Latest news with #Friendsof
Toronto Star
28-06-2025
- General
- Toronto Star
Fireworks will light up this Fourth of July. Next year could be different if tariff talks fizzle
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Like clockwork, Carla Johnson sends out letters every spring asking for donations to help pay for the annual Fourth of July fireworks show that draws tens of thousands of people to New Mexico's largest lake. And she has no reservations about doling out verbal reminders when she sees her patrons around town. There's too much at stake to be shy about fundraising when donations collected by Friends of Elephant Butte Lake State Park are what make the tradition possible.
Scoop
27-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Rare Native Fish Found In Karori's Waipāhihi Stream Through EDNA Testing
The Shortjaw Kōkopu is considered a threatened species of fish in gradual decline. It is also known to be secretive and hard to find. Recent eDNA testing by Friends of Waipāhihi Karori Stream has revealed that it is one of several native fish species living in the catchment. 'For the last few years, our Friends group has been undertaking quarterly monitoring of the health of the stream at three sites in the upper catchment with the support of Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust', says Friends Group coordinator Joanne Davidson. 'We had done some initial eDNA testing which told us both species of Tuna (shortfin eels and longfin eels), a couple of species of Bully and Kōaro were in the catchment. We also knew from earlier Greater Wellington Regional Council testing that Banded Kōkopu were there too.' The Friends group was formed when Andrea Skews, Chairperson of Karori Residents Association saw an opportunity to get community involved in the care of the stream. 'Reports on water quality were a 'D" and I felt having our community involved in the care and condition of our stream would empower us to do more than just moaning about the bad news stories online" said Skews. 'we are so lucky to have local leaders with the credentials they hold, volunteering to drive this group, not to mention the support of Wellington City Council, Mountains to Sea and local land owners". Over the summer, the Friends Group undertook testing outside of their normal operating area to get a picture of what was happening in other areas. This included additional eDNA testing, undertaken with financial support from Lyon Marine Research Limited and Terawhiti Charitable Trust, to get a better sense of what species were living across the catchment. The Group also received support from Kinnoull Station and local resident Roger Askin to access different parts of the catchment and get the most out of the investment in eDNA testing. Greater Wellington and Mountains to Sea staff also helped on the additional testing days. 'Waipāhihi Karori Stream is relatively unusual in that the urban area is in the upper part of the catchment and there is a large downstream catchment with a lot of regenerating bush. This means the Stream is most polluted in the upper catchment, whereas the more common pattern is for urban streams to become more polluted as you move downstream', says Ms Davidson. 'Our water quality testing had indicated that the Silver Stream tributary (which runs through Long Gully Bush Reserve) was in pretty good health, and when we got the eDNA test results back from Wilderlab it was easy to see the positive impact of this for biodiversity. Several sensitive macroinvertebrate species that need good water quality were present along with five species of fish, including the Shortjaw Kōkopu'. The more polluted areas of the catchment still support a range of biodiversity and fish species. Kaharore Bully, Common Bully and Tuna/Eels are all living in the suburban area. 'We often have Tuna visit when we are doing our testing, and we know they are well-loved by residents. Even in the Cambell/Donald Street part of the catchment, which has very few open areas remaining, the eDNA testing showed that both species of Tuna there,' says Ms Davidson. The Friends Group hopes to secure financial support do some more eDNA investigation in the future to better understand the distribution of the Shortjaw Kōkopu across the catchment. The Group, which operates under the umbrella of Karori Residents Association, has a Memorandum of Understanding with Wellington City Council and is also progressing a restoration project in the stream area by the path between the swimming pool and RSA. 'The site of our restoration project is a particularly yucky and often smelly part of the stream. Given its accessibility to the public, we think there's a real opportunity to show the difference we can make for te mana o te wai (the wellbeing of the water itself) through community action and care', says Ms Davidson. People who want to support or join the Group's efforts can connect with them via their Facebook group at: Notes: eDNA stands for 'environmental DNA'. Environmental DNA is genetic material that is shed by organisms as they move in, through and around their environment. The Group used eDNA freshwater sampling kits and sequencing services provided by Wilderlab. More information about their services is available here: Results from the Group's eDNA testing (and other publicly available testing results) can be viewed on the Wilderlab website here: The presence or lack of macroinvertebrates such as insects, worms and snails gives a biological indicator for the ecological health of a waterway, based on the sensitivity of each species to pollution.
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Will Waukegan have to pay for alderman's tacky stunt?
There's an overall consensus that Waukegan Ald. Keith Turner exhibited bad taste last May when he posted a photo of a human body part on social media. But is that crass move worthy of a $500,000 claim against the city? An attorney for the family of the Milwaukee woman whose severed arm was found on the city's public beach is contending it could be. Turner surely didn't see a possible lawsuit coming as the family of Sade Robinson seeks closure in her grisly death. But then, this is a litigious society we live in. Anybody can be sued, even for a tacky stunt like the alderman pulled. According to Steve Sadin's front-page News-Sun story the other day, the attorney submitted a notice of claim informing Waukegan officials that the Turner incident is under review, and reserving the right to eventually file a lawsuit which might seek more than a half-million dollars. The estate will allege emotional distress and 'interference with the right to entomb and mourn.' Robinson was a 19-year-old student at the Milwaukee Area Technical College who disappeared in early April 2024. Other parts of her body were found scattered in the Milwaukee area. Maxwell Anderson, 33, of Milwaukee, was charged by Milwaukee police with murder, mutilating a corpse and arson in her killing. Robinson went missing after the two met for a first-date dinner. Anderson has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is slated to start May 27 in Milwaukee. After the arm, which was severed at the shoulder, was discovered on the Waukegan lakeshore, 53 miles from Milwaukee, Turner posted a photo of it on social media for a couple of days. It was his attempt at a 'gotcha moment,' aimed at the administration of then-Mayor Ann Taylor. That stunt backfired for the alderman, who ran for mayor in last month's city election. He finished a distant third, and his aldermanic seat is up for election in the 2027 election. Given numerous opportunities, he has yet to apologize for not only putting the city in a bad light, but also its taxpayers, who will be on the hook for any payment. That lack of remorse and any offering of atonement may have caused the lawsuit threat for municipalities that have those proverbial deep pockets when it comes to legal filings. Most of us know that not everything needs to be posted on social media, especially a queasy photo of a severed arm. Turner, though, couldn't resist and posted it on his 'Friends of Keith Turner' Facebook page. Imagine what Turner would do if the tables were turned. The body-part picture was accompanied by this teaser: 'Shocking discovery at Waukegan Beach! A severed arm found, but no report or mention from the administration. What's the story behind this mysterious incident?' Members of Robinson's family, though, going through the trauma of learning of their daughter's gruesome death, found the posting of her severed arm a disgusting thing to do. Most right-thinking folks would agree. Waukegan officials have been clear that city personnel didn't provide Turner with the photograph. Because it was an active criminal investigation, city officials didn't comment on the discovery of the body part until Turner's 'scoop.' At the time, Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough, in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, questioned why a 'professional person' would post something like that. 'We're dealing with trauma,' she said. Taylor, echoing the family's sentiment, said in a statement: 'On behalf of the City of Waukegan, I find the posting of an image of this type to be morally disgusting, socially irresponsible, and extremely cruel to the victim's family. He was never given permission to post the photo on his Facebook page.' Most of Turner's City Council colleagues concurred with Taylor. Indeed, members of the City Council voted to censure Turner for the tasteless action by a 6-3 vote. That may not be enough mitigation to avoid a lawsuit. According to the filing, Robinson's mother first saw her daughter's arm on social media, Sadin reported. The attorney said in the document that she may want to gather evidence about the city's role in handling and identifying the remains, mishandling the arm, any role the city had with the posting of the arm on Turner's social media page, or acts of omission by city officials. That's a fairly wide net in alerting Waukegan legal eagles of what the basis of any lawsuit may entail. Those city lawyers may also include the newest law firm representing not the city, but its aldermen solely. If any lawsuit ends up in court, a judge or jury will have to decide if an indelicate social media posting is worth more than $500,000 for the bereaved of Sade Robinson. If it turns out to be so, it is another cautionary tale for those who post without thinking.
Observer
27-04-2025
- General
- Observer
Rare belongings of late Sultan Qaboos at Muscat International Book Fair
Muscat: The National Museum is participating in the 29th Muscat International Book Fair with a variety of cultural and museum activities. The museum's participation includes a display of its most prominent publications as well as a rare collection of belongings of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said (may Allah the Almighty rest his soul in peace) and a number of artistic and educational activities. Visitors to the National Museum's corner will also have the opportunity to view two rare collections of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said (may Allah the Almighty rest his soul in peace). The first is a copy of the Holy Qur'an penned by Mohammad bin Ali Haees, son of the prominent scholar Sayyid Abdul Salam al Asmar al Fayturi al Tarabulsi. The copy, which dates back to March 16, 1926, is made of leather, ink and gilding on paper. The second collection includes two silver bowls engraved with Surat Al Fatihah and the word Allah, a gift from Manmohan Singh, former prime minister of India, to the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said (may Allah the Almighty rest his soul in peace) in 2008. As part of the activities of the National Museum's corner at Muscat International Book Fair, the Learning Center of the National Museum is offering a number of art workshops inspired by the museum's collections, designed for children, to raise public awareness about Omani heritage. The Friends of the Museum and Community Outreach Department will also participate in an introductory lecture about the National Museum and its publications. The National Museum's participation at Muscat International Book Fair comes as part of its efforts to enhance its presence in cultural forums and affirm its position as a leading institution that conveys the museum's message to various society segments.
BBC News
06-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
West Midlands King's Awards recognise volunteers helping others
Volunteers in areas including conservation, care and mental health support are being award for their contributions. Nineteen community groups from across the West Midlands will be presented with a King's Award for Voluntary Service on Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands Derrick Anderson said it was to recognise "the many wonderful people who give their precious time to others".The organisations being recognised are based in Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and elsewhere in the Black Country. Among recipients will be Black Country Blokes, which supports the mental health of men in the group offers a podcast, radio slot, daily boxing and fitness classes and a Thought for the Day on social media, and evolved from founder Kevin Dillon's plans to create a boxing gym where men could open up about their problems and fears."Their approach works and makes talking and connecting accessible," the lieutenancy said. Friends of Di's Kitchen, which delivers meals in Wolverhampton, is also being there deliver food to more than 800 people each week, with extra treats provided on birthdays, Easter and Christmas, especially for children. Warwick Volunteers is offering a "win-win for all" through the support it gives to overseas students, organisers group places students in volunteer positions, working in areas from nature conservation to foodbanks, and also provides language skills for refugees, so that the students gain confidence and Anderson said the groups brought communities together and improved lives, adding the awards would make for an "uplifting and heartwarming" presents the awards on Sunday at the ICC in Birmingham city centre. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
