Husband of El Paso Shooting Victim Invites City to Wife’s Funeral

Currents News Staff

Tony Basco loved only one person in the world: his wife, Margie Reckard.

Now, she’s gone.

They met in Omaha, Nebraska in a bar. “It was love at first sight,” Tony said.

“I don’t know what she saw in me sometimes. We had wonderful years. The best years in my whole life.”

He had no other family members besides his wife. And while he did have just a few of her own, but none in the El Paso area.

Attendance at her funeral was expected to be minimal, and least until the Internet took over.

An overwhelming response to support Tony resulted from media, tweets and a Facebook posting from the funeral home that read, “Mr. Antonio Basco was married 22 years to his wife Margie Reckard. He had no other family. He welcomes anyone to attend his wife’s services.”

People from all over the United States have contacted the funeral home as well as Tony to say they plan to attend Margie’s funeral.

“There are going to be hundreds of people here from throughout the country! It’s nice to see people really caring about people,” Tony said.

He recalled how his life had been very difficult prior to meeting her, and remembered her as “a caring loving, the most beautifulest person.”

Every day now, he goes to the memorial site next to the Wal-Mart and takes exquisite care of her memorial, making sure the flowers and the wind chimes she always loved so much look the best they can.

He still wakes up each morning in disbelief that she is gone.

“She made me the happiest man in the world and the luckiest. no one is luckier than me in the whole world,” he explained.

“I sit on my table looking at the front door waiting for her to walk in. I even tried calling her on the phone.”

At the memorial site, Tony tells Margie he will meet her someday in heaven, asking, “So what you’ve been up to? What do you do up there? I wish you would tell me sometime.”

Tony is now beginning a new life alone, but for at least one day at Margie’s funeral, he won’t be.

Vatican Moves to Cut Down on Plastic Waste

Currents News Staff

As the smallest state in the world, the Vatican produces 1,000 tons of trash every year.

Meanwhile, according to the European Union, world plastic production has gone from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 322 million tons in 2015.

That same year, Pope Francis published his Encyclical on the Environment, Laudato si.

Now, the Vatican City State is following his written words: “Education can encourage ways

of acting which directly affect the world around us, such as avoiding the use of plastic.”

The effort within the smallest country in the world is being organized by Rafael Tornini. He explains the goal is to eliminate all plastic that cannot be recycled and differentiate between the rest of the trash.

“We seek to follow the Holy Father’s words in Laudato si; that to rebuild or safeguard the common home, and we must reuse or recycle waste, maximizing their efficient use,” said Rafael.

“What we are trying to do is stop the sales of single-use plastics. That means cups, plates, straws, and anything that’s not recyclable,” he explained.

With the rest of the recyclable plastic remaining in the Vatican City State, it will go in their Ecological Island, which was created in 2016.

This storage point for recyclable waste within the Vatican Gardens helps ensure plastic is reused to make other products.

In the United States, 35 billion plastic bottles are trashed each year, with only a quarter going to recycling. The amount of plastic waste Americans produce is enough to circle planet Earth four times.

Currents News for Thursday, August 15, 2019

On the newscast: It’s the Feast of the Assumption– and the Holy Father is giving 6,000 gifts to Syrian Catholics; Israel is barring 2 U.S. congresswomen from entering the country; Top brass in Philadelphia says the only reason some of his officers are alive tonight is because of divine intervention; He left high school to go to war. Now he’s graduating at the age of 93.

Watch weeknights at 7:00 pm EST on NET-TV in the New York City area on Spectrum, Optimum, and Fios. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications about new content.

World War II Veteran Receives High School Diploma

By Emily Drooby

In Joseph Quinlivan’s Brooklyn home sits a plaque that reads, ‘Freedom is Not Free,’ something the World War II veteran understands well.

At just 16 years old, Joe left high school to help his family get through the great depression. Two years later, in 1944, he enlisted in the Navy.

“It’s a great country, and you should serve it. Where I lived, everybody, everybody went into the service,” Joe said.

“There were a couple air raids, but the planes got stopped before they reached where we were,” he remembered of his time being stationed in the Pacific.

During the two years he spent fighting for his country, Joe was awarded many medals for bravery.

In that time, there’s one recognition he had never received: a high school diploma.

“My father worked very hard his whole life, he worked any overtime he could get to provide us with what he needed, and it was hard for him because he didn’t have those degrees,” said Joe’s daughter, Margaret Quinlivan.

That is, until now.

Margaret and her family surprised now 93-year-old Joe in a very special way this past Father’s Day.

“We just put the cap and gown on him. He didn’t know why and then my brother presented him with the diploma and read it, and he was very happy. And his first comment was, ‘Well maybe I can get another job now that I have a high school diploma’” she said.

The family used a national program called Operation Recognition, which allows World War II, Korea, and Vietnam veterans to earn high school diplomas if they left school without graduating.

Margaret said it was pretty easy to complete the process, and based on Joe’s reaction, one that was well worth it.

“I was surprised,” said Joe, “and I was glad. So it was nice, you know?”

Education and the Catholic faith have always been pillars of the Quinlivan family. Several of Joe’s kids even became Catholic school teachers, making the honor even more special.

“Looking at his diploma he just kept saying he never through he would graduate high school and it was just a nice moment for him, because he made sure all of us graduated high school and he wanted all of us to go onto college, and to have an easier and better life,” said Margaret.

In cap and gown, Joe shows that you’re never too old to receive your high school diploma.

Philadelphia Shooting Standoff Brings Gun Legislation to the Forefront

Currents News Staff

A nearly eight-hour standoff between a gunman and police in Philadelphia is adding fuel to the gun control debate in the U.S. as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle weigh in.

Panic ensued in the streets of North Philadelphia as bullets flew for hours.

Police officers who were attempting to serve a narcotics warrant entered a row house and as they got to the kitchen area, 36-year-old Maurice Hill fired multiple rounds.

“We’re dealing with a violent felon who told me himself during negotiations that he had an extensive arrest record and that he did not want to deal with prison again,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross.

According to police, Hill barricaded himself inside for almost eight hours and continued shooting, trapping some officers in the house.

By the time he surrendered, six officers had been injured

“There are many heroes from last night, probably too many to mention by name. Certainly, you know of the six officers who were struck by gunfire,” said Ross.

The shooting is now adding fuel to the gun control debate.

“We need to start with really good gun legislation,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

“Let’s take guns out of the hands of people like this. Then they don’t have the means to do the things that this jerk did last night,” he added.

President Trump had a different focus regarding the incident, tweeting, “the Philadelphia shooter should never have been allowed to be on the streets. He had a long and very dangerous criminal record.”

The president ended his tweet with a call to get tougher on street crime.

Catholic Academy Set to Unveil New Sensory Classroom

By Tim Harfmann

From rubber disks to squishy floor tiles you can step on, a new way of shaping young minds is underway at Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn.

The Catholic academy’s new classroom is the first in the Brooklyn Diocese to instruct students ranging in age from two-to-five-years-old on how to use their senses.

“Sensory play really activates a whole different center of the brain that helps them really understand their entire world around them; it starts to make sense of the world and has them start to make their own definitions for what things are,” explained Stephanie-Ann Germann, who after years of teaching in the Brooklyn Diocese, is preparing for her first year as principal.

Nearly 80 kids are learning through this method, and when they get back to school, students will be working with a variety of unusual tools.

Tables fit with LED lights that change color with the touch of a remote are among the highlights of the school’s new room.

“Kids can explore that table. They can explore with shadows: What happens when I put my hand on the table? What happens when I put this block on the table?’” explained Ms. Germann.

“I’m just really excited to get started with kids and engaging with families and getting to know more of the community,” she added.

The new principal is off to a fast start. She’s not only looking to make a difference with pre-k and kindergarten children, but students in other grades as well.

Ms. Germann will be replacing the old classroom desks with new ones shaped as triangles. That’ll get the kids to connect.

“You have to put them together in different formations so it leads for collaborative, peer learning. So, whether you make squares or circles or long tables, kids are going to be sitting with each other, and not in isolated rows,” said Ms. Germann.

These desks and hallways are empty now, but in three weeks Ms. Germann and her teachers will be ready.

“It’s really good for kids and at the end of the day, we’re here for kids and we want them to benefit from everything we do,” she said.

In the Brooklyn Diocese, the new school year begins on Wednesday, September 4.

Touring a Texas Migrant Facility

Currents News Staff

The main facility where thousands of migrants are held is not as over crowded and controversial as once seen. Officials have said it’s due to diminishing apprehensions.

Since June, the center has remained busy.

“We make sure they don’t have contagious diseases, if they do have a fever we will make sure to take the appropriate steps to take care of them, we will transfer them over to the hospital,” said deputy patrol agent Oscar Escamilla.

After being medically cleared when they enter, the migrants are then given food and snacks.

“Some crackers, juices, we’ll also give them a mylar blanket to cover themselves. In addition to that we’ll give them a shower wipes because we don’t know the last time they received a shower, they’ll be able to wipe themselves down before we get them in a shower so they can take a shower,” Escamilla explained.

Agents who run the center say the migrants shower every 72 hours at minimum. The agency also provides them with clean clothes.

“We make sure they’re wearing something new if they want it, we also let them wash their clothes,” one agent explained.

The fencing many refer to as ‘cages’ remain all throughout the facility, but agents explain that there’s a reason for the design.

“I can assign an agent and he’s able to see four, five cells down, versus if we had solid walls, I would have to add personnel just to manage and make sure everyone is safe,” Escamilla explained.

During their time in custody, all migrants are given phone calls to contact family members and speak to their consulates.

“The migrants as you saw are well taken care of, you saw the kids watching cartoons, interacting and they’re in a very clean facility,” said another agent at the facility.

Hostages Rescued From Philadelphia Home Following Hours-Long Shootout

Currents News Staff

A tense and dangerous scene played out in a North Philadelphia neighborhood on August 14 when police and SWAT tried to reach a man who had barricaded himself in his house with several hostages.

What began as officers serving a narcotics warrant turned into a chaotic shootout inside the suspect’s home.

Six officers were injured during the eight-hour long gun battle that ended with five rescued hostages, and the suspect being taken into custody.

“I have to admit, I did not think this guy would come out alive He was indicating he was not going back to prison, so he was not coming out alive,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross.

Officers were diving out of windows and doors to escape. All six were later released from the hospital.

“I thank God for these cops. They’re good people. Don’t say nothing bad about them,” said one hostage.

“They kept us safe the whole time. The whole time, they kept us safe, by permission of God.”

Philadelphia’s mayor spoke during the ordeal, and blasted the federal government for not being more proactive on gun control.

“Our officers deserve to be protected and they don’t deserve to be shot at by a guy for hours with an unlimited supply of weapons and an unlimited supply of bullets. So it’s disgusting, and we gotta do something about it. We need to do something about it quickly,” said Mayor Jim Kenney.

Currents News for Wednesday, August 14, 2019

On the newscast: A new law is now in effect–giving adult victims of child sex abuse in New York one year to bring lawsuits against their abusers; More details on Jeffrey Epstein’s death. Guards were asleep on the job; She lost her niece in a car crash. Now a Catholic woman is on a mission to save lives; Plus, the Christian couple that’s a match made in heaven.

Watch weeknights at 7:00 pm EST on NET-TV in the New York City area on Spectrum, Optimum, and Fios. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications about new content.

Fighting for Street Safety: Catholic Family Remembers Teen Lost to Traffic Crash

By Emily Drooby

On Utopia Parkway in Whitestone, Queens there’s a plaque honoring Madeline Serchen, a Saint Francis Prep Honor student whose life was cut short on June 25, 2018.

“She was in the crosswalk. She had the right of way. She proceeded to walk into the street, and a driver slammed right into her, killing her,” explained Maddie’s aunt, Rita Barravecchio.

The 88-year-old driver, Sheila Kahn-Prager, ran a red light. eventually giving up her license after pleading guilty to reckless endangerment. Maddie was killed on impact.

“All she had to do was be more defensive as a driver,” said Rita.

Maddie’s story is not uncommon. Every two hours, someone is killed or seriously injured in a

Rita is now fighting to lower that statistic, using the tragic loss of her niece as inspiration.

She decided to join Families for Safe Streets, a group of advocates who confront traffic violence and inspire change by sharing their tragic stories.

“This is where my connection with families for safe streets began,” she said.

She joins members like Raul Ampuero, who entered the group just days after losing his 9-year-old son Giovanni to a traffic crash.

“This is a really bad epidemic. We are trying to do something that I think is the right thing to do, which is just save lives. At least if I know that I save one life, I could die in peace,” Raul said.

The group has had an impact in helping to lower New York’s citywide speed limit to 25 miles per hour. They also had a major hand in supporting recently signed legislation allowing speed cameras in school zones.

The group also provides support to those who need it most.

Families for Safe Streets has a resource guide on their website for people who have been recently injured, or families who are dealing with the loss of a loved one to a traffic crash.

Information from their resource guide includes the five most important things you need to know after a crash, and how to deal with an NYPD investigation.

The group is “helping to change the culture of change here in New York, because it needs to change. We need to change this culture, it’s too reckless and people are taking other people’s lives,” said Rita.

For her, the group has become a way to inspire much needed change, and way to prevent other families from having to go through a similar experience.

“My family is living a nightmare that we will never wake up from, and if we can prevent another family from living this nightmare, then we’re doing good, we are doing something for Maddie,” she said.

For Rita, it’s another way to keep Maddie’s spirit alive.

In November, the group will be honoring those killed or severely injured in NYC at their World Day of Remembrance. For more information on the group and their upcoming events please visit their website.