body." And not every dog has a nose for it, he said. "It's just a matter of finding a dog that has got a good nose, and we developed that and enhance their natural ability… they're pretty amazing... once they pick up a scent, they lock onto it and they'll just stay on it." One of his most memorable rescues was an early one at Lake Kaniere in the South Island. "We got a call at 11 o'clock at night for a missing multi-sport runner at Methven, and we drove through the night and we got to Methven about six o'clock in the morning and they put us in a helicopter and took us up onto the tops. "And we searched down for probably four to six hours, and then my dog indicated on the footprint that went down a creek, and we followed the scent down to the last party and she was there - she was very cold. "And I can always remember my dog sort of cuddled up to her." The woman was airlifted out by helicopter.
Gizmodo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘The Purge' Creator's Latest Movie Pits Pete Davison Against Elderly Eldritch Horrors
A young man begins his community service gig as a janitor at a nursing home, which seems like a boring, ordinary place at first—though he's cautioned against ever visiting the fourth floor. Since The Home is a horror movie, you can guess he'll discover there's a lot more to that warning than he realizes at first—and since The Home is from the guy who created The Purge, you can assume the darkest sides of humanity will absolutely be making themselves known. Check out the first trailer for The Home, which stars Saturday Night Live alum Pete Davidson and offers an urgent reminder that if someone says 'you've got interesting eyes' early in the movie, there'll definitely be someone poking into your corneas by act three. 'There's something very wrong with this place! Something terribly wrong!' Could it be that whatever's happening on the fourth floor involves organ theft or maybe even some kind of supernatural appropriation of youth? It's unclear, but tuxedos are a part of it, in the most sinister way possible. In a statement included with the trailer release, James DeMonaco—creator of The Purge franchise, and director and co-writer of The Home—gave a tiny bit more insight into his latest film. 'When I set out to create The Home, I aimed to capture the spine-chilling eeriness of '70s horror, where suspense simmers and ultimately erupts into glorious chaos,' he said. 'Joining me is my Staten Island brother, Pete Davidson, who unveils a darker, dramatic side as his character navigates a bizarre group of residents in an old age home. The growing tension culminates in an epic blood-soaked finale, designed to leave audiences gasping, terrified, and cheering. I can't wait for everyone to visit The Home. Cover your eyes, folks.' We will definitely be doing just that—or at the very least peeking through our fingers—when The Home hits theaters July 25.
New York Times
23-05-2025
- New York Times
Ex-Man Utd defender Brandon Williams given suspended 14-month prison sentence for dangerous driving
Former Manchester United star Brandon Williams has been spared jail for dangerous driving that saw him cause a crash after speeding at 99mph with a nitrous oxide balloon in his mouth. The 24-year-old defender was given a 14-month sentence, suspended for two years, along with a three-year driving ban and an order to do 180 hours of community service. Advertisement Chester Magistrates' Court heard that Williams, who appeared in the dock wearing a black suit and tie supported by his parents in the public gallery, had been injured at the time of the offence and suffering from depression. His contract with Manchester United ended in June last year and Williams, who also had a loan spell at Ipswich Town, is currently without a club. Recorder Eric Lamb said the Manchester-born defender was 'seen to have a yellow balloon' in his mouth, as did his female passenger, before the collision in August 2023. But he added that the prosecution 'did not suggest' that Williams was affected by nitrous oxide at the time of the incident. Williams, who was also uninsured, admitted a charge of dangerous driving at a previous hearing in March. Richard Littler, defending, said the player's attitude is 'of shame and regret'. He added: 'The probation officer in this report described him as a young man who presents as someone genuine in his realisation of the gravity of his actions. He told him it was underpinned by lack of maturity, stupidity and trying to be ostentatious. 'He told the probation officer: 'I was driving like an idiot in excess of the speed limit and showing off'. He believed he had insurance but he didn't.' The court heard that Williams had initially driven dangerously close behind another motorist at speed before swerving into the outside lane to overtake her, and then done it again, speeding up and then breaking heavily behind another car on the A34 near Wilmslow in Cheshire. When he tried to overtake the second car, a Ford Fiesta which contained three passengers, his Audi A3 clipped its rear driver side before crashing into the central reservation. The passengers in the Fiesta, which was spun around and had to be written-off, suffered seatbelt and whiplash injuries and have since felt anxious returning to the road. Advertisement Witnesses said both Williams and the passenger had balloons in their mouths. 'He has used nitrous oxide as a recreational drug when he was younger,' said Littler. 'But was not at the time. He was assisting the other passenger in the car in using it' Later one of the women in the Fiesta, according to the prosecutor Max Saffman, 'said she felt like she was going to be killed' during the collision. Since the crash Williams has been working with coaches to improve his mental and physical well-being, the court heard, and 'hopefully get a contract at another football club later this year'. 'The pre-sentence report makes apparent what was going on in your life at the time,' said Lamb. 'The onset of physical injury and the consequence of physical injury taking you from a young man who had, as a result of being a young professional footballer, got too much, too soon as a young player. You went from that to a situation where you were beset from depression and you had isolated yourself. 'It is in that period of depression that you committed this offence and all the information available to me indicated that since then you have taken steps to rehabilitate yourself. 'You have taken the approach advised, applied yourself to the help that is available to you and furthermore there is a different side to your character as demonstrated by the charitable work you have done for [homeless charity] Shelter and the steps you have taken to assist your sister with your nephew, looking after him and his special needs at the time you are actively looking to re-enter the world of professional football.' He added that Williams, who has two previous driving bans, 'does not put forward any excuse' for the way he drove and 'you are now deeply and genuinely remorseful for what you did'. He will have to re-take an extended driving test before he is allowed to drive again. ()
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
California's Joslynn Skelton named 2025 National Mother of the Year®
Honored for turning personal trials into purpose and uplifting families nationwide through advocacy, service, and compassionate leadership. DC, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2025 / / -- American Mothers, Inc.® is proud to announce Joslynn Skelton of Ventura, California as the 2025 National Mother of the Year®. She was selected for her extraordinary dedication to motherhood, her commitment to community service, and her passionate advocacy for children with medical needs. Joslynn became a mother at age 20 and has since raised four daughters, each at different stages of her life. She describes her parenting style as 'beautifully organized chaos' and leads her family with love, resilience, and honesty. One of her daughters was born with a congenital heart defect, a journey that shaped Joslynn's perspective and deepened her commitment to supporting families through crisis. Her service work includes leadership roles on the Ronald McDonald House Family Room Advisory Board and the Salvation Army Board of Directors. She helped launch Ventura County's first mobile eye clinic and played a key role in establishing a groundbreaking partnership between the Ronald McDonald House Family Room and a county medical center, an effort that has served thousands of families. Joslynn is also the author of the 'Charlie the Courageous' children's book series, which promotes acceptance and resilience. Through this initiative, she has donated over 20,000 books nationwide, amplifying the stories of children with serious health conditions. She was honored alongside other State Mothers of the Year® at the 90th National Convention of American Mothers, Inc.®, held April 24–26, 2025, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was named National Mother of the Year® during the gala on April 26. Joyce Stevens, National Board President of American Mothers, Inc.®, said, 'For 90 years, American Mothers, Inc.® has been proud to honor exceptional mothers like Joslynn, who not only enrich their families but also have a profound impact on their communities. For a full list of State Mother of the Year® honorees, please visit Nominations for Mother of the Year® are accepted annually from Mother's Day through September 15. For general media inquiries or to set up an interview with Joslynn, please contact Joyce Stevens via email at [email protected] About American Mothers Inc. (AMI): American Mothers, Inc.® (AMI) is a national non-profit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring mothers through its annual Mother of the Year® award. Founded in 1931, AMI represents the voice of mothers nationwide and is committed to supporting the 85 million mothers in America through education, service, and advocacy. Our Mission American Mothers, Inc.® educates, inspires, and recognizes mothers through programs that teach, support, and honor moms, empowering them to positively impact their families and communities. Our Vision Mothers will discover and share their innate abilities to elevate future generations. Our Values MENTOR: By connecting mothers with others who can help them navigate the complexities of motherhood. EDUCATE: Providing knowledge on topics that help mothers strengthen their families. SUPPORT: Offering grants to organizations that benefit women and children. HONOR: Recognizing outstanding mothers through the Mother of the Year® award and other accolades. Joyce Stevens American Mothers, Inc.® [email protected] Visit us on social media: Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Longtime Grant County volunteer wins coveted search and rescue award
GRANT COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – He's been a volunteer for nearly twenty years, dedicating his time and talents to serving the community in southern New Mexico. And now, he's the recipient of a highly coveted search and rescue award. 'Search and Rescue has been a life-changing experience for me,' said Marc Levesque, Area Commander, New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue. Levesque, a longtime volunteer, is nearing the end of his search and rescue career. But not without leaving a mark on his community. AFR rescue cat trapped in car 'I still get calls that say I'm trying to get a hold of Marc, and I need some advice,' said Russ Imler, President of Grant County Search and Rescue. Imler says Levesque took him under his wing, helping him through a long process of becoming an incident commander. 'He has probably had a hand in training every single incident commander that's in New Mexico search and rescue right now,' said Imler. Levesque is the area commander for the New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue, which is just one of the many titles he's earned throughout his 19-year career. And now he's adding something new to his resume – recently earning the coveted Ralph Dowdy Memorial Award. 'It's named after a search and rescue field coordinator from actually my district down here who was also a volunteer firefighter and was killed in a motor vehicle accident responding to a mission,' said Levesque. ABQ RIDE seeks more volunteer ambassadors to help with riders His Grant County team chose to nominate Levesque for his many contributions to the community, calling his impact immeasurable. 'And he always led. He never pushed, and he never said, 'You need to do this, you shouldn't do that,' or, 'You need to do this better.' It was always we, and he always started with, 'We can do this,' and, 'We will work out together how to do it,'' said Imler. And while it was unexpected, Levesque says he was, 'Very honored to have received it because it's a very special award. It's only given out once a year to search and rescue volunteers statewide.' And as this chapter closes, he reflects on the things that brought him back year after year. 'I think the thing that stands out for me during the 19 years I've been in SAR is the people,' said Levesque. Levesque says it's been a remarkable experience to be able to work with others to rescue people in distress. City of Albuquerque hosts Civic Connections Volunteer Fest 'We are definitely going to miss him, but I don't believe for a second that we will not see him,' said Imler. Levesque, now one of five lifetime members of the group, will always be one phone call away. 'I've really collected a lot of wisdom along the way from all my experiences, so I'm happy to continue to share that,' said Levesque. Levesque plans to spend time with his new rescue dog and work on writing several books to follow up his already published book titled 'Gila Lost and Found: Search and Rescue in New Mexico'. His retirement date is set for July 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
