As the outer tropical bands continue to spiral into the area, they have the possibility of spinning up a tornado. This watch expires at 10pm.

The Oso Creek flooding warning has been cancelled with a lower forecast crest today (Last night it was up over flood stage).

Also, the waters near the Texas State Aquarium and Art Museum of South Texas on either side of the port have receded. Interesting to note here...The tide was only 3-4 ft. above normal at this location. Not much of a rise for such a dramatic affect.

Tornado Warning in effect until 11 AM. This includes San Diego, TX extending into Rosita, TX.

Center of Tropical Storm Hanna moving west-southwest near 9 MPH. Motion is expected through Monday. Will move over northeastern Mexico tonight.

Maximum sustained winds down to 45 MPH. It has weakened immensely since landfall. This will soon become a Tropical Depression by the afternoon/evening over Mexico.

Tornado Warning including Charco, TX until 9:30 AM. Also, penny size hail possible within this particular storm. This is northeast of Corpus Christi.

Heres a look at what kind of wind speeds we had yesterday. Baffin Bay reported a wind speed of 81 MPH closer to the center of the hurricane. Incredible!

Source: National Weather Service

In addition, Coastal Flood Warnings in effect. Numerous roads will be closed, beach roads impassable and low lying property will be inundated.

As the outer tropical bands continue to spiral into the area, they have the possiblity of spinning up a tornado. This is just a watch. We're watching out because conditions are favorable for isolated activity. Nothing as of right now.

This has been recently updated. It expires at 10 PM tonight. (7:50 AM Update)

As the outer tropical bands continue to spiral into the area, they have the possiblity of spinning up a tornado. This is just a watch. We're watching out because conditions are favorable for isolated...

Hanna is now a weakening Tropical Storm crossing the Mexico border after moving into Starr county. This will dive into Mexico falling apart through Monday. This will continue to send in waves of tropical rain through the day today leading to potential flooding.

6 AM UPDATE Hanna is now a weakening Tropical Storm crossing the Mexico border after moving into Starr county. This will dive into Mexico falling apart through Monday. This will continue to send in...

Hanna is now a Tropical Storm. Winds sustained 60 MPH.

Moving West Southwest bear 9 MPH.

Will continue to weaken as it moves into Mexico through tonight.

Hanna is currently a tropical storm pushing over the western Rio Grande Valley.

Photos/video of damage at Marina Del Sol Marina on Ocean Drive in Corpus Christi. Not associated with the Marina Del Sol Condominiums. Emergency crews attempting to rescue a couple from their house boat.

Most of North Beach underwater. Water looks to be flooding the first floor of the Art Museum downtown:

Traffic signal nearly hits pickup truck on South Padre Island Drive:

Hurricane Hanna wind and rain bands:

Facebook Live Q&A with Bill Vessey: 8:45 p.m.

Friday evening tropical update w/Meteorologist Bill Vessey

From the National Weather Service:

Hanna continues to drive west-northwest as a moderate Tropical Storm. However, based on recent satellite imagery, it's in the process of forming an eyewall. This will aid in strengthening through tomorrow morning. The National Hurricane Center is calling for a Category 1 just before landfall Saturday afternoon.

The 3News Weather Team and National Hurricane Center are following the very latest on Tropical Storm Hanna as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico towards the Texas coast.

Below are the latest updates on the storm.

2PM, TROPICAL STORM HANNA Facebook LiveAlan Holt 3 News Meteorologist

UPDATE: 1 p.m.

Winds have increased to 50 mph, with gusts of 60 mph in Tropical Storm Hanna. Strengthening is expected through landfall, Saturday afternoon. Current forecast has Hanna making landfall along the South Texas Gulf Coast early Saturday afternoon. Winds at 65 mph with gusts of 75 mph.

Tropical Storm Hanna has strengthened a little this morning. Sustained winds of 45 mph, up from 40 mph last night/this morning. The forecast track at 10am has not changed a whole lot; just a slight jog to the South, but still in line to move in Saturday afternoon along the South Texas Gulf Coast. Intensity forecast still calls for a 65mph tropical storm with gusts up to 75 mph. Highest winds will be confined to near the center of the storm. If I had to pick a spot for landfall of the center of this storm it would be in the Baffin Bay area. Remember, tropical storm force conditions can and will likely extend 50 miles or so away from the center of the storm.

At this point, I do not think winds are forecast to be high enough to warrant boarding of windows. That being said, they will be strong enough to blow loose items around, so SECURE THOSE TODAY.

Flash Flood Watches will be in effect all weekend as flooding rains are expected throughout all of South Texas. Heaviest rains and highest totals will be focused in deep South Texas in the valley.

UPDATE: 8:55 a.m. --Live Question and Answer Session:

Alan Holt 3 News MeteorologistTROPICAL UPDATE - Tropical Storm Hanna.Recording starting at 9:07am

A pair of upper level lows flanking Hanna to the East and SW are aiding in outflow (exhaust) of the storm, which should warrant a strengthening storm plus hurricane hunters finding stronger winds.

Been getting questions on why this is trending south. In my opinion, the upper level low to the SW of Hanna is tugging the storm to the south but that ULL is moving away and weakening a little.

There's some wind shear in the northern gulf which is affecting some of the northernflank of the storm.

Overall, I'd expect the 10 a.m. update to indicate a stronger tropical storm. We'll see.

Given the current forecast of Tropical Storm Hanna bringing tropical storm force conditions to South Texas (39-73 mph winds), there will probably be some power outages in the region, Saturday. Keep in mind, sometimes power gets knocked out on breezy/sunny days (30-40 mph winds)

Alan Holt 3 News Meteorologist Given the current forecast of Tropica... l Storm Hanna bringing tropical storm force conditions to South Texas (39-73 mph winds), there will probably be some power outages in the region, Saturday. Keep in mind, sometimes power gets knocked out on breezy/sunny days (30-40 mph winds)

Coastal Effects and Key takeaways from Tropical Storm Hanna, Saturday.

UPDATE: July 23 9:58 p.m.

Latest update brings Tropical Depression #8 to Tropical Storm strength (Hanna), Friday. Landfall near San Antonio Bay/Copano Bay Saturday morning or early afternoon with 50 mph winds; gusts up to 60-65 mph, into Mexico as a tropical depression on Sunday. Flooding rains still the primary hazard.

Tropical Storm Watches will go into effect Friday night and into Saturday as this system approaches. While winds are forecast to be strong, it is not to the point of boarding up yet. Loose lawn items need to be secured or brought in prior to Saturday. A trend that I've noted over the last 24 hours is forecast models increasing wind speeds little by little. The latest run of models brings in moderate tropical storm force conditions as this storm makes landfall Saturday.

Tropical downpours, dropping heavy rains, leading to flooding remains the primary threat. Widespread 4-6" expected across the Coastal Bend. Isolated higher totals. This will likely lead to ponding/standing water or impassable roads on Saturday. Travel is discouraged, Saturday.

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LATEST: The Oso Creek flooding warning has been cancelled with a lower forecast crest today. - KIIITV.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 28-year-old woman was struck and killed by a suspected hit-and-run driver while she was trying to cross the Staten Island Expressway early on Friday morning, according to police.

Police responded to a 911 call of a crash involving a pedestrian on the New Jersey-bound expressway in the vicinity of Richmond Road, according to a statement from the NYPD.

The incident was reported at 3:11 a.m., a spokesman for the FDNY/EMS said.

Upon arrival, officers saw a 28-year-old woman who was unconscious and unresponsive lying on the roadway near the HOV lane. She suffered trauma on her body and was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, the police statement said.

Further investigation by the NYPD Highway Districts Collision Investigation Squad determined that the woman was attempting to walk across the New Jersey-bound expressway in the vicinity of the Clove Road/Richmond Road/Targee Street exits when she was struck by an vehicle that did not remain at the scene, the police statement said.

The investigation continues and a description for the vehicle is not yet available.

A police spokesman said the woman lived in Brooklyn; her identity is pending family notification, the police statement said.

A source with knowledge of the incident said that the initial call was for an emotionally disturbed person at that location on that expressway.

All lanes were reopened to traffic by 6:45 a.m., after two lanes still were blocked around 6 a.m. Lane closures began around 3:30 a.m., according to 511 NY.

More information will be posted when it becomes available.

Read the rest here:

Cops: Woman, 28, killed trying to cross Staten Island Expressway in suspected hit-run - SILive.com

A man who died in a four-wheel-drive vehicle rollover crash on Fraser Island off south-east Queensland on the weekend has been remembered as a talented soccer player and "much-loved character".

NSW man Deklan Gilmartin, 29, originally from the UK, was driving along 75 Mile Beach on the island with three friends on Sunday morning when their hire car rolled.

Mr Gilmartin died at the scene.

His three friends also understood to be British nationals living in New South Wales survived the crash.

Two of the men were discharged from hospital yesterday and a third remains in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

Football New South Wales released a statement yesterday praising the midfielder, who had played semi-professional soccer in Sydney's eastern and southern suburbs.

It said Mr Gilmartin was a much-loved player who "always played with a smile".

"Football NSW was deeply saddened to hear the news of the tragic passing of one of our well-liked characters in our game, Deklan Gilmartin," the statement said.

"His infectious personality is what characterised Gilmartin, who also played for Coogee United in the Eastern Suburbs Football Association, Spirit FC and Futsal side Mascot Vipers.

"May he rest in heavenly peace."

Coogee United FC announced the club was "heartbroken" by the news, describing him as "arguably the most gifted player we've ever had but it was Dek's tremendous love of life off the park that people adored even more".

"Our club will never be the same again and we will miss Dek so much," the post said.

"Our thoughts and love are with the Gilmartin family at this terrible time.

"RIP Dekkers, you really were one of a kind and will always be in our hearts."

Dave Darmody, from the Australian Offroad Academy, trains people to drive on Fraser Island and said the beach was a "dynamic environment" where conditions change quickly.

"The edge of the road is literally moving every five seconds with the waves," he said.

"There is no painted white line down the middle of the road.

"You can drive down a beach at low tide and have a fabulous day out and actually find completely different conditions as you drive back that night."

Mr Darmody said the news of Mr Gilmartin's death was "just shattering" but fatal accidents on the island were "thankfully rare".

"You probably have more bingles at your local shopping centre every afternoon, but sadly, when they happen [on Fraser Island], they're serious," he said.

Maryborough Patrol Group Inspector Tony Clowes said it was still "very early days" in the investigation into what caused the crash.

"My understanding is the conditions weren't too poorly they were driving near the water's edge we haven't been able to determine if speed was a factor," he said.

He urged beach drivers to "drive to the conditions".

More here:

Fraser Island crash victim Deklan Gilmartin remembered as investigation continues into deadly vehicle rollover - ABC News

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (KVEO) While thousands in the Rio Grande Valley are being told to shelter-in-place, one local business is encouraging people to come out and enjoy the sunshine.

South Padre Island is open, so are national parks, state parks, we are no different if people want to come, said Clayton Brashear, the owner of Claytons Beach Bar and Grill, Claytons is the biggest beach bar in Texas and the safest beach bar in Texas.

But recently, Brashear has been facing heat on social media after posting to Facebook encouraging elderly people to head to the beach.

He says the posts have been taken out of context and have since been deleted.

Social media, we can get it wrong sometimes, I get social media wrong, my idea is to put a post or information that South Padre Island is welcoming, but at the same time bring your mask and social distance, said Brashear.

He says he is taking the pandemic serious and is practicing safe measures at the beach bar.

Everybody that comes into the bar has to wear a mask to order drinks to go, employees have hand sanitizer on the bar next to them, we have sanitizing stations inside close to the restrooms, we have them in different areas, we are a big place, Claytons is 30,000 square feet so people go out and buy food, were outdoors, were all learning how to social distance, said Brashear.

South Padre Island City beaches are open, however there is an emergency order in place. The details are below:

* All types of canopies and pop-up tents will be prohibited. Single-pole shade structures larger than 8 feet (96-inches) in diameterwill be prohibited.

You can read the entire order here.

If youre headed to the beach, follow the order below:

BEACH VENDORS:* Beach vendors can only preset the front-row following thespacing guidelines below.* All non-single pole shade structures will be prohibited.* All single-pole shade structures will be separated by a minimumof 15 feet from the outside edge/tip of the structure.* All secondary beach chairs and umbrellas must be stored at thedune line and setup on demand only.* Chairs and umbrellas must be rented and occupied at the time of * setup, for the secondary rows.* Only two chairs per single pole shade structure will be permitted.

BEACH GOERS:* All types of canopies and pop-up tents will be prohibited. Single-pole shade structures larger than 8 feet (96-inches) in diameterwill be prohibited.* All single-pole shade structures will be separated by a minimumof 15 feet from the outside edge/tip of the structure.* Only two chairs per single pole shade structure will be permitted.* Other setups are prohibited within the 15 feet between theequipment.

This emergency management order will remain in effect until August 5, 2020, at 11:59 p.m.

Peace Officers, City of South Padre Island Health Inspectors, Code Enforcement/Ordinance Officers/Inspectors are hereby authorized to enforce this order. A violation of this order is a Class C Misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00 in accordance with the City of South Padre Island Code of Ordinances.

The Mayor and the Emergency Management Coordinator can close the beach at any time if social distancing is not followed.

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South Padre Island bar owner encourages people to visit SPI - KGBT-TV

As Long Island continues its recovery from the devastating effects of COVID-19, there are clouds on the near horizon that should alarm everyone. While the pandemic rages on in places like Florida, concerns grow here that a second wave could hit us later in the summer or early in the fall, which would force us to take a big step backward.

Beyond worry about a resurgence, though, are all the signs that highlight the pandemics devastating impact on Long Islands economy repercussions that could last for years and will reach into everyones pocketbooks.

A recent report laid out in stark terms what COVID-19 has done to the economy. In March and April, as the pandemic intensified, 270,000 jobs were lost on Long Island. Those jobs evaporated at a far higher rate than even in New York City and other suburban counties in the state.

The report predicted that job losses in Nassau and Suffolk could top 375,000 by the end of the year. The estimated price tag: $61 billion in local economic activity. This deep hole made worse by huge losses in sales tax and other government revenues will have to be filled somehow, either through steep cuts in government spending or sharp increases in taxes.

In releasing the economic report, county officials documented a Long Island economy that fell off a steep cliff after COVID-19 struck. Some 82,000 hospitality industry jobs vanished; health care lost 60,000 jobs. Retail enterprises the very heart of small town economies totaled about 52,000 jobs lost.

Gov. Andrew Cuomos budget office said in May that statewide financial losses would require either $10 billion in spending cuts or higher taxes. State officials also said then that sales tax revenue on Long Island had fallen by more than 33% over May 2019.

Theres no doubt that state aid to Long Islands school districts will fall some estimate by as much as $8 billion. In one of the most heavily taxed regions in America, this will be a heavy hit for residents who will be asked to pick up the tab.

The consultants who did the economic study estimated that revenues for Suffolk County for this year will fall by at least $325 million. County officials have said the budget gap in the county, which has 1.4 million residents, could top $800 million.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said that shortfall could soar to $1.5 billion over the next 15 months.

Right now, our regional economic future looks grim. Census records in recent months also show that New York has one of the highest rates of residents relocating to states with lower taxes.

The current economic crisis will only make that worse.

See the original post here:

Shelter Island Reporter Editorial: Paying the price of the pandemic - Shelter Island Reporter

Unlike most of the islands in the Fergus Estuary, Co Clare, Coney Island reveals some of its past immediately on approaching the pier. Where the other islands, such as Inishmacowney or OGradys Island, are surrounded by dense tree cover, Coney Island presents an open aspect where the start of a street can be observed. It has a somewhat austere appearance reminiscent of a Scottish island with foreboding buildings near the shore.

The old school building is adjacent to the pier where children from some of the nearby islands were schooled. This is Inisdadrom School which takes its name from the Irish word for the island - the island of the two backs. Coney and Inisdadrom appear to be coterminous, but on some maps, the Irish name refers only to a peninsula jutting out from its mainland which is cut off at high tide.

The islands character today is defined by lush green fields that are grazed by cattle. It is a little hard to get your head around the fact that the island once supported a population of 145 people (1841). The predominant name was Ginnane or Guinnane with Normoyle and Meaney also significant. With good limestone land supplemented by seaweed used as a fertiliser, the breadwinners on the island had a reliable means by which to earn a living. The sale of seaweed was also a source of income and was regularly sold to the mainland.

Coney is also distinct in that it has the ruins of two churches: one, a 6th-century structure built by St Brendan of Ardfert.

Just up from the pier, the past has assuredly caught up with Coney Island. Several old houses line the road with deciduous trees bursting through the roofs and out through the windows.

Ah, but not all of this islands its mysteries are revealed at once. Past the village, the old boreen rises and falls through the 2m hedges. They are thronged with cranesbill, dog rose, speedwell, orchids, tumbling briars, and teeming with life and energy from the activity of the bees.

The road leads on and suggests that something awaits. Surely some revelation is at hand, as Yeats was wont to say.

No second coming, but as the road reaches a summit, what has to be one of the most extraordinary views in the country from the top of the northernmost back displays itself. Looking downriver to the assemblage of other islands in the estuary, Low Island, Blackthorn Island, and Canon Island, the River Fergus is joined by the mighty Shannon and the two rivers flow on to the Atlantic 40km downstream. An incredible volume of water surges through this confluence. Looking north the view looks right down the runway at Shannon Airport with more islands in between, Deenish and Feenish. To the south, the mountains line up: Knockfeerina; the Galtees, Ballyhouras.

Far below, the traditional wooden boat known as a gandelow has pulled up on Rat Island and its two occupants set about gathering mussels. Their voices carry over the stillness, almost distinguishable.

And then the second revelation. A memorial monument, now without a plaque, was erected by the father of Captain John Foster Fitzgerald, who was killed in a cavalry charge in the Punjab, India in 1848. Foster Fitzgerald saw action with the 14th light dragoons in a mission to suppress a Sikh uprising. He was 27 when he was killed. His father, also a British army officer, had connections to the island having been born in Co Clare.

He was described on the recorded lettering as knight commander of the Bath of Carigoran family in the County Clare. It described his son thus in the words of poet Robbie Burns: None who knew him need be told/ A warmer heart death neer made cold.

The Fergus Estuary is one of several Coney islands in the country. There is one in West Cork, one in Sligo, and another at Lough Neagh. Van Morrisons famous Coney Island is not an island but is connected to the mainland by an isthmus between the villages of Ardglass and Killough.

Originally posted here:

The Islands of Ireland: Coney's monument to paradise in Clare - Irish Examiner

ISTANBUL

Greek islands were once popular tourist destinations for Turkish tourists who could arrive at the picturesque hotspots just a stones throw away from Turkey. But now local officials are working on bringing local tourists to Ayvalk, a uniquely beautiful resort town reminiscent of the Greek islands.

The local officials have invited the local tourists to holiday in the resort town before summer is over, salvaging whats left of the tourism season damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the end of the summer season, come and enjoy the Nature Park as well as 22 islands, Ayvalk Mayor Mesut Ergin said.

Speaking to hlas News Agency, Ergin stated that the name of Ayvalk was Kidonia in ancient times, meaning quince, and added, Nature has offered such a beauty to Ayvalk; it has been so generous that it is our duty to protect these beauties, to preserve the historical texture to the next generations and to keep the infrastructure and the economy in a stronger way.

Ergin said that Ayvalk, which is the only tourism destination with 22 islands, is known as the Land of Winds in mythology and it is a unique opportunity for those who want to cool off on hot summer days. He that the holiday-goers can enjoy their holiday by joining the boat tours in the deep and cold waters of the islands, enjoy the appetizers made of herb varieties in the warm places of Cunda Island, eat papalina fish that is unique to the region and return to their homes with unforgettable memories.

The mayor said that the sunset, the magnificent birth of the full moon, the pleasure of hammock in the afternoon, the smell of red, pink, white and oleander flowers, pumpkin flower and stuffed mussels have very special tastes in Ayvalk, and added, Olives, olive oil and fragrant soaps are meticulously produced with special techniques. These are the most beautiful and meaningful gifts to be taken to friends after the holidays.Noting that those who came to Ayvalk for a holiday start making plans to move there, Ergin said: Each of the 22 islands in Ayvalk district has a different feature and memory. The biggest one of these islands is Ali Bey Island, also known as Cunda Island. A bridge was built in 1964 and the island connected to Lale Island and then to the district center.

This bridge is also the first such bridge built in Turkey. The other islands were declared a national park in 1995 and they were banned for settlement. These islands are reached by boats that organize tours. With its historical and cultural richness, sea and nature, Ayvalk is home to local and foreign tourists every year. In addition to hostels and boutique hotels, there are accommodation facilities for every budget, he added.

Emphasizing that besides its sea, sand and magnificent nature, Ayvalk has 4,000 buildings, 2,000 of which are registered and have a unique texture, Ergin said, There are many places to visit in Ayvalk. Those who want to spend a peaceful holiday away from the noise of the city are especially preferred. As an old Greek settlement, it is rushed by local and foreign tourists. It is necessary to take at least two or three days to visit the historical Greek houses, eytan Sofras [Devils Table], Sarmsakl Beach, Cunda Island, Taksiyarhis Church, Ayazma Church, narl Mosque and many more. Those who plan to take a sea vacation in Ayvalk prefer May and September, when the highest temperature of the season is seen. However, you can visit every season to see its historical and natural beauties.

Read more:

Eyes turn to Ayvalk as nearby Greek islands borders shut - Hurriyet Daily News

"The effect of this kind of project would be devastating," Dave Reilly said at the June public hearing. "This project would absolutely overwhelm the island."

The site is zoned for manufacturing but it's surrounded by more single-family homes, along with some business properties and a hotel, and the island as a whole hasn't seen a commercial development of this scale in its history.

Late last Monday afternoon, more than 50 members of a coalition of project critics protested outside Town Hall. The same group said it has collected nearly 1,000 signatures on anti-Amazon petitions and has a goal of collecting 1,000 more.

Some Grand Island residents are urging people to oppose the Amazon "Project Olive" development in the town.

Grand Island has a list of investments it wants Amazon to make in the town. Whitney has declined to make the list public while negotiations continue but sources have described it as substantial.

Finally, while Onondaga County officials made a public push for the project, their counterparts in Erie County had said little about Project Olive since February. This changed late last week when Poloncarz touted the project's value to the region in an interview with The News and at a news conference the following day.

Poloncarz said his office has worked on the project for two years and he doesn't want to see Erie County lose it.

While the amount of tax breaks Trammell Crow and Amazon would receive hasn't been made public, the developer under an anticipated payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, agreement would pay $51 million to Grand Island, Erie County and the Grand Island School District over 15 years.

Excerpt from:

As Grand Island project stalls, massive Amazon center near Syracuse is built - Buffalo News

The vacation rental market isnt what it used to be before the coronavirus pandemic.

Vacation home owners across the country have recast their properties as safe and remote bases to ride out the pandemic, extended rental periods to months and even season-long, and of course upped the rental rate.

The owner of a private island in Maine took what he called a massive pivot and turned part of his island from an event space for the well-heeled into a safe and secure haven for the well-heeled, according to the New York Post.

Noah Gordon is asking $250,000 per week for the 12-acre property on House Island, which he says has safety and security in spades.

It has five beaches, views of Portland and the Casco Bay and three homes with a total of 10 bedrooms. Theres also three helicopter takeoff and landing zones, as well as deep-water anchorages that can accommodate the deep draft of modern yachts.

Gordon said he previously planned to add a yacht club, but thats now on hold. In 2017, the property hosted the wedding of Christi Pirro and Zak Schwarzman. Pirro is the daughter of Fox News personality Jeanine Pirro.

Top vacation destinations have seen a surge in demand since the pandemic hit. Wealthy New Yorkers flocked to the Hamptons beginning in March and April. Some rental owners have reportedly doubled their prices and now even wealthy folks are being priced out. [NYP] Dennis Lynch

See the original post here:

A Maine island marketed as a safe and secure haven wants $250K per week - The Real Deal

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The man was not wearing a life vest and as struggling in the water, according to dispatch.

A link has been sent to your friend's email address.

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Campbell County and BooneCounty rescuecrews are searching for a 52-year-old man in the Ohio River nearPendery Park, according toHamilton County Dispatch.

The Coast Guard called dispatch shortly before 2 p.m. The man was not wearing a life vest and was struggling in the water, according to Hamilton County.

The identity of the man is unknown.

The Enquirer will update this story as more information becomes available.

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/07/26/dispatch-water-rescue-progress-ohio-river-near-coney-island/5515197002/

July 26, 2020, 8:21 a.m.

July 25, 2020, 9:20 a.m.

July 25, 2020, 6:10 p.m.

July 26, 2020, 8:46 a.m.

July 26, 2020, 7:23 a.m.

July 26, 2020, 12:39 p.m.

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Dispatch: Water rescue in progress for 52-year-old man on Ohio River - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Certainly feels like dj vu all over again. Virgin Islanders awoke on Wednesday to read headlines detailing the awarding of a lucrative no-bid contract to a friend/ relative of the Governor. People scratched their heads and asked what had happened to the change they had been promised and had voted for. Was it nepotism? The facts are not yet fully known and therefore it may be too soon to label it as such.

The League of Women Voters of the Virgin Islands (LWV Vi) acknowledges that in a community as small as ours, it is understandable that administrators might find it necessary on occasion to appoint relatives/friends to high positions or award contracts to them. However, we would assume that such appointments or awards had been made, as all others, on a competitive basis using specific metrics that demonstrate unequivocally that the talents and experience / expertise of the relative/friend rose above all others applying for the award or appointment. Failing that, it sure would smell like nepotism. Giving the young a chance is unquestionably a worthy goal but, again, the award must still be able to pass the smell test of nepotism.

Many mainland states have laws to prevent nepotism from occurring, while other states have conflict of interest laws that prohibit nepotism or do so through the creation of ethics commissions.

It is clear that this is long overdue for the USVI. The LWV VI has written to the senators in the 33rd Legislature urging them to enact legislation on nepotism, as most states have done. The LWV VI was heartened by the questions raised by some members of the Legislatures Finance Committee during a budget hearing over the administrations awarding of a lucrative contract to a friend/relative. It may have been completely justified or it may be nepotism. One thing is clear, however: it is time to put a stop to questionable as well as patently unethical actions by enacting laws that specifically address nepotism in no uncertain terms, along with the consequences for its violation.

Submitted Friday by the V.I. League of Women Voters.

Written by:Gwen-Marie Moolenaar, PhD, President, LWV VI

Get the latest news straight to your phone with the VI Consortium app.

See the article here:

Opinion: It's Time For An Ethics Commission In The U.S. Virgin Islands - VI Consortium

Nearly two dozen lifeguards in Long Beach Island have recently tested positive for COVID-19, a health official said Friday.

Daniel J. Krupinski, the Long Beach Island Health Department director, said 11 Harvey Cedars and 12 Surf City lifeguards tested positive.

The health department started receiving reports of COVID-19 activity among Surf City lifeguards on Saturday, July 18 and Harvey Cedars lifeguards on Sunday, July 19, Krupinski said. We have reason to believe the case activity stems from common social gatherings outside of work on July 12 and 14.

The health official did not provide the locations of the gatherings.Contact tracing is well underway, and the beach patrol supervisors are cooperating, according to Krupinski, who said that all positive cases are isolating.

We follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and New Jersey Department of Health criteria for discharging cases form either isolation or quarantine. It can be symptom based or testing based, he said. Our main concern for transmission are those identified as close contacts: those that live, worked and socialized with a positive individual in their period of communicability.

Krupinski said the outbreak remains under investigation.

Continue reading here:

23 Long Beach Island lifeguards are COVID-19 positive after social gatherings - WHYY

A woman in Spains party dies in a tragic boat crash. This Sunday two sailboats next to the Castavi Islet, on the maritime route between the islands of Ibiza and Formentera, experienced a crash.

According to the Balearic Salvamiento Maritimo, a woman has sadly died after the two sailboats collided.

112 alerted Salvamiento Maritimo of the collision between the Shambala and Batucada boats, in Es Freus de Ibiza and Formentera. The tragic boat crash took place around 1:00 p.m. and sadly it resulted in one fatality.

The Palma Salvamento Martimo centre mobilised the MP3 and Guardamar Calope boats and rescuers who evacuated the deceased. The rest of the crew, some of them who were injured, were also evacuated to the port of La Savina de Formentera, where the medical teams were waiting for them.

Only one man is still under the care of the Emergency Department of the Formentera Hospital. This man is a 56-year-old Belgian who has multiple mild traumas and has been left in a state of shock.

In similarly recent news, the Balearic regional government is rallying to stop the UK from enforcing a 14-day quarantine to tourists and residents arriving from the Islands to the UK.

Thanks for reading, Woman in Spains Party Island Dies in Tragic Boat Crash.

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Woman in Spains Party Island Dies in Tragic Boat Crash - Euro Weekly News

A "crime doesn't pay here" tale from Roger Waggoner, of Lafayette:

"In 2005 a couple of my friends convinced me to take a fishing trip with them to a spot on the Mermentau River in Grand Chenier.

"It was a great trip in all respects, and I have taken that drive along beautiful La. 82 many times since. I occasionally make a pit stop at the Pecan Island Food Store.

"In a newspaper article in maybe 2007 I read that an apparently unthinking couple from Georgia decided to rob the store at knifepoint.

"The clerk gave them the money, got a description of the car, and immediately called the sheriff. The sheriff sent out a broadcast to raise the drawbridges.

"Since there is a bridge 10 miles to the east over the old Intracoastal Canal, and one 15 miles to the west over a Superior Oil canal, it was an easy capture and arrest."

Dana Territo says, "Here's one about signs of the times:

"My 3-year-old grandson, Ellis, was fixated on finding a small yellow toy train one morning before going to day care.

"He became very out of sorts about not being able to locate this particular train, and after an exhaustive search by his mother, Ellis emphatically told her, 'We just have to go to the toy store and get a new one!'

"His mother told him that toy stores are closed now. Ellis quickly responded, 'But, we can go to the drive-through!'

"Out of the mouths of babes during these pandemic times!"

A couple of comments on the Friday story about the sale of ready-to-cook alligators, which I described as "the other, other white meat." I also told of the advertisement's photo of a gator on a grill with an apple in his mouth.

Bill Huey asks, "Shouldnt the alligator have a small pig in its mouth, and the pig an apple in its mouth?"

Buck Blouin, of Prairieville, says, "During my daily reading of Smiley with my morning cup of coffee, the Saturday article by the lady about licking her index finger to turn the pages of a book reminded me of something I do every morning.

"When I go out to get my Advocate and mail, I take a sanitary wipe with me to wipe off my paper and mail before touching it.

"We all worry about catching the virus when we go out, but this keeps it from coming into my home. How many people do you think touch your newspaper and mail? Just thought I'd pass it on."

Alma Mims, of Mandeville, thanks a young man named Jourdon, "who was in line in front of me at a store in Covington.

"He was about to check out when he had a problem with the merchandise and let me go first so he could handle it.

"I went to pay and he said, 'I got this' and insisted on paying. I was shocked; what a nice gesture."

Chauvie and Linda Chauviere, of Baton Rouge, celebrated 50 years of marriage Saturday, July 25.

Cliff Johnson says, "Since your column is most noted for 'useful' tips, I would like to add one to that long list.

"For all the people who dont use that little arm on the left side of their steering column, try using it to hang your COVID-19 mask on. Works great for me."

Nancy Wagner's monkey story:

"My parents and two older brothers, who lived in Sumatra before I was born, told me of their attempts to domesticate a monkey.

"They struggled to housebreak him. Every time he relieved himself in the house, they spanked him and tossed him out the window.

"He soon learned to spank himself and jump out the window following an 'accident.'

Write Smiley at Smiley@theadvocate.com. He can also be reached by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821. Follow Smiley Anders on Twitter, @SmileyAndersAdv.

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Smiley: Saga of the Pecan Island Bandits | Smiley Anders - The Advocate

An international tourist has been killed and another seriously injured in a four-wheel-drive rollover on Fraser Island off south-east Queensland on Sunday morning, police say.

Police said it was believed the four-wheel-drive with four international tourists on board was travelling along 75 Mile Beach at low tide when it lost control and rolled, about 1.5 kilometres north of Eli Creek about 7:00am.

The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.

A passenger in the back of the vehicle suffered significant injuries and has been airlifted from the island for further medical treatment.

Two rescue helicopters landed on the beach close to the accident scene.

A statement from RACQ LifeFlight Rescue said a man, aged is his 20s, was taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital with multiple injuries.

Two other male patients were taken to Hervey Bay Hospital.

Police said officers from the Forensic Crash Unit were investigating.

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Tourist killed in Fraser Island vehicle rollover, another with significant injuries - ABC News

CHURCH HILL, Tenn. (WJHL) The Church Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to make a recommendation on a new name for an island in the Holston River.

According to Church Hill City Recorder Joshua Russell, the board met Tuesday and addressed the scheduled business of renaming Negro Island.

Russell told News Channel 11 the city had been contacted in 2019 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, requesting a recommendation for a new name for the island due to its offensive name.

Russell said USBGN provided two possible names to the board for consideration: Silver Lake Island and Solitude Island.

At the meeting, Russell said Alderman Michael Bell made the motion to recommend Silver Lake Island, which is in reference to a nearby community along the Holston River.

Solitude Island, while not chosen as the citys recommendation, is a reference to Solitude Bend south of the island.

Russell told News Channel 11 that the island is privately owned, meaning the property owners reserve the right to keep the name on the deed or change it to whatever they like.

However, the USBGNs change to the islands name will be the name that appears on U.S Geographic maps, according to Russell.

The vote to recommend the name Silver Lake Island to USBGN did not require a resolution or ordinance.

Some of the other groups approached for name recommendations were Hawkins County, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Tennessee.

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Church Hill city officials vote to change racially insensitive name of island in Holston River - WJHL-TV News Channel 11

Situated halfway between the United Nations complex and Long Island City is a tiny 1/2 acre island that appeared in the East River in the 1890s. U Thant Island, as it is known, is nicknamed after former United Nations Secretary General from Burma a story we will get into shortly. The island was created from materials excavated by piano manufacturer William Steinway in the attempt to build underwater trolley tunnels in the East River between Manhattan and his company town in Astoria, Steinway Village. Workers dug a shaft down through an outcropping of granite rock known then as Man-o-War Reef and the excavated rubble formed the man-made island, officially known as Belmont Island.

October 14, 1906 New York-Tribune. Image from Library of Congress, Serial and Government Publications Division.

Steinway died in 1896 before the completion of the tunnels, which were finished a decade later under the auspices of the first subway line, the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT). A historic photograph in the New-York Tribune from 1906 shows the newly created island packed with buildings and the mining shaft. Nobody lived here it was intended for the equipment and activity connected to the mine and as an access point to the tunnels below. The caption reads: A man-made island in the East River. A shaft it in leads down to the Belmont Tunnel beneath the stream, where the sandhogs are boring day and night. Those buildings remained on the island until around 1918.

The construction of the Steinway Tunnel was by no means a safe endeavor. Four workers died in an accident in the shaft in 1906. Much like the engineering feat that was the creation of the first East River tunnel just nearby in 1893, these large infrastructure projects were the products of ambitious, sometimes grandiose, visions of what the city could be. Today the tunnels are still used by the 7 line train, a testimony to the foresight of Steinway, Belmont and the early industrialists.

Belmont Island was named for August Belmont Jr. who was one of the main financiers of the IRT and its President. He was so important, he actually had his own private subway car that still exists today. How did it became known as U-Thant Island? In the 1970s, a group of employees from the United Nations who were followers of the guru Sri Chinmoy and called themselves the Peace Meditation at the United Nations unofficially named it for Chinmoys friend U Thant, the UN Secretary General from Burma. Chinmoy, who was born in British India (now Bangledesh) came to the United States in 1964 and lived in Jamaica, Queens. He was giving meditations twice a week at the United Nations, on invitation from U Thant.

The use of U Thant Island was a formal takeover, as the group leased the island from the State of New York and dedicated the island on September 16, 1977 to U Thant, who had died three years before. After New York Governor Hugh Carey stated his support of the initiative, the group planted trees and flowers, and inaugurated its official lease of the island from the state, according to Charlie Hailey in the book Spoil Island: Remaking the Makeshift Archipleago. There was even an award ceremony for the U Thant Peace Award that took place there.

The United Nations from the East River

The group was allowed on U Thant Island once or twice a year to maintain the greenery they planted, but increased security pretty much ended visits by the mid 1990s. They left behind a 30-foot tall steel Oneness Arch which has a capsule buried below containing personal items and writings from U Thant. The arch is still there, next to U.S. Coast Guard beacon that also has a sign with the nickname of the Island, the UN logo, the words U Thant Island: CompassionHome. Dedicated to World PEace through Prayer and Meditation and a quote by U Thant: Every man or woman should not only ask himself or herself what he or she is going to do in the world, but also ask Will there be a world in which I can live.' We have not been able to confirm if the personal items are still there.

It wasnt the first or last takeover of U Thant Island. In 1972, activists occupied the island for 2 1/2 hours and declared it the Soviet Jewry Freedom Island in protest of a speech at the United Nations by Leonid Brezhnev, the long time Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet and his announcement of the diploma tax that was enacted on graduates from the USSR who wished to emigrate.The occupation was led by Percy Sutton and Robert Abrams, the Manhattan and Bronx Borough Presidents respectively. Then in 2004, in protest of increased security in New York City for the Republican National Convention, the artist Duke Riley sailed to U Thant Island and proclaimed it a sovereign nation.

Today, U Thant Island, said to be New York Citys smallest island, is considerably smaller than when it was being used in the excavation of the tunnels. The manmade platform and edges that were built up to support the various buildings and structures are long gone. Its impermanence fits the philosophies of Chinmoy and U Thant, as Hailey writes in his book: It represents the precariousness as well as the triumphs of human interventionMeditating on the artificial island, U Thant could contemplate human vulnerability and agency through a landscape element that was not only a tiny outcropping but also the waste of human activity. This residual nature made it a particularly compelling tool for understanding impermanence and instability.

What remains of U Thant Island is a narrow rocky island about 50-100 feet x 200 feet in size with a Coast Guard beacon Roosevelt Island Reef Light 17, the Oneness Arch, some shrubs and a few stubby trees. New York City has designated it an Recognized Ecological Complex, a protected site for migrating birds. Youll often find a large flock of seagulls and double-crested cormorants on the rocks, striped bass in the waters below, and we assume an occasional appearance of the seals who have been known to appear on a nearby rock off Roosevelt Island. Jurisdictionally, U Thant Island belongs to Manhattan and Community Board 6, which includes Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village, Gramercy, Kips Bay, Murray Hill, Tudor City, Turtle Bay, and Sutton Place.

U Thant Island is a curious repository of many moments in New York Citys history: its natural geological origin as a reef, a site of industrial intervention and ingenuity at the turn of the 19th century, a place of both protest and contemplation during the early years of the United Nations, and finally a nature sanctuary seen by New Yorkers and tourists as the citys waterways become a place of both transit and entertainment once again.

2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. To mark the 75th Anniversary, theUnited Nations has launched UN75 the largest, most inclusive conversation on the role of global cooperation in building a better future for all. The core of the initiative is ashort, one-minute survey focusing on the key priorities for international cooperation, where results from the survey will be presented to world leaders and governments this September. Rather than having a traditional celebration, UN75 is giving the citizens of the world an opportunity to shape UNs priorities, by inviting everyone, everywhere to have their say, and to share their ideas for a better future.

TAKE THE SURVEY!

Next, discover 10 Man Made Islands in NYC.

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The Quirky Story of U Thant Island, NYC's Smallest Island - Untapped New York - Untapped New York

LAMPEDUSA, Italy (Reuters) - About 100 migrants who crossed the Mediterranean in small boats landed on the southern island of Lampedusa during the night, the latest in a wave of arrivals straining an already overcrowded holding centre.

Migrants stand on a dock as they disembark a boat on the Sicilian Island of Lampedusa, Italy July 24, 2020. REUTERS/Mauro Buccarello

Officials said the migrants, arriving from Libya, were either rescued at sea or managed to avoid detection and reach the island.

The arrivals of small boats, some carrying as few as eight people, brought to nearly 1,000 the number of migrants who have reached the island from Libya in the last three days.

About 15 boats carrying some 300 migrants arrived during the night between Wednesday and Thursday.

They were put in a holding centre called the hotspot. Designed to hold about 100 people, in recent days it has been home to nearly 10 times as many.

Provincial officials this week ordered the emergency transfer of about 300 migrants to another centre in Sicily.

The recent overcrowding in Lampedusa has also led to immigration resurfacing as a political issue.

Former interior minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant League party, visited Lampedusa and the hotspot on Wednesday and accused the government of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of being soft on illegal migration.

I cant wait to return to a government with serious people so I can close the ports again to block delinquents and reopen them to law-abiding citizens, he told supporters on the island.

When he was interior minister in the previous government, which collapsed about a year ago, Salvini closed Italian ports to rescue ships run by charities.

In response, Enrico Borghi, of the governing Democratic Party, accused Salvini of being a demagogue and said the current government was not going to watch men and women drown.

Writing by Philip Pullella; Editing by Giles Elgood

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New wave of boat migrants overwhelms southern Italian island - Reuters

(Buffalo News file photo)

The man who died after an incident in the Niagara River Friday evening has been identified as Bryce D. Shipman, 60, from Grand Island.

Shipman was on a boat anchored east of Gratwick Park and jumped into the river for a swim shortly before 5 p.m., according to the Niagara County Sheriff's office. He was "quickly overtaken by the fast moving current" and went under the water for a short period of time, the -heriff's office said. Shipman was found moments later by the boat's operator.

North Tonawanda Firefighters arrived on the scene and waded into the water to reach the boat, which had been headed toward the docks.After being pulled out of the water, Shipman was given CPR on the boat, the North Tonawanda Fire Department said.

Firefighters assisted with CPR and the Sheriff's Office Marine Unit transported Shipman from the boat to the docks, according to the fire department. Shipman was then taken by ambulance to DeGraff Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the Sheriff's Office said.

The incident is still under investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office.

Excerpt from:

Swimmer who died in Niagara River identified as Grand Island man - Buffalo News

Love Island's Maura Higgins, 29, and Molly-Mae Hague, 21, reunited on Saturday night.

The reality TV beauties ensured they pulled out all the stops to look every inch the glamorous stars as they headed to Amazonica restaurant in London's Mayfair to celebrate their pal Jay's birthday.

Irish stunner Maura - who has had her own ITV spin-off show You're Joking Me since finding fame - allowed her gym-honed physique to be on display by flashing her abs in a tiny crop top.

She teamed the revealing top with lycra cycling shorts that clung to her lithe frame.

Molly-Mae - who is still loved-up with co-star Tommy Fury - opted for a more demure look by covering her frame in black leggings and long-sleeve top.

She also shrugged a large blazer over her shoulders.

Both of the bombshells tottered about in high stilettos to elevate their height and wowed with faces of expertly applied make-up.

Blonde Molly-Mae recently returned from a romantic break to Ibiza with her beau Tommy.

And during their getaway the PrettyLittleThing ambassador slammed digital bullies after they targeted her with nasty comments about photos of her in a bikini.

The influencer took to Twitter to ask how the trolls can sleep at night after an outraged fan shared the snaps of Molly and a screengrab selection of the comments, which branded Molly "lardy" and said she had an "awful body."

The fan penned: "These comments are so vile. 'Awful' and 'lardy' is apparently how to describe a normal womans body???"

Love Island stunner Molly retweeted the post, writing herself: "I would genuinely love to know who writes these comments?

"Like how can you actually write s**t like that and sleep at night? Beyond me."

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct 0207 29 33033

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Love Island's Maura flashes the flesh as Molly-Mae covers up on girls' night out - Mirror Online