We could soon find out, A windy, cloudy Saturday for the Lehigh Valley, but the sun will come out tomorrow, Six years after hazing death, Penn State plans to drop the Greek life oversight it championed. For more than 30 years, George Hopkins has been a major proponent of changes in instrumentation, education and contest guidelines, such as initiating the use of band instruments, electronics, removal of sidelines and other alternatives. Her husband, based on everything hes heard about drum corps from Connell, says he wouldnt let any of their children march. 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. 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. Connell said she never had any problems with Jackson herself, but was hurt indirectly watching her close friends being neglected or silenced. moved its base of operations to Allentown, Pennsylvania and The Cadets relocated along with it. Drum and bugle corps perform intricate routines that incorporate music, marching, dance and color guards. In 198385, the Garfield Cadets became the first DCI corps to earn a three-peatthree consecutive DCI titles. In addition to The Cadets, YEA! George Hopkins, YEA settle civil suit regarding compensation, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. 93 (Mvts. Please know, you lose many, many GREAT people because of the reasons I listed and more. Man missing since 2021 was murdered, co-worker arrested: DA, Brian Laundrie was 'emotional bully,' Petito family lawsuit says, Pa. woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto Rico. The Troopers initially denied wrongdoing, but later issued a statement apologizing for its defensive posture after facing a social media backlash. 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. Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at 610-820-6506 or lmason@mcall.com. There was an error processing your request. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Falk declined to comment afterward on whether the two sides were discussing a plea deal. money, and members. 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Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. 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 . Never marched in high school band. Former Cadets described him as a charismatic leader, while former office. The Alliance members felt that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the monies those shows earned. In 2022, The Cadets entered into a partnership with the Erie Sports Center as the new spring training site for the corps' May-June rehearsals. An order filed Tuesday in federal court says Hopkins and YEA have reached an agreement. 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.. Through his attorney, Hopkins said he did not know who Marie is, but denied her allegation. In July, he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. As temperatures have plunged this winter, water use has risen. 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. Since the crime occurred in 2010, before a recent amendment to Megans Law, Hopkins is not subject to sexual offender registration. Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps members perform during the corps' 50th anniversary gathering in July 2011. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Hopkins' accusers ranged from 16 to 37 at the time of the abuse and harassment they say they endured, including three who were members of The Cadets and five who worked for Youth Education in the Arts, the parent organization that Hopkins also led as chief executive officer until his resignation. In 1998, the corps rebranded once again, dropping any reference to locale from its name and becoming simply The Cadets. He followed that with eight additional DCI World Championships, most reached a settlement in January 2019. I know this sub loves a good Hop story, so here you go. The Govenaires, an all-age/senior corps founded in 1927, retain the title of oldest continuously active corps. Consent matters.. [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. She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. In his federal lawsuit seeking severance pay and other monies, Hopkins asserts that he resigned from the organization by letter on April 5, and that his departure was "mutually agreed"-upon. Hopkins, 63, is awaiting trial on three counts of felony sexual assault. On July 4, 1986 the Cadets performed as a part of the Liberty Weekend celebrating both the hundredth anniversary and the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. Hopkins, 63, was accused of sexual assault and harassment by nine women in a 2018 Inquirer article. You have permission to edit this article. George Hopkins, exiting court in Allentown in December 2018, pleaded no contest Thursday to indecent assault. It comes from a lot of different places.. In the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. The corps was known not only for its talent but for its traveling to compete. Follow More from Medium Mark. Allentown's Cadets drum and bugle corps forming non-profit, separating from YEA! She marched from 2015 to 2017, around the same time as Calhoun. The reasons why may be about more than money. What is clear ---I need an assistant. participation in 2018 Summer Tour", "Cadets to forgo west coast portion of 2018 tour", "Ex-director of Allentown drum corps enters plea in sexual assault case", "Former Allentown Cadets band leader pleads no contest to indecent assault; judge calls him 'disgusting', "Drum corps seeks $1.5 million from former director after sexual misconduct scandal", "George Hopkins, YEA settle civil suit regarding compensation", "The Cadets Announce Independent Not-For-Profit Youth Organization", https://cadets.org/cadets-announce-move-erie-pa, https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/48381432/erie-sports-center-to-become-permanent-home-for-the-cadets-drum-corps, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Cadets_Drum_and_Bugle_Corps&oldid=1139537566, The Sinfonians by Clifton Williams / Give it One by, Advance of the Sponges by HIGGINS / Left Bank Express by Pete Jackson / Pieces of Dreams by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman / Echano by Chuck Mangione / Strawberry Soup by, Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson / In Nomine Patris, Almighty Father, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, God Said, De Profundis, Part 2 & A Simple Song, Maria, Rumble, Prologue, America, I Have a Love, & Tonight, Jeremiah Symphony, Overture to Candide & Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide), I Dreamed A Dream, At the End of the Day, Look Down, On My Own, Attack on Rue Plumet, Bring Him Home, One Day More & At the Barricades, In the Spring, When Kings Go Off to War; Ballet Sacra & On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss, Dance at the Gym, Mambo, Cha-cha, Cool, Prologue/Rumble, A Boy Like That, Tonight & Finale, The Reivers, Born on the 4th of July, Blowing Off Steam (from Far and Away), Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) & Land Race (from Far and Away), The Promise of Living (from Tender Land) by Aaron Copland / Tulsa: A Portrait in Oil by, Tapestry Of Nations, Prologue, Chaos and Meaning, The Sage of Time & The Promise, History Repeating by Alex Gifford / White Rabbit by, Rumble, Prologue, A Boy Like That-I Have A Love, Cool & Tonight, Symphony No. Anthony warned Hopkins that if he violated any conditions of probation he could be sent to a state prison. Im still standing and using my voice to say what you did was wrong, she said. Life long member, teacher, and administrator of Drum Corps (from 19682019). has taken furt, Two former Youth Education in the Arts employees accused George Hopkins of sexual assault. Philly.com reported the alleged misconduct ranged from lewd comments and groping to rape. In 2003, Yea! Please subscribe to keep reading. 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). She said that one evening in 2008, Hopkins asked her to come to his Allentown apartment to do some work. 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. In 1969, the corps became coed. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Caren Blundetto-Frech John Hannigan, is there more than one child? which will ALWAYS take priority over my work. 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. One former Youth Education in the Arts employee who spoke to Philly.com on condition that she was identified only by her first name, Marie, said Hopkins routinely harassed and assaulted her at work. Beyer, who said Hopkins assaulted her after she went to work for the corps, watched his plea and sentencing Thursday, but did not speak in court. At 192 beats per minute.. that title. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? Hopkins surrendered to authorities, was arraigned, and was released on $50,000 bail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 4. Now, she told Hopkins, who stood a few feet from her in the courtroom, she feels stronger than ever. ), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Steven Chirichella still not the same MarieI feel your thoughts and sure Aunt Nell would be our side. Success! Youth Education in. with the Cadets as DCI World Championsthe first eastern corps ever to hold 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. He's due back in court in February. The Inquirer is telling me I need to go to another source, and there isnt one, he argued. [2][3], In the second half of the Sixties, the Garfield Cadets became more of an also-ran than a champion. 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. You need to make sure that you are taking care of them. In 1950, the Cadets went on the road for three weeks in order to defend their Legion title in Los Angeles. Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, the Cadets won these captions: A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. 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. YEA rejects ex-director's resignation, fires him amid allegations, New twists appear in relation to former Cadets Director George Hopkins, Investigation underway into YEA! The CAE Board of Directors approved this decision on Monday evening, February 13, 2023. In a no contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but concedes that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? But instead, he encountered a disorganized administrative team that seemed to be improvising on the job. 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. Thank you again for the opportunity and best of luck. The Cadets won additional DCI championships in 2005 and 2011, the corps' ninth and tenth in forty seasons.[3]. But with the end of 2015, other changes occured. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. I dont know a single person who marched drum corps and didnt have complaints.. 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. . 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]. Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins has settled a civil claim with the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts, regarding compensation. View George Hopkins' profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. 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. (CAE). 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. First, I want to thank you for the opportunity you have afforded me in this role. 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. 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, Former Allentown Cadets director issues statement claiming innocence, Charges filed against former Allentown Cadets director, Investigation into YEA sexual misconduct allegations complete, Report clears former YEA interim CEO of wrongdoing, YEA! The whistleblowers say they went public after receiving a feeble response from the Troopers legal team. Hopkins was hired by The Cadets in 1979 and became director in 1982, coaching the team to 10 world titles. After the hearing, Hopkins' lawyer, Thomas Bergstrom, called the probationary sentence a fair result and said there were many inconsistencies in the accusers' stories. During training, 150 members aged 14 to 22 rehearse for 12 hours a day, on their feet from morning to night. This amount of the lawsuit included recovery for lost sponsorships and pledged donations to The Cadets and YEA!, a major loss of participants in the US Bands program, as well as legal fees incurred due to the scandal. 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. One possible side effect of the frigid temps? These PEOPLE are your most important asset. But this isnt the military. (YEA), the umbrella group that operates the Cadets and also serves 60,000 marching band . "He's like, 'Are you all right?' Their biggest resource in that effort may be the very people who are speaking out. 253 votes, 88 comments. 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. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Nine women from Allentowns elite Cadets drum corps accuse director George Hopkins of sexual abuse and harassment, he sued the organization for more than $580,000. [17], The Cadets was formerly part of Youth Education in the Arts (YEA! 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.
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