Northeast

A marathon in every state: Navy vet and former NYPD cop runs across US to help deserving nonprofit

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2024

A marathon in every state: Navy vet and former NYPD cop runs across US to help deserving nonprofit

A miliary veteran has hit the ground running in terms of helping other heroes.

John Barnett, a U.S. Navy veteran and retired New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) police officer, has set out to run a marathon in all 50 U.S. states to raise awareness for local nonprofit Paws of War, which helps rescue and train service dogs for veterans.

The Long Islander enlisted with the Navy in 1986 and retired as a commander in 2011. Barnett continued his service with the MTA police department after he left the military, until an incident on the Fourth of July ended his career.

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On July 4, 2012, the officer was on routine patrol at the Long Island Railroad’s Jamaica Station when he was “ambushed” on the sidewalk, he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

The criminal, who had a knife, attacked Barnett — and stabbed him in the eye.

John Barnett, pictured here, served as a detective with the NYPD until 2012. (Paws of War)

“I told him to drop the knife, and then I shot him,” he said. (See the video at the top of this article.)

Barnett underwent several surgeries to restore his retina — but his vision was beyond repair.

He was left blind in his left eye.

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“I’ve been retired ever since,” he said.

Since the attack, Barnett has been receiving eye treatment and therapy for PTSD.

Barnett, pictured at center, was in “great spirits, laughing with colleagues as he left the hospital” after the incident, according to Paws of War. (Paws of War)

After the incident, Barnett noticed a sign outside Paws of War’s headquarters in Nesconset, New York, located less than half a mile from his house.

The sign mentioned that the organization helps America’s veterans and first responders.

“This is just my way of giving back and helping other first responders, brothers and sisters.”

“And I said, ‘Oh, well, I need to go in there, because I need help, and I’m a first responder — and a veteran,” he said. “So, I went in and they helped me out.”

Since then, Barnett said Paws of War has offered him “numerous” services, including veteran training for his two dogs, counseling and “camaraderie” within a community of other veterans.

Barnett has two service dogs, a German weimaraner and a German shorthaired pointer, both pictured here. (Paws of War)

While Barnett has always been an avid runner and has completed more than 30 marathons, the veteran decided to run for Paws of War to increase others’ awareness of the nonprofit and its good works.

“This is just my way of giving back and helping other first responders, brothers and sisters,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Everyone who goes through Paws of War has struggles, and if I can help one person, I feel good.”

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Barnett emphasized that the organization has helped him “significantly” through its various services.

“I would love for other first responders and veterans to receive the same help that I got from Paws of War,” he said. “By running, I can help others … This is my main goal. Just helping and giving back.”

Barnett said that listening to music, specifically to Steve Winwood or Elton John, while running a marathon helps him “feel great.” (Paws of War)

He added, “I think it’s one of the best services in the world for veterans and first responders.”

The Montana Marathon in Billings, Montana, on May 19 marked Barnett’s first run for Paws of War. His next race will take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on June 22 — which will mark his 27th U.S. state marathon.

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Although Barnett has run the New York City Marathon five times, he said his top two favorite marathons were in Burlington, Vermont, and Sugarloaf, Maine.

“Because you smell pine trees for 26 miles,” he said. “If you love the smell of pine trees, you’ll love that marathon.”

As Barnett’s goal is to get more veterans and first responders the help they need, he encouraged them to also reach out to their local VA hospital for immediate help.

“If I could just reach one veteran while I’m running a marathon and for them to reach out to Paws of War and say, ‘I need help’ — that would be great.” (Paws of War)

Paws of War co-founder Robert Misseri, who is based in New York, expressed his support for Barnett in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“John’s resilience and appreciation of giving back to Paws of War is another reason why we need to support our veterans and first responders,” he said.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

“His efforts could save someone’s life.”

Paws of War’s mission, according to its website, is “to honor and support our veterans, active military members, and first responders with services that enrich their lives through the rescue and training of service dogs for independence, adoption of companion animals, rescue of overseas animals in war zones, and other essential services to assist our heroes in need.”

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital.

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Maine

NECEC conservation plan will not protect Maine’s mature forests | Opinion

Published

38 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

NECEC conservation plan will not protect Maine’s mature forests | Opinion

Robert Bryan is a licensed forester from Harpswell and author or co-author of numerous publications on managing forests for wildlife. Paul Larrivee is a licensed forester from New Gloucester who manages both private and public lands, and a former Maine Forest Service forester.

In November 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) approved a conservation plan and forest management plan as mitigation for impacts from the NECEC transmission corridor that runs from the Quebec border 53 miles to central Maine.

As professional foresters, we were astonished by the lack of scientific credibility in the definition of “mature forest habitat” that was approved by DEP, and the business-as-usual commercial forestry proposed for over 80% of the conservation area.

The DEP’s approval requires NECEC to establish and protect 50,000 acres to be managed for mature-forest wildlife species and wildlife travel corridors along riparian areas and between mature forest habitats. The conservation plan will establish an area adjacent to the new transmission corridor to be protected under a conservation easement held by the state. Under this plan, 50% of the area will be managed as mature forest habitat.

Under the forest management plan, a typical even-aged stand will qualify as “mature forest habitat” once 50 feet tall, which is only about 50 years old. These stands will lack large trees that provide wildlife denning and nesting sites, multiple vegetation layers that mature-forest birds use for nesting and feeding habitats and large decaying trees and downed logs that provide habitat for insects, fungi and small mammals, which in turn benefit larger predators.

Another major concern is that contrary to the earlier DEP order, the final approval allows standard sustainable forestry operations on the 84% of the forest located outside the stream buffers and special habitats. These stands may be harvested as soon as they achieve the “mature forest habitat” definition, as long as 50% of the conserved land is maintained as “mature.”

After the mature forest goal is reached, clearcutting or other heavy harvesting could occur on thousands of acres every 10 years. Because the landowner — Weyerhaeuser — owns several hundred thousand acres in the vicinity, any reductions in harvesting within the conservation area can simply be offset by cutting more heavily nearby. As a result, the net
mature-forest benefit of the conservation area will be close to zero.

Third, because some mature stands will be cut before the 50% mature forest goal is reached, it will take 40 years — longer than necessary — to reach the goal.

In the near future the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) will consider an appeal from environmental organizations of the plan approval. To ensure that ecologically mature forest develops in a manner that meets the intent of the DEP/BEP orders, several things need to change.

First and most important, to ensure that characteristics of mature forest habitat have time to develop it is critical that the definition include clear requirements for the minimum number of large-diameter (hence more mature) trees, adjusted by forest type. At least half the stocking of an area of mature forest habitat should be in trees at least 10 inches in diameter, and at least 20% of stands beyond the riparian buffers should have half the stocking in trees greater than or equal to 16 inches in diameter.

Current research as well as guidelines for defining ecologically mature forests, such as those in Maine Audubon’s Forestry for Maine Birds, should be followed.

Second, limits should be placed on the size and distribution of clearcut or “shelterwood” harvest patches so that even-aged harvests are similar in size to those created by typical natural forest disturbance patterns. These changes will help ensure that the mature-forest block and connectivity requirements of the orders are met.

Third, because the forest impacts have already occurred, no cutting should be allowed in the few stands that meet or exceed the DEP-approved definition — which needs to be revised as described above — until the 50% or greater mature-forest goal is reached.

If allowed to stand, the definitions and management described in the forest management plan would set a terrible precedent for conserving mature forests in Maine. The BEP should uphold the appeal and establish standards for truly mature forest habitat.

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Massachusetts

Foul play suspected after human remains found in water in Shirley

Published

56 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Foul play suspected after human remains found in water in Shirley

Human remains were discovered Wednesday in the water in Shirley, Massachusetts, and authorities suspect foul play.

Police in Shirley said in a social media post at 7:15 p.m. that they responded to “a suspicious object in the water near the Maritime Veterans Memorial Bridge on Shaker Road.” Massachusetts State Police later said the object was believed to be human remains.

The bridge crosses Catacoonamug Brook near Phoenix Pond.

The office of Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said a group of young people was walking in the area around 5:30 p.m. and “reported seeing what appeared to be something consistent with a body part in the water.”

Foul play is suspected, Ryan’s office said.

Authorities will continue investigating overnight into Thursday, and an increased police presence is expected in the area.

No further information was immediately available.

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