Latest news with #Withrow
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Withrow chosen for council seat
Jun. 11—SOUTH POINT — The filling of a vacant seat led off business at the meeting of the village council in South Point last week, but, due to issues of residency requirements with the person chosen, the seat will remain vacant until the August meeting of council. Marlene Arthur, who served on council for three decades, died April 29 at age 87. According to Ohio Revised Code, the council has 30 days to name someone to fill the seat or the duty falls to the mayor to appoint someone to the seat. As the May meeting of council took place only a few days after Arthur's death, the mayor and council agreed to deal with the matter at their June meeting, which took place on June 3. Three applicants expressed interest in the seat: Eric Rawlins, Charlie Withrow and Sandy Daniel. However, prior to the meeting, Rawlins withdrew his name from consideration. In the days preceding the meeting, Mayor Jeff Gaskin said discussions with council had resulted in a 2-2 tie between Withrow and Daniel and no consensus had been achieved. He said he was prepared to appoint Daniel to the position. However, at the start of the meeting, it was announced by members that council member Chuck Austin would be voting, along with Mary Cogan and Brad Adkins, for Withrow. Cogan said council members had been contacted by Lawrence County Commissioner Colton Copley, who is Arthur's grandson, and he had expressed strong opposition to Daniel filling Arthur's seat. Gaskin then called for a vote on the matter, stating he would appoint the council's choice. Cogan, Arthur and Austin voted for Withrow, while members David Classing and Rocky McCoy voted for Daniel. Each member simply stated the name of their choice, except Adkins, who, in voting for Withrow, added the remark, "He has business experience. He's not anti-business." This prompted a response from one of Daniel's supporters, who said, "She is not anti-business." "That's not what the yard sign said," Adkins responded, before Gaskin cut him off and called for order, as Daniel and her sister left the meeting. Following this, Gaskin went to his office to get a Bible and proceeded to administer the oath of office to Withrow. However, following the meeting, complications with the seat arose, as it was discovered that Withrow does no meet the residency requirements for the seat. "He will on Aug. 1," Gaskin told The Tribune on Monday, stating that a one-year residency is required. Gaskin said the code says the mayor "shall appoint" in the case of a vacancy, according to ORC. "But it doesn't say when." Gaskin said he intends to wait until the council's meeting in August, which will fall on the fifth of that month, to officially appoint Withrow. The seat will remain vacant for the council's July meeting. "It was the council's choice," he said. Gaskin pointed out that Arthur's seat was on the ballot this November, and her term expires at the end of the year. "So it's only six months left," he said. He said candidates, including Withrow, should he choose to run, have until Aug. 6 to file petitions for the board of election for the November election. In other business at the June 3 meeting, the council: —Heard from several residents, led by Michael Chapman, who sought for the village to vacate an alley behind their homes on Mulberry Street. Chapman stated the alley is grassy and graveled and that he and other residents maintain it. "The property is not being used," he said. "And it hasn't in years." Gaskin asked Chapman what he planned for the property and he said he hoped to extend his garage into his portion. He said the residents would split the alley between them. He said they were able to get signatures from five of the six property owners in favor of the village vacating the alley. The group was advised they would need to come back and present a request with six signatures for the council to consider a vacation. —Heard from Jeremy Clay, of Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation, who gave an update on projects at The Point industrial park. Clay's visit, previously scheduled, came days after it was announced that health food company Azure plans to open a facility in South Point, bringing 150 jobs with it. The facility is expected to open in July 2026. "And they are bringing no one with them," Clay said of the jobs at the new location. "They will be hiring top to bottom. This is a big win for the community." —Heard from Linda Main, of People for the Point, who reminded the room that the nonprofit's Party in the Park will take place July 5 at the village park, with fireworks set for 10 p.m. —Voted to repeal an ordinance, passed earlier this year, in which public employees would pay 10 percent of their benefits. This reverted to the previous setup, in which the village paid 100 percent of benefits. —Heard from Gaskin, who said the village is receiving $200,000 from the Ohio General Assembly in its capital projects legislation, to build an outdoor amphitheater. Gaskin said the structure, which be approximately 50 feet long, would be used for concerts and showing movies. —Authorized Gaskin to request a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for improvements on the village's riverfront. The village received $1.2 million last year from the General Assembly in funds Gov. Mike DeWine set aside for the state's Appalachian counties. The funds Gaskin is seeking would be used for that project. —Heard from fire chief Mark Goodall, who said the village's new fire truck, a 2025 model, was brought to Lawrence County and made an appearance in the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade, before being returned to the manufacturer for additional work and completion. You Might Like News Area students named to OU's Spring 2025 President's List News DeWine, mental health leaders unveil 988 license plate News Concert series returns Tuesday night News DeWine announces Ohio Missing Persons Working Group recommendations
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hearsay could be allowed in case against Hamilton man charged in rape
May 2—Butler County prosecutors want to introduce hearsay statements in the case against a Hamilton man charged with rape involving a child. Common Pleas Court Judge Jennifer McElfresh granted a motion in limine and set a hearing for 10 a.m. on May 19. The prosecution will argue that the court should allow hearsay testimony in the case against Michael Dean Withrow, a 45-year-old Hamilton man. "The way the state usually presents evidence is we'll have a caseworker provide via testimony about why certain statements are relevant in a medical diagnosis and treatment," said Assistant prosecuting attorney Lindsay Sheehan, then adding they'd explain why those statements are an exception to the rule against hearsay. State law allows for several types of hearsay statements to be allowed as evidence, including statements made for medical diagnosis or treatment, according to the Ohio Supreme Court's Ohio Rules of Evidence. McElfresh will determine if the state can make its case. Withrow was indicted in March by a Butler County grand jury on a count of rape, a first-degree felony, for a crime that allegedly occurred on Oct. 8. He was also indicted on two counts of sexual battery, both third-degree felonies, and intimidation of a victim, a first-degree misdemeanor. Withrow's co-defendant, Brandi Nistler, 39, of Hamilton, was also indicted by the county grand jury on intimidation of a victim, though that was a first-degree misdemeanor. She bonded out, and McElfresh ordered her to wear a GPS monitoring device, but the judge on Thursday allowed it to be removed as Nistler has been following the court orders. She is scheduled to return to court at 1 p.m. on May 22. Withrow's bond is a $200,000 cash or surety. If he bonds out, he must wear a GPS monitor.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
PRsM Ballistic Missiles Loaded With Coyote Drones, Hatchet Mini Smart Bombs Eyed By Army
Future versions of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) short-range ballistic missile for the U.S. Army could carry Coyote drones or Hatchet miniature glide bombs, according to Lockheed Martin. The Army has previously talked about potentially loading PrSMs with swarming munitions and other 'enhanced' payloads, but without providing more specific details. Becky Withrow, director of strategy and business development at Lockheed Martin, talked about future payload and other aspects of the PrSM program with TWZ's Howard Altman on the floor of the annual Modern Day Marine exposition yesterday. The Army is currently in the process of fielding PrSM, but versions of the missile could also be of interest to the Marine Corps. The Army has so far outlined plans for four incremental PrSM developments on top of the baseline Increment 1 missiles. Increment 2 is centered on the development of a new dual seeker system that enables the engagement of moving targets on land or at sea. Increment 4 is about increasing PrSM's range from just under 310 miles (500 kilometers) to 620 miles (1,000 kilometers), and Increment 5 aims to extend that reach even further. Increment 3, which the Army now envisions as coming after Increment 4, is about 'enhanced lethality.' For Increment 3, the Army 'will put a different warhead in there,' Lockheed Martin's Withrow explained. 'They have yet to decide. It's still in the S&T [science and technology] community. So they're looking at various warhead options.' 'I know they've looked at things like Coyote, they've looked at Hatchet, things like that,' Withrow added, stressing that she was not aware of any final decision having been made. Withrow did not specify what version of Coyote might go into a future Increment 3 PrSM. Manufacturer Raytheon has publicly shown three members of the Coyote family to date: the original electric motor-driven pusher propeller design with its pop-out wings and tails (now known as Block 1), the jet-powered Block 2 counter-drone interceptor, and the Coyote LE SR (Launched Effect, Short-Range), another jet-powered type previously known as Block 3. Block 1 and 3 Coyotes are modular in design and can be configured in multiple ways, including as loitering munitions, as well as to perform reconnaissance and surveillance, electronic warfare, and other missions. The Army has previously released a graphic, seen below, depicting a PrSM releasing drones with some broad visual similarities to the Coyote Block 1. Earlier this year, Raytheon announced successful tests of Coyote LE SRs from a Bell 407 helicopter and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle – the latter of which TWZ was first to report on – and has described that version as being designed to be 'platform and payload-agnostic.' Hatchet is a roughly six-pound precision glide bomb that can be fitted with a dual-mode GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) and semi-active laser guidance package. Laser guidance allows for the engagement of moving targets as long as they can be lazed either by the launching platform or another offboard source. Manufacturer Northrop Grumman has said that other terminal guidance options, including electro-optical/infrared seekers with automated target recognition capability, could also be in Hatchet's future. Northrop Grumman also claims that the advanced design of Hatchet's three-pound warhead makes it 50 to 80 percent as lethal as a 500-pound-class bomb, depending on the target type. Point-detonating, delayed, and air-bursting fuze options are available. A single PrSM carrying a load of small precision munitions like Hatchet would give the Army the ability to strike multiple targets by launching just one missile. If the missile could release its submunitions at multiple points along its flight trajectory, it would expand the total area in which targets could be prosecuted. A group of GPS/INS-guided munitions like Hatchet could be pre-programmed to hit specific points over a wide area, but at a set distance apart in a grid, offering coverage akin to that a cluster munitions. The functional range of any version of PrSM could be extended by loading it with powered submunitions like Coyote, which could then fly further on their target areas after release. Swarms of loitering munitions could also use their endurance hunt targets autonomously after being launched into areas where enemy forces are broadly known to exist, but their exact positions are unknown. An Increment 3 PrSM might be used to rapidly 'seed' parts of the battlefield with loitering munitions as an area denial tactic, as well. A swarm could include drones configured for other missions, including electronic warfare and reconnaissance. Increment 3 PrSMs carrying various types of precision munitions could be particularly useful in suppressing or destroying enemy air defenses, especially mobile systems that might otherwise be hard to find and fix. The idea of using ground-based artillery and other indirect fire capabilities as tools to help clear paths for friendly aircraft is hardly new to the Army. The service has also put forward the idea of using high-altitude balloons to deploy swarms of loitering munitions deep inside enemy-controlled territory. Overall, an Increment 3 would offer a highly survivable delivery system for deploying swarming payloads deep into contested or denied areas. Multiple wargames, including ones conducted under the auspices of the U.S. military, have offered significant evidence that swarms of relatively cheap networked drones with high degrees of autonomy, including ones configured as loitering munitions, could have game-changing impacts in future high-end conflicts. With all this in mind, it is also interesting to note that China's Guangdong Aerodynamic Research Academy (GARA) unveiled a concept for an unpowered hypersonic boost-glide weapon loaded with different types of submunitions, including supersonic missiles and drones, at last year's Zhuhai Airshow. You can read more about the GDF-600 here. GDF-600 hypersonic vehicle with cluster submunitions from Gara. Launch mass 5000 kg, payload 1200 kg. Speed up to Mach 7, range 200-600 km, maximum trajectory altitude up to 40 km. 1/n#ChinaAirshow2024 — Michael Jerdev (@MuxelAero) November 10, 2024 At the same time, it is important to note that launching submunitions from a ballistic missile that could be traveling at high supersonic, if not hypersonic speeds (defined as anything above Mach 5), presents challenges. This is primarily due to physical and thermal stresses, especially at the time of separation. More fragile payloads designed to travel at subsonic speeds, like drones, would also require some means of safely slowing down after their initial release. Maneuvers that bleed off energy prior to release could help mitigate these issues, as well. This all may help explain why PrSM's Increment 3 now comes after Increment 4. Regardless, the Army is clearly still interested in the additional capabilities that a PrSM loaded with precision munitions or drones could offer, and we now know the service has been looking at Coyote and Hatchet specifically as potential options. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
ICE arrests Indian national in San Joaquin County, seizes stash of guns
Mar. 28—Federal authorities arrested an Indian national in San Joaquin County earlier this month as part of a targeted criminal enforcement operation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended 23-year-old Gurdev Singh in French Camp on March 12 after he was arrested by California Highway Patrol on weapons charges. Immigration officials said Singh illegally entered the United States on an unknown date and at an unknown location. U.S. Border Patrol officers encountered Singh near Lukeville, Ariz., on Sept. 2, 2023, and released him on his own recognizance with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. He was later determined to be associated with transnational criminal organizations, and further investigation revealed he was known to carry firearms illegally and was actively engaged in criminal activity in both the U.S. and abroad, officials said. Singh was arrested by CHP officers on March 6 on suspicion of carrying a loaded firearm in public, not being the registered owner of a loaded firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle and child endangerment. Seven guns were found at his Stockton residence and two more were found in a car located on his property during a search. ICE learned Singh had been booked into the San Joaquin County Jail, and submitted a detainer request on March 12, which the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office denied, reports state. Singh was taken into custody without incident by ICE agents after his release from county jail. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. In January, Sheriff Pat Withrow announced his department would not act as immigration officials after President Donald Trump signed executive orders giving ICE greater ability to conduct enforcement actions and expand the pool of undocumented immigrants subject to fast-track deportations. While Sheriff's Office deputies did not arrest Singh, the jail falls under Withrow's purview. Withrow assured residents in a social media post that they would not be turned over to federal authorities, regardless of their resident status, adding that his staff was not responsible for immigration enforcement. Many law enforcement officials in the region said their departments would follow the "California Values Act," which prohibits state and local enforcement agencies from using resources to investigate, detain or arrest individuals solely for immigration enforcement purposes, except in specific circumstances like cases involving serious crimes and judicial warrants. Officers can be charged with misdemeanors for violating the California Values Act.
CBS News
05-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
San Joaquin sheriff reassures migrant farm workers amid deportation fears
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY — The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office spoke with migrant farmworkers to mitigate any fears some might have about President Trump's deportation efforts. Sheriff Patrick Withrow wanted to make it clear to them that if they've done nothing wrong, they have nothing to worry about. "We just want you guys to know you don't have to worry about the sheriff's office or the police," Sheriff Withrow told workers at a vineyard. Sheriff Withrow tried to calm their nerves while reassuring them that the sheriff's office is there to serve them, no matter their legal status. "We hear people who are victimized and we hear, 'If you call the cops, they're gonna deport you,' " he said. "That breaks my heart because we're here in law enforcement to protect people." Farmworker advocates like Luis Magana say these workers needed this as they have been filled with so much uncertainty and questions about what might come. "If you're robbed, or something really dangerous, they'll intervene. It doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with your immigration status," Magana said. Magana added that what Sheriff Withrow did "made a lot of people relax." Magana was there and helped coordinate this meetup. The sheriff's office brought two deputies who spoke Spanish to help translate and answer questions. There are fears in the migrant community of mass deportations or round-ups by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Social media posts and photos of ICE in the county have been spread around, sparking more questions. "Don't surround yourself with rumors or lies. They're only looking for people who are dangerous. Criminals," Magana said. Magana said farm workers are returning to work on alert but with fewer fears. "They need to fear us if they're lawbreaking but if they're not, then we are going to protect them from the bad guys," Sheriff Withrow said.
