Missing wood leads to attack on employee
Legal proceedings have been initiated against the Production Manager of Cummings Wood Products, Joshua Cummings after he allegedly lured an employee to the environs of the Linden- Soesdyke Highway, where the work was reportedly beaten by a gang over some missing wood.Joshua CummingsRepresented by Attorney-at-Law Jerome Khan, the 21-year-old former student of Queen’s College was arraigned before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Wales Magistrate’s Court, where he denied allegations to the effect that on May 22, 2017, he assaulted Virtual Complainant (VC) Dwaine Wilkinson, occasioning actual bodily harm.Reports are the VC, who is employed as a truck driver at the said company, and his boss had embarked on a journey on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway to purchase an engine for a Caterpillar machine when he was attacked by several men with pieces of wood.According to Wilkinson’s version of the events, he thought that they were both being attacked until his boss confronted him unharmed and demanded to know what happened to the missing lumber. The injured man was reportedly dropped off at the residence of an acquaintance and was told that if anyone enquired, he should say he was attacked by some men to whom he is indebted.Conversely, the defence counsel for Cummings related the defendant’s version of events, which was in total contradiction to the VC’s version. Attorney Khan bashed the “fabricated allegations” attesting that the claims stem from a failed attempt to rob Cummings, as the initial plan “backfired”.The lawyer related that Wilkinson had told his client that he knew someone on the highway, who was willing to sell them an engine for their equipment. The truck driver then suggested that they take the drive on the afternoon of May 22 to consult with the potential seller, to which his boss wholeheartedly agreed.Khan continued that the VC had instructed his client to pick him up at the company’s branch in Yarakabra, and Cummings complied. The defendant was reportedly further instructed to divert off the main road onto an unfamiliar trail when Wilkinson suggested that they abandon the vehicle to “look” for the buyer. At this point, a suspicious Cummings objected and opted to remain in his vehicle which contained large sums of cash among other valuables, as Wilkinson disappeared along the deserted trail for several minutes.Following the VC’s failure to return after 10 minutes, Cummings became more suspicious, the Attorney reported, as attempts to call him on his cellular phone proved futile, since the area was outside of signal reach. The defendant then decided to drive out back to the public road; he contacted his father as soon as he had signal coverage and relayed what happened to him. The senior Cummings ordered that his son abort the journey for his own safety after suspecting that something was amiss. By the time the young man returned home, it was dark and it was only until the next morning upon receiving a call from the Police that he became aware that Wilkinson was battered in relation to wood being missing at his lumber yard, according to the allegations put to him by officials.Khan related that his client cooperated at all times with Police during the course of the investigation, providing a full statement under caution in which he denied any knowledge of the occurrence.Based on reports reaching this publication, the VC furthermore tried to fabricate evidence by rounding up persons to testify in his favour which only came to light recently when they (the alleged witnesses), during a confrontation with Police, revealed that they were coerced to give false statements in court.Cummings was granted bail in the sum of $30,000 and the matter was transferred to the Linden Magistrate’s Court to be heard on July 4.
3:48 AM PST Sunday 12 February 2017Wind warning in effect for:B.C. North Peace RiverB.C. South Peace RiverStrong winds that may cause damage are expected or occurring.Winds will reach gusts of 90 km/h later this morning.A strong ridge of high pressure will remain just to the south of BC as a deep low pressure centre crosses the southern Yukon today. The resulting southwest flow over the central BC will strengthen this morning. Winds will ease this evening as the low moves eastward.Advertisement UPDATE: Environment Canada now says we could see wind gust from 80 km/h to 100 km/h.FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – A wind warning issued Saturday remains in effect for the B.C. Peace region. The warning says gusts could reach up to 90 km/h Sunday morning.A southwest flow over central B.C. will strengthen Sunday morning causing the extreme wind gusts. Winds will then ease Sunday evening as the low moves to the east.- Advertisement -The City of Fort St. John issued a warning Saturday saying events at the annual High on Ice Winter Fest may have to be cancelled if the forecast for high winds is correct. As of Sunday morning, all of the events planned for Sunday were a go. If that changes, updates will be posted on our Facebook page or you can also check the City’s Facebook page.The strong winds have caused several power outages in the B.C. Peace. As of 7 a.m. Sunday morning there were 5 small outages affecting just under 300 customers in the area of Hudson’s Hope and near Chetwynd. For updates on power outages, visit www.bchydro.com/outagesBelow is a copy of the full weather warning from Environment Canada.Advertisement Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur. High winds may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break.
TAYLOR, B.C. – According to multiple reports, a tow truck has spun out on the South Taylor Hill.There has been no further update in regards to delays or when the road will be cleared.This is a developing story and we will have more updates once they become available.- Advertisement –
Luke Murphy’s stunning goal for Leeds was enough to beat Championship leaders Bournemouth at Elland Road.The club are now six points clear of the relegation zone, while their opponents remain top, one point in front of Boro, who beat Cardiff.Leeds’ last win came on 29 November when they beat Derby 2-0 and supporters have had to endure an eight-game winless run which has included five defeats.Midfielder Murphy has been at the club since moving from Crewe in 2013 and following the 25-year-old’s first half goal, fans got pretty excited (check out the Vine below his goal)… 1 Luke Murphy 
But here is what’s well worth doing something about. School performance is closely related to income levels, and students in low-income neighborhoods are mostly Latino or black. We can’t assume that all, or even most, come from families indifferent to success. We also can’t assume that nothing can be done to raise test scores at underperforming schools in poor neighborhoods. There are too many success stories that prove the opposite, in high-performing districts like Long Beach and Garden Grove (both winners of the prestigious Broad Award), but some in low-performing districts, too. Sacramento Bee columnist Daniel Weintraub pointed out that students at Ralph Bunche Elementary School in Compton outperform their peers consistently despite the fact that 97 percent of them are low-income. In the latest test scores, 79 percent of black fourth-graders and 71 percent of Latino fourth-graders at Bunche were proficient in math, compared with 30 percent in the rest of Compton Unified. The Bunche school at one time was in the bottom 10 percent of schools statewide, and now ranks among the best. The transformation began a few years ago when Mikara Solomon Davis became principal while still in her 20s and put together a group of teachers who, like her, were determined to show that all students can learn. Dozens of other schools have demonstrated the same thing, although statewide, hundreds are failing. We can do better, which is what nearly all parents want for their children. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he wants to bring together legislators of both parties and educators next year to focus on improving schools and closing the education gap. That’s a big order, considering the burdens of poverty and the challenges of cultural differences. But, as the Bunche school and a growing list of many others have shown, we know it can be done.160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! Some public officials are tippy- toeing around reports that show Latino and black students perform worse than Asians and whites even when they aren’t from poorer families. They should get over it. They also shouldn’t make the mistake Jack O’Connell, state schools superintendent, did in calling it a racial achievement gap. It has nothing to do with race, at least directly. It’s a cultural phenomenon, usually a negative but not always. For example, can you imagine a healthy, happy, hard-working family with strong moral values but, for whatever cultural reasons, without much interest in high academic performance or material wealth? We can. Why fret about changing their goals? 
Sound the klaxons and ready the fax machines – transfer deadline day is imminent.All deals have to be done by 11:00pm on Wednesday night and we have no doubt all 20 Premier League teams are frantically trying to arrange transfers in and out.There are usually the odd surprise deals to go through as some managers keep their cards close to their chests, but others are a little more signposted.READ MORE: Premier League transfers: Done deals so far in summer 2016So, with just days to go, we have taken a look at 14 players who could be set to move on before the window shuts.Click the right arrow above to see which players we think are about to seal transfers… 6. Vicente Iborra (Sevilla) – A £7m deal to Sunderland looked to be done but has stalled slightly. The Sevilla man should sign but it could take some wrangling. 2. Joe Hart (Manchester City) – Claudio Bravo has arrived, Willy Caballero has usurped him, and a transfer is surely on the horizon. Sunderland and Torino are currently front-runners, while AC Milan reportedly have an interest too. 9. Calum Chambers (Arsenal) – In desperate need of a long run in a first-team, the ex-Southampton youngster could be leaving the Gunners on loan before the end of the transfer window. 1. Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool) – Click the right arrow above to see which stars are likely to move clubs before the transfer window shuts this week… – The Frenchman has not had a great couple of months, even if he has been exonerated over an alleged failed drugs test. Now he is being frozen out at Anfield and a loan deal before Wednesday seems likely. 14 10. Lazar Markovic (Liverpool) – A player who looked like a real talent at Benfica, Markovic has not been a success at since joining the Reds for £20m in 2014. He spent last year with Fenerbahce and got two goals in 20 appearances, another transfer, either temporary or permanent, seems likely. 14 14 14 5. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham) – An unpredictable player who has a knack for scoring important goals, the Belgian has not featured once during three games so far and, despite interest from Swansea, appears close to joining West Bromwich Albion. 11. Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Marseille) – Reportedly already training with Tottenham, the winger has not completed a deal yet, despite talk of a move starting in July. It will finally go through this week, unless Daniel Levy has other plans
14 14 7. Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City) – A £32m signing just two summers ago, the Frenchman has struggled to meet high standards at the Etihad. He now seems set to leave the club following John Stones arrival and Nicolas Otamendis continuing improvement. A loan deal is most likely and Spurs reportedly have an interest. 14 14 14 14 8. Ryan Mason (Tottenham) – Spurs could be seeing one of their longest serving players leave this week, Mason has been at the club since being recommended by former midfielder Micky Hazard aged just eight. He has not managed to hold down a starting role since his impressive 2014/15 season, but could flourish at another club with Hull and Sunderland interested. 14 4. Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United) – After much transfer chit-chat, surely the French dynamo will get his move away from St James Park? Several clubs retain an interest in the player but may need the Magpies to drop their valuation before making swoops. 3. Jay Rodriguez (Southampton) – He may have scored his first goal since March 2014 to equalise against Sunderland as the two sides drew 1-1, but a loan deal and regular football seems like it is on the cards for the England international. 14 12. Clinton N’Jie (Tottenham) – Still floating around in state of purgatory due to the Nkoudou deal, NJie will finally get his loan switch when Tottenham sign the Frenchman. 14 14 13. Hal Robson-Kanu (Free Agent) – You might think the Welshman would have sealed an early transfer following his Euro 2016 heroics in France, but he has not been able to get a move so far. He does not have to get a deal done by deadline day but he might want to find a club ASAP, or he will lose all he gained over the summer. 14. Mario Balotelli (Liverpool) – If the former Golden Boy wants to kick start his career, he needs to find a new club, and fast. Turned down by practically every Serie A club, his options diminish by the day, and his stardom fades.
1 Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech have an 80 per cent chance of being fit for Arsenal’s clash with Middlesbrough.The pair have both been sidelined recently through injury and they missed the Gunners’ 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday night.However, Arsene Wenger has revealed both men are in contention to return for this Monday’s trip to the Riverside.“From the last game, I believe that we have a chance of getting Petr Cech back in the squad,” said Wenger.“Laurent Koscielny is joining in today [Friday]. If their tests are positive, they will come back into the squad for Monday’s game.“[Their chances of playing are] 80 per cent. At the moment it’s pretty good, but sometimes the 20 per cent can play a villain’s part in the final preparation.”
U.S. 31 SOUTHBOUND traffic take State Road 56 to Interstate 65 at ScottsburgU.S. 31 NORTHBOUND traffic take S.R. 160 to I-65 at Henryville Motorists are advised to use these alternate routes: The collapse of a 36-inch drainage pipe under U.S. Highway 31 near the 28 mile marker has flooded the north-south roadway in both directions by as much a three feet. Shortly before 5 p.m., Indiana Department of Transportation officials closed U.S. 31 to all traffic.
For highway information, monitor social media sites: www.Facebook.com/INDOTSoutheast and Twitter @INDOTSoutheast. Verify travel plans at TrafficWise: http://www.trafficwise.in.gov. No timetable for repairs has been established at this time. Officials do not believe the highway will fully open to traffic within the next 24 hours.
In times for Valentine’s Day, BackgroundChecks.org ranked the Most Sexually Diseased States in America. The report, released on February 7, 2017, used a combination of STD data published by the CDC, local county and state health data, and social media surveys, to create a comprehensive look at the state of STDs in the US.North Carolina ranked #3 on the top 10 most diseased states list.The top 10 most diseased states in America are Alaska, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama.The states with the least problematic STD problems were New Hampshire, West Virginia, Maine, Vermont, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey.“Everyone should enjoy themselves this Valentine’s Day”, said Trent Wilson, co-author of the research. “We just want people to be a little bit more aware and take the necessary precautions. The amount of STDs out there are staggering, and it’s all completely preventable.”STDs reached an all time high in 2016, according to data released late last year by the CDC. Much of the rise has been attributed to “hook up” apps such as Tindr and Grindr.BackgroundChecks.org is an organization devoted to Public Safety, Online Privacy, Home Security, and Open Government. Their technology tools and resources are used by hundreds of thousands of users each to month. As part of their commitment to public safety, they constantly conduct new research to shed insight on issues that affect the public welfare.The full report, with graphics is available here: http://backgroundchecks.org/these-are-the-most-sexually-diseased-states-in-the-us.html
South Africa’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children was launched at Reiger Park in Boksburg on 25 November. Read the full text of President Jacob Zuma’s speech at the launch.Each year, South Africa marks the campaign of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children between 25 November and 10 December.This year the campaign will be held under the theme: Count Me In: Together Moving a Non-Violent South Africa forward.This year’s 16 Days Campaign is important because we commemorate many milestones. The year 2014 marks 60 years since the signing of the Women’s Charter on 17 April 1954 in Johannesburg.We are also marking 20 years of freedom and democracy in South Africa, as well as 16 years of the 16 Days Campaign.The ANC government adopted the 16 Days Campaign in 1998 as one of the intervention strategies towards creating a society free of violence. The campaign has since grown and attracts people from all walks of life. We are all united by the objective of building safer communities for women and children.One of the key achievements of freedom and democracy is the Constitution of the Republic. The Constitution contains a Bill of Rights which promotes human dignity and equality, including gender equality, and the advancement of human rights and freedoms.The constitutional vision of equality, which incorporates redressing gender and other imbalances, is taken forward in the legislation that promotes equality.This legislation includes amongst others:The Employment Equity Act, the Protection from Harassment Act, which goes further than the Domestic Violence Act in that it aims to protect all victims, the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amended Act. There is also the general criminal law architecture in the country that is available to be used to promote women and children.In this regard, this country has the right policies and legal framework to protect women and children.However, despite this wonderful Constitution and very good laws, the scourge of violence against women and children continues.The violence takes different forms. It includes sexual harassment, abuse, assault, rape and “corrective” rape, domestic violence and other cultural practices that are harmful to women and children.We have had tragic cases of women being brutally killed by their partners or husbands or serial killers.There have also been tragic and horrific cases of children being attacked and killed, such as the little girls from Diepsloot, Anelisa Mkhonto, and cousins Zandile and Yonelisa Mali. Right here in Reiger Park, little Taegrin Morris was also brutally killed by alleged car hijackers. There are others cases here as well and around the country.Premier Makhura has assured me that the Provincial Task Team that is working on the Morris case is doing everything possible to find the perpetrators of this cruel act.We know the pain that this incident caused.We share the pain of the loss of all children in this community and in the country as a whole.This campaign is aimed at highlighting all these forms of abuse and violence and to say enough is enough.As we mark 20 years of freedom and democracy, let us today make a commitment to work together harder than ever before, make South Africa free of violence against women and children.Working together we want to bring an end to the attacks on women and children.Working together we want South Africa to be safer for women and children.This year, we are reaching out to men and boys. We encourage greater participation of men in the campaign of preventing violence against women and children.We urge young men and boys as well to commit themselves to become activists against gender based violence.We are focusing our message on men as well not because South African men are abusive. It is because excluding men from participating actively in this campaign has been a serious shortcoming. Men also have solutions to offer in fighting violence against women and children.All of us have a role to play. That is why the 2014 theme says “Count me in”.As we move forward together, we should remind those suffering abuse and violence that silence must end. Women and children who are victims of abuse must speak out.We also remind women and children that nobody should make them feel guilty for speaking out, even if the perpetrator is a family member. Children in particular need particular care and assistance so that they can speak out and end the abuse.Today we also want to send a clear message to the public. Abusers, murderers and rapists have no place in our communities.We must work with the police and the courts to ensure that these criminals are arrested and convicted of crimes against women and children.All cases of abuse, in both rural and urban areas must be reported to the authorities and police for immediate action.And indeed the police and the courts are making progress in fighting this scourge, with the support of communities.The South African Police Service’s Family violence, child protection and sexual offences units have been doing good work.The number of perpetrators receiving life sentences for violence against women and children has been increasing. In the financial year 2010/11, two hundred and ninety nine perpetrators were sentenced to life imprisonment.In the 2011/12 financial year, the number of perpetrators sentenced to life rose to three hundred and eighty nine.These numbers have been steadily increasing to an extent that in the current financial year, we have six hundred and forty five perpetrators serving life terms for committing similar deeds.In total, one thousand eight hundred and thirty two (1 832) criminals have been sentenced to life imprisonment since the year 2010.Over and above these there are many others serving lengthy jail sentences.We thank members of the community for their contribution to this success rate. Most perpetrators are arrested and convicted because people report these cases, and also, they come forward as witnesses.We also thank women for their resilience.It is not easy to go through the court process for women survivors, to face the perpetrator again. But many do so and give many other women strength.As part of our commitment to fight this scourge, the re-establishment of Sexual Offences Courts continues to be prioritised.Since inception in August 2013 to date, 31 regional courts have been upgraded into sexual offences courtrooms compliant with the new Sexual Offences Courts Model.Through these specialised courts, government intends to reduce the secondary trauma often suffered by the victims.The courts are also intended to reduce the turnaround time in the finalization of cases, to improve the performance of witnesses, increase the conviction rate and most importantly, contribute to the reduction of repeat offences.We believe we are making progress as government in the fight against this scourge. But much more needs to be done. And most of the work requires the support of communities.We cannot win this war working alone.To protect children, we need the support of families and parents in particular. Irresponsible parents and guardians who leave young children unattended and vulnerable to abuse are as guilty as those who commit the crime.We must unite against irresponsible social behaviour and practices.Another contribution that we need from communities is to deepen the fight against alcohol and illegal substance abuse.Alcohol and drug abuse are some of the key root causes of domestic violence, children born with disabilities, abuse, rape and killings. Let us work together to isolate drug dealers and illegal alcohol outlet owners. They must be reported to the police. They should have no place in our communities.Compatriots,The start of the 16 days campaign coincides with United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This campaign also ends on an important day, 10 December which is International Human Rights Day.While the international campaign is marked for 16 days, we urge all South Africans to ensure that this becomes a campaign for all 365 days of the year.We have a vision of a society where we no longer read or hear about the abuse that some women and children suffer at the hands of heartless perpetrators.We are building a society where the women and children are safe at home, at school or at work.We are building a society where children play safely outside and where women walk freely in the streets, without fear of attacks.This is the society that the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children hopes to achieve.That society is achievable if we work together.We appreciate the collaboration between Government and Non-Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organizations, faith-based organizations, traditional leadership and healers as well as the business sector in making everyday a safe and violence free day.We call for more partners to implement a more effective and rigorous plan of the 365 Days National Action Plan.Let us make the theme of this year come alive. Let us work together, moving a non-violent South Africa forward.