Baltimore paramedic who died in I-95 motorcycle crash was ‘always with a smile,’ family says BALTIMORE — A Baltimore City Fire paramedic died from a motorcycle crash Friday morning on I-95. Erica Harrison, 39, had been with the Baltimore City Fire Department for 2 1/2 years. She would have celebrated her second anniversary of being assigned to Medic 27 on Thursday. She is remembered for having a “kind and compassionate spirit.” Members of the Baltimore City Fire Department and Harrison’s motorcycle club escorted her body on Tuesday from Shock Trauma to Wylie Funeral Home in Randallstown. “Erica’s dedication and service to our department and community are a testament to her kind and compassionate spirit,” the Baltimore Fire Department said in a statement. “Her impact will be deeply felt and remembered by all who had the honor of working alongside her. Erica’s contributions to our community and the lives she touched will always be remembered and cherished.” Harrison was a mother, a sister and a friend who loved her job as a first responder, her family told WJZ. “Life of the party, amazing, bubbly, energetic, always with a smile,” said Alesha Parker, Harrison’s cousin. Harrison’s family said they are devastated by the crash. They have no information as to what happened or if anyone else was involved. “We love her and we’re going to miss the hell out of her,” Parker said. Maryland State Police said Harrison was riding her motorcycle during rush hour Friday morning on I-95 South, near the Welcome Center, when she lost control. Troopers said a Dodge, trying to avoid Harrison, crashed into her. The scene was captured on highway cameras showing the motorcycle on its side as police shut down two lanes. Harrison was flown to Shock Trauma where she died. “If anybody knows anything, or has any details, or knows exactly what happened, we’re asking you to reach out to us and let us know,” Parker said Family members said Harrison was a student at the Community College of Baltimore County and a member of Iconyx Motorcycle Club. “That is what she stood for,” Parker said. “She stood for family, and not just the family she was born into, but the family she adopted along the way.” Investigators do not believe that alcohol was a factor in the crash and charges are not being filed at this time. The investigation is still ongoing.
Teacher advice: why you should encourage laughter in the classroom – Peters
For help, advice and telephone ordering call our team on 0121 666 6646 This action cannot be undone. Please report the problem here. April 11th 2024 Research into laughter and learning has found multiple benefits for different aspects of school life, from classroom culture to academic advantages . Did you know that laughter enhances memory retention? When humour is incorporated into lessons, students are more likely to remember the material. Well-placed humour can also simplify complex topics and act as a bridge between challenging content and pupil understanding. Humour has social and emotional benefits for your pupils, too. Light relief can reduce stress and help pupils cope during serious academic challenges, like tests. Laughing together can also foster a connection amongst your pupils, promoting a sense of camaraderie. These funny moments humanise the learning environment. It reminds us that we’re not just learners – or teachers! – but also individuals with emotions and vulnerabilities. Introducing humour into the classroom is not just about telling jokes. By embracing laughter in our classrooms, we create an inclusive, joyful, and effective learning environment. Creating laughter in the primary classroom is not only enjoyable but also beneficial for students’ engagement and well-being. Here are ten delightful ideas to infuse humour into your teaching: Choose picture books or short stories with humorous elements. Check out our top 10 laugh-out-loud reads to share with your class. Read them aloud using expressive voices and animated gestures. Encourage pupils to giggle along! Introduce puns, tongue twisters and riddles to your pupils. For example: ‘Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!” or “What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!” Start each day with a light-hearted joke. Invite pupils to share their own jokes too. It sets a positive tone for the day. During transitions, incorporate quick brain breaks with silly movements. For example, “flap your arms like a chicken for 10 seconds!” or “wiggle your toes while making funny faces!” Designate a classroom corner as a “comedy corner”. Hang up pupil-drawn cartoons, jokes or funny quotes. Rotate the content regularly. Give pupils humorous writing prompts. For example, “write a story about a talking pencil that escapes from a classroom” or “describe the funniest dream you’ve ever had”. Create maths problems with whimsical scenarios, such as, “if a giraffe has 4 legs and a kangaroo has 2 legs, how many legs does an unicorn have?” Appoint pupils as classroom clowns for the day. Their job is to share jokes or funny anecdotes during appropriate moments. Play improvisation games like “Hello Kitty”. Hello Kitty is a short game that simply asks the group to try and make one another smile. Start by separating the group into puppies and kittens. Puppies must say hello in a way that makes the kittens laugh or smile, while kittens must try and keep a straight face. When a kitten laughs or smiles, they become a puppy! Keep going until all the kittens have laughed and the whole class are puppies. Surprise students with unexpected actions. Wear a silly hat, use funny voices, or pretend to mix up words. Their laughter will be contagious!
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Footage emerges of ‘crazy’ moment Arsenal should have conceded pen vs Bayern
ARSENAL should have conceded a second penalty against Bayern Munich after the referee “admitted” to seeing a clear handball in the box. Boss Thomas Tuchel was left frustrated after claiming that whistler Glenn Nyberg admitted to seeing the bizarre incident. During the second-half, goalkeeper David Raya took a goal-kick short to Gabriel. Bafflingly, the Brazilian opted to pick the ball up to take the goal-kick again. Harry Kane immediately appealed to Nyberg, who was taking charge of his first Champions League knockout game, but the 35-year-old refused to give a spot-kick. After the game, Tuchel told TNT Sports: “The referee did not have the courage today to give us a deserved penalty, in a bit of a crazy and awkward situation. READ MORE ON ARSENAL “He admitted on the pitch that he saw the situation and that in a quarter-final it’s not enough for him to give a penalty for a kids’ mistake. “So he admitted that he knows about the mistake the player made. That is a bit frustrating.” In his post-match press conference, Tuchel, 50, later added: “I felt a lot of little decisions go against us… and a huge mistake in not giving us a penalty. “What makes us really angry is the explanation on the pitch. He said it’s a kid’s mistake and isn’t giving a penalty for that. Most read in Champions League “That means he’s judging handballs.” After seeing footage of the incident, TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand was left in disbelief. The former Manchester United star had been convinced that Arsenal should have had a penalty in the last minute when Bukayo Saka collided with Manuel Neuer in the box. But he was left even more incredulous after seeing footage of Bayern’s penalty shout. He said: “It’s a pen. Oh my gosh, how can that not be given? “I was so adamant that the Saka one was… I’m even more for this, it’s unbelievable! “How can he blow the whistle like that and not give it?” ‘INDEFENSIBLE’ Ferdinand, 45, then asked former Arsenal defender Martin Keown to try to defend the decision. But Keown, 57, replied: “You can’t defend the indefensible. The referee is maybe a little out of his depth. “Because we thought he had a decent game, but there’s key moments of the game, both you can look at and say they should have had a penalty.” Why would he pick it up? It HAS to be a penalty, says Halsey By Mark Halsey Arsenal could have absolutely no complaints if a penalty was awarded to Bayern Munich. The referee signalled for David Raya to take the goal kick. He did… and Gabriel picked the ball up. Why would he do that? The whistle had been blown. The only person who has made a mistake is Gabriel. Why would he pick the ball up? Once the referee has blown his whistle and Gabriel has picked it up, he has to give a penalty. Bayern were also unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty for a further incident, when Kane was wrestled to the ground by Martin Odegaard as a corner was whipped in. Arsenal had gotten their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010 off to a perfect start, when Saka fired them into the lead in the 12th minute. They were quickly pegged back, however, when former Gunner Serge Gnabry profited on a defensive mix-up to level just six minutes later. Kane came back to haunt Arsenal just after the half-hour mark, converting the penalty that Bayern did get. Mikel Arteta threw on super-sub Leandro Trossard, and the Belgian was able to rescue the situation by levelling in the 76th minute. After the match, Arteta refused to be drawn on his side’s late penalty appeal. READ MORE SUN STORIES He said: “(The referee) didn’t say anything. They said they checked it and they decided it wasn’t a penalty.” The two sides will meet again in Germany next Wednesday with the tie hanging in the balance. Surprised it wasn’t a penalty, says Halsey By Mark Halsey SOME will say that Bukayo Saka initiated the contact, but Manuel Neuer stuck out his leg. I was surprised Glenn Nyberg did not award Arsenal a penalty in real time at the end. Bayern Munich could have no complaints if it was given, they got away with one. Munich were very lucky. It is subjective, so maybe that is why VAR did not get involved. Had it been given, the decision would not have changed.
Morgan Wallen fans savagely boo Taylor Swift after singer makes joke at Indianapolis show
Now they’ve got bad blood. Morgan Wallen fans spitefully booed Taylor Swift Friday night after the country singer made a joke about the pop star at his concert in Indianapolis. “This is the single most attended concert in the history of this building, and we’re the first to do it for two nights in a row,” Wallen, 30, said while performing a One Night at a Time Tour show at Lucas Oil Stadium, per a fan video. “I’m going to say that until Taylor Swift comes to town,” he quipped. While some fans roared for Swift, 34, an overwhelming majority of the audience started boo’ing the “Cruel Summer” songstress. For more Page Six you love… “We ain’t got to boo, we ain’t got to boo,” Wallen said in response to the reaction from fans, before thanking them for their loyalty. “I appreciate that. I know y’all got my back, though.” Wallen’s joke didn’t appear to sit well with Swifties, who rushed to social media to defend the “Lover” hitmaker. “Taylor Swift has more class than you and your fans,” one person tweeted via X. “She would never insult you, even though you deserve to be. Drop Taylor’s name to get your name out there.” “Morgan Wallen fans booed Taylor Swift last night in Indy. They will begin to cough in 3 days,” another sarcastically added. “morgan wallen (sic) fans booing taylor swift?? what did she do to them,” a third chimed in. While Wallen made history at the Indianapolis venue, Swift has broken several records of her own this past year. In April 2024, the “Bad Blood” singer was named a billionaire by Forbes with a $1.1 billion net worth. She even boosted the US economy with her Eras Tour – which kicked off in March 2023 – as several fans rushed to purchase concert tickets, plane tickets and hotels to see her perform across the country. Swift’s latest tour landed the title of the highest-grossing tour of all time, as it brought in more than $1 billion, according to a December 2023 report from Rolling Stone. The 14-time Grammy winner was also declared to have more No.1 albums than any woman in history in June 2023. Aside from her professional life, Swift has remained in the headlines due to her romance with Travis Kelce. She and the NFL star, also 34, have been dating since September 2023.
Chicago’s hot pot restaurants are the spot to share good food — with a side of laughter and tears
Eight self-described “mom friends” tuck themselves into a corner booth at Qiao Lin Hotpot just west of Chinatown. As meat and vegetables cook in broth in the table’s center, and the smell of spices fill the air, they catch up — chatting about kids, husbands and the best birthday celebrations. “It’s therapeutic,” said Tammy Boyer. “It’s not just for the food.” “It’s time together. Lots of laughter, some tears, all of the above,” Barbara Chun adds as she rocks her three-month old baby. It’s not hard to pick out their group in the restaurant. Not only does the staff recognize them, but they wear colorful hot pot-themed sweatshirts that mention “sisterhood,” “friendship” and “laughter” in Chinese along with matching sparkly sneakers. They even hosted part of Chun’s baby shower at Qiao Lin. With origins potentially dating back thousands of years, Chinese hot pot is at its core a “communal” food, according to Jeff Mao, who wrote the book “Essential Chinese Hot Pot Cookbook.” It’s not a single dish, rather an “occasion” and a “way of cooking,” similar to American barbecue, Mao said. Chicago’s hot pot restaurants serve regional variations of the meal, while valuing its communal nature, attracting hot pot novices and lovers alike. Like the name suggests, hot pot is centered around a bowl of simmering, flavored broth filled with thinly sliced ingredients, from lamb to beef to fish balls. Mao said it’s common to have one spicy broth and one not, following the Chinese concept of yin and yang. Chinese hot pot is also known for its expansive sauce bars. Most of Chicago’s hot pot restaurants are in or near Chinatown — many of which are chains with spots around the world. But the broth, ingredients and cooking sauces don’t always look (or taste) the same. Liuyishou Hotpot, for example, is known for its very spicy Chongqing soup base. Mrs. Gu Skewers Hot Pot serves its ingredients on skewers, while Shoo Loong Kan dishes out Sichuan-style hot pot inside a dining room with ornate paneling and lanterns. Chicago’s Qiao Lin Hotpot, the first U.S. location of the Chinese franchise, is on the first floor of the 88 Marketplace building, an “Asian food wonderland” with a food court and what’s touted as the largest Chinese supermarket in the city. From short ribs to scallops to meatballs, there’s a variety of options on their menu. Some ingredients are a bit more adventurous, such as marinated beef tongue and duck gizzard. “I really recommend the spicy (broth), but if people are looking for more light, healthy I would say the herbal chicken (broth). If they want to do a flavorful one I would say the golden chicken soup is very popular,” said manager Oaki Cheung, who added that the price per person typically ranges from $30 to $60. Cheung noted that Qiao Lin is opening its second location in Streeterville this summer, at 200 E. Illinois St. The group at Qiao Lin started their biweekly catch-ups almost two years ago, saying it’s a form of “mom therapy.” They met through their elementary school-aged children who attend the British International School of Chicago in Lincoln Park. Some of the moms, who are in their 30s to 40s, formed a group during summer vacation, planning various activities throughout the city for their kids. After shopping and visiting Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown, one of the women suggested eating hot pot. The tasty vegan options kept them coming to Qiao Lin to accommodate dietary preferences. They also really enjoy bamboo fungus. “It was so good, and everybody liked it in our group. We talk in here. We laugh. We stay here three to four hours when we come,” said Emma Park. ‘Great food’ in Chinatown ‘Great food’ in Chinatown
For restaurateur and chef Tony Hu, the ability to sit with friends and family, cooking and talking while eating, is what’s made hot pot so popular. It’s “so much fun,” he added, when people at the same table can choose their own favorite flavors or textures for a meal — spicy or mild, for example. Hu, a graduate of the Sichuan Culinary Institute who’s known for the embattled Lao Sze Chuan restaurant chain, also opened Shoo Loong Kan and Mrs. Gu. He said some of the most sought-after ingredients are premium beef slices, shrimp paste and premium lamb slices. “It’s very popular in China, and I’m sure it will be popular in the whole world,” he said. “1.4 billion eat it, 1.4 billion people love it. They’re happy for a reason.” When the temperature drops during the winter, he said it seems like Chicagoans are more excited to dine on warm foods. “Chicago is the biggest city in the Midwest. It’s the heart of America,” he said. “Chinatown is a great spot for great food.” While Mao said hot pot has been popular in the U.S. for a long time among Asian communities, he theorized that multinational corporations opening more restaurants in major cities and the craze for spicy foods and condiments are helping its rise. He said hot pot is also fairly easy to make at home and feed lots of people. He said the essential supplies are strainer baskets, a sauce bar and a vessel to hold the boiling broth, such as a camp stove or an electric skillet with high sides. In his book, he lays out some of his favorite recipes, such as Hainan chicken coconut broth, which he said is good for people who enjoy light-flavored broth and is inspired by the Hainan-style poached chicken dish. Sometimes there’s also etiquette to keep in mind when eating, such as deciding whether the ingredients in the hot pot are fair game for everyone or just the person who put it in, he said. “Different families or different friends will have their own variations on how they deal with that,” Mao laughs. Eating hot pot with up to 10 people was common growing up in Mao’s family, both for everyday meals and special occasions, he said. He remembers cooking as much shrimp as he could as a little kid — and not being forced to eat his vegetables — and meeting up for hot pot with his grandparents around Christmas time. “Growing up in the United States as a first-generation American, it’s a way of connecting back to culture and learning more about how food works in China as opposed to what we think of as Chinese American food,” he said. At Qiao Lin, the women snap photos, sip champagne and mix sauces during their March outing. Conversation flows from vacation plans to their young kids who are “sort of dating” to who got the angriest when one of them parked in front of a fire hydrant. When asked why they continue to meet up after two years, they agree that it’s because they love each other. “There’s a comfort about it,” said Elizabeth Tye. “Having a relaxed atmosphere where we can really talk, talk about mom life.”