Carib Scope

分类： society

  • Meer dan nieuw asfalt: complete reconstructie Van ‘t Hogerhuysstraat gestart

    Meer dan nieuw asfalt: complete reconstructie Van ‘t Hogerhuysstraat gestart

    On the morning of June 28, the large-scale reconstruction project of Van ‘t Hogerhuysstraat in Suriname officially launched, marking the start of a transformative 20-month infrastructure upgrade that will reshape connectivity and drainage for the Beekhuizen district and surrounding residential areas.

    According to Suriname’s Ministry of Public Works and Spatial Planning, the project will not only widen the existing road into a dual three-lane highway, but also fully replace the aging sewerage and drainage system that currently serves the area. Minister Stephen Tsang, head of the ministry, explained that the upgrade will deliver long-term structural improvements to both traffic flow and flood mitigation, addressing growing pressure on the corridor as the capital region develops.

    The project is contracted to local infrastructure firm Kuldipsingh Infra. Preparatory works are scheduled to run through mid-July, including clearing existing culverts, removing blockages from the old drainage network, and implementing temporary traffic measures to keep the route accessible to residents and road users throughout construction.

    In a surprise discovery during the initial site inspections, construction crews uncovered massive volumes of illegal waste dumped inside the existing sewer system, ranging from plastic bottles and construction rubble to a large sheet of zinc. Minister Tsang emphasized that this illegal dumping poses a serious threat to the function of any new drainage system, undermining long-term infrastructure performance and increasing the risk of flooding during heavy rain.

    In response to this discovery, the ministry is pairing the infrastructure upgrade with a public awareness push to curb improper waste disposal across the country. The Suriname Communication Service confirmed that officials are considering a national “Krin Kondre” (Clean Country) campaign specifically designed to combat littering and illegal dumping of waste in public infrastructure. Minister Tsang added that he prefers community service sentences over solely financial fines for littering offenders, arguing that punitive work assignments create a stronger deterrent and help restore public spaces affected by improper waste disposal.

    Kuldipsingh Infra project manager Rodney Wongsosoeparto outlined the project timeline moving forward: after preparatory works wrap up, crews will begin installing new sewer lines, rebuilding the road foundation, and finally completing the road widening works to deliver the dual three-lane corridor. To minimize disruption to daily commutes and local residents, the majority of construction activity will be scheduled during evening and overnight hours, with round-the-clock shift work being used to speed up project delivery and reduce the overall construction period.

    Officials have issued a public notice urging road users and nearby residents to plan ahead for temporary road closures, detours and minor traffic disruptions over the 20-month construction period, asking for public patience as the transformative project is completed.

    Minister Tsang stressed that the reconstruction project extends far beyond basic traffic infrastructure upgrades. The Van ‘t Hogerhuysstraat corridor holds strategic importance for Suriname’s ongoing economic development, particularly for the country’s growing oil and gas sector, and the upgrade will improve overall connectivity across the capital region to support future growth. “This is not just a road project — it’s an investment in Suriname’s long-term economic and livability goals,” the minister noted.

  • RGPF confirms safety and traffic arrangements for Gouyave Fisherman’s Birthday celebrations

    RGPF confirms safety and traffic arrangements for Gouyave Fisherman’s Birthday celebrations

    Preparations for the annual Gouyave Fisherman’s Birthday celebrations, scheduled to take place on June 29 in Grenada’s St John parish, have moved into their final phase after a collaborative planning meeting between top law enforcement officials and local community leaders. Senior command members of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) gathered recently with St John’s Parliamentary Representative and leadership from the Gouyave Improvement Committee to align on logistics, public safety protocols and event management that will keep both attendees and local residents safe throughout the festivities.

    The cross-stakeholder discussion created a structured space to address key community and enforcement concerns, ranging from crowd control and traffic flow to noise regulations and emergency access. After productive negotiations that balanced the desire for a festive celebration with the need for public order, all parties reached consensus on a set of binding operational rules for the event.

    Under the agreed framework, no permanent or temporary physical structures will be built across the parish’s main thoroughfare to avoid blocking through traffic. Street vendors will be allowed to set up operations along the road shoulders, and are permitted to play music for attendees as long as volume levels are kept at a reasonable level that does not disturb surrounding residential areas. The group also agreed to a staggered start for event music: no musical performances will begin before the opening traditional church service concludes, and approved music can continue playing until 2 a.m. each day of the event.

    To minimize disruption to regular local travel, pre-existing bypass routes will remain active throughout the celebrations to keep regular vehicular traffic moving around the event core. Event organizers have also received formal approval to construct the main performance stage on St Dominic’s Street, located directly behind the local gas station.

    In a formal public notice released from the Office of the Commissioner of Police, the RGPF emphasized one non-negotiable requirement for all event stakeholders: organizers, vendors and attendees must maintain full, unobstructed access for emergency vehicles and large commercial trucks on both Central Depradine Street and Upper Depradine Street for the entire duration of the celebrations. This rule, police noted, is critical to guarantee that first responders can reach emergency scenes within the event area quickly if an incident occurs.

    Closing out the announcement, the RGPF extended its gratitude to the Parliamentary Representative for St John, the volunteer members of the Gouyave Improvement Committee, and local residents for their proactive cooperation and shared commitment to building an event that is safe, well-organized, and enjoyable for everyone who participates, whether as an attendee or a local community member going about daily life.

  • Authorities seize 421 suspected marijuana plants in Santo Domingo Oeste

    Authorities seize 421 suspected marijuana plants in Santo Domingo Oeste

    A coordinated anti-narcotics sweep conducted by three of the Dominican Republic’s top law enforcement agencies has rooted out a large-scale illegal cannabis cultivation operation in the western reaches of the country’s capital, Santo Domingo, marking a fresh advance in the nation’s ongoing war on drug production and trafficking. The targeted raid unfolded in the La Cuaba neighborhood of Santo Domingo Oeste, with agents from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) working alongside officers from the National Police and prosecutors from the Public Ministry to execute the operation.

    Following actionable intelligence, the joint force descended on a private plot of land located along El Limón 2 road in the Pedro Brand district. What they uncovered was a carefully organized illicit growing operation: 421 plants, suspected to be marijuana, were found individually potted in foam cups across the property, with specimens sitting at every stage of the growth cycle from young seedlings to nearly mature crops. Beyond the plants themselves, law enforcement also seized a full suite of purpose-built irrigation and cultivation gear, including large plastic water tanks, chemical fumigation pumps, flexible supply hoses, and even a solar panel that investigators allege was installed to power the illegal farm’s operations.

    In the wake of the seizure, one male individual present at the site was taken into custody for formal questioning. Law enforcement teams are still working to trace the full scope of the operation, including whether additional co-conspirators are linked to the growing site. To confirm the botanical identity and total weight of the seized plants, all contraband has been transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) for comprehensive laboratory testing, with formal results pending to support upcoming legal proceedings.

  • Surf schools urge Dominican authorities to ban vehicles from Playa Encuentro

    Surf schools urge Dominican authorities to ban vehicles from Playa Encuentro

    One of the Caribbean’s most iconic surfing hubs, Cabarete’s Playa Encuentro, is facing growing turmoil as local surf schools and community businesses push Dominican government agencies to crack down on unregulated vehicle access along its protected shoreline. Stakeholders warn that ongoing illegal driving and parking on the beach is putting visitors at risk, destroying fragile coastal ecosystems, and eroding the area’s hard-won reputation as a top-tier global surfing destination.

    In a formal letter submitted to multiple government bodies including the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Environment, and the Dominican Tourism Police (Politur), local business owners outlined the scope of the problem. Despite long-standing regulations that prohibit all vehicles from entering a 60-meter protected coastal strip, cars, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other motorized vehicles continue to enter and park in this restricted zone on a daily basis.

    Beyond the environmental damage, business leaders emphasize that the uncontrolled traffic creates immediate, life-threatening hazards for the tens of thousands of tourists and local residents who use the beach each year. Surfers moving between the shore and their vehicles, playing children, vacationing families, and casual beachgoers all face constant risk of collision with motorized vehicles on the sand. Ecologically, the repeated vehicle traffic is accelerating erosion of the beach’s natural dune systems and destroying native coastal vegetation that acts as a natural buffer against storms and sea level rise.

    To address the crisis, the coalition of local businesses has put forward a series of concrete demands for targeted, sustained enforcement. These include regular coordinated multi-agency inspections of the protected zone, installation of clear, visible warning signage marking the restricted area, development of designated public parking lots outside the coastal protection boundary, installation of physical barriers to block vehicle access to the sand, and the creation of a permanent collaborative management plan co-developed by local stakeholders and government authorities.

    The group stressed that preserving the ecological and recreational integrity of Playa Encuentro is not just an environmental issue—it is critical to the long-term economic survival of Cabarete’s tourism economy. As one of the Caribbean’s most sought-after surfing locations, the region draws thousands of wave sport enthusiasts and casual tourists annually, supporting hundreds of local jobs across surf instruction, accommodation, food service, and retail. Without swift action to enforce existing protections, stakeholders warn, the area could lose its standing as a world-class surfing destination, putting the entire local tourism industry at risk.

  • Four dead in car carrying eight

    Four dead in car carrying eight

    A devastating early-morning car crash on Shirley Street in Nassau has stolen the lives of four young women from Cat Island, all on the cusp of pursuing their college dreams abroad, leaving tight-knit communities across The Bahamas reeling from unfathomable loss on Sunday. Most of the eight people crammed inside the vehicle had grown up together, their shared childhood bonds making the tragedy that much more devastating for families and friends across the archipelago.

    Three of the victims have been formally identified: 17-year-old valedictorian Diamond Stubbs, 19-year-old Betrica Brown, and 19-year-old Stania Webb. As of press time, official confirmation of the fourth victim’s identity has not been released.

    Local residents of Cat Island described the sudden loss of four young residents as an unthinkable nightmare, saying the small, interconnected community has been left struggling to process the scale of the tragedy. Family members traveled by air to New Providence on Monday to formally identify the remains of their loved ones, arriving broken by the sudden turn of events.

    Authorities report the crash unfolded shortly after midnight Sunday, when the Mazda sedan carrying the group lost control and collided with a tree near the intersection of Shirley Street and Church Street. Unconfirmed reports indicate the group had attended a local pool party earlier in the evening and was heading home when the incident occurred. Three of the female passengers were pronounced dead immediately at the scene, while the five surviving occupants were rushed to nearby hospital for emergency care. A fourth victim later succumbed to her injuries despite medical intervention.

    The surviving passengers include a 19-year-old man with a broken wrist, a 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman who are currently listed in stable condition, and a 25-year-old man who remains in critical care as of Monday.

    For each of the deceased victims, the crash cut short lives full of potential, just weeks before they were set to leave The Bahamas to pursue higher education. Just two weeks before the crash, Stubbs graduated from Old Bight High School as both class valedictorian and head girl, a high-achieving young woman who had earned five separate college scholarships and was set to attend Langston University in Oklahoma this fall. Her godmother, Phillippa Anderson, said the entire family is completely shattered by her death.

    Stubbs had traveled from Cat Island to New Providence to wrap up pre-college arrangements, including organizing a community cookout to raise funds for her schooling, and was staying with her grandfather during the trip. Anderson described Stubbs as a quiet, reserved, and kind young person, noting that the night of the crash was one of the rare occasions she had gone out to socialize with friends. “This was her first time going out because her friend wanted her to live a little,” Anderson said. “She had so much to experience and live for.” An active member of her school band, Stubbs also represented Old Bight High at the Bahamas National High School Pageants, and her principal Dr Bennique Brown-Pratt recalled that Stubbs cried tears of joy throughout her graduation ceremony, overwhelmed by her bright future ahead.

    Nineteen-year-old Stania Webb, a 2024 graduate of Old Bight High, had already earned a band scholarship to Langston University and was returning to campus for the new school year when the crash occurred. Webb and Stubbs had been close friends since primary school, and Dr Brown-Pratt remembered her as a bright, hardworking young woman with a generous spirit and a deep love of music. “The school will do everything in its power to honor the legacy of these two remarkable young women,” Dr Brown-Pratt said.

    Nineteen-year-old Betrica Brown, who had also been preparing to start college abroad, had overcome extraordinary hardship in her short life. After her mother died in 2015 when Brown was just nine, her older brother Anthony Thompson raised her; Brown had already lost her father when she was two years old. Thompson described Brown as his “baby,” and said the two shared an unbreakable bond. Brown lived with Thompson, his wife, and their two children in Abaco, where she graduated from Agape Christian School. A standout athlete, Brown excelled at volleyball, track and field, and basketball, earning multiple MVP awards and multiple scholarship offers to study abroad. Thompson had helped her apply to a top college program, where she planned to train as a physical therapist.

    When Thompson received a 4 a.m. phone call notifying him of the crash, he had just arrived in New Providence to identify Brown’s body, and still could not process her death. “I just hoped that, hey, maybe the one survivor was her. I guess that’s selfish,” Thompson sighed. When asked if he felt anger toward the driver, Thompson said he bore no ill will: “Imagine you crashing a car and knowing that persons died on your watch. You done have to go through that the rest of your life.”

    Brown had traveled to Cat Island to visit family and Stubbs, who was her cousin, and the pair had caught a ferry to New Providence just days before the crash to pick up their student visas ahead of their July departure. “They grew up together, they were more like sisters than cousins,” Thompson said. The tragedy comes just three years after Thompson’s family lost Brown’s 18-year-old brother, leaving the family reeling from yet another devastating loss. “It’s almost like this, you want to be strong, but ain’t nobody care about being strong right now,” he said.

    The crash has sparked an outpouring of national grief across The Bahamas, with politicians, community leaders, and ordinary residents sharing tributes to the young women on social media. Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis, who serves as the Member of Parliament for Cat Island, said he was heartbroken by the tragedy and extended his deepest condolences to all the affected families. Transport Minister Leon Lundy also offered condolences, and used the tragedy to urge all motorists to prioritize road safety, reminding drivers to avoid impaired driving and distracted texting behind the wheel.

    The crash has also reignited public debate over persistent road safety hazards across The Bahamas. St Anne’s Member of Parliament Adrian White shared video footage of the crash scene, noting that recent utility trench work in the area’s northbound lane created an uneven hazard for motorists. White called on the Ministry of Works and the Water & Sewerage Corporation to ensure that similar unaddressed hazards are removed from public roads across the country to prevent future tragedies.

  • Young mother dies in car crash on East Sunrise Hwy in GB

    Young mother dies in car crash on East Sunrise Hwy in GB

    A devastating car crash in Grand Bahama has claimed the life of a 26-year-old local mother, who passed away in hospital early Sunday morning following a rollover collision with a concrete utility pole along East Sunrise Highway. As of press time, law enforcement officials have not formally published the victim’s full identity, but local community leaders and residents have confirmed she is Nica Julien, a recent employee at Celebration Key and mother to a young son.

    According to initial statements from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the collision unfolded just after 11 p.m. Saturday night, involving a burgundy Ford Focus that Julien was operating. First responding officers arrived at the scene to find the young woman thrown outside the damaged vehicle. Emergency Medical Services teams quickly transported her to Rand Memorial Hospital for urgent medical intervention, but her injuries proved too severe, and she was pronounced dead at approximately 12:35 a.m. Sunday.

    Preliminary law enforcement investigations have outlined a likely sequence of events leading to the crash. Julien was traveling westbound on East Sunrise Highway when she attempted to overtake another vehicle traveling in the same direction, investigators confirmed. During the maneuver, she lost full control of her sedan. The car veered off the travel lane, struck the central median, rolled multiple times, and ultimately crashed hard into a stationary concrete utility pole. The impact left the vehicle completely totaled, with extensive damage across its frame.

    News of Julien’s sudden passing has rippled across Grand Bahama, prompting official condolences from regional government leadership. Ginger Moxey, the Minister for Grand Bahama, released a public statement of mourning on Sunday, extending her deepest sympathies to Julien’s loved ones.

    “Today, we join our community in mourning the passing of Nica Julien,” Moxey said in her statement. “To family, friends, and all who knew and loved Nica, please accept our sincere and heartfelt condolences during this time of profound loss.” Moxey added that she and her team were holding Julien’s family in their prayers, saying, “We pray that God grants you comfort, strength, and peace in the days ahead, and that the love and support of those around you will help carry you through. May Nica’s memory forever live on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched.”

    Those who knew Julien described her as a vibrant, warm-hearted and caring person. Across local social media platforms, the young mother’s death has sparked a widespread outpouring of grief, with dozens of friends and acquaintances sharing tributes recalling her impact. One close friend remembered Julien as “the light to brighten a room when you enter,” thanking her for “the laughs we shared, the shoulder to cry on, and being the overall gem that you were.” The friend also highlighted Julien’s “infectious smile,” noting that she would be deeply missed by everyone who had the chance to know her.

  • Abinader becomes first Dominican president to visit National Zoo in over 20 years

    Abinader becomes first Dominican president to visit National Zoo in over 20 years

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – In a landmark moment for the country’s environmental and public recreational sectors, President Luis Abinader made a historic tour of the Dominican National Zoo this Sunday, marking the first time a sitting Dominican head of state has visited the facility in over two decades. The trip comes just days ahead of the zoo’s 51st anniversary of opening to the public, and served as an occasion to outline ambitious, long-overdue upgrades to one of the capital’s most beloved community green spaces.

    During his walkthrough of the zoo, President Abinader reviewed a full slate of modernization projects crafted to advance four core pillars of the facility’s mission: robust wildlife conservation, accessible environmental education, rigorous scientific research, and welcoming family-friendly recreation. To expand the zoo’s current collection and boost its conservation programming, Abinader proposed adding high-profile, iconic species that have been absent from the facility for years, including African elephants, giraffes, and common chimpanzees. The addition of these species is intended not only to draw more local and international visitors to the site but also to create new opportunities for ex-situ conservation and public learning about threatened megafauna.

    Other key priorities outlined by the president include the long-awaited restoration of the zoo’s aviary, which has shuttered its doors to visitors for more than 20 years. Additional planned upgrades include comprehensive renovations to existing animal habitats to improve animal welfare, expanded investment in assisted breeding programs for vulnerable species, enhanced funding for on-site scientific research, and the installation of interactive QR-code signage that will give visitors on-demand access to detailed educational information about every species housed at the zoo. To further expand the site’s role as a tourism and community hub, Abinader also proposed the development of a new nature-themed park within the National Zoo’s grounds, which would broaden recreational offerings for both local residents and visitors to Santo Domingo.

    Immediately after concluding his tour of the National Zoo, President Abinader traveled to the nearby Dr. Rafael María Moscoso National Botanical Garden, another of the Dominican Republic’s premier environmental and cultural attractions. There, he inspected the completed first phase of the garden’s most extensive renovation project since it first opened to the public, as well as ongoing work on the initiative’s second phase.

    Planned improvements at the botanical garden include the construction of new on-site medical facilities and upgraded security infrastructure, fully renovated main entrance areas, new flexible event spaces for community and private functions, and comprehensive enhancements to the garden’s popular Japanese Garden, a long-time favorite among visitors. Dominican environmental authorities confirmed that additional infrastructure upgrades are already in the planning stages, with the dual goals of strengthening the garden’s native plant conservation work and elevating the overall visitor experience at one of the country’s most frequented outdoor attractions.

  • COMMENTARY: Connected by touch, breaking barriers, building bridges

    COMMENTARY: Connected by touch, breaking barriers, building bridges

    On June 27, the global community observes the first official International Day of Deafblindness, a landmark initiative established by the United Nations General Assembly to address the systemic invisibility and exclusion faced by an estimated 160 million people living with deafblindness worldwide.

    The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution proclaiming the annual observance by consensus in June 2025, selecting June 27 to honor the birthday of Helen Keller, the pioneering deafblind American author, educator and activist whose lifelong advocacy continues to inspire marginalized communities across the globe. Marking the first global recognition of deafblindness as a distinct disability separate from isolated vision or hearing impairment, the 2026 inaugural theme is “Connected by Touch: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges”, which centers the critical role of tactile communication in fostering connection and autonomy for deafblind people.

    Unlike separate hearing or vision loss, deafblindness is defined as a combined dual sensory impairment whose severity prevents either impaired sense from compensating for the other. This unique combination creates distinct barriers that are rarely addressed by generic disability support programs. According to data from the World Federation of the DeafBlind, the global deafblind population spans a wide spectrum of impairment, from moderate dual sensory loss to profound deafblindness, and accounts for between 0.2% and 2% of the world’s total population. As a largely hidden and misunderstood demographic, deafblind people face disproportionately high rates of poverty, unemployment, and lower educational attainment compared to the general disabled population and non-disabled people alike. Long excluded from national statistics, disability policies and public development programs, the community continues to face gaps in access to life-sustaining services from primary education to routine healthcare.

    The establishment of the International Day of Deafblindness aligns with broader global efforts to advance disability inclusion, anchored by the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) 2.0 for 2026-2030. The updated strategy sets clear policy benchmarks and accountability frameworks to measure and accelerate progress toward inclusive development across all UN work, spanning peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. Regional organizations are already advancing targeted action to support the deafblind community: the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB), a regional umbrella body based in Antigua serving CARICOM member states, partners with global institutions such as the Perkins School for the Blind to expand access to adaptive learning resources and specialized education for children with multiple sensory impairments across Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, and the Eastern Caribbean. For its part, Jamaica’s 2022 Disability Act provides legal protections against disability discrimination, enshrines equal rights across all public and private sectors, and brings the nation into alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

    The International Day of Deafblindness directly advances three core United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). In the area of education, the observance advocates for universal access to inclusive learning environments, tactile communication tools, and specialized mobility training that meet the unique needs of deafblind learners. For health, the initiative highlights the heightened risk of mental health conditions such as depression among deafblind people, driven by systemic isolation and communication barriers, and calls for expanded inclusive access to healthcare and targeted support services. On the inequality front, the day pushes for formal recognition of deafblindness as a distinct disability, expanded access to accessible voting and assistive technologies, and professional training for specialized deafblind interpreter-guides, all to remove barriers to political participation and economic autonomy.

    On this inaugural observance, author and disability advocate Wayne Campbell calls on governments and global civil society to turn the abstract principle of disability inclusion into tangible reality. Campbell argues that targeted, intentional policy action is required to address the unique needs of the deafblind community, including tailored legislation, expanded access to specialized communication and support services, widespread public education to reduce stigma and misunderstanding, and concrete protections for the fundamental rights of all deafblind people. Echoing Helen Keller’s famous words—”Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”—Campbell urges collective action to dismantle systemic barriers and build a truly inclusive global society that grants equal opportunity to all, regardless of disability.

    Editor’s note: This article reflects the personal views of the author, Wayne Campbell, an educator and social commentator focused on the intersection of development policy, culture and gender equity.

  • BREAKING: Two Teenagers Shot in South Street Attack

    BREAKING: Two Teenagers Shot in South Street Attack

    Officers from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda have launched a full criminal investigation into a late-night shooting that left two adolescent males with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds over the weekend, law enforcement officials confirmed in a public statement this week.

    The incident unfolded at approximately 9:10 p.m. local time on June 27, when emergency dispatch received multiple urgent calls reporting gunfire on South Street in St. John’s, located just outside a local tattoo parlor. First responding patrol officers were dispatched to the scene within minutes to secure the area and provide initial aid to the injured victims.

    Initial findings from the ongoing probe outline that the two teenagers were standing on the side of South Street when they encountered two unidentified men approaching from the direction of Goodwin Street. Both suspects were described by witnesses as wearing all-dark clothing, with hooded garments pulled up to fully conceal their facial features. According to preliminary witness accounts, one of the two men drew a firearm and fired multiple rounds directly toward the pair of teenagers before both suspects fled the area on foot.

    The two victims – a 16-year-old resident of South Street and a 17-year-old from the nearby Villa neighborhood – were quickly transported by emergency medical services to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre for urgent care. Hospital officials have confirmed that while both teens sustained gunshot injuries, none of the wounds are considered life-threatening at this time. Both patients remain under close medical observation at the facility as they continue to receive ongoing treatment for their injuries.

    In a public appeal released by the Police Force’s Office of Strategic Communications, law enforcement leadership is urging any member of the public who may have witnessed the shooting, or who holds any information that could help investigators identify and apprehend the two suspects, to come forward immediately. Tipsters can reach the Criminal Investigations Department directly at 462-3913 or 462-3914, or submit anonymous information through the independent Crimestoppers hotline at 800-TIPS (8477). Police officials emphasized that all information provided will be handled with the highest level of confidentiality, and witnesses can choose to remain anonymous if they wish.

  • WISH Donates Mental Health Posters to Parham Primary School Through UNESCO-Supported Project

    WISH Donates Mental Health Posters to Parham Primary School Through UNESCO-Supported Project

    On June 26, 2026, children’s mental health nonprofit WISH marked a key milestone in its community outreach work, officially gifting a collection of custom “Be Kind to Your Mind” classroom posters to Parham Primary School. The donation is part of the organization’s long-running mission to normalize conversations around emotional health, encourage self-care practices, and expand mental health awareness among children and adolescent populations across local communities.

    The posters, developed as a core component of a WISH grant project backed by UNESCO, were presented to Parham Primary Principal Gayle Walter by WISH Founder Chaneil Imhoff. The handover ceremony took place alongside the official launch of a collaborative mural created by the Hopeful Hearts Foundation and WISH at the school campus, bringing together two community-focused mental health initiatives in one public event.

    Designed to be installed in classrooms and outdoor learning zones ahead of the new school year starting this September, the educational materials are tailored specifically to meet the developmental needs of young learners. Unlike generic mental health resources, the posters are crafted to help children build a foundational understanding of their own emotions, practice adaptive, healthy coping strategies for life’s stresses, and integrate positive, empathetic mental health vocabulary into their daily interactions at school.

    During her remarks at the handover event, Imhoff emphasized that early access to mental health tools is a critical public investment. She explained that building emotional literacy from a young age gives children lifelong skills to navigate life’s challenges, noting that many young people do not receive structured guidance around understanding and managing their feelings before they reach secondary school.

    “Children need to first understand that experiencing a full range of emotions is a completely normal part of being human,” Imhoff said. “But beyond that recognition, they need clear, accessible guidance on how to process those feelings in healthy, non-harmful ways. These posters are simple, age-appropriate reminders that hang in daily learning spaces, encouraging constant reflection on self-awareness, self-kindness, and intentional emotional regulation. If our goal is to build healthier, more empathetic communities for the future, we have to start by investing in the mental and emotional development of today’s children.”

    Imhoff also shared that the donation to Parham Primary carries deep personal meaning, revealing that the school has held a special place in her own life and her family’s multigenerational history, making this collaboration particularly meaningful for her as the founder of WISH.