MEC&F Expert Engineers : 11/21/17

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Texas driver who killed Michigan native Alexis Butler, 18, claims that he was looking down as he was breathing into a court-ordered ignition interlock device prior to the deadly collision




Questions after deadly crash blamed on in-car breathalyzer
Driver said he was taking retest at time of crash that killed Michigan native

Heather Walker Published: November 20, 2017, 7:02 pm




GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The death of West Michigan native is raising questions about in-car breathalyzer tests for people convicted of drinking and driving.

Eighteen-year-old Alexis Butler, who went to Battle Creek Lakeview High School, died Friday, a week after a crash in Arlington, Texas. The driver of the pickup truck that struck her car blamed the court-ordered device for the crash. The driver said he was ordered to blow into an ignition interlock device every 15 to 20 minutes while driving to show he had not been drinking. He said that’s why his eyes left the road.

The requirements are similar in Michigan. It may seem dangerous, but a spokesperson for the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office, which regulates the devices, said “the priority is safe operation of vehicle.”

“If they don’t believe that they can do it safely, you should pull off,” spokesman Fred Woodhams continued. Photo: An ignition interlock device.

Woodhams said that in Michigan, drivers are given five minutes to blow into the device. The office feels that is enough time to safely take the test.

“It’s not supposed to be anything that you need to bend down to blow into,” Woodhams said.

He says drivers should be able to keep their eyes on the road.

“But certainly the priority is safety on the road, so if someone believes they cannot blow safety, they should pull over,” he said.

The idea behind the retests is to allow offenders to drive to work, but ensure they don’t start drinking behind the wheel after the initial breath test to start the vehicle.

The Secretary of State’s Office said it was not aware of any complaints about the system or its regulations. However, it is watching and waiting to learn what police determine to be the cause of the crash that killed Alexis Butler.

“We did see that story. At this point, we feel these devices are being used safely,” Woodhams said.

24 Hour reached out to the company that makes the devices in Michigan, Intoxalock.


“We are very saddened to hear about the accident, and more importantly, that a life was lost,” the company said in a statement. “In almost one million customers, we’ve had a handful allege that they caused an accident while engaged in a retest. However, in all of those situations the data pulled from the device provided irrefutable evidence that a retest was not in progress at or near the time of the accident.”







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Vigil set for MI native killed in TX crash

24 Hour News 8 web staff Published: November 19, 2017, 4:27 pm Updated: November 19, 2017, 6:13 pm


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — After a Michigan native died in a car crash in Texas, her friends in Battle Creek are planning a vigil to remember her.

Alexis Butler was 18 years old. Friends told 24 Hour News 8 she went to school at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek before moving to Texas. Butler was a member of the Lakeview dance team and involved in competitive cheerleading in the Lansing area.

Police in Arlington, Texas, say Butler died as a result of her injuries Friday, one week after the crash.

Butler was leaving a friend’s house not far from her home when a pickup hit her as she was backing out. Investigators say the driver of the pickup admitted he was looking down when he crashed. He said he was breathing into a court-ordered ignition interlock device — essentially taking a breathalyzer test that prevents a vehicle from running if the driver has been drinking. It’s unclear why he was using it while driving.

“More importantly for us as a police department is to determine what the manufacturer recommendation is as far as the guidelines in how to operate this type of equipment,” Arlington Police Department Lt. Chris Cook told Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate KXAS. “It’s very concerning to us as a police department that an individual may be operating some type of ignition equipment while they’re in a moving vehicle.”

A memorial candlelight vigil and balloon release for Butler is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday at Battle Creek’s Linear Park at the Underground Railroad Sculpture between Capital Avenue NE and Division Street N.





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Could Michigan do more to stop repeat drunk drivers?
Family wants justice after grandmother of seven killed in alleged drunk driving crash

An undated courtesy photo of Judy Besemer.
Susan Samples, Target 8 investigator Published: March 1, 2017, 9:00 am Updated: March 2, 2017, 8:06 pm






GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Three days before Christmas 2016, Mikelle Besemer opened the door of the apartment she shared with her mother to find her brother and two police officers. They were there to tell her that her mother, 62-year-old Judy Besemer, had been killed in a car crash.

Michigan State Police say James Williams was driving east on Knapp Street NE in northeast Grand Rapids when he ran a red light at the East Beltline and plowed into Besemer’s northbound SUV. Besemer was less than a quarter-mile from home.

She was rushed to the hospital, where she died. She left behind two children and seven grandchildren. Judy Besemer with her son and grandchildren. Front, left to right: JJ, Joey, Gracie, Jaxon and Corbin. Back, left to right: Besemer, her son Justin and Justin's girlfriend Ashley.

Williams, 50, of northeast Kent County, is now charged with driving drunk causing death. Michigan's sentencing guidelines suggest he be sentenced to 19 to 39 months in prison -- though a judge could go above that.

“He has to live with himself,” Mikelle Besemer said. “Well, guess what — at least he gets to live.”

She says something should have been done to keep him off the road. He has two prior drunk driving convictions and he didn't have a license at the time of the crash.

"In some way, in some form, this could have and should have been prevented, especially with his record," she said.

UNDERSHERIFF: LOOPHOLE DIDN'T CAUSE DEADLY CRASH


Williams was convicted of drunk driving in 1989 and again in 1995. It's possible he could have had another one of those convictions on his record if not for a loophole that Target 8 noticed while combing through police reports.

According to a police report on a February 2010 incident, which Target 8 obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, deputies spotted Williams driving up to a gas station and ultimately gave him a breathalyzer test that registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) level more than three times the legal driving limit.

But the sheriff’s department never requested a warrant for Williams’ arrest because the deputy didn't create a new report on the DUI, instead adding it to a report on a domestic incident that occurred earlier in the day between Williams and his then-wife.

"There was a follow-up that happened because he called for service again on the domestic, and we were on our way to his house when we came across him at a local business," Kent County Undersheriff Michelle Young explained.

The deputies reported that they had stopped at a gas station when Williams showed up to buy cigarettes, smelling of alcohol and carrying a vodka-filled coffee mug. According the police report, Williams agreed to a PBT -- a breathalyzer test -- at the gas station and blew a .25, which was later confirmed by a blood test at the hospital.

Deputies had called an ambulance for Williams because he was complaining of chest pains connected to the earlier domestic incident.

Since 2010, the sheriff's office has changed some procedures to close the gap.

"This incident actually happened seven years ago," Young said. "As we started to update our records management systems, we did a very in-depth study of work flow and we found that in circumstances where there were multiple cases that were really handled in conjunction with each other there was potential for gaps. So we ended up putting alerts in our records management system with some cues in place that would prevent that from happening again."

Additionally, officers now file separate reports for each incident instead of lumping them together in one report.

Young doesn’t think charging Williams in 2010 would have prevented the deadly crash in 2016.

"Any consequences for that charge seven years ago would have been already served," she said. "He would have likely been in the exact same time and place that he was at the time this accident happened. Although that’s unfortunate, it would not have been prevented by a charged seven years prior." 


POLICE REPORT: WILLIAMS ROLLED CAR IN EARLY 2016


In addition to the 2010 case, Williams was involved in a potentially alcohol-related driving incident in March 2016, less than a year before the crash that took Judy Besemer’s life.

Williams told police he had rolled his car near Grand River Drive and 5 Mile Road but walked to his home before calling 911. The responding officer said he found Williams at his home and that he had a "strong odor of intoxicants," "slurred" speech and was "not understandable at times." When the officer checked Williams’ crashed vehicle, he reported that it "smelled strongly of alcohol" and there was an "empty aluminum pint" inside it.

But Williams refused a PBT, blamed the crash on multiple deer jumping in front of his car and claimed he hadn't started drinking until after he arrived home.

He was ultimately ticketed for violating a restricted license because he wasn't supposed to drive unless it was to work or substance abuse counseling.

The court file showed that the Kent County prosecutor recommended no jail time, but reserved the right to add an "open intox" charge if Williams took the case to trial.

As for the 1989 and 1995 DUI convictions, records show Williams served about two weeks in jail for the two convictions combined. He also lost his license for a time, but was later allowed to drive to and from work and substance abuse counseling.

At the time of the crash that killed Judy Besemer, Williams' license was both expired and revoked. A timeline showing some of James Williams' driving history.
MADD: WILLIAMS "A TRAGEDY IN THE MAKING"


Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which ranks Michigan’s drunk driving laws 49th in the nation, described Williams as a "tragedy in the making."

The anti-drunk driving advocacy group also told Target 8 that Williams’ history is evidence that the state needs to change its approach.

Doug Scoles, state executive director for MADD’s Ohio office, reviewed Williams’ driving history and the sanctions levied against him at the request of Target 8.

"I must say (Williams’ case) falls clearly into the 'frustration' category at many levels," Scoles wrote in an email to Target 8. "Over the course of 25 plus years, Williams was treated by all appearances with very light sanctioning. … He was given fines, some jail time, offenses were pled down, and no real action to correct and prevent his behavior was ever taken."

MADD is pushing states to adopt a law allowing for "all-offender ignition interlocks," meaning first-time offenders would get interlocks installed on their vehicles. Those devices prevent the car from starting if the driver has too much alcohol on their breath.

MADD uses a five-star rating system to determine which states have the strongest anti-drunk driving laws. Michigan got one star. That ranking is based in part on the state not having all-offender ignition interlock rules in place.

Twenty-eight states have passed such laws, including Ohio, which recently passed "Annie’s Law."


"From the start, if (Williams) had received an ignition interlock on his vehicle, his driving behavior (and sobriety) would have been recorded and documented in real time and would have provided additional tools for the court to see what was 'really going on' with him," Scoles wrote. "It's safe to say conservatively speaking that having an ignition interlock would have gone a long way to prevent his drunk driving behavior."

A five-year study on ignition interlocks, based on data from multiple sobriety courts including that of Grand Rapids' 61st District, produced promising results.

"Based on analysis of data from five years of this project, the ignition interlock program has been generally successful," wrote one of the report’s authors. "It appears that ignition interlocks represent an evidence based method of reducing recidivism (particularly DWI recidivism), among repeat drunk drivers in the state of Michigan."

ALL-OFFENDER INTERLOCK BILL IN MICHIGAN


There is a bill before the Michigan legislature, House Bill 4078, that would allow for all-offender interlocks.

A spokesman for the Michigan’s Secretary of State’s Office told Target 8 the office "doesn’t support" that bill, "but is open to discussing how ignition interlock devices can best be used."

"As drafted the bill would drastically increase the resources needed to effectively oversee the (interlock) program without accommodating for that increased workload. The bill is far from revenue neutral," Fred Woodhams, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State, wrote in an email.

Woodhams also pointed out the use of ignition interlocks has already increased dramatically under current laws. In 2009, Michigan had 3,800 interlocks installed, compared to 10,186 in 2015.

Additionally, Woodhams noted that the Secretary of State’s office successfully lobbied the legislature to set basic standards and regulations for interlock installers and manufacturers.

A spokesperson for Michigan State Police told Target 8 that while the agency has not reviewed House Bill 4078, it is “supportive of the concept generally.”

"The MSP has remained engaged in enforcement of impaired driving both on regular patrol and as part of statewide drunk driving crackdowns that are organized through the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning,” spokesperson Shanon Banner wrote in an email to Target 8. "We share MADD’s goals in reducing impaired driving and we consider ourselves to be partners with them in this effort."

Banner went on to list several laws that Michigan already has in place which are “generally considered effective," including:
Increased penalties for cases involving a high BAC (Michigan's "super drunk" law).
Ignition interlocks are mandatory for high-BAC convictions, as are restricted driving conditions.
Open container laws.
Increased penalties for child endangerment.

HB 4078 was introduced in January and is currently before the House Judiciary Committee. 


JUDGE: WE'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB


A West Michigan judge has another idea to cut down on drunk driving crashes. He wants lawmakers to increase jail sentences for drunk drivers, even first-time offenders.

"We don’t have any minimum requirements … for a first-time drunk driver," said Mike Schipper, a district court judge in Barry County. "You can get a first-time drunk driving and get absolutely nothing. No probation. No jail. I could give you a minor fine and there could be nothing. That’s not right."

Schipper wants to see the state legislature up the maximum jail time for first-time offenders from the current 93 days to up to one year. He explained that first-time offenders wouldn't actually spend a year in jail, but said judges could use the additional time to monitor offenders' probation and keep tabs on their progress in substance abuse counseling.

The judge compared Michigan’s penalties for a first-time drunk driving offense to those for possession of marijuana.

"I’m not a marijuana fan at all, but if you get caught with marijuana, a teeny bit in your pocket, you could get one year," he said. "But if you drive drunk, which could kill somebody, the most you could get is 93 days. That’s wrong. That needs to be change."

Schipper told Target 8 that the abuse of alcohol is the biggest problem impacting the defendants he sees in his Hastings courtroom.



PLAYING WITH FIRE KILLS TWO: A Colorado Springs, CO. duplex blaze that killed 6-year-old Devyn Charlez Johnson and his great-uncle, Michael Ashley, was started by someone using a match or lighter to set fire to a combustible item.





COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) —


Fire officials say a duplex blaze that killed a 6-year-old boy and his great-uncle was started by someone using a match or lighter to set fire to a combustible item.

The Gazette reports that the Colorado Springs Fire Department announced the cause of the fire Monday evening. Family members say children in the house previously had set fire to household items, which is what authorities believe happened Nov. 1.

Six-year-old Devyn Charlez Johnson and 40-year-old Michael Ashley died as a result of the fire. A 2-year-old boy was flown to a Denver hospital in critical condition.

The fire department states that the deaths “may have been preventable” if a working smoke alarm had been in the duplex.



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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - We now know the identity of the man and child who died in the duplex fire in Colorado Springs on Friday.

Devyn Johnson, 6, and his great-uncle Michael Ashley, 40, were inside the duplex in the 700 block of Cucharras Drive at around 2 p.m. when a fire broke out.



A 2-year-old was also there at the time of the fire, according to Colorado Springs police. He was taken to a hospital in Denver. At last report, he was in critical condition.

Law enforcement stated on November 13 that the preliminary investigation shows that the fire was an accident.

A GoFundMe has been set up for the family to help with funeral costs.




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At least one boy playing with fire sparked a duplex blaze that killed a 6-year-old boy and his great-uncle, the Colorado Springs Fire Department announced Monday evening.

Devyn Johnson, 6, and Michael Ashley, 40, died in the fire at the family’s home at 739 E. Cucharras Street. Devyn died at a local hospital, and his great-uncle died at the home, police said.
via GoFundMeDevyn Johnson

Devyn’s 2-year-old brother, DomNyk C. Johnson, was flown to a Denver hospital in critical condition.

Family members told investigators the boys previously had set fire to household items, a release says. That’s how the Nov. 10 fire started in the duplex’s living room, investigators say: Someone used a match or lighter to set fire to a combustible item.

The deaths “may have been preventable” if a working smoke alarm had been in the duplex, the release says. Three in five residential fire deaths happen in homes without a working smoke alarm.

33-year old construction worker Curtis Duane Hollingshead, 33, from Davison, MI, with Ric-Man Construction Company operating a backhoe has died after he was trapped underneath water when a water main burst in Burton, Michigan

33-year old construction worker Curtis Duane Hollingshead, 33, from Davison, MI, with Ric-Man Construction Company operating a backhoe has died





















Police identify man killed in Burton construction accident 


November 22, 2017
By Jessica Royce, Digital producer

BURTON, MI (WNEM) -


Police have identified the man who died after being pulled from a water-filled hole.

Investigators said Curtis Duane Hollingshead, 33, from Davison, died on Nov. 21 after the incident on N. Belsay Road and E. Potter Road.

At 10:48 a.m., Burton police and Burton firefighters were called to the location for reports of a man trapped underwater.

Investigators said it appears a 400-pound, 12-inch water main valve disconnected from the water main, causing the hole Hollingshead was in to rapidly fill with water and trap him.

The Burton Fire Department offered life jackets and a long pole with a hook to the work crew who seemed to know where their coworker could be underwater. Hollingshead was found and pulled up by his belt using the long pole, the fire chief said.

First responders rushed him to the hospital and he died that afternoon, Burton Police Det. Don Schreiber said.

Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright said the company Hollingshead worked for, Ric-Man Construction, is a private contractor doing drain work for the county.

Burton Police report that the water main was not under pressure, but the 42” water line was full of water.

Michigan Laborers' have released a statement on the loss.


“Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and his brothers and sisters on the jobsite. Times like this give us pause and remind us to be thankful of what we have,” said Geno Alessandrini, Business Manager for the Michigan Laborers’ District Council. “Even with top-notch training and education, accidents still happen on the jobsite because construction is a dangerous business. We’ll be doing everything we can to support the family of our union brother during this trying time.”


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BURTON, Mich. (AP) — Police say a 33-year-old Flint-area man was critically injured after being trapped underwater for about 20 minutes when a water main burst during construction work.

Burton Police Chief Tom Osterholzer tells The Flint Journal the man had no pulse when he was taken to a hospital Tuesday morning but medical personnel were able to re-establish a heartbeat.

Osterholzer says other workers were able to snag the submerged man with a pole and pull him from the water.

The worker's name was not immediately released.

Osterholzer says the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent representatives to the scene.



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UPDATE: Burton Police have confirmed the 33-year-old victim from Davison has died. His family has been notified, but his identity is expected to be released Wednesday.

BURTON, Mich. - A construction worker with Ric-Man Construction Company is fighting for his life after police say he fell into a pit filled with rushing water during a day on the job.

It happened Tuesday morning in Burton at the intersection of North Belsay and East Potter Roads.


Burton Police Chief Tom Osterholzer says it’s always a tragedy when something like this happens.

According to police, the 33 year- old construction worker from Davison was using a backhoe when a water cap blew and knocked him into the hole.


Police say he was pinned down in the hole that was rapidly filling with water.


The man was under water for 20 minutes before he was rescued.

Police believe it was a water main break.

Three water mains actually intersect at that same point.

Right now, they are trying to get this area pumped out investigators can get a better idea of what happened.

Police are not releasing his name at this time.

"This isn't clear water, this is basically brown mud, sludge that he was trapped in the bottom of. The dive team was in route, workers were able to snag him with a pole and retrieve him from the bottom of the hole," said Osterholzer.

The police chief told me to tell people to avoid this area because they are still investigating and it will most likely be closed for quite some time.





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November 21, 2017

BURTON, Mich. -




A construction worker was taken to an area hospital after a water rescue on the corner of North Belsay and Potter Roads in Burton.

The incident took place around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21.


According to police, a construction worker was using a backhoe when a water cap blew and knocking him into the water.


The roads are closed as officials investigate the incident.

He was rescued from the water after 10 minutes and taken to an area hospital. No word on the condition of the construction worker at this time.



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Mancini Companies invites you to explore the various fields of business in which it is involved. Ric-Man Construction, Inc. excels in heavy underground and tunnel construction and delivers nothing but quality and expertise. Mancini Enterprises and Mancini Development specialize in industrial, commercial and residential development throughout the states of Michigan and Florida. Overall, Mancini Companies focuses on teamwork and exceptional service among the rest.

Mission Statement – Ric-Man Construction, Inc.
With over 50 years of heavy underground construction experience, Ric-Man Construction, Inc. is committed to improving infrastructure systems throughout the United States by adhering to its tradition of excellence and innovation.  With a focus on safety and its employees, Ric-Man Construction, Inc. has positioned itself as a leader in the industry and a reliable contractor to carry out a project until completion.

Watertown, NY city employee, Gregory Eliopoulos, is dead following an accident Monday at the city's waste water treatment plant.





Watertown City Employee Dies In Workplace Accident 

Eliopoulos was a process worker at the waste water treatment plant and that he was a valued city employee since January 2007


November 21, 2017

WATERTOWN, NY

A Watertown city employee is dead following an accident Monday at the city's waste water treatment plant.

City Manager Sharon Addison said in a release Tuesday that Gregory Eliopoulos died in what she called "a workplace accident." The victim's age was not available.

"It is with incredible sadness that I inform you of the grave loss of a valued City employee," Addison wrote.

She said the accident was reported at 6 p.m. to Jefferson County dispatchers at 6 p.m. Police, fire and Guilfoyle Ambulance personnel responded.

Eliopoulos was taken to Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was scheduled to take place Tuesday afternoon.

Addison said Eliopoulos was a process worker at the waste water treatment plant and that he was a valued city employee since January 2007. She released no further information about how the accident occurred.

"It's a tragedy. It's a significant loss to the community. I can't say enough about what we thought about that employee and what a great job they did. But more importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased," said Mayor Joe Butler.

Addison said police detectives and waste water treatment staff are meeting Tuesday with Public Employee Safety and Health inspectors to investigate the accident.

"The PESH investigation into the death of the worker at the Watertown City Sewage Plant is ongoing and I can’t comment further at this time. There have been no investigations at or complaints with regard to the facility in the past and there are no other ongoing investigations at the site currently," said Cullen Burnell, spokesperson for the New York State Department of Labor.

Mark Kotzin, a spokesperson for the Civil Service Employees Association in Central New York, confirmed that Eliopoulos was a member of CSEA.

"Our occupational safety and health specialist was at the plant this morning conducting an investigation along with the New York State Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau and Watertown Police Department. We are actively investigating what happened and are not in a position yet to provide any more information," said Kotzin.

"On behalf of the City of Watertown staff, our heartfelt condolences and prayers are sent to the family of this employee," Addison said.

City Councilmember Mark Walczyk tweeted: "I hope that you'll take a moment today to appreciate how precious and fleeting life can be. Last night, a Watertown employee was working for us all the the waste water treatment plant when an accident caused the loss of his life; we lament."


Gregory Eliopoulos was also known as Gregory G. Geno.

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UPDATE from Watertown City Manager

It is with regret that I inform you that the employee involved in yesterday evening’s fatal accident was Gregory Eliopoulos.

Greg served as a Process Worker I with the Waste Water Treatment Plant. He was a valued employee of the City for over 10 years having started in January 2007. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.



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'Bizarre' Argument Lands Bankruptcy Attorney, Client in Trouble

John Caher

New York Law Journal

06-07-2005

A creditor's ill-advised theory that the assets of a debtor's fiancée must be included in a bankruptcy petition has resulted in sanctions and a sharp reprimand from a federal judge.

Northern District of New York Bankruptcy Judge Robert E. Littlefield Jr. said the theory advanced by attorney David P. Antonucci of Watertown, N.Y., was so flawed that his client, Northern Federal Credit Union, should be penalized as well for relying on such poor counsel.

"Unfortunately for Attorney Antonucci, this case does not exemplify good lawyering," Littlefield wrote in In re: Gregory Eliopoulos, 03-16950. "Unfortunately for the Credit Union, it was not objectively reasonable for it to rely upon such poor legal advice... . As such, they are jointly and severally liable for any sanction to be awarded by a final order of this court."

Littlefield's decision arose in the context of an adversary proceeding Antonucci instituted on behalf of his credit union client.

The creditor, which the court described as "aggressive," suspected that debtor Gregory Eliopoulos had access to more assets than disclosed in his Chapter 7 petition. It challenged that petition, arguing that the debtor was funneling money into his fiancée's home and living expenses for her children.

Antonucci said, according to court records, that the theory was a "[shot] in the dark" and that he had no proof to back up the claims. The judge said Antonucci "freely admitted" on at least five occasions that neither he nor his client had sufficient information to back up its allegations.

"Because of its bizarre conduct in this case and its frequent appearance as a litigant before this court, it seems that the Credit Union sought by way of example to send a message to its broad customer base that any bankruptcy filing will be highly scrutinized," Littlefield wrote.

The judge said there is no legal authority for the theory that a debtor is required to disclose a fiancée's income. When it became evident that that theory would fail, Littlefield said, Antonucci then offered a "particularly bizarre" argument that §707( of the Bankruptcy Code, which gives the U.S. Trustee authority to seek relief for substantial abuse, can be invoked by the creditor.

"When it became apparent that Attorney Antonucci had exhausted the 'concealed income' theory in defense of his filing and continued advocacy of the complaint, he argued that the complaint was legally warranted on alternate grounds of undisclosed, fraudulently concealed assets or preferential transfers," Littlefield wrote. "The court does not wish to chill the Credit Union's participation in future bankruptcy proceedings, but it cannot tolerate or condone the conduct of Attorney Antonucci and the Credit Union in this proceeding."

Anthony Inserra of Watertown appeared for the debtor.

Vessel removal operations continue in Puerto Rico as part of Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Rich Bassin affixes a reference sticker to a sunken boat caused by Hurricane Maria in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Tamargo


Removal of vessels displaced in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria continues
Nov 20th, 2017 



SAN JUAN, PR – Vessel removal operations continue in Puerto Rico as part of Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.



As part of the unified recovery effort, assessment teams continue to identify vessels in need of assistance.

Officials are requesting owners of vessels, with a warning sticker affixed to their vessel, to call (786) 521-3900. Vessel owners should call this hotline to report a vessel removal plan, to request support to remove a vessel, or to report a vessel has already been removed.

Vessel owners are highly encouraged to call the hotline to receive information on vessel removal options. There is no cost, penalty or fine associated with working with the unified command to remove vessels.

To date the unified effort has identified 344 vessels in need of assistance, placed assistance stickers on 221 vessels, closed 119 cases, made contact with 114 owners and responded to 31 reports of vessel pollution.

The Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and the U.S. Coast Guard in conjunction with the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Control Board, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service stood up the ESF 10 command post in Puerto Rico, with the mission of overseeing the assessment, mitigation and removal of hazardous substances and vessels from Puerto Rico’s ports and waterways in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Cleanup efforts and removal operations of displaced vessels are progressing throughout Florida waterways ten weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys.


A vessel displaced by Hurricane Irma is located and assigned an Assessment Sticker in the area of Dinner Key, near Miami U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Nick Ameen.

Crews continue to mitigate pollution threats from vessels displaced by Hurricane Irma 


November 21, 2017


MIAMI, FL – Cleanup efforts and removal operations of displaced vessels are progressing throughout Florida waterways ten weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys.

The Unified Command for the response—officially titled Emergency Support Function 10 (ESF-10) Florida—consists of leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Currently, 1,879 displaced vessels have been removed from Florida waterways. Approximately 180 people from state and federal agencies are involved in the disaster response.



Responders are prioritizing the removal of vessels based on potential environmental impact.

“After removing 270 displaced vessels in the Branch St. Petersburg area, ESF-10 crews have completed Hurricane Irma related removal operations on the West Coast of Florida,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brownie Kuk, Coast Guard Incident Commander for ESF-10 Florida. “Removal operations continue on the Florida’s East Coast and in the Keys, and we are working closely with our partner agencies to ensure the safety of our responders and the preservation of the local environment.”

Vessel owners are encouraged to hire a salvage company to recover their vessels in order to provide the safest removal method possible for the public and environment. Owners wishing to remove their own vessels are encouraged to visit the following website for guidelines and best practices http://myfwc.com/boating/vessel-hotline/removal.

Owners of displaced vessels who lack the resources to have their boat repaired, or if their vessel is determined to be beyond repair, may release ownership of their vessel through a waiver provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The waiver process can be initiated by contacting FWC through the Vessel Removal Hotline at 305-985-3744 and requesting to turn over a displaced vessel. An FWC representative will then contact the owner to explain the waiver process and facilitate the potential turnover of ownership.

4 children, 2 adults, a cat and a dog died in house fire outside Dixon, Illinois










4 children, 2 adults killed in house fire outside Dixon


A family of six were killed Nov. 21, 2017 in a house fire outside Dixon in rural Illinois. (WLS)

Updated 1 hr 50 mins ago
DIXON, Ill. -- Six people were killed in a house fire early Tuesday in rural northern Illinois, the Ogle County Sheriff's Office said.

WIFR-TV in Rockford reported that the victims include two parents, four children, a cat and a dog.










All four children were enrolled in Dixon Public Schools; two were high school students, one was in middle school and the youngest was in elementary school, the district confirmed.


The district has had counselors and support staff in place at all schools for students. Tuesday was the last day of school before holiday break. Support staff will be available when students return, a school official said.

Police received a 911 call just after midnight Tuesday reporting smoke in the basement of a home outside Dixon in the unincorporated community of Lost Nation, the sheriff's department said. Firefighters arrived to find "a fully engulfed residential structure fire," the sheriff's office said in a news release.



Capt. Isaac Demmig of the Dixon Rural Fire Department said it was impossible for firefighters to enter the house until the fire was brought under control, but when they did go inside they found that all six occupants of the residence were dead.

Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVinkle said autopsies are planned and authorities didn't immediately know the ages of the children.

VanVinkle said authorities don't see anything suspicious about the fire and are investigating the cause along with Illinois State Fire Marshal and Illinois State Police

He said the roof of the home collapsed and there wasn't much of the residence remaining after firefighters put out the blaze.


Ogle County Coroner Louis Finch said the bodies were so badly burned that his office will need dental records to determine identification.



First responders from 10 fire departments responded to the blaze, according to Demmig.

VanVickle described Lost Nation as a subdivision in a woodsy area with a lake in a very rural and remote part of the county. The home is about 90 miles (150 kilometers) west of downtown Chicago.

WLS-TV contributed to this report.





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Four children and two adults, all members of the same family, died in a house fire early Tuesday in rural northern Illinois, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said.

Police received a 911 call just after midnight Tuesday reporting smoke in the basement of a home outside Dixon in the unincorporated community of Lost Nation, about 100 miles west of Chicago, the sheriff's department said. Firefighters arrived to find the home “fully engulfed” in the blaze.


Authorities haven't found anything suspicious about the fire, VanVickle said. The ages of the children haven't been released and autopsies are planned, he said. Ogle County Coroner Louis Finch said the bodies were so badly burned that his office will need dental records to determine identification.

VanVickle said the home's roof collapsed. He said a few walls were left, “but there's not much remaining of the residence.”

Capt. Isaac Demmig of the Dixon Rural Fire Department said it was impossible for firefighters to enter the house until the fire was brought under control, but when they did go inside they found that all six were dead.

First responders from 10 fire departments responded to the blaze, according to Demmig. He would not say where in the house the bodies were found. The sheriff's office, Illinois State Fire Marshal and Illinois State Police are investigating the cause of the fire.

VanVickle described Lost Nation as a subdivision in a woodsy area with a lake in a very rural and remote part of the county.

“I've talked with some of the neighbors and it's a typical Midwest community where most people know their neighbors and are friends with them,” VanVickle said.

Cheese factory worker Travis Klotzbach, 36, was injured as he was using a cutting torch inside a maintenance shop at Knaus Cheese on County Highway C, in Wisconsin when an explosion happened





ROSENDALE, WI (AP) -- An explosion and fire at a cheese plant in Fond du Lac County sent one person to the hospital.

The sheriff's office says Travis Klotzbach, 36, of Brandon was using a cutting torch
on an "empty" 55-gallon barrel in the auto shop at Knaus Cheese on County Highway C, when the explosion happened just after 7 a.m. Friday.

Klotzbach was taken to a hospital in Neenah with burns and broken bones, where he was reported in stable condition.

The fire was contained to the auto shop portion of the cheese plant, and fire officials said the damage was not extensive.


Most likely the "empty" drum was not empty and it contained flammable vapors;  the vapors then were ignited by the blow torch, injuring the worker. 




Press Release
November 17, 2017

A small explosion and fire occurred in a maintenance shop at Knaus Cheese Inc. located at N5722 County Road C in Rosendale at approximately 7 a.m. on November 17, 2017.

One employee sustained non-life threatening injuries.

That employee was flown to a UW hospital

We respect our employee’s privacy and any health updates will be provided by the family.

Our prayers are with the employee and his family during his recovery.

The fire was quickly contained and there was minimal smoke damage.

Production shall resume in full capacity within the next 24 hours.

The Knaus family would like to thank all the First Responders who assisted the company during this emergency situation.

Please keep our employee in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you


Knaus Family


P.S.  Do not forget to cut the cheese