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Articles by Mike Ward
Man with knife at MCA arrested Tuesday morning
By Lt. Mike Ward McIntosh County Office of the Sheriff The McIntosh County Office of the Sheriff was alerted to a potential threat at the McIntosh County Academy. On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at approximately 9:37 a.m., units were made aware of a male subject carrying a backpack on school property. According to the School Resource Deputy assigned to the high school, a vigilant student alerted faculty that this subject was seen entering the area of the front access gate off Highway 17.
A Paradigm Shift Towards Reimbursing the Root Causes of Diseases
MedCity Influencers Medicare needs to incentivize providers by reimbursing them for identifying and addressing social determinants of health. Doing so will ultimately improve patient health outcomes and simultaneously save risk-bearing organizations money. Research shows that sixty to eighty percent of population health outcomes are driven by non-clinical factors, mainly social determinants of health (SDoH).
Why Agricultural End Effectors Are Ripe For IP Protection
By Marley Macarewich, Anna Yuan and Mike Ward (August 24, 2023, 8:08 AM EDT) -- The field of agricultural robotics, particularly end effectors, has taken off in recent years, making it ripe for investment and intellectual property protection.... A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions.
Does it really take a war to improve AML checks?
It’s taken Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the UK to finally take a much-needed step in the right direction to stop the flow of dirty money flowing through the ‘laundromat’ that is the London property market. The long-awaited Register of Overseas Entities (ROE), an idea first announced by David Cameron over six years ago, was finally implemented on the 1st August 2022, and it couldn’t have come soon enough.
Why the feds should take notes on Kentucky police reform
For a brief moment last summer, after the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, it looked as if a bipartisan policing reform bill might make it through Congress. But a Democratic proposal in the House died in the Senate, and a Republican bill from Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) was blocked by Democrats right before the election. That failure shouldn’t be the end of federal policing reform because the need for a bipartisan approach to policing is strong as ever.
National public service can revive our civic spirit, unite our divided country
With the stroke of a pen 60 years ago, President John F. Kennedy put the call to service upon which he campaigned into dramatic action – signing the executive order which established the Peace Corps. By year’s end Americans were helping communities in five countries, a number which would grow to 141 nations over six decades.
Biopharma Execs Remain Optimistic Despite Political Headwinds
Xconomy National — Drug pricing debates and uncertainty associated with Brexit are the issues most likely to keep biopharmaceutical executives awake at night. Nevertheless, senior figures remain optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2020. These are among the major findings of a survey of 500 industry leaders and investors conducted by investment bank Jefferies.
What Is V Systems? Introduction To VSYS Token
What is V Systems? V Systems is a general purpose blockchain system with an eye toward becoming a platform of choice for those building decentralized applications. The chief architect is Sunny King, the pseudonymous creator of Peercoin and Primecoin. This project launched a working blockchain in November 2018 and in recent months has picked up plenty of momentum, rapidly moving up CoinMarketCap’s Top 100 list.
Abbott seeks to slow property taxes
Launching a new round in a long-running fight, Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday unveiled a plan to curb soaring property taxes in Texas by restricting how much additional revenue cities, counties and school districts can spend each year. The plan — which promises to be a centerpiece of Abbott’s re-election campaign — would place a 2.5 percent cap on revenue growth from property taxes collected by local taxing agencies, with exceptions for law enforcement and school teacher pay raises.
Dems say 2018 will be their year
AUSTIN — If everything works out like Texas Democrats hope, 2018 could be a throwback to 1990, the last time they won the governor’s office. That was a midterm election, and a sharp-tongued rising star named Ann Richards came from behind to beat the expected shoo-in Republican Clayton Williams, leveraging a disgust among women over his legendary gaffe about rape and a lackluster economy that had left Texans yearning for change.
The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature (2017)
By: Mike Ward on Friday, August 11 PG Running Time: 91 mins SHOULD I SEE IT? YES For everyone who loves The Nut Job, and held out hope for another one...well...HERE...WE...ARE!!! The movie looks great on the big screen, the animation crisp, clean, and engaging to the eyes. It's not The Emoji Movie! NO (Insert your nut allergy jokes here.) Really cannot recall a less likable series of animated characters we are all supposed to rally behind than these folks.
Texas prisons dealing with smuggled synthetic marijuana, K2
AUSTIN — It's the zombies that freak everybody out.The Houston Chronicle reports months ago at the Ferguson Unit, a state prison north of Huntsville long known as one of Texas' tougher lockups, a convict doing 30 years for drug trafficking "flipped out" and started yelling and swinging wildly at correctional officers and other convicts."His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance.
Texas prisons dealing with smuggled synthetic marijuana, K2 - Brownsville Herald: News
"His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance. "I knew it was '2,'" prison lingo for K2, a synthetic marijuana that now reigns as fastest-growing drug contraband in Texas' massive prison system. "The 2 makes them crazy and crazy strong," the officer said, speaking anonymously because prison policies prevent him from speaking publicly. "It took a bunch of us to take him down. He was like a zombie.
Texas prisons dealing with smuggled synthetic marijuana, K2
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — It's the zombies that freak everybody out. The Houston Chronicle reports months ago at the Ferguson Unit, a state prison north of Huntsville long known as one of Texas' tougher lockups, a convict doing 30 years for drug trafficking "flipped out" and started yelling and swinging wildly at correctional officers and other convicts. "His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance.
Texas prisons dealing with smuggled synthetic marijuana, K2 - Valley Morning Star : State
"His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance. "I knew it was '2,'" prison lingo for K2, a synthetic marijuana that now reigns as fastest-growing drug contraband in Texas' massive prison system. "The 2 makes them crazy and crazy strong," the officer said, speaking anonymously because prison policies prevent him from speaking publicly. "It took a bunch of us to take him down. He was like a zombie.
Texas prisons dealing with smuggled synthetic marijuana, K2
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — It's the zombies that freak everybody out. The Houston Chronicle reports months ago at the Ferguson Unit, a state prison north of Huntsville long known as one of Texas' tougher lockups, a convict doing 30 years for drug trafficking "flipped out" and started yelling and swinging wildly at correctional officers and other convicts. "His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance.
Texas prisons dealing with smuggled synthetic marijuana, K2
It's the zombies that freak everybody out. The Houston Chronicle reports months ago at the Ferguson Unit, a state prison north of Huntsville long known as one of Texas' tougher lockups, a convict doing 30 years for drug trafficking "flipped out" and started yelling and swinging wildly at correctional officers and other convicts. "His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance.
Special session looms as talks fail
AUSTIN — The Texas Legislature moved to the brink of an almost certain special session on Saturday after a series of opportunities to pass key legislative priorities evaporated in a continuing test of wills between Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus.
CDC warns pregnant women from Zika-stricken part of Miami
MIAMI (AP) — Government health officials are warning that pregnant women should avoid travel to a Zika-stricken part of Miami and urging expectant mothers who frequent the neighborhood to get tested for the virus, after the number of people feared infected through mosquito bites in the U.S. climbed to 14.
Commentary: Truck weight change means less congestion
For dozens of businesses in this region and throughout the state, an adjustment to truck weight policy is as vital as road and bridge funding as part of an overall transportation package.
Let Colorado parole officers do their jobs
As a retired parole officer, I was appalled at the guest commentary by B.J. Nikkel and Rep. Pete Lee. The most glaring statement was that the number of parolees returned to prison on a technical violation is down, implying that the current system is working. The technical violations are down because parole officers are prohibited by two bureaucrats — state parole director Melissa Roberts and deputy director Alison Morgan — from bringing the offenders before the board.
Convicts find faith with aid from fellows
HUNTSVILLE — One by one, the three tattooed toughs were ushered on Friday into the small cinder-block ante room deep inside Texas’ highest-security prison, each shackled at the waist with handcuffs locked to a thick leather belt, flanked by two guards wearing flak vests, police batons and pepper spray.
Juvenile cowbirds sneak out at night, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A new study explores how a young cowbird, left as an egg in the nest of a different species, grows up to know it's a cowbird and not a warbler, thrush or sparrow. The study, published in Animal Behaviour, reveals that cowbird juveniles leave the host parents at dusk and spend their nights in nearby fields, returning just after daybreak. This behavior likely plays a role in the cowbirds' ability to avoid imprinting on their host parents.
Amputee’s case cited as sex offender example
CONROE — A 63-year-old triple amputee was ordered into civil commitment Wednesday as one of the state’s most dangerous sex predators, even as lawmakers moved to limit such severely impaired offenders from the program in the future. Tommy Dale Sells was ordered by a Montgomery County state district judge to enter the controversial program this summer after serving his 15-year sentence for assaulting a 6-year-old granddaughter in 2001.
Patrick endorses tax cuts of $4.6 billion
AUSTIN — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and most of the Senate upped the political ante on cutting taxes Tuesday, endorsing a plan to provide $4.6 billion in business and property tax relief, $600 million more than previously announced. The move came a day after House leaders said they planned to do more than the Senate’s plan to provide $4 billion in tax cuts.
Senators ask for border accountability
AUSTIN — A week after the state’s top Republican leaders called for ramping up border-security funding, some state senators on Monday questioned how officials could measure whether Texas is succeeding at securing the border and whether additional funding will do the job. “There have to be performance measures,” said state Sen.
Reforms planned for sex offender program
AUSTIN — At least one new lockup facility would be opened to house Texas’ most violent sex predators and a lone judge no longer would handle all cases under sweeping reforms being considered to bring the state’s troubled civil-commitment programs into constitutional compliance, officials involved in the negotiations confirmed. A complete restructuring of the 15-year-old program is being mapped out and a bill reflecting those changes will be filed in coming days.
Senators outraged by crisis in felon housing
AUSTIN — Members of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday demanded that officials responsible for an administrative meltdown at the state’s civil commitment program for sex offenders be publicly held accountable, even if that means issuing subpoenas for a legislative hearing.
Sex offenders shuffled back to prison
AUSTIN — The state of Texas routinely sent sex offenders back to prison as new arrivals entered its civil commitment program, lacking funds to accommodate all of those being confined for what is supposed to be ongoing treatment. While the U.S. Supreme Court has sanctioned civil commitment in Texas and 19 other states as long as it is therapeutic and not punitive, some legal scholars say Texas’ program has been run to keep sex offenders in custody indefinitely.
Grass-roots activists taking a seat at Senate table
AUSTIN — Like a teacher chastising her students, JoAnn Fleming called out the four Republican candidates for lieutenant governor for talking too long, for interrupting each other, for not answering the questions asked. When it was over, some of the candidates griped to reporters about how little they appreciated her approach, so much so that some said they did not plan to participate in any other forums she would moderate.
Judge frees 1st sex felon
›› Some critics have said the only way out of this program is to die. Find out why at A Montgomery County state district judge on Friday agreed to allow a convicted sex offender to live on his own in the community, the first time a person held under Texas’ controversial civil commitment program has been allowed to live outside of confinement since 2005.
Study: Handle juvenile justice locally
AUSTIN — While Texas has made progress with sweeping reforms that have overhauled its juvenile justice system over the past seven years, more youthful offenders could be shifted from prison-like lockups into local treatment and rehabilitation programs to improve outcomes even more, a new national study recommended on Thursday.
Abbott seeks to abolish tech fund
AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday proposed abolishing Texas’ controversial Emerging Technology Fund and using half of its leftover money to help colleges and universities recruit world-class researchers. The move marked Abbott’s first major step toward overhauling the funding pool established at the urging of former Gov. Rick Perry to attract cutting-edge technology and research as part of his plan to grow the state’s economy.
Audit slams sex felon agency
AUSTIN — The agency responsible for overseeing the state’s civil commitment program for violent sex offenders awarded most of its contracts without competitive bidding, did not keep appropriate financial records and failed to monitor — or even plan for — the treatment of the men under its supervision, according to a scathing State Auditor’s report issued Wednesday.
Changes signal Senate’s new path
AUSTIN — As the Capitol’s upper chamber emptied last Wednesday, after Texas senators voted to end a storied rule that had let lawmakers of both parties block bills from being deliberated, members wondered aloud about how the newly expanded majority of conservative Republican senators and their leader, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, may use it to flex their muscle. With 19 votes required to debate a bill, instead of the former 21, would tea party Republicans use it to quickly pass their controversial bills?
Watchdogs call to reopen probe killed by Perry veto
AUSTIN — Democratic lawmakers and government watchdog groups on Saturday called for the reopening of an investigation into no-bid state contracts that ended in 2013 after Gov. Rick Perry vetoed funding for the team conducting it. The critics decried the millions of dollars in Department of Public Safety contracts and another set of similar deals given by the state health commission under Perry, who will step down Tuesday after 14 years in office and is considering a 2016 presidential run.
Is Full-Time RVing Right for You?
You are here: Home / Blog / Is Full-Time RVing Right for You? This post may contain affiliate links or mention our own products, please check out our disclosure policy here. A growing number of retirees are selling their homes, dumping their possessions and hitting the road full time, according to a recent report in the New York Times. But, as regular readers of our monthly column, “On the Road for Good,” know, you don’t have to wait for retirement to make that move.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to RVing
As the title implies, this is a book for people seeking basic information about RVing. The book, which has been updated for its third edition by authors Brent Peterson and April Maher, starts with a section on the factors to consider when deciding whether to choose a motorhome, truck camper or travel trailer. Then, there are sections on buying and renting an RV, operating and maintaining an RV, driving a motorhome and towing a trailer, planning trips and camping.
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