money, and members. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps who was accused of sexual misconduct by a dozen women, pleaded no contest on Thursday to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years of probation. They reportedly tried to convince the VFW officials that the peace symbol in their drill was actually the Mercedes-Benz logo. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. The defense maintains that the video is very different than what Beyer later told investigators and that the entire video is necessary to mount a proper defense. Steven Chirichella Richie has his gold uniform on him in his eternity as he lies in the heavens dont turn him blackplease oh Holy Name. She said he showed up at her apartment one morning, begged her for sex, then pushed her on the bed and raped her. I get they try to model it like the military, and in the military, youre only as strong as your weakest link, Calhoun said. On the social media site Medium.com former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins writes: , Sexual assault charges have been filed against the former director of the famed Allentown Ca. Even snow plows and emergency vehicles were. The CAE Board of Directors approved this decision on Monday evening, February 13, 2023. Never marched in high school band. YEA! George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps who was accused of sexual misconduct by nearly a dozen women, pleaded no contest to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years probation in Lehigh County Court on Thursday. Caren Blundetto-Frech John Hannigan, is there more than one child? The judge set a Dec. 17 hearing on the defenses motion to dismiss the charges. George Hopkins, who also ran the youth arts education nonprofit that operates the Cadets program, pleaded no contest to the charges in 2020 and is now serving two years of probation. Caren Blundetto-Frech This would be more appropriately titled as a BLACK SATURDAY sale . Never thought for once you were a liar!! George Hopkins, who led The Cadets to renown and a slew of national and world championships, stepped down from the Allentown-based group after Philly.com reported Thursday that nine women had accused him of sexual harassment or abuse. An order filed Tuesday in federal court says Hopkins and YEA have reached an agreement. Not someone who wants to be an assistant. Her twin sister, Linda Riley, also a Cadet, said Hopkins had sex with her without her consent two summers later, when she was 19. George Hopkins resigned as director of the Cadets, an elite drum corps based in Allentown, Pa., after nine women accused him of sexual misconduct. Cadets are in troubleGH loves it that way.He wants there to be no Cadets if something happens to him.Cadets are in trouble for the FUTURE!!! What is clear ---I need an assistant. I felt so used.". Read more Kyle Monroe by Tricia L. Nadolny Sean King was named as interim CEO for YEA! At one point, a staff member called members of his section worthless to their faces, because they couldnt march without passing out from untended injuries. But I never said yes," said Linda Riley. View George Hopkins' profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. This action was taken in reaction to the rigid, inflexible rules of the American Legion and VFW (the primary rule makers and sponsors of both corps and shows) and the low or nonexistent performance fees paid for appearing in the various competitions. In addition to The Cadets, YEA! 93 (Mvts. Also in '96, the Cadets performed at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. [13] The corps' compliance with the terms of probation was sufficient for DCI to allow the corps to compete in 2018, and the probation was lifted in May 2019. 253 votes, 88 comments. Advertisement Allentown News Success! There was an error processing your request. There, she said, he gave her a glass of wine and sexually assaulted her. Many of the women who spoke to Philly.com said they felt empowered to come forward by the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct that has toppled powerful men in news and entertainment. Rescue operations underway as Wyoming blizzard continues to wreak havoc, Applications open for nonprofit 1-cent funding, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Gordon discusses importance of focusing on Wyoming solutions, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities. wondering if he would be able to field and/or finance a corps, and ended 1983 Two more women say they were raped by George Hopkins, bringing to 11 the number who have accused the former drum and bugle corps director of sexual misconduct. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. For those who outright pretty much called me a liar, Lillian Petrullo-Yocovelli Thx you Caren Blundetto-Frech!! Former drum corps director awaiting trial in sex assault case sues for severance, Former drums corps director pleads no-contest to 2010 indecent assault, Closure of YEA is final chapter in series of struggles over the years, Fire broke out in a Lower Macungie apartment building, Champions of Magic's Alex McAleer gives an exciting look at the upcoming live show, Pet of the Month: Nina from Ruff Life Rescue, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor needs volunteers, Allentown Public Library celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday with children's activities, Kindness Project teams up with Flavor Nation to give away free tacos, History's Headlines: The Lehigh Valley's music man, Berks County Parks invites people to their Winter Wellness Walk, Royals host "kids takeover" game where kids get a taste of the sports business, Wilson School students raise $83k to fight childhood cancer, Berks County Intermediate Unit receives $3.18 million in grants for Head Start programs, 'First in the nation' bill to provide free screenings for breast cancer to receive full Pa. Senate vote, Reading Area Water Authority looking for leak on North Heidelberg Township line, Former Penn State Berks soccer player among dead in violent Monroe County crash, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs, 6 Nigerian states drop suit to void presidential vote result, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills, What the Tech? The Scouts, however, have not competed on the field since 2015, making The Cadets the oldest continuously active junior corps. The dozen women who accused Hopkins of harassment ranged in age from 16 to 37 at the time of the alleged incidents, which dated to 1980. She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? They wanted to shed a light on his behavior and for him to have a criminal record, he said. Did march in the band at West Chester University in Pennsylvania for one year. There was a problem saving your notification. Newspapers publish newsworthy items all the time, and they cant be dragged into court every single time a defense attorney wants to know what other information is out there, Berry said. As one of the only returning baritones, he was offered the section head spot by Jackson but turned it down I thought I didnt deserve it.. Please know, you lose many, many GREAT people because of the reasons I listed and more. The 36-year-old woman addressed Anthony and spoke about years of fear, shame and depression as a result of the crime, which she did not immediately report. I was just going to say, check his will! In response to a question from Anthony, Berry said the paper would hand over the full video recording for the judges review only, if that was the courts ruling. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps members perform during the corps' 50th anniversary gathering in July 2011. There are so many other things that Ive witnessed as a marching member, but theyre not my stories to tell, Connell said. Hopkins is out on $50,000 bail. Hopkins attended Wednesdays proceeding but did not address the court. Error! "There were some tears. also sponsored the recently inactive 2016 DCA Champion Cadets2 Drum Corps, 2014 WGI Independent Open Champion Cadets Winter Percussion, and Cadets Winter Guard; USBands (formerly United States Scholastic Band Association); the Urban Arts Center of the Lehigh Valley, which included the Xcape Dance Studio.[18]. The Cadets have won these caption awards:[25], John Brazale Best Visual Performance Award, George Zingali Best Color Guard Performance Award, Fred Sanford Best Percussion Performance Award. A few times in my life I have tried to work with an executive assistant. In July, he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. Instead, Beyer is very much in the public eye, and the defense is asking to see the entire video interview, not a reporters notes, he said. He began as Director in 1983 She marched from 2015 to 2017, around the same time as Calhoun. Some people may be able to give 12 hours a day to the cause, and that is great for them and you, but my life is outside of YEA! Through his attorney, Hopkins said he did not know who Marie is, but denied her allegation. In the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. [21] Committees were created in the areas of Health and Wellness, Equality and Inclusion, Performing Arts Education, Governance, and Finance. [19] On May 1, 2020, The Cadets announced the creation of a new 501(c)3 non-profit organization: Cadets Arts & Entertainment, Inc. Calhoun marched in 2016 and 2017 before leaving the corps in July of his second year in the midst of mental and physical illness, compounded by the rigors of tour. Names and emails redacted to protect the innocent. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. Hopkins, 63, was accused of sexual assault and harassment by numerous women in a 2018 Philadelphia Inquirer article, and was criminally charged in connection with two alleged incidents later that year. Im angry. And I never said no. An online community dedicated to the marching arts, with a focus on drum corps. Hopkins did not testify Thursday. In a high-profile case that came to light in 2018, a former director of the Allentown Cadets was accused of sexual misconduct ranging from verbal harassment to rape by 12 women, several of them former corps members. Read more JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer There was a problem saving your notification. Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at 610-820-6506 or lmason@mcall.com. . Renowned drum corps leader resigns amid abuse allegations. and USBands affects the lives of tens of thousands of students each year and I feel humbled to have played a small part in that. The charge to which Hopkins pleaded no contest stemmed from a woman who said she was sexually assaulted in 2010. Wij, Yahoo, maken deel uit van de Yahoo-merkenfamilie. But instead, he encountered a disorganized administrative team that seemed to be improvising on the job. for more than $650,000 in severance and back pay, the organization filed a counter-suit against the former director for $1.5 million in losses which it alleges to have lost due to the sexual misconduct scandal. II, III, & IV) by, The Pines of the Appian Way & The Pines of Villa Borghese by, Devotions: Kyrie Eleison, Simple Song, De Profundis, Agnus Dei, Things Get Broken, Pax: Communion, and Offeratory (all from Mass by Leonard Bernstein) with incidental music by Drew Shanefield, Tom Aungst & Omar Carmenates, O Holy Name (Traditional) / Opening Scene by Drew Shanefield, Tom Aungst, and Omar Carmenates / Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel / Sensemaya by, Adrenaline City by Adam Gorb / St. Louis Blues by, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990 (tie), 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1983, 1984 (tie), 1987 (tie), 1990 (tie), 1993, 1998, 1983, 1984 (3-way tie), 1985 (tie), 1987 (tie), 1995 (3-way tie), This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:00. A six-month investigation into Allentown's Youth Education in the Arts is now complete. It comes from the higher-ups, it comes from the admin, it comes from the board of directors, it comes from the staff, the caption staff, the people that are in charge of putting on the show. Hopkins was forced out as director of the . He now is awaiting trial in Lehigh County on charges of sexually assaulting two of the women. The judge opined that this situation is very different than, say, a defendants statement to police, a full copy of which would be made available to the defense by the prosecution.