National NYC subway to use gender-neutral terms during announcements
When it comes to the New York City subways, there’s no such thing as ladies and gentlemen.
Conductors on subway trains have been told to stop addressing passengers as “ladies and gentlemen” when making announcements about delays, detours or other things, and instead use the gender-neutral terms “passengers,” ‘’riders,” and “everyone.”
The new train announcement scripts are part of an effort by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to improve communication with passengers frustrated with having to deal with a system troubled with delays, mechanical failures and even derailments. Conductors have also been instructed to give subway riders more information about delays, departing from a longtime practice of making sparse announcements that sometimes obscure the real reason a train isn’t moving.
A lack of straightforward info, officials say, can leave passengers wondering if they should ride it out, transfer trains or get out and hail a cab.
“I have been in situations where they said it’ll be moving shortly or momentarily,” subway passenger Judith Mosh said as she waited for a train in a Manhattan station. “Sometimes momentarily means two minutes, sometimes it means 20 minutes.”
Knowing if a delay was likely to last could help riders make alternative plans, she said.
The new scripts were detailed in a bulletin sent out to all train service personnel earlier this month and are the first substantial change to the “blue book,” which governs how to communicate with riders, in almost 30 years, said Jon Weinstein, MTA spokesman.
Ohio governor candidate boasts of sexual history with ‘approximately 50 very attractive females’
An Ohio Supreme Court justice who recently declared his intention to run for governor is defending “heterosexual males” amid growing accusations of sexual misconduct.
Justice William O’Neill took to Facebook on Friday to make a statement on what he called the “national feeding frenzy about sexual indiscretions,” and in doing so he gave details about his sexual history.
“In the last fifty years I was sexually intimate with approximately 50 very attractive females,” O’Neill wrote. “It ranged from a gorgeous blonde who was my first true love and we made passionate love in the hayloft of her parents barn and ended with a drop dead gorgeous red head from Cleveland.
“Now can we get back to discussing legalizing marijuana and opening the state hospital network to combat the opioid crisis.”
O’Neill, a Democrat, drew swift, bipartisan condemnation from Ohio politicians and from the chief justice of the state’s Supreme Court.
“No words can convey my shock,” Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor said in a statement emailed to The Washington Post. “This gross disrespect for women shakes the public’s confidence in the integrity of the judiciary.”
Video shows nurses laughing as dying 89-year-old WWII veteran calls for help, gasps for air
Hidden camera footage recently made public revealed a decorated World War II veteran died after fighting for air while a pair of nurses laughed in front of him.
James Dempsey on Feb. 27, 2014, repeatedly called out to staff members at Northeast Atlanta Health and Rehabilitation before he fell unconscious, gasping for air all the while.
Nursing home staff found him unresponsive just before 5:30 a.m. and it took them nearly an hour to call 911, according to state records obtained by WXIA.
Dempsey’s family, who sued the facility in 2014, declined to comment, citing a settlement with the nursing home.
Former nursing supervisor Wanda Nuckles testified during the trial that she rushed to the 89-year-old veteran’s room when she learned he’d stopped breathing and performed chest compressions until help arrived.
Nuckles did not know she’d been filmed at the time and the clip directly contradicts her account, which she said was just “an honest mistake.”
Instead, the footage shows nursing staff repeatedly start and stop Dempsey’s chest compressions. When the responding nurses struggled to get Dempsey’s oxygen machine to start, Nuckles can be heard laughing with them in the background.
“Ma’am was there something funny at the time?” Mike Prieto, the attorney for Dempsey’s family, questioned.
She responded: “I can’t even remember all that, as you can see.”
Retired nursing professor Elaine Harris identified several violations, including failure to respond, failure to assess and failure to act.
“In 43 years of nursing, I have never seen such disregard for human life in a health care setting,” she told the news station.
Attorneys representing the Atlanta nursing home attempted to block WXIA from releasing the footage, but in the end dropped its appeal with the Georgia State Supreme Court.
Both Nuckles and another nurse were fired, but not until nearly a year after the incident. And they only just turned in their licenses in September — nearly three years after Dempsey’s death.
A spokesperson for the Georgia Board of Nursing could not confirm when the state became aware of the video, but the board’s action did come on the heels of receiving a link to the video.
A spokesperson for the nursing home, owned by Sava Senior Care, in a statement wrote they were “saddened by the events which occurred three years ago” before going on to note it has “new leadership and the leadership team and the staff have worked very diligently to improve quality care and the quality of life for our residents.”
E! investigating Ryan Seacrest misconduct claim
Cable channel E! is conducting an internal investigation into an allegation of misconduct against Ryan Seacrest.
The allegation stems from an alleged incident reported by a former stylist who worked at E! News when Seacrest worked there. The incident, the details of which are unknown, is alleged to have occurred roughly a decade ago.
“Recently, someone that worked as a wardrobe stylist for me nearly a decade ago at E! News, came forward with a complaint suggesting I behaved inappropriately toward her,” Seacrest said in a statement Friday. “If I made her feel anything but respected, I am truly sorry. I dispute these reckless allegations and I plan to cooperate with any corporate inquiries that may result. I treat all my colleagues with kindness, dignity, and understanding, as this is a principle that’s core to who I am. Throughout my 25 years in the entertainment industry, the majority of my co-workers have been women, and I’ve endeavored to foster a positive work environment of mutual respect and courtesy, as that’s how I believe it should be. I’m distraught that anyone or any situation would call that into question. I’m proud of my workplace reputation, and believe my track record will speak for itself. I’m an advocate for women. I will continue to support their voices.”
A spokesperson for E! did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Seacrest is a multi-hyphenate producer and host. He currently co-hosts “Live With Kelly and Ryan” weekday mornings on ABC and is slated to serve as host of that network’s upcoming revival of “American Idol.”
Rev. Jesse Jackson reveals he has Parkinson’s disease
CHICAGO — The Rev. Jesse Jackson says he’s been seeking outpatient care for two years for Parkinson’s disease and plans to “dedicate” himself to physical therapy.
In a Friday letter to supporters, the 76-year-old says family and friends noticed a change in him about three years ago and he could no longer ignore symptoms.
He says the diagnosis isn’t a sign to stop working but a “signal” to make “lifestyle changes” to slow progression of the chronic neurological disorder that causes movement difficulties.
The civil rights icon also released a Northwestern Medicine letter saying he was diagnosed in 2015 and has sought outpatient care.
Jackson runs the Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. He’s remained a strong voice in anti-discrimination efforts, including advocating for affordable housing, and been a fixture at protests nationwide.
Jackson declined further comment Friday.
via: http://pix11.com/2017/11/17/rev-jesse-jackson-reveals-he-has-parkinsons-disease/
Father finds man in teen girl’s closet with her underwear, pictures and lotion
A Glendale man was arrested after police said he was found in a teen girl’s closet with her underwear and pictures and then threatened by the girl’s father in Phoenix.
Michael Zabalza Ruelas is facing one count of second-degree burglary.
Police said on Thursday, Nov. 9, the family arrived home when they noticed their dog was barking at the closet.
The father went to investigate and found Ruelas inside with photos of his 16-year-old daughter, her underwear and lotion, police said.
The father then threatened to hit Ruelas with a crowbar and he took off out of the house, court documents said. He then drove away and the mother was able to get his license plate number, police said.
Officers later spotted the suspect driving by the house and he was pulled over.
After being arrested, police said Ruelas admitted to getting into the house through a window and “collected panties from different laundry baskets inside the house.”
Ruelas said he took some of the underwear with him when he left the house and were inside the car when he was pulled over, according to police.
He made his first court appearance and bond was set at $3,500.
He’s had several run-ins with the law, including DUI, false reporting and failure to appear for a driving on a suspended license charge.
Irvine Police Seek 2 Men Who Stole Pair limited edition Adidas Shoes Worth $6,000 in Armed Robbery
Detectives were looking for two men who stole a pair of shoes worth at least $6,000 in an armed robbery in Irvine, authorities said Friday.
Two men on Tuesday stole a pair of limited edition Adidas shoes designed by musician Pharrell Williams, according to the Irvine Police Department. One of the suspects had responded to an ad posted by the victim on Craigslist and agreed to purchase the shoes for $6,000.
The suspect and victim met at the Irvine Market on 2540 Main St. and went to complete the transaction at the suspect’s car, which police described as a white, four-door BMW 3 Series. The second suspect appeared and pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the victim, according to a statement from police. The victim then got out of the car and the suspects fled with the shoes and the victim’s cellphone.
A surveillance video inside the market captured the first suspect, who was described as a 5-foot-9, 185-pound black man in his 30s. Police said he identified himself as “Shorty” to the victim. Authorities described the second suspect as a black male with dreadlocks.
Anyone with information is encourage to contact Irvine Police Department Detective Leticia Hernandez at 949-724-7245.
via: http://ktla.com/2017/11/17/irvine-police-seek-two-men-who-stole-pair-of-shoes-worth-6000/
Texas Sheriff Threatens To Charge Driver Over ‘F**k Trump’ Sticker
A Texas sheriff considering a run for Congress caused a social media firestorm on Wednesday after he threatened charges against the driver of a truck with a big anti-Trump sticker.
The sticker on the back window did not mince words. It read “Fuck Trump and Fuck You For Voting For Him,” and that rubbed Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls the wrong way.
Nehls, a Republican who the Houston Chronicle said is thinking about running for Congress, went to his personal Facebook page to suggest there might be a little problem with the truck’s political message.
“I have received numerous calls regarding the offensive display on this truck as it is often seen along FM [Farm to Market Road] 359. … Our Prosecutor has informed us she would accept Disorderly Conduct charges regarding it, but I feel we could come to an agreement regarding a modification to it,” he wrote.
Nehls later deleted the post, but not before the American Civil Liberties Union had helpfully saved it for posterity. The ACLU also offered a reminder that the Constitution that Nehls is supposed to defend allows for peaceful, if foul-mouthed protests:
No, Sheriff Troy E. Nehls, you can’t prosecute speech just because it contains words you don’t like.
The owner of this truck should contact the ACLU of Texas.
Article via: HuffingtonPost
Cops bust wife of high school football coach waiting for sex romp with teen
A married teacher in Oklahoma was arrested Wednesday after having a sexual relationship with an underage student.
Hunter Day, 22, a science teacher at Yukon High School, was arrested by the Canadian County Sheriff’s Department on complaints of second degree rape, facilitating sexual contact with a minor and possession of child pornography, KWTV said. She is reportedly married to the school’s football coach.
Authorities said they investigated the relationship after being notified by the boy’s parents and finding explicit pictures and messages on his phone, the report said.
On the day of the arrest, the sheriff’s department said that Day and the teen had planned to meet at her house, KWTV reported. Deputies arrived at the residence and reportedly texted the teacher from the boy’s phone saying he’d arrived. Day responded to the message saying, “The doors [sic] unlocked as usual,” the report said.
When investigators entered the home, Day was sitting on the floor of her living room with candles lit and all of the lights off, authorities said. She was also reportedly wearing a Christmas cat t-shirt and workout shorts.
The teacher confessed to sending the boy illicit “bra and panty” pictures and said he’d also sent her pictures of his genitals, KWTV reported.
“I’m no longer surprised by the people who commit these crimes, because predators come from all walks of life,” Canadian County Sheriff Chris West told the outlet.
“This is a classic case of a serious breach of public trust,” he said. “School teachers are entrusted to protect and educate our children, not to engage in an unlawful sexual relationship with them.”
According to a statement released on Twitter, administrators from the high school said “the safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority,” and there was no indication in Day’s record that she would make such a “very poor decision.”
The school said it was working with authorities in their investigation and couldn’t discuss details of the case, according to the post.
Day was incarcerated at the Canadian County Jail and bond was set for $85,000, KWTV reported.
Boy charged with stabbing sister to death after showing up at neighbor’s ‘with blood all over’
A North Carolina boy was charged in his older sister’s brutal murder after he allegedly showed up covered in blood at a neighbor’s home.
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect knocked on a neighbor’s door Saturday night in Weaverville, saying that someone killed his sister, news station WHNS reported.
The neighbor called 911 and told dispatchers the boy claimed he was trying to escape the person who killed his sibling, according to news station WLOS.
“He’s got blood all over him,” the man reportedly told 911. “He’s on my front porch.”
Deputies responded to find 18-year-old Kayla Desiree Hensley’s body at the bottom of the family’s street.
The teen suffered severe knife lacerations in the attack, according the incident report.
Authorities are treating the case as a homicide.
The younger brother, who spoke to investigators at the scene, was taken into custody of the state Department of Public Safety Juvenile Justice. Authorities have not released the suspect’s identity because he is a minor.
He has since been charged with first-degree murder, officials said.
The victim’s mom, Susan Maltry, broke her silence Tuesday on her daughter’s death. She said that her daughter, who was hearing impaired, had “overcome many downfalls.”
“She was the best thing that ever happen to me and will be missed by so many.” Maltry told WLOS. “She is and will always be my hero.
A GoFundMe page was created to raise money for her memorial services.