Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NEW ORLEANS — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. 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Northfield intersection to become four-way stop Former Galloway gymnastics co-owner accused of sex with minor to remain in jail The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Michelle Cheramie, founder of Zeus' Rescues, at her office in New Orleans on Dec. 9 with a whiteboard index of sheltered cats and dogs and a Scrim look-alike recuperating in the background. 'I'm a travelin' dog and I've made a lot of stops/All over this town...' Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. Scrim on Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. '...And at every stop I own the heart, of at least one lovely...' People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. Neighbor Tammy Murray had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues van toward reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim came to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter for stealth. Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus' Rescues, left, walks with Scrim on Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. '...If you're ever in the 9th Ward stop and see/My cute little mini poodle...' Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something," she said. "He's doing that, too.” Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim rests in a kennel Oct. 24 at the Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie, La. '...and my Shar-Pei doll down in old Treme/Waits for my return...' Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” Scrim sits in the arms of Zoey Ponder on Oct. 24 at Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie. Scrim at the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter in Louisiana. A Scrim sticker for sale Dec. 9 at Zeus' Rescues office to raise money for the shelter in New Orleans. A homemade portrait of Scrim hangs Dec. 9 in the Zeus' Rescues shelter in New Orleans. Scrim spends some time outside Oct. 24 with Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus' Rescues, in a fenced-in area at Metairie Small Animal Hospital in Metairie. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Longtime sports broadcaster Greg Gumbel has died from cancer at age 78Eileen Mitchell took to social media on Friday to share that her 19-year old sister, Katie - who is non-verbal, autistic and has learning difficulties - was removed from a branch of the second-hand electronics shop CEX on December 19th. She said her sister had entered the shop after she spotted a DVD she wished to purchase, but was told by staff that a sale was not possible as the registers had been taken off due to closing. She shared an image of Kate standing at the till, alongside a video in which she is being carried by several police officers out the front door of the shop. Watch: Police remove autistic girl from Lisburn shop The post has nearly 10,000 likes and over 8,000 shares, while the group NI Disability and Carers shared the post saying they “have no words” and tagged Chief Constable Jon Boutcher asking him if the response from the officers in the video was acceptable. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Eileen said Katie didn’t understand the situation which occurred after she spotted a DVD she wished to purchase of her favourite cartoon series Thomas the Tank Engine, and hit out at how it was handled by the retailer. “It’s shocking, it’s like something you would have expected 20 years ago, but it’s coming into 2025 and things like this are still happening to vulnerable people,” said Eileen who said she believes it was her parents who called the police in the hopes of helping de-escalating the situation. CEX has been contacted for comment. “To be honest, Katie was very traumatised over this for a long time, it was the shock of it. We don’t know what long term impact it will have, we’re scared Katie will now react if she sees a police officer when out shopping, or if she sees another one of these shops. “I don’t think we can take her shopping in Lisburn either, it’s so traumatic for her. “You just assume that you can call the police in a crisis, and they’ll be able to help and be aware of how to handle vulnerable people, and help the situation.” After the incident, Eileen claims her sister was carried outside of the shop, before she was set down. The police and shop staff then left, as Katie and Eileen’s father attempted to help her. She also said her father stepped in after the incident because he was concerned that due to her low weight, Katie would be hurt when being carried by the officers. “The worst part of it was that she was just left outside the store and everyone just walked off,” she added. “We did hear from the police on Christmas Day who contacted us who told us that it was basically my mum and dads fault - as well as Katie’s fault. They were blaming them.” The family said they have not received any further response from the police. “I shared the video because of how my parents and Katie have been since, they’re really in shock about it all. The fact that several police officers needed to remove a young girl because of a £2 DVD. At the time when Katie wanted to buy it, my mum also said she begged with the shop to do anything that would help, like bringing back the DVD the next day to scan it, or letting them keep the box so the sale could be processed in the morning. “I think we just need more common sense, and a better approach for disabled and vulnerable adults.” The incident comes just weeks after the . An aspect of the training was to “focus on understanding and responding to the needs of autistic members of the public whilst on duty.” At the time, Autism NI praised the partnership and said it was “ great to see” the organisation's “commitment to supporting both autistic members of the public and autistic staff members”. A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police were called to assist in a shop in the Bow Street area of Lisburn at 6.15pm last Sunday, 22nd December. Officers attended and removed a 19-year-old female from the shop." Sinn Féin councillor Gary McCleave said he had contacted the PSNI over the incident. “I have made contact with the PSNI regarding this incident. “This incident highlights the importance that shops and people who work in the public sector receive appropriate training. “I will be speaking with my colleagues who will be raising it with the policing board.”
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NoneHow to watch Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets: TV channel, streaming infoBoring isn't a big selling point when it comes to investments. But being boring isn't a bad thing, particularly when you are talking about a stock that is focused on paying reliable dividends. Realty Income ( O 0.20% ) is very boring. Here's why 2024 was so boring and why that's a good thing for shareholders in 2025 and beyond. What does Realty Income do? Realty Income is a real estate investment trust (REIT), a corporate structure specifically designed to pass income on to shareholders in a tax-advantaged manner via the ownership of real estate. The company avoids corporate-level taxation as long as it distributes at least 90% of taxable income to shareholders, who have to treat the dividends as regular income, so this isn't a free lunch. But REITs avoid double taxation of dividends, which is good. That said, Realty Income is also a net lease REIT, which means that it largely owns single-tenant properties for which the tenant is responsible for paying most operating costs. It is a fairly simple approach to property ownership, as Realty Income avoids things like taxes and maintaining the properties it owns. There is a large risk associated with any single property, but Realty Income owns more than 15,400 properties, so the overall risk is very low. Its portfolio is also fairly well diversified, which further reduces risk. While about 73% of rents come from retail properties, those assets are relatively small and fungible. They are easy to buy, sell, and release, as needed. The rest of the portfolio is spread among industrial assets and some larger unique investments, including vineyards and casinos. Geographically, Realty Income's portfolio is largely based in North America, but it has a growing presence in Europe. Add in an investment-grade balance sheet , and this REIT has a very solid foundation. What's happened so far in 2024 at Realty Income? As 2024 comes to a close, it is clear that Realty Income is having a pretty boring year. To be fair, there was a big bang at the start, when the company closed on its acquisition of competitor Spirit Realty. However, that was mostly big news from 2023 spilling over into 2024. The most notable thing that the REIT did in 2024 through the first three quarters of the year was buy new properties, with the goal of hitting about $3.5 billion in property acquisitions by year-end. While that $3.5 billion target is more than earlier company estimates, it isn't a shocking upward revision. The REIT is simply handling the acquisition volume it is capable of digesting. Meanwhile, Realty Income's occupancy remained solid at 98.7% at the end of the third quarter. And it was able to recapture 105% of expiring lease rents in the quarter. Those two stats basically mean that its locations are strong enough that it can raise rents on new leases as old leases roll over. Once again, however, this is just mundane, day-to-day execution. Nothing particularly exciting. About the most notable thing that it announced was that it plans to create an asset management business for institutional investors. The goal is to generate fees for doing the same basic thing that the company does every day for shareholders, only for a new set of investors. This isn't something new in the REIT industry; it's just Realty Income preparing another avenue for growth in the future. And, in typical fashion, it's being open with shareholders about what it is doing. O data by YCharts. But this is basically the same game plan that Realty Income has been running for years. Adding new avenues for growth was the reason for expanding into Europe. It was why the REIT started to invest in casinos. It is why management expanded into the data center market, as well. Slowly expanding the business is just what management does, and it sets the stage for more slow and steady growth in 2025 and beyond as the company's levers for growth multiply. "The Monthly Dividend Company" Realty Income has trademarked the nickname "The Monthly Dividend Company." That's both a statement of the frequency with which its pays dividends and a bold statement about the purpose of the business. All in, 2024 was a pretty boring year. Sure, it completed an acquisition and announced plans to build a new business line, but neither of those things are really out of character with the long-term goal of the company to be a reliable dividend stock. While Realty Income stock has basically gone nowhere in 2024, its business has performed exactly as you would expect: with slow and steady growth. Add in a 5.6% dividend yield and four more quarterly payout increases, and dividend investors of all stripes should like what they see here.
Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” 'I'm a travelin' dog and I've made a lot of stops/All over this town...' Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. '...And at every stop I own the heart, of at least one lovely...' People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. Neighbor Tammy Murray had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues van toward reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim came to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter for stealth. '...If you're ever in the 9th Ward stop and see/My cute little mini poodle...' Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something," she said. "He's doing that, too.” Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” '...and my Shar-Pei doll down in old Treme/Waits for my return...' Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.”Where print can stay in good (young) handsFugitive dog gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets
Hennessy Advisors, Inc. Reports 46% Increase in Annual Earnings Per ShareNaomi Osaka is back in training. The former World No. 1 made her highly anticipated return to the WTA tour this year, having taken a hiatus to give birth to her first child in 2023. But she was forced to wrap up her season early, announcing last month that she would be unable to compete due to a back injury. In her 2024 comeback from maternity leave, Osaka posted a 22-17 win-loss record. She also earned her first Top 10 victory in two years by beating Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the US Open and notched a total of six Top 20 victories on the year. And after starting the season unranked, Osaka currently sits at No. 60 in the WTA rankings. Now, the four-time Grand Slam winner is preparing for a big 2025 - but had a 'panic' on her first day of preseason training. Taking to Instagram, Osaka revealed that shortly before she got back on the court, she realised that her nails were too long to properly hold her tennis racket. "Unhinged behaviour," Osaka wrote, sharing a picture of her extensions on Instagram after cutting them off. "The way I panicked yesterday because I knew my nails were potentially too long to hold my racket... My nail beds will never recover." Osaka was able to quickly put that issue behind her and got to grips with a full workout alongside her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, sharing a short clip after their first session at UCLA's training facility. "I'm making a video on how we've survived the first day of preseason," she said. "I'm alive, I'm very grateful." Osaka then posted the video on Instagram with the amusing caption: "It’s giving 'call the ambulance.'" The 27-year-old hired Mouratoglou as her coach back in September , after she lost in the second round of the US Open. At the time, she admitted that she was hesitant to make the decision, as Mouratoglou was formerly the long-time coach of Serena Williams . "The fact that he was Serena's coach made me want to avoid him just because his persona is so big," Osaka said. "This isn't rude because I found out it's not true, but I didn't know if he was a good coach or he coached Serena. "Then I met him, talked to him, worked with him on the court. He absolutely is a really good coach. "I think I'm at a stage in my life that I don't want to have regrets. "I'd rather pull the trigger on something and I don't want to say 'fail', but I feel like I really need to learn as much as possible in this stage of my career." After joking that she's happy to have survived their first day of preseason, it seems Mouratoglou is the perfect coach to get Osaka back into Grand Slam shape.OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out “the most vulnerable.” The Liberals announced a plan last week to cut the federal sales tax on a raft of items like toys and restaurant meals for two months, and to give $250 to more than 18.7 million Canadians in the spring. Speaking after a Canadian Labour Congress event in Ottawa, Singh says he’s open to passing the GST legislation, but the rebate needs to include seniors, students, people who are on disability benefits and those who were not able to work last year. Singh says he initially supported the idea because he thought the rebate cheques would go to anyone who earned under $150,000 last year. But the so-called working Canadians rebate will be sent to those who had an income, leaving out people Singh says need the help. The government intends to include the measures in the fall economic statement, which has not yet been introduced in the House of Commons. The proposed GST holiday would begin in mid-December, lasting for two months. It would remove the GST on prepared foods at grocery stores, some alcoholic drinks, children’s clothes and toys, Christmas trees, restaurant meals, books, video games and physical newspapers. A privilege debate has held up all government business in the House since late September, with the Conservatives pledging to continue a filibuster until the government hands over unredacted documents related to misspending at a green technology fund. The NDP said last week they had agreed to pause the privilege debate in order to pass the legislation to usher in the GST holiday. Singh said Tuesday that unless there are changes to the proposed legislation, he will not support pausing the debate. The Bloc Québécois is also pushing for the rebates to be sent to seniors and retirees. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.
In my experiences on the field, I found that in the employment pyramid of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), field workers constituted the foundational layer. These individuals, often referred to as social organisers, field officers or field coordinators, were actively engaged with the communities they served. They were dedicated and served as organic intellectuals within their areas. However, despite their crucial role, they often went unrecognised by key stakeholders, including donors and top management. This lack of recognition manifested in inadequate pay, insufficient learning opportunities and the absence of well-defined career paths. Moreover, this issue was pervasive across the sector and was not limited to a specific type of NGO. It persisted regardless of the organisations’ noble missions, robust bank statements, or the geographical diversity of their operational areas. Although these NGOs addressed various community issues, the well-being of their field staff—who were essential to their success—was frequently overlooked or deliberately ignored. I vividly recalled that a well-known NGO leader used to say that if staff were to be trained, then they would leave the organisation. Therefore, the view was that there was no need to send them for training. However, in most organisations, field staff often found that promises of support did not translate into tangible benefits. My field notes, based on discussions with these workers, confirmed that their experiences reflected a broader trend of neglect. All of them said that their leadership never thought about how that attitude would impact staff morale and self-esteem. They listed the areas of neglect as: opportunities for foreign training, international exposure and financial benefits. These observations also stemmed from my experiences with service-providing organisations in the irrigated areas and desert pockets of Sindh. Interestingly, regarding the neglect of field staff, leaders or founders often told a different story that typically began with a claim that their organisations religiously practice the principle of equal opportunity. Curiously, none of them acknowledged the injustice, despite the presence of framed pictures of their international trainings and exposure in their cozy offices, which were enough to contradict their statements. Throughout my work with various multi-sector organisations, I consistently found that they all faced two persistent challenges: financial insecurity and high staff turnover. As a result, many organisations struggled to establish themselves as sustainable institutions, and frequent staff changes hindered the retention of institutional memory. Additionally, the culture of reading and documentation was often discouraged, leading to a lack of continuity in practices and knowledge transfer. Furthermore, compounding these issues, leaders often fell victim to a ‘horizontal scale syndrome’—a misguided focus on spreading programs to other areas—prioritising the acquisition of more funds over their primary responsibility to lead and envision a better future for the community. It was a misconception that scaling up programs or expanding geographical coverage automatically led to increased funding and retention of trained human resources. Instead, NGO leaders often shifted their focus from being change-makers to merely fund mobilisers. Consequently, the organisation’s vision became secondary, and the quest for funds and donor approval took precedence. NGO Takes 'Aim' At Pakistan's Biggest Problems Of Education, Clean Water Moreover, I noted that financial insecurity was deeply entrenched in organisational culture, and discussions about cost-saving measures frequently dominated senior staff meetings. A troubling practice emerged where senior staff advocated for the dual use of the same field staff across different projects to save on salary costs. This approach neglected the physical and emotional toll it took on employees. As a result, field staff were often overburdened with demands from both the organisation and donors, leading to exhaustion. I recalled that many young, idealistic graduates who entered the development sector with dreams of effecting change soon realised that their roles often revolved around organising donor visits and facilitating community meetings. Ultimately, they became mere instruments for maintaining the NGO’s operations and implementing ineffective projects dictated by donors. A stark reality set in: field staff felt that neither organisational leaders nor donors were genuinely committed to meaningful change. Instead, they often found themselves perpetuating the status quo, fostering dependency, and masking government inefficiency and corruption. For example, field staff were compelled to report on successes that were fabricated or exaggerated to satisfy donor requirements, further entrenching the cycle of superficial engagement. On the ground, staff served as dedicated community mobilisers and organic intellectuals within their areas. However, despite their crucial role, they often went unrecognised by key stakeholders, including donors and top management In my long association with the development sector, I observed significant differences in the needs of male and female field staff regarding accommodation, travel arrangements and community engagement. For instance, providing separate accommodations, transportation, and sanitation facilities could enable women to perform their roles more effectively. One female staff member shared two pressing issues: the lack of separate toilets and the community’s insensitivity, which forced her and her colleagues to dispose of sanitary products discreetly at night. Despite repeated requests for proper disposal facilities, the organisation consistently denied these needs. Pakistan’s Aerospace Sector: Driving Innovation, Security, And Economic Growth In another instance, a senior female staff member recounted a distressing experience where she was abruptly called back from maternity leave to accompany a donor on a project visit. Tearfully, she expressed her frustration that even in the presence of women on the donor team who advocated for women’s rights, no one acknowledged her challenging situation. Similarly, in a separate incident, a male colleague was pressured to return from his wedding leave because of donor visits. Such experiences illustrated a broader culture where staff members were discouraged from taking necessary leaves or advocating for better working conditions. When employees voiced their needs, they were often labelled as demanding or ungrateful. Additionally, I noted how the attitudes of senior male staff could negatively impact the reputations of unmarried female field workers. These perceptions could hinder their opportunities for marriage, while many staff members, constantly shifting from one project to another, found themselves overly engaged and lacking the time to explore personal relationships. Many young women were lured by their seniors or leaders of organisations with promises of job security, stability and career advancement. Consequently, some ended up in relationships with older or already married influential individuals within the NGOs, - resulting in complicated dynamics affected their professional and personal lives. Almost all NGOs, regardless of their size, vision, or geographical scale, lacked structured plans for career progression and employment security for their field staff. None of these organisations had implemented regular promotion pathways, leading to intellectual stagnation and discouraging dialogue on change theories and innovative ideas. The absence of these frameworks left field staff feeling unsupported and undervalued. Unfortunately, the culture of centralisation, fear and unnecessary pressure from superiors further hindered their professional growth and eroded happiness in their lives. One female staff member told me that in their organisation, giggling was considered indecent, and even light makeup was noticed with a different message. Gender Gap In Climate Leadership: Why COP29 Must Elevate Women And Young Girls In Climate Action I once posed a question to Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan, (a well-known development practitioner and founder of the Orangi Project in Karachi, about the future of field staff. Instead of a direct answer, he likened them to horses in a city park—ill, wounded and worn out, with their eyes covered by blinkers, trained to see only in one direction. In this analogy, field staff were burdened with an overwhelming number of implementation tasks, preventing them from noticing changes in their environments or learning new skills. When leaders eventually recognised their staff's exhaustion, they may have chosen to let them go, because they were not capable to meet expectations. Moreover, the lack of professional development opportunities left field staff feeling stagnant and unmotivated. For example, a field officer who had been with an NGO for several years mentioned that he had not received any training or capacity-building opportunities to enhance his skills. As a result, he felt stuck in his role, unable to contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s mission or to his own professional growth. This situation was common, as many organisations failed to invest in the continuous development of their staff, leading to a workforce that was disengaged and disenchanted. Let me state that the burnout among field staff in the development sector was a multifaceted issue influenced by organisational practices, leadership priorities and the broader socio-political context. For genuine community development to occur, a fundamental shift was necessary in how organisations supported their field staff. This shift must have ensured their well-being, professional growth, and capacity to foster meaningful change within their communities. I think it is important, even if NGOs are motivated only by their own survival, to prioritise the well-being of their staff by implementing structured career pathways, providing regular training and professional development opportunities, and fostering a culture of open communication where staff can voice their needs without fear of retribution. Furthermore, organisations should recognise and address the unique needs of female staff to create a more inclusive and supportive work environment. Kohistan's Girls Face An Educational Crisis I think by taking these steps, NGOs can not only enhance the effectiveness of their field staff but also contribute to a more sustainable and impactful development sector. Only then can we hope to break the cycle of burnout and disengagement, allowing field staff to thrive and fulfil their potential as agents of change within their communities.
IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will consider expanding replay assist to include facemask penalties and other plays. Officials have missed several obvious facemask penalties this season, including two in a three-week span during Thursday night games. “When we see it, because I see it like yourselves and the fans, I have an opportunity to see it from a different angle and see it from a slow-mo,” NFL executive Troy Vincent said Wednesday at the league’s winter meetings. “When you think about the position of where the officials are, things are happening so fast. Sometimes the facemask can be the same color as the gloves. There’s a lot happening. Concerning? Yes, because that’s a big miss. That’s a big foul. That’s why we would like to consider putting that for the membership to consider putting that foul category that we can see, putting that (penalty flag) on the field to help. There is a frustration, and we believe that is one category we can potentially get right.” Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was grabbed by his facemask and brought down in the end zone to end Minnesota’s comeback attempt against the Rams on Oct. 24. But there was no call. On Oct. 3, officials missed a facemask on Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving while he ran for 7 yards late in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay instead was called for holding on the play, got forced out of field-goal range and Kirk Cousins rallied the Falcons to an overtime victory. “That is one this year, the facemask seems like it was the obvious one” Vincent said. “That keeps showing up.” Vincent also cited hits on a defenseless player, tripping, the fair catch, an illegal batted ball, an illegal double-team block, illegal formations on kickoffs and taunting as other areas that warrant consideration for replay assist. Current rules only allow replay assist to help officials pick up a flag incorrectly thrown on the field, or in assisting proper enforcement of a foul called on the field. The NFL’s Competition Committee will review potential recommendations for owners to vote on for expanding replay assist. Low blocks Vincent was emphatic about the league’s desire to eliminate low blocks that could lead to serious injuries. “The low block below the knee needs to be removed from the game,” Vincent said. “You look at high school, you look at college, too. Every block should be above the knee, but below the neck. All the work that we’ve done for the head and neck area, all the things that we’ve taken out of the game, this is the right time for us to remove the low block out of the game. Be consistent with high school. Be consistent with college. Every block should be above the knee and below the neck.” Onside kicks The league will consider changes to the onside kick after dramatically overhauling the kickoff rule on a one-year basis. “We need to look at that. That’s a dead play,” Vincent said of the onside kick’s low success rate. “That is a ceremonial play. Very low recovery rate. When we look at the kickoff and maybe where the touchback area should be during the offseason, we need to revisit the onside kick.” Options include giving the team an opportunity to run one play to gain a certain number of yards to keep possession. Commanders in RFK Stadium The Washington Commanders’ search for a new stadium site includes options in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and work has escalated on one in particular. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and controlling owner Josh Harris met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week about the RFK Stadium site in Washington, which requires a bill getting through Congress to transfer the land to the District government before anything else can happen. “I think there’s a bipartisan support for this,” Goodell said, adding he’d like to see it get to a vote soon. “We hope that it will be addressed and approved so that it’s at least an alternative for the Commanders if we go forward. I grew up in Washington, and I know would be exciting for a lot of fans.” Expanding schedule The NFL continues to discuss a potential 18-game season, but would need approval from the players’ union. “We are doing analysis I would say, but we are not finalizing any plans at this point,” Goodell said. “They’ll share that analysis with the players’ union, which would need to agree to any change.” ___ AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed. ___ AP NFL:Arsenal make Mikel Arteta proud after smashing Sporting Lisbon
‘Gift of Edu’: Officials to help teach students in Gumla distA Georgia man has been sentenced in connection to the deaths of a couple that traveled hundreds of miles to buy a car and were found dead in 2015. Ronnie Jay Towns pleaded guilty in connection to the deaths of Elrey "Bud" Runion and June Runion, a couple reported missing in 2015. The couple's remains were found in late January of that same year. The Telfair County Sheriff’s Office announced Towns' plea on social media Monday, Nov. 18. “He has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “We are thankful to have closure in this case, and our prayers are with both families.” Doctor sentenced: New York City area urologist sentenced to life in prison for sexually abused patients Couple traveled hours to buy vintage car and were never heard from again Elrey Runion, 69, and his wife, 66-year-old June, first went missing in 2015. The Runions were last seen driving their 2003 GMC Envoy. They'd traveled a few hours from Marietta to Telfair County to buy a 1966 Mustang convertible from someone they'd spoken to on Craigslist, according to Reuters. That person turned out to be Towns, who was 28 at the time. The couple's last phone call was to a disposable cell phone Towns owned. That led authorities to interview Towns in connection to their disappearance, Chris Steverson, who was sheriff in 2015, told Reuters at the time. "I don’t think he had a car that was even similar to the one being sought by Mr. Runion," Steverson told Reuters. The outlet reported that it was Towns' own family who helped set up his arrest. Their bodies were found in late January 2015 , and both had been shot in the head, reported the Macon-Telegraph, formerly part of the USA TODAY network. Their bodies had been left among trees off a county road, not far from the pond where their SUV was found. Towns was eventually charged in connection to their deaths. He also faced an armed robbery charge and was accused of giving false statements, the Associated Press reported. Towns initially pleaded not guilty. His first indictment was thrown out because of the way the grand jury was selected, the AP reported. He was indicted again in 2020 but the proceedings were pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The court proceedings may have also been delayed due to prosecutors seeking the death penalty, which requires extra steps. Towns’ defense attorney, Franklin Hogue, previously told USA TODAY they filed a motion to delay the trial as prosecutors sought the death penalty. New evidence after nearly a decade New evidence was announced in relation to the case in April this year, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, or GBI. Someone found a .22 caliber rifle while magnet fishing in Horse Creek, along Old Prison Camp Road in Telfair County. As the person continued fishing on April 16, they found a bag with the Runions’ drivers’ licenses and credit cards, as well as a cell phone. GBI agents and the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office secured multiple search warrants for a home located in the area and found evidence that was submitted to the crime lab for further analysis. Once new evidence was found, his trial was set for August 2024, the GBI reported. Contributing: Joe Kovac Jr., The Macon-Telegraph S aleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com .GLENWOOD, Iowa — Hundreds of people who were separated from society because they had disabilities are buried in a nondescript field at the former state institution here. Disability rights advocates hope Iowa will honor them by preventing the kind of neglect that has plagued similar cemeteries at other shuttered facilities around the U.S. The southwest Iowa institution, called the Glenwood Resource Center, was closed this summer in the wake of . The last of its living residents were moved elsewhere in June. But the remains of about 1,300 people will stay where they were buried on the grounds. The graveyard, which dates to the 1800s, covers several acres of sloping ground near the campus’s brick buildings. A 6-foot-tall, weathered-concrete cross stands on the hillside, providing the most visible clue to the field’s purpose. On a recent afternoon, dried grass clippings obscured row after row of small stone grave markers set flat in the ground. Most of the stones are engraved with only a first initial, a last name, and a number. “If somebody who’s never been to Glenwood drove by, they wouldn’t even know there was a cemetery there,” said Brady Werger, a former resident of the facility. During more than a century of operation, the institution housed thousands of people with intellectual disabilities. Its population declined as from the practice of sequestering people with disabilities and mental illness in large facilities for decades at a time. The cemetery is filled with residents who died and weren’t returned to their hometowns for burial with their families. State and local leaders are working out arrangements to maintain the cemetery and the rest of the 380-acre campus. Local officials, who are expected to take control of the grounds next June, say they’ll need extensive state support for upkeep and redevelopment, especially with the town of about 5,000 people reeling from the loss of jobs at the institution. Hundreds of such places were constructed throughout the U.S. starting in the 1800s. Some, like the one in Glenwood, served people with disabilities, such as those caused by autism or seizure disorders. Others housed people with mental illness. Most of the facilities were built in rural areas, which were seen as providing a wholesome environment. States began shrinking or closing these institutions more than 50 years ago. The shifts were a response to complaints about people being removed from their communities and subjected to inhumane conditions, including the use of isolation and restraints. In the past decade, Iowa has closed two of its four mental hospitals and one of its two state institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. After closures in some other states, institutions’ cemeteries were abandoned and became overgrown with weeds and brush. The neglect drew protests and sparked efforts to respectfully memorialize people who lived and died at the facilities. “At some level, the restoration of institutions’ cemeteries is about the restoration of humanity,” said Pat Deegan, a Massachusetts mental health advocate . Deegan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, sees the neglected graveyards as symbolic of how people with disabilities or mental illness can feel as if their individual identities are buried beneath the labels of their conditions. Deegan, 70, helped lead efforts to rehabilitate a pair of overgrown cemeteries at the near Boston, which housed people with mental illness before it closed in 1992. More than 700 former residents were buried there, with many graves originally marked only with a number. The Massachusetts hospital’s grounds were redeveloped into a condominium complex. The rehabilitated cemeteries now have individual gravestones and a large historical marker, explaining what the facility was and who lived there. The sign notes that some past methods of caring for psychiatric patients seem “barbarous” by today’s standards, but the text portrays the staff as well-meaning. It says the institution “attempted to alleviate the problems of many of its members with care and empathy that, although not always successful, was nobly attempted.” Deegan has helped other groups across the country organize renovations of similar cemeteries. She urges communities to include former residents of the facilities in their efforts. Iowa’s Glenwood Resource Center started as a home for orphans of Civil War soldiers. It grew into a large institution for people with disabilities, many of whom lived there for decades. Its population peaked at more than 1,900 in the 1950s, then dwindled to about 150 before state officials decided to close it. Werger, 32, said some criticisms of the institution were valid, but he remains grateful for the support the staff gave him until he was stable enough to move into community housing in 2018. “They helped change my life incredibly,” he said. He thinks the state should have fixed problems at the facility instead of shutting it. He said he hopes officials preserve historical parts of the campus, including stately brick buildings and the cemetery. He wishes the graves had more extensive headstones, with information about the residents buried there. He would also like to see signs installed explaining the place’s history. Two former employees of the Glenwood facility recently raised concerns that . But officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, which ran the institution, said they have extensive, accurate records and recently placed stones on three graves that were unmarked. Department leaders declined to be interviewed about the cemetery’s future. Spokesperson Alex Murphy wrote in an email that while no decisions have been made about the campus, the agency “remains committed to ensuring the cemetery is protected and treated with dignity and respect for those who have been laid to rest there.” Glenwood civic leaders have formed a nonprofit corporation that is negotiating with the state over development plans for the former institution. “We’re trying to make the best of a tough situation,” said Larry Winum, a local banker who serves on the new organization’s board. Tentative plans include tearing down some of the existing buildings and creating up to 900 houses and apartments. Winum said redevelopment should include some kind of memorial sign about the institution and the people buried in the cemetery. “It will be important to us that those folks be remembered,” he said. Activists in other states said properly honoring such places takes sustained commitment and money. Jennifer Walton helped lead efforts in the 1990s to properly mark graves and improve cemetery upkeep . Some of the cemeteries are deteriorating again, she said. Activists plan to ask Minnesota legislators to designate permanent funding to maintain them and to place explanatory markers at the sites. “I think it’s important, because it’s a way to demonstrate that these spaces represent human beings who at the time were very much hidden away,” Walton said. “No human being should be pushed aside and ignored.” Related Articles On a recent day, just one of the Glenwood graves had flowers on it. Retired managers of the institution said few people visit the cemetery, but amateur genealogists sometimes show up after learning that a long-forgotten ancestor was institutionalized at Glenwood and buried there. Former grounds supervisor Max Cupp said burials had become relatively rare over the years, with more families arranging to have deceased residents’ remains transported to their hometown cemeteries. One of the last people buried in the Glenwood cemetery was Kenneth Rummells, who died in 2022 at age 71 after living many years at the institution and then at a nearby group home overseen by the state. His guardian was Kenny Jacobsen, a retired employee of the facility who had known him for decades. Rummells couldn’t speak, but he could communicate by grunting, Jacobsen said. He enjoyed sitting outside. “He was kind of quiet, kind of a touch-me-not guy.” Jacobsen helped arrange for a gravestone that is more detailed than most others in the cemetery. The marker includes Rummells’ full name, the dates of his birth and death, a drawing of a porch swing, and the inscription “Forever swinging in the breeze.” Jacobsen hopes officials figure out how to maintain the cemetery. He would like to see a permanent sign erected, explaining who is buried there and how they came to live in Glenwood. “They were people too,” he said.
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