Month: August 2022

Categories
Sports

Cronulla Sharks, Will Kennedy injury, Tevita Tatola tackle that has left the Sharks seeing

Cronulla Sharks, Will Kennedy injury, Tevita Tatola tackle that has left the Sharks seeing

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon says the match review committee has become “difficult to understand” after he lost fullback Will Kennedy to a serious injury as a result of a hip-drop tackle that went uncharged.

Kennedy isn’t expected back until the final round of the regular season after he was forced to undergo ankle surgery following an ugly tackle by South Sydney’s Tevita Tatola in the 63rd minute of last week’s pulsating golden point battle.

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The incident has attracted very little interest during a week where Brisbane’s Patrick Carrigan was banned for four matches for fracturing Jackson Hastings’ fibula in a shocking tackle just hours after the Kennedy injury.

The Sharks sent an email to the NRL asking why Tatola hadn’t been charged, but the response they got left a lot to be desired just a week after Sharks lock Dale Finucane was suspended for two games for an accidental head clash.

“It’s getting difficult to understand,” Fitzgibbon said, confident that Kennedy may return ahead of schedule.

William Kennedy was the victim of an ugly tackle. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“No one actually intends to do it. They are unfortunate and they are happening more than normal.

“But we lose a good player who’s an important part of our team for an extended period, and there was no charge.

“I didn’t understand the explanation, but it is what it is. The same goes for Dale with the head clash. We’ve got to move on.

“Kade (Dykes) gets an opportunity, which is really exciting. When things like that happen, you really don’t want to get stuck and dwell on what you can’t control. All I can control is the team that’s going to play this weekend.”

There is a silver lining to all of this, with Dykes set to make his NRL debut on Saturday in front of a packed house on Old Boys’ Day.

It’s a huge moment for the local junior who will become a third-generation Shark and will follow in the footsteps of dad, Adam, and grandfather, John.

Dykes has been in red-hot form in reserve grade, scoring eight tries and setting up another nine in his 13 games this season where he’s split time between fullback and in the halves.

Lachie Miller and his teammates celebrate a stunning try. Picture: NRL PhotosSource: Supplied

He’s been playing so well that he’s even pipped former sevens star Lachie Miller, who scored a slashing try on debut for Cronulla back in round 11.

“His form for Newtown has gotten to a point where (picking) him was undeniable,” Fitzgibbon said.

“We had a couple of weeks where we were rotating between him and Lachie Miller. Both really were pressing for selection. He’s got really good balance and speed and footwork so hopefully we can see some of his best attributes from him tomorrow.

“It was a hard decision based on Lachie’s debut.

“If you have a rewards system based on NSW Cup, training, performance etc, then Kade got to a point where it warranted an opportunity.

“I will say Lachie has been performing well and has been pressing for selection as well, so Lachie has some utility value and I do see Lachie playing again for us soon.

“It was difficult in that regard but also really exciting for Kade because he earned the opportunity.”

The hype around Dykes is already building, but his coach is confident the 20-year-old will handle it days after he signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2024.

“Young players who are exceptionally talented have a confidence about them so the hype doesn’t affect them too much,” Fitzgibbon said.

“Kade is a confident kid and really confident in his ability, so when you see the way that they mingle with the other players and the way that they train (you’re not worried).

“This is Kade’s first season against has men and he’s been one of the strongest performers in the competition.”

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Categories
Australia

Public Service Commissioner would not have endorsed Barilaro appointment had she known of ministerial interventions

a woman behind a desk and a microphone

The NSW Public Service Commissioner has told an inquiry she would never have signed off on former deputy premier John Barilaro’s appointment as New York trade commissioner had she known of the level of ministerial involvement.

Kathrina Lo was on the selection panel but said she was unaware that then-minister Stuart Ayres had played a role in deciding which candidates should be shortlisted and that he had provided an informal reference for his former colleague, Mr Barilaro.

Ms Lo said she had only learned of these interventions through evidence given to the inquiry and media reports.

She said she’d also been unaware that Mr Ayres had held a Zoom meeting with the other leading candidate, businesswoman Kimberley Cole.

“Had I known on 15th June what I know now, I would not have endorsed the report,” she said, referring to the final report of the selection panel.

The other independent member of the selection panel was former Liberal MP Warwick Smith.

He has not been called as a witness but Ms Lo said he would like it placed on the record that he would not have endorsed the report had he known the full picture.

The commissioner said no pressure had been placed on her personally to achieve a particular outcome but she expressed her displeasure at the way the process had been conducted.

“As Public Service Commissioner, I should not be viewed as cover for a recruitment process or a way for other panel members or the hiring agency to avoid accountability,” Ms Lo said.

Earlier today, Mr Barilaro’s former chief of staff Siobhan Hamblin told the inquiry that she had been given no reason to believe that he stood to benefit personally from any changes to the way the trade commissioners were appointed.

In the days before Mr Barilaro announced his plans to leave politics, emails show bureaucrats discussing changing the rules for the recruitment of new trade commissioners, then deciding the plum US role would be handled “as an internal matter”.

Ms Hamblin today said Mr Barilaro “never raised with me any personal interest in these roles”.

If he had, she said, she would have had no hesitation in flagging it as a concern.

Siobhan Hamblin wearing a pink jacket
Siobhan Hamblin today gave evidence to the inquiry.(AAP: James Gourley)

Ms Hamblin told the inquiry that in September last year, Mr Barilaro spoke to her about his intention to resign from politics.

She agreed that those conversations took place around the same time as he had asked his staff to prepare an urgent submission to cabinet seeking to change the trade jobs into ministerial appointments.

Ms Hamblin said the discussions were not unusual and were not confined to that period as he had been talking about leaving parliament since he took a month of mental health leave the previous year.

“Sometimes it was quite a flippant and at other times it was more serious,” Ms Hamblin told the hearing.

A close up picture of John Barilaro's face
Former deputy premier John Barilaro resigned from politics last year.(AAP: Joel Carrett)

Labor’s Daniel Mookhey pressed Ms Hamblin on the timing of Mr Barilaro’s request for his staff to prepare an urgent submission to cabinet to turn the New York-based role into a ministerial appointment.

“Was it the case that the reason why Mr Barilaro wanted this cabinet submission produced ASAP and considered urgently was because at that point of time he had already started contemplating a resignation?” Mr Mookhey asked.

“That is a question for him, Mr Mookhey,” Ms Hamblin replied.

Mr Barilaro is due to appear before the inquiry on Monday.

The acting managing director of Investment NSW Kylie Bell gave evidence that the position of New York trade commissioner has been placed on hold pending the conclusion of the hearings.

She told MPs that there were currently four people working in the NSW government’s New York trade office, earning a total of $900,000 in salaries.

In addition, there are two staff based in San Francisco and one other in Washington, who is employed through Austrade.

A woman with blonde hair and glasses smiles while sitting behind a microphone
Chief executive of Investment NSW Amy Brown gave evidence earlier this week for a second time. (AAP: Bianca de Marchi)

Labor has said it would scrap the international trade roles, saying revelations in recent weeks have raised questions about whether they are delivering value for money for taxpayers.

“With our hospitals overstretched and teachers under-resourced, the Government has failed dismally to demonstrate value for money of its senior trade commissioners,” NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns said.

Mr Barilaro’s appointment has been put under the microscope for several weeks and is the subject of two separate inquiries.

He has since withdrawn from the position.

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Categories
US

Indiana lawmakers vote to keep exceptions from abortion ban

Indiana lawmakers vote to keep exceptions from abortion ban

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A deeply divided Indiana House voted Thursday to keep exceptions in cases of rape or incest in a bill that would ban nearly all abortions in the state.

The Republican-dominated House voted 61-39 to defeat an amendment that would have removed those exceptions, with a majority of GOP members wanting their removal.

The House vote displayed a similar division among Republicans seen in the state Senate over exceptions for rape and incest, which remained in the bill when an attempt in the Senate last week also failed to strip those exceptions.

Republican Rep. Karen Engleman sponsored the amendment, arguing that even a child conceived in a rape or incest attack deserved a chance at life.

“The intentional ending of human life has no place in medical practice,” Engleman said.

The Indiana proposal follows a political firestorm over a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled to the state from neighboring Ohio to end a pregnancy. The case gained wide attention when an Indianapolis doctor said the child had to travel to Indiana because a new Ohio law bans abortions if cardiac activity can be detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy.

Democratic legislators questioned Engleman on whether that girl’s abortion would be prohibited if her amendment was adopted. Engleman, who said she had a child as an unmarried teenager, responded that doctors could still determine whether the pregnancy threatened the life of a young girl.

Republican leadership said earlier this week that they support exceptions in cases of rape and incest. Republican House Speaker Todd Huston and GOP Rep. Wendy McNamara of Evansville, who is sponsoring the bill in the House, both said Monday that they favored allowing those exceptions.

McNamara said Monday that the law needed to be “conscious of those people who experienced trauma in rape and incest situations.”

While 39 House Republicans voted Thursday to strip the rape or incest exceptions from the bill, 32 Republicans joined all 29 House Democrats in keeping them in the bill. With a likely unified Democratic opposition to the full bill, Republican opponents of the exceptions will have to vote in favor of the bill for its passage. That vote could come Friday.

The Republican-controlled state Senate narrowly passed its abortion ban Saturday, 26-20, securing the minimum 26 votes needed to send it on to the House.

The House on Thursday also rejected, largely on party lines, a Democratic proposal that called for placing a non-binding question on the statewide November election ballot: “Shall abortion remain legal in Indiana?”

The proposal came after Kansas voters on Tuesday rejected a measure that would have allowed the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature to tighten abortion restrictions or ban the procedure outright. The vote was the first test of voters’ feelings about abortion since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

McNamara spoke against the ballot question, pointing out that Indiana law doesn’t provide for statewide referendums. The only such statewide votes are on proposed constitutional amendments after they’ve been endorsed by two separately elected Legislatures.

Democratic Rep. Sue Errington of Muncie argued that Indiana voters want the chance to express their view on whether abortion should be legal.

“I don’t know if it will come out like it did in Kansas,” Errington said. “I hope it does, but I don’t have that guarantee.”

Last week, thousands of demonstrators on all sides of the abortion issue filled Statehouse corridors and sidewalks around the building as the Senate debated the bill. More than 100 people testified during an approximately nine-hour House committee hearing Tuesday. Only a handful of demonstrators watched Thursday’s debate from outside the chamber and in its gallery.

A House committee on Tuesday moved forward its version of the Senate-approved bill. The House bill would allow abortion exceptions for the physical health and life of the mother, as well as if a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly. It also adjusted the time frame when abortions would be permitted in cases of rape and incest.

The Senate voted to allow abortions up to 12 weeks post-fertilization for those under 16 and eight weeks for those 16 and older. The House version, instead, would create a blanket ban after 10 weeks post-fertilization on abortions in cases of rape and incest. Victims would also no longer be required to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to an attack.

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Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers

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Categories
Business

Aldi Special Buys, alcohol no longer available online in retail turnaround

Aldi Special Buys, alcohol no longer available online in retail turnaround

Aldi Australia has made a major change to its online store, leaving customers disappointed.

Last year, Aldi announced a trial where shoppers could purchase some of its Special Buys items online, but it has now been revealed it has concluded.

In discussing the change, a spokesperson for the German supermarket chain said while the trial provided valuable insight and some customers enjoyed the online ordering option, it “wasn’t the right time to expand”, 7 Life reported.

“Supply chain pressures and inflation means that our top focus [is] to deliver the best priced groceries to Australians. We believe that this focus, while it might come at the cost of other projects, delivers the best value to our customers,” the spokesperson said.

“We have been clear that delivering quality groceries at the best prices is our ongoing goal, especially when we are seeing Australians feel the pressure of inflation.

“Our unique business model is built on efficiency, and while we don’t want to see customers disappointed, we believe this is the best decision to continue maintaining our price gap of over 15 per cent compared to our competitors.”

The spokesperson said there was no immediate plan to bring online Special Buys back but Aldi wouldn’t rule it out for the future.

News.com.au has contacted Aldi for further comment.

Aldi first announced alcohol and Special Buys would be available online early last year, with plans to eventually have the store’s entire range online.

At the time of the announcement, Aldi CEO Tom Daunt, said groceries could be added at a later date but e-commerce was set to be part of the supermarket’s future as the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated Aussies’ online shopping habits.

Aldi customers were quick to spot the backflip by the supermarket.

“So did Aldi just quietly remove their online range instead of the promised expansion of eventually offering all their products online?” one person asked on social media.

“I can’t see any mention of online products anymore anywhere on their app or website ever since they had their online clearance last week.

“And they used to offer all the larger items like the table saw for delivery, but not any longer.

“I really feel like they’re removing the option altogether.”

Others noted that clearance items were still on offer online.

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Categories
Technology

Google Duo and Meet merger is officially starting with the latest Duo update

Google Duo and Meet merger is officially starting with the latest Duo update

We’ve known for a while that Google is planning on merging Google Duo and Google Meet, and the company revealed those plans a few weeks ago. Now, the merger is finally happening, XDA-Developers reports, and a new Google Duo update is rolling out for Android and iOS which finally starts everything.

Google Duo and Meet merger finally starts

Earlier, Google released a Google Duo update that introduced meeting features to the app. Now, a new update is coming for Google Duo on Android and iOS, rolling out in a phased manner. This new update replaces the icon and logo of the app from Duo to Meet. And, on top of that, the update introduces a new notification saying “Duo has been upgraded to Meet”. Of course, the change should be reflected everywhere too – Google has updated the Duo branding on the web version, and now it has been replaced by the Meet icon and name.

The merger is expected to be completed by September. After that, the updated Google Meet app (which would have been the former Duo) with video calling and meeting features will be widely available on Android and iOS.

On top of that, in the next few months, Google plans to redirect the link duo.google.com to meet.google.com/calling.

On the other hand, the legacy Google Meet app will remain (probably, for a certain amount of time) as an app with meeting capabilities but without Duo’s video calling. Google is expected to phase out Meet after the upgrade of Duo has been completed.

The update to Google Duo is now starting in a phased manner, meaning initially a small number of users will be getting it, and a wider rollout will be happening subsequently.

Google Meet and Duo merger will make a single video-calling and meeting platform

Back in the beginning of June, Google announced the big change officially. The merging of the two apps has as a goal to have a single Google platform that is responsible for video calling and meetings, and it will be under the name of Google Meet. Let’s look into a bit more details as to what this merger means.

First off, Google Meet as it is right now is a video platform that’s mainly aimed at video calls with many people (mainly work-related meetings). On the other hand, Duo was a free video chat app, and it has a lot in common with Apple’s FaceTime, basically aimed at one-to-one video chats, rather than large conferences.

The merging between the two apps will happen with an upgrade to Duo, which will become Meet. The current Meet is expected to get the name “Meet Original”. This new Meet (the former Duo) will become the default. Duo will be getting a few new features in consequence.

Here’s what you will be able to do once Duo becomes completely upgraded with Meet features. You will be able to customize virtual backgrounds in calls and meetings, you will be able to schedule meetings, use in-meeting chat, share content live during meeting, and get real-time closed captions for a better accessibility. On top of that, the size of video calls will be upgraded from the current 32 to 100 participants.

And last but not least, you will be getting integration with other Google tools. Those tools include Gmail, Google Calendar, Assistant, Messages, and others.

During the pandemic, Google Meet’s popularity surged as many people started using it for conferences and work-related video calls and meetings. Because of this growth, the platform became the obvious chose for Google to focus on video and voice options.

Google stated earlier “As part of our mission to build a connected experience for all users, we’re excited to bring our video calling and meeting technologies together into a single, powerful, easy-to-use solution.”

Categories
Sports

Revealed: Piastri to replace Ricciardo at McLaren in 2023

Revealed: Piastri to replace Ricciardo at McLaren in 2023

Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri has agreed a deal to race for McLaren in 2023 in place of Daniel Ricciardo, RacingNews365.com you have learned.

The Australian’s future has been the subject of much debate this week, with Alpine releasing a statement on Tuesday saying Piastri would replace the Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso at the French squad next year.

However, in a remarkable turn of events, the 21-year-old released a statement of his own just two hours later refuting the claims that he would be racing for the Enstone team in 2023.

Piastri was known to be admired by other teams, having previously been linked with a loan move to Williams, and RacingNews365.com has learned from sources in Australia that Piastri has signed a contract at McLaren that would see him partner Lando Norris and replace compatriot Riccardo at the Woking squad in 2023.

FIA’s contract recognition board, where all F1 contracts are checked for validity, is said to have validated Piastri’s new contract with McLaren at the expense of his existing deal with Alpine.

RacingNews365.com understands that Piastri has a contract with Alpine for 2022, but not for 2023. His 2022 deal is said to contain an option on Piastri’s services for 2023, but that option was not exercised within the required 30 days of signing that contract.

What now for Ricciardo?

The FIA’s contract recognition board ruled that there was no valid contract between Alpine and Piastri before 2023, leaving McLaren free to agree to a deal with the Australian.

Piastri’s deal with McLaren was said to have been finalized on the evening of July 30, before Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin was confirmed on August 1.

Under Formula 1’s regulations, Alpine cannot challenge the board’s decision, as F1 teams have previously unanimously decided that it is the highest body that can rule on contractual matters.

Piastri’s move leaves Ricciardo’s F1 future up in the air. The Australian’s best bet may be replacing Alonso at Alpine, for whom he drove in 2019 and 2020 in his previous guise of Renault.

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Categories
Australia

SA Police allege six senior Comanchero bikies caught in Adelaide park

A man with a serious expression wearing a suit and tie stands in front of an SA Police banner

Six men police say were senior Comanchero bikies have been arrested in Adelaide’s inner-north, in what police say will have a “distinct impact” on the gang’s activities.

The six men, aged between 20 and 55, were arrested at a park on Alexandra Street in Prospect around 7pm.

Detective Chief Inspector Darren Fielke said police believed all six were senior members of the Comancheros.

“What that’s been able to do is significantly hamper and disrupt their activities going forward,” he said.

Chief Inspector Fielke said the gathering of the men was against criminal association laws.

“South Australian legislation prohibits three or more participants of a declared criminal organization to be present in a public place,” he said.

“The penalty for this offense is a mandatory term of imprisonment to a maximum of three years.”

He said it was unclear what the men were doing in the park, but said members of outlaw motorcycle gangs go to public places “to try and get out of the police eye.”

“But they also go there to plan, strategise and discuss what they’re doing,” he said.

“Directions are given, decisions are made. So they go there to further their criminal behavior and their activities.”

A 55-year-old man from Magill, a 37-year-old man from North Adelaide, a 31-year-old man from Northgate, and a 29-year-old man from Brooklyn Park were charged with criminal association offences.

They were all danced with strict conditions not to associate with each other and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on October 7.

A sign reading Ern Sconce Rotary Park in front of trees and behind a green fence
The men were arrested in a park in Adelaide’s inner-north.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

A 20-year-old Port Adelaide man was also charged with carrying an offensive weapon and possessing prescription drugs and will appear in court on the same date.

A 38-year-old Prospect man was further charged with breaching an intervention order, arising from an unrelated incident, and was refused bail to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court today.

Detective Chief Inspector Fielke said the arrests were a “fantastic” result for police.

“We’ve taken out some of the key decision-makers of the Comanchero of South Australia in this particular incident,” he said.

“So you take away decision-makers and leaders of a group, you have a distinct impact on their day-to-day activities and whatever they may or may not be planning.”

Detective Chief Inspector Fielke said police had been targeting the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs “more stringently” following recent shootings in Adelaide’s north.

“Clearly there’s been tensions between at least two outlaw motorcycle gang groups in the last few weeks,” he said.

“Those investigations are ongoing.”

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Categories
US

1 killed, 2 hurt in shooting at Mirage hotel on Las Vegas Strip

1 killed, 2 hurt in shooting at Mirage hotel on Las Vegas Strip

1 killed in hotel room, police confirm

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Las Vegas Metro police are investigating a deadly shooting at the Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip that left one man dead and two women injured.

The shooting happened in a hotel room around 8:30 pm Thursday, LVMPD Capt. Dori Koren said early Friday morning.

The 8 News Now I-Team first reported the information Thursday night through sources. Officers arrived on the scene within a minute of the 911 call, Koren said.

An altercation happened in the room between four people who all knew each other, Koren said. One person in the room shot the three others, Koren said. The shooter then left the room.

Deadly shooting investigation at Mirage (KLAS)

The injured shooting victims were taken to UMC hospital, Koren said. They were listed in critical condition as of Friday morning.

“Any types of extreme violence in our city we take very seriously,” Koren said. “You’ve seen it in all the investigations we conduct. We are confident we will solve this case.”

Police were looking for the suspect as of Friday morning. Investigators had isolated a variety of areas in the hotel as part of their investigation, Koren said.

The shooting prompted hotel security and Metro police to restrict access to the property. Video from guests showed police entering the hotel and casino with shields.

Police did not issue a photo of the suspect, but said at least one person who was in the room has ties to the area. Koren said there was no threat to the public.

Security allowed guests back onto the property around 10:50 pm

“We are investigating a shooting in a hotel room at the Mirage,” Metro police tweeted shortly after 10 pm “One person has been pronounced deceased. This is an active investigation and we will provide more information as it becomes available. Please avoid the area.”

Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 702-385-5555 or at crimesstoppersofnv.com/report-a-crime. Information can also be sent via text by sending “CRIMENV” and then your message to “CRIMES” (274637). Crime Stoppers offers a reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Stay with 8 News Now as this story develops.

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Categories
Sports

Former Adelaide Crow Josh Jenkins speaks out about controversial camp days after Eddie Betts’s book release

Former Adelaide Crow Josh Jenkins speaks out about controversial camp days after Eddie Betts's book release

Retired AFL player Josh Jenkins has called for a “damning report” by a club doctor following the Adelaide Crows’ controversial 2018 camp to be made public and says he was moved on from the club for being a “problem child.”

Jenkins has spoken publicly about the camp for the first time, backing up former teammate Eddie Betts — who has released a book this week which details the trauma he experienced as a result of the 2018 camp.

As well as outlining his own experience at the camp, Jenkins has called for the findings from a report conducted by club doctor Marc Cesana after the camp to be made public.

“No-one has ever acted on that report, which I know is damning,” Jenkins told Melbourne radio station SEN.

“The report must see the light of day. It’s the only example of a medical professional who had day-to-day dealings with the people and players who were involved. He was concerned about us.

“He expressed his disappointment to me about what happened to us, but never disclosed the details of what he’d discussed with other players.”

In a statement, the Adelaide Crows said the club was not in a position to publicly share private medical information relating to its people.

“While under investigation, the club provided the doctor’s report, without identifying individuals, to both the AFL and SafeWork SA,” it said.

Jenkins also claimed the club’s welfare manager was “iced out” of all discussions, planning and follow-up conversations regarding the camp.

Josh Jenkins and Darcy Fogarty give each other a high five during the Crows' encounter against the Bulldogs.
Josh Jenkins says he had asked facilitators not to use information about his upbringing during the camp.(AAP: Kelly Barnes)

In detailing the events of the camp, Jenkins said he was one of 10 players and two coaches who were part of the more intensive “group one” version of the camp.

He said he had reservations about taking part in the camp and tried to get himself out of it on numerous occasions.

“I recall us going around the circle and accepting the challenge whilst a couple of players needed to be withdrawn due to injury issues, as well as one player being removed because of some personal trauma he’d recently experienced,” Jenkins said.

“Hearing he was removed because his personal trauma may be too much on top of what we were about to endure had alarm bells ringing inside my head.”

Jenkins, who was raised by his non-biological grandmother, said he provided a “supposed counsellor” with details about his childhood prior to going on the camp.

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Categories
US

Growing wildfire causes entire town of Lind to be evacuated

Growing wildfire causes entire town of Lind to be evacuated

According to initial reports from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday’s fire destroyed 14 buildings (six houses and eight other structures).

ADAMS COUNTY, Wash. — A wildfire three miles south of Lind on Thursday destroyed approximately six homes and several other structures. One firefighter was sent to a hospital in Spokane in eastern Washington due to smoke inhalation.

The fire started at approximately 11:45 am on Thursday and burned 2,000 acres, according to the Washington State Fire Marshal.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports that fire crews have contained the flames. Firefighters will remain in Lind overnight to ensure the blaze remains controlled.

Lind, a town with less than 600 residents, was under an evacuation notice Thursday. Sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door to alert people in the city about the evacuation. It is unknown exactly how many people left their homes.

Flames threatened residential houses, crops and infrastructure. The fire destroyed 14 buildings (six houses and eight other structures) in total, Adams County Sheriff Dale J. Wagner said on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page.

Washington State Patrol (WSP) Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources at 1:15 pm on Wednesday at the request of Fire Chief Kevin Starring, Adams County Fire District 2. Two airplanes and one helicopter assisted with containment.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

This is a developing news story and we will provide more updates as they become available.

Photos: Wildfire burning near Lind, Wash.

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