A politically divided McLean County Board could tilt in the Democrats' favor for the first time ever with seats up for grabs in November's election that could upset the 10-10 split between the two parties Democrat Elizabeth Johnston aims to hold her spot in District 5 that covers northeast Normal. She is opposed by Republican Chad Berck. It's his second bid for a spot on the county board after unsuccessfully vying for the vacant District 5 seat filled by Randall Knapp Knapp was appointed in 2023 after John McIntyre's resignation for health reasons and is running against Buck Farley to retain his seat Born and raised south of Springfield in Taylorville Berck attended Illinois State University after serving in the military He and his wife have three children and permanently settled in the area in 2007 Berck said McLean County is a great place to live and chose it Noticing his involvement in town council and school board meetings friends encouraged him to get involved in local government He admitted he still has a lot to learn and wants the opportunity to study the issues “I just feel that I might be an option for the voters here in McLean County,” Berck said Johnston has served on the county board since 2018 and is currently vice chair “I wanted to stand up and do some work for it.” Johnston is a licensed clinical social worker and operates a private counseling practice She said despite the board's 10-10 party line split 95% of the time we agree unanimously,” said Johnston Information and access have been areas Johnston has focused on. She was part of a wave of newcomers who pushed through a change moving meetings to evenings And she writes a summary of key issues ahead of each meeting and posts it to her website and Facebook page “If you go read the newspaper and that was what happened last night And changes have been made to the public comment period Johnston also has worked to cut costs by improving energy efficiency in county buildings Another potential cost-cutting measure, she said, is eliminating the elected auditor position. A referendum to do just that is on the ballot in November Berck opposes removing the elected county auditor saying an appointed auditor could breed corruption “The only way to guarantee true freedom is to be beholden to the taxpayer And both know that serving citizens of McLean County costs money — which mostly comes from taxpayers “There are basic services which have to be paid for by the county board,” said Berck who considers himself a “common sense conservative.” Expenses paid for by a tax levy include the McLean County Jail these residents that are on Medicaid would not have a bed and I think this is a jewel that the county has.” Johnston said she wants to see the recently reorganized Behavior Health Coordinating Council shift from planning into action And both candidates support putting more resources into mental health by partnering with existing agencies and that’s something we need to be hearing,” Johnston said “Do we want to be putting extra resources in?” A murder-suicide in Normal this spring revealed cracks in the systems that support mental health and victims of domestic violence Amy Moore was shot and killed by her ex-husband The victim lived in District 5 and was Johnston's neighbor dealing with our legal system— it’s complicated I am frustrated like many people that we have so many pieces in our system that don’t work well together It costs money to have extra staff — and we need extra staff if we want to try to dig in and understand some of these pieces.” Become a WGLT sponsor at Midwest Covenant Home in Stromsburg.Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. September 28 at the United Methodist Church in Aurora Saturday at the Hoffer Cemetery in Stromsburg Thursday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date  Condolences may be made to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.Vaughn Eugene Berck the son of Vern and Virginia (Torell) Berck was born at Aurora  Vaughn grew up in Nebraska on farms in Hamilton and Polk counties   He was the oldest of 5 kids and liked hunting   Vaughn graduated from Stromsburg High School in 1957 and joined the Air Force where he served as a radio mechanic/operator   Serving in the military gave him the opportunity to indulge in travel   He reminisced of time spent at the bases of Newfoundland   Vaughn was extremely humble about his time in the military but very proud of his service to his country.After the military Vaughn worked for Lockheed Martin in California as an electronics technician he returned to Nebraska to farm and work as an electrician until he met Beverly on a blind date in 1963.Vaughn married Beverly Bristol on August 22 1965 and lived in Hampton where he joined Bev’s family at Bristol Farms Inc   He worked alongside Richard Bristol and Earl Jensen for the rest of his life   Vaughn served on the board of the Central Nebraska Pork Producers Association and was an active member of the Aurora United Methodist Church including serving as a videographer for many years.Vaughn enjoyed getting together with friends to socialize  In addition to working side by side with Bev and in raising a family and farming Vaughn spent his free time doing anything outdoors whether it was hunting boating or taking a Sunday drive in his latest muscle car he did with his wife and children by his side.Vaughn taught by example and demonstrated patience and an unquestionable love.He was preceded in death by his parents Jan Berck.Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 59 years Allen (Jean) Berck of Omaha and Jenni Berck of Hampton; 3 grandchildren Twyla (Richard) Huges and Nola (Monty) Henkel and other family members and friends © 2025 Aurora News-Register Love is in bloom in Houston’s East End neighborhood Husbands Joseph Berck and Jaime Gonzalez are the proud owners of Bloom Handcrafted Beauty Products and sells natural high-quality skincare products and more the couple positions their store as a space for community and invites everyone to treat themselves to luxury products that don’t break the bank He sent me a message letting me know he was about to delete the app and I could text him if I was interested,” Gonzalez says We’ve been together for over 12 years now.” Having initially connected in the Big Apple the couple couldn’t resist the call of H-Town “Joseph is originally from Houston and was living in New York City for work After three years he was ready for a change of scenery after enduring New York’s harsh winters,” Gonzalez explains “He initially considered moving to another coastal state like Florida or California.” Gonzalez had grown fond of Houston during visits to see Berck’s family which impacted their decision to plant roots in the Bayou City and its unique charm—a big city with a small-town feel.” the couple got to work on their next venture With over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry and a deep passion for natural I had always been an advocate for small businesses,” Berck explains “I loved supporting them at pop-up events and farmers markets picking up products from local vendors whenever I could.”  Having worked alongside a large retailer that had a program allowing small businesses to pitch their products that could be sold in their stores Berck pondered the fate of those small businesses when the program was discontinued a space where these businesses could thrive “The initial vision was to help other small businesses bloom and after opening and hearing directly from our customers we felt inspired to create our own products The couple each wear multiple hats that have combined to make Bloom the success it is today “I oversee product management and development handles the creative side designing product labels He also oversees the back-end duties for the store we make Bloom a true reflection of our shared passion for supporting small businesses while offering high-quality Customers are delighted to shop the handmade beauty products—soaps “Our products are sourced from local artisans and small businesses that share our commitment to natural “We also handcraft many of our items in our store ensuring every product is made with care and attention to detail.” At the heart of Bloom is the couple’s commitment to their East End community it’s been heartwarming to experience the positive impact of being open about who we are It’s given us the chance to connect with people on a more personal level and to represent inclusion and pride in a way that feels authentic,” says Berck “The support and love we’ve received from our community inspires us every day to make Bloom a welcoming space for everyone.” Taking the leap to work together as a couple was a bold step for the duo but one that has paid off personally and professionally “For a couple thinking about going into business together my biggest piece of advice is to keep the lines of communication wide open Make sure you both understand each other’s needs and roles This helps avoid misunderstandings,” Berck says “It’s also essential to draw a clear line between work and personal life so you don’t end up bringing stress home,” Gonzalez adds “Play to each other’s strengths and support one another Running a business together isn’t always easy but it’s so worth it when you’re working toward a shared vision Always remind yourselves of why you started this journey together in the first place.” For more info, visit bloomhbp.com GateDrop.com Todd Kellett had a great ride contesting the Berck sur Mer beach race as he took the win The Brit edged out Cyril Genot who rode well himself for second The front two were on another level but it was Florian Miot who finished third with Lars van Berkel fourth Festival at the beach of Berck-sur-Mer has been drawing visitors from all over the world Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox Etihad’s flight to Delhi diverted due to bad weather Township supervisor candidates Chad Berck, a Republican, and Democrat Krystle Able are familiar faces in McLean County politics Able is a first-term county board member representing District 4 which covers West Normal and a small portion of Bloomington “This is not something new or unheard of,” Able said in an interview with WGLT She ran for and won her seat in that election mom to three kids and executive director of the Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans She said she sees the township as being the part of the government that is closest to residents “We provide a service to people to help them stay in their homes by making sure that their rent is paid that their utilities are not disconnected—and that they can also get help with other needs," Able said Running for township supervisor wasn't initially on Able’s radar “Some of my colleagues and friends in the community came to me when we heard that Jess Ray had decided he was going to go ahead and retire and enjoy that life,” she said “We really needed to make sure that someone who had experience standing up for seniors and retirees was going to get elected because the ARC The ARC was similarly part of what drew Berck to run for supervisor where he lives with his wife and three children and has twice run for the county board most recently defeated by its current chair Elizabeth Johnston “Evidently, Floyd really liked the message I brought to that race and he approached me afterwards,” said Berck “As the trustees were filling that team up Berck said he'll use prior experience with large budgets to take a fine-toothed comb to the financials But he's not planning to change what he sees as working “The ARC—the crown jewel of this township—is phenomenal,” he said “Not many townships I’ve found in Illinois or the nation have… a center for the retired community.” also supports the general and emergency assistance funds He said he grew up "on the wrong side of the tracks,” where such a social safety net makes a big difference for families in need of help That's where Berck and Able's similarities appear to end Both are outspoken candidates on opposite ends of the political spectrum Online supporters have dialed up the temperature in the comments section in what is typically a low-profile race but he’s disappointed by some of the personal attacks he’s seen online I would defend her family from someone trying to do harm.” “I can say that I’m glad that the voters are able to see where both of us stand because we are so outspoken,” said Able I’m going to keep talking about all the issues that matter to me.” The Republican ticket also includes Karl Sila for township clerk Kent DePew for assessor and trustee candidates Randall Schaab Democrat Dayna Schickedanz aims to maintain her position as township clerk Tanner Starr and Natasha Syed are running as Democrats to become trustees – Former Summit Christian Academy Head Football Coach Todd Berck has announced he is running for the Republican nomination for Missouri House State Representative in the 56th District Coach Berck lives in Raymore with his wife Becky “Our community is facing serious challenges including stopping the landfill across the county line in Jackson County and we need strong conservative leaders to show up and get results for Cass County,” Coach Berck said “I have a heart to serve our community and look forward to meeting all the constituents in my district in the coming months We’re going to work hard to win this campaign and deliver results for the 56th District.” Coach Berck currently works with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as the football rep for the Kansas City Area He enjoys staying connected to football athletes and coaches as he works to increase the number of FCA huddles sharing Christ in the area He retired from the Missouri public school system in 2017 where he taught math and served as an administrator in St Berck moved across the state to be closer to family and was a teacher and head football coach at Summit Christian Academy for the last six years “We’re going to make sure government stays accountable to our residents and make sure our schools keep local control of how they do business,” Coach Berck said and a great place to raise a family is my highest priority.” He went on to earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Southwest Baptist University while earning all-conference honors playing tight end for Bearcat football team He also has a Specialist Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri – Columbia Todd and his wife Becky will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this August They have three grown children who are all teachers and two grandchildren There is plenty going on in European Open Championships host city Berck-Sur-Mer The picturesque French coastal city of Berck-Sur-Mer stages the World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships Check out five things visitors can do in between competition sessions feel the breeze on your face and hear the waves crashing onto the shore Berck-Sur-Mer is also an ideal place for those looking to do surfing Haven't gone to watch Avengers: Infinity War yet You can now go to the recently-built cinema in Berck-Sur-Mer you will also get to see a seal colony which settled there over a hundred years ago The Madelon Port and the Lighthouse of Berck are two other popular destinations for those visiting the city you can also go to the ´Museum of France.´ One of the most delicious desserts is also a tradition from the French northern region All events of the World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships are being streamed live on World Para Powerlifting's website and Facebook page Live results and a full competition schedule is available on Berck-Sur-Mer 2018's website Four candidates were interviewed Monday to fill the vacant District 5 seat on the McLean County Board Cathy Woods and Randall Knapp have thrown their hats in the ring Each was given five minutes to speak about themselves and their qualifications Metsker will nominate one of the applicants for a vote of the full county board that meets Thursday at the McLean County Museum of History The board is required to appoint someone from the same party as McIntyre The first to speak Monday at the Government Center was David Blumenshine a radio broadcaster and real estate broker who previously ran twice for state representative and also for a seat on the Normal Town Council but Blumenshine responded by saying each race was a learning experience I believe that's a good indicator that someone is willing to move forward," said Blumenshine Blumenshine also cited running against Dan Brady in the state representative race as a reason behind his losses He said losing to a longtime incumbent isn't necessarily a reflection of himself and his campaign "I ran against what I consider a retail politician No one does it better than Dan Brady," said Blumenshine "That was an uphill climb...as a grassroots candidate Regarding what he would like to address most as a board member Blumenshine said mental health is his biggest issue he said he's concerned the housing crisis is being overblown — and that he doesn't want too much money to be spent on "a need that that I don't necessarily believe is there." Blumenshine also was questioned about whether he plans on staying in Illinois in the near future Word had circulated that he may be leaving Blumenshine said he and his wife "don't know where we want to go." Berck also cited mental health as a top priority Berck also said he wants to help with the McLean County Nursing Home Berck noted his relationship with McIntyre compassionate person," adding that's something he wants to emulate if he is chosen to serve on the board Berck was asked about a May 2022 arrest in Normal He said the incident involved someone stalking his family leading to a physical conflict between Berck and the individual When asked about working across the aisle with Democrats on the board Berck said he is open-minded and that "there are no bad ideas He described himself as an individual with common sense Cathy Woods cited her financial experience — she's a certified public accountant She also is the director of finance at Nexus Family Healing chair of McLean County United Way and serves on the Miller Park Zoological Society and Illinois Art Station board Woods said her experience in finance and volunteer work make her the best candidate for the vacant board seat She also raised her ability to work with Democrats as a plus "I think that any time you're looking at issues that affect the people of McLean County it should be a collaborative effort and vote," said Woods it's important to listen to all sides and find out what are the reasons for the positions they take One concern raised by the board was that Woods' financial work has been primarily in the private sector a question was asked about whether she's ready for the challenges that brings Woods said watching Normal Town Council meetings has helped prepare her "The experience I have is sitting and watching that and watching how when people don't collaborate how much doesn't get done and how harmful it can be to a community," she said The final candidate interviewed was Randall Knapp who works in sales for Old Dominion Freight Line in Decatur Knapp also cited his financial experience in the private sector He has been awarded in his profession for his work in cost savings Knapp lists mental health as a top priority if he is chosen to join the board Some committees of interest for Knapp include transportation Knapp was asked about his biggest qualifications for serving on the board "I think it's serving the community as a whole and then representing what the constituents are asking for but I'm not knowledgeable about specific issues," said Knapp and I have a lot of energy for this position and I would like to use it so I can become involved and work with each other to move forward." Knapp said he hasn't had the chance to look over the 500-page budgetary document set to be discussed Thursday but assured the board he will be prepared to do so if he fills the open seat WGLT correspondent Michele Steinbacher contributed to this report China will become the guest country of honor for the 37th International Kite Festival in Berck-sur-Mer from April 20 to 28 It's the first time that the festival has introduced the concept of guest countries since its establishment in 1987.During the nine-day event the China Cultural Center in Paris will join hands with Weifang city in Shandong province - known as the "kite capital of the world" to showcase the most authentic Chinese kite art and cultural experience to the audience Various cultural activities will take center stage cultural performances and workshops on intangible cultural heritage The International Kite Festival in Berck-sur-Mer is the largest and most influential kite-themed event in France Visitors can not only observe a wide variety of kites art performances and experiential activities this year's festival will debut the international kite stunt competition Kite-flying masters from ten countries and regions will compete for the world champion title in a showdown of skills and creativity Justyna Kozdryk will bring her camera along when she competes at Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 It is through them that you can see the emotions everyone experience at a particular moment.” Justyna Kozdryk will travel to the World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer The Polish powerlifter first wants to reach the top of the podium in the women’s up to 45kg Kozdryk is hoping she can capture the best moments with her camera combining both her passions for powerlifting and photography It is through them that you can see the emotions everyone experience at a particular moment,” said Kozdryk “I will now surely take my camera with me to France and take lots of pictures.” The 38-year-old last competed at Mexico City 2017 her worst performance at a World Championships “It was my fourth Worlds and the first I did not come back with a medal I hope I can do better at the 2019 Worlds in Astana But the two-time European champion is confident she will return to the podium on French soil even with strong opponents such as Nigeria’s Latifat Tijani Great Britain’s Zoe Newson and Indonesia’s Ni Nengah Widiasih “I think I am well prepared both physically and mentally for the European Open Championships although sometimes it is difficult to combine both training with my work as a policewoman I will verify how I am when competition starts,” the Beijing 2008 Paralympic silver medallist said but every athlete has the same goal so the fight for gold will be fierce.” More information about Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 can be found on the official website Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors With one year to go until the Berck Sur Mer 2018 European Open Para Powerlifting Championships here are five things you need to know before the competition starts on 25 May 2018 Around 250 athletes from 40 countries are expected to compete at the event The event will take place between 25-30 May It will be the third European Open Para Powerlifting Championships since 2013 when the competition returned to the calendar in Aleksin which featured more than 200 athletes from 41 countries Four world and six European records were broken as athletes took one of the final chances to improve their place in the Paralympic rankings ahead of Rio 2016 Berck Sur Mer is a commune in northern France with a number of natural attractions such as the Bay of Authie a natural reserve on the coast with seal sightings Monika Szram made her international debut at Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 “I really like wearing make-up and also enjoy competing in powerlifting.” Monika Szram made her international debut at the European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer finishing in fourth place in the women’s up to 41kg the Polish powerlifter is happy to correct the assumption that just because she is a powerlifter It has always been my passion so I decided to go and study at university after graduating from school,” said Szram at a dinner or during a powerlifting competition It is not that I do it hoping to break any stereotypes there may be Szram cleared the bar at 53kg in Berck-Sur-Mer only 1kg less than Hungary´s bronze medallist Katalin Engelhardt and 2kg than Ukraine´s silver-medallist Kseniia Tokar the 22-year-old knows this is just the beginning I was surprised in a good way that I could deal with the stress of competing in an international competition so well I even felt better than in the last national powerlifting event in Poland.” Szram wants to set realistic for herself without losing sight of her biggest dream That is the only way I have to continue improving in order to achieve better results in the future,” she said “Of course I would love to be a Paralympic medallist Full results for Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 are available on the official website Check out four things you should do when visiting the French commune of Berck with one year to go until the European Open Para Powerlifting Championships The Bay of Authie is a must-see natural reserve where seals can be spotted the Notre-Dame des Sables church in the centre of Berck is another major attraction with its superb wooden boat-shaped ceiling You cannot leave Berck without trying the delicious French cuisine Some of the best and tastier crepes are prepared at the Creperie rue Gourmande the best option is to take a nice walk along the beach take-in Berck’s clean air and watch the sea lions in action 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 MAPLE FALLS — Jesse Marshall didn’t know his Maple Falls neighbor’s name until Friday morning — after Joel Berck Young had been arrested for allegedly shooting two Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies in the head with a shotgun the previous evening was charged with two counts of attempted murder in the first degree and booked into Skagit County Jail with a $5 million bail Marshall said Young was known to be belligerent to the residents along the 3000 block of Green Valley Drive in Peaceful Valley a neighborhood where children were just arriving home from school “We’ve had confrontations with him in the past where he’d come out yelling,” said Marshall Marshall described the chaotic scene that unfolded Thursday evening involving neighbors grabbing their guns to protect the fallen deputies in an incident that began with a dispute over a backyard garbage fire.  Smoke from the fire filled Young’s house and Young yelled at his neighbor to put out the flames Bellingham police said in a news release.  Marshall recalled Friday that he wasn’t concerned at first because Young was often verbally antagonizing But Marshall became more concerned when he heard shots fired.  Police said Young returned to his home to retrieve a shotgun “loaded with birdshot and fired a round into the air toward the neighbor” who started the fire.  After notifying authorities that shots had been fired Marshall said he grabbed a shotgun from inside his house and confronted Young The shooter retreated to his house and drank a beer Three officers announced their presence after arriving on the scene “Sheriff!” He went outside his home and saw deputies crouching by his garage Young went back inside and began yelling at the officers He opened the front door and fired at a deputy standing outside the garage.  Another deputy returned fire but was also shot by Young.  One neighbor began firing at Young after the second deputy was shot.  “Between all of us neighbors there were six of us armed…and the only officer here was across the street” from Young’s house Neighbors pulled the deputies into a garage for safety and residents administered first aid while waiting for help The deputies were identified by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s office Friday evening as Ryan Rathbun and Jay Thompson.  One of the wounded deputies was described as alert and stable at PeaceHealth St Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham Friday The other deputy was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle to receive care from a specialist Email newstips@cascadiadaily.com or Call/Text 360-922-3092 Ali Jawad is ready to return to competition after an illness-hit 2017 “I am very realistic that the Commonwealth Games may have come a little early for me in terms of medals or lifting maximal weights due to the time I have been back training but the European Championships provides me with more time to get back on some sort of form.” The British powerlifter had his longest Crohn’s flare up since being diagnosed with the disease in 2009 and could not compete at the Mexico City 2017 World Championships “During a flare up of my symptoms it is very difficult to maintain any form of daily life and training,” the 29-year-old said “It was very disappointing not being able to compete in Mexico City it made me realise that if I was fully fit I could be very competitive “This gave me a lot of hope during the recovery process Even though my absence at international competitions could be seen as a negative the time off made me reassess how I tackled my health in the past With the help of British Weightlifting staff we have implemented a plan to reduce the likelihood of another flare up.” Due to the amount of time off Jawad have had he has focused his training on getting himself back to full fitness using a smarter way of training to not exert himself to limits he cannot recover from “I have to improve on listening to my body and adapt every training session on how I feel on that particular day,” he said “The British Classic Bench Press Championships were a great warm up for me and it was good to finally compete at national level in a new environment I still have a long way to go in my recovery but I am looking forward to the process of getting healthy and competitive again on the world stage.” Jawad will make his comeback at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia followed by the European Open Championships set to take place in exactly 50 days in Berck-Sur-Mer “I have some incredible memories from past editions of both competitions and it has given me a great focus in my recovery from Crohn’s disease As they are so close to each other it will be very difficult to peak for both; I am looking forward to the challenge of competing at international level again The first continental competition of 2018 will be the European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer, France. The official website can be found here Patrick Ardon of France celebrates a successful lift in the Men's 48kg Powerlifting at the London 2012 Paralympic Games IPC Powerlifting has announced that Berck-sur-Mer will host the 2018 European Open Para Powerlifting Championships between 25-30 May Around 250 athletes from 40 countries are expected to compete in northern France in one of the most high-level competitions on the calendar said: “We are delighted to be holding another major Para sport competition in France following on from other highly successful Championships such as the World Para Athletics Championships in Lyon in 2013 “With the Para Powerlifting Open Europeans taking place at the halfway point between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games we expect to see athletes beginning to build towards their next major challenge “I am confident that the quality of the competition combined with the capabilities of the Local Organising Committee will lead to this being a hugely successful event.” President of the Fédération Française Handisport with our team in Nord-Pas-de-Calais and in collaboration with IPC Powerlifting “We successfully organised the 2013 athletics World Championships in Lyon and we will give as much passion and energy to succeed at this European Championships “Offering the best conditions for all athletes will be our priority so that they can take away wonderful memories But before that I wish great success to powerlifting athletes Berck-sur-Mer 2018 will be the third European Open Para Powerlifting Championships since 2013 when the competition returned to the calendar in Alexin and featured more than 200 athletes from 41 countries Four world and six European records were broken as athletes took one of the final chances to improve their place in the Paralympic rankings for Rio 2016 Mexico City was recently announced as the host of the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships alongside the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships which will be held at the same time between 30 September – 7 October The last day of competition (29 May) at the European Open Championships was full of excitement Konstantinos Dimou delivered an outstanding performance as he set a new continental record of 230kg in the men’s over 107kg in Berck-sur-Mer The Greek powerlifter broke his own record of 229kg that was set at the Mexico City 2017 World Championships “I am happy because I achieved what I came here for: the gold medal and the European record,” said Dimou “I did not try my third attempt because I had nothing else to compete for this time I may raise the bar even higher at the Astana 2019 World Championships.” Hungary's Sandor Sas secured silver with a 201kg lift ahead of Georgia's Akaki Jintcharaze (190kg) who sealed bronze Elshan Huseynov regained in Berck-Sur-Mer the European title he won in 2013 and lost to Greek Pavlos Mamalos in 2015 The Azerbaijani lifted an impressive 230kg in his second attempt to reach the top of the podium for him was just one more medal for his collection and another step in his preparation towards the 2019 World Championships it is not my first medal in the sport,” he said “I want to reach my best shape ahead of the Worlds and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Those are big goals I have set for myself.” Huseynov also shared his happiness for his friend Iago Gorgodze (197kg) of Georgia who came in second “We are always friends first and rivals in second place It is good to be next to him on the podium.” Slovakia’s Jan Kubosi (145kg) collected bronze Two sets of medals are awarded in each event at the Championships The top three powerlifters overall receive gold the top three European powerlifters also win medals for being the best in their continent The overall podium was also led by Huseynov ahead of Gorgodze and Brazil’s Mateus de Assis (191kg) Petar Milenkovic gave Serbia the first gold medal in the competition after lifting 211kg 10kg less than the European record set by Ukrainian Anton Kriukov in 2016 “But I will go for it and try break it next time,” Milenkovic said “I am not sure how I am feeling right now but (winning gold) will eventually sink in,” added the 33-year-old who two years ago had taken European silver in Eger “I have been training very hard so I was expecting to win “Now I will work hard for the 2019 World Championships and The Netherlands’ Patrique Dankers (197kg) claimed silver while Azerbaijan’s Nurlan Babajanov (197kg) collected bronze due to a higher body weight Milenkovic was followed by Indonesia’s Atmaji Priambodo (198kg) and Dankers The next Para powerlifting continental competition will be the African Championships in Algiers Full results of the European Open Championships are available on Berck-Sur-Mer 2018’s website is brightening up Ringgold with her business offering colorful handmade clothing and accessories from Chiapas This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing Mateus de Assis is hoping to surprise a few more senior powerlifters at Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 Mateus de Assis is undoubtedly one of the most promising new faces in the powerlifting international scene Brazil’s Youth Parapan American champion competed at his first World Championships in Mexico City coming in ninth place in the men’s up to 97kg He also took part in his maiden Parapan Ams in Toronto just missing out the podium to end in fourth place de Assis targets success at the European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer where he will be one of 17 Brazilian powerlifters competing between 25 and 29 May The young powerlifter will move up one category to the up to 107kg “My goal is to improve my own mark and reach 210kg to beat the Brazilian record,” said de Assis whose personal best is of 193kg from Mexico City 2017 “I have confidence and am working towards that I am very happy for being able to represent my country “The 2017 World Championships were a new experience for me but it was really nice and enjoyed a lot.” De Assis knows that there is a lot to improve for him to have the chance to fight for medals at a major international competition I need to get better some technical things and the concentration.” There is one powerlifter he especially admires and is none other than Iranian Siamand Rahman “He is so good and lifts so much!” he said Although Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 is quickly approaching “I see myself competing at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games And Tokyo 2020 would be a dream coming true For more information about the European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer, visit the event website Souhad Ghazouani of France wins the European title in the women's up to 73kg category Souhad lifts 135kg to win gold and take the title at the World Para Powerlifting European Open in Berck-Sur-Mer 2018.Silver: Sanae Soubane (Morocco) 101kgBronze: Gamze Sayar (Turkey) 100kg The 30th international kite festival in Berck-sur-Mer takes place from 9 to 17 April athletes or thrill-seekers can admire many giant and original kites Around 700,000 people are expected to visit the festival Photograph: Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images we’d like to thank you for joining the debate - we’re glad you’ve chosen to participate and we value your opinions and experiences Please choose your username under which you would like all your comments to show up Please keep your posts respectful and abide by the community guidelines - and if you spot a comment you think doesn’t adhere to the guidelines please use the ‘Report’ link next to it to let us know Please preview your comment below and click ‘post’ when you’re happy with it Elderly driver reportedly lost control of vehicle in Berck-sur-Mer in northern France At least 11 people have been injured after a car drove into a crowd at an international kite-flying festival in northern France on Saturday Initial reports suggested that an elderly driver lost control of their vehicle and collided into pedestrians in the seaside town of Berck-sur-Mer at around 6:25pm near rue de l’Ancien Calvaire The most seriously injured were four women The circumstances of the crash and the condition of the elderly driver are unclear The driver has been arrested by the police The annual festival is held over several days attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world a former Newsday editorial writer specializing in foreign affairs He began his career as a copy boy at the New York Daily Mirror worked at the New York Herald Tribune and finished up his career with a 20-year stint at Newsday whose work included covering world leaders at the United Nations and an epic murder case in Ohio included covering irate Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev pounding his shoe on a table at the United Nations in 1960 He was the first reporter on the scene in 1954 when Dr Sam Sheppard’s wife was found beaten to death in their suburban Cleveland home “He wrote the first story about the bushy-haired stranger the doctor said beat him [in the house] that night,” she said Sheppard’s murder conviction was overturned on appeal and he was acquitted at a retrial DNA evidence later linked blood at scene to another man and the crime became the basis for the TV show and movie “The Fugitive.” From breaking news to special features and documentaries the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy through an arranged date in 1950 while he was working at the New York Daily Mirror They were married in 1953 after he returned from serving in the Army in Korea He finished work on his master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University later that year and went to work as The Associated Press correspondent in Cleveland He became the United Nations correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune in 1956 moved to NBC News in 1966 and then joined Newsday in 1972 He served as the paper’s foreign editor and became a member of the editorial board specializing in foreign affairs and national issues His former Newsday colleague Leo Seligsohn a great friend and he had a tremendous grasp of international and domestic affairs.” bought a second home in San Miguel de Allende where he helped launch a scholarship program for local children He was active in Jewish causes and had written often about efforts by Russian Jews to leave the Soviet Union he took up painting and photography and several of his works decorate the couple’s home Berck is survived by sons Jonathan of upstate Garrison in Westchester County; daughter Judith Bryan of Portland Berck was buried Wednesday at Salem Fields Cemetery in Cypress Hills Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Juan Carlos Garrido is the Americas Athlete of the Month for May 2018 Powerlifter Juan Carlos Garrido has been chosen as Americas ‘Athlete of the Month’ for March after receiving 39 per cent of the public vote The Chilean powerlifter and Parapan American champion sealed silver in the men’s up to 59kg at the European Open Championships in Berck-sur-Mer “This award is an important recognition as not only Chilean people voted but people from all across the Americas who have been following my performances,” said Garrido “It also shows how well Chile are working in Para sports as many other athletes had also been nominated for this poll in previous months “Now I will focus on the Asian-Oceanian Open Championships in Kitakyushu and the Americas Open Championships in Bogota Mexican powerlifter Perla Barcenas finished second in the poll with 33 per cent of the votes She was followed by Colombian swimmer Nelson Crispin and Puerto Rican judoka Luis Perez Canadian judoka Priscilla Gagne and US swimmer Rebecca Meyers were also nominated The nominations are compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from across the continent The 2018 Americas Athlete of the Month winners are: Catalina Diaz Vilchis of Mexico lifts 115kg to become the Open Champion at Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 This is at the World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer 2018.Silver: Tayana Medeiros (Brazil) 109kg.Bronze: Louise Sugden (Great Britain) 108kg Whatcom County Sheriff's Office deputies Ryan Rathbun and Jason Thompson have been cleared to return to duty following months of recovery after both were shot in the face while on duty Feb "Deputy Rathbun and Deputy Thompson not only fought to survive the deadly attack that was launched against them last February; they courageously battled to recover from their wounds and return to fulfill their passion for serving and protecting the community," said Sheriff Bill Elfo in a news release "We at the Sheriff's Office are eternally grateful to all who made their survival and recovery possible From the armed citizens who helped protect them on the day of the attack; to the fire service and health care professionals who rendered treatment; to the good people of our community who offered prayers according to an email from Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Deb Slater The deputies were responding to a neighborhood dispute and one attempted to talk with one of the neighbors who had a shotgun later identified as 60-year-old Joel Berck Young surrendered and was taken into custody less than two hours later 17 in Whatcom County Superior Court with two counts of first-degree attempted murder one count of first-degree assault while armed with a firearm one count of second-degree assault while armed with a firearm one count of felony harassment and six counts of reckless endangerment His jury trial has tentatively been scheduled for Feb his wife and Rathbun filed a civil lawsuit against Young in March Proceedings in that case have been stayed while Young's criminal case is pending A status hearing for the civil case is scheduled for Jan Young is currently incarcerated in the Skagit County Community Justice Center in lieu of $5 million bail Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Ali Jawad of Great Britain secures gold in the men's up to 54 kg This is from the World Para Powerlifting European Open.Silver: Axel Bourlon (France) (154kg)Bronze: Adam Alderman (Great Britain) (149kg) Petar Milenkovic of Serbia raises 211kg with his final lift to take the men's up to 97kg title This is from the 2018 World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer France.Silver: Atmaji Priambodo (Indonesia) 198kgBronze: Patrique Dankers (Netherlands) 197kgBerck-Sur-Mer 2018 features as a mandatory step on the qualification pathway for all European Para powerlifters striving to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.For more information visit: www.paralympic.org/berck-sur-mer-2018 Like and follow World Para Powerlifting on Facebook and Instagram at: @ParaPowerlifting and follow on Twitter at: @Powerlifting Sibel Cam of Turkey lifts 110kg to become European Champion in the women's up to 67kg This is from the World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer 2018.Sibel You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Fabienne Kabou reportedly told police that evil forces drove her to kill 15-month-old Adélaïde at Berck-sur-Mer A French woman who left her baby daughter to drown on a beach blamed “witchcraft” when she went on trial for murder on Monday who was described as having “remarkable intelligence … but subject to irrational beliefs” travelled to Berck-sur-Mer with her only child Kabou checked into a hotel and asked locals about the tides before reportedly breastfeeding the child on the beach that night and leaving her as the sea came in and temperatures dropped to below freezing The girl’s body was discovered by a prawn fisherman the following day A court artist’s sketch of Fabienne Kabou on the first day of her trial Photograph: Benoit Peyrucq/AFP/Getty ImagesKabou told police she had chosen the town on France’s Channel coast between Calais and Dieppe According to French press reports Kabou told investigators she walked on to the beach in the moonlight She gave a small jump as if she’d just woken up I remained standing and I clutched her against me and then It was as if I was saying to someone: ‘I can’t do something like that,’ but I did it.” She continued: “I saw the spray and I must have left Ada at five metres I don’t know how fast the tide came in but it was very close I gave her a long hug … she wasn’t exactly asleep but she was calm … I don’t know how long I stayed there Then I turned on my heels and I ran.” The next day Kabou returned to Paris by train told the court of her well-off childhood in Dakar where she abandoned an architecture course after two years and embarked on a philosophy degree She also fell in love with a painter and sculptor 30 years her senior She terminated two pregnancies before giving birth to Adélaïde alone at the art studio she shared with Lafon She had not consulted a doctor during the pregnancy and neither parent registered the birth with the authorities so there was no official record of Adélaïde Kabou told detectives she heard voices persecuting her and evil forces that drove her to kill her daughter she was born in August and I ended up killing her 15 months after her birth,” she told the court in the north-eastern town of Saint-Omer That’s my default explanation because I have no other.” Kabou said she had spent around €40,000 consulting “witchdoctors and healers” before leaving the child to die on the beach What interest could I have I have in tormenting myself Even a stupid person would not do what I did.” Kabou’s lawyer Fabienne Roy-Nansion asked her to explain the evil forces she felt had driven her to kill “For many years I struggled to wake up in the morning like seeing the walls that wouldn’t stop shaking,” Kabou said Court psychiatrist Paul Bensussan said her act was possibly triggered to post natal depression Kabou is on trial for premeditated murder and faces life in prison if convicted The trial in Saint-Omer is expected to last a week In-Depth editor & reporter writing both features and breaking news about ethnics The 37th International Kite Meeting kicks off in France transforming Berck-sur-Mer into a vibrant paradise with a week-long kite festival starting April 20 A child enjoys flying a kite during the Qingming Festival activities at the Asian Sculpture Art Theme Park in Kangbashi District North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region A giant kite themed after the Gods of Wealth is flown in Weifang A giant kite themed after the China-Europe Railway Express is flown at the 20th World Kite Championship in Weifang Participants fly kites of various styles at the opening of the 20th World Kite Championship in Weifang The event features 137 teams from 46 countries and regions A displaced Palestinian man helps a child to fly a kite near the border with Egypt in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 28 People enjoy outdoor activities as spring flowers bloom across China Nanhu Lake and Wuzhen attract tourists amidst Spring's renewal in Jiaxing To mark the 29th World Book Day on April 23 the Global Times hosted its second "My Reading .. your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt After two years of absence because of Covid once again has kites and visitors for the 35th edition of the International Kite Festival.