Latest news with #Kent
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
WA facility caring for drug-exposed newborns at risk of closure after state funding cut
(Getty Images) The only medical facility focused on caring for drug-exposed babies in western Washington is pleading for help after Gov. Bob Ferguson vetoed its funding and the state abruptly canceled its contract. And a group of GOP lawmakers is urging Ferguson to find a way to keep the Kent facility operating. For decades, the Pediatric Interim Care Center has tended to babies born to mothers with substance use disorder. Just under half of its annual $1.7 million budget has usually come from the state, said Development Director Elaine Purchase. Fundraising makes up the rest. But this year, lawmakers slashed that funding to $100,000 in the face of a steep budget shortfall. The facility, known as PICC, was ready to make do with the deep cut and dip into its reserves, with the hope of making up for it when the Legislature returns next year. Then last month, Ferguson vetoed even that $100,000, as part of a slew of small items he removed to save money in the $78 billion two-year spending plan. And soon after, Purchase was 'blindsided' when the state Department of Children, Youth and Families cut its contract with the nursery, meaning no more babies would be referred there starting July 1. 'Which basically destroys our program,' Purchase said. 'Why would they abandon it for $100,000?' In a statement, the Department of Children, Youth and Families argued the center's state funding was 'not cost-effective.' Secretary Tana Senn said the center received money for its 13 beds regardless of how many babies it was serving, and didn't meet requirements to get Medicaid funding. 'We also want to clarify that DCYF is not shutting down the Kent PICC,' said Senn, a former state lawmaker. 'They can still accept referrals from hospitals and have informed DCYF on multiple occasions that they have sufficient charitable funding to continue serving children.' On Friday, state House Republican leadership, including Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, of Auburn, took issue with the rationale and urged the state agency and Ferguson to reverse course. 'Governor Ferguson, throughout your first legislative session as governor, you said that you just wanted to do things that are 'common sense,'' the half-dozen lawmakers wrote. 'What is more common sense than using the power you hold to save the lives of innocent newborn babies?' The facility, open for 35 years, was caring for just one newborn Friday, said Purchase. It has been underused as the focus has shifted to keeping babies with their parents. Research has indicated parental involvement is integral in an infant's development. 'New evidence-based models demonstrate better outcomes for babies when they 'room in' at hospitals under the care of a physician or are in transitional care homes that allow the mother and baby to stay together,' Senn said. 'While hospitals, of course, may choose to continue to refer children to the Kent PICC, they have been doing so much less frequently as demonstrated by the current empty beds at the Kent PICC,' the agency secretary continued. 'Instead, hospitals more often refer infants to other facilities that use the current standard of care.' In 2021, the Legislature passed a measure known as the Keeping Families Together Act to help relatives take care of children who can't stay with their parents and to reduce racial disparities in the child welfare system. Critics blame the bipartisan law for a reported increase in child deaths, including from drug exposure. The average stay for babies at the Kent pediatric care center is 30 to 40 days. Most are exposed to fentanyl or methamphetamine. Since opening in 1990, the facility says it has cared for over 3,500 babies. 'We just want there to be a safe place for these little ones,' Purchase said. The governor did not provide comment on Friday, with a spokesperson for his office referring to the statement from the Department of Children, Youth and Families.
Global News
4 hours ago
- Global News
‘Pathological liar': Edmonton justice declares romance scammer a dangerous offender
A serial romance scammer was declared a dangerous offender in an Edmonton courtroom Friday. The Alberta man defrauded victims of nearly $200,000. The justice believes he won't change his behaviour, which is part of her reason for handing him a prison sentence with no end date. Fifty-five-year-old Jeffrey Paul Kent has more than a dozen charges of fraud that span over 35 years in both British Columbia and Alberta, but the decision to declare him a dangerous offender comes from his romance scams. Justice Melanie Hayes-Richard told the court Friday that Kent destroyed the lives and finances of his victims and left them with severe psychological harm. 'He is a serial fraudster. Convincing women of lies and false promises to gain access to their financials. Mr. Kent is an accomplished liar and master manipulator,' said Hayes-Richard in her decision. Story continues below advertisement Kent met five of his victims through an online dating website. He would create false personas to date the women, and would then tell them he had a variety of different jobs. Hayes-Richard said he would use 'love-bombing tactics.' Kent would then ask them for money. He would ask the victims for money for business opportunities, then failed to pay back the money, and sometimes said that he had brain cancer or seizure disorders. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The court heard that most times, he would spend the money gambling at the casino or on horse races. Kent defrauded the women of more than $170,000. 'Using lie upon lie, he inserted himself into his victims' lives, promising a bright and secure future. Instead, he wreaked havoc,' said Hayes-Richard. 2:26 Calgary woman loses $800k in romance scam In declaring him a dangerous offender, the justice said nothing has succeeded in getting Kent to change his behaviour and that she has no doubt he would go back to romance scams. She also says he poses a threat to the well-being of others. Story continues below advertisement 'He is utterly indifferent to the effect of his criminal behaviour on his victims and, in some cases, their children. He has been treated for and intellectually understands his criminal behaviour. He is at high risk of reoffending by committing a serious personal injury offence,' Hayes-Richard said. 'There is no other alternative raised by the evidence that could adequately protect the public against the commission by Mr Kent of a serious personal injury offence other than an indeterminate sentence.' Mount Royal University criminal justice professor Doug King says dangerous offender designations in Canada are rare. 'It's quite a hurdle for the courts to meet. This obviously is a very serious offender that the court has decided, nope, you're going to go away for a long period of time,' King said. Kent has been in custody since Sept. 24, 2018. He will be eligible for his first parole hearing on that day this September. King says the chance that a dangerous offender is released is rare. 'Although they are eligible for parole, the presumption is they're not going to get it, unless they have shown significant assessed improvement and the likelihood of them reoffending again is zero,' King said. 'To give context, a person who's convicted of first-degree murder in Canada is eligible for a parole at 25 years; most get out if they apply for it. Most dangerous offenders don't get out. We're talking about a very different type of offender within the context of the criminal justice system in Canada.' Story continues below advertisement The justice also ordered Kent to make restitution to the women he defrauded.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The 44th Acadian Games a 'transformative experience' for young French athletes
Metal bleachers overlooking the soccer pitch behind Mathieu-Martin high school in Dieppe are split — on one side, a sea of fans wearing blue shirts and hoodies; on the other, fans sporting fire-engine red. From June 25 to 30, those colours and what they represent motivate young athletes as they compete to help their delegations bring home the most gold medals at the 44th Acadian Games. The annual games have brought together 1,100 athletes this year who qualified from all over the Maritimes in sports including volleyball, badminton and track and field — not to mention cultural events like improvisation, arts and singing. "We're starting into the third generation of youth," said Nicole Melanson, vice-president of communications for the games. "So they have stories from some of their grandparents and their parents, and people are really attached to the Acadian Games now." Competitors between the ages of 11 and 17 are representing 11 delegations from across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. The games are hosted in a different municipality each year. For Chloe Allain, a mini-handball athlete who is representing Kent, the weekend is all about getting to meet people who are as passionate about their sport as she is. "My favourite part of the games is really when you watch …other teams play and when you get to spend time with some of them," she said. "It's a tremendous experience." WATCH | These young Acadian athletes are loud, proud — and here to win: Once the weekend begins, the athletes enter a kind of miniature Olympic village. Melanson said they don't stay with their parents. They sleep overnight inside classrooms at the high school and a local community college with their teammates, and all of their meals are made by volunteers. But it's more than games, she said: it's a chance for youth to grow and be part of something bigger. "It's almost a transformative experience for the kids," said Melanson, who also has children who have competed in the games. While the red worn by the Chaleur region, the blue of the Kent area or the purple of Prince Edward Island pits these athletes against each other on the field or court, they connect on a deeper level based on what they have in common. Since 1979, the games have been a weekend for French-Acadian youth to feel like their Acadian roots matter. That's the case this year for one mini-handball competitor from Yarmouth, N.S. "It is pretty special because there's not exactly a ton of people who speak French where I'm from," Finely Hanf said. "It feels pretty cool." Melanson said the games were created at a time when bolstering the French language and Acadian culture was an important part of building New Brunswick's identity. "The idea was as a minority language group to bring these youth together, make those contacts ... learn about the customs and the other regions and the fun differences in their accents," she said. More than 132,000 young people have taken part in the games between 1979 and 2019, according to the games' website, and more than 4,000 volunteers are needed to put on the games each year. For first-time competitors like Hanf, a big part of the weekend is being able to play in front of larger audiences, and on larger courts than what they might be used to in their hometowns. "There's a lot more seating so a lot more people are watching," Hanf said about her first experience at the games. "You kind of got to block them out ... at the same time, if your team scores a goal, enjoy them cheering." Gabby Arsenault, who is representing her province of Prince Edward Island for the first time in badminton, said this weekend is all about making memories in a new place. "I'm hoping to have a lot of fun and to tell good stories to my friends at home," she said. "It feels even more special because there's more people to communicate [with] in French." To Melanson, seeing the happy faces of young athletes and watching them meet new French speakers as she walks though the hallways and on the sidelines means the games are still accomplishing the goal they set out to. "The kids suddenly feel like this is really important," Melanson said. "I'm part of something, right? And I'm included." While finals for some sports have already taken place, all medals will be awarded Sunday when delegations will find out which region has taken home the most medals. One of the medals she's most looking forward to seeing awarded isn't a sport or cultural medal at all. She said throughout the weekend, some of the more than 750 volunteers at the games have a secret mission of keeping an eye out for athletes who showcase sportsmanship, and are supportive of other delegations during competitions. That player will get the weekend's friendship award. "Parents will never stop talking about when they were here. They're in the stands and they're exchanging their stories," Melanson said. "It's creating lasting bonds."
BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
'Abhorrent' former West Mercia Police officer banned
A former West Mercia Police officer who admitted sexual assault has been banned from policingMark Slade, 50, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Magistrates' Court 25 September 2023 to five counts of sexual assault by touching while on a night out in the town in January that was based at the West Mercia Police headquarters in Hindlip, Worcestershire, when he committed the at a misconduct hearing on Friday, which concluded Slade would have been dismissed had he not already resigned, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: "The actions of Mark Slade were abhorrent, and he has no place in policing." She added: "We expect the highest standards of our officers both on and off duty and he breached those standards in the most deplorable way."I'd like to thank our colleagues at Kent Police for pursuing the allegations against Slade and helping to get justice for the victims of his offences, who bravely came forward to report him."The actions of a small minority, like Mark Slade and others we have dismissed recently, erode the public's trust and confidence in policing. "The overwhelming majority of our officers and staff are trustworthy, hardworking and dedicated to serving the public during their times of greatest need."Slade was suspended by the force in February 2023, within 72 hours of his arrest by Kent Police, and resigned in September hearing found that Slade's crimes amounted to gross misconduct and seriously breached the standards of professional the outcome, Slade has been added to the College of Policing barred list, preventing him from working for a UK police service in the future. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Dispersal orders in place for Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Margate
Dispersal orders have been introduced in two Kent towns and one has been renewed in another, due to issues with anti-social Police has introduced the orders in Margate and Ramsgate for this weekend alongside renewing the extended police powers already in place in Broadstairs. The orders, which allow officers to instruct people to leave specific areas and to stop and search individuals without reasonable grounds, will be in place until Sunday measures were first introduced last Saturday in Broadstairs before a separate order was signed off the following day to cover Margate and the surrounding areas. Last weekend large groups of youths were filmed brawling and throwing chairs at restaurant staff in Broadstairs, where dispersal orders have been used throughout the Police said it had received various reports of underage street drinking, fighting and aggressive behaviour towards "terrified" staff at this period officers made five arrests, including one teenager charged with assaulting an officer. Inquiries to identify additional suspected offenders remains Commander for Thanet, Ch Insp Ian Swallow, said: "We urge parents to speak to their children and remind them of the importance of socialising sensibly..."As well as dispersal orders in place, people will also see an increased presence by police officers as they carry out high-visibility patrolling."
