NBC News is reporting that Kim Davis, the Kentucky Clerk who refused to marry gay couples will be released from jail.
The New York Times’ Alan Blinder is also reporting that Davis will be released.
BREAKING: Federal judge lifts contempt order against Kim Davis, the clerk of Rowan County. She is to be released from jail. Story soon.
— Alan Blinder (@alanblinder) September 8, 2015
Same-sex marriage was legalized in the whole of the United States in a high profile Supreme Court case in June.
Read the court order releasing Davis from jail from Fox News report Kevin Corke:
#BREAKING #KimDavis ordered released from jail. pic.twitter.com/ofBgQ1hNfh — Kevin Corke (@kevincorke) September 8, 2015
Continue to follow Rise News as we follow this breaking news.
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Please Stop Sharing Photos Like These On Social Media. You Are Making Things Worse
We here at RISE NEWS came across the photo below on social media a day before the tragic slaying of five police officers in Dallas.
We found it absolutely repugnant at the time but did not say anything.
We were wrong not to.
We all need to take a stand when we see people post horrific images because sometimes they can inspire people to do horrific things.
Here is the image in question:
We will not be “outing” the person that posted the image because they are a private citizen and we hope they will learn from this mistake without their reputation being damaged in the process.
From the post:
“This photo may offend some individuals and I clearly don’t give AF! America needs to realize that it’s not about BLACK OR WHITE PEOPLE. It’s more about these crooked ass so called law enforcement officers. Now, there are some good ones and I applaud you for standing in unity and going against negativity and protecting this country but some of you abuse your authority when you in a little position of power. #RIP #AltonSterling”
No one posted arguing that the image was terrible.
In fact, some people egged it on.
One person wrote:
“There are good cops out the there. But there are too many bad ones too. Racism is strong in this country. A lot of the problems with these deaths is because of a racist society. I’ve been here long enough to see a lot of it. Just think what our parents and there parents have seen.”
Another said:
“I take issue with the so called good ones too because most of them allow this shit to go on and don’t say anything.”
We agree that Black Lives Matter.
There is no question that police violence and systemic racism in our justice system are real issues that we have not done a good enough job in weeding out as a country.
There are racist cops. There are dirty cops. There are bad cops.
But there are also really great cops who take their jobs seriously and work everyday to protect the people of this country. Without them, we will have no peace. Without them, we will have no democracy.
While the Black Lives Matter fight must continue to go on as the deaths of young black men in this country will undoubtedly continue as this summer grows hotter, we must all do our part in lowering the rhetoric.
Posting a photo to social media depicting a police officer having his throat slashed by a ISIS like figure with American flag colored gun straps is not helping.
It is not good social commentary. It is not interesting. It is only vile.
Of course this does go both ways.
All of us have seen countless racist memes pop up on our feeds from time to time or the words All Lives Matter as a substitute for real conversation about what is needed to make things better.
We are wrong when we don’t confront people who post those images as well.
We can make things better in this country. We can create a better future where the relationship between the police and people of color can be strong and respected.
But we can certainly not have this future if we don’t trust each other. And we certainly can’t bring about that future if we hate each other.
Love and respect is the only answer.
And it is time that we all do our part.
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Authorities Investigating Potential Criminal Wrongdoing In Miami Shores Charter School Scandal
Rise News has learned that there is an ongoing investigation into allegations that members of the supervisory board of a Miami area charter school may have criminally violated Florida Sunshine Laws.
One of the members of the board at the time of the alleged law violations was the current Mayor of Miami Shores, Alice Burch.
At least two members of the Doctors Charter School (DCS) Board of Directors and a high-ranking school official have been subpoenaed and interviewed by an Assistant State Attorney and an investigator with the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission.
Sources close to the investigation indicate that the inquiry is focused around the events of the controversial non-renewal of contract of DCS Executive Director Nick Dorn.
DCS is a highly rated charter school with 600 students nestled in the sleepy neighborhood of Miami Shores.
Rise Miami News, the predecessor website to Rise News first broke the story of the scandal in June of 2015 and showed that Burch had improperly coordinated with a few other members of the unpaid DCS board to remove Dorn in a secret meeting.
From our original report on the matter:
“Rise Miami News has learned that Burch supplied DCS board members meeting in the ‘shade’ a dossier of information that she had been collecting for over eight months, meant to act as justification for the non-renewal of the school director’s contract.
Burch has also admitted to violating state Sunshine Laws by continuing to volunteer as the de-facto secretary of the DCS board of directors while serving as the acting mayor of the Village.
Burch apologized to the Miami Shores community at a Village Council meeting on June 2 but did not discuss her level of involvement in the dismissal of Nick Dorn, the director of DCS.”
Due to the public outrage, Dorn was eventually offered a contract and a raise. Dorn accepted the contract extension but did not agree to a raise. He is currently leading the school.
DCS board meeting in June. Photo Credit: Rise News
Read More: Miami Shores Mayor Actively Advocated For Removal Of Charter School Head In Closed Door Letter
While Burch did not vote in the secret meeting, she openly discussed the idea of not renewing Dorn’s contract with members of the board both before and immediately after the “shade” meeting.
Additional public records including text messages show the extent of communications between Burch and other board members. It also showed how important Burch was to the lifeblood of the board and therefore potentially to the Sunshine Law violations she later admitted to.
Read More: Text Messages, Emails Bring Into Focus Influential Role Miami Shores Mayor Played In DCS Scandal
According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the matter, the inquiry is being headed up by Assistant State Attorney Luis Perez-Medina and Miami-Dade Ethics Commission investigator Larry Lebowitz.
Perez-Medina works out of the Public Corruption Unit under Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle while Lebowitz, a former Miami Herald reporter works under Joseph Centorino, the longtime former head of the Public Corruption Unit and current director of the county Ethics Commission.
Neither the State Attorney’s office or Ethics Commission would confirm or deny that there is an ongoing investigation.
Paul Calli, an attorney and current member of the DCS board first blew the whistle on the “shade” meeting in a series of Facebook posts last spring.
In June, Calli filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission alleging that there had been violations of Section 286.011 of Florida Statutes, also known as the Sunshine Laws.
The Commission referred the complaint to the State Attorney as it said that it does not have jurisdiction over Sunshine Laws.
Miami Shores Mayor Alice Burch. Photo Credit: Alice Burch/Facebook
“The rules should not and cannot be different for elected officials and Village administrators in Miami Shores,” Calli said in an interview with Rise News. “The residents of Miami Shores do not deserve to be excluded from the political process and government administration by elected or appointed officials who hold the trust of residents and voters. The Shores is not a fiefdom, with its residents vassals.”
Mayor Burch did not respond to a request for comment.
Vice Mayor Steven Zelkowitz said that he was not aware of any investigation ongoing in Miami Shores but said that public officials should be careful of Sunshine Law violations.
“I live and breathe the Sunshine Law,” Zelkowitz, a lawyer who deals with many local municipalities in his practice said in a phone interview. “I’m very cognizant and I’m very careful with it. Maybe elected officials should read the laws and understand them before acting.”
Another member of the Village council had a similar view.
“What is important is what[ever] the investigation reveals, it will help bring closure and restore confidence in our leaders,” Councilwoman Ivonne Ledesma said in an email statement.
READ: The 14 page dossier of information Miami Shores Mayor Alice Burch presented to DCS board members before secret, “shade” meeting
Miami Shores Mayor Alice Burch’s “Shade” Letter by Rich
Like this piece? Rise News just launched a few weeks ago and is only getting started. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with global news. Have a news tip? (No matter how big or small!) Send it to us- [email protected]
Cover Photo Credit: Rise News/ Rich Robinson
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Art Personalized: Millennial Designer Caitlin Ashley Tries To Get Us To Look Around Life
Too often in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we forget to take a breath and look at the beauty and art that exist around us.
But one millennial designer named Caitlin Widener is trying to get us all to do just that.
Widener’s Caitlin Ashley Custom brings the beauty of the world alive in clothing pieces made for women, in the forms of skirts, pants, and blouses, among other styles.
The brand is based in New York City and describes itself as being “wearable art, unique for the individual” on the brand’s official website.
The description continues labeling the brand as “hand painted and inspired by everyday on goings in the world,” and that “every woman is unique, just like this line and wants that vision to transcend when worn.”
Widener’s inspiration for it all began when she moved to New York City in 2014.
“At the time I was doing fashion blogging and it was fashion week, my first experience,” Widener said. “Everything was on such a grand scale and in some ways had me doubting my place amongst it all.”
It was then when her mind began to reel and the pieces began to fall into place.
“There was an event in particular that I had been invited to that week. It felt as though I had nothing to wear on my current budget that would set me apart from the crowd,” Widener said. “Sitting in my room, I was making an attempt to brainstorm ways to show originality. There was an old white dress hanging up and it got me to thinking, what if perhaps I painted on it? I have painted all my life and perhaps it was possible to combine two of my greatest passions together?”
It was then when the first of many pieces was born.
“I painted a rendition of van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” It was a hit. I realized this was something I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life, it’s like everything came together and finally made sense.”
Widener’s brand is still growing, having nearly 1,130 followers on her official Instagram page filled with different examples of her colorful and intrinsically unique designs.
With time, there is hope that the brand will continue to flourish.
“The brand is still very new. Just over a year in,” Widener said. “It’s currently working with other brands on collaborations and creating time capsule collections for small boutiques.”
Since that first event that drew her to paint her creation on the old white dress, the inspirations for other pieces in the line have come from many different sources, including those found in the outside world.
“The best thing I can do for outside inspiration is put my headphones in and wander around the city a bit,” Widener said. “You start to notice things outside the box, colors in a puddle, flowers coming up through the sidewalk, street art that transforms a building.”
The designs pictured on her website show the wide array of different creations, including artsy dresses, inspired skirts and other pieces that almost seem like wearable and usable masterpieces.
As for what continues to inspire her to create more pieces today, Widener states that it continues to be the same drive that initially led her to create her early creations.
“Today’s inspiration is still a lot of the inspiration that was at the start. Really just creating things that I love and in turn, reaching out and sharing it with others,” Widener said. “It’s so important to keep that fire to create fueled and never forget what made you start in the first place. Always come back to the roots.”
As for what the future holds and if she will begin to create designs for men as well, only time will tell she said.
“Last year there was a small stint of time where I dabbled with men’s ties and really loved it,” Widener said. “Got a lot of great feedback! For the time being, my focus is with women’s apparel but it’s something I would love to progress into in the future.”
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.
Photo Credits: Caitlin Widener/ Submitted
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