how enemies came to be friends. The story of George's van trip to Mississippi and Louisiana There was upset from some people, as you can see, and others saw the progression as an effort to maintain the Cadets as an organization steeped in tradition but also very, very progressive when it came to new ideas, new concepts, and fresh presentations. [17], The Cadets was formerly part of Youth Education in the Arts (YEA! People are using more water. She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. 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. Hopkins earned about $177,000 in 2017, according to the nonprofit's financial statements. The Cadets from Allentown, Pennsylvania perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening, July 12, 2019. The City of Erie welcomed The Cadets with open arms, offering access to local business relationships, services, volunteers, and new opportunities for funding and partnerships. Defense in sex assault case wants newspaper to hand over accuser's Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Folks were upset, nothing new, but this time, the anger took a more aggressive approach. In an online post last year, Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear by those who disagreed with his management. Twelve women have told the Inquirer they were sexually harassed or abused by Hopkins over the nearly four decades he served as director of Allentown's famed Cadets, years during which he achieved rock-star-like status in the activity. The charges are second-degree felonies. The Troopers initially denied wrongdoing, but later issued a statement apologizing for its defensive posture after facing a social media backlash. I want to see what else is in that video that is dramatically different than what she told detectives two months later, Bergstrom said. Allentown's Cadets drum and bugle corps forming non-profit, separating from YEA! Former Cadet Lee Ann Riley said she was 17 when Hopkins, then 23, forced himself on her and had sex with her. 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. Hopkins was also charged with sexually assaulting another woman in Allentown; that charge was dropped as part of an agreement that led to Thursdays plea. 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. The judge did not issue a ruling from the bench on Bergstroms motion. A tuba player lost feeling in their right hand, he said, and wasnt treated until the next day. With no 2020 drum corps season, Cadets Arts & Entertainment focused its attention on establishing clear policies, strict safeguards and strategic committees that meet regularly to help guide The Cadets forward. Overall, the deficit was about $200,000. Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Casper Star-Tribune. George Hopkins Resigns As Director Of Cadets Following Sexual Assault George Hopkins - Founder - 11 Rings | LinkedIn George Hopkins, former director of Allentown's elite Cadets drum and bugle corps, pleaded no contest to indecent assault after an Inquirer investigation revealed years of misconduct. The charges stemmed from alleged incidents involving two women. 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. In addition, YEA! 93 (Mvts. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Critic: I warned drum corps executive about George Hopkins Lillian Petrullo-Yocovelli GH doesnt love the CADET Organisation he made himself an empire..to support him with his RV and 200K salary plus all the other extras.Laughing at everyone all the way to the bank.. Laura Masker I am not disagreeing with you as far as GH is concerned. 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 . Allentown Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts and Entertainment Inc. in May, stating they lost $1.5 million in sponsorships, donations and ticket sales after the allegations against Hopkins were made public. (YEA), the umbrella group that operates the Cadets and also serves 60,000 marching band . 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). George Hopkins, YEA settle civil suit regarding compensation How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? "We are now opening a new chapter in the storied history of The Cadets by creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity guided by the following founding principles: To educate youth from around the globe on the value of teamwork, inclusiveness, kindness, self-expression, and open communication; To create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants; and To enrich lives by teaching critical development skills required for the pursuit of personal excellence.". Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. 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. In the criminal case, prosecutors allege 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. Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. The corps felt that not only were they having their creative potential as artistic performing groups stifled, but they were being financially starved. The Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps lost sponsors, donors and engagements because of sexual misconduct allegations against its then-director George Hopkins. She marched from 2015 to 2017, around the same time as Calhoun. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). During his tenure, Hopkins took the Cadets to 10 world championships and was an icon in the drum corps community. Advertisement Allentown News An order filed Tuesday in. Berry cited precedent in which a federal court found that the defense had not exhausted all other avenues for getting information before a media outlet was forced to hand over an interview. Now, she told Hopkins, who stood a few feet from her in the courtroom, she feels stronger than ever. One possible side effect of the frigid temps? For the rest of the force, that means longer hours and fewer days off while earning less than peers . Renowned drum corps leader resigns amid abuse allegations George Hopkins. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On, Shania Twain 'uncontrollably fragile' after husband's affair, 48 Hours: Natalie Morales Reveals How Social Media Helped Solve Case, Uriah Heep believe they have 'some merit' to be considered for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame entry, Amanda Seyfried wants to a role in movie version of Mean Girls: The Musical, Aaron Taylor-Johnson joins Nosferatu remake. In 1971, the Cadets marched a show they called, "No More War"; at VFW Nationals in Dallas. "And he did it anyway. But I never said yes," said Linda Riley. agreed to take over the assets and liabilities of the Crossmen in 1997. Executive Director, Youth Education in the Arts Director, nine-time DCI World Championship Cadets D&B Corps Social Studies Teacher: Aston Township HS (PA) 1979-80 Band Director: Northern Highlands High School (NJ), 1984 George Hopkins, former director of Allentown's elite Cadets drum and bugle corps, pleaded no contest to indecent assault after an Inquirer investigation revealed years of misconduct. [16] Hopkins and YEA! I get they try to model it like the military, and in the military, youre only as strong as your weakest link, Calhoun said. 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. YEA! George Hopkins pleaded no contest in Lehigh. 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. But this isnt the military. "I just kept saying no, don't do this, I don't want to do this," said Marie, who said she went by her middle name at work. It said it was reaching out to Youth Education in the Arts, and also planned an internal review to see whether any current members of the DCI staff knew about the allegations and failed to report them. 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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? Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. I want the victims to know that what you did was horrible beyond description, the judge said, READ MORE: Report: Drum corps leader threw things at work, called women little girls. In both cases, the women say after meeting with Hopkins on business, they were drugged and sexually assaulted. He now is awaiting trial in Lehigh County on charges of sexually assaulting two of the women. Connell said she never had any problems with Jackson herself, but was hurt indirectly watching her close friends being neglected or silenced. Shes four years removed from the corps now, and married. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. 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.". Hopkins had been suing YEA for $650,000 in severance, vacation and expenses. In 198385, the Garfield Cadets became the first DCI corps to earn a three-peatthree consecutive DCI titles. Currently semi retired, while creating Act 2 of life. 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. In 1940, the Cadets won the American Legion Junior National Championship in Boston, the first of a record nine Legion titles the corps would win between 1940 and 1964. This is the resignation letter from the director of USBands (a YEA program that helps fund The Cadets) and reveals some interesting information. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets and CEO of Youth Education in the Arts who separated from the organization after being accused of sexually harassing nine women, is suing YEA for more than $580,000 in severance pay. [2][3], In 1958, the Holy Name parish declined to support the corps' travel and disbanded the corps. with the Cadets as DCI World Championsthe first eastern corps ever to hold Her husband, based on everything hes heard about drum corps from Connell, says he wouldnt let any of their children march. 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 YEA! He's due back in court in February. The Casper Troopers perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening, July 12, 2019. He began as Director in 1983 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. The Govenaires, an all-age/senior corps founded in 1927, retain the title of oldest continuously active corps. The Cadets of Bergen County won DCI Championships in 1990, '93, '98, and 2000. he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. 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. 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. Youth Education in the Arts governs the Allentown Cadets drum corps. Ex-Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins waives hearing on sexual All that was claimed to have happened didnt happen. George has 7 jobs listed on their profile. [22][23], At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International (DCI) presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semifinals, and finals in five captions. The Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field in July 2018. Despite pressure on show sponsors, judges, and other drum corps, the corps were booked into a number of shows together. In 1950, the Cadets went on the road for three weeks in order to defend their Legion title in Los Angeles. Defense in sex assault case wants newspaper to hand over accuser's video interview, George Hopkins' defense attorney wants access to the Philadelphia Inquirer's unedited video, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. The. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors withdrew two charges of felony sexual assault and added the indecent assault count, a misdemeanor, to which Hopkins pleaded no contest. [2][3], The Garfield Cadets relocated outside Garfield to Hackensack and became the Cadets of Bergen County in 1989. Marie J DiDomenico Dont listen to them Steven, its the guard. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, The Cadets was one of the thirteen founding corps of Drum Corps International (DCI), is a ten-time DCI World Champion, and is the oldest continuously active junior drum and bugle corps in North America.[1]. DCI.org: For the uninitiated, give us a brief history of YEA!'s relationship with the Crossmen. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins has settled a civil claim with the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts, regarding compensation. They wanted to shed a light on his behavior and for him to have a criminal record, he said. 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. The amount of time and effort that is necessary to make certain USBands events are successful is astounding. [20] A new Board of Directors was established, led by former CEO and Cadets Director Denise Bonfiglio. But, as Connell says, the problem is much deeper than a couple of creeps. The Cadets has long been one of the top programs, attracting teens and young adults from around the world. In written remarks later directed at Hopkins, she said she had joined the Cadets bright-eyed, eager, and innocently believing that through hard work and integrity most things were possible., Instead, she said, working for the Cadets meant being subjected to verbal and sexual abuse. 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Former drum corps director George Hopkins charged with sexual assault Since the crime occurred in 2010, before a recent amendment to Megans Law, Hopkins is not subject to sexual offender registration. He resigned his position in April 2018, but the YEA board rejected his resignation and fired him, citing the sexual misconduct allegations lodged against him. 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. In an online post last year, Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear by those who disagreed with his management. You have permission to edit this article. Did march in the band at West Chester University in Pennsylvania for one year. Fifteen years before nine women stepped forward to accuse drum corps leader George Hopkins of sexual abuse, a long-time critic says he warned the director of the activity's governing body of questionable behavior by Hopkins, but was dismissed. Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. [7] Later that day, Hopkins stepped down as director of The Cadets and YEA! 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. The Troopers arent the only prestigious drum corps hit with allegations in recent years. [9] Claiming to have received no letter of resignation, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. 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. separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts & Entertainment Inc. Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear, Report: Drum corps leader threw things at work, called women little girls, California residents do not sell my data request. 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!!! The charge to which Hopkins pleaded no contest stemmed from one victim who said she was sexually assaulted in 2010 at age 26, and who provided her account to The Inquirer in 2018. She told police that she passed out in his apartment and when she woke up, Hopkins was gone. George Hopkins, the former CEO of the Allentown-based Youth Education in the Arts, faces three felony counts of sexual assault for allegedly assaulting two former employees. After the hearing, Hopkins lawyer, Thomas Bergstrom, called the probationary sentence a fair result and said there were many inconsistencies in the accusers stories. U kunt uw keuzes te allen tijde wijzigen door te klikken op de links 'Privacydashboard' op onze sites en in onze apps. The group keeps up a grueling practice and travel schedule, performing throughout the United States. And I never said no. I think from here on out, theres a new level and a new sense of accountability that we as alumni of the Corps are unified in making sure that these experiences dont happen again, said former Troopers color guard member Vanessa Connell. During training, 150 members aged 14 to 22 rehearse for 12 hours a day, on their feet from morning to night. Ex-director of Allentown drum corps enters plea in - lehighvalleylive 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. George Hopkins Bio "I felt pressured and I felt cornered. Genesis from Austin, Texas performs during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field Friday evening, July 12, 2019. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Falk declined to comment afterward on whether the two sides were discussing a plea deal. The DCI.org interview: George Hopkins [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. 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. 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. (CAE). [10] On September 22, 2020, Hopkins pleaded no contest to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years probation[14] and fined $5,000. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- The longtime leader of a champion Pennsylvania-based drum and bugle corps has resigned in the wake of a newspaper report that contained allegations of sexual misconduct spanning nearly four decades. Not just for [the victim] but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, Anthony said.
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