Weekly Toll

For anyone who has a genuine interest in reforming workplace safety for the greater good of our workforce and protecting it, the story of Travis Koehler's tragic death and what followed should not be far from your mind. For those of you who are in need of the ever so quick refresher.... Back on Feb 2, 2006 while working for Boyd Gaming Travis Koehler and another coworker David Snow were ordered by one of their superiors back into an unsafe manhole where a third worker (Richard Luzier)lay unconscious in an attempt to rescue him. Sadly the attempted rescue would end even more tragically claiming the life of young Travis Koehler as well. And with David Snow just barely escaping clinging to life in critical condition from his injuries. However this would just be the beginning to what would quickly become one of Nevada's most well known cases of corruption. From illegal contributions to the reasoning behind having someone from governor Jim Gibbons office, M. Elliott sit in on OSHA hearings. For which the governors office is currently being probed by the Attorney Generals office for their involvement and actions surrounding this very unusual case. Now here's where my questioning comes in... Immediately following the news that Debi Fergen (Travis' mother) had filed suit on her son's behalf in this case. Within 24 hours the governors office had released a statement claiming that they were cleared by the Attorney Generals office of any wrongdoing by sitting in on the case. Which we would learn was untrue the following day in yet another article where the governors office made claims that the previous statement was nothing more than a simple mistake from a new employee who accidentally released an untrue statement while rushing to get his job done. Of course it doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots to see that this was nothing more then an attempt to put up a political smokescreen between the public and the upcoming trial. But the governors office has taken it a step further now when It contacted the family of Travis Koehler to announce that the Governor, Jim Gibbons, had just signed a proclamation to officially proclaim February 2, 2009, as a day to honor these two heroes, TRAVIS WAYNE KOEHLER AND DAVID A. SNOW DAY. On the one hand I for one find this to be a great thing as both these men deserve to be honored for their actions but on the other hand I just can't help but see that there is something else of not necessarily a good nature going on here. Beginning with the fact that Koehler's family was notified yet the Snow family was not. Why keep them in the dark about this? According to the governors office they simply did not know how to contact the Snow family due to a lack of correct contact information. Claiming that they had made several attempts to contact the Snow's via the telephone as well as through the mail using the last known address and telephone number of the family which by the way has not changed. So what does this all mean are we to believe that whomever was in charge of contacting the two families has a case of slight dyslexia and just miss-dialed the Snows phone number while incorrectly addressing their mail notification. Which I suppose would result in their proclamation being lost in the mail? Or is it simply that the governors office is only worried about distracting the family of Travis Koehler as they present the biggest threat in proving that the governors office is in fact guilty of helping one of their campaign's most generous financial contributors to escape justice? As much as I wish that I could have faith in good, I have seen far too much of the bad, so it has become next to impossible to prevent myself from questioning the ulterior motive. What I need now are your thoughts. Don't
let me down .

Mary

Yep it was said and said by Rep. Keith Hall! I always knew some of your representatives like to play God but there you go out of the mouths of thieves.

The Lexington herald-Leader published an article that sent me through the roof. Mine safety cuts pushed by coal-owning lawmaker "Hall is the sponsor of House Bill 119, which would reduce from two to one the number of mine emergency technicians, or METs, required at coal mines if the mines employ fewer than 18 people." John Cheves goes on to state that a few others are involved with this bill, "Several House Democrats are employed in the coal industry, either directly or indirectly, including Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg; Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook; and Natural Resources and Environment Chairman Jim Gooch, D-Providence." and by the way Hall has his hands in several mines with guess what 18 or less employees.

Figures show that it takes about $25 to train MET's and lives can be saved but seems these Reps think less than 18 workers are disposable. Lets not forget this is how Bud died, he bleed to death because they had only one Met who was incompetent.

Then there is the almighty statement of Hall, "I'm gonna have a little come-to-Jesus meeting with everyone and see where we stand,"

What the hell does he think he can tell the families they haven't already heard from his two sided mouth. Unfortunately they have family a little closer to Jesus now thanks to the lack of oversight now. How dare he tell Stella her husband doesn't matter...why don't you go try to explain that one to her baby?

Is it harsh, hell no. What is harsh is explaining to children that their father will never come home again, never go to there games, miss their graduations and marriages. What is harsh is explaining when they are ready just how their father died and that not only did our government not protect him but is allowing it to happen to another families.

What is harsh is hearing Stella explain how Bud died and how she thought he was just hurt. How Stella was not there to see her husband off in his final moments and knowing he was in pain. He could still be with Stella now this is harsh.

What probably hurts more now than anything is to know that people are not outraged at this practice that our government sometimes has. These offices may have a lame excuse and money signs in their eyes but what about the communities what about you! Kentucky get off your butt and write all your representatives. Let them know you will not allow these senseless acts any longer and remind them that they were voted in and can be voted out.

A small note to save lives. Can't get much easier than that.

On-duty L.I. police officer killed in fiery car crash; DWI arrest at the scene

February 22, New York, New York - A drunken driver who had been busted for DWI just last month broadsided a veteran Long Island cop's car early Sunday, killing the 45-year-old officer in a fiery crash, cops said. Suffolk County Officer Glen Ciano was on duty and en route to help his partner when he died - leaving cops and advocates asking how the reckless motorist still had a license. Jose Borbon of Plainview plowed his 2007 Dodge Magnum into the squad car at Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and Commack Road in Commack about 4:15 a.m., police said.


Mobile Store Worker Shot Dead

February 22, Little Rock, Arkansas - Friday night a 26 yr old man working at a mobile store, in Markham's Pacific Mall, was shot dead. Around 8:45 p.m. a single gunshot was heard in the basement level of the mall. Officers responded to the Mall and found the victim, Kit Chun Cheong of Toronto, lying on the floor of a store called XSITE. He had a gunshot wound in his head. Fifteen minutes later the building was closed for the night.


LaFayette city worker killed in accident

February 21, Rome, Georgia - A LaFayette city employee was killed Friday morning after his truck overturned on U.S. 27 near Shattuck Industrial Boulevard in LaFayette. According to Georgia State Patrol Post 41: Daryl McBryar, 42, of Chickamauga, was driving a City of LaFayette F700 Ford dump truck heading southbound on U.S. 27 near Shattuck Industrial Boulevard when he lost control of the vehicle while turning a curve, struck a guardrail and overturned, causing McBryar to be ejected and then trapped under the vehicle.


Farmer dies after hours trapped in silage

February 20, Berrien Springs, Mich. - A dairy farmer has died after being rescued from the silo where frozen fodder collapsed on top of him, trapping him upside-down for about six hours. Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Fire Chief Bruce Stover says 65-year-old Keith Brohman was conscious and alert when he was removed from the 60-foot-tall silo about 4 p.m. Friday. But Police Chief Milt Agay says says Brohman died about an hour later in a medical transport helicopter before it could take off for South Bend, Ind., Memorial Hospital. The cause of death had not been determined late Friday.


UPDATE: One person dead in 3-alarm West Jordan fire

West Jordan, Utah - A worker who was missing from a 3-alarm fire that destroyed an industrial facility in West Jordan on Friday has been confirmed dead. Fire fighters made it just 8 feet inside before having to pull out. Shortly after, the entire roof collapsed. 2 workers made it out with minor injuries. There was still no word by late Friday afternoon on an official cause of the the fire, but officials say they had an idea.


Woman found shot to death in burned building in Saluda County

February 20, Saluda County, South Carolina - It happened near Leesville, at a business off Highway 391. The Saluda County Sheriff's office says 54-year-old Kay Riley was found shot to death inside a mobile home business not far from her home. They say another worker noticed the building was on fire sometime Thursday afternoon and rushed in to save Riley, but it was too late. Sheriff Jason Booth says robbery appears to be the motive and that it looks like the fire was set to cover up the crime. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has been called in to help with the investigation. Friends of Riley say she was a wonderful woman who loved God and cherished life.


Road Worker Struck and Killed on the Job

February 20, Las Vegas, Nevada - A worker getting ready to do road work was hit and killed Friday morning on Cactus Avenue near Decatur. Police say a car driven by 30-year-old Matthew Weber hit the worker just after 5 a.m. Witnesses say the worker was attempting to unload a ladder from a truck parked on the side of the road when he was struck. The 35-year-old worker's identity has not been released at this time and the accident is under investigation.


Truck driver hit, killed by train near Savannah

Port Whentworth , Georgia — A freight train crashed into a dump truck Tuesday at a crossing west of Savannah, killing the truck driver and causing minor damage to an Amtrak passenger train traveling on a parallel track. Savannah-Chatham County police said no one was injured aboard the freight train or the Amtrak train, which was traveling from New York to Miami. The train was carrying 239 passengers, said Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell.Police spokeswoman Judy Pal said the initial crash pushed the truck into the path of the passenger train, which struck it a second time. The cab was torn off the truck and rolled about 100 feet down the tracks. The crossing, at the entrance to a water treatment plant on a four-lane highway, had a stop sign and a railroad crossing sign, but no lights or guard arms. Pal said the truck driver killed in the collision, 64-year-old Solomon Mainer of Savannah, worked for a subcontractor for the city of Savannah.


Authorities identify Wis. worker killed in fall

February 19, Dexterville, Wisconsin - Authorities say the man killed after apparently falling in icy water was the lead maintenance worker for the Woods County Parks Department for 22 years. The sheriff's department said Thursday that 52-year-old Rick Zorman of Pittsville was working on the Dexter Lake Dam near Dexterville when he fell in the water. The accident happened Wednesday afternoon and remains under investigation.


Worker killed in accident at Microsoft construction site

February 19, Seattle, Washington - An ironworker was killed at a construction site on the Microsoft campus in Redmond this morning when he was crushed beneath thousands of pounds of rebar. The man suffered massive head injuries in the 9:45 a.m. accident at 4480 154th Place Northeast just off 156th Avenue Northeast, said Jim Bove, Redmond police spokesman. He had been trying to set a rebar form — which had just been released from a crane — into concrete when it toppled onto him, Bove said. The man was tied to the form and was near the top of it when "one of the supports at the bottom gave way," he said. Another ironworker who was helping guide the rebar into place was not injured.


Livery cab driver shot in the Bronx

February 17, The Bronx, New York - A livery cab driver was shot in the neck during a carjacking this morning. The victim's coworker says the 46-year-old man was turning over the cab, something they did every morning around 4 a.m. But instead of getting a knock at the door this morning he heard gunshots, something that startled neighbors too. "I was sleeping. I heard a comosion outside then I heard a shot. Then i heard the car screeching off," said one neighbor.


Worker Dies In Accident At Port

Jacksonville, Florida - Detectives were investigating after an employee at a business on Jacksonville Port Authority property was fatally injured Thursday morning. Jaxport spokeswoman Nancy Rubin said an employee of Coastal Maritime Stevedoring was killed at 11:30 a.m. during vessel cargo operations. The victim was identified as 51-year-old Gregory Daise.


Wood County worker dies after fall into icy water

February 19, Dexterville, Wisconsin - A Wood County employee died Wednesday after authorities say he fell into freezing water while working on a dam near Lake Dexter, south of Pittsville. At about 4:30 p.m., the Wood County Sheriff's Department was notified that a man, whose name and age were not released Wednesday night, fell into the water while conducting maintenance on a dam near the intersection of highways 54 and 80, said Sgt. John Hiller. The man was dead by the time emergency personnel reached the scene. The cause of death was unknown Wednesday night, but authorities conducting the initial investigation think it was accidental, Hiller said.


Man dies in fall from water tower

February 18, Tuttle, Oklahoma - Tuttle Police say a man who fell more than 130 feet from the city’s new 130-foot water tower was hurrying to finish his work before severe weather hit. Malachi Redden, 22, of Norman, fell to his death last week as strong storms which produced several tornadoes moved toward the area. He was an employee of Circle P Construction Company which was hired by the city of Tuttle to finish work on the new water tower. Tuttle Police Captain Bill Boyd said Redden was welding and stepped on scaffolding which broke.


Man dies from Banner School scaffolding fall; head of school dismissed

February 28, Frederick, Maryland - A Banner School maintenance worker died as a result of the injuries he sustained after he fell from scaffolding while working at the Banner School on Feb. 9, police said in a release. A man who was critically injured last week after falling from scaffolding while working at the Banner School died Tuesday night at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma in Baltimore, according to the Frederick Police Department. John Miller, 42, died as a result of the injuries he sustained after he fell on Feb. 9, police said in a release.


Live-In Caregiver Killed By Another Caregiver In Pompano Beach

February 19, Pompano Beach, Florida - Broward County Sheriff's office said a live-in caregiver in Pompano Beach is facing murder charges following the death of her co-worker. Deputies were called to a condominium at the 2600 block of South Course Drive shortly before 11 Monday night. When they arrived, they discovered the dead body of a 40-year-old caregiver. Her name has not been released yet.


Worker Dies When Boat Overturns Near Shands Bridge

February 19, Green Cove Springs, Florida - Officials from Clay and St. Johns counties said a commercial boat capsized in the St. Johns River Wednesday morning, prompting a rescue effort and one death. The Florida Game and Fish Commission said four people were recovered from the water and transported to area hospitals, where one man was pronounced dead. Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Mike Goldman said two state workers and two contracted employees were conducting a routine inspection of the Shands Bridge when the incident occurred. The contractors were in a safety boat under the bridge when it filled with water and capsized. The two DOT employees on the bridge jumped in to rescue them. Goldman said one of the contractors died.


WPD officer’s death casts shadow over family, department

February 18, Wilmington, North Carolina - It should have been just another routine call. Wilmington Police Department Officer Richard Matthews, 28, was driving east on Shipyard Boulevard in a marked police car at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday on his way to help a fellow officer nab suspects tossing contraband from a vehicle in the Long Leaf Hills area. But Matthews lost control of his car, crossed the median and hit a tree, according to WPD spokeswoman Lucy Crockett. He was taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.


Churchpoint worker dies in wreck

February 17, Houma, Louisiana — A contract worker from Churchpoint died this morning when he ran off La. 56 in Cocodrie and flipped a truck in the marsh, State Police said. Two other men, both passengers, were injured. None of the men wore their seat belts, police said. Alcohol use is suspected and suspected marijuana was found in the wrecked truck. Blood-alcohol tests, required by state law in all fatal crashes, are pending. William Thompson Jr., 33, was driving north on La. 56 just after 6 a.m. when the 2006 Dodge Ram ran off the right side of the road in a slight left curve, said Trooper Gilbert Dardar, State Police Troop C spokesman.


Death of crossing guard leaves school, community in mourning

February 23, Danville, Virginia - Brenda Eanes said her husband never met a stranger. “He loved everybody,“ she said. Bennie Thomas Eanes, who was 85, died at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center on Monday afternoon after he was struck by a sport utility vehicle in front of Draper Elementary School that morning. Eanes was working as a crossing guard, a job he started in 1990. James Stallings has been charged in the accident, and the Eanes’ family said he is in their prayers.


Welder at Boardman plant dies after explosion

February 18, Boardman, Oregon - A welder has died in an industrial accident at ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston in Boardman, authorities said Tuesday. Kevin Paul Gregerson, 21, of Hermiston, was reportedly buried in debris after an explosion inside a tank, reported The East Oregonian. Boardman fire and police departments, along with the Morrow County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at 12:47 p.m. Monday at the potato processing plant at 600 Columbia Ave. N.E. A small confined space rescue team also was called. Gregerson's body was recovered just after 8 p.m., the newspaper reported.


One Tree Trimmer Killed; Another Rescued

February 17, South Los Angeles, California - A tree trimmer crushed by a ring of palm fronds that slipped over him, pinning him to the roughly 70-foot tree, died today before Los Angeles firefighters could free him, while another tree trimmer was saved in Long Beach. Firefighters sent about 9:25 a.m. to South San Pedro Street, near 48th Street, found the 23-year-old worker unresponsive, said d'Lisa Davies of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The worker was in a harness 50-60 feet up the tree when a heavy, ring- shaped section of fronds came loose above him, Davies said. It took more than 90 minutes to get him to the ground, where he was pronounced dead, she said. The man's name was withheld pending notification of his next-of-kin. Davies said she didn't know the name of the company for whom he worked.


Windy Day in New York City Leaves One Worker Dead

February 17, New York City, New York - Powerful winds blowing up to 50mph in the New York City region knocked down trees, toppled power lines and threw metal construction debris into the air. The gales are blamed for toppling a wall onto a 59 year-old construction worker on Staten Island, killing him. The wall, 60 feet in height and 100 feet in length, ran across a construction site at 1216 Bay Street. The wall collapsed while the construction worker took measurements. The worker was pronounced dead on the scene after being extricated from a large pile of rubble by firefighters.


Pompano Beach woman kills co-worker, police say

February 17, Pompano Beach, Florida - When deputies arrived, they found 59-year-old Consolacion Alarcon waiting for them in apartment 307, where she and another woman worked together, taking care of an elderly woman, Concepción said. Investigators say Alarcon struck her co-worker with an object, killing her. Concepción said the victim, who is in her 40s, has not been identified because her family has not yet learned of her death.


Construction Worker Killed at St. Johns County Jail

February 17, St. Johns County, Forida - A 19-year-old construction worker doing renovation work at the jail died when several metal doors collapsed on him. The accident happened around 7:30 Tuesday morning. The victim has been identified as 19-year-old Joe W. Hagans. He worked for Matrix Employer Services. According to Chuck Mulligan with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, the man was hanging steel doors in the jail when several of them fell over onto him. It's not clear the exact number of doors that fell. Each door weighed between 250 and 300 pounds.


Waverly Farmer Killed In Tractor Accident

February 17, Waverly, Nebraska - A rural Waverly farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating flipped on top of him. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said John Lukes, 70, died sometime between 11:30 Monday night and 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. Investigators said Lukes was driving the tractor in a field about a half mile from his home when the tractor got stuck in the mud. The tractor was facing a dirt embankment and as Lukes tried to get free from the mud, the tractor flipped on top of him. Lukes was pronounced dead at the scene.


Police Officer Shot, Killed in Line of Duty

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - A Philadelphia police officer was shot and killed after responding to a street fight Friday night. It happened at North Broad Street and Olney Avenue. Officer John Pawlowski, 25, was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he later died. Officials say he was a five-and-a-half year veteran of the force with a wife who is five-months pregnant.


Worker killed by excavating machine in Holmdel

February 16, Holmdel, New Jersey - Police say a 58-year-old Passaic man was killed when he was run over by an excavating machine on a construction job in Holmdel. Juan Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident occurred shortly before 3 p.m. Monday in the back yard of a house that was being rebuilt after a fire. Investigators say the victim was working with another employee of a Franklin Lakes landscaping company that was installing a septic system and grading the yard.


Truck driver killed on Interstate 85

February 16, Anderson, South Carolina — A Massachusetts man died early Monday when his tractor-trailer truck ran off Interstate 85 in Anderson County, hit a tree and burst into flames. Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore said 65-year-old James Michael Stewart died about 4:30 a.m. near the 33-mile marker in the southbound lanes of I-85. Shore said it is not immediately known if fatigue, a medical condition or the fire caused Stewart’s death.

Stella Morris lost her husband, David "Bud'' Morris Jr., working in the coal mines of Kentucky. Stella has been a strong advocate for miners and there families willing to share her experience with anyone who would listen.

Bud was killed because the only certified emergency technician, Gary Bentley (who also had a stake in the mine), working at the time of the accident failed to provide the first aid that could have saved Bud. Not only did bud endured the initial incident of having his leg cut off but then bled to death because Gary had failed to put a tourniquet on Buds wound all while his coworkers watched in horror and did all they could to help Bud.

Stella explained, “My husband went 55 minutes without any medical treatment, and that's uncalled for,” Stella Morris said during an August interview. “He would still be alive today if they had treated him properly.”

Stella is now fighting for a memorial to honor the miners lost. You can help Stella reach her goal by purchasing a tee.

For info about this t-shirt
Contact: tammy@usmwf.org
$12.00 small-xlarge, $13.00 xxlarge, and $14.00 xxxlarge.

In December 2006, the EPA dramatically reduced the amount of information the agency collects on toxic pollution under the TRI program. Since 1987, polluting facilities have provided detailed information about which chemicals are released, in what quantity, and where they go. TRI is widely recognized as one of the most effective environmental programs ever created. For example, TRI resulted in companies reducing toxic pollution by 50 percent within the program's first ten years.

In 2006, EPA significantly raised the threshold for detailed reporting on toxic pollution. The threshold went from 500 pounds to 5,000 pounds with an additional requirement that only 2,000 pounds of that pollution be released directly to the environment. The new rules also created an unprecedented exemption for reporting low-level disposals of persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs), including lead and mercury, which have been proven to be dangerous in even the smallest quantities. The agency made these changes despite overwhelming opposition from the American people, scientists, academics, public interest groups, and many others.

Currently, New York and twelve other states are suing the EPA to restore the old reporting thresholds. OMB Watch and U.S. PIRG are gathering signatures on a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. In the letter, we urge Administrator Jackson to take the necessary steps to settle the TRI lawsuit and restore the TRI program.

With a new administration settling into the White House and a new administrator taking charge at EPA, we now have an excellent opportunity to restore and improve the TRI program. The more voices we have calling for this move, the better our chances of quickly restoring the public's right to know.

Please take a moment to add your name or your organization to the letter.

The headlines read, "In Wilmington, a family keeps a lonely vigil for a dead husband and father" It may seem lonely but it is by far alone, there are at the very least 6,000 families in morning with her every year.

And her sign reads, "In loving memory of my husband Charles Johnson who died at UP from neglect."

Ground man down, they cried as Charles lay between the tracks bleeding from the back of his head, wiggling his fingers and toes. Coworkers watched as their friend lay with his life slipping away.
UP had no emergency plan and the paramedics couldn't find him right away Charles was pronounced dead at 9:15pm.

Company spokeswoman Zoe Richmond said she could not comment on workers'
specific allegations but stressed, "Safety is our No. 1 priority at Union
Pacific." The Wilmington facility, she said, has a strong safety record.

We have all heard this one before. They always say Safety is key, they must have lost the key before the incident?

Charles must have been loved by many of his coworkers as they walked off the job in protest and his family continues to bring awareness to the issue and reminds others Charles was a father and husband.

I say you go girl for all those who don't have the strength to do so themselves and Charles. You keep screaming from those mountain tops because people are listening and more are joining in everyday.

The only way to get justice for any of our loved ones is for us to get involved, tell your story until everyone has heard. You may have the door shut in you face a hundred times but then the door opens. Some one is or will listen so don't give up girl! They printed your plea and we've got your back;o)

Oregon has got it down and must be listening!

“This legislation honors the memory of Oregonians who have experienced the tragedy of work place death and disabling injuries,” said Sen. Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland), chair of the Senate Commerce and Workforce Development Committee.

“We have an obligation to make sure that the loved ones left behind receive proper help in their time of need.”

Oregon's new bill will increase the allowance for funeral expenses which generally barely scratch the surface, increase assistance for a family of college aged children, and permanently disabled worker has no surviving spouse or dependent children an insurer must pay the full remainder of a disability benefit to the worker’s estate.

The Workers’ Compensation Management-Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC) was also asked to study the death benefits in the workers’ compensation system to ensure they are adequate. Anyone who has dealt with WC knows most are not.

As a matter of fact just last night I received an email from a family member who stated:

I was wondering if the problem I had is common practice, or an honest mistake. We finally heard from the lawyer that was hired by the Traveler's Insurance company who was handling the compensation package due to us from our son's death. When I received what the number she came up with I was appalled. It was less than a third of what the formula had said we were due. My husband first contacted her the day before by email, and she assured him the figure was correct because it had to be adjusted to today's dollars. I was not aware of their emails, and when I received the letter I immediately called her, and she gave me the same story. I said but come on less than a third of what we're entitled to? She said yes and that I could go to the website and see the table myself. I told her that was bullsh*t and she would be hearing from our lawyer. A few hours later, lo and behold, my husband received another email from her saying that she decided to go over the numbers again and found she had made a large error, apologized, and came up with a figure twice the original quote. We did go see our lawyer, came home, and did the figures ourselves and found she was still shorting us money. By law beneficiaries can receive the total compensation up til the day the full lump sum check is written. Only that portion is in "today's dollars" which is reduced by 8%. That figure is never changed no matter what the economy is which also is so unfair today. Just wondering how many people who may have not only lost a loved one, but possible their jobs, would have not questioned it, and taken the original sum they came up with. Any thoughts? Also I don't think it is fair that because we are parents and not dependents we can only be paid in a lump sum, the option of 400 weeks is not an option to us.

Well we all know that workers comp and any insurance provider for workers tends to play the deny game however I was informed that even attorneys are taught to lie about these situations.

I even know some who have taken it to the top and lost out. Take for instance Barbara Clark she also has a site. She lost it all during this process and continues to be in pain but no one listened. The individuals who have been involved should be ashamed and to be honest the light shed on the seventh day adventist is appalling.

I am not one to add tittles to a group of individuals however if I were an adventist I would voice my opinion.

Barb we are still thinking of you girl! Your in our prayers!

FPL Worker Electrocuted In Ft. Lauderdale

Fabruary 15, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - A Florida Power and Light worker was killed in an accident in Ft. Lauderdale early Sunday morning. Ft. Lauderdale police report an FPL crew was upgrading power lines and poles for the Washington Mutual Bank at 608 East Broward Boulevard when the deadly accident occurred. The crew had finished the upgrade and restored power around 5:40 a.m. when one of the workers, identified as 37-year old Junior Seaton of Pembroke Pines, raised himself in a bucket up toward the lines. Investigators said Seaton came into contact with the charged power lines and was electrocuted.


Florence cab driver shot

February 14, Florence, South Carolina - Police are looking for three men who shot a Florence taxi cab driver. It happened just after 11:00 Friday night on Waverly Avenue. Police say the 52 year old cab driver went to pick up a man, when that man and two other men ambushed him inside his car and demanded all of his money. Police say he did give up the money and that's when one of the men shot him twice. He's expected to be okay. Investigators tell us they're following all leads to track down the shooters.


Livery Cab Crash On Staten Island Leaves 2 Dead

February 14, Staten Island - Two people are dead and one is in critical condition after the livery cab they were in collided with another car on Staten Island. Police say the 50-year-old male cab driver and a 52-year-old woman in the front were killed in the early Saturday morning crash. A 54-year-old woman in the back seat was taken to a nearby hospital. She's in critical condition. Police have not identified any of the people who were in the cab. They say the cars collided at Victory Boulevard and Cebra Avenue about 1:34 a.m.


Trauma, drowning caused city worker's death

February 14, Galveston, Texas — A worker killed at the city’s wastewater treatment plant died of accidental blunt-force trauma and drowning, said John Florence, spokesman for the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s office. While Hunter’s death was ruled an accident, a police investigation continues. Hunter died Jan. 4 after falling into a storage tank at the city’s main treatment plant, 5200 Harborside Drive. City Manager Steve LeBlanc asked the police department to investigate. Although officers said immediately they thought Hunter’s death was an accident, they said the case would remain open until they received results of a toxicology test. The medical examiner requested a toxicology screening to determine whether Hunter, 46, inhaled any toxic gas at the plant that could have contributed to his fall from a catwalk.


Philadelphia police officer shot, killed

February 14, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — A police official says a Philadelphia police officer has been shot and killed in the line of duty. Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says Officer John Pawlowski was responding to a fight on a highway in the Logan section of the city Friday night when he was shot. He was transported to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.Pawlowski is the sixth active duty officer on the Philadelphia police force to be killed in the line of duty in the last two years.


A look at some of those killed in NY plane crash

February, 12, New York, New York -

Rebecca Shaw

Shaw, the flight's first officer, had a passion for aviation and decided in her senior year in high school that she wanted to fly. Shaw, 24, of Maple Valley, Wash., in the Seattle suburbs, joined the commuter airline in January 2008 and had flown 2,244 hours with the carrier. "She absolutely loved to fly," said her mother, Lyn Morris. Shaw graduated in 2002 from Tahoma High School, where she was active in volleyball, softball and student leadership, district spokesman Kevin Patterson said. She attended Big Bend Community College before transferring to Central Washington University in Ellensburg. She graduated in 2007 with a degree in flight technology, university spokeswoman Teri Olin said.

Marvin Renslow

New York - Renslow, the plane's pilot, lived in the Tampa suburb of Lutz, Fla., and grew up in southwestern Iowa. Renslow, 47, joined Colgan Air, the company operating the flight, in September 2005 and had flown 3,379 hours with the airline.Jeff Hiser, who went to school with Renslow in Shenandoah, Iowa, and is now the activities director at Shenandoah High School, said Renslow graduated from high school in 1979 and left Iowa to pursue his goal of becoming a pilot. He remembered Renslow as outgoing, involved in the fine arts and an excellent drummer.


High Winds Blamed For Construction Worker's Death

February 12, New York, New York - It didn't take long for the windstorm to turn deadly. Just after 8 a.m. Thursday morning, 59-year-old construction foreman Robert McGee was crushed when a wall fell on him as he worked on a home in Rosebank. Investigators believe the heavy wind was to blame. "This wall was built out of concrete masonry, this masonry wall was placed prior to today, we are working with our law enforcement partners to determine the actual collapse. We believe that wind did play a factor," said Buildings Commissioner Robert Limandri.


Family Mourns Trucker Killed In Tornado

February 13, Lone Grove, Oklahoma - The family of a truck driver who died in the Lone Grove tornado is remembering a dedicated worker who went back and forth to Dallas every night to pick up newspapers. Gary Vaughn was on Interstate 35 near Ardmore when the tornado hit, killing him instantly."They just told us there had been an accident and they really didn't have any details, other than he had been involved in the tornado and he didn't make it," said Vaughn's sister, Kim Boyd. "I asked if he had been taken to the hospital and they said there was no reason to. He had gone straight to the funeral home."


Taxi Driver Shot and Killed in East Orange

February 11, East Orange, New Jersey - Police say a gunman shot at a moving taxi in East Orange early this morning killing the driver and injuring a passenger. The driver, Hassan Miller, 24, was shot and killed near the intersection of Davis Place and North Oraton Parkway, police said. His cab was found in a grassy area next to the Garden State Parkway, at the intersection of Interstate 280, police said. Police say the victim's father is a councilman in Orange and that he lived with his mother in East Orange. His family members said he was a star football player at Orange High School and the he had only started working at Eagles Taxi Service last month.


Man was hurrying to finish when he fell from tower

February 12, Tuttle, Oklahoma - Police in Tuttle say a man who fell more than 130 feet from a water tower to his death was hurrying to finish his work before severe weather hit. Twenty-two-year-old Malachi Redden of Norman fell from the tower Tuesday afternoon as strong storms that produced tornadoes moved toward the area. Redden was an employee of Circle P Construction Co. which was hired by the city of Tuttle to finish work on a new water tower.


Truck With Trailer Runs Over, Kills Employee

February 12, Columbus, Ohio — A person died on his or her job site Thursday morning. NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS. A tipster e-mailed NBC 4 with information about a worker’s death at 5115 Fisher Rd. a little before 9 a.m. NBC 4 confirmed the information with Columbus police and fire crews. The person died at Masterfoods USA at 5115 Fisher Rd., near Hilliard Rome Road. Apparently, a person was run over by a truck with a trailer. Workers were shuttling trailers around the lot. It was not obvious immediately how the accident happened. Crews were on the scene, and CPD’s homicide squad also was called to the scene. CPD said no one will be cited because it’s on private property. The victim’s identity could not be confirmed immediately.


Andover line worker dies of injuries in fall on the job in Kentucky

February 12, Paducah, Kentucky - A line worker from the Twin Cities died in Kentucky on Thursday of injuries suffered when he fell nearly 40 feet from a utility pole two days earlier, his company said. Andy Reichwein, 35, of Andover, suffered severe head injuries after falling and being hit by a 300-pound transformer that was atop the pole in Paducah, just south of the Illinois border, said Connexus Energy in a notice on its website. Reichwein was among 13 Connexus employees who had arrived in Kentucky on Tuesday to help the local electric cooperative restore power after the ice storms in late January. Another worker fell but was not seriously injured.


Taxi Driver Killed, Passenger Injured in Morning Shooting

February 11, East Orange, New Jersey - A gunman opened fire on a taxi early Wednesday morning near the Garden State Parkway, killing one person and injuring another, authorities say. The shooting occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Davis Place and North Oraton Parkway near the entrance to I-280 in East Orange. Police say the taxi driver, identified as 24-year-old Hassan Miller, was shot three times in the head and pronounced dead at University Hospital in Newark.


REGION: Man crushed in 2008 collapse at construction site dies

February 11, Escondido, California - A man who sued a Carlsbad contractor and other companies after he was crushed when a walkway collapsed on him in San Diego last summer died Wednesday of complications from his injuries, authorities said. Tyrone Allen, 49, was pronounced dead at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest shortly after 2 a.m., according to the county Medical Examiner's Office. Sixteen people were hurt, three of them seriously, in the Aug. 28 midday collapse in the East Village neighborhood of downtown San Diego. The walkway was next to a three-story, low-income apartment complex under construction. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation, said Erika Monterroza, a spokeswoman for the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health.


Man electrocuted in Midtown Tucson identified as Ashton worker

February 11, Tuscon, Arizona - A man who was electrocuted while working in Midtown Tuesday has been identified as 61-year-old Ernie Russell. Russell was a senior electrical supervisor for Ashton Construction, where he worked for more than 10 years, said Dick Horton, an Ashton spokesman. He was working near East River Road and North Dodge Boulevard on the Dodge transportation enhancement project when the accident occurred, officials said. It appears that he was setting up a light post when it touched some overhead power lines, Horton said. Russell was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.


Utilities Worker Electrocuted

February 11, Ocala, Florida - An autopsy report is scheduled Wednesday for a utilities worker who was electrocuted while working on some power lines. It happened in the 4400 block of Northeast Jacksonville Road Tuesday night. A fire rescue spokesperson said Timothy Parks, 30, was working from a bucket truck when he contacted the power lines. Crews lowered him to the ground and started CPR, but it was too late. A sheriff's official said Parks was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Parks was doing contract work for the Ocala Electric Utility at the time.


Ceremony for fallen officer helps family

February 11, Phoenix, Arizona - As Cory Figueroa stood near the wall of brick and glass where his son's name is etched, the police officer reflected briefly on the three months since he learned his son died in the line of duty. The former Phoenix officer, who now works for Maricopa Police, said he still struggles with his emotions when he puts on his badge and has yet to return to his patrol duties. Watching his eldest son Shane's name added Tuesday to the Phoenix Employee Memorial during a ceremony in the cold outside City Hall provided some closure to the October tragedy that left the Figueroa clan without a son, father and husband. "For me, personally, it's been difficult to put the uniform back on," said Cory Figueroa, 49, who carried his son's 6-month-old daughter, Kenzlie, during the procession. "It's something Shane would want me to do, to continue on," he said. Shane Figueroa, 25, died Oct. 25 after a drunk driver collided with his patrol car in south Phoenix during an early-morning crash on 19th Avenue near Roeser Road.


Longtime supermarket worker dies in store's grease trap

February 11, Moncure, North Carolina — A Chatham County man died Wednesday morning after falling into a supermarket grease trap, Sheriff Richard Webster said. Caley Earl Gardner, 80, fell into the grease trap behind Ray's Super Market, 901 Old U.S. Highway 1 in Moncure, and couldn't get out, Webster said. Authorities didn't release details regarding the cause of Gardner's death, but his daughter said she thinks he suffered a heart attack.


Enterprise firefighter found dead

February 11, Enterprise, Alabama - An Enterprise firefighter was found dead of unknown causes Tuesday while attending routine training at the Alabama Fire College in Tucaloosa, according to an announcement from the Enterprise Fire Department. Firefighter Jeffrey Isbell, 33, was a member of the Enterprise Fire Department for just over 2 years. No other information concerning his death is available at this time. “On behalf of the city council and myself, I would like to send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jeff Isbell, the firefighter we lost recently,” said Mayor Kenneth Boswell.


Authorities: Man fatally crushed in industrial accident

February 9, Chicago, Illinois - A Melrose Park man was fatally crushed while working at a machine in a Near Northwest Side envelope factory Tuesday night. Hiep Vu, 54, of the 1900 block of North 18th Avenue in Melrose Park, was pronounced dead at 8:46 p.m. at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. Police were called at 7:50 p.m. to Cenveo Inc. at 3001 N. Rockwell St. and when they arrived the Chicago Fire Department were in the process of taking Vu to the hospital in critical condition, according to police News Affairs Officer Daniel O’Brien. Vu’s co-workers looked over to the machine where he was working and they couldn’t see him, according to O’Brien. When they walked over to take a closer look they saw Vu had gotten stuck in the rollers of the machine, the officer said.


Dekalb worker dies after falling in 55-foot well

February 8, Atlanta, Georgia - A 22-year-old man is dead after falling down a 55-foot well filled with methane gas. Search crews pulled the worker's body of out of the well around 11 p.m. Saturday, almost 10 hours after he fell in. "We have constructed a three-sided or three-pronged hook," DeKalb Co. Fire Captain Eric Jackson told WSB-TV. "Hoping that we could snag on some portion of this individual. " Rescuers said the man was with a private contractor working at the Seminole Road Landfill in Southern DeKalb County. "Given the amount of methane gas in the space, would be impossible," said Battalion Chief Doug King. The methane is produced when trash gets dumped into the landfill and starts to decompose. The victim was supposed to capture the methane so it would burn into atmosphere. Crews sent a camera down in that well Saturday afternoon, but said it was smothered with heavy fog from the gas. The well was also filled with about 10-feet of water. Rescuers said the victim was working for Quality Drilling. His name has not been released.


Trucking company worker dies after being trapped under steel in South Plainfield

February 9, South Plainfeild, New Jersey —A worker at a trucking company was injured fatally Friday, Feb. 6, when he became trapped underneath a large piece of steel, police said Monday. Borough police, fire and EMS personnel responded to Trans American Trucking at 115 Saint Nicholas Ave. after the incident was reported at about 3 p.m. They arrived and freed the 29-year-old victim from the entrapment, but he had sustained severe injuries, police said in a news release. The victim, who was not immediately identified by police, was taken by helicopter to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick before succumbing to his injuries.


Railroad worker dies when hit by locomotive

February 29, Herington, Kansas — A 26-year-old Union Pacific Railroad conductor was killed early Sunday when he was struck by a train. Saxton L. Haselwood, Burden, was killed shortly after 3 a.m. when he was run over by a train in the Herington railyard, according to a statement released by the Herington Police Department. The accident remains under investigation by the Herington and Union Pacific Railroad police. Haselwood was pronounced dead at the scene, and his body was taken to Topeka for an autopsy, the statement said.


Police: Employee With Knife Shot After Stabbing Coworkers

February 10, Northridge, California - A knife-wielding man allegedly attacked his boss and a fellow employee at a security company in Northridge on Monday and was shot and critically wounded by his injured supervisor, police said. KCAL9 on Monday afternoon identified the alleged assailant as Juan Silva, a 31-year-old employee of All Action Security Inc.


Update: Police ID Victim, Gunman In Fatal Bar Shooting

February 9, Springfield Township, Ohio - Police arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting overnight at a Springfield Township bar. Investigators said Thomas Phelps, 39, shot and killed 37-year-old Corey Land, an employee of Almost Home. Phelps had been asked to leave the Hamilton Avenue bar early Monday, police said, but sneaked back inside with a firearm. Authorities said Phelps pulled out the weapon around 1:30 a.m. and fired five gunshots before fleeing the bar.

Worker dies at shipping, storage company

Fabruary 8, Baton Rouge, Louisiana - Authorities say the death of a 45-year-old worker at Cemus LLC appears to have been an accident. Paulino Romelio Martinez Vasquez of Satsuma, La., died around 10:30 a.m. Saturday after authorities say he was trapped between two pieces of equipment. However, authorities did not release the exact cause of death.


Crane falls down, killing worker

February 8, Boston, Massachusetts - One worker was killed and another seriously injured after a crane used to inspect the roof of a seven-story Suffolk University dormitory fell over yesterday morning, its 110-foot metal arm plummeting through the air before slamming into a building in the heart of busy Downtown Crossing. District Fire Chief Ron Harrington said both workers who were in the basket as it plunged into a paved lot were severely injured, and one was found at the scene without a pulse. The workers were identified as James Williamson and Greg Johnson by Valerie Wencis, a spokeswoman for Massachusetts General Hospital. Williamson died at 8:15 p.m. from injuries sustained in the accident, and Johnson was listed in serious condition last night, Wencis said.


Funeral Services for Officer Killed During Traffic Stop

February 9, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Family and friends will gather Wednesday in remembrance of Officer Christopher Jones of Middletown Township who was killed in the line of duty. Officer Jones lost his life on a Bucks County Highway last Thursday. He was hit and killed during a traffic stop on I-95. Weather permitting; the body of Officer Jones will be taken in a horse drawn carriage to Our Lady of Grace church in Penndel, Bucks County Wednesday.


Man found dead at Northeast barbecue restaurant

February 7, El Paso, Texas - A man was found dead near a smoker oven at MO'z Bar-B-Que restaurant, 4011 Fred Wilson, Saturday morning. At 7:41 a.m. fire officials were called to the scene after a 67-year-old black man was found death with burns throughout his body. Investigators with the Fire Marshals Office and the El Paso Police Department's Crimes Against Persons unit were called to the scene to look into the man's death. Fire officials said the man was an employee at the restaurant and had last been seen by coworkers at about 2 a.m. The man may have died of natural causes. An investigation continues, officials said.



Worker killed by falling tree

February 7, Memphis, Tennessee - A man attempting to remove a 100-foot-tall tree at Big Creek Golf Course was killed today when the tree fell on him, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s investigators identified the man as Cruz Ayala Delgado, who died at the scene. The accident occurred just after 8:30 a.m. Investigators said Big Creek employees attempted to help Delgado and lift the large tree but were unsuccessful.


Worker Identified in Landfill Accident

February 8, Ellenwood, Georgia - Authorities have identified a man they say was killed after he fell into a 60 foot deep shaft on which he was working. Zackerie Knight, 20 of Christiansburg, Ohio was working on the shaft at the DeKalb County Seminole Road Landfill at 4203 Clevermont Rd. in Ellenwood on Saturday. Official said he had just finished removing a grate when he fell into the shaft. Rescue crews recovered the body late Saturday evening.


Driver dies when truck flips at mine

February 7, Charleston, West Virginia - A contract truck driver was killed Friday morning at a Massey Energy strip mine in eastern Kanawha County, state and federal officials said. William Wade, 70, of Bloomingrose, lost control of his truck on a haul road at Massey subsidiary Elk Run Coal Co.'s Republic Energy Surface Mine, said Jama Jarrett, spokeswoman for the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training. Amy Louviere, spokeswoman for the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, said the truck was traveling downhill on the paved road. "An eyewitness saw the truck travel a short distance up an embankment and then flip over," Louviere said. "The driver was ejected from the truck and was fatally injured when he was pinned under the cab."


Recalling a fallen officer

February 5, Torrance, California - Sick with a cold, Lisa Simmons awakened sometime after midnight and saw that her husband was not lying next to her. Figuring he was downstairs, she got up, went to the bathroom, returned to bed and turned on the television. "I had no idea he had left the house," Lisa Simmons said. A short time later, the phone rang. A Los Angeles police official told her to be ready to be picked up. Something had happened to her husband, Randal Simmons. This surprised his wife. "I said, `He's here. He's downstairs,' " Simmons recalled during an interview this week at her Rancho Palos Verdes home. "I didn't hear him leave." Her 51-year-old husband, a 20-year veteran of the special weapons team, had been shot during a gunbattle with a man who had killed his father and two brothers.


Worker killed by post-hole digger

Dos Palos, California -- A 20-year-old Dos Palos man died Wednesday after he was crushed by an industrial post-hole digger. Martin Valencia was working on a farm around 11 a.m. in the 6300 block of Eucalyptus Avenue, near Dos Palos. Valencia and another man, who was operating the tractor, were digging holes. A spinning bolt on the drill caught his jacket and pulled him toward the shaft and into the hole. The machine crushed his body before it could be turned off. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


Man dies at DeSoto natural gas well site

Fenbruary 5, Stonewall, Louisiana — A man believed to be from the Shreveport-Bossier City area is dead as a result of an accident at a natural gas well site on Twin Oaks Road in Stonewall. Chesapeake Energy Corp. will have investigators there today to try to determine the cause of the accident that killed Jonathan Brazzel, 25, DeSoto Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle said. DeSoto authorities still were investigating the accident Wednesday night. "We've got a lot of piecing together to do," the sheriff said two hours after the accident was called into his office about 5 p.m.


Carpenter dead in 25-foot fall through roof

February 4, Deerfeild — Federal and state authorities are investigating the death of a carpenter who fell through a farm warehouse roof in Deerfield. Police say 53-year-old Richard Perry of Conway was one of three carpenters working on the roof Tuesday when he fell about 25 feet to a concrete floor below. Perry was taken to Baystate Franklin Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.


Sulphur convenient store clerk killed at work

February 4, Lake Charles, Louisiana - Murder shocks the Sulphur community after a man allegedly kills a convenient store clerk for his car. James Richard,21, is being held without bond and the Calcasieu Correctional Center. Sulphur Police Asst. Chief Glenn Berry said Richard entered the EZ Mart on Highway 90 and Cities Service Hwy and killed Benjamin Mevis, 26. "It's a totally senseless killing that happened here (Citgo), last night. Mr. Richard came in and the only thing we can notice that's missing is Mr. Mevis's car," said Asst. Chief Berry.


Construction worker killed in trench collapse

February 4, Cartersville, Alamaba - A construction foreman was killed Wednesday afternoon when a trench collapsed near Cartersville. Authorities said James Hilbish, 46, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., was killed when the accident occurred just before noon, but it took firefighters more than three hours to extract the body. The trench collapsed during sewer line installation, said Bartow County Fire Chief Craig Millsap. Hilbish worked for Tunco Co. of Tuscaloosa, which had subcontracted work with the Bartow County Water Department, authorities said. No one else was injured. Because trench rescues are so dangerous, Bartow authorities called in members of the Georgia Search and Rescue team, which included firefighters from Calhoun, Bartow, Cobb and Gordon counties.


Domino Sugar worker killed in forklift accident

February 4, Maryland - A worker at the Domino Sugar factory in Baltimore died early today in a forklift accident -- Maryland's first industrial workplace fatality this year, authorities said. City paramedics responded to the waterfront factory, in the 1100 block of Key Highway, at 2:42 a.m., according to Chief Kevin Cartwright, a city Fire Department spokesman. They found a man suffering from trauma to his head near a forklift, he said. Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. None of the city or state agencies involved in the investigation -- nor his employer or the union that represented him -- would release the man's name today. A Domino spokeswoman said in an e-mail that the man's name was being withheld "out of respect for the family." Officials did not release details about how the man was injured.


Company fined in worker's fatal fall

February 3, Council Bluffs, Iowa - The company that employed a construction worker who was killed in a fall last year in Omaha was fined $26,600 after a government investigation. Jose D. Sanchez Dominguez, 34, of Texas was killed Jan. 27, 2008, while working on the new Wal-Mart at 72nd and Hickory Streets. Luis Alejuandro Azeona Rocha, 21, of Mexico also fell and was critically injured. The men, employed by D&Br Building Systems of Edgewood, Texas, a subcontractor on the construction project, were attaching corrugated panels to the roof when a panel gave way. Omaha police said the two men fell at least 25 feet onto some metal.


Bus falls on Berea man, killing him at Cleveland repair shop

February 3, Cleveland, Ohio - A 35-year-old Berea man was killed on the job Monday at a West Side auto-repair shop. An airport bus fell on top of Kenneth L. Cross at Kilbane's Auto Service on Chatfield Avenue near West 150th Street. The married man's birthday was Thursday. Cross had worked at the shop for about 8 years. A distraught co-worker said Cross "was a good-working, easy-going guy." The Cuyahoga County coroner is doing an autopsy today. The death was tentatively ruled an accident caused by asphyxia.


Company official dies in accident at mill

February 4, Atchison, Kansas — A machinery accident Monday killed a Golden Star official at its Atchison yarn mill. Joseph K. Julo, 48, died about 11:35 a.m. as a result of injuries, said Gary Gradinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Golden Star. The Atchison Fire Department received a call at 10:55 a.m. saying a machine had fallen on someone, said Fire Chief Michael McDermed. The machine was used to press mop heads and is estimated to weigh between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds. The accident pinned Mr. Julo to the floor, causing severe head trauma, said John Calhoon, Atchison County sheriff.


Merrillville police officer dies of heart attack

February 3, Merrillville, Indiana - Police expect hundreds of people to turn out Thursday for the funeral of Sgt. Ed Westbury, a veteran police officer and volunteer firefighter who died Sunday after suffering a heart attack in his patrol car. Westbury, 56, was found in his squad car less than a block away from police headquarters, after dispatchers called on his cell phone when he didn't respond to repeated calls on his police radio. "When they called his phone, he answered and said, 'I think I'm having a heart attack,' and called for an ambulance," said department spokesman Lt. Lance Huish on Monday.



Man dies in crane mishap in Maryland Heights

February 3, Maryland Heights, Montana - A construction worker was killed in a crane mishap this morning at the Edward Jones contruction site near Westport, police say. Police identified the victim as Steven Michael Lillicrap, 21, of the 5400 block of Edelweis Lane in south St. Louis County. Maryland Heights Police Sgt. William Fink said Lillicrap was working on a project for McCarthy Bros. near the intersection of Interstate 270 and Dorsett Road. The construction site is at 9 American Industrial Court.


MillerCoors Employee Dies At Golden Plant

February 3, Golden, Colorado - The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department is investigating the death of a worker at the MillerCoors brewing plant in Golden. According to MillerCoors, employees discovered the body of William Leahy around 9:30 p.m. Monday. MillerCoors released a statement Tuesday, saying, "Leahy was a packaging electrician at the brewery and employed by MillerCoors for 30 years. Leahy was well regarded by his coworkers and our condolences go out to the Leahy family and Bill’s friends during this difficult time. The cause of the death is being investigated and we are cooperating with local authorities. The company will be providing support and counseling to employees who may be personally impacted by this tragedy."

Welder dies when steel plate falls on him

February 3, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - A 40-year-old man died Tuesday morning when a steel plate fell on him at a manufacturing facility on Milwaukee's northwest side, according to police. Carlos Fuentes of Milwaukee was welding the underside of the steel plate - estimated to weigh 12,000 to 14,000 pounds - when the plate fell about 7 a.m., according to a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report. The plate was perpendicular to the floor while Fuentes was working on it, but Fuentes had not properly secured it, the report says.


2 killed at Orange County sales office

February 2, Riverside, California - Two workers were found murdered in a sales office at a manufactured home lot in Orange County on Monday, authorities said. The co-owner of Golden Sun Homes found his son, Matthew Francis Scott, 42, and a secretary, Elizabeth Palmer, 49, dead before 11 a.m., said Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino. The father called 911 to report that the two has been shot, but Amormino would not confirm that that is how they died. Amormino said the two had arrived at work earlier in morning. Investigators were trying to determine if there was a forced entry. Sheriff's officials said they were looking for Palmer's white Lexus, which may have been stolen, authorities said.


Worker Killed In Augusta Industrial Accident

February 2, Augusta, Georgia — According to Richmond County Coroner Grover Tuten, around 8:00 a.m., Monday morning, an accident occurred on the site of the International Paper mill, located on Highway 56. William J. Drake, 66, from Augusta, was killed when he was struck by a “Timber Loading Crane”. This crane is a track type crane that runs north and south on an iron rails. Drake was working along the tracks, clearing debris from the rail area and, for some unknown reason, he fell forward onto the track access area and was struck by the medal cage of the crane’s protective shroud.

3 oil field workers killed in accidents

February Casper, Wyoming - Three men have died in Wyoming's oil fields over the past month or so. Fremont County Coroner Ed McAuslan says 54-year-old Charles MacLachlan, of Mannford, Okla., died at a drilling rig site north of Shoshoni on Dec. 31. The coroner's report says MacLachlan was crushed by a trailer hauling sand to the rig site. McAuslan reports that 20-year-old Jeremy Jorgenson, of Fort Washakie, was killed in a one-car rollover northwest of Riverton on Jan. 1. Jorgenson reportedly had left a job site in the oil fields. The Sublette County Sheriff's Office says 29-year-old Quinn Reay Jessen suffered a head injury Jan. 5 on a rig near Pinedale and died Jan. 11. The accident is being investigated.


Cab Drivers Cautious Following Deadly Shooting

February 2, Syracuse, New York - 29-year-old Timothy Gordan has died after being shot in the head early Friday morning. Syracuse Police have arrested Denny DeJesus of Syracuse. Investigators say he shot 29-year-old Timothy Gordon when Gordon asked DeJesus to pay his cab fare. There were two other men riding in the cab with DeJesus. Their names are not being released because they had already fled the cab when DeJesus pulled a gun on Gordon. They have been cooperating with investigators. Police recovered the gun used to shoot Gordon at DeJesus's Court Street home.


Volunteer Worker:

Well-known recycler killed on U.S. 287 in Lafayette

January 31, Lafayette, Colorado — A man known for riding his bicycle and picking up trash in Louisville and Lafayette was killed Friday afternoon when a car veered off the road and hit him while he was standing on the side of U.S. 287 in Lafayette, police said. John Breaux, 57, of Louisville was hit about 2:30 p.m. by a white Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by a Boulder woman, Lafayette police said. The driver was taken to Lafayette Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center, police said, and later was arrested. A Lafayette police officer said Friday night that charges are pending. The woman was driving north on the highway and veered off the right shoulder, where her car struck Breaux just south of a pedestrian overpass spanning the highway between South Boulder and Baseline roads, police said. Breaux had been walking in the grass with his bicycle parked nearby, loaded with bags of aluminum cans. “He was well off the road,” Lafayette Cmdr. Mark Battersby said. The Boulder County Coroner’s Office, which released Breaux’s identity about 9 p.m. Friday, said an autopsy will be performed today. In 2003, Breaux began picking up trash along McCaslin Boulevard and Main Street in Louisville, simply because he got tired of seeing it lie around. “I hate to see the city be like that,” he told the Louisville Times then.


Emergency Worker Killed; Suspect Charged

January 31, Watertown, New York - An EMT Volunteer from the Cape Vincent Fire Department was shot and killed overnight, while responding to a medical emergency. State Police said Mark Davis, 25, Cape Vincent, arrived at an apartment at 114 Esseltyne Street in Cape Vincent around 11:30 Friday Night. Immediately, Davis started treating the person who made the emergency call, Christopher Burke, 25, Sherrill, NY. After a while, Burke grew agitated and started talking about guns, police said. Davis, as well as another EMT Volunteer got nervous and decided to leave the apartment. Burke apparently ran into another room and grabbed a high-power rifle and fired off two shots at Davis, then tried fleeing the scene. The other EMT Volunteer, who was with Davis, tackled Burke to the ground until police arrived. Burke was arrested and charged with 2nd Degree Murder and Criminal Possession of a Weapon (4th). Davis was rushed to Samaritan Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.


Fort Worth nightclub owner killed in robbery

January 31, Fort Worth, Texas — A 50-year-old nightclub and restaurant owner was killed early Friday when he was shot multiple times during a robbery at his business. The victim, identified by friends as Will Walker, was pronounced dead at the scene. Walker and two employees were cleaning up the New Start nightclub and restaurant at 4505 Miller Ave. shortly after closing, when two robbers, at least one armed with a gun, entered the business through an unlocked door, homicide Sgt. J.D. Thornton said.


Police identify Neb. man killed in work accident

January 30, Lincolon, Nebraska - Lincoln police have identified the 51-year-old man who died in an accident at a soybean processing plant. Police say Robert Fitch died Thursday morning after falling some 30 feet at the Archer Daniels Midland plant in southwest Lincoln. Investigators say Fitch fell from an interior lift, similar to an elevator. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died from an apparent head injury. The plant makes vegetable oil.


Police Officer Struck During Route 1 Traffic Stop Dies

January 29, Bucks County, Pennsylvania -- Authorities said a Bucks County police officer who was conducting a traffic stop on Route 1 when a collision occurred behind him has died of his injuries. The incident occurred before 10:45 a.m. Thursday just south of the Interstate 95 interchange. SkyFox over the scene showed the cruiser up against a heavily-damaged gray, four-door car. A police sergeant said 37-year-old Middletown Township Police Officer Chris Jones was doing a traffic stop and writing a citation when an accident occurred behind him and a vehicle veered into him.


Cops: Gas station employee fatally shot in back

January 29, Staten Island, New York - Police say a gas station employee has been shot in the back while working on Staten Island. Fifty-year-old Mohammad Ahmad was hit in the back around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Police arrived shortly after a 911 call. They are looking for surveillance tapes at the Gulf Gas Station on Victory Boulevard. Ahmad was taken to Richmond University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. There have been no arrests. He reportedly made it back inside the attached convenience store and asked cashiers to call 911 before collapsing. Ahmad lived around the corner. His brother told the Staten Island Advance that Ahmad came to New York from Pakistan about 12 years ago.



Auburndale Worker Killed in Construction Accident

January 29, Auburndale, Florida – A 42-year-old Auburndale construction worker died Thursday morning in an accident at the city's wastewater plant. Mark Ingram was pinned between a concrete wastewater junction box and the bucket of a trackhoe. He was assisting coworkers in preparations to lower the junction box into the ground when the trackhoe shifted, crushing him against the concrete box. Ingram, who was working for Indian River Industrial Contractors, died at the scene, said Auburndale Police Lt. Thrasey Tucker. “This was purely an accident,” he said. “From a law enforcement perspective, there is no foul play, nothing of a criminal nature.”


Fund set up for family of worker killed by tree

January 29, Nashua, New Hampshire - A fund has been established to benefit the family of a worker killed Monday in an accident at a Nashua country club. Paul Messina, 50, died when he was struck by a tree he was cutting at the Sky Meadow Country Club on Spit Brook Road in Nashua. Messina left a wife, Laurel Messina, and two young children. Contributions can be made to the The Messina Family Fund c/o Laurel Messina. Family friends established the fund at TD Banknorth in Brookline, though contributions to the fund can be made at any TD Banknorth branch.


Culver City mourns police officer killed on 10 Freeway

January 28, Los Angeles, California - Massey Culver City is mourning the loss of a police officer killed in a head-on crash on the 10 Freeway in West Los Angeles. Sgt. Curtis Massey, who is survived by a wife and three young children, was a 17-year veteran of the Culver City Police Department and was assigned to the juvenile detective bureau. Police Chief Don Pedersen told reporters that Massey dedicated much of his free time to working with at-risk teens and every year volunteered for the Santa sleigh, a holiday event in which officers escort Santa Claus around the city and distribute presents to children.


Man killed at Mass. pool supply company

January 28, Cambridge, Massachusetts — Police have captured a man accused of chasing and fatally shooting a fellow employee at a Cambridge pool supply company. Authorities say 65-year-old Clyde Howard was caught Wednesday afternoon by Boston police, who found him inside his van in Boston's Roxbury section. Howard is to be arraigned Thursday on a murder charge. Howard, a custodian at the company, is accused of repeatedly firing at Maurice Ricketts, a machine operator, earlier in the day. The 33-year-old Ricketts later died at a hospital.


Injured prison worker dies Friday at Regional West

The construction worker who sustained critical injuries in a fall on Jan. 19 at the Department of Corrections Medium Correctional Facility in Torrington passed away on Friday. Goshen County Coroner Mike Patterson said Tuesday that Timothy Shaufler, 49, from Fort Lupton, Colo., died Jan. 23 at 10:05 a.m. at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Neb., from head injuries sustained in the fall. According to the Torrington Police Department report, Shaufler walked into a darkened stair opening where there were no stairs and fell approximately 16 feet. He worked installing fireproofing material at the construction site. The police are classifying the case an accidental death.


Worker Dies in Council Bluffs Train Accident

January 28, Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Council Bluffs police say a Union Pacific railroad worker has died after being hit by a train. Police Sgt. Dave Dawson says Craig Lang, 41, of Neola was or had been working on a train when he was hit by a train going in the opposite direction about 6 a.m. on Wednesday in Council Bluffs. Lang died at the scene.


Update: Sheriff identifies body in trench

January 27, Topeka, Kansas - A man who was killed Monday afternoon near Manhattan when a trench he was working in caved in has been identified as Christopher Kramer, 25, of Alta Vista. Pottawatomie County dispatch received a call at 1:54 p.m. Monday from a Pottawatomie inspector who found an unresponsive man in a ditch at a residential construction site, said Pottawatomie County Sheriff Greg Riat. A deputy responded to 4189 McMillin in Manhattan and found a man who was mostly buried from what appeared to be a trench collapsing. Riat said the victim was installing plumbing lines at the housing development when the trench collapsed.


Fisherman dies after shipboard injury

January 28, Manasquan, New Jersey — A worker aboard a commercial fishing boat died Tuesday morning after his leg was caught in a winch while fishing about five miles off the coast. Billy Melgrum, 53, was pronounced dead at the Coast Guard station here after he went into shock following the injury, Petty Officer Crystal Kneen said. Melgrum was working aboard the 65-foot Lydia J, a commercial vessel that is part of the Point Pleasant Beach-based Fishermen's Dock Cooperative. The Coast Guard received a call from a crew member aboard the Lydia J just before 10:30 a.m. reporting that Melgrum had injured both his legs and needed medical assistance.


High Ranking State Police Officer Killed In Crash

January 28, Saugus, Massachusetts - Weather appears not to have been the cause for a car accident that killed a high ranking state police officer in Saugus overnight. Captain Richard J. Cashin's unmarked cruiser hit a utility pole and then crashed into a gas station on route one. The 52-year-old Cashin was on duty as the overnight shift supervisor of Troop A, based in Danvers. Cashin is survived by his wife and four children. He was a 28-year veteran of the State Police.


Contractor crushed by roofing trucks in Novi

January 28, Detroit, Michigan - A 45-year-old Dearborn contractor died after being crushed between two roofing trucks as crews packed up for the night Tuesday in Novi. The company had been doing work on a Novi home in the 45000 block of Addington Lane, near 10 Mile and Taft roads, Novi Police Chief David Molloy said today. Two box vans were parked in the driveway and running at 6:50 p.m., warming up before the workers left for the evening. Molloy said a preliminary investigation determined the parking brake disengaged on the truck closest to the street and the truck rolled forward, crushing the worker. Police were not releasing the name of the victim, pending the notification of family members in the region.


Worker Killed on Kanawha County Coal Mine Site

January 28, Kanawha, West Virginia - A man was killed on a coal mine site in eastern Kanawha County after getting into a single vehicle accident. A spokesperson for Patriot Coal, owner of Catenary Coal near Chelyan, said the accident took place around 9 a.m. on a mine haul road. The driver was a contract employee at Remington's Winchester Mine and was leaving work at the time. The company says it is not clear what factors lead to the accident at this point. The worker went to a local hospital, but died of his injuries.


Tow Truck Driver Killed by Sliding Car in Ector County

January 28, Ector County, Texas - An Odessa man is dead after being hit by a sliding car on Interstate 20. It happened in Ector County near mile marker 98 close to the Penwell exit around 9:30 a.m. According to troopers, a tow truck driver, 48-year-old Lawrence Roberts was working a previous wreck and had just secured the wrecked vehicle on his truck when went to get into the cab of his truck. Roberts was hit from behind by an oncoming car that slid on the ice. Roberts was taken to the hospital where he later died.


Feds to investigate firefighters' deaths

January 28, Longview, Texas - A federal agency will help investigate the deaths of two Kilgore firefighters killed Sunday during a ladder truck training exercise at Kilgore College. Kyle Perkins, 45, of Kilgore and Cory Galloway, 23, of Tyler died after falling about eight stories during the training exercise at Kilgore College's Stark Hall. Local investigators are working to determine where the men fell from and what caused them to fall.


Worker dies in Wabash Stuck in hole full of water

January 28, Wabash, Indiana - A Hartford City man died in Wabash Tuesday. Stephen Walls, 51, was stuck in a work hole full of water. Now Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration (IOSHA) is investigating what happened. Just after 4:00 p.m. Tuesday Wabash police got a 911 call. According to the police log, the caller said "they are digging a hole at Carroll and West Streets and they hit a water main with a man down in the hole and he's drowning."


2 die in separate farm accidents

Two men have died in separate Indiana farm accidents. The Marshall County Coroner's office says 31-year-old Andrew Hartman died after he became tangled in a piece of farm equipment on Monday afternoon at a farm near Plymouth, about 20 miles south of South Bend. A family member says Hartman got caught in the power take off shaft while working on a tractor. Meanwhile, a 64-year-old farmer died Saturday after his tractor slid or rolled down an embankment on a family farm near Spencer, about 15 miles northwest of Bloomington. Charlie Freeman died of his injuries after being taken to Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis. Family members say Freeman was awarded three Purple Hearts while serving with the Marines in Vietnam.


CDOT worker killed by motorist

January 27, Chicago, Illinois - The worker, an employee for the Chicago Department of Transportation, was hit by the vehicle shortly before 11 a.m. as it headed east near East 100th and South Calumet River Streets, police said. The worker was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.Julian Mitchell, 37, of the 4400 block of South Prairie Avenue, was pronounced at Christ Hospital at 12:45 p.m. this afternoon, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. He died from injuries sustained when he was struck by the vehicle. The motorist was trying to avoid hitting a parked vehicle, said Officer JoAnn Taylor.


Make-shift memorial honors slain pizza delivery worker

January 26, Las Vegas, Nevada - A card decorated with a hand-drawn pizza was left next to five bouquets of flowers Monday evening in a North Las Vegas neighborhood. Someone named Hali penned a message to the “Pizza Guy.” “You were a nice guy & always delivered our pizza,” Hali wrote. “Thank you & good luck in heaven.” The pizza delivery man fatally shot in a residential street Saturday night was identified Monday by the Clark County coroner’s office as 51-year-old John Norris of Las Vegas.


Man Dies in Trench Collapse Near Manhattan

January 27, Salina, Kansas - The accident happened at a new housing development east of Manhattan, in Pottawatomie County. The accident happened at a new housing development east of Manhattan, in Pottawatomie County. A construction worker has died in a trench collapse. It happened Monday afternoon at a new housing development east of Manhattan. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office says the collapse happened around 1:45 in the afternoon Monday. The trapped man was in his 20s. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


Fishing boat worker dies after accident off Monmouth coast

January 27, Newark, New Jersey - A worker on a commercial fishing vessel died this morning after his leg was caught in a winch about five miles off the coast near Manasquan, a Coast Guard official said, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press. Billy Melgrum, 53, went into shock following the injury, which occurred about 10:30 a.m., and was pronounced dead after efforts by state police to administer CPR. Melgrum was working on the Point Pleasant Beach-based Lydia J commercial fishing boat.


Worker killed when he falls off roof

January 26, Washingtonville, New York – A 50-year-old New Windsor man, who was working for a roofing contractor, slipped and fell to his death from a three-story building he and two co-workers were roofing, Washingtonville Police said. The accident occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Police did not release the person’s name Monday night. He had been working on scaffolding on a storefront building when he fell, according to police. Police said the death appeared to be accidental, but that will be determined by an autopsy.


Police name cab driver killed in Baltimore

January 27, Baltimore, Maryland - Authorities have released the name of the cab driver from Frederick found shot to death in his cab in East Baltimore. Baltimore police say the body of 47-year-old Stephen Mauk was found in the driver's seat near a public housing complex in the 200 block of North Bond Street about 4 a.m. Monday. Police say he was shot in the head.


Perry County Tire Employee Dies After Accident At Work

January 26, Hazard, Kentucky - Perry County tire employee dies from injuries he received in a freak accident Friday. 56-year-old Eugene Combs was working on an 18-wheeler truck tire, when police say the tire exploded in his face. Co-workers tell us Combs would have turned 57 this week. “Anytime you go to work you're not expecting your loved one to be involved in a fatal accident, but this is just an example of how it can happen anytime and anywhere,” Hazard Police Chief Ronnie Bryant said. Employees tell us the tire blew out in the process of inflation.


Falling tree kills country club worker

January 27, Nashua, New Hampshire – A “freak accident” Monday morning caused the death of a man cutting trees at a private country club. An employee of Sky Meadow Country Club was killed after a tree he was cutting fell on him and crushed his chest. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, apparently had the tree come back on him as he cut it, Sky Meadow clubhouse manager Ed Callahan said.


Frederick cab driver killed in Baltimore

January 26, Baltimore, Maryland - The owner of a Frederick-based cab company says one of his drivers was found shot to death early Monday in Baltimore. Blaine Young, owner of Yellow Cab of Frederick, says the driver was found dead around 4 a.m. after the company received a call for a local pick up and drop off in Frederick. Young tells The (Baltimore) Sun that the driver told a dispatcher shortly after midnight that he had picked up the fare and was not heard from again.