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No one questioned Brandy's desire to keep her family together. No matter what the law said, she considered herself the mother of her sons, and her sons considered her their mother.
At issue, however, was not her wish to be their parent. At issue was her ability to be their parent - Brandy's "protective capacity."
Protective capacity is a diagnostic term used to evaluate whether a parent has demonstrated the behavioral, cognitive and emotional attributes necessary to provide a child with safety, permanence and well-being.
Caseworkers, along with their supervisors, the guardian ad litem and other people involved in a child welfare case assess dozens of characteristics to determine protective capacity.
Whether the parent makes sure her children are fed and supervised before using drugs or alcohol, for example, is weighed as a behavioral characteristic.
In an assessment filed in September 2009, caseworker Cleopatra Echols noted that Brandy continued to demonstrate two protective capacity weaknesses: An inability to control her behavior and a failure to benefit from previous professional help.
In this evaluation, Brandy found hope. These were issues she could address. These were areas she could demonstrably improve upon.
Until it is achieved, or until a child is no longer in state custody, permanency is always a goal in child welfare. Caseworkers are trained to never give up seeking reunification, adoption or transfer of guardianship.
For Brandy, this meant that yet another attempt at reunification - a third - was possible.
Texas Tech's national bowl projections: Red Raiders appear destined for the Texas Bowl, but who will be their SEC opponent?
If not for some bad injury breaks, mainly to quarterbacks McLane Carter and Alan Bowman, Texas Tech could've been in contention for the Big 12 championship.
The Red Raiders lost Carter in the season opener against Ole Miss and he was replaced by the freshman Bowman. After the loss to Ole Miss, Bowman led the Red Raiders to three straight victories, including wins over Houston and Oklahoma State.
Then he suffered a partially collapsed lung against West Virginia in a loss. The injury recurred during the Red Raiders' loss to Oklahoma on Saturday, a game they were in prime position to win before Bowman's exit.
Now, all that's left for the Red Raiders to compete for is a bowl appearance, which they are one win away from clinching.
KINSHASA (Reuters) - The main hospital in Democratic Republic of Congo’s northwestern town of Bikoro has received a new suspected Ebola case, the hospital’s director told Reuters on Friday.
Bikoro is the nearest major town to Ikoko Impenge, the village where the first reports of the fever appeared. Congo’s health minister on Thursday announced a suspected death in a new outbreak of the virus.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - ArtPrize artist Rena Detrixhe looked down at the silver dime that a visitor had rolled through the red Oklahoma dirt she had carefully tamped and molded into an intricate carpet pattern.
Barely noticeable in the 1,000-square-foot dirt carpet - Detrixhe's ArtPrize entry "Red Dirt Rug Monument" - the offending dime made an impression to Detrixhe.
"It's a lot about human impact and how we respect and how we care and not care," Detrixhe said of the dime. "There's something really poetic about it."
The work itself, "Red Dirt Rug Monument," is born of similar sentiments.
The entry made both the ArtPrize juror's shortlist and the Final 20 list in the public vote, one of just to of this year's 38 finalist to make both lists.
The 200 gallons of red soil come from Oklahoma, where the land -- although beautiful -- bears a painful legacy of the Dust Bowl, oil extraction and displaced Native American tribes.
"This is about a larger, complicated history that's happened on the soil of Oklahoma," Detrixhe said. "It speaks to a larger national narrative: how do we define value in terms of land and resources?"
The carpet's designs reference the state's history as well.
The pattern of the rug, meant to mimic the opulence of expensive rugs from the Middle East, is made with imprints from the soles of unwanted shoes.
Eight hours a day for three weeks, Detrixhe slowly and carefully tamped and stamped the dirt rug on the fifth floor of Western Michigan University's downtown Grand Rapids facility on Ionia Avenue. Detrixhe finished the rug Saturday, Sept. 30.
Having an audience of ArtPrize visitors watch her the entire time was more powerful than she could have expected, Detrixhe said.
"For me it's very meditative doing this piece, and emotional and durational and it's physically challenging - I wanted to have those things be visible to people, and I don't think I could have anticipated how meaningful that was," Detrixhe said. "Having other people in here all day every day, being on display having th...
Detrixhe, 27, now lives and studies in Tulsa after growing up in the Kansas countryside. With her father working as a soil scientist and her mother creating as a ceramacist, a connection to the land was second nature for Detrixhe.
Many visitors have asked Detrixhe if she'll be devastated once she has to remove the rug.
But to Detrixhe, the artwork isn't truly complete until she sweeps it all away.
"I've designed the piece to be that way specifically because I'm thinking about landscapes and loss and the land the way that we need to acknowledge that we have a reverence for things and find beauty in things but those things may not last," Detrixhe said.
Monday night’s battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams is a doozy, as just the fifth matchup since 1970 featuring two teams without multiple losses after Week 10.
The victor might just be whoever has the ball last, but each offense has issues to address.
An injury-plagued O-line finally cracked last week in protection, allowing five sacks and seven hits of Patrick Mahomes. Several came from mental breakdowns, which Andy Reid called a learning opportunity for an inexperienced group.
Even so, Reid would be wise to ease the burden on fill-ins Andrew Wylie and Austin Reiter on Monday. The Chiefs’ tackles should hold up fine, but Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers could feast inside if K.C. keeps throwing so often (34.5 attempts per game).
Instead, the Chiefs should go run-heavy against a front allowing an NFL-worst 5.2 yards per carry, including 5.6 a pop since Week 7.
Donald looks more patient and disciplined versus the run this year, but he doesn’t have the frame to dictate against double teams. Suh can be hit-or-miss, either stonewalling a double or getting washed out of the play. More concerning, slender linebackers Cory Littleton and Mark Barron struggle to get free when O-linem...
Reid helps linemen do that by shrewdly manufacturing light boxes. He loves stacking or bunching wideouts and tight ends out wide, forcing a linebacker to shade outside. Reid then gets five blockers on five box defenders by using arc releases and zone-read and jet-sweep fakes, often with a pass option built in. These ta...
The Chiefs also should consider more fake-screen-and-go concepts, which they’ve used surprisingly little despite running so many bubble screens. Executed properly, they could punish an aggressive secondary.
Also worth noting: Reid exploited Wade Phillips’ stingy Broncos defenses in 2015 and ‘16, averaging 29.0 points and scoring at least 24 in four meetings.
2. How will the Rams fill Cooper Kupp’s void?
L.A. scored 58 points from Weeks 7-8 without Kupp, and many expect the offense to keep humming with Josh Reynolds stepping in. But there’s no doubt Kupp’s torn ACL will have ripple effects.
As detailed in our Week 2 film study, Kupp isn’t just a great route-runner with sure hands. He also thrives as a featured blocker (often lining up inline like a tight end) and a key play-action cog, diligently selling the run with patient and crafty releases. Robert Woods also excels in these areas, but Reynolds likely...
Sean McVay might stray some from his beloved 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, three WRs) — used on 95 percent of snaps this year — for more two-TE sets (only 15 snaps total). The Rams planned as much entering the season before explosive-but-raw sophomore Gerald Everett (shoulder) missed the preseason. They could sprinkle ...
But that won’t hurt Monday night if it means more snaps against Chiefs linebacker Reggie Ragland. A ferocious banger against downhill runs, Ragland struggles on the move against outside zone — the bedrock of L.A.’s run game — and is highly susceptible in coverage. If K.C. prefers more speed, rangy-but-undisciplined roo...
3. Can the Bears’ D handle a bigger stage?
After quietly impressing in 2017, Chicago’s defense blossomed with Khalil Mack’s arrival. Four-man pressure weaponizes coordinator Vic Fangio’s slew of disguised zone coverages, blurring quarterbacks’ reads and creating bountiful turnover opportunities.
But takeaways are inherently fickle, and the Bears’ pilfered troves from terrible teams: 11 of 24 via the Cardinals, Dolphins and Bills. Frankly, Chicago has faced few formidable offenses, and leaked badly against Tom Brady and a gimpy Aaron Rodgers.
Kirk Cousins is playing mentally sharper than ever and reading the field well in coordinator John DeFilippo’s scheme. He has just five interceptions on 363 attempts (1.4 percent, well below 2.4 career average), with two hitting his receivers’ hands and one due to miscommunication. His top weapons, Adam Thielen and Stef...
The Bears must turn the tide up front. Rookie right tackle Brian O’Neill — who took Rashod Hill’s job — will need extensive help against Mack, meaning Leonard Floyd and Aaron Lynch will have opportunities against struggling left tackle Riley Reiff. Inside, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and Roy Robertson-Harris should expl...
Game script will be critical. If Cousins & Co. take an early lead and aren’t forced into obvious passing situations, they should win the battle.
4. Beginning of the end for Washington?
Jay Gruden’s club deserves tremendous credit for a 6-3 start, and its two-game NFC East lead might hold up. But the Skins’ point and yardage differentials (plus-1 and minus-212, respectively) portray a mediocre team, and if regression doesn’t catch up to them, their offensive-line injuries probably will.
The run game (4.6 yards per carry) survived Sunday against the Bucs without left tackle Trent Williams and guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao, but Washington managed only 286 yards against a defense that’s allowed 414.3 per game against all others. Williams will eventually return, but Scherff — due for a monster e...
That’s bad news with J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and the Texans’ top-ranked run defense (3.6 yards per carry) visiting Sunday, especially for a team so reliant on running the ball and playing from ahead. Remarkably, Washington has seen zero lead changes in nine games, a statistical oddity that nonetheless speaks to the...
Washington’s defense remains stingy, but if the offense can’t run efficiently, Alex Smith will have to throw more while facing more pressure. It’s hard to see that ending well, either on Sunday or down the stretch this season.
Helping Washington, however, is that division-rival Philadelphia could be staring at a 4-6 record.
Already without safety Rodney McLeod (MCL, IR) and cornerbacks Jalen Mills (foot) and Sidney Jones (hamstring), Philly lost Ronald Darby (ACL) for the season last week. Jones should return Sunday, but the paper-thin secondary now must face the fire-breathing Saints.
With the terrifying combo of Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara, Drew Brees and Sean Payton barely even need other proven weapons. After newly signed Dez Bryant tore his Achilles before playing a game, the Saints promoted Keith Kirkwood and promptly sprung the undrafted rookie — in his first NFL game — for a wide-open 42-...
The Eagles’ D-line could exploit Terron Armstead’s absence (shoulder) to limit the damage, but Brees delivers so quickly it probably won’t matter. Philadelphia’s offense might need to score 40 points to keep the Eagles from falling two games below .500.
Chief Keef’s “I Don’t Like” has already received the remix treatment from Kanye West and his G.O.O.D. Music family, as well as a controversial remix from Chris Brown. Now T.I. adds some bars to the Chicago newcomer’s breakout single, produced by Young Chop.
Find out just what the King of the South doesn’t like on his fiery remix.
Greenspan speaks up: Alan Greenspan can move markets, and some House members hope he can give momentum to bills on improving math and science education as well.
The chairman of the Federal Reserve Board appeared before the House education committee last Thursday to explain why he believes that students who dont receive adequate preparation in those subjects will lose out in an economy increasingly reliant upon intellectual capital.
"I know too many people who are extremely talented, [but] when faced with a simple algebraic equation, they black out," Mr. Greenspan said in his first testimony in front of the House Education and the Workforce Committee in his 13 years as the Federal Reserves chairman.
Schools need to instill a passion for mathematics and the sciences in their students, he added.
The House committee invited Mr. Greenspan to testify as it tries to drum up support for a package of bills that would offer federal funding for master teachers in math and science, projects that demonstrate the courses students need for high-tech careers, and other initiatives.
The presence of the man widely credited with guiding the longest economic expansion in American history may indeed help the cause, although the bills are still inching through the legislative process and Congress is scheduled to adjourn early next month.
During the hearing, committee members asked for Mr. Greenspan's advice on a variety of education matters, such as whether the K-12 system is too tied to the model established in an older industrial economy.
But Mr. Greenspan deferred to others on educational issues. "Those are some of my random judgments which may or may not stand up under further scrutiny," he said at one point.
And, in case you didn’t cash in on the tumble in prices earlier this week, fret not: the gold story isn’t over.
Bookmark this space as here you will find articles related to buying, selling, and even investing in gold.
With gold prices expected to slide further in the short term, retailers are upbeat that jewellery demand will continue to remain buoyant.
World Gold Council has found that there is a shortage for bars and coins in Dubai which is creating a supply shortage.
High exposure to global mining companies and wild currency fluctuations impacted their performances over the short-to long-term, says an Icra study.
Gokarn said RBI could consider modified gold deposit schemes, gold-linked accounts, gold accumulation plans and gold pension plans.
The gold import curbs have created a supply-demand imbalance that has resulted in a premium, which is what comes out in the market price of the gold ETF.
Investment experts are still backing gold as an important asset class, despite the tepid performance in 2012 in rupee terms.
ET Wealth takes you through four scenarios to show how an investment of Rs 1 lakh can be affected over five years as prices vary.
For the first time, the business of lending against gold has come under stress following the sharp fall in the price in recent weeks.
All Tires Center at 1 E. Lehman St. will offer U-Haul trucks, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pick-up for boxes.
U-Haul Company of Pennsylvania has announced that All Tires Center has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Lebanon community.
Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday. After-hours drop-off is available for customer convenience.
Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling 717-769-4024 or visiting http://www.uhaul.com/Locations/Truck-Rentals-near-Lebanon-PA-17046/002387/.
Since the bacterial disease was first discovered in New Zealand in 2010, about 85 percent of the country's kiwifruit orchards have been affected.
It is estimated to have caused $885 million worth of damage for growers.
Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive Barry O'Neil said all growers in the region have been informed about the test result, and are being urged to keep a close eye on their orchards.
"What we don't know is whether Psa could be present in other orchards in the region. We are undertaking monitoring activity of adjourning orchards over the weekend to get a better understanding of the situation."
Mr O'Neil said the symptoms found - dieback and exudates (secretions) - meant it was likely the disease had been in the area for some time.
He said a meeting of growers would be held next week to discuss the issue.
There are 49 orchards, which together have a total of 144 canopy hectares, in the Whangarei region.
Growers in every region are being advised to monitor their vines and maintain a robust spray programme this spring.
Read the news release on Kiwifruit Vine Health's website and view a guide for how to spot Psa.
Information in court papers could prove Biosecurity New Zealand was negligent in allowing kiwifruit vine disease into the country, a law professor says.
Sales activity in viticulture property is rising and could reach the record peaks last seen in the sector around six years ago, PGG Wrightson Real Estate says.
Lately I’ve been scolding myself that I have not been radical enough — yes, me, not nearly radical enough — about rethinking journalism in our still-emerging new reality of a connected world. And if journalism requires rebuilding, then so does journalism education and all of media education.
← Will Tax Incentives Fuel a New Wave of Subscribers?
Shares in bluetooth technology specialist CSR dived 18% after the British firm warned global demand has weakened because of the worsening economic climate.
Investors were spooked by the downbeat outlook from the firm, which makes wireless technology for laptops and mobiles such as the Apple iPhone.

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