November 24, 2024
Echoed Updates & Local News
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Remembering Tamir Rice
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On November 23, 2014, the tragic and untimely death of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old Black boy, marked a significant and sorrowful event in the ongoing dialogue about race, policing, and gun violence in the United States. Tamir was playing in a park in Cleveland, Ohio, with what appeared to be a toy gun, an act that should have been innocent and typical for a young boy. However, the situation escalated dramatically when Officer Timothy Loehmann, a white police officer, responded to a 911 call regarding a person with a gun. The caller had explicitly mentioned that the gun was likely fake and that the individual in question was probably a juvenile, yet these crucial details were not relayed to the responding officers in a timely manner.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Loehmann and his partner, Officer Frank Garmback, encountered Tamir almost immediately. In a matter of seconds, without any meaningful attempt to assess the situation or to engage with Tamir verbally, Officer Loehmann drew his weapon and shot the boy. This rapid escalation of force raised significant questions about police protocols, the use of deadly force, and the perceived threat level of young Black individuals, even when they are unarmed or holding non-lethal items.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the response of law enforcement continued to draw criticism and concern. Tamir's 14-year-old sister, who was present at the scene, was forcibly restrained by police officers as she attempted to rush to her brother's side. Furthermore, Tamir's mother was also prevented from reaching her son, adding to the chaos and trauma of the moment. Disturbingly, neither Officer Loehmann nor Officer Garmback provided any medical assistance to Tamir, who lay critically injured on the ground, further compounding the tragedy of the situation.
The official investigation into the shooting concluded that it was a homicide, highlighting the severity of the actions taken by the officer. Despite this classification, the legal proceedings that followed were fraught with controversy. A court found probable cause to charge Officer Loehmann with a crime, suggesting that there was sufficient evidence to warrant further legal action. However, the case took a disheartening turn when a grand jury ultimately decided not to indict him, a decision that sparked outrage and protests across the nation. This outcome fueled ongoing debates about systemic racism within the criminal justice system, accountability for law enforcement, and the broader implications of such incidents on communities of color.
Tamir Rice's death became a rallying point for activists and organizations advocating for police reform and justice for victims of police violence, emphasizing the urgent need for changes in how law enforcement interacts with young people, particularly those from marginalized communities. His story continues to resonate, serving as a poignant reminder of the challenges that persist in addressing issues of race, equity, and justice in America.
Spirit Airlines Ensures Uninterrupted
New Jersey Flights
Amid Bankruptcy Restructuring
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According to a story by Michelle Johnson of the Middletown Patch on November 19, 2024, New Jersey's Spirit Airlines announced that "flights from two New Jersey airports will proceed without interruption over the Thanksgiving weekend and during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process." Spirit operates at Newark International Airport and Atlantic City International Airport. The largest budget airline in the country filed for bankruptcy protection to revitalize its operations following a series of quarterly losses, increasing debt, intensified competition from larger low-cost carriers, rising labor expenses, and an unsuccessful sale attempt to JetBlue. Since 2020, Spirit has incurred losses exceeding $2.5 billion and is facing debt obligations of over $1 billion due in 2025 and 2026. The airline stated it has secured commitments for a $350 million equity investment from current bondholders and will convert $795 million of its debt into equity in the restructured company. The bondholders will also provide a $300 million loan, which, along with Spirit’s remaining cash, will support the airline through the restructuring phase. To learn more please click the link: https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/s/j14ct/will-spirit-airlines-bankruptcy-filing-affect-holiday-flights-from-nj?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert&user_email=8b63617579edf54cbadf7183154015d85784f08e1cf6f4064784661f1b651b81
Controversy Erupts Over Monmouth County's
"Spot the Trump Supporter" Business List
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According to Carly Baldwin of the Middletown Patch, last weekend some Monmouth County residents decided to play a game of "spot the Trump supporter" with local businesses. They put together a list of shops whose owners or managers are fans of President-elect Donald Trump, basically suggesting where not to spend their dollars. State Sen. Vin Gopal, a Democrat from the Eatontown-Ocean Township area, pointed out that this list, which started as a public spreadsheet, has since vanished into the internet ether. The fun kicked off in a Facebook group called Indivisible Blue Two Rivers, which has now disappeared faster than a donut in a police station. They started a thread titled "MAGA local businesses to avoid," complete with screenshots, where residents shared their desire to pinpoint businesses that support Trump or dare to broadcast FOX or alt-right radio. The Monmouth County Republican Party wasn’t amused and posted a statement on Facebook Tuesday, wagging a finger at the list creators.
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"We are better than this," said state Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, a moderate Republican from Little Silver. "I strongly frown upon these divisive antics aimed at messing with the livelihoods of Monmouth County's small-business owners over political spats. I’m all about supporting local businesses, no matter who they vote for, because I want them to keep the lights on. "The Monmouth GOP noted that similar groups have popped up in Atlantic Highlands, Marlboro, Spring Lake, and Monmouth Beach, all trying to play the same game of "who's pro-Trump?" Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, who heads the Monmouth Republican Party, and County Commissioner Director Tom Arnone, also a Republican, chimed in, saying they’re all about supporting "all businesses in Monmouth, no matter their political flavor." What a very White thing to say. To learn more about the public shunning please click the link: https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/monmouth-co-residents-created-list-pro-trump-businesses-avoid?utm_source=local-update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert
Study Reveals Tax Cuts for the Wealthy Worsen Income Inequality and Offer Little Economic Justification
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According to a report by Jack Peat from the London Economic Business Press, a study on tax cuts for the wealthy in some of the world's richest countries revealed that these cuts primarily benefited the affluent, as found in an analysis of President Reagan's 'trickle-down economics'. In 2020, David Hope from the London School of Economics and Julian Limberg from King’s College London conducted research on 18 developed nations, ranging from Australia to the United States, discovering that the incomes of the wealthy increased more rapidly in countries where tax rates were reduced. Furthermore, instead of benefiting the middle classes, the tax cuts merely allowed the rich to retain more of their wealth and worsened income inequality.
“Based on our research, we would argue that the economic justification for maintaining low taxes on the rich is weak,” stated Julian Limberg, a study co-author and public policy lecturer at King’s College London, in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. “In fact, if we examine history, the era with the highest taxes on the wealthy — the postwar period — also experienced high economic growth and low unemployment.”
To learn more please click the link: https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/business-economics/economics/50-years-of-tax-cuts-for-the-rich-have-failed-to-trickle-down-385624/
Union High School Lockdown:
Two Students Detained After Firearm Found
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As reported by Alexis Tarrazi of the Middletown Patch on November 21, 2024,
Union High School was placed on lockdown Thursday morning. Two students were detained following a police report that they had hidden a loaded firearm in a fanny pack among the bushes near Union High School on Thursday. At 8:11 A.M., the Union Township Police received a call from a local resident near Union High School who had discovered an abandoned fanny pack in the bushes by Stahuber Drive.
Patrol officers identified the fanny pack as containing a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 380 with its serial number removed. Detectives found a home with an outdoor camera that recorded footage of two students concealing the fanny pack/satchel, according to police. Authorities subsequently informed the Union High School Principal about the investigation, which resulted in the school's lockdown. Officers presented the video to the school staff, and the school resource officer was able to promptly identify the two students who had concealed the gun in the bushes, police stated. To learn more please click the link: https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/s/j1997/loaded-gun-hidden-in-bushes-near-union-high-school-prompts-lockdown?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert&user_email=8b63617579edf54cbadf7183154015d85784f08e1cf6f4064784661f1b651b81
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