Falk said the women were in agreement with the plea deal. separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts and Entertainment Inc. Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors withdrew two charges of felony sexual assault and added the indecent assault count, a misdemeanor, and Hopkins pleaded no contest to that charge. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. 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Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins has settled a civil claim with the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts, regarding compensation. Shortly after, more victims came forward, and the accounts of two of these women became the basis of the criminal charges brought in November 2018. The Scouts, however, have not competed on the field since 2015, making The Cadets the oldest continuously active junior corps. The whistleblowers say they went public after receiving a feeble response from the Troopers legal team. [9] Claiming to have received no letter of resignation, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, the Cadets won these captions: A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. which will ALWAYS take priority over my work. Caren Blundetto-Frech This would be more appropriately titled as a BLACK SATURDAY sale . But if that is the consensus of the alumni maybe WE should ensure that there will be a future for the CADET organization! Hopkins: Briefly, after I personally assisted the project in 1996 (Chris Marino was the chairman of the board for the Crossmen), YEA! Abusers like Hopkins benefit from a culture of exclusivity and competition thats common in drum corps. Marched in the Holts Hornets from 1968-1970. But no one is irreplaceable. (CAE). By The Morning Call PUBLISHED: November 14, 2018 at 1:05 a.m. | UPDATED: November 14, 2018 at 1:32 a.m. You have permission to edit this article. Consent matters.. organization was immediately put on a probationary status by DCI with the statement that, "The terms of the probation include multiple steps for YEA! Morning call file photo/Special to The Morning Call, Former Allentown Cadets band leader pleads no, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Former Allentown Cadets band leader pleads no contest to indecent assault; judge calls him disgusting, Trump supporters who drove Hummer with guns and ammo to Philadelphia vote-counting site spared more jail time, Paul Muschick: Would money motivate Pennsylvania businesses to move to a four-day work week? To honor their 75th anniversary, the corps was called the Holy Name Cadets for the 2009 season. 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He resigned from his post in early April amid sexual assault allegations, but the YEA board said it was firing Hopkins. For the rest of the force, that means longer hours and fewer days off while earning less than peers . These sort of militaristic rituals, paired with constant reminders about how grateful members should be for their spot on the corps, foster a culture of negligence that came to light last month when several former members went public with allegations, leading to the resignation of former corps director Kristy Jackson. George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. . Even snow plows and emergency vehicles were. Through his attorney, Hopkins said he did not know who Marie is, but denied her allegation. That might be because people are running their faucets to keep pipes from freezing. In 1998, the corps rebranded once again, dropping any reference to locale from its name and becoming simply The Cadets. 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 woman told police that when she stood up to leave the bar, she felt like she was moving in Jello.. says every person associated with its drum corps programs must sign a code of conduct, , There's another twist in the ongoing investigation over sexual assault allegations targeting, Documents obtained by 69 News appear to show former Youth Education in the Arts CEO and Alle, The investigation into sexual misconduct allegations at the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle , The organization that oversees Allentown's famed Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. Casper nonprofits can now apply for 1-cent funding through the city's official application process. For those of you who do not follow the drum corps news, George Hopkins recently resigned as the director of the Cadets because of sexual misconduct allegations from nine women. The investigation into Hopkins conduct found he had little oversight from the Cadets board, giving him the freedom to throw things when angry in rehearsals, refer to women as little girls, and send inappropriate sexual emails on the organizations server. She said the memories can, at times, still knock the wind out of me, but I get up., I dont just get up and go to work to hide my pain and put the abuse behind me, she wrote. He joined the staff of the Cadets in 1979 as percussion instructor and arranger, moving up to become Assistant Director under Dr. Santo . You have permission to edit this article. In July, he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. Watch this report from Action News at 4:30pm on April 6, 2018. Despite pressure on show sponsors, judges, and other drum corps, the corps were booked into a number of shows together. She said Hopkins' denials on social media after the allegations became public in 2018 he complained he had been smeared were a constant source of anxiety. There was a problem saving your notification. There was a problem saving your notification. It is clear that this is not something you are okay with. In both cases, the women say after meeting with Hopkins on business, they were drugged and sexually assaulted. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. In the criminal case, prosecutors alleged Hopkins, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, sexually assaulted a former employee at his Allentown apartment, after they met at a bar to discuss drum corps rules. I dont know a single person who marched drum corps and didnt have complaints.. established a hotline for calls to report concerns or complaints.[11]. Philly.com reported the alleged misconduct ranged from lewd comments and groping to rape. [2][3], In 1958, the Holy Name parish declined to support the corps' travel and disbanded the corps. And I never said no. George Hopkins has been charged in Lehigh County with two counts of sexual assault. 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. 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!!! There is an interview with Beyer that is readily available to the public that will allow the Bergstrom to build his defense, Berry argued. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Anthony warned Hopkins that if he violated any conditions of probation, he could be sent to a state prison. The Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field in July 2018. 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. In an online post last year, Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear by those who disagreed with his management. As temperatures have plunged this winter, water use has risen. All that was claimed to have happened didnt happen. In addition, YEA! [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. Caren Blundetto-Frech John Hannigan, is there more than one child? Hopkins surrendered to authorities, was arraigned, and was released on $50,000 bail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 4. George Hopkins, the former director of the renowned Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps, appeared in a Lehigh County courtroom Tuesday morning and gave up his right to a preliminary hearing on . as of March 31, 2020. and only for this show no black uniform. (A similar group of Midwestern corps, the Midwest Combine, was formed by the Blue Stars, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard, and the Troopers.) I want the victims to know that what you did was horrible beyond description, the judge said. Youth Education in the Arts governs the Allentown Cadets drum corps. ), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. George Hopkins, longtime director of the Cadets drum corps, resigns after sexual misconduct allegations April 6, 2018, 7:20 AM The decorated director of The Cadets drum and bugle corps. The former, longtime director of the Allentown Cadets competitive marching band entered a plea Thursday in a sexual assault case dating to 2018. Crews were actively searching for people who were trapped, but having a hard time getting to them. Did march in the band at West Chester University in Pennsylvania for one year. The charges are second-degree felonies. Marching as the Cadets of Garfield; wearing uniforms of white shorts, red golf shirts, and "Aussie" hats; and using instruments borrowed from the Chicago Cavaliers, the corps managed to finish in second place (one spot ahead of the defending champion Cavaliers). Free Access to this video! 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. The woman addressed Anthony in court, telling him of years of fear, shame, and depression as a result of the crime, which she did not immediately report. amid sexual allegations, Allentown Cadets board resigns amid allegations against ex-drum corps director, Defense says accused former drums corps director weighing plea deal. Four months after the director of Allentown's famed Cadets drum corps, George Hopkins, resigned amid a sexual misconduct scandal, the spotlight has now turned on another, smaller corps Pioneer of Milwaukee. wondering if he would be able to field and/or finance a corps, and ended 1983 Charges were filed against Hopkins in November 2018, months after Youth Education in the Arts launched an investigation after about a dozen women accused Hopkins of sexual misconduct. 10 in E minor, Op. In July, he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. As presented, the Cadets did turn to Black renditions of the Cadets uniforms at the end of 2015. Defense attorney Thomas Bergstrom had previously filed a motion asking that The Philadelphia Inquirer provide the full and unedited video interview with one of Hopkins accusers that it had produced and published online. that title. The story of George's van trip to Mississippi and Louisiana She said Hopkins words on social media after the allegations became public in 2018 were a constant source of anxiety. An order filed Tuesday in federal court says Hopkins and YEA have reached an agreement. I expect my final paycheck on October 18 which should include the agreed upon amount for moving expenses that has not been paid since starting in February 2017. The negligence comes from a lot of places, Connell said. [16] Hopkins and YEA! 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. to take in order for its drum corps to participate in the upcoming 2018 DCI Summer Tour. Stuart Evan Rice said in an interview this week that he told Dan Acheson . An online community dedicated to the marching arts, with a focus on drum corps. Thats if they make it onto the corps which is decided over several monthly training camps, between which corps hopefuls have to complete video assignments and track their diet and exercise. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Chief Deputy District Attorney Matthew Falk said the woman in the 2008 allegation decided that not pursuing these charges are in her best interest, and we support her in that.. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. This time, people considered dramatic steps to change the face of the Cadets and for all time, to shift the trajectory of the most honored drum and bugle corps in history. George Hopkins 260 Followers Life long member, teacher, and administrator of Drum Corps (from 1968-2019). A statement issued late Thursday night by the YEA board of directors, the organization that operates The Cadets, an elite drum and bugle corps, said CEO George Hopkins denies the allegations but . It carries the same weight at sentencing as a guilty plea. But instead, he encountered a disorganized administrative team that seemed to be improvising on the job. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? The women are among roughly a dozen connected to the Cadets organization who say they were sexually assaulted by Hopkins dating back to the 1980s. The Cadets Drum Corps (formerly the Holy Name Cadets, Cadets of Garfield, Garfield Cadets, and Cadets of Bergen County) is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps. They sleep on hard gym floors, take water breaks on the run and get an average of one day off per month. Hopkins is facing two sexual assault charges after nearly a dozen women came forward with allegations in 2018. ALLENTOWN, Pa. | The defense attorney for the former drum corps director accused of sexual assault is demanding that a newspaper turn over its unedited video interview of his clients accuser in order to prepare a proper defense. Second, I want to thank the USBands team for their hard work. Presidents of our country die Laura Masker-Holland and VP takes over and our country still goes on. Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at 610-820-6506 or lmason@mcall.com. Also in '96, the Cadets performed at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. and USBands, but I can no longer be treated as dispensable. Connell said she never had any problems with Jackson herself, but was hurt indirectly watching her close friends being neglected or silenced. Im still standing and using my voice to say what you did was wrong, she said. Please subscribe to keep reading. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In 2003, Yea! It took a summer without performances, said Connell, for people to step back and realize that what they thought was tough love was actually systemic negligence. Wanneer u onze sites en apps gebruikt, gebruiken we, gebruikers authenticeren, veiligheidsmaatregelen toepassen en spam en misbruik voorkomen, en, gepersonaliseerde advertenties en content weergeven op basis van interesseprofielen, de effectiviteit meten van gepersonaliseerde advertenties en content, en, onze producten en services ontwikkelen en verbeteren. She marched from 2015 to 2017, around the same time as Calhoun. I cried a little bit," she recalled. The CAE Board of Directors approved this decision on Monday evening, February 13, 2023. After the summer of 2020, the first summer in years without a Troopers tour, Ian Calhoun said he started to hear from friends hed made at the corps who were interested in reporting some of their experiences to the advocacy group MAASIN (Marching Arts Access, Safety & Inclusion Network). 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. He now is awaiting trial in Lehigh County on charges of sexually assaulting two of the women. Hopkins did not testify Thursday. On April 5, 2018, allegations were made in published reports that the longstanding corps director, George Hopkins, sexually harassed or abused multiple members of the corps and staff over a period of years. Shes four years removed from the corps now, and married. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? Its credits include the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, President Barack Obama's first inaugural parade, a reality TV show and "Late Night with David Letterman.". 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. In the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. 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On Friday, October 6, 2017, 10:08 PM, XXXX XXXX XXXX@XXXX.com wrote: This letter is to inform you of my resignation as Director of USBands, effective immediately. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Im still standing and using my voice to say what you did was wrong, she said. ACLU says it could take legal action over Saucon Valley School District rescinding approval for After School Satan Club, Big rig crashes from I-81 bridge onto street below in Schuylkill, 'He was a very humble guy': Reading High soccer coach remembers player killed in Route 33 crash, Eat, Sip, Shop: Refresh your ride at new Lehigh County store, selling high-quality car detailing products, Defense says accused former drums corps director weighing plea deal. In a fast-paced competitive environment like the Troopers, Calhoun said his mental illness problems soon led to physical injuries. "Dear George Hopkins, This letter is to inform you of my resignation as Director of USBands, effective immediately.

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