— State lawmakers said they were "heated" and "frustrated" as they grilled the director of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) over concerning conditions at Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center Bon Air is Virginia's only youth prison which houses over 160 young people who have been convicted of serious crimes most of which involve violence against another person The Commission on Youth requested DJJ Director Amy Floriano to present before the body of lawmakers on Tuesday to respond to "disturbing reports" of incidents at the facility in recent months Legislators wanted answers about extended lockdowns reports of residents lighting fires in the facility a perceived lack of access to rehabilitative programming and conditions of confinement for the youth in DJJ's custody “We’re hearing from parents and advocates that they're locked in there for a whole weekend in solitary confinement That's not the practice that we want to see Bon Air adopt," said Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) The commission's meeting came just one day after multiple members of the Board of Juvenile Justice said they were also concerned about the ongoing persistent allegations of safety issues and troublesome conditions and requested a more in-depth assessment of what's actually happening at the facility Watch: Board members call for action on concerns about Bon Air youth prison conditions Lawmakers 'frustrated' over director's presentation Floriano spent a good chunk of her presentation giving an overview of her department at large explaining the process of how court-involved youth end up at Bon Air have grown increasingly violent and an overwhelming majority of residents have at least one mental health disorder She also showcased pictures of some of the programs and events at Bon Air including one activity where the residents simulated a trip to Jamaica they had their little airplane that they came up with and the food that they prepared was considered to be a Jamaican meal," Floriano said "I think that some of the misconception is sometimes that the kids are always behind the door These are the photographs of them not being behind the door." But some lawmakers felt that Floriano was missing the point and avoiding the important topics they wanted to focus on “I’m a little heated and I’m a little upset that we’ve spent all this time doing an overview of the department when there are rumors and we’re coming here today to figure out what’s going on at Bon Air," said Delegate Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg) “I’m frustrated that until delegates and senators started interacting with this presentation we spent 32 of your 42 minutes talking about things that have nothing to do with the safety and well-being of everyone who's at Bon Air," said Delegate Carrie Coyner (R-Chesterfield) "I look at the photos in your presentation Senator David Suetterlein (R-Roanoke) said he was appreciative of Floriano's presentation and acknowledged she was in a challenging position "I also think that it's unfair to ask about something and dismiss why we would want to hear about any of the positive things happening there It's obvious that there's tons of information here that the director is trying to share with us," Suetterlein said Floriano 'not surprised' by fire incidents whose district includes Chesterfield County where the facility is located said she has met with county leaders to discuss the issues surrounding Bon Air When emergencies occur at Bon Air, local first responders are called for assistance, and a previous CBS 6 review of public records found multiple calls for service last year for repeated reports of residents starting fires in their units Coyner referenced a letter that Chesterfield Fire Chief Edward Senter sent to a state fire agency in March 2025 which stated the number of annual incidents at the facility requiring a fire and EMS response has more than doubled since 2023 Senter said the most concerning increases were reports of malicious sprinkler activations and intentionally set fires there have already been seven reports of intentionally set fires which is already a higher number than what was reported in all of 2024 Senter wrote that this pattern at Bon Air is "likely a symptom of much deeper issues at the facility that must be addressed by DJJ" and jeopardizes the safety of residents there's someone in Chesterfield County that also doesn't have somebody available on the other end of the line because they're at Bon Air," Coyner said Floriano said that there were only three residents responsible for lighting fires and added the sprinkler activations are "pervasive in any correctional facility." "I think that that's kind of a win for the behaviors that these kids usually engage in If that's the worst of the behavior that they are engaging in then I think that we're expecting too much of them to come down too hard on nuisance behavior," Floriano said She said DJJ has responded to the fire incidents by removing the items that residents are using to start them She said the incidents did not stem from a lack of staffing or supervision “Am I surprised that we have three youth in the facility that are starting fires we have a percentage of youth in there that are seeking behaviors They have mental health issues that come along with them and they engage in these types of behaviors," she said he "questioned the logic of accepting such risks as a matter of doing business and allowing known juvenile fire setters to have access to ignition sources and combustibles particularly in such a confined environment." Multiple advocates, former employees, and parents of residents have reported extended periods of lockdowns that seem to occur frequently throughout the facility. A former staff member noted in an exit interview last year that the youth were "constantly locked down due to the staff shortage which is completely inhumane." five "modified lockdowns" which only applied to specific units and five lockdowns that occurred due to quarterly searches there have been "administrative holds" in which residents were sent to their rooms for behavior issues Floriano said youth will sometimes "qualify" an administrative hold as a lockdown residents do not have access to showers but are given "hygiene kits" instead They can have administrative holds due to behavior I do have to make sure that the remaining children in my facility are safe if someone is not capable of managing their own behavior at that time," Floriano said But Coyner was uninterested in debating the differences in definitions between the types of lockdowns “I continue to be frustrated by saying something is not a lockdown when you're understaffed and kids cannot move about the facility because there was a lack of staffing which to every person would feel like is a lockdown," Coyner said "So when you say there have only been ten lockdowns if we all have to sit and watch the videos in your facility for months on end Coyner said in a recent letter that she spoke with a former resident of Bon Air who was transferred to the Chesterfield County Jail after being charged with assaulting staff members at Bon Air She said the resident alleged "that starting on Fridays at 4-5pm they will likely be locked in their cells until Monday due to insufficient staffing to let them out" which "resulted in limits on phone calls to family recreation time and other opportunities for positive interactions." When asked whether DJJ utilized solitary confinement Floriano said "solitary confinement as a punishment is not something that we are using as punitive isolation They are in their rooms occasionally due to behavioral issues." Floriano was also asked about the recent news of a former correctional officer who was arrested for allegedly assaulting a juvenile resident in May of 2024 Chesterfield Police said 60-year-old Cedric Thomas has been charged with three counts of indecent liberties with a child by a custodian and one count of object sexual penetration Floriano said he was "an individual who'd been with the agency for a substantial part of time." Court records revealed Thomas has since retired from DJJ and is receiving a monthly retirement check from the state DJJ said Thomas' retirement was approved before the conclusion of its internal investigation After learning of the allegations from the victim Floriano said DJJ "did exactly what we should do." and we immediately worked with the facility once we were able to identify who the suspect was," she said "Those are actions that happen behind closed doors and in situations where we have to rely on the child feeling comfortable to disclose to us even with the allegations and the perceptions on safety that this child at this time felt safe enough in the facility to disclose what had happened to her." Floriano said she believed there were more victims and that "that behavior has allegedly potentially happened numerous times over the past 20 years." Critical staffing shortage 'beyond our control' Floriano acknowledged that a lack of staffing is the "biggest problem" facing her agency While lawmakers requested specific data on exactly how understaffed Bon Air is Floriano declined to disclose that information DJJ has also previously declined to disclose that data in response to CBS 6 public records requests When asked by Senator Favola whether the facility was "woefully understaffed," Floriano said the facility is at "critical staffing." Floriano said staffing concerns were a "historic issue" dating back to 2016 and that it's an area where legislative assistance would be helpful "We've been very clear and very vocal requesting raises We've presented in front of Senate Finance multiple times and we need some assistance and some support in that area." The agency has taken some recent steps to try and bolster staffing including special pay incentives for security workers was sympathetic to the challenges of hiring more correctional officers "The entire criminal justice system has been suffering a shortage in staffing it's corrections specialists," Babichenko said "We need to have a full conversation about that specifically with recruitment and retention and how do we get good people to be in these roles then none of the rest of the conversation even matters." Lawmakers request independent investigation Ultimately, the commission voted unanimously to send a letter to Governor Glenn Youngkin requesting an independent investigation, something at least one Board of Juvenile Justice member has suggested since November 2024 The board's vice chair Scott Kizner reiterated his call for a third-party review of the facility on Monday and said he felt DJJ was "hesitant" toward the idea When Floriano was pressed by lawmakers about why she'd have reservations about an independent investigation she said many claims about Bon Air have contained vague details and have been nonspecific She also questioned whether an outside group would be able to access confidential information about juveniles “I can't study something without the details of what it is I am prevented by [state law] from discussing the specific details of a youth case who's going to do that that can have access to this information?” Floriano said I'm absolutely going to investigate that." You certainly have confidentiality rules you have to abide by There's also some structural and systemic issues that can be looked at from an organizational standpoint that would benefit from an independent investigative authority." Senator Dave Marsden (D-Fairfax) said he supported an investigation but also floated the idea of considering legislation that would bring DJJ under the purview of a newly created ombudsman tasked with investigating allegations regarding adult correctional centers who seemed the most skeptical of the allegations surrounding Bon Air also supported the request for an investigation but cautioned others from jumping to conclusions without first gathering the facts "I think that we should allow more time for the director to share things today I don't think it was as good to move through this quickly," he said DJJ has brought in external reviews before, including a 2024 safety and culture assessment which identified at the time overwhelmed and unsatisfied employees who felt unsafe along with youth experiencing "high levels of idleness and boredom" and an "abundant lack of meaningful engagement." that report was not discussed among the Board of Juvenile Justice “And it seems like we're dismissive when we get a report that says you could do better but I believe even the best could do better So we'll see what happens," Kizner told CBS 6 Monday DJJ also recently engaged the Department of Planning and Budget to complete an assessment of the facility's psychological services CBS 6 requested the report through a Freedom of Information Act request citing a public records exemption that protects mandatory disclosure of working papers of the governor CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page THE SALVATION ARMY Bread of Life Assistance Center of Kingsford will kick off its largest fundraiser Thursday Kettle coordinator Michelle Floriano-Martens prepares for the 2024 campaign KINGSFORD — The Salvation Army Bread of Life Assistance Center of Kingsford has begun preparation for its largest fundraising effort of the year The 2024 Red Kettle Campaign starts Thursday and extends through Dec The organization is seeking bellringers to fill its more than 1,000 shifts for the annual fundraiser we only filled a total of 236 slots,” Dickinson County Salvation Army Director Tara Coss said “Not having kettles manned means less funds for all the services the Salvation Army provides to the community.” Volunteers are asked to do a two-hour shift between 10 a.m at one of their kettle locations: both entrances of Walmart Pat’s Foods in Norway and Northwoods IGA in Niagara “We don’t ring on Sundays,” Kettle coordinator Michelle Floriano-Martens said Coss added that the kettle drive has only 34 days to raise funding for not only its holiday programs but services for the entire year She stressed even if an individual can only give an hour for the day it’s better than a kettle not being out The Kingsford High School Jazz Band will kick off the season this year at Walmart “It’s something that we haven’t done before — it’s a big deal,” Floriano-Martens said Floriano-Martens noted with the opening of hunting season Friday She encourages everyone of all ages to consider ringing a bell this holiday season groups and organizations can challenge each other in bellringing sessions They remind high school students it’s a great way to get in their volunteer hours as well Local employers can also give back by allowing their employees to ring during work shifts Businesses could do a match of what their employees or volunteers take in during a certain time or day They welcome businesses to host a counter kettle for a day or the season “We are up for anything,” Coss said “We are just grateful to anyone who gives their time or donations.” the Salvation Army has brought back the basket giveaways Anyone who wants to donate a basket or items for the drawing can contact Floriano-Martens “It’s a way to give back besides thanking them,” Coss said Anyone who would like to sign up as a bellringer can contact Floriano-Martens at 906-200-0390 All money raised during the Red Kettle campaign remains within the local area The Salvation Army Bread of Life Assistance Center of Dickinson County’s 2023 Red Kettle campaign raised about $82,000 to help community members in need personal hygiene and cleaning supplies; Pathway of Hope holistic strength-based case management initiative that allows families to break the cycles of crisis and vulnerability and move toward increased stability; utility assistance; various housing crisis issues; holiday programming; back-to-school assistance; Inmate Restore Hope which focuses on providing individualized case management services to inmates being released who desire to take action; and other areas of assistance to individuals and families in crisis 227 individuals benefited from the Thanksgiving food boxes while 478 individuals received Christmas food boxes The Salvation Army Angel Tree program — which ensures that each person enrolled in the program woke up on Christmas morning with presents under the tree — served 588 individuals “This wouldn’t be possible without the funds raised during the annual kettle campaign,” Coss said “We appreciate all the support from the community.” Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation can mail checks to The Salvation Army The Salvation Army is also in need of a seasonal kettle coordinator in Iron County Anyone interested can call the office at 906-779-5717 Coss said this is crucial for allowing them to continue to assist struggling community members in Iron County Any questions regarding any program or who want to adopt a family for Christmas can contact the Salvation Army office at 906-779-5717 MARQUETTE — A Sands Township man died Wednesday after his side-by-side vehicle struck a tree in Marquette .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Michigan | https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com | 215 E The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. FALL RIVER — The former Somerset man accused of killing a family of three during a head-on car crash on the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Christmas night may be considering a plea deal Gauthier faces three counts of manslaughter while under the influence and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon He is accused of driving a Range Rover SUV drunk the wrong way on Veterans Memorial on Christmas night in 2023 and crashing into a vehicle carrying three members of a Seekonk family Killed in the accident were Jacoby Arruda Gauthier suffered non-life-threatening injuries A conviction of manslaughter under the influence of alcohol carries a sentence of five to 20 years in state prison and a driver's license suspension of at least 15 years to life Civil lawsuit filed: Estate of family killed in Christmas car crash sues driver, Somerset woman for damages Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Russell Eonas told Judge Raffi Yessayan that prosecutors extended an offer to Gauthier The nature of that deal was not disclosed during the hearing and the DA’s office has not yet responded to a request for comment “The commonwealth is very interested in moving this along as expediently as possible," Eonas said “If there’s going to be a resolution pre-litigation our interest is in lobbying that sooner rather than later.”  Noting that 10 members of the Arrudas’ extended family were present in the courtroom he said the family was eager to see the criminal case resolved 24 court date to either lobby for a plea deal or file further motions in anticipation of a trial; Reddington told Yessayan he was prepared to issue multiple motions to suppress evidence in the crash investigation if a deal could not be reached Gauthier has been free on $100,000 bail since shortly after the accident He appeared with two people who sat with their heads bowed during much of the proceedings members of the Arruda family expressed frustration that the criminal case could be extended another three months “I’ve had to watch him live his life and come and go as we’re doing things," said Keith Arruda “We’re just trying to be patient,” said Roy Poirier Earlier this year, the estate representing the family filed a civil lawsuit against Gauthier a Somerset resident accused of serving him alcohol and the company that rented Gauthier the Range Rover seeking damages for the wrongful death of the Arrudas Family members said they’re dreading Christmas The requester URL cannot be found in our server. If you followed a broken URL please send an email to catholicna@catholicna.com so we can solve the problem. Click here to return to the homepage CNA is a service of EWTN News, Inc. Is this the end of the large sales areas as we knew them? But would they really want to go? Ready, set, bet! On this occasion, we spoke with street artist Davide Vavalà China focuses on in transit shopping From Instagram sponsorship to million-dollar ads In Italy, there are figures embodying this vision, yet the fashion industry continues to overlook them The example of four emerging brands that challenge convention The brand new leather good from the French fashion house in the colours of Indian summer Here is the full text that the entrepreneur and founder of the eponymous brand released today From those for the pope's funeral to those for the inauguration of a government, to simple toasts The US President's attempt to save Hollywood passes, not surprisingly, through duties Which promises to reveal the whole truth about the rapper's famous “parties” Between bad experiences and a few too many statements about Anna Wintour And why it is important to constantly update your bio While in Italy university graduates are seeking their fortune abroad, US researchers are fleeing from Trump From May the 2nd to 4th Its two co-founders tell us why you should apply to it Residents and the municipality are becoming increasingly intransigent on the issue From 2 to 4 May Interview with Samuel Ross Interview with Willy Chavarria Interview with Louis Gabriel Nouchi Interview with Mowalola Interview with Marni’s Francesco Risso Interview with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Interview with Byredo’s Ben Gorham Interview with Ottolinger Interview with Massimo Giorgetti Beyond the traditional realms of fashion The eight finalists tell their stories A record year at the competition for young designers in Trieste The Chinese designer debuted at Milan Fashion Week with the support of Dolce&Gabbana Fashion might have forgotten the art of fantasy, but the Shanghai-based designer hasn’t Interview with Hillary Taymour, founder and creative director of Collina Strada The collab between Napapijri and PDF by Domenico Formichetti was the first chapter of a new way of making fashion Interview with the PROTOTYPES Duo Y2K satire by Shukri Lawrence and Omar Braika in collaboration with Barragàn The Danish brand that questions contemporary manufacturing When personalisation and durability come together in your virtual dressing room, and not only the project by Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potì – partners in life and in the kitchen – has established itself as a reality capable of breaking the mold of classic dining it earned the first Michelin star in Salento this achievement was never a goal: it was rather the natural consequence of a relentless pursuit of excellence «we didn’t think of luxury in the traditional sense their cuisine ended up redefining the very idea of fine dining luxury is not just about caviar and champagne: «If you push excellence Now we want to bring this idea to a context where time and taste become elements of a more immersive experience.» BROS' has not limited itself to the restaurant format To expand its creative ecosystem and build a community of enthusiasts the project extended to a pastry shop and a trattoria even creating a rugby team and hosting special culinary events designed to engage and inspire young chefs It is a way to emphasize that cuisine is not just something to be consumed What ties Pellegrino and Potì to their Salento roots is and the fire of the South are an essential creative matrix: a cuisine born from ancient traditions but open to global influences «absorbing stimuli from all over the world but staying in Salento was the boldest choice: building something truly innovative here but the spirit remains: «BROS' is changing its skin» The project will evolve into an even broader and more experimental dimension a “creative ecosystem” where the kitchen is the starting point of a sensory and cultural journey The goal is to redefine the boundaries between fine dining and hospitality immersing guests in an experience where every element – from design to service – contributes to narrating the duo’s philosophy still not fully accustomed to the concept of “luxury dining” Floriano and Isabella aim to build a new gastronomic code rooted in local heritage «is not just a geographical backdrop: it is an inexhaustible source of raw materials and flavors that can become a universal language.» Staying in Salento meant proving that one doesn’t need to move to metropolises like Milan it is precisely from a peripheral context that something extraordinary can emerge As for the relationship with mass tourism they have no doubts: «We don’t want to please everyone but to speak to those seeking a different experience» «Our cuisine has never aimed to conform to the flow of visitors We have created a place where the public reaches us on purpose the key lies in maintaining authenticity: «If you stay true to your vision even if you are far from traditional circuits.» This approach has allowed Bros to train a new generation of chefs and hospitality professionals many of whom now work in the world’s best restaurants «you need to build a context that can generate real opportunities but to bring innovation where it didn’t exist creating a real impact on the territory.» With Bros' historic venue closing and a new adventure on the horizon Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potì’s vision remains to revolutionize the way cuisine and hospitality are conceived but a creative space where «tradition is no longer nostalgia but a language to be continuously rewritten.» The next step is already set: the Bros experience is changing form Get access to exclusive contents and keep yourself updated Get access to exclusive contents and keep yourself updated Select the topics in which you are interested: Every month a newsletter to receive updates from our creative media agency So you don't miss the chance to attend nss world events Every month the latest news from the French vertical of nss — Several advocates stood before the Board of Juvenile Justice on Friday to voice concerns over the operations of Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center it's Virginia's only youth prison which houses up to 270 residents ages 11-20 most of whom have been convicted of high-level offenses The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is the state agency that runs the facility and its activities The Board of Juvenile Justice made up of 9 members appointed by governors regulates While community advocates called on the board to investigate what they called unsafe and demoralizing conditions at Bon Air DJJ's top leader expressed frustration over the allegations which she suggested may not meet her standards of credibility including RISE for Youth and the Legal Aid Justice Center and the parent of a Bon Air resident addressed the board Friday during a public comment period Activists directed the board's attention to employee exit interviews from earlier in the year which showed complaints from former workers about staffing shortages and working long hours they didn't agree to One employee reported that staffing issues led to "inhumane" lockdowns and "high-security risks" while another employee reported feeling unsafe “It’s time to embrace truth and transparency for the sake of our committed youth and staff," said Valerie Slater of RISE for Youth an organization that supports court-involved children and advocates against youth incarceration DJJ officials have said a full lockdown hasn't occurred at Bon Air in over a year residents are temporarily required to stay in their rooms during searches and staffing constraints DJJ would not share the current employee vacancy rate but said staffing issues are reflective of national trends Department spokesperson Melodie Martin previously told CBS 6 that Bon Air's vacancy rate of juvenile correctional specialists improved by 39% between December 2023 and June 2024 we caution the board to critically examine the workforce challenges," said law student Delaney Toomer who works with Legal Aid Justice Center "We recognize that staff vacancies align with national trends in both juvenile and adult corrections but it has disastrous effects on conditions Advocates also pointed to the findings of a January 2024 internal audit which found six violations of state regulations including deficiencies related to the documentation of security procedures Bon Air cited staffing shortages as one of the underlying issues of noncompliance and presented a corrective action plan Two violations pertained to the failure to document that staff checked on residents locked in confinement at least every 30 minutes and afforded them at least one hour of exercise outside of their rooms per day DJJ Certification Manager Ken Bailey told the board he completed a follow-up audit in August to ensure the corrective actions were implemented and he cleared the facility of five of the six initial deficiencies Bailey said the facility continued to be noncompliant with a medication regulation for failing to document actions taken by staff when a resident refuses medication the director extended certification through April 2025 and directed the DJJ medical compliance administrator to monitor the area of noncompliance DJJ Director Amy Floriano reminded board members that there's a difference between a lack of documentation of required procedures and whether required procedures did or did not take place I do want to note this is a documentation issue it's that they weren't documented properly," Floriano said Though it was not cited in Bailey's final audit report two out of six residents interviewed for the audit reported being denied showers due to lockdowns Martin said based on the information provided there is no evidence to substantiate that claim a law student who works with the Legal Aid Justice Center called on the board to look into conflicting information "As the board of the Department of Juvenile Justice it is your responsibility to investigate these discrepancies and ensure the safety and well-being of children at Bon Air who have no one else to protect them," Samuelson said Quinton Harrell told the board he has a son who's been at Bon Air for over two years and has "thrived" during his time there due to taking advantage of the available learning and enrichment opportunities Harrell said he supported the comments from RISE for Youth and Legal Aid Justice Center and talked about how he's noticed negative impacts on his son that he believes stemmed from lockdowns "What we have experienced in our family therapy that we do with him every other month is that he experienced some depression during the times of the lockdowns," Harrell said Harrell added that his son has participated in almost all the educational opportunities offered at Bon Air and asked how he could get enrolled in new classes Floriano personally met with Harrell following his remarks to address his questions and explore other class options for the resident We're going to fix it," Floriano told the board Addressing the at-large concerns about Bon Air that were brought to the board meeting Floriano said she has to consider the credibility and motives of groups who present allegations “Why is this person coming forward with this or is it something where they're self-promoting their organization and they're working towards legislation?” Floriano said She added that some claims the department receives lack specific details about the incidents in question limiting the department's ability to investigate she said the facility has cameras everywhere which are regularly reviewed I get somewhat frustrated because my staff that works in that facility they're working there for a very low salary in a very difficult job," Floriano said "My staff that is in there is a very dedicated group of individuals and sometimes they work harder with these kids than the families do at that point And I think that that is sometimes forgotten in the rapport." such as an increase in completion rates of rehabilitation programs prior to a resident's release Floriano said she believes DJJ is on the right track said he took the advocates' comments with urgency and suggested the idea of an external investigation into the allegations having a different set of eyes might provide some information to help inform decisions that you would have to make," Kizner told Floriano not taking what we heard today and what we've heard before with some level of seriousness." Floriano responded that DJJ has requested independent investigations before including a security review following the 2020 escape of a resident and an analysis of psychiatric services which is still ongoing Facebook|Instagram|X|Threads|TikTok We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Morgado created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Made with love by funeralOne smiles after winning the 100-meter dash at the Division 1 U.P Finals track meet at Kingsford High School on June 1 KINGSFORD — Coming off his junior track season when he won the U.P Division 1 100-meter championship and ran a leg in the champion 800-relay team plus running personal records in all his races at the premier U.P Kingsford’s Michael Floriano began to reach out to NCAA Division 2 schools to see if they were interested in him running for them Floriano had heard from Division 3 universities like the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point the University of Olivet and Concordia University Chicago champion sprinter began to wonder why he hadn’t heard from any D2 schools “I reached out to (Michigan) Tech and I got nothing back,” Floriano said “I reached out to Grand Valley (State) and they were like your times aren’t good enough.’ I get nine track meets a year if I’m lucky (because of weather issues) With that competitive and prideful approach he hit when he sent an email to Ferris State University sprint coach Justin Jackson “I sent him an email and I’m like I can send you my videos and if you like what you see I would love to have a conversation.’ We’ll get you down here for a visit.” the communication with Jackson continued and Floriano ended up with his D2 scholarship to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school Floriano recently sat down at Kingsford High School where he told that story and more A: I was born in Mount Pleasant and moved up here to start kindergarten And I have a sister Abby (16 years old) and a brother Andrew (11) A: My dad said that he doesn’t really want that but I’ve always said that it will be my kid It would be kind of cool to keep that going Did you have a football idol when you were growing up A: Ever since I knew that I wanted to play football like in kindergarten I knew I wanted to play football Q: In what sense did you want to be like him And I loved that everyone else had (jersey numbers) like 14 Q: Were you able to compete with the upperclassmen on the track team as a freshman A: I’ve always been the fastest in my class but I didn’t think that was going to translate into high school track and I’m lining up in the blocks and I see (upperclassmen and former sprint standouts) Brody Kopp I remember shaking in the blocks and I’m thinking “Why did the coach put me in this race?” But I beat them all and I was like Q: You often start slower than some of your opponents but then catch up and kick into gear around the midway point that’s the way it’s always been I hope Ferris can kind of whip me into shape there Q: Were you ever behind the whole field coming out of the blocks A: There’s been a couple of times when I started out of the blocks and I could see everyone in front of me But it’s just always been my top-end speed that’s been the difference Q: That was the case pretty often when you ran against Iron Mountain champion sprinter Matthew Colavecchi He is a kid that I’ve known since middle school And then I had the honor of getting to know his cousin Joey And for the first three years (of my career) Q: He was able to beat you this year officially (the race was timed with stopwatches not electronically) A: We were talking afterwards and he was like there’s no way they can tell who won with a stopwatch.” So so in one angle it looks like I get my arm across and then in the next frame Q: One of the most important techniques in the sprints is to come out of the blocks low and not stand up too fast is I’ll get inside the fieldhouse here and I’ll hang poles from the ceiling so if I come out the blocks and stand up Q: Did you accomplish what you wanted to in high school track I wanted to get our school records in the 100 and the 200 Q: How would you describe your personality A: I’ve always been told that I talk too much The only time I’ll drink coffee is if it’s the foo-foo coffees I can cook burgers and I’ve done steak before I used to watch the cooking shows and the baking shows and I was like “I want to do that.” But realistically my mom would ask me where my dream vacation would be I’ve never once thought history was boring Finger Lakes Opera (FLO) has announced its new program Eastman School of Music’s Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion The discussion will delve into the creative process of Two Corners one-act opera that will have its world premiere on June 28 and 30 at the Robin and Timothy Wentworth Arts Building Two Corners is about an interracial friendship and standing in the gap when your friend needs you Behind the Curtain will allow people to hear from four team members responsible for bringing the work to life: B.E The event is part of a multi-event rollout for Two Corners including a free program on June 14 at 7 p.m at Mount Olivet Baptist featuring the Mount Olivet Sanctuary Choir and FLO singers from the cast of Two Corners Boykin has been commissioned by and collaborated with multiple organizations including the Minnesota Opera and the Kennedy Center and is currently an Assistant Professor of Music at Georgia Tech In addition to his work as an accomplished librettist Brown has recently returned home to Rochester after her debut run at The Metropolitan Opera as Evelyn in Fire Shut Up in My Bones She is one of the most sought-after lyric sopranos in the United States Two Corners marks Brown’s mainstage debut with FLO Behind Two CornersWhen talking about his vision for Behind the Curtain Lee said “I'm hoping that people will gain an insight of the process will find something to relate to and be totally interested in seeing Two Corners “I think we have an opportunity in Behind the Curtain to talk about how accessible this opera is," B "Most people have their misconceptions about opera so it may not interest people because of that so if people are curious about opera and what it is I think this is a good way to be slowly introduced to opera and what it is,” Boykin added Behind the Curtain will take place on May 22 at 7 PM on the stage of Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music The event is free; you can register online at fingerlakesopera.org Justice Marbury is the 19th Ward Reporter. She loves her energetic puppy, Hiro. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com Courtesy PhotoThe 2024 Kingsford 4Ever Fitness youth senior division team claimed a Central Upper Peninsula Youth Football League title with a 24-12 win over Bark River in the Doug Showers Memorial championship game Kingsford senior sprinter Michael Floriano pulls ahead in the 100-meter dash at the Division 1 U.P Floriano paced the Flivvers with titles in the 100 meters (11.54 seconds) and the 200 meters (23.13) while also contributing to the runner-up 400 relay team and the runner-up 800 relay team Floriano ran the anchor leg for the sprint relay teams sophomore Jack Olson and senior Connor Quick “I had a pretty good day overall,” said Floriano who led the Flivvers to a second place in the team standings behind champion Marquette “This was the first time I’ve won both the 100 and the 200 at UPs Floriano finished his prep career with seven U.P Floriano also won the 100 in 2023 and the 200 in 2022 and contributed to the 2023 800-relay winners the 2022 400 relay champions and the 2021 400 relay victors Forest Park's Elsie Williams competes in the long jump on Saturday during the U.P “I’ve had a very fun career here at Kingsford,” said Floriano who will run for Ferris State University beginning this fall I almost didn’t do track my freshman year until my football coaches told us to do it I started to focus more on track and the rest is history.” Johnson was dominant in discus and shot put this season and was again on Saturday Football Team Dream Teamer threw the discus 141 feet title by almost 14 feet and then earned the shot put title with a 49-5.5 Forest Park sophomore Ava Fischer won her first U.P championship on Saturday with a victory in the 100 hurdles She also placed second in the 300 hurdles and was part of the Lady Trojans’ runner-up 800 relay team with Elsie Williams Fischer also earned a fifth in the pole vault as she closed the book on her second U.P finals with personal bests in all three of her individual events – 16.68 in the 100 hurdles 48 seconds in the 300 hurdles and 8 feet in the pole vault The engaging sophomore offered her thoughts on her performances and other matters On her vast improvement in the 100 hurdles during this season: “At the beginning of the season one of my goals was that I wanted to 3-step instead of 4-step (between the hurdles) I 3-stepped the entire thing and then I started to practice the 3-step consistently and I got faster and faster and faster and in the Kingsford meet (in May) On why the 3-step is so important to success in the low hurdles: “Instead of taking a kind of cramped 4-step it’s basically running through (the hurdles) and not bounding over them People say that the worst events are the 400 and the 800 but I think anytime you have to jump over something Last year I cried when my coach wanted me to do it.” Asked about the “daredevil” aspect of competing in the pole vault: “That’s why I love it though On if she thinks she can win four first-place medals someday at the U.P Finals: “Maybe once that Lake Linden girl graduates (junior Emily Jokela the 400 meters and the 300 hurdles) She’s a force to be reckoned with.” Several freshmen and sophomore girls displayed their potential on Saturday with impressive point-scoring performances Kingsford freshman Mylee Kreider joined her sister fellow freshman Sophia Fornetti and senior Addie Rutter to finish second in the 800 relay The same foursome finished fourth in the 400 relay and Mylee Kreider took third in the long jump Iron Mountain freshman Zahra Wicks finished second in the high jump and fifth in the 300 hurdles and joined fellow freshmen Alysia Wood Emma Bouchard and junior Bella Pickett to place second in the 400 relay West Iron sophomore Lily De Sousa placed sixth in the 400 and teamed with junior Cheyenne Ritchie junior Rowyn Fiszer and senior Seanna Stine to finish third in the 400 relay West Iron freshman Vivian Holm combined with Ritchie Stine and senior Laycee Parson to finish second in the 800 relay Norway sophomore sprinter Lauren Adams placed third in the 100 and the 200 and took third in the 400 North Dickinson sophomore Aubrey Applekamp finished second in the high jump sixth in the 300 hurdles and combined with senior Mya Grunlund junior Jessica Harwath and sophomore Raina Ledzian to place fourth in the 3,200 relay Forest Park sophomore Elsie Williams finished fourth in the 400 sixth in the long jump and second with Fischer Forest Park freshman Vienna Price finished fourth in the 800 and the 3,200 and fifth in the 1,600 in her first appearance at the U.P SALVATION ARMY Advisory Council members Michelle Martens and Mike Floriano deliver a special thank-you Friday on National Donut Day to the Iron Mountain Post Office The postal carriers host an annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive that collected more than 6,000 pounds for the pantry this year KINGSFORD — National Donut Day is celebrated annually — a day tied to the Salvation Army dating back to close to a century Bread of Life Assistance Center continued the sweet tradition Friday by delivering “Donuts Do Good” baskets in the area The non-profit established the first National Donut Day in 1938 as a tribute to the 250 Salvation Army volunteers known as the “Donut Lassies,” who traveled overseas to provide emotional support supplies and other services to troops on the front lines during World War I Salvation Army makes special visits to those who have helped them carry on their mission of providing services to those individuals and families in need Bread of Life Assistance Center Director Tara Coss and Case Manager Jennifer Witte prepare boxes for National Donut Day “It’s a way of saying ‘thank you,’ as well as to honor and celebrate the hard work of the ‘Donut Lassies,'” Salvation Army Director Tara Coss said along with a variety of treats in dozens of “goody boxes.” “We can’t do this alone,” she said “Their dedication to those they serve and our community is greatly appreciated.” the event has evolved to more than just local first responders businesses or agencies that provide the assistance to be able to keep doing what we do,” Coss said Blagec said next year they may host a kettle fundraiser event IRON MOUNTAIN — Temperatures this summer could be a degree or two above the historical average in the Upper .. (AP) — A Michigan school did not violate the free-speech rights of a third-grade student who was .. SOMERSET — A joint funeral will be held this week for a local family killed in a Christmas night crash on Veterans Memorial Bridge and their 15-year-old grandson Jacoby Arruda died in a crash Monday after an alleged drunk driver going the wrong way struck their vehicle on the Fall River-Somerset span Visitation will be held Thursday, Jan. 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 4 to 8 p.m. at the Auclair Funeral Home and had raised their grandson Jacoby after the sudden passing of their son The couple has Fall River ties. Floriano, who was born in Sao Miguel in the Azores worked at the now-closed Duro Finishing in Fall River for over 30 years and Donna is a city native and graduate of Durfee High School Floriano was also a coach with Fall River's Maplewood Youth Baseball League for a time According to his obituary, Floriano "cherished spending time with his grandkids and was an avid New England sports fan He enjoyed a Sunday ride on his motorcycle a walk with his lovely wife Donna and was quick to lend a hand without hesitation to anyone who needed it." Donna who worked in the Dighton-Rehoboth school system gave selflessly to her loved ones and had a great laugh," her obituary reads "Donna was a strong and resilient woman who fought until the very end." Both are survived by children Lisa Rebello Napert (husband Brock) Lisa Arruda-Graham (husband John) and Keith Arruda They are described in their obituaries as "doting grandparents" to Jacoby, who formerly attended Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, where he played football and baseball Jacoby also played in the Dartmouth Youth Football League and in AAU Baseball Jacoby recently began attending Seekonk High School. According to his obituary Jacoby loved spending time with his grandparents who traveled to many sporting events together to watch him play he was a good friend to many and was known to get a laugh with his quick wit," the obituary reads "He had a beautiful smile and will be remembered by all for it." Jacoby is survived by his mother Krystal (Rosado) Roszak and grandmother Maria Rosado Following the funeral on Friday, burial will be held at Notre Dame Cemetery in Fall River. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Jacoby Foundation. See the Auclair Funeral Home website for more details. The Arrudas were in a 2014 Infiniti QX50 SUV that was struck head on troopers from the State Police Dartmouth Barracks responded to the westbound side of the bridge Their preliminary investigation indicated that a 2023 Range Rover SUV with a New York registration was driving east on the westbound side and struck two westbound vehicles: the Infiniti that the Arrudas were in both of them young adult women from Taunton suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at Charlton Memorial Hospital Jacoby was pronounced dead on Monday night Floriano was pronounced dead the following morning Donna died Friday afternoon at Rhode Island Hospital according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office Driver facing motor vehicle homicide chargesThe driver of the Range Rover was identified as 41-year-old New York resident Adam Gauthier Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford for non-life-threatening injuries Gauthier was arraigned from his hospital bed Tuesday on two counts of manslaughter while operating under the influence two counts of motor vehicle homicide-OUI liquor and one count each of OUI-liquor with serious bodily injury reckless operation of a motor vehicle and driving the wrong way on a state highway In the wake of Donna Arruda's death on Friday new charges of manslaughter while operating under the influence and motor vehicle homicide-OUI liquor the DA's office said in a press release Friday Gauthier is being held in the medical unit at the House of Corrections in Dartmouth He is set to appear in Fall River District Court for an initial pre-trial hearing in the case on Jan — With reporting from Herald News Digital Producer Dan Medeiros Special general body meeting of p'yat sought File photo of Aquem-Baixo Sarpanch Floriano Fernandes being presented a flower bouquet after his election as sarpanch on August 28 Winds of instability seemed blowing again at the Aquem-Baixo village panchayat The nine-member panchayat body already had three sarpanchas presiding over the affairs since the last two years Thursday saw five members moving a no-trust motion against incumbent Sarpanch Floriano Danny Fernandes barely five months after he was declared elected as the sarpanch on August 28 last year The five signatories to the motion comprising of Inacio Dias Deputy Sarpanch Natasha Dias and Amisha Tilve has charged the sarpanch for lack of transparency and accountability in the functioning of the village panchayat “The sarpanch has also failed to ensure fair allocation of resources and failed in the decision making process besides communication with other panchayat members and the public,” the signatories stated in the notice of no-trust motion They have requested the Block Development Officer Salcete to convene a special general body meeting of the panchayat under section 51(2) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act Floriano Danny Fernandes was elected as the Aquem-Baixo sarpanch on August 28 last year after he won the election via draw of lots Both Floriano and his rival Pooja Naik had polled four votes each and the tie had to be decided via draw of lots the Aquem-Baixo panchayat had three sarpanchas during the current panchayat term who was voted out of office in a no-confidence motion but he put in his papers from the post due to personal reasons Jaromy Floriano Navarro says she was pressured to have unwanted reproductive surgery while in immigration detention and alleges that she was deported for speaking out about it One former detainee says she was already in a hospital gown this past July when she began to suspect something was very wrong Jaromy Floriano Navarro thought she was getting an operation to remove a cyst on her ovary — until the driver who brought her to the hospital said otherwise right?' " Floriano tells NPR in an interview Floriano is one of more than 30 undocumented immigrants who've come forward with allegations of medical abuse, according to court papers filed late Monday — all of them current or former detainees at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla Many of the women say that they were pressured to have unwanted or unnecessary gynecological procedures while in the custody of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement or that they were retaliated against for speaking out she says the surgery didn't happen — because she tested positive for the coronavirus and was quickly sent back to the Irwin County Detention Center in rural Georgia Floriano says a nurse at the detention center told her she wasn't going to have her uterus removed but was having another procedure known as a dilation and curettage Floriano says she had never discussed or approved that with the doctor "I felt like I had no control of my immigration case "because they were trying to mess with my body." Lawyers are seeking class action status for those women They allege that immigration authorities knew about complaints against a local gynecologist "ICE knew about the abuses as far back as 2018 and they continued to ignore the complaints," says Azadeh Shahshahani who serves as co-counsel on the litigation Protesters attend a news conference outside Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Atlanta field office in September after the release of a whistleblower report about conditions at Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla A spokesman for ICE says that the agency cannot comment on pending litigation and that ICE is cooperating with an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security A lawyer for Amin has said that he denied earlier allegations The Irwin County Detention Center is run by a private contractor This case is unusual because complaints about the medical care in ICE facilities usually focus on a lack of treatment that oversees medical care at private facilities like this one "Every single procedure has to be approved by our medical teams," says Ken Cuccinelli, a top immigration official at DHS. He talked about the allegations in a recent interview with WDUN which is why the allegation was so unusual because it would be essentially impossible first for something like what was alleged to go on without ICE knowing about it," Cuccinelli says Lawyers for the women allege that ICE did know — but that instead of taking action against the doctor or the detention facility ICE retaliated against the women who complained "It raises real concerns about the lengths to which the federal government and the contractors at this facility will go to silence the women who want to speak the truth," says Elora Mukherjee a clinical professor at Columbia Law School who is part of the case Mukherjee says ICE has tried to deport at least eight women who have come forward so far Lawyers have been able to stop some of these deportations — but not all of them "They punished me — they punished me for speaking up," Floriano says "They tried to shut me up by deporting me." Floriano was deported in September — two days after the publication of a whistleblower report that brought national attention to the story a country she left when she was 8 years old and is working at a call center in Aguascalientes who are living with her mother in South Carolina "I talk to my baby — she sends me videos telling me she loves me Floriano hopes this lawsuit will help her see them again "I hope that they bring us back to the United States and that they protect us a government lawyer agreed that the agency would not deport anyone else involved in the case until a hearing in January the government asked to withdraw from that agreement ICE now says it won't deport any of the original plaintiffs in the case It won't make any promises about anyone else Become an NPR sponsor The page you are looking for might have been removed recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America after completing several enhancements — adding a wall pavers and other new features — at the Thomas “Wildcat” King monument in Randville in Sagola Township then he and others put in nearly 250 hours of work using about $8,500 in materials to finish the improvements by the end of June RANDVILLE — When Michael Floriano III was a Cub Scout the leaders of his troop brought in an Eagle Scout to talk about what it took to reach the highest level in the Boy Scouts of America While others might have been daunted by the difficulty Floriano heard a challenge — and accepted “and I’ve stuck with it ever since.” Now 17 and a junior at Kingsford High School Floriano this summer earned that Eagle Scout rank he’d set his sights on in those Cub Scout days by helping plan and organize building a wall around the Thomas “Wildcat” King monument in Randville in Sagola Township THE THOMAS “WILDCAT” King monument before Floriano’s Eagle Scout project King lived from 1830 to 1910 and was the last chief of the Badwater Band of Chippewa Indians His life included toting mail by foot from Green Bay to the Keweenaw Peninsula; operating a boarding house and ferry in what now is Breitung Township and Florence Wis.; and working in the Groveland Mine in the Felch Township area King ultimately settled on a farm in Randville along the creek now named for him that’s roughly a half-mile from where the plaque The Floriano family has a camp not far from the monument so they were familiar with it and the Randville area managing director of the Dickinson County Road Commission has long been “pro-scout,” he said He had hoped as well that someone would do enhancements at the King marker site So when the Florianos approached him about doing the monument as an Eagle Scout project he was more than willing to give Michael the green light THE FINISHED Thomas “Wildcat” King monument in Randville in Sagola Township from a different angle that shows more of the overall design which Michael Floriano III had to plan to earn his Eagle Scout rank The Florianos met with Harris at the site late last summer But Harris was quick to say that other than removing the steel and concrete safety bollards at the monument his office did not play a significant role in the project just remained available to assist if needed The toughest part of the project was the planning He had to coordinate people and work days so enough volunteers — other scouts from Troop 532 in Norway mostly — would be on site at the right times The group would put in about 250 hours at the monument A private contractor might have required $30,000 to $35,000 to do the job many factors came together to keep the costs down an estimated $8,500 in materials went into the monument enhancements noted they were fortunate to have a single donor willing to back the project which meant further fundraising was not needed They broke ground May 20 but had to wait until the then-sophomore finished track season in early June — coming away with UP championships in the 200 meters and 4×100 relay — before really turning their full attention to the monument ALSO ADDED TO the Thomas "Wildcat" King monument site as part of Michael Floriano's Eagle Scout project was this sitting area They started with the wall — “everything else was easy compared to the wall,” Michael said — then got the pavers in place in the new enclosed area They were racing to complete the project by July 1 as new Eagle Scout qualification rules took effect after that date that would require an additional merit badge as project overseer for not only ordering supplies but having them delivered to the site They managed to have enough extra materials to add a side area with a couple benches and small tables “It snowballed,” the younger Floriano said Karol Domitrovich of KCD Speciality Landscaping & Nursery in Iron Mountain helped with installation and provided other guidance and direction on the project And R-C Rebuilders and Fabricators of Iron Mountain created the metal frame for the “medicine wheel” in the center of the pavers a nod to King’s Native American heritage They unveiled the finished results July 18 with a gathering of Sagola Township officials and others “I think it’s great,” Don Minerick “It was quite an accomplishment for the young man.” It turned out “way better than I thought it would,” Michael said “I wasn’t exactly sure how it would look in the end He had his board review of the project Aug when he officially earned his Eagle Scout rank The Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony will be Oct He thinks the experience taught him a lot about dealing with challenges — and adversity “is not a very popular thing to be in.” noted that youth today have many other activities that vie for their time While perhaps 110 kids might be in Cub Scouts that is a pretty big accomplishment,” he said of his son “I guess it makes you more well-rounded.” Now that he’s achieved the highest scout rank Michael will turn much of his attention to sports and his final two years of high school He’s looking forward to his senior year applying for grants for college with an eye on possibly pursuing a business degree of some sort He’ll age out of scouting when he reaches 18 Michael will always have a reminder of his scouting days whenever he passes the monument along M-95 and County Road 607 “I think it’s going to attract more people now to stop and actually look at it.” who took the bull by the horns and took care of it.” The element requested is either not valid or does not exist who was reported missing more than six months ago was found dead earlier this week while Rodrigo Floriano Mayen's parents found him dead at a friend's home on Monday Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Kingsford senior Michael Floriano signs his National Letter of Intent to join the Ferris State University track & field team on Friday at Kingsford High School his National Letter of Intent to join the Ferris State University track & field team on Friday at Kingsford High School Kingsford assistant track coach Mark Flood and head coach Kyle Pirlot Journalist Floriano Filho is the Coordinator of Higher Education of the Brazilian Legislative Institute (Interlegis) In 2019 he was a postdoc fellow at the National Sun Yat-sen University with a Taiwan Fellowship researching the Political Economy of Energy Security in Asia and in Taiwan He holds a PhD in Development and International Cooperation (University of Brasilia and at the University of Tokyo’s ISS) with a focus on Japan and China strategic relations in Broadcast Journalism from Columbia University (‘91) with distinction in Communication Policies from the University of Westminster (London and an MBA on Digital TV from the Federal Fluminense University (’16 He was also a Monbusho research student in Hitotsubashi University (Tokyo researching the Japanese information society and a Reuters Foundation fellow at the University of Oxford (Global Trade of Digital Content) He was previously a Washington DC-based correspondent and special reporter for TV Brasil Specialized in the political economy of energy and the environment (oil he is also a 2012 award-winning journalist with a human rights documentary In 2007 he was a Fulbright-APSA senior Congressional fellow in Wash giving various talks on Brazil and Latin America in US universities (Texas A&M Other TV features he reported and directed include the global geopolitics of biofuels ; biotech in Brazil and in the USA ; sustainable biodiversity in the Amazon ; oil and gas in the Brazilian Amazon ; and the Japanese cultural industry Some of his visits to China included the 2015 International Environmental Summer School at Tsinghua University ; the Hongqiao International Business Media & Think Tank Forum in Shanghai in 2018 ; and the 2019 Forum on the Development of Tibet sponsored by the State Council Information Office (second visit to Tibet) His website FALL RIVER – More than a dozen Portuguese-American singers and musicians will be donating their talents to “Operation Merry Christmas” to make a difference in some local families’ holiday this year The brainchild of Dartmouth resident Floriano Cabral the initiative - which will culminate with a fundraising dinner/concert - aims to raise funds to provide holiday food baskets to needy families as well as Christmas gifts for children Cabral told O Jornal that the idea for ‘Operation Merry Christmas’ popped into his head while driving around Fall River “I see a lot of people in line to get food more specifically at St Anne’s Parish Food Pantry,” he said he felt compelled to do something to help these families who is the proprietor of Promedia Audio Visuals and has more than 30 years of experience in television and video production started envisioning an event where the community could come together to enjoy a nice meal and Christmas concert while lending a helping hand to the less fortunate He ran the idea by his friend Ricardo Farias a local Portuguese radio/TV personality and his partner in “De Cá P’ra Lá,” the first late-night talk show produced in the Portuguese diaspora for RTP Açores “He liked the idea and we started contacting local artists,” Cabral said Farias told O Jornal he immediately decided to embrace the idea because it was a great cause “I think that any time there’s an opportunity to help others “When Floriano and I were discussing putting together a Christmas show there was no hesitation in saying that it would be in favor of those in need.” The fundraising dinner/concert will take place Saturday at the Our Lady of Light Band Hall in Fall River Entertainment will be provided by local singers Arlindo Andrade who will be accompanied by musicians Mário Brum Luis Silva from the house band Casa do Galo “All proceeds will be used to prepare food baskets that will be given to people identified by local organizations the Immigrants’ Assistance Center and the Azorean Cultural Society,” Cabral said All the baskets will be delivered by Operation Merry Christmas volunteers “There will be no middle man,” Cabral said “We want to make sure these families get the food.” which will be donated to the Toys for Tots annual campaign “We have a good relationship with Cardis Furniture and the toys will be donated through their Toys for Tots drive,” Cabral said Everyone who brings a toy will be entered into a raffle that evening “We’ll be drawing four $100 gift certificates donated by Cardis Furniture,” Cabral said All the sound equipment and labor needed for the show will be donated by GS Audio Productions of Cumberland while Promedia Audio Visuals will be providing all the necessary video equipment “Our community always steps up when it comes to initiatives like these and I know for a fact they will deliver again,” Farias said “We are planning a fun evening full of Christmas spirit and we hope to raise as much as possible.” They can be purchased at Portugalia Marketplace and Our Lady Light Band Hall or by calling Floriano Cabral at 774-526-0852 or Ricardo Farias at 774-991-1423 Those who can’t attend the event can still donate Cabral is no stranger to successful fundraising initiatives This is not the first time Cabral has rallied the community to help out with meals for the needy assist victims of a natural disaster or raise funds for someone in need of medical care “I did something similar to Operation Merry Christmas more than 15 years ago before Facebook and social media,” Cabral said “We raised $11,000 with Operation Christmas and were able to give away more than 200 baskets when Cabral saw the heart-wrenching news footage of the death and catastrophic devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti he could not sit idle watching the suffering He decided to rally the community to raise money for the victims and the concert/telethon “Operation Haiti” was born the initiative mobilized dozens of musical artists and nearly 75 sound and video professionals while dozens of local businesses sponsored the event Nearly $45,000 was raised that evening and donated to the earthquake victims through the American Red Cross when a little Azorean girl suffering from a rare disease needed a lung transplant he jumped at the chance to rally the community to try to help her family bring her to Boston where lung transplants can be performed at an early age with a very high success rate The “Let’s Bring Margarida to Boston Concert Fundraiser” held in January 2020 at the Cultural Center in Fall River raised about $40,000 for the family of Margarida Fontes If Operation Merry Christmas turns out to be as successful we plan to go to a bigger auditorium and do something bigger,” he concluded da Silva may be reached at ldasilva@ojornal.com To read more stories about the Portuguese-speaking community in English and Portuguese Bros’ chef Floriano Pellegrino pens three-page screed to prove he’s a visionary  On December 8, the Everywhereist’s Geraldine DeRuiter published a blog about a seemingly-excruciating meal at Bros’ a one Michelin-starred restaurant in Lecce helmed by Italian chefs Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potì Pellegrino has issued an exhausting response about art “there was nothing even close to an actual meal served.” Among the dishes described were edible paper and —as the most grotesquely fascinating example — a mold of chef Pellegrino’s mouth filled with a citrus “limoniamo” foam that guests were told to lick out "Another course — a citrus foam — was served in a plaster cast of the chef's mouth. Absent utensils, we were told to lick it out of the chef's mouth." jesus christ @everywhereist this is so upsetting https://t.co/6kuVLSE22B pic.twitter.com/3F46jS0uIo Responding to DeRuiter’s review going viral, Pellegrino poses those very questions. In a three-page letter (three. pages.) to Today titled the “Declaration by Chef Floriano Pellegrino,” the chef ponders what differentiates a technician from an artist “Being able to draw a man on a horse does not make you an artist The result of your talent might be beautiful to look at Drawing a man on a horse is the same as making food.” He goes onto say that anyone — even your grandma even McDonald’s — can make food that tastes good to learning the rules so they know exactly how to break them His declaration (which you can read in full The contemporary artist asks you to think about beauty Here at Bros’ we strive everyday for avant-garde We have undertaken this risk since we decided to return to our territory We invest to revolutionize it and make it grow with us While making lengthy claims to his originality, both on the page and in his creative thinking, Pellegrino finds himself on well-trodden ground. The top half of the letter reads like Ferran Adria’s notes on culinary theory It might sound familiar because it repeats basically anything said by or about Pablo Picasso Picasso had plenty to say about why his own work — different from the classical styles taught in schools — counted as high art “It took me four years to paint like Raphael It’s true that food can be art and art can impact change. The difference, however, is that you cannot — or should not — eat a painting or sculpture, no matter how much it breaks the rules of traditional non-edible technique. It’s debatable that art breeds revolution, but one thing that certainly does? Hunger It’s lucky for Bros’ then that the types of people who can afford trips to Lecce and joke about $150-225 meals in over-heated cement rooms will likely not be leading any kind of uprising Whether or not Pellegrino’s food is revolutionizing the way people eat is to be determined but what is immediately true is that he has revolutionized the passive-aggressive letter sign-off in a way that we can all learn from Addressing DeRuiter in the final lines of his declaration XXX — I don’t remember her name — for making us get to where we had not arrived We are out of stock of ‘Limoniamo,’ thank you very much.” If you decide to deploy such pettiness in your own missives but it takes something special to be an artist The freshest news from the food world every day Floriano Pellegrino was born on November 21 His passion for cooking began at his family's cozy farmhouse Floriano showed a keen interest in food and culinary art actively contributing to the management of the family business alongside his two brothers This passion would only grow and develop over the years Floriano left his beloved land of Salento and embarked on a journey through Europe learning from some of the continent's top chefs He worked in the kitchens of Luis Andoni Aduriz and Eneko Atxa in Spain where he worked alongside French chef Claude Bosi his time with Martin Berasategui's brigade left the deepest impact on Floriano's professional and personal growth providing him with the skills and inspiration to become a talented contemporary chef he founded "Bros," a restaurant in Lecce that revisits Salento's essence with a conceptual twist recognizing his dedication to the culinary world he won the Tomorrow's Top prize from the Touring Club the Surprise of the Year title from Identità Golose and the 20 Years Award from San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna he received the prestigious Performance of the Year award from the L'Espresso guide he was named one of the emerging talents in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in the Art category and received the Rising Star award from The Best Chef Awards Floriano was selected to cook at the gala event for the MICHELIN Guide presentation Floriano has proven to be a successful entrepreneur co-founding the Pellegrino Brothers holding in 2018 with Isabella The Pellegrino Brothers manages the "Bros" brand and owns the renowned trattoria "Roots" in Scorrano dedicated to the reintegration of youth from the suburbs of Puglia into a virtuous cycle he aims to involve them in the Italian and international professional landscape providing opportunities for growth and development His talent and dedication continue to be rewarded: in 2019 Floriano was honored with the Chef Social of the Year award at the Food Community Awards and "Bros" earned an impressive 4 Stars in the prestigious L'Espresso Guide he was a prominent presenter at Madrid Fusion one of the world's most important gastronomic events and received the prestigious Prix au Chef de l'Avenir from the Académie Internationale de la Gastronomie he was awarded the Innovation in Cuisine prize and during the gala of The Best Chef Award in Amsterdam Floriano secured the 69th spot in the Top 100 ranking Do you want to discover the latest news and recipes of the most renowned chefs and restaurants in the world La nostra società utilizza inoltre cookie funzionali per registrare informazioni sulle scelte dell’utente e per consentire una personalizzazione del Sito; ad esempio Questi cookie possono essere installati dalla nostra società o da Terze parti In caso di disabilitazione di questi cookie la qualità e l’esperienza di navigazione potrebbe non essere soddisfacente Questi cookie sono installati da social media per consentire la condivisione dei contenuti del presente Sito Essi sono in grado di monitorare la navigazione compiuta anche in altri siti e creano un profilo dell’utente sulla base dei suoi interessi Ciò potrebbe avere un impatto sul contenuto e messaggi visualizzati sugli altri siti visitati non sarà possibile utilizzare o visualizzare questi strumenti di condivisione per l’installazione e l’uso di tali cookie occorre il consenso dell’utente Per maggiori informazioni consulta la pagna cookies policy The Nove Nuova (“New Nove”) or "Nove '25" power plant is located in the municipality of Vittorio Veneto near Treviso in the Veneto region Today it functions as a reserve power plant to a design by the engineer Vincenzo Ferniani thanks to the presence of triple lancet windows Some of the neo-Mannerist details at the power plant probably grew out of the collaboration with engineer Augusto Koch a great exponent of Roman classical purism which is positioned between the machine building and the transformer buildings with access by a light marble staircase with a wrought-iron parapet It features a large artistic leaded stained-glass window celebrating the symbols of the new energy: it was created by Murano artisans The plant is located in the Lapisina Valley a glacial valley formed by a branch of the Piave glacier The most important watercourse is the River Meschio which has its origins in a karst at the foot of the Col Visentin mountain home of the San Floriano Vecchia and Nuova (“old and new San Floriano”) power plants on the shores of which the "Nove '25" and "Nove '71" power plants are located An agreement was recently signed with the municipality of Vittorio Veneto regarding the use of part of the areas around Lake Restello thanks to investments for urban regeneration from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) has decided to upgrade the area known as the "St the power plant welcomes individual visitors schools or groups who want to find out more about the operation of the hydroelectric plant through a guided tour and an interactive experience https://ansetriveneto.altervista.org/2024/02/03/vttorio-veneto-visite-guidate-alla-centrale-di-nove/ A third person has died in a wrong-way crash, allegedly involving a drunken driver, on Route 6 in Somerset, Massachusetts, on the night of Christmas had been critically hurt in the crash on Veterans Memorial Bridge and the woman died Friday at Rhode Island Hospital He's already facing counts including manslaughter motor vehicle homicide while under the influence and operating under the influence for allegedly driving the wrong way on the bridge while drunk He's been ordered held on $100,000 cash bail after facing the charges Tuesday from a hospital bed; his injuries weren't considered life-threatening It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to the new charges Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox with our News Headlines newsletter Everyone in the three vehicles involved in the crash were hospitalized was driving a 2023 Land Rover SUV toward Fall River when it hit the Arrudas' 2014 Infiniti QX50 SUV head-on as well as a 2019 Honda Accord with two women inside especially when it occurred on Christmas night," District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a statement Tuesday "My heart grieves for the victims and their family for their terrible loss." Access to trusted news and information is urgently needed right now - and when you support WXXI’s public media mission today WXXI offers Rochester and the Finger Lakes solid trusted reporting built on a mission that uses the resources and independence of public media to serve the public good Become a monthly sustainer or increase your current sustaining gift now and your gift will be matched every month for a full year Support the facts and the truth right at the source by making a commitment to public media today your generous support for the essential coverage of WXXI is critical The Rochester Chamber Orchestra has named a successor to longtime music director David Fetler Orchestra president Ray Grosswirth says that Gerard Floriano will become artistic director for the 2014-15 season and he will become the orchestra’s music director in August of 2015 David Fetler will remain as music director for the upcoming season (his 51st year with the chamber orchestra) Fetler will become conductor laureate and as part of that position will conduct the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah Floriano’s background includes having conducted in many of America’s premier concert halls including Carnegie hall and Alice Tully Hall Floriano is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and SUNY Geneseo and he has also been a guest conductor with the RPO and the Buffalo Philharmonic He is also a regular guest conductor in Europe and Floriano has also served as artistic director of Mercury Opera Rochester and the Rochester Opera Factory Subscribe and get a heads up about all the 'can't miss' events in our area SearchMCSOS announces award winnersFor The Madera TribuneOct 12 Countywide Excellence in Education winners receive their awards at an awards ceremony on September 29 The Madera County Excellence in Education award ceremony honored employees This year marked the 16th annual event sponsored by the Educational Employees Credit Union and the Madera County Superintendent of Schools on September 29 Lead Groundskeeper — Chowchilla Union High School Danny Floriano has worked with Chowchilla Union High School District for five years “Danny is the key to our success in the grounds department,” Chowchilla Superintendent Justin Miller said “His strong character and high work ethic are examples of what makes Mr He understands that recognizing the work of others Floriano has made work feel like a family unit which is evident from the appearance of the grounds Floriano has devised solutions which have made work easier for staff and have prevented injuries he insured the safety of students and staff with additional sanitizing measures and by delivering personal protective equipment where needed he volunteered to transport students in vans “I hope that I am a good role model for my fellow employees and that I make a positive impact on others… I have always been one to lead by example… I can truly say and community of Chowchilla,” Floriano said School Safety Officer — Thomas Jefferson Middle School Senior Secretary — Madera County Superintendent of Schools Human Resource Technician III — Chawanakee Unified School District Early Learning Programs — Madera County Superintendent of Schools Jacklyn Jones has served the students in Madera County for 20 years she taught swim lessons to preschool children and knew then that her career would involve this age group “I wanted to play a significant role in helping children discover their love for learning by providing a positive first experience in the classroom,” Jones said In the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program Jones gets to do that for more than 300 families Days are filled with social emotional support “The best indicator that we operate a successful program is hearing children beg their parents to stay ‘just five more minutes!’ because they don’t want to leave school,” Jones said Ensuring families have access to high quality early childhood experiences is important to Ms providing childcare and educational programs to the children of essential workers Jones does what is best for children and it shows in the four and five-star (the highest) ratings received from Quality Rating and Improvement System She has partnered with agencies such as Camarena Health for dental visits and First 5 for vision screenings and access to eye glasses “I feel an enormous responsibility to ECE families I know (these programs) will make a great impact on our community’s youngest learners,” she said Coordinator of Health Services/School Nurse — Golden Valley Unified School District School Psychologist — Chawanakee Unified School District School Counselor/School Psychologist — Wilson Middle School Director of Business Services — Chowchilla Union High School District SDC Teacher Moderate/Severe — Madera South High School Jenny Mejia has been a Special Day Class Teacher for students with moderate to severe disabilities for five years with Madera County Superintendent of Schools She has found it essential to build strong relationships with her students to understand how they learn Teaching them skills to improve their independence is one of her main goals Mejia was one of the first teachers who volunteered to return to in-person instruction She realized the importance of hands-on instruction and found ways to continue teaching life skills while the world was shut down during the pandemic a coffee house run out of her classroom where students learn to follow recipes practice math skills (measurements and handling money) “Our kids are capable… They are definitely hard workers.” She collaborates with community businesses to facilitate work-based learning She volunteers in a number of Madera projects: food drives Central California Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals She has extended that mindset to her classroom getting her students involved in things like the Christmas Parade She also encourages her students to participate in traditional high school sporting events “She is determined to show families the potential of their student’s abilities,” said parent Chelsea Dell Elementary Teacher — Stone Creek Elementary School an organization whose dedication to our schools is genuine and whose helping hands are felt in many ways,” said Cecilia A “We celebrate the accomplishments of educators and instructional staff from throughout Madera County who make a difference daily We showcase our honorees and the many contributions they have made to enhance the lives of our children Our honorees are often ‘unsung heroes.’ We shine a light on their achievements and see how they inspire and teach students.” The work they do every day deserves to be recognized and celebrated,” said Elizabeth J “They are all very deserving of this special recognition of their commitment and dedication to their students and for all they do to support students and help them realize their academic potential.” rewritten or redistributed without prior written approval from the publisher Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.