Latest news with #BoyScoutsofAmerica
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: Boy Scouts ends its ban on gay adult leaders
Today is Sunday, July 27, the 208th day of 2025. There are 157 days left in the year. Today in History: On July 27, 2015, the Boy Scouts of America ended its blanket ban on gay adult leaders while allowing church-sponsored Scout units to maintain the exclusion for religious reasons. Also on this date: In 1789, President George Washington signed a measure establishing the Department of Foreign Affairs, forerunner of the Department of State. In 1866, Cyrus W. Field finished laying out the first successful underwater telegraph cable between North America and Europe. In 1909, during the first official test of the U.S. Army's first airplane, Orville Wright flew himself and a passenger, Lt. Frank Lahm, above Fort Myer, Virginia, for one hour and 12 minutes. In 1940, Billboard magazine published its first 'music popularity chart' listing best-selling retail records. In first place was 'I'll Never Smile Again' recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, with featured vocalist Frank Sinatra. In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed at Panmunjom, ending three years of fighting on the Korean peninsula that killed an estimated 4 million people. In 1974, the House Judiciary Committee voted 27-11 to adopt the first of three articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon, charging he had personally engaged in a course of conduct designed to obstruct justice in the Watergate case. In 1980, on day 267 of the Iranian hostage crisis, the deposed Shah of Iran died at a military hospital outside Cairo, Egypt, at age 60. In 1981, 6-year-old Adam Walsh was abducted from a department store in Hollywood, Fla., and was later murdered (Adam's father, John Walsh, subsequently became a victims' rights activist and, in 1988, launched and hosted the television show 'America's Most Wanted'). In 1996, terror struck the Atlanta Olympics as a pipe bomb exploded at Centennial Olympic Park, directly killing one person and injuring 111. (Anti-government extremist Eric Rudolph later pleaded guilty to the bombing, exonerating security guard Richard Jewell, who had been wrongly suspected.) In 2012, Britain opened its Olympic Games in a celebration of Old England and new, even cheekily featuring stunt doubles for Queen Elizabeth II and fictional special agent James Bond parachuting into Olympic Stadium. In 2013, security forces and armed men clashed with supporters of Egypt's ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, killing at least 72 people. In 2018, the White House announced that North Korea had returned the remains of what were believed to be U.S. servicemen killed during the Korean War, with a U.S. military plane making a rare trip into North Korea to retrieve 55 cases of remains. In 2020, the world's biggest COVID-19 vaccine study began with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc. In 2021, American gymnast Simone Biles pulled out of the gymnastics team competition at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental well-being, saying she realized following a shaky vault that she wasn't in the right headspace to compete. Today's Birthdays: Singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry is 83. Actor-director Betty Thomas is 78. Olympic gold medal figure skater Peggy Fleming is 77. Singer Maureen McGovern is 76. Comedian-actor-writer Carol Leifer is 69. Comedian Bill Engvall is 68. Actor-martial artist Donnie Yen is 62. Jazz singer Karrin Allyson is 62. Rock musician Juliana Hatfield is 58. Former professional wrestler Triple H is 56. Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is 55. Comedian Maya Rudolph is 53. Rock musician Abe Cunningham (Deftones) is 52. Singer-songwriter Pete Yorn is 51. Former MLB All-Star Alex Rodriguez is 50. Actor Jonathan Rhys (rees) Meyers is 48. Actor/comedian Heidi Gardner (TV: 'Saturday Night Live') is 42. Actor Taylor Schilling is 41. MLB All-Star pitcher Max Scherzer is 41. Golfer Jordan Spieth is 32.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scouting breakfast to highlight what the program does in the lives of members
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – Scouting is alive and well in the Valley. Boy Scouts of America changed its name to Scouting America in February to allow all children to benefit from the program. Locally, the Scouting community will get together next Tuesday morning at the Lake Club in Poland for its 20th annual breakfast. Scouts will be there and the community is invited to attend as well. Mark Luke, Scouting America advocate, says there will be two guest speakers this year. 'Our first speaker is a Scout speaker — Gordon Moore, from Poland. He's going to tell us about his Scouting experience. He achieved his Eagle Scout recently, in April. We're going to talk about what that's meant to him in his life. And our keynote speaker this year is Bill Johnson, president of Youngstown State University, and military veteran and Congressman. He's going to talk about his Scouting experience when he was young, as well as what he's seen Scouting do in this world,' Luke said. This is a fundraising event but it's free to attend. You must reserve your spot by Thursday. You can do that online or by calling 330-773-0415. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Somerset County seats committee to review disaster relief grant applications
SOMERSET, Pa. – Six residents from across Somerset County have been selected to review requests for help from a newly created disaster recovery fund. They all have reputations for serving their communities – in many cases, providing help in times of need, the Somerset County commissioners said. The list includes business leaders, longtime fire department volunteers, a pastor and two local emergency management coordinators. They will review grant applications to select residents and businesses eligible for flood recovery aid, the board said. The review board approved by the commissioners Tuesday includes: • David Berkey, of Jenner Township, is a Somerset County Fair board president who owns an excavating business and is active in Jenner Township Baptist Church. • Lance Bittner, of Berlin, is a local Boy Scouts of America leader who has spearheaded toy drives and assisted with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in South Carolina. • The Rev. Matthew Deal, of Somerset, is the pastor at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, serves on the United Way of the Southern Alleghenies board and previously served as president of the outreach group Somerset Area Ministries. • Gerald Parry, of Berlin, is a former fire chief in his hometown and a founding member of the county's hazardous materials team who serves as Berlin's local emergency management coordinator. • Robert Statler, of Windber, retired this month as fire chief with the city of Johnstown and is a longtime member of Windber's fire department. A longtime paramedic, he also serves on the Cambria County Swift Water Rescue Team. • Harvey Wetzler, of Addison, serves as emergency management coordinator for Addison Borough and the surrounding township. He is also a Somerset County Swift Water Rescue Team member, hazmat team member and Community Organizations Active in Disasters member. The county commissioners each selected one member, while Somerset County Emergency Management Agency officials selected the other three – Bittner, Statler and Wetzler. A history of community service 'was a key consideration for us. We wanted people who understand the need to support their community,' said Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes, who selected Deal to serve on the committee. Commissioner Irv Kimmel Jr., who nominated Berkey, said the goal was to get people involved from 'all ends of the county.' He described the committee as a 'great group of individuals.' The commissioners established the recovery fund to support southern Somerset County in the aftermath of a devastating May 13 flood – but said they wanted to leave the application review and award process to the community itself to manage. The six-member committee will work alongside the nonprofit Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, which is accepting donations and grant applications. The Community Foundation will also manage the fund as it continues to grow, the commissioners have said. As planned, committee members could begin reviewing requests for aid and issue awards in the next few weeks, the commissioners said. Municipal leaders in eight communities that have issued disaster declarations will be able to file applications on behalf of residents and businesses in their communities that sustained losses, the commissioners have said. Kimmel said there is no specific limit on the amount an entity can request – but the review committee is working with a limited amount of funds and will likely have a goal of supporting as many qualified people as possible. Now that the county has received approval for state and federal emergency loans and grants, including low-interest Small Business Administration loans, there are multiple levels of support available for properties that suffered damages and losses in the flood. Each government program has its own unique stipulations for how money can be spent – such as for home repairs or temporary housing assistance – and who is eligible. The state Disaster Relief Program, for example, has income eligibility requirements. But even with multiple sources of aid, in addition to property owners' insurance plans, the commissioners said they know there will be 'gaps' where people will have to absorb losses from the flood. 'There are going to be unmet needs,' Tokar-Ickes said, 'and that's what this fund is intended for.' As of Tuesday, Tokar-Ickes said approximately $40,000 was raised through the disaster recovery fund, including $10,000 from the CFA and a $10,000 pledge from Somerset County through hotel tax and Act 13 natural gas 'impact fee' revenues. The commissioners have designated the county's $10,000 contribution to municipal agencies – such as borough or township governments – in communities that are working to recover from the flood. The hope is that the relief fund's total will continue to grow, Kimmel, Tokar-Ickes and President Commissioner Brian Fochtman said. They said an annual fundraiser event is being considered to raise awareness and support for the fund, which will be ongoing to provide support after future disasters. 'Hopefully, there's never a 'next time', ' Kimmel said, 'but unfortunately, there probably will be.' Contributions to the Disaster Recovery Fund can be made at Tokar-Ickes said a link will also be posted online in the near future to apply for funds.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
ABQ Boy, Girl Scouts place American flags on veteran headstones for Memorial Day
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It's an annual tradition during Memorial Day weekend for some scout troops in Albuquerque, as a way to honor those who lost their lives fighting for our country. 'I like to pay tribute to the people we've lost in battle,' said one of the Girl Scouts. 'We owe them a great debt of gratitude,' said Peter Stine, an Assistant Boy Scout Master. Sunday, Boy and Girl Scouts took to Sunset Memorial Park to continue that tradition by placing flags on veteran gravesites. 'I think this is a really nice thing that we do every year,' said Catherine Wertz, a Girl Scout. 'It lets us give back to the veterans and honor them.' Boy Scouts of America rebrands to 'Scouting America' For Stine, and Girl Scout leader, Danielle Roesch, the holiday hits close to home. Stine served in the Navy and has been participating in the event for nearly 40 years. 'Memorial Day has always been special to me, because it memorializes the people that were killed in action,' Stine explained. Roesch, on the other hand, is a 20-year veteran. She retired in 2022. 'I have friends I've lost, and so this is a way…I can't get to where they are, so I give back by being here,' Roesch added. Hundreds of flags were placed, as scouts moved from row to row identifying veterans by their headstones. Participants of the event say it illustrates the connection between generations and the ongoing commitment to honoring service and sacrifice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Former Forsyth Co. scout leader charged with child molestation, possession of child porn
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested and charged a former Scout Leader with Boy Scouts of America for molesting a child and possessing child pornography in Lumpkin County. On April 18, 2025, the GBI was asked to investigate a child molestation case involving Andrew Howard Whaley, 61. The GBI said Whaley sexually abused a boy he met during his time as a Scout Leader. The GBI and the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office served search warrants at Whaley's cabin and a business in Lumpkin County on May 16. Agents discovered child pornography during those searches. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Investigators also found a hidden camera in a bathroom at his home in Forsyth County, where they say he recorded minors. Whaley was arrested on May 16 and booked into the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office. He was charged with one count of aggravated child molestation, one count of child molestation, and one count of possession of child pornography. Anyone with more details about this case can contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland at 706-348-4866 or by contacting the GBI Tipline at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or online at TRENDING STORIES: Officials identify north GA man who killed wife, girlfriend before turning gun on himself Missing man found dead near GA river Woman shot at MARTA Midtown Station [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
