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It’s 1967 in Grenoble, France: Television broadcasts are in color for the first time. The city is buzzing about the upcoming 1968 Winter Olympics. Inspired by these exciting technological and cultural changes, entrepreneur Serge Kampf decides the time is ripe to launch an IT company. And so began the Capgemini story.
Capgemini celebrates its 50th anniversary!
Serge Kampf, founder of the Capgemini Group passed away on March 15, 2016.
This web page gathers all tributes to him and reminds about his important legacy.
Tribute to Serge Kampf
Founder of the Capgemini Group
By Paul Hermelin, Chairman and CEO of Capgemini
He was a visionary and demanding rigorous leader, but he was also reserved, loyal, generous and considerate. All of the descriptions we have read honoring Serge Kampf are incredibly apt. And those fortunate enough to have known him, his family, friends and also, to a certain degree, the Group’s 180,000 employees can testify to this. Serge was an exceptional man. He was captivating and left no one indifferent. A leader who understood the evolution of our business from quite early on, his life was an extraordinary journey. Over nearly fifty years, he built the company from a two-room apartment in his hometown of Grenoble to being one of the global leaders in the ultra-competitive world of IT services.
Serge Kampf inspired the dreams of generations of IT professionals. He instilled the Group with the drive to win with his genius and entrepreneurial passion. Capgemini has completed over 40 acquisitions and welcomed over 50 countries and cultures because of the organizational model invented by Serge Kampf. As decentralized as possible, this model transcends differences and respects everyone involved in this shared adventure. Throughout the 49 years that Serge dedicated to Capgemini, he also demonstrated that it was possible to build one of the largest companies in France and expand it across the world, with only a few key values serving as his compass. These seven values are what make us unique in the business world. Serge understood that a Group is only as strong as the resolute commitment of its employees. Therefore, he emphasized these same values in the men and women who worked at his side.
We begin with Honesty, which he considered a cardinal principle of the business world. Honesty has earned us recognition as one of the most ethical companies in the world for the 4th consecutive year.
Boldness, of course, with an appetite for taking measured risks. Boldness, which today has made us a powerful brand in Europe, the United States, Brazil and India.
Trust, which extends to all levels that of clients, without whom nothing is possible, but also the trust placed in our people and our teams, which engenders a reciprocal feeling of responsibility for their actions and decisions.
More surprising in the context of a large group, Freedom and the spirit of independence. As a value that was close to Serge’s heart, he felt that it should govern not only relationships between the Group and our clients, but also with our employees.
Team Spirit, or the ability to share the good and the bad with each other. For Serge, Team Spirit also often meant generosity, or even loyalty, which many of those who stood by his side bore witness to.
Modesty, which translates into the desire to focus on the essential, without jargon or emphasis. In a world full of hyperbole, he was particularly distrustful of the effects of fashion.
And finally, Fun, because despite his legendary demanding nature and his desire to see his teams surpass themselves, he was also concerned that everyone felt fulfilled and found pleasure in their work. Serge embodied these values with the conviction that, at Capgemini, we formed a “separate” community within our industry and that we would find success by being faithful to our principles.
Serge was also the perfect representation of what friendship could be. He was a friend to his colleagues and a friend to the world of rugby. Ultimately, he showed that you could create a global leader in business based on the principle of friendship. Capgemini has lost its founder. As you can see from the selection of remembrances on the following page, our pain is shared. All of the Group’s teams, myself included, are committed to keeping Serge’s teachings in mind: to continually strive to take Capgemini his Group further. This is how we will honor his memory. We owe it to him.
This Annual Report embodies one of the last professional conversations that I had with Serge. Always enthusiastic, Serge contributed to this document up to the last minute. He especially valued reflecting on the past year and the commitments and achievements of the men and women that make up Capgemini.
Just some of the messages received in remembrance of Serge Kampf (1934-2016)
A Group employee in France
“Serge Kampf was one of those people who believed in you and offered you the opportunity to make a fresh start, on the condition that you put in the energy, talent and commitment.”
Group employee in India
“A great personality whose thoughts and actions benefited thousands of people across so many regions! I was fortunate enough to have met him during one of his visits to India.”
Jean-Loup Dabadie, Scriptwriter, songwriter, member of L’Académie Française
“A tree has fallen…
A tree from our part of the country, a tree from his part of the country… A tree whose roots have grown far below the borders… a one century old tree trunk, or nearly so, a tough bark on which so many young people etched their hopes…
A tree has fallen..
Only yesterday, its immense branches, weighed down by the weight of life, carried fruit which always fell in the neighbor’s garden, as though by chance. Serge was a man of few words, a “silent”, as we say in our countryside that he loved. But his silences were so fertile that they brought us the downstrokes and the upstrokes of the human mind, wrath and forgiveness.
At times it came up against headwinds, war winds. But Serge Kampf never left his land, never left his sky. Because he never gave up on the people we simply are.”
(Translated from original text in French)
The French Minister of the Economy, Industry and the Digital Sector@EmmanuelMacron
“S. Kampf, industry leader and an exceptional entrepreneur, has left us. Our thoughts are with his family and Capgemini employees.”
A former Group employee
“Serge was an exceptional human being, a visionary, demanding entrepreneur, for whom ethics, discretion and friendship were vital. As a boss, he was the best of the best and had an emotional intelligence that many people lack”.
Le Monde, March 15, 2016, Dominique Gallois
“To those who asked him how to sell intelligence in the services industry, he answered, ‘You need sensitivity, emotion and heart. Being in business is like being in love; the important thing is to love – to love the employees and to love the clients.’ ”
Maurice Levy Publicis
“He was a man of character, firm friendships, loyalty, and was an exceptional entrepreneur.”
The Group’s development under Serge Kampf’s leadership
Serge Kampf founds Sogeti in 1967 in Grenoble. In 1975, with the acquisition of two IT services companies, CAP and Gemini Computer Systems, we become a leader in Europe with a presence in 21 countries.
The expansion years (1975-1989)
The Group continues to grow and focus on fields ranging from capital investment solutions to intellectual services. In 1989, internal restructuring, European expansion and penetration into the American market enable Capgemini to become one of the global leaders in this sector.
New growth strategies (1990-1997)
Capgemini develops its management consulting practice thanks to a series of acquisitions, including United Research (1990) and the Mac Group (1991) in the US. The Group also expand our activities in Europe through a number of acquisitions, such as that of Bossard in France. The acquisition of Ernst & Young Consulting in 2000 marks a turning point for the Group, strengthening our consulting practice and our presence in the US.
Building the future (1998 – Today)
At the end of the ‘90s, Capgemini begins its development in India, which results in 85,000 employees by the end of 2015. In 2002, Serge Kampf hands the role of CEO over to Paul Hermelin. In 2010, the Group adopts a new brand signature: “People matter, results count.” This phrase expresses our singular vision that technology be developed by and for its users in the service of business results. In 2012, after 45 years, Serge Kampf steps down from his role as Chairman at Capgemini. He proposes Paul Hermelin as his successor and remains active up until his passing away, as the Vice-Chairman of the Board.
Serge Kampf founded Sogeti, the company that would later become the Capgemini Group, on October 1st of that year. At the helm of the Group for 45 years, Kampf transformed the small company from southeastern France into a global industry leader in IT services.
Roots in the Alps
Born in Grenoble in 1934, Kampf received a double degree in Law and Economics before beginning his career in 1960 at the General Direction of Telecommunications in Paris. He then joined the Compagnie des Machines Bull, one of the leading global computer manufacturers at the time.
Kampf created Sogeti on October 1st, 1967 with three former colleagues in a two-room apartment converted into an office in Grenoble. In an era of technological and cultural change, Sogeti provided a visionary offer of IT services, combining technical and organizational consulting with customer proximity.
Original, Atypical, Undeterred
Thanks to Kampf’s strong initial choices, Sogeti enjoyed impressive growth. The company was an early provider of IT outsourcing and consulting, and enabled operational decentralization, financial independence, and total freedom from IT manufacturers. This original and atypical strategy firmly established Sogeti in the IT services landscape and allowed it to grow into a leader in Europe.
By 1975 it had an established presence in 21 countries, following the acquisition of two major IT services companies, CAP and Gemini Computer Systems. In 1975 Kampf changed the Group’s name from Sogeti to “Cap Gemini Sogeti,” going against the opinion of most of those close to him. It would later be simplified to Capgemini in 1996.
The years following the name change were ones of conquest: the winning of new businesses, further development of consulting and services, moving into new markets, forming major alliances, and going public in 1988.
During my 45 years at the head of the Group, there are many decisions I don’t regret and some I’m very proud of! In the years to come, I want the Group to say true to its values and continue to strive to be the best
Serge Kampf
Founder of Capgemini
By 1989, the Group was seen as one of the world leaders in the IT sector. A discreet but influential entrepreneur, visionary, and man of great intellectual rigor, Serge Kampf stood out for his original management methods that made friends of employees and built on his devotion to a collective project.
In 2012, Kampf announced his departure from the presidency of Capgemini, 45 years after beginning his entrepreneurial journey. He passed away on March 15th, 2016, at the age of 81.
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Guto Ifan
ifandg@cardiff.ac.uk
Welsh speaking
I am a researcher on the Wales Fiscal Analysis (WFA) programme within Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre. My research interests include public finances, fiscal policy, and tax devolution in Wales. The WFA programme regularly publishes commentary and analysis on the Welsh Government budget, public services, and the Welsh economy. I joined the Wales Governance Centre in 2015 to work on the Government Expenditure and Revenue Wales (GERW) project.
Ifan, G. (2020) Covid-19 and the Welsh Government Budget: Update No. 2, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/2399394/WFA-coronavirus-budget-update-2-02062020.pdf
Ifan, G. (2020) Covid-19 and the Welsh Government Budget: Update No. 1, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2132654/COVID19_Welsh_Budget_FINAL.pdf
Ifan, G. (2020) The Welsh Budget: implications from UK Budget 2020 and fiscal response to Covid-19, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/wales-governance-centre/publications/finance
Ifan, G., Sion, C. and E.G. Poole (2020) Wales Fiscal Future: A path to sustainability? Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1767424/Wales_Fiscal_Future_FINAL.pdf
Poole, E.G. and Ifan, G. (2019). Internal coordination of social security in the United Kingdom. European Journal of Social Security. Vol 21, Issue 2, p. 153-162 https://doi.org/10.1177/1388262719844984
Ifan, G. and Poole, E.G. (2019). Devolution and decentralisation in social security: the situation in the United Kingdom, in Schoukens, P. & Vonk, G. (eds) (2019) Devolution and Decentralisation in Social Security: A European Comparative Perspective. The Hague: Eleven International Publishing
Ifan, G. (2019) Public spending on the justice system for Wales, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1549094/Public-spending-on-the-justice-system-for-Wales-Final.pdf
Ifan, G., Sion, C. and Poole, E.G. (2019) Government Expenditure and Revenue Wales 2019, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1542474/full_gerw_print.pdf
Ifan, G. and C. Sion (2019) The Public Sector in Wales: An analysis of recent trends in the public sector workforce and pay bill, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1517176/public_sector_june_final.pdf
Ifan, G. and C. Sion (2019) Devolved Welfare: How well would Wales fare? Assessing the fiscal impact of devolving welfare to Wales, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1476352/devolving_welfare_final2.pdf
Ifan, G. and C. Sion (2019) Cut to the bone? An analysis of Local Government finances in Wales, 2009-10 to 2017-18 and the outlook to 2023-24, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1448920/local_government_finance_report_Feb19_final.pdf
Ifan, G. and E.G. Poole (2018) The Welsh Tax Base: Risks and Opportunities after Fiscal Devolution, Cardiff: Wales Centre for Public Policy. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1287008/The-Welsh-Tax-Base-_WCPP-Final-180627.pdf
Luchinskaya, D., Ogle, J., Trickey, M., Poole, E.G. and G. Ifan (2017) Welsh Government Budgetary Trade-offs: Looking Forward to 2021-22, Cardiff: Wales Public Services 2025 and Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1287215/Looking_Forward_Report_Final_Updated.pdf
Poole, E.G., Ifan, G. and D. Phillips (2016) Fair Funding for Taxing Times? Assessing the Fiscal Framework Agreement, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Available at: http://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/wgc/files/2016/11/Fair-Funding-for-Taxing-Times-Assessing-the-Fiscal-Framework-Agreement.pdf
Poole, E.G., Ifan, G. and D. Phillips (2016) Barnett Squeezed? Options for a Funding Floor after Tax Devolution, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Available at: http://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/wgc/files/2016/12/161209-WGC-IFS-2nd-Report-Barnett-Squeezed.pdf
Poole, E.G., Ifan, G. and D. Phillips (2016) For Wales Don’t (Always) See Scotland: Adjusting the Welsh Block Grant after Tax Devolution, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Available at: http://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/wgc/files/2016/10/WGC-IFS-Report-Oct-2016.pdf
Ifan, G. and E.G. Poole (2016) Devolving Stamp Duty and Landfill Tax to Wales, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1288512/Devolving-Stamp-Duty-and-Landfill-Tax-to-Wales.pdf
Poole, E.G. and G. Ifan (2016) Income Tax and Wales: The Risks and Rewards of New Model Devolution, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1288513/Estimating-Wales-Net-Contribution-to-the-European-Union.pdf
Poole, E.G. and G. Ifan (2016) Government Expenditure and Revenue Wales 2016, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1285793/Government-Expenditure-and-Revenue-Wales-2016.pdf
Ifan, G. and E.G. Poole (2016) Estimating Wales’ Net Contribution to the European Union, Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/1288695/Income-Tax-and-Wales-1.pdf
Funding for Wales falls short of what may be required to deal with coronavirus response, academics conclude
Union or Independence?
New report analyses £13.7 billion deficit in Wales’ public finances
icon-blogs Blog
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Olympics-Women's sailing Laser Radial Race 4 results
LONDON, July 31 (Reuters) - Ireland's Annalise Murphy won
the women's sailing Laser Radial Race 4 on Tuesday.
Results Laser Radial Women Opening Series Race 4
1. Annalise Murphy (Ireland) 1 points
2. Alison Young (Britain) 2
3. Xu Lijia (China) 3
4. Sari Multala (Finland) 4
5. Marit Bouwmeester (Netherlands) 5
6. Veronika Fenclova (Czech Republic) 6
7. Francesca Clapcich (Italy) 7
8. Evi Van Acker (Belgium) 8
9. Alicia Cebrian (Spain) 9
10. Gintare Scheidt (Lithuania) 10
11. Marthe Enger Eide (Norway) 11
12. Sarah Steyaert (France) 12
13. Elizabeth Yin (Singapore) 13
14. Nathalie Brugger (Switzerland) 14
15. Sara Winther (New Zealand) 15
16. Tatiana Drozdovskaya (Belarus) 16
17. Paige Railey (U.S.) 17
18. Josefin Olsson (Sweden) 18
19. Tania Elias Calles (Mexico) 19
20. Sara Carmo (Portugal) 20
Standings Women Laser Radial
1. Annalise Murphy (Ireland) 4
2. Evi Van Acker (Belgium) 16
3. Marit Bouwmeester (Netherlands) 18
4. Alison Young (Britain) 21
5. Xu Lijia (China) 27
6. Sari Multala (Finland) 29
7. Gintare Scheidt (Lithuania) 34
8. Veronika Fenclova (Czech Republic) 40
9. Paige Railey (U.S.) 42
11. Alicia Cebrian (Spain) 49
14. Anne-Marie Rindom (Denmark) 66
16. Francesca Clapcich (Italy) 67
17. Krystal Weir (Australia) 69
19. Tina Mihelic (Croatia) 73
20. Cecilia Carranza (Argentina) 78
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Recap: Kings 106, Knicks 105
Kings 106, Knicks 105: James Johnson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give host Sacramento the victory after New York rallied back from 27 points despite being without star forward Carmelo Anthony.
Marcus Thornton scored 18 points and Johnson tallied 17, including the decisive 3-pointer from just to the right of the top of the key that gave the Kings just their third win in 10 games.
J.R. Smith scored a season-best 28 points, Chris Copeland added 23 and Tyson Chandler recorded 21 and matched a season high with 18 rebounds for New York.
The Knicks were vying to break the franchise record for largest comeback victory - 26 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 14, 2004 - after falling behind 68-41 late in the second quarter. Sacramento was 10-of-15 from 3-point range en route to a 71-50 halftime lead.
New York outscored Sacramento 31-16 in the third quarter to trail by just six entering the final stanza. The Knicks went ahead 97-95 on Jason Kidd's 3-pointer with 5:58 left and led by four in the final minute before the Kings rallied, punctuated by Johnson's clutch 3-pointer.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Kings C DeMarcus Cousins had 15 points and 10 rebounds in his return from suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. ... Anthony missed his second straight game due to a knee injury and New York also was without point guard Raymond Felton (finger). ... Sacramento made a season-best 15 3-pointers on 30 attempts.
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EU negotiator Guy Verhofstadt joins Lib Dems on campaign trail
File photo dated 30/01/17 of European Parliament Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, who has said that British citizens should be able to choose to keep various benefits of EU membership including the freedom of movement after Brexit. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday March 10, 2017. Mr Verhofstadt said he hoped to convince European leaders to allow Britons to keep certain rights if they apply for them on an individual basis. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
By Shaun Connolly, Press Association Political Correspondent
European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt has joined the Liberal Democrats on the campaign trail, saying they offer an "alternative to nationalism".
Mr Verhofstadt joined Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable canvassing in London on Friday as he predicted a Remain surge in upcoming European Parliament elections.
Mr Verhofstadt insisted his presence was not foreign interference in the UK's elections as he was "a Lib Dem" and backing the party because it opposed Brexit.
Sir Vince said he was campaigning to combat "ugly populism".
Mr Verhofstadt said: "I think it's important to show that the European liberals and democrats support Vince Cable.
"Support the Lib Dems in this difficult fight in Britain, in these European elections.
"Secondly, we want to show by coming here a message to the continent to say never repeat Brexit again.
"I'm a Lib Dem. It's natural that people are looking to the Lib Dems when it comes to European elections.
"We want to be the alternative for nationalism and popularism.
"What I think is there will be a huge support for Remain.
"I'm not here as a Brexit negotiator, I'm here as the leader of the liberals and democrats for Europe."
Asked if his presence could be seen as foreign interference, Mr Verhofstadt said: "This is Europe. Europe, it's all Europe."
Sir Vince said: "We are fighting nationalism.
"We are patriotic people in our different countries, but we are fighting nationalism."
The Lib Dem leader said his party was standing up "to the ugly populism that is now happening" as it campaigned ahead of the May 23 Euro poll.
Pic by Yui Mok/PA Wire
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Cecilie Ore (1954) started studying piano at the Norwegian Academy of Music and in Paris (1974-81), and subsequently turned to composition studies at the Institute of Sonology in Utrecht and with Ton de Leeuw at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam (1981-86).
In the 80's Ore won international recognition for several of her electroacoustic works. She won both the first and second prize at the International Rostrum for Electro-Acoustic Music 1988 for Etapper (Stages). The same year she also received the Norwegian Society of Composers' "Composition of the Year" award for her orchestra piece Porphyre, as well as the Norwegian State Guarantee Income for Artists.
Towards the end of the 80's Ore became increasingly involved with the problem of time in music; an involvement which resulted in the tetralogies Codex Temporis and Tempura Mutantur. Codex Temporis contains the following four titles: Praesens Subitus (for string quartet, 1989), Futurum Exactum (for string ensemble, 1992), Erat Erit Est (for sinfonietta, 1991) and Lex Temporis (for string quartet, 1992). Ideas from Codex Temporis were further developed in Tempura Mutantur: Non Nunquam (for string trio, 1999), Nunquam Non (for ensemble, 1999), Semper Semper (for saxophone quartet, 1998) and Ictus (for 6 percussion players, 1997). Her most recent instrumental pieces form a trilogy all with names of cloud formations: Cirrus (for string quartet, 2002), Cirrocumulus (for wind trio, 2002) and Cirrostratus (for sinfonietta, 2004). As in Codex Temporis the point of depature is a string quartet triggering the formal idea for the succeeding pieces. In 1994 she also wrote the orchestra piece Nunc et Nunc commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
During the 1980’s Ore composed several pieces for voice. Calliope (for female voice, 1984) has been frequently performed. After focusing on instrumental music during the 1990’s, she starts working with voice again in 2000. The musicdramatic work: A – a shadow opera was premiered at the Ultima Festival 2001, and released on CD in 2003, the same year she also composed Schwirren for the vokal ensemble Nordic Voices. And in 2005 she realized a sound-installation, Lux Illuxit, involving vocal material at The National Archives of Norway.
Ore was awarded the Arne Nordheim Composers Price for 2004.
In 2008 her chamber opera Dead Beat Escapement, commissioned by the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo, had it’s first performance. In 2013 she wrote Come to the Edge!, a choir piece commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival for the BBC Singers. The same year a new video version of A. – a shadow opera was premiered at the same festival. Two new vocal pieces were premiered at Oslo Grieg Festival 2014: Toil & Trouble, written for Nordic Voices and Who do you think you are?, a political stand-up romance for solo female voice commissioned by Oslo Grieg Festival for Eir Inderhaug. Since year 2000 she has worked on text-based projects with an increasingly critical glance on society. The themes range from death penalty to freedom of speech.
Her opera: Adam & Eve - a Divine Comedy was premiered at the Bergen International Festival in 2015.
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Climate change is pushing wildlife ‘out of sync’
Submitted by Simon Williams on Mon, 01/04/2019 - 13:39
Climate change has advanced the natural cycles of many species in the UK but timings vary markedly across the country, according to a major study of wildlife’s seasonal events over the past 50 years.
The first in-depth, long-term analysis of the timing of phenological events, such as egg laying and migration, involved analysing and interpreting huge datasets relating to 263 UK species of birds, butterflies, moths and aphids. It is the latest in a series of studies carried out as part of a project led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
The research broadly confirmed similar effects observed across the world – that as global temperatures rise, natural phenomena such as flowering, or emergence from hibernation, are occurring earlier each year.
Exactly how much earlier seasonal events now start depends on geographical location, altitude and the type of habitat, according to the study. However, the researchers involved in the study were surprised to find shaded habitats are not shielding some populations from the effects of global warming. The scientists found the rate of advance in natural cycles is as much in forests as they are in open areas such as grassland or urban parkland.
They warned significant variation between groups of animals in the rates of advance could have serious ramifications for ecosystems, because populations are becoming ‘out of sync’ with the life cycles of their prey.
The research, published in the journal Global Change Biology, is the latest study resulting from a three-year project, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, which looked at links between the human-driven impacts on climate, shifting seasons and ecosystems.
Dr Stephen Thackeray of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, who led the project, says: “Our previous research has shown that, in the UK, many signs of spring have been shifting earlier over the last few decades and that this is likely to be driven by climatic change. However, we have never before had such a detailed picture of how these changes vary across the UK and its major habitats.”
A previous study by the group, which looked at a 30-year period, showed the average rate of advance varied from about a week earlier for birds and a month earlier for aphids, but this new research reveals an even more complex picture.
It shows that natural cycles do not follow a simple north-south trend of increasing temperatures and earlier onset of spring. While aphid activity becomes progressively later the further north you go, the same was only true for birds and butterflies up as far as north as Derry, Gretna or Newcastle. Beyond that point, butterflies become active earlier in the warmer, wetter west than the colder, drier east, while for birds laying eggs, the opposite is true.
Signs of spring have been shifting earlier over the last few decades and that this is likely to be driven by climatic change - Dr Stephen Thackeray
However, the study also revealed that certain species in some habitats are bucking the trend of an earlier onset of spring, including birds and butterflies that inhabit farmland as well as birds who live in coastal habitats. This provides possible evidence that other factors, such as declining food availability, are applying a different pressure on these populations and delaying the onset of breeding.
Due to the variations across the UK, scientists say it is difficult to predict ecosystem responses and therefore even harder for conservationists to prepare for.
Dr Thackeray says: “The findings of our important long-term study have laid the groundwork for urgently-needed new research into the ecological impacts of these changes within a range of habitats.”
The study was led by Rothamsted Research and also included scientists from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the British Trust for Ornithology, Butterfly Conservation and Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture. They analysed data collected at a variety of sites in the UK from three national monitoring networks – the Rothamsted Insect Survey, the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and the Nest Record Scheme. The data covered a period of 50 years for birds, 45 years for moths and aphids, and 37 years for butterflies up to 2010.
James Bell, Marc Botham, Peter Henrys, David Leech, James Pearce-Higgins, Chris Shortall, Tom Brereton, Jon Pickup & Stephen Thackeray. 2019. Spatial and habitat variation in aphid, butterfly, moth and bird phenologies over the last half century. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14592
The study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) grant NE/J02080X/1 titled 'Quantifying links between human influences on climate, shifting seasons and widespread ecosystem consequences'.
Dr. Stephen Thackeray
Dr. Marc Botham
Dr. Peter Andrew Henrys
Email: sjtr@ceh.ac.uk
Email: math2@ceh.ac.uk
Email: pehn@ceh.ac.uk
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Greater R&I would protect businesses and our natural world
A set of four new reports identifies the range of research and innovation (R&I) needs of key UK business sectors, to enable them to measure and value natural assets.
The reports cover three business sectors – built-infrastructure, land management and insurance/financial services – all of which substantially depend upon, and have significant impacts on, natural resources in the UK and beyond.
The reports have been published by the Valuing Nature Programme ahead of its annual conference later this month. The Programme is a partnership of government agencies, businesses, NGOs and research institutions that is co-ordinated by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH).
The Programme recognises there is an increasingly urgent need for decision making by businesses and policy makers to take account of natural assets that provide benefits for humans, such as clean air and water, crop pollination, and flood regulation. This so-called Natural Capital approach is necessary to ensure businesses’ long-term viability as well as the protection and restoration of the environment.
The reports’ authors note that, while there is increasing activity within businesses across the three sectors in addressing natural assets, most businesses have yet to fully engage or have difficulty in taking action due to a range of barriers and challenges.
The three sector reports identify existing Natural Capital approaches being taken by businesses, barriers preventing businesses adopting a Natural Capital approach, and key R&I needs to support further uptake.
A fourth report highlights commonalities and differences in R&I needs between the built-infrastructure, land management and insurance/financial services sectors. These needs include:
Increasing business-relevant research into natural assets
Developing datasets, frameworks, standards, models, metrics and other tools to integrate natural assets in business decision-making
New pilot projects to enable the creation of business models and solutions to protect and restore natural assets
R&I to help stimulate investment in natural assets and develop new markets
Assessing risk and resilience in relation to natural assets
Creation of specialist training programmes and knowledge exchange
The report proposes options to meet the identified R&I needs, including a substantial hub, which would coordinate and accelerate UK investment in business-relevant R&I and also promote knowledge exchange.
Partners in the Valuing Nature Programme say transformative change is required to reverse the catastrophic decline of nature recently highlighted by the IPBES Global Assessment and to comply with recent UK Government policy such as the 2050 net zero target for greenhouse gas emissions and the 25 Year Environment Plan.
Professor Sir Charles Godfray, Director of the Oxford Martin School and Policy Champion of the Valuing Nature Programme, said: “Businesses need to change to help address the environmental challenges of the 21st century, something that far-sighted companies clearly understand and want to act on. These reports highlight what the research community needs to do to support business in this critically important task.”
Jacky Wood, Head of Business Partnerships at the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which funded the reports, said: “We welcome the publication of these reports, which shed light on the key research and innovation needed to enable UK businesses, across a wide range of industry sectors, to better measure and value the natural assets upon which we all depend.”
Researchers, business leaders and representatives of government agencies will be discussing the R&I needs highlighted in the reports at the Valuing Nature Programme’s annual conference, taking place on 28 and 29 October 2019 at the Royal Society, London, and at a dedicated cross-sector workshop early in the New Year.
To view the reports, see https://valuing-nature.net/business-round-tables
The Valuing Nature Programme is a six-year £7M interdisciplinary research programme (2014-2020), which aims to improve understanding of the value of nature both in economic and non-economic terms, and improve the use of these valuations in decision making. It funds interdisciplinary research and builds links between researchers and people who make decisions that affect nature in business, policy-making and in practice. See www.valuing-nature.net
The Valuing Nature Programme is funded by NERC, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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Isle of May Long-Term Study
Submitted by Dr. Francis Daunt on Wed, 17/12/2014 - 16:05
The UK holds internationally important breeding populations of many species of seabirds, and therefore has an obligation to keep an eye on their well-being. Seabird population dynamics are also a highly useful indicator of the health of marine ecosystems and environmental change. For example, analysis of data from the Isle of May confirmed that numbers of black-legged kittiwakes have declined by more than half since 1990 and linked this decline to ongoing climate change.
Twitter updates from the Isle of May Study team
Tweets by @UKCEHseabirds
Isle of May project overview
The Isle of May Long-Term Study (IMLOTS) forms part of CEH’s network of long-term monitoring sites for detecting effects of environmental change, particularly climate change. The study is partly funded by the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) as part of the Seabird Monitoring Programme.
From its start in 1973, IMLOTS has grown so that today it is one of the most data-rich and complex studies of its type in the world.
We monitor many aspects of the biology of five species of seabirds breeding on the Isle of May:
Common guillemot
We use colour ringing to follow individuals and study their behaviour in detail. Repeated observations of colour-ringed individuals allow us to estimate the probability that a bird survives from year to year – the main factor affecting population growth in these long-lived birds. We also follow breeding success, measured as the average number of chicks fledged per breeding pair. Breeding success is more likely to respond to year-to-year changes in food supply. In combination, the monitoring of annual survival and breeding success allows us to understand the reasons why populations go up or down.
To understand year-to-year variation in more detail, we also monitor the food that seabirds bring to their chicks. Variation in the importance or size of different fish species, or age classes of the same species, can have important repercussions for the birds and tell us a lot about conditions in the sea.
For a methodology for collecting diet data in one of our study species, the common guillemot, see Instructions for collecting data on guillemot diet pdf.
Breeding season summaries
Every year, we produce a summary of the breeding season on the Isle of May for the JNCC:
Earlier summaries
We also regularly analyse our long-term data and report the results in scientific journals.
Photo: Puffins from CEH camera trap on the Isle of May (in May 2015). See a time-lapse video on YouTube.
The IMLOTS team are also involved in related projects including:
Seabirds and climate change
Ammonia emissions from seabird colonies
The impacts of renewables on seabirds
Winter distribution of seabirds
Like all components of marine food webs, seabirds are affected by ongoing and future climate change. Both fish and the plankton they feed on have shown clear changes in distribution, abundance and seasonal cycles, and this is bound to affect top predators like seabirds. Our unique long-term data allow us to disentangle climate effects from all the other factors affecting seabird populations, and we can also use data collected from seabirds to monitor effects on the marine environment in general.
One of our most active areas of research is how seabirds would be affected by climate change, and how monitoring of seabirds could tell us about the impacts of climate change on coastal and marine environments.
Rapid climatic changes are taking place in the seas around the UK, and this has led to major changes in the abundance, distribution and seasonal cycles of many marine organisms. These changes are particularly marked and rapid in the North Sea, and could have serious consequences for seabirds breeding on the Isle of May.
Seabirds can be affected by changing climate both directly, eg if extreme weather becomes more frequent, or indirectly, through changes in their food supply. The evidence suggests that in most cases indirect effects are more important, and these are most likely to affect seabirds through their main prey species, the lesser sandeel. Unfortunately, this important forage fish is very difficult to study, and little is known about how it is affected by increasing sea temperatures.
Our seabird studies indicate that in recent warmer years, birds have been struggling to find sufficient food for their chicks, because the sandeels have been either too few, too small, too lean, or have not been available at the right time. Several species of seabirds breed later and less successfully, and survival of adult birds is also lower in warmer years. However, these relationships are complex and may not hold for other regions.
A further sign of the problems seabirds have in finding appropriate food came in 2005 when a new prey species was reported for several species and several colonies. The snake pipefish does not seem to be appropriate food for seabird chicks as it is of low nutritional value and very difficult to swallow.
Ammonia (NH3) is an important agent of environmental perturbation owing to its potential to cause both eutrophication and acidification in ecosystems. Breeding seabird populations are likely to be significant emitters of NH3 not only because they occur in high densities, but also because they import large quantities of nitrogen from their offshore feeding grounds. The excretion of these nutrients may, under suitable meteorological conditions, result in large emissions of NH3 into the atmosphere.
In a project funded under the NERC GANE (Global Nitrogen Enrichment) thematic programme, we studied NH3 emissions intensively from two seabird colonies in the Firth of Forth, SE Scotland – the Isle of May and Bass Rock. Various methods were employed to measure atmospheric NH3 concentrations both on and offshore from the colonies.
The first method was ALPHA (Adapted Low-cost Passive High Absorption) passive samplers. The ALPHA sampler consists of a circular polyethylene tube containing an acid coated filter paper. It captures ammonia from the air which diffuses through a PTFE membrane at the open end. As the diffusion path length and area are known, in addition to the length of the exposure period, it is possible to calculate the concentration of atmospheric NH3 as an integrated average for the exposure period.
The passive sampler NH3 monitoring campaign on the Isle of May was designed to give an idea of the variability in atmospheric NH3 concentration near birds with differing nesting behaviour. Sites included those predominantly inhabited by guillemots/razorbills, puffins, gulls, kittiwakes, and shags, in addition to sampling NH3 in areas with few birds present or at significant distance from the ALPHA samplers (control sites).
The results observed so far support the hypothesis that most emissions of NH3 on the Isle of May are from areas inhabited by breeding guillemots / razorbills, as a result of their nesting behaviour. As these species breed on bare-rock cliffs, the NH3 content of the guano they deposit at the colony will remain available for volatilisation, even after their departure from the island at the end of the breeding season. Conversely, puffins spend less time above ground at the colony and are therefore less likely to deposit guano. NH3 concentrations were highest during the main period of bird occupancy at the colony (June/July) but still remained high for one month after the departure of the birds in mid-July. This lag is probably due to the guano deposited at the colony retaining its NH3 content for some time until meteorological conditions are favourable for its volatilisation to the atmosphere.
Real-time atmospheric NH3 measurements were made offshore from the Isle of May and used in conjunction with a Gaussian plume dispersion model. This method gave NH3 emission estimates for the Isle of May of 3 ± 0.8 tonnes NH3 per year based on July 2000 data, and 6 ± 6 tonnes NH3 per year based on May 2000 data. These figures correlate well with those produced using data on bird numbers, colony attendance and nesting behaviour (8.67 tonnes NH3 per year for the Isle of May).
Data are also being collected on ammonia emissions from other seabird colonies around the world. Together with the intensive studies on the Isle of May, an estimate of global emissions of NH3 from seabird colonies will be made.
Instructions for collecting data on guillemot diet 2014.pdf
Map Locations:
Prof. Sarah Wanless
Email: swanl@ceh.ac.uk
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Gloria Vanderbilt Net Worth
How much is Gloria Vanderbilt Worth?
Gloria Vanderbilt Net Worth:
Gloria Vanderbilt net worth: Gloria Vanderbilt was an American socialite, fashion designer, actor and entrepreneur who had a net worth of $200 million at the time of her death in June 2019. Gloria Vanderbilt was born on February 20, 1924 in New York City, New York. She was a member of the esteemed Vanderbilt family. and her son is CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.
Vanderbilt Family Wealth: Gloria's father, Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt, was the great-grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. After adjusting for inflation, Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of the five wealthiest Americans of all time. When he died, Cornelius had a net worth equal to $185 billion. Cornelius earned his first fortune in shipping but the extreme wealth came much later on in life from railroads and real estate.
Early Life: Gloria Vanderbilt's father Reginald was the only male heir to the Vanderbilt railroad fortune. Her father died when Gloria was just one year old. He left her a trust fund that was worth $5 million in 1925, which is equal to roughly $70 million in today's dollars. She became the focus of a child custody case when her mother Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt and her aunt Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, founder of the Whitney Museum, both wanted custody of her and control of the $5 million trust fund. Her mother lost the battle and Gloria was raised by her aunt.
Fashion and Art Success: Though she easily had the wealth and connections to live a lazy socialite life, Gloria embarked on a very successful career as a fashion designer and artist. After achieving some early success as an artist, Gloria lent her name to a line of designer jeans and fragrances which were sold at high-end department stores throughout the world. Her fashion career peaked in the 1980s. Gloria personally earned $10 million worth of royalties from her jeans in 1980 alone, which is the same as around $30 million today after adjusting for inflation. Decades later she would claim that she earned far more money selling jeans than through inheritance. Of her fashion fortune vs inherited wealth, Gloria famously said: "The money you make yourself is the only kind of money that has any reality."
Gloria Vanderbilt was married to Pat DiCicco, Leopold Stokowski, Sidney Lumet, and Wyatt Emory Cooper. She had four children, one of whom died of suicide. Gloria authored six memoirs in addition to three novels and two art and home decor books. The HBO documentary Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper aired in 2016 and was produced and directed by Liz Garbus.
Gloria Vanderbilt died on June 17, 2019 at the age of 95. Several weeks later it was revealed that Gloria had left the majority of her estate to her son, Anderson Cooper.
The Amazing Life Of Gloria Vanderbilt
Anderson Cooper Net Worth
Five Families Who've Lost Massive Fortunes
Date of Birth: Feb 20, 1924 - Jun 17, 2019 (95 years old)
Profession: Designer, Actor, Artist, Writer, Fashion designer, Socialite, Visual Artist
Anderson Cooper's House: Reporting on the Sale of His $3.8 Million Penthouse Duplex
How The Vanderbilts Went From The Richest Family In The World To Mostly Broke In Just A Few Generations
Ralph Rucci Net Worth
The Billionaire Denim Impresario Who Lives Like A Rock Star
Who Are The Richest Americans Of All Time – After Adjusting For Inflation?
Calvin Klein Net Worth
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« City of Haifa Bans WiFi in Schools
India Begins to Regulate Cell Towers »
New Mexico Court of Appeals Briefs Filed
Three briefs have recently been filed in two cases now before the New Mexico Court of Appeals. Both cases involve the rights of people disabled by electromagnetic radiation. The two cases are Firstenberg v. Monribot (case no. 32,549) and Firstenberg v. City of Santa Fe (case no. 33,441).
On May 21, 2014, the opening brief of Firstenberg v. Monribot was filed to appeal a state court’s dismissal of a case involving the right to a safe home environment. The state court had summarily dismissed the case after the plaintiff, a person severely injured by exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation, refused to be subjected to that radiation repeatedly over many months in a court-ordered regimen of provocation testing. On June 2, 2014, an amicus brief representing 94 organizations worldwide was filed by attorney Dafna Tachover in support of the plaintiff. The amicus brief attests to the fact that RF radiation has deleterious health effects, immediate and long-term, which cause disabling and even life-threatening consequences for some people.
On June 30, 2014, the opening brief of Firstenberg v. City of Santa Fe, a petition for a writ of mandamus, was also filed with the New Mexico Court of Appeals. This case is a continuation of the ADA lawsuit which seeks to affirm that the fundamental human right to health supersedes any provision in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
You can read more about the safe home case on our Nuisance Lawsuit page and the ADA case on our ADA Lawsuit page.
Donations toward these appeals can be made on this website.
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CenterSquare takes pride in our team and is continually looking to attract and retain the best and brightest minds in real asset investment management. CenterSquare has grown consistently to include over 90 employees located in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, London and Singapore. Our global investment team is truly global with members from 8 nations - the U.S., China, Japan, the UK, Italy, Germany, Australia, and Malaysia.
Director of Risk Management and Quantitative Research
Matthew Goulding, CFA
Portfolio & Regional Manager
Joachim Kehr
Patrick Wilson, CFA
Xiaoxiao Fu, CFA
Rob Goldstein, CFA
Alexander J. Snyder, CFA
Adrian Chua
Eli Holden, CFA
Duong (Dee) Nguyen, CFA
Chaw Meng Tan, CFA
Aidan Bolton
Conor Doyle, CFA
Uma Pattarkine, CFA
Carmen Tay
Robert J. Holuba
Christopher Picyk
Adam Schreiner
Rob Wasenius, MAI
Victoria Madrid
Joe Rubino
Emilio Alvarado
Dean Ravosa
Jeremy Feldman
Jeffrey Turkel
Josh Meyer
David Levy, CFA
Jonathan Perkes
Marshall E. Reid, CFA
Jonathan Treitel, CFA, CAIA
Edward M. DeArias, CFA
Michael Boxer is a Managing Director at CenterSquare Investment Management and is responsible for supervising the RCG Longview investment management platform. As a member of RCG Longview’s investment committee, Mr. Boxer has played a primary role in the creation of RCG Longview’s debt and equity funds as well as its joint venture investments in multifamily and workforce multifamily housing. Prior to joining RCG Longview, Mr. Boxer negotiated and structured the disposition of real estate and real estate related assets on behalf of institutional lenders at Victor Capital Group. Mr. Boxer began his career as a real estate attorney with Shea & Gould, where he represented owners and lenders in the structuring and consummation of real estate development, leasing and financing transactions. Mr. Boxer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Franklin & Marshall College and a JD from New York University School of Law.
Richard Gorsky is a Managing Director at CenterSquare Investment Management and a member of RCG Longview’s investment committee. Mr. Gorsky’s responsibilities include overseeing all the investment related activities of RCG Longview, such as deal origination, structuring, underwriting, and asset management. Mr. Gorsky has previously served on the Economic Development Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York and taught as an adjunct professor at New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. Before joining the RCG Longview platform in 2003, Mr. Gorsky was Vice President at Belvedere Capital Management, LLC, working on all aspects of various real estate transactions. Prior to joining Belvedere, Mr. Gorsky was an analyst and controller at Scott Cove Capital Management, LLC, an investment manager of corporate distressed debt and equity. Mr. Gorsky also previously worked as a senior auditor for Ernst & Young LLP. Mr. Gorsky has a Master of Business Administration in finance from New York University Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the State University of New York at Albany. Mr. Gorsky has also received a license as a Certified Public Accountant.
Gregory Stevens serves as Director in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. He oversees asset management activities as well as originates and underwrites both debt and equity transactions for the firm. Mr. Stevens has over 12 years’ experience in the acquisition, underwriting, financing and asset management of over $2.0 billion in commercial real estate transactions. Prior to joining RCG Longview in 2008, Mr. Stevens was an analyst at Fisher Brothers, a multi-generational real estate owner/operator, working on all aspects of new development including acquisitions and business plan execution. Mr. Stevens began his career at Lazard in the bankruptcy and restructuring group advising distressed companies. He holds a B.A degree from Georgetown University.
Dean Ravosa is a Director in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. He is responsible for the oversight of structuring, documenting, and closing transactions. Prior to joining RCG Longview in 2008, Mr. Ravosa spent seven years at Bank of America, most recently serving as a managing director and manager of the Structured Finance Closing Group nationwide and the northeast Conduit Closing Group in the firm's CMBS Capital Markets Group. At Bank of America, he directed the closing process for approximately $20 billion in secondary market loan financings and managed a closing team that completed loan financings in excess of $30 billion. Prior to Bank of America, Mr. Ravosa managed the closing process for about $3 billion of structured finance and conduit loans in the Commercial Mortgage Finance Group of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Mr. Ravosa has a Bachelor of Science from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
Jeremy Feldman is a Senior Vice President in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. He is responsible for deal origination, analysis and underwriting as well as asset management. Mr. Feldman joined RCG Longview in 2011. Prior to joining, he was a Vice President in Bank of America's Real Estate Structured Finance Group working on CMBS originations. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University.
Jeffrey Turkel is a Senior Vice President in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. His responsibilities include originating, analyzing, underwriting, and closing commercial real estate debt and equity transactions, along with directing the ongoing asset management of closed investments. Prior to joining RCG Longview in 2007, Mr. Turkel worked for The Leitner Group, a real estate appraisal and consulting firm. He has a Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Josh Meyer is a Vice President in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. He is responsible for originating, analyzing, underwriting, and closing commercial real estate debt and equity transactions, along with directing the ongoing asset management of closed investments. Mr. Meyer joined RCG Longview in 2013. Previously, he served as an analyst at the CenterCap Group, a boutique investment bank, providing strategic advisory and capital-raising services to real estate operating companies and fund managers. Prior to that, he worked as an analyst at Building and Land Technology, where he primarily focused on underwriting opportunistic real estate investments for the company’s third-party private equity platform. Mr. Meyer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology from the University of Michigan.
David Levy is an Associate in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. Mr. Levy's responsibilities include deal origination, analysis and underwriting as well as asset management. Prior to joining RCG Longview in 2019, Mr. Levy was an Assistant Vice President in the Real Estate Capital Markets group at Wells Fargo where he originated CMBS and portfolio transactions. Mr. Levy holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, a BA in Classics from Colgate University. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Jonathan Perkes is an Associate in the Private Real Estate Debt Group at CenterSquare Investment Management, formerly RCG Longview. He is responsible for deal origination, analysis and underwriting as well as asset management. Prior to joining RCG Longview in 2018, Mr. Perkes was an acquisitions analyst at Imperium Capital, a privately held real estate investment company. Prior to working at Imperium, he worked as an auditor at Berdon LLP, focusing primarily on real estate. He has a Masters in Real Estate Finance from New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Muhlenberg College.
Mr. Carey serves as Director of Risk Management and Quantitative Research for CenterSquare. In this capacity, he is responsible for the risk assessment process across all public strategies as well as the development and execution of the firm’s quantitative strategies & data analytics platform. Mr. Carey also serves as the lead portfolio manager for CenterSquare’s US REIT Market Neutral Long/Short strategy. Prior to joining CenterSquare, he was a Director of Research, Senior Global Equity Analyst and Global Sector Long/Short Portfolio Manager at DuPont Capital Management. Mr. Carey holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, and a BS in Accounting and Finance from St. Joseph’s University. He is a CPA with the designation currently inactive.
Portfolio & Regional Manager, Real Estate Securities
Mr. Goulding is a Portfolio & Regional Manager in the real estate securities group and joined CenterSquare in 2009. He is an employee of the CenterSquare Investment Management UK branch office. He has primary responsibility for investment research for UK and European real estate securities. Mr. Goulding holds a BSc (with First Class Honors) in Basic Medical Sciences With Pharmacology from King’s College, London. Prior to joining, Mr. Goulding was a European Equity Analyst with Nikko Asset Management Europe Ltd., and a Pan-European Equity Analyst with M&G Investment Management. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of the UK.
Mr. Kehr is a Portfolio Manager & Regional Manager in the real estate securities group and joined CenterSquare in 2011. He is an employee of the CenterSquare Investment Management Singapore branch office. Mr. Kehr has pan-Asian portfolio management responsibility with primary coverage of listed real estate securities in Japan and Australia. Mr. Kehr brings 13 years of investment management experience to his role and previously covered listed real estate securities in Hong Kong and Singapore. He holds an MSc in Economics from Tilburg University, The Netherlands and Peking University, China. Prior to joining, Mr. Kehr was an analyst for listed real estate with BNP Paribas Asset Management in Amsterdam and Singapore.
Mr. Wilson is a Portfolio Manager for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. Mr. Wilson joined the team in 2011 and supports the portfolio management team in determining sector and risk allocations in addition to conducting full investment analyses and valuations for the securities within the U.S. REIT universe. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Wilson was an Acquisitions Analyst and Investment Analyst with Copper Station Holdings and an Associate with the Royal Bank of Canada. Mr. Wilson holds a B.S. in International Business and a B.A. in Spanish from the College of Charleston, and an M.S. in Finance from The Villanova School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Philadelphia.
Assistant Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Securities
Mr. Goldstein is an Assistant Portfolio Manager for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. He joined the team in 2011 and focuses primarily on investment research for U.S. real estate securities. Prior to joining CenterSquare Investment, Mr. Goldstein worked for one year in Macy’s Inc. Inventory Planning division in New York City and spent two years as the Co-Founder and CFO of ChronoWake in Philadelphia. Mr. Goldstein graduated Cum Laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a BS in Economics with a concentration in Finance. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Snyder is an Assistant Portfolio Manager for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. Mr. Snyder joined the firm in 2015 and supports the portfolio management team, conducting full investment analyses and valuations for the securities within his U.S. REIT coverage universe. Mr. Snyder was also a member of CenterSquare’s real estate securities investment team earlier in his career, holding positions as Analyst and Senior Analyst from 2008 to 2011. Prior to joining CenterSquare in 2015, Mr. Snyder was an Associate with Morgan Properties in Philadelphia, specializing in acquisitions, asset management and financing. Prior to that role, Mr. Snyder was a Real Estate Finance Consultant for Caras Real Estate & Old Sawmill District in Missoula, MT, and an Acquisitions & Asset Management Associate at Rubenstein Partners in Philadelphia. Mr. Snyder holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania with a Minor in Mathematics. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Xiaoxiao Fu is an Assistant Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Securities and is based in London. She joined in 2011 and assists the investment team with coverage of UK and European real estate securities. Prior to joining, she spent five years at KPMG in London, where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant, and was also a Financial Modeling Advisor. Xiaoxiao holds a B.Eng in Telecommunications (with First Class Honours) from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and an M.Phil in Manufacture and Management from the University of Cambridge. She is a CFA chartherholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Senior Analyst, Real Estate Securities
Ms. Nguyen is a Senior Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. Ms. Nguyen supports the portfolio management team with research analysis and focuses primarily on investment research for Canadian and U.S. real estate securities. She joined CenterSquare in 2012 as a Client Service Associate and later joined the investment team in 2014. Previously, Ms. Nguyen worked for one year at HighPoint Solutions, LLC as a business analyst. Prior to that, she spent more than three years with the Money Manager Outsourcing Group at Lockwood Advisors, Inc., a subsidiary of Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. Ms. Nguyen holds a BS in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University (2007). She is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Holden is a Senior Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. He supports the portfolio management team, conducting full investment analyses and valuations for the securities within his U.S. REIT coverage universe. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Holden worked for City of London Investment Management, where he was a Research Analyst. Mr. Holden earned a Masters in Finance from the University of Rochester and a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Tan is a Senior Analyst and joined in 2015. He is an employee of the CenterSquare Investment Management Singapore branch office. Mr. Tan has primary responsibility for investment research for Singapore real estate securities. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) from the National University of Singapore. Prior to joining, Mr. Tan was an Equity Research Associate with the Standard Chartered ASEAN Property team in Singapore. He is a CFA chartherholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Chua is a Senior Analyst and is based in Singapore. He joined in 2018 and assists the investment team with coverage in Japan. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Chua was the Director of Equity Research at Citi Investment Research. Mr. Chua holds a Bachelor of Arts (Upper Second Class Honours) from Oxford University.
Analyst, Real Estate Securities
Mr. Doyle is an Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. He supports the portfolio management team, conducting full investment analyses and valuations for the securities within his U.S. REIT coverage universe. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Doyle was an Alternatives Investment Analyst for JP Morgan covering Macro, Relative Value, and Systematic Hedge Funds. Conor holds a BS in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Bolton is an Analyst and is based in London. He joined the firm in January 2019. He supports the portfolio management conducting full investment analysis and valuations for the securities within his European REIT coverage universe. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Bolton worked at Magister Advisors and Royal Bank of Canada covering Financial Institution Groups. Mr. Bolton holds a BA in Business Management and an Masters in Finance from the National College of Ireland.
Ms. Tay is an Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s real estate securities group. Ms. Tay joined in 2019 and assists the investment team with coverage in Singapore. Prior to joining the firm, she spent 4 years at DBS Bank as an Equities Research Associate, covering Singapore mid cap stocks. Ms. Tay holds a BS in Banking and Finance from the University of London.
Analyst, Investment Strategy
Ms. Pattarkine is an Investment Strategy Analyst and Global ESG Coordinator for CenterSquare Investment Management. She joined the team in 2017 and focuses primarily on top down analysis, research and product development, and is an active member of the public side research effort. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Ms. Pattarkine spent three years in corporate strategy and planning at ExxonMobil in Houston. Ms. Pattarkine graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with Interdisciplinary Honors and High Distinction and holds a BS in Finance with a minor in International Business, BS in Accounting, and Master of Accountancy. She is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Rabin serves as Managing Director of the Private Real Estate Group at CenterSquare and is responsible for all activities relating to the direct investment in real estate including acquisitions, asset management, financing, dispositions, and client reporting. He is also a member of the Private Real Estate Investment Committee. Mr. Rabin has over 30 years of real estate investment management experience, including extensive experience in acquisition, disposition, asset management and portfolio management roles. Prior to joining CenterSquare in 2003, Mr. Rabin was a Principal and Director of Investments for PMRealty Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Life Insurance Company. In this position, during his 5 years at PMRealty, he directed and managed all of the transactional activity for the firm. Mr. Rabin was also a member of PMRealty Advisors' Policy and Investment Committees. During the 12 years prior to joining PMRealty, he was responsible for acquisitions, dispositions and portfolio management on behalf of National Life of Vermont and its separate account clients. Mr. Rabin holds a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America. He is a member of the Bar in both Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Mr. Reder serves as a Managing Director in the Acquisition Group of CenterSquare and is based in the Southern California office. He is responsible for the sourcing, underwriting and closing of real estate acquisitions and investment transactions in the western region of the U.S. Mr. Reder brings many years of experience in both real estate and investment banking to his position. Immediately prior to joining CenterSquare, he served as Vice President for a private real estate investment firm where he was a member of the Investment Committee, headed the asset management department, led the evaluation and underwriting of prospective acquisitions and managed the day-to-day operations and leasing of properties nationwide. Mr. Reder began his career as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers in New York eventually leaving Wall Street as a Vice President of Corporate Finance before returning home to his native Southern California.
Chad Burkhardt is a Managing Director in the Private Real Estate Group. Since joining CenterSquare in 2013, Mr. Burkhardt has been responsible for portfolio management, acquisitions in the Eastern United States, and serves as a member of the Investment Committee. Before joining CenterSquare, Mr. Burkhardt led real estate acquisitions in the United States and Puerto Rico for a New York based family office. Prior to that, Mr. Burkhardt was a Vice President at D. E. Shaw & Co., a multi-strategy hedge fund based in New York, where he oversaw commercial real estate acquisitions, and was responsible for real estate credit, which included the purchase of senior and subordinate debt positions, as well as CMBS and REIT securities. In addition, he was responsible for portfolio management and the disposition of select real estate assets globally. Mr. Burkhardt started his career at Merrill Lynch & Co. as a Vice President in Global Principal Investments, the group responsible for investing the firm’s balance sheet in commercial real estate debt and equity, with a focus on the Americas. Mr. Burkhardt graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Hotel Administration with a concentration in Real Estate Finance and Management. Mr. Burkhardt serves as a Director of NYPEN Real Estate and Girard College Foundation.
Mr. Holuba serves as a Portfolio Manager for CenterSquare’s Service Retail Income Strategy and is responsible for all aspects of managing equity and debt investments including the sourcing and acquisition of new investments, implementation of business plans, leasing agents and other third-party resources, and dispositions. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Rob worked for Lubert-Adler Real Estate Partners performing acquisitions and investment management functions on behalf of the Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds. Rob began his career at Apartment Investment Management Company (ticker: AIV) where he worked with the development finance team.
Rob holds a B.A. in History from Princeton University and an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. He is an active member of ICSC and NAIOP and currently serves on the Associate Advisory Board for the Steers Center for Global Real Estate at Georgetown University and the Board of Directors for the Princeton Football Association.
Vice President, Private Real Estate
Mr. Kimble is a Vice President at CenterSquare Investment Management and serves as an Asset Manager responsible for all aspects of managing equity and debt investments, establishing and implementing strategies, coordinating with operating partners, leasing agents and other third-party resources and analyzing and coordinating acquisitions and dispositions, including restructurings and workouts. Mr. Kimble currently manages the CenterSquare’s multifamily investments. Prior to joining CenterSquare in 2004, Mr. Kimble worked for McKinney Properties, Inc. as a Vice President of Real Estate Acquisitions. In this position, he led the efforts to acquire and sell numerous retail centers, student housing facilities, and multi-family units. He was also President of McKinney-Ringham Realty for 10 years where he had overall property management responsibility for all property holdings nationwide. Mr. Kimble was a licensed real estate and mortgage broker. His professional affiliations included The Institute of Real Estate Management and NMHC. Mr. Kimble graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Finance.
Mr. Schreiner is a Vice President in CenterSquare’s Private Real Estate Group and is based in Philadelphia. Mr. Schreiner is responsible for all aspects of managing equity and debt investments, establishing and implementing strategies, coordinating with operating partners, leasing agents and other third-party resources and analyzing and coordinating dispositions, including restructurings and workouts. Mr. Schreiner currently manages numerous office, industrial and retail investments across the eastern half of the United States. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Schreiner worked for Anglo Irish Bank in Boston, where he helped manage the bank’s $10 billion commercial real estate loan portfolio. Mr. Schreiner is an active member of the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate at Villanova University. Mr. Schreiner holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University and an M.B.A. from Babson College.
Mr. Wasenius is a Vice President at CenterSquare Investment Management and is responsible for establishing valuation policy, approving internal and external property valuations, and reporting fair value estimates consistent with industry standards and accounting requirements. Mr. Wasenius is active in due diligence, portfolio management, asset management, and the underwriting new acquisitions. Mr. Wasenius is also the chair of the market research committee. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Wasenius was a Manager at KPMG LLP in the Economic and Valuation Services Practice, focusing in real estate valuation and consulting. Prior to KPMG, Mr. Wasenius was an Analyst at Duff & Phelps, LLC in the Real Estate Valuation & Consulting Practice. He has performed appraisal reports both domestically and internationally for a variety of property types, including office, retail, hospitality, industrial, residential subdivision, multifamily, and land development. Mr. Wasenius holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance from Loyola University Maryland. Mr. Wasenius is a certified general real estate appraiser in the state of New Jersey and is a MAI Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute.
Christopher Picyk is a Vice President in CenterSquare’s Private Real Estate Group and is based in Philadelphia. He is responsible for sourcing, underwriting and closing acquisitions in the Southeast and Texas markets. Since joining the firm in 2013, he has been responsible for assisting all aspects of the Private Real Estate group, including asset management, acquisitions and capital markets. Chris holds a B.S. in Finance and Real Estate from Villanova University.
Associate, Private Real Estate
Joseph Rubino is an Associate in CenterSquare’s Private Real Estate Group and is based in Philadelphia. His responsibilities cover all aspects of the acquisition process for both equity and high-yield debt investments. Additionally, Joe leads Fintech initiatives, utilizing emerging data sources such as spatial analytics and cellular tracking, to augment acquisition and asset management capabilities. Prior to joining CenterSquare in 2016, he was an analyst at CKPP, underwriting and sourcing commercial debt financing for institutional real estate investors. Joe graduated cum laude from the Villanova University School of Business with a B.B.A in Finance, and a minor in International Business. He is an active member of International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute.
Senior Analyst, Private Real Estate
Megan Quinn is a Senior Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s private real estate group and is based in Philadelphia. She supports the acquisition and asset management teams in acquiring, deploying, and maintaining capital. Megan holds a B.B.A. in Finance, Marketing, and Real Estate from Villanova University and earned her M.S. in Finance from The Villanova School of Business. During her tenure at Villanova Megan was the Captain of the Villanova Women's Basketball team.
Victoria Madrid is an Associate in CenterSquare’s Private Real Estate Group and is based in the Southern California office. Prior to joining CenterSquare, she was an Associate Real Estate Manager for CBRE. Victoria holds a B.S. in Business Administration with emphasis in Real Estate Finance from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business.
Analyst, Private Real Estate
Mr. Alvarado is an Analyst in CenterSquare’s Private Real Estate Group and is based in the Southern California office. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Alvarado was an Analyst for Thorofare Capital. Mr. Alvarado holds a B.S. in Business Administration with emphasis in Real Estate Finance from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business.
Mr. Brooks is a Portfolio Manager for CenterSquare Investment Management’s global listed infrastructure group. He joined the firm in 2014 and has primary responsibility for coverage of North American and European utilities. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Brooks was a Director of Equity Research, Power & Utilities Group at Barclays Capital from 2005-2014, and an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in New York, NY from 2004-2005. Mr. Brooks holds an MBA in Finance from the New York University Stern School of Business, and a BA in History from the College of the Holy Cross. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Senior Analyst, Infrastructure Securities
Mr. Reid is a Senior Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s global listed infrastructure group. He joined the firm in 2014 and has primary responsibility for coverage of the transportation sector. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Reid was a Senior Investment Manager at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, where he supported a $20B actively managed fund of publicly traded equities. Prior to this, Mr. Reid was a Vice President, Equity Research Analyst at Banc of America Securities specializing in Chemicals and Industrial Services, a Senior Associate, Investment Banking at ABN AMRO Incorporated, and a Global Commercial Manager (Chemicals) at Mitsubishi International Corporation. Mr. Reid holds an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and a BA in Japanese and Economics from Colgate University. He is a CFA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute.
Mr. Treitel serves as a Senior Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management’s global listed infrastructure group. Mr. Treitel joined the firm in 2016, and his coverage includes energy, industrial, and utility equities. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. Treitel was a Portfolio Manager and analyst at Columbia Partners and Turner Investments, in Berwyn, PA. He has over a decade of experience and his work has spanned several sectors. Mr. Treitel holds a BA in Economics and English from Columbia University. He is a CFA charterholder, CAIA charterholder and member of the CFA Institute, CFA Society of Philadelphia, and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association.
Mr. DeArias is a Senior Analyst for CenterSquare Investment Management's global listed infrastructure group. He joined the firm in 2016 and has primary responsibility for coverage of North American utilities. Prior to joining CenterSquare, Mr. DeArias worked at The Hartford covering Non-Agency RMBS research and modelling. Mr. DeArias graduated Magna Cum Laude from Middlebury College with a BA (with High Honors) in Economics. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Philadelphia.
Value-Added Investing 2020 - Accelerating Trends; Emerging Opportunities
COVID-19 Real Estate Market Update
Careers at CenterSquare
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You are here: Home / The Backpack / Jonathan Kozol Raises the Roof for Education Justice
Jonathan Kozol Raises the Roof for Education Justice
Jonathan Kozol brought the house to its feet with his stories about his friends, children of the South Bronx, and their struggle for educational justice. (Photo by Larry Aaronson)
By Alain Jehlen
Whatever happened to Pineapple?
Pineapple is the pseudonym Jonathan Kozol gave to a spunky, bossy, charming girl he first met in a South Bronx kindergarten.
Kozol has told her story in several of his passionate books denouncing the conditions in which poor, inner-city children of color are educated. On September 19, he revealed how Pineapple’s life is working out.
Kozol was speaking to 800 people who packed Harvard’s Memorial Church for the Citizens for Public Schools Mary Ann Hardenbergh annual lecture. Mary Ann was a formidable campaigner for equity in public schools, a former member of the state Board of Education and a CPS leader for many years.
The audience, many of whom were educators or aspiring teachers, responded throughout the talk with enthusiastic waves of applause, cheers, and even tears as Kozol spelled out his potent narrative of the deep inequities in the way children are educated in our society.
Kozol has campaigned for fairness and opportunity in public schools ever since the 1967 publication of his first book, Death At An Early Age, based on his experiences as a Boston public school teacher.
In his new book, Fire In the Ashes, Kozol follows up on Pineapple and other South Bronx children whom he met and wrote about decades ago.
Some of the children’s lives ended tragically, especially, he said, some of the boys.
He remembered one boy he first met in a homeless shelter at the age of nine, a boy who was always hungry. Kozol would bring cornflakes and milk when he visited. “I remember the way he used to wolf it down,” Kozol said.
That boy, Kozol said, killed himself at a time of desolation when he was a teenager. Another boy died of a heroin overdose. A third was killed “surfing” a subway car – riding on the roof – when his head hit a steel beam.
But some of Kozol’s young friends, he said, “battled back courageously, with the help of teachers and other adults who intervened at crucial moments in their lives.”
Pineapple was one of those.
When she was in fifth grade, Kozol discovered she could barely read a sentence longer than four words. He was amazed. He had assumed she could read because she was so bright and articulate in conversation. “Pineapple was artificially retarded by the City of New York,” Kozol said.
“Class size at her school was 32, 34, 36. Teachers understandably didn’t stay long.” Today, he said, some classes are even bigger. In Los Angeles, he visited a teacher a few years ago who had 40 students and 30 chairs. This year, that teacher told him she has 45.
“I have wealthy friends in New York who insist to me that class size doesn’t matter for inner-city kids if, as they usually say, ‘those kids would buckle down, and if their parents did their job, and if their teachers did their job.’
“I ask them where their own kids go to school, and how many children are in their classes.” In the leafy suburbs of New York, he said, classes have 15 or 16 children and parents start to panic if the number reaches 20. Andover and Exeter boast class sizes of 12 or 13.
“If very small class size, and the individual attention it enables a good teacher to give to every girl and boy, is good for the son of a prosperous attorney or the daughter of a CEO, then it’s good for the poorest child in America,” he said.
But Pineapple got lucky. She charmed not just Kozol, but also an Episcopal priest, and the priest used her connections to get Pineapple into an expensive prep school for wealthy children.
In that school, classes were small so “the teachers had the opportunity to enjoy Pineapple’s personality.” Pineapple worked hard and her teachers worked hard, and she jumped forward in her learning. She eventually won a college scholarship and entered her senior year this fall.
Pineapple succeeded, Kozol said, because “she won the hearts of grown-ups who were well-connected.” But the lesson, he said, “is not that we should celebrate exceptionality of opportunity. Charity is not a substitute for justice. It’s too precarious, too selective. Only the highest level of free and equal, universal, non-selective public education can ever close the gap between the very poor and the very rich. … And that’s why I’m sticking with the union.”
Kozol deplored many of the measures advocated by education “reformers” for teaching low-income children: the use of rigid scripted curricula, short meaningless phonics passages instead of real literature, standardized tests which are misused to judge student progress and teacher performance, and segregated charter schools that are more about hype than quality or equity.
What’s next for Pineapple? She’s going to stay in school an extra year past graduation so she can get certified and go back to the South Bronx to teach in a public school. As she told him with a shy laugh, “It’s like that quote from Dr. King…I want to pass the torch.”
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Is Legislating From the Bench Bad?
What does “legislating from the bench” mean, and is it actually part of the Supreme Court’s job? Photo: Shutterstock
“Legislating from the bench.” The term is widely used as a common complaint from those who seek to discredit Supreme Court’s decisions for favoring one political ideology over another or those who are skeptical of potentially partisan Supreme Court justice appointments.
But if we take a closer look, what does it really mean to legislate from the bench, and does criticizing the Supreme Court for doing so actually make any sense?
Legislating from the bench describes a situation in which Supreme Court justices favor partisanship over legal precedent or objective interpretation of the constitution in reaching their verdicts. The criticism goes that instead of interpreting laws, the Supreme Court goes outside expected responsibility to instead effectively create law by critiquing and possibly condemning laws passed by Congress.
Civics Lesson: The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is part of the Judicial Branch of the U.S. government. It is just one of three of the major branches of government in the United States, the other two being the Legislative Branch (Congress) and the Executive Branch (the presidency). Supreme Court Justices serve life terms, making them (ideally) impervious to special interest groups and lobbyists, seeing as reelection campaign funds never become an issue.
Codified in the Judiciary Act of 1789, there were originally six justices, appointed by the president, and confirmed by Congress. The Judiciary Act of 1869 (also known as the Circuit Judges Act of 1869) eventually altered this, stipulating that the Supreme Court would consist of the Chief Justice and eight associate justices. It is the last piece of major legislation to alter the size of the U.S. Supreme Court, although Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to do so with his proposed Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937, which came to be known as his “court-packing plan.”
But it seems as though those who would seek to discredit the Supreme Court for allegedly “legislating from the bench” are free to pick and choose which cases they wish to be critical of—based, of course, solely on political leanings.
Truth be told, legislating from the bench may articulate exactly what the Supreme Court is meant to do. The Supreme Court was founded in part to balance the executive and legislative branches of government, and it can help prevent the legislative branch from overstepping its legal obligations by measuring the laws they pass against the U.S. Constitution.
Of course, each justice is appointed by the president and approved by Congress—institutions that are both heavily influenced by partisanship—but the Supreme Court is uniquely structured to prevent abuse of partisan power, even thought it’s perhaps the least democratic system when compared to the other two major braches of the federal government.
For example, many people point to the “District of Columbia vs. Heller” case as an example of a big win for Second Amendment and gun rights advocates, but within the ruling, Supreme Court Justice Scalia articulated that guns must still include reasonable regulations. The ruling definitely favored pro-gun conservatives, but not in the hyper-partisan way in which the ruling is remembered.
Supreme Court justices take the role for life, and by virtue of being appointed rather than elected, they differ from senators and congressional house representatives in that they are not beholden to the influence of lobbyists who would otherwise seek to bolster reelection coffers.
These lifelong appointments provide Supreme Court justices opportunities to examine their biases over long periods of time. If their partisan leanings change, then it’s more likely to be a function of their growth in understanding of the Constitution than it is a symptom of political expediency.
This represents another way in which “legislating from the bench” may simply describe Supreme Court justices doing their jobs correctly. If part of the Supreme Court’s job is to be a political check on Congress, then in a way, any law deemed unconstitutional should be seen as a win—an example of a government institution properly filling its role as dynamic and engaged critics of the legislative branch.
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Home Marlborough Ida E. LeClair, 100, of Marlborough
Marlborough – Mrs. Ida LeClair, 100, of Marlborough, passed away peacefully Jan. 10, 2021 at her residence. Ida was born March 20, 1920, in Fine, N.Y., to Anna and Charles Sykes and had nine brothers and sisters.
Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Donald LeClair; daughter, Charlotte Feinberg; one grandchild, Maxwell Lewis; four brothers, Paul Sykes, Ross Sykes, Robert Sykes, and George Sykes; and five sisters, Gertrude Clarke, Genevieve Lambert, Libby Saber, Grace Bassett, and Rowena Rebeca Sykes. Ida is survived by two stepsons and two stepdaughters-in-law, Donald LeClair Jr. (Sandy) of Anchorage and Craig LeClair (Monica) of Santa Barbara; six grandchildren, Laura Lewis of Osage Beach, Lisa Vecchio of Sudbury, Shannon Clouse of Dillingham, Max LeClair of Dillingham, Jeanette LeClair of Anchorage, and Chris LeClair of Santa Barbara; and 14 great-grandchildren. She also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss her.
Ida graduated from Edwards High School and Cosmetology School in 1940 and became a proud proprietor of Ida’s Beauty Salon in Watertown, N.Y. She married Donald (Don) LeClair in 1966 and was happily married for 34 years.
In her retirement, she and Don traveled in their RV for eight years through 49 states, seeing the sights and visiting with family and friends. Her favorite adventure was bobsledding at Mt. Van Hoevenberg’s Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex and her favorite destinations were Old Faithful and the Pink Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Ida loved music and dancing and, in her youth, enjoyed ice skating and roller skating.
In accord with current restrictions due to the pandemic, memorial services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to a charity of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Collins Funeral.
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Ireland: Pathways to Protection of Refugees
Bron: Giuseppe Milo / Flickr
On the edge of Europe, Ireland has been largely unaffected by the record number of people fleeing war, conflict and persecution around the world. While millions have fled to countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Uganda, Ireland received just 2,244 asylum applicants in 2016 – a decrease of 32 per cent on the figure for 2015. Nonetheless, domestic debate on the issues of asylum and migration has intensified, and significant developments have emerged as a result.
The entry into force on 31 December 2016 of the International Protection Act 2015 (hereafter the 2015 Act) was the single biggest reform of Ireland’s international protection process in the past twenty years. Its principal reform was the establishment of a single procedure for the examination of applications for international protection, which has belatedly brought Ireland into line with the rest of Europe: Ireland now considers asylum and subsidiary protection claims together, instead of sequentially. The 2015 Act includes a number of procedural safeguards that reflect obligations set out in the Procedures Directive (2005/85/CE)[1] and general good practice.
However, the Act also introduced more restrictive policies on family reunification by narrowing eligibility, effectively removing exceptional discretion for extended family members: something the prior legislative scheme under the Refugee Act 1996 had permitted. These changes have raised concerns, as they affect the ability of people in need of protection to access safe legal pathways to reach Ireland; for example, children of refugees settled in Ireland are ineligible for family reunion if over 18, irrespective of whether they may be in pressing humanitarian need.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme…….
UNHCR and NGOs have repeatedly proposed the enhancement of safe legal channels of access to Ireland for those in need of protection. Support for this proposal has grown amongst civil society and members of the Seanad,[2] and recently a Bill[3] to allow refugees to bring their siblings, grandparents, cousins, nephews and nieces to Ireland has moved closer to becoming law, in spite of initial Government opposition.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was announced in September 2015 as a response to growing publicity surrounding the refugee crisis at the frontier of Europe, following a spike in humanitarian concerns voiced by the Irish public. A pledge to admit 4,000 refugees by the end of 2017 was made just eight days after the well-publicised death of three-year old Aylan Kurdi on a Turkish beach. While Ireland is not bound to participate in the EU’s emergency response, it decided to voluntarily opt into the two EU Council decisions on Relocation.[4] The commitment of 4,000 places was to include both resettlement and relocation channels, through cooperation with countries of origin and transit. According to figures from the OPMI[5] and the European Commission,[6] Ireland received 266 refugees on resettlement in 2017, 519 in 2016 and 661 in total on relocation and is therefore likely to fail to meet its target by the end of this year by some margin. This is due to under-allocation of relocation of people from Greece, and no successful relocations from Italy.
On 14 November 2017 the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, announced the introduction of the new Family Reunification Humanitarian Programme (FRHAP). The new scheme, operated under Ministerial discretionary powers, aims to welcome up to 530 family members of refugees. Details on the applicability of the FRHAP remain to be seen. The scheme is an attempt to meet the Government’s original commitment to take in 4,000 people under the IRPP.
…..and recent developments
Advocacy groups have repeatedly asked for a commitment beyond the original 4,000 pledged, alongside the introduction of complementary pathways and/or safe legal channels of access for those seeking protection. In September 2017, the Government announced the planned development of a Community Sponsorship Programme for Refugees, details of which are not yet available. A previous scheme, the Syrian Humanitarian Admission Programme, issued 119 visas to family members of Syrians already living in Ireland in 2014.
More recently, in November 2017, Minister Flanagan announced an increase in Ireland’s UNHCR resettlement scheme quota to 600 persons in 2018 and 2019.[7] This is the largest increase since 2000, when Ireland commenced its involvement in UNHCR’s resettlement scheme. Similarly, the Irish Parliament passed a motion to admit 200 unaccompanied children from the beleaguered informal camp at Calais into the country; however, by May 2017 only 10 per cent (21 children) had been brought to the country.
The Irish commitment of 4,000 places was to include both resettlement and relocation channels, but the country is likely to fail to meet that target.
Challenges in cooperation with countries of origin and transit are outstanding. For instance, Ireland has no specific initiative on legal economic migration as part of a broader migration agreement with third countries of origin. The domestic immigration legislative framework is in need of further reform. Civil society groups emphasise the significant and still growing number of people living in Ireland who are undocumented and calls continue to grow for the abolition of the Direct Provision scheme which accommodates persons seeking protection in Ireland (and increasingly, those with status who are unable to find affordable housing, a problem affecting Irish citizenry alike).
It remains to be seen whether domestic concerns will take priority over the establishment of external migration agreements. Moreover, challenges of cooperation remain in terms of communication and resources. Additional funding would be required to enhance cooperation with third countries in the field of returns and readmission. The EU Trust Fund for Africa, which Ireland has pledged to contribute to, has attracted criticism due to a lack of clarity as to whether its aim is development aid or to fulfill the EU security agenda.
Other relevant recent developments in Ireland include a Supreme Court ruling which will mean that the Government must change its long-term position of a blanket ban on all asylum seekers entering the labour force and the adoption of the second tranche of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
Ireland played a leading role in the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, as the Chair of the UN High Level Summit at which the Declaration was adopted in September 2016. Ireland will no doubt wish to ensure that the commitments adopted in the Declaration are adhered to. Recent national efforts to widen access to Ireland represent a positive trend as regards genuine political will to provide protection to those in need.
Shauna Gillan is barrister and part-time member of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal of Ireland. She is a specialist in refugee, immigration and human rights law, working as a lecturer, legal consultant and trainer in Ireland and the UK.
[1] Ireland opted out of the re-cast Procedures Directive (2013/32/EU).
[2] The Senate, the upper house of the bi-cameral Parliament in Ireland.
[3] The International Protection (Family Reunification) (Amendment) Bill, available here: https://beta.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2017/101/.
[4] Ireland and the United Kingdom availed of an opt-out of Title V, Part 3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
[5] A state body, the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration: http://www.integration.ie/website/omi/omiwebv6.nsf/page/resettlement-overviewresettlementprogrammes2010onward-en
[6] European Commission, https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-migration/press-material/docs/state_of_play_-_relocation_en.pdf
[7] Statement available here: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR17000383
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Bill Clinton: 'Vast right-wing conspiracy' as 'virulent' as ever
Clinton: Right-wing "conspiracy" not as strong as it once was, but is as virulent
Obama's popularity may take hit, but attacks not good for country, Clinton says
Clinton: "No way" that Republicans will enjoy 1994-level success in 2010 elections
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The "vast right-wing conspiracy" that attacked him during his presidency has been weakened, but continues to operate against President Obama, former President Clinton said Sunday.
Former President Clinton said Republicans won't see a 1994-like surge at the polls in 2010.
On NBC's "Meet the Press," Clinton was asked about the term his wife Hillary Clinton, now secretary of state, famously coined. "Is it still there?" host David Gregory asked.
"Oh, you bet. Sure it is. It's not as strong as it was, because America's changed demographically, but it's as virulent as it was," the former president replied.
"I mean, they're saying things about him [Obama] -- you know, it's like when they accused me of murder and all that stuff they did," Clinton said, in an apparent reference to conspiracy theories surrounding the suicide of White House deputy counsel Vince Foster.
"It's not really good for the Republicans and the country, what's going on now," Clinton said. "I mean, they may be hurting President Obama. They can take his numbers down, they can run his opposition up. But fundamentally, he and his team have a positive agenda for America."
The nation needs "a credible debate about what's the right balance between continuing to expand the economy through stimulus and beginning to move back to fiscal balance," Clinton said. "We need a credible debate about what's the best way to get to universal [health care] coverage."
Clinton was asked whether he is concerned that the 2010 midterm elections could resemble those of 1994, when Republicans took control of the House and Senate two years into his first term.
Clinton praises Obama for tough stance on Iran
Clintons share stage, kiss during global initiative event
Bill Clinton: Health care battle not about race
"There's no way" that could happen, Clinton said, adding that "the country is more diverse and more interested in positive action." Also, he said, Republicans had control of Congress for several years under President George W. Bush, "and they know the results were bad."
And, he said, "the Democrats haven't taken on the gun lobby like I did."
"Whatever happens, it'll be manageable for our president," Clinton said.
All About Bill Clinton • Barack Obama
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42 Places That Are Straight Out of Fairy Tales
These dreamy castles, quaint towns, and soaring waterfalls can be part of your own happily ever after.
Turreted castles hidden in the clouds. Romantic pathways covered with lush vegetation. Forests carpeted with wildflowers. These ethereal sites may seem straight out of a Grimms' fairy tale, but they exist in the real world—and they’re as incredible as any place in a storybook. (In some cases, they've even inspired fictional movie locations themselves.) From a fantastical, grass-roofed retreat in Austria to a dazzlingly blue town in Morocco, here are 42 fairy tale locations to add to your bucket list.
This gallery was last published in May 2017. It has been updated with new information.
Set atop a 768-foot bluff in the foothills of the Swabian Alps, this picturesque castle is more than just nice to look at: With its many towers and fortifications, it's considered a relic of 19th-century military architecture. It's perhaps most impressive on overcast days when it peeks out above the fog—a literal castle on a cloud.
Kawachi Fuji Gardens, Japan
Japan may be best known for its cherry blossoms, but the country's wisteria gardens threaten to steal the show every spring. Case in point: the wisteria tunnel at the Kawachi Fuji Gardens in Kitakyushu (about six hours outside of Tokyo), with dreamy flowers ranging in color from dark purple to white.
Caitlin Morton
If your travel fantasies aren’t complete without a snowy setting, be sure to add Finnish Lapland to your must-visit list. While this northern region of Finland is lovely during the warmer months, try to plan your visit between November and March, when the trees are covered in thick layers of snow, Huskies are eager to pull you around on a sled, and the Northern Lights are most likely to make an appearance.
Courtesy Christie’s International Real Estate
The Bubble Palace
There’s something about rosy places that just tickles us, well, you know, pink—and the Internet-famous Bubble Palace near Cannes is no exception. The brainchild of French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, the complex is built of interconnected, bubblegum-colored domes—and not a single straight line. The palace can be yours if you’re willing to shell out—it was put on the market a few years ago for a cool €350 million.
Courtesy Longleat House
Longleat House, England
Located in the English county of Wiltshire, Longleat House is a formidable example of Elizabethan architecture, complete with grand staircases and halls adorned with tapestries. But the most fantastical attraction has to be the manor’s hedge maze, where you might almost expect to cross paths with the Queen of Hearts herself.
Pena Palace, Portugal
Inspired by German Romantic architecture, Portugal’s Pena Palace—situated atop a hill in Sintra—calls to mind a Disney castle with its pink and yellow towers, ornamental buttresses, and detailed gargoyles. And the interiors are equally dramatic; don’t miss the intricately carved ceilings and walls of Queen Amélia’s apartments, as well as the striking, all-white reception room.
Lake Kussharo, Japan
Travelers can find this beautiful caldera lake in Japan's Akan Mashu National Park, in eastern Hokkaidō. In winter, it becomes even more picturesque, when hundreds of whooper swans fly south from Russia to enjoy the hot spring-warmed waters around its edges for the season.
Angel Oak, South Carolina
What looks like a set piece from Pan's Labyrinth is actually a massive and ancient Southern live oak tree—some six stories tall, between 300 and 400 years old, and a 25-minute drive from downtown Charleston, on Johns Island. Entrance to the surrounding forest is free; just park in an adjacent lot and step out of your car, and you’ll hear nothing but crickets, birdsong, and treetops rustling in the breeze.
There's something special about Hallstatt—it’s clear when you pull up by ferry on the glassy lake of the same name, with mist rolling down from the surrounding Dachstein mountains. Within the UNESCO World Heritage town, you’ll find churches that date to the 12th century, along with a buzzing market square and plenty of cozy, candlelit restaurants.
Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Separated from continental Africa by 250 miles of water, Madagascar is the greatest adventure you haven't had yet. The island nation is home to a wide array of creatures, including giant moths and bug-eyed lemurs, and sights like the surreal Avenue of the Baobabs, where the centuries-old trees reach heights of nearly 100 feet.
City Palace of Jaipur, India
We love a good turret-and-stone archway, but Jaipur's colorful City Palace gives its stark grey counterparts a run for their money. With its rosy pink facade and symmetrically arched courtyards, the royal complex is the stuff Wes Anderson's more fantastical dreams are made of.
Casa do Penedo, Portugal
It may resemble something out of The Flintstones, but northern Portugal’s Casa do Penedo (or “Stone House”) is, in fact, a real place. The prehistoric-looking structure was built in the 1970s as a cottage, using massive boulders as the walls, roof, and floor; it now serves as a tiny museum and huge tourist attraction.
Reschensee, Italy
Beginning in 1940, Italian electric company Montecatini built a dam to unify two lakes in the Italian province of South Tyrol—Reschensee and Mittersee. The area was once home to several villages, but the towns were flooded (intentionally) during the dam-building process—and now the only visible reminder of the drowned cities is the steeple of a 14th-century church, which juts out from beneath the crystalline water.
Courtesy Blumau
Rogner Bad Blumau, Austria
Located in the southern state of Styria, the Rogner Bad Blumau is a resort spa designed by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser—but it’s arguably more famous for its inventive design than its saunas. Sloping grass roofs, colorful, patchwork-like facades, pointed domes, and intricate tilework make the shortlist of the resort’s more attention-grabbing features.
The Tunnel of Love, Ukraine
This two-mile stretch of railway just outside of Klevan, Ukraine, is as dreamy as it is efficient. When a train carrying wood to an adjacent factory travels isn’t chugging on the tracks, the passage—which is covered top-to-bottom with lush vegetation—is a popular spot for romantic strolls (hence its moniker).
Krzywy Domek, Poland
At first glance, Krzywy Domek kind of looks like an example of how not to use the liquify filter in Photoshop. But the famous building in Sopot, whose name aptly translates to “Crooked House,” was intentionally designed to look warped and whimsical; design group Szotynscy & Zaleski reportedly used illustrations from Polish fairy tales as inspiration for the building, which opened in 2004.
Borgund Stave Church, Norway
Built around 1180 A.D., the Borgund Stave Church is one of Norway's finest examples of a stave church, a wooden structure defined by its corner-posts and timber frames. Although it’s no longer used for religious purposes, the landmark now serves as a visitors' center and—fun fact—inspiration for the artwork in Disney’s Frozen.
Hallerbos, Belgium
Near central Belgium, Hallerbos, also known as "The Blue Forest," is a springtime wonder; each year, during mid-April’s bluebell season, the entire forest floor turns into a sea of purplish-blue blossoms. You can reach the forest by bike or bus from the nearby town of Halle.
The Sea of Stars, Maldives
The beaches at Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives have received their fair share of online swooning, and for good reason. The bioluminescent phytoplankton in the water’s reefs emanate a dazzling blue glow, making it look as though the stars have somehow found their way down to earth for the night—a phenomenon that has aptly become known as the “Sea of Stars.”
With its timber-framed houses, colorful facades, and flower-lined canal, the charming town of Colmar in France’s Alsace region looks like it was plucked right from Walt Disney’s imagination. But it’s not just lovely to look at; there’s plenty to delight in, whether it’s strolling the town’s cobblestoned streets or taking a boat ride on the water.
The Tulip fields of Holland, The Netherlands
Nothing says “springtime” quite like tulip season in Holland. The flowers bloom all throughout the region, but we suggest heading to Hillegom in the western countryside, which is a quieter alternative to the popular Keukenhof gardens, to take in views of the magnificent blossoms.
The 611-foot-tall double cascade that flows through Oregon's lush Columbia River Gorge makes us want to take a hike—literally. While the vista from the park’s viewing area is plenty spectacular, more daring tourists can climb up to Benson Bridge and check out the roaring waters from above.
Casa Batlló, Spain
You can find Gaudí’s Modernist aesthetic sprinkled all throughout Barcelona—look no further than iconic structures like La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell. But we’re particular fans of Casa Batlló, with its animalistic details, Monet-esque patterns, and, like many other buildings on this list, zero straight lines. (Those don’t exist in nature, according to Gaudí.)
The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland
Even fairy tales are dark and full of terrors, and this tree-lined road in Northern Ireland—which famously appeared in Season 1 of Game of Thrones—looks like it was plucked from a storybook’s scariest pages. Local legend has it that the Grey Lady (a ghost, not the New York Times) haunts the road at dusk.
Originally built in the 1890s, this 100-foot-tall concrete bridge wends its way through some of the most scenic parts of the Scottish Highlands. But you might be more familiar with the Glenfinnan Viaduct from the silver screen: It helped transport the Hogwarts Express in several installments of the Harry Potter film franchise.
The imposing Neuschwanstein Castle, rumored to have inspired Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, might be one of the most recognizable castles on the planet. Built at the behest of the reclusive King Ludwig II of Bavaria as a private retreat, the towering Romanesque Revival palace was completed in 1886; today, it attracts some 1.4 million visitors every year.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cappadocia, a region in Turkey where entire cities have been carved into the rock, is pretty awe-inspiring on its own; just look at its “fairy chimneys,” the tall, curious-looking rock formations that dot the landscape. But whenever hot air balloons dot the sky, a popular area attraction, its beauty levels rise right along with them.
Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye
With its endless, undulating hills and mesmerizing fairy pools, which brim with crystalline spring water fed by waterfalls from the Cuillin mountain range, Scotland’s Isle of Skye is the stuff of dreams—regardless of whether you've binge-watched Outlander yet.
Rakotzbrücke, Germany
Hidden in Kromlau's Rhododendron Park, Rakotzbrücke is a 19th-century bridge that creates a perfect stone circle when reflected in the waters below it. The Saxony site is often referred to as "Devil's Bridge," since the structure seems so impossibly perfect that it must have been built by, well, the devil.
Rising up from vast sandbanks and powerful tides, the rocky island of Mont Saint-Michel off of Normandy on France's northwestern coast gives off an otherworldly appearance. The island’s crown jewel is undoubtedly the Benedictine Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, which was built in 708 A.D. and served as inspiration for the castle in Disney's Tangled.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, known for its preserved medieval Old Town, draws millions of tourists each year with its highly Instagrammable multicolored facades. If you can swing it, plan your visit for December, when the town transforms into a winter wonderland with snow-dusted rooftops, glowing storefronts, and cozy taverns. And don't forget about the Reiterlesmarkt, one of the best Christmas markets in the entire country.
Once a year, on the full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, the skies above Chiang Mai fill with thousands of glowing orange paper lanterns for the Yi Peng festival. The moment of the lantern release is a way of letting go of anything negative from the past year and inviting in the positive moving forward. (If you want to take this moment to sing “I See the Light” from Tangled, we totally understand.)
Southwest Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, and is about as surreal as landscapes come. When dry, the flat is a sheet of blindingly white salt tiles; during the wet season, the shallow lake mirrors the sky, creating a dreamy illusion of infinity.
Italy's Puez-Geisler Nature Park is located among the striking Dolomites, the jagged mountain range that runs across part of northeastern Italy. Look out for St, Johann Church, a charming, blink-and-you’ll-miss it site nestled among the mountains.
While it’s not very easy to reach, this 15th-century fortress town in the Rif Mountains, about two hours south of Tangier, remains a popular draw for tourists. Buildings in its ancient medina are painted a dreamy sky blue—even some of the steps of the winding old town are as blue as the walls around them.
Seljalandsfoss might be quite a drive from Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik—about an hour and 45 minutes, to be exact—but it’s worth the trip to see this impressive waterfall on the south coast, whose waters thunder down from a 200-foot drop.
Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, Japan
Almost nowhere is Japan’s snow country more beautifully represented than in the thatched cottages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. These UNESCO-protected villages, which cover 170 acres in central Japan, are tucked into the mountains like real-life snow globes.
St. Basil's Cathedral, Russia
St. Basil's Cathedral is a bright, almost psychedelic sight in the middle of Moscow’s Red Square, thanks to its colorful domes and swirling patterns. Even today, the candy-colored creation, commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in the mid-1500s, still seems to rise like a dream in the center of the modern city.
Ta Prohm, Cambodia
The temple of Ta Prohm, part of the famed Angkor Wat complex, looks like it’s been all but devoured by the Cambodian jungle, with massive, warped trees shooting through the cracks of its loosened stones. But the strangely compelling structure (which had a guest role in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) continues to be a popular attraction among tourists and daring photographers.
Turf houses, Faroe Islands
Turf-roofed houses are something of a symbol of the Faroe Islands, appearing everywhere from sporadic seaside villages to the capital city of Tórshavn. But they’re far more than just Instagram fodder: The Faroese use the architectural style to protect dwellings from the rainy climate. (Contending with up to 300 rainy days per year is no easy task.)
Château de Chenonceau, France
The entire Loire Valley is a treasure trove of beautiful castles, but Château de Chenonceau easily rises to the top—both in terms of beauty and popularity. Construction of the current château, which sits on the site of an old mill, began in 1514, while the trademark bridge and gallery were added about 60 years later. Today, the river-spanning structure and surrounding gardens are one of the most-visited attractions in the entire country.
Venezuela is overflowing with natural wonders, including the world's tallest waterfall—the 3,212-foot cascades of Angel Falls, located in the UNESCO-protected Canaima National Park. Canaima is by far the country's most popular attraction, and it’s no surprise; after all, the Falls stretch an astounding 19 times higher than Niagara Falls. Bonus: Pixar animators used the location as inspiration for Paradise Falls in Up—so you know it's a must-see.
Explorebeauty pageantarchitecturearts-culture
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Coram pools expertise to create new adoption agency in Central Eastern England
Published: Tuesday 20th October 2015
Plans for Coram to pool expertise with six local authorities and two voluntary adoption agencies to create a new adoption agency for children in Central Eastern England have been given the green light by the Government
The children’s charity Coram, together with Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Norfolk, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough local authorities and the voluntary adoption agencies Adoptionplus and Saint Francis’ Children’s Society, have been successful in their bid to the Government to explore the creation of a regional adoption agency to serve over 230 children requiring adoption.
The intention behind a regional adoption agency is to bring together adoption services in local authorities to more efficient, combined services. This in turn will enable resources and skills to be shared amongst the local authority and voluntary adoption agency partners on a larger scale than before, give children and their social workers immediate access to an increased pool of adopters and the ability to develop wider support services including specialist therapies.
This new way of working together was proposed by the Government to tackle the enduring challenges in the current adoption system, which includes finding and assessing people who are keen to adopt and finding families for those children, such as older children, siblings and those from black and minority ethnic groups, for whom it can be harder to find a permanent home.
The partnership hopes to rise to the challenge and unleash the potential of regionalisation through a model which will best serve vulnerable children in local authority care. In doing so, the partnership will build on the success of Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption (a new voluntary adoption agency which delivers all statutory adoption functions on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council) to create an agency that brings together all the strengths of its partners and delivers a high quality adoption service across the localities. By March 2016, the partners will have determined a model that fits the needs of the children and adopters and made the first steps towards the creation of a new agency. The intention is to find creative and innovative ways of delivering better services for children and families.
Announcing the successful award on behalf of the partnership Renuka Jeyarajah-Dent, Director of Operations for Coram, said:
“This coming together of statutory and voluntary agencies is innovative and visionary and is testament to our shared commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children. We will combine the strengths of all our partners and ensure that we do the best we can collectively for the children waiting for an adoptive family across the entire region. The commitment, stability and love of a family is what every child deserves and in this National Adoption Week we are reminded that children as young as four are still too often considered too old to adopt.”
The news comes during National Adoption Week 2015 (19 to 25 October) which is this year themed is ‘Too old at 4?’aims to draw attention to the children waiting longest for adoptive families whose average age is just four years.
Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption
Coram Press Office
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VIDEO: "Attack on Titan: Junior High" 2nd PV
Comedy spin-off series premieres on October 03, 2015, on MBS
September 07, 2015 7:35am EDT (9/7/15)
A new preview video for Attack on Titan: Junior High - a parody spin-off TV anime that reimagines the cast of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan manga and anime as "normal" junior high school students - has been released. The series looks to be about as wacky as one would expect.
Attack on Titan: Junior High hits Japanese airwaves on October 03, 2015, on MBS. It is based on the manga of the same name by Saki Nakagawa, and it features direction by Yoshihide Ibata and animation by Production I.G.
Source: MoCa
attack on titan, attack on titan junior high, saki nakagawa, hajime isayama, production i.g
Yui Horie Joins "Nisekoi" Spin-Off OAD "Magical Patissier Kosaki-chan"
VIDEO: "Tokyo Xanadu" Gameplay Visits the City and a Dungeon
New Key Visual and July Premiere Confirmed for Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S TV Anime
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Child sexual abuse, sometimes referred to as CSA, can be defined as “a sexual act or communication that results in harm to a child of 15 years or younger,” but that definition can make you wonder what an act or communication is, what can be considered abuse, and if someone who is 16 or 17 can be considered a child. The part that makes it sexual is the intent of the perpetrator, and the nature of what is occurring: If it is sexual in nature, or can be considered such, it likely is sexual. The part that makes it abuse is how the act is felt by the child, and legally, anyone under the age of 18 is typically considered a child by most societies.
What follows is an overview of significant statistics. For a discussion of why these statistics matter, see here. Child sexual abuse is a serious public health issue that affects approximately 7.9% of men and 19.7% of women by the time they reach 18 years of age[1] according to one major study, while another found a global rate of 7.6% of men and 18% of women[2]. That figure does not account for underreporting: Some sources state that less than 50% of abuse is reported to the police[3], while other studies state that only 38% of victims disclose their abuse[4]. The actual reporting and prosecution rate is unknown and difficult to estimate, however.
Despite underreporting and the issues involved with identifying how prevalent child sexual abuse is, it is commonly accepted by advocates that around 4-8% of sexual abuse reports are false, which means that at least 92% of children making allegations of abuse are telling the truth[5]. The Wikipedia article discussing false allegations indicates that the overall rate of false accusations is under 10%, and many of these false allegations did not originate with children, but with adults making the accusation on the child’s behalf[6].
While some of the lingering conventional wisdom might indicate that strangers are responsible for most child sexual abuse, the opposite is true: 90% of abuse is perpetrated by those known to the victim[7]. Most abusers are men, though women account for some abusers. About two-thirds of sexual abusers are attracted to adults, and the remaining third are pedophilic, though sexual attraction does not appear to be a significant factor in the motivations of child sexual abuse: Homosexual and pedophilic men are less likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual, adult-attracted men.
There is no profile for those who sexually abuse children: Most are men, but a small minority of abusers are women. Sexual abusers do not belong to a particular profession, race, belief system, height, weight, age, nationality, or sexual orientation. The only reliable indication that someone may be sexually abusing a child are the behaviors they display, the behaviors a child displays, or an allegation of abuse by a child against another person.
Child sexual abuse often occurs in specific situations during specific time periods of the day[8]. 77% of child sexual abuse and 70% of sexual assault occurs in a residence, usually of the victim or perpetrator, and when the physical context is not a residence, it is generally a roadway, outdoor field or wooded area, schools, or a hotel/motel. For most victims, the peak time that sexual abuse occurs is around 3 pm and for younger victims, during meal times.
It is a commonly accepted fact that sexual abuse victims can suffer a wide variety of psychological effects from their abuse, though there have also been victims who report minimal effects. One famous but controversial study, Rind et al, a meta-analysis of 35,703 college students, stated in its abstract that “Self-reported reactions to and effects from CSA indicated that negative effects were neither pervasive nor typically intense, and that men reacted much less negatively than women.” In addition to the psychological effects found in many victims, the financial costs of sexual abuse on victims, along with other child maltreatment not resulting in death, are $210,012 per victim [9].
Child sexual abuse is a preventable and serious public health epidemic that warrants all our attention: Not only for societies, cultures, and economies, but for the would-be victims who can avoid experiencing sexual abuse due to prevention efforts. We owe it to the children who can be spared the pain of sexual abuse to give this issue our attention.
[ 1] The prevalence of child sexual abuse in community and student samples: a meta-analysis, Pereda et al, 2009, Clinical Psychology Review Volume 29, Issue 4, p. 328-338 DOI:
[ 2] A Global Perspective on Child Sexual Abuse: Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Around the World, Stoltenborgh et al, 2011, Child Maltreatment Volume 16, Issue 2, p. 79-101 DOI: 10.1177/1077559511403920
[ 3] Break the Silence: End child sexual abuse, Unicef
[ 4] Delay in disclosure of childhood rape: Results from a national survey, Smith et al, 2000, Child Abuse and Neglect Volume 24, Issue 2, p. 273-287
[ 5] False allegations of sexual abuse by children and adolescents, Everson and Boat, 1989, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Volume 28, Issue 2, P. 230-235
[ 6] False allegation of child sexual abuse, Wikipedia, Retrieved 2/5/2017
[ 7] Characteristics of Crimes Against Juveniles, Finkelhor and Shattuck, 2012
[ 8] Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics, Snyder, Howard N, 2000
[ 9] The economic burden of child maltreatment in the United States and implications for prevention, Fang et al, 2012, Child Abuse and Neglect, Volume 36, Issue 2, p. 156-165
Prevention Media
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Kenny Roger’s Recorded “You Can’t Make Old Friends” with Dolly Parton
Friendship is probably one of the best relationships that exist. You can form a friendship with anyone. Whether it is your brother, sister, your spouse, or mother, forming friendship is crucial for making relationships work. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton began their friendship when they first collaborated in 1983. The first song they recorded was “Islands in the Stream,” which became their first number one song on the chart. Their collaboration led to a wonderful friendship.
Photo Credit: https://www.amazon.com
Parton and Rogers last collaborated in 1990. Parton was featured in Rogers’ song “Love is Strange.” It is one of the singles in Rogers same-titled album.
In 2013, Rogers invited Parton to record the song “You Can’t Make Old Friends.” It was written by Don Schlitz, Caitlyn Smith, and Ryan Hanna King. They have made it reach number fifty-seven on the Billboard chart. In addition, Kenny and Dolly were nominated for the Grammy Award in 2014. “You Can’t Make Old Friends” is one of the tracks on Kenny Rogers’ album You Can’t Make Old Friends.
“You Can’t Make Old Friends”
It is true that you cannot make old friends. You can meet someone and build a friendship that will last a lifetime. However, old friends cannot be replaced. They know you better. The memories you have with them cannot be replaced by others. Therefore, friends should be treasured. In Kenny Roger’s song, the narrator worries about what will happen when his old friend is gone. He knows that he cannot find someone as great as his friend.
What will I do when you are gone?
Who’s gonna tell me the truth?
Who’s gonna finish the stories I start,
The way you always do?
This song seems to fit Kenny and Dolly because they have known each other for a long time. They worked together and formed a wonderful friendship. Kenny considered this to be an emotional song, one in which he and Dolly recorded.
“It’s very poignantly sad…I think. I love the song, but it deals very close to reality…” -Billboard
Here is Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s last song together.
Dolly Parton, kenny rogers, You Can't Make Old Friends
A VanWarmer Original, “Just When I Needed You Most”
It’s a Big Night for Music Films in the Golden Globes
Dolly Parton’s Classic Hit “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”
Conway Twitty was the 2nd Choice yet He Placed the Song at the No.1 Spot
Patsy Cline: Country Heartbreak Queen
In Everything We Do, We Say “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
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UConn Men Have Not Been So Lucky As A No. 9 Seed ... So Far
OK, UConn men's basketball fans, as the Huskies are about to take the floor in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 9 seed, we have two words for you: Wichita State.
Why? The Shockers are the team that has had the most success coming out of the 9 hole. In 2013 they arrived in the NCAA Tournament via an at-large bid out of the Missouri Valley Conference. The blew out Pitt, 73-55, in their opener, leading them to a second-round game vs. top seed Gonzaga. That's the peril of being in the 8-9 game, No. 1 always looms a couple days later.
No problem. The Shockers dispatched the Bulldogs, 76-70, then beat No. 13 LaSalle and No. 2 Ohio State to reach the Final Four. Despite a 72-68 loss to eventual national champ Louisville in the semis, Wichita State was the "feel good" story of the 2013 tournament.
Now, onto the Huskies. Since 1985 when the field expanded to 64, UConn has been a No. 9 twice, 1992 and 2012. In '92 the Huskies finished the regular season 19-8 and were knocked off by St. John's in their first Big East tournament game. They were placed in the Southeast Regional and shipped out to Cincinnati where they breezed past Nebraska, 86-65, as Chris Smith scored 24 points. Ah, but then there was old No. 1 waiting. In this case it was Ohio State, playing in its backyard, the Buckeyes rolled, 78-55.
Fast-forward 20 years later and the Huskies were a No. 9 again, this time in the South, playing Iowa State. The Huskies were never in it and lost 77-64 in a game that would gain the distinction of being the final one coached by Jim Calhoun, who announced his retirement later in the year.
"Tonight's game was a disappointment," Calhoun said that night, "The season wasn't a disappointment to me. I knew this team could be very good, but we just couldn't reach the level."
Now, some fun facts the 8-9 game courtesy of ncaa.com.
The ninth seed is 61-63 in 8-9 games played since 1985.
[UConn Men] UConn men land Corey Floyd Jr., four-star guard from New Jersey »
Twenty-one 8-9 games have been decided by two points or less, of those six were in overtime. There have been a total of 13 8-9 games that went to OT; one to double OT.
The lowest collective scoring margin came in 2004 when the four games were decided by a combined total of 10 points: No. 8 Texas Tech 76, Charlotte 73; No. 8 Seton Hall 80, Arizona 76; No. 8 Alabama 65, Southern Illinois 64; No. 9 UAB 102, Washington 100. Both Alabama and Texas Tech went on to knock off top seeds in Round 2.
Over 60 percent of the games have been decided by less than 10 points.
[UConn Men] As UConn men face life without James Bouknight, here’s what the next several weeks could look like »
Temple has had the most success coming out of No. 9. The Owls are 3-0.
Villanova and Purdue lead the way with four appearances as a No. 9.
Biggest blowout by a No. 9: Pitt 77, Colorado 48, in 2014.
UConn Men's Basketball
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Sacking Sackler & May’s Civil War
BUMPER END-OF-TERM EDITION
Illustration by Rhiannon Powell
This week I begin with a story that has been bubbling away for some time now, the ongoing Sackler Affair. Many of you will be familiar with the name, the Sacklers seemingly have their name plastered all over every major arts institution in the country, from the V&A and the National Gallery, to the Royal Opera House and the National Theatre. Their name is even attached to our very own Sackler Research Forum here at The Courtauld. The trans-Atlantic family made their money in the pharmaceutical business and, through the Sackler Trust, for almost the last fifty years they have been giving art institutions across the US and UK large sums of money, often for new wings, extensions, or galleries that then come out from under the scaffolding with the family’s name emblazoned all over.
For many years the disgustingly underfunded arts have been lapping up this seemingly never-ending pot of gold that came flowing from the Sacklers and it is them we have to thank for such projects as the new courtyard and exhibition space at the V&A, dubbed the ‘Sackler Courtyard’ – quelle surprise. However, recent allegations have caused some institutions to think twice about excepting the trickle down from the Sackler fortune. Their drug firm, Purdue Pharma, produces and sells the prescription pain-killer OxyContin on the US market. Purdue has been accused of intentionally underselling the dangers of their drug to US medical regulators and, in turn, doctors and patients. OxyContin is stronger than morphine and has been pinned as one of the main culprits behind the enormous opioid crisis in the US which, it is estimated, results in over 100 deaths a day through overdoses and has created millions of addicts. Although this is nothing new, the family’s company already admitted misbranding the drug in a 2007 court case, the only difference is this time around the alleged death toll is higher.
So, with the Sackler’s money becoming as toxic as the drugs they peddle, it was only a matter of time before institutions started to turn it down. The National Portrait Gallery was the first to get the ball rolling when they decided to turn down a £1 million donation from the Sackler Trust on Tuesday. The gallery has been delaying their decision on the donation for some time now, as the money would help with their planned extension, but the announcement came on Tuesday that the gallery and the family together had decided it was best if they didn’t go ahead with the donation. A press statement from a spokesperson for the Sackler Trust said that, due to the ongoing allegations, “to avoid being a distraction for the NPG, we have decided not to proceed at this time with the donation.” Whether you believe the Sackler’s really did withdraw the donation or if this was a front to save face after the NPG turned them down is up to you – I know which side I lean towards.
Then on Thursday things took a more significant turn, Tate announced that it would no longer be accepting any Sackler money due to the legal proceedings against the family’s firm. Tate runs four institutions across the UK and house the national collection of painting, it is undoubtedly one of the largest forces in the British arts industry. For them to turn down Sackler money, not agree for them to quietly withdraw donations but to actively refuse any further connection with them, is a huge step. Tate have received £4 million from the Sacklers in recent years but this decision makes it very difficult for other national art institutions to accept Sackler money and adds to the increasing pressure on recent recipients of funds, such as the V&A. Tate’s decision to refuse this money on ethic grounds marks a step in the right direction as museums, venues, and galleries wake up to the inherent issues in the idea of the money of destitute American drug addicts funding the culture and arts scene in the UK. For a nation whose many art institutions have, let us say, unfortunate histories in the origins of their funding – Tate, slavery – it is refreshing that they should take a stand, even if it is a little late. I, for one, am interested to see how or if The Courtauld chooses to confront this issue as the NPG and Tate have.
Putting the Sackler Saga to one side, it would be remiss of me not to mention (look away now, you have been warned!) Brexit. This week has been full of the petty in-fighting and progress-less squabbles that have defined British politics for the last two years. However, some rather important and downright stupid things did happen. You’ll remember last week MPs voted for an extension to the period left before we leave and so this week May went to the EU to beg once more. But before she hopped on her flight, she did what is quite possibly the stupidest political move since Chamberlin tried appeasing Hitler. It was announced that Downing Street would be making a statement at 8pm on Wednesday evening – in the good old days before Brexit, a statement from Downing Street meant one of three things: the PM has resigned, there’s going to be an election, or there’s going to be a war. However, May seems to have adopted using these statements as a kind of personal vlog, an opportunity to offer the nation an unimportant soliloquy about the state of play – nothing someone with access to a newspaper couldn’t pick up themselves.
Wednesday was a little different however, she opened with the usual non-statement and then decided to blame Parliament for everything. Her lifeless eyes stared into the camera as she croaked out the words “I’m on your side.” On our side Theresa? You’re on the side of the people against the over 600 representatives that…they elected…ah. See the problem? She drew out these imaginary battle lines in a speech that sounded like the deranged wittering of the kind of person that is asked politely to leave the Question Time audience. In her new strategy of making Parliament public enemy number one, she has seemingly forgotten that next week she must try and get her deal past them for the THIRD TIME. If she wants any chance of doing this, she should be begging them on her knees and buying them flowers. Instead, Charles I style, she positioned her imperial majesty in direct opposition to the body of democratically elected politicians whose job it is to represent the people.
In the end, the EU offered a deal: if May passes her deal next week, which now looks unlikely, they will extend the leave date to the 22nd May. If she fails to pass her deal for the THIRD TIME, then the UK will likely crash out with no deal on the 12th April. Unless we revoke Article 50 and stop the clock (and I encourage you all to sign the online petition to do so). So, with the country falling apart around me, it’s only left to thank you for putting up with my rambling nonsense for another term.
Mind how you go.
Morgan Haigh
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Mindie Baab and Jerzy the Court Dog
In 29 years beside the bench, court reporter Mindie Baab has seen more than her fair share of sad and scary court cases.
The most heartbreaking involved children, forced to put on a brave face and testify before a jury of 12 strangers, a judge in a black robe above their right shoulder, lawyers in suits pacing in front of them, and the person they have to testify against, staring back at them.
“A lot of times they can’t have their parent in the court room, or their parent is the perpetrator, and so someone from the District Attorney’s office, a stranger, would come and
sit with them,” Baab said.
She’d heard of programs in other states where kids could be accompanied by a therapy dog. She started to champion the idea, but learned it was not allowed in Oklahoma.
Then, in 2014, Gov. Mary Fallin signed a new statute into law that.....MORE
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West Midlands Fire Service
Look: Flats evacuated and road closed in suspected arson attack
Red Lane had to be closed and flats evacuated after fire thought to have been started deliberately in bin room
Antonia Bannister
Suspected arson at flats in Red Lane, Coventry
Arsonists are thought to be responsible for starting a fire at a block of flats in Coventry, destroying a communal bin room and damaging multiple homes.
Fire crews from Binley and Foleshill were called to tackle the blaze at around 1.10pm on Saturday.
The fire was started in a communal bin store room at the high rise block of flats in Red Lane, Stoke Heath.
West Midlands Police said it was thought someone had deliberately set fire to scraps of cardboard that had been left in the bin room for disposal.
The fire spread from the waste disposal room to the adjoining flats.
There was some smoke and heat damage to two neighbouring flats after smoke filtered into through an air vent. Crews managed to clear smoke from the properties.
Fortunately there were no reported casualties from the incident, but flats had to be evacuated as a precaution.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: “The bin store’s roof was damaged.
“The fire spread to the adjoining building.
“There was a small amount of smoke and heat damage caused to the flats.
“Due to the property being a high rise block of flats, two crews were in attendance.”
Crew Commander Dave Howell, who attended the fire, said: “We received multiple calls about the incident.
“There was a response time of under five minutes, but the fire was well developed at this point.
“The spread of the fire was put down to rubbish not being placed properly within the bins but left around the outside.”
While firefighters dealt with the suspected arson attack, police closed Red Lane from its junction with Stoney Stanton Road to Waterman Road.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We received a call at around 1.20pm.
“We were asked to help assist with controlling the traffic and the flow of pedestrians due to the smoke in the area.
“As with all other incidents of this nature, we will be investigating further.”
Orbit housing, which manages the property, were also called to the scene.
Western Power Distribution were also called out due to the close proximity of an electrical substation to the building.
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A power of attorney is a document that appoints a person (the attorney) to act on behalf of the person who gives the power (the donor or principal). The attorney can make decisions about the principal's property or financial affairs. They can operate the principal's bank accounts, pay the principal's bills and sell or buy property or shares on behalf of the principal.
Limits can be specified, but if they are not specified then the attorney can make any financial or legal decisions on the donor's behalf until the power is changed, cancelled or the donor loses capacity or dies.
Enduring power of attorney (Financial)
The date the power is activated and the responsibilities given to the donor can be specified. For example, the document may specify that the power will only take effect when capacity is lost and this is verified by medical evidence.
More than one attorney can be appointed to act at the same time and the appointment may be joint and several.
Guardianship is the appointment of a person (a guardian) to make decisions for an adult with a disability (the represented person) when they are unable to do so.
A guardian is a person or organisation appointed by a guardianship board or tribunal to make personal lifestyle decisions for someone with a disability, who is unable to make these decisions themselves. A guardian may be authorised to make decisions relating to living arrangements, work arrangements, medical treatment and access to persons and services.
A person (an administrator) is appointed by a tribunal to make financial and legal decisions for an adult with a disability (the represented person) when they are unable to do so for themselves.
Disability means:
The default position for decision-making is complete autonomy. Sometimes, where a person has a disability, this is not possible.
The Intellectual Disability Rights Service advocates the following guiding principles, where it is proven that it is in a person's own best interest for their decision making to be supported, or substituted:
the wishes, opinions and choices of the person must always be sought and considered first
the privacy, cultural diversity and integrity of the person must always be respected
the least restrictive and intrusive intervention into the person’s life
the ability to make decisions (legal capacity) is a fluid concept that may vary from time to time and from decision to decision – it should not be regarded as a static, unchanging and one-time only classification
diminished decision-making ability should not be confused with difficulties or impairment in communication – people should be provided adjustments and alternative modes of communication to express themselves
substitute decision-making is an absolute last resort
records must always be kept about supported and substitute decision-making arrangements (informal and formal) and decisions made to ensure processes are transparent, subject to independent review and (if necessary) to appellate review by courts
informal arrangements and support from family members, carers or friends who have close and continuing relationships with the person are preferable to formal orders of guardianship and financial management
support provided to the person to make decisions must always be in the best interests and welfare of the person.
Persons appointed under a power of attorney should keep these principles in mind when acting as an attorney.
Accepting appointment as a client's attorney under a power of attorney
People are advised to make a will, while they have capacity, and to review it from time to time to ensure it is up to date. They are also advised to execute an enduring power of attorney (financial). In fact, the Office of the Public Advocate in Victoria recommends that everyone over 18 years of age should consider the need to make an enduring power of attorney (financial), as loss of capacity can happen at any age.
A donor or principal nominates an attorney under a power of attorney to make financial and legal decisions for them.
An enduring power of attorney remains valid after a person loses the capacity to make their own decisions.
The attorney must:
exercise their powers in the interests of the donor
wherever possible make the same decision that the donor would make
keep their own assets separate from those of the donor
keep accurate records of dealings and transactions.
Donors are advised to appoint someone:
they trust to be their attorney
they are confident will act in the donor's best interests and take their wishes into account
who has money-management skills
who doesn’t have any existing health or personal issues, such as with alcohol, drugs or gambling, that may affect their ability to carry out the role.
It is usual for a family member or friend to be selected, although this is not necessarily the only or most suitable option. It cannot be assumed that family members have the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to carry out the role effectively.
In some cases it may be advisable to nominate a professional to act as their attorney. The CPA Australia member may be asked to agree to take on that role.
For accountants who have been asked to assume the role of attorney.
The accountant is required under the professional code of ethics to avoid conflicts of interest. Acting as the client’s adviser, attorney and accountant may pose some challenges of potential conflict.
Consider the family relationships and whether there is the potential for disputes in the future.
Older people are often especially reluctant to incur additional costs.
Attorneys other than professional attorneys, do not usually charge fees.
The fees applicable under the arrangement should be clearly spelled out at the outset.
If the person is insistent that they would like their accountant to also accept appointment as their attorney, the following is recommended:
The CPA may suggest an alternative, perhaps a member of the family.
Another option may be two members of the family, appointed jointly, or jointly and severally.
Another alternative may be for the accountant to be appointed attorney jointly and severally, with a member of the family jointly.
Insist that the donor get independent legal advice before appointing the attorney.
Ensure that there is a Letter of Engagement, describing why the accountant has been selected as the attorney, and defining the terms of the appointment, the triggers for its implementation and defining expressly the person's objectives, priorities and wishes for the management of their affairs should they lose competence
Ensure that there is professional confirmation of the person's capacity to make the appointment at the time the power of attorney is executed.
Recommend that another accountant take over the role as their accountant and, perhaps, as accountant for other family members.
It is advisable for the "donor" to review periodically the terms of the Power of Attorney, and the person appointed as their attorney.
Financial abuse of older people
Ethical and professional considerations
Elder abuse services
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Sears Site in Neglected Area of L.A. Primed for New Retail Project
A 22-acre property in Boyle Heights, a virtually ignored neighborhood in East Los Angeles, has been slated to become home to a new retail project. Manarino Realty, heading up a team involving boxer Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Partners real estate company, has signed a deal with MJW Investments
A 22-acre property in Boyle Heights, a virtually ignored neighborhood in East Los Angeles, has been slated to become home to a new retail project. Manarino Realty, heading up a team involving boxer Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Partners real estate company, has signed a deal with MJW Investments to acquire and redevelop the Sears Roebuck & Co. property. With an agreement in place, the Manarino team will pursue a master plan to accommodate the needs of the underserved community, which sits just five minutes east of Downtown, where billions of dollars are being poured into a bevy of new upscale commercial and residential developments. “The whole resurgence in greater Downtown is essentially kick-starting a lot of projects in the surrounding areas,” a Golden Boy spokesperson told CPN today. While specifics of the Manarino and Golden Boy project have not yet been outlined, the project will be designed to lure leading retailers while complementing the neighborhood’s historic architecture. The Sears property, developed in 1927 as a 1.8 million-square-foot warehouse that would later encompass a 200,000-square-foot department store, is still open for business to shoppers. The fact that the store remains operational poses an obstacle for the commencement of the project; issues arising from Sears’ company reorganization have stalled progress on a requisite contract between the Manarino partnership and the retailer. Other hurdles facing the team include the need for infrastructural improvements, as well as environmental concerns. “This is 22 acres in what is essentially a Downtown market,” the spokesperson said. “It’s an exceptional opportunity if they can overcome the challenges.” Based in Irvine, Calif., Manarino Realty was established in 2006 by leading retail developer Robert Manarino for the purpose of developing and renovating retail centers along the West Coast. Los Angeles-headquartered MJW is a full service real estate company that focuses on acquisition, development, adaptive reuse, asset management and property management activities. Three-year-old Golden Boy Partners, located in El Segundo, Calif., is a partnership between Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Enterprises and financial investment company Highridge Partners CEO John Long. The company focuses on the development of residential, retail and commercial projects, as well as pubic spaces.
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2008-F-KN215-0149.JPG
Sharene Brown, spouse of incoming Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., presents the official Air Force Chief of Staff service cap to her husband during the CSAF change of responsibility ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Aug. 6, 2020. Brown is the 22nd Chief of Staff of the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Trujillo)
SSgt Chad Trujillo
200806-F-KN215-0149.JPG
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HOPE THE ANCHOR
Dr Daintree September 2, 2020 September 2, 2020
I suppose if Christian civilisation were to adopt a Mission Statement, as most modern enterprises do, none better could be found than the simple list of the three ‘theological virtues’, Faith, Hope and Love. These sum up all our duties and our aspirations. Every human on earth understands in some sense what they each mean – though they can be misused or sold short.
To the believer they have their source and their goal in Eternity.
To the unbeliever they possess, sadly, a far narrower range of applications. Misapplied, they can even lead us badly astray. For example Psalm 146 strongly advises us not to put our faith in ‘princes’ (presumably that includes prime ministers or state premiers) for to do so is to tempt fate and court disaster. And love can be a poor, self-indulgent, conscience-saving activity, as the old saying ‘cold as charity’ reminds us. The words love and charity mean, or ought to mean, the same thing. The kind of love that lay behind that cruel adage is not really love at all; too often mere sentimentality or a guilty conscience can look like the real thing.
Hope is perhaps the hardest virtue to grasp, though St Paul thought it deserved a category of its own. Hope can be shallow and ungrounded: I can hope to win the lottery, and that’s a tall order (even taller if I don’t buy a ticket). I can hope for world peace, but it’s a vain hope unless all the world wants it too. Real Hope, that divine gift, looks to the future with an eye to Eternity. And Faith, that other noble virtue, is for the present. They complement each other: ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for’ (Hebrews 11.1). If they are separated strange things might happen: the incurable optimist could have hope without faith; the fatalist may have strong faith but no hope! But when all three are in lockstep they work wonders.
Christopher Dawson and others like him believed strongly in the close relationship between Faith and Reason. Perhaps Reason deserves inclusion in our mission statement, though according to St Anselm it is secondary to Faith:
‘I do not seek rational understanding so that I can have faith, but I have faith in order to have rational understanding.’
That’s a startling claim. It sounds absurd to an unbeliever, for it suggests unmistakably that nobody can properly understand anything at all without first having faith in God. But to the believer it naturally makes perfect sense, for Faith is like the focus dial on the lens: adjust it and the whole universe finally makes sense.
This single volume contains the full proceedings of the Colloquia for 2018 and 2019. Their themes, respectively, were ‘A World without Christianity?’ and ‘Rebuilding the Walls of Sion’. A wide range of first-rate thinkers and scholars combined to cover that challenging ground with flair, imagination and faithfulness.
$30 + $5 postage – payment by EFT:
WHY DO WESTERN MEDIA OVERLOOK THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS?
The epicentre of Christianity has shifted. How much do we know about Christians in Africa? We all know about the Rohingyas and Uyghurs, but there is ample evidence that Christians also suffer appalling persecution. This article from Mercatornet provides statistics from Nigeria that are horrifying and eye-watering – in every sense.
The notion of WHITE PRIVILEGE ‘fundamentally fails to explain inequalities in society,’ claims Tom Slater in Spiked.
THE ABOLITION OF RACE
Racial distinction is ‘scientifically and socially unsupportable’ argues Inaya Imam. This is a bold approach by another Spiked contributor who’s tired of identity politics.
At a time when they are under greater threat than ever, Luciano Boschiero defends the Liberal Arts on Campion College’s website. Bella D’Abrera of the Institute of Public Affairs weighs in here. Communication and reasoning skills, together with an awareness of history and therefore of our place in the universe, these things should be the basis of all education. We used to call them the three Rs. Changes in educational theory combine with political expediency combine to make them an endangered species.
VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING
Reader Philip Turnbull wrote the following letter to the editor of a major daily newspaper. It was not published. I thought it deserved inclusion here.
X, an advocate of Voluntary Assisted Dying, insists that the issue be discussed objectively, yet urges caution when it comes to religion, dismissing any religious input because she claims religion ‘requires belief without objective proof which is subjective.’ Later she refers to the ‘fanciful dictates of organised religion’. This is not the language one would expect from someone calling for an objective discussion. Leaving aside the ethical questions of VAD, and given the religious illiteracy that has taken hold in the West, it is becoming more and more difficult for the Christian understanding of what it means to be a human being to be given a hearing in a growing anti-Christian climate. And that is at the heart of this and many other ethical and moral questions up for discussion today. The simple fact that ‘fanciful dictates’ are studied and taught at Universities such as Bologna, Cambridge, Oxford, The Sorbonne, Yale, Salamanca, Regensburg and many other places of higher learning should at least indicate that religion cannot be so airily dismissed with popular clichés. Let’s have an objective discussion by all means but that calls for respectful dialogue, an open mind and a willingness to try and understand where those we disagree with come from. And as a catholic opposed to voluntary assisted dying, I do not come from Cloud Cuckoo Land but stand firm in a living tradition that created Europe and western civilization and that, more than any other institution, championed the dignity of all humanity.
With best wishes always,
David Daintree
‘The Skin of our Teeth’: Medieval Book Production
Hotel Soho, Davey Street, Hobart
Thursday 27 August, 2020 (to be confirmed)
6.00 pm, followed by two-course dinner, $35 per person (drinks not included), booking essential.
The survival of Western Civilisation is almost entirely due to the monks and nuns who copied books by hand in the so-called Dark ages and in the Middle Ages that followed. This talk will describe the methods of writing, assembling and distributing the precious documents that have come down to us. Examples of original manuscripts will be on display and can be handled.
MR NEVILLE CLARK MC,
FORMER HEADMASTER,
MENTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL, MELBOURNE
‘A Modern Crusade: Sir Harry Chauvel and the Australian Light Horse in Palestine’
Friday 30 October, 2020.
Two-course Dinner and Lecture, $35 per person (drinks not included), booking essential
Ending 400 years of Ottoman rule and paving the way for the creation thirty years later of the modern state of Israel, General Allenby’s Palestine campaign of 1917-1918 relied most heavily on its main striking force, the five Brigades of the Australian Light Horse, whose rugged riders and indomitable Walers proved to be the most effective and longest-serving of all the Allied forces in the Middle East – while throughout those storied lands of the Bible the Chaplains in particular had a field day!
1. MEDIEVAL LATIN, 11-15 JANUARY 2021
This course, now in its 27th year, offers a general introduction to post-classical Latin, poetry and prose, sacred and secular. We shall read some splendid literature that has had a formative influence on Western Civilisation. Some prior knowledge of Latin is assumed. There will be an introduction to palaeography, including an opportunity to handle original manuscripts.
2. NEW TESTAMENT GREEK, 18-22 JANUARY 2021
An intensive course in the koine Greek of the New Testament. We shall read passages from the Epistles and Gospels, as well as the Septuagint and Christian literature of the apostolic age. The course is aimed at beginners, but it is strongly recommended that all learn the Greek alphabet before commencing; exercises will be posted out beforehand to assist with that.
3. PHILOSOPHY, 25-29 JANUARY 2021
A five-day overview of the history and core trends of Philosophy taught by University of Tasmania academic Dr David Moltow:
This course is suitable for those who are interested in, but have not formally studied, the evolution of western philosophical thought. Beginning with the Ancient Greeks as the founders of Western Philosophy, we will go on to explore Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, through the middle ages discussing the work of Augustine, Anselm and Aquinas, and into the modern period. We will focus not just on the writings of prominent philosophers, but on the problems they sought to address (most of which continue to preoccupy our thoughts) and the methods by which they addressed them. We will explore how philosophers through the ages have sought to understand the ‘big questions’ – meaning, being, knowledge, ethics, aesthetics, free-will, religion, politics – and consider how their thoughts might help us today to think through some of the issues that confront us, privately and in our communities.
All three January Summer Schools will be held at Jane Franklin Hall (University of Tasmania), 6 Elboden Street, South Hobart.
Our annual conference originally scheduled for 2020 has been postponed to 25–26 June 2021. We’ll be a year older, and perhaps wiser. It will be worth waiting for! We are looking at the possibility of running this online as well as on site in Hobart. The theme will be secondary education, with a particular focus on the development of the spiritual and religious dimension of human nature. See our website for further details.
Previous Post KEEPING THE FAITH
Next Post AM I MAD, OR ARE YOU?
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ITV thriller Innocent begins filming in Lake District
A new series of a critically acclaimed drama which focuses on Keswick has been commissioned by ITV.
The first series of Innocent, a drama about a scandal that rocked the Lake District town involving schoolteacher Sally Wright, who was alleged to be having an affair with her 16-year-old pupil Matty Taylor, was one of ITV’s highest rated dramas of 2018 with an average of more than seven million viewers for each of the four episodes.
Filming of the second series has already started on location in the Lake District and Ireland.
Katherine Kelly, who rose to prominence as Becky McDonald in Coronation Street and who has also appeared in Liar II, Cheat and Mr Selfridge, will take the lead role of Sally Wright who is fighting, against all odds, to prove her innocence.
When Matty is found dead, stabbed with a broken cider bottle, suspicion falls upon Sally who had admitted to taking special interest in the boy.
In spite of having no criminal record, no history of violence and vehemently protesting her innocence and the fact she could not be placed at the remote beauty spot on the day Matty was found murdered, Sally was convicted by a majority verdict and sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in jail.
The new four-part series opens with Sally in the dock of Carlisle Crown Court, determined to prove her innocence.
As she waits for the jury to deliver on her appeal, she contemplates how she has lost everything she holds dear.
Her relationship, home and marriage to probation officer, Sam, her job as head of English at a local comprehensive school, her status and good name in the community, and personal contact with her ageing mother who now lives in a care home.
With the unwavering support of her best friend, Jenny, editor of the local Cumbrian Post newspaper, Sally has been given a lifeline, as new evidence, which places her six miles from the murder scene, is unearthed.
When the forewoman pronounces Sally is not guilty of the crime which has destroyed her life, her first thoughts are for Matty and his parents, John and Maria Taylor, who are still living their nightmare.
Hell-bent on reclaiming some of her life, Sally sets out to help the police seek answers and find the real killer.
DCI Michael Braithwaite — returning to work after a period of absence — is charged with reinvestigating the case and is determined to discover the true identity of Matty’s killer.
Forever autumn…..
Woman stranded in UK after attending brother’s funeral – thanks to COVID-19
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Home/Comment/Betrayal of Britain- Introduction
Betrayal of Britain- Introduction
John Hartigan October 5, 2016 Comment, WOW Leave a comment 2,205 Views
What is the name of your country? A simple question. To those citizens of the islands north of France there are now many answers – the United Kingdom, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland, England, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Cornwall? There are in fact two states as recognised by the United Nations – the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This pamphlet solely relates to the latter.
The reality is that most of the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have no idea that this is the actual name of their nation state (you may wish to refer to your passport). The phrase “Great Britain”, which sums up the author’s most important building blocks of identity and belief, has almost disappeared from modern politics and culture. In September 2014 Great Britain came within 191,000 votes of ceasing to exist, even as a forgotten phrase on a passport.
This is not about whether Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland should be independent. No discussion here about who would be better off. Look elsewhere for details of how a divorce between the nations could be accomplished. The author was born and lives in England and it would be arrogant to suggest how others should vote on matters of independence. This is about Great Britain.
The decline of the national identity that so many of us took for granted and the erosion of the values that this nation has some right to claim that it represents will be one of the greatest mysteries that historians in future years will face. How did we come to a position where the existence of Great Britain as a political concept was decided by 0.4% of the UK electorate and does it matter?
We will see how MPs denied voters the right to consent to the most important changes in how they are governed. Parliament took an unprecedented step in authorising an independence referendum in Scotland without seeking a mandate from the British electorate. Unless challenged, Parliament now has a new power to bypass voters on the most profound changes. Whilst most of us would probably have agreed with Parliament’s decision, how many of us would have agreed that it was Parliament’s decision to make? A Parliament no longer restrained by consent is a development that undermines our democracy. The next change to how Britain governs itself may not be so popular.
Without debate on these issues, the country is unprepared to know or agree what process should be followed to enable a second independence referendum to take place. The solution is in the final chapter.
There is more at stake.
One hundred years on from when Great Britain ruled the waves, it is now in grave danger of sinking without trace. There are striking parallels and contrasts with that time which challenge our current notions of citizenship and society. There are present dangers in the world. And, where once the civilised world would look to Great Britain to be relied upon to do the right thing, the civilised world now looks to Great Britain in vain or, even worse, in confusion.
We will see that what began with noble intentions in Sierra Leone and Kosovo resulted in the loss of international credibility in Iraq. Having lost our grasp of right and wrong on the international stage, we have stood aside as the modern equivalents of the Sudetenland and Poland crises in the run up to World War II are being played out in the Crimea and Ukraine.
If Britain does survive, there is the chance to rediscover and perhaps re-invent what Great Britain is and what it represents. There are powerful notions of sacrifice and decency from our relatively recent past that deserve to be dusted off and put back into the service of the nation. But the chance will slip through our fingers without a reconnection in our politics between the governed and those who govern. The essential first step – the recasting of our parliamentary system – is tantalizingly straightforward. This is the “Every Vote Counts” system. All it requires is imagination and for voters to vote for who they really want. All that is missing is for the public to know about it.
With a clear sense of who we are, how we govern ourselves and act responsibly in the world, we can truly hope to tame the raging tiger in our modern culture – cynicism.
Tags Great Britain Unionism United Kingdom
About John Hartigan
John Hartigan is author of Betrayal of Britain: How politics failed Great Britain in the early 21st Century now available on Amazon. Founder of the AskBritain movement to restore voters' rights to consent to constitutional change. He is a member of the Labour Party and candidate in local elections. His postgraduate research on the World War One volunteers was published in Midland History. He is an investment manager and former bank manager.
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Next Conservative Party Conference 2016: The Verdict
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Photo submitted Rev. Jim Mannon is the pastor at Brookhaven Assembly of God. From left: Mannon, and wife Kim.
Brookhaven pastor loves the heart of his congregation
In the past decade, The Rev. Jim Mannon of Brookhaven Assembly of God has seen God change his church from a traditionally white congregation to a multi-racial, multi-cultural church.
National news reports of racial division and racism in general are topics he doesn’t shy away from.
“The problems we’re seeing are heart problems,” Mannon said. “Understanding, purpose and value can’t be legislated. It has to be a heart change.”
Mannon said the majority of the members of his church welcome everybody, whether they’re visitors or from different backgrounds.
“I love the heart of my people,” he said. “And I love that we are able to be a blessing to our community, being able to give back to the community.”
Mannon has pastored the church for 15 years.
He and his wife Kim, the church worship leader, minister to the hurting and broken out of their own pain, reassuring them that “God has a plan better than they can ever accept, hope or imagine,” Mannon said.
Some 15 years ago, his wife was diagnosed with cancer of the chin, and suffered from side effects.
Cancer treatment and reconstructive surgery left her with half a chin and a disfigured mouth which she can’t close. Mannon said he hurt for his wife. She wondered if she would be able to sing again.
“What the devil intends for evil, God intends for good,” she said. “I can still sing. He didn’t take my ministry away from me.”
The couple, originally from Louisiana, has been in ministry over 30 years.
Mannon said God began dealing with his heart when he was 16, telling him to preach. In that season of searching, God led him to Isaiah 5:8: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
“I felt the pressing of the Holy Spirit, asking me that question, ‘Will you go?’” Mannon said. “Later, in a church service, a minister confirmed that word in my life.”
Mannon and his wife dated about a year and got married after high school. They moved to north Mississippi and Mannon planned to pursue a nursing degree.
“God reminded me that I was going to have to make a choice,” he said. “I could be a nurse, but that was not what God called me to do.”
Mannon studied at Northwest Community College in Senatobia and has completed ministerial studies.
Mannon served as minister of youth at Hight Assembly, Noxapater, Senatobia, New Life and Horn Lake, and returned to New Life as Christian Educator. He then became a full-time youth pastor at Noxapater.
The job at Brookhaven Assembly, 226 North 2nd St., is his first as lead pastor. The assembly is in its 86th year.
Mannon is also director of men’s ministries for the Mississippi District of Assemblies of God.
The Mannons have college-age sons, Ethan and Zackary.
Mannon’s favorite scripture is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Story by Robin Eyman
Police searching for man “armed and dangerous”
Brookhaven police are looking for a man considered armed and dangerous. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has called off an... read more
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Kilt or tux? What will John Murphy wear to lead St. Patrick's Day parade in Morristown
MORRISTOWN — Kilt or tuxedo?
John J. Murphy, this year's grand marshal for the St. Patrick's Day Parade of Morris County, the biggest in the state, is keeping his choice of attire a secret.
The thousands of marchers who plan to take part in the March 10 parade that will wind down South Street will have to just wait and see, he said.
"It's certainly exciting and I'm really honored," said the Morris Township resident and married father of four whose name is synonymous with public service in Morris County where he is a past county freeholder, Morris Township mayor, and volunteer firefighter since the 1980s.
"The parade is a slice of Americana, where people from all walks of life come. The parade route is filled with families. And, it's really something to see all the veterans groups that participate," said Murphy, 58.
Murphy's heritage is richly Irish. The oldest of seven children, his parents, Michael and Bridie, separately emigrated to America, met in New York City and married. They made their home in Morristown.
Murphy proposed to his now wife Jennifer on St. Patrick's Day 1996 after their romance blossomed on a 1995 bus trip to Washington, D.C. to see U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen sworn as a congressman.
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Murphy said he has 80 cousins, many in Ireland, where he has vacationed with his family, celebrated at the Rose of Tralee Festival in Kerry and visited the beaches in his mother's hometown of Doonbeg.
Murphy grew up in Morristown - where he was quarterback of the Morristown High School Colonials. He raised his family in Morris Township and counts many of the past parade grand marshals as friends.
"I don't think I've missed a parade since I've been out of college," said Murphy. "When I look at the list of previous grand marshals I'm honored and humbled."
He noted in particular 2016 grand marshal John Hyland, who has battled acute leukemia and raised more than $1 million for research for the disease.
The annual parade was first held in Wharton in 1979, sponsored by the Irish-American Association of Northwest Jersey. Its size and the crowd quickly surpassed what the tiny borough could manage so by 1991, the Irish-American Association partnered with the Morris County chapter of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick to form a non-profit corporation that has since held the parade in Morristown.
The route extends more than a mile from the staging area at Town Hall on South Street, wraps around The Morristown Green and ends at Morristown High School on Atno Avenue. Town and parade officials anticipate 50,000 or more to participate if the weather is mild.
Murphy said he has collected Irish artifacts and mementos over the years, including a kilt and dress jacket. He wears a Claddagh ring, a symbol of love, loyalty and friendship. A financial adviser who graduated with a degree in business administration from Gettysburg College, he has a shillelagh, an Irish stick used for walking or as a weapon, on a shelf in his office at the Private Adviser Group in Morristown.
One of his favorite acquisitions is an emerald green 1965 firetruck formerly used by a Pennsylvania fire department. Murphy and his family, including children Caitlin, Megan, Jack and Emily, will walk the parade route. The grand marshall's friend, Rick Greik, will transport Murphy's parents and other older relatives and friends in the 1965 truck.
Murphy first learned last summer he was selected 2018 grand marshal by the parade committee in a call from long-time friend Jeff Rawding, a past grand marshal.
"I thought he was busting my chops," Murphy said. "But it's a great situation to be in."
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Past grand marshal Mike Quinn said he has known Murphy for decades as a person who "always gives back." Quinn said Murphy offered him use of his firetruck when he was grand marshal.
"It just seemed like everyplace I went and everything that was happening in Morris Township, John Murphy was involved in it somehow. He always gives back to the community," Quinn said.
Murphy was on the Morris Township zoning board and served as township mayor in the 1990s. He was a county freeholder for 15 years and is credited by colleagues with spearheading the acquisition of 300 acres of the former Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital property now designated for recreation and non-profit use. He ran unsuccessfully in 2005 for the Republican nomination for governor. After an absence from politics, he was tapped in 2016 by then-Gov. Chris Christie to serve on the county's four-member board of elections.
He has coached youth football, helped at Ground Zero in New York City after Sept. 11, 2001, and went with a Morris County decontamination unit to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In December 2014, he and a fellow firefighter from Woodland Hook and Ladder Co. in Morris Township ran into a burning house to carry out a woman, who tragically died.
Morris County Administrator John Bonanni counts Murphy as one of the remarkable people he has met in life.
"Irish Playwright George Bernard Shaw once described a gentleman as 'one who puts more into the world than he takes out.' John Murphy embodies that description in every aspect of his life. He is most deserving of this honor and those of us who call him our friend are truly blessed," Bonanni said.
The weeks leading up to the parade are a whirlwind for the grand marshal. Murphy was feted at a Grand Marshals on Tap event, where past marshals served as a celebrity bartenders. Serenaded by bagpipers, Murphy and his wife were led on a pub crawl on Friday night to Irish restaurants and taverns.
The Grand Marshal's Reception at the Madison Hotel will be held March 2. Two hours before the parade launch at noon on March 10, Murphy and his family will be at the annual pre-parade mass at Church of the Assumption in Morristown, to which his family belongs.
"And then I'll be in the parade waving, smiling and grinning from ear to ear. I'll be looking for familiar faces. I always run into people at the parade that I haven't seen in years," Murphy said.
Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com
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Hannah Corneau Steps Into the Role of Yitzhak for Hedwig Tour: ‘He’s a Sad Clown’
Katy Lemieux | February 7, 2017 | 10:16am
Hannah Corneau (left) as Yitzhak, husband to Hedwig, who doesn’t treat him so kindly.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is on its first national tour, and it opens in Dallas today. It’s the story of a German, genderqueer rock singer who’s obsessed with becoming a star. Her husband, Yitzhak, an Eastern European drag queen, is the victim of her verbal abuse and jealousy.
The musical opened off-Broadway in 1998, but it wasn’t until 2014 that it saw a Broadway stage. That year it won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, but closed fairly soon after.
The character of Yitzhak is traditionally played by a woman, and the most notable woman to play him was Lena Hall, who originated the character on Broadway. Hall won the Tony Award for her performance and then was along on the tour for its first two months. In Dallas, the role will be played by Hannah Corneau.
“It’s a huge honor to succeed Lena, but it’s a very individually cerebral task,” Corneau says. She saw Hall play Yitzhak on Broadway, saw her win the Tony, and was very affected by her performance.
Corneau is taking the role very seriously, and relates to Yitzhak’s sensitivity. She is physically smaller in stature than her predecessor, and she says that aided in her decision on how to play Yitzhak.
“He’s a sad clown and he has a very vulnerable, large heart.”
Corneau also relates to Yitzhak as a singer, who functions as Hedwig’s backup for most of the musical. She saw him as unable to suppress his magic.
“That was so inspiring and interesting to me. He is so vibrant, but he suppresses what he loves,” she says. “I don’t see myself in him all the time, but the depths of his soul intrigue me. Going on this journey as him, and with him, has been very fulfilling to me.”
Corneau is a lifelong music lover and singer. A native of upstate New York and graduate of the Musical Theater Program at Syracuse University, Corneau grew up listening to what she calls “normal music”: the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie. She didn’t even listen to musicals until college.
She started in community theater at a very young age and continued into college. She now works in regional theaters in Chicago and Washington D.C. Playing Yitzhak and joining this production has been the highlight of her career, she says.
The musical is notable for working in references to current events, and Corneau says this tour is no exception.
“We make bold statements, but it depends on where we are. Hedwig is a very important show, with universal themes. Wherever we are it seems to resonate with the audience.”
Corneau was in North Carolina at the time of our interview, and said she was surprised that the audiences there weren’t put off by the musical or the current references Hedwig slips in.
“These are just solid, important themes I think everyone can relate to it in some way.”
See Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., through Sunday, Feb. 12. Tickets are $25 to $170 at attpac.org.
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It's not easy to stay productive as a developer. It's a mentally stressful job that can quickly exhaust the mind and also requires a lot of attention. Understanding how you can focus on your work, take shortcuts using automation, and deal with distractions can help you a lot in making the most out of your working hours. In this collection, you can find our best productivity tips for developers and programmers, from finding the best developer tools to taking regular breaks to successfully eliminating...
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IMAGE SOURCE: Pixabay, public domain.
Don’t feel torn between your passion for engineering and a desire to develop your knowledge and skills in other areas. While it’s true that earning a degree in engineering can require rigorous studies, you can choose a degree program that will also provide you with an educational foundation rich in studies into the arts, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities
The Benefits of Becoming a Well-Rounded Engineer
Engineers don’t do their work in a vacuum. They design, invent and innovate within the context of society. They solve problems, but to do that, they need to understand those problems. That means developing a broad knowledge of the scientific principles, historical events, social and economic trends, political movements and cultural expectations that contribute to or affect those problems.
It’s a common misconception that engineers need only technical knowledge to succeed. In fact, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that creativity is among the most important qualities for aspiring engineers in fields like industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer hardware engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and many more. After all, engineers must see the world in creative ways and devise novel solutions to sometimes longstanding problems – and that requires critical thinking and an appreciation of why how the status quo came to be.
Engineering at Liberal Arts Schools
Students have plenty of institutions to choose from when it comes to studying engineering. The in-demand degree programs are popular at public and private schools, community colleges and prestigious universities, technical schools and liberal arts colleges. Certainly there are benefits to earning an engineering degree at any one of these institutions.
However, you might be surprised to learn that some of the best undergraduate engineering degree program in the country (at least, among schools that don’t offer graduate degrees) falls under the category of a liberal arts college. U.S. News & World Report ranked Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA tied for first on its list of the best undergraduate engineering degree programs, but also ranked the school among the top 15 liberal arts schools in the nation. The private institution is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) school, offering degree paths only in STEM majors. However, it has a tradition of fitting STEM education into a backdrop that includes mandatory studies in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Interdisciplinary Studies in Engineering
If anything, the field of engineering is growing ever broader. Understanding multiple disciplines – not just the principles and applications of engineering – is now more important than ever. The National Academy of Engineering recognizes bioengineering, chemical engineering and computer science and engineering as distinct categories of the field. To succeed in these branches of engineering, you will need to know the basics of biology or chemistry or computer science.
The National Academy of Engineering even acknowledges special fields and interdisciplinary engineering as its own category. The organization notes that engineers can benefit from a background in a wide range of subjects – from atmospheric sciences to law, the military to agriculture, acoustics to economics and education to management.
Some interdisciplinary branches of engineering, like biomedical engineering, are among the top paying engineering careers available. They’re also some of the fastest growing categories, with new opportunities emerging all the time.
You don’t necessarily need a specialized degree in bioengineering, or a double major in engineering and computer science. However, by studying different branches of science, periods of history and languages and cultures, you can gain a broader insight into the world in which your engineering work will be used.
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Derby County duo called up to Scotland squad for crucial World Cup qualifiers
Chris Marting and Ikechi Anya will be in the squad for games against Slovakia and Slovenia
Chris Martin and Ikechi Anya in action for Scotland (Image: Getty Images)
Derby County duo Chris Martin and Ikechi Anya have been named in the Scotland squad for their final round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Scotland have two crucial group games against Slovakia (October 5) and Slovenia (October 7) as they look to secure a play-off position in Group F.
Victory in both those games will ensure they land a play-off spot as they look to reach the finals in Russia next summer.
Martin featured as a substitute in both of Scotland’s last two group games.
The 28-year-old was a second-half replacement in the 3-0 win over Lithuania and then again in the 2-0 success against Malta.
Anya, who featured in Derby County Under-23s 2-1 win at Manchester United on Friday, was an unused substitute for his country.
The pair will meet up with their Scotland team-mates on October 1.
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Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope
By Una McCormack
Una McCormack Simon & Schuster Audio 9781982139445
The Star Trek: Picard Series: Book 1
The USA TODAY bestseller—based on the new Star Trek TV series! “Fifteen years ago…you led us out of the darkness. You commanded the greatest rescue armada in history. Then...the unimaginable. What did that cost you? Your faith. Your faith in us. Your faith in yourself. Tell us, why did you leave Starfleet, Admiral?” Every end has a beginning…and this electrifying novel details the events leading into the new Star Trek TV series, introducing you to brand-new characters featured in the life of Jean-Luc Picard—widely considered to be one of the most popular and recognizable characters in all of science fiction.
The USA TODAY bestseller—based on the new Star Trek TV series!
“Fifteen years ago…you led us out of the darkness. You commanded the greatest rescue armada in history. Then...the unimaginable. What did that cost you? Your faith. Your faith in us. Your faith in yourself. Tell us, why did you leave Starfleet, Admiral?”
Every end has a beginning…and this electrifying novel details the events leading into the new Star Trek TV series, introducing you to brand-new characters featured in the life of Jean-Luc Picard—widely considered to be one of the most popular and recognizable characters in all of science fiction.
Author Bio: Una McCormack
Una McCormack is the author of seven previous Star Trek novels: The Lotus Flower (part of The Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Hollow Men, The Never-Ending Sacrifice, Brinkmanship, The Missing, the New York Times bestseller The Fall: The Crimson Shadow, and Enigma Tales. She is also the author of three Doctor Who novels from BBC Books: The King’s Dragon, The Way Through the Woods, and Royal Blood. She has written numerous short stories and audio dramas. She lives in Cambridge, England, with her partner of many years, Matthew, and their daughter, Verity.
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Confinement - Samia Henni - Unhoused
Aicha Boutayeb’s working activities (maraude, social round-up) in the streets of Marseille on March 18, 2020, the second day of confinement. Drawing: Samia Henni and Anbar Oreizi-Esfahani.
9:00–10:00 am
Reinsurance, call 115, distribution of exceptional travel certificates, medical appointments, contact tutor for budget management during confinement.
[No room at 115, call back around 2 pm.]
10:00–10:15 am
Printing posters with information about the closure of our offices and telephone numbers to reach us. Stick on the front door.
[In parallel, call a meal distribution association to be able to collect bags to distribute to our active queue.]
Withdrawal of 25 meals.
[Discussion about the situation and organization of withdraw meals for the next few days. 1st police check.]
We went to see a lady we know to explain the situation to her, but she refused to speak to us.
[Call from our rear base to inform us that a place is available at a hotel.]
Accompanying of the person to the hotel, delivery of exemption certificates, distribution of meals for lunch and dinner.
12:00–12:10 pm
Mr. H at a hotel, explanation of the context and the constraints related to confinement, delivery of exemption certificate and lunch bag.
Delivery of lunch bags and exemption certificates.
Visit of Mr. F at a hotel, delivery of meals and exemption certificate, explanation of the confinement situation.
Delivery of lunch bag and exemption certificates.
13:25– 13:45 pm
Visit to Mrs. N who did not accept meals. She accepted to be sheltered. She refused the exemption certificate.
[Call 115, no room.]
Lady not found.
[We walked along the street to look for her. She was not found.]
Another person not found.
[We found the tent empty. We asked the inhabitants who said that it has been a week since they last saw her. Two police checks: 1 outward / 1 return.]
Distribution of meals, exemption certificates, explanation of the context.
[Police control.]
Distribution of meals, call the tutor, reinsurance.
[Vulnerable person at a hotel: we went shopping for him so that he can avoid going out as much as possible.]
Back to the office. Printing of additional exemption certificates, distribution of the remaining meals to people who were in the street below the office.
In spring 2020, a number of countries announced and implemented a strict confinement on the population in order to slow down the spread of COVID-19. A number of leaders declared that some workers, labelled “essential,” were requested to continue working to guarantee the functioning of the country, whereas others, named “nonessential,” were forced to stay at home and work from home. But how about those living on the streets and slums of these countries? Where did they have to stay during the lockdown? What policies did the government provide for them when enforcing the stay-home order? Who protected them? How did they cope with the absence of passers-by and the shutdown of businesses?
In the city of Marseille, two “essential” employees, Aicha Boutayeb and Vincent Girard, work with the unhoused population who were requested to “disappear” from the streets of the city overnight due to the national confinement order. Aicha Boutayeb is a street social worker at the Mouvement et action pour le rétablissement social et sanitaire (Movement and Action for Social and Medical Recovery; MARSS), which is part of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (Public Hospitals of Marseille). Vincent Girard is a psychiatrist and co-founder of the collective MARSS in 2005 in Marseille, the first intervention team in France that implemented the practices of the Recovery and Community Health movement, which is inspired by Franco Basaglia’s democratic psychiatry.
The following excerpts are part of a series of interviews conducted with Marseille’s “essential” workers in the immediate aftermath of the lifting of the first national lockdown (March 17–May 11, 2020).1
“Now we’re going to tell them to go back to the street.”
Samia Henni As a street social worker, you work with the unhoused. How was your work affected during confinement?
Aicha Boutayeb We had to create a whole system: we had to keep some people out of the field, just because of the risk of contamination if everyone worked at the same time, and so as not to run the risk of having no more staff on the ground. We set up a rota. In our team, we formed three weekly teams. For example, I was in the field for the first week of lockdown, but for the next two weeks I was out in the field. Another pair took over, and we’ve been rotating like this until now. We’re going back to how we normally work next week.
SH You were on the streets of Marseille during the very first week of lockdown. How did you find this change?
AB The first week was intense. They were long days ending at eight or nine o’clock in the evening. During this first week, we had to find accommodation for people living on the streets. Our boss met with the Service intégré d’accueil et d’orientation (Integrated Reception and Orientation Service; SIAO), the hotel services for those being sheltered.2 We also had to find places where people could eat or pick up food. In the first week, we looked for people to shelter them in a hotel and find them food. The idea was to go around with the car, which was filled with sixty to seventy food packages, give people food, and make sure they understood what was going on, because some of them did not have any access to information. We had to explain why the streets were empty all of a sudden. Some people had been begging at red lights but now there were no cars, so where could they get money? We had to go and see people to find out if they needed something because, as they could no longer beg, they could no longer buy food, tobacco, or alcohol—although we don’t have a lot of people who drink alcohol. In that first week of lockdown, we had find people, explain the situation, put them in a safe place, find them food, coordinate with other teams about sheltering them, and then plan which days to spend on meals, etc. It took three weeks for us to coordinate everything and make sure that everything was going well.
SH How did you manage to find accommodation and convince unhoused people to get off the street?
AB We weren’t able to convince everyone to get off the street and some stayed outside during all of lockdown. In Marseille and other cities in France, there is a scheme called “Nuit Plus” in which the SIAO lists all the accommodation available in suitable facilities. A homeless person is entitled to ten nights’ accommodation a year paid for by the state. With lockdown, we had to negotiate to extend the care provided until the end of the lockdown and even beyond. For the time being, these people are still in accommodation. During the first week, we also had to call empty hotels and negotiate with hoteliers to get them to agree to take in these people. A lot of hotels said no to us, but some of them were willing to cooperate. So we sent the list of people to Nuit Plus and the SIAO so that they could have a signed agreement and get shelter.
SH Am I correct in saying that during lockdown unhoused people were not allowed to stay on the street? It was forbidden because they needed authorization to be there?
AB The situation wasn’t clear and at that time the issue of homelessness had not been given much thought. It was only after all these charities had raised the needs, the conditions, and the complicated situation of these people that things started to happen. But from first impressions, I would say that it was not the state’s primary concern.
SH People living on the streets have been very affected by the lockdown regulations. Thousands of people in France and millions around the world who found themselves on the street were deprived of their spaces and of passers-by. Do you think that the psychological impact on these people will be even more significant?
AB Yes, absolutely. There are some people we used to go to see once a week, or once every two weeks, and then it became daily. We had to see them once a day or every two to three days because they needed to talk, to meet people. They had totally lost their bearings. People who used to talk all day long with passers-by found themselves with nothing. They found themselves even more alone than they were to begin with. So the idea was to go and say hello to them.
SH And now that lockdown has ended, what will happen to the people who have been put into shelters? Are they going to end up on the street? I feel like it’s going to be even harder for them.
AB At the moment, people are still in shelters because the sheltering period has been extended. Some hotels have cooperated and there have been agreements with other organizations that have swung into action. At the moment, social workers are operating from two large hotels. It’s interesting in the sense that they can help people with their needs and contact us or other mobile teams, depending on what is needed. But our concern—my team’s and my own—is to work out what we are going to do after this. It’s hard to imagine: we’ve gotten someone who was on the street used to a minimum level of comfort, and now we’re going to tell them to go back to the street. That worries me a lot.
“The street is another way of exterminating people.”
Samia Henni You are the person behind MARSS. Can you tell us about the creation of this movement, its history, and its role?
Vincent Girard Its story began when I was invited to Yale University in New Haven as part of a team called the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health. I discovered a research team in which half of the researchers were receiving psychiatric treatment. In France, we are not used to considering that having a psychiatric disorder is an advantage or something useful in professional life. Instead, we tend to hide it, feel ashamed, and try not to show it. But over there, I met people who thought, on the contrary, that it was a useful experience, after a certain level of recovery. They felt that these people had gone through an experience that made them more able to understand and therefore in a better position to help with mental health research. It made a lot of sense, yet at the same time it was very far from what I had been taught and what the dominant western culture thinks about mental disorders, which it only sees it as something shameful, similar to a disability or a defect. And over there, on the contrary, it was something that was valued. And I thought that was very just, both in the sense of social justice, but also in the sense of being just right.
SH What happened when you came back?
VG I joined a movement and created the first intervention team branch attached to it in France. Historically, Recovery is an international movement inspired by Franco Basaglia’s democratic psychiatry, which was born in Italy in the 1950s and 1960s after the Second World War. Since the 1970s and 1980s, it has spread to the United States and much of the Anglo-Saxon world. This movement owes its existence and its strength to international relations and an exchange of ideas, upon which it has built a common experience. This common experience is both that people can recover—even if it is difficult, long, and chaotic—and that they can recover within an existential, political, and social paradigm that is not the biomedical system. What the biomedical model proposes is sometimes even a hindrance to the recovery process. On the one hand, there is a the lack of progress and effectiveness of medicine in the field of mental health, and on the other hand—which is much more serious—the medical system has put itself at the service of a system of oppression and behavior control.
SH Can you elaborate on this last point?
VG Today, international psychiatry is an instituted form of structural abuse that oppresses people all over the world. And the Recovery movement has also opposed this by saying: we don’t want to be locked up anymore, we don’t want to be tied up anymore, we don’t want to be forcibly drugged anymore. It’s a movement that also asserts people’s rights. Moreover, Basaglia was not mistaken: his movement is called democratic psychiatry. It affirms the need to democratize the psychiatric system, which is a closed totalitarian system. We are thus confronted with this totalitarian system, which we address with this message: the people you lock up under the pretext that they are sick can recover, despite being outside or inside the health care system. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. In the health care system there are caregivers who do their job very well and who are very respectful of people’s rights, but as a whole, the organization, the laws, and the structure of psychiatry allow things that should not be allowed. Moreover, the UN has very clearly opposed the confinement of people with disabilities through articles 13 and 14 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which France signed in 2010 but does not enforce.
SH At the very beginning of the establishment of MARSS, you set up a team with someone who already had experience living on the street. Can you tell us how it all started?
VG My colleagues at Yale University taught me that as a psychiatrist and caregiver, you cannot bring about recovery without directly involving the people who are most oppressed and victimized by the system. They have an experience and understanding of the mechanisms of oppression that we do not have. Recovery is really about building on people’s experience to coordinate an appropriate response. This means that we cannot do anything without the people involved: nothing about us without us. This is something that I understood right away, and it touched me a lot during this year of working in the United States with the so-called peer workers.
SH How did you implement back in France?
VG When I returned to France, I asked to become a volunteer at Médecins du Monde. The first person I met while doing my first street patrol in Marseille was a gentleman called Hermann Händlhuber. I met him at Place Castellane, in the recess of a bank—rather symbolic. He lived there, on the street, on the ground. We talked a lot and after a few months I managed to convince him to come and work with me as a volunteer on the Médecins du Monde team. It was an extraordinary venture: no one thought it was possible, but I knew it was possible, because I had seen it in the United States. And Hermann Händlhuber believed it was too. He started as a volunteer. Then we found some money and he got his first contract at Médecins du Monde. Then he was recruited by the Public Hospitals of Marseille: he was the first mental health peer worker recruited by a public hospital. Then in 2008, this street team was created—first on a voluntary basis and then funded—in a partnership between Médecins du Monde and the Marseille Public Hospital.
SH How was the street team founded?
VG We had previously opened a squat that we called the therapeutic squat: we took in people who were on the street with severe psychiatric disorders. The squat became well known very quickly and, barely a year after it had opened, the Minister of Health came to visit it. On November 30, 2008, Nicolas Sarkozy made a very stigmatizing speech about psychiatry and people with mental disorders, and I think Roselyne Bachelot, the politician who is currently serving as the Minister of Culture, wanted to light a counter fire. In any case, she came to meet us in Marseille and asked us what we wanted to do and how much money we needed. She asked me to conduct a ministerial report on the health of homeless people, and I managed to convince her to set up a New York-style program, Housing First, which was spreading across the United States. There was also a huge research program on Housing First in Canada. She said let’s do it. So we set up a multi-site randomized trial across four cities. I knew—because I had had this experience at Yale—that you have to do the research to make a strong argument for changing public policy. I knew we couldn’t change psychiatry right away, but I knew we could change homelessness policies. So then we introduced the concept of recovery from the margins, from precarious situations. We first put in place a program called Un chez-soi d'abord (Housing First) and it worked well. The concept of recovery was really hammered home and now there are thousands of people in France who are familiar with recovery. They don’t all necessarily know what it means, but they know the word and understand the paradigm shift. And most importantly, there is now training on recovery for psychiatrists as well as legislation about recovery—well, memorandums, anyway. The word “recovery” has entered the vocabulary of psychiatry in France.
SH You talked about Basaglia and democratic psychiatry: can you tell us about the transition from democratic psychiatry to street community psychiatry?
VG As a team in Marseille, we are geographically quite close to Trieste and the Italians: in Marseille, thirty percent of residents are of Italian origin and the history of Basaglia and what happened in Trieste is very familiar to us. And like all the people of Europe, we are still very affected by what happened in 1939–1945 and by Adolf Hitler’s T4 program. The first aspect of his extermination policy was to eliminate the mentally ill. There were also 40,000 deaths in French psychiatric hospitals as a result of the Vichy government’s decision to reduce food rations so that they would not be sufficient for people to survive. There was a state-sponsored hunger epidemic, a hospital famine organized by the Vichy regime. I think that’s what Basaglia’s democratic psychiatry was borne out of: the observation made by the psychiatric nurses who survived the concentration camps, who returned to Italy saying that the concentration camps resembled psychiatric asylums. Having survived the camps, we can no longer live like that, we can no longer work in psychiatric asylums as before because we would feel like Nazis. That’s where the realization came from. This history is also relevant for us in France. But then again, the street is another way of exterminating people.
SH Do you think that if people live in housing that they will be able to recover more easily? Perhaps you could comment on the importance of Housing First, the importance of having shelter?
VG When we opened the squat, housing was already an opposable right in France, as the result of a decision made by Jacques Chirac before the election of Nicolas Sarkozy. Housing is a very important social determinant of health. It’s not enough to ensure people have a long, full life, but Housing First responds to the logic of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This hierarchy establishes the most important human needs. At the base of this hierarchy are the primary needs of safety, nutrition, and sleep. Housing facilitates all of these, and they form the first level of Maslow’s hierarchy. The second level is social stability and employment. The final level is self-actualization, spirituality, things that are less essential but still important.
Samia Henni is the author of Architecture of Counterrevolution: The French Army in Northern Algeria (gta Verlag, 2017; Editions B42, 2019), the editor of War Zones (gta Verlag, 2018), and the exhibitor of “Discreet Violence: Architecture and the French Army in Algeria” (Zurich, Rotterdam, Berlin, Johannesburg, Prague, Paris, Ithaca, Philadelphia; 2017–2019), “Housing Pharmacology” (Marseille, Zurich, 2020) and “Right to Housing” (Marseille, 2020). She received her Ph.D. in the history and theory of architecture (with distinction) from ETH Zurich. She is currently Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University.
Conversations - Unhoused
Notes - Unhoused
The voices of these oral histories constituted the main body of the exhibition Housing Pharmacology at the Musée d’Histoire de Marseille conceived for the occasion of Manifesta 13, Marseille 2020.
The SIAO is a platform in each Département for the coordination and regulation of the hospitality, accommodation, and support sectors to assist in the integration and housing of homeless people.
Share - Unhoused
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Anthony Argiropoulos, Co-Chair, National Litigation Steering Committee, Member of the Firm
Anthony Argiropoulos
Co-Chair, National Litigation Steering Committee, Member of the Firm
aargiropoulos@ebglaw.com
ANTHONY ARGIROPOULOS represents health care clients, publicly held companies, and other large businesses in high-stakes litigation and dispute avoidance and resolution. He represents clients in federal and state court matters throughout the United States, and his deep experience includes numerous jury trials, bench trials, injunction proceedings, arbitrations, and mediations. He has successfully argued appeals to the New Jersey Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Anthony represents a complete array of health care clients—from providers, like hospital systems, ambulatory surgery centers, pharmacies and medical groups, to pharmaceutical companies, equipment manufacturers, and distributors. He also represents diverse commercial enterprises, like retailers, supermarkets, and regulated businesses, such as recyclers and energy companies.
Anthony’s litigation style has been characterized as “smart-aggressive” and recognized in numerous, prestigious national lawyer rankings. In 2018, one publication wrote “The most effective counterpunch is one thrown before the opponent lands his first blow. That’s the mindset Anthony Argiropoulos has when his legal instincts tell him to switch his clients from defense to offense.” In 2020, another publication quoted Anthony’s clients who noted his ability to “think outside the box and frequently come up with creative solutions to problems.”
Anthony’s broad commercial litigation background includes antitrust, commercial torts, contract disputes, defamation and disparagement, Lanham Act and unfair competition.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the United States House of Representatives Oversight Committee contacted Anthony for advice and information relating to unfair commercial practices and price gouging for personal protective equipment and other essential commodities.
Recent practice highlights include:
Representing national, regional, and local medical providers in multi-million dollar reimbursement disputes and arbitrations against insurers.
Lead counsel for hospital systems in unfair competition litigation involving interstate transfer patterns of critically ill patients.
Representing multi-billion dollar retailer in National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL).
Representing retail pharmacies in federal prescription opiate investigations.
Lead counsel for Silicon Valley hardware component manufacture in international theft of trade secrets claim.
Defending regional medical practice insurer against Lanham Act and false advertising claims.
Representing multi-billion dollar retailer in licensing dispute against enterprise content management software company.
Representing regional health plan in multi-million dollar fraud and breach of contract claims against healthcare information technology company.
Defending social media personality against Lanham Act claims arising from social media posts.
Defending regional hospital system against RICO claims.
Temple University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1997)
West Chester University (B.A., cum laude, 1993)
Trustee, Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey
Mercer County Bar Association
The Best Lawyers in America©: Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Health Care (2013-2021)
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: New Jersey - Healthcare (2020); Recognized Practitioner (2019)
The Legal 500 United States: Healthcare: Advice to Service Providers (2017-2020); Healthcare: Advice to Health Insurers (2019-2020)
New Jersey Super Lawyers®: Health Care and Business Litigation (2015-2020)
NJBIZ, Vanguard Series, Leader in Law, (2018)
New Jersey Rising Stars: General Litigation (2006-2009, 2011)
New Jersey Law Journal’s® “40 Under 40” (2006)
Representative Decisions
Cowley v. Virtua Health Sys., Supreme Court Docket No. 081891 (May 4, 2020)
Mejia v. Quest Diagnostics, Inc., Supreme Court Docket No. 082739 ( Mar. 16, 2020)
MVP Health Plan, Inc. v. Cotiviti, Inc., 1:18-CV-677 (N.D. NY Nov. 1, 2019)
Deborah Heart & Lung Ctr. v. Virtua Health, Inc., A-2307-17T1, 2019 WL 3162362 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. July 16, 2019), cert. denied, 240 N.J. 188 (2019)
Capital Health Sys., Inc. v. Veznedaroglu, 15-8288, 2017 WL 751855 (D.N.J. Feb. 27, 2017)
Cardionet, Inc. v. Medi-Lynx Cardiac Monitoring, LLC, CV158592MASTJB, 2016 WL 4445749 (D.N.J. Aug. 22, 2016)
HR Staffing Consultants LLC v. Butts, 627 Fed. Appx. 168 (3d Cir. 2015)
HR Staffing Consultants LLC v. Butts, No. 15-3155, 2015 WL 3492609 (D.N.J. June 2, 2015)
Arsenal, Inc., t/a Arsenal Associations v. Ammons, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 166783 (E.D.Pa. Dec. 2, 2014) (Brody, U.S.D.J.)
Hanover 3201 Realty, LLC v. Village Supermarkets, Inc., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 140286 (D.N.J. Oct. 2, 2014) (Chesler, U.S.D.J.)
CPS Medmanagement LLC f/k/a McKesson Medication Management, LLC v. Bergen Regional Medical Center, L.P., 940 F. Supp. 2d 141; 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49518 (D.N.J. Apr. 4, 2013) (McNulty, U.S.D.J.)
Deborah Heart & Lung Ctr. v. Penn Presbyterian Med. Ctr., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55654 (D.N.J., Apr. 19, 2012) (Bumb, U.S.D.J.)
John Marino, D.C. v. Twin Rivers Podiatry, P.A., Twin Rivers Podiatric Surgery Center, L.L.C., Dr. John Rafetto, D.P.M. and Dr. Brian Stahl, D.P.M., N.J. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 1096 (App. Div. 2012)
GMK Properties, LLC, f/k/a GYMK Properties, LLC, and Martin’s Liquors, LLC v. Developers Diversified Realty Corporation; Centerton Square, LLC; Wegman’s Food Markets, Inc. and South Jersey Wine & Spirits, LLC, N.J. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 332 (App. Div. 2012)
Deborah Heart and Lung Center v. Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, et al., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 149664; 2012-1 Trade Cas. (CCH) P77, 760 (D.N.J. Dec. 30, 2011) (Bumb, U.S.D.J.)
Creative Marketing Alliance, Inc. v. Consolidated Services Group, Inc., Civil Action No. 09-518 (MLC) 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41123
EUSA Pharma (US), Inc. v. Innocoll Pharmaceuticals Limited et al., 594 F. Supp. 2d 570 (E.D.Pa. 2009)
Prospect Rehabilitation Services, Inc. v. Squitieri, 392 N.J. Super. 157; 920 A.2d 135; 2007 N.J. Super. LEXIS 110 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div.), certif. denied, 192 N.J. 293, 927 A.2d 1292, 2007 N.J. LEXIS 1046 (N.J., July 12, 2007)
Anthony Argiropoulos impresses clients with his ability to “think outside the box and frequently come up with creative solutions to problems.” He is noted for his [robust] healthcare practice, and handles arbitrations and litigation for clients such as hospitals, health systems and pharmaceuticals.
— Chambers USA
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Supreme Court Gets It Wrong in Golan v. Holder, Public Domain Mourns
By Corynne McSherry
Last week was a pretty good one for copyright law, what with a massive protest against disastrous legislation, that, hooray, got Congress to pay attention and put the legislation on hold. Unfortunately, last week we also saw the results of another bad law that Congress did manage to push through, back before the Internet existed in anything like its present form. Ignoring the pleas of musicians, composers, libraries, archives and public interest groups, the Supreme Court declared that Congress did not violate the Constitution when it yanked millions of foreign works out of the public domain. Striking a sad blow against the traditional copyright balance between private and public interests, the Court declared:
Neither the Copyright and Patent Clause nor the first Amendment . . . makes the public domain, in any and all cases, a territory that works may never exit.
At issue was Section 514 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, which took millions of works by foreign authors that were previously in the public domain and put them back under copyright protection. Works affected by this law include Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, music by Stravinski, paintings by Picasso and drawings by M.C. Escher, and writings by George Orwell and J.R.R. Tolkien -- material that has been used and performed countless times. Now that the works are back under copyright protection, use of the works may require paying hefty license fees. The lead petitioner, Lawrence Golan, is a music professor and conductor who challenged the law because it made performance of many works prohibitively expensive for many small orchestras. By taking the works out of the public domain, Congress had impinged on his vested free speech interest in using those works. On behalf of the American Library Association and other public interest groups, EFF filed an amicus brief in support, explaining that an unstable public domain creates dangerous uncertainty about copyright policy, posing a significant threat to libraries, digital repositories, and others that promote access to knowledge.
The Supreme Court has historically been friendly to copyright maximalists: In recent years it has signed off on Congress’s seemingly endless extensions of the copyright term, overturned a Ninth Circuit decision finding that several file-sharing services were legal, and refused to hear an appeal of a disastrous Ninth Circuit decision on the first sale doctrine that directly contradicted the holding in other appellate courts. But there was reason to hope it would draw a line in this case. Several years ago, in oral arguments over whether Congress could drag lengthen the term of copyright, the lawyers for both sides, and the Justices, all seemed to agree that once the copyright term on a work DID expire and it entered the public domain, it would stay there. Indeed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals referred to this as a “bedrock principle” of copyright law, and concluded that the URAA had altered the traditional contours of copyright law. Therefore, the appellate court declared, URAA had to pass First Amendment scrutiny.
The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that the “traditional contours” of copyright comprise just two limits: fair use, and the idea/expression distinction. As long as Congress doesn’t mess with those, the First Amendment is satisfied.
What is worse, as Justice Breyer explained in his dissenting opinion, the majority gave short shrift to what should have been a central issue: whether granting new rewards to foreign authors (or, often, their heirs) served the purpose of copyright, i.e., to encourage the progress of science and the useful arts.
The statute before us . . . does not encourage anyone to produce a single new work. By definition, it bestows monetary rewards only on owners of old works – works that have already been created and already are in the American public domain. At the same time, the statute inhibits the dissemination of . . . foreign works published abroad after 1923, of which there are many millions, including films, works of art, innumerable photographs, and, of course, books – books that (in the absence of statute) would assume their rightful places in computer accessible databases, spreading knowledge throughout the world.
Justice Breyer got it. Too bad the majority didn’t. Word to the Internet: this is why we must never again let copyright maximalists ram through legislation under cover of night. Word to Congress: we’re staying vigilant, and if you won’t protect the public domain, we will.
Golan v. Holder
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Boris set to ease lockdown from Monday
Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) released a document yesterday on who should return to work and how. Photo: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA Wire - Credit: PA
Boris Johnson will review coronavirus lockdown measures with ministers today - ahead of an expected easing of restrictions from Monday.
The Prime Minister will chair a Cabinet meeting which is likely to focus on what freedoms can be restored weeks after the “draconian” measures were put in place on society to halt the spread of the virus.
Mr Johnson hinted he would announce a limited return to pre-pandemic life in an address to the nation on Sunday, with new measures set to come in as early as Monday.
Reports suggest changes could include unlimited exercise, the return of some sports, park picnics, and the opening of pub and cafe gardens - but people would still be required to remain two metres apart.
The move could also see the Government scrap its “stay home” slogan, and encourage people to wear face coverings on public transport and in crowded places as some return to work, according to the Daily Telegraph.
In an indication of the changed approach, Public Health England said it was “reviewing all communications materials in anticipation of moving to the next phase of the Government campaign”.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have demanded an explanation for the decline in coronavirus testing, after the Government missed its 100,000-a-day target for the fourth day in a row.
Labour said that the news “does not inspire confidence” in the plans to ease lockdown measures.
It came after the PM set a target for creating the capacity for 200,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of the month.
Downing Street made clear the new target, unlike the previous goal, was related only to capacity rather than the number performed every day.
The Government signalled it believed the route out of lockdown would rely on increased capacity as part of a test, track and trace programme, to quickly identify new cases of coronavirus and prevent the further spread of the infection.
But Labour former prime minister Gordon Brown said that the Government’s target for tests needed to be increased.
Mr Brown told ITV’s Peston: “You have got to do more than 200,000.”
He said the Government needed to reassure “the one and a half million health service workers, the one and a half million in the care sector, the 1.7 million in construction, three million in retail, one million that have got contact with the public - police, fire, teachers and everything else” that it was safe to return to normal duties.
He added: “You have got to say to them we can reassure you that you go back to work because we are going to offer you the testing that will find out whether you’ve got it, or whether other people that you are working with have got it, so that we can actually isolate those people if they had it.”
Mr Brown also warned about the economic impact of the situation.
He said: “In the next few months the banks will bring down large numbers of companies because they will not be able to keep them in finance.
“The Inland Revenue may do it, but the banks will probably do it.
“Unless we have some other group of people advising on how, sector by sector, we can keep viable businesses... then I’m afraid that the Treasury will enforce upon the banks rules that say you have got to recover all the money that’s been loaned.”
Latest figures from the Department of Health showed 30,076 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday, up 649 from the day before.
But the total number of deaths involving Covid-19 that have been registered across the UK currently stands at 32,898.
New analysis from the Office for National Statistics is due to be published on Thursday, examining coronavirus-related deaths in England and Wales by occupation and ethnicity.
Meanwhile, the UK’s youngest MP claimed she had been sacked from her temporary role as a carer during the Covid-19 pandemic after speaking out about personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages.
Labour’s Nadia Whittome, 24, MP for Nottingham East, returned to her former role at Lark Hill retirement village, which is run by ExtraCare, to help relieve the strain on the care service.
On Wednesday evening, Ms Whittome claimed she has been “asked not to return” by ExtraCare and said she had been accused of “spreading misinformation” about the lack of PPE in the media.
ExtraCare, which is a charitable trust, denied it had a PPE shortage and said Ms Whittome returned to work on a casual basis and had worked eight shifts between March and April.
“Our in-house care team are now fulfilling our needs at this time and Nadia’s help is no longer needed,” it said in a statement.
In other developments, the first patients have been given plasma donated by people who have recovered from coronavirus in a trial for a possible treatment, with 14 units supplied to hospitals in London and Birmingham.
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Senators Carper, Cardin Highlight Devastating Effects of Trump Budget Cuts to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2017
Katie Wilson/Christine Brennan (Carper) 202-224-8832
Tim Zink 410-962-4436/Sue Walitsky (Cardin) 202-224-4524
Leaders on Senate Environment Committee underscore environmental and economic importance of cleanup funding
Stevensville, Md. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the two most senior Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, stood on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay to highlight the devastating effects that President Trump’s shortsighted and dangerous budget cuts would have on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Joined by prominent conservation leaders and elected officials, Senators Carper and Cardin called on congressional appropriators to reject the president’s proposals that would eliminate funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program entirely and severely cut funding for other core programs to maintain and restore the health of the Bay, which is an economic engine for the region.
“President Trump’s proposal to completely eliminate the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Program is completely absurd,” said Senator Carper. “Thousands of Delawareans and millions across our region depend on a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay. Slashing the funding that allows the EPA to maintain this environmental and economic resource is irresponsible, and it’s bad for business. A thriving Bay means a thriving local economy, and any actions to undo the progress we’ve made to the restore the Bay are shortsighted and put millions at risk. You can be sure that Senator Cardin and I will keep fighting to protect the Chesapeake Bay so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy it the same way we have for generations.”
“The Chesapeake Bay Program and related efforts are delivering encouraging results throughout the watershed and have built tremendous momentum moving forward, yet President Trump still targeted them for elimination. Pulling the federal government out of this effective regional partnership makes absolutely no sense to anyone who cares about a healthy economy or a healthy environment,” said Senator Cardin. “Senator Carper and I understand that we are moving forward on the Chesapeake Bay restoration precisely because all of the Bay states are working together. President Trump’s plan to erase the blueprint for cooperation shows a fundamental failure to understand how restoration of this magnitude best gets done and how the federal government is an essential lynchpin in that effort.”
The Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest estuary, and more than 11 million people obtain their drinking water directly from the rivers and streams throughout the region that eventually flow into the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Program, which President Trump has proposed eliminating entirely, coordinates watershed restoration and conservation efforts throughout the region. The majority of funds from the programs go directly to states and local communities for on-the-ground restoration projects.
The Senators were joined by William C. Baker, President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Sheree Sample-Hughes, who serves as a Maryland State Delegate, and Jake Day, Mayor of Salisbury, Maryland.
Last month, Senators Cardin and Carper, along with Senators Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined together as a regional delegation to immediately urge appropriators to reject the dangerous cuts proposed by President Trump. The full text of the letter can be found here.
Permalink: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/4/senators-carper-cardin-highlight-devastating-effects-of-trump-budget-cuts-to-the-chesapeake-bay-watershed
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Suryakumar happy to play finisher for KKR
Suryakumar Yadav is happy to have "finally played the role of a finisher" for Kolkata Knight Riders
Suryakumar Yadav: 'Thinking about the pressure will only add more pressure on myself. Instead I think about other things like 'what will I do after winning the game?'' BCCI
Suryakumar Yadav is happy to have "finally played the role of a finisher" for Kolkata Knight Riders. Suryakumar struck an unbeaten 43 off 19 against Perth Scorchers on Wednesday night, carrying Knight Riders to a win - their 12th successive in Twenty20s - from a tricky position. Finishing off a game for his team is something he has always strived to do, Suryakumar said, and he was glad to get the job done despite being under immense pressure.
"I feel this has been the most high-pressure game I have played till date," Suryakumar told clt20.com. "I have never played the role of a finisher till date for Kolkata Knight Riders. I have been trying for quite some time now to finish games for Knight Riders, but I was never able to play that role successfully. I tried finishing games in the IPL as well, but I was making mistakes."
In Knight Riders' previous game, Suryakumar was unbeaten as the team got over the line, hitting 14 not out off 5. He said he did not consider that innings substantial enough to be that of a finisher, though it did give him confidence. "In the last game against Lahore Lions, though I had a very small role to play in that chase, that innings gave me the confidence that I can play my role to good effect. I carried that confidence into this game."
Against Scorchers, Suryakumar said the pressure really began to mount on him when the big-hitting Yusuf Pathan was out with 27 needed off 15. "That was the first time I became nervous because we all know that Yusuf Pathan is someone who can take the game away from the opposition from anywhere. At that time I remembered one thing that my captain and the coach had told me - "Whenever you keep calm, you can excel more during nervous situations." That is exactly what I did tonight and the result is there to be seen."
Given his interest in playing the finisher for Knight Riders, Suryakumar said he had more mental tactics to calm himself when under pressure in a chase. "I just don't think about the situation at that time," he said. "If I know that I have to score 29-odd runs from 11 balls then I have to do it; it is my job. I feel thinking about the pressure situation will only result in adding more pressure on myself. Instead I think about other things like 'what will I do after winning the game', 'what would an experienced player have done if he was in this situation?' I follow that and then take it from there."
In the Scorchers game, Surayakumar said it helped that the penultimate over was bowled by Nathan Coulter-Nile, whom he had previously played with at Mumbai Indians. "I had an idea about his stock balls in the death overs, since I have played him when we both were a part of Mumbai Indians. I knew he had a good yorker and a slower delivery, which he might try and bowl at that point of time. He had bowled a slower bouncer before in that over. He then backed himself and bowled a length ball which had to be hit, so I hit it and it was all over."
Suryakumar took 15 off that Coulter-Nile over, including two sixes, bringing the equation down to a very-manageable five needed off the final over, and the win - and Knight Riders' place in the semis - was sealed with two balls to spare.
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Out now: IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
Learn why the choices made now are critical for the future of our ocean and cryosphere.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report highlights the urgency of prioritizing timely, ambitious and coordinated action to address unprecedented and enduring changes in the ocean and cryosphere. The report reveals the benefits of ambitious and effective adaptation for sustainable development and, conversely, the escalating costs and risks of delayed action.
The ocean and the cryosphere – the frozen parts of the planet – play a critical role for life on Earth. A total of 670 million people in high mountain regions and 680 million people in low-lying coastal zones depend directly on these systems. Four million people live permanently in the Arctic region, and small island developing states are home to 65 million people.
Global warming has already reached 1°C above the pre-industrial level, due to past and current greenhouse gas emissions. There is overwhelming evidence that this is resulting in profound consequences for ecosystems and people. The ocean is warmer, more acidic and less productive. Melting glaciers and ice sheets are causing sea level rise, and coastal extreme events are becoming more severe.
The IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, approved on 24 September 2019 by the 195 IPCC member governments, provides new evidence for the benefits of limiting global warming to the lowest possible level – in line with the goal that governments set themselves in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions limits the scale of ocean and cryosphere changes. Ecosystems and the livelihoods that depend on them can be preserved.
“The open sea, the Arctic, the Antarctic and the high mountains may seem far away to many people,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. “But we depend on them and are influenced by them directly and indirectly in many ways – for weather and climate, for food and water, for energy, trade, transport, recreation and tourism, for health and wellbeing, for culture and identity.”
“If we reduce emissions sharply, consequences for people and their livelihoods will still be challenging, but potentially more manageable for those who are most vulnerable,” Lee said. “We increase our ability to build resilience and there will be more benefits for sustainable development.”
Knowledge assessed in the report outlines climate-related risks and challenges that people around the world are exposed to today and that future generations will face. It presents options to adapt to changes that can no longer be avoided, manage related risks and build resilience for a sustainable future. The assessment shows that adaptation depends on the capacity of individuals and communities and the resources available to them.
More than 100 authors from 36 countries assessed the latest scientific literature related to the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate for the report, referencing about 7,000 scientific publications.
The IPCC Special Report is a key scientific input for world leaders gathering in forthcoming climate and environment negotiations, such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Chile in December
“The world’s ocean and cryosphere have been ‘taking the heat’ from climate change for decades, and consequences for nature and humanity are sweeping and severe,” said Ko Barrett, Vice-Chair of the IPCC. “The rapid changes to the ocean and the frozen parts of our planet are forcing people from coastal cities to remote Arctic communities to fundamentally alter their ways of life,” she added.
“By understanding the causes of these changes and the resulting impacts, and by evaluating options that are available, we can strengthen our ability to adapt,” she said. “The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate provides the knowledge that facilitates these kinds of decisions.”
Major changes in high mountains affecting downstream communities
People in mountain regions are increasingly exposed to hazards and changes in water availability, the report said.
Glaciers, snow, ice and permafrost are declining and will continue to do so. This is projected to increase hazards for people, for example through landslides, avalanches, rockfalls and floods.
Smaller glaciers found for example in Europe, eastern Africa, the tropical Andes and Indonesia are projected to lose more than 80% of their current ice mass by 2100 under high emission scenarios. The retreat of the high mountain cryosphere will continue to adversely affect recreational activities, tourism, and cultural assets.
As mountain glaciers retreat, they are also altering water availability and quality downstream, with implications for many sectors such as agriculture and hydropower.
“Changes in water availability will not just affect people in these high mountain regions, but also communities much further downstream,” said Panmao Zhai, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I.
“Limiting warming would help them adapt to changes in water supplies in mountain regions and beyond, and limit risks related to mountain hazards,” he said. “Integrated water management and transboundary cooperation provides opportunities to address impacts of these changes in water resources.”
Melting ice, rising seas
Glaciers and ice sheets in polar and mountain regions are losing mass, contributing to an increasing rate of sea level rise, together with expansion of the warmer ocean.
While sea level has risen globally by around 15 cm during the 20th century, it is currently rising more than twice as fast – 3.6 mm per year – and accelerating, the report showed.
Sea level will continue to rise for centuries. It could reach around 30-60 cm by 2100 even if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply reduced and global warming is limited to well below 2°C, but around 60-110 cm if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase strongly.
“In recent decades the rate of sea level rise has accelerated, due to growing water inputs from ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, in addition to the contribution of meltwater from glaciers and the expansion of warmer sea waters,” said Valérie Masson-Delmotte, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I.
“This new assessment has also revised upwards the projected contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet to sea level rise by 2100 in the case of high emissions of greenhouse gases,” she said. “The wide range of sea level projections for 2100 and beyond is related to how ice sheets will react to warming, especially in Antarctica, with major uncertainties still remaining.”
More frequent extreme sea level events
Sea level rise will increase the frequency of extreme sea level events, which occur for example during high tides and intense storms. Indications are that with any degree of additional warming, events that occurred once per century in the past will occur every year by mid-century in many regions, increasing risks for many low-lying coastal cities and small islands.
Without major investments in adaptation, they would be exposed to escalating flood risks, the report shows. Some island nations are likely to become uninhabitable due to climate-related ocean and cryosphere change, the report said, but habitability thresholds remain extremely difficult to assess.
Increases in tropical cyclone winds and rainfall are exacerbating extreme sea level events and coastal hazards. Hazards will be further be intensified by an increase in the average intensity, magnitude of storm surge and precipitation rates of tropical cyclones, especially if greenhouse gas emissions remain high.
“Various adaptation approaches are already being implemented, often in response to flooding events, and the report highlights the diversity of options available for each context to develop integrated responses anticipating the full scale of future sea level rise,” said Masson-Delmotte.
Changing ocean ecosystems
Warming and changes in ocean chemistry are already disrupting species throughout the ocean food web, with impacts on marine ecosystems and people that depend on them, the report said.
To date, the ocean has taken up more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system. By 2100, the ocean will take up 2 to 4 times more heat than between 1970 and the present if global warming is limited to 2°C, and up to 5 to 7 times more at higher emissions. Ocean warming reduces mixing between water layers and, as a consequence, the supply of oxygen and nutrients for marine life.
Marine heatwaves have doubled in frequency since 1982 and are increasing in intensity. They are projected to further increase in frequency, duration, extent and intensity. Their frequency will be 20 times higher at 2°C warming, compared to pre-industrial levels. They would occur 50 times more often if emissions continue to increase strongly.
The ocean has taken up between 20 to 30% of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions since the 1980s, causing ocean acidification. Continued carbon uptake by the ocean by 2100 will exacerbate ocean acidification.
Ocean warming and acidification, loss of oxygen and changes in nutrient supplies, are already affecting the distribution and abundance of marine life in coastal areas, in the open ocean and at the sea floor.
Shifts in the distribution of fish populations have reduced the global catch potential. In the future, some regions, notably tropical oceans, will see further decreases, but there will be increases in others, such as the Arctic. Communities that depend highly on seafood may face risks to nutritional health and food security.
“Cutting greenhouse gas emissions will limit impacts on ocean ecosystems that provide us with food, support our health and shape our cultures,” said Hans-Otto Pörtner, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II. “Reducing other pressures such as pollution will further help marine life deal with changes in their environment, while enabling a more resilient ocean.”
“Policy frameworks, for example for fisheries management and marine-protected areas, offer opportunities for communities to adapt to changes and minimize risks for our livelihoods,” he added.
Declining Arctic sea ice, thawing permafrost
The extent of Arctic sea ice is declining in every month of the year, and it is getting thinner. If global warming is stabilized at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the Arctic ocean would only be ice-free in September – the month with the least ice – once in every hundred years. For global warming of 2°C, this would occur up to one year in three.
Some people living in the Arctic, especially indigenous peoples, have already adjusted their traveling and hunting activities to the seasonality and safety of land, ice and snow conditions, and some coastal communities have planned for relocation. Their success in adapting depends on funding, capacities, and institutional support, the report shows.
Permafrost ground that has been frozen for many years is warming and thawing and widespread permafrost thaw is projected to occur in the 21st century. Even if global warming is limited to well below 2°C, around 25% of the near-surface (3-4 meter depth) permafrost will thaw by 2100. If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase strongly, there is a potential that around 70% near-surface permafrost could be lost.
Arctic and boreal permafrost hold large amounts of organic carbon, almost twice the carbon in the atmosphere, and have the potential to significantly increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere if they thaw. It is unclear whether there is already a net release of carbon dioxide or methane due to the ongoing thaw of the Arctic permafrost. In the future, increased plant growth can increase the storage of carbon in soils and offset carbon release from permafrost thaw, but not at the scale of large changes on the long term.
Wildfires are disturbing ecosystems in most tundra and boreal as well as mountain regions.
Knowledge for urgent action
The report finds that strongly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting and restoring ecosystems, and carefully managing the use of natural resources would make it possible to preserve the ocean and cryosphere as a source of opportunities that support adaptation to future changes, limit risks to livelihoods and offer multiple additional societal benefits.
“We will only be able to keep global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels if we effect unprecedented transitions in all aspects of society, including energy, land and ecosystems, urban and infrastructure as well as industry. The ambitious climate policies and emissions reductions required to deliver the Paris Agreement will also protect the ocean and cryosphere – and ultimately sustain all life on Earth,” said Debra Roberts, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II.
SROCC provides the best available scientific knowledge to empower governments and communities to take action, embedding that scientific knowledge on unavoidable change and plausible futures into their own context, to limit the scale of risks and climate impacts.
The report gives evidence of the benefits of combining scientific with local and indigenous knowledge to develop suitable options to manage climate change risks and enhance resilience. This is the first IPCC report that highlights the importance of education to enhance climate change, ocean and cryosphere literacy.
“The more decisively and the earlier we act, the more able we will be to address unavoidable changes, manage risks, improve our lives and achieve sustainability for ecosystems and people around the world – today and in the future,” Roberts said.
IPCC Press Office: ipcc-media@wmo.int
IPCC Working Group II Technical Support Unit: tsu@ipcc-wg2.awi.de
Maike Nicolai: maike.nicolai@ipcc-wg2.awi.de
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Dropping The ‘Disorder’ From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was a very real threat to service members well before Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) began in the early 2000’s. While the label PTSD only first appeared in 1980, signs of the Invisible Wounds of War have been present in service members dating back to the Civil War. However, as the diagnosis of PTSD became more common, so did a stigma that was attached to the diagnosis among service members. Part of that stigma surrounds the lack of a visible wound or scar. Another part has to do with what that diagnosis may mean for a service member and their ability to continue to carry out their duties.
The military’s decision to officially shorten the term to Post-Traumatic Stress may have partially stemmed from a question raised in 2008. Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker, Army Surgeon General at that time, said “This is a normal reaction to a very serious set of events…” In response, Time Magazine’s Battleland asked him, “why is it called a disorder if it’s normal?” which clearly impacted the General.
Beginning in 2011, military leaders began addressing Post-Traumatic Stress without the word ‘Disorder’ attached. In 2012 and beyond, that trend continued. Another factor leading to this change was service members refusing to seek help. “No 19-year-old kid wants to be told he’s got a disorder,” said General Peter Chiarelli, who led the Army’s effort to reduce military suicide rates.
Even those with visible wounds struggled with acknowledging their invisible symptoms. As Sgt. Dewitt Osborne (Ret.) US Army, and Drew Barnett (Ret.), US Navy SEALs said in 2017, having visible wounds made having invisible wounds easier. However, that didn’t make it easier to deal with. Barnett refused to believe he was suffering and even went as far as to say “we don’t want to, one, look weak, or we don’t want to be someone who is not dependable.” Capt. Kevin Rosenblum (Ret.), U.S. Army received a diagnosis for Post-Traumatic Stress after a physical injury. His reaction was to minimize it as the “toll of service in war.”
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a staggering 11-20 out of 100 (or 11-20%) of service members who have served in OEF or OIF suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress in a given year. Those numbers are an increase from 12 out of 100 who served in the Gulf War and 15 of every 100 who served in Vietnam.
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is addressing this critical need to help heal our heroes from these Invisible Wounds of War. We’re building Intrepid Spirit Centers: specially designed facilities on military bases around the country treating Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Over 90% of those treated at Intrepid Spirit Centers return to active duty or regular civilian life. Seven centers are already completed and in operation and the eighth center is currently under construction; two additional centers are planned. Help us heal our heroes with a donation today.
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D and L (Surrogacy) [2012] EWHC 2631 (Fam)
Application for parental orders pursuant to the HFEA 2008 in the event that the surrogate could not be found to consent to the parental orders, as required. Orders granted. Retrospective permission granted to pay surrogate beyond reasonable expenses.
This application for parental orders was made by a male couple who were to be recognised and treated in this jurisdiction as being civil partners. They had opted to become parents through surrogacy using the services of a clinic in India. The policy of the clinic was that the applicants would not be permitted to meet the surrogate mother. The applicants selected an anonymous egg donor and agreed that the first applicant would be the genetic father of the children. The applicants entered into a "formal court surrogacy agreement" with the director of the clinic and a woman selected to be the surrogate, agreeing, inter alia, to pay a total of $22,000 with an additional $5,000 in the eventuality that the surrogate gave birth to twins.
Approaching the birth, the applicants were informed that the surrogate was expecting twins. The applicants wanted to ensure that all legal requirements to register them as the parents of the twins in the UK would be fulfilled and took legal advice. They planned to have their solicitors draw up a document which the surrogate would sign six weeks after the birth, as required by statute in the UK, consenting to the parental orders being made. As the applicants were unable to meet the surrogate they requested the assistance of the clinic. The clinic stated that they would be "happy to help".
The twins were born and the applicants took custody of them two days after their birth. They were also given a document which was purportedly signed by the surrogate stating that she had received 350,000Rs towards "surrogate mother compensation, food, travel, living expenses for the term October 2010 – June 2011 and the caretaker/arranger's service charges from the clinic director". The applicants were able to apply for passports for the twins and flew to the UK, still awaiting the document with the surrogate's formal consent required six weeks after the birth of the twins.
Almost three months after the birth of the twins the applicants were still waiting for the signed consent of the surrogate, as promised by the clinic. They received a single sheet of paper, purportedly from the clinic's director, with an obscene gesture. This suggested that the clinic would not be supporting the applicants in obtaining the surrogate's consent.
The applicants, after a preliminary hearing before HHJ Black, enlisted an enquiry agent to track down the surrogate. Unfortunately, the enquiry agent was unable to find the surrogate.
Baker J found that the following requirements under s54 had been met: (i) "the gametes of at least one of the applicants were used to bring about the creation of the embryo; (ii) the applicants were civil partners; (iii) this application was made within six months after the birth of the children; (iv) the children's home was with the applicants, in the UK and; (v) both applicants were over the age of 18.
The requirements which required adjudication upon by Baker J were, firstly, dispensing with the consent of the surrogate mother required at least six weeks after the birth of the children and, secondly, whether he would grant retrospective permission for the payment of "surrogate mother compensation" as prohibited by s54(8) of the 2008 Act.
Baker J dispensed with the need to obtain the surrogate mother's consent, on the basis of the children's welfare being the paramount consideration of the court and therefore requiring the making of a parental order; and stating "[i]t is only when all reasonable steps have been taken to locate her [the surrogate mother] without success that a court is likely to dispense with the need for valid consent." The judge also stated:
"[A]lthough a consent given before the expiry of six weeks after birth is not valid for the purposes of s54, the court is entitled to take into account evidence that the woman did give consent at earlier times to giving up the baby. The weight attached to such earlier consent is, however, likely to be limited. The courts must be careful not to use such evidence to undermine the legal requirement that a consent is only valid if given after six weeks."
With regard to the payment made to the surrogate mother, which was accepted as being beyond the "reasonable expenses" permitted by s54, the court was under a duty to place the welfare of the children first. Baker J, therefore, retrospectively authorised the payments made by the applicants in this case.
Summary by Akta Chipalkatty, Church Court Chambers
Case No: UK11P00690 AND UK11P00691
IN THE MATTER OF D AND L (MINORS) (SURROGACY)
AND IN THE MATTER OF HUMAN FERTILISATION AND EMBRYOLOGY ACT 2008
The Applicants appeared in person
Jeremy Ford of CAFCASS Legal appeared as advocate to the court
Hearing date: 19th July 2012
The Judge hereby gives leave for this judgment to be reported on the strict understanding that in any report no person other than the advocates or the solicitors instructing them and any other person named in the judgment may be identified by name or location. In particular the anonymity of the children and the adult members of their family must be strictly preserved.
MR JUSTICE BAKER :
1. On 19th July 2012, I made parental orders pursuant to s.54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 in respect of twin boys, whom I shall refer to as D and L. The proceedings give rise to a number of issues under the Act which have hitherto received little if any judicial comment. For that reason, and notwithstanding the fact that the proceedings were uncontested, I am delivering a short judgement setting out my conclusions on those issues.
2. The applications for parental orders were made by a male couple (hereafter referred to as 'the Applicants') who went through a ceremony or marriage in Belgium in June 2008 and are therefore to be treated in this jurisdiction as civil partners. The first Applicant is a British citizen who has spent most of his life in this country. The second applicant comes from Belgium. Following their marriage, the Applicants lived initially in Belgium, then in India, but since August 2011 have resided in this country where they intend to remain. For some time, the Applicants discussed the possibility of starting a family, initially via adoption, but subsequently through surrogacy. They considered surrogacy in Europe but, feeling that they would need to find a surrogate from within their friends or family, concluded that that was not an option in their case. They then considered surrogacy in India after spending several months working and travelling in that country and becoming aware of the growing number of international surrogacy cases through Indian clinics. The Applicants' evidence, which I accept, is that from the outset they were determined that they would only proceed with a surrogacy arrangement if they were sure that they could satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws to establish joint parentage and obtain citizenship for any future child or children. They conducted detailed research into the topic of surrogacy and sought advice from specialist solicitors, Natalie Gamble Associates. As a result of those researches, they learnt of the statutory provisions in the 2008 Act. In particular, they learnt that, in order to obtain a parental order, they would have to prove that the surrogate mother had given her consent to the order, and that such consent could only be given at least six weeks after the birth. The Applicants state that they therefore based all discussions with Indian clinics on the basis that this requirement would have to be fulfilled.
3. The Applicants approached a total of six clinics in India and eventually selected the Kiran Clinic in Hyderabad which had, they understood, assisted a number of other British couples through the process of surrogacy. They had a number of discussions with the director of the clinic who advised them as to the various options and local practices. In particular, they were advised by the clinic that its policy, in line with professional guidance in India, was that they would not be allowed to meet the surrogate mother.
4. On 30th August 2010, the Applicants selected an anonymous Indian egg donor from a short list of five candidates. It was agreed that the first Applicant would be the genetic father of the children.
5. On 5th September 2010, the Applicants entered into a 'formal court surrogacy agreement' with the director of the clinic and a woman selected to be the surrogate mother, hereafter referred to as Miss B. This lengthy document included the following provisions:
a) under clause 3.1, 'as part of her obligations under this agreement whereby the surrogate has agreed to carry a child with genetic father's sperm and genetic mother's egg, she may be required to submit to an IVF protocol in order to have resulting embryos transferred into her uterus';
b) under clause 9.1, ' the surrogate shall voluntarily surrender sole and exclusive custody, parental responsibility, decision making, care and control of the child to the intended parents immediately upon the child's birth, acknowledging that it is in the best interests of all concerned to do so…';
c) under clause 10.1, '[the] intended parents agree to immediately accept custody and assume full legal responsibility for the child born to the surrogate pursuant to this agreement. They shall take custody and responsibility for the child as soon as possible after the child's birth and after the necessary releases and/or consents have been signed by the surrogate…';
d) under clause 11.1, '[the] intended parents shall pay costs and fees of any medical service provided and all of the surrogate's expenses including procedures, diet, screenings, prescriptions deemed necessary by the physical from the clinic…';
e) under clause 11.2, 'the parties herein have agreed onto an amount of $22,000 for the entire package of treatment and costs from IVF until the delivery of the child and including the surrogate's expenses mentioned in section 11.1'.
In an annexe to the agreement, it was further provided that the sum of $22,000 should be paid in the following instalments: $10,000 on advance; $5,000 after confirmation of pregnancy (at 15 weeks of pregnancy); $2,000 at six months of pregnancy and $5,000 at the time of delivery/c-section. The schedule also provided that there would be an extra of charge of $5,000 in the case of twins.
6. Between 12th and 14th September 2010, the first Applicant attended the clinic and provided sperm samples for the fertilization of the donor eggs. On 25th October 2010, the embryo using the gametes of the first Applicant and the egg donor were transferred into Miss B. On 8th November 2010, the Applicants were informed that Miss B was pregnant and 23rd November that she was expecting twins.
7. During the early part of 2011, the Applicants, who were at this stage residing in India, made enquiries of the clinic to establish the exact procedures that would be followed upon the birth of the children. They became somewhat uneasy about the response of the clinic to their enquiries. On 8th June, shortly before the expected date of delivery, the Applicants received an email from the clinic outlining some of the administrative processes surrounding the birth, including details of registration and passport applications. The email stated inter alia:
"There is a UK guideline which states the surrogate should be allowed about six weeks (since birth) to think over her decision of handing over the baby. But this again depends on the person assigned to you, it may be as short 3-4 weeks."
The Applicants were aware that this observation was not consistent with the provisions of the 2008 Act and immediately contacted their solicitors in England who on 13th June wrote to the director of the clinic pointing out that, in order to obtain a parental order under English law, the Applicants would have to prove that the surrogate mother had given her consent 'fully and unconditionally' and that such consent was only valid if given more than six weeks after the birth. They pointed out that, where the surrogate mother is based outside the UK, the court has the power under rules to accept evidence of consent by way of a notarised statement. The solicitors proposed that they could prepare a written statement for the surrogate mother to sign, which would need to be translated into her first language and signed by her before a notary more than six weeks after the birth. The solicitors asked the clinic to confirm that the surrogate would be able to understand the written document, to identify the appropriate language for translation, and to confirm whether the clinic would be prepared to assist with arranging for the notarised signature more than six weeks after the birth. The director of the clinic responded to the solicitors assuring them that 'we would be happy to be of help' to the Applicants.
8. On 14th June 2011, the surrogate Miss B gave birth to twin boys, D and L, at the Children's Hospital in Hyderabad. Two days later, the Applicants arrived at Hyderabad and assumed responsibility for the babies. On 18th June, the twins were discharged from hospital into the care of the Applicants. The new family stayed together in a hotel in Hyderabad for a further ten days while paper work, including birth certificates, was finalised. The Applicants then took the boys to New Delhi to submit passport applications to the British High Commission. Whilst waiting for those passports, the Applicants and the twins stayed at the Applicant's rented accommodation in Jaipur.
9. After the birth of the twins, the Applicants received a document, purportedly signed by Miss B and a doctor, described as 'the caretaker/arranger', in the following terms:
"I, Miss B, (surrogate mother...resident of Bhanunagar, Andhra Pradesh), received a sum of 350,000 rupees towards surrogate mother compensation, food, travel, living expenses for the term October 2010-June 2011 and the caretaker/arranger [name]'s service charges from [the clinic director]...and I hereby declare myself solemnly and conformingly that there was no right or concern with the baby boys D and L born on 14th June 2011, given birth by me as gestational surrogate mother for [the first Applicant]. There may be no future allegations also regarding relations with the babies by me or by any of my family members in any way. I further state that I have no objections to the provision of the exit visa to the baby boys D and L. I was discharged from the hospital in very good healthy condition."
10. On 26th July 2011, the Applicants emailed to the director of the clinic copies of the relevant form in English for the purposes of the surrogate's consent, together with a translation into Hindi. Thereafter, via email and telephone calls, the clinic promised that the forms would be returned. At one point, they were told that the return of the forms was contingent upon the provision of further information about passports and exit visas, which was duly supplied by the Applicants. On 17th August, UK passports were issued for both twins. On 24th August, the Indian authorities issued exit visas allowing the children to leave India. That day, the Applicants flew out of New Delhi with the boys and arrived back in the UK on 25th August.
11. At that stage, they had still to receive any signed consent from the surrogate mother. They made further requests to the director of the clinic, to no avail. On 13 September, the first Applicant emailed a long letter to the director, setting a deadline for the production of the signed consent, and warning that if the documents were not supplied, they would make formal complaints to the authorities in India and the British High Commission. On 16th September, the Applicants received a DHL package, purportedly from the director of the clinic, containing a single sheet of paper on which was printed an obscene gesture.
12. Thereafter the Applicants considered trying to track down the surrogate at an address that had been provided to them. They were concerned, however, about the impact of any invasion of her privacy. They therefore decided to proceed with the application to the Court without the necessary written consent.
13. On 12th December 2011, the Applicants submitted formal applications for parental orders under the 2008 Act to the Portsmouth County Court. On 16th December, Her Honour Judge Black gave preliminary directions, including a direction for a CAFCASS report. That report, dated 8th February 2012, recommended that a parental order be made in favour of the Applicants in respect of the twins, notwithstanding the fact that the surrogate mother had not given any valid consent after six weeks following the birth. On 26th March, however, Judge Black understandably took the view that the issue of consent needed further investigation and analysis. She therefore directed the Applicants to file evidence concerning the question of consent and a full skeleton argument in support. Those documents having been filed by the Applicants, who were by this stage acting in person, Judge Black subsequently directed that the matter be transferred to the High Court and listed before me.
14. Following the hearing before Her Honour Judge Black in March, the Applicants sought the assistance of an enquiry agent to try to locate the surrogate mother. His report is included in the papers before me and reads inter alia:
"I am sorry to inform you that I could not locate Miss B. The address provided by the clinic where Miss B should be residing…is not the place where she lives. Property is currently empty but is former residence of [the caretaker/arranger]. His old clinic is on ground floor. Nobody there had any knowledge of Miss B or where she is living now. I have shown neighbours [identity] card of Miss B and they did not recognise her. I could not find out where she lives now and so could not get her to sign the forms."
15. At a hearing on 28th May, I invited CAFCASS legal to act as advocate of the court and to prepare a report on the following issues;
a) any further steps that should be taken to establish the paternity of the twins;
b) any further steps that should be taken to obtain the agreement of any person required by the 2008 Act;
c) if the women who carried the twins could not be found, the factors to be taken into consideration by the court in determining whether to make parental orders under the Act in respect of the twins in the absence of her agreement;
d) the factors to be taken into consideration by the court in determining whether to give retrospective authorisation to payments made by the Applicants in respect of the surrogacy and;
e) any further legal issues arising in respect of this application.
16. Subsequently a report on behalf of CAFCASS Legal was prepared and filed by Mr Jeremy Ford dealing with the issues requested in my directions. I am extremely grateful to Mr Ford for his most helpful advice in this matter.
17. Before turning to the detailed provisions of section 54 of the 2008 Act, I remind myself of the important change to the law affected by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Parental Orders) Regulations 2010. Regulation 2 provides:
"The provisions of the 2002 Act [that is to say, the Adoption and Children Act 2002] set out in column 1 of Schedule 1 have effect in relation to parental orders made in England and Wales and applications for such orders as they have effect in relation to adoption orders and applications for such orders, subject to the modifications set out in column 2 of that Schedule.''
The effect of this provision is, inter alia, that section 1 of the 2002 Act applies to the making of parental orders in the following terms:
"(1) This section applies whenever a court is coming to a decision relating to the making of a parental order in relation to a child.
(2) The paramount consideration of the court must be the child's welfare, throughout his life.
(3) The court must at all times bear in mind that, in general, any delay in coming to the decision is likely to prejudice the child's welfare.
(4) The court must have regard to the following matters:
a) the child's ascertainable wishes and feelings regarding the decision (conceived in the light of the child's age and understanding),
b) the child's particular needs,
c) the likely effect on the child throughout his life, of having ceased to be a member of the original family and become the subject of a parental order,
d) the child's age, sex, background and any infant child's characteristics which the court considers relevant,
e) any harm (within the meaning of the Children Act 1989) which the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering,
f) the relationship which the child has with relatives, and with any other person in relation to whom the court considered the relationship to be relevant.
(6) The Court must always consider the whole range of powers available to it in the child's case (whether under section 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, the Adoption and Children Act 2002 as applied by regulation 2 of and Schedule 1.2 The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Parental Orders) Regulations 2010 or the Children Act 1989) and the Court must not make an order under that section or under the 2002 Act so applied unless it considers that making the order would be better for the child than not doing so.
(7) In this section, 'coming to a decision relating to the making of a parental order in relation to a child' the relation to a court includes
a) coming to a decision in any proceedings where the orders that might be made by the court include a parental order (or the revocation of such an order) and
b) coming to a decision about granting leave in respect of any action (other than the initiation of proceedings in any court) which may be taken by an individual under this Act but does not include coming to a decision about granting leaving in any other circumstances.
a) references to relationships are not confined to legal relationships,
b) references to a relative, in relation to a child, include the child's mother and father."
19. Those principles, in particular the paramountcy principle set out in subsection (2) and the checklist set out in subsection (4,) guide the court in exercising its powers to make parental orders under section 54 of the 2008 Act, which reads as follows:
"(1) On an application made by two people ('the Applicants') the court may make an order providing for a child to be treated in law as the child of the Applicants if
a) the child has been carried by a woman who is not one of the Applicants, as a result of the placing in her of an embryo or sperm and eggs or her artificial insemination,
b) the gametes of at least one of the Applicants were used to bring about the creation of the embryo, and
c) the conditions in subsection (2) (8) are satisfied.
(2) The Applicants must be
a) husband and wife,
b) civil partners of each other, or
c) two persons who are living as partners in an enduring family relationship and are not within prohibited degrees of relationship in relation to each other.
(3) Except in a case falling within subsection (11), the Applicants must apply for the order during the period of six months beginning with the day in which the child is born.
(4) At the time of the application and the making of the order
a) the child's home must be with the Applicants and
b) either or both of the Applicants must be domiciled in the United Kingdom or in the Channel Islands or in the Isle of Man.
(6) The court must be satisfied that both
a) the woman who carried the child and
b) any other person who is a parent of the child but is not one of the Applicants (including any man who is the father by virtue of section 35 or 36 or any woman who is a parent by virtue of section 42 or 43)
(7) Subsection (6) does not require the agreement of a person who cannot be found or who is incapable of giving agreement; and the agreement of the woman who carried the child is ineffective for the purpose of that subsection if given by her less than six weeks after the child's birth.
(8) The court must be satisfied that no money or other benefit (other than for the expenses reasonably incurred) have been given or received by either of the Applicants for or in consideration of
a) the making of the order,
b) any agreement required by subsection (6)
c) the handing over of the child to the Applicants or
d) the making of arrangements for the view to the making of the order unless authorised by the court.
(10) Subsection (1) (a) applies whether the woman was in the United Kingdom or elsewhere at the time of the placing in her of the embryo or the sperm and eggs or her artificial insemination.
The issues in this case
20. Several of the provisions in section 54 are incontrovertibly satisfied in this case. The two Applicants have attained the age of 18 and, by virtue of their marriage in Belgium, are to be treated as civil partners in this country. The first applicant is domiciled in this country. Accepting, as I do, that the twins were born on the 14th June 2011, the applications for parental orders were made within six months of their births. At the time of the application, and at all points thereafter, the twins have resided with the Applicants.
21. The remaining requirements under section 54 are more contentious in this case and fall to the considered in greater detail under the following questions.
1) Is the court satisfied, as required by section 54 (1) (a) and (b), that the twins were carried by a woman as a result of the placing in her of an embryo, and that the gametes of the first Applicant were used to bring about the creation of the embryo?
2) As the surrogate has not given consent to the making of parental orders six weeks after the birth of the twins, can the court dispense with her agreement on the grounds that she cannot be found?
3) Should the court authorise retrospectively the payments given by the Applicants in respect of this surrogacy?
The provisions of section 54 (1)
22. There is clear evidence that the twins were born as a result of the first Applicant's sperm being used to create an embryo that was subsequently implanted in Miss B. Accepting, as I do without hesitation, the evidence of the Applicants in its entirety, there is to my mind no doubt that the first Applicant's supplied sperm, that the Applicants were informed that the embryo had been implanted in Miss B, that they were further informed shortly afterwards that she was expecting twins, that they were kept informed as to the progress of her pregnancy, that they subsequently took responsibility for newborn twins on 16th June which they were informed had been born to Miss B two days earlier and that they were supplied with a document purportedly signed by Miss B confirming that she had given birth to the twins as surrogate mother for the first applicant. The most striking evidence, however, is contained in photographs of the twins which show that they bear a striking resemblance to the first Applicant.
23. In his admirably clear document, Mr Ford points out that the subsequent behaviour of the clinic concerning the address and consent of Miss B calls its credibility into question. In those circumstances, Mr Ford suggests that the court should consider directing DNA testing to establish that the first Applicant is indeed the father of the twins.
24. I have given careful consideration to this suggestion but reached a clear conclusion, without requiring DNA evidence, that I am satisfied on the evidence that the clinic's account of the circumstances of the twin's birth is true, that the children were carried by Miss B, that the first Applicant is their father, and that the provisions of section 54 (1) are satisfied.
Dispensing with consent
25. It is a very important element of the surrogacy law in this country that a parental order should normally only be made with the consent of the woman who carried and gave birth to the child. The reasons for this provision are obvious. A surrogate mother is not merely a cipher. She plays the most important role in bringing the child into the world. She is a 'natural parent' of the child. As Baroness Hale of Richmond observed in Re G (Children) [2006] UKHL 43, at paragraphs 33-35,
" there are least three ways in which a person may be or become a natural parent of a child, each of which may be a very significant in this child's welfare, depending upon the circumstances of the particular case. The first is genetic parenthood: the provision of the gametes which produce the child …. The second is gestational parenthood: the conceiving and bearing of the child….The third is social and psychological parenthood: the relationship which develops through the child demanding and the parent providing for the child's needs…. "
So far as gestational parenthood is concerned, Baroness Hale observed (at paragraph 34) that the fact that in English law the woman who bears the child is legally the child's mother
'recognises a deeper truth: that the process of carrying a child and giving him (which may well be followed by breastfeeding for some months) brings with it, in the vast majority of cases, a very special relationship between mother and child, a relationship which is different from any other.'
25. The act of carrying and giving birth to a baby establishes a relationship with the child which is one of the most important relationships in life. It is therefore not surprising that some surrogate mothers find it impossible to part with their babies and give consent to the parental order. That is why the law requires that a period of six weeks must elapse before a valid consent to a parental order can be given.
26. As set out above, the statue provides an exception to this requirement where the person who carried the child cannot be found or is incapable of giving agreement. The Applicants seek to invoke this exception here. So far as this court is aware, this provision in the Act has not been considered previously by any court. The question therefore arises as to how the provision should be interpreted and applied.
27. Mr Ford submits, and I accept, that there are three matters which should be taken into account.
28. First, when it is said that the woman who gave birth to the child cannot be found, the court must carefully scrutinise the evidence as to the efforts which have been taken to find her. It is only when all reasonable steps have been taken to locate her without success that a court is likely to dispense with the need for valid consent. Half-hearted or token attempts to find the surrogate will not be enough. Furthermore, it will normally be prudent for the Applicants to lay the ground for satisfying these requirements at an early stage. Even where, as in this case, the Applicants do not meet the surrogate, they should establish clear lines of communication with her, preferably not simply through one person or agency, and should ensure that the surrogate is made aware during the pregnancy that she will be required to give consent six weeks after the birth.
29. Secondly, although a consent given before the expiry of six weeks after birth is not valid for the purposes of section 54, the court is entitled to take into account evidence that the woman did give consent at earlier times to giving up the baby. The weight attached to such earlier consent is, however, likely to be limited. The courts must be careful not to use such evidence to undermine the legal requirement that a consent is only valid if given after six weeks.
30. Thirdly, in the light of the changes affected by the 2010 regulations, the child's welfare is now the paramount consideration when the court is 'coming to a decision' in relation to the making of a parental order. Mr Ford submits, and I accept, that this includes decisions about whether to make an order without the consent of the woman who gave birth in circumstances in which she cannot be found or is incapable of giving consent. It would, however, be wrong to utilise this provision as a means of avoiding the need to take all reasonable steps to attain the woman's consent.
31. Applying these principles to this case, I accept that these Applicants have taken all reasonable steps to obtain the woman's consent.
32. Through no fault of their own, they have been given a false address. If it is correct that she is living in the state of Andhra Pradesh, then she is one of many millions of women living in that state and there is in my judgment no realistic hope of finding her. I accept that it is not the Applicants' fault that they found themselves in this position. I am satisfied that they reasonable believed that the clinic and its staff would behave responsibly. It seems that they and the twins have been badly let down.
33. I note that Miss B appears to have given her consent to the making of the parental orders at an earlier stage, although in the circumstances I treat all documents and information provided by the clinic with caution. The fact that Miss B appears to have given informal consent earlier is a factor to be taken into account but for the reasons set out above, it carries little weight in my decision. I do, however, take into account the fact that as a matter of law the children's welfare is my paramount consideration, and I further take into account that any further delay in reaching a decision is likely to be prejudicial to their welfare. I also take into account as required by the welfare checklist to be applied by virtue of the 2010 regulations, that there is realistically no likelihood that the twins would have any relationship with the surrogate, gestational mother, or any member of her family.
34. In the circumstances of this case, therefore, I conclude that the agreement of the surrogate mother Miss B is not required on the grounds that she cannot be found.
35. In future cases, however, Applicants and their advisors should learn the lessons of this case, and take steps to ensure that clear lines of communication with the surrogate are established before the birth to facilitate the giving of consent after the expiry of the six week period.
Retrospective authorisation of payments
36. As set out above, section 54 (8) provides a condition of making a parental order that no money or other benefit (other than for expenses reasonable incurred) has been given or received by either of the applicant for or in consideration of the making of the order, any agreement required by the Act, the handing over of the child to the Applicants or the making of arrangements with the view to the making of the order, unless authorised by the court. The Applicants accept they have paid twenty seven thousand US dollars (which is approximately seventeen thousand pounds at current exchange rates) to the clinic for the surrogacy programme, on the basis that the clinic would then pay 'reasonable expenses' to Miss B in the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand rupees, approximately four thousand pounds at current exchange rates. The Applicants accept that the sums paid exceed a level that could be described as 'reasonable expenses'. They therefore invite the court to give retrospective authorisation for the payments made.
37. Unlike the question of consent, the issue of payments for surrogacy, and the basis upon which retrospective authorisation may be given, has been considered by the courts at first instance on several occasions in recent years, notably by Hedley J, who has played a lead role in the development of the law surrounding surrogacy, in four cases- Re X and Y (Foreign Surrogacy) [2008] EWHC 3030 (Fam), Re S (Parental Order) [2009] EWHC 2977 (Fam), Re L (Commercial Surrogacy) [2010] EWHC 3146 (Fam) and Re IJ (Foreign Surrogacy Agreement Parental Order) [2011] EWHC 921 (Fam) – and, the most recently, the President Sir Nicholas Wall in Re X and Y (Parental Order: Retrospective Authorisation of Payments) [2011] EWHC 3147 (Fam). From these authorities the following principles emerge.
(1) The question whether a payment exceeds the level of 'reasonable expenses' is a matter of fact in each case. There is no conventionally- recognised quantum of expenses or capital sum: Re L, supra.
(2) The principles underpinning section 54 (8), which must be respected by the court, is that it is contrary to public policy to sanction excessive payments that effectively amount to buying children from overseas: Re S, supra.
(3) On the other hand, as a result of the changes brought about by the 2010 Regulations, the decision whether to authorise payments retrospectively is a decision relating to a parental order and in making that decision, the court must regard the children's welfare as the paramount consideration: Re L, supra, and Re X and Y (2011), supra, per the President.
(4) It is almost impossible to imagine a set of circumstances in which, by the time an application for a parental order comes to court, the welfare of any child, particularly a foreign child, would not be gravely compromised by a refusal to make the order: per Hedley J in Re X and Y (2008), approved by the President in Re X and Y (2011) at paragraph 40. It follows that : 'it will only be in the clearest case of the abuse of public policy that the court will be able to withhold an order if otherwise welfare considerations support its making', per Hedley J in Re L at paragraph 10.
(5) Where the Applicants for a parental order are acting in good faith, with no attempt to defraud the authorities, and the payments are not so disproportionate that the granting of parental orders would be an affront to public policy, it will ordinarily be appropriate to give retrospective authorisation, having regard to the paramountcy of the children's welfare.
38. In this case, the twin's welfare unquestionably will be enhanced by the making of parental orders. I am satisfied that these Applicants acted in good faith and have been entirely candid in all of their dealings with the Court and the other authorities. As I have set out above, the total sum paid equivalent to about £17,000. Although I remind myself that each case should be scrutinised on its own facts, I note that the total paid was somewhat less than that paid by the Applicants in the President's case Re X and Y (2011), which also involved a surrogacy arranged by an Indian clinic. In that case the President ruled that the sum paid was not so disproportionate that the granting of a parental order would be an affront to public policy.
39. I am therefore prepared to give retrospective authorisation for the payments made by the Applicants in respect of the surrogacy arranged in this case.
40. Accordingly, all the provisions of section 54 are satisfied and I therefore make a parental order for both twins in the following terms:
Upon the court being satisfied that
(1) the Applicants having been through a ceremony of marriage in Belgium are to be treated as civil partners in this jurisdiction
(2) the application for parental orders was made within six months of the birth of the twins.
(3) at the time of the application the twin's home was with the Applicants
(4) at the time of the application both Applicants had attained the age of Eighteen
(5) that the first Applicant is the father of the twins
And upon the court being further satisfied that the woman who carried the twins cannot be found and therefore dispensing with her agreement to the making of parental orders
And upon the court retrospectively authorising the payment of the sum of twenty seven thousand dollars paid by the Applicants for the arrangement of the birth of the twins and being satisfied that no other money or benefit has been given or received by the Applicants under section 54 of the Act
And upon the court directing the registrar enter the details of the parental order made hereinbelow in the parental order register
And upon the court further directing that the original birth certificates of the children shall be released to the Applicants.
(1) there be parental orders pursuant to section 54 provided that the children D and L shall be treated as the children of the Applicants
(2) there be no order as to costs.
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Charles Haid
77 Year Old Director#8
Gemini Director#45
Gemini Named Charles#8
TV director and actor who played the role of Officer Andy Renko on the television show Hill Street Blues.
His directing debut was a production of Godspell at Carnegie Mellon University.
He was rewarded with a Directors Guild Award for directing an episode of ER.
He was the cousin of talk show host Merv Griffin.
He was a director on the popular FX series Sons of Anarchy, which starred Katey Sagal.
Charles Haid Popularity
Charles Haid Is A Member Of
First Name Charles
Charles Haid Fans Also Viewed
Colie.1
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Cup Favourites
(The first book in the County Cup series)
Every year, in the county of Medland, school football teams compete for the most prestigious trophy in the area - the County Cup. Round-robin tournaments determine the winners of the four Quarter Shields - in the North, the East, the South and the West and the winners then clash in the semi-finals and then the Finals. The first four books in this series detail the teams in each quarter, battling it out to win a place in the semi-finals. The winning teams - and characters - can then be followed through the series in subsequent titles.
Used availability for Rob Childs's Cup Favourites
Title: County Cup (1): Cup Favourites
Publisher: Yearling
Title: Cup Favourites (County Cup)
Publisher: Corgi Yearling Books
July 2012 : USA, Australia, Canada, UK Kindle edition
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UN chief warns `vaccine nationalism’ is moving at full speed
Volunteers wait to be checked at a vaccine trial facility set at Soweto’s Chris Sani Baragwanath Hospital outside Johannesburg, South Africa, Monday Nov. 30, 2020. Over 2000 South African volunteers are on AstraZeneca’s experimental coronavirus vaccine trial. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday that “vaccine nationalism” is moving “at full speed,” leaving poor people around the globe watching preparations for inoculations against the coronavirus in some rich nations and wondering if and when they will be vaccinated.
The U.N. chief reiterated his call for vaccines to be treated as “a global public good,” available to everyone, everywhere on the planet, especially in Africa. And he appealed for $4.2 billion in the next two months for the World Health Organization’s COVAX program, an ambitious project to buy and deliver coronavirus vaccines for the world’s poorest people.
After a virtual U.N. meeting with the African Union, Guterres said at news conference that financing COVAX is the only way to guarantee vaccines will be available in Africa and other developing areas.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a high-level U.N. General Assembly meeting last week on COVID-19 that “the light at the end of the tunnel is growing steadily brighter” to end the pandemic. But, he added, vaccines “must be shared equally as global public goods, not as private commodities that widen inequalities and become yet another reason some people are left behind.”
Tedros said WHO’s cash-strapped ACT-Accelerator program to quickly develop and distribute vaccines fairly, which includes the COVAX project, “is in danger of becoming no more than a noble gesture” without major new funding. COVAX will require an additional $23.9 billion for 2021, he said, stressing that the $28 billion total is less than one-half of 1 percent of the $11 trillion in stimulus packages announced so far by the Group of 20, the world’s richest countries..
The United Kingdom and Russia have already started vaccinating people against the coronavirus. In the United States, the Pfizer vaccine could get a green light for emergency use in the coming days and the Moderna vaccine in the coming weeks. Canada announced approval of the Pfizer vaccine Wednesday,
Guterres said Africa’s 54 nations have registered more than 2.2 million cases of coronavirus infections and over 53,000 deaths from COVID-19.
“There is real hope that vaccines — in combination with other public health measures — will help to overcome the pandemic,” he said.
But to end it, he added, vaccines must be available to all and “most African countries lack the financing to adequately respond to the crisis, due in part to declining demand and prices of their commodity exports.”
The director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said in late November that vaccinations against the coronavirus on the continent might not start until the second quarter of next year. “I have seen how Africa is neglected when drugs are available” in the past, he told reporters.
Guterres said Wednesday when asked about Nkengasong’s assessment: “It is my hope that we’ll be able to do it before the second quarter, but it is true that what we’re seeing today is an enormous effort by several countries in order to ensure vaccines for their own populations.”
“It’s true we are seeing vaccination nationalism moving at full speed,” the U.N. chief said.
“If Africa is not properly supported, we will not be able to fight the pandemic,” he said. “There are several vaccines in the pipeline for COVAX, and it is perfectly possible to deliver if the financing is guaranteed.”
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Mother of Texas baby on life support talks amid court battle
This Nov. 8, 2019 photo provided by Texas Right to Life shows Tinslee Lewis. A Texas appeals court on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020 agreed to delay a judge’s ruling that would have allowed a hospital to end life-sustaining treatment for Tinslee Lewis, an 11-month-old girl who doctors say is in pain and will not get better. (Texas Right to Life via AP)
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A woman awaiting a court decision in her battle against a Texas hospital’s plan to end life-sustaining treatment for her 11-month-old daughter spoke out Monday after revoking the medical center’s permission to talk about her child’s treatment.
“This situation takes away my job as a mother and lets other people who don’t even know her decide whether her life is worth living,” Trinity Lewis said during a news conference outside the hospital. She says she doesn’t believe her daughter is suffering.
Doctors at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth insist Tinslee Lewis is in pain and will never recover. They had planned to remove Tinslee from life support Nov. 10 after invokingthe state’s “10-day rule” thatcan be employed when a family disagrees with doctors who say life-sustaining treatment should be stopped. The law stipulates that if the hospital’s ethics committee agrees with doctors, treatment can be withdrawn after 10 days if a new provider can’t be found to take the patient.
Texas’ Second Court of Appealson Friday saidthe hospital can’t remove Tinslee from life support until the court makes a final ruling in the case. In a lower court in Tarrant County on Thursday, a judge denied the mother’s requestto issue an injunction in the case.
“I know that my daughter’s medical needs are complex but I am praying for someone to give her a chance,” Lewis said at the news conference, which was organized by Texas Right to Life, an anti-abortion group, and Protect TX Fragile Kids, a group made up of parents of medically fragile children.
Tinslee has been at Cook Children’s since her premature birth on Feb. 1. The hospital has said she has a rare heart defect and suffers from chronic lung disease and severe chronic high blood pressure. The hospital has said she has been on a ventilator since going into respiratory arrest in early July and requires full respiratory and cardiac support, deep sedation and to be medically paralyzed.
At a hearing last month, Dr. Jay Duncan, one of Tinslee’s physicians, testified that the girl is in pain and that treatment was no longer benefiting her.
Lewis said the hospital is no longer allowed to speak to the media about Tinslee. A hospital spokeswoman said they were informed Friday that permission to speak about the case was revoked.
Efforts to find another facility to take the girl have been unsuccessful. The hospital said it has reached out to more than 20 facilities. Hannah Mehta of Protect TX Fragile Kids said their search for another facility is ongoing.
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Home > Laws > 2018 Florida Statutes > Title XLVII > Chapter 943 > Section 0583
Chapter 943 DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT Entire Chapter
Human trafficking victim expunction.
943.0583 Human trafficking victim expunction.—
(a) “Human trafficking” has the same meaning as provided in s. 787.06.
(b) “Official documentation” means any documentation issued by a federal, state, or local agency tending to show a person’s status as a victim of human trafficking.
(c) “Victim of human trafficking” means a person subjected to coercion, as defined in s. 787.06, for the purpose of being used in human trafficking, a child under 18 years of age subjected to human trafficking, or an individual subjected to human trafficking as defined by federal law.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the filing of a petition as provided in this section, any court in the circuit in which the petitioner was arrested, so long as the court has jurisdiction over the class of offense or offenses sought to be expunged, may order a criminal justice agency to expunge the criminal history record of a victim of human trafficking who complies with the requirements of this section. A petition need not be filed in the court where the petitioner’s criminal proceeding or proceedings originally occurred. This section does not confer any right to the expunction of any criminal history record, and any request for expunction of a criminal history record may be denied at the discretion of the court.
(3) A person who is a victim of human trafficking may petition for the expunction of a criminal history record resulting from the arrest or filing of charges for an offense committed or reported to have been committed while the person was a victim of human trafficking, which offense was committed or reported to have been committed as a part of the human trafficking scheme of which the person was a victim or at the direction of an operator of the scheme, including, but not limited to, violations under chapters 796 and 847, without regard to the disposition of the arrest or of any charges. However, this section does not apply to any offense listed in s. 775.084(1)(b)1. Determination of the petition under this section should be by a preponderance of the evidence. A conviction expunged under this section is deemed to have been vacated due to a substantive defect in the underlying criminal proceedings. If a person is adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity or is found to be incompetent to stand trial for any such charge, the expunction of the criminal history record may not prevent the entry of the judgment or finding in state and national databases for use in determining eligibility to purchase or possess a firearm or to carry a concealed firearm, as authorized in s. 790.065(2)(a)4.c. and 18 U.S.C. s. 922(t), nor shall it prevent any governmental agency that is authorized by state or federal law to determine eligibility to purchase or possess a firearm or to carry a concealed firearm from accessing or using the record of the judgment or finding in the course of such agency’s official duties.
(4) A petition under this section must be initiated by the petitioner with due diligence after the victim has ceased to be a victim of human trafficking or has sought services for victims of human trafficking, subject to reasonable concerns for the safety of the victim, family members of the victim, or other victims of human trafficking that may be jeopardized by the bringing of such petition or for other reasons consistent with the purpose of this section.
(5) Official documentation of the victim’s status creates a presumption that his or her participation in the offense was a result of having been a victim of human trafficking but is not required for granting a petition under this section. A determination made without such official documentation must be made by a showing of clear and convincing evidence.
(6) Each petition to a court to expunge a criminal history record is complete only when accompanied by:
(a) The petitioner’s sworn statement attesting that the petitioner is eligible for such an expunction to the best of his or her knowledge or belief and does not have any other petition to expunge or any petition to seal pending before any court.
(b) Official documentation of the petitioner’s status as a victim of human trafficking, if any exists.
Any person who knowingly provides false information on such sworn statement to the court commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(7)(a) In judicial proceedings under this section, a copy of the completed petition to expunge shall be served upon the appropriate state attorney or the statewide prosecutor and upon the arresting agency; however, it is not necessary to make any agency other than the state a party. The appropriate state attorney or the statewide prosecutor and the arresting agency may respond to the court regarding the completed petition to expunge.
(b) The petitioner or the petitioner’s attorney may appear at any hearing under this section telephonically, via video conference, or by other electronic means.
(c) The court shall allow an advocate from a state attorney’s office, law enforcement agency, safe house or safe foster home as defined in s. 409.1678(1), or a residential facility offering services to adult victims of human trafficking to be present with the petitioner during any court proceedings or hearings under this section, if the petitioner has made such a request and the advocate is able to be present.
(d) If relief is granted by the court, the clerk of the court shall certify copies of the order to the appropriate state attorney or the statewide prosecutor and the arresting agency. The arresting agency is responsible for forwarding the order to any other agency listed in the court order to which the arresting agency disseminated the criminal history record information to which the order pertains. The department shall forward the order to expunge to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The clerk of the court shall certify a copy of the order to any other agency that the records of the court reflect has received the criminal history record from the court.
(8)(a) Any criminal history record of a minor or an adult that is ordered expunged pursuant to this section must be physically destroyed or obliterated by any criminal justice agency having custody of such record, except that any criminal history record in the custody of the department must be retained in all cases.
(b) The person who is the subject of a criminal history record that is expunged under this section may lawfully deny or fail to acknowledge the arrests covered by the expunged record, except when the subject of the record is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice agency or is a defendant in a criminal prosecution.
(c) Subject to the exceptions in paragraph (b), a person who has been granted an expunction under this section may not be held under any law of this state to commit perjury or to be otherwise liable for giving a false statement by reason of such person’s failure to recite or acknowledge an expunged criminal history record.
(9) Any reference to any other chapter, section, or subdivision of the Florida Statutes in this section constitutes a general reference under the doctrine of incorporation by reference.
(10)(a) A criminal history record ordered expunged under this section that is retained by the department is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, except that the record shall be made available:
1. To criminal justice agencies for their respective criminal justice purposes.
2. To any governmental agency that is authorized by state or federal law to determine eligibility to purchase or possess a firearm or to carry a concealed firearm for use in the course of such agency’s official duties.
3. Upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) A criminal justice agency may retain a notation indicating compliance with an order to expunge.
(11)(a) The following criminal intelligence information or criminal investigative information is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution:
1. Any information that reveals the identity of a person who is a victim of human trafficking whose criminal history record has been expunged under this section.
2. Any information that may reveal the identity of a person who is a victim of human trafficking whose criminal history record has been ordered expunged under this section.
(b) Criminal investigative information and criminal intelligence information made confidential and exempt under this subsection may be disclosed by a law enforcement agency:
1. In the furtherance of its official duties and responsibilities.
2. For print, publication, or broadcast if the law enforcement agency determines that such release would assist in locating or identifying a person that the agency believes to be missing or endangered. The information provided should be limited to that needed to identify or locate the victim.
3. To another governmental agency in the furtherance of its official duties and responsibilities.
(c) This exemption applies to such confidential and exempt criminal intelligence information or criminal investigative information held by a law enforcement agency before, on, or after the effective date of the exemption.
(d) This subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2020, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
History.—s. 2, ch. 2013-98; s. 1, ch. 2013-99; s. 12, ch. 2014-160; s. 2, ch. 2015-145; s. 2, ch. 2015-146; s. 1, ch. 2018-39.
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The Dark Visions of an Italian Master
To this day, I'm not sure what to make of the career of cinematographer, director, and all-around dark fantasy auteur Mario Bava. When he was good, he was very, very good, and when he was bad, well….. On the plus side, Bava and director Ricardo Freda (re)introduced horror and fantasy to the Italian film industry with their groundbreaking Lust of the Vampire (aka I Vampiri; 1956 -- while retaining a Gothic sensibility and visual style, it updates the vampire story to include science in the service of evil.) On the debit side, Bava pioneered the Giallo genre, which in turn inspired the American slasher film, which in turn degenerated into today's torture porn (e.g., Saw and Hostel).
But let's be positive. Around the same time that Hammer Studios was reinventing Gothic horror with copious amounts of blood in living technicolor, Bava, first as a cinematographer, then as a director, was developing a unique, nightmarish visual style that greatly influenced not only Italian cinema, but European cinema as a whole. Bava is in essence a founding father of "eurohorror."
I don't think it takes away from his greatness to say that Bava's earlier pre-Giallo work stands the test of time, and that his later films, often featuring a tiresome succession of gratuitous, gruesomely "stylish" murders, don't enhance his standing very much (at least in my eyes). If he had only done Black Sunday (La Maschera del Demonio; 1960), he would be worthy of study. Black Sabbath (I Tre Volti della Paura; 1963) confirmed his eccentric genius. And with Planet of the Vampires (Terrore Nello Spazio; 1965), he pulled off the very first Gothic, fog-shrouded, horror-sci-fi space adventure.
Having been a huge Mario Bava fan since first seeing the incredible Black Sabbath back in the '60s (and suffering a sleepless night), it's hard to imagine that the maestro has been, if not exactly forgotten over the years, then certainly not celebrated to the extent that he deserves. For example, the two English language biographies (The Haunted World of Mario Bava, 2003 and Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, 2007) are already collector's items, with copies fetching hundreds of dollars. The literature in general on Bava is relatively sparse considering his unique and stylish contributions to horror and fantasy. (Even if you don't particularly care for his unique visual style, there is still the fact that he practically invented the slasher film, for better or worse.)
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre attempts to address the injustice by bringing together filmmaker fans such as Tim Burton, Joe Dante and John Carpenter with film writers and scholars to review Bava's rich legacy (and to simply gush over some of the most visually striking work that the horror genre has ever known). Bava, the son of a film effects technician, got an early start in films at the age of 14 as an assistant cameraman. Soon he was working the camera for some high-powered directors: Raoul Walsh, G.W. Pabst, Roberto Rossellini, and Jacques Tourneur. The documentary credits director Ricardo Freda and cinematographer Bava for coming up with the first Italian horror film (at least of the sound era) with the moody, neo-gothic Lust of the Vampire (aka I Vampiri; 1956). Bava finished directing the film for Freda, who reportedly couldn't keep up with the grueling shooting schedule and argued with the producers. In the next several years Bava would finish two more films when the directors walked out: Caltiki, The Undying Monster (1959) and the sword and sandal epic Giant of Marathon (both released in 1959). Thus, a fascinating genre director was fashioned from a very talented cinematographer.
Black Sunday (1960) introduced beautiful and exotic
Barbara Steele to an international audience.
The documentary celebrates a unique filmmaking career and at the same time speculates about what might have been. AIP's legendary Sam Arkoff invited Bava to come to the states, but Mario found the language barrier too daunting. One of those interviewed in the film wonders if he might have attained the status of an Alfred Hitchcock if he'd had the budgets of a "real" Hollywood director. Joe Dante (The Howling, 1981; Gremlins, 1984) also wonders, but ultimately is thankful for a body of work that perhaps could only have come from a leaner, but more richly imaginative, European environment.
More than one commentator remarks on the surreal, dreamlike quality of Bava's work. Tim Burton (Batman, 1989; Sleepy Hollow, 1999; Corpse Bride, 2005) is the most adulatory: "He really captured film as dream." Others point to Bava's influence, some of it unacknowledged, on later, much more expensive projects. Friday the 13th (1980) plays very much like an American remake of Bava's Twitch of the Death Nerve (aka Bay of Blood, 1971), and Ridley Scott's Alien (1980) lifted the general look and feel, not to mention a whole sequence, from Planet of the Vampires (1965).
Behind all of the dark, macabre dreams was a gentle man with a good sense of humor. Composer Carlo Rustichelli describes Bava as the antithesis of his films, a joyful man. Grandson Fabrizio "Roy" Bava explains his grandfather's choice of subject matter as a penchant for going against the grain: "too many people speak about love, so maybe I [Mario Bava] can put together love and death." Perhaps most touchingly, biographer Tim Lucas relates that the night before filming a scene for Twitch of the Death Nerve involving a beetle pinned to a desk, Bava didn't sleep a wink, because he didn't want to take responsibility for the insect's life.
Despite attempts like this TV documentary, the maestro remains overlooked and undervalued. He was a pioneer and an inventor, and many of his films featured graphic violence that was shocking for the time, but most of all he was a master stylist who knew how to light up the night to reveal surreal, nightmarish landscapes that have the power to haunt even today.
The Mario Bava Essentials (in chronological order):
Lust of the Vampire (I Vampiri; 1956). Italy's first sound horror film ignited the Eurohorror industry, and paved the way for the "demented-scientist-preys-on-innocent-females-to-supply-blood-and/or-facial-grafts-to-ailing/disfigured-benefactors/relatives" subgenre. (Bava completed the directing chores for Ricardo Freda.)
Caltiki the Undying Monster (Caltiki il Mostro Immortale; 1959). A much more graphic and intense Euro version of The Blob (1958). (Bava again stepped in for Freda to complete the film.)
Black Sunday (La Maschera del Demonio; 1960). Bava's first feature length film as a director (not counting the films he completed for others). A masterpiece of shadows and dread. Introduced the beautiful and exotic Barbara Steele to international audiences.
The Evil Eye (La Ragazza che Sapeva Troppo; 1963). A proto-Giallo with American John Saxon in the lead role. In the documentary, Saxon claims he played the role tongue-in-cheek. It's hard to believe he didn't mistake Evil Eye for another film, as this one about a tourist in Rome being targeted by a serial killer is as dark as it gets.
Boris Karloff in "The Wurdalak" segment
of Black Sabbath (1963).
Black Sabbath (I Tre Volti della Paura; 1963). A trio of terror tales from "classic" literature. Two of the three segments, "The Drop of Water" and "The Wurdalak," are masterpieces of dark, mounting dread. "The Wurdalak" features Boris Karloff's best performance since the original Frankenstein.
Blood and Black Lace (Sei Donne per L'Assassino; 1964). I hesitate to include this one due to the graphic violence, but it's style and cinematography make it a Giallo masterpiece (if that's your cup of tea).
Planet of the Vampires (Terrore Nello Spazio; 1965). The one that Ridley Scott ripped off for his hit Alien. An intriguing blend of horror and space opera on a fog-shrouded planet.
Kill Baby, Kill (Operazione Paura; 1966). This one, about a series of mysterious deaths in a remote village, is perhaps the best example of Bava's ability to create disturbing, surreal dreamscapes. The night in Bava's films is at the same time colorful and dreadful. (See the clip below.)
Baron Blood (Gli Orrori del Castello di Norimberga; 1972). Not among Bava's best, but interesting for being sort of a last-gasp effort to create gothic horror at a time of social and artistic upheaval. Joseph Cotton and Elke Sommer also liven up the proceedings.
In Kill Baby, Kill, Bava builds tension and dread with surreal, nightmarish imagery:
Labels: Biography, Documentary, Eurohorror, Filmmmaking, Horror, Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre (2000)
Mr Movie Fiend: That '70s Vampire
There's No Beast like a Snow Beast
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Blowing the Horn
By John Prendergast and Colin Thomas-Jensen
WASHINGTON'S FAILINGS IN AFRICA
The Greater Horn of Africa -- a region half the size of the United States that includes Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, and Uganda -- is the hottest conflict zone in the world. Some of the most violent wars of the last half century have ripped the region apart. Today, two clusters of conflicts continue to destabilize it. The first centers on interlocking rebellions in Sudan, including those in Darfur and southern Sudan, and engulfs northern Uganda, eastern Chad, and northeastern Central African Republic. The main culprit is the Sudanese government, which is supporting rebels in these three neighboring countries -- and those states, which are supporting Sudanese groups opposing Khartoum. The second cluster links the festering dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea with the power struggle in Somalia, which involves the fledgling secular government, antigovernment clan militias, Islamist militants, and anti-Islamist warlords. Ethiopia's flash intervention in Somalia in December temporarily secured the ineffectual transitional government's position, but that intervention, which Washington backed and supplemented with its own air strikes, has sown the seeds for an Islamist and clan-based insurgency in the future.
Recent U.S. policy has only made matters worse. The region, which has both suffered attacks by al Qaeda and hosted its agents (including Osama bin Laden himself), is a legitimate concern of U.S. officials. But stemming the spread of terrorism and extremist ideologies has become such an overwhelming strategic objective for Washington that it has overshadowed U.S. efforts to resolve conflicts and promote good governance; in everything but rhetoric, counterterrorism now consumes U.S. policy in the Greater Horn as totally as anticommunism did a generation ago. To support this critical but narrow aim, the Bush administration has too often nurtured relationships with autocratic leaders and favored covert and military action over diplomacy. Sometimes that has even included feting in Langley Sudanese officials suspected of having a hand in the massacres in Darfur or handing suitcases full of cash to warlords on the streets of Mogadishu.
The results have been disastrous. Sudan's autocrats are reverting to the extremism of their roots. In Somalia, the core of the Islamist militant movement remains intact after Ethiopia's invasion, its members' passions inflamed by the intervention. The leaders of Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Uganda have used the specter of war and the imperative of counterterrorism as excuses to crack down on political opponents and restive populations at home. The humanitarian situation throughout the region, fragile even in times of peace, is now catastrophic: nearly nine million people have been displaced, and chronic insecurity severely constrains access to humanitarian aid for the more than 16 million people who need it.
The fundamental flaw in Washington's approach is its lack of a regional diplomatic strategy to tackle the underlying causes of the two clusters of conflicts. These crises can no longer be addressed in isolation, with discrete and uncoordinated ad hoc peace initiatives. Washington must work to stabilize the Greater Horn through effective partnerships with Africa's multilateral institutions, the European Union, and the new UN secretary-general. Until it does, long-term U.S. counterterrorism objectives will suffer -- and the region will continue to burn.
Since gaining its independence in 1956, Sudan, the largest country in the region, has been engulfed in a series of civil wars pitting Arab-dominated governments in Khartoum against rebels from marginalized groups. In the face of continued unrest, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), which took charge in a coup in 1989, has armed and trained ethnic-based militias in Sudan and throughout the region and granted them impunity for mass atrocities against civilians it suspects of supporting its opponents.
In the south, the 21-year civil war between Khartoum and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) killed 2.2 million people -- making it the second-deadliest conflict in the world since World War II, after the civil war in Congo, which killed 3.8 million people. The NCP enlisted the Lord's Resistance Army, a millenarian rebel group based in northern Uganda, to open a second front against the SPLA. Khartoum also backed it to punish the Ugandan government for supporting the SPLA. The result there has been 1.7 million people in displaced camps and, courtesy of the Lord's Resistance Army, the highest rate of child abductions in the world.
The war in southern Sudan officially ended in January 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The deal granted autonomy to the area and gave the SPLA majority control of the new Government of Southern Sudan, based in Juba, and a minority role in the Government of National Unity, in Khartoum. It also provided for a referendum in 2011, in which the people of southern Sudan will decide whether to secede from the rest of the country. But two years later, the situation is not encouraging. The implementation of critical components of the arrangement -- notably the demobilization of the NCP's proxy militias in southern Sudan, the demarcation of borders in oil-producing areas, and the transparent disbursement of oil revenues -- is lagging. War clouds have been forming again since John Garang, the SPLA's charismatic leader and a leading proponent of a unified Sudan, died in a helicopter crash in July 2005. Without him, the SPLA has failed to assert itself in the Government of National Unity.
Another problem is that the negotiations leading to the agreement did not involve opposition groups from Darfur and other northern areas. That left opponents of the government in Darfur feeling that they had no other recourse but to attack military outposts, police stations, and other government interests to win a place at the negotiating table. Since the rebellion broke out there in February 2003, the NCP has supported Arab militias, known as the Janjaweed, who routinely attack the non-Arab civilians backing the rebels. Some 200,000 to 450,000 Darfurians are estimated to have died since April 2003, 2.5 million have been driven from their homes, and two-thirds of all Darfurians -- some 4.3 million people -- now need humanitarian assistance of some kind. Partly thanks to U.S. efforts, the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed in May 2006, but the negotiators secured signatures from leaders of only one rebel faction, which alienated other groups and soon resulted in more fighting. The conflict has since spilled over into Chad and the Central African Republic -- causing another two million people in those countries to require humanitarian assistance. Khartoum has been supporting an array of rebel groups and militias in both countries in the hope of overthrowing their governments and installing friendlier regimes.
In eastern Sudan, too, rebels took up arms against the regime, more than a decade ago. Although the Eritrean government mediated an agreement between the NCP and rebels there in October 2006, the deal has yet to face a serious test. In the meantime, the regime in Khartoum continues to respond ferociously to all uprisings -- a sign that it is desperate to maintain power by any means and hold on to its growing oil wealth.
The second cluster of conflicts centers on Somalia and also involves Ethiopia, Eritrea, and northeastern Kenya. Somalia, the only country in the world without an operational government, has been headless since 1991, when the country's leader -- and a U.S. ally -- Muhammad Siad Barre, was overthrown. Warlords held sway in urban centers for over a decade after that, despite no fewer than 14 initiatives to create a central government. Finally, in 2004, under the impetus of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional organization, a fragile body known as the Transitional Federal Government was set up, headquartered first in Kenya and then, in mid-2005, in the Somali town of Baidoa. In the meantime, however, Somali Islamists had established in and around the capital, Mogadishu, 11 clan-based Islamic courts backed by militias, a few of which had close links to jihadists and terrorists suspected of being associated with al Qaeda.
The struggle for domination started coming to a head in mid-2006, when the Islamic courts defeated the warlords in Mogadishu and expanded their control over much of south-central Somalia. The courts managed to win over the population -- which is Muslim but of a Sufi persuasion averse to the courts' radical Salafism -- by providing security and basic services, which both the ineffectual transitional government and the predatory warlords had failed to assure. The Ethiopian government, having grown increasingly concerned about the Islamists' rising influence, sent troops across the border at the end of 2006. The fighting was over before it began. The Islamists melted into the civilian population, leaving a few militia groups to be pursued by Ethiopian forces.
The Ethiopian government had a number of reasons for taking out the Islamic courts. Ethiopia and Somalia have had a tense history, including three wars between 1960 and 1978. Somalia has hosted al-Itihaad al-Islamiya, a terrorist organization that planted several bombs in Ethiopia in the 1990s, prompting the Ethiopian government twice during that period to send troops into Somalia to destroy the group and dismantle its training camps. Last year, senior court officials made clear that they intended to incorporate Somali populations in the Somali region of southeastern Ethiopia into a greater Somalia. They were already backing Ethiopian opposition groups such as the Ogaden National Liberation Front and, in southern Oromia, the Oromo Liberation Front. This support was a direct challenge to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who, after a decade and a half of rule, faces internal political pressure from ethnic groups that feel underrepresented. Legislative elections in Ethiopia in 2005 were characterized by unprecedented openness, but after a strong showing by opposition parties, Meles' government cracked down.
These domestic troubles have also made it harder for Meles to budge on Ethiopia's border dispute with Eritrea -- another threat to regional stability. In the early 1990s, when Eritrea won its independence from Ethiopia after three decades of fighting, Ethiopia became a landlocked state. The two states' leaders, Meles and Isaias Afwerki, had good relations at first, but they soon fell out over economic and political matters, particularly the countries' ill-defined border. The tensions spiraled into an especially savage war in the late 1990s. In 2000, Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace deal and agreed to submit their border dispute to "final and binding" resolution by an independent international commission. The ruling, issued in 2002, awarded the disputed town of Badme to Eritrea. Meles has steadfastly refused to implement it, however, arguing that the commission's methodology was flawed. He also objects because he is sensitive to the widespread sentiment among Ethiopians that he is responsible for losing the country's access to the Red Sea at Eritrea's independence; he is careful not to appear soft on Eritrea.
The Eritrean government, for its part, is increasingly frustrated by the international community's unwillingness to pressure Ethiopia to demarcate the border. In protest, President Isaias has restricted the UN peacekeeping force charged with observing the cease-fire and expelled international aid organizations. Continually invoking the prospect of imminent war, his government has clamped down on all opposition while needling Ethiopia by supporting the Ogaden National Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Front. Ethiopia, meanwhile, backs the Eritrean Democratic Alliance, an umbrella organization of groups opposed to the Eritrean government.
Even more worrisome for regional stability is the fact that Ethiopia and Eritrea are playing out their differences through their neighbors. While the Ethiopian government supports the Sudanese government, the Eritrean government -- which accused Khartoum of wanting to expand its Islamist reach throughout the region and of backing a rebellion by the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement in the 1990s -- maintains close relations with rebels in Darfur and eastern Sudan. At the same time, it has been providing weapons and forces to the Islamic courts in Somalia, principally in opposition to the Ethiopian government, which backs the transitional government there. The Sudanese government is also involved in Somalia's affairs. Using its temporary leadership of the Arab League, for example, it convened in Khartoum a meeting between representatives of the Somali transitional government and representatives of the Islamic courts in March 2006 -- a move that raised concerns among officials of the transitional government who are wary of ties between leaders of the Islamic courts, universities in Sudan, and Islamists in the NCP.
These proliferating threats could have been mitigated by smart U.S. policy, but Washington's approach to the Greater Horn of Africa, which centers on counterterrorism, has been erratic and shortsighted. The United States' overweening focus on stemming terrorism began early in the Clinton presidency in response to Khartoum's aggressive promotion of its ties to international terrorist organizations. Al Qaeda operatives based in Somalia blew up the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and, Washington suspects, attacked a hotel and an El Al plane in Kenya in 2002. Following the attacks of 9/11, Washington expanded its counterterrorism efforts in the region. It has deployed over 1,500 troops in Djibouti to carry out civil-affairs programs and help gather intelligence on suspected terrorists and has earmarked $100 million a year to support counterterrorism efforts by local authorities. More than anything, however, the United States' counterterrorism policy in the Greater Horn of Africa now hinges on three strategies: almost unconditional support for the Ethiopian government, extremely close cooperation on counterterrorism with Khartoum, and occasional but spectacular forays into Somalia in the hope of killing or capturing al Qaeda suspects.
Ethiopia has been the United States' closest ally in the Greater Horn for the last decade, partly because the fight against Islamic extremism resonates powerfully with Ethiopian officials. Although the country is half Muslim and half Christian, its political and intellectual elites have historically been Christian. Ethiopia has also suffered firsthand from Islamist terrorism: radicals based in Sudan plotted an assassination attempt on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the capital, Addis Ababa, in 1995, and the Somalia-based al-Itihaad al-Islamiya has repeatedly staged attacks throughout the country. In 2001, the Bush administration declared Ethiopia the United States' principal counterterrorism ally in the region. Even the U.S. Agency for International Development -- which gave Ethiopia over $460 million in food aid and assistance in fiscal year 2005 -- touts the country as being "of strategic importance to the United States because of its geographic position" and as "the linchpin to stability in the Horn of Africa and the Global War on Terrorism."
But Washington's narrow agenda has stifled U.S. efforts to press for more democracy and greater respect for human rights in Ethiopia. And it has undermined attempts to settle the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 1998, with full support from the State Department, the Defense Department, and the National Security Council, former National Security Adviser Anthony Lake led the multilateral efforts that eventually ended the Eritrean-Ethiopian war in 2000. But when Ethiopia started balking at implementing the 2002 border decision, rather than pursue diplomatic efforts to pressure it, the Bush White House did little, allowing its counterterrorism objectives to override peacemaking. The two states have barely budged in the five years since, and the Eritrean government has grown deeply skeptical of the international community's intentions. From its point of view, the border issue has been settled and Ethiopia must be held to account before negotiations on other questions can begin. While the stalemate lasts, U.S.-Eritrean relations sour: Washington now sees Isaias as unreliable and worries he is becoming friendlier to rogue states such as Iran, and Isaias continues to fume at what he considers to be favoritism toward Meles.
A second focus of the Bush administration's policy in the Greater Horn has been close cooperation on counterterrorism with Sudan. Khartoum's move away from its strong support for international terrorism started during the Clinton administration. From 1991 to 1996, bin Laden resided in Sudan, and the regime allowed numerous terrorists to travel on Sudanese passports and establish training camps on Sudanese soil. But then, in 1996, in response to U.S.-led sanctions by the UN Security Council, Khartoum expelled bin Laden and dismantled al Qaeda's camps and commercial infrastructure. Relations deteriorated in the summer of 1998, when Washington retaliated for the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania by blowing up a Sudanese factory that it alleged stored biological weapons. And they improved somewhat again after the attacks of 9/11, which reinforced Washington's emphasis on counterterrorism and prompted the Bush administration to engage more with Khartoum.
The Bush White House, which was eager to respond to conservative Christian constituents who were demanding an end to human rights abuses and religious persecution in southern Sudan, also intensified its support for a peace deal there. But as the SPLA and the NCP were closing in on an agreement in 2003, Darfur blew up, exposing the weakness of the narrow approach of Washington and its partners. At that point, the U.S. government had to decide whether to continue to press for peace in the south or broaden its effort to also respond aggressively to the escalating crisis in Darfur. It chose the first option for fear that choosing (and failing at) the second would jeopardize both peace between the NCP and the SPLA and Khartoum's cooperation on counterterrorism. By doing so, however, Washington unwittingly gave the Sudanese government the upper hand: Sudanese officials realized that they could delay a deal with the SPLA while underwriting brutalities in Darfur without facing serious consequences. In both October 2003 and April 2004, even as Sudanese armed forces and the Janjaweed were massacring civilians in Darfur, the White House reported to Congress that Khartoum was negotiating "in good faith" with the SPLA.
President George W. Bush and senior U.S. officials have spoken out against the crimes in Darfur (they have called them genocide), and a UN panel has blamed them in part on senior NCP officials, including the director of national intelligence, the minister of the interior, and the minister of defense. But thanks partly to increased cooperation with Washington on intelligence, Khartoum has managed to avoid punitive action, stifle diplomatic efforts to reach durable settlements with the rebels, and resist international efforts to send a robust peacekeeping force to Darfur. Last November, the Bush administration clearly stated that if Sudan did not agree by the end of the year to welcome a mixed force of UN and African Union (AU) troops to Darfur, Khartoum would face unspecified measures. But when the deadline came and went, the Bush administration issued no condemnation. Meanwhile, Khartoum has continued to cultivate its image as a counterterrorism partner -- even as hard-liners in the NCP have been reconnecting with old terrorist allies. All along, the NCP's objective in cooperating on terrorism has been to make itself indispensable to Washington in order to lessen its exposure to international pressure over its human rights record. And it has succeeded: despite a vast grass-roots movement in the United States calling for a robust response to the atrocities in Darfur, no viable plan is forthcoming yet.
U.S. policy in Somalia has also been dangerously narrow. Washington intervened there as part of a UN humanitarian mission in 1992, but it quickly got bogged down and, following the killing of 18 U.S. troops in the streets of Mogadishu, withdrew all U.S. forces in 1994. Since then, its main goal has been to apprehend the foreign al Qaeda operatives it believes are being hidden and protected by Somali Islamists. (One suspected protector is Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, a one-time member of al-Itihaad al-Islamiya and now the chair of the Islamic courts.) To that end, Washington has funded Somali warlords to pursue terrorists on its behalf. By 2006, the enlisted warlords were calling themselves the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counterterrorism -- and getting, according to our interviews with some members, about $150,000 a month from Washington. In contrast, the United States contributed only $250,000 to the $10 million peace process that led to the formation of the Transitional Federal Government, and the United States gives far less humanitarian assistance to Somalia than to other countries in the region. The Bush administration has preferred to create a strategic partnership with warlords in the pursuit of a few terrorists rather than to address Somalia's chronic statelessness, which will continue to draw many more terrorists to the country.
Although Ethiopia's intervention this winter dislodged the potentially hostile Islamic courts -- which can be considered a short-term counterterrorism success -- it is too early for Washington to roll out the "Mission Accomplished" banners. Ethiopia's invasion has only displaced the most visible part of the Islamist movement; other elements have survived, including a network of mosques, madrasahs, and businesses, as well as a militant wing, known as the Shabaab, that has threatened to wage guerrilla war. Meanwhile, the courts' collapse has left a huge vacuum that the transitional government cannot fill. The courts had brought peace and stability, and their defeat has returned Mogadishu to the warlords who have preyed on Somalia for much of the past two decades. Two related insurgencies are likely to break out in the future, one led by the remnants of the courts, the other by disaffected clans.
This leaves the United States' interests in Somalia at risk. Having pursued the narrow objective of capturing or killing a few terrorist suspects, Washington has now become embroiled in Ethiopia's policies in Somalia, which may diverge significantly from its own in the long run. Focusing on hunting down suspects without also investing in state building is a strategy that could not have worked, and the decision to support Ethiopia's military invasion without devising a broader political strategy was a stunning mistake, especially considering the U.S. experience in Iraq. Predictably, resentment over foreign intervention has been building among Somalis. And U.S. air strikes against Islamist holdouts in the far south of the country have turned Somalia into a much more interesting target for al Qaeda than it once was; they could boost recruiting for the Islamists for a long time.
A THREE-PART PLAN
A new framework for engagement in the Greater Horn is urgently needed to reverse these trends. The United States' counterterrorism objectives would be best served by a new comprehensive diplomatic initiative focused on resolving conflict and promoting good governance throughout the region. Any new strategy must be wide-ranging and multilateral. It must focus all at once on resolving conflicts, keeping the peace, and punishing spoilers, and it will require working with the UN Security Council and the AU.
First, the United States should launch a Greater Horn peace initiative with the AU and the new UN secretary-general to devise a comprehensive approach to the two main clusters of conflicts surrounding Sudan and Somalia. This should entail coordinated efforts to resolve the related crises in Darfur, Chad, and the Central African Republic; secure a deal between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government; broker a power-sharing arrangement in Somalia; and settle the ongoing disputes in southern Sudan and between Ethiopia and Eritrea, in order to see the two existing peace deals concerning them fully implemented. These efforts would require the creation of a conflict resolution cell in the region, staffed by senior diplomats reporting to the State Department and assigned for at least one year, who would coordinate peace talks and support their realization. This initiative could follow the models provided by the partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development that ended the war in southern Sudan and the partnership between the United States, the European Union, and the Organization of African Unity (the AU's predecessor) that ended the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Unfortunately, so far, in both Somalia and Darfur, the international community has put the cart before the horse, working furiously to send peacekeeping forces before having secured viable peace agreements.
Second, a concerted effort must be made to boost the peacekeeping capacity that would be needed to implement any peace deals. The United States and the European Union have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the past decade to prepare African armies to participate more effectively in peacekeeping operations. But judging by the limitations of the AU operations in Darfur, peacekeeping objectives need to be refocused. Lacking an explicit mandate to protect civilians, the AU troops in Darfur have often been either irrelevant or counterproductive, serving as a lightning rod for local hostility and as an excuse for the inaction of the international community. The AU does not have enough forces to deploy in multiple theaters; it could barely scrape together the 7,500 troops it sent to Darfur. And with Western donors failing to fully fund the mission, the troops were ill equipped and remained unpaid for months. The inescapable conclusion from the AU's experience in Darfur is that the UN should lead peacekeeping operations in Africa (as it does elsewhere in the world), with substantial AU participation and a mandate to protect civilians.
Third, Washington must do a better job of garnering international support for using, or at least threatening to use, multilateral penalties of some type. In Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia, the U.S. government and some Western states have offered much and gained little in return, partly because they have failed to apply instruments of pressure; they are like barking dogs with no bite. Real leverage comes from the early use of multilateral punitive measures -- such as prosecutions by the International Criminal Court, targeted sanctions against senior officials and rebels, and oil embargoes and other instruments of economic pressure -- and from their suspension when compliance is achieved. How can the regime in Khartoum be expected to act any differently in Darfur if its activities bear no cost?
Boosting conflict resolution, peacekeeping, and punitive measures will unquestionably be difficult, but it can be done if the United States builds multilateral partnerships to share the diplomatic and financial burdens. In Sudan, this will require preventing the NCP from continuing to channel U.S. policies into separate streams -- one on southern Sudan, another on Darfur, another still on counterterrorism. Washington needs a cohesive Sudan policy that addresses all U.S. goals simultaneously and uses multilateral punitive actions to achieve them. Until the power-sharing agreement is fully implemented in the south and wealth and power devolve from the ruling elites in Khartoum to marginalized areas in Darfur and the east, the tensions that have fueled 50 years of civil war in Sudan will not subside.
Despite its flaws, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in southern Sudan remains a key building block for altering the distribution of power and reestablishing democracy throughout the country -- but only if it is fully implemented. Enforcement means overcoming several major obstacles: the NCP's failure to demobilize its proxy militia forces in southern Sudan, its refusal to accept a border commission's ruling regarding the oil-producing region of Abyei, and the lack of transparency in the division of oil revenues between the Government of National Unity in Khartoum and the Government of Southern Sudan in Juba. NCP hard-liners simply will not implement key elements of the agreement -- or abandon their militaristic policies in Darfur -- unless Western governments subject them to the coordinated pressure of UN sanctions, asset freezes, and criminal indictments.
At the same time, the United States and other donors must live up to their commitment to help build the capacity of the nascent Government of Southern Sudan. International donors pledged $4.5 billion for Sudan at a conference following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Oslo in May 2005, but they did not fulfill their obligations fully because of mounting concern over Khartoum's role in the atrocities in Darfur. They must now refocus on the south to prevent a return to conflict. And they must prepare for the increasing likelihood that the region will vote to secede in the 2011 referendum. Southern Sudanese participating in focus groups convened by the National Democratic Institute in April 2006 expressed near-total support for independence. With little progress in their relations with Khartoum, it is unlikely that southerners will change their minds in the next four years. But Khartoum will probably return to war rather than allow the referendum to occur and risk losing access to 80 percent of its oil resources. More focused international support for the Government of Southern Sudan, especially for helping the SPLA become a regular army, would not only decrease insecurity in the south in the run-up to the referendum but also help deter the NCP from resuming the conflict (or at least give southerners the means to defend themselves if it did).
With Sudan's oil revenues up to $4 billion a year, Khartoum is now driven more by greed than by Islamist ideology. This presents an opportunity for the United States to increase economic pressure on Khartoum. But Washington cannot make the most of this without engaging more deeply with China and Arab League countries, which have strong economic interests in Sudan and regularly run interference for the regime. In response to U.S. economic sanctions in the 1990s, the Sudanese oil sector established close ties with China and, to a lesser extent, with Malaysia and India; as a result, Beijing is now reluctant to lean on Khartoum. But the growing perception that Beijing is turning a blind eye to continuing atrocities in Darfur could mar its international image as it prepares to host the 2008 Olympics. Recent efforts to build consensus among China, Russia, and the Arab League for enhancing peacekeeping forces in Darfur are a good start. But it is also necessary to build multilateral support for a comprehensive peace strategy that would force Khartoum to stop supporting rebel groups in Chad and the Central African Republic, negotiate amendments to the flawed Darfur Peace Agreement, and accept a properly mandated international peacekeeping force -- with UN troops under UN command and control -- to protect civilians and dismantle the Janjaweed. The United States should work through the UN Security Council to freeze the assets of senior NCP officials and their businesses and impose travel bans on them, as well as facilitate the flow of information about suspected war criminals to the International Criminal Court. In case the situation deteriorates and Khartoum continues to obstruct peace efforts, the international community should urgently plan for deploying ground and air forces to protect civilians without Khartoum's consent.
In Somalia, too, a multilateral approach to peace building is necessary to prevent protracted insurgencies from engulfing the region. There has been little history of sectarian violence in Ethiopia, but many Ethiopians now worry that an extended war with Somali Islamists could create religious divisions at home, pitting, in particular, Muslims against the government. Rather than relying primarily on military force, regular intelligence from and occasional intervention by Ethiopia, anti-Islamist warlords, and a weak transitional government, as it has done, Washington must adopt a more nuanced approach to Somalia. It should work with the European Union, the AU, the Arab League, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to pressure all parties into negotiating a power-sharing deal between the transitional government, clan leaders in Mogadishu, and the Islamic courts. The Somali transitional government will negotiate only if pressed by Ethiopia, and the United States has more clout with Ethiopia than does any other external actor. By contrast, Washington lacks direct leverage with the Islamic courts and excluded clan elders, and so U.S. diplomacy on that front should focus on getting governments in the region and in the Arab League to persuade them to accept a government of national unity.
None of this will be easy. Washington must appoint full-time envoys to press for a power-sharing deal in Somalia and to nudge Ethiopia and Eritrea toward accommodation. Letting these disputes fester would ensure the advent of Islamist and clan-based insurgencies in Somalia and increase the possibility of another war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Both developments would be disastrous for the people of the Greater Horn and for long-term U.S. counterterrorism objectives.
The essential lesson of U.S. counterterrorism policy over the last five years -- apparently unheeded by the Bush administration -- is that in order for local Muslim populations to take the United States' counterterrorism agenda seriously, the United States must take their state-building and power-sharing agendas seriously, too. Ironically, the strategy is already there on paper. In its 2002 National Security Strategy and elsewhere, the Bush administration has argued that failing states foster terrorism and has laid out a comprehensive approach to counterterrorism that involves promoting peace building, state reconstruction, and good governance. When it comes to the Greater Horn, however, the Bush administration has simply not implemented its own policies. By relying on sporadic military strikes and continued support for autocrats without broader political planning, it has combined the worst elements of its current strategy in Iraq with the Cold War-era policy of cronyism. Conflict resolution and good governance are, in fact, the keys to countering terrorism in the Greater Horn over the long term. Failing to recognize this will likely result in hundreds of thousands more deaths, billions of dollars more spent on emergency humanitarian aid -- and the increased prospect of another terrorist attack against U.S. interests in the region. With a few more dollars spent on preventive diplomacy, these outcomes could be avoided altogether.
John Prendergast, who worked at the National Security Council and the State Department in the Clinton administration, is a Senior Adviser at the International Crisis Group and a co-author of the forthcoming "Not on Our Watch". Colin Thomas-Jensen is Africa Advocacy and Research Manager at the International Crisis Group.
More By John Prendergast
More By Colin Thomas-Jensen
East Africa War & Military Strategy Terrorism & Counterterrorism
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Premiere for Air Refuelling
By: Sara Burlage – 11 November 2009 kl: 13.43
For the first time ever, Swedish unit pilots have successfully refuelled the JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft in mid-air. Air refuelling has been possible ever since the C/D version of the Gripen fighter was introduced in 2007 and it is now time for the Swedish pilots to receive training. The new capability allows pilots to fly up to eight hours at a time and, thus, cover considerably longer distances.
The Swedish Air Force’s unit pilots perform air refuelling for the first time. A total of six pilots are to be trained in the procedure, who will then become instructors Photo: Försvarsmakten
“We now have the opportunity to increase our flight duration from two to eight hours as the aircraft can be refuelled several times during the same flight. With the increased range, the conditions for participating in international operations also improve,” says Air Operations Officer Mats Hakkarainen.
Three pilots from F 21 and three pilots from Blekinge Wing F 17 are to be trained in air refuelling over the course of one week. They will receive the assistance of three instructors from the JAS tactical development unit, who have developed a training package for the week. Once the six pilots from F 21 and F 17 have completed their training, they will serve as instructors in their respective units. All operational pilots in the Swedish Air Force should therefore receive the same training.
What distinguishes the C/D version of the Gripen fighter from previous versions is that it is equipped with a probe, a telescopic arm, allowing the aircraft to be refuelled in the air. The pilot’s task is to insert this arm into a docking station, which consists of a flexible hose (that can be reeled in and out) with a drogue trailed by the tanker aircraft.
“Another way in which fighter planes can be refuelled is by using the refuelling system that is similar to that for automobiles. An example is the Norwegian F-16 that refuels via a rigid boom from the tanker aircraft, which is inserted into a tank receptacle on the fighter plane,” explains Mats Hakkarainen.
The Norwegians are also being drawn to Sweden now that Sweden is performing air refuelling. The Norwegian Air Force in Bodø flies a number of F-16 planes over to our training area during the week to make use of the opportunity to practice air refuelling.
Flying petrol station
A tanker aircraft, or what might be called a flying petrol station, is required in order to refuel in mid-air. Sweden does not possess any tanker aircraft, but can purchase the service if necessary from other countries. A French KC-135 tanker aircraft will therefore be based at F 21 during the week. The aircraft is 42 metres long and has an empty weight of 48 tonnes.
“The training course is being run at F 21 in Luleå because F 21’s runway and apron have been adapted to receive aircraft of that size, and because F 21’s training area is ideal for the training,” says Mats.
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Women’s rights groups protest French ministers’ appointments
by: ANGELA CHARLTON and ARNO PEDRAM, Associated Press
Newly appointed Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, center, talks to police officers during a visit of a police headquarters in Les Mureaux, outside Paris, Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Former budget minister Darmanin was named to replace Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who had come under fire amid widespread French protests against racial injustice and police brutality spurred by the death of George Floyd in the United States. (Thomas Samson, Pool via AP)
PARIS (AP) — One of French President Emmanuel Macron’s new government ministers has been accused of rape. Another is a lawyer who ridiculed the #MeToo movement and defended a top official accused of rape.
Women’s rights groups are angry and confused, and on Tuesday staged two protests in Paris over the appointments they see as burying Macron’s promises to make equality between women and men the “Great Cause” of his five-year term.
“It’s a slap in the face,” said Pauline Baron of feminist group NousToutes, which campaigns against sexual violence. “We are once again celebrating people who are accused of rape or say things that negate the voice of victims. It stifles victims and feeds sexual violence and rape culture.”
The French government said it remains committed to equality and defended the new ministers, stressing the presumption of innocence.
The new interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, is under preliminary investigation over a rape accusation that he firmly denies. Macron’s office said the probe was “not an obstacle” to Darmanin’s appointment to a job that puts him in charge of police and other law enforcement bodies.
The recently reopened investigation is based on a 2017 legal complaint by a woman who alleged that Darmanin raped her when she sought legal help from him in 2009. Darmanin, the highest-ranking French official accused of sexual misconduct in the #MeToo era, says the encounter was consensual. He sued the woman for slander.
Women’s rights activists also object to the appointment of provocative lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti as justice minister. Among his clients have been a former French government member accused of rape and sexual assault, as well as suspected terrorists and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
As the #MeToo movement encouraged women around the world to speak out about past acts of sexual misconduct committed by powerful men, Dupond-Moretti criticized the “crazy” women who “crucify” men on social media. He ridiculed a woman who returned to a man she said raped her, and dismissed the world’s first law against catcalls and other street harassment, passed in France in 2018, as a “joke.”
In a reshuffling of the French government on Monday, Macron replaced the high-profile women’s rights minister behind that law, Marlene Schiappa. She will now work under Darmanin in a new role focusing on citizenship.
The #MeToo movement had a mixed reception in France, where many celebrate the art of seduction and resented what they saw as American political correctness encroaching on French society. French feminists, who have long sought to battle women’s oppression in a macho culture, welcomed the movement as a breakthrough that allowed victims to speak out at last – though no powerful French figures lost their jobs as a result.
At Tuesday’s first protest, near the president’s Elysee Palace and the Interior Ministry, about 20 mostly masked demonstrators waved sparklers, raised their fists and chanted for the resignations of the new interior and justice ministers. A group of male police officers pushed them back.
Several dozen protesters gathered later in front of the columned Madeleine Church near the Justice Ministry for a symbolic “burial” of Macron’s promises to fight sexism and sexist violence.
“No rapist in the Interior Ministry, no accomplice in the Justice Ministry!” the activists shouted.
They described age-old challenges confronting women who are raped or sexually abused: Most are afraid to report what happened out of fear of their attacker or of being stigmatized. Some women who waited years to speak out were accused of opportunism. Only a small minority of cases reported to police reach trial, and much fewer result in convictions.
The government appointments are “a very bad message to all women,” said protester Karma Duquesne from Les Colleuses, a group that plastered the names and portraits of women killed by their partners around France and prompted Macron to order new measures against domestic violence.
After the new Cabinet’s first meeting Tuesday, government spokesman Gabriel Attal defended Macron’s staffing choices.
“We can’t on the one side make the presumption of innocence sacred … and (on the other) consider that there are people who, by the function they occupy, cannot benefit from the presumption of innocence,” Attal said.
Early in his presidency, Macron replaced ministers who were targeted by corruption investigations. Responding to the protests over the new ministers, Attal said: “There are investigations, they are ongoing, and that’s normal, we’re in a state of law. We cannot take it a step farther and say that because there are investigations, it will be impossible to serve in a government.”
Oleg Cetinic in Paris contributed.
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By Allie Johnson
(FOX 9) - Minnesota health officials reported 2,004 new cases of COVID-19 and 44 additional deaths Thursday.
The Minnesota Department of Health has reported 429,570 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the first infection was reported in the state in March. Over 95% of those cases have recovered to the point where they no longer require isolation. A total of 5,572 people in Minnesota have died from the disease so far.
The 2,004 newly reported deaths were on a volume of 42,049 tests—a positivity rate of 4.8% and a sign that testing is rebounding after a lull over the holiday weekend.
Twenty-one of the 44 deaths reported on Thursday were in the Twin Cities metro while the rest were in Greater Minnesota. Twenty-three of the people who died were residents of long-term care and assisted living facilities and one lived in a hotel or motel.
The deaths included two people in their late 40s, one from Anoka County and the other from Jackson. The rest of the deaths were among people 60 and older.
There are currently 787 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota, down from 926 at this time last week. Of those 787 patients, 135 are in the ICU. Approximately 6% of all ICU beds in the Twin Cities metro are currently available.
As of Thursday, there have been a total of 91,174 vaccines have been administered in Minnesota, with 74,191 people receiving the Pfizer vaccine and 16,935 receiving the Moderna one, according to MDH data. State health officials explained that the real-time vaccine numbers are higher than the numbers posted online due to delays in the reporting process.
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What is the 25th Amendment? Here’s what you need to know
By Stephanie Weaver and Kelly Hayes
Here’s how the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution works
It was created to clarify the rules for replacing a deceased or incapacitated president, ultimately ratified in 1967.
WASHINGTON - After a chaotic day Wednesday with pro-Trump rioters breaching barricades and breaking windows amid violent clashes between the mob and police inside the U.S. Capitol, some lawmakers are calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office using an amendment from the U.S. Constitution.
The 25th Amendment is the constitutional provision that deals with the transfer of presidential power, either temporarily or permanently.
On Wednesday, David Cicilline, the Congressman for Rhode Island’s 1st District, sent a letter along with California Rep. Ted Lieu and more than a dozen other colleagues on the House Judiciary Committee, calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump from office after Wednesday’s events.
RELATED: 17 members of Congress sign letter to Pence asking him to invoke 25th Amendment to remove Trump
"For the sake of our democracy, we emphatically urge you to invoke the 25th Amendment and begin the process of removing President Trump from power," Cicilline wrote in the letter to Vice President Pence. "President Trump has shown time and time again that he is unwilling to protect our democracy and carry out the duties of the office."
Both chambers of Congress abruptly recessed Wednesday afternoon as they were debating the count of the Electoral College votes that gave Joe Biden the presidency.
Arizona was the first of several states facing objections from Republicans as Congress took an alphabetical reading of the election results. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona rose to object to the typically routine acceptance of electors.
Meanwhile, Trump spoke at a rally Wednesday morning near the White House, where several thousand protestors cheered the president and his disproven claims of widespread election fraud.
"We will not let them silence your voices," Trump told the protesters. "We will stop the steal." After the charged rally, a crowd of Trump’s supporters made their way to the U.S. Capitol, breaking down barricades, scaling walls and breaking windows to breach the Capitol building.
RELATED: 1 shot dead after pro-Trump mob storms Capitol, breaking windows and violently clashing with police
The pro-Trump rioters violently clashed with police and camped out in lawmakers’ offices, with some even being photographed taking things from the building. A woman was shot dead amid the chaos inside the Capitol.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle criticized Trump for fanning the flames by repeating false claims of widespread voter fraud and relentlessly questioning the integrity of the 2020 election, with some calling for the president to be impeached for a second time, and others calling for use of the 25th Amendment.
But the most recent instance of the 25th Amendment being discussed in relation to Trump wasn’t the first.
In October, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Democrats planned to discuss the 25th Amendment after President Donald Trump contracted COVID-19, just weeks before the Nov. 3 election.
In an October press conference, Pelosi said the president needed to disclose more about his health after his diagnosis — including when he first contracted the virus as others in the White House became infected.
After Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis, Pelosi chose not to invoke the 25th Amendment, which details how presidential power can be transferred in the event a president is unable to do the job.
The amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
President Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1965 State of the Union promised to "propose laws to insure the necessary continuity of leadership should the President become disabled or die." The amendment was passed by Congress that year and ultimately ratified in 1967.
To temporarily transfer power to the vice president, a president sends a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President pro tempore of the Senate that they are "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."
RELATED: ‘Un-American’: Republican, Democrat lawmakers condemn Trump supporters who breached Capitol
The vice president then becomes acting president. When the president is ready to resume authority, the president sends another letter — which is spelled out in the amendment’s Section 3.
Section 4 of the amendment lays out what happens if the president becomes unable to carry out their duties but doesn’t transfer power. In that case, the vice president and majority of the Cabinet can declare the president unfit. They would then send a letter to the Speaker and President Pro Tempore saying so. The vice president then becomes acting president.
If the president ultimately becomes ready to resume their duties, the president can send a letter saying so. But if the vice president and majority of the Cabinet disagree, they can send a letter to Congress within four days. Congress would then have to vote. The president resumes their duties unless both houses of Congress by a two-thirds vote say he or she is not ready. That section has never been invoked.
Has it ever been invoked?
Presidents have temporarily relinquished power — but not all invoked the 25th Amendment. Previous transfers of power have generally been brief and happened when the president was undergoing a medical procedure.
In 2002, President George W. Bush became the first to use the amendment’s Section 3 to temporarily transfer power, to Vice President Dick Cheney while Bush was anesthetized for a colonoscopy. Bush temporarily transferred power in 2007 to undergo another colonoscopy.
When President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981, his administration prepared — but did not sign — the letters necessary to invoke the 25th Amendment, according to the Reagan Library and Museum.
But Reagan did temporarily transfer power to Vice President George H. W. Bush while undergoing surgery to remove a polyp from his colon in 1985, but he said at the time he wasn’t formally invoking the 25th Amendment.
While he said he was "mindful" of it, he didn’t believe "that the drafters of this Amendment intended its application to situations such as the instant one." Bush was acting president for eight hours according to a book on the amendment by John D. Feerick.
The Associated Press contributed to this story. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
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Family weekend in Véry
Hotel du Grand Monarque
Hotel in Varennes-en-Argonne
Featuring a restaurant and free WiFi, Hotel du Grand Monarque is located in Varennes-en-Argonne. The hotel features family rooms. Guest rooms at the hotel are equipped with a seating area, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a private…
Located 3.4 km from Véry
Hôtel L'Argonn' Auberge
Hotel in Apremont
Hôtel L'Argonn' Auberge is located beside Argonne Forest, 7 km from the village of Varennes-en-Argonne. Guests can relax in the hot tub and in the sauna. The rooms feature a flat-screen TV. Free Wi-Fi access and air conditioning are provided…
Hotel in Aubréville
Hotel du Commerce is situated in the small village of Aubréville in the Lorraine region, 26 km from Verdun. It features free Wi-Fi access and a garden with a terrace. Each room includes a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower.…
Located 11.4 km from Véry
Tous les hébergements in Véry: Hotels / Bed & breakfasts / Campsites / Rentals
Located 23 km from Véry
Bairon Lake
This Ardennes site has a great leisure centre
Nestling at the heart of the Ardennes, in the communes of Sauville and Le Chesne, Bairon Lake has a surface area of 120 hectares and is made up of two ponds separated by a dyke: the old pond and its reed bed, which have been turned into a nature…
All tours around Véry
Find out more about Véry
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Bake Like a Pro with PH Arrival of HK’s First App-Powered Baking Studio
Co-baking studio franchise looking to expand into the Philippines.
When was the last time you baked something? For many people, the answer is likely "never," or “not in a long time.” Although nothing is more rewarding than creating something with your own hands, a lot of would-be bakers put off baking because of a lack of space, difficulty in getting ingredients or a lack of knowledge.
Bakebe is Hong Kong’s first and only co-baking studio that uses an app to teach everyone how to bake in an easy-to-follow retail environment along with inspirational menus and detailed app-enabled instructions. Bakebe’s app-enabled teaching content aims to make baking accessible for all, regardless of experience and schedule limitations. Traditional baking classes are typically limited to an experienced pastry chef teaching small-class students one-on-one. However, this setup is limited by space, professional manpower, and timing of schedules. They're also much more expensive.
Creating a modern wonderland of baking
Bakebe has developed an extremely user-friendly app to provide detailed instructions, with a comprehensive step-by-step guide to allow participants to take on their baking project of choice, all by themselves with ease. All the necessary tools and ingredients will be provided in the intuitively designed store, thus supporting a 95 percent success rate for even first-time bakers visiting the store. People participating could experience first-hand the sensation of raw ingredients becoming beautiful delicacies with as little stress as possible.
A superstar brand
The Founder of Bakebe, Venus Chi, has been heavily involved with lifestyle entertainment and online social influence through her previous roles as a TV host, emceeing at high-profile events, and becoming a food blogger to build a loyal base of millennial consumers. One of her strong culinary advocacies is to create accessible love-filled homemade dishes. As such, she wanted to create something that would allow everyone to have the opportunity to cook and bake with their own two hands, for their loved ones. And that's how Bakebe was born.
Chi envisioned Bakebe as a space of magical transformations. By combining the expertise of professional bakers with the Bakebe App, Venus aims to set up a learning structure that would allow everyone to experience the joy of baking. This creates a space for modern millennials to distress and to take time-out from the routines of their busy lives.
Baking success, one cake at a time
In its first year of operations, Bakebe has welcomed over 10,000 guests into their studio in Hong Kong. With over 75 percent of these guests being women, Bakebe has become one of the most popular locations in the territory for private parties, bridal showers, engagement parties, anniversary and birthday celebrations. And with food bloggers, TV personalities and social media influencers as regular guests of Bakebe, it has fast become Hong Kong’s go-to location for baking’s latest trends. Menu items include enticing “instagrammable” unicorn cakes, macarons, piñata cakes and cake pops.
In the next five years, the Asia Pacific region will be the fastest growing market in the world in individual baking growth (three percent-plus year-on-year, 1.7 percent higher than global average). The Philippines, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Vietnam will see the highest growth in individual baking. Bakebe is eyeing its first expansion in the Philippines via franchising.
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Court of Appeal refuses to put burden of proof on slavery victims in criminal trials
MK and Gega v R [2018] EWCA Crim 667 is about who should face the burden of proof when a criminal defendant relies on the new “victim of slavery/trafficking” defence in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. In the first appellate judgment on this issue, th ...
9th April 2018 By Alexander Schymyck
Unlawful delays by the Home Office: a line in the sand
Secretary of State for the Home Department v Said [2018] EWCA Civ 627 is about how long the Home Office can delay making an immigration decision before the applicants can successfully claim for damages under the Human Rights Act 1998. The Home Office ...
Déjà vu as Strasbourg approves deportation of Nigerian drug trafficker
The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Ejimson v Germany (application no. 58681/12) has a whiff of Groundhog Day. For the second time in just over six months the court found that a Nigerian national convicted of drug-related c ...
3rd April 2018 By Clare Duffy
Running a business may amount to private life for the purposes of Article 8
On 1 March the Court of Appeal looked at Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in the context of a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) appeal. Although the appeal was dismissed, the court confirmed that running a business may amount to private life ...
12th March 2018 By Gabriella Bettiga
How we got an asylum seeker £15,500 damages for misuse of his asylum information
Asylum seekers routinely share their most sensitive information with the Home Office in order to support their asylum claims, write Daniel Carey and Zac Sammour. They do so in good faith, trusting that the Home Office will treat that information wi ...
16th February 2018 By Daniel Carey
Government stance on residence permits for trafficking victims declared unlawful
The Court of Appeal has held in PK (Ghana) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2018] EWCA Civ 98 that the criterion of “compelling personal circumstances” for a grant of limited leave as a trafficked person in the Secretary of State ...
14th February 2018 By Alison Harvey
Court of Appeal gives authoritative guidance on Article 3 medical cases
The Court of Appeal last week issued “authoritative guidance” on Article 3 medical challenges against removal, reflecting the European Court of Human Rights’s decision in Paposhvili v Belgium. Lord Justice Sales, giving the court ...
5th February 2018 By Chai Patel
Settlement refusal overturned after failure to consider mental health evidence
Should the Home Office read all of the supporting evidence sent in with an application? The High Court provided a predictable answer in the case of R (Gayle) v SSHD [2017] EWHC 3385 (Admin), which considered the tragic personal circumstances of the c ...
16th January 2018 By Nick Nason
Court of Appeal stomps on human rights appeals for visitors
The Court of Appeal has dealt a serious blow to rights of appeal for visitors to the UK. Here we analyse the legal situation and take a look at the three judgments. ...
11th January 2018 By Colin Yeo
Trafficking victim wins £260k damages, does not see a penny
How can you win £266,536.14 in damages and walk away without a penny? If those who should pay succeed in divesting themselves of their assets and if the costs of litigation swallow up all that you do manage to recover. R (Tirkey) v The Director of Le ...
10th January 2018 By Alison Harvey
Internal relocation may not be “unduly harsh” on criminals
Last month the Court of Appeal considered the rules governing deportation of foreign criminals. The case is Secretary of State for the Home Department v SC (Jamaica) [2017] EWCA Civ 2112, which concerned a Jamaican national originally granted asylum ...
9th January 2018 By Iain Halliday
No special rules for children of Gurkhas, says Court of Appeal
The legal arguments on family life between adult children and parents are notoriously tricky. The guise in which the issue arose in Pun & Anr (Nepal) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 2106 was whether non-dependent ...
21st December 2017 By Bilaal Shabbir
Rescue or empowerment? High Court considers definition of trafficking
Most domestic workers would prefer to be recognised as workers than labelled as trafficked, and ask to be empowered rather than rescued. But it is often necessary to plead their cases under the rubric of trafficking to secure their protection from exp ...
12th December 2017 By Alison Harvey
A familiar nemesis: the Court of Appeal on “insurmountable obstacles”
R (Mudibo) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 1949 is yet another decision of the Court of Appeal grappling with the provisions of those familiar nemeses, section 117B and the “insurmountable obstacles” test in EX.1 of ...
6th December 2017 By Bilaal Shabbir
Expert reports in human rights cases must be up to scratch
In HK, HH, SK and FK v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 1871 the Court of Appeal found that asylum seekers could be returned to Bulgaria under the Dublin III Regulation. Removal would not violate the appellants’ Article ...
1st December 2017 By Clare Duffy
Court of Appeal re-affirms country guidance cases are not box ticking
In FY (Somalia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 1853, the Court of Appeal refused the deportation of a Somali national on the basis that he would face a real risk of living in circumstances falling below the Article 3 th ...
Domestic violence cases can attract a right of appeal, says High Court
Since April 2015, only very limited types of immigration case can be appealed. In the case of R (AT) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWHC 2589 (Admin), the High Court found that despite what the Immigration Rules say, an applicatio ...
22nd November 2017 By Nath Gbikpi
Tribunal rejects softer Strasbourg approach to Article 3 medical cases
When is it a breach of Article 3 to remove someone with a severe, possibly terminal, medical condition to a country where they will not receive the care they need? When they’re days away from death? When it will halve their lifespan? What level ...
20th November 2017 By Chai Patel
Supreme Court rejects a right to non-contributory benefits for Zambrano carers
In R (HC) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2017] UKSC 73 the Supreme Court decided that Zambrano carers are not eligible for non-contributory benefits which have a “right to reside” test. The benefits affected by the decision ...
17th November 2017 By Paul Erdunast
High Court: potential homelessness not a justification for detention
The High Court in R (MS) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWHC 2797 (Admin) has found that in circumstances where a person would have no option but to stay on the streets after release from detention, the Home Office has a duty ...
Strasbourg approves deportation of Nigerian drug dealer
Ndidi v the United Kingdom (Application no. 41215/14) had the beginnings of a tabloid splash. A Nigerian national convicted of drug dealing, who had lived in the UK since the age of two, sought to block his deportation by recourse to foreign judges. ...
31st October 2017 By Clare Duffy
Court of Appeal: private religious belief does not risk persecution
The difficulty of presenting asylum claims based on religion is well known. Such claims raise difficult evidential problems, which are addressed in this detailed post by Colin Yeo. But AS (Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EW ...
23rd October 2017 By Thomas Beamont
Anti-trafficking victories in Supreme Court: Reyes and Benkharbouche
Today, Anti-Slavery Day, the Supreme Court has handed down judgments in cases that look at the extent to which diplomatic and state immunity allow diplomats to traffic and enslave their domestic workers with impunity. Traffickers will sleep a little ...
18th October 2017 By Alison Harvey
European Court of Human Rights condemns Spain for collectively deporting migrants
In ND & NT v Spain, the European Court of Human Rights decided that the expulsion of two sub-Saharan migrants from a set of barriers surrounding the Spanish territory of Melilla breached their rights under Article 4 of Protocol 4 ECHR (prohibition ...
10th October 2017 By Paul Erdunast
Human rights, long residence and the integration test in the Court of Appeal
Practitioners commonly rely on the “integration test” in the Immigration Rules to resist an individual’s removal on human rights grounds. The current rules can in some circumstances require a consideration of whether there would be “very s ...
14th September 2017 By Thomas Beamont
Home Office makes changes to Appendix FM Minimum Income Rule following MM case
On 20 July 2017 the Home Office published changes to the Immigration Rules intended to give effect to findings made by the Supreme Court in MM (Lebanon) & Others v the Secretary for the Home Department [2017] UKSC 10 on the Minimum Income Requirem ...
10th August 2017 By Chris Desira
Strasbourg rules on state obligations towards trafficked persons
Chowdury and Others v Greece (Application number 21884/15 – the judgment is only available in French. An English-language press summary is available.) The European Court of Human Rights has found that strawberry-pickers in Greece were subjected to f ...
2nd May 2017 By Thomas Beamont
Court of Appeal decides Supreme Court ruling in Hesham Ali is already redundant
Well, that did not take long. The Court of Appeal has in the case of NE-A (Nigeria) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 239 decided that the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Hesham Ali [2016] UKSC 60 is confined to ...
Court of Appeal reaffirms position on adult dependent relatives
In Butt v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 184 the Court of Appeal considers the weight to be given to the relationship between parents and their adult dependent children in the Article 8 balancing exercise. It is notable � ...
30th March 2017 By Nick Nason
When is it reasonable to require British citizen children to leave Britain?
Two interesting and important legal points emerge from the Upper Tribunal’s determination in SF and others (Guidance, post-2014 Act) [2017] UKUT 120 (IAC). The first is on the issue of when, if at all, a British child might be required by immigr ...
Strasbourg revisits approach to serious illness, medical treatment and Article 3
On 13 December 2016, the Grand Chamber handed down its much-awaited decision in Paposhvili v Belgium (Applcn No. 41738/10). The decision: (1) clarifies, widens and provides guidance on the circumstances in which an alien suffering from a serious illne ...
27th December 2016 By Duran Seddon
Tribunal slapped down on power to review trafficking decisions
More of the same from Court of Appeal on deportations and Article 8
No “genuine and subsisting parental relationship” with children in care
Scottish judge: discrimination based on immigration status unlawful
Changes to National Referral Mechanism for trafficking victims
ILPA funding available for strategic litigation
Tribunal says foreign law is a question of fact normally determined by expert evidence
Tribunal on recorded video evidence and Article 8 considerations
New case from President on children’s best interests and the public interest
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GATORS HAVE HAD RECENT SUCCESS AGAINST LSU
With the exception of that rather large egg the Gators laid in Columbia, Missouri, Florida (12-5, 4-1 SEC) has been on its best roll of the season. Winners of five of their last six, the Gators bounced back from the 91-75 loss to Missouri with consecutive home wins over Ole Miss and then 4th-ranked Auburn with the Auburn win probably the best effort of the season at both ends of the court.
“We played well,” Florida coach Mike White said Monday afternoon before the Gators flew out to Baton Rouge for their game tonight with league-leading LSU (13-4, 5-0 SEC). “I mean, we defended a top-five team at a high level and got into as decent an offensive rhythm as you can get into against that type of defense.”
It was the second half that brought out the best in the Gators. During a first half in which White had to constantly shuffle his lineup to compensate for foul trouble that kept Andrew Nembhard and Keyontae Johnson on the bench for a very long stretch. If not for fouls (Auburn was 10-10 from the line) and turnovers (Tigers got 12 points off 12 UF miscues), Auburn would have had its most miserable half of basketball in perhaps the last two years. The Gators stayed out of foul trouble in the second half, turned the ball over only three more times, and they shot 55.2% from the field overall and 62.5% from the three-point line. Auburn shot only 25.5% overall from the field for the game, just 17.4% from the three-point line.
The Gators should play with a high level of confidence against LSU. Not only do the Gators have the momentum of the win over Auburn, but they beat LSU in overtime in Baton Rouge last year and then followed that up with a win over the Tigers of the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Nashville. Last year LSU won the SEC championship. This season, the Tigers are on the same track as the only team in the SEC with an unbeaten league mark (5-0).
“Their starting five offensively is just terrific and defensively they’re disruptive as well,” White said. They change defenses, they play really hard. They’re really good.”
The Florida team that went 2-0 last week is really good too. White thinks it could be an outstanding game if the Gators do their part and play with the same intensity and efficiency of the wins over Ole Miss and Auburn.
“If we play really well – we’re going to have to play really well – it should be a really good game.”
SEC BASKETBALL Tuesday’s games FLORIDA (12-5, 4-1 SEC) at LSU (13-4, 5-0 SEC), SEC Network Georgia (11-5, 1-3 SEC) at #15 Kentucky (13-4, 4-1 SEC), ESPN Texas A&M (8-8, 2-3 SEC) at Missouri (9-8, 1-4 SEC). ESPNU Ole Miss (9-8, 0-4 SEC) at Tennessee (11-6, 3-2 SEC), SEC Network Wednesday’s games South Carolina (10-7, 2-2 SEC) at #16 Auburn (15-2, 3-2 SEC), ESPNU Arkansas (14-3, 3-2 SEC) at Mississippi State (11-6, 2-3 SEC), SEC Network Alabama (10-7, 3-2 SEC) at Vanderbilt (8-9, 0-4 SEC), SEC Network
FLORIDA DEFENSE GOT BETTER IN 2019
The numbers don’t lie. Florida’s defense, despite giving up six touchdowns and 511 yards of offense in the LSU game, was improved in nearly every category in 2019.
Here is where the Gators ranked nationally in 2019 and their numbers from 2018: Total defense: 304.8 yards per game (9th nationally; 343.3 yards per game in 2018
Scoring defense: 15.5 points per game (7th nationally; 20.0 per game in 2018)
Rushing defense: 102.8 yards per game (8th nationally; 162.54 per game in 2018) Pass defense: 202.1 yards per game (32nd nationally; 180.8 per game in 2018) Interceptions: 16 returned for 160 yards (tied for 9th nationally; 14 returned for 266 yards in 2018) Turnovers forced: 23 on 16 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries (tied for 20th nationally; 14 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries in 2018) Sacks: 49 for 318 yards in losses (4th nationally; 37 for 217 yards in losses in 2018) First downs allowed: 213 (8th nationally; 231 in 2018) Third down defense: 36.4% on 67-184 (40th nationally; 37.44% on 73-195 in 2018) Red zone defense: 14 TDs and 9 FGs allowed (#3 nationally; 18 TDs and 11 FGs allowed in 2018)
Some final numbers of note (they don’t keep national rankings of these stats): Yards per play allowed: 4.9 per play in 2019; 5.12 in 2018
Yards per rush attempt: 3.19 per attempt in 2019; 4.29 in 2018
Yards per pass attempt: 6.7 per attempt in 2019; 6.2 in 2018
MORE STUFF ON A TUESDAY
(1) Feleipe Franks made it official Monday that he will transfer to Arkansas. Barring something dramatic and unforeseen, he’ll be the starter so he will have a chance to show the NFL scouts that he’s (a) healthy again and (b) that he’s progressed as a decision maker. When healthy, Franks has all the physical attributes the NFL looks for – he’s big, strong, fast and has a gun for an arm. What has always been the questionable aspect of his game is the maturity to make the good decisions at critical junctures of games. At Arkansas he will be working with former Florida Atlantic and FSU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles.
(2) I guess it was inevitable, but the college basketball program steeped in the most tradition – Kentucky – finally succumbed to the corporate sponsorship naming rights for Rupp Arena. The iconic basketball arena will now be known as Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. It’s understandable that Kentucky changed the name of its football stadium from Commonwealth Stadium to Kroger Field. Kentucky football has little to no tradition when it comes to football. But basketball? Oh well, money talks.
(3) Former Georgia defensive back Otis Reese, a 4-star when he signed out of high school, is transferring to Ole Miss. It’s highly unlikely Reese will get a waiver to play immediately from the NCAA but even if he did, he would have to petition to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and odds are long and hard that Sankey would give him the okay.
(4) Former Alabama offensive lineman Scott Lashley has transferred to Mississippi State, where he will be immediately eligible as a graduate. Lashley played in eight games in 2019 including 58 snaps as the backup right tackle to Jedrick Wills, who has declared for the NFL.
(5) Jimbo Fisher has hired two new assistant coaches at Texas A&M. He hired Tyler Santucci away from Wake Forest to coach linebackers and then raided Mike Norvell’s newly put together staff at Florida State for secondary coach T.J. Rushing.
(6) For a coach whose seat is so hot it’s practically on fire, Derek Mason has troubles that simply won’t go away. In the past couple of months, Mason has lost four quarterbacks including three who started games in the Commodores 3-9 season. First Riley Neal ran out of eligibility. Then Mo Hassan announced he’s transferring out followed by Deuce Wallace. Now backup Allan Walters has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal. The Commodores signed a juco transfer and two high school QBs, none of whom are enrolled. The only QB currently on campus is walk-on sophomore Jack Bowen.
(7) Kentucky lost a game on the road to South Carolina then went to Fayette Nam to beat an Arkansas team with 14 wins before a full house at Sam Walton Arena. For that Kentucky dropped five spots to #15 in the Associated Press basketball poll. Duke, meanwhile, lost to a Clemson team on the road – the same Clemson team that South Carolina beat at Clemson – and then lost at home to Louisville. For that, Duke only dropped five spots to #8 in the AP poll. Having watched Duke play several times already, I’m really not sold on them as a top ten team or Final Four contender. I’m also convinced Kentucky would clean the Dookies clocks, but there is this perception problem we have about SEC basketball. The SEC probably has as many good teams as the ACC but perception is and will always be that the ACC is a better league.
(8) The rumbling out of Baton Rouge is that Bo Pelini is going to be the new defensive coordinator to replace Coach O. Pelini was the DC for Les Miles in 2007 when LSU won the national championship. Dallas Cowboys passing game coordinator Kris Richard has emerged as a candidate to take Joe Brady’s spot on the coaching staff. He played at Southern Cal when Coach O was an assistant there under Pete Carroll. New Orleans Saints wide receivers coach Ronald Curry is another candidate for Brady’s old job and might be the top candidate given that he and Brady worked together with the Saints and the passing game Brady incorporated into the LSU offense was straight from the Saints playbook.
GOOD QUOTES FOR A TUESDAY Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic with Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott on another year without a team from that league in the College Football Playoff: “In the conversations I have had with coaches and athletic directors, we’re careful not to overact. Utah had a chance to play into the Playoff. Utah and Oregon were in the top 10 most of the season. If Utah wins that game, they’re in. It’s not like the Pac-12 was prevented from being in. Utah just didn’t win the championship game. Oregon, who won our championship game, had they not tripped up against Arizona State two weeks before, they’d be in. There’s no impediment to the Pac-12 being in the Playoff. A couple of plays here or there and we are in the Playoff.”
Jenny Ferentas of Sports Illustrated on the explosiveness of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback: “The power of Mahomes is so influential that once he became the Chiefs’ starter, punter Dustin Colquitt, who is also the holder for extra points, started storing the gloves he wears for PATs in his jersey at all times. He’d never done that in his 15-year career, but a Reid offense run by Mahomes can score in a split-second, and Colquitt couldn’t risk being caught without his equipment. Last week, Mahomes rallied Kansas City out of a 24-0 deficit in a single quarter. This week, when the Chiefs fell into a 10-0 hole against the Titans, they didn’t even need a fiery sideline speech by their young QB.”
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Jalen Hurts says he has no regrets regarding his transfer from Alabama to Oklahoma. Adding his Oklahoma stats to those accumulated at Alabama, Hurts threw for 9,476 yards and 80 touchdowns and ran for 3,274 yards and 43 TDs … Following the Tennessee Titans 35-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive coordinator Dean Pees retired. He spent 47 years in coaching including 16 in the NFL and was the DC for Super Bowl champs with the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots … At age 24, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes is the fifth youngest Super Bowl QB. Of the other four, only Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers won his game.
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Always Removes Female Symbol from Pads to be More Inclusive of Trans Men & Non-Binary People
Procter & Gamble announced that they would be removing the venus symbol from their sanitary pads. The venus symbol typically is associated with the female gender and sign of fertility.
The company put out a statement saying: “For over 35 years Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so. We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all of our consumers.”
Procter & Gamble had been approached by transexual and non-binary consumers about the labeling of their products. In an effort to become more inclusive, the company removed the symbol from their sanitary products. For those who are confused, not all of their products had this symbol and only the products with this symbol will change.
Steph deNormand, who uses the pronoun "they" and advocated for transgender health at Fenway Health tolD NBC “Trans and nonbinary folks are constantly misgendered, and a gesture like this can broaden out the experiences and open up spaces for those who need the products,” they said. They also explained that seeing the symbol could cause stress to individuals.
Per usual people went to social media to express their frustrations and praises.
What do you think #Gayes? Will you support Always?
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Eleanor Roosevelt Steals the Show
Eleanor Roosevelt and Marian Anderson.
We’ve managed to catch some of the wonderful Ken Burns documentary on the Roosevelts on Public Television – a great vision of America, as vital as today’s front page.
In the parts we’ve seen, I recalled my slight personal connections to Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt.
As a young reporter, I interviewed Theodore Roosevelt’s younger daughter, Ethel Carow Roosevelt Derby, by then in her eighties, in Oyster Bay, Long Island. I almost blew the interview right away by referring to her father as a hunter. He was not a hunter, she snapped; he was a sportsman. (I had seen those heads in the museum.) The documentary refers to him often as a hunter. Mrs. Derby would not be amused.
As a five-year-old, in a household that loved Franklin and Eleanor, I was taken to his campaign through New York on a miserable rainy day, Oct. 21, 1944. I recall being on a hillside, watching the motorcade on Grand Central Parkway. The car was open, and his face was pasty white. The web says he told the crowd in Ebbets Field that he had never been there before, but claimed he had grown up a Brooklyn Dodger fan. He died six months later. That romp through the boroughs did not help.
Eleanor Roosevelt was a staple in the politics and affection of my family. Later we read books about how she pressured her distant husband into absorbing information about the plight of so many Americans.
Two things I have heard about Eleanor Roosevelt lately:
When I was working on the Stan Musial biography, I learned that Musial had joined a tour for John F. Kennedy in 1960, which included Angie Dickinson. The actress became a knowledgeable source about that campaign, telling me how she was addressing a crowd in the New York Coliseum on the Saturday before the election:
“My big claim to fame is that I was making my speech, and I heard a hush and they wheeled in Mrs. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and I got to say, ‘What I have to say isn’t important’– I almost was finished – ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the great Eleanor Roosevelt,’ and I got to introduce her.”
Dickinson’s respect, half a century later, was palpable.
I learned something about Mrs. Roosevelt recently while reading a very nice history book – Indomitable Will: Turning Defeat into Victory from Pearl Harbor to Midway, by Charles Kupfer, an associate professor at Penn State Harrisburg.
In the first shocking hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the President assembled advisors and friends in the White House, including Edward R. Murrow, the CBS broadcaster (this was back when networks maintained serious news organizations.) FDR picked the brains of Murrow, who had access to the back rooms of the White House. Eleanor Roosevelt, who had fought for millions of poor people, who had fought for civil rights and women’s rights, cooked some eggs for Murrow. Kupfer’s book had me, right there, on Page 22.
The Burns documentary had me as soon as I saw the insecure half-smile of young Eleanor Roosevelt, before she discovered the activist within. Her wise eyes take the measure of a country that has failed its people. She spends her own money to build experimental communities in deepest West Virginia. She sets an example.
The camera cannot find too much of her. She reminds us of the men who went to war, the women who went to work, the blacks who wrote letters to the President, asking for help. Her face reflects the country many of us thought we were, or could have become.
As I wrote this, I flashed on something else about the Burns documentary: Elizabeth Warren reminds me of Eleanor Roosevelt.
FDR in the rain, 1944. He said he would like to see a game in Ebbets Field sometime.
Sam Toperoff
Just a superb article, George. Glad I know you.
As I write this it looks as though their are a few countries that exist for their people's well-being and many other countries that exist for their economic bottom lines. (The second does not in any way insure the first.) So when you write so movingly at the end of your article about America in the 40's as "the country we thought we were, or could have become," a voice in my head immediately added, "or should be today."
Thank you, George
merci, mon ami..G
Hi George, your article on ‘ Eleanor Roosevelt Steals the Show’ stimulated my thoughts about the Roosevelts, in particular, Eleanor Roosevelt. Living 25 minutes from the Roosevelt’s home , museum and Eleanor’s ‘Val-Kill, I have had a strong attractions to both the Roosevelts. Although I never met either, I did know a Norwegian who worked for Eleanor in the enterprise she and two lady friends established known as ‘Val-Kill Industries’. The objective of this enterprise was to train locals to become skilled craftsmen in wood, metals etc and thereby retain these men in the region instead of migrating to the cities. This effort began in 1927 and wound down in 1937. A number of trainees became very skilled in their craft and my old friend became well-known in the area as a superb craftsman of replicated Early American furniture. Some of his pieces are in Val-Kill and the museum. His brother became a very skilled maker of pewter. This project was just an example of the imagination and determination of Eleanor Roosevelt to improve the future of the young. As with you, we are mesmerized by this outstanding TV program that provided such an inclusive portrait of the Roosevelts and their time.
Thor, great to hear from you. I didn't know Val-Kill was public...went to Hyde Park decades ago, and have it in my mind to go back....
see you in Queens next month and will ask you about Val-Kill...GV
Craig N. Oren
thanks to the descendants of Vice-President Henry Wallace, the house and environs at Hyde Park look much improved -- maybe improved from what you remember. I know it's a long drive up the Hudson, but it's worth while, IMHO.
Jeff Geller
One of the disagreements I had with the now former girlfriend was about the legacy of FDR. I advocated that he saved the nation. . . period. She was of the opinion that he did not do enough to save the victims of the Holocaust.
According to the Burns film, the anti-immigration fervor in the country was very high at the time. However, if the technology of today was available then, along with the prose of Mrs. R,. these events may not have come to pass,
Thank you...I have not seen all the segments, so cannot comment on that end, but I know that point of view is out there. So is the view that FDR was really Jewish and really Communist...maybe even really Kenyan. From what I read, the whole world could have done better....Thanks for your thoughtful note. GV
I'm a history professor, so I talk a bit in class about the Roosevelts. I've enjoyed the documentary a great deal, despite George Will's presence (and not merely because I disagree with his politics, but because if Burns wanted an FDR critic, there were historians he could have found who are more knowledgeable about what's going on). Anyway, I did the oral history of a longtime Nevada attorney/politician, Ralph Denton, who ran the Senate elevator as a page. He said that he got to hold the elevator for Mrs. Roosevelt and screwed up something, and the secret service agent was chewing him out when she put her hand on the agent's shoulder and told him to stop that. What stayed with Ralph, though, was that she walked through the kitchen area and all of the workers were African American. They all stood for her. And she greeted every one of them.
That is lovely. Thanks, GV
You are correct in drawing attention to Eleanor. It is not that she has been neglected over the years, but rather over showed by FDR and Teddy.
Her UN service, and its impact on human rights, was a major accomplishment, which was achieved against very great odds.
My history study group has read between 10-15 books that were either specifically about FDR and Teddy or they were major players in books about others. Eleanor often received mention for her impact and achievements, but I always felt that she was short-changed.
Ken Burns’ “The Roosevelt’s” is comprehensive and accurate. Although it is not possible to include in a documentary the wealth of material available in books, it has not missed much.
Thanks for the reference to “Indomitable Will: Turning Defeat into Victory from Pearl Harbor to Midway”, by Charles Kupfer.
It should greatly complement a book I just finished “The Mantle of Command: FDR at War, 1941-1942” By Nigel Hamilton, which chronicles his changing relationship with Winston Churchill and how FDR defied his military experts who were against the North African invasion in 1942.
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin offer an insight to the brilliance and complexities of Teddy. His trust busting and reforms were countered by his war mongering.
Jeff-I did not get a clear picture of FDR’s role in the United States’ refusal to al;low Jews to immigrate during the war., However, it is well documented that anti-Semitism permeated our State Department and the British government.
My wife and I visited the Baltic capitals this spring and also toured the country side. We marveled at the resilience of the people of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia after over sixty years of suppression by first Russia, then the Nazis and finally the Soviet Union.
Our guide, a young man from Vilnius, was very candid about what it was like growing up under USSR control. Other guides, many who were older, added their horror stories. The comparison to what was happening in the Ukraine was a continual topic, usually tinged with fear.
My mother-in-law was from a small shtetl not far from Vilnius. Her immediate family immigrated many years before the Nazi occupation, but those who had stayed did not survive. However, there was a relative called “The Japanese Cousin” who suddenly showed up from Japan when my wife was about seven. No one knew anything about how he had survived.
Sandi received her answer when our guide told the story of Chiune Sugihara, Japan’s Ambassador to Lithuania. He saved over 6,000 Jews by issuing temporary exit visas to Japan. He was recalled after one year for his efforts and it is believed that he threw signed visas from the train as he was leaving. The cousin had gotten one of the visas. Since he could not stay, he quickly left Japan for the United States.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/chiune-sugihara-japanese--jews-holocaust_n_2528666.html
It is often said that history repeats itself. Unfortunately, most politicians do not learn from it.
FDR DID!!!
Alan, great story. I knew a lot of Jews had emigrated to Shanghai....the govt recently moved all the headstones....Never heard about Japan. Quite a daring move by Sugihara. Thanks for the note. GV
George, what a wonderful column and what wonderful responses. Peggy and I have been glued to the PBS station and just thoroughly appreciating the series, the history, the entertainment, the inspiration. The complex human relationships with light shown on them were often remarkable.
Peggy has written a number of one-woman shows and performed them. A great favorite of the audiences has been Eleanor Roosevelt and she performed it repeatedly by invitations. She points out that Eleanor would have towered over her, but having seen the performance twice, size, except of heart and courage, never was visible. Great show, great column, great responses.
Ed, did not know about the ER show. What does she think of the Streep accent? It sounds like a Long Island Lockjaw-Hyde Park amalgam
I saw the finale Saturday, including footage from that miserable Oct. 21, 1944, rainstorm. That day is so vivid to me.
The later career of ER was fascinating, too.
Peggy says, "fuggetaboudit" During the show, Peggy said quietly "she doesn't have the accent--I did better than that." She was right,and we find Meryl Streep almost always excellent.
Your comment is on target. My favorites of Peggy's shows were Emily Dickenson, lyricist Dorothy Fields, and Edith Wharton, but they all were terrific.
Meanwhile, I can't resist, Your referring to Ebbets Field and the long parade in the rain, reminds me of the Mets, (its a stretch, I know), but I think they will have four pitchers next year who could win any time out. A fifth in the wings at Montero at 23. The combined home runs and rbis at catcher are also near the top on the club, while average lags. Wait til next year!
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Pedestrian sustains serious injuries in collision on A329 in Winnersh
The woman was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with what Thames Valley Police described as 'serious injuries'.
Motorists are being advised to avoid the A329 Reading Road in Winnersh this evening after a pedestrian was hit by a car.
Police were called at 4.13pm to reports that an elderly lady collided with a black Honda Jazz at the junction with King Street Lane near Sainsbury's supermarket.
Eye-witness Imran Hussain, a local taxi driver, called getreading to describe the scene.
Mr Hussain said: "I was driving along the Reading Road and noticed that there were cars parked in the road, and to my horror I saw a woman lying in the middle of the road. She looked in a bad way."
The road is now completely blocked while officers carry out investigations. It is not clear when the road will reopen.
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Football: Boss will be ‘Taylored’ to suit job
COMMITTED David Taylor issues an “I won’t let you down” message to fans as he begins to interview 11 candidates for the Woking manager's role.
COMMITTED David Taylor has issued an “I won’t let you down” message to fans as he begins to interview 11 managerial candidates in central London this week in search of the “new Gary Waddock”.
The Cards’ chief has thanked supporters for their “patience and understanding” and revealed he has put his company on hold for two weeks to concentrate on “the biggest issue I will ever face as chairman.”
He also paid tribute to his Aldershot Town counterpart John McGinty for the guidance he has given in helping Woking find “an ambitious manager in Waddock’s class.”
“I realise I haven’t been communicating as much lately and that things have gone quiet. When that happens people try and fill in the gaps,” said Taylor.
“I have put my life on hold to get the right man and we have a strong list of 12 candidates who I believe can get us into the Football League in three years.
“One of them we have already interviewed over the phone. He is in Hanoi, Vietnam. He gave such a good first interview he sets the benchmark for the others to follow and he will be on the shortlist and come to London for his second interview.
“John [McGinty] has helped me by letting me know the process he went through at Aldershot and suggesting questions that could be asked.”
Taylor is not happy about the “incredible pressure” placed on Justin Edinburgh from certain quarters — with some people believing he must have already been given the nod for the job, purely because the club are continuing to sign players.
“The idea that I have reorganised my whole business schedule to go through an interview process involving 12 managers, when I have already given the job to one man, is ludicrous,” said Taylor.
“It’s not some sort of conspiracy between Chris Ingram, Colin Lippiatt and myself.
“It makes me want to prove that it’s not a sham by not appointing Justin. And how fair would that be on him?
“Make no mistake if he comes through the process and gets the job he will have deserved it.
“Some fans have questioned why we signed Manny Williams. Well that’s not because Justin has the job. It’s because of the dedication of Colin Lippiatt, who has looked at about 30 players in the past few weeks. He came back with one who he said we must sign, or risk losing. So I gave him permission to go and get him.
“Phil Wallace, the Stevenage chairman has said he made a quick managerial appointment purely because he needed to get players in swiftly otherwise they will all get snapped up. That’s what we are up against.
“Colin had to move fast and he did a fantastic job in getting a player six other clubs wanted.
“Someone has to run the club and it couldn’t be in better hands than Colin’s. He has been to see all sorts of matches on behalf of the club and has made a real effort, which I want to thank him for.
“And he is not claiming a penny in expenses.”
Regarding bringing in other playing personnel, Taylor added: “I’ve read that we only have room to bring in three more, which is utter nonsense.
“That’s on the existing budget. I have already gone on record to say I am increasing it.
“And it will be increased to give the new manager some flexibility. We will also have players who will come in on trial in the summer to give them a chance.”
What has pleased Taylor is the number of emails he has received from fans in support of going down the HR route [volunteer] during interviews.
“One firm I have been dealing with have said it is unusual in football for references to be checked,” he said.
“And we are not only going to check those quoted on the application form.
“They are only the ones the applicants want us to follow up. When we get down to the names on our shortlist we will go to every club that person has played for, or managed, in the past five years and ask them for their opinion.”
Taylor also talked of his three balancing acts.
Firstly, to find a manager who can fit in to the club’s family ethos as well as getting the club into the Football League.
Secondly, to still run the club while finding the manager in the stated timescale [by mid June].
And thirdly, to run the club as a business while achieving promotion — without risking Woking FC’s future.
“You have to go for the dream but you have to balance that with not going the same way as the likes of Halifax,” he added. “I want to run the club the only way I know how, which is to earn more than we spend.
“Because although the Football League is the dream, what really matters is the state of the club when I leave. And at some point I will leave. We need to make sure Woking FC will be there for our children and their children.”
While a lot of Woking’s future depends on the proposed redevelopment of Kingfield, Taylor is keen to make an impact in generating income without being reliant on that happening.
And when asked about whether there was any change in timescale for the planning application to be submitted he added: “We are still aiming for the end of the summer. If that changes, then we will make an announcement and let people know.”
As far as the burning question of applicants is concerned, Taylor would not be drawn on names at this stage as for him, confidentiality remains key.
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30 Georgiana Bronfman Premium High Res Photos
Browse 30 georgiana bronfman stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images.
Georgiana Bronfman & Nigel Havers attends day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2013 in Ascot, England.
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attend the UK premiere of Chariots Of Fire at The Empire Leicester Square on July 10, 2012 in London, England.
Nigel Havers; Georgiana Bronfman Attends Saatchi & Saatchi And M&C Saatchi - Party At The Saatchi Gallery, Duke Of York'S Hq, London Sw3.Advertising...
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman sighted leaving The Chelsea Flower Show at The Royal Hospital on May 23, 2011 in London, England.
Georgiana Bronfman & Rocky Graziano. December 04, 1979.
Actor Nigel Havers and wife Georgiana Bronfman at the press night party of 'Krapp's Last Tape' at the Mint Leaf restaurant on September 22, 2010 in...
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attend a screening of 'Christmas at Downton Abbey' at Cineworld Haymarket on December 12, 2011 in London, England.
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attends the Saachi and Saachi Party to celebrate 40 years of Saachi at the Saachi Gallery on September 9, 2010 in...
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attend the Louis Dundas Centre Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on November 26, 2014 in London, England.
Actor Nigel Havers and his wife Georgiana Bronfman attend the UK Premiere of 'The Firm' at Vue West End on September 10, 2009 in London, England.
Actor Nigel Havers and wife Georgiana Bronfman attends the British Soap Awards at Media City on May 18, 2013 in Manchester, England.
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attend as Spectator Life magazine celebrates its third birthday at the Belgraves Hotel on March 31, 2015 in...
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attend the Chelsea Flower Show press and VIP preview day at Royal Hospital Chelsea on May 20, 2013 in London,...
Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman visit the annual Chelsea Flower show at Royal Hospital Chelsea on May 18, 2015 in London, England.
Nigel Havers and his wife Georgiana Bronfman arrive for the memorial service for photographer Terry O'Neill at The Grosvenor Chapel, in London's...
Actor Nigel Havers and Georgiana Bronfman attend the first day of Royal Ascot on June 19, 2007 in Ascot, England.
Nigel Havers and his Fianc Georgiana Bronfman pose for photographers as they arrive at the Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire for the first day of Royal...
Kidnap victim Samuel Bronfman II chats with his father, Seagram whiskey magnate Edgar M. Bronfman and his bride, the former Georgiana Eilea Webb...
Yorktown Heights, NY- Whiskey tycoon Edgar Bronfman Senior his bride, Georgiana, and son, Sam II Bronfman, hold champagne glasses following the elder...
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Works EN
Denys and FCC Construcción have years of experience when it comes to large-scale, complex projects. But as every project poses a new challenge, with its own specific needs and issues, a unique management plan was drawn up, setting out the working principles that will apply throughout the project.
Why? The aim is to complete the project as swiftly and safely as possible and with the least possible impact on local residents.
Site safety and the safety of the people living in the area are two important areas of concern that are drilled into every employee, worker and subcontractor during the introduction course each one of them is obliged to follow when they access the site for the first time. Throughout the project, additional safety instructions, supplemented with specific instructions in function of the work in hand, will be issued on a regular basis.
To ensure compliance with the safety instructions, special “safety guardians” are appointed with the sole task of guaranteeing and, where possible, enhancing safety.
Like on any large building site, there is no way of guaranteeing that nothing will ever go wrong in spite of all the safety measures put in place. With that in mind, we proactively communicate with the local emergency services to make sure that they are aware of the state of play at the site at all times so that they are always in a position to tailor their intervention to any issues that may arise. We believe that this is the only way to guarantee an efficient emergency service.
The site layout will evolve as the works progress.
Phase 1: the site will be divided into three sections on account of the current Keelbeekweg and Witloofstraat. Both roads will remain accessible to the public at all times.
Alongside Witloofstraat, just before the railway bridge, a number of site sheds will be installed for the people who will be working at the site.
Site layout, phase 1
Phase 2: as soon as the new Keelbeekweg has been completed, the upper zone will become part of the rest of the site. The earthworks will start in earnest and the site will gradually assume its new topography. Temporary mounds of earth will appear here and there.
While the earthworks are going on, the foundations will be laid and the sewerage system installed.
Phase 3: once the structural work starts, tower cranes will move in, the number of site sheds will increase, as will site activity.
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Rising bollards in Grimsby town centre
By Kiera - September 1, 2020
North East Lincolnshire Council have announced that it will be reintroducing rising bollards on Victoria Street in Grimsby Town Centre as of today, Tuesday 1 September.
The decision has been made in support of a long-standing Traffic Regulation Order which restricts access into the pedestrian area of Victoria Street, therefore improving overall pedestrian safety.
Such restrictions are now commonplace in high streets across the UK.
According to the council, the move will also improve social distancing measures and help to manage the number of vehicles accessing the area.
The bollards will be raised each day between 10:30am and 4pm.
Outside of these hours, they will only be lowered for maintenance or in a state of emergency.
Any vehicle found to be entering this area between the hours of 4pm and 10:30am without a valid reason may be subject to enforcement action.
Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:
“We understand this may cause an element of disruption to businesses, but these bollards are critical for pedestrian safety and our ongoing COVID-19 response.
“We are committed to working with businesses affected and ensuring they can continue with minimal disruption when they come into operation next month.
“This shouldn’t come as a new addition to the town centre, but unfortunately, due to equipment issues, the bollards have been out of action for a few years and we’re now pleased to see them back in action.”
Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, added:
“The purpose of these bollards is to restrict vehicle access on our pedestrianised high street and provide increased levels of safety.
“As part of the work to bring these bollards back into use, we have liaised with colleagues in the police and Freshney Place. Both organisations are supportive in the re-introduction and the enhanced safety it will provide in the town centre.”
Working alongside local businesses, the council’s regeneration partner ENGIE will monitor the bollards in the coming months.
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Send Flowers for Joseph
Joseph Tiberio Sr.
Joseph Tiberio Sr., age 80, of Milford, beloved husband of Joan M. Tiberio, passed away peacefully on December 13, 2020 in Milford Hospital with his loving family by his side. Joseph was born in Introdacqua, Abruzzi, Italy on May 20, 1940 and was the son of the late Domenic Sr. and Felicetta Tiberio. He was a proud Veteran of the United States Army and National Guard. He received a degree in Mechanical Engineering and retired from Northeast Utilities as Regional Facilities Manager. Joseph enjoyed hunting and fishing in Lake George, spending time with family and friends, had the ability to fix anything and was known as the “go to guy” and “a true car guy.” He was always willing to help others and had the patience of a saint. In addition to his beloved wife, Joan, of 56 years, Joseph is also survived by one son, Joseph Tiberio Jr. and wife Denise of Milford, two daughters, Mary Colella and husband David of Guilford and Jennifer Tiberio of Milford, five grandchildren, Olivia, Joey, Tori, Jessica and Cody, one brother, Domenic Tiberio Jr. and wife Mary Beth of Newtown, one sister, Angelina Meloni of Trumbull and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Due to the current health situation, all services were held privately and a celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Arrangements were entrusted to the Galello-Luchansky Funeral Home, 2220 Main Street, Stratford. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Joseph’s memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph Tiberio Sr., please visit our floral store.
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105
Web: http://www.stjude.org/
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As more states begin to reopen certain activities, here is where gambling stands in each state and where the General Assembly sessions are as some states consider sports betting legislation.
Online casino gambling is legal in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia (going live in mid July). Online poker is legal in those states plus Nevada. Michigan has legalized online casinos with a target launch date of later this year.
Social casinos, such as Chumba, are legal even in states that ban online gaming.
CASINOS: Wind Creek's three Alabama casinos — Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery — had a soft reopening for small groups of invited guests on June 4, followed by the public reopening on June 8. New health and social-distancing measures include temperature checks for guests and employees and masks or face coverings are required for everyone. Visitors were asked to bring their own masks, but they will be available at the facilities for a small donation supporting local first responders, health care providers, and COVID-19 patient relief. To accommodate social distancing, casinos limited the number of guests on the floor to roughly one-third of normal operations. Other casinos in the state have reopened or are getting ready to reopen under a "Safer At Home" order that was recently expanded to include casinos, camps and theaters.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature returned May 4 to pass the state's two budgets and adjourned on May 18. Gov. Kay Ivey on May 18 signed the spending bills, according to published reports. "While we have yet to know the full impact of COVID-19 on our state, these budgets will ensure continuity of government, while being fiscally responsible," Ivey said in a statement. Two gambling issues — establishing a state lottery and allowing the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to have casinos — did not gain traction in the abbreviated legislative session, according to the Associated Press.
CASINOS: There are no casinos in Alaska. State law allows for bingo halls and pull-tab games.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature passed emergency coronavirus legislation March 29. It allows Alaska to combat health and economic issues from the pandemic, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Access to the capitol in Juneau has been limited to lawmakers, staff, administration officials and credentialed media.
CASINOS: The Casino Del Sol in Tucson will close from Dec. 7 to Jan. 2 in an effort to help curb the statewide COVID-19 spike, according to the casino’s website. The casino made the decision in conjunction with the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council, the release said, furthermore adding that employees would continue to be paid during the closure.
Navajo Nation has approved $24.6 million in coronavirus federal funding to help pay the tribe’s 1,100 gaming employees, as part of more than $475 million in CARES Act funding, according to a news release. Four casinos in Arizona and New Mexico were closed by the tribe in March, but continued to pay its employees until late July.
Gila River Casinos, which owns Lone Butte, Vee Quiva and Wild Horse Pass casinos, reopened them on July 2 after closing the casinos in mid-June because of employees' coronavirus concerns, according to Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV. They had initially reopened on May 15. During the closure, the company said it re-examined and enhanced safety measures at the three casinos.
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa and Fort McDowell Casino near Fountain Hills reopened on May 15 under strict health and social distancing guidelines. Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order expired that day.
Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona in Scottsdale reopened June 1, according to published reports. Desert Diamond's West Valley Casino plans to reopen June 5, according to a news release. Desert Diamond's other casinos will be closed at least through May.
Bucky’s Casino and Yavapai Casino in Prescott Valley announced on their website that they reopened on June 1. Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson said on its website that it will begin a "phased reopening" on May 21.
LEGISLATURE: Legislature leaders reconvened May 1 and ended the current session, which had been on recess since March 27 because of the coronavirus. It pushed some pending bills, including sports betting, into the next legislative session.
RELATED: Get The Latest Coronavirus Related News On Cancellations & Postponements
CASINOS: The Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, which has been under construction for about 14 months, will open on Oct. 20, according to published reports. It had a soft opening on Oct. 15 for about 200 local and state officials. The constitutional amendment for the casino that was approved by voters set taxes at 13% on the first $150 million in net gaming revenue and 20% on gaming revenue above $150 million, the reports said. Of that, 55% goes to the state general fund, 17.5% to the state Racing Commission for horse and dog racing purses, 19.5% to the City of Pine Bluff and 8% to Jefferson County.
Casinos in the state have lost more than $1.4 billion in gaming terminal wagers this year, according to a report from KTBS, an ABC-TV affiliate in Shreveport, Louisiana. Gaming income has slowly been rebounding in Arkansas since casinos reopened after months of post-coronavirus shutdowns.
Sports betting is live at Southland Casino in West Memphis after the sportsbook was shut down because of the coronavirus. Delaware North, parent company of Southland Casino, said in a news release that betting kiosks will be placed at various spots on the casino grounds, and the sportsbook will be in Southland's Sports Bar & Grill and in the second level racing mezzanine, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
The Oaklawn Park sportsbook was the only one in the state to reopen in mid-July. It took in $179,315 in total handle for the month but had payouts of $198,948, resulting in a loss of $19,633, according to the July gaming report from the Arkansas Racing Commission. The sportsbooks at Southland and Saracen were closed for all of July.
The Democrat-Gazette reported that a committee seeking a constitutional amendment to allow for 16 more casinos in the state dropped its challenge to the secretary of state's denial to put the proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot. The request to the state Supreme Court ends the effort to get the measure before voters. If the amendment made the ballot and was passed by voters in November, casino licenses would be issued for 16 casinos — two in Pulaski County; two in Crittenden County; and one each in 12 other counties.
The Arkansas Racing Commission on July 30 denied an appeal by Cherokee Nation Businesses over the awarding of a casino license to Gulfside Partnership in Pope County, according to KATV. A spokesperson for CNB said it is looking at other legal options.
The three casinos in the state reopened on May 18 under new capacity limits and health guidelines, according to a story in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Casinos will be limited to one-third of their capacity, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. The casinos had been closed since March 17. The limit was increased to two-thirds capacity in June.
LEGISLATURE: The capitol has been closed, but the legislature recently convened at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock arena. Members of the house followed social distancing guidelines by spreading out throughout the Jack Stevens Center and approved emergency coronavirus funding. Hutchinson delivered his State of the State address on April 8 as the house met at the Stevens Center and the senate in the state capitol. Three lawmakers in the state have tested positive for coronavirus.
CASINOS: More than 1.4 million signatures have been collected by tribal leaders who want to get sports betting legislation on the ballot, according to various reports. Proponents of sports betting on tribal lands had asked for more time to collect signatures because the COVID-19 pandemic slowed those efforts.
According to Santa Barbara TV station KEYT, the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez plans to stay open during a stay-at-home order issued for the region. The casino is on tribal land and not subject to local or statewide government order, though casino representatives have said that the facility will continue to adhere to safety measures aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
The Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula announced that concerts and other events scheduled for the first three months of 2021 will be postponed to later in the year because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to NBC Palm Springs. Among the postponed events is the casino’s New Year’s Eve celebration.
GAN launched a social casino product for Agua Caliente Casinos, which is owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla tribe. The tribe owns three casinos in the state, according to igamingbusiness.com: Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs and one slated to open later in 2020, the Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City.
Cache Creek Casino reopened Oct. 12 after being closed for three weeks in thew wake of a cyber attack, according to the Sacramento Bee. The casino is in Brooks, about an hour from Sacramento. Cache Creek closed on Sept. 20 after what it called “an external attack” on its computer network.
The 500 Club Casino in Clovis is creating an outdoor area so its card room tables can operate outside, according to KFSN. The casino hopes to open the outdoor venue this weekend under social distancing and health guidelines.
Two card rooms in San Jose, Bay 101 and Casino M8trix, will operate outdoors under giant tents to allow for social distancing. The plan to reopen the two card rooms outside passed 10-1 at city council on Sept. 1, according to sanjosespotlight.com.
The state Supreme Court ruled that the North Fork Mono Indian Tribe can proceed with a casino in Madera County along Highway 99, according to The Business Journal. Former Gov. Jerry Brown was within his right to agree with a federal ruling in 2011 that led to two “off reservation” tribal gaming projects in Madera and Yuba counties being approved. The casino and hotel resort has been planned for nearly two decades.
Stars Casino in Tracy, in the central part of the state, moved its tables outdoors, becoming the first card room in California allowed to operate outdoors. Closed voluntarily because of the coronavirus pandemic, Stars set up tables on its back patio and allowed for fewer players, according to broadcast reports. Usually with about 30 to 40 players, the card room now has about a dozen, with three or four players per table, the reports said.
The Quechan Casino in Winterhaven, closed since mid-March, has reopened with new social-distancing and health measures in place, according to its website.
Fantasy sports provider Monkey Knife Fight and AEG entered an agreement for three Los Angeles area pro sports teams. Monkey Knife Fight will be the exclusive fantasy sports partner for the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy, and an official partner for the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign, according to a news release. MKF also has partnership deals in Southern California with the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers and MLB’s San Diego Padres.
Cardroom operators have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to order tribal casinos closed as the state’s coronavirus cases experience a spike, according to the Times of San Diego. The California Gaming Association wrote a letter to Newsom, pointing out that his July 1 directive closed all of the cardrooms in certain counties, but not the tribal casinos. Cardrooms and tribal casinos are on opposite sides regarding several issues surrounding California gaming, including sports betting.
A coalition of California tribes has been given an extension to acquire enough signatures to get its sports betting measure on the 2022 election ballot. Superior Court Judge James Arguelles, in a tentative ruling posted on July 1, gave the Coalition to Authorize Regulated Sports Wagering until Oct. 12 to submit signatures. Arguelles made the ruling official on July 2 during a hearing in Sacramento.
Health officials in San Diego County said they are working with tribes to investigate several coronavirus cases that may be connected to several of their local casinos, according to NBC7 in San Diego. Viejas Casino and Resort in Alpine reopened May 18, according to the Associated Press. Other San Diego County casinos have reopened — Sycuan Casino Resort near El Cajon, Jamul Casino in Jamul and Valley View Casino & Hotel near Valley Center. Sycuan reopened May 20; Jamul reopened May 21; Valley View, Pala Casino Spa & Resort and Harrah's Resort Southern California reopened May 22; and Barona Casino & Resort reopened May 27.
Three San Francisco-area casinos have either reopened or are planning to reopen. Graton Resort & Casino reopened on June 18; the San Pablo Lytton Casino said on Facebook it has reopened; and River Rock Casino reopened June 29.
The Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians in Southern California reopened Casino Pauma on June 12, according to published reports.
A notice was issued by Colusa County health officials on June 5 warning of potential coronavirus exposure at the Colusa Casino Resort in northern California, according to CBS 13. The possible exposure occurred on June 1.
Many other casinos in the state have reopened. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, operated by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, reopened June 2 with new health and social-distancing guidelines in place, according to the Desert Sun of Palm Springs.
Cache Creek Casino Resort near Sacramento reopened June 8, according to its website. Three other tribal casinos reopened on the same day — Jackson Rancheria, Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln and Red Hawk Casino in Placerville. They will have new health and social-distancing measures in place. There will be hand sanitizers in the gaming areas, and players must have temperature checks and wear face masks, according to published reports.
More Southern California casinos reopened May 22. The casinos reopening that day — Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella and Tortoise Rock Casino in Twentynine Palms; and Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa near Cabazon.
The Pechanga Tribe reopened the Pechanga Resort Casino, located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, on June 1. Limited gaming was allowed at the reopening.
The Press-Enterprise of Riverside has an updated list of Southern California casino reopenings.
No one really knows when casinos will reopen, but here are their best bets https://t.co/bH4YcZ1Ejg
— The Press-Enterprise (@pressenterprise) April 9, 2020
LEGISLATURE: State Sen. Bill Dodd pulled a constitutional amendment, SCA 6, from being considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 23, according to Bloomberg News. This likely pushes implementation of sports betting to 2023 — if it gets on the 2022 ballot and voters approve it. The legislation by Dodd and Assemblyman Adam Gray was met by opposition from California tribes at every hearing since it was introduced in May. That’s why Dodd ended the effort to get the referendum on the ballot, Chris Palmeri, Los Angeles bureau chief for Bloomberg News, reported June 22.
The legislature, which had recessed because of the pandemic, returned recently to work on passing a budget. Gov. Gavin Newsom has to sign it before July.
The original California stay at home order in the state has had an effect on the state's tribes getting enough signatures to have a sports betting measure placed on the November ballot. The tribe needs about a million valid signatures to get the question on the ballot and the signatures need to be verified by the state. With California residents banned from public contact, getting the required signatures for sports betting and other ballot initiatives could be difficult, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Not getting the measure on the ballot actually could lead to a better bill. The current measure does not allow for mobile sports betting.
Newsom said at a news conference on May 18 that pro sports and sporting events in the state could return in the first week of June without fans.
CASINOS: The city council in Black Hawk authorized casinos to offer unlimited single-bet wagers and allowed casinos to vary a greater variety of games. According to Denver ABC-TV affiliate KMGH, the motion, passed Dec. 1, is part of the changes under Amendment 77 that voters approved in November.
International Game Technology will provide mobile and retail sports betting for three Maverick Gaming casinos in Colorado, according to a news release. Grand Z Casino and Johnny Z’s Casino in Central City, as well as Z Casino in Black Hawk, will use IGT’s PlaySports platform for retail kiosks and the Play Maverick Sports app.
Casinos in Black Hawk and Central City will close down Blackjack, poker and other table games as part of precautions against a recent spike in coronavirus cases, Denver CBS-TV affiliate KCNC reported on Nov. 13. The Colorado Department of Public Health made the ruling on Nov. 10 and the casinos had until that Friday to comply, the report said.
Barstool, operating under Penn National, opened its first retail sportsbook in the state at the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk on schedule on Nov. 5, according to a news release. Penn National owns 36 percent of Barstool Sports, which is already operating a mobile sportsbook in Pennsylvania. The Barstool sportsbook in Black Hawk has seating for 196 people (but it will not be run at that capacity while COVID-19 protocols remains in place) and 800-inch TVs, the Denver Westword reported. Ameristar is owned by Penn National Gaming, which has been beginning to rebrand its retail sportsbooks as Barstool Sportsbooks. The Barstool sports betting app, which went live in Pennsylvania and plans to go live in Michigan when the state's online sports-betting market opens, is not part of the retail sportsbook launch at Ameristar.
The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission on Oct. 15 approved amendments to two sports betting rules for wagering pools and contests — Sports Betting Regulation 1.4 and Sports Betting Regulation 6.20.
William Hill’s mobile app went live in the state on Wednesday, just in time for the start of the 2020 NFL season. Former Broncos wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion Rod Smith placed the ceremonial first bet Wednesday, according to a news release. His wager was on the Broncos to win on Sept. 14 (they lost), along with a prop bet that Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will score the first touchdown.
TheScore Bet launched in the emerging Colorado mobile sports betting market on Sept. 2. TheScore Bet, which received approval from the Colorado Division of Gaming on Aug. 5, gained market access with a deal through a subsidiary of U.S. gaming operator Jacobs Entertainment Inc. in January.
Since launching sports betting on May 1, the state has had about $123 million wagered in the state. The total amount wagered in Colorado in July was $59,183,620, compared to June’s $38,136,949, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue Division of Gaming's latest report. Mobile betting was $58,600,805 in July, 99% of the total wagered. Retail was just $582,815. Gross Gaming Revenue in July was $5,196,598, a 49.2% increase over June’s $3,484,015.
The Ute Mountain Casino in Towaoc, operated by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, reopened on Aug. 20 with new social distancing and health measures in place. It had been closed since March 18 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Elite Casino Resorts has announced in a news release that it received approval from the state's Division of Gaming to launch the Elite Sportsbook. Elite Sportsbook will offer mobile and online betting through www.elitesportsbook.com. A mobile app will also be available. Customers can bet from their phone while in Colorado and betting kiosks will be available at Red Dolly Casino in Black Hawk. The news release said it will be the only sportsbook in Colorado to offer a progressive parlay.
One of the state’s licensed sportsbooks, Sportsbetting.com, launched a $1,000,000 Pro Football Pick ‘Em contest that is free to enter for state residents, according to a news release. The Carousel Group owns the website, which started taking bets Sept. 1. Contest entry is open now.
PointsBet announced on Aug. 7 that it will become the official and exclusive sports betting partner of the professional teams and venue owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment in Colorado — the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League and the Pepsi Center, where the teams play, according to a news release.
Johnny Nolon's and Colorado Grande, both of Cripple Creek, have opened retail sportsbook operations, according to the Division of Gaming's website. Johnny Nolon's went live on Aug. 1, while Colorado Grande went live on Aug. 3. There are now seven retail sportsbooks up and running in Colorado.
Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith has been named chief brand ambassador for Denver Sports Betting, a sports betting analysis website, according to published reports. Smith will be involved in marketing content and working with the community. The Broncos announced sports betting partnership agreements with FanDuel, BetFred and BetMGM in June and July, becoming the first NFL team with such deals.
State casinos are hoping to get a measure to increase betting limits and to add new casino games in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk and Central City on the November ballot, according to published reports. If approved, it would take effect in 2021. The group behind the initiative has submitted nearly twice the number of signatures to the secretary of state required to get the referendum on the ballot, the reports said.
Colorado had a 49% increase in sports betting handle in June, the second month of legal sports wagering in the state. The total amount wagered in Colorado in June was $38,136,949, according to a Colorado Department of Revenue Division of Gaming release. The state saw $25,621,761 bet in May. June sports betting revenue was $3,484,015, a 36% increase over May's $2,565,729.
William Hill has launched its first sports betting kiosks at the Isle Casino Hotel and Lady Luck Casino in Black Hawk. William Hill said in a news release that it will provide localized futures and odds catered specifically for the Colorado market.
The Ameristar Casino Black Hawk opened its retail sportsbook on July 21, according to the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission website. It is the fifth retail sportsbook in the state, joining Monarch Casino Black Hawk, Saratoga Casino Black Hawk, Wildwood Casino (BetWild) and Mardi Gras Casino in Black Hawk. DraftKings opened a temporary retail sportsbook at the Mardi Gras Casino on July 10. The temporary DraftKings sportsbook is located on the first floor of the casino, which is owned by Twin River Holdings. Casinos in the state began reopening June 15.
The Monarch Casino in Black Hawk, which reopened in mid June, says it is expanding its operation and adding 516 hotel rooms, four restaurants and more gaming in the process. according to Denver NBC-TV affiliate KUSA. It is looking to hire 250 people, the report said.
On July 14, theScore secured Gaming Laboratories International GLI-33 certification in Colorado, part of the regulatory approval process needed for permission to offer sports betting in the state. John Levy, the founder and CEO of theScore, said his company had also received the same approval in Indiana days earlier.
Circa Sports and BetWild recently joined other online sportsbooks in the state, according to the gaming commission website. Circa has a partnership with Century Casinos, a gaming company in Colorado Springs that operates casinos in Cripple Creek and Century City, along with others in North America. Circa does not plan to open retail sportsbooks at the Colorado casinos, The Colorado Springs Gazette reported. Amelco, a UK gaming company, helped launch BetWildwood, the first online sportsbook to launch under Wildwood Casino in Cripple Creek’s online betting license, according to published reports.
The state launched its sports betting market on May 1, as originally planned. The sportsbooks in Colorado now up and running are BetMGM, BetMonarch (Monarch Casino Resort), BetRivers, BetWild, Circa, DraftKings, FanDuel, FOX Bet, SBK and Sky Ute.
Monarch Casino Black Hawk joined Saratoga Casino Black Hawk as retail sportsbooks operational in the state. Saratoga recently accepted the first retail sports bet at its sportsbook, which is operated by Betfred USA. Monarch is also up and running, according to the gaming control commission's website.
Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has obtained a Vendor Minor sports betting license for its flagship affiliate site WSN.com from the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission, the company said in a news release. GiG Media is now active in seven states.
Betsson, a gaming company headquartered in Stockholm, announced on June 29 that it has entered into a 10-year agreement with Dostal Alley Casino, a Central City Black Hawk casino, to offer sports betting. It will be Betsson's first entry into the growing U.S. sports betting market.
Casinos in Teller County's Cripple Creek reopened June 15 after receiving approval from state health officials. Among the new guidelines: Only slot machines were available at first and temperatures of customers were checked. They must also wear masks. Gilpin County casinos reopened on June 17 to long lines, according to published reports. The county, home to Black Hawk and Central City, where more than half of the state’s casinos are located, began a phased reopening. Colorado casinos had been closed since mid-March.
The Sky Ute Casino Resort said it will launch the Sky Ute SportsBook, a new mobile sports betting app, according to its website. The casino is located in the southwest corner of the state on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in Ignacio. It is believed to be the first Native American sportsbook.
In its first month, Colorado sportsbooks saw bettors place $25.5 million in wagers, according to an email from the gaming control commission. Sports betting went live in the state on May 1 despite sports and casinos being shut down.
The commission spent nearly all of its five-hour meeting on May 21 considering a change to Gaming Regulation 30-1401, the tiered tax rate the casinos pay. Commission members heard testimony from, among others, the municipalities that would face budget shortfalls because of a reduced rate, and the Colorado Gaming Association, which said lowering the rate would help the state's 33 casinos rebound from being closed since mid-March. The commission unanimously voted to keep the current tax rate tiers for Fiscal Year 2021 while acknowledging the pain suffered by all from the coronavirus.
Century Casinos, Inc. announced May 19 that it has reached an agreement with bet365 to become the company's second internet sports betting operator partner in the state, according to a news release. Century, through a subsidiary, has a master license. bet365 will have to be approved by the state gaming board.
International Game Technology (IGT) announced in a news release on May 19 that its PlaySports platform will power retail and mobile sports betting at Wild Card Saloon and Sasquatch Casino in Black Hawk. Both casinos are owned and operated by Ed & Shirley's Inc.
A story in the Denver Post reported that the most popular sport to gamble on among Coloradans since sports betting launched has been table tennis, which had the most bets by volume and dollar amount in the first 10 days, according to DraftKings data. UFC was second, followed by Korean baseball and Belarus Premier League Soccer, according to The Post.
BonusFinder.com says it has been granted a Colorado license. It also operates in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indiana.
More On Colorado Sports Betting:
Explaining Colorado's Confusing Ballot Measure
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LEGISLATURE: The legislature ended its temporary adjournment on May 26 and practiced social-distancing measures throughout the state capitol. On March 14, the legislative session was suspended. The legislature must pass a state budget. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled April 1 that state lawmakers don’t have to meet for 120 consecutive days during a declared public health emergency, according to the Denver Post.
✨Today is the day to re-enter a world of play ✨
We are excited to reopen our doors and safely welcome you back. Thank you to all of our guests for your patience. pic.twitter.com/hLVQUGzD6n
— Mohegan Sun (@MoheganSun) June 1, 2020
CASINOS: Foxwoods reported $121.4 million in slot revenue from June 1 to Sept. 30, down 18% from the same period in 2019, according to the Hartford Courant. The report said Mohegan Sun slot revenue in the same four-month span was $178.9 million, 5% off of the same time last year.
Both tribal casinos in the state will maintain their capacity at 25%, despite Gov. Ned Lamont giving permission for Connecticut to add capacity at businesses and public gatherings, the Courant reported. The Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket and the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville reopened June 1 after being closed for months in response to the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, both facilities defied Lamont’s wish to delay reopenings until later in the summer, The Courant reported. On Oct. 8, Lamont moved to Phase 3 of the state’s plan to allow businesses to increase their capacity.
Both facilities had soft reopenings on May 30, two days earlier than they had originally planned to reopen. Lamont, who had been at odds with the tribes over reopening, was on board with their plans. He announced on May 29 that the casinos "took to heart some of the thoughts we had" and were allowed to reopen early, on June 1. The casinos had been working on new social distancing and health guidelines. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes were prevalent throughout the casinos and every other slot machine was open to create proper distances between players. Body temperatures were checked as patrons entered the building and cards were swapped out more frequently at each table.
LEGISLATURE: Lamont has selected Rob Simmelkjaer, 48, who spent his career working at NBC Sports and ESPN to be the next chairman of the Connecticut Lottery Corp. governing board. After NBC Sports and ESPN, Simmelkjaer founded Persona Media, a Norwalk, Connecticut-based social media startup.
The legislature ended its session early on April 21. The state has awarded Scientific Games Corp. a new, five-year contract to serve as the Connecticut Lottery's primary instant game provider, according to a news release April 13. The deal increases the company's partnership with the state, becoming primary provider. Scientific Games has been a supplier of instant games to Connecticut for more than 40 years, the release said.
RELATED: Online Gaming Could Help Offset Post-COVID-19 Economic Downturn
CASINOS: The state had $19,834,956 in iGaming handle in August, according to the Delaware Lottery’s figures. That’s down slightly from the $20,782,682 in July handle but about 58% higher than the $12.5 million the state saw in August 2019. August was the third consecutive month that the handle dropped since Delaware set a record for iGaming handle in May at $29.5 million. But August was still the fourth-best month in state history – all coming in the past four months. The iGaming revenue in August was $808,623, a 14.3% increase over July’s $705,533.
The state had $705,533 in online casino gambling revenue in July, a 144% increase from July 2019’s $288,675, but down 26.8% from June 2020. In June, the lottery had $964,607 in revenue. Total iGaming handle in July was $20,782,681, a 162% increase from the $7,918,402 handle in July of last year. In June 2020, Delaware had $23,829,572 in iGaming handle. Delaware had set state records for iGaming handle in April and May, topping $28 million both months.
Dover Downs had a net loss of $2.36 million in the second quarter thanks to a long closure related to COVID-19, the Delaware State News reported.
The state’s iGaming handle fell by nearly $6 million in June compared to May, halting Delaware’s momentum in that category. Delaware had set state record for iGaming handle in both April and May. Still, June’s figure of $23,829,573 was the third-best in state history; the past three months have been the only ones where handle has cleared $20 million. Net revenue was $964,607 in June, down 15% from the record $1,134,900 in May.
Delaware Lottery and online gaming firm 888 have extended their iGaming deal by an additional two years, according to IGB. Under the partnership, which began in 2013, the lottery can offer a range of casino and poker games and allow Delaware players to compete against New Jersey and Nevada players.
Casinos reopened on June 1 under new health and social-distancing guidelines. The state's stay-at-home order was in place through May. Casinos had to present a safety plan, keep capacity at 30%, have eight feet between slots and other gaming machines and disinfect those machines every 15 minutes to two hours, according to published reports. Horse racing tracks also resumed racing without fans on June 1.
Even though the state is losing revenue from casinos being closed since mid-March, Vernon Kirk, director of the state lottery, told The News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware, that there is no timetable for adding mobile sports betting. Kirk said it is not on the lottery's "front burner." Sports betting is available at the three brick-and-mortar casinos — Delaware Park, Dover Downs and Harrington — but not through mobile, even though it is legal in the state.
Delaware's May iGaming report showed that revenue was $1,134,900. That was a 33% increase over April’s $856,182, the previous high for the state. The May figure also was a 262% increase year over year from last May’s $313,648, according to the Delaware Lottery, which oversees gaming in the state. The May total iGaming handle was $29,485,079, a slight increase over April’s $28,496,616 — which easily had been the state’s biggest month.
RELATED: Learn more about Delaware sports betting and gaming
LEGISLATURE: The state's presidential primary, originally scheduled for April 28 but moved to June 2 because of the coronavirus, has now been postponed to July 7, according to PBS station WHYY in Philadelphia. The legislature began meeting virtually on May 26; in-person sessions were suspended in March.
Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.
— Florida DBPR (@FloridaDBPR) June 26, 2020
CASINOS: The Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee will reopen on Aug. 31 at 11 a.m., according to a post on its website. It will reopen with new social-distancing and health measures in place, including temperature checks before entering and wearing masks. Every other slot machine will be turned off, also.
A Miami casino has filed a lawsuit arguing that insurers should cover financial losses stemming from the facility being shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to West Palm Beach CBS-TV affiliate WPEC. The report said the lawsuit was filed in a South Florida federal court in South Florida by Magic City Casino operators. The suit says four insurance companies denied coverage for losses from “business interruption.”
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez on July 2 announced that casinos, strip clubs, movie theaters and other entertainment venues would have to close after being allowed to open through a June 4 order, according to the Miami Herald. Because of the spread of the coronavirus in the state again, he also announced a 10 p.m. curfew that begin July 3 in the city.
On June 26, the state prohibited the consumption of alcohol at bars because coronavirus cases across Florida have spiked. According to the state order, restaurants can serve alcohol on site and bars are allowed to sell alcohol to go.
Calder Casino in Miami Gardens had reopened June 12, according to Churchill Downs Inc., whileGulfstream Park reopened its casino on June 18. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Seminole Classic Casino reopened in mid-June in South Florida with new health and social-distancing guidelines in place. Temperature checks upon entering and face masks are among the new safety initiatives.
Penn National announced it has reopened the Sanford Orlando Kennel Club.
The Seminole Hard Rock Poker Room in Tampa reopened on May 21. After the initial customers entered to new health and social-distancing measures, people waited in line into the evening to get in. The new guidelines including having the poker room at 50% capacity (23 of 46 tables); active tables with Plexiglass dividers; games run at a maximum of 6 handed; and employees and guests were required to wear masks (gloves are optional); and cards and chips were cleaned on a regular basis, according to the casino's website.
Some restaurants and stores in Florida were allowed to reopen at 25% capacity on May 4.
LEGISLATURE: Gov. Ron DeSantis in mid-May said that professional sports teams are welcome to practice and play — without fans — in Florida if they can’t hold practices or games in their own states, according to published reports. Earlier that week Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey made the same offer to pro sports teams. Florida has already hosted live UFC events without fans.
The legislative session ended March 13 without sports betting legislation and without a new compact deal with the Seminole Tribe, which had been paying $350 million a year to the state.
CASINOS: There are no casinos in Georgia. The state lottery hit a record with $1.24 billion in profit for the 2019-20 fiscal year that ended on June 30, according to the Associated Press. Sales dropped in the immediate wake of coronavirus but recovered enough for Georgia to set sales and profit records for the ninth consecutive year. Having an online lottery option helped the state regain its financial footing in April and May.
LEGISLATURE: The House failed to take up either of the gaming bills on its agenda the final day of the legislature on June 26. That ends any chance for sports betting this year in Georgia. There was some hope when the House Regulated Industries Committee on June 22 approved a resolution seeking a state referendum on legalizing casinos, horse racing and sports betting in the state, according to the Newnan Times-Herald. That came just days after the Senate Special Judiciary Committee on June 19 approved a bill authorizing the Georgia Lottery to operate online sports betting, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The tax revenue would be earmarked for the state’s HOPE scholarship, the paper reported. The latest failure comes after two previous attempts to move a sports betting bill failed earlier this year. House Resolution 378 would have amended the state constitution to allow certain types of sports betting, but the measure never came to a full House vote. The amendment would have permitted casino gambling as well as sports betting, including parimutuels. Senate Bill 403 also dealt with sports betting but it also failed to make the March 12 deadline.
CASINOS: There are no casinos in Hawaii.
LEGISLATURE: A stay-at-home order is in place through May. it was extended by the governor in late April. Hawaii lawmakers on March 17 indefinitely suspended the legislative session, according to the Associated Press. The recess began March 18.
CASINOS: The Coeur d'Alene Casino reopened on May 1. The Coeur d’Alene tribe started the process with a limited opening of the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel on April 27, followed by the casino's reopening. New health guidelines for casino visitors and employees have been put in place, including masks and fewer games. Other tribal entities and facilities say they will also begin their phased re-openings. Other casinos in the state, including The Nez Perce Tribe planned to open the Clearwater River and It’se Ye-Ye casinos, reopened mid-May.
LEGISLATURE: The senate ended its legislative session on March 19. The house ended its session March 20, according to the Associated Press.
𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗢𝗜𝗦 — 𝗜𝗧'𝗦 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘!https://t.co/RPhKGOhpLP | @brucebuffer pic.twitter.com/z71qy2SnGy
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) August 28, 2020
CASINOS: Gov. JB Pritzker said on Jan. 6 that the state could ease coronavirus-related restrictions on Jan. 15, giving hope that casinos might reopen at that time, according to several reports. Illinois’ 10 riverboat casinos and thousands video gaming terminals at statewide outlets were shot down in mid-November as the statewide cases of COVID-19 spiked; it was the second time in 2020 that all of the casinos were ordered closed.
The state’s total gaming tax revenue for the 2019-20 fiscal year fell 13.4%, or about $200 million, compared to the year before, according to the News-Gazette of Champaign. The state’s largest casino, Rivers Casino is Des Plaines, had a $119 million decline in receipts compared to the 2018-19 fiscal year, the report said. Casinos were closed from mid March to July 1 and reopened with limited capacity and safety measures designed to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Twin River Worldwide Holdings agreed to buy the Jumer's Casino & Hotel in Rock Island for $120 million in cash, the company announced in a news release. Twin River will buy the property from Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. Jumer's, in the Quad Cities area near the border of Iowa, has more than 870 slot machines and 25 table games in 40,000-square-foot casino space.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Sept. 18 extended remote registration, allowing Illinois sports bettors to sign up online. Pritzker’s executive order would have ended Sept. 19. His extension of the order that suspended in-person registration because of the coronavirus pandemic will be in effect for the top Illinois sportsbooks at least until Oct. 17. Illinois Gaming Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter said during the board's Sept. 17 meeting that 230,000 bettors had registered online since it was allowed.
The Danville City Council voted on Sept. 15 to rezone a piece of land earmarked for a casino project. Danville Development LLC plans to build a casino on the spot of land, then build a larger casino later, according to Champaign ABC-TV affiliate WCIA. The council voted to approve the 8.5-acre land for commercial zoning; it had been an industrial area.
DraftKings made an agreement with Accel Entertainment in the state to help sports bettors register for remote sign-up. According to a news release: “Accel’s more than 2,300 video gaming locations across the entire state of Illinois will promote exclusive DraftKings content and programming across all Accel marketing channels, including the Accel’s in-location digital display screens, to drive awareness of and retention for sports betting among its loyal player base.”
The FanDuel Par-A-Dice retail sportsbook opened in East Peoria on Sept. 10 the same day the NFL kicked off. It is FanDuel’s 12th retail sportsbook in nine states. FanDuel on Aug. 28 became the third mobile sports betting app to go live in the state, joining BetRivers and DraftKings. The app is called the “FanDuel Par-A-Dice Sportsbook.”
The Danville city council has approved a new bid for a casino from Danville Development LLC, according to The News-Gazette. It is planning to build a casino about a mile from a site that was originally planned for the facility, the report said. The first bid by Haven Gaming LLC was withdrawn after the Illinois Gaming Board said it was incomplete. Danville Development will submit a draft application to the mayor's office for approval. If approved it will then apply to the gaming board.
Gov. JB Pritzker has rolled back in-person registration at casinos — again. Pritzker reinstated the order on Aug. 21 that suspended in-person registration because of the coronavirus pandemic and it will be in effect until at least Sept. 19. From June 4 until July 26 bettors did not have to register at casinos for mobile sports betting. He did not extend his order in late July, but did so on Aug. 21.
Two new sportsbooks opened Aug. 20 in Illinois at Hollywood Aurora and Hollywood Joliet casinos. They are the fifth and sixth retail sportsbooks in the state. The casinos, owned by Penn National Gaming, are about 40-45 miles outside of Chicago.
Sportradar will partner with Chicago-based regional sports network Marquee Sports Network to provide game notes, research support, analytics, and graphics, according to published reports. Marquee is a joint venture between the Chicago Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Casinos in Illinois made just over $82.6 million in revenue for July, their first full month since reopening. That was down 28.6% from July 2019. The 10 casinos saw nearly 500,000 admissions combined over the month while operating at 50% capacity as mandated by the state.
Lower tax rates could make a Chicago casino "attractive enough" to development companies, according to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times. A Las Vegas consulting firm was originally pessimistic about the proposition, but lower tax rates could make it feasible.
The DraftKings At Casino Queen retail sportsbook in East St. Louis and the mobile sports betting app went live Aug. 5. The casino is located across the Mississippi River from St. Louis about 300 miles from Chicago.
William Hill opened its first Illinois sportsbook on Aug. 1 at Grand Victoria Casino Elgin about 40 miles west of downtown Chicago, according to a news release from the gaming company. The sportsbook is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The first bet was on the Detroit Tigers on the Money Line. Casinos reopened July 1 in Illinois. The William Hill Sports Book at Grand Victoria Casino is the beginning of William Hill’s expansion into the Illinois sports betting market. Pending regulatory approval, William Hill will soon offer mobile sports betting to fans across the state, the release said.
In addition to approving a sports wagering license for Hawthorne Race Track and making its co-branding rules permanent, the Illinois Gaming Board on July 30 addressed why some sports, including motor sports, PGA events and Korean Baseball, were unavailable to be bet on recently. When the sports were not available at betrivers.com recently, the board said there was an issue on with Rule 1900.120. Fruchter, the IGB administrator, during the meeting said the board received 39 requests to add events on July 23. State law says the IGB must wait 30 days to add the events.
Also during the meeting, the IGB approved Haven Gaming's request to withdraw its Danville casino owners license application. The company plans to resubmit the application at a later date, according to published reports.
Sports bettors will have to again register in-person at a casino in the state before being able to place wagers. Gov. J.B. Pritzker had suspended the in-person requirement in early June because the 10 casinos in the state were closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. But his executive order wasn’t extended a second time and the ability to register online expired July 26. The original order, posted June 4, was extended once, but was not among a number of orders that Pritzker reissued on July 24.
PointsBet received a temporary operating permit from the Illinois Gaming Board on July 15, contingent on partner Hawthorne Race Course securing a Master Sports Wagering License, according to a PointsBet news release. DraftKings and FanDuel received temporary operating licenses on July 17.
Rivers Casino has challenged the gaming board’s emergency rule that would allow co-branding for online sports betting, calling the rule invalid, according to the VIXIO Gambling Compliance website. Attorney Paul Gaynor, in the public comment, wrote that the Sports Wagering Act prohibits co-branding by online-only operators, according to Gambling Compliance. He also wrote that the gaming board did not have sufficient cause for the rule, the story said.
The board issued the emergency co-branding rule on May 28. According to the gaming board website, an emergency rule is an adopted rule that becomes immediately effective upon first filing with the Secretary of State and automatically expires after 150 days.
Rush Street Interactive’s Rivers Casino in Des Plaines opened its online sportsbook BetRivers.com on June 18, taking the state's first online/mobile legal sports bet, according to a news release. The Bet Rivers retail sportsbook also took the state’s the first legal sports bet on March 9.
DraftKings will be entering the Illinois sports betting market after reaching a deal with Casino Queen in East St. Louis for market access. "DraftKings can confirm it has a market access deal with Casino Queen per our recent S-1 filing on June 16, 2020,” the company said in a statement on June 30. “We look forward to working with both the Illinois gaming board and Casino Queen to bring our legal sports betting product to Illinois."
When casinos reopened July 1 with new health and social distancing measures in place there were long lines of patrons waiting to get in some casinos, according to published reports. The gaming board announced on June 25 that casino and video gaming operations could resume on July 1 at 9 a.m. “The Gaming Board worked with the Governor’s Office, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to develop a gaming resumption process that protects the public health of patrons and employees, while restarting gaming activities in meaningful way,” Gaming Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter said in a news release. The announcement comes as the state prepares to move into Phase 4 of its reopening plan.
Pritzker signed SB 516 into law, finalizing a gaming package that paves the way for a Chicago casino by reworking existing tax structures, allowing gaming at the State Fair and providing relief during the pandemic, the governor's office announced June 30 in a news release. "After decades of proposals and false-starts, the Chicago casino has now become law, paving the way for a transformative new funding source for Illinois' infrastructure, as well as helping shore up Chicago's own significant pension obligations, in addition to serving as the impetus for a dynamic new entertainment district in our city," Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said in the release.
Illinois lawmakers approved the Chicago casino on May 23, according to published reports. The Senate approved the casino plan 42-14, before sending it to Pritzker’s desk. The state’s capital programs would get $45 million upfront in licensing fees before the casino opened, according to bill sponsor Sen. Bill Cunningham of Chicago.
Arlington International Racecourse and the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association reached a two-year deal on June 22 to resume racing at Arlington in July, according to published reports. Races restarted July 23 and are continuing on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 26. The season had been scheduled to begin May 1.
A statute dating back to the early 1800s cannot be applied to daily fantasy sports to allow the loser of a bet to reclaim losses, the Illinois Supreme Court has ruled https://t.co/4AzTOWm4Rg
— Capitol News Illinois (@CapitolNewsIL) April 17, 2020
LEGISLATURE: The Illinois Supreme Court ruled April 16 that daily fantasy sports do not fit the state law's definition of gambling, according to Capitol News Illinois.
We are officially open and excited to welcome you all back! pic.twitter.com/JabfCD9oAV
— Indiana Grand (@IndianaGrand) June 15, 2020
CASINOS: Penn National announced two new Barstool Sportsbooks opening – at Hollywood Lawrenceburg on Dec. 23 and at Ameristar East Chicago on Dec. 24. Penn National rebranded existing sportsbooks at both locations, according to a company news release.
William Hill has launched its app and website in the state. Both are available anywhere in the state. The launch means William Hill offers mobile sports betting apps in seven states (Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, New Jersey and West Virginia) since its first mobile offering in 2012.
Caesars Southern Indiana in Elizabeth conducted mass layoffs by Oct. 2, according to a story in the News and Tribune of southern Indiana. The story quoted two former employees as saying that between 150 and 200 workers were laid off, having already been furloughed earlier this year. Caesars closed in March amid the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in June at limited capacity.
The new casino in Terre Haute will be Indiana's first to prohibit indoor smoking when it opens next September. With construction set to begin this year, Spectacle Jack LLC, parent company of the music-themed Rocksino, announced recently that it will not seek to change the strict anti-smoking ordinances in Terre Haute and Vigo County, according to the Times of Northwest Indiana. The casino said it will comply with the ordinances. It plans to open in September 2021.
Sportsbooks in the state had $70,876,622 wagered in July after seeing just $29,783,580 in total handle in June, according to figures released Aug. 10 by the state. That was a 138% increase month-over-month. Mobile led the way with a 121% increase in July. Casinos also were open all of July and more betting options became available.
Nuvei, a global full-service payments provider to iGaming and sports betting companies, announced in a news release on Aug. 5 that it has received approval from the Indiana Gaming Commission to provide services in Indiana. Nuvei will be able to support gaming operators and companies in accepting payments from Indiana-based clients. Nuvei said it is the beginning of its efforts to expand into the U.S. market, according to the release.
The Indiana Pacers and PointsBet have reached a multiyear partnership, making PointsBet an official sports gaming partner of the NBA team. PointsBet branding will appear along what is known as the "apron," the out-of-bounds space between the baseline and the team bench, according to a news release. This is the first time a sports betting operator will occupy that space, the release said.
The Indiana Gaming Commission approved of the impending Eldorado-Caesars merger, but on the condition that the two companies sell three casinos combined in Indiana. The Times of Northwest Indiana reported on July 13 that Eldorado CEO Thomas Reeg told the Indiana Horse Racing Commission that his company would meet that requirement. The story said that Reeg told the IHRC that the merged company would sell the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino in Elizabeth, the Horseshoe Hammond Casino and the Tropicana Casino in Evansville. Caesars also owns the Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville and Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Anderson; Eldorado would acquire those properties under the merger.
There were lines outside of some casinos as they reopened in Indiana on June 15, according to published reports. Indiana’s 13 state-regulated casinos were allowed to reopen with new safety plans they submitted to the Indiana Gaming Commission. The casinos have been closed since mid-March.
The state's only tribal casino, Four Winds Casino in South Bend, also reopened June 15. Boyd Gaming Corp.'s two Indiana casinos — Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City and Belterra Casino in Florence — also reopened June 15. Penn National announced it has reopened Ameristar Casino Hotel in East Chicago and Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg.
CHECK OUT: More about Indiana sports betting and gaming
On June 29, the IGC added the Nippon Professional Baseball league, The Basketball Tournament (TBT), updated its FIBA leagues, and added the Austrian, German and Spanish Liga tennis series to the list of sports that sportsbooks in Indiana can offer wagers on. In mid-June, the IGC added the following events — German Basketball Bundesliga, including BBL Pokal; the National Hockey League Draft Lottery; the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL); and World Team Tennis. The updated list of can be found here.
The IGC recently updated its Emergency Rules for Sports Wagering. The rules were effective May 20.
The IGC on June 1 suspended betting on lower-tier table tennis events, while it conducts a review of leagues and their relationship to sanctioning bodies to determine whether integrity policies apply, according to ESPN, which published a report on May 25 about the legitimacy of table tennis matches.
The IGC has given Caesars Interactive Entertainment full mobile sports betting authorization through its Hammond Horseshoe Casino. It had been operating under a temporary vendor's license since August.
LEGISLATURE: Gov. Eric Holcomb moved Indiana into Stage 4 of a five-part plan to reopen Indiana on June 12. The state has continued to ease some of the restrictions that have been in place since mid-March.
CASINOS: The Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel in Tama has been forced to lay off workers, according to the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle. The casino, located on the Meskwaki Settlement, has informed about 100 employees they would be laid off.
The state had $22,859,622 in total sports betting handle in July, an almost 80% increase over June’s $12,711,201, according to figures released on Aug. 7 by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.
WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan resumed table games and expanded its hours on July 17. Masks are mandatory for guests and dealers will wear gloves and masks. The casino reopened June 12.
Betfred became the latest operator to open a mobile sportsbook in the state, launching July 7. Betfred is partnering with the Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Larchwood to offer sports betting. The casino also offers the Elite Sportsbook.
Harrah's Council Bluffs reopened July 3, according to parent company Caesars Entertainment. It is following state health and social-distancing measures. Limited seating will be available at slot machines and table games will remain closed, according to the release. A sister property, Horseshoe Council Bluffs, reopened on June 1.
Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona reopened June 15 under new health and social-distancing guidelines, according to its website. The Blackbird Bend Casino near Onawa also reopened that day. Two properties owned by Eldorado Resorts — Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf and Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo — reopened June 1, according to a company news release. The company said it is adhering to regulations imposed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds that limit capacity to 50% to make sure that social-distancing guidelines are met.
Penn National announced it has reopened the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Council Bluffs.
The Hard Rock Sioux City reopened June 2 with new social-distancing and health measures in place, according to the Sioux City Journal. The Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Lyon County reopened June 1 along with more than a dozen Iowa casinos. Casinos were allowed to reopen June 1 at 50% capacity and with other health and social-distancing measures in place.
Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson reopened June 1, the Lakeside Hotel Casino in Osceola reopened June 3. The Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel in Tama will reopen July 1, according to KCCI.
The casinos first closed in mid-March and the order has been extended three times. Some businesses, including restaurants, fitness centers and barber shops/salons began reopening May 15.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission at its June 4 meeting approved a request by DraftKings to allow daily fantasy esports games, but it rejected a request by the Iowa Gaming Association to allow casino betting on esports, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. DraftKings runs three sportsbooks at the Clinton, Jefferson and Emmetsburg casinos.
Scientific Games announced recently that it had secured a 10-year extension of its contract with the Iowa Lottery for a new statewide gaming system.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature has voted to ban the use of credit cards for sports betting at casinos, according to Radio Iowa. Legalized sports betting was approved last year at the state’s casinos, but Rep. Mike Sexton of Rockwell City says the legislation did not specifically mention credit cards. “We have established in the State of Iowa that you are not allowed to use credit cards for other forms of gambling,” Sexton said, according to Radio Iowa.
We are excited to announce the opening of Kansas Star on, May 23 at 11 a.m. Some of our property amenities will be limited for the time being, including table games and poker. For safety, all guests will have their temperature taken upon entry. Details: https://t.co/In5xBQ2FDD pic.twitter.com/uSDC0Ymbdk
— Kansas Star Casino (@kansas_star) May 20, 2020
CASINOS: Revenue at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane increased in August for the fourth straight month after being shut down in mid March and part of April. The casino, owned by Boyd Gaming, saw more than $14.1 million in gambling revenue in August, the casino’s highest since the shutdown, according to published reports.
The state sued the U.S. Department of Interior on Aug. 10 to block the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma from building a casino on land it owns in Park City, according to the Associated Press. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas, attempts to overturn a decision issued in May by the Department of Interior that approved of the project. That decision reversed a 2014 ruling denying the tribe’s request to build the casino on the land it purchased in 1992, the AP reported.
Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City and Pittsburg's Kansas Crossing Casino reopened May 22, and the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane reopened May 23, according to the Associated Press. Penn National's Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway reopened slot machines on May 25 and Powhattan's Sac and Fox Casino reopened on June 1.
The casinos that have reopened checked temperatures of people entering and added additional health and social-distancing measures. Casinos were allowed to reopen May 22 under the state's "Phase Two" plans.
LEGISLATURE: The statehouse has been shut down to the public — only legislators, staff, executive branch employees and lobbyists are permitted. The legislature continues to have committee meetings and is also working on the state budget and any emergency measures, but is recessed until April 27.
Just in: @ChurchillDowns received approval from state officials to reopen its stable areas on Monday, May 11. Opening day of 2020 Spring Meet with spectator-free racing will be communicated in the coming days. Story: https://t.co/Kg0wfKbqYj pic.twitter.com/nFxm5omlmd
— Churchill Downs PR (@DerbyMedia) April 29, 2020
CASINOS: Churchill Downs Incorporated opened Newport Racing & Gaming in northern Kentucky on Oct. 2. The facility, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, has 500 “Vegas-style” slot games, according to its website. CDI opened Newport Racing & Gaming just days after the state’s Supreme Court ruled that slot-like historic horse racing machines are not pari-mutuel wagering and thus should not operate in the state. The new machines at Newport were made by a company whose products were not part of the court case, Louisville FOX TV affiliate WDRB reported. The $38.4 million facility is operating under the racing license CDI has for Turfway Park in Florence.
A Keeneland Association and Kentucky Downs partnership has filed an application for a racing license in the southeastern part of the state and hopes to open a casino with historical racing machines in the area, according to a news release on Sept. 21. The application seeks state approval for a harness track in Corbin and a casino in Williamsburg, about 10 miles south of the proposed track. The facilities are contingent on approval of an pari-mutuel racing license by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Churchill Downs Inc. announced on Sept. 3 the opening of a new outdoor gaming patio on the south side of Derby City Gaming in Louisville. The new 8,000 square foot patio will add 225 historical racing machines, according to a news release.
As part of its gaming expansion, Kentucky Downs opened a historical horse racing machine gaming hall in September. The 30,000-square-foot facility opened in time for the start of a six-day horse racing meet that began Sept. 7, according to the Bowling Green Daily News.
Churchill Downs announced in a news release recently that it has agreed to purchase 1,250 historical racing machines from International Game Technology (IGT). The machines will operate at Derby City Gaming in Louisville, Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel in Oak Grove (when it opens in September) and Newport Racing & Gaming in Newport (when it opens in early fourth quarter).
There are no casinos or sports betting in Kentucky, where horse racing is king. The Churchill Downs spring meet opened on May 16. Live racing without fans will continue Thursdays through Saturdays. "There will be no fans for racing," Gov. Andy Beshear said April 29. "This is one of the most detailed plans that we have seen about specific security checks that everybody has to go through and be temperature-checked to masking to having a very limited group that is there.” The Kentucky Derby, which would have been run May 2, wound up running Sept. 5.
The state was considering legislation to expand gambling beyond horse race betting, but it won't happen this year. There is an indefinite stay-at-home order in place, but Kentucky is working with surrounding states to coordinate when they should reopen.
LEGISLATURE: State lawmakers on April 1 passed a streamlined one-year budget that keeps government spending at current levels, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. It didn't include a new revenue stream that sports betting legislation could have added.
CASINOS: Coushatta Casino in Kinder re-opened on Oct. 13 after being closed temporarily because of Hurricane Delta. The casino had closed on Oct. 8 with the storm approaching, Lafayette ABC TV affiliate KATC reported.
The Delta Downs Racetrack Casino in Vinton will reopen on Sept. 16 after closing temporarily because of damage from Hurricane Laura, the Beaumont Business Journal reported. According to the report, Delta Downs and owner Boyd Gaming have donated more than $1.5 million to aid local efforts and kept paying all employees full salaries during the shutdown.
Caesars Entertainment and VICI Properties Inc. announced an agreement to sell Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Casino, Racing & Entertainment to Rubico Acquisition Corp. for $22 million, according to a news release. The sale is expected to close by the end of 2020 or early in 2021, subject to regulatory approvals.
The Golden Nugget Casino and the L’Auberge Casino, both in Lake Charles, are closed temporarily after sustaining damage in late August when Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana. Video posted on the website of The Advocate in Baton Rouge showed high winds ripping part of the roof off of the Golden Nugget.
Penn National Gaming plans to lay off nearly 1,150 casino workers in the state in August because of economic hardships caused by the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press. About 161 workers at L’Auberge Hotel and Casino in Baton Rouge and 441 additional employees are set to be let go at the L’Auberge Lake Charles casino, according to Louisiana Workforce Commission notices, the AP reported. Penn National also runs Boomtown Casino in Harvey and about 200 employees are set to be let go there by by Aug. 15. About 350 workers at the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City are also expected to be laid off, according to AP.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans reopened on June 13, according to Churchill Downs Inc., under new health and social-distancing guidelines from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and city health officials. Caesars Entertainment reopened Harrah’s New Orleans the same day, according to published reports. Harrah’s, the state’s only land-based casino, initially reopened at 25% capacity.
The Lafayette Daily Advertiser reported on June 11 that riverboats, land-based casinos, racetracks with slots and other places with video gaming lost about $440 million in revenue in March and April based on state revenue reports. The state’s 20 casinos shut down March 17.
Penn National Gaming reopened its five casinos in Louisiana — Boomtown Casino Bossier City, Boomtown Casino New Orleans, L’Auberge Casino Baton Rouge, L’Auberge Casino Lake Charles and Margaritaville Casino Bossier City — on May 18. Casinos in the state have reopened under stricter health and social-distancing measures, including 25% capacity in the facilities. Visitors waited in long lines to get into the facilities, according to published reports.
Boyd Gaming reopened the Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel, Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel and Treasure Chest Casino on May 20. It will resume operations at the Amelia Belle Casino and Sam's Town Shreveport in the coming weeks, the company said.
The state began its first phase of reopening on May 15. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced May 11 that he would allow casinos, gyms, barber shops, hair salons, bars with food permits and others to reopen at 25% capacity, according to a story in The Advocate of Baton Rouge. Other businesses, as well as churches, can also increase to a quarter of their normal capacity. A stay-at-home order had been in place through mid-May.
LEGISLATURE: The Senate on June 23 gave final passage to HB 64, which sets the daily fantasy sports taxation rate, by a 36-0 vote. The House had already overwhelmingly approved it. Since it involves taxation, it needed two-thirds of the vote in both chambers to pass. The legislature is in a special session that was called immediately after the regular session ended on June 1. Edwards signed the bill establishing an 8% tax rate for online DFS betting, clearing one of the final hurdles. The DFS regulations were signed by Edwards in June.
Edwards signed Senate Bill 130 on June 15 and the question of legalizing sports betting in the state will now be on the November ballot. With Edwards’ signature, voters in the state’s 64 parishes get final say on whether or not they want sports betting in their locales. After he signed it on June 11, the bill became Act No. 215.
Edwards announced on June 4 that he has appointed state police Lt. Col. Mike Noel to be the new chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Noel, who will retire from the state police, will replace Ronnie Jones, who has served since 2013 and was not reconfirmed on June 1 by the legislature. Noel has been with Louisiana State Police for more than 30 years. Jones, who was reappointed to the position by Edwards in July, was among 11 appointees selected by statewide elected officials to serve on boards and commissions who did not receive approval from the Senate.
CASINOS: The state's two casinos — Hollywood Casino Bangor and Oxford Casino — have reopened, according to the Bangor Daily News. The Oxford Casino reopened July 9, according to a new release from owner Churchill Downs Inc. The Hollywood Casino Bangor reopened July 10. The casinos will be limited to 200 people (50 people in four different zones), according to new health and social-distancing plans approved by state officials, the Daily News reported.
LEGISLATURE: On May 21, the state Gambling Control Board approved online betting on horse races, according to published reports. Bettors can place wagers on races around the world online. The governor vetoed a bill that would have legalized sports betting and the House failed to override the veto in February after the Senate had done so.
Hello Live! Family, we've missed you! We are NOW OPEN to the General Public, so come Play it Safe for a chance to get #LuckyAtLIVE! pic.twitter.com/1RTjvt5OE0
— Live! Casino & Hotel (@LiveCasinoHotel) June 29, 2020
CASINOS: Maryland’s six casinos, despite operating at 50% capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic, produced $149.5 million in gaming revenue in August, down just $4.7 million year over year. August was just the second full month the casinos were open after being closed by the state from March 16 until June 19. The revenue total for August is the eighth-best month of revenue in the Maryland casino program’s history, according to a news release from Maryland Lottery and Gaming. Last August’s total of $154.2 million was the fourth-best month ever. The casinos generated $139.9 million in revenue in July.
Expanding iGaming and iLottery options in the state was recently brought up at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, according to WBAL-TV. Gordon Medenica, director of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, said states that offer iLottery have seen their iLottery sales "absolutely explode," adding that "the best asset for all the experience everyone's had with iLottery, it doesn't hurt brick-and-mortar sales, and that's very important to us." That led to questions from lawmakers about iGaming options, the WBAL report said. Maryland voters will get the chance to approve sports betting in November.
Some employees at the state’s six commercial casinos don’t want to return to work because of coronavirus health concerns, general managers of the casinos told lawmakers at the same hearing Tuesday, according to The Baltimore Sun. And casino tax revenue, usually around $60 million a month, was nothing in April and May when casinos were shut down, and $14.9 million in June after reopening for part of the month. Casino taxes go to state schools, the horse racing industry, a gambling addiction program and other community projects.
The state's casinos saw a 27% decline in revenue to $529 million during the last fiscal year, according to The Baltimore Sun. It was $194.3 million less than the previous fiscal year as casinos were closed for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Casino revenue in June was $34.9 million, a 75% decline year over year for the month. Along with casinos, fitness centers/gyms and malls, among other businesses, began reopening June 19. Casinos had been closed since mid-March.
The state's largest casino, MGM National Harbor in Prince George's County, reopened June 29 with enhanced safety social-distancing measures in place. They included temperatures checked upon entering, every other slot machine being disabled and plexiglass barriers installed. As with all MGM properties nationwide, masks must be work at all times inside the casino. The poker room did not open initially.
Maryland Live Casino reopened on June 29. Slots and table games were available, but guests had to wear face masks, follow social distancing protocols and have their temperature checked before entering.
Horseshoe Baltimore reopened on June 28. Hollywood Casino in Perryville, Ocean Downs Casino near Ocean City and Rocky Gap Casino, in western Maryland, reopened June 19.
LEGISLATURE: Senate and house leaders on April 20 announced they would not hold a special session in May. Maryland’s General Assembly ended its legislative session on March 18 because of coronavirus concerns, but not before approving a sports betting bill asking voters in November to legalize sports betting.
The Senate voted March 18 to approve the bill after the House added a key amendment the day before. If voters approve the measure, the legislature will have to work out how sports betting will be implemented, tax rates, and determining who gets licenses. The voter referendum is required by Maryland law.
The legislative session was supposed to end April 6, and this is believed to be the first time a session has been shortened since the Civil War.
CASINOS: Restrictions on capacity in certain public businesses, including casinos, will be extended until at least Jan. 26, Gov. Charlie Baker announced. Casinos, restaurants, stores, religious facilities, theaters and more will continue to be capped at 25% capacity, in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Lawmakers scrapped a plan to have the state’s Gaming Commission look into expanding the number of commercial casinos on Jan. 6, the Fall River Herald-News reported. Massachusetts has three commercial casinos – MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park – and the Gaming Commission has the power to grant one more license.
Businesses around the state, including the three commercial casinos, will temporarily be restricted to 25% capacity heading into the new year, the Boston Globe reported. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission met on Dec. 22 and ruled that MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, and Plainridge Park in Plainville would have their casino capacities cut from 40 percent to 25 percent of existing fire codes until Jan. 10.
The state’s three casinos are closing nightly at 9:30 starting on Nov. 6, according to a masslive.com report. Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park and MGM Springfield normally run 24 hours a day. But Gov. Charlie Baker announced new restrictions in early November because of a spike in coronavirus cases statewide.
Plainridge Park was the state’s first casino to earn a renewal on its license, according to the Boston Globe. The facility, the first to open in Massachusetts when the state expanded its gaming laws five years ago, had its license renewed on Oct. 1 as a routine procedure.
Aug. 31 is the separation date MGM Springfield set for about 1,900 employees it laid off in March but has been unable to recall to work, according to masslive.com. MGM Springfield had 2,000 employees before the pandemic and when it reopened in July, it did so with 700 employees. MGM agreed in May to provide benefits through Aug. 31 for employees enrolled in the company health plan who were furloughed. The casino celebrated its two-year anniversary on Aug. 24.
The three casinos in the state — Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville and MGM Springfield — combined for $45.422 million gross revenue in July, but were not open the entire month. Plainridge Park reopened July 8, while Springfield MGM and Encore Boston Harbor reopened days later, with new health and social-distancing measures in place. Casino reopenings were part of Phase 3 of the state's plan. All three had been closed since mid March.
The state’s Gaming Commission decided Aug. 13 to deny a request from casinos to bring craps and roulette back as options during the coronavirus pandemic, Masslive.com reported. The commission was satisfied at the way casinos have been complying with new COVID-19 precautions and protocols. According to Masslive, commission chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein said during the meeting: “At this juncture, it just wouldn’t be prudent to expand the options right now.”
Wynn Resorts reported that Encore Boston Harbor finished the second quarter with a $53.8 million loss as it remained closed due because of the coronavirus pandemic along with other Massachusetts casinos, according to masslive.com.
The Massachusetts Lottery in fiscal 2020 had the third largest revenue gain in its 49 years despite the coronavirus shutdown, according to masslive.com. It earned $5.252 billion in revenues in the fiscal year ending June 30, the report said. The record was $5.5 billion during the previous fiscal year. it also had a $979 million profit after expenses and payouts for the 2020 fiscal year, according to masslive.com.
Gov. Charlie Baker said legalized sports betting would generate much-needed revenue for the state as it deals with the coronavirus pandemic. His remarks came during a news conference July 22 at a Salvation Army distribution center in Lynn. The question asked of Baker was in response to David Friedman, senior vice president of legal and government affairs for the Boston Red Sox, suggesting that a bill legalizing sports betting should be passed before the end of the legislative session on July 31, masslive.com reported. Friedman, speaking at a Resilience and Recovery Special Committee meeting on July 21, said legalizing sports betting would help pro sports teams, casino operators and others struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. A bill released in March by the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies would allow adults 21 or older to bet at the state’s casinos, slot parlors and horse tracks, masslive.com reported. It also allows online and mobile sports betting within state boundaries. The bill was sent to the House Ways and Means Committee, but it’s unclear whether it will be approved by the end of the current legislative session.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature is meeting and a sports-betting bill is still active and could be included in the state budget.
📣 JUST ANNOUNCED: In accordance with the MGCB and the state of Michigan, we are happy to announce that we will be open to the public on August 7 at 10 a.m. ET. We look forward to welcoming you back, safely!
Details: https://t.co/gjR5S4OH4n
21+ | Excludes MI DPL pic.twitter.com/2s42GTVOuM
— MGM Grand Detroit (@MGMGrandDetroit) July 30, 2020
CASINOS: Two of Detroit’s three commercial casinos plan to reopen on Dec. 23 after closing down to help slow the spread of COVID-19. MotorCity Casino and the MGM Grand will be subjected to more safety requirements including a limit of six people from one house. Masks are mandatory at all times for customers and workers. The state had issued a three-week closure order for casinos on Nov. 16.
Wynn Resorts agreed to a 10-year deal with GAN Limited for online sports betting and iGaming products, according to a news release. Michigan has yet to launch online casino gaming but is expected to do so some time in 2020. GAN is working with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, who operate five casinos in the state under the Kewadin Casinos brand, according to the release.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board held a public hearing on Sept. 23 to hear comments about proposed online sports betting and Igaming rules as the state moves another step closer to getting rules in place and the markets launched. The proposed rules are posted here.
Scientific Games Corp. has launched retail sports betting for FireKeepers Casino, owned by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, according to a news release. It also is working with FireKeepers to offer digital sports betting and iGaming when the state authorizes regulations.
Northville Downs' live standardbred races restarted on Aug. 14 and will continue on 17 other Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 10 under an order issued by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Pari-mutuel racing was authorized to resume at the track under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-160, the board said in a news release. Under the MGCB order, the track must limit capacity to no more than 896 people — an 85 percent reduction. It will remove more than 100 tables, 500 chairs and 200 televisions.
Detroit's three casinos reopened in August. MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino reopened to the public on Aug. 5. MGM Grand Detroit reopened to the general public on Aug. 7, according to published reports. The casinos were allowed to reopen at 15% capacity, according to an executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Many of Michigan's tribal casinos — which are not under state jurisdiction — reopened with special precautions weeks ago. The three Detroit casinos closed March 16 after taking their first legal sports bets.
In a recently released report on Michigan's gaming industry, the American Gaming Association had three key takeaways about the state's 27 commercial and tribal casinos. The casinos have an annual $6.3 billion economic impact on the state, generate $1.3 billion in state and local taxes each year and support $2.1 billion in wages along with nearly 38,000 jobs, the report said.
According to state revenue reports, the three Detroit casinos have seen a 59.3% drop-off in revenue for the first six months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. They have combined to bring in nearly $300 million in revenue from January to June — although in reality it was only from January to March.
Little River Casino Resort in Manistee launched sports betting on July 17. Bettors can place wagers at a betting window and kiosks at the River Rock Sportsbook, according to published reports. Manistee mayor Roger Zielinski placed the first bet — $20 on the Detroit Lions to win the Super Bowl, the reports said. Little River is partenered with Rush Street Interactive, according to the casino's website.
Former Chicago Bears star defensive lineman Steve "Mongo" McMichael on July 13 placed the ceremonial first bet — $20 on the Bears to win the Super Bowl — as the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo began taking sports wagers.
Three Gun Lake Casino employees have tested positive for coronavirus, according to mlive.com. The three cases were confirmed by officials on July 7. The casino will remain open after a thorough cleaning of the property and will continue to monitor the situation, the report said. Gun Lake Casino, just south of Grand Rapids and west of Lansing, reopened June 8 with new health and social-distancing guidelines.
Global sports betting supplier Kambi has entered into a partnership with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi’s Four Winds Casinos to bring on-site and online sports betting products to three casinos in the state — New Buffalo, Dowagiac and Hartford — according to a July 1 news release. An online launch will follow. "We look forward to announcing the details of the sports betting options we will offer at our Michigan locations in the near future,” Frank Kennedy, Four Winds' senior vice president of gaming operations, said in the release. The Four Winds properties reopened their three Michigan casinos on June 15 as well as one in Indiana at South Bend.
Northville Downs, the only horse racing track in Michigan, can now conduct advance deposit wagering under an order from the Michigan Gaming Control Board. MGCB executive director Richard S. Kalm issued the order on June 26 along with a second order granting a conditional 30-day license to TVG.
Rush Street Interactive, which just opened the first online sportsbook in Illinois, on June 22 announced in a news release a partnership with the Little River Casino Resort in Manistee to be service provider for its retail sportsbook. The partnership with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians also allows Rush Street to co-brand for online sports betting and online casino as soon as Michigan regulations allow. Little River plans to open its new retail sportsbook early third quarter.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek opened its new sportsbook on June 22 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to wwmt.com. The casino, run by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, reopened on June 1 under stricter health and social-distancing guidelines, according to its website.
DraftKings announced June 4 that it will partner with Bay Mills Resort & Casino to enter the online sports-betting market in Michigan. The deal allows mobile and online access, and Michigan bettors will be able to place in-person wagers at a new DraftKings sportsbook in the Bay Mills Resort & Casino. The partnership is subject to licensing and approval by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Odawa Casino Mackinaw reopened on May 22 with enhanced safety and social-distancing measures, including wearing face masks, in place, according to mlive.com. The Odawa Casino in Petoskey reopened May 29, as did the Leelanau Sands Casino and Lodge and Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel near Traverse City. They are owned and operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet, owned and operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, reopened on May 22, according to its website.
Saganing Eagles Landing Casino and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant reopened June 1, according to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
The Island Resort and Casino, a tribal casino run by the Hannahville Indian Community in Harris near the Wisconsin border, posted new guidelines on its website for customers. It reopened May 16. It had been closed since March 21. Michigan’s state-at-home order is in effect until May 28.
Five Upper Peninsula casinos run by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians — Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignacehas — reopened June 1.
CHECK OUT: More about Michigan sports betting and gaming
Revenue from the three Detroit casinos declined steeply in March with a combined adjusted revenue of $57,445,827, the Michigan Gaming Control Board reported. That was down 52.8% from February’s $121,761,104 and down 59% year-over year. The Greektown on March 30 opened 40 rooms for free to Detroit police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians who are worried about going home and infecting family members with the coronavirus, according to the Detroit News.
Legal sports betting started in Michigan on March 11 after ceremonial first wagers were placed at the MGM Grand Detroit and Greektown casinos. The state’s 23 tribal casinos also shut down.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature on Aug. 3 canceled the week’s session and hearings because a Lansing-area state senator tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press. Republican Sen. Tom Barrett positive test came from screening required by his service in the Michigan Army National Guard. The Senate and House canceled a voting session that had been scheduled for Aug. 6 and all committee hearings on Aug. 5-6, the AP reported.
A Senate bill that was introduced in the spring aims to speed up the online gaming process by granting provisional internet gaming supplier licenses to commercial and tribal casinos before regulations have been set, according to published reports. Senate Bill 969 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform. It's another sign that Michigan is one of the states showing urgency in getting iGaming up and running.
CASINOS: The card room and simulcast facilities at Canterbury Park in Shakopee reopened on Jan. 11 after being temporarily closed to guard against the spread of coronavirus. The casino was closed on Nov. 20 after a statewide executive order and that order was extended on Dec. 16. Gov. Tim Walz had ordered all dining and entertainment facilities to close for four weeks to try to stem the spread of COVID-19.
International Game Technology (IGT) announced on Sept. 28 in a news release that its subsidiary, IGT Global Solutions Corp., has signed a two-year contract extension with the Minnesota Lottery to continue providing instant ticket games and related services through June 30, 2022. IGT has worked directly with the Minnesota Lottery since 2010.
The Grand Portage Lodge and Casino began a phased reopening on June 22 with enhanced health and social-distancing measures, according to a post on its website. "As we plan the gradual process of reopening our economy and returning employees to work, we have taken measures to combat the potential impact on our resort and facilities," the post read. "We will continue to monitor the situation. As it evolves, our reopening date could change, based upon external factors, such as the planned June 21 reopening of the US/Canadian border."
Running Aces Casino in Columbus reopened June 15 with limited capacity and new health measures in place, according to Twin Cities Fox-TV affiliate KMSP. The Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton also reopened June 15, as did the Fond-du-Luth Casino in Duluth, according to their websites. Both are owned and operated by Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
Casinos have been closed since mid-March. But the Prairie's Edge Casino Resort in Granite Falls reopened on May 18, the first day the state's new Stay Safe order allowed it, according to the casino's website. Two casinos in Prior Lake — Mystic Lake and Little Six Casinos — owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux reopened May 26, according to their websites. Treasure Island near Red Wing reopened June 1. Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley also reopened June 1, according to the Grand Casino website.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature returned April 14 and approved a new coronavirus relief package.
CASINOS: Three Coast casinos stayed open when Hurricane Zeta hit the state Oct. 28, according to the Sun Herald in Biloxi. The Golden Nugget was open the next day along with Island View Casino, while Harrah’s Gulf Coast closed temporarily to clean. Two previous hurricanes had caused casino closures in the state.
Sportradar has signed a sports betting partnership with Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, according to a news release. The resort is owned facility owned and operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The resort will receive access to Sportradar's Managed Trading Services that include trading and risk management, pre-game betting services and live betting services, the news release said.
The state’s 12 southern casinos were allowed to reopen on Sept. 16 after they were ordered closed with Hurricane Sally approaching. The state Gaming Commission said that the casinos could reopen at 1 p.m. Wednesday and the Beau Rivage in Biloxi reopened Thursday morning, the Sun Herald in Biloxi reported. The Mississippi Gaming Commission had ordered the state’s 12 southern casinos to close on Sept. 14 as Hurricane Sally loomed in the Gulf of Mexico. The road leading to the Silver Slipper Casino in Hancock County was already flooded Monday morning, according to the Sun Herald.
The sports betting handle for the state was $1,575,859 in June, up 566.3% from May, when the handle was $236,503 as casinos operated for part of the month after being closed since mid-march. But the June figure was down 89.6% from June 2019 ($15,190,666), according to Mississippi Gaming Commission figures. The state lost $62,231 in June sports betting revenue. It made $87,697 in May and $1,625,113 in June 2019.
Dakia Entertainment Hospitality and Broadwater Development signed formal letter of intent to redevelop the former Broadwater Beach hotel, marina and golf course, according to published reports. Developers received tax breaks from Biloxi for the $1.2 billion, 266-acre entertainment complex. It is projected to open by the summer of 2023.
A Vicksburg casino employee has tested positive for COVID-19, according to published reports. The employee may have worked in the Riverwalk Casino days before developing symptoms. General Manager Ginny Tzotzolas, in a memo to casino employees that has been posted on social media, informed employees of the positive test. Casinos in Mississippi reopened on May 21. Doors opened at 8 a.m. and some casinos had lines of people waiting to get in. The casinos have been taking steps to enhance safety measures and create social-distancing protocols.
Penn National Gaming announced that its Mississippi properties reopened that day including 1st Jackpot Casino Tunica, Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg, Boomtown Casino Biloxi, Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast and Hollywood Casino Tunica. Boyd Gaming announced that the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi and Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Tunica reopened on May 21.
MGM Resorts reopened the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunic on May 25, followed by Biloxi's Beau Rivage Resort & Casino's on June 1, both in a limited capacity.
The gaming commission ordered casinos closed at midnight March 16, according to the Clarion Ledger.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature adjourned its legislative session indefinitely, according to The Ledger.
CASINOS: Twin River Worldwide Holdings said it will spend $61 million to redevelop the Isle of Capri Casino in Kansas City, according to the Kansas City Star. Twin River, which bought the casino from Eldorado last month, plans to replace the riverboat-themed facade, add a new restaurant and retail space and possibly a hotel, the report said.
The Missouri Gaming Commission on June 24 approved the sale of Lumière Place, a St. Louis casino, to Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI), which is buying the real estate, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Eldorado Resorts Inc., will continue to own the Lumière business and operate the casino. GLPI now owns the properties of the six St. Louis-area casinos, the Post-Dispatch noted.
Casinos in St. Louis County reopened on June 15 under stricter health and social-distance guidelines, according to published reports. Some casinos in the state opened earlier, but St. Louis County did not lift its restrictions on casinos the same time as the state. Three properties owned by Eldorado Resorts — The Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville, Isle of Capri Casino Kansas City and Lumière Place Casino & Hotel — reopened June 1, according to a company news release. The company said it is limiting capacity in the casinos to ensure proper social distancing.
Penn National has reopened the Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa in Riverside, Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, and River City Casino & Hotel. Missouri’s 13 casinos began reopening June 1. The riverboat casinos have been closed since mid-March. The state also began lifting some stay-at-home restrictions for businesses.
MLB and the NBA ended contracts with lobbyists representing their Missouri sports-betting interests, according to a story in the Post-Dispatch. The move comes after sports betting was gaining momentum in the state. But lawmakers cut their spring session short in mid-March. According to The Post-Dispatch, the legislature returned to pass budget and coronavirus measures, but is shying away from acting on many significant changes in state policy. “It appears we are running out of time to take action on both sports betting and video lottery,” Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, who has sponsored various gambling bills in recent years, told the newspaper.
LEGISLATURE: The state has extended its contract with Scientific Games to produce Scratchers games through June 2021, according to a news release. Scientific Games, the world's largest supplier of lottery instant games, has been primary provider to the state since 2011, the release said. Legislators returned to work and passed a state budget and sent it to the senate, according to the Associated Press. The budget takes lost revenue because of the coronavirus into consideration. The state constitution requires the budget be passed by May 8.
CASINOS: The Montana Lottery extended its contract with Scientific Games Corporation for instant scratch-off lottery games for two years, through August 2022, according to a Scientific Games news release issued July 28.
Restaurants, bars, casinos and breweries reopened May 4 under new health and safety guidelines. Some of the new regulations include social-distancing measures and a reduced capacity in the establishments. Officials at casinos in Billings and Butte spent the weekend before the reopening spacing out machines to maintain social distancing and putting up shields to protect customers and employees, according to published reports.
LEGISLATURE: The state legislature is not in session. It had canceled scheduled committee meetings and allowed staff to work remotely.
CASINOS: Sponsors of three bills that would legalize casino gaming at the state’s horse tracks asked the Nebraska Supreme Court to intervene after the secretary of state ruled against the issue being put on the ballot, the Lincoln Journal-Star reported. Secretary of State Bob Evnen is blocking three initiatives from appearing before voters. Lynne McNally, speaking for the sponsors of a petition drive to get the three bills on the ballot, told the newspaper that Evnen’s ruling was "incorrect as a matter of law because each of the three initiatives meets the applicable requirements of the Nebraska Constitution as to form and procedure.”
The pro-gambling group trying to place measures that would allow casinos at horse-racing tracks on the November ballot submitted the required number of signatures to the secretary of state, according to published reports. The group, Keep the Money in Nebraska, says it has about 475,000 signatures for the three petitions, with each having more signatures than needed, according to the Associated Press.
One petition wants to allow gambling, amending the state constitution; another seeks to change state law to authorize and regulate casinos; the third concerns where the tax revenue from gambling would go, according to AP.
Nebraska has four tribal casinos. The tribal casinos mostly remained open throughout the pandemic with extra safety precautions being taken. But the state has been losing tax revenue to nearby states with legalized gambling like Iowa.
Gov. Pete Ricketts opposes the ballot measure to legalize gambling and has said he may use his own money to try to block the measures, the AP reported.
LEGISLATURE: The Nebraska Legislature is on an indefinite recess and it is undetermined when the session will resume.
CASINOS: International Gaming Technology (IGT) earned approval for its cashless gaming product on Jan. 5. IGT’s Resort Wallet technology is part of a growing trend as the coronavirus has led many kinds of businesses, prominently including casinos, to turn to more cashless and touchless solutions.
The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas reopened on Dec. 22, the last Caesars Entertainment property nationwide to get back in business after an extended closure related to the coronavirus. The gaming floor will be open seven days a week, according to a news release from Nov. 12. Rio is debuting its newly branded William Hill sportsbook and the facility will have new safety measures in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The Mirage in Las Vegas reduced days at its operations, including its casino, until at least February amid a statewide COVID-19 spike, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. All amenities at the Mirage will be closed from noon Monday through noon Thursday each week, parent company MGM International said in a statement. Masks are still required at all times in public spaces, as is the case at MGM Resorts properties throughout the United States.
Gov. Steve Sisolak extended a “pause” on certain businesses in the state until Jan. 15 but the order allows casinos to stay open, albeit with continued reduced capacity. Sisolak said that restrictions on various businesses were intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. The initial order, issued Nov. 22, was supposed to expire after three weeks, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Two Las Vegas men are facing federal charges over a multimillion dollar sports betting pyramid scheme that allegedly defrauded more than 600 investors, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office District of Nevada. John Frank Thomas III, 75, and Thomas Joseph Becker, 72, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud. The pair allegedly received at least $29 million from the investors between September 2010 and August 2019. They face at least 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Cromwell Resort was the last resort casino on the Las Vegas Strip to reopen after being closed down because of COVID-19 concerns. It reopened Oct. 29, according to the Review-Journal, with one difference in service: It will be for patrons 21 and over only. The Cromwell will be open seven days a week, according to the story.
Encore at Wynn Las Vegas is reducing its hours to reflect a recent lack of demand. The resort will be open from 2 p.m. Thursdays to noon on Mondays, starting Oct. 19, according to the Review-Journal.
The Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks plans to lay off 154 employees in the wake of losses from the coronavirus, the Sparks Tribune reported.
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority is bidding to build the first tribal casino in Las Vegas at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment needs approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission at the body’s meeting on Oct. 22, according to the Review-Journal. If the Mohegan group gains approval, the property would open Jan. 15 after a $200 million refurbishing at the site of the former Hard Rock Hotel on Harmon Avenue, the report said.
Health investigators have released a list of facilities where possible COVID-19 exposures have happened in southern Nevada, and dozens of hotel-casinos have been named, according to the Reno Gazette Journal. Some of Las Vegas resorts mentioned in the report and the exposures that may have happened there in August include the Cosmopolitan (304 cases); Bellagio (153); MGM Grand Hotel (133); The Venetian (89); and Caesars Palace (86).
Park MGM will become the first Las Vegas Strip casino to be smoke-free when it reopens later in September, according to multiple reports. Park MGM is now set to reopen Sept. 30, becoming the last MGM facility to return to business after it closed down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The casino will be both smoke-free and vape-free when it reopens.
The Gazette Journal had reported weeks earlier that the facility was slated to reopen some time between late September and mid October. The return of Park MGM comes weeks after MGM said it would lay off 18,000 workers nationwide because of the COVID-19 shutdown.
Boyd Gaming Corp. said it has upgraded its mobile sports betting app for the start of the NFL season, launching a new version of B Connected Sports in Nevada. B Connected is also the name of the company's loyalty program.
Sale listings for two Reno Station Casino properties were pulled from a commercial real estate website, with a company source telling the Reno Gazette Journal that a new casino is still a possibility in Reno. The listings were taken down Tuesday after the Gazette Journal reported that the Station properties were listed on the Commercial Real Estate Exchange website. The listings were posted on Sept. 5, the report said.
The Tuscany hotel/casino in Las Vegas is partnering with Circa Sports to rebrand the facility’s sportsbook, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. According to the story, the Tuscany’s new sportsbook is scheduled to open in March.
Treasure Island has opened its new sportsbook, the Golden Circle Sportsbook and Bar, on the casino floor. It allows for more than 750 guests and has a sprawling video wall, according to published reports. At almost 12,000 square feet, there is room for social distancing.
Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International began laying off 18,000 furloughed workers nationwide on Aug. 31, according to published reports. MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle, in a letter to employees, said the layoffs were due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number is about a quarter of the company's workforce before the pandemic. Employees will receive health care benefits through September. MGM could recall some workers when it reopens two properties that remain closed — the Park MGM in Las Vegas and the MGM Empire City in New York.
One of MGM Resorts' iconic properties, The Mirage, has reopened on the Vegas Strip. The casino reopened Aug. 27 with new social-distancing and health measures in place. It had been closed since March 16.
Penn National Gaming has delayed reopening its only property on The Strip, the Tropicana, until Sept. 17, according to the Review-Journal. It had been tentatively scheduled to reopen on Sept. 1. The Tropicana was closed, along with other Nevada casinos, in mid March because of the coronavirus pandemic. As many as 12 Las Vegas Strip casinos have not reopened since the coronavirus pandemic and might remain closed, the Review-Journal has reported. Properties with uncertain futures include some owned by MGM Resorts, Station Casinos, Caesars and Boyd Gaming.
International Game Technology (IGT) has signed a long-term agreement with casino operator Boyd Gaming to support its retail sportsbooks in Nevada, according to a news release. Boyd will use IGT's PlaySports platform, along with its Nevada-based mobile sports app and online sports betting portal, according to the release. IGT's self-service PlaySports kiosks will be deployed in the gaming venues, also.
Sisolak signed a bill giving limited liability protections to most businesses as a guard against lawsuits related to COVID-19, the Review-Journal reported on Aug. 12. Senate Bill 4 protects the businesses against legal action from employees who contract coronavirus, as long as those businesses adhere to proper health measures, the report said. Schools and most health facilities were excluded from the bill.
The Culinary Union and MGM say the health and safety issues that led to lawsuits because of the coronavirus pandemic have been resolved because of SB 4. The bill also protects some industries from legal liability pertaining to the coronavirus, the Associated Press reported.
The Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno has been charged by Nevada gaming regulators with violating the state’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, according to CDC Gaming Reports. A three-count complaint was filed Aug. 7 by the Gaming Control Board alleging that gaming agents saw Grand Sierra customers without face coverings or masks at three different times. Face coverings or masks are mandated by the state. The gaming agents, in the complaint, said employees of the casino did not take measures to get patrons to comply and wear facial coverings.
ZenSports, in a deal with Strategic Gaming Management, has acquired an option to purchase the Big Wheel Casino in Lovelock, with an additional option to operate the sportsbook at Baldini's Sports Casino in Reno, according to a news release. The agreements will give ZenSports, headquartered in San Francisco, a physical presence that is required by the Nevada Gaming Control Board to operate its mobile sports betting platform in the state, the release said.
Las Vegas-area tavern owners will be to temporarily add up to seven upright slot machines to replace games embedded into bar tops that were shut down in July, according to CDC Gaming Reports. The Clark County Commission on Aug. 5 approved the resolution for the replacement machines. Nevada gaming regulators on Aug. 14 allowed tavern and bar operators to utilize stand-alone slot machines, according to Gaming Reports. In the notice, the Gaming Control Board said restricted gaming operators — locations with 15 or fewer slot machines — can have stand-alone slot machines that connect with the location’s slot management system.
Four Station Casinos facilities in southern Nevada that closed because of the coronavirus pandemic might not reopen, Frank Fertitta III, CEO and chairman of the board of directors for Red Rock Resorts, the parent company of Station Casinos, said in an earnings call on Aug. 4, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The Palms, Texas Station, Fiesta Rancho and Fiesta Henderson are still closed despite other casinos in the company reopening in June 4.
Wynn Resorts, based in Las Vegas, reported $85.7 million in operating revenue for the second quarter of 2020. Year over year it was a 95% decrease from the $1.66 billion for the second quarter of 2019. Wynn Resorts, like other gaming companies, was hammered in the second quarter because of casino closures from mid-March until June. On the bright side, the company's sportsbook and casino app is now available in New Jersey after receiving state regulatory approval, according to published reports.
The Las Vegas Sands Corp. has announced that it will continue to pay employees and offer benefits through at least Oct. 31, according to published reports. Sands has not furloughed or laid off any of its employees due to the pandemic. Casinos began reopening in early June.
The Tropicana is back on the market, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. The property's landlord, Gaming and Leisure Properties, is hoping to sell the resort, then either lease it back, or sell it outright to a new owner, the report said. Gaming and Leisure Properties in April purchased the Tropicana from Penn National Gaming in exchange for rent credits of $307.5 million. At that time, Penn National said it will continue to operate the property for two years or until the Tropicana is sold.
Bally’s Casino on the Las Vegas Strip reopened on July 23, according to published reports. Caesars Entertainment has already reopened other properties in the city including Harrah’s, Paris Las Vegas, Caesars Palace and the Flamingo.
The Las Vegas Sands on July 22 reported a second quarter loss of $985 million because of the coronavirus pandemic, a decline of 97.1% from the 2019 second quarter ($1.11 billion). The pandemic has essentially transformed Las Vegas from a global destination to a regional gambling hub dependent on "drive-in" business, President and COO Rob Goldstein said in an earnings call, according to published reports.
Wynn Resorts, which owns Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, and Penn National Gaming, owner of the Tropicana, will be having more layoffs and furloughs, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The Tropicana is scheduled to reopen Sept. 17. In addition, Circus Circus planned to lay off about 250 workers by Sept. 1, according to a notice filed with the state, The Sun reported. Boyd Gaming, a casino company based in Las Vegas, also announced it will lay off more than 6,000 casino employees across 10 states, according to a Reno Gazette Journal story July 16. That would account for at least a quarter of Boyd’s U.S. workforce. All of the company’s casinos have reopened except for three in Las Vegas, the report said.
The state Gaming Control Board has ruled in favor of BetMGM over dozens of parlay wagers from June on KBO League and Chinese Professional Baseball League games that had already started, ESPN reported. BetMGM can void more than $200,000 in outstanding parlay bets placed on June 28 in early morning at Bellagio self-serve kiosks and on BetMGM's mobile betting app, ESPN said.
Betfred USA was chosen as a sportsbook partner for the Mohegan Sun Casino at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Nevada is the fourth state where Betfred USA has established a sportsbook, joining Pennsylvania, Colorado and Iowa. The Mohegan Sun Casino is undergoing renovations and is slated to reopen in late 2020.
Gov. Sisolak ordered all bars to close on July 10 after a statewide spike in COVID-19 cases, affecting many of the state’s restricted license slot facilities. Restricted venues are those that have 15 or fewer slot machines. Sisolak ordered bars making most of their money from alcohol (as opposed to places classified as restaurants, where most of the business comes from food even if they serve alcohol) in several Nevada counties to close. Among those affected are bars in Las Vegas (in Clark County) and Reno (in Washoe County).
The $17.3 billion merger between Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment was approved by Nevada regulators on July 8, getting it one step closer to completion. The Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission, in special meetings taking place right after each other, gave their approvals to the deal. They also approved William Hill taking over operations of Caesars sportsbooks. Willam Hill, the sportsbook provider for Eldorado, currently has 113 sportsbooks in Nevada. The merger, already approved by the Federal Trade Commission, faces two remaining hurdles as Indiana and New Jersey regulators need to approve the merger.
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino closed its table games temporarily on July 7 because of the increase in coronavirus numbers in the state, according to a post on its Facebook page. The casino owners want to give the tables a deep cleaning and sanitize them.
Caesars Entertainment Corp. and Las Vegas Sands Corp. say workers at their casinos in the state could be fired for not wearing face masks. Casino companies are trying to comply with the June 24 order by Sisolak, according to the Review-Journal. Sisolak mandated that face masks or coverings must be worn in public as the state tries to slow the spike in COVID-19 cases. The order took effect June 26 and includes casinos, which began reopening across the state on June 4 after being closed since mid-March.
Sporting Solutions, a sportsbook and lottery supplier, partnered with Las Vegas-based SCCG Management, gaming consultants, to try and gain entry into the U.S. sports betting market, according to iGB North America. SCCG will offer business development and strategic support to Sporting Solutions, the report said.
Avi Resort & Casino in Laughlin reopened July 10. It announced in late June that it would close temporarily; a July 4 fireworks show was canceled. The casino re-closed temprarily after some employees had tested positive, a news release said. The casino was thoroughly cleaned before reopening.
The Nevada Gaming Commission on June 25 approved changes to existing cashless gaming rules that could make it easier for gamblers to transfer funds from bank accounts by debit card when in casinos. The amendments are effective immediately, according to the Review-Journal. The changes could result in new cashless gaming systems available to transform using currency in casinos to electronic payments.
The poker rooms at Bellagio and Caesars Palace reopened June 18, according to published reports. There are fewer seats at the tables and plexiglass has been installed because of social distancing rules.
The state Gaming Control Board on June 17 updated its health and safety regulations and ordered Nevada casinos to require patrons at table and card games to wear face masks "if there is no barrier, partition, or shield between the dealer and each player." If guests do not have them, the casino must provide them.
Las Vegas Sands, which owns the Venetian and Palazzo, will try to limit coronavirus among its staff by using “smart rings” that can detect infection before symptoms show up, according to published reports. The company bought 1,000 of the rings from Oura, a Finnish technology start-up, after two studies indicated the devices can accurately predict the onset of symptoms.
Las Vegas casinos reopened June 4 after being closed for 78 days. It was the first day allowed by Nevada in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas — MGM Grand, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, The Flamingo, Wynn Las Vegas, Sahara, The Plaza and Encore — were back in business. From most accounts, it appeared it was a successful reopening.
The reopening of the Bellagio went so well on June 4 that MGM Resorts International President and Acting CEO Bill Hornbuckle told the Review-Journal that the company has already started preparing for its next reopenings. Luxor will reopen on June 25; Aria and Mandalay Bay, Four Seasons Las Vegas will reopen on July 1.
MGM has called back “several thousand” employees, according to the story in the Review-Journal, and Hornbuckle hopes to bring back 50 to 60 percent of hourly staff members by the end of summer.
Boyd Gaming reopened nine of its Nevada properties on the first day — The Orleans, Gold Coast, Suncoast, Aliante, Cannery, Sam’s Town, Fremont, California and Jokers Wild. A list of the June 4 casino reopenings in Las Vegas can be found here.
Penn National has reopened Cactus Petes Resort Casino and M Resort Spa Casino Las Vegas.
UFC held a card in Las Vegas without fans over the May 30-31 weekend and prominent boxing promoter Bob Arum staged a card of five fights on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after receiving local and state approval. The card was the first in a series of fights over the next two months at the MGM Grand. There was a second fight card on June 11, kicking off twice weekly shows at the hotel in June and July. The fights would be televised on ESPN.
The Colorado Belle in Laughlin won’t be reopening, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Employees have been laid off “indefinitely,” according to a statement released May 18 by parent company Golden Entertainment.
Circa Sports started curbside sport betting at the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino on May 7, according to KSNV Ch. 3. It will be open seven days a week between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The South Point Hotel Casino on South Las Vegas Boulevard launched a sports app for mobile betting on May 6, according to its website. New users can sign up, and existing customers can make deposits, without leaving their cars in a drive-thru at the property's valet entrance.
Las Vegas-based GameCo will soon begin distributing skill-based video-game gambling devices in Nevada, according to the Review-Journal. A six-month field trial featuring two games — "Nothin’ but Net 2" and "All-Star Hoops" — was completed at four casino properties, The Linq, MGM Grand, and Park MGM in Las Vegas and Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa in Reno, the newspaper reported. The company said it hopes to offer other video-game gambling devices in Nevada.
After a six-month field trial at four casinos, three of them in Las Vegas, the startup manufacturer will offer games geared toward Millennial and Gen-X players https://t.co/ckJUiglYwA
— Las Vegas Review-Journal (@reviewjournal) April 28, 2020
The Lakeside Inn and Casino in Lake Tahoe announced on its website on April 14 that it was permanently closing after 35 years. "This decision was not made lightly. We hoped that we would be able to resume operations once this COVID-19 situation improved. However, that’s just not in the cards for us," the post read.
Also on April 14, the Nevada Gaming Control Board granted approval to offer wagers on these esport events — 2020 Overwatch League, 2020 League of Legends European Championship and the 2020 ESL ONE-DOTA Los Angeles. Earlier in April it approved wagering on the 2020 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. Nevada is one of the few states to allow eSports betting.
LEGISLATURE: The Nevada legislature is not in session. It only meets in odd-numbered years.
Today is the day we open! Doors are OPEN! Bet the ponies, double down, or go all in. Live Free and Play!#PlayAgain #ReturnConfidently #LiveFreeandPlay pic.twitter.com/xI0jTCrymy
— The Brook Casino (@TheBrookCasino) June 19, 2020
CASINOS: Instant Win Gaming launched the state’s first progressive jackpot iGaming product, Jungle Tumble Jackpots, on Jan. 4, according to a release from the New Hampshire Lottery. The new IWG offering has three in-game jackpots. IWG and the state lottery began a partnership in July 2020.
The state’s lottery appointed Daniel Maloney as its first director of sports betting, according to a release on the state’s website. Maloney, who most recently had experience as an intern with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, began working with the New Hampshire Lottery in August. DraftKings is the state’s sole, exclusive sports betting provider.
DraftKings and South Side Tavern in Manchester announced the opening of DraftKings Sportsbook at Manchester on Sept. 3, according to a news release. It's the second retail sportsbook in the state. DraftKings opened its first retail sportsbook in New Hampshire at The Brook casino in Seabrook on Aug. 12.
IWG has rolled out two new e-Instant games for the New Hampshire Lottery, according to a news release. The two seasonal e-Instant games will complement retail versions of the games. Halloween Extreme went live on Aug. 18 and Frosty Fun will be available Oct. 28. Both e-Instant games are linked to their printed counterparts via cross-promotional free play awards. IWG previously launched its first online instant win game for the state's iLottery platform, according to a news release. New Hampshire Cash Expander, a localized title designed specifically for the state lottery, follows the launch of localized eInstant games for the Michigan Lottery and Pennsylvania Lottery, the release said.
The Brook Casino in Seabrook reopened June 19 under new health and social distancing measures, according to its websites and social media accounts. The casino said in a news release that it "not only meets, but exceeds the New Hampshire Lottery Commission and Governor’s Economic Reopening Task Force’s health and safety standard." Casinos closed in mid-March and Gov. Chris Sununu's stay-at-home order was in place until June 15. The Brook Casino said on its website that it would close on June 22-23 and June 29-30 for deep cleaning and be open daily beginning July 1.
Instant Win Gaming will become the "e-Instant" game supplier for the New Hampshire Lottery, according to gamingintelligence.com. The lottery commission sought proposals for the development, design, implementation and related services for iLottery e-Instant Games in the fall.
Some non-essential businesses in the state reopened May 11 under enhanced health and social distancing guidelines. Among the business reopening — golf courses, drive-in theaters, retail stores, barbers and hair salons, and campgrounds.
The state lottery reported $8,768,769 in sports betting handle in March, down 60% from the $22,130,928 in total handle reported in February. State revenue in March from sports betting was $394,229, down 41% from February’s $671,435.
New Hampshire started offering eNASCAR betting this spring, according to the New Hampshire Lottery's web page of approved sports wagering leagues and events. “The New Hampshire Lottery is constantly looking for ways to engage our players and to attract new audiences and eNASCAR represents a strategic addition to our sports betting portfolio,” Charlie McIntyre, lottery executive director, said in a news release. “This new sporting event offers an exciting new opportunity for our players to experience the thrill of winning.”
LEGISLATURE: Legislative proceedings were suspended until May 4.
CASINOS: There have been 251 cases of COVID-19 reported among workers at Atlantic City’s nine casinos since they reopened in July, according to a report from the Press of Atlantic City on Nov. 9. The report said 172 of the cases were reported by employees who work for a casino hotel in some capacity and that the majority of the cases from July to October were reported in October.
Twin River has committed to spending $90 million on upgrades to the recently purchased Bally’s Atlantic City, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Twin River, which is rebranding to Bally’s, announced on Oct. 29 that it had agreed to buy the casino from Caesars Entertainment. The project will include a FanDuel-branded sportsbook.
Betfair is withdrawing from the state’s sports betting market, according to Thoroughbred Daily News, which reported the story on Sept. 11. Betfair, based in the UK, offers online casino and horse racing in New Jersey, but it will pull out of the state for horse racing betting on Oct. 1. “When we launched in 2016, we felt like exchange wagering, popular elsewhere, was worth trying in New Jersey to see if it could increase new fan interest in racing,” Kip Levin, the COO of FanDuel Group (Betfair’s parent company), told TDN. “For a variety of reasons, including a customer base used to exotic wagers and a reluctance by major US racing associations to embrace the different business model, it never hit the critical mass needed for it to be viable.”
New Jersey posted a $112 million loss in gross operating profits from Atlantic City's nine casinos in the second quarter, compared to $159 million in profit in the second quarter of 2019, The Press of Atlantic City reported. The gaming report was released Aug. 24 by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement. The casinos were closed in April, May and June (most reopened July 2) and had just online gaming and some sports betting available to provide revenue.
The state Division of Gaming Enforcement has ruled FanDuel must pay disputed soccer bets from mid-July that led to an investigation by regulators, according to ESPN. At issue were odds FanDuel posted on MLS, Premier League, La Liga and Serie A games and whether the pricing was the result of an error. The DGE issued its ruling on Aug. 13. In a statement to Gambling.com on Aug. 14, FanDuel said "a new bet type that was installed by a vendor incorrectly resulted in erroneous lines being made available to customers." It also said that customers would receive their winnings in their online accounts and that it had contacted one retail customer to return to the Meadowlands to receive his winnings. The DGE also released a statement Friday: “DGE’s general policy is to not automatically void wagers when errors occur on the part of sports wagering operators. Although operators are free to request that those wagers be voided after patrons have placed bests, DGE treats those requests on a case-by-case basis. This practice encourages operators to have appropriate controls in place to avoid offering erroneous sports wagers, and they reinforce the integrity of sports wagering in New Jersey and confidence in the industry by the public.”
GameCo has received approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for a casino service industry enterprise license, according to a news release. The Las Vegas-based company can bring its esports betting, skill-based iGaming and Video Game Gambling products to New Jersey casinos and sportsbooks. GameCo, the creator of the first Video Game Gambling Machine (VGM), launched the first skill-based VGMs in New Jersey casinos in 2016, the release said. IGaming Cloud, a subsidiary pf Gaming Innovation Group, has also received a casino service industry enterprise license from the DGE. This will allow the supplier to offer its online casino platform to New Jersey operators.
The Borgata became the ninth and final Atlantic City casino to reopen when it allowed invited guests into the casino on July 23, according to The Press of Atlantic City. It will reopen to the public on July 26. Borgata delayed its reopening after Gov. Phil Murphy announced that there would be no drinking, eating or smoking allowed in Atlantic City casinos when they reopen on July 2.
Resorts, Tropicana, Ocean, Golden Nugget and Hard Rock all reopened on July 2. Harrah’s, Caesars and Bally’s reopened on July 3.
Murphy had announced on June 22 that casinos could reopen on July 2 at 25% capacity. He had planned to allow indoor dining at restaurants at 25% capacity, but he reversed course after outbreaks in other states.
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission on July 17 approved the merger of Caesars Entertainment and Eldorado Resorts after a three-day hearing. The combined company will own more than 50 U.S. casinos, including four of Atlantic City's nine casinos, and will operate under the Caesars Entertainment brand even though Eldorado will hold 56% of the company. It will be the largest casino company in the country.
The state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement suspended betting on Ukranian table tennis on July 9 in wake of match-fixing concerns surrounding six players, several media outlets reported. Regulators in Colorado did the same.
Tipico, a German sports betting company, has applied for a sports betting license with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, according to EGR. Tipico hopes to launch in New Jersey, where it has its U.S. offices in Hoboken, in time for the start of the NFL season.
On-site betting can resume at horse racing tracks on July 2, Murphy announced. Live bets can be placed on horse races at the tracks and on simulcast races from around the country. Monmouth Park will reopen its William Hill Sportsbook on July 2. The Meadowlands will reopen its FanDuel sportsbook the same day.
RELATED: See which New Jersey casinos are open
The state's Division of Gaming Enforcement must give its approval before the casinos can reopen and said it “has engaged with the casino industry to develop plans for the safe reopening of Atlantic City’s retail casino operations when authorized by the governor,” the AP reported.
A development company has dropped it bid to bring sports betting to the site of a former racetrack, Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, according to the Associated Press. Cherry Hill Towne Center Partners said it wants lawsuit dismissed against GS Park Racing and affiliated companies, the successor to the company that ran the South Jersey track where horse racing was last held in 2001, AP reported. State law allows casinos and current and former racetracks to offer sports betting.
The U.S. Supreme Court on May 18 declined to hear a dispute between professional sports leagues, the NCAA and the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. The case now goes back to federal court in New Jersey. A federal judge, after hearing testimony from both sides, will determine the amount of damages the horsemen’s association will receive.
Scientific Games and the Golden Nugget Online Casino will launch ReelPlay content, according to published reports. ReelPlay, a partner of Scientific Games, will include El Dorado Infinity Reels in the launch.
LEGISLATURE: A bill that would add permanently add esports to the state's legal wagering options cleared the House on July 30, according to published reports. The legislation expands the definition of what New Jersey bettors can wager on to include skill-based events like esports. The bill moves to the Senate for consideration.
The legislature approved a package of tax relief measures for Atlantic City casinos on June 15, according to nj.com. The legislation expanded tax deductions casinos can take for promotional gaming credits and reduces the tax liability for one year on gross revenue if a casino saw losses during the pandemic. Licensing payments to the state would be deferred until six months after the casinos are permitted to reopen. A $500 licensing fee on each slot machine would be waived until June 30, 2021.
CASINOS: Lawmakers in the Navajo Nation approved a measure to reopen four casinos, in New Mexico and Arizona, some time in November. Tribal President Jonathan Nez still has to decide on the legislation, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Gaming facilities on Navajo lands – Northern Edge Casino in Farmington, Fire Rock Navajo Casino in Church Rock, Flowing Water Navajo Casino in Shiprock and Twin Arrows Casino Resort in Flagstaff, Arizona – have been closed since March because of coronavirus. The report said that Dr. Jill Jim, who oversees the Navajo Nation Department of Health, was concerned about casinos reopening because of the current rate that COVID-19 is still spreading among local communities.
The state's horse racetracks and racinos are proposing an expansion of in state-regulated gambling, including internet gaming, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The Journal reported that the draft legislation would allow the state’s five racetrack casinos to have an unlimited number of video slot machines, table games and on-site sports betting parlors. The state has gambling compacts with tribes there.
The Santa Ana Pueblo Tribe delayed reopening the Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel for 30 more days in July and it remains temporarily closed. Tribal leadership said it would like to see a "more consistent and stable public health environment" before reopening. The casino has been closed since March 15.
Route 66 Casino Hotel, owned and operated by the Pueblo of Laguna, reopened on June 27, according to its website. The Dancing Eagle Casino remains closed for now.
The Ohkay Hotel Casino in Ohkay Owinge reopened to VIP customers on June 13 and to the general public on June 15, according to published reports. The Isleta Casino in Albuquerque also reopened to invited guests and VIP customers, including Gold Card members. The Taos Mountain Casino also reopened on June 15, according to its website. Casinos statewide closed in mid-March. The Navajo Nation said its three casinos in New Mexico — Fire Rock, Northern Edge and Flowing Water casinos — would reopen on July 5 at 50% capacity, according to a news release. New health and safety measures will be in place, including employees wearing face masks.
LEGISLATURE: The legislative session has ended.
CASINOS: The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort in Hogansburg announced on its website that it will close on Mondays and Tuesdays. The new hours will be Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., and table games will only be available Fridays from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. The facility will continue to follow safety measures and other recommendations related to slowing the spread of COVID-19, the website said. Table games just reopened on Oct. 21 at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort. Games back in service after a long closure for coronavirus concerns include Craps, Blackjack, Three-Card Poker and Roulette, according to IndianTime,net.
Empire City Casino in Yonkers reopened Sept. 21 at 25% capacity, according to the casino’s website. Guests are required to wear masks at all times inside the casino and some of the facility’s machines are disabled to make social distancing easier. The bar remains closed and there is no beverage service on the floor. The casino, owned by MGM Resorts, shut down in mid March.
The four commercial casinos and 11 racinos in the state began reopening on Sept. 9 for the first time since March 16. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Sept. 3 that the casinos and racinos could reopen at 25% capacity and with strict health and social distancing measures in place. Six upstate casinos operated by the Oneida and Seneca nations reopened in June with new social distancing and health measures. The Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Connecticut also opened in June and Atlantic City's nine casinos began reopening in July.
International Game Technology has signed a two-year extension with the New York Lottery, extending its current contract to August 2022, according to a news release. As part of the extension, IGT will produce 400 new GameTouch self-service vending machines and continue to provide an advanced central system, terminals, and ongoing services to the lottery.
The Del Lago Resort and Casino in Seneca County responded to published reports that it will be laying off more than 1,000 employees, saying that nothing has changed. It said the notices filed with the state were required since layoffs started in April, reports said. The state's four commercial casinos have been closed since mid-March and a reopening date is uncertain, which is why Del Lago filed the notices with the state.
Tioga County is asking Cuomo to allow non-Indian casinos in the state to reopen, including Tioga Downs in Nichols. The county legislature recently passed a resolution supporting the reopening of the casino in the county, according to local website binghamtonhomepage.com.
The Oneida Indian Nation reopened sports betting on July 22 at three casinos in the central part of the state, according to Syracuse.com. All three casinos – Point Place Casino in Bridgeport, the Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango and the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona – reopened for gaming and some other activities on June 10. Bettors can only wager inside the casinos.
The Times Herald-Record of Middletown reported on July 14 that more than 4,100 casino workers in the state would get layoff notices. The workers had already been on furlough since April. Several of the state’s tribal casinos have already reopened.
The Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady posted an update on its website July 7 saying that it would remain temporarily closed until further notice.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino in Hogansburg reopened Aug. 3, general manager Todd Papineau announced via Facebook.
The Oneida Indian Nation reopened its three casinos — Turning Stone Resort Casino, Point Place Casino and Yellow Brick Road Casino — on June 10, according to published reports. In addition to new health and social-distancing measures, the casinos was not allowing anyone from outside a 120-mile radius of the casinos to enter, according to a syracuse.com report.
The Seneca Nation has reopened the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino and Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, according to a news release. Other Seneca Nation gaming sites in Irving, Salamanca and Cuba, as well as larger casinos including reopened on June 18, according to published reports.
The Lakeside Entertainment casino in Union Springs was the first gaming operation in New York to reopen. The slot machine-only facility, run by the Cayuga Nation, says it is exempt from the state restrictions imposed by Cuomo, the report said. It also reopened under stricter health and social-distancing guidelines.
The Saratoga Casino and Hotel also announced on its website that it is working with the state on how to reopen, but said a reopening date "has not been determined."
New York sports betting rebounded in March with $99,514, according to figures posted by the New York State Gaming Commission. Despite being hardest hit by the coronavirus and not having mobile sports betting, New York saw a slight turnaround in sports betting revenue from its loss of $179,593 in February.
LEGISLATURE: The capitol and surrounding buildings have been closed to visitors. Three members of the New York State Assembly have tested positive for coronavirus. Cuomo and lawmakers reached a tentative budget agreement on April 1, according to news reports. The budget does not include mobile sports betting. Cuomo has been a staunch opponent of adding mobile sports betting in the state, even as revenue from sports betting in the state reaches new lows.
CASINOS: The Catawba Indian Nations’ Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort received support from Republicans and Democrats in Congress last week. House members from North and South Carolina introduced a bill called the Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act, according to the Charlotte Observer. It reaffirms a March U.S. Interior department decision to put the casino land in trust. The designation allows the Catawba Nation to develop a casino. Ground was broken on the project in July and the name was announced in late August. The Eastern Band of the Cherokees, which has two casinos in western North Carolina, continues to fight the proposed casino in court.
The Jackson County Department of Public Health and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Public Health and Human Services have identified a coranvirus cluster at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, according to a health department news release. The North Carolina Division of Public Health defines clusters of COVID-19 as a minimum of five cases with illness onsets or initial positive results within a 14-day period and plausible linkage between cases in the same setting during the same time period. Five table games employees at the casino have tested positive for COVID-19, the release said. All positive employees are following isolation orders.
The Catawba Indians are breaking ground on a $300 million casino 35 miles west of Charlotte in Kings Mountain on July 22, according to WBTV. The report said the Catawbas, based in South Carolina, plan to open the casino in late spring or early summer of 2021. The groundbreaking comes despite a lawsuit against the project by the Eastern Band of Cherokees, who operate their own casinos in western North Carolina. The tribe gained federal approval in March to acquire 16 acres near Interstate 85 in Cleveland County. It still faces an amended lawsuit from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, according to the Associated Press. It's the latest development over the casino between the two tribes. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, based in North Carolina, filed the amended complaint in early July challenging the federal government’s approval in March for the casino. The new complaint is part of a lawsuit filed in federal court in D.C. by the Cherokee tribe in March, five days after the agency’s decision. A judge denied a motion by the Eastern Band for a preliminary injunction in April.
The two casinos in western North Carolina — Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy — reopened May 18 by reservation, according to the Harrah's Cherokee website. They had been closed since March 18. Both casinos have extensive health and social distancing measures in place, the report said. Employees will be screened, have their temperature checked and wear face masks. The stay-at-home order in the state expired May 8.
LEGISLATURE: The state legislature returned April 28 for the first time since the pandemic began. Lawmakers wore masks and followed social-distancing guidelines, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. The legislature will look to pass coronavirus relief measures and then adjourn until July or August.
Thanks for a fun weekend! 😊 Reminder of our new hours and what's open: Slots (socially distanced), Lodge, Gift Shop, Center Bar (coffee, water and soda only; no alcoholic beverages), Marina, RV Park, C-Store and the Corner Café is the only dining option open at this time. pic.twitter.com/UYUHqTUc19
— 4 Bears Casino (@4BearsCasino) May 18, 2020
CASINOS: International Gaming Technology (IGT) announced in a news release that it had signed a deal with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians to offer retail sports betting at Grand Treasure Casino in Trenton and Sky Dancer Casino and Resort in Belcourt. Sports betting has not been legalized in the state, but tribal casinos can operate outside of state jurisdiction. IGT's sports betting platform, self-service kiosks and trading services are included in the deal, according to the Sept. 24 news release.
A federal judge has denied a request by Powerhouse Gaming, a gaming equipment company, to reactivate about 500 electronic pull tab machines that were shut down on July 8 by the state attorney general, according to the Associated Press.
PlayUp Ltd, a provider of wagering and fantasy sports in Australia, has been approved for advance-deposit wagering (ADW) license in North Dakota. The state racing commission approved the application in late May, according to a news release. The license allows PlayUp to accept wagers on all forms of racing from about 20 states.
Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise reopened the Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel, Dakota Sioux Casino & Hotel, and Dakota Connection Casinos on June 6, according to published reports.
The 4 Bears Casino in Minot reopened on May 16 under new health and social-distancing measures that included no blackjack or tables games, according to its website. It will be open Thursdays-Sundays. The Standing Rock Tribal Council reopened the Prairie Knights Casino and Resort near Fort Yates in Sioux County in mid-May, according to a published report.
LEGISLATURE: The legislative session meets in odd-numbered years.
MGM Northfield Park is now open! We are so excited to welcome you back safely through our doors to enjoy gaming, dining and live racing. See what's open here: https://t.co/m9tav5g7HT pic.twitter.com/spTR8hajy1
— MGM Northfield Park (@MGMNorthfield) June 20, 2020
CASINOS: The Jack Cleveland Casino and the MGM Northfield Park racino are changing their hours temporarily to comply with a statewide curfew in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine accounted a 21-day curfew which went into effect on Nov. 19. MGM Northfield Park will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and masks must be worn at all times. Jack Cleveland Casino will operate from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The casino and racino combined revenue in August was about $172 million, just short of the record $181 million in July. But the figure in August was good enough to set a state record for the month, according to Cleveland.com. The paper reported that the $172 million in 2020 was 4.7% higher than the August record set in 2019.
Casinos and racinos returned in mid-June, but being closed three months because of the coronavirus has left the industry about $500 million in gambling revenue behind the same point as last year, according to cleveland.com. The state report, released July 7, means a loss of about $160 million in fees and taxes to the state, the cleveland.com report said. June revenue of $76.7 million was about half of what it was ($161.4 million) last June.
Casinos and racinos in the state reopened on June 19 after being closed in mid-March. Gov. Mike DeWine gave the OK for the reopenings on June 5 after the casinos submitted new health and social-distancing plans. Miami Valley Gaming reopened the first day, according to Churchill Hill Downs Inc. Hollywood Gaming in Austintown reopened June 19.
Penn National has reopened Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Hollywood Casino in Toledo, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway and Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course. MGM Northfield Park reopened on June 20 at noon.
Horse racing was allowed to resume May 22. MGM Northfield Park on May 8 warned that it might have to lay off some of the 900 employees it temporarily furloughed, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The state’s four casinos and seven racinos closed March 13 after DeWine banned mass gatherings of more than 100 people.
Revenue at the casinos from the first 13 days of March was $71,902,867. The combined revenue in February was $171,423,785, a state record. The month-over-month decline was 58%.
LEGISLATURE: HB 194, which legalizes sports betting, was approved by the House on May 28 by an overwhelming 83-10 vote. It now heads to the Senate, which has its own gambling bill. The Senate bill, SB 111, has some differences including having a different agency oversee sports betting. The differences in the bills will need to be worked out and pass the Senate before moving to DeWine.
DeWine has extended the state’s stay-at-home order until May 29 with some exceptions. On May 4, construction, manufacturing and distribution operations can start up again and offices can reopen. Nonessential retail stores can reopen on May 12.
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: https://t.co/uIlnmkCuCy pic.twitter.com/9Sbg93s0Tq
— Golden Mesa Casino (@GMesaCasino) June 22, 2020
CASINOS: Gov. Kevin Stitt's request for a rehearing in a case where the state Supreme Court ruled the governor's gaming compacts with the Comanche Nation and Otoe-Missouria Tribe has been denied by a 5-1 vote, according to The Oklahoman. The case was filed against Stitt by state Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall. The state Supreme Court ruled on July 21 that the gaming compacts signed by Stitt with the Comanche Nation and Otoe-Missouria Tribe were invalid. The compacts were announced in April and Treat and McCall filed the lawsuit in early June, saying Stitt could not agree to provisions in the compacts that are not allowed under Oklahoma law, according to the Tulsa World. “The tribal gaming compacts Governor Stitt entered into with the Comanche Nation and Otoe-Missouria Tribes are invalid under Oklahoma law,” the opinion from the Supreme Court said, according to The World. “The State of Oklahoma is not and cannot be legally bound by those compacts until such time as the Legislature enacts laws to allow the specific Class III gaming at issue, and in turn, allowing the Governor to negotiate additional revenue.”
Two recent gaming compacts between Stitt and the Kialegee Tribal Town and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians were approved by the U.S. Department of Interior and the tribes can abide by the terms the when they are posted in the federal register, according to IGB North America. The compacts, announced in July, cover Class III and table games, but not sports betting. The gaming compacts with the Keetoowah Band and Kialegee Tribal Town are currently before the state Supreme Court after state Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall challenged the legality of them, as they did earlier compacts negotiated by Stitt. The Supreme Court invalidated the earlier compacts on July 21.
Four tribes are seeking to have a federal court void gaming compacts between the state and two tribes — Comanche Nation and the Otoe-Missouira Tribe — that the state Supreme Court invalidated on July 21, the Associated Press reported. The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Citizen Potawatomie Nations filed the lawsuit on Aug. 7 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. It asks for a declaration that the U.S. Department of Interior violated federal law by approving the agreements, the AP reported.
The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association suspended the memberships of Otoe-Missouria and Comanche Nation for signing the gaming compacts, according to The Oklahoman. They are suspended for the remainder of the calendar year, after which time they could seek reinstatement, the association said in a statement.
Black Hawk Casino in Shawnee and Sac and Fox Casino in Stroud have reopened and are "clean and sanitized," according to their websites. The casinos closed June 22 after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus, according to ktul.com.
The Golden Mesa Casino in Guymon announced on its website and social media that it reopened on June 22.
The Comanche Nation reopened two casinos on June 12 — the Comanche Nation Casino in Lawton and Comanche Red River Casino in Devol — and will reopen the Comanche Spur Casino in Elgin and Comanche Star Casino in Walters on June 15, according to published reports.
The River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa reopened May 31 to VIP guests and to the public on June 1, according to the Tulsa World. In addition to the pandemic, the casino had to close last year for two months because the Arkansas River flooded. The casino has enhanced safety and social-distancing measures.
The WinStar Casino in Thackerville and Choctaw Casino & Resorts in Durant reopened May 27, according to media reports. Both are close to the border with Texas.
Chickasaw Nation began a phased reopening of its casinos and gaming centers on May 27. Chickasaw Nation officials reopened at 25% of full capacity.
The Thunderbird Casinos in Norman and Shawnee, operated by the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, reopened May 11 and in Norman the casino had a line nearly 250 people long, according to The Oklahoman. Temperatures were taken at the door, masks were handed out and guests had to sit at slot machines at least six feet away from the nearest person.
Two other tribal casinos in Oklahoma — 7 Clans Casino Resort and Tonkawa Hotel & Casino — have reopened, according to the American Gaming Association. Casinos in Oklahoma were temporarily closed on March 23.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature recently gave Stitt additional powers to deal with the coronavirus pandemic under the state's declaration of a health emergency, according to The Oklahoman.
Our #sportsbook location is really taking shape: the official sign is up above our HDTVs and we're getting closer to opening in the next few weeks. Can you feel the excitement?! https://t.co/e4fhGYRM2g #sportsbettingspiritmtn #sportsbetting pic.twitter.com/TupVDzvqb8
— Spirit Mountain (@SpiritMTNcasino) August 21, 2020
CASINOS: The Chinook Winds in Lincoln City closed its casino on Dec. 1 for at least two weeks, Willamette Week reported. The facility, on tribal lands and thus not subject to Oregon’s coronavirus-related orders, had announced just days earlier that it would stay open but would step up health and hygiene measures.
The casino is conducting temperature screenings and is increasing other health and hygiene measures, according to The News Guard newspaper in Lincoln City, a coastal town about 90 miles southwest of Portland.
Roar Digital has entered into a sports betting partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in Oregon, according to a news release. Under the agreement, Road Digital, the joint venture between MGM Resorts and GVC, will serve as exclusive sports betting partner to the tribe. It will also open a BetMGM retail sportsbook at its Spirit Mountain Casino. Roar has the option for an on-reservation mobile sports betting app if the state sets regulations and gives approval, the release said.
A casino that had reopened in June closed again temporarily after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The Indian Head Casino in Warm Springs closed on July 8 after the positive test, Bend TV station KTVZ reported. Indian Head had reopened on June 18 after it was initially closed for a few months in response to coronavirus concerns.
Four casinos in the the state reopened in May — The Mill Casino Hotel in North Bend opened May 18, the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City opened May 21, Three Rivers Casino in Florence and Coos Bay and Seven Feathers Casino Resort opened May 22, according to the Associated Press. All have new health and social-distancing guidelines in place.
LEGISLATURE: Could call a special session to address coronavirus and any key items left uncertain by the pandemic.
CASINOS: Penn National resumed construction on a casino in Springettsbury Township after COVID-19 concerned had delayed the project. Springettsbury is in York County, about 55 miles north of Baltimore, Maryland. The $120 million project resumed after having been on hold since March, the York Dispatch reported.
Live poker will resume on Nov. 11 at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh after closing March 15, along with the rest of the casino because of the coronavirus pandemic. The casino’s gaming floor reopened on June 9. The Rivers Casino Pittsburgh poker room will be open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from noon to 4 a.m., and Sunday from noon to midnight. Rivers Casino will be offering the following games: 1/3 No Limit Texas Hold’em and Higher, and 1/3 Pot Limit Omaha and Higher.
NetEnt has launched its portfolio of casino games with Wind Creek’s expanded online offering to include iGaming in Pennsylvania, according to a news release Sept. 22. Wind Creek Bethlehem can offer casino content to online audiences, including NetEnt's table games and top performer Divine Fortune. The partnership increases NetEnt’s market share in Pennsylvania, where it has expanded significantly since first launching last year.
An auction for a license to operate a “mini-casino” in Pennsylvania was won on Sept. 2 by Ira Lubert, the chairman and co-founder of Independence Capital Partners and Lubert Adler Partners. He submitted the winning bid of $10,000,101. The mini-casino would be in Unionville Borough near State College in Centre County. The auction had two bids and it took place before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s public meeting. Lubert is licensed by the gaming board in connection with his ownership stake in Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. The Category 4 casino — mini-casino — can have between 300 and 750 slot machines, along with a maximum of 30 table games, at opening, according to the gaming control board. It can add 10 table games after its first year of operation.
Gaming Realms has an agreement to bring its online gaming offerings into the state after reaching a deal with Rush Street Interactive, according to a news release. Gaming Realms already offers its full Slingo Originals online gaming products in New Jersey. According to the release, Slingo Originals games will be integrated right into the Rush Street Interactive platform.
Mohegan Sun Pocono has told 240 furloughed employees they could face layoffs if they are not called back to work before the end of September, according to FOX56 report.
GAN, an interent gaming software provider, has launched the new “PlayLive!” branded internet gambling business in the state for The Cordish Cos. It allows Pennsylvania residents to enroll online, in advance, for their Live! Rewards Players Card. The announcement in a news release on Aug. 17 comes as the Cordish Gaming Croup is planning to open two new Live!-branded gaming facilities in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in late 2020 and early 2021.
A report from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released Aug. 13 shows that the state’s six harness and thoroughbred tracks saw increases in starts, races and purse amounts. But taxable handle dropped by 10.8% to $300.1 million last year, according to The Center Square website.
The state lost $968.8 million in operating revenue, leading to a gaming tax deficit of $424 million, during the shutdown for coronavirus concerns, the Allegheny Institute reported.
The Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem has launched an online gaming platform in partnership with Pala Interactive. Pala is providing Wind Creek its online player account management system for the online casino, according to a news release. The launch is the completion of the first phase of the casino’s real money and social casino plans, with the next phase being sports betting introduced in partnership with Betfred USA and Scientific Games later this year.
The state lottery reached profits of $1.14 billion in the 2019-20 fiscal year that ended June 30 for programs that support senior citizens, according to IGB. It's the ninth straight year the contribution has been more than $1 billion. The lottery also reported sales of $4.5 billion on traditional products like scratch-offs, IGB reported.
The June handle of $88.313 million for online sports betting in the state was up 13.9 percent from the $77.510 million reported in May. Retail betting from the reopening of casinos helped increase the state’s total sports betting handle for June to $89 million, up 14.8 percent from May, according to figures released by the state. Gross sports betting revenue in June was $6.663 million, up 38 percent from the May total of $4.828 million.
Rivers Casino Philadelphia reopened on July 17, becoming the state's last casino to get back in operation. The casino had been waiting to set a reopening date because the city kept some of its restrictions in place, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh reopened July 10 after being shut down temporarily by an order from the Allegheny County Health Department. New health mandates are in place — guests must wear a mask in the casino and their temperature will be taken before they are allowed to enter. Rivers Casino and the Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington (about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh) originally reopened on June 9 with new health and social-distancing measures in place. Demand at Rivers Casino was so high it opened two hours early, according to KDKA. Since the reopening two employees have tested positive for the coronavirus at Rivers Casinos, according to published reports.
International Game Technology (IGT) announced July 7 that its video gaming terminals CrystalDual 27 and CrystalSlant have been approved by the gaming control board and they can be added in truck stop locations, according to a news release. IGT has a gaming presence in Pennsylvania with slots and video poker games, casino management systems, iGaming, sports betting and the video gaming central system, the release said.
FanDuel has launched a standalone casino app in the state, according to a news release sent June 24. Initially, Android users can download it, but iOS users will soon be able to acquire it. Rival DraftKings announced on June 23 a standalone casino app in New Jersey. FanDuel is partnered in Pennsylvania with Valley Forge Casino just west of Philadelphia for sports betting and online casino gaming. Those wishing to use the new app can sign up for a new account or use an existing FanDuel sportsbook account.
RELATED: See which Pennsylvania casinos are open
Presque Isle Downs and Casino reopened June 26, according to its website. Half of the casino's slot machines and table games were available at the reopening to allow for proper social distancing. Guests and staff wore masks and had their temperatures checked upon entering. Horse racing will resume July 27 without spectators.
Mohegan Sun Pocono announced on its website that it reopened on June 22 — "We are open and excited to welcome you back to a world at play," it proclaimed. "With the guidance of industry experts, regulatory agencies, and in closely mirroring the comprehensive protocols put in place by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment's flagship property in Connecticut, we feel we are well-prepared for our doors to open and can't wait to welcome guests to a clean, safe and fun environment," Anthony Carlucci, president & general manager of Mohegan Sun Pocono, wrote on the website. Mount Airy Casino also reopened June 22 at noon.
Harrah's Philadelphia and Valley Forge Casino reopened June 26, while Parx Casino, northeast of Philadelphia, and Wind Creek Bethlehem reopened June 29.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course reopened June 19. The poker room did not open and the sportsbook will remain closed, but there will be betting at the sports wagering kiosk, according to the casino's website. The Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin in Farmington reopened June 12, according to Churchill Downs Inc.
DraftKings Online Casino went live May 1 through a partnership with Hollywood Casino in the Poconos. In a social media post on June 23, the gaming operator announced that DraftKings Roulette is now available in its sportsbook app. Also in the first week in May, Caesars Online Casino went live through its partnership with Harrah's Philadelphia. Online casino gaming is legal in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware and online poker sites are legal in those three and Nevada.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on June 10 approved Wind Creek Bethlehem's petition to conduct sports wagering. The board's vote was unanimous. Wind Creek hopes to start construction in mid-August on the sportsbook and open around Nov. 21, according to the Allentown Morning Call. The sportsbook will be operated by Betfred USA. Betfred has a sportsbook in Iowa and opened one in Colorado on June 17.
The Gaming Control Board outlined the minimum requirements for the state’s casinos to reopen their facilities. The 10-page guideline document is available on the board’s website. The requirements include new health and social-distancing measures. In addition, "poker rooms are not authorized to operate due to players handling cards and chips,” the board said in the document. Poker room operations will be re-examined based upon changing guidance from health officials, the gaming control board said.
All casinos were closed March 17 by order of the state Gaming Control Board.
Scientific Games has agreed be the distributor of SidePlay Entertainment’s eInstant games in North America, according to a news release on June 11. The Pennsylvania Lottery is the first to launch SidePlay’s content through Scientific Games' OpenGaming platform, the release said.
LEGISLATURE: State Senate Republicans are pushing for gambling legislation that would allow slot machine-like terminals in bars, restaurants, nonprofit social clubs and other businesses with liquor licenses, according to the Associated Press. The bill could deliver tax revenue at a time when states are trying to make up for revenue losses from the coronavirus. The legislation also seeks to ban unregulated cash-paying “skill” game terminals from laundromats, pizza parlors, grocery stores, corner stores and bowling alleys that do not have liquor licenses, the AP reported.
CASINOS: The state’s two commercial casinos, Tiverton and Twin River, reopened on Dec. 21 after a statewide closure order expired. Both facilities are operating from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all other days, according to a release on their website. On Nov. 30, Gov. Gina Raimondo ordered a “pause” in the state for many types of businesses, including casinos, because coronavirus cases were rising. The two casinos closed for two weeks starting on Nov. 29.
The Twin River casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton laid off more than 1,300 workers combined in August, according to The Providence Journal citing documents filed with state labor officials. The layoffs, effective Aug. 11, included more than 1,000 workers in Lincoln and nearly 300 in Tiverton.
Twin River Worldwide Holdings will move forward with plans to expand its Lincoln casino by 40,000 square feet, according to The Valley Breeze. Company officials appeared before the Lincoln Planning Board’s Technical Review Committee on Aug. 18 to discuss the expansion plans.
Tax revenue from the Twin River Tiverton Casino Hotel for the fiscal year that began July 1 will be held in a reserve account and can’t be used by the town of Tiverton until the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2021, according to the Marlborough Enterprise. The Town Council voted 5-2 to approve the ordinance. City Council President Patricia Hilton, who introduced the ordinance, said it was needed so projected gaming revenue is not placed into the current fiscal year budget, the newspaper reported. Because casinos in Rhode Island were closed in mid-March, the town faced a $1.8 million budget deficit.
Gov. Raimondo on July 22 signed two bills, SB 2919 and HB 8097, that eliminate the state's requirement that people must register in person at either the Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln or the Tiverton Casino Hotel before placing mobile sports bets. Lawmakers passed the two bills, sponsored by state Sen. Dominick Ruggerio and state House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, on July 16, Providence TV station WPRI reported.
The Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln and the Tiverton Casino Hotel, the two casinos in the state, reopened June 8 by invitation only to selected members, according to the Twin Rivers website. New health and social-distancing measures were in place. Temperature checks were included in the new guidelines and each facility was limited to about 25% of capacity. Only video slots spaced six feet apart and virtual table games were available at the reopening.
The total sports betting handle in Rhode Island for May was $1,533,114, a 159% increase over April’s $591,377, but still a fraction of normal month. May 2019 saw $18,900,152 in total handle. Revenue for May was $163,472, six times higher than April’s $27,381 but down considerably, 81.8%, from May 2019’s $899,165.
A Superior Court judge has denied a request for an injunction to stop sports betting in Rhode Island, according to the Newport Daily News. Former Providence mayoral candidate Daniel Harrop sought a summary judgment over his claim that sports betting online and at the state’s two casinos violated the state constitution, the newspaper reported. The judge ruled that voters had approved sports betting in 2012 and 2016.
International Game Technology (IGT) and William Hill have enhanced the Sportsbook Rhode Island mobile app and website, according to Providence Business News. The revamped app and website will include an elevated interface and bigger betting menu, among other improvements. Bettors will have a wider selection of futures and prop-bets, and sporting events such as Russian table tennis and Taiwanese basketball, PBN reported.
The state's stay-at-home order was lifted May 8.
LEGISLATURE: The state ethics commission ruled that Gov. Raimondo did not commit an ethics violation during negotiations for a no-bid, 20-year lottery contract with IGT (International Game Technology). The commission voted 7-1 on April 28 to dismiss the complaint, according to the Providence Journal. All legislative sessions have been postponed indefinitely.
CASINOS: There are no casinos in South Carolina. The South Carolina Education Lottery recently awarded a new six-year contract to Scientific Games to provide "warehousing and distribution services with a new state-of-the-art distribution facility, a next generation lottery mobile app and interactive services," according to a news release.
LEGISLATURE: The state's stay-at-home order was lifted on May 4. It makes the governor's "home or work" order voluntary and allows some restaurants to begin serving patrons under strict guidelines. State parks reopened on May 1. The legislature returned April 8 to consider emergency legislation and adopt a resolution to allow it to operate after the session ends May 14, according to The State.
CASINOS: Deadwood Gaming Association executive director Mike Rodman told keloland.com that the betting handle for June 2020 was up 13.75 percent from June 2019. The taxable adjusted gross revenue for June 2020 was $10,239,651. It was Deadwood’s largest handle for the month of June since as least 2014, Rodman said.
The Royal River Casino & Hotel in Flandreau, owned and operated by the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, reopened on May 29. Flandreau is about 45 miles north of Sioux Falls.
Casinos in Deadwood reopened around May 10. The Deadwood City Commission voted on May 7 to permit casinos and other businesses in the city to reopen, according to the Deadwood Advantage website.
The decision allowed for slots and table games to begin under social distancing and health guidelines. Deadwood mayor David Ruth Jr. on March 23 ordered the 25 casinos in the city to close temporarily.
LEGISLATURE: The state attorney general recently released the ballot explanations for the November election, including Constitutional Amendment B entitled “An amendment to the South Dakota Constitution authorizing the Legislature to allow sports wagering in Deadwood,” according to the Capital Journal of Pierre. The explanation reads: The constitution currently authorizes the legislature to allow certain types of gaming in the city of Deadwood: roulette, keno, craps, limited card games, and slot machines. This constitutional amendment authorizes the legislature to also include wagering on sporting events as a type of gaming allowed in Deadwood. Under federal law, any gaming authorized by the legislature to be offered in Deadwood would also be allowed at on-reservation tribal casinos upon amendments to current tribal gaming compacts. Vote ‘Yes' to adopt the amendment. Vote "No" to leave the constitution as it is.
The legislature approved a bill in March asking for the referendum. The legislature ended its session on March 30.
CASINOS: State Rep. David Hawk said he plans to propose legislation to extend the educational benefits derived from sports betting revenues, according to a report from Johnson City TV station WJHL. Tennessee had more than $131 million in handle and generated more than $2.5 million in November, the first month in which the mobile-only sports betting market operated. By law, 80 percent of funds collected from sports betting in the state are earmarked for the Lottery for Education Account. Hawk said he wants to see that money allocated toward K-12 programs and higher education projects equally.
The Tennessee Lottery set a record with $1.84 billion in revenue in the 2019-20 fiscal year which ended June 30. The lottery proceeds generated $438.2 million for the state’s education fund.
The Lottery hired Danielle Boyd as vice president of sports gaming operations just days after Jennifer Roberts announced she was leaving as the lottery’s director of sports gaming regulation. Boyd comes to Tennessee from William Hill U.S., where she was the head of government relations for two years. She had previously been managing general counsel of the West Virginia Lottery for almost seven years but left shortly after the state launched sports betting in 2018.
Roberts announced on her Twitter account that June 26 was her last day as director of sports gaming regulation with the Tennessee Lottery. She is joining GameCo, based in Las Vegas, as vice president/general counsel starting July 1. Roberts had been with the Tennessee Lottery since Dec. 2.
IGT (International Game Technology) recently announced a two-year contract extension with the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation through June 2027. As part of the agreement, IGT will upgrade the lottery's loyalty website and mobile app, providing new player convenience features, according to a news release.
There are no casinos in Tennessee, but an all-mobile sports betting market is getting closer. The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation approved sports betting rules on April 15, but they include a controversial 10% hold. The state hopes to have sports betting up and running when sports return. The state is under a stay-at-home order through April.
LEGISLATURE: The legislature recessed on March 19 until at least June 1.
CASINOS: The Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel will reopen Oct. 1 at 25% capacity and with other social distancing and health measures in place, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas announced on Sept. 21. The casino in Eagle Pass is on the border with Mexico. It has been closed since March 19.
Mega Millions and Powerball tickets can now be purchased at business centers of participating H-E-B supermarket stores in the state, according to a Texas Lottery news release. The tickets will be printed on cash register receipt paper.
Penn National has reopened Retama Park and Sam Houston Race Park.
The Texas Supreme Court on May 8 sent a case back to a lower court involving the city of Fort Worth and operators of eight-liner gambling machines, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Supreme Court ordered the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth to determine the legality and constitutionality of the machines.
Tribal casinos in the state have voluntarily closed. A stay-at-home order that was in place through April has ended, but some counties have extended closures.
LEGISLATURE: Was not in session in 2020. It meets in odd-numbered years.
CASINOS: There are no casinos in Utah. The state prohibits gambling.
LEGISLATURE: The legislative session ended March 13.
CASINOS: There are no casinos in Vermont. Intralot has extended its agreement with the Vermont Lottery, according to IGB. Under the new deal, Intralot will provide its Lotos central system, Photon terminals and Winstations technologies to the lottery.
LEGISLATURE: The Senate approved legislation Wednesday setting up a committee to research how the state could tax and regulate sports betting in Vermont, according to published reports. SB 59 now moves to the House for consideration. The legislature will recess by the end of June.
The state's stay-at-home order ended May 15 but Gov. Phil Scott kept a state of emergency in place until June 15. The senate met March 24 by phone and the house conducted a token session March 24. Further sessions could be temporarily suspended. A sports betting bill had been introduced.
CASINOS: Richmond residents can participate in a survey regarding a proposed casino project in the city, according to Richmond NBC-TV affiliate WWBT. From now until Dec. 14, residents can give their opinions about what a potential resort casino should include.
The Danville City Council voted 7-0 on Sept. 1 to approve the city’s agreement with Caesars Entertainment for a proposed casino, the Danville Register & Bee reported. The sides agreed on a final proposal for a casino, in which Caesars said it would invest $400 million and provide at least 1,300 jobs. City residents will vote on whether to approve the proposal in November.
At a Lottery Board meeting, the state began a public comment period regarding sports betting regulations that were released. The public comment period ended Sept. 9. The state law legalizing sports betting went into effect July 1. After the comment period, rules will be announced in mid-September, according to the timeline on the lottery website. When the law was passed, Del. Mark Sickles, who represents the 43rd District and sponsored the House bill, said it would be “great to have before college football and the NFL seasons, but I think we’ll be lucky to have it by the Super Bowl, much less the NFL season.” That falls in line with the lottery’s timetable, as it has 90 days to approve operators who apply, which puts the process into December. In the “FAQs On Virginia Sports Betting” section on the state lottery website, one of the questions was “When will I be able to place a legal sports bet?” The answer: “Legal sports betting in Virginia will not be available before mid-to-late December 2020, at the earliest.” More likely it will be early 2021.
On July 1, Mega Millions, Powerball, Cash4Life, and more instant-win games became available online in Virginia, the lottery announced, according to published reports. It becomes the seventh state with lottery games online.
The city of Bristol reached agreement in late May for Hard Rock International to become its preferred partner on a casino proposal. Bristol voters must pass a referendum in November to approve a casino. Bristol is one of five Virginia cities — along with Richmond, Danville, Portsmouth and Norfolk — permitted to seek voter approval for casinos.
IGT (International Game Technology) announced April 28 that it has signed a six-year contract with the Virginia Lottery to provide Scratcher tickets, strategic planning and services, according to a news release. Under the agreement, IGT will become the primary vendor for instant ticket games for the first time in Virginia. The contract will run through June 30, 2026.
LEGISLATURE: Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City County, at a gaming subcommittee meeting in January, presented his bill to expand lottery sales to the internet.
Psssst, we've got news! We're thrilled to be able to share that upon re-opening, we will have gone 100% smoke-free at Angel Of The Winds Casino Resort. pic.twitter.com/9AnjCxmjHU
— Angel Of The Winds Casino Resort (@aotwcasino) April 27, 2020
CASINOS: The ilani casino will remain open amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the state, casino operator Cowlitz Indian Tribe said. The casino, in Ridgefield in southern Washington, is on tribal land and not subject to state regulations regarding measures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Clark County has seen a spike in cases in recent weeks, according to The Daily News in Longview.
The Legends Casino in Toppenish reopened Aug. 13 with limited capacity. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., with deep cleaning taking place during the eight hours that the facility is closed. The casino will be operating at about 50% capacity according to social distancing guidelines, according to 500nations.com.
The state gambling commission will start the process of creating rules and regulations for sports betting after a vote on July 17, according to the published reports. Four of the state’s tribes — Kalispel, Suquamish, Snoqualmie and Tulalip — have applied for sports betting licenses. Washington approved sports betting at tribal casinos in March and Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bill into law on March 25. The tribes are working with a state gaming commission on meeting the new state law's requirements. Betting is permitted on pro sports, but not college sports, and there is no mobile sports betting in the new law.
The Skagit Valley Casino, owned and operated by the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, reopened June 24 with enhanced safety and social-distancing measures, according to its website. Among the new guidelines — capacity will be 30%, guests will be required to wear masks and undergo temperature checks upon entering and table games will remain closed.
The Snoqualmie Casino near Seattle reopened on June 11 with new health and social-distancing guidelines in place, according to its website.
The Swinomish Casino & Lodge in Anacortes opened May 28, according to its website. The Silver Reef Casino Resort in Frendale reopened May 21 to members of the Lummi Nation and to the public on May 22, according to the Bellingham Herald.
The Tulalip Resort Casino and Quil Ceda Creek Casino reopened May 26, the Tulalip Tribes announced on the casinos' website. It included new health and safety guidelines.
Three other tribal casinos reopened May 18 — Emerald Queen, Little Creek in Shelton and Nisqually Red Wind in Olympia, according to published reports. They had health and social-distancing measures in place in place.
The Angel of the Winds Casino Resort in Arlington, run by the Stillaguamish Tribe, reopened May 13, according to a story in The Seattle Times. It is the first casino in western Washington to reopen since a stay-at-home order in the state was put into place in March.
As part of the reopening, the casino put new health and social-distancing measures in place. One of the new changes, according to The Times, is a requirement that all guests have a cellphone to use as part of the check-in process.
In addition, the Angel of the Winds Casino Resort announced recently on its social media accounts that the facility will be smoke-free. It said it will be the first smoke-free casino in the state.
Northern Quest Resort and Casino near Spokane and the Kalispel Casino in Cusick, run by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, reopened May 5, according to the websites of both casinos.
The tribes are not bound by state orders. The tribal casinos fund many tribal government operations, and have thousands of employees, the Associated Press reported.
LEGISLATURE: The legislative session wrapped up March 13. Earlier in the month the senate passed legislation to legalize sports betting in the tribal casinos. In doing so, Washington became the 21st state with legal sports betting (plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico) and the first to sign such legislation into law in 2020.
CASINOS: FanDuel, which has been operating its online sportsbook in the state since 2019, relaunched its book with Scientific Games, introducing the OpenBet betting engine from the OpenSports platform, according to a news release. Scientific Games has had a relationship with FanDuel’s parent company, Flutter Entertainment, for more than 20 years, the release said.
Golden Nugget Online Gaming added West Virginia as the fifth state where it has access to operate an online sportsbook and iGaming, according to a news release. GNOG will be partners with the Greenbrier Hotel for the venture, which still must meet regulatory approval. The Greenbrier has existing sports betting deals with FanDuel and BetMGM.
The Charles Town racetrack will add four days of live horse racing to help make up for days lost when the track shot down following some positive COVID-19 tests among jockeys. The new dates will be No. 25, Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, according to Bloodhorse.com.
BonusFinder.com has received approval from the state for an igaming license, according to a news release. It's the company's seventh U.S. approval in less than a year. Its existing licenses include top sports-betting states New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Colorado.
The mobile and retail sportsbooks at Mardi Gras Casino and Wheeling Island Casino are operational on schedule. The mobile sportsbooks at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, in Wheeling, and Mardi Gras Casino, in Cross Lanes, both operate through Betly.com. Their operation means that all five commercial West Virginia casinos now have at least a retail sports betting option and that four of the five have mobile sportsbooks available.
The state lottery's streak of 17 years with annual gross revenue of more than $1 billion has ended, according to the Charleston Gazette-Mail, due in large part because casinos and Limited Video Lottery sites were shut down for more than two months by the coronavirus pandemic. Gross revenue for the 2019-20 budget year, which ended June 30, was $955.7 million, a $187.4 million decline from the previous fiscal year, according to figures released by the state.
DraftKings launched its mobile gaming product line in the state on July 16. Players can wager on Blackjack, Roulette, three-card poker and more by accessing DraftKings casino games through either the standalone DraftKings Casino app or through the DraftKings Sportsbook app. West Virginia joined Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware in offering online casino games.
The Hollywood Casino & Inn at Charles Town Races, Mardi Gras Casino & Resort at Nitro, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Hancock County and The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs reopened on June 5 under strict health and social-distancing guidelines.
Limited video lottery retailers began reopening on May 30.
West Virginia sportsbooks took in $2,965,302 for the period from March 29 to May 1. West Virginia reports its figures weekly. The week ending May 2 saw $1,063,604 in sports betting handle, double the amount in any of the previous four weeks, undoubtedly helped by NFL betting on that week’s draft.
LEGISLATURE: IGaming launched in mid-July under temporary rules, which will be replaced by permanent rules that are expected to be filed in the fall for review by the legislature during the 2021 regular session. The current legislative session has ended.
CASINOS: The St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake Casino will close for 30 days to combat the spread of COVID-19, according to a report from Wisconsin Public Radio on Nov. 11. The Turtle Lake Casino is in the northwest portion of the state, about 75 miles northeast of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The St. Croix casinos in Hertel and Danbury were scheduled to stay open, the WPR report said.
The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee announced on Aug. 24 that it will not limit admission to club members only, according to Milwaukee CBS-TV affiliate WDJT. Anyone over 21 can reserve gaming sessions. Masks and temperature checks will be required to enter. The Potawatomi had previously announced it will permanently lay off 1,600 employees in August, according to the Milwaukee Independent.
Casinos in the state, with enhanced safety measures in place, began reopening May 26, including the Oneida Casino and the North Star Mohican Casino, according to published reports. Menominee Casino Resort opened May 27. Ho-Chunk Nation reopened casinos in Madison on June 3 and in Nekoosa on June 16. The tribe also announced plans to reopen casinos in Wisconsin Dells, Black River Falls and Wittenberg on June 29, according to published reports.
LEGISLATURE: Residents voted April 7 in the presidential primary in Wisconsin after legal challenges that went to the state and U.S. Supreme Courts. Gov. Tony Evers had sought to delay the primary until June 9 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Polling sites were consolidated and altered to accommodate social distancing guidelines for the primary. Votes won't be counted until at least April 13.
The assembly has ended its session while the senate last convened on March 24.
CASINOS: The Wind River Hotel & Casino in Riverton has delayed reopening because of "extenuating circumstances," according to Facebook post from the casino on July 21. It has been scheduled to reopen July 22. Closed since mid-March, the casino has not announced a new reopening date.
Voters in Park County will be asked in November if they want to approve pari-mutuel gambling, following approval by county commissioners at their most recent meeting, according to the Wyoming Business Report. Pari-mutuel involves racing sports, but is only associated with horse racing in Wyoming, the report said. Terminals would be placed in the county to take live bets on simulcast horse races, if voters approve the measure.
Northern Arapaho Tribe closed its casinos indefinitely on March 16. The Eastern Shoshone Tribe also closed its casino.
LEGISLATURE: The legislative budget session ended March 12.
CASINOS: Puerto Rico is taking a step toward launching sports betting after legalizing it in July 2019, according to IGB North America. It has begun a 30-day consulting period on regulations that have been developed in partnership with Gaming Laboratories International. Among the regulations: A 7% revenue tax on land-based betting and 12% for online betting. Fantasy contest operators would be subject to a tax equal to 12% of contest entry fees, according to IGB. Betting could be offered in casinos, hotels without casinos, inns, racetracks, horse betting agencies, shops, and any other venue the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission approves. Online and mobile betting could also be non-tethered, the report said.
LEGISLATURE: Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced announced on July 20 that she was convening the body's fifth special session to consider health and retirement measures for the island.
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Arraignment Jan. 8 for suspect in Anacortes Cannabis robbery
An 18-year-old Anacortes man was arrested Dec. 22 on suspicion of robbing Anacortes Cannabis two days earlier.
Austin Carter Thomas, 18, is in Skagit County Jail on $100,000 bail; his name appeared on the jail roster Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on a charge of first-degree robbery at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 8 in Superior Court.
Thomas' lawyer, Nick Henry, said Tuesday he had no comment, other than his client would plead not guilty.
On Dec. 23, Superior Court Judge Dave Needy issued a no-contact order, barring Thomas from approaching Anacortes Cannabis employees.
Anacortes police were sent to the store just before 9 p.m. Dec. 20 to investigate a report of a robbery. Employees said a man entered with a long gun and demanded product from the store, according to a police report. Employees complied. The robber reportedly fired a round into the ceiling and left.
Officers arrived within minutes but did not find a suspect. Officers arrested Thomas without incident shortly before 8 a.m. Dec. 22 and booked him into the Skagit County jail.
Anacortes Cannabis
Anacortes Police
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› Classic St Petersburg to Moscow by High Speed Train
Classic St Petersburg to Moscow by High Speed Train
Explore the cultural capitals of enigmatic Russia. Spend three nights in beautiful Saint Petersburg, Russia’s most European city, before exploring the great monuments and mysteries of Moscow.
This 6-day trip serves as an ideal introduction to Russia, connecting its two most famous cities via a high speed rail journey.
Staying close to Nevsky Prospekt, you’re ideally positioned for exploring the most famous streets, sights, and museums of Saint Petersburg. Your first day is devoted to the city itself. Stroll Nevsky Prospekt and Old Nevsky, see the impressive pastel façade of the Stroganov Palace, the imposing columns of Kazan Cathedral, and the colourful Church of Our Savior of Spilled Blood. Explore Palace Square, home to the Baroque Winter Palace, and a monument to Peter the Great. You’ll also have a chance to take in the stark architectural contrasts of Vasilievsky Island, and see the renowned Peter and Paul Fortress, dating back to the early 18th century. Your tour saves one of the best sights for last. Saint Isaac’s Cathedral will dazzle you from its shining gold dome to its lavish interiors recalling an era of unparalleled opulence and splendour.
Of course, one can’t visit Saint Petersburg without visiting the Hermitage museum. Once the private art collection of Peter the Great, the Hermitage now stands alongside the Louvre as one of the world’s greatest art collections. Spend a half day here enjoying works from the Stone Age, through the Renaissance and Impressionist periods, all the way up to 20th century works.
Board your train bound for Moscow, where you’ll spend two days sightseeing in one of the world’s great capitals. A city tour gets things off to a good start, taking you to famed Red Square, surrounded as it is by the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Then visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Novodevichiy Convent, Poklonnaya and Vorobievy Mountains, the Boulevard Ring, and more. Of particular note is the Novodevichiy Monastery, highlighted by the opulent Smolensk Cathedral, which towers 72 metres over the rest of the monastery. Its attached cemetery is the last resting place of Chekhov, Gogol, Khrushchev, and Yeltsin, among others.
Transfer to the airport the following day for departure, or stay on to uncover more of Moscow’s mysteries.
Transfer from Airport to St Petersburg Hotel
Kempinski Hotel Moika 22
The Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 is located in a quiet historical area, in the very heart of St Petersburg, on the Moika River, opposite the renowned Hermitage Museum and Palace Square. The Hotel is just a two minutes' walk from the Nevsky Prospect and close to all major sights and shopping.
The hotel features two interior glass-covered courtyards and a wellness centre is planned on the second roof terrace. The hotel has 197 comfortable rooms including 23 suites.
The Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 is located in a quiet historical area, in the very heart of St Petersburg, on the Moika River, opposite the renowned Hermitage Museum and Palace Square. The Hotel is just a two minutes' walk from the Nevsky Prospect and close …
Gym/Fitness Centre
St Petersburg City Tour including Peter and Paul Fortress and St. Isaac's Cathedral
Today you will enjoy a half-day guided tour of St. Petersburg's most important sights. Start by exploring Nevsky Prospekt, the main street in the historical center of the city, planned by French architect Alexandre LeBlond. Nevsky gradually gets wider as you travel along it, and encompasses some of St. Petersburg's most impressive buildings, including Stroganov Palace, Kazan Cathedral, the famous Dom Knigi bookstore, and Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. Continue to the Palace Square, the most grandiose square in St. Petersburg, where the State Hermitage is located. This is linked to the Senate Square, with a bronze horseman monument to Peter the Great. Next, proceed to Vasilievsky Island, just across the river from the Winter Palace, connected to the mainland by the Palace Bridge and Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge. Visit the Peter and Paul Fortress as well as the Summer Garden. Finally, explore St Isaac's Cathedral, one of the city's most prominent landmarks and the fourth-largest domed cathedral in the world (after St Peter's, St Paul's and Florence's Duomo). It was designed by 19th-century architect Auguste Ricard de Montferrand in an orthodox style, with Renaissance and Baroque influences. The cathedral is cross-shaped and can accommodate about 14,000 people.
Half Day Tour of the Hermitage
The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings located in the heart of St Petersburg. With the possible exception of the Louvre, there is no museum in the world that rivals the Hermitage in size and quality. Its collection is so large that it would take years to view it in its entirety; at last count, there were nearly three million works on exhibit! The museum is especially strong in Italian Renaissance and French Impressionist paintings and possesses outstanding collections by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse. The origins of the Hermitage can be traced back to the private art collection of Peter the Great. Catherine the Great and her successors expanded the collection along with private purchases of the Western European aristocracy and monarchy. By the time Nicholas II ascended the throne in 1894, he was heir to the greatest collection of art in Europe. The Hermitage today presents collections of world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century. As it is so enormous many visitors prefer to make several brief visits rather than one frenetic marathon tour. Collection highlights include the treasure gallery, Western European art, the Palace of Peter I, The Menshikov palace, General Staff Building, The museum of porcelain, Prehistoric art Antiquity, The Arsenal, Oriental art, Russian culture, Numismatics, The Hermitage's permanent exhibitions in the Konstantinovsky palace.
St Petersburg Hotel to St Petersburg Moskovsky Railway Station
St. Petersburg to Moscow by Sapsan High Speed Train
Moscow Leningradsky Railway Station to Moscow Hotel without guide
In the shape of a regular triangle the building occupies an entire block between Admiralty Blvd. and Voznesensky prospect.Four Seasons Hotel Moscow offers luxury hotel accommodations with iconic views of the Kremlin and Red Square boasting 180 luxury hotel rooms including 41 suites as well as signature restaurants and a chic destination spa.
ROOM and ONLY
Moscow Metro Tour
Moscow metro history began in thirties and it's various stations represent completely different styles and periods. Each station has it's own character. Carrying in excess of eight million people every day, more than New York and London put together, this system is one of the marvels of inner city transport.
Moscow Hotel to Moscow Domodedovo Airport without guide
Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sun
5 night's accommodation
Guided touring as per itinerary
Inter-country train travel (2nd class) as per itinerary
Arrival & departure airport transfers
Beverages unless otherwise stated
Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request - please enquire.
DP STPTPK6DMOSRU2
Excursion Suggestions
As there is so much to see and do in many of our City Breaks/Stopover Ideas, you should consider staying longer. Below is a list of suggestions that can be added to your stay.
Moscow: Bunker & Underground Half Day Tour
Ride the Moscow Metro to see incredible examples of Soviet architecture and artwork. The Moscow Metro is one of the most gorgeous subway systems in the world and this ha…
Moscow: Cosmonautics Museum Half Day Tour
The soaring 100m titanium obelisk outside the All-Russia Exhibition Centre is a monument 'To the Conquerors of Space', built in 1964 to commemorate the launch of Sputnik…
The Museum of the Great Patriotic War (WW2) is the centre piece of Park Pobedy. The museum contains two impressive memorial rooms: the Hall of Glory honours to the many …
Moscow: Metro Half Day Tour
Moscow metro history began in thirties and it's various stations represent completely different styles and periods. Each station has it's own character. Carrying in exce…
Moscow: St. Basil's Cathedral Half Day Tour
Take a guided tour to Red Square to visit one of Russia’s icons, St. Basil’s Cathedral. Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, this cathedral is a master…
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“Let’s not go back to the world before”
Coronavirus has shocked the whole world, forcing it to face a sudden pandemic.
Since March 2020, around 3 billion people worldwide have been locked in their homes due to the lockdown: people temporarily give up their freedom because of public and global health risks. It is a great sacrifice, but a great act of responsibility. Yet, as Prof. Muhammad Yunus says, Coronavirus represents an unprecedented opportunity for a new sustainable restart of the whole world.
The capitalist economy can be corrected in its distortions by putting the business model of Social Business into practice.
We can and must all participate responsibly in building new solutions and, according to Prof. Yunus, nobody should feel excluded from this global resurgence.
It affects us all: citizens, governments, international organizations, businesses, credit institutions, religious organizations, media outlets.
Starting today, we have the opportunity to redesign reality to make it fairer and more sustainable.
Let us remember that the economy is an instrument created by people and that it can be reconfigured to achieve the greatest possible collective happiness. The pandemic has changed the concept of society and the development of the planet, opening up courageous opportunities and offering us incredible possibilities for a new beginning.
This is why the Fondazione Grameen Italia, through the words of its founder, Prof. Yunus, proposes to face the future with a new Manifesto.
We help to make room for new initiatives, to achieve social and environmental awareness as the fulcrum of a new sustainable vision.
Work all together to seize the opportunity presented to us to create a conscious economy for the individual country and the whole world on a social, economic, and environmental level.
Encourage the social enterprise, created to solve people’s problems, not through the creation of a profit for investors, if not for the recovery of the initial investment. Once the original investment is returned, all subsequent profits will be reinvested in the company.
Encourage socio-economic recovery, prioritizing and making room for social enterprises to engage in growing and far-reaching responsibilities.
Help the creation of Social Business Venture Capital Funds: central and local funds capable of stimulating the private sector, through foundations, financial institutions, and economic subjects.
Help finance social businesses for growth with other businesses, by teaming up with those in difficulty to turn them into social businesses too.
Look at the economy no longer as a science aimed at maximizing profits, but as a recovery system based on social and environmental awareness.
Support entrepreneurs and investors in the social enterprise and in their recognition: these are those who do good with enthusiasm, regardless of the context of reference.
Use social business and the microcredit multiplier effect to amplify the social and economic impact.
Believe in the New Recovery Program (NRP) encouragement program aimed at people who want to demonstrate their talents by creating social enterprises: a small initiative multiplied by a large number turns into significant action. Social enterprises will be able to work towards strengthening a solid system capable of responding to social needs.
Nobody has to hide, but they must commit themselves to an important economic recovery driven by economic, social, and environmental awareness. For this change, the time to act is now… right now!
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Bach Classical piano music amplified™
James Rhodes plays the Gigue from the Bach French Suite No. 5 in G.
The six Bach French Suites, collections of short pieces, written by Bach for his second wife during their early marriage, are an enchanting choice for the student of adult piano lessons and amateur pianists.
An Accessible Path to Bach
The Bach French Suites, groupings of short pieces originally most likely written for the harpsichord, now played on the piano, provide many of the benefits of studying more complicated music by Bach. “What the average amateur of the present day lacks in theoretical musical education is supplied for him by these works of Bach,” waxes Albert Schweitzer, the great humanitarian and musicologist in his biography originally published in 1911, the two-volume J. S. Bach (Dover, 1966). From the suites, Schweitzer explains, the amateur “unconsciously imbibes certain principles of thematic formation, of part writing, of modulation and of construction, and from which he acquires a certain unconscious critical faculty, that protects him against inferior art.”
Interestingly, Bach never published the French Suites, perhaps, Schweitzer speculates, “because they did not strike him as sufficiently difficult and ingenious.” Bach only dedicated the time and expense of engraved issues for those works that would enhance his reputation with professional musicians and connoisseurs. Luckily for those of us studying the piano today, the French Suites survived, offering an accessible path to Bach.
The Musical Character of the Bach French Suites
The pieces in the Bach French Suites are “focused stylizations of the traditional dances,” says Christoph Wolff in his Pulitzer Prize finalist, Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician (W. W. Norton, 2000), stylizations inspired by French and Italian dance forms such as the courante, sarabande, and gavotte. Most likely, Bach did not intend for the music to be danced to, especially since at the time of his composing, some of the dance forms which inspired him were obsolete.
In this excellent summary from Johann Sebastian Bach: The Culmination of an Era (Oxford University Press, 1966), Karl Geiringer deftly summarizes the character of this “strongly cohesive set”:
The first three suites have a more serious character and they are written in the minor mode; they are followed three serene and even joyful pieces in major keys. Numbers 1 through 4 are in six movements, Number 5 has seven, and Number 6 has eight movements. It appears that the sequence of the suites may even correspond to the chronological order [in which Bach composed them]… Numbers 5 and 6 are the latecomers in this collection. They bring the set to a climactic conclusion, for they belong to Bach’s finest clavier music… Especially the bright and spirited finale of Number 5 [performed above by James Rhodes] presents one of the most attractive Gigues Bach has written.
The Diversity within the French Suites
A Gigue is not a Gigue: although movements across the six Bach French Suites are spiritually linked, they can differ quite dramatically in terms of their feeling and texture. By way of demonstration, here is the Courante from Suite No. 2 played by Angela Hewitt juxtaposed next to the Courante from Suite No. 6 performed by András Schiff…
Angela Hewitt: Courante from No. 2
András Schiff: Courante from No. 6
…and the Sarabande from Suite No. 5 performed by Mitsuko Uchida compared to the Sarabande from Suite No. 3 played by Emre Elivar:
Mitsuko Uchida: Sarabande from No. 5
Emre Elivar: Sarabande from No. 3
To Pedal or Not to Pedal, That Is the Question
Studying the Baroque-era Bach French Suites on our modern day piano raises the question of whether and how much the pianist ought to pedal. Opinions on this question starkly diverge. “The French Suites were written for a harpsichord, and ideally they should be played on a harpsichord,” says Shirley Gruenhut, an accomplished pianist who videorecorded two of the Fifth Suite’s movements for GRAND PIANO PASSION™. “If you play this music on the piano, I believe the use of the pedal is repugnant. Absolutely,” declares Gruenhut. “The damper pedal will slur the notes and mar the inherent skill of the keyboard artist to produce a lyrical line. Bach should not be played with pedal on a piano, not ever.”
In contrast, Mark Pakman, adjunct professor at the John J. Cali School of Music, advocates use of the pedal. “I strongly believe that pedal should be used in Bach’s music for connections and color, to imitate organ, harpsichord, or chorus, depending on the piece, the harpsichord in the case of the Bach French Suites. However, the pedal should be used with discretion and understanding as to what is appropriate for that style,” Professor Pakman concludes. Ultimately, the adult piano student, in conference with his or her piano teacher, needs to make a personal decision.
The Bittersweet History of the Bach French Suites
The history of the Bach French Suites are intertwined with a bittersweet period in Bach’s married life. In May of 1720, Bach embarked on a trip with the court of Prince Leopold for the natural spring at Carlsbad. Bach must have felt uneasy being away for two months from his four children and Maria Barbara, his wife with whom he had, according to one son, a blissful marriage. When Bach returned home, writes Paul Elie in Reinventing Bach (Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux, 2012), he found Maria Barbara “dead and buried, although he had left her hale and hearty on his departure. The news that she had been ill and died reached him only when he entered his own house.”
Perhaps, Paul Elie reports, Maria Barbara died in childbirth, but in either case Bach now was a single father of four, mourning. But “for all the sickness and death in his family, Bach was lucky in love,” writes Elie. He fell in love again, this time with Anna Magdalena Wülcken, a soprano.
Not long after they were married, “Anna Magdalena started an album, in which Johann Sebastian entered compositions for her to play in order to improve and cultivate her keyboard skills or that he would play to entertain her,” explains Wolff. The music included “five short yet highly refined harpsichord suites,” early versions of what would become the six French Suites. While this music was most likely performed at court, Wolff explains, it also hints at “the couple’s intimate and serious musical companionship.”
Today classical musicians often shortcut this story, saying that Bach gave Anna Magdalena the album as a wedding gift—”beats a Harrod’s china set,” jokes the concert pianist James Rhodes. The fact that Bach composed the music as a personal gift to a beloved only increases its allure for practicing pianists.
look inside J.S. Bach: French Suites BWV 812-817
(Franzosische Suiten). By Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Edited by Rudolf Steglich. For Piano. Henle Music Folios. Edition without fingering. SMP Level 9 (Advanced). Book only. 72 pages. G. Henle #HN1071. Published by G. Henle (HL.51481071)…more info
The Revelation of Rosalyn Tureck Playing Bach
Paul Elie Reads from Reinventing Bach
Simone Dinnerstein Plays the Bach Prelude in B Minor
Simone Dinnerstein Plays in Her Home Studio
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Do I Hear a Rhapsody? Yes, with Help
A Call for Theater Managers to Supply Assistive Listening Devices That Work
Gail Garfinkel Weiss, Guest Writer / August 6, 2018
Times Square, New York City. Photo by Kevin Poh via Flickr Creative Commons.
As a music lover with hearing loss, I’m glad to have access to assistive listening devices—amplifiers that bring sound directly to the ears. But these accessories don’t always offer the help that the name implies. Indeed, in some playhouses they work their magic; in others they are as helpful as an uncharged cell phone.
I’ve had a hearing loss since I was six years old and have been using hearing aids since age 12. My love of music dates back to my pre-hearing-loss days. My grandmother and father were talented pianists, and family get-togethers included songfests during which we gathered around the piano and sang tunes by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gilbert and Sullivan, and other musical theater stalwarts. Despite my hearing loss, I followed the family tradition of taking piano lessons. I practiced enough to perform well in recitals and play for personal pleasure.
In addition to making music, one of my favorite pastimes is listening to music—on the radio, via CDs, and in concert halls. Over the years, however, my hearing situation has morphed from a moderate loss to a severe loss, compromising my ability to revel in instrumental magic. My hearing aids serve me well during face-to-face conversations, but music via hearing aids has always been problematic. Low-pitched music, such as horn concertos, still comes in loud and clear. But flutes, violins, and other high-pitched instruments can sound nails-on-a-blackboard screechy, which is as frustrating as it is unpleasant. And live orchestra music, rather than sounding rich and luxurious, with simultaneous resonances and textures, can sound distorted—like a conglomeration of kazoo players. Because I am familiar with many symphonies, concertos, and show tunes (as music lovers know, first-rate pieces only get better with repetition), I “play” the melodies in my head when I’m not hearing compositions clearly, and even mouth the words to songs (as a favor to other audience members, I don’t sing out loud). But not being able to bask in each note is frustrating and stress-inducing.
The author, third from the right, at a theater with friends.
Although my audiologist has made several hearing aid adjustments aimed at enhancing music enjoyment, my preference is to remove the aids and to listen to recorded music through earbuds or headphones. Live music, on the other hand, usually sounds best via the infrared assistive listening systems (ALSs) that theaters are required to provide. The quality of ALSs, however, varies dramatically from locale to locale. For instance, the Sound Associates devices at the Music Box Theater, where I recently saw Dear Evan Hansen, and at the Imperial Theater, where the revival of Carousel is attracting enthusiastic crowds, enabled me to savor the music and hear most of the dialogue. The New-York Historical Society, too, although not a musical venue, has Listen Technology earphones that allow me to hear almost every word of American-history-related talks.
I will continue to advocate for assistive listening systems that bring music to my—and others’—ears.
And then there are those ALSs that can only be described as duds. Among the problems: insufficient volume, static, and distortion. Buoyed by the effectiveness of the top-flight ALSs, and inspired by what I have learned about advocacy as an involved member of the Hearing Loss Association of America, I decided to campaign for a functioning assistive listening system at the Tilles Center, a concert hall on Long Island that features music, dance, and theater productions. The Center had gone from having a barely functional ALS to none at all. After many back and forth email exchanges with the Tilles production manager—who seemed eager to install a serviceable ALS, in part because many Tilles customers are 60-plus and thus more likely to have hearing difficulties—the Listen Technology ALS (made by the same company that provided the Historical Society system) debuted in the fall of 2017. The earphones, which were a notable improvement on the previous devices, provided plenty of volume, but lacked the sharp clarity provided by the Music Box Theater, Imperial Theater, and Historical Society devices. Not quite the culmination I was hoping for, but progress.
On the plus side, captioning—on theater screens, handheld devices, and the GalaPro app—is a major boon, especially for shows that feature hip hop (e.g., Hamilton) and hard rock (e.g., Grease) music that, for me and others with less than optimal hearing, is hard to decipher without word-by-word assistance. And I remain in touch with the Tilles Center’s production manager, who is receptive to my feedback and has said that he will continue to update and improve the system. Meanwhile, I will continue to advocate for assistive listening systems that bring music to my—and others’—ears.
Guest Writer Gail Garfinkel Weiss is a former writer for Medical Economics, a nonclinical magazine for primary care physicians. “Doctors vs. Domestic Violence: Yes, You Can Make a Difference,” which she wrote in 2001, won the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors’ silver medal for best how-to article. She now works as a homefinder for the Nassau County Department of Social Services. Her hearing loss dates back to her early elementary school years. Currently, she is a board member of the Hearing Loss Association of America’s New York City chapter and co-editor of the chapter’s newsletter.
Hearing Aids at My Piano Recital
How My New Hearing Aids Affected My Adult Piano Lessons
How My Hearing Aids Helped Me Rediscover Eyes
High-Frequency Hearing Loss Bugaboo
You Don’t Look Like You Have a Hearing Loss
My Secret to Finding a Good Hearing Doctor
Biking Uphill in Third Gear
Sound, Vibration, and the Piano
Piano Gone Missing
My Unique Sense of Sound
Hearing Loops for Musical Performances
How to Find the Right Audiologist: Service, Service, Service
Dr. Chasin’s Checklist for Optimizing Your Hearing Aids for Music
Dr. Bauman’s Brief on Personalizing Your Music Setting
I Reveal My Hearing Loss…at a Piano Recital
Finding a Community of Musicians with Hearing Loss
Memory, Music, and the Cochlear Implant
Why I’m Going to the HLAA Convention
Stories from Musicians with Hearing Loss
How to Appreciate Music with a Hearing Loss
Films Exploring Music, Hearing Loss, and Disabilities
Music’s Architecture after Sudden Hearing Loss
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Sept. 12, 2020, 3:16 p.m. Szopa666 1 - 0 HellLighT 3
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:16 p.m. Amiloo 0 - 1 Stinger 3
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:16 p.m. FireToSky 0 - 1 LuckyF 0
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:16 p.m. Dawidu91 0 - 1 bejbus1 1
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:17 p.m. hexeract6 1 - 0 twaryna 3
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:17 p.m. Tyranuxus 0 - 1 Drakonin 3
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:18 p.m. Stinger 0 - 1 Szopa666 1
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:19 p.m. LuckyF 1 - 0 HellLighT 3
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:19 p.m. Yarki 1 - 0 Amiloo 1
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:19 p.m. bejbus1 0 - 1 FireToSky 3
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:20 p.m. Drakonin 1 - 0 Dawidu91 1
Sept. 12, 2020, 3:20 p.m. Tyranuxus 1 - 0 hexeract6 1
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:41 p.m. Szopa666 1 - 0 LuckyF 1
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:42 p.m. Stinger 1 - 0 Yarki 1
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:41 p.m. HellLighT 0 - 1 bejbus1 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:42 p.m. Amiloo 0 - 1 twaryna 1
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:42 p.m. FireToSky 1 - 0 Drakonin 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:43 p.m. Dawidu91 1 - 0 hexeract6 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:34 p.m. Yarki 0 - 1 Szopa666 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:20 p.m. bejbus1 0 - 1 LuckyF 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:28 p.m. twaryna 1 - 0 Stinger 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:05 p.m. Drakonin 1 - 0 HellLighT 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:11 p.m. Tyranuxus 1 - 0 Amiloo 1
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:59 p.m. hexeract6 1 - 0 FireToSky 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:25 p.m. Szopa666 1 - 0 bejbus1 1
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:28 p.m. Yarki 0 - 1 twaryna 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:06 p.m. LuckyF 1 - 0 Drakonin 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:11 p.m. Stinger 0 - 1 Tyranuxus 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 9:59 p.m. HellLighT 0 - 1 hexeract6 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:15 p.m. Amiloo 0 - 1 Dawidu91 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:28 p.m. twaryna 0 - 1 Szopa666 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:07 p.m. Drakonin 0 - 1 bejbus1 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:11 p.m. Tyranuxus 1 - 0 Yarki 3
Oct. 4, 2020, 10 p.m. hexeract6 0 - 1 LuckyF 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:15 p.m. Dawidu91 1 - 0 Stinger 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:33 p.m. FireToSky 0 - 1 Amiloo 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:07 p.m. Szopa666 1 - 0 Drakonin 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:11 p.m. twaryna 1 - 0 Tyranuxus 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:02 p.m. bejbus1 0 - 1 hexeract6 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:16 p.m. Yarki 0 - 1 Dawidu91 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:35 p.m. Stinger 0 - 1 FireToSky 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:39 p.m. HellLighT 1 - 0 Amiloo 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:12 p.m. Tyranuxus 0 - 1 Szopa666 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:02 p.m. hexeract6 0 - 1 Drakonin 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:16 p.m. Dawidu91 0 - 1 twaryna 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:35 p.m. FireToSky 1 - 0 Yarki 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:20 p.m. Amiloo 1 - 0 LuckyF 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:41 p.m. HellLighT 0 - 1 Stinger 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:03 p.m. Szopa666 1 - 0 hexeract6 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:12 p.m. Tyranuxus 0 - 1 Dawidu91 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:29 p.m. twaryna 0 - 1 FireToSky 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:25 p.m. bejbus1 0 - 1 Amiloo 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:41 p.m. Yarki 1 - 0 HellLighT 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:21 p.m. LuckyF 1 - 0 Stinger 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:16 p.m. Dawidu91 0 - 1 Szopa666 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:32 p.m. FireToSky 0 - 1 Tyranuxus 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:08 p.m. Amiloo 0 - 1 Drakonin 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:29 p.m. HellLighT 1 - 0 twaryna 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:26 p.m. Stinger 1 - 0 bejbus1 0
Oct. 4, 2020, 10:21 p.m. LuckyF 1 - 0 Yarki 0
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:54 p.m. Venefiz 1 - 0 wojtek121 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:55 p.m. Venefiz 1 - 0 PiesKadziela 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:55 p.m. Venefiz 1 - 0 Kacper 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:55 p.m. wojtek121 0 - 1 PiesKadziela 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:55 p.m. wojtek121 0 - 1 Kacper 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:56 p.m. Zwei 0 - 1 Gumis 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:56 p.m. Zwei 0 - 1 Redwhait 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:56 p.m. Zwei 0 - 1 Opa 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:56 p.m. Gumis 0 - 1 Redwhait 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:57 p.m. Gumis 1 - 0 Opa 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:57 p.m. Redwhait 1 - 0 Opa 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:58 p.m. grzechen88 0 - 1 LordDavy 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:58 p.m. grzechen88 1 - 0 Alkinuxus 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:58 p.m. grzechen88 1 - 0 PMP 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:59 p.m. LordDavy 1 - 0 Alkinuxus 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:59 p.m. LordDavy 1 - 0 PMP 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:59 p.m. Alkinuxus 1 - 0 PMP 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:59 p.m. Drizzt 0 - 1 rybas 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9 p.m. Drizzt 0 - 1 Rotede 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9 p.m. Drizzt 0 - 1 Aproh 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9 p.m. rybas 0 - 1 Rotede 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:01 p.m. rybas 0 - 1 Aproh 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:01 p.m. Rotede 0 - 1 Aproh 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:01 p.m. Team0n 1 - 0 mirek_swirek 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:01 p.m. Team0n 1 - 0 smok_ 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:01 p.m. Team0n 1 - 0 chickychicks 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:01 p.m. mirek_swirek 0 - 1 smok_ 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:02 p.m. mirek_swirek 0 - 1 chickychicks 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:02 p.m. smok_ 1 - 0 chickychicks 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:03 p.m. Spartakus 0 - 1 W4rchi 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:03 p.m. Spartakus 0 - 1 Haze_Tech 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:03 p.m. Spartakus 0 - 1 Aleister 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:03 p.m. W4rchi 1 - 0 Haze_Tech 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:03 p.m. W4rchi 0 - 1 Aleister 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:05 p.m. Haze_Tech 0 - 1 Aleister 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:05 p.m. Machberet 0 - 1 H3Beker 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:06 p.m. Machberet 1 - 0 DaculCB 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:06 p.m. Machberet 0 - 1 GromHellscream 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:06 p.m. H3Beker 1 - 0 DaculCB 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:06 p.m. H3Beker 1 - 0 GromHellscream 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:06 p.m. DaculCB 0 - 1 GromHellscream 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:07 p.m. Majestatyczny 1 - 0 Crackbrained 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:07 p.m. Majestatyczny 1 - 0 Mont 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:07 p.m. Majestatyczny 1 - 0 sav1tar 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:07 p.m. Crackbrained 1 - 0 Mont 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:07 p.m. Crackbrained 1 - 0 sav1tar 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:08 p.m. Mont 1 - 0 sav1tar 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:09 p.m. korczi 0 - 1 Derek 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:10 p.m. korczi 0 - 1 Maretti 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:10 p.m. korczi 1 - 0 zuro007 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:10 p.m. Derek 1 - 0 Maretti 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:10 p.m. Derek 1 - 0 zuro007 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:10 p.m. Maretti 1 - 0 zuro007 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:15 p.m. Master_of_mind 1 - 0 cuc9ctblu 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:15 p.m. Master_of_mind 0 - 1 Xocenk 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:15 p.m. Master_of_mind 1 - 0 maklaud 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:15 p.m. cuc9ctblu 0 - 1 Xocenk 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:16 p.m. cuc9ctblu 0 - 1 maklaud 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:16 p.m. Xocenk 1 - 0 maklaud 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:17 p.m. Shyfayren 0 - 1 Lysy 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:17 p.m. Shyfayren 0 - 1 Wanil 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:17 p.m. Shyfayren 1 - 0 StygianOne 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:17 p.m. Lysy 0 - 1 Wanil 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:17 p.m. Lysy 0 - 1 StygianOne 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:17 p.m. Wanil 1 - 0 StygianOne 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Synesthesiac23 1 - 0 Abozykk 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Synesthesiac23 0 - 1 cruz3N 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Synesthesiac23 1 - 0 Arytmetyczny 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Abozykk 0 - 1 cruz3N 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Abozykk 0 - 1 Arytmetyczny 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:18 p.m. cruz3N 0 - 1 Arytmetyczny 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:19 p.m. siofo 1 - 0 Aravol 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:19 p.m. siofo 0 - 1 michail117 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:19 p.m. siofo 0 - 1 RitoSux 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:19 p.m. Aravol 0 - 1 michail117 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:20 p.m. Aravol 0 - 1 RitoSux 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:20 p.m. michail117 1 - 0 RitoSux 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:21 p.m. kesZu 0 - 1 Hektor96 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:21 p.m. kesZu 1 - 0 JanPegasus2 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:21 p.m. kesZu 1 - 0 Scooby 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:21 p.m. Hektor96 0 - 1 JanPegasus2 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:21 p.m. Hektor96 1 - 0 Scooby 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:21 p.m. JanPegasus2 1 - 0 Scooby 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:22 p.m. JohnDruitt 1 - 0 Mrkracy 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:22 p.m. JohnDruitt 0 - 1 ProtosArchon 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:22 p.m. JohnDruitt 0 - 1 kexibq2134 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:22 p.m. Mrkracy 0 - 1 ProtosArchon 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:22 p.m. Mrkracy 0 - 1 kexibq2134 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:23 p.m. ProtosArchon 0 - 1 kexibq2134 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:53 p.m. t3mz 0 - 1 Kicaj_666 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 8:54 p.m. t3mz 1 - 0 mitsurugi321 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:23 p.m. t3mz 1 - 0 kiniok 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:23 p.m. Kicaj_666 1 - 0 mitsurugi321 3
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:24 p.m. Kicaj_666 0 - 1 kiniok 1
Sept. 27, 2020, 9:24 p.m. mitsurugi321 0 - 1 kiniok 1
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:45 p.m. SDK_Ravciozo 0 - 1 Majestatyczny 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:45 p.m. SDK_Ravciozo, Chleb 0 - 1 Venefiz, Aproh 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:43 p.m. t3mz 0 - 1 kesZu 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:43 p.m. HussarrPL 0 - 1 cruz3N 1
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:43 p.m. rybas 0 - 1 Gumis 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:44 p.m. Zwei 1 - 0 Aravol 1
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:44 p.m. Spartakus 1 - 0 Shyfayren 1
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:44 p.m. ignus, Bulbet 1 - 0 Kicaj_666, n0myzS 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:42 p.m. Xeno 0 - 1 wojtek121 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:42 p.m. Dadalus 0 - 1 Jakub 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:42 p.m. Cez 0 - 1 Abozykk 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:42 p.m. Ortant 0 - 1 Hektor96 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:43 p.m. Machberet, maestro 0 - 1 Szopa666, chickychicks 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:44 p.m. Voideck 1 - 0 karkus 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:44 p.m. jacajackson 1 - 0 Findan 1
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:45 p.m. Rotede 1 - 0 Hiszpan 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:45 p.m. LordDavy 1 - 0 Spinaonic 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:45 p.m. Tsar_Konrad, Daradrax 1 - 0 korczi, Krzynsztof 3
Oct. 10, 2020, 10:44 p.m. Dogge 1 - 0 Krisis 1
Oct. 21, 2020, 8:43 a.m. Lexiav, HussarrPL 0 - 1 cruz3N, Gumis 1
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:18 p.m. KadzielPL 0 - 1 Crackbrained 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Wraku 0 - 1 RitoSux 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:18 p.m. cruz3N 1 - 0 Bartus 1
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Bajer89 1 - 0 Matek8 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:18 p.m. Gumis 1 - 0 Rotede 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:19 p.m. kesZu, cruz3N 1 - 0 Bartus, Daradrax 1
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:20 p.m. Arytmetyczny 0 - 1 Aproh 1
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:20 p.m. Hiszpan 0 - 1 Ziemian 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:20 p.m. Spinaonic 0 - 1 JohnDruitt 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:21 p.m. majoseek 0 - 1 Bandon 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:21 p.m. korczi 0 - 1 Venefiz 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:21 p.m. Krzynsztof, Arytmetyczny 0 - 1 JohnDruitt, Majestatyczny 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:17 p.m. kiniok 1 - 0 LivingAnarchy 1
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:16 p.m. Odelle 1 - 0 maestro 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:16 p.m. H3Beker 1 - 0 Cez 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:16 p.m. michail117 0 - 1 Dadalus 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:16 p.m. Kacper, JanPegasus2 0 - 1 Jelen117, Machberet 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:19 p.m. Bezimienny 0 - 1 amator 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:19 p.m. Debilizm 1 - 0 Nadziej 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:19 p.m. n0myzS 0 - 1 Chleb 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:19 p.m. Krisis 0 - 1 Oddajmake 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:20 p.m. Aravol, Debilizm 0 - 1 amator, Oddajmake 3
Oct. 20, 2020, 9:16 p.m. Derek 1 - 0 Machberet 3
Oct. 23, 2020, 7:27 p.m. chickychicks 0 - 1 Niechcic 3
Oct. 23, 2020, 7:27 p.m. wojtek121 1 - 0 Illithid 3
Oct. 23, 2020, 7:27 p.m. Abozykk 0 - 1 Klaudo98 3
Oct. 23, 2020, 7:27 p.m. Jakub 1 - 0 Spartakus 1
Oct. 23, 2020, 7:27 p.m. chickychicks, Szopa666 1 - 0 ignus, Bulbet 3
Nov. 4, 2020, 2:53 p.m. Juniorx10 0 - 1 Exhio 3
Nov. 4, 2020, 2:33 p.m. Chleb 1 - 0 Abozykk 3
Nov. 4, 2020, 2:33 p.m. SDK_Ravciozo 1 - 0 mitsurugi321 1
Nov. 4, 2020, 2:33 p.m. Nadziej 0 - 1 wojtek121 3
Nov. 4, 2020, 2:34 p.m. amator, Oddajmake 0 - 1 chickychicks, Szopa666 3
Nov. 7, 2020, 7:33 p.m. Venefiz 1 - 0 Wraku 3
Nov. 7, 2020, 7:33 p.m. Ziemian 1 - 0 KadzielPL 3
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:46 p.m. mqnabz7 0 - 1 michail117 3
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:46 p.m. rybas 0 - 1 Derek 1
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:47 p.m. materaldo 0 - 1 JanPegasus2 1
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:47 p.m. Wozny888 0 - 1 bejbus1 3
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:47 p.m. JuraBKS 1 - 0 kiniok 1
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:47 p.m. HussarrPL, Lexiav 0 - 1 Kacper, Odelle 1
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:48 p.m. ignus 1 - 0 MalyFarciarz 3
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:48 p.m. Witu 0 - 1 maestro 1
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:49 p.m. Klaudo98 0 - 1 Machberet 1
Nov. 7, 2020, 4:49 p.m. Niechcic 1 - 0 Dadalus 3
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:44 p.m. Venefiz 2 - 0 Gumis 5
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:45 p.m. LordDavy 1 - 2 rybas 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:45 p.m. smok_ 0 - 2 Aleister 5
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:45 p.m. H3Beker 2 - 1 sav1tar 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:45 p.m. Derek 2 - 1 cuc9ctblu 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:46 p.m. Shyfayren 0 - 2 cruz3N 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:46 p.m. RitoSux 2 - 0 Scooby 5
Nov. 24, 2020, 10:32 a.m. kexibq2134 2 - 0 mitsurugi321 5
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:47 p.m. wojtek121 2 - 1 Redwhait 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:47 p.m. grzechen88 2 - 1 Rotede 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:47 p.m. Team0n 0 - 2 W4rchi 1
Nov. 17, 2020, 9:14 a.m. DaculCB 0 - 2 Crackbrained 5
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:47 p.m. Maretti 0 - 2 Xocenk 5
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:48 p.m. StygianOne 1 - 2 Arytmetyczny 1
Nov. 16, 2020, 10:48 p.m. siofo 0 - 2 Hektor96 1
Nov. 24, 2020, 10:33 a.m. ProtosArchon 2 - 0 t3mz 5
Nov. 25, 2020, 12:17 a.m. H3Beker 1 - 0 Witu 3
Nov. 25, 2020, 12:18 a.m. bejbus1 1 - 0 ignus 1
Nov. 25, 2020, 12:18 a.m. michail117 1 - 0 Klaudo98 3
Nov. 25, 2020, 12:17 a.m. Odelle 1 - 0 Illithid 3
Nov. 25, 2020, 12:17 a.m. JanPegasus2 1 - 0 Bulbet 1
Nov. 25, 2020, 12:17 a.m. Derek, Mikii 1 - 0 Bulbet, ignus 3
Dec. 29, 2020, 1:44 a.m. Crackbrained 0 - 1 Ziemian 1
Dec. 29, 2020, 1:44 a.m. kexibq2134 0 - 1 Majestatyczny 1
Dec. 29, 2020, 1:45 a.m. Bartus, Daradrax 0 - 1 Aproh, Bandon 0
Dec. 29, 2020, 1:41 a.m. Derek 1 - 0 Chleb 1
Dec. 29, 2020, 1:42 a.m. Odelle, Derek 1 - 0 amator, Nadziej 3
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A Passover Meter for Measuring Freedom
From Mohammed Morsi’s election as Egypt's president, to Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio being named pope, how have world events made us feel this year? Freer, or more enslaved?
Rabbi Micah Peltz
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One of the most well-known moments of the Passover seder comes when we declare, “In every generation each person must see himself/herself as if he/she personally went out of Egypt.” As an American Jew, I find identifying with the slavery of our ancestors to be one of the most difficult parts of the seder.
Living in a free land, how can we possibly feel what it was like to be slaves in Egypt?
Rabbi Steven Lorch, the Head of the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan, answers this question each year by producing a “Freedom Survey.” Over the course the year, from Passover to Passover, Rabbi Lorch keeps a list of major events that happen in the world. At the top of this survey, he writes a single question: As you look at this list, do you feel freer or less free then you did at your seder last year?”
Here are a sampling of major events that occurred between last Passover and this one. As you read it, think about Lorch’s question. Do these events add or subtract from your feeling of freedom this year?
June 30, 2012 – Mohammed Morsi is elected President of Egypt.
July 4, 2012 - CERN announces the discovery of a new particle with properties consistent with the Higgs Boson, after experiments at the Large Hadron Collider.
July 20, 2012 - Twelve people are killed, and numerous more are injured, when a gunman opens fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.
July 27 – August 12, 2013 – The Summer Olympic Games take place in London.
September 11, 2012 – U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans are killed at the U.S. Consulate in Libya.
October 29th - Hurricane Sandy kills at least 209 people and causes major damage in the Caribbean, Bahamas, United States, and Canada.
November 6, 2012 – Barack Obama is reelected President of the United States.
November 21, 2012 – A cease-fire is declared after more than a week of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
November 29, 2012 - The UN General Assembly approves a motion granting Palestine non-member observer state status.
December 14, 2012 – A gunman opens fire in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, killing 20 children and six adults.
February 11, 2013 – Police at the Western Wall arrest 10 women for praying while wearing a tallit (prayer shawl) with Women of the Wall.
February 15, 2013 – A meteor explodes in Russia injuring 1,491 people and damaging over 4,300 buildings. It is the most power meteor to strike Earth’s atmosphere in over a century.
March 13, 2013 – After Pope Benedict XVI resigned on February 28, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is elected as the new pope, the first non-European pope in history.
In addition to these world events, we have all had experiences in our own lives since last Passover that have made us feel both freer and less free.
When we combine our experience of freedom with that of our ancestors, we get a broader perspective. We can see the arc of freedom over time – and thankfully it bends toward a freer world. That being said, there are plenty of things going on in our world that are troubling, and make us feel less free.
On Passover, we are grateful for the blessings of freedom that we do enjoy, and thank God for the gift of freedom the Israelites received all of those Passovers ago. But we also reflect the past year in order to evaluate our own sense of freedom.
So, what do you think? Do you feel freer or less free this year?
Do you feel freer or less free then you did at your seder last year?Credit: Wikipedia
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A Heartbeat and a Guitar
Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears
by Antonino D’Ambrosio
Genre: Nonfiction / Social Science / Popular Culture
A Heartbeat and a Guitar tells of the collaboration of two distinct yet connected musicians–iconoclast Johnny Cash and pioneering folk artist Peter La Farge– Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian, the album that influenced the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. In this intimate portrayal of the two musicians, D’Ambrosio interviewed surviving members of Cash’s band, his producers, and admirers Pete Seeger and Kris Kristofferson. He renders a dramatic picture of both an era of radical protest and the making of one of the most controversial and enduring works of political pop art of the 1960s.
A Heartbeat and a Guitar is the inspiration for the new album “Look Again to the Wind: Johnny Cash’s Bitter Tears revisited” featuring a collective of top Americana artists including Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Gillian Welch, and Kris Kristofferson.
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Non-profit shares mental health guide for employers
In light of mental health awareness month, we share a global resource that may help managers across 10 countries
BY Nurhuda Syed 14 May 2020
Business Group on Health, a non-profit organisation, has released “Addressing Mental Health from a Global and Local Perspective,” a comprehensive guide to help HR and leaders at global organisations develop and implement mental health programs for their employees and families.
The ‘industry-first’ resource aims to help multinational companies address mental health needs of their employees around the world.
The release coincides with May’s mental health awareness month and comes at a time when mental health needs are increasing, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ MORE: COVID-19: Why burnout is on the rise
“Addressing mental health issues locally can be one of the most difficult challenges for global organizations,” said Kathleen O’Driscoll, vice president at Business Group on Health. “It is often difficult for the corporate office to understand the nuances that take place at the local level.
“These nuances are particularly important for mental health, where misunderstandings and fears are abundant. That’s one of the reasons we developed this guide – to provide global organizations with a country framework to address issues like mental health access, quality, cost and stigma that allows for a ‘glocal’ approach, one in which there is a global strategy that is highly locally relevant.”
The comprehensive resource provides several examples of tools and ideas that multinational employers are implementing in countries around the world.
Some of these initiatives are targeted to key mental health needs such as:
Educating employees about mental health disorders
Addressing stigma through the use of testimonials and storytelling
Providing access to mental health services
Training managers on how to address mental health issues
Leveraging workplace champions and national campaigns
Though the guide can be used globally, the vast majority is dedicated to providing managers with extensive information on mental health issues and programs in 10 countries around the globe.
These include China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and the UK. For most of the 10 countries, the guide provides the following:
Details on public funding for mental health initiatives
A snapshot of the health system landscape including the number of hospital beds for mental illness patients and number of mental health care workers
Information on access, insurance coverage and treatment options
Recommendations for employers on how to implement an EAP or create a well-being culture
Names of non-governmental organizations and national campaigns on mental health
READ MORE: Are leaders doing enough for frontliners' mental health?
The resource features case studies of six multinational employers that put their well-being and mental health initiatives into action. It was developed with input from global employers including Business Group member companies, The Consumer Goods Forum, and the Global Chief Medical Officer Network.
How to keep mental health on track during remote working
COVID-19: How to safeguard mental health
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PCI Pharma Services Announces Further Expansion in San Diego to Maintain Industry-Leading Quality, Service and Flexibility
PCI secures third site for Clinical Trials storage, central logistics and distribution center
Canyon Ridge III
PCI Pharma Services (PCI), a leading biopharmaceutical outsourcing services provider, has announced the growth of its West Coast Clinical operations with expansion into its third facility in San Diego.
The San Diego site is one of PCI’s eight global Clinical locations across the US, EU and Asia Pacific regions – supporting Clinical Trials in more than 100 countries around the world.
PCI’s new two-story 38,000 sq ft state of the art facility – located less than a mile from its existing San Diego campus – will serve as PCI’s main storage, logistics and distribution center on the West Coast. Beyond controlled room temperature, the building will be equipped for Cold Chain requirements for 2-8°C, -20°C, and -80°C with expanded ultra-low freezer capabilities, as well as cryogenic liquid nitrogen storage at -196°C.
The site expansion project will be completed and validated during the fourth quarter of 2019.
PCI’s Mark Shepanski, Executive Director of Operations and Site Lead for San Diego, said: “Securing our third site in San Diego allows us to continue to provide industry-leading reliability, flexibility and quality in clinical supply management services.
“We began to investigate our requirements for the additional facility last year, anticipating our customers would eventually need additional storage space for their larger Clinical studies. As our customers experience continued success, we want to make sure we adapt and grow with them.”
This announcement is the latest reflecting PCI’s commitment to the continued development and expansion of its global clinical supply network in anticipation of future customer needs; a strategy which includes ongoing and considerable capital investment in facilities and increased capacity.
To find out more, please visit here.
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Khudadad
Khudadad, a 40-year old laborer from Taxila was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi after experiencing excruciating abdominal pain. He was diagnosed as suffering from an acute heart condition that would have to be treated immediately with open heart surgery if he was to survive. Khudadad was the sole breadwinner in his family which included his twelve children, his wife and elderly mother. He became desperate when he thought of the implications for his family but he simply could not afford the Rs. 150,000 needed to pay for the surgery and he had no trust in the state sponsored social protection program. He was already heavily indebted to friends and neighbors from whom he had borrowed money to carry out the diagnostic angiography.
The doctors in the cardiac unit, realizing the urgency of the situation contacted HHF who dispatched a representative immediately to carry out an assessment of the case. Within two days, the money was made available for the surgery. The operation was successful.
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Robinson Helicopter Company is the world’s leading manufacturer of civil helicopters.
Founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, the company has approximately 1,200 employees and currently produces more helicopters annually than all of the other North American manufactures combined. The factory is based at Torrance near Los Angeles, USA.
In addition, Robinson has a factory overhaul program for older aircraft and conducts monthly and safety educational courses for helicopter flight instructors and maintenance technicians. The organisation has a global network of more than 110 factory-authorised dealers and 290 service centers in 50 countries, including China and Russia.
Robinson is an engineering company that places great emphasis on research and development. In recent years, efforts have concentrated on refining the R22 and the R44 designs to enhance their performance and further reduce the maintenance requirements for both aircraft. Some of the most recent product developments include hydraulic power controls and specialized configurations of the four seat R44. The R44 Clipper can have either fixed or pop-out utility floats for over water operations; the R44 Police Helicopter is fully equipped for airborne law enforcement; and the R44 Newscopter is the first aerial platform specifically designed for high-quality live television broadcasting.
Robinson’s modern factory was designed and built for helicopter manufacturing. The facility is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art machinery, including extensive use of CNC (computer numerically controlled) machining centers. Robinson was among the first North American aerospace firms to be awarded ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design, manufacture and service. To maintain the highest quality standards, the company performs most operations, including welding, machining, assembly, painting and flight testing, on site at its Torrance Airport plant. Robinson broke ground on a new building in 2003 to expand its manufacturing space and employment by approximately eighty percent.
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Senior Thesis Guidelines
Anthropology is a holistic study of humankind that encompasses archaeology, socio-cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and biological anthropology. It is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on the sciences, humanities, and social studies. Students have opportunities to conduct fieldwork in any of the subfields. For majors, this can comprise a senior thesis. Grinnell’s anthropology major prepares students for graduate school as well as careers domestically and internationally in such fields as museology, regional planning, journalism, business, social services, and more.
Statement by the Faculty of the Department of Anthropology
In Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement
The Faculty of the Department of Anthropology at Grinnell College share in the outrage over the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and so many other Black and Brown people. We vehemently affirm that Black Lives Matter and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
We affirm that, in spite of the fact that race and racial hierarchies are a biological myth, as a social construct race categories have held – and continue to hold – enormous power in our society. White supremacist and other racist views are deeply embedded in our society and the institutions we have created, including but not limited to our criminal justice system. Our institutions have functioned to systematically disadvantage and oppress those identified as Black, Brown and Indigenous, decreasing access to education, health, and wealth while simultaneously increasing surveillance, arrests, incarceration and state sanctioned physical and structural violence.
We recognize that it is not enough to affirm that Black Lives Matter. We bear responsibility as individuals, as an institution, and as a discipline. We accept that our everyday choices and interactions, the policies and practices of Grinnell College, and the discipline of anthropology have been and continue to be implicated in systematic racism.
We call on our leaders in institutions across the country to implement anti-racist policies and dismantle these systems of oppression. We commit to working with the college administration, faculty, staff, and students to further this process at Grinnell.
We further commit to work harder to support and promote anti-racism and dismantle white supremacy in our own department through a close examination of our own syllabi and curriculum. This includes:
· Decolonizing our syllabi and providing greater representation of Black, Brown and Indigenous scholars.
· Ensuring that our curriculum teaches students to recognize and understand underlying aspects of systematic racism, as well as preparing them to engage in individual and collective action to help create a more just society. This includes teaching on:
The lack of a scientific basis for race.
How race evolved as a social construction.
Multiple ways in which power, hierarchy, and identity shape social interactions and its implications for human lives.
An appreciation for cultural diversity.
How social change comes about and how anthropology can contribute to exposing inequality and injustice and bringing about change.
Grinnell Offers Summer Classes for the First Time Since 1947
The spirit of community and desire to care for students prompted the quick development of summer classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Growin' Green Since 2018
Across the street from campus at the corner of Park Street and 6th Avenue in Grinnell, Iowa, sits a 30–by-80-foot plot that’s been tilled and cared for. In the milder months, you’ll see it filled with crops like peppers and radishes, and you’ll see Grinnellians working there.
Gates Lecturer: Michael Puett, Harvard University
Gates Lecturer: Michael Puett, Harvard University Michael Puett will present two lectures (1) "Ritual, Sincerity, and Human Flourishing: What Chinese Philosophers can Teach Us About the Good Life" in JRC 101, at 7:30 p.m. on Wed, Jan. 29, 2020. (2) “Creating Worlds: Imagination and Interpretation in Classical China” in JRC 101, at 11:00 am – 12:00 p.m on Thu, Jan. 30, 2020.
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Anthropology Career Outcomes
First Destinations
53% Employment
21% Graduate School
14% Post-Graduate Service
4% Fellowships
2% Continuing Education
Positions related to Career Goals
Click to view positions related to career goals info
This graph illustrates the extent to which our graduates' first job is aligned with their career goals. It's one thing to find a job; it's an entirely different thing to land the job you want!
Hennepin County Library Special Collections
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment
We Are Impact
100% Accepted to 1st- or 2nd- choice programs
Click to view acceptance info
Graduate School Acceptance Info
Of those who applied to and were accepted to at least one program, this chart illustrates the percentage of admitted students who were accepted to either their first or second choice program and institution.
Explore More Graduate Outcomes
Jackson Montgomery Roper
roperjm@grinnell.edu
anthropology@grinnell.edu
Humanities and Social Studies Center
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The world changed on October 31, 1517 (five hundred years ago yesterday). That was the day Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. It was an act of defiance that ignited a theological war with the Roman Catholic Church—one that persists five hundred years later.
But those of us familiar with the historic hallmarks of the Protestant-Catholic divide won’t find them in Luther’s initial protest. His theses didn’t offer a treatise on the doctrine of justification, advocate for the authority of Scripture, or repudiate the false gospel of Rome. While those issues would later epitomize the heart of Reformation theology, Luther’s first salvo was provoked by the perverse Roman Catholic indulgence industry.
As we saw last time, Pope Leo X’s grandiose construction projects in Rome required an enormous amount of revenue. To that end, he authorized indulgences—the sale of God’s favor and forgiveness—to fill his coffers.
By the sixteenth century, Roman Catholicism had created—and inherited—the perfect climate for its lies to thrive. Church members were predominantly illiterate. The Bible and church services remained cloistered in ancient Latin. Furthermore, only the highest ranks within the church hierarchy had access to Holy Scripture. The wall that existed between the common man and God’s Word was virtually impenetrable.
The religious powerbrokers in Rome reserved exclusive rights for interpreting Scripture as they saw fit and filtering that information down to regular congregants. Medieval churchgoers had little choice but to blindly follow Roman Catholic dogma—no matter how ridiculous the rules became.
Instead of a torrent of biblical truth, the peasants of Europe were selectively drip-fed Rome’s religious propaganda. Steeped in superstition, the people sought right standing with God through baptism, venerating saints, viewing relics, praying rosaries, and consuming the Eucharist. If the mother church claimed it could sell reduced sentences in the dreaded purgatory, there wasn’t really any other alternative than to believe such outlandish claims.
Death was a constant threat during the Middle Ages. Lifespans were drastically shorter than they are today. Severe poverty, contaminated water, and filthy living conditions were all conducive to an early grave. Medicine was primitive and shrouded in mysticism. It was common for parents to bury their children, husbands to lose their wives through childbirth, and plagues to decimate entire regions. The ever-present reality of death produced a culture that was fixated on eternal matters—specifically, absolution for their sins and escaping purgatory. That concern extended to their deceased loved ones, who they believed were languishing there.
In spite of their extreme poverty, the peasants were highly motivated to dig deep when indulgences were offered. They willingly parted with what little they had to gain early release from their looming future in purgatory. Pope Leo’s afterlife extortioners had a ready-made customer base.
Medieval Indulgences
Johann Tetzel fronted Leo’s indulgence operation in Germany. His sales pitch played on the fears and superstitions of the many who would gather to listen. Without a doubt, Tetzel’s biggest business came from his emotional pleas for the souls of deceased loved ones in purgatory.
Do you not hear the voices of your dead relatives and others, crying out to you and saying, “Pity us, pity us, for we are in dire punishment and torment from which you can redeem us for a pittance”? And you will not? . . . Will you not then for a quarter of a florin receive these letters of indulgence through which you are able to lead a divine and immortal soul safely and securely into the homeland of paradise? [1] Walther Köhler, ed., Dokumente zum Ablassenstreit von 1517, 2nd rev. ed. (Tübingen, 1934), 125, 127. Cited in James M. Kittelson, Luther the Reformer, Fortress Press ed. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2003), 103.
In pure monetary terms, Tetzel’s extortion of Germany’s poor was a resounding success. But as his entourage rolled on towards Wittenberg, an eruption was brewing.
Martin Luther was indignant when he found out that parishioners from Wittenberg were being conned by Tetzel. As a matter of urgency he wrote his Ninety-Five Theses in response to the rampant extortion. He decried the “lust and license of indulgence preachers” (Thesis 72), describing them as “hawkers of indulgences [who] cajole money” (Thesis 51). Thesis 86 boldly pointed out the cruelty of it all: “Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build this one basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers?”
Luther’s repudiation of indulgences circulated widely and rapidly provoked a huge backlash against Tetzel. While the money he raised was gladly received in Rome, Tetzel was no longer welcome. Facing hostility and hatred from every direction, he was forced to retreat to the confines of a monastery, and eventually died in seclusion.
Leo seethed with rage over the giant wrench Luther had thrown in his works. And the animosity escalated into full-blown anathema as the Reformation continued to gain steam.
The sale of indulgences was no longer viable, at least in the overt form Tetzel deployed. Nonetheless they have remained an integral Roman Catholic doctrine into the present day—albeit more discretely.
Modern Indulgences
To this day, the Church of Rome still traffics in indulgences. They made a significant resurgence in 1967 when Pope Paul VI promulgated his Indulgentiarum Doctrina (Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences). While the Indulgentiarum Doctrina stated that indulgences were no longer for sale—“illicit profits”—it also affirmed Rome’s ongoing commitment to the doctrine. Paul VI went so far as to pronounce damnation on anyone who rejects belief in indulgences.
But the Church, in deploring and correcting these improper uses “teaches and establishes that the use of indulgences must be preserved because it is supremely salutary for the Christian people and authoritatively approved by the sacred councils; and it condemns with anathema those who maintain the uselessness of indulgences or deny the power of the Church to grant them.” (Chapter IV, Paragraph 8)
The document leaves no doubt that the Church of Rome still believes it has exclusive power to dish out God’s grace however and whenever it sees fit. Indulgentiarum Doctrina spells out precise formulas comprised of prayers for the Pope, hail Marys, confessions, contrition, and charitable works. And in a curious closing statement, the document reminds us just how much authority Rome believes it wields over God and His power, telling us that the new range of indulgences would take effect “three months from the date of publication.”
In 2009, the New York Times published an article announcing that indulgences are increasingly back in vogue among Catholics. It points out that while you can’t buy an indulgence anymore, “charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one.” Today the Pope even offers special indulgences for people who sign up as Twitter followers. Around the world, Catholics still hunt for ways to sidestep penance and purgatory. But for the most part, these modern indulgences are not the cash cow they once were for the church.
The sad truth is that if you’re looking for a modern equivalent to Tetzel’s indulgences, you’re far more likely to find it in Protestant circles today. As we’ll see next time, God’s grace and blessings are still for sale in a new and expanding religious marketplace.
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“Working part-time is the best solution for me”
Sometimes things take a different turn: Instead of studying and being able to devote his spare time to his start-up, Adnan Handan became a father - right in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. He quickly decided to start working as a customer advisor at Helvetia. Read in the article what Adnan says about his new job and his new circumstances.
17 November 2020, text: Senada Kadic, photo: Adnan Handan
Adnan Handan is a part-time customer advisor and enjoys the additional time he can spend with his son.
For many people, 2020 has not been a very positive year. Not so for Adnan Handan, our new customer advisor at the Zurich general agency: “So far, 2020 has been my best year. I became a father – and on my first day as a customer advisor too”. This special endearing story proved to be a great ice-breaker with his customers: “It’s really a great coincidence that our son was born on the exact day when I should have been attending the Welcome Day. Everyone’s amazed by this story”. For the new dad, who tells the story proudly, this was an emotional roller-coaster, however: “My wife was in labour for days. I barely slept and was completely out of it. And I was so worried and had a guilty conscience about my new job”. Looking back, Adnan – or Adi, as he calls himself – didn’t need to worry so much, because everything turned out well, and he has caught up with what he missed during the first week – what’s more: “I think I had a great start up to now. And best of all: I never had such a good work-life balance before. I can now easily manage my family and my job”.
Student, father and career changer
Two summers ago, his situation was quite different. Adi is a trained media technologist and was very successful in his job. “I had set up a start-up with my colleague, a web design and marketing agency, specially for SMEs”. He also decided to study business psychology at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and started the course in September 2019. Three months later, he and his partner discovered that they would become parents: “We were really delighted”, says the Zurich-based customer advisor. In the spring he and his colleague moved into their new office. But they were not able to work there for very long. The coronavirus arrived in Switzerland. “After working in the new office for two weeks, we had to shift our work to our homes. And suddenly there wasn’t much work to be done – only a very few SMEs are investing in marketing during the crisis”, says Adi.
As the baby was on the way and he intended to postpone his studies for a year to enjoy some time with his family, he wanted to find a new part-time job. “I was looking for all sorts of jobs, especially part-time ones in the Zurich region”. In addition to browsing through the latest job ads he also gave some thought to life insurance, now that his family was growing. When a Helvetia customer advisor explained the various pension options to him they also discussed Adi’s search for a suitable job. During the talk with the customer advisor, Adi wondered whether this could also be a career for him: “The Zurich agency is just a few minutes’ walk from our apartment. And it was also important to me to find a secure job in this critical time”.
“I can only recommend other fathers, students and career changers to take this step”.
Adnan Handan, part-time customer advisor
Working with a baby in a carrier? No problem.
However, he admits that he had certain preconceived ideas about customer advisors: The trained media technologist says “I thought that they do little and earn a lot”. “And that’s true”, he then says, with a laugh. Of course, that’s only a joke. But then when he read the job ad, he knew that he might enjoy working as a part-time customer advisor: “I have a great network thanks to having worked for myself before. I’m a good communicator and I like people”. And then he was offered the new position, and is still pleased about that today. As he works part-time he is able to structure his work very independently. He usually advises his customers during non-peak hours. “It can happen that I do my administrative work on my laptop in the morning with the baby in a carrier”. The new employee says that he enjoys working like this. He didn’t expect to be so enthusiastic about his new job. “I can only recommend other fathers, students and career changers to take this step”. He thinks it is a shame that very few fathers in Switzerland decide to work part-time. However, for him it is clearly the best solution. “It’s become my dream job, I’m very happy.”
Would you like to work part-time for Helvetia too?
See our jobs here
Management and part-time go together
Helvetia’s space insurance specialist
Career change into the Sales Force
Other exciting stories
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Mr. Terry Wayne Craft, Sr.
Mr. Terry Wayne Craft, Sr., age 69, of Newnan, passed away on March 31, 2018 at the Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Mr. Craft was born on February 28, 1949 in Lanett, Alabama to the late Edwin Dozier Craft and Willie Mae Lackey Craft. He proudly served his county in the United States Army and worked for many years with the Coweta County Public Works Department as a Correctional Officer. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, James Edwin Craft.
Survivors include his wife, Nelle House Craft; son, Terry Wayne Craft, Jr. and his wife Cathy; daughter, Kimberly Catherine Craft-Thifault and her husband Jeremy; sisters, Connie Smith, Doris Smith and Desiree Cook and her husband Randy; grandchildren, Terry Wayne Craft, III, Kevin Christopher Craft, Tana Thifault and Kane Thifault; extended family and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 11:00 am at the Higgins Hillcrest Chapel with Rev. Brian Hosmer officiating. Interment will follow at Luthersville Cemetery. Family will receive friends on Monday evening from 6-8 pm at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.higginsfuneralhomes.com. Higgins Hillcrest Chapel Funeral Home, 770-253-4723.
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Systems for Dealing with Conflict and Learning from Conflict—Options for Complaint-Handling: an Illustrative Case
By Brian Bloch, David Miller, and Mary Rowe
The phone rings in the Ombuds Office[1]. A Ms. Lee is telephoning the ombudsman from far away. Lee is a department head in our organization who is temporarily assigned overseas. She says that a colleague, Ms. Dula, insisted that Ms. Lee call the Ombudsman immediately. Ms. Lee says that Ms. Dula noticed her crying in the bathroom, listened for a while, and then Ms. Dula insisted that Ms. Lee must consult with someone. The Ombudsman seemed to be the least threatening option.
In the Ombuds Office we do not know what we will hear. A case introduced in such a way might be about any very delicate issue. The central concern could be cruel, closed-door humiliation by a supervisor or mentor. It could be racial or religious hatred or sexual abuse or someone with an obsession. It might be suspicion or knowledge that a powerful person has misused resources, embezzled money or committed fraud. It could be fear of violence or gross safety violations. Most delicate cases include several different issues; perceived humiliation, intimidation and conflicts of interest are often part of a complaint, and so are allegations of multiple infractions of policies and rules.
It is also possible that we will hear perceptions of fact that turn out not to accord with reality. As one of our colleagues, Howard Gadlin, says, “If an organization has an Ombuds Office that is really trusted, and whose confidentiality is actually believed in, then you get people coming forward who have ‘no case’ at all.” So we try hard to maintain professional discipline and due caution.
The caller is often afraid, very upset and feeling trapped in her or his situation. For example, the alleged offender may be powerful and charismatic, with many connections. The alleged offender might be a senior leader, a major donor or customer, or someone who controls the future of the complainant. A complainant may be afraid to let her family know about her problem if it seems to reflect on her own behavior, for example her chastity. A complainant might be a temporary worker or contractor who risks his visa and his family’s future if he loses his job.
A caller may believe that she cannot realistically make a formal complaint, because she lacks conclusive proof of the offense. Or a caller may feel humiliated even to talk about what happened, if he thinks he should have been able to deal with a problem on his own. Many callers blame themselves. Many callers can see no way out, and can feel things getting worse and worse. “I have let this go on far too long,” says one or another caller, and sometimes the ombudsman silently agrees.
Ombudsmen know that people are often puzzled that they or others have not taken action in apparently egregious circumstances. Our experience is that only a relatively small proportion of the population is comfortable with formal actions (although, importantly, some in this group are satisfied only by formal investigations and formal action.) But most people, most of the time, are quite reluctant to act on the spot, or report unacceptable behavior, if they believe this will result in formal action. This is one of the reasons why options are needed in a complaint system.
What might the ombudsman do? One would be as empathic as possible and set aside whatever time was necessary to listen and talk with Ms. Lee. At whatever moment the ombudsman begins to speak—sometimes one simply listens for a period of time—an ombudsman would often begin by explaining confidentiality, neutrality, the informal nature of the Ombuds Office—we almost never make management decisions—and the independence of the office.
Typically we make a major point about confidentiality with a caller, and we think a lot about it, ourselves. The International Ombudsman Association’s Code of Ethics[2] states: “The ombudsman, as a designated neutral, has the responsibility of maintaining strict confidentiality concerning matters that are brought to his/ her attention unless given permission to do otherwise. The only exception, at the sole discretion of the ombudsman, is where there appears to be imminent risk of serious harm.” We will always be thinking whether there may be imminent risk of serious harm to the caller, or to someone else. And we will always be thinking about the options that exist within our conflict management systems.
Whatever Ms. Lee’s concern may be, we would try to help her to consider that she does in fact have options and some hope. However insufficient to her account of fear and perhaps injury, there may be some options to help her at least a little, in dealing with her situation. Together with her, we would look for ideas, perhaps including:
1. Possibly Ms. Lee does not have to take any immediate action. She may be able to find informal support from Ms. Dula or others—perhaps from a member of her family back home; from social workers, health care, legal and religious advisers; a mentor in the organization. We would ask if she has consulted anyone else, and will try to develop ideas about other trustworthy people who could help her if she wants time to think about her options.
2. Ms. Lee and the ombudsman might discuss possibilities for her to get a little time off, if that would be helpful, or to come back home if she is away from home. If she says her situation is untenable, and also is unwilling to choose another option below, Ms. Lee and the ombudsman could discuss possibilities for a transfer, in case that is possible, perhaps to another department or another country. In some situations Ms. Lee might consider a formal complaint after she has safely left the situation. (If the complainant feels strongly about having to leave, the ombudsman may be mentally adding this issue to the list of concerns to consider in the case. That is, is it possible that the complainant is being driven out? Or that she is fleeing a situation where she herself has behaved badly? Or both?)
3. In some situations, the ombudsman may be able to help by explaining relevant policies or procedures that were unknown to Ms. Lee, or hard to understand. In our experience very few managers and employees actually know the rules and policies of their organization. In addition, many do not understand the local cultures and cross-cultural “common laws” that obtain in most organizations. Thus a discussion of norms and expectations and rules may be helpful—in affirming her feelings, or helping her understand why some kinds of supervisory behavior are in fact considered acceptable—or both. (Please see also the accompanying article by David Miller on the importance of codes of conduct.)
4. In some situations, the ombudsman—with permission—may be able to help by making a quick phone call to a relevant compliance office. (See, as examples, Audit, Ethics, HR, EEO, General Counsel, Waste Hazards and other compliance offices on the Chart attached.) It may be possible to alert the relevant compliance office to the facts of the concern, without any mention of Ms. Lee.
5. Ms. Lee might be able to write the facts of a situation or call a Hot Line, without betraying who she is. Anonymous complaints can sometimes bring attention to safety problems, financial misbehavior, and other issues, and the ombudsman or Hot Line will know which person in the organization might do some fact-finding and take action, and where Ms. Lee might direct a factual letter. Some organizations say that they do not act on anonymous complaints. However, in our experience most organizations do take note of truly serious, anonymous communications, at least with respect to issues where investigation is compulsory.
6. We might help Ms. Lee to think about drafting a formal letter to the person she sees as the offender. She might set forth relevant facts as she sees them, and the effects of relevant events. She might state whatever she thinks should happen next, or ask for a remedy, if there is anything for which she would wish to ask. (An example might be to ask for setting things right in the situation she describes.) Just drafting such a letter may help her to deal with grief, and to think through her possible options, and to prepare for any formal option that she may choose.
7. We might also help Ms. Lee to think about writing a letter to her supervisor, if this is not the same person as the offender, setting forth the facts as she sees them, and the help she needs, and also, any concerns about her work. Drafting such a letter might help her to prepare, if eventually she wishes to talk with her supervisor. Discussing such a draft with Ms. Lee may provide the Ombudsman with a chance gently to explore how others might view the situation. And of course, if Lee is willing to communicate with her supervisor, this may help that person and the organization; supervisors can act much more effectively if they have the information they need.
8. Ms. Lee might also consider drafting a formal complaint to appropriate senior managers or compliance officers. This process often takes a little while. As noted above, this may be useful both for collecting the facts, and for being able to cope emotionally with what has been happening. From the ombudsman’s point of view this is also a process that may help Ms. Lee see other sides of the story in cases where that would be appropriate.
9. Ms. Lee and the ombudsman might also discuss what she would wish to say to the (alleged) offender, her own supervisor or to relevant senior managers—if she were to meet with any of them. We could help Ms. Lee to consider what she might want to accomplish at any such meeting and the possible things that the other person might say or do. We might role-play the meeting, with the ombudsman playing the role of the other person. Ms. Lee might consider, at such a meeting, handing in the letter described above. If the organization permits an accompanying person, we might talk about whether she wishes to ask a workplace associate to accompany her.
10. In some cultures and with respect to certain problems, it is possible that Ms. Lee would wish to think about some form of mediation. If Ms. Lee wants to make a request, mediation may be helpful. She might choose the ombudsman as a neutral, or some other person, like a mentor, or a revered older person, or a designated mediator from a Mediation Office.
11. In some situations it might be helpful for the Ombuds Office to ask an appropriate office for an immediate training program, in the region or department where Ms. Lee is working. There might be training about relevant codes of conduct. The training might be about harassment or safety policies; about relevant laws of the country; about resources available for people who perceive unacceptable behavior; or about options for bystanders. Generic actions like these may stop inappropriate behavior. Generic actions sometimes make it easier for people to act on the spot, or come forward, and may thereby help to prevent harm in the future.
12. In some situations the ombudsman might offer to talk with the alleged offender, or with Ms. Lee’s supervisor, or with a relevant senior manager.
13. In some situations, Ms. Lee could register a formal, written complaint with the most senior organizational leader or manager in the country where she is working.
14. We could seek relevant resources that might be available in the country that Ms. Lee is in, for example, resources for women, to see if she wishes to consult with them.
15. Ms. Lee could go to relevant organizational security or outside police officers. Ms. Lee might register a formal complaint with the relevant judicial system.
16. While considering the options above, Ms. Lee might decide, to “wait and see if anything else happens.” In such a case we might suggest that she consider keeping a careful log, with dates and times, noting witnesses, if any, and any additional evidence of events that cause concern. As with option five above, a log of this kind may help someone assess what is happening, may contribute to evidence, and may help the person regain some sense of control over his or her life.
17. Occasionally a person will ask about “how to make a formal record” without using any of the formal options above. The Ombuds Office keeps no case records for the organization, but a person can mail a securely sealed letter to him or herself, or even send such a letter by registered mail, to him or herself. This might later serve as a record.
18. If Ms. Lee mentions other parties in her discussion of concerns, the ombudsman might explore with Ms. Lee what the options might appear to be for these other stakeholders—and to try to think ahead what they might choose to do under various circumstances. In relevant cases, the ombudsman might also ask whether Ms. Lee would want her own call to be disclosed, if another stakeholder were also to call—or whether Ms. Lee would prefer not to give such permission.
Usually it will appear that there are shortcomings for every possible action. It may take Ms. Lee a little time to reach a decision on how to proceed. Ms. Lee might choose more than one option, or plan to try several options sequentially if needed. Maybe none of these options will do, and we are likely to continue to search for another. Especially if Ms. Lee chooses “wait and see,” the ombudsman may follow up and follow up, many times.
Complex cases are often challenging for an ombudsman. We would constantly be trying to maintain objectivity since we often cannot be sure about any of the facts of a situation. We would try to think if we were affirming Ms. Lee’s feelings enough for her not to feel alone, or in despair, without actually being drawn so far into the situation that we have lost objectivity about the facts. Such objectivity is needed both to help her, and to consider the rights and interests of others, and to consider the interests of the organization itself. There are many questions to consider, especially if different nationalities, religious groups and cultures are involved.
The ombudsman must think about whether, if Ms. Lee’s story is true, there may be risk to any other person, and if so is there imminent risk of serious harm. We must also think, whether the story is true or not, about the rights and interests of the alleged offender. And what needs to happen, in the very rare case that the alleged offender does not exist—or has been in another country entirely, and the alleged offense cannot have taken place? It will be clear that we must listen with great care.
The ombudsman will likely consider the role of Ms. Dula—is her knowledge important in a formal sense, for example to back up Ms. Lee? Does she know more than we know she knows? Does her having heard Ms. Lee’s story constitute “notice” to the organization? Will she make trouble or be helpful, if Ms. Lee gets back to her, and ought the idea of getting back to Ms. Dula be discussed with Ms. Lee? Are there others like Ms. Dula with whom Ms. Lee has spoken? Does Ms. Lee know of others who have faced the same kinds of issues? We will try to be thinking about everyone whose interests in our organization (and perhaps outside it) might be affected, and any possible options for meeting those interests.
It is likely to be important to Ms. Lee that our organization provides options for dealing with conflict within our conflict management system. As mentioned above, there are likely to be compliance offices. And, like most organizations, our system has an internal grievance channel that is available to deal with formal complaints, so Ms. Lee has rights-based options available. Although Lee may have little trust in formal grievances against persons of high rank, the high rank of an (alleged) offender will not necessarily influence an investigatory procedure—people in high positions have been brought to justice in the past. However, if Lee believes that she lacks “enough” evidence, this may deter her from lodging a formal grievance. And even if more evidence is forthcoming, she may feel she will be faced with fallout afterwards.
Although she may have little trust, a rights-based option may in fact protect Ms. Lee, especially if it turns out that other people share Ms. Lee’s concerns. And a rights-based option may help to protect the interests of others, which may matter to Lee. And of course, on the other side of the picture, if the alleged offender is innocent, his or her name might get cleared, a fact that is important to a neutral observer.
Ms. Lee’s interest-based options may seem limited if she fears loss of privacy, loss of relationships—and retaliation. However, writing a factual letter to deliver privately to the alleged offender, may appeal to her, especially if she wishes to ask for a remedy. Being able to prove that she delivered such a letter, (for example by registered mail) of which she has kept and mailed herself a copy, may also add a little to “evidence.” Having more evidence might prove helpful to management, if Ms. Lee were later to need to bring a formal complaint.
Ms. Lee’s power-based options may seem risky to her. What if the apparent offender’s boss sides with the offender? What if the superior asks Ms. Lee for evidence and Ms. Lee tells him/her there isn’t any, beyond her own word, and the fact that she spoke with Ms. Dula? But there is also the possibility that Lee’s own supervisor, and the people that know her, may be a source of power for her. She may not have to face her situation alone—others may be able to support her.
Whatever options Ms. Lee chooses, we must also think about the systems implications of her complaint. Presumably we will follow up. Sooner or later there will be an opportunity to address the issues raised above, either through the immediate option chosen by Ms. Lee; or through a training program; via 360 performance evaluations, organizational surveys, and focus groups; or quite likely with permission from Ms. Lee after she is safely out of the situation.
It will be apparent that multi-issue, multi-cohort, cross-gender, cross-culture, multi-jurisdictional cases require great care. Imagine a few facts changing either way, or imagine the case in a different context, and a conflict may change or the options may change.
Organizations need to have a way to let the facts emerge, if only privately, while different actions are considered. This task is, realistically, daunting in modern organizations; many managers are very insulated. However, the complexity of the modern workplace has fortunately led to complaint systems that provide options—for care and fairness and justice—for complainants, for respondents, and also for managers.
Just “having a choice of options” seems to help people to come forward. Brian Bloch’s accompanying article illustrates an example of developing various options, how they may be used, and how they may help individuals and groups.
The existence of an Ombuds Office that is independent and neutral, and off the record, and which knows all the components of the conflict management system, may be able help people in distress take a responsible first step. The accompanying article by Mary Rowe develops these ideas in greater detail.
[1] http://www.ombudsassociation.org/standards/ provides the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for an organizational ombudsman. In these articles we use the term ombudsman for the practitioner and “Ombuds Office” for the office. Like our professional association, the IOA, we respect the use of various forms of these terms.
Originally published in 14 Harv. Negot. L. Rev. 239 (Winter 2009).
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Harper Government Won't Say How Much ISIS Mission, NATO Operations Will Cost
Murray Brewster, The Canadian Press CP
OTTAWA - Parliament may have approved a year-long extension to the country's combat mission in Iraq and Syria, but the Harper government is once again refusing to say how much it will cost taxpayers.
Nor will it reveal the estimated pricetag for upcoming involvement in NATO's reassurance operations in eastern Europe.
Late Tuesday, the federal Treasury Board tabled its reports on plans and priorities for the coming fiscal year, which is a rough guidebook to upcoming departmental spending.
The costs of Operation Impact and Operation Reassurance are classified, according to National Defence.
Dave Perry of the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute says he's astonished.
He says it is the first, and only, time since this form of Parliamentary reporting was created in 1996-97 that a cost estimate for an international operation was withheld because that information was deemed classified.
"I have absolutely no clue why this information is being withheld, and I'm astounded that it is," said Perry, an expert on defence spending who has written several detailed analyses of the effects of Conservative government's spending cuts on the military.
"I can't think of any reason why this information would — for the first time ever — now be considered classified and not releasable."
New Democrat defence critic Jack Harris accused the government of not only keeping the public in the dark, but watchdogs such as the parliamentary budget office, which had a tough time compiling its own estimate on the war earlier this winter.
"This looks like Mr. Harper wants a blank cheque for this war, with no one having access to the numbers," he said. "They've already refused the PBO access, now the public will be kept in the dark."
A spokeswoman for Defence Minister Jason Kenney said she was unable to comment late Tuesday on the decision.
The Liberals said it was unacceptable.
"The only thing that is transparent about this government is the lengths it will go to stonewall the public,” said Liberal defence critic Joyce Murray. "There is simply no rationale, other than the desire to avoid scrutiny and accountability, that explains the decision to classify this information."
The House of Commons approved a motion late Monday to extend the campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant for a year, and expand airstrikes into Syria.
In Europe, Canada has sent a frigate to patrol with NATO's standing fleet, CF-18s for air policing over the Baltic and ground troops for land exercises with other allied nations. All of it is meant to show western solidarity in the face of Russia's annexation of Crimea.
More deployments and training are expected this year.
But it was over the cost of the mission in Iraq where the Conservatives fought a pitched battle with Opposition parties.
Former defence minister Rob Nicholson stonewalled the accountability demands of the New Democrats and Liberals, who pointed out the Americans keep a running, publicly reported tab of their expenses.
The wall of silence ended in early February with the appointment of Jason Kenney to the portfolio.
He promptly released the estimated cost to the end of the fiscal year, which amounted to $122.5 million. Although Kenney warned at the time that the figure at the end of the fiscal year could very well be higher, depending on whether the mission was renewed.
National Defence has also declared the revised estimates for that mission — and the one in eastern Europe — to be classified.
It notes that authority to spend money on both missions will come through supplementary appropriations before Parliament, but given that an election is expected this fall it will likely be a year, or more, before those figures are tabled.
The numbers add to a heightened level of secrecy surrounding both missions.
Access to flight crews carrying out the bombing campaign in Iraq — and now Syria — is non-existent. The military claims the Kuwait government won't allow journalists on its air bases.
Special forces, who are based in northern Iraq, do not allow media access. All information comes through tightly censored briefings at National Defence headquarters.
The department also prohibits photographs that identify soldiers taking part in overseas operations, including troops who recently left for a training exercise in Eastern Europe.
Photo gallery Syrian Woman Wears Hidden Camera to Reveal Life Under ISIS Rule See Gallery
Syrian Woman Wears Hidden Camera to Reveal Life Under ISIS Rule
MORE: cp Iraq Combat Mission isis Jason Kenney jason kenney iraq jason kenney isil jason kenney isil mission jason kenney syria NATO Politics ukraine video
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Home » Books » Non Fiction » Memoir
It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me
by L.M. Wasylciw Canada
Select ratingGive It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me 1/5Give It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me 2/5Give It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me 3/5Give It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me 4/5Give It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me 5/5Cancel rating
“It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me – a memoir” is an revelation of Linda Wasylciw’s girlhood, her single-minded drive to be different and begins with her birth in a tiny farmhouse in Worsley, Alberta. The reader is taken on a nomadic journey of her life as the wife of an oilfield worker, her globetrotting, including her South Pacific sailing adventure, and the memorable trek across the North of England. For the ancestry-minded there is a very small family tree, only a couple of twigs back, with an account of marriages, deaths, careers and paths chosen. The memoir includes a sharing of her views on the world and its affairs. Linda writes about her life-long desire to be an author, explaining how and when that actually came to fruition. This book is a mélange of historical bits and pieces that have shaped her into who she is today, including memorable fragments of the past that have stuck to her along the way.
It’s My Story and It’s Sticking to Me - Amazon.com
L.M Wasylciw’s first novel was published in 2013 and in total she has self-published 12 books: 8 adult fiction and 4 adult non-fiction. Human behaviours intrigue her, leading her to spend a great deal of time analyzing what people do and why. She is constantly trying to make sense of things that do not make sense to her. Wasylciw is passionate about humanity, has great concerns about the future of our planet, and writes with an aim to enlighten readers, to empower action. She was born and raised in a small farming community in northwest Alberta and spent a full career in finance. At... more
Other books by L.M. Wasylciw
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NASA's Record-setting Koch, Crewmates Safely Back from Space
Koch wrapped up a 328-day mission on her first flight into space.
In this Thursday, March 14, 2019 file photo, U.S. astronaut Christina Koch, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), speaks with her relatives through a safety glass prior the launch of Soyuz MS-12 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool
MOSCOW (AP) — NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who has spent nearly 11 months in orbit on the longest spaceflight by a woman, landed safely in Kazakhstan on Thursday along with two of her International Space Station crewmates.
The Soyuz capsule carrying Koch, along with station Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and the Russian space agency Roscosmos' Alexander Skvortsov, touched down southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at 3:12 p.m. (0912 GMT).
Koch wrapped up a 328-day mission on her first flight into space, providing researchers the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on a woman. The study is important since NASA plans to return to the moon under the Artemis program and prepare for the human exploration of Mars.
Koch smiled and gave a thumbs-up as support crew helped her get out of the capsule and placed her in a chair for a quick post-flight check-up alongside her crewmates. Russian space officials said they were in good shape.
Koch, who grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and now lives near the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Texas, with her husband, Bob, told The Associated Press last month that taking part in the first all-female spacewalk was the highlight of her mission.
Koch said she and fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir appreciated that the Oct. 18 spacewalk "could serve as an inspiration for future space explorers.”
Parmitano and Skvortsov spent 201 days in space.
After preliminary medical evaluations, the crew will be flown by Russian helicopters to the city of Karaganda in Kazakhstan. Koch and Parmitano will then board a NASA plane bound for Cologne, Germany, where Parmitano will be greeted by European space officials before Koch proceeds home to Houston.
Skvortsov will be flown to the Star City Cosmonaut Training Center outside Moscow.
Female Astronaut to Set Record
3 Astronauts Return to Earth
18,000 Wannabe Astronauts Apply to NASA
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Administration Ends Antitrust Probe of 4 Automakers
The automakers planned to comply with pollution and gas mileage requirements established by California that are tougher than the federal standards.
Marcy GordonMichael Balsamo
AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ended its antitrust probe into a deal between California and four of the world's biggest automakers, after failing to find that the companies' conduct violated the law.
The Justice Department's investigation, which started last fall, had aimed to determine whether antitrust laws were violated by Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW in reaching the July deal with California. Under the deal, the automakers planned to comply with pollution and related mileage requirements established by California that are tougher than the federal standards sought by President Donald Trump.
The Justice Department didn't find conduct violating the law and has closed the investigation, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
In September, the administration revoked California's authority to set auto mileage standards, asserting that only the federal government has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy. Top California officials and environmental groups took legal action to stop the rollback.
Democrats accused the administration of using antitrust powers to target political opponents with the investigation. A top Justice Department official defended the probe before Congress and denied any political motivation or influence from the White House. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said Friday that the Justice Department's "trumped-up charges were always a sham — a blatant attempt by the Trump administration to prevent more automakers from joining California and agreeing to stronger emissions standards."
Newsom called the closing of the probe "a big loss for the president and his weaponization of federal agencies."
California's authority to set its own, tougher emissions standards dates back to a waiver issued by Congress during passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970. The state has long pushed automakers to adopt more fuel-efficient passenger vehicles that emit less pollution. About a dozen states and the District of Columbia also follow California's fuel economy standards.
The deal struck by the state and the automakers bypassed the administration's plan to freeze emissions and fuel economy standards adopted under President Obama at 2021 levels.
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ILS Proton Successfully Launches XM-5 Satellite
6th ILS Proton Mission of 2010; 26th Proton Launch in 27 months
BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, October 15, 2010 – International Launch Services (ILS), a world leader in providing mission and launch services to the commercial satellite industry, successfully carried the XM-5 satellite into orbit today on an ILS Proton for SIRIUS XM Radio, America’s satellite radio company. This was the 6th commercial mission of the year for ILS and the 9th successful Proton launch of 2010. This is the 5th ILS Proton launch for SIRIUS XM Radio beginning with the first launch in 2000.
The ILS Proton Breeze M launched from Pad 24 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 12:53 a.m. today local time (2:53 p.m. EDT, 18:53 GMT). After a 9 hour 12 minute mission, the Breeze M successfully released the XM-5 satellite, weighing over 5.9 metric tons, into geostationary transfer orbit. This was the 360th launch for Proton since its inaugural flight in 1965, and the 62nd ILS Proton launch overall. The Proton Breeze M launch vehicle was developed and built by Khrunichev Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, one of the pillars of the Russian space industry and the majority shareholder in ILS.
The XM-5 satellite was built on the flight proven Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform and is the 5th satellite for SIRIUS XM in orbit built by Space Systems/Loral. XM-5 is a high power satellite and is intended to serve as an in-orbit spare for the existing fleet of SIRIUS and XM satellites. The satellite will help enable the uninterrupted delivery of more than 130 channels of commercial-free music, and premier sports, news, talk and entertainment programming and traffic, weather, and data services to close to 20 million SIRIUS and XM subscribers. XM-5 is located at 80 degrees West, but will be situated at 85.2 degrees West after 30 days of in-orbit testing.
“The relationship we have with SIRIUS XM Radio dates back to over 10 years with the launch of the SIRIUS constellation of three satellites in 2000. The entire team of ILS, Khrunichev, SIRIUS XM and Space Systems/Loral once again worked throughout the mission to deliver the XM-5 satellite to orbit. We thank SIRIUS XM for entrusting ILS Proton with their business and allowing us to participate in the making of satellite radio history,” said ILS President Frank McKenna.
“The successful launch of XM-5 bolsters our continuity of services and will help ensure SIRIUS XM Radio’s audio and data services are reliably delivered to our customers. We knew we could count on ILS and Khrunichev to launch on-time and with flawless precision as they have been demonstrating for us for over a decade now,” said David Frear, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, SIRIUS XM Radio.
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Bruce Friedman Named Vice President for Finance and Administration
February 19th, 2019 | Press Release
West Chester, Pa Resident Named Vice President for Finance at Immaculata University
Bruce Friedman, of West Chester, PA, joins the executive administration of Immaculata University as vice president for Finance and Administration. In this capacity, he will oversee all financial aspects of the University and is responsible for human resources, facilities, and technology services for the campus.
Most recently serving at the University of Pennsylvania as the executive director of finance for the Business Services Division, Friedman had previously been the chief financial officer for Penn Dental Medicine. Beginning his professional career at lauded corporations such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Verizon, and Exelon, Friedman transitioned into the education industry as vice president and corporate controller for Nobel Learning Communities and then as chief financial officer for CSMI, LLC, a charter school management company, before advancing into higher education at the University of Pennsylvania.
Earning his undergraduate degree in accounting and finance from Drexel University, Friedman continued his education receiving his MBA in finance from Drexel and a second master’s degree in organizational dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified public accountant. To keep current in his industry, Friedman maintains memberships in several professional organizations including the National Association of College and University Business Officers, the CFO Leadership Council, and a long-standing member of both the state (PICPA) and national (AICPA) institutes for certified public accountants.
In addition to his professional memberships, Friedman volunteers his time as the president of Team Telomere, Inc. and as a board member of Bournelyf Special Camp. From 2002-2010, Friedman was a board member and president (2008-2010) of Chester County Disability Services.
“I’m excited to become a part of the Immaculata community as the University continues to thrive. Living in Chester County makes this even more special to me and our family,” states Friedman on his new position at Immaculata. “The University’s rich history, inclusive culture and the mission of service and education all align with my own experiences and values.”
Today’s Immaculata University is a vibrant coeducational community of active and engaged learners. Established in 1920 and guided by the servant leadership tradition of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the University empowers graduates for lifelong success, leadership and service. Immaculata offers more than 70 undergraduate and graduate programs and is home to 23 NCAA athletic teams. The expansive suburban campus is located in renowned Chester County, Pa, 30 miles west of Philadelphia.
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Hyundai Info
Hyundai Help for Kids reaches $3 million
Hyundai Help for Kids reaches $3 million.
The incredible charitable success story that is Hyundai Help for Kids has hit yet another new milestone, with the funds raised for children's charities around Australia hitting $3 million this month.
Since being established in January 2014 – as part of Hyundai Motor Company's global Corporate Social Responsibility program; 'Moving the World Together' – the Hyundai Help for Kids partnership has grown at an incredible pace, very much reflecting the growth of the Hyundai brand in Australia. Hyundai Help for Kids provides grants to a range of organisations focused on delivering assistance to children in need and the families who put their lives on hold, and work so hard, to support them.
In just over two years, it has now raised an astonishing, and hugely appreciated $3,016,306. The three million milestone was reached after a large, one-off donation from head office. At the company's recent annual National Dealer Meeting – which celebrated 2016 as Hyundai's 30th Anniversary of operating in Australia - Charlie Kim, CEO of Hyundai Australia, announced that the company would contribute $30,000 to Hyundai Help for Kids to celebrate that significant number.
Hyundai Help for Kids is a hugely beneficial fund-raising facilitator and is a combined effort between Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) and the 168 dealerships that make up the Hyundai National Dealer Network. HMCA matches dollar for dollar the dealers' contribution.
Hyundai is as driven as it is big-hearted and very proud to have become one of Australia's favourite car companies. This success is built not only on our service and cars, but also our deep involvement in the community. Now, with a contribution from every new car sold going to Hyundai Help for Kids, we're helping to provide hope and support for the children and families in Australia who need it most. Essentially, every time a customer buys a Hyundai, children's charities benefit through sport, culture, education, health, community engagement, and social welfare initiatives. So if you've bought a new Hyundai, thank you. You've helped!
There are many, varied examples of how this help works in practical ways, even beyond funding. Just one example is our donation to help HeartKids Australia. HeartKids Australia is a charity focused on securing the future and enhancing the quality of life of kids with Childhood Heart Disease (CHD). Hyundai Help for Kids provided a new Hyundai Tucson for an eBay charity auction, with all proceeds going to HeartKids Australia to support their annual Sweetheart Day campaign which contributed towards the $270,000 raised for the charity in month of February.
Another key example of direct help is in the area of medical research. Recently, funding has been put towards a program of truly revolutionary research being done at the Kids Research Institute at The Children's Hospital at Westmead , where 3D printers are being used, for the first time, to produce implants for children with broken bones.
The Engineering & Prototyping Implants for Children (EPIC) lab at the hospital is doing truly amazing work, and now has the capability to produce implants overnight that would previously have taken six months to make manually.
Twelve-year-old Tiana Stalley suffered a severe leg fracture at age four and has had to endure 10 operations over three years to straighten and strengthen her leg, because the implants she was given were designed 20 years ago and her bones had to be cruelly cut to fit them.
The new technology, which will use 3D modelling to produce an implant that's bespoke for each child, will mean far less surgery for kids like Tiana, and no need for the patients to wear unsightly, uncomfortable external cages, as she did. Tiana's mother, Nicole Stalley, who has visited the EPIC lab with her daughter, says the benefits will be enormous.
"Children will not have to go through the number of operations that Tiana has had, and that, all on its own, is amazing," she said.
Health Minister Jillian Skinner, from the NSW State Government, which also provides funding to EPIC, says 3D technology is revolutionising implants which can now be tailored to a child's individual needs.
"This means less time in hospital, a shorter period of healing and, most importantly, better functioning for the growing child," said Ms Skinner.
The innovative system also helps doctors prepare for surgery by allowing them to practice first with a precise 3D model. The Children's Hospital says the first of these life-changing devices will be fitted to a child later this year. Hyundai is immensely proud to be a major contributor to the high-techfit-out of the EPIC lab.
The range of areas in which Hyundai Help for Kids provides funding help is as broad as it is deep, and it's not just sick or injured children who benefit.
One initiative which is proving hugely popular with people around Australia is the Goals for Grassroots program, which forms part of Hyundai's overall commitment to football in this country. The company has given over $580,000 to almost 250 local kids' football clubs across the country since 2007.
It's just another way in which the ever-growing Hyundai Help for Kids fundraising initiative is helping young people from across Australia, along with their families and communities. As the funds continue to rise month by month, it's clear the $3 million landmark raised for such great causes is only the beginning...
Hyundai Help for Kids
An initiative of Hyundai and Hyundai Dealers to lend a helping hand to young Australians and their families
A dedicated communications and resource hub for the Hyundai Help for Kids program, including a suite of social media outlets, offers connectivity points with the organisation, its partners and their ongoing work.
For further information about Hyundai Motor Company's Corporate Social Responsibility and for all information related to the Hyundai Help for Kids initiative visit:
Website www.HyundaiHelpforKids.com.au
Facebook https://www.Facebook.com/HyundaiHelpForKids
Twitter https://Twitter.com/HMCAHelpForKids
Instagram http://instagram.com/hyundaihelpforkids
Harry Hy-Undies Retires.
Hyundai Motorsport scores its third WRC victory as Neuville wins in Sardinia.
Tropfest
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Roy S Melzer
Head, Hi-tech, Software and Information Systems Department at Ehrlich Group
Roy S Melzer (BSc and LLB), advocate and patent attorney, manages the activity of the Ehrlich Group’s high-technology (software) department. His department focuses on drafting and prosecuting patent applications for various computer-related inventions, including cybersecurity, machine learning, blockchain, image processing, wireless communication, cloud computing, database management, ad systems, image processing-based inventions such as image compression (decoders and protocols), digital health and medical imaging, parallel and distributed processing, telecoms and Internet-related patent applications. The department serves R&D centres of international companies and many Israeli start-ups and entrepreneurs. The department also handles hardware and technical implementations of business processes.
Mr Melzer is an expert in patent prosecution in Israel and the United States. He has substantial expertise in the development of IP portfolios for start-ups, as well as due diligence analysis and freedom-to-operate opinions. His practice also includes the use of up-to-date LegalTech and statistical analytic tools, including examiner decision data.
The department’s clients include IBM, Salesforce, Huawei, Zebra Medical Vision Ltd, NEC Corporation of America and the technology transfer organisations of all major universities and medical centres in Israel, including Ramot (Tel Aviv University), T3 (Technion Israel Institute of Technology) and Yeda (Weizmann Institute of Science ).
Mr Melzer is also a partner at boutique IP firm Ehrlich, Neubauer & Melzer (part of the Ehrlich Group).
Mr Melzer has been recommended for his expertise in patent matters in several international ranking guides, such as the IAM Patent 1000 2019 and the Legal 500 2020. In 2018 the Legal 500 lauded his professional achievements on behalf of Mobile Technologies with regard to one of the most valuable patent applications in Israeli history. Mr Melzer was also recommended in Managing Intellectual Property’s IP stars.
The Rogovin-Tidhar Tower
11 Menachem Begin Road
Website: http://www.ipatent.co.il
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Birmingham Ramadan Flashmobs feed the poor…
thisisbirmingham August 28, 2011 | 04:32 am Birmingham Ramadan Flashmobs feed the poor…2011-08-28T04:32:51+00:00
Volunteers feed the homeless during Ramadan in Birmingham
Two Birmingham Flashmobs took to the streets this week armed with plates and pans as they planned to deliver pots of home-cooked food to the homeless and needy during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
The group of around 20 volunteers set up a makeshift ‘meal centre’ outside Waterstones, in the city’s High Street, as part of an ongoing committment to feeding the poor and destitute during the 30 day period of fasting in the Muslim calendar. Despite being forced to hold back the weekly effort during the recent riots, the food stall made a welcome return as helpers handed out rice, meat, fruit and drink to hungry recipients.
Ghafor Ayub, who works with the charity ISRA Feed the Poor, joined the volunteers on Wednesday as they distributed hot food to the needy.
“It means quite a lot to us because we’re helping the poor by giving them food and trying to show at the same time that the Muslim community is there for them and not just for our own kind,” he explained.
“We do help countries around the world but we should also try to help our own country where we can. It’s also good to get to meet new people and see the joy in their eyes, so it’s a priceless experience to be honest.”
Many of those involved in the Ramadan Flashmobs, which have been appearing randomly across the city centre throughout August, have also been enjoying the food as they break their daily fast – following a period without food or drink between the hours of sunrise and sunset – in a meal known in Arabic as the ‘iftar‘.
Originating in Manchester in 2008, Ramadan flashmobs have been appearing across the country with the city’s efforts having been launched last year by Birmingham University student Umamah Ahmed. She told us:
“It’s the holy month of Ramadan and Muslims are fasting all across the world and we wanted to share this special time at sunset with people from the homeless community and refugee communities because we know a lot of people don’t have access to hot food and breaking the fast is a really special time where family and friends gather together, so we wanted to open this out to the whole of the community.”
A number of those attending to accept handouts were refugees, many of whom live and receive aid from local shelters and charities. Volunteer Anna Gray, who first helped out at a shelter when she was ten-years-old, felt the initiative to feed those on the streets was a positive one.
“I think what they’re doing is brilliant. To give food, to help the homeless and they’ve been doing it for a few years now so I think it’s just great to put a smile on people’s faces and fill their stomachs,” she said.
As the religious month of Ramadan draws to a close at the end of August, a final public Flashmob Iftar was also held last night (Sat 27th August) between 7-9pm. Organiser and music artist Black Snow hopes to continue having a regular food drive for the homeless outside of Ramadan too. The month will conclude with the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr.
GALLERY: Birmingham Ramadan Flashmob 2011
VIDEO: Birmingham Ramadan Flashmob 2011
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS31O00PSF4]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVftlqDZJ6A]
https://www.iambirmingham.co.uk/2011/08/28/birmingham-ramadan-flashmobs-feed-the-poor/ 2011-08-28T04:32:51+00:00 thisisbirminghamNewsUncategorizedVideosBirmingham,Birmingham Flashmob,Fasting,Feed the Poor,Homeless,Iftar,Iftari,Islamic,Muslim,Poor,Poverty,Ramadan,Ramadan Flashmob,RamadhanTwo Birmingham Flashmobs took to the streets this week armed with plates and pans as they planned to deliver pots of home-cooked food to the homeless and needy during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The group of around 20 volunteers set up a makeshift 'meal centre' outside Waterstones, in the city's High...thisisbirmingham SubscriberI Am Birmingham
« INTERVIEW | BAMMA 7: Fraser Opie
Nintendo and Disney join city’s top GAMEfest line-up… »
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Professor Jorge H. Chavez
Co-Founder. Business Development Director.
Jorge H. Chavez is the business development director at Ideum Group. Prior to Ideum Group, He worked in logistics and supply-chain management consultancy for many international companies serving Chile, Sweden and latin America. Furthermore, Jorge served as a Professor at Adolfo Ibañez University in Chile and Vaexjo University in Sweden.
Professor Chavez is one of the most recognized supply chain experts in Latin America and the author of several books on this subject.
Víctor Hugo Contreras S.
Co-founder. CEO
Victor Hugo Contreras S, has served for more than 25 years as a professional in the financial area of major global companies, highlighting his role as director for Sara Lee Corp. He has been a consultant for the World Bank and other United Nations entities. As Advisor and consultant, has developed project in Chile and Latin America. He is a faculty member since 1980 in different universities in Chile.
His academic background: Master’s degree in Business Administration, Loyola College in Maryland, United States; MBA ILADES/Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile. Public accountant and Auditor; International certification (Institute for International Research) in IFRS, London; Certification SAP ANGL Chile; Certification ERP SAP Sim.
Michael Nordseth
Senior Vice President Support & Development
M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering at Chalmers Technology University in Sweden. He has a relevant experience of 15 yrs. in the Security Service- Industry, and experience in leading regional projects. Proven ability to lead and influence others at all levels within the organization. Superior facilitation skills and ability to work across organizations and unite diverse individuals with disparate goals and enable productive discussion and outcomes; Strong influencer with the ability to successfully navigate change and drive success across both direct and matrixed situations.
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Related Categories: San Francisco | Media Activism & Independent Media
Rebecca Solnit and Jillian Lauren at Writers With Drinks
The Make Out Room, 3225 22nd. St., San Francisco, CA
Organizer/Author Charlie Anders
When: Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011, 7:30 to 9:30 PM, doors open at 6:30 PM
Who: Rebecca Solnit, Jillian Lauren, Diana Turken, Geek Porn Girl and Tomas Moniz!
Where: The Make Out Room, 3225 22nd. St. between Mission and Valencia, San Francisco
How much: $5 to $10 sliding scale, all proceeds benefit Seven Teepees.
About the readers/performers:
Rebecca Solnit's books include Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas, A California Bestiary, A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster, A Field Guide to Getting Lost and Wanderlust: A History of Walking. She's received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Lannan literary fellowship, two NEA Fellowships for Literature, and a 2004 Wired Rave Award.
Tomas Moniz is the co-editor of Rad Dad, a zine about parenting, and a new anthology, Rad Dad: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Fatherhood.
Jillian Lauren is the author of the novel Pretty, as well as the memoir Some Girls: My Life in a Harem. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Flaunt Magazine, Opium Magazine, Society, Pale House: A Collective and in the anthologies My First Time: A Collection of First Punk Show Stories and Tarnished: True Tales of Innocence Lost.
Suzi, aka Geek Porn Girl, runs the Geek Porn Girl blog, "a blog for gay girls in glasses." While the blog is sex positive, the "porn" in the title refers to "an obsession with trivial, egg-headed details."
Diana Turken was born and raised in Los Angeles, Ca. She is currently working on her MFA degree in Poetry at Mills College. She likes to write about railroad barons, cowboys, and Californians. She is a cable news junkie, a basketball fanatic, and makes her own biscuits from scratch. She lives and works in Oakland.
About Writers With Drinks:
Writers With Drinks has won "Best Literary Night" from the SF Bay Guardian readers' poll six years in a row and was named "Best Literary Drinking" by the SF Weekly. The spoken word "variety show" mixes genres to raise money for local worthy causes. The award-winning show includes poetry, stand-up comedy, science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, literary fiction, erotica, memoir, zines and blogs in a freewheeling format.
http://www.writerswithdrinks.com
Added to the calendar on Tuesday Oct 4th, 2011 10:48 AM
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